Happy Holidays, Jen! *huggles*
A Sleigh Ride with You
By kira
Author’s note: Thanks go out to my beta Kat, for pinking this & helping me figure out a title.
For Jen… Happy Holidays!
Chibitalia wrapped some of the cookies Signore Austria had baked in a napkin and added them to the box that held a couple of chicken parmesan sandwiches that were hot from the oven. Sadly, they would be cold by the time Chibitalia and Holy Roman Empire reached their destination, but it was the thought that counted as Signorina Hungary would say. Closing the box and tying it up with some string, Chibitalia left the kitchen to go put on the new cloak that Holy Roman Empire’s brother Prussia had given her for Christmas.
She loved it whenever Signore Prussia would come for a visit as it always turned the household upside down. Even more than that, Chibitalia loved the way he made Signore Austria’s life a misery. While she was sorry Signore Prussia also annoyed Signorina Hungary, she was glad he also made plenty of opportunities for her to be alone with Holy Roman Empire. Like now, when he had somehow convinced Signore Austria to let him take her and Holy Roman Empire out for a sleigh ride.
Chibitalia put on her new cloak and grabbed the muff Holy Roman Empire had given her for Christmas. She had a sneaking suspicion, despite his protests to the contrary, that it was made out of rabbit fur as it was as soft as the bunny that lived in the back garden. Still it kept her hands warm and looked really pretty, so she thanked the poor bunny that gave up its life for her muff and the stewpot. Turning to go back to the kitchen for their lunch, she smiled when she saw Signorina Hungary standing there with it.
“Grazie!” Chibitalia cried as she ran to get it.
“Careful!” Holy Roman Empire called out as he made his way down the grand staircase, Austria at his side. He wanted to fly down the stairs to be by his beloved’s side, but the soft disapproving cough from his guardian forced him to go at a slower pace. Luckily, Chibitalia was able to retrieve the box without incident. Once he reached the bottom of the stairs, Holy Roman Empire took the box from her just to be safe. He thought his beloved looked cute all dressed up in her borrowed clothes, like she was going to a party, instead of a ride through the countryside. The thought of him sitting in the sleigh and doing his best to keep her warm, had his cheeks heating up and she giggled.
Prussia chose that moment to enter the manor house, saving his brother from further embarrassment. True to form, he had tracked in snow and dirt which set Austria into a tizzy. Although, it did have the side effect of making Chibitalia giggle again, especially when Fräulein Hungary entered the fray and threatened to get her frying pan from the kitchen to whack Prussia upside the head with it if he did not behave.
Holy Roman Empire shook his head, and offering his arm to Chibitalia, he escorted her to the door. “Are you coming, Prussia?” Holy Roman Empire noted with satisfaction the way his older brother quickly jumped to attention and hurried to do his bidding.
Chibitalia gasped as she stepped outside. The snow was falling and everything looked like a fairytale waiting to happen. She sighed softly, wishing she could paint it. Unfortunately, it was too cold for that and the view from the windows was obscured by the heavy lead that decorated the panes of glass and the condensation that covered them when the warmth of the room met the cold glass.
With a bit of help from both brothers, Chibitalia was in the sleigh, Holy Roman Empire by her side, and a thick, heavy blanket across their laps. She put her hands in her muff and leaned against him as Prussia climbed into the front. A snap of the reins and they were off.
Prussia drove the horses towards the meadow where his younger brother and Chibitalia liked to idle away her free time. Everything was covered in a blanket of snow and if the “ooohs and aaahs” coming from behind him were any indication, the young would-be lovers were finding the scene just as beautiful as he did. Or maybe they were finding themselves beautiful… he thought. He halted the horses when a stag bolted out from the trees that ringed the meadow. It bounded across the snow, in great leaps, spooked by who knew what. Clucking softly to the horses, Prussia urged them on. He turned them towards the direction the stag had come from and they proceeded to go around the meadow at the tree line.
