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A Storm of Sunflowers	By : FlayraDowitcher Category: +G to L > Hetalia: Axis Powers Views: 4890 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters. This story is strictly for fun and for the enjoyment of fans.

Chapter List
- 11
- 12
- 13
***Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia

*** <3 Please read on and enjoy! xoxo

Chapter 12

Yao marched out of the manor and down the stone steps to where a small handful of carriages were letting out. He saw Francis and Arthur exit one followed by Kiku and Matthew. Where was that bastard Alfred? He stopped to look around and noticed Gilbert standing over by one carriage with Feliks, Feliciano, and Alfred. Yao sneered and started heading over to them. Alfred’s back was turned so he did not see Yao coming up behind him. Feliciano saw Yao coming and before he could give him a greeting, Yao’s hand gripped handfuls of Alfred’s hair and pulled him backwards. Alfred cried out in shock and reached up to grab his hair.

“You treacherous little slut!” Yao shouted as he continued to pull Alfred back. Alfred painfully twisted himself around so he was facing forward (or rather facing the ground) still grabbing at Yao’s hands. “I’m going to rip your hair out!”

“Let go of me!” Alfred shouted and wrapped his arms around Yao’s waist to tackle him to the cobblestone ground. The two started rolling around on the ground and the others were to shocked and surprised at the moment to do anything. Gilbert’s hearty laugh could be heard as he pointed at the two of them rolling on the ground.

“Look at those two go!” He laughed again, holding his stomach. “It’s like two ladies in a tavern fight!”

“There’s like, nothing funny about this!” Feliks tried to say with all seriousness but the smirk he had gave it away.

“Somebody stop them!” Feliciano cried out at the two wrestling on the ground. Matthew was starting to cry as he watched his brother fighting and had to hold on to Arthur for comfort.

Rips of clothing were heard as Yao’s silk robe was starting to miss a sleeve as he tried to get the upper hand on Alfred. Alfred had removed his cloak and gloves on the ride home and good thing he did. He knew he shouldn’t be doing this to the ‘lady of the manor’ but he wasn’t going to let his ass get kicked either and especially not by Yao.

He was met with Yao’s fist backhanding him and throwing him off balance. This gave Yao the chance to tackle him to the ground. There were sounds of slaps, tears, hissing, and shouting as they continued their brawl. A lot of it consisted of hair pulling and trying to top the other for battle dominance.

“You’re nothing but a backwoods home wreaker!” Yao screamed and backhanded Alfred now that he had the upper hand. Alfred’s hand shot up and gripped his ponytail, yanking it hard to the side and twisting his neck. Yao cried out as he was flipped over again.

“You’re going to be shittin’ that orange blossom when I get done with you!” Alfred hollered back and landed his knee in Yao’s stomach, making the man gasp out in pain.

“This is going to far! We’ve got to stop them!” Arthur yelled and let go of Matthew to run to the brawl. Gilbert was still laughing as Feliks and Feliciano ran off to join Arthur in breaking up the fight. Arthur attempted to grab Alfred but he pushed him away to focus on dominating Yao. Feliciano was trying to squeeze between them to push Alfred off of Yao, which wasn’t a very bright idea for someone’s elbow met with his cheek. He cried out and fell to the ground, helplessly writhing until Kiku came over to help pull him out of harms way. Francis came over to try and help Arthur hold back Alfred’s arms but the man was surprisingly strong with his adrenaline rush.

Gilbert finally had to cut in, still laughing as he shoved the two blondes away from Alfred. He wrapped his arms around Alfred’s waist and easily pulled him away. Gilbert lifted him up in the air, his long legs kicking wildly as he tried to break free of the grip. Feliks held Yao by his underarms and drug him away from Alfred, also kicking and screaming. Both young men were bruised and slightly bloodied, their clothes torn and ragged. If Alfred wasn’t half naked already he certainly was now. Alfred was still trying to break from Gilbert’s iron grip but Matthew hurried over to stand in front him, crying.

“Please calm down, brother! Please Alfie! Stop it!”

“Let me at him! I’ll trash his ass!”

“You still want a piece of me you sheep fucking mongrel!? I’ll take you on any time of the day, slut!” Feliks was having a hard time holding Yao so Francis rushed over to help him hold the struggling man down.

“Alfred, control yourself!” Arthur shouted him. “You’re making your brother cry!”

