The ride to France's house was a long one. Esmeralda sat down and her dress puffed up all around her. She squished it down as Spain sat next to her and patted a piece of the beautiful dress. He took some of the fabric between his fingers and rubbed it slightly.
"It's a beautiful dress. You look gorgeous in it princesa", he looked at his colony straight in the eye. "Uh...Thanks", Esmeralda looked anywhere but at Spain, silently praying for the Italians to hop in so she wasn't alone with the Spaniard.
"No really, you look amazing", Antonio went on. He was about to say something else, but as soon as he opened his mouth, Romano stumbled in. He rose an eyebrow at Esmeralda's dress, "Need an extra seat?". She thanked God for his arrival and quickly jumped into conversation and didn't stop talking to avoid an open opportunity for Spain to start talking again.
The two carriages finally pulled up to a giant white mansion. Everyone piled out. Arthur and Alfred were in the middle of arguing over Alfred's bow tie. "But I don't want to wear it! Bow ties are for old crummy men", Alfred scrunched his face up. England's face turned red, "I wear bow ties all the time and I can assure you that I am not old and crummy!". France giggled as he straightened his suit, "I beg to differ".
Everyone made their way up the steps and into the mansion. Corridor after corridor, they all stuck together until soft music could be heard. France stopped in front of two marble doors that reached the ceiling. A smug smile was on his face. "Prepare to be amazed", he said mainly to the colonies, who have never seen his place before, besides Feliciano. He opened the doors and gestured inside. The classical music reached deep into their ears, but in the softest way ever, white light poured into the hallway, and the sound of mingling was present.
Feliciano ran in to go find Austria. Everyone else stayed behind. Esmeralda was wide eyed as she looked at the ornate ball room. She looked up to see crystal chandeliers and she looked down to see her own reflection in the tile. Some of the countries were already here. Some occupied the middle of the room, which was for the dancing. They moved swiftly and elegantly. Esmeralda watched in awe. The minglers were off to the side, drinking and eating. A small band was at the back of the room, playing with cellos, pianos, violins, and many other instroments to creat a classical mood. Everything sparkled. Christmas decorations were set up along the walls. Holy and tinsel lined the room. Austria and a woman with flowers in her hair were kissing under mistletoe. Everyone stopped and looked at the colonies as they entered, eyeing them with want and eyeing their owners with envy, but quickly went back to their business.
Esmeralda looked around, not sure what to do. All the stares made her a little uncomfortable. She didn't mind if people looked, but the way they stared, as if they were cursing a high power for not being able to get their hands on her land before Spain did. Alfred was the first to break the silence. "Alright, party!", he dashed over to the side of the room where large tables in golden cloth were piled with dozens of French delicacies. England ran after him, "Behave yourself! I will never let you hear the end of this if you embarrass me!".
Prussia scurried off to go annoy Austria and the lady, who Esmeralda heard Prussia call Hungary. France was pulled away by a complimenting nation. Spain patted Romano and Esmeralda's shoulders. "Have fun guys! But be careful, a lot of these people would love to steal you. Stay safe!", he grinned widely and went to go talk to Belgium. Romano gulped and stood closer to Esmeralda. She rolled her eyes and walked around with Lovino. "This place is fucking huge", Romano's eyes darted everywhere. "I think it's gorgeous", Esmeralda smiled. "Oh God, I think you're starting to develop taste for things. First this dress, and now you're mesmerized by a room?", he joked. She nudged his side, "What? Like I didn't have taste before?". He smirked, "You're a casual person. I would say you're getting a taste of the finer things in life, but you've known me for about two to three centuries sooo, you get where I'm going?". New Spain raised an eyebrow, "So you're saying you're the finest thing in my life". Romano put an arm around her, "Precisely".
She looked over to the side of the room, where Alfred was still shoving his face with food. She rolled her eyes and observed everyone in the room. Lovino left to use the restroom. She stayed clear of the dancers, but was still in a crowed. A man with a long black ponytail was walking around showing off a young boy about her age with thick black bangs. "Everyone look! I was able to get my hands on this little one! I am a mentor-aru!", no one was paying attention to him, but the young boy bowed and greeted everyone.
