Adult-FanFiction.org : Anime

Decadence Escaping
By : FlayraDowitcher
Category: +G to L > Hetalia: Axis Powers
Views: 2961 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.
Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
***Warnings: Violence, gore, hardcore yaoi, disturbing scenes

***Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.

Chapter 7

Ivan threw his arms out to block all he could of Alfred as the horse reared before them. The rain was blinding his sight and making it difficult for him to see Winter’s movements. He shouted for Alfred to run and quickly took a swing at the horse, hoping to frighten it. Alfred ran the moment he was told to knowing that he would be no real help in this fight. It would be easier on Ivan if Alfred were out of the way. Winter did not go after Alfred as they both thought but instead focused his attacks on Ivan. Winter turned his horse and brought his sword down on Ivan, who blocked the blow but just barely. With Winter up high on the horse he had the greater advantage and that had to have been his plan. With the heavy rain pouring down around them, Ivan had to look up for each swing and the drops would get in his eyes. It was turning out to be sheer luck that Ivan was blocking the heavy blows at all. He slipped on the wet ground and landed on his back from a particularly hard swing that nearly knocked the sword out of his hand. He managed to roll out of the way before Winter’s horse could stampede over him.

The soaked ground made it harder for him to try to stand and the horse nearly ran him over again. Ivan thought fast and remained in a crouching position on the ground, giving the illusion of being stuck in the mud. He could hear the hoof beats coming towards him and with a heavy swing he felt the sword cut through one of the horse’s front legs. Ivan rolled out of the way as the large animal went crashing down with a cry, taking Winter with it. Ivan stood up and rushed to the fallen beast but Winter was already standing, preparing to attack. Now that they were on the same ground level did not hesitate to fight back with everything he had. Their swords sparked against one another and Alfred continued to watch from a safe distance, debating on whether to help or not. Ivan seemed to be doing fine on his own until Winter tackled him to the ground.

“You treacherous snake!” He backhanded Ivan with his fist. “I raised you!” Ivan blocked his next blow and threw him off before they were locked into a wrestling hold. “I should have let you become a slut!” He flipped Ivan over but the man held on to his tunic and brought Winter down with him. Ivan scrambled on top of him and gave a few heavy punches before Winter kneed him in the gut, knocking him off. Winter grabbed his sword and regained his footing. “I’ll pickle those violet eyes of yours!” Ivan quickly rolled over the corpse of the horse and Winter’s sword met with its side instead. This gave Ivan the chance to get back on his feet but he was still unarmed. “Let me see you dance!” Ivan continued to duck and dodge his sword strokes. A sudden pair of hands grabbed Winter’s wrist and tried to pull it back. “What the-!”

“ALFRED!” Ivan screamed his name when he saw the smaller man trying to disarm Winter. Winter turned to look at Alfred and Ivan dashed forward to grab his sword hand as well. “BACK AWAY, ALFRED!”

Ivan twisted his hand and the sword fell from Winter’s grip. Alfred picked it up and backed away from the fight. Ivan twisted Winter’s arm and wrapped him in a headlock from behind. Winter’s hands reached behind, gripping his scarf. With a mighty yell Winter threw his weight forward and flipped Ivan over his head, slamming him onto the ground. Ivan gasped out as the air was knocked from his lungs and the next thing he knew he was being pulled up by his hair. Ivan twisted his body around so it was facing Winter’s and grabbed his forearms, shoving him backwards. Winter tried to brace himself with his feet but the wet mud hindered him from doing so. The two stumbled to the ground again and Winter had finally let go of Ivan’s hair. They proceeded with their second tumbling through the mud, throwing punches anywhere they could hit. Winter lifted his head and slammed his forehead against Ivan’s, stunning him. Winter’s fist met with the bottom of his chin and knocked Ivan off of him. He stood up and kicked Ivan in the side of the head, once again gaining the upper hand.

“I taught you every single one these moves, boy!”