“Let me go, damn it!” Alfred protested but Arthur told Gilbert to take him inside and bring him to Francis’s room, still kicking the air. Yao seemed to have calmed down more as he let Feliks and Francis help stand him up.

“I’m going to go with Arthur.” Francis said and Feliks sent him off.

“Like, come on, Feliciano. Get up. We’re going to my room, all three of us.” He looked at Kiku who sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“I’ll get my medical herbs and meet you there.” As soon as Kiku left, Feliks and Feliciano helped walk a grumbling Yao to his room.

“That damn skank…ripping my beautiful robes!” Yao hissed as Kiku tapped some healing salve on one of Yao’s many bruises and cuts.

“You brought this on yourself, you know.” Feliciano pointed out from his spot in a chair, holding a cold water bag to his slightly swollen cheek.

“No, I didn’t! Ivan called me Alfred! ALFRED! Can you believe that! Right after sex when we were cuddling! He called me fucking ALFRED! Don’t I have the rights to tear the slut’s arms off? I’m his legal wife!”

“If I can like, be brutally honest, I would say that Alfred is just a better fuck than you.”

“Metaphorically or literally?” Yao asked.

“Literally.”

“Fuck you. OW! Damn it Kiku! Be more gentle!”

“I’m sorry! But I need to press hard to make this stuff dissolve into your skin.”

“Yao…I think you should be more upset with Ivan than Alfred.” Feliciano said meekly. “After all, Alfred is just trying to save his home, not take Ivan away from you.”

“That makes him a prostitute.” Yao sneered.

“No it doesn’t…it makes him brave and unselfish. He is throwing away all his morals and values for the sake of others.”

“If he sells his body for sex to get money than that makes him a prostitute. Okay, so he’s a more pious one. Who cares. He’s still a prostitute.” Feliciano stomped his foot.

“No he isn’t!”

“Technically, Feli, Yao is right about Alfred.” Feliks pointed out but he didn’t want it to slip that Ivan was making Alfred his mistress and second wife.

“What’s your take on this, Kiku?” Yao asked him.

“Well, I think your horrid display of fists and foul mouth are not becoming of one with your title and status. You were fighting like a gang member on the streets!”

“Oh, get over yourself, Kiku! You mean to tell me you wouldn’t do the same if you found out your husband was slipping between the sheets with someone else?”

“You can’t ask him that question since he has, like, no action going on in his bedroom.” Feliks stated and Kiku gave him an irritated look. “Oh, I’m sorry. I meant hut.” He chuckled.

“Ve~ Kiku has a bedroom in the manor…he just doesn’t use it.”

“But that’s beside the point. What am I suppose to do now? I can’t face Ivan until I cool down but that damn Alfred is assigned as one of my grooms! I don’t want him anywhere near me! I’ll tell Toris to talk to Ivan to reassign Alfred somewhere else. But I will NOT have him in my presence knowing he’s sleeping with my husband!”

“M-maybe you two should sit down and talk.” Feliciano suggested but Yao just glared at him. “Ve~ or not.”

“Let me just say that I don’t really blame Ivan for like, going to share Alfred’s bed when you like, guard your ass with swords and bars.”

“What do you mean by that?” Yao growled softly.

“What I mean is that you don’t like, arouse sexual desire in Ivan. But that’s normal for arranged marriages. Like, you just have to work together for the benefit of everyone. That doesn’t mean you have to be passionately in love with him.”

“Of course I love Ivan! I’m very in love with him!”

“Don’t fool yourself, Yao.” Feliks said seriously.

“Ve~ I have to agree with Feliks, Yao. You don’t look at Ivan like I look at Ludwig…” Yao said nothing and focused more on what Kiku was doing to his busied body. “If you really loved Ivan, you would want to be with him all the time…your mind would be occupied with just thoughts of you and him and all the things you can do together. Just the longing to hold the one you love in your arms when they are far away shows passionate love. We know you love Ivan but-“

“So are you saying Ivan loves Alfred more than me?”

“No one is saying that.” Kiku said, silently agreeing with Feliciano’s words.

“That just what are all of you trying to say to me?”

“Simple, you like, feel obligated to be a sweet, loving, and dutiful wife to Ivan. You’re really just pushing yourself too hard to feel something you don’t.”