"Hello stranger", a low familiar voice was heard and Esmeralda quickly turned around to be facing Netherlands. "Liam! Hey!", she greeted him happily. She missed the man, truly, even though she only knew him for a day. "Long time no see! Look at you! You're all grown up! So Spain's parenting enters the teen years huh? Come on, bring it in!", he opened up his arms and slightly bent down. Esmeralda laughed and leaped into his arms. She hugged him tightly and snuggled against his warm body. They pulled away and Esmeralda looked up at the tall man. His suit jacket was a pale yellow that complimented his skin tone. His hair was still sticking all the way up and he still had that crazy danger look in his eyes. "Good to see you remember me! Let me guess, Spain won't let you talk about me?", he grinned. She shook her head, "He's so possessive. He won't even let me write letters to France and Prussia and I see them all the time!". Netherlands raised an eyebrow, "That's interesting. Be careful okay. Spain can get pretty...nasty. With you being his main colony, he won't let anyone touch you". Esmeralda frowned. "Hey! Lighten up kid! I know you don't like the guy, so if you ever need a break or breather from the bastard, come find me. I'd be glad to keep you good company", he offered kindly. She smiled, "You should've never made that offer. You'll be seeing a lot of me". They both laughed. "And who says that's a bad thing! Oh man, Spain will be pissed though. Thinking I'll take you away from his teachings and erase the perfect little image he has set up in his mind for you. But you're a little rebel aren't you, so it won't bother us! Seriously though, if you ever need anything, no matter what time of day, I'm here", he patted her head. "You rock", she smiled. "You know it! I gotta go. Stay wild kid", he gave her another hug and went off on his own way. Esmeralda was happy for the offer. For the escape. Not that she was going to abuse it. It was just comforting to know she had somewhere to go.
Alfred ran up to Esmeralda, "Hey! Isn't this party great! There's someone you need to see!". Before she could respond, she was being dragged over to the tables. He led her over to one in the back. A young boy holding a little polar bear sat quietly. "Matt look! I found her!", Alfred screamed in his ear. Esmeralda's jaw dropped, "Mattie! Oh my God it's you!". Canada looked up and smiled. You could see the genuine happiness that came over him, but he was too shy so he just waved. "Hello", he waved softly. She lunged at him, trapping him in a hug. He hugged her back securely. "It's good to see you. Alfred's been telling me all about you", his voice was soft, especially compared to the other two. Alfred blushed and tried to defend himself but Esmeralda moved on. "God I've missed you. Look at you! You're so tall!", she smiled and looked at the Canadian. "Yeah. I've missed you too", he gave a shaky smile. "Why are you so nervous? Oh dear. You've grown shy!", Esmeralda said as Mathew blushed. France called the Canadian over. He looked at his brother and friend sheepishly. "I have to go. You look really pretty Esmeralda. I hope I see you again. You really damaged Al with your disappearance", Alfred blushed once more. Esmeralda gave Mathew a tight hug before he left.
"He's so adorable! God I've missed that quiet little kid. So is it true? My disappearance damaged you?", she turned towards Alfred and stepped closer. He was still blushing, "I think I've already made that clear". He gave a short laugh. Esmeralda suddenly remembered that this was their last night together and crashed down. She frowned, "It's happening all over again, but this time, we know it's happening and can;t do anything about it. And this time, I have to look you in the face and say goodbye...". Alfred squeezed her hand, "Hey, don't say it like that. You're gonna make me cry and heroes don't cry. Just remember our promise. Once we're free, we'll be together". She looked up at him and forced a smile. His bow tie was crooked and he tried to fix it but ended up making the whole thing come loose. "Fuck. Now I have to go find Arthur", he mumbled. He gave Esmeralda an apologetic look before running off. "Why do I keep being left by myself?", Esmeralda questioned as she became self aware.
She sat down at the table and decided to eat some of Mathew's untouched food. "Oh God yes!", she exclaimed as she finished the whole plate. The French food was so different from anything she's ever tasted before. Everything was in small portions, but it filled her up. The food was mixed with so many different flavors that she didn't even recognize. She was going to have ask France for some key ingredients. Over time, she has become a passionate and talented cook. She does most of the cooking at Spain's house, leaving a number of his chiefs now unemployed.