Ivan felt his ear ringing when Winter’s kick met with his temple. It stunned him for a moment but he rolled over onto his belly so no other vital parts of his face would get smashed. He quickly reached over and grabbed Winter’s ankle in both hands before it could deliver another blow to him. Gritting his teeth he gave the ankle a sharp twist and was thrilled at the snapping sound he heard. Winter roared in pain and moved away from him, trying to balance on one foot. To Ivan’s complete surprise, he watched Alfred jump onto Winter’s back and lock his arms around his neck. Alfred’s fingers found their way to Winter’s eyes and pressed against them, obscuring the man’s vision.

“GET HIM!” Alfred cried out to Ivan. Winter was unable to throw Alfred off of him due to his shattered ankle and the fingers digging into his eyes. Ivan saw that one of the swords was close to him and he slid along the wet ground to grasp it quickly, running over to the other two.

“LET GO!” Ivan shouted to Alfred and with a firm, swift stroke the heavy steel cut through Winter’s lower abdomen. Alfred had let go at just the right time and he froze when he saw the rivers of blood lit up from the flash of lighting above them.

“Goddamn…brat.” Winter remained standing as his inners slowly began to join the waterfall of blood before him. “Should have…killed you…long…ago.” He fell into Ivan who let the dying man lean on him.

“You work for the Empire…therefore you helped destroy my village and my life.”

He took his sword and shoved it up and straight through his chest, just under the ribcage. Winter gasped out but made no other sounds as Ivan thrust the blade in and out to assure the man would have a painful death. He backed away and let the man collapse onto the ground, the rain washing the blood away. Ivan stood over Winter’s fallen body and looked down at the man who he could consider his adoptive father. The older man never actually cared for him or treated him like a son, only trained him to be a killer. The only tender moments he remembered sharing with Winter was during the first few nights of his arrival at Nazun house. Winter had let him sleep beside him in the bed. To Ivan, a few nights of sleep did not make up for the twelve years of pain, blood, and punishment he had to endure. At this moment in his life, Ivan stepped over the dead body of his abuser as a free man.

“I-Ivan…” Alfred looked at him, his body trembling as the events of the evening played through his head.

Ivan grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a run, going as far away from the house grounds as they could. They still needed to make their way to the city where they would have a greater opportunity to hide and gather, or rather steal, supplies. Alfred’s mind was mixed with the images of Winter’s abandoned bleeding body and the effort of keeping up with Ivan’s pace. Alfred briefly wondered if Ivan knew where he was going and to his complete shock, his lover didn’t and they went tumbling down a ravine. Their fall was quick and soft, the ground having been soaked through with rain. Ivan had never let go of Alfred’s wrists as they went down and the smaller man was not too thrilled about having a mouthful of mud.

“Ivan! We need to find shelter! We-“ Alfred’s words were cut off when his blue eyes locked with violet ones, both blinking through the rain. “Ivan?” Alfred was suspicious of the strange look in his lover’s eyes and was even more surprised when he was drug into a kiss. His eyes widened but he had to quickly close them to prevent the rain from slipping in. Why was Ivan kissing him in the middle of a thundering rainstorm after he had just killed so many?

“We are free men now. You are completely mine!” Ivan shouted through the rain. “I no longer have to share you with anybody! You are mine and mine alone! There will be only us, forever and ever!” Ivan kissed him passionately again, ignoring the rain and crashing thunder above them.

“This isn’t a good time, Ivan! We need to get away!”

“No one is looking for us at this moment!” Alfred yelped as his body was flipped and pushed onto its hands and knees. He made a cry of protest as the soft mud oozed through his fingers.

“I need to reclaim you as mine!” Ivan shouted through the downpour. “I no longer have an opponent for your hand! I can fully claim you as mine!” Alfred felt his tunic bottom being lifted over his hips to expose his backside.

“I-Ivan! This really isn’t the time or the place to-“ Ivan’s hands covered his and pressed Alfred’s hands deep into the moist ground.

“This is our freedom, Alfred! This is free earth! We are making love now not as slaves, but as free men! No one can tell us our love is forbidden! We can no longer be punished for our feelings…we no longer have to hide!” Ivan moved one of his hands to lower his pants and press his erection against Alfred’s entrance.

