#zhemyna

At the sound of barking, Ludwig turned to the door, shrouded in surprise. Upon opening his door he was completely baffled as far as what was on his doorstep. What was this? Was someone playing a joke on him? 

Regardless, he took in the box and set it on the table, opening it with great care as his suspicious nature began to take hold of him. As the scent of the spice cake reached his nose his sweet tooth was immediately tempted. His mind churned over who could have possibly sent this, unable to determine who it might have been. Regardless of who had sent the package, tears tugged at his eyes knowing that someone had not only taken the time to bake a cake for him, but that they had even thought of him on such a cheery holiday. That was when he noticed the note.

Tears spilling over the brims of his eyelashes, he pulled out his phone and sent a message to Zhemyna, thanking her politely and wishing her a very merry holiday season. It was rather pathetic, to see the German man crying over a warm and wonderfully aromatic cake, but it was a long time before he could bring himself to cave in to temptation and cut a slice for himself.

For nations, it was common for them to receive invitations, diplomatic or not. Yet, the most recent one caught Arthur by surprise; rarely would a nation deliver a message through faeries and spirits. After all, they were often shunned in the contemporary world, a culture that was swept aside by the passage of time; merely deemed as wild imagination or a child’s fantasy. Normally, he would be weary, but the trust he had in his ever faithful companions and the excitement at the possibility of making a familiar out of someone who shared a similar belief as him went against rationality.

Opening the sealed parchment with great care, jade eyes scanned over the words. His eyes widened as his glance fell to the sender of the letter. North Prussia was a secluded nation, reclusive after years of strife fending off conquerors from the southern part of the land. He had heard of the nation’s name falling from Gilbert’s lips several times; the Brit being astounded that the fierce warrior that was the Prussian was unable to claim victory over the pagan nation. Never would he imagine to be given an offer for a visitation; after all, he wasn’t the most sociable nation around — far from it, in fact; in America’s own words, he’s a “stuffy old dude who’s always holed up in his equally boring home", after all.

The days of exploration might be long gone for Arthur, but the promise of an expedition thrilled the former pirate. Spurred by exhilaration, Arthur finished his preparation quickly and was shortly on the trip. Arriving at the border, Arthur took a few inquisitive but meticulous glimpses of the vast land before him.

While religion wasn’t as readily practiced among nations compared to their citizens, the festive spirits were still celebrated among them. 

Christmas had always been a joyous occasion with wonderful parties and delicious holiday meals. 

Arthur was not a fan of boisterous celebrations, but Christmas was an exception; his children of the Commonwealth had made it an annual tradition to visit him during the wintry festival. It was one of the few times when his family gathered together like old times.

The Christmas gifts he had received were piled up at the foot of the large Christmas tree in the middle of the living room, most of them were from his children and the rare ones who he could call as friends. Among all those presents with colourful wrapping, one of them stood out with its simplistic packaging. 

Carefully lifting the box up, Arthur gently sat the box on the table, dainty finger untying the ribbons. Upon seeing the cake inside, his face lit up. It was beautifully decorated with a delectable aroma drifting out of the baked good; a considerate, impeccable gift for him to share among his family. 

The stamp made the identity of the sender clear, and Arthur was pleasantly surprised by North Prussia’s token of friendship. The nation might had taken an isolationist national policy, but Zhemyna herself was clearly a friendly, kind person once one got to know her. 

After the party had came to its end, Arthur had decided to send his regards back to Zhemyna with his own gift. Scribbling his cursive handwriting on a piece of paper, he wrote down his well wishes for the other nation. 

“Thank you for your present, my family and I greatly appreciate it. 

 Happy Christmas and jolly new year. 

                                                                        Arthur”

Attaching his gift for Zhemyna, an emerald green sock depicting galloping wild horses, Arthur called his magical friends to deliver his package to the other nation immediately, hoping to share the same happiness with her as soon as possible. 

@zhemyna​ sends me a gift! <3

“Oh?”

Adrian’s pleasantly surprised to find the neat packaged on his doorstep. Picking it up, he looked around for whoever sent it, disappointed to find no one. “Thank you for the cake!” He said to no one before reentering his apartment and shutting the door.

Setting it on a table with the utmost care, he studied the note. Warmth spread through his chest when he finished, and he mentally noted to give Zhemyna something great in return for her kindness. He wanted to give her a hug and thank her for her thoughtfulness. We should talk more! he thought to himself, fetching a knife and plate to eat the cake.

Quickly removing the ribbons and bows, he smiled when the smell of sugar and glaze reached his nose. He sliced the cake and placed the piece on a plate, using his spoon to eat a small piece.

Delicious.

It’s not too sweet nor too bland, and the design was pleasing to the eye and it was perfect for the holiday season. The taste was heavenly and absolutely divine. What had he done to deserve such a pastry? Gratitude heavy on his chest, he scrambled to reach for his phone. He snapped a picture of the half-eaten slice, immediately sending it to the kind woman.

[ → Zhemyna ] deliciouscake.jpg

[ → Zhemyna ] Thank you for the cake! It’s delicious and I wanted to tell you as soon as possible. Happy Winterings to you too.

Gilbert squints at the box, unwrapped on his counter, his arms crossed.

“I don’t trust this,” he said. “I don’t trust anything without a signature. It might be poison. Or a bomb.” He darts his eyes around suspiciously.

“Whoever is trying to kill me!” Gilbert announced before he sighed. “Thank you, that’s quite thoughtful.”

Moments later though, he’s cut himself a slice and sends a text to the sender.

[text] the cake is lovely. I thought it was poison at first. I’m almost disappointed it isn’t. it’s still to die for though

Send 😍 for a surprise kiss.

SEND A HEART FOR A SPECIFIC KISS!

After another generic world conference, Arthur was more than ready to head straight home. Usually the pub would be an ideal place for spending his night, but many issues were awaiting his attention back home.

The room was silent as he packed his documents and notes back to his suitcase. Other nations had already rushed out of the conference room once the meeting was adjourned, and Arthur had always enjoyed having a moment of silence to himself, given it was a rare occurrence. 

With all of his papers gathered, he made way to the doors of the room, unaware of the other figure walking to the same destination as him. As two hands reached for the door handle at the same time, Arthur turned backwards sharply, startled by the presence of the other nation. 

With his sight blinded and his head pressed into something soft, Arthur was dazzled. Looking up, he found that he had bumped into the towering presence of North Prussia. Zhemyna had been quiet, but Arthur was flabbergasted, especially when his mouth had just detached from her neck after the collision. 

“My apologies, I didn’t see you there, Miss Zhemyna. Is there any way I could offer my compensation for this?” Blushing madly, Arthur was trying to forget the sensation of his lips against her skin. Her body might be littered with scars and marks after years of wars and hardship, but her skin was surprisingly soft, perfect for a light touch. 

Truth Serum - 5/10