Cross-posted from hetachallenge
Title: One Last Good-bye
Author: kira
Claim: Prussia
Character(s): Prussia, Germany, Frederick II, Wilhelmine
Table/Prompt: Angst/ Prompt #3; Broken
Word Count: 1232
Rating: PG13
Summary: Prussia returns to San Souci to finally lay his beloved Fritz to rest…
Author’s note: Thanks go out to my beta, Jen, for looking this over.
I was writing in my diary when they came to tell me the news. I had taken one look at the servant’s ashen face to know my suspicions were true. As I sat there, too stunned to even respond to the man, I could feel my heart break into a million pieces. Dismissing him with a wave of my hand, I pushed back from my writing desk and left my room. I strode through the halls of San Souci towards the king’s apartment, upon reaching them, I simply walked inside. There, sitting in his chair like he had just fallen asleep, was Frederick II, my beloved king… and lover. A single heart wrenching sob escaped my lips as I hurried towards the body. Alone in the room I fell to my knees, resting my head in the former king’s lap. “Oh, Fritzchen…” I said softly. “Why didn’t you send for me last night?” I took a deep breath as I tried to compose myself and failed miserably. “You should not have had to face death on your own…”I sobbed. “I would have come if you had asked. Like I told you, I’ve seen my people come and go through the years… the centuries, it wasn’t like you needed to protect me from anything.”
Prussia, who had been whiling away the day in his hotel room, closed his diary and wiped away the tears that coursed down his cheeks. He felt just as heart-broken as he had all those centuries ago when Frederick II, had died. He also felt his anger rising again, as if I had happened only yesterday, over Frederick William II’s, his beloved Old Fritz’s successor, insistence that the man be buried in the church next to his father, along with his ire over that moron Hitler’s treating Frederick’s remains like a holy relic and perverting his beloved’s ideals for his own twisted gain. It was quickly replaced by the sorrow and frustration he had felt when the Americans claimed Old Fritz’s remains as a Nazi treasure. Prussia remembered wanting to kill something back then. Now, everything was going to be put right and he quickly let go of his anger as he checked the time.
Pushing back from the desk in his hotel room, Prussia got up and began to dress in a replica of his Prussian uniform from the time of the Seven Years War. Frederick II, the king he had unexpectedly fallen in love with, was coming home today. He pulled on his boots and walked to the door buckling on his saber as he did so. As he passed by the full length mirror in the room’s entryway, he gave himself a once over. He grinned, the corner of his mouth tugging upwards into a smirk. “Old Fritz would approve, eh, Gilbird?”
The little bird peeped his approval from his perch in Prussia’s tricorne hat.
Leaving his room, Prussia knocked on the door of the room next door. “Let’s go, West, before we’re too late.”
Germany opened his door. “I’m coming, Brüder,” he said as he stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind him. He was also dressed in a Prussian uniform from the same era. “How do I look?”
“Awesome!” Prussia replied. “Now move your ass! I want to get there before the press and everyone else gets there.” Taking his brother by the arm, Prussia hurried him out of the Steigenberger Hotel, amid the approving looks from the staff and fellow patrons, who thought they were part of Old Fritz’s honor guard. They walked the grounds of San Souci, Prussia insisting they go visit the Friendship Temple, before going over to where Frederick II would finally be laid to rest.
“Hey, Princess!” Prussia called out as they approached the marble statue of Frederick’s sister, the Margravine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth. “This is my little brother, Ludwig; he’s come to pay his respects to your brother. I’m so glad he’s home! It’s just so awesome!” He smiled and turned to Germany, throwing an arm around his shoulders.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” Germany murmured, feeling a bit foolish talking to the statue.
“I’m sorry, but we’ve gotta run, so we don’t miss a thing! I promise I’ll be back later, I know! I know! It’s been awhile, but I… I just couldn’t bring myself to come here without him being here, you know? Auf wiedersehen, Your Highness!” He gave her a little wave, before they turned and left.