Alfred had already been prepared previously and Ivan’s cock slid in with little resistance. Ivan’s erection grew larger than their past times, probably due to the adrenaline of the fight and their freedom. Either way, Alfred was not complaining and he let all protests melt away when Ivan began his wild thrusting. How the man behind him was holding himself steady in the muddy earth was a mystery to him for Alfred’s limbs could not hold him up. Ivan’s violent yet pleasurable thrusts were rocking his whole body and it came to the point where Alfred just relied on the strong hands to hold him up. Those same hands that had just brought down a powerful household and killed many who stood in his way. Alfred did not always agree with the killing but right now the images in his head were giving him an erection of his own unlike he’d ever felt before. Ivan’s hard pumping was no different from his sword strokes or his fists and he could fuck just as the same as he could fight. His cock never missed one strike against his sweet spot and Alfred felt as if he were going to die. His back and belly felt so full that he feared one would explode from the pleasurable force. Alfred began chanting Ivan’s name through the rain, each thrust sending his voice higher and higher towards climax.

Ivan looked down at the long body arching beneath him and longed to see his lover’s bare skin. He gripped the back of the tunic and prepared to tear it off but remembered Alfred would need to stay dressed for the rest of their escape. He vowed that when the time came he would tear off Alfred’s clothes and ravish him mercilessly. They were free now to do as they pleased and if Ivan wanted to mark Alfred as his own he could. He did not care about the burn mark now for it meant nothing to him. The man who gave it to his lover was dead. But those types of thoughts were being overrun with the primitive instinct he was currently engaged in. He sought his own pleasure with Alfred’s body and worried that he was hurting him. He let himself lean forward along Alfred’s back and heard the man gasping his name in breathless delight. Ivan grinned madly and sped up his movements, whispering the word ‘mine’ over and over again. This wasn’t ‘making love’ and Ivan knew that. It was raw passion and need. All he wanted to do was release all the pent up emotions and adrenaline that were racing through his body, threatening to destroy him. He was drunk off his victory and he was simply celebrating the win over his opponent for his lover. Ivan had won the fight and in turn was able to claim the prize. It was just like the many animals he had seen as a child, watching the males battle over the right to breed with the females. The winner takes all.

“MINE!” Ivan hollered through the rain as he kept up the speed of his thrusts. Alfred’s insides were clenching around him and he knew the man was nearing his completion.

“I-IVAN! GODS ABOVE…KEEP GOING!” Alfred begged helplessly as his body was lovingly abused and he discovered he was craving it all the more. Ivan’s cock never seemed to wilt or soften in the slightest as it continued to thrust, deeper and harder. He felt the buildup beginning in his lower belly and he arched his back as he came. His body shuddered and shook violently as the aftershocks of pleasure tickled his body.

“MINE!”

Ivan hissed out as he dug his nails into Alfred’s hips and gave three more solid thrusts before he came. He let out an exhausted sigh and let his head fall back to enjoy the rain on his heated skin. His hips moved two or three more times with shallow thrusts until he grew soft and had to pull out. Ivan stood and fixed his pants before he walked around Alfred to step into the clearing before them. Alfred’s face was flushed hot with sated lust and pleasure but he had to wonder what Ivan was doing. Currently he had no strength to lift himself onto his legs, which were limp with a satisfying exhaustion.

Ivan stood in the same spot and held his arms out to the side. His head tilted back so he could face the thundering sky above him. In the past he had felt rain on his body before but it had never felt like this. The air was so fresh and for the first time he felt he was about to breathe. The walls of that prison had suffocated him and now that he was free all his senses had heightened to new levels. For many nights he feared what was beyond the walls but now he held no doubt in his heart or spirit. He had fought and killed his way to freedom using all of the skills he learned from his captivity. If he had known this sooner he would have escaped years ago. Back then he was too depressed and defeated to believe in anything other than just trying to live through the day. But at this moment he felt truly happy and renewed, as if there was a whole other person living inside of him. In a strange way, the feeling was familiar to him and a long lost memory appeared in his head. One from a very long time ago.