Feeling hungry, Chibitalia opened the box containing their lunches. She handed a sandwich to Holy Roman Empire and one to Prussia, keeping the third for herself. While the sandwiches would have been better if they were hot, in her humble opinion, they were at least filling. When they were finished eating, including the cookies she had packed, she sang Christmas carols in Italian and German for them.
Holy Roman Empire thought her clear high soprano sounded like the voice of an angel. It annoyed him to know end when his brother added his raspy tenor to hers and he sat there, pouting. It quickly morphed into a smile, when Chibitalia sang Ave Maria. Holy Roman Empire could feel tears stinging his eyes, which he blamed on the cold, but in truth, it was his beloved’s voice that had moved him to tears.
All too soon, their trip around the meadow ended. By then it had gotten colder, and besides, all had agreed it was time to go when snow from a pine branch, narrowly missed falling on them. Prussia drove the sleigh to the front of the manor house. He got out and helped his passengers down, before getting back in and heading off to the stable.
“That was so much fun! Thank you, SignorePrussia!” Chibitalia called out to his retreating form.
Prussia waved in reply.
Chibitalia took Holy Roman Empire’s hand and together they went up the wide stone steps and into the manor house. As he was taking her cloak off, she noticed a sprig of mistletoe hanging above them in the foyer. Chibitalia giggled and pointed upwards.
Holy Roman Empire looked up and nearly died. Honor bound to uphold tradition; he leaned in to kiss her. Just as their lips were about to meet, Austria spotted them.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?! Get back to work, Chibitalia! You’ve played enough for one day!”
“Yes, Signore!” Chibitalia turned and dropped him a quick curtsy. She looked over her shoulder at Holy Roman Empire, whose cheeks were the brightest shade of red she had ever seen them, and said softly, “Sorry,” before dashing off to the kitchen.
Holy Roman Empire had never been so embarrassed or angry in his life. He was furious with his guardian for interrupting his first kiss and he was about to tell him off when it would seem the heavens intervened for him. At that moment, Prussia entered the manor house in typical Prussian fashion, which led to an argument; Austria was destined to lose as always. Holy Roman Empire took that as his cue to leave and he quietly slipped away to his room, memories the afternoon dancing in his head.
By kira
Author’s note: Thanks go out to my beta Kat, for pinking this & helping me figure out a title.
For Jen… Happy Holidays!
Chibitalia wrapped some of the cookies Signore Austria had baked in a napkin and added them to the box that held a couple of chicken parmesan sandwiches that were hot from the oven. Sadly, they would be cold by the time Chibitalia and Holy Roman Empire reached their destination, but it was the thought that counted as Signorina Hungary would say. Closing the box and tying it up with some string, Chibitalia left the kitchen to go put on the new cloak that Holy Roman Empire’s brother Prussia had given her for Christmas.
She loved it whenever Signore Prussia would come for a visit as it always turned the household upside down. Even more than that, Chibitalia loved the way he made Signore Austria’s life a misery. While she was sorry Signore Prussia also annoyed Signorina Hungary, she was glad he also made plenty of opportunities for her to be alone with Holy Roman Empire. Like now, when he had somehow convinced Signore Austria to let him take her and Holy Roman Empire out for a sleigh ride.
Chibitalia put on her new cloak and grabbed the muff Holy Roman Empire had given her for Christmas. She had a sneaking suspicion, despite his protests to the contrary, that it was made out of rabbit fur as it was as soft as the bunny that lived in the back garden. Still it kept her hands warm and looked really pretty, so she thanked the poor bunny that gave up its life for her muff and the stewpot. Turning to go back to the kitchen for their lunch, she smiled when she saw Signorina Hungary standing there with it.
“Grazie!” Chibitalia cried as she ran to get it.
“Careful!” Holy Roman Empire called out as he made his way down the grand staircase, Austria at his side. He wanted to fly down the stairs to be by his beloved’s side, but the soft disapproving cough from his guardian forced him to go at a slower pace. Luckily, Chibitalia was able to retrieve the box without incident. Once he reached the bottom of the stairs, Holy Roman Empire took the box from her just to be safe. He thought his beloved looked cute all dressed up in her borrowed clothes, like she was going to a party, instead of a ride through the countryside. The thought of him sitting in the sleigh and doing his best to keep her warm, had his cheeks heating up and she giggled.
