" Sorry that took so long. I had a little problem with my suit... " Britain sprinted towards the large carriage, jumping onto the side just as it started to move. The three grey horses in the front came to a slow halt, seemingly agonizing his presence. France rolled her eyes with a snort and extended her hand to him, pulling the prince inside.

" Really? Mina told me you spilt tea all over yourself.. " she trailed off, making sure to poke fun at the Brit as he sat down with a guilty and mostly embarrassed face. France couldn't help but poke fun at him, it was just who she was.

" Of course, Mina told you... " he mumbled to himself. " You shouldn't trust her. You would trust a servent over me?! " he placed a hand on his heart pretending to be wounded in some kind of way.

France shook her head, trying to tame the amount of fluff that stuck up from her expensive and lavish dress.

" I would trust Mina with my life. You dont know what she's done for me over all these years. While you are all lonely I have a single friend there with me " the princess leaned back in her chair, pointing a finger at the Brit then placing her hands in her lap. The male raised an eyebrow. Mina was quite the interesting servent and character in gerneral. Being honest, she wasnt really a servent at all, more like a unqualified guest. France made sure she had her own room, her own things, her own life, and anything else she required which wasnt much. Britain knew that any servent that worked under his father would only dream of gaining the respect that France had placed upon that one servent. He was sure that some of them were quite jealous of what they had seen with her. His mind flickered with questions as he tapped the window slightly, his breath fogging up the glass.

That was something he was planning on doing when he took over the crown. Make everyone equally happy when he could.

" Well why dont you tell me about Mina.... I have nothing better to do anyways.. " he waved a deadpan hand in the air as to signify the box they were stuck in for a good amount of time. France turned slowly towards him, her facial expression seemed suspicious in more than one way. Britain raised his hands into the air. " Sorry just- "

" No its fine. I suppose I have time to spare and it would make this trip much less dreadful if you would stay quiet " she tugged on one of her white silk gloves as the Brit slumped with a melodramatic face. " You wound me " his voice was hollow as he crossed his arms like a little kid. France shook her head.

" Mina. Well, shes just Mina.. That's how she's always been " France struggled to think of the right words. Her friend was a complicated person, and had an even more complicated past. A part of her didn't want to tell the fellow royal but Mina herself had begged the princess to be more open with him. If something bad happened France refused to be responsible for it.

" That's a bit vague my dear~ " Britain sneered from the other side of the aisle. France glared at him, her foot shifting slightly on the floor.

" Dont call me dear... "

The carriage went quiet for a second.

" Sure thing. Dear. Now please continue with your absolutely fascinating story.. "

France glanced out the window slightly, but turned back to the prince after a few seconds. Her mind continued to think of the right words to describe Mina at the given time.

" Well... Mina was always an outcast. That's partly what made her character who she is today. I was small when I first met her, most likely six at the point. She was sitting at the steps of a bakery, her clothes all ripped and dirty. I wasnt supposed to leave the castle grounds but I did anyways. Mina showed me the reality that not everyone had the same life as me. She had no home and was only raised by her mother who worked two jobs to scrap up the little she could.

Her dad had left a few years ago and was absolutely crazy from what I heard. My heart just hurt for her. It was terrible to watch happen. We talked and talked all day, Mina showed me some of her favorite places, I used my status to buy her a few loaves of bread. It was all good until guards started fanning out and searching for me. My father came looking as well, and scooped me up the second he found out where I was. I cried and screamed and did everything a six-year-old could do but my father just carried me back home and I watched Mina wander away back to her little house under the cherry blossom tree. "

Britain let out a small 'mhm' following along with the long story as France continued to share it.

" We saw each other a few times after that and I was more than upset and had to do something. When I turned 13 I went out on my own to find her and eventually learned that her mother had died of the flu and she was alone. I feel absolutely horrendous watching her wander alone. She had such a big heart and was a great help. I couldn't just stand there and do nothing about it. So I didn't. I dragged Mina back to the castle and begged my father to help her. Of course, he didn't see her as anything other than a beggar but the second she brought up cleaning and helping she got a job as a servant. At first all she did was tend for the garden but I eventually complained to my father enough for her to be with me. And I guess the rest is just history " the French girl shrugged her shoulders. Britain nodded patiently as he looked out the window, waving at a few children on the side of the road.

"She was a lovely girl. It seems like she has made herself quite useful over the years. Probably a better friend than ill ever have. Every servant in the entire house is afraid of me for one reason or another.." he said slowly as a few cheers ignited from outside the carriage, people watching from the side of the road. They weren't even half way there yet and people were already packed to the brim.