“But…if that is true…then w-what the hell am I suppose to do?” He voice started to crack with the threat of tears. “I don’t want to go back home to my family…how humiliating would that be?”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Feliks turned angry eyes on him. “You are not going anywhere and Ivan would never send you away! Stop acting like a drama queen!”

“But-!” Yao started when Kiku’s voice stopped him.

“That is one of the prices to pay when you are married to a high ranking lord. Men in power have the tendency to cheat…because they can. It’s almost expected of them. But you have to know how good you have it living here with Ivan. You’ve told us so many times about how the other wives all cry and complain that their husbands beat or rape them and try to have full control of their lives. They have no say in anything their husbands’ do. Ivan always asks your thoughts.”

“I-I know…Ivan fully respects me and gives me all the freedom I want…not even my parents gave me that.” He slumped in the chair. “I don’t know what to do…this is all…so confusing! I’m so mixed up with wanting to strangle that little bitch or-“

“Or thank him for doing all the, like, crazy sex stuff you don’t want to do. Look at it this way, Alfred, like, does all the nasty, hardcore sex stuff and you get to make love your way. Ivan will get, like, all his crazy lusty desires from Alfred but be a loving and doting husband who makes love to you whenever you want. I would be, like, grateful for it!”

“I wish I could think like you…but I don’t even know what I’m thinking right now anyway! I feel like I’m in a state of shock….”

“Well you and Alfred did, like, just kick the shit out of each other.”

“I hope Ivan beats him for attacking me.” Yao huffed out.

“But you attacked him first.” Feliciano said and one glare from Yao was enough for him to know he should stop talking.

“We’re done with this conversation! Just finish fixing me up and then I’m going to go hide in my room until I feel like coming out! And I don’t want to be bothered!”

Meanwhile, in Francis’s room…

Kiku had just come from Feliks room to start treating Alfred’s wounds next. Arthur was already running his mouth off and scolding Alfred for his ruthless behavior. Alfred looked too annoyed to even care about what Arthur was saying. Matthew was sitting on Francis’s bed holding his teddy bear and whimpering softly. Gilbert came over and sat beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

“Hey, don’t cry. It’s all over now.”

“I-I know…I just don’t like seeing Alfie hurt…” Matthew sniffled out.

“Aw, he’s not hurt. He’s just roughed up a bit. How about we take the night off and go out to the city? You know, get your mind off what happened between your brother and Lady Yao.”

“B-But I’m afraid to leave brother…”

“Pfft. He’ll be fine! He’s got Arthur here and Feliks and Feliciano, he’s fine! Come on, don’t you want to see more of the world?”

“W-well that would be nice…” he said softly with a smile. “I’ll think about it.”

“Ah, good! I will be expecting your answer soon then!” he pat Matthew roughly on the back before standing up to get a better look at Alfred. “So… you look good.” He smirked and Alfred rolled his eyes.

“Get bent. I just fucked up the ‘Lady of the Manor’…there goes my job.”

“Hardly. I promise you that Ivan won’t kick you out for that. He’ll probably just shrug his shoulders and laugh. You’ll be fine, trust me.”

“I agree with Gilbert.” Francis said. “You won’t be going anywhere.”

“That’s good news.”

“How is it good?” Arthur hissed. “Lord Ivan is a whack job and I can’t believe all of us are here with him! He’s dangerous! And his wife is just as loopy!”

“Well I’m not leaving this place so just get over it!” Alfred hissed at Arthur and they heard Francis making a sad whining sound.

“Arthur, my love, you don’t want to stay here with me?” He looked at him with puppy dog eyes and Arthur sucked his teeth.

“I meant ALL of us as in you and the others too.”

“All of us are fairly content being here.” Kiku said softly, bandaging Alfred’s hand. “We don’t really have any problems with Ivan. And this war is unpredictable…leaving a secure place now would be stupid.”

“Fine, whatever!” Arthur threw his hands up and went to join Francis against the wall. Alfred looked down at Kiku.

“Where do I sleep tonight? I don’t think I can sleep in my normal bed with Feliciano…Lady Yao won’t want me there.”

“You are welcomed to stay in my hut if you need to.” Kiku said and Alfred shook his head.

“No, you have Matthew there.”

“Go sleep in Feliks room.” Francis offered. “Once Yao is out of there I’m sure Feliks will let you in. He’s pretty neutral when it comes to things like this.” Alfred nodded.