“Where am I?” Young five year old Ivan asked out loud to himself and looked up at the towering treetops that encircled him. The branches were swaying in a lazy manner, forming the appearance of thousands of hands. Ivan turned and ran from the trees, entering further into the dense woods. “Momma! Momma where are you?” He had wandered too far away from home during a game of hide-and-seek with his sisters and lost his way. “Sister! Sister!” He cried out for his elder sister, craving the safe haven that was her embrace. He wanted to be home with his momma, eating the fresh buttered biscuits she would be baking for dinner.

The more he ran the more lost he became and his little heart was beating rapidly in pure fear. He was all alone in the dense woods with nobody to help him. He had nowhere to hide and no one to run to. Ivan stopped where he was and began to sob, fisting his chubby hands against his eyes. His little body trembled despite the heavy padding of his animal fur clothing. The wind was picking up, blowing through his small body and he longed for the protective warm fire of his cabin. His woolen hat blew off of his head and he cried out pitifully as he tried to catch it. He stumbled in the snow and landed on the cold blanket of white. Thick tears made their way down his chubby, wind kissed cheeks to freeze in the snow beneath him. Why wasn’t anyone looking for him? Why were the trees closing in around him? Why was the forest trying to hurt him? He wanted someone to come to him and lead him home to a warm fire and his comfy bed. He was tired, hungry, and cold.

“Momma…momma don’t leave me here! Daddy! Daddy…momma…find me, daddy! Momma…!”

His words and sentences were jumbled between his sorrowful sobs. He was going to die here in these dark snowy woods, alone and lost. No one was hearing his cries or coming to look for him, had they abandoned him? Ivan crawled over to the nearest tree and leaned his back against it, pulling his little legs up to his chest to hide his face in his knees. His shoulders shook with sobs as the snow started to fall from the gray sky. He sat there for what felt like an eternity for a child, ignoring the snow that was gently beginning to cover the top of his deer hide boots. Ivan had the sudden urge to look up and he lifted his head from his knees to see what it was. A wave of fear passed through his body, as he was unsure of what giant animal was before him, wanting to eat him.

“Wait…I know you.” Ivan whispered when his eyes saw the Dark Wolf standing before him. Ivan knew the Dark Wolf was a bad omen and it must mean that he was indeed going to die. The Dark Wolf would trick people or even kill them! He must be dead already and the Dark Wolf had come to eat him up. “Don’t eat me…please!” He found himself begging in a cracked voice.

The wolf made no sound and its black fur did not blow in the direction of the wind, it didn’t even blow at all. Ivan no longer felt fear of the familiar being before him and he reached a hand out to touch its nose. His hand went right through the wolf’s face but the inside felt like a sandy texture or something similar to dirt. The wolf moved its head away from his hand and walked silently through the snow, leaving no tracks. It looked back at Ivan, its yellow eyes being the only light in the now darkening woods. Ivan was always told the Dark Wolf’s eyes were red…or maybe this was another god.

“Are you a ghost?” Ivan asked it as he started to follow behind the creature. The black wolf did not answer him but began to lead him through the woods. The apparition faded away and reappeared constantly as it walked silently along the ground. Ivan continued tumbling on behind the spirit until he heard a familiar voice calling his name. “Who is that?” Ivan asked when the wolf stopped in its path. Ivan looked at the creature before it slowly began to fade away. He wanted to cry out and reach for it, fearing he would be left alone again. But to his surprise a pair of warm arms scooped him up and turned him around.

“Little brother! I found you!” It was his big sister and he wailed loudly in relief, shedding tears of joy. He wrapped his arms around her neck and squeezed tight. He silently thanked the black wolf for helping him and let his sister carry him back to their warm cabin.