France nodded her head towards the Brit, letting out a terribly long sigh under her breath. She placed her hands on her lap as a few thoughts materialized in her head.

She was going to have to deal with the bombardment of other young men who seemed to think they could win her heart. She thought it was actually rather comical how pretentious they were when all she wanted was to be left alone. Vichy would usually scare them off after a few minutes, but without her big sisters protection she was all on her own in the large and scary world. She already had one man kissing her feet, and she didn't want any more.

A lump settled in her throat as she looked back to the prince, her lavender eyes scanning him up and down with question and apprehension. 

" Hey, " France stomped gently on the prince's foot, unintentionally making him yelp as his head snapped towards her. His face looked confused and scared, almost as if he had done something wrong.

"Wh-what?" he asked with a shocked expression on his face. France felt a tinge of guilt as he stared at her questioningly, sitting in perfect posture.

" Promise me.. Promise me you won't say anything too stupid while your up there. Vichy is going to be there and I dont doubt that she'll bring part of her gang along..Their usually a few guys from her resistance gang and you can tell that their there in the crowd.... You know how she can get... I just dont need you getting hurt. " She trailed off knowing there was no point to lie. Britain gulped slightly, the memory of Vichy's large scar still seared into his mind.

" Ill make sure of it.. " a bead of sweat formed on his forehead as he smiled sheepishly, trying to hide it. France simply nodded, opening her mouth to add more but quickly shutting it. She didn't need to scare the poor prince and from the looks of things he was already on guard, taking into mind his facial expression. Maybe Vichy had scared some sense into him. She didn't want him to be scared of her sister because she knew Vichy wasnt who she acted as.

Her sister tried to play tough and act like she was the most powerful female in the known galaxy, but France knew the truth, how much Vichy had lied to herself and tried to convince everyone that she had all the power. All the nights with her drunk and belligerent father had paid a toll on her poor sister. France remembered when Vichy was a fun and crazy school kid, always chasing people around and laughing. Throughout the years the act seemed to fade and she started to fight back more.

That scar on her face. France still remembered it. Remembered how her father had thrown a broken bottle at Vichy not knowing what he was doing. She could still see the blood all over the floor. She could still remember Mina's scared voice as servants scurried around her and their father walked off as if nothing had happened. She resented that man with all of her being.

If only Britain had been there to see the good side of Vichy. Maybe her sister would be nicer and she would feel so bad about the entire thing. It was always the if's.

The carriage slowly continued to roll down the cobblestone street as a bright and bustling city appeared on the other side of the thin glass that separated France from the cool crisp Spring air. She had never seen a city quite like it. It grew a bright yellow in the morning sun and people walked in and out of the city, some with briefcases and work and others just sharing a moment with their loved ones. There were bridges, large houses, towers, castles, carriages, children, stands, beautiful trees that blossomed with bright pink buds, anything France could have imagined was sitting right in front of her.

Paris was beautiful and her heart could not deny it, but she had been there so much of her life that her heart was yearning to see something new, something different. She needed to see more of the world, to see the rest of the countries she had not been to, and she wanted London to be the first of many.

" Welcome to London. Its not much, maybe a bit dirty and packed, but its a nice place to stay during the summer and spring months when the sun is out. The rest of the time no matter the season is full of rain, rain, and more rain. When it stops raining, its cold. It's not the most ideal or pretty place, but I hope you might enjoy it?" his voice was frail, trying to have anything appeal to the girl.

France grinned widely, her hand suddenly waving at a few people from the side of the road. " Oh shush. It's a wonderful place. We have mostly sun in France so to have a little rain won't hurt anything. " She leaned closer to the window, staring at a large tower right in the center of the city. Curiosity swirled in her mind as she watched petals fly in the warm wind, colors of pink and white drifting past her vision.

" What might that be? '' Her accent was thick and clear as she placed a finger on the glass and perked up towards the Brit. The prince squinted out his own window only to realize how foolish it was. That single structure was his pride and joy.

" That's Big Ben. It's the world's largest and loudest tower clocks. It took over 13 years and 2600 cubic meters of brick and 850 cubic meters of stone to complete. Every hour it chimes throughout London, you can hear it up to 9 miles away.... " his voice drifted off, still in awe of how beautiful it stood in the middle of the shimmering horizon.