The hurried over to where Frederick’s body lay in state. Prussia removed his hat as he stood there, sending Gilbird flying. He stood there, openly weeping while he spoke softly. “Hey, Fritzchen…welcome home, Your Highness…” he said in stilted French, “Hey, I know I said the only real language is German, but I know how much you loved this sissy one, so yeah… What was I going to say? Oh yeah…” He shook his head ruefully and snorted. “Hell, Fritz, Prussia might not be on a map anymore, but verdammt, if you’re not home! Sure took them long enough to get you here, hunh?” He grinned through his tears. “And see that guy over there, talking to your honor guard? That’s my little brother, Ludwig. It’s a pity you never met, cuz I think you would have liked him. He’s into dogs like you are. He would have loved the ‘marquises de Pompadour.’” Prussia grinned. “Anyway, in another hour or two, you’ll finally be home again. They’re putting you right next to your dogs, just the way you wanted. I know, I know, I tried, but your little prince, Frederick William, refused to listen to me. Verdammt if that boy didn’t grow a set of brass one the minute he became king! Not that he was as good as you were, but still… I’m just sorry you were stuck for so long next to your Arschloch of a father for so long. I guess it was my fault, I just never really bothered with him when he was a kid, and then I was too busy mourning you, so I never really got to know him the way I knew you, not that I really wanted to.” Prussia’s smile grew rueful. “Anyway, I’d better get going, so I can have a good spot down in front to make sure they do things right this time. Until we meet again, I’ll forever be your humble servant, Gilbert Beilschmidt.” He saluted the casket, before turning to go.
Later that night, Prussia opened his diary. Picking up one of the hotel pens, he began recording the events of this day. Fritzchen was buried today with full military honors in Potsdam, at his beloved San Souci… I was there of course and so was West. We had dressed in our, well my, old uniforms and it was just so awesome to see him finally come home to where he belonged! I think he and West would have gotten on famously, they both have this thing for dogs and order and… I’m getting misty-eyed just thinking about it. I think I’m going to have to update this at another time, when my eyes don’t hurt…
Prussia closed his diary. He walked over to the bed and got in, feeling better than he had in a long time. He had gotten to see his beloved Fritzchen again and all felt right in his world.
Author: kira
Claim: Prussia
Character(s): Prussia, Germany, Frederick II, Wilhelmine
Table/Prompt: Angst/ Prompt #3; Broken
Word Count: 1232
Rating: PG13
Summary: Prussia returns to San Souci to finally lay his beloved Fritz to rest…
Author’s note: Thanks go out to my beta, Jen, for looking this over.
I was writing in my diary when they came to tell me the news. I had taken one look at the servant’s ashen face to know my suspicions were true. As I sat there, too stunned to even respond to the man, I could feel my heart break into a million pieces. Dismissing him with a wave of my hand, I pushed back from my writing desk and left my room. I strode through the halls of San Souci towards the king’s apartment, upon reaching them, I simply walked inside. There, sitting in his chair like he had just fallen asleep, was Frederick II, my beloved king… and lover. A single heart wrenching sob escaped my lips as I hurried towards the body. Alone in the room I fell to my knees, resting my head in the former king’s lap. “Oh, Fritzchen…” I said softly. “Why didn’t you send for me last night?” I took a deep breath as I tried to compose myself and failed miserably. “You should not have had to face death on your own…”I sobbed. “I would have come if you had asked. Like I told you, I’ve seen my people come and go through the years… the centuries, it wasn’t like you needed to protect me from anything.”
Prussia, who had been whiling away the day in his hotel room, closed his diary and wiped away the tears that coursed down his cheeks. He felt just as heart-broken as he had all those centuries ago when Frederick II, had died. He also felt his anger rising again, as if I had happened only yesterday, over Frederick William II’s, his beloved Old Fritz’s successor, insistence that the man be buried in the church next to his father, along with his ire over that moron Hitler’s treating Frederick’s remains like a holy relic and perverting his beloved’s ideals for his own twisted gain. It was quickly replaced by the sorrow and frustration he had felt when the Americans claimed Old Fritz’s remains as a Nazi treasure. Prussia remembered wanting to kill something back then. Now, everything was going to be put right and he quickly let go of his anger as he checked the time.