Ivan had not thought about that moment in his young life for years and it brought tears to his eyes. He recognized the emotions he was feeling now for they were similar to the ones at that time. He was locked up and lost in the stone walls of slavery with no one to help guide him away from danger. Lost and alone in a large world where there was no escape and no hope to be found. Only dark smirks and large hands threatening to kill him at every turn. But now he was free from all that and just like that time in the woods, he was led away from the danger that threatened his life. However, he knew he did owe a lot to his Alfred, who had taught him that there was more to life than he knew and gave him a real meaning of hope. Perhaps the Dark Wolf in his dream and the wolf from the woods were one in the same. It spoke with Alfred’s voice as it urged him to follow it down that moaning, wavering path of uncertainty. It was Alfred who had given him the strength and courage to stand up for himself. Alfred was the driving force that led him to taking control and breaking free of his prison. Just like the black, or Dark Wolf, that saved him from the woods. Alfred…

“Alfred!” Ivan remembered his lover and turned around to see the young man struggling to stand. He went over to him and wrapped his arms around Alfred’s waist to steady him. “I’m sorry for what I did, Alfred. I couldn’t control myself and I hope I didn’t hurt you?”

“No…I’m more than okay.” Alfred smiled, still panting from the aftershocks of sex. “B-but please, lets get away from this place and into the city! We need to hide!” Ivan responded by bringing Alfred into a deep, passionate kiss. He pulled the smaller body closer to his and pressed his tongue inside. Alfred wrapped his arms around Ivan’s shoulders and let himself be kissed. He would have to make a mental note that Ivan was to kiss him in the rain like this more often. “Okay…stop.” Alfred pulled away with a pant. “We need to hide!”

“I love you, Alfred.”

“I love you too, Ivan.”

“I promise to always take care of you no matter what! No one will ever raise a hand to you again, not so long as I’m alive! I won’t let anyone hurt you or take you away from me! I swear I will kill them without hesitation!” Ivan pulled away from him to grab his wrist again and pull him towards the city lights. “I swear it to you, Alfred!”

Alfred was a little put off by Ivan’s sudden change in character but he knew it had to be from the intense events of the evening. He let Ivan pull him through the trees and over a bridge that led to the outskirts of the city. Due to the rain, most people were sheltered from it so the two could sneak around the streets without getting caught. Alfred noticed that Ivan was slowing down a bit as he gazed at all the tall stone buildings. He probably had never seen so many at once and if he did he had forgotten. Alfred had to shake his arm to get his attention and remind him that they were suppose to find shelter to hide themselves. Ivan nodded and pulled him along, searching all around for a place they could hide. They were in a very dangerous and sketchy part of the city so they would fit right in. No one here would notice that they were slaves, only poor beggars seeking shelter from the rain.

Ivan paused and looked at the sewage cover beneath his feet. He bent down and jiggled it until it clanked loudly. With a grunt he slid the heavy piece of iron over to reveal the manhole beneath it. It was more of an underground waterway but the smell wasn’t any less putrid. Alfred covered his nose and made a sound of disgust as he watched Ivan lower himself down. Ivan landed on the moldy stone bottom and held his arms up to help Alfred down. Alfred grumbled low in his throat but he knew it was a necessary move, so he held his breath and jumped down into Ivan’s arms. They had to close the top again so Ivan stood Alfred on his shoulders and the man drug the heavy iron cover back into place. Ivan lowered him down and pulled him away from the waterfall of rain that poured through the bars. The sewer was dark and damp, with horrible smells of death and disease. All the garbage and human waste was disposed of down here but it was the safest place for them to be right now. No one would come looking for them in the sewage tunnels.

“Ivan…this is disgusting.” Alfred stated flatly.

“My love, it is the safest place for us to hide right now. Tomorrow I will go into the city and try to find everything that we need before we set off for the mountains.”

“But how will you walk around the streets looking the way you do? Aren’t your people known for silver hair and purple eyes? Won’t your features give you away?”

“Not unless I’m disguised…”

“How are we going to do that? We have no money and I know you are going to have to steal and kill…” Ivan put his hand on Alfred’s shoulder.

“They wouldn’t hesitate to rob or kill us, Alfred. They have full right and reason to catch us and turn us in to the authorities. What other choice to do we have? It’s them or us.” Alfred looked at the greenish water and gave a heavy sigh.

“I understand, Ivan. It’s kill or be killed…but I still don’t like it.”