Prussia strutted over to the lonely girl. "Great food, ja? Listen, there's someone you need to meet. This my awesome, though not as awesome as me, little brother Ludwig. He's the country of Germany. Come on Ludwig! Say hello!", Prussia pushed a tall blond boy in front of Esmeralda. He looked a little older then Esmeralda. He was more around Lovino's age. He was stiff, unlike Prussia. He nodded quickly, "Erm..Hello", he reached out a hand and Esmeralda shook it. He put it away as soon as they were done. "Hey. I'm Esmeralda. Spain's colony", she said slowly, not really sure how to approach the tense boy. He was nothing like Prussia, who was loud and unprofessional. "Yes. New Spain. I am very aware. Nice to meet you", he said politely. His voice was deep, and his accent was similar to Prussia's. He was built and pale. Blond hair and blue eyes. Though, they were nothing like Alfred's blond hair and blue eyes. Ludwig's hair was very yellow. Pure blond. And his eyes were a striking blue. They were soft, but extremely intense. They didn't shine, nor were they dull. They just looked at you very observantly. Blue like the sea while Alfred's were blue like the sky. "Pleasure to meet you too", Esmeralda said with a slight smile and he loosened up a bit. He smiled back, but it was barely noticeable. "Great! You guys seem to get along fine! Come on bro, we have to keep introducing you to people!", Prussia yelled as Germany groaned. He gave a nod to Esmeralda before being steered away by his brother.
Esmeralda smiled to herself. "I never knew he had a brother", then she remembered Prussia mentioning 'The little guy' and figured he must've been talking about Ludwig. Lovino interrupted her thoughts by plumping down next to her. He was frowning, "Look at all these people. All these able dancers...". Esmeralda rose an eyebrow, "Do you want to dance? Lovino, I know you know how to dance...". Romano's face went bright red, "Pfftt no! Why would I want to dance!". She rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand. "Come on. I'll be your partner", she gestured towards all the nations waltzing gracefully. Romano's red face turned pale, "No...I-I'll just sit here until the party's over". Esmeralda gave him an impatient look. "Come on. Nothing bad is going to happen. Why are you so nervous?", she asked. "I've never danced in front of so many people before! And come on, you and I both know I suck", he hid his face between his palms. "Aww is this stage fright? That's adorable. Come on Lovino. Ditch the anxiety and just dance", she smiled softly. He quickly stood up, his face red once more. "I'm not scared! Come on", he grabbed her hand and marched towards the dance floor, muttering to himself the whole way.
He stopped in the middle of all the other dancers and froze again. The nervousness was back in his face. Esmeralda stood in front of him. "It'll be just like when we dance in Spain's house. No one's even paying attention to us", Lovino looked around hesitantly as he listened to Esmeralda. He nodded shakily, "Okay..". He took his hand in hers and the other around her waist. The two began a slow waltz, having to stop and recompose every once in a while because Romano kept stepping out of tune.
Esmeralda slowly counted the beats as Romano tried to keep up. He never took his eyes of their feet. "Lovi, relax", Esmeralda laughed. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. A while later, Esmeralda had stopped counting and the two were in a full waltz. Swaying in rhythm to the music and moving as one. "Heh, not so bad", Romano said as a soft smile spread across his face. He was able to pull away from looking at their feet and smiled at his dance partner. "You seem pretty happy for someone who's stuck dancing with a friend instead of dancing with their lover. But Spain would never allow that. Feeling low?", Romano raised an eyebrow as he teased. "What?", New Spain questioned. Lovino rolled his eyes, "Don't play stupid with me. You and I both know you're too smart to play dumb. I know what's going on between you and Alfred. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me".
From the other side of the room, France pointed to the two colonies. "Oh look Toni! Your little colonies are dancing together. How adorable", France took a sip of wine, keeping his eyes on the two. A small smile was plastered on Spain's face. "Yeah. Great dancer isn't she?", he also sipped some wine. France nodded, "Why are they not together Toni? Look how cute they are. I think they should date, non?", France winked. Spain frowned at the idea, "My princesa isn't going to be dating anybody. She's mine. I can't have her giving all her attention to someone, even if it is Lovino. The two will want to become one and then get crazy ideas about revolution". Spain thought to himself. He was going to have to be careful. Yeah, the two were finally starting to get along, but there were so many other people New Spain liked better. He needed to change that. "Excuse me France", he set down his drink and made his way to his colonies.
He patted Lovino on the shoulder, "Do you mind if I steal this beautiful lady from you?". Lovino quickly let go, "She's all yours!". Usually, he'd have his friend's back, but dancing made him too uncomfortable so he dashed away before Esmeralda could say anything. Spain bowed, "May I have this dance?". She knew she had no other choice, so she sighed and took his hand. He looked up at the girl and smiled, "Great". He kissed her tiny hand, which fit snugly in Antonio's large hands. "Look how tiny your hands are", he straightened up. He interlaced their fingers and wrapped the other arm all the way around her waist. Once they were set, he jerked her forward, causing her to bump into his chest. His strong grip didn't allow her to back up.