He surprised himself with his genius sometimes. France raised an eyebrow watching his movements with suspicion.

"Really. It took us two years and almost 1,000 feet of iron to make the Eiffel tower. Seems like you had your work cutout. Or you were just slow. That seems to be your style..." She seemed genuinely interested and not like the times she had faked it before. Britain felt a contagious and victorious smile on his face as he looked back out the window.

" Ha, ha very funny.... I'm not slow. If anyone's slow it's you. It takes a woman practically ten years to get ready in the morning... You take an entire eternity to nearly get dressed. " he sassed.

" You would understand if you were a princess. I actually care about how I look compared to you.. " she looked at him with a stone expression.

The closer they got to the center of the city, the more people there were. They lined the streets, sat on roofs, watched from windows, basked in the sun and walked from one end to another all to get a glimpse at the illusive 'Prince and Princess of Europe. ' Britain recognized a few familiar faces in the crowd, from the slums to the aristocracy, he had seen them all once or twice.

Half the people in London had seen and listened to the king for a long, long time. As just as they had his father, the people had come to see a rare glimpse of the British prince and his soon-to-be wife.

Sarms of people swelled like a river as the carriage came to a firm hault and stopped in front of a stage-like structure laced with yellow and white flowers. A small podium and a few chairs were set up where some higher officials already sat, awaiting the two's arrival. A large royal band stood off to the side, their outfits shining proudly in the light as they played.

Onlookers thought flowers and stuffed animals, the sound of their excitement almost defining. France propped herself up on the seat and smoothed out her hair, the nervousness clear in her eyes.

Britain also checked himself for a few seconds before the large door swung open and a wave of bright and warm air hit his face. He hopped down from the carriage and his shoes clinked against the firm cobblestone. The entire crowd started to lose their minds.

" Welcome to London sir! " a shorter man scurried up close to the prince and bowed slightly. Britain waved and smiled. " The people are quite happy to see you once again! The last time you were here, you were but a boy! They have been waiting very patiently for you to come back again!" A royal politician dressed in a tuxedo said with excitement.

" They do always seem to have a way to flatter me beyond words, don't they?! It has been quite a while now that you mention it. I seemed to have forgotten how beautiful this place was from the time I was a kid. I hope you don't mind me bringing a guest along, " he shrugged towards the carriage to which France was still hiding. The butler shook his head with a happy chuckle

" We dont mind at all, its your show, after all! " he shook the prince's hand with a firm shake.

Britain let out a small breath, glad that things had gone smoothly so far. No one had died, no one had gotten mad, and no one had fallen, they were off to a good start. There was only one thing missing. Knocking lightly on the side of the carriage he stepped one foot up onto the coach, poking his head inside. France sat on the floor, trying to cover her head from the onlookers that prowled outside the windows. The Brit snickered as she glared at him with hatred.

" I dont want to hear a word out of you... " she growled, her face still hidden from view. Britain stepped in the carriage the rest of the way and helped her up from the floor. France readjusted her dress with a huff and looked at the Brit like he had grown two heads.

" Do you need help with that my dear~ " Britain sneered, grabbing a fluffy part of France's dress. The Frenchwoman scowled and smacked his hand away.

" Didn't your parents tell you to keep your hands to yourself. " she knocked his top hat off the Brits head and kicked it slightly as he leaned over to pick it up.

" My parents taught me a lot of things, but that didn't come up in the list. " Britain snickered at France's flushed red face.

"Now come on, we have a lot of talking to do. Unless you want all the men to start flooding you I suggest that you stay close to me. Ill keep you safe for the time being. " France grumbled.

" I don't need you to keep me safe. " Britain stepped out of the carriage and reached out a hand. France let out an uneasy breath as she stared out into the sea of people. A lot of them looked happy to see them, others not so much. She had never seen so many people gathered so far from home, it almost made her feel a bit homesick.

This place reminded her of a carnival, happy and colorful, a beautiful place with the sun just shinning on everything. Not just her either, she could feel a buzz running through the crowd, so many different colors and smells coming at her. These people were living their lives, enjoying their time to the fullest and she wanted to do the same.

It was just hard to enjoy herself in such a place. Things weren't as they used to.

" I hope you-" France stopped halfway through her sentence, feeling her foot catch on something.