“Yeah…that sounds good.” He looked at Arthur who immediately shook his head.

“We’ve had this talk, Alfred. Don’t even mention it.” Alfred nodded sadly.

“Right…sorry.”

Ivan sat at his desk with a look of distress on his face. He had really messed things up with Yao by saying Alfred’s name. It just slipped from his lips, it’s not like he was trying to hurt Yao’s feelings on purpose. He still should have been in more control of himself. Now he would have to find something else for Alfred to do here. Yao wouldn’t let him be his groom for very obvious reasons. Once Yao cooled down he would have to go and talk to him and try to straighten things out. The look on Yao’s face last night upset him and he knew he had hurt Yao deeply. Yao was trying so hard to please him and he blew it.

A shrieking cry from the opened window surprised him and he turned around to see a messenger falcon land on the perch there. It was holding a scroll container in its mouth and flapping it wings. Ivan leaned over and took the container from its beak and popped off the lid. He tapped it on his palm and watched as a small scroll fell out. The tiny drawn picture was the symbol of an army out fighting in the current battle Ludwig was involved in. He carefully unrolled it and read it.

It was from one of the king’s generals. It stated that the enemy army was bigger than they previously thought and the troops were trying to hold them off as long as they could. Another enemy troop had snuck around their defenses during the battle and were heading for Ivan’s city. The king’s troops were unable to follow due to holding back the large army that threatened them. Ivan did not have the troop sizes enough to hold the city himself so he would have to send word to the king right away so he could arrange another army to defend the city. He couldn’t stay here at the manor though. They all had to leave.

“TORIS!” Ivan called loudly, hoping the man was nearby. “TORIS!” The door opened and Toris stepped in, looking worried.

“Yes my lord? Anything wrong?”

“We’ve got troubles…as if I didn’t have enough of them.”

“What kind of troubles?” Ivan handed him the scroll and Toris read it, turning white. “Oh no…”

“We’re all relocating.” Ivan said simply. “We’re going to my family’s house in the mountains.”

“All the way up there? But…it’s snowy and cold…and your sisters are there! Lady Yao doesn’t get along with Natalia!”

“Then you can stay here and help defend the city.” Toris gulped and decided to take his chances going up to Ivan’s family home.

“I’ll start making all the arrangements…wh-who’s coming? Besides the obvious ones.”

“Alfred is coming, of course. He’ll need to bring his brother with him. Francis is hitting it off with that Arthur and if he’s unhappy his food doesn’t taste as good. So Arthur will have to come. Kiku of course as well as Feliks. Let them all know right away so they start packing.”

“What about Gilbert?”

“I rather he come with us then stay here. I’ll take a few of his best men so we have some extra line of defense while we’re traveling. I can’t handle everything myself if we run into robbers or enemy patrols. My family house has servants and everything else we need there.” He picked up the small container to cap it when he noticed another piece of paper in there. “What’s this?” He pulled it out and opened it. It was a message from Ludwig’s troops saying that he was injured in battle and unable to fight until he heals. Ivan crushed the paper in his hands. “Shit…”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s Ludwig. He’s been injured in battle…no wonder they troops are failing.” Toris gasped and immediately thought about Feliciano. “We need to get moving. Get to it, Toris. I’ll send word to my sisters to let them know we are coming. Let the falconer know I’ll need one of his birds too.”

“Y-yes sir.”

He bowed and left Ivan’s office to start making all the arrangements for the move. All the servants were starting to panic, running about this way and that. Toris went to each room, telling each of them to start packing just what they need and to bring warm clothes. When he got to Feliciano’s room he couldn’t hold in the news about Ludwig.

“Feliciano? You in there?”

“Yes, Toris, come in.” Toris did so, twiddling his fingers nervously.

“Um…you need to pack the things you need and get ready to move.”

“M-move? Where am I going?” Toris quickly explained to him and Feliciano trembled. “Oh no…that’s terrible! What about Ludwig? Any news on him?” Feliciano had tears in his eyes as he saw Toris’s face.

“H-he’s been injured in battle…that’s all we know right now.” Feliciano’s face drained of all color and he flopped back on the bed in a daze. “Feli, you don’t have time for moping! You have to get packed! We leave as soon as we can!”