"I've been dying to dance with you", Spain looked down at the young girl. "Is that so?", she avoided his stares. He was so much bigger then her. She felt as if his hand took up her whole lower back. Her tiny body fit so securely into his large one. She kept her hand on his arm and she was able to feel the muscle beneath the fabric. He held her even closer and his hand rubbed her back for a second. She looked up at him and he smiled, "Why are you trying so hard not to look at me? You have such pretty eyes". She was surrounded by his scent and she closed her eyes for a second. Spain took the hand that was intertwined her hers and touched the golden cross that hung around her neck. "I see you still have the cross I gave you. I'm guessing you like it", his smile was childish this time. She gave him a soft smile, "Uh yeah. It's nice". He softened his grip on her, but kept them chest to chest. "Are you having fun?", he asked genuinely. She nodded. "Great! It makes me so happy to know that you're happy. You're happiness if my top priority!", Spain grinned. Esmeralda wanted to roll her eyes. She wanted to tell him that he was doing a shitty job and that she hated every moment with him, but she held it back this time. She actually was enjoying life. Spain really has been trying hard to make her happy. She couldn't complain. If it wasn't for her stubbornness, she'd probably enjoy the Spaniard and instead of dancing awkwardly, the two would be twirling around laughing about nothing.
"Are you happy Esmeralda?", he asked a little bit more seriously. She took a deep breath but ended up meeting his gaze and nodded. "So I'm making progress huh! I'm not the bad guy any more am I?", he asked with enthusiasm. She gave a short laugh, "Maybe". Spain spun her, "Aw come on! Do you like me or not?". Her laughter filled his ears, "That's for me to know, and you to find out". Esmeralda honestly didn't even know anymore. At first, he hatred for Spain was too strong for words, but now, she didn't mind when he joined her in the garden, or when he read her stories. She was still a trouble maker, but nothing harmful. She would try her best to annoy Spain and set him off, but no matter what, he always offered a smile and told her that she was a blessing. She often found herself thinking about what her life would be like if Spain had lost, and to her surprise, she always liked the life she already has better.
"You're so precious you know that? I am so lucky to have you with me", Spain smiled softly and looked straight into her eyes. Esmeralda blushed slightly, "Thank you...". Spain frowned, "I have some bad news. Business popped up with France. England and I will have to stay the night here. Italy and Romano are still going home with Austria. It pains me to have agreed with this, but the business is too important, so you will be staying at our house alone with Alfred". It really did look like it broke his heart to allow his little Esmeralda to be all alone. And it looked like it raged him to make her be alone with Alfred. It didn't bother her at all. The idea excited her. "That's fine. Don't worry about me", she pressed herself against him to add onto the effect. "Oh okay! If you say so! I'm trusting you. And don't let the American touch anything! But be careful okay", the last part was serious. He still didn't like or trust the American. "Leaving you alone with someone like him is the last thing I want to do, but there;s no other way", he frowned. "Antonio, I'll be fine", Esmeralda knew she had to make Spain accept his decision in order to have extra time with Alfred. Alone.
The ball finally ended. Everyone was saying goodbye. Even the nations who Esmeralda didn't know came up to her and wished her a good night. Spain walked her outside, where a carriage was waiting to take her and Alfred to Spain's house. "You watch out okay", Spain said as he placed his palm on her cheek. "I'll be fine! How many times do I have to tell you", she smiled. He smiled sheepishly, "Can't blame me for worrying". He gave her a tight hug and wouldn't let go. Esmeralda didn't protest, although after a while, she was getting antsy to head over back home. Spain finally let go, "I'll see you in the morning princesa. You look so beautiful tonight", he kissed her cheek and headed back in the house.
She said her goodbye to Italy and he told her he put a painting in her room to remember him by. Romano stepped up and hugged her, "Don't drive Spain nuts without me". She tightly hugged him back. "Please don't leave me alone with him", she buried her face in his neck. He patted her back, "Duty calls. Nothing I can do. You do know I'm expecting something crazy when I get back. I don't expect the house to stay intact with just you and the bastard living in it. See you in a couple weeks. Ciao bella". He kissed her cheek and went on his own way. He stopped in his tracks and called out to her. "Just um..Thanks. For helping me out with the dancing back there", he said slightly embarrassed. "Any time Lovi", She smiled as she watched him join Austria and Italy.
She hopped in her own carriage and sighed deeply as she took off her heels. "Ready?", Alfred asked, looking at her with admiration. She nodded and the carriage started moving.