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Of Loss and Madness: Chapter 9

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Of Loss and Madness

A RDNA-verse Tale from Two Nations' Eyes

(Chapter 9: Dual Crowns, Dual Hearts)

Vicinity of Neu Wien, Royal Dominion of New Austria. 17 May 1949.

Loyalist Canada kept quiet as he made his way up the main stairway alongside his host. What made him concerned however wasn't so much the seeming absence of guards or the generations of Habsburg history gazing down from the Residence's walls and winding hallways. Nor was it any fear that New Austria would suddenly lunge and kill him on the spot. I know her better than that. I think. Still, he tried shaking his head off those notions and instead focused on the young woman beside him. In her tailored uniform, she walked with both the grace of a noblewoman and the sharp firmness befitting a military officer. But the blue eyes glancing at him seemed like a wild river just crying for release. Just...remain calm.

"There's no need to keep up formalities," she sighed in English with a soft smile as they at long last reached a particular door. "Matthew, no one's stopping you from speaking. Whatever happens is just between the two of us."

Mon Dieu, I do hope so. "Sorry about that, Francesca," he replied with a forced chuckle as they entered a dimmed bedroom that was most certainly hers. "Guess it's the least I could do after helping me out from that civil war a while back. Though it's rather unusual to hear a request like that from you even on a good day, eh?"

"Well, you're one to talk. Though I'm still thankful for you helping put a stop that American's pathetic attempts to fight me. Not to mention all those other adventures or close calls we've had." A melancholy smile lined her face, however as she looked out the moonlit window, arms crossed. "Ja, we've seen so much over the years. And if all this is making you feel uncomfortable, bitte, understand. After what happened back in those battlefields, not even the Vatican can forgive what I've done. What I lost."

"Perhaps someday the others will understand," he sighed. "Time does fly quite a bit, eh?"

Still, as much as New Austria tried to keep a calm veneer, the Canadian sensed just how worried and distressed she sounded. Just as much as he noticed how beautiful she looked under the moonlight. Which made him all the more nervous under his uniform. This isn't right. But I never knew she could...Non. Non! 

"Don't take this the wrong way. It - It's been a long time since a woman asked me to stay the night with her. Not since-"

"Katya, ja? You forever have my sympathies," she finished for him, catching him off-guard. Despite the faint frown lining the lady's face, she seemed to blush as she stepped closer, her voice growing slightly raspier. "But let's not deny it. We would be lying to ourselves if we think the Terror didn't ravish us all. And we both lost those so dear to us. Including my own - Gott, I hope you forgive me for this." 

Before he knew it, Matthew suddenly found himself pulled into a deep kiss. His eyes widened as they parted, blushing profusely as she began undoing her white tunic. So many thoughts seemed to swirl in the Nation's head, finding it hard to focus. At once wanting her and wanting to push her away. Like the whore everyone...NON! I can't..But...

...It wouldn't be fair.

"Saint sicrisse, stop!" he snapped, breathing heavily as he grabbed her free arm. To the Nation's own surprise however, he gently let it go as he slowly moved closer, his hands grazing the fabric of the blushing New Austrian's partially undone tunic. "Let me~"

A part of the Canadian wondered as he slowly removed the garment whether it was the Frenchman in him or the influence of his First Nations, as England would never have approved of it. Still, even as he nimbly undid her skirts and corset, he mused briefly whether Ukraine herself would forgive him if she were still around. With each article of clothing cast off however, his attention remained fixated on the slim, light-tanned body faintly glimmering in the dim light. All the while he swore he heard what sounded like a faint moan. While he had known Francesca as a friend for a long time, it still surprised him how sensual her very being could be.

But as the last of her undergarments fell to the floor, the Nation bit his lip at what he saw. For as much as she was fully exposed to him, so were scars hailing from the still healing English countryside; while their kind could take much more punishment than any person should, it still unnerved him how fresh they almost seemed even after all this time. Here were gashes around her arms and legs, where explosives and bayonets left their mark. All around too laid darkened blemishes where bullets struck through, and faint scratches that he dared not imagine where those came from. As he gazed down at her chest however, he gasped upon seeing a set blots even darker than the rest, each one close to her heart. He knew this all too well, as his mind went back to the final "victory" in London. The exhausted relief in his men as the last Reds were driven out.

The stunned look in her deep eyes as she was put down at last.

And I pulled the trigger. Dieu...I killed you.

"Francesca," he breathed as he tried to shake his head. Only to feel her hands guiding his through her breasts before resting them on her curved back. To his surprise, he noticed how she was already undoing the buttons of his Red Serge tunic. 