“Ludwig…my Wiggy…”

Toris didn’t have time for him right now and would come back after he was done doing the millions of other things he had to do. Yao wasn’t too pleased with knowing he had to move to Ivan’s family house in the mountains but he set to packing anyway. Alfred had nothing to pack and neither did Matthew or Arthur so they all stayed with Francis as he packed a trunk. Feliks came to Francis’s room with his two bags of sewing things and clothes. Kiku had only some precious gardening tools he wanted to take with him and was in a daze knowing his flowers would all be left behind. Toris found them all in Francis’s room and knocked on the door to get their attention.

“Everyone ready?”

“Yes.” Said Francis. “Everyone except Feliciano. We haven’t seen him.” Toris raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t with Yao because he was already packed up and heading down to the carriages. “Someone go check on him.” Toris said. “I have way to much to do.”

“I’ll go do check on him.” Kiku said and left the room to hurry to Feliciano’s. He saw that the door was opened and he peeked in. “Feliciano? Are you in here?” No answer came and he opened the door more to look around the room. He found a note on the bed and picked it up to read it. He gasped and nearly dropped the letter to the floor. “Oh no…what is he thinking!” Kiku quickly ran out of the room to alert the others.

Feliciano ran through the city streets with nothing but the clothes on his back, dodging in and out of carriages looking for a specific one. His wet eyes were making things blurry and hard to see for him. Feliciano saw a wagon with a white cover on it and he let out a sigh of relief as he ran to it.

“Excuse me! Sir! Excuse me!” He waved his hand wildly at the carriage man who pulled his horses to a stop when he saw him.

“Yes?” Feliciano panted.

“A-are you…you a…a medical wagon?”

“I am, yes. I’m taking these medical supplies to the current battlefield.”

“May I hitch a ride there with you? Please?” He folded his hands and pleaded with the man.

“I can’t let you do that, young man. The battlefield is no place for you!”

“But I need to get there! Please sir! Let me ride with you!”

“I’m sorry but my answer is no.”

“I can pay you!” Feliciano reached into his pocket and pulled out a small sack. “This has ten gold pieces in it! I’ll give it all to you if you take me to the battlefield with you!” The man looked around and then held his hand out to Feliciano. He gave the man the sack of money.

“Hope in the back and don’t make noise.” He said and Feliciano smiled.

“Ve~! Oh thank you sir! Thank you!” Feliciano ran around the back and jumped into the opening, taking a seat behind some cargo boxes. He felt the wagon jerk in movement and he let out a sigh as he was on his way to see his beloved Ludwig. “Don’t worry, Wiggy. Feliciano is coming to take care of you…ve~…” Feliciano closed his eyes and fell asleep to the rocking of the wagon.

“HE WHAT?!” Everyone shouted when Kiku came back into Francis’s room.

“I’m afraid it’s true! His letter said that he went to find a ride to the battlefield to care for Ludwig! He’s already gone!” Francis turned to Arthur.

“Ivan won’t wait for him.” He said. “We will just have to hope that Feliciano gets there safely.”

“But he’s a ditz!” Feliks replied. “He’ll like, never make it there!”

“Feliciano can be very determined when he wants to be. He’ll find his way there.” Francis said. “But we have to focus on the matter at hand. I should have enough warm clothes for you three.” He meant Alfred, Arthur, and Matthew.

“Where is this place we are going?” Alfred asked.

“It is Ivan’s family home, where he grew up. It’s in the middle of the mountains and the nearest city is about twenty miles away from the house. It’s run by his sisters.”

“He has sisters?” Arthur raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, two to be exact. The eldest is Katyusha and the youngest is Natalia. Ivan is the middle child.”

“Well that explains it.” Arthur snorted and crossed his arms.

“I’ve only been there once.” Francis said. “And I think I’m the only one, right?” The others nodded. “Just be warned, everyone. Natalia is a bit on the…crazy side. But Katyusha is very nice. Yao and Natalia despise each other so you’ll have a reprieve, Alfred.” Francis chuckled and Alfred just frowned at the joke. “And it’s VERY snowy there, almost snowy all the time. So be prepared for cold temperatures.”

“But it’s the middle of summer.” Matthew piped up from the bed.

“Not up there it isn’t.” Francis said. “That place is just…well…it only seems to have winter or spring. It will be a nice break from the heat but you’ll be wanting to come back here VERY soon.”