“I know how you feel and I will do my best not to kill but-“ Ivan paused in his speech when he noticed something large stuck between some debris in the water up ahead. “Wait here.” Ivan walked past him and headed to the figure but Alfred followed right behind him, not wanting to be alone. Ivan saw that it was the rotting corpse of a dead man. A dead DRESSED man. With the amount of flies circling the body it must have been here for a while. “I will need his cloak! We’re in luck, Alfred!”

“Ivan… you can’t be serious! That’s a dead man!”

“So? He won’t miss it.” Ivan eyed up the distance from his platform to the pile of debris where the body lay. He wanted to avoid the sewage as much as possible so he would jump the distance to the corpse. Ivan backed up a bit to get a running start before leaping off the edge and landing onto the pile of junk. Alfred whispered at him to be careful while he watched his lover climb over the debris to the dead man. “I got it!” Ivan said, tugging the old cloth off of the man’s body. Ivan did not think about how he would get BACK over to Alfred’s side and he blinked blankly in stupidity. “Oops.”

“Just try and jump!” Alfred called to him. Ivan nodded and tossed the cloak over onto the other side before setting himself up to jump. With a few pumps of his arms, Ivan gave another leap and he had just made it to the other side, stumbling only slightly when he landed. “Oh gods above! Ivan, this cloak is COVERED in maggots!” Alfred dropped the dirty fabric but Ivan just picked it right up again.

“So we just take them off. Simple.” Ivan started flapping the cloak in the air and Alfred had to hold back his vomit as he watched the little white dots fly off the fabric. They landed in the water but floated away with the current. They were a little bit easier to look at than Winter’s inners or dead bodies so he was thankful for that. “Good, I can wear this and get what we need. I want you to just remain here and rest while I go out and scope the area.”

“Wait, you’re going NOW? But it’s a downpour out there!”

“I need to know our surroundings, Alfred! No one will be out and maybe I can find stuff instead of stealing!”

“But I don’t want to remain here alone! It’s dark and scary!”

“Then go over to the dead man, shake his hand, and steal his clothes.” Alfred gave it a quick thought and then nodded.

“I’ll just stay here. But don’t take long, okay?” Ivan gave him a quick kiss. “Don’t worry, I won’t.”

Alfred helped open the top and Ivan climbed his way out, looking all around before heading into the city streets. Windows were lit up with lanterns or candles and they were his only source of light as he began searching the streets. He came upon an alleyway between two houses and looked around to see some crates stacked along the far wall. Ivan stealthy entered the area, going to the first crate and opening the lid. Inside were random pieces of cloth that appeared to be failed attempts at clothing accessories. He searched through and found a poorly sewn bag that they could use to carry food. While he looked through each one, he came upon: a crooked dagger, a leather needle, a slightly worn belt, a pair of hole filled gloves, a few ripped rags, a moldy cloak, torn boots, and a tattered poncho. He stuffed it all into the sack and quickly left the alley. The rain had started to slow and he was able to make out more of his surroundings. The items he found would not be enough for them and since they were going to travel through the mountains they would need sturdier supplies. Ivan knew he would have to find a way to obtain some money so they could by better materials. He did not have to worry about food for he was confident enough in his hunting and fishing skills that he could provide for them. With the dagger he would be able to make a spear, which he could use for both. Ivan had taken one of the swords with him and planned to wrap it in the rags so no one would know it was a guards’ weapon. They would still need clothes and Ivan was finding a solution to that to be difficult. This was a very poor area and most likely the inhabitants were just slightly better off than they were. Ivan noticed a man in a cloak walking his way with a covered lantern on a stick. The man smiled at Ivan and gave a short wave.

“Good evening, my friend.” Said the man. “You look tattered and torn. Are you a traveler like myself?”

“That depends on who wants to know.” Ivan said flatly and the man laughed.

“I would answer the exact same way! You are just like me! Tell me, friend, which way are you traveling? I am heading south where the weather is always warm. Not to mention it is home to the biggest slave market and population in the whole empire! I need to go where slaves are still considered slaves.” Ivan was curious and he had to play along with the man to get the answer he wanted.