Pushing back from the desk in his hotel room, Prussia got up and began to dress in a replica of his Prussian uniform from the time of the Seven Years War. Frederick II, the king he had unexpectedly fallen in love with, was coming home today. He pulled on his boots and walked to the door buckling on his saber as he did so. As he passed by the full length mirror in the room’s entryway, he gave himself a once over. He grinned, the corner of his mouth tugging upwards into a smirk. “Old Fritz would approve, eh, Gilbird?”
The little bird peeped his approval from his perch in Prussia’s tricorne hat.
Leaving his room, Prussia knocked on the door of the room next door. “Let’s go, West, before we’re too late.”
Germany opened his door. “I’m coming, Brüder,” he said as he stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind him. He was also dressed in a Prussian uniform from the same era. “How do I look?”
“Awesome!” Prussia replied. “Now move your ass! I want to get there before the press and everyone else gets there.” Taking his brother by the arm, Prussia hurried him out of the Steigenberger Hotel, amid the approving looks from the staff and fellow patrons, who thought they were part of Old Fritz’s honor guard. They walked the grounds of San Souci, Prussia insisting they go visit the Friendship Temple, before going over to where Frederick II would finally be laid to rest.
“Hey, Princess!” Prussia called out as they approached the marble statue of Frederick’s sister, the Margravine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth. “This is my little brother, Ludwig; he’s come to pay his respects to your brother. I’m so glad he’s home! It’s just so awesome!” He smiled and turned to Germany, throwing an arm around his shoulders.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” Germany murmured, feeling a bit foolish talking to the statue.
“I’m sorry, but we’ve gotta run, so we don’t miss a thing! I promise I’ll be back later, I know! I know! It’s been awhile, but I… I just couldn’t bring myself to come here without him being here, you know? Auf wiedersehen, Your Highness!” He gave her a little wave, before they turned and left.
The hurried over to where Frederick’s body lay in state. Prussia removed his hat as he stood there, sending Gilbird flying. He stood there, openly weeping while he spoke softly. “Hey, Fritzchen…welcome home, Your Highness…” he said in stilted French, “Hey, I know I said the only real language is German, but I know how much you loved this sissy one, so yeah… What was I going to say? Oh yeah…” He shook his head ruefully and snorted. “Hell, Fritz, Prussia might not be on a map anymore, but verdammt, if you’re not home! Sure took them long enough to get you here, hunh?” He grinned through his tears. “And see that guy over there, talking to your honor guard? That’s my little brother, Ludwig. It’s a pity you never met, cuz I think you would have liked him. He’s into dogs like you are. He would have loved the ‘marquises de Pompadour.’” Prussia grinned. “Anyway, in another hour or two, you’ll finally be home again. They’re putting you right next to your dogs, just the way you wanted. I know, I know, I tried, but your little prince, Frederick William, refused to listen to me. Verdammt if that boy didn’t grow a set of brass one the minute he became king! Not that he was as good as you were, but still… I’m just sorry you were stuck for so long next to your Arschloch of a father for so long. I guess it was my fault, I just never really bothered with him when he was a kid, and then I was too busy mourning you, so I never really got to know him the way I knew you, not that I really wanted to.” Prussia’s smile grew rueful. “Anyway, I’d better get going, so I can have a good spot down in front to make sure they do things right this time. Until we meet again, I’ll forever be your humble servant, Gilbert Beilschmidt.” He saluted the casket, before turning to go.
Later that night, Prussia opened his diary. Picking up one of the hotel pens, he began recording the events of this day. Fritzchen was buried today with full military honors in Potsdam, at his beloved San Souci… I was there of course and so was West. We had dressed in our, well my, old uniforms and it was just so awesome to see him finally come home to where he belonged! I think he and West would have gotten on famously, they both have this thing for dogs and order and… I’m getting misty-eyed just thinking about it. I think I’m going to have to update this at another time, when my eyes don’t hurt…
Prussia closed his diary. He walked over to the bed and got in, feeling better than he had in a long time. He had gotten to see his beloved Fritzchen again and all felt right in his world.