Disclaimer: The Hetalia characters and their personifications belong to Hidekaz Himaruya. 日丸屋 秀和

Rated T for: Language mostly... a certain Southern Italian is in here later, okay?

Also, mild sexual situations, violence and French.

Ohonhonhonhonhon~!

Intro

Once upon a time...

No, scratch that.

If you traveled 800 years into the past, crossed the western mountains of Europe and entered the piercing black Teutonic forests, then you may have uncovered... a story.

It is a story buried by time and concealed by the towering shadows of the primeval fir trees and the Alpines.

It is not a fairytale. It may have knights, princesses, castles and sword fights, but in the end, the hero does not ride off into the sunset with the girl on a steed.

But once upon a time, hidden by the thick wall of montane foliage, there was a small castle belonging to a noble family of Hungarian descent.

The Lord Héderváry was exalted for his extensive wealth, power, and abounding lands, yet he lived a ghost-like existence.

The castle we speak of was always dim and silent. Looking upon the stone walls of the prominent structure from afar, a passerby would see nothing but shadowy darkness emanating from its gloomy depths.

However, in a low, anterior window that faced the forest, a pair of eyes could be seen, illuminated against the darkness.

These two vibrant, malachite orbs, shaded by a wisp of auburn hair, peeped cautiously out at the world - the picture of youthful innocence and curiosity - positively drinking in the sunlight.

They belonged to the Lord's only child: a motherless girl no more than seven years of age.

Elizaveta was her name.

Quick summary: This story is Human AU set in the 13th century in what today would be the lower regions of Germany (but as we all know that adorable little tyke didn't really call himself that at the time because most of 'Germany' was part of the Holy Roman Empire).

NONE OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN THIS STORY ARE OCs OR FAN-CHARACTERS. Everybody is somebody even if you don't