The princess let out a loud squeak, as her feet quickly started to drag her towards whatever she had stumbled over. France felt the air flashing past her face, as her dress began to fall with her. She reached out her hand to try and grab something, but quickly realised there was nothing for her to grab onto. Her entire body felt heavy as she closed her eyes, waiting for the impact on the hard cobblestone road but suddenly felt weightless. She opened her eyes after a few seconds and to her complete shock, she was hovering just a few inches above the ground. It only took her a few seconds to realize who had caught her, and she hated it.

All of these people were watching her and she had to be the stupid princess and trip...

A hand was wrapped around her waist and pulled up from the ground. A barrage of 'Awe's ' swarmed through the crowd of British patriots. He raised an eyebrow, a clever and sly look plastered on his face

"I was however taught to save a damsel in distress~" he cooed cooly. He held her close as France crinkled her nose and placed a hand on her unofficial fiancee's shoulder.

" That was a very charming move for you to pull but I'm surprised at how stupid you seem to get. Dont try to impress me. Now, I'm giving you ten seconds to get your butt on that stage or there's going to be a real problem back at home " she whispered in his ear, her eyes flashing a threatening purple. The Brit took a step back and let go of the princess, his hands drifting from her waist to his side. An awful but tender smile poked at his face as he watched something inside of France's attitude shift. She had made enough fun at him in the past and now it was his turn. He was going to make sure that she knew that he wasn't afraid to stand up for himself.

" As much as I would love to stand here and listen to you insult me, I think you need a little lesson in public speaking. This is a formal statement from the British and French crown and I believe that the people hope to see both of us together. You cant have a prince without a princess my dear," he said with a saucy smile. France's face was pale and lifeless as she looked with a soft glare.

" Stop calling me dear! You are not my prince....! Your nothing to me but a self absorbed , immature coward! " she groaned, earning nothing from the prince beside her.

"You're cute when your angry, my dear but please try to control your temper. It would make life easier on everyone " Britain grabbed France's hand gently, her dress brushing against his ankle. France grabbed the bottom of her dress and pulled it upwards, completely shrugging off his hand. Britain tried being persistent and looped his arm through hers, his hand brushing against the inside of her arm. The two shuffled up on stage, the mob of British royals and the rich showing their approval in their roars and applause that pierced through the ground. France felt her limbs become heavy as Britain pulled her closer, addressing the people with a charming smile and gentle wave.

A few younger women let out gasps of pleasure at the sight of the royal prince even looking in their general direction. France wrinkled her nose in disgust at their actions. They would be crying in a puddle of tears when Britain let them all know they were engaged.

" Ladies and gentlemen, nobles and commoners of France and Britain, thank you for taking time out of your daily and working lives to attend this event. We are gathered here today to honor those who have strived to help protect the British and French crowns. Today we shall have the chance to reaffirm the bonds that have been withered and unraveled by the conflict of the past several years and far beyond that. As many of you know, a peace treaty has been signed by both parties and set into action as of ten days ago. Under this treaty, both the French and British crowns have officially joined together to defend each other's mutual interests and peaceful resolve.

This treaty is not only for the sake of our cultures, but it is a sign of our desire to honor the souls who brought us here today. For a long time, we have been enemies and filled with hatred towards each other. Those times are to be forgotten and buried forever. You may all have noticed, but I am in fact engaged and to be married to the most honorable and goodhearted princess there is. She will make a wonderful queen and will care for her new people and our own family with the utmost love and care. I would love for you all to send your absolute best wishes and welcome to this young lady and to my soon-to-be wife. Please welcome, the heir of the French crown and love of my life, Her Majesty, France... "

At the mention of France's name the crowd cheered madly, causing her to nervously gulp at all the attention. The prince clapped his hands for silence and then looked back to his fiance. The princess didn't feel too good as Britain elbowed her in the side gently. France felt a lump form in her throat as she opened her mouth to speak.

" Ahh... Thank you. Please forgive me, I have not spoken to a crowd in a very long time. I am glad to be finally fulfilling my royal duties as my parents and family long before me have.. I thank you for inviting me into your home and I hope to continue the blood line of the... of the crown. " her voice was raw and raspy.

Her purple orbs skimmed through the crowd, an unsettling feeling washing over her mind as she caught sight of a tall and slender female in the back. The girl was leaned up aginst a large blossoming cherry tree, her foot annoyingly tapping on the ground. A French flag was sashed around her upper arm, a few large men standing right beside her.

" Thank you for your time. " she personified her french accent, seeing the uneasiness in the crowd. Her stomach churned like a sea as the twinge of vomit came again. France swallowed it back down and gave a small smile to the crowd.

She had never felt so terrible in her entire life...