"I can never replace her," she whispered as she allowed her hair to flow loose. "And you did what was best for all of us. But just this moment, just this once. Hold me."

Despite himself, Matthew managed a smile as he brought her into a tight embrace. In the end, both of them were as much broken from the war, turmoil and Terror as anyone who lived through those times. An uncertain future still awaited them. Even the outcome of New Austria's return to the world stage remained an open question. But that could wait. For now, I just how I - non, we're doing the right thing. Right, Katya?

"Oui. Of course."

The night was still young.
This is the ninth chapter for the rewritten version of an old fic for the RDNA-verse AU started nearly 5 years ago that I never finished, Of Loss and Madness. ( fav.me/d314w71 ). Notably, this is in contrast to the previous chapters entirely new as the earlier version never went this far.

Once more, the focus is on Matthew/Loyalist Canada in 1949 and follows immediately after what happened in Chapter 7. This time however, not only does it also put more light on his friendship with Francesca/New Austria, but it also shows how both of them are in their own sense confused, broken yet persevering. Not to mention his conflicting thoughts and memories if Ukraine. There's also a reason why their friendship is "complicated."

As a warning though, this chapter is very suggestive and bordering on the explicit if you read too deeply into things. But there's a reason for that, which ties in to the horrid happenings of the previous parts. And as much as it might be sensual, it's also a tad graphic in another sense ("Fan Disservice') and more than a bit bittersweet. Still, as much as I tried to make it as tasteful as possible, I hope you don't mind the bittersweet intimacy. :(

With those being said, and just to be safe, this is a work of fiction. Neither do I own Hetalia; all rights belong to Himaruya and respective owners.

With those out of the way, I hope you enjoy this rather dark look back in time, in another world. 

UPDATE: Some slight, last-minute polishing. Apologies!

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For some trivia.

The Royal Dominion of New Austria ( mdc01957.deviantart.com/art/De… , mdc01957.deviantart.com/art/Na… ) is one of the major "Free Nations" in the RDNA-verse. Essentially, this is the result of the Austrian Habsburgs rather than the Spanish settling and raising up what our world would call Mexico. By the 2010s of the AU though, it's long since become home to the Habsburg Throne-in-Exile, their Austro-Hungarian homelands lost to the "Terror." 

A map showing New Austria during (more or less) this time period can be found here: New Austria and the Upheaval: RDNA-verse

The "Red Serge" is a Canadian equivalent of the British "Redcoat" more or less, and is associated with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in real life. More commonly known as the Mounties.

Saint sicrisse is mild Quebecois French swears that are roughly the equivalent of "Christ." This is in sharp contrast to the much harsher Tabarnak, considered the quintessential Quebecois sacre.

New Austria/Francesca's attire in in essence a roughly Victorian/World War I officer's uniform tailored for women worn in Europe around that period: s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/2… .

The British Imperial Commonwealth is what became of the British Empire and the Commonwealth in the RDNA-verse, and has been run by Loyalist Canada since 1945, when it became clear that power had firmly shifted away from the United Kingdom. The information regarding Canada, the U.K. and what became of Western Europe after the "Terror" can be found below:

fav.me/d8zmhmv
fav.me/d92lyk1

The references to the "Invasion" and "Liberation" of Britain in 1942-44 meanwhile are from these maps:

fav.me/d30xqp6 
fav.me/d30j9e3

Which also explain in part the "bittersweet" triumph that left the UK in shambles as well as why the British remain rather upset with their New Austrian "allies."  Which will be explained soon enough...up close. :( (Sad)

The preview image is from :iconchaneljay:'s original fanwork The Other Side of Me ( fav.me/d4hkzxg ), which is about New Austria/Francesca herself. All credit and thanks go to her. Also, feel free to check her gallery. :) (Smile)

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Chapter 1: mdc01957.deviantart.com/art/Of
Chapter 2: mdc01957.deviantart.com/art/Of…
Chapter 3: mdc01957.deviantart.com/art/Of…
Chapter 4: mdc01957.deviantart.com/art/Of…
Chapter 5: mdc01957.deviantart.com/art/Of…
Chapter 6: mdc01957.deviantart.com/art/Of…
Chapter 7mdc01957.deviantart.com/art/Of…
Chapter 8: mdc01957.deviantart.com/art/Of…
Chapter 10: mdc01957.deviantart.com/art/Of…
© 2015 - 2024 mdc01957
Comments8
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AuFigirl's avatar
Wow, that became rather...intimate between them. ;)