“Sir, I have been traveling for a long time, mostly through dense woods and fields. I am not up to date with the current state of the empire. What is this about ‘slaves still being considered slaves’?”

“There are tons of protests in the North about freeing slaves and allowing them to be paid workers or something like that that. There is a man who lives in one of the newly built-on mountain city that acts as a safe haven for escaped slaves. Slaves have been reported missing and most likely have headed to the mountain city for safety. The man owns a very large and profitable iron mill and the Emperor relies heavily on it. The man uses the escaped slaves as workers and clothes, feeds, and shelters them. Treating them like equels. The Emperor does not care how the steel gets delivered to him or where it comes from, as long as he gets it. So he doesn’t care that slaves are becoming people. It’s disgusting, don’t you agree? You can’t build an empire on the backs of PAID workers! You’d have no money to strengthen the empire!”

“That is true. What a waste to throw away free manpower…it makes no sense. The Emperor must be getting old. But how can the slaves actually make it through the mountains without being caught? I mean aren’t there guards and soldiers all over the paths and roads leading there? Unless they get caught and killed all the time?” He smirked, hoping he was convincing enough.

“Oh yeah, there has been TONS of slave executions for those who have been caught! If you walk some miles up you will get to the city square where they put the corpses on ‘display’ for other slaves to see. As a warning. It is a heavily traveled road but slaves are too stupid to even figure that out. They do it to themselves.”

“How would they even know where the road is? I travel all the time and I couldn’t figure out where it would be? Or is it one of those mountain roads that lead to the Northern city?” Maybe by some chance his fake knowledge would win him another answer. He had been very lucky so far and knew it was a chance he was taking but how could he pass it up?

“All the roads to the mountains from the cities lead to the North. You can’t get to the other side of the mountain without passing through the Northern city first. You could, technically, but it would be very dangerous and there are all kinds of crazy, primitive tribes out there. Rumors have it that the Northern city even KNOWS some of the tribes and TRADES with them! Why won’t the Emperor stand up to all of this nonsense? Soon the slaves will grow very numerous and they will rebel against the empire and BOOM, down goes society!”

“I see. The decadence of our empire would be escaping our grip and falling into the hands of nobodies. I hope to be far away from here when that happens.”

“True that. So why don’t you travel South with me? The slaves can never make it all the way here, in the center of the empire, without getting caught!”

“No thanks, I prefer to travel alone. I can only put my trust in myself and no other.” The man laughed and slapped him on the back.

“I understand, good fellow! Good luck on your journey, wherever it is you’re going?”

“Anywhere that strikes my fancy. Thank you for stopping to talk to an old soul like me.”

“We wanderers have to stick together, right? Even when the whole world is collapsing! Maybe our paths will cross again.”

“Perhaps they will. Stay safe.” Ivan responded.

“You too!”

Ivan waited for the man to be out of sight before he turned down another road to head back to the sewer. He had to tell Alfred of the good news he had come across. Ivan remembered that there was a city he passed through when they first had taken him from his homeland. That must have been the Northern city. Now that he had heard the traveler’s news it brought back a conversation he had overheard some time ago while he was training in the courtyard. Sardar had walked by with another noble, complaining about ‘times changing’ and ‘the poor getting richer’, or something along those lines. The other noble had said something like there would be no more slaves and Ivan had figured he was talking about death. He just assumed all the slaves would be killed off just for the humor of the empire and what other logical thought could he have had anyway? He had nothing to go on until now. So there was going to be a change of plans for the both of them. Instead of wandering through the woods and finding a tribe deep in the forests, they could live in the Northern city for a while where they would be safe. After some time there they could travel on to a tribe and join up with it. All they would have to do is follow along the road but remain in the woods around it. They could not risk the chance of being caught if they walked on the road. If slaves were escaping through these routes then no doubt the soldiers would be checking any travelers for slave markings. They would take their chances with the wolves and mountain lions.