“I hate the cold.” Arthur mumbled and Francis pulled him close to nuzzle him.

“But we can keep each other warm all the time!”

“Get off me!” Arthur pushed him away. “Now is not the time for that!”

“I have like, everything fur I own right here.” Feliks held up one of his bags. “And I’m like, not sharing! I don’t fare well in the cold.”

“Then you and Arthur can be a huddled pair of cranky old farts together!” Alfred said with a laugh and Arthur shoved him.

“Should we all head down to the carriages then?” Francis asked them.

“I feel horrible leaving here without knowing just where Feliciano is.” Kiku said softly as he picked up his bag of tools.

“We have like, no choice right now.” Feliks said. “Everybody grab your things and lets go.”

The group headed out of the room together and to the carriage houses. Matthew held on to Alfred’s hand as well as Arthur’s, wanting to stay as close to them as possible. Arthur was mildly worried about the cold weather and Matthew’s weak immune system. He would have to make sure Matthew was extra warm all the time to avoid any sickness. Alfred didn’t seem worried about the move at all but had a look of pure excitement on his face. He probably looked at this trip as an adventure.

The carriage men piled and strapped down as many belongings as they could to the top of the carriages. Ivan and Yao were the last to come out with Toris behind. Yao’s eyes met Alfred’s for a second before he closed them and put his nose up in the air. Alfred narrowed his eyes at him and watched as the pair came over to their group. Ivan smiled at Alfred.

“What a nice shiner you’ve got there, Alfred.” He said, referring to the black ring under Alfred’s right.

“Ah…thank you sir.”

“There is no time to talk about what happened today now but rest assured we will deal with it when we get to the Wolf Hall. That would be the Braginski family home.”

Alfred felt a sliver of fear travel up his spine at Ivan’s slightly tone of voice. It was so hard to tell what Ivan was thinking. Maybe he was in trouble for fighting Yao? He didn’t really give any thought to being physically punished by Ivan for it. But what of Yao? Alfred’s blood ran cold as he thought about how much power of word Yao had over Ivan. What if the dark haired man told lies about him and Arthur to get him in trouble? He remembered Feliks saying something once about Yao telling tall tales. Alfred got a feeling that Ivan was very gullible and would believe Yao’s lies. Yao already saw him as a whore and it would be perfect ammo for him. He gulped in fright but held himself as calm as he could.

“You’ll all be in for a real treat, I promise you.” He smiled at the group. “You will all be very comfortable there.” Yao looked at the group and raised an eyebrow.

“Where is Feliciano?” Everyone turned to look at Kiku who tried to make himself appear smaller as all eyes were on him.

“Um…Feliciano left a note…saying that he went to find Ludwig on the battlefield. He’s been wounded.” Yao looked at Ivan.

“Is that true, Ivan?”

“About Ludwig, yes. But I didn’t know Feliciano took off to find him?” Kiku nodded. “Well we can’t wait for him. We need to be safely out of the city. I sent word to the king so allied forces will be here. No need to fear, everyone. I have everything under control.”

“We trust you fully, Lord Ivan.” Francis smiled at him as Ivan lead Yao to their carriage. Arthur reached his hand over to scratch at the tip of Francis’s nose. “Ow! What was that for?!”

“Oh, sorry, but you had a little brown spot right on the tip there.” Francis rolled his eyes and pinched his ass when the others weren’t looking.

They were all assigned a carriage with their belongings mixed in on top. Francis, Arthur, Alfred, and Matthew had the second one. Kiku and Feliks had the last one with Toris. Matthew was wondering where Gilbert was, looking through the window for a sight of him. He heard that Gilbert was coming with them and all of his soldiers were posted already. The sound of galloping hooves caught his attention and he crammed his head to look out the furthest side of the window to see Gilbert riding up on a horse. Gilbert stopped by their carriage and tapped on the door with his foot. Francis opened the door for him.

“What is it you need, Gilbert?”

“I thought Mattie would like a ride on horseback for awhile!” Matthew smiled at him but both Arthur and Alfred’s voices burst his bubble.

“No.” They both said in unison.

“Hey! Why not? He’s a grown man! He can make his own choices, right Mattie?”

“R-right.” Matthew turned pleading eyes to his brother and Arthur. “Please guys? Pleeeeeaaassseeee?”