Prussia chose that moment to enter the manor house, saving his brother from further embarrassment. True to form, he had tracked in snow and dirt which set Austria into a tizzy. Although, it did have the side effect of making Chibitalia giggle again, especially when Fräulein Hungary entered the fray and threatened to get her frying pan from the kitchen to whack Prussia upside the head with it if he did not behave.
Holy Roman Empire shook his head, and offering his arm to Chibitalia, he escorted her to the door. “Are you coming, Prussia?” Holy Roman Empire noted with satisfaction the way his older brother quickly jumped to attention and hurried to do his bidding.
Chibitalia gasped as she stepped outside. The snow was falling and everything looked like a fairytale waiting to happen. She sighed softly, wishing she could paint it. Unfortunately, it was too cold for that and the view from the windows was obscured by the heavy lead that decorated the panes of glass and the condensation that covered them when the warmth of the room met the cold glass.
With a bit of help from both brothers, Chibitalia was in the sleigh, Holy Roman Empire by her side, and a thick, heavy blanket across their laps. She put her hands in her muff and leaned against him as Prussia climbed into the front. A snap of the reins and they were off.
Prussia drove the horses towards the meadow where his younger brother and Chibitalia liked to idle away her free time. Everything was covered in a blanket of snow and if the “ooohs and aaahs” coming from behind him were any indication, the young would-be lovers were finding the scene just as beautiful as he did. Or maybe they were finding themselves beautiful… he thought. He halted the horses when a stag bolted out from the trees that ringed the meadow. It bounded across the snow, in great leaps, spooked by who knew what. Clucking softly to the horses, Prussia urged them on. He turned them towards the direction the stag had come from and they proceeded to go around the meadow at the tree line.
Feeling hungry, Chibitalia opened the box containing their lunches. She handed a sandwich to Holy Roman Empire and one to Prussia, keeping the third for herself. While the sandwiches would have been better if they were hot, in her humble opinion, they were at least filling. When they were finished eating, including the cookies she had packed, she sang Christmas carols in Italian and German for them.
Holy Roman Empire thought her clear high soprano sounded like the voice of an angel. It annoyed him to know end when his brother added his raspy tenor to hers and he sat there, pouting. It quickly morphed into a smile, when Chibitalia sang Ave Maria. Holy Roman Empire could feel tears stinging his eyes, which he blamed on the cold, but in truth, it was his beloved’s voice that had moved him to tears.
All too soon, their trip around the meadow ended. By then it had gotten colder, and besides, all had agreed it was time to go when snow from a pine branch, narrowly missed falling on them. Prussia drove the sleigh to the front of the manor house. He got out and helped his passengers down, before getting back in and heading off to the stable.
“That was so much fun! Thank you, SignorePrussia!” Chibitalia called out to his retreating form.
Prussia waved in reply.
Chibitalia took Holy Roman Empire’s hand and together they went up the wide stone steps and into the manor house. As he was taking her cloak off, she noticed a sprig of mistletoe hanging above them in the foyer. Chibitalia giggled and pointed upwards.
Holy Roman Empire looked up and nearly died. Honor bound to uphold tradition; he leaned in to kiss her. Just as their lips were about to meet, Austria spotted them.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?! Get back to work, Chibitalia! You’ve played enough for one day!”
“Yes, Signore!” Chibitalia turned and dropped him a quick curtsy. She looked over her shoulder at Holy Roman Empire, whose cheeks were the brightest shade of red she had ever seen them, and said softly, “Sorry,” before dashing off to the kitchen.
Holy Roman Empire had never been so embarrassed or angry in his life. He was furious with his guardian for interrupting his first kiss and he was about to tell him off when it would seem the heavens intervened for him. At that moment, Prussia entered the manor house in typical Prussian fashion, which led to an argument; Austria was destined to lose as always. Holy Roman Empire took that as his cue to leave and he quietly slipped away to his room, memories the afternoon dancing in his head.