When Ivan returned to the sewer he had told Alfred the news he had heard about the Northern city and their new plan to get there. Alfred was skeptical for the most part but it was better than traveling through the woods where they could be eaten alive by wild beasts. The idea of living in a city, he had to admit, was a relief for him because he had been raised in one. He did want to share in Ivan’s tribal life and would let his lover make the decision on where they were to go. Either they could stay in the city or they could join a tribe. Alfred was fairly certain that Ivan would choose to live in a tribal village like where he was raised and it would not be denied to him. All Alfred wanted was to share his life with Ivan, the man he loved more than anything. He had gained his freedom thanks the brave, yet barbaric heroics of his beloved Ivan.

“So where is this road, Ivan? How long will it take for us to get there?” Alfred was laying long ways in his lap as the man rests his back against the dirty stonewalls. Alfred wanted as little of his body touching the filthy surroundings as possible. Ivan, on the other hand, had been covered in blood and guts before so a little moldy stone was nothing.

“There is probably a way leading there from the town center.”

“Yes!” Alfred said with a smile. “I remember in my city all the roads started in the center of the capital and went in all directions! The empire is set up the same way in all cities! But I thought you said we would avoid the main road?”

“Yes, we have to avoid it so we don’t get caught. I just want to get an idea of which one it is and then go from there. We may have to backtrack a bit and walk AROUND part of the city so we are not noticed. It is still going to be a very difficult journey because we won’t always see the path but we must keep traveling north. Whenever we can we will look for the road to make sure we are on the right track. It’s going to be very tricky.”

“And what if we lose our way?”

“Then we will stick to our old plan of just getting through the woods and finding my tribes.” He kissed Alfred’s temple.

“I’m ready for adventure, Ivan! Together we will face all dangers with no fear or doubts in our hearts!” he hugged his neck and kissed him deeply. “As long as I’m with you I don’t need to be afraid.” Ivan smiled and nuzzled his nose with his own.

“I will see you to freedom, Alfred. I promise you. No matter what we will live our own lives. Now get some sleep. We have a very, VERY big day tomorrow!” Alfred smirked and tucked his head under Ivan’s chin.

“Nothing will stop us!”

Their fighting spirits were sorely unprepared for what had greeted them the next day. They had worn the torn clothing that Ivan had found and walked along the streets like an average citizen. Some wagons full of crates were heading for the center of town so the two followed silently behind the cargo. Everything was going well until they saw the large crowd that was gathered at the town square. The cargo wagons had to stop for the crowd was blocking all the roadways. Alfred gulped and looked up at Ivan, silently asking him what was going on. Ivan did not have an answer but instead he led Alfred through the crowd, following the masses as they shuffled down one roadway. Even though Ivan did not know where everyone was going this was a great way for them to discover where the path was without being noticed. The road was very wide so the crowd moved quickly along. The two weren’t sure how long they had walked down the road but it felt like ages. When the crowd started to shrink Ivan knew they were at the end of the road leading into the city. He pulled Alfred up to the front where they joined the others in the outskirts of the city. That was when they were greeted to the most barbaric sight they had seen thus far.

“Ivan…” Alfred whispered his name, his eyes wide with fright and his face growing pale.

Ivan just stared in the same direction ahead as Alfred, taking in the current scenery. All along the road and leading up into the trees were the corpses of dead slaves hanging from posts and racks. Birds were picking at the bodies and their forms were distorted and mutilated. The smell was nauseating and Alfred had to cover his mouth to hold back his urge to vomit. The crowd had been following a body wagon, which must have contained the bodies of newly killed slaves who have tried to escape. The corpses were a warning to all slaves who attempted to escape their captivity.

The people were cheering and shouting as a fresh, headless body was tied and nailed to one of the racks. Ivan felt Alfred’s hand reach out to grip his and he squeezed back, seeking the same comfort. They were fools if they said a tremor of fear did not travel through their bodies at the ‘warning sign’ in front of them. Ivan actually began to feel lightheaded, watching as the gray road before them started to sway. He thought he could hear Alfred’s voice calling his name yet he could not respond as everything went dark before him.

End Chapter 7 TBC
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Decadence Escaping	By : FlayraDowitcher Category: +G to L > Hetalia: Axis Powers Views: 2961 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.

Decadence Escaping