“No, you belong in this carriage with us.” Arthur said and crossed his arms.

“Oh Arthur, don’t be a wet blanket! Go ahead, Matthew!” Francis grinned and Matthew chose to listen to him and jump out of the carriage before Arthur or Alfred could protest. Gilbert grabbed his arm and easily lifted him up onto the horse, sitting Matthew in front of it.”

“I’ll only have him for a little while! At least until we get the mountain pass!” Gilbert grinned and trotted off with Matthew to the front of the carriage line. Arthur punched Francis in the arm.

“I hate you.” Francis rubbed the spot where Arthur had hit him and pouted.

“I’m sorry, Artie.”

“And don’t call me ‘Artie’!” They heard one of the guards shouting that everyone was ready the sound of riding crops and whips being heard jerked the carriages into moving.

They traveled all day through the city and all night through some forest roads. Alfred and Arthur had never rode in a carriage before for so long and found it hard to sleep with all the bumps they constantly hit. Francis held Arthur close the whole night and the green-eyed man didn’t push him away. Francis was more comfortable than the poorly padded carriage walls.

Alfred was spread out as much as he was able to on the carriage seat. He had a pleasant smile on his face as he dreamt about being back on the farm with all his favorite animals, old and recent. He saw Sniffer and Rammy, and even Binkers, the old tomcat at Tino’s place. He saw Ivan standing at the open barn doors of the farm where he first met Arthur. He smiled and waved to Ivan who just turned away and walked into the barn. Alfred went to follow him when the sounds of pleasured moans came up from his right. He looked over to see his teenaged self and Arthur behind the hen house, him giving Arthur oral sex. He raised his eyebrow in confusion and turned away from the memory, going back into the barn.

However, what awaited him in the barn was not a smiling Ivan, but rather a nightmare. It was the exact same barn from the first time with the mean farmer. Alfred’s dream body was frozen in place as he saw Arthur hanging from a rope by his ankles…just like Rammy. His body was struggling and thrashing in the air as his lifeblood spilled out from the slit in his neck, made by Ivan. Yao was on one knee, holding the bucket to catch all the blood. Both of them were talking in mumbled words with smiles as if what they were doing was just a normal thing. Alfred’s scream came out silent as he ran deeper into the barn, its length growing longer and longer.

When it seemed like he was reaching the end he stumbled forward and fell into an abyss that lasted a second before he landed in a small wooden wagon littered lightly with hay. His body was motionless as he watched the blurred clouds pass above as he was pulled in the wagon. He was able to move his head and looked to his left to see a hangman’s platform. To his utter shock he saw it was Matthew, coughing and wheezing with sickness as the barrel was kicked out from under him. He watched his little brother’s body jerk as the rope snapped his neck and Alfred’s immediate thought to Matthew’s demise was ‘guilty by association’.

He didn’t even time to cry out for his brother as the wagon was jerked and he was yanked up by hundreds of blackened hands. He gasped and struggled as he was drug up onto a pyre set with bundles of sticks. Ivan’s threat rang in his head, ‘I will be the first one to throw the torch should you disobey my commands’. He was quickly tied to the pyre by the same shadowed hands and he saw Ivan coming up the pyre steps, holding a torch with purple fire. Alfred stared into the purple flames as they mirrored the violet orbs of Ivan. The fire was close to his face yet it burned cold, not hot. Alfred panted as he panicked and struggled against the binds but found it futile. Ivan gave him that little smile of his before shoving the purple flamed torch into the sticks. Alfred’s screams were muffled and hollow as the purple flames kissed and licked at his body, burning ice cold against his skin. He looked through the purple flames and saw Yao staring back at him rather than Ivan.

‘I will always have the upper hand.’

Yao’s voice echoed in the flames as they grew higher and higher until all he could see now was dancing purple. His scream was finally ripped from his throat and it echoed in the nothingness as he shot up from the carriage, panted and sputtering.

His eyes wide, his chest heaved with heavy breaths as he frantically looked around him, seeing as he was still in the carriage. He was the only one in the carriage and could faintly hear talking outside of it. Alfred struggled to open the carriage door and when he did he nearly fell out and onto the ground. He ran a few feet away before he leaned over and vomited to the ground.

