Rise Again {Countryhumans X Reader}

Chapter 9 - Wish Upon A Dandelion

Several groups of scouts and officers took turns in lightly scampering from one large shadowed clump of bush to another, trying not to draw the attention of the Empire's soldiers in the army camp beside them. They had to leave their traveling jeeps behind in case the sound of the trundling vehicles captured the attention of the soldiers.

Once every group was clear from the scene, the Countryhuman among them turned his tricoloured face to the direction of the army camp they had just passed, and mouthed 'clear' to the rest. They all breathed sighs of relief and continued east towards their destination. The cratered sliver of a moon shone the last of its slanted light upon the Countryhuman's groups of scouts as dawn approached, staining the dim faded sky an inky shallow-sea blue.
More and more colours joined the shallow-sea blue as they trekked on across the moors and low rolling hills, whips of wind whistling past their ears.

Only when a fiery dawn burst out from the swirling colours of pink and yellow and orange did they see the horror of what lay beneath them when they crested the last hill.

A black, decaying patchwork of smoking village ruins was crudely stitched on the bright green landscape in front of them. Not a soul in sight. Not a single house spared of the Empire's wrath.

The Countryhuman felt sick to the core. Had he been more quick, more punctual, more active, he could have saved at least some of the poor villagers. He lowered his head, eyes stinging fiercely. No - he would be better now. His would remake his schedules, be as impeccable as-

A stir of dust pitifully puffed up from somewhere in the middle of the village. It was small, yes, but it was a sign that something, someone was there.

He ordered his scouts to fan out left and right, while he took a few to investigate the stir of dust. They all entered the wrecked village and started climbing across the splintered remains of houses and shops.

There in the middle of the village lay a battered, h/c haired girl unconscious in the rubble. The Countryhuman and his scouts ran over and crouched down beside her.
A scout pressed her finger against the girl's upper neck.

No one spoke for several, heart stopping moments.

A small pulse thudded in sync with the scout's quick breathing. She nodded at the Countryhuman.

Germany heaved a huge sigh of relief. He lifted the girl's head onto his lap, and as he did so, she jolted and her eyes snapped open in a panicked flutter.

Her eyes were {e/c} for a moment before brilliant, glowing grey swallowed that colour up. After a moment, the grey cooled to a flat gem-like standstill and a small pendant around the girl's neck seemed to glow mysteriously before returning to its normal colour.

Germany stared at the girl, shocked into silence. Grey eyes... Could it mean -

He shook his head, clearing out the jumble of thoughts inside. No, it couldn't be possible. The Empires had all the magic in their grasp, and grey-eyed people had become myths, sometimes a fable for children to marvel at.

And yet, a tired-looking grey-eyed girl stared back at him, sweeping her curious gaze over his tricoloured face. Germany helped the girl sit up, and handed a flask of water to her. She took it with slightly shaking hands and downed it all in a few gulps.

For a few moments, they all stayed silent, letting the girl adjust to her surroundings. Germany thought her expression would be grim, perhaps resigned. Her village had just been destroyed, after all. But the girl displayed the opposite emotions. Her gem-like eyes widened, mouth in a silent scream at the sight of the wreckage around her. Bewilderment in every inch of her uniquely beautiful face.