That nightmare had wracked his body with such jitters and fear that he couldn’t blink. Never in his life had he ever dreamt something so brutal and dark but what had to scare him the most was that it was likely to happen. Ivan was highly possessive of the things and ‘people’ he owned and when he had heard from Francis that Arthur had to speak with Ivan, he knew what it was about. He had just talked to Ivan about his brotherly feelings for Arthur and that talk might have just been his downfall. Now Ivan would always be suspicious of him and Arthur and Yao had the perfect weapon for destroying him.

What was he to do? He couldn’t just up and run away for what kind of person would he be? He had people counting on him and he chose to do this on his own. Maybe he had gone a little deeper than he thought but it really was to late to back out now. What was he to do? What could he do? How was he going to go about doing it? What would his first move be? All these questions flooded his mind and he held his head, clenching his eyes and teeth.

Once he talked to Ivan about the fight, he would get down on his knees and beg Yao for forgiveness. He didn’t want to give in to the man but the fear of Ivan’s cruelty was enough to help him to swallow his pride. Maybe he should try and make friends with Yao instead of competing with him for sport. After that little nightmare he had the idea of foolishly playing flirty games of dominance did not seem like a swell idea. Well, he had to keep Ivan’s interest and that would take seduction, lust, and teasing. So it’s Yao he should focus on. He should strive to gain Yao’s friendship and trust. It would be extremely difficult now that he knows Alfred is sleeping with his husband but he has to try.

“Alfred!” His name was shouted in the air and he jumped at the sound of it. He whirled around to see Matthew come running up to him. “Alfred, you’re awake!” He smiled happily as he reached him. “You were sleeping so deep we didn’t want to wake you up!”

“Uh…y-yeah…thanks.”

“Guess what! We’re at the mountain’s pass already! Everyone is stopped to start changing into warmer clothes. You should too!” Matthew laughed and Alfred did notice a slight chill in the air.

“R-right…yeah…change is good. I’ll go get changed…” Matthew’s smile turned into a frown of worry as he read his brother’s frightened features.

“Alfred…are you alright? You’re sweating and breathing heavy…did you have a bad dream?” Alfred just nodded and Matthew hugged him. “You haven’t had a bad dream since you were little. Is something bothering you, Alfie?”

“Uh…no. Nothings bothering me…I guess I’m just worked up over this big move and the war and…and just life in general.” He forced himself to smile and laugh. It was enough to fool Matthew who smiled back.

“Okay then! As long as you are alright.” Alfred nodded. “Good! Then lets go get you dressed!”

Alfred let himself be pulled by his brother back to the carriages where everyone was changing into some kind of heavy fur coat, cloak, and hat. Feliks came up to him with a white wool coat and matching hooded cloak that was trimmed with rabbit fur. Alfred thought it was absolutely beautiful and for a moment the dark dream was forgotten. Arthur was also dressed in a woolen cloak with hood but no fur trim. Francis just had a full gray fur long coat and matching hat. Feliks was brown with fur trim dyed pink and toggle buttons in the front. Matthew got his on and he matched Alfred but instead of white it was a red-ish color. Kiku was wearing a black wool coat with a brown fur poncho and he was handing out various pairs of mittens to everyone. He smiled as he gave a white pair to Alfred, who gave a lopsided smile back.

He heard Ivan’s laugh and his blood ran cold as he slowly turned to look over his shoulder at the sound. Ivan wore a simple long woolen coat and had encrusted with a few jewels to show his status. He had a faded pink scarf wrapped around his neck and heavy purple-fingered gloves. Yao was nowhere to be seen and Alfred figured he was probably in the carriage. Ivan seemed to notice his star and he turned his head give Alfred that friendly, cheerful smile. Ivan winked at him before turning back and talking to Toris.

Alfred shied away and gulped again at the wink. He hoped to high heaven that Yao hadn’t had seen that. Everyone was talking and having a good time except for him. He looked at the mountain pass before them. It was dark and wide, like a monstrous mouth and it lead up to Ivan’s family home. The trail looked long and bumpy and Alfred foresaw more sleepless nights. However, after the terrifying dream he had just had, the idea of being unable to sleep and have an excuse for it was just perfect. Maybe then he could think of more ways to make his life at the Braginski House of Wolf Hall much easier for him. What did he have to loose? ‘Oh, that’s right.’ He thought to himself. ‘Everything.’

End Chapter 12 TBC
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A Storm of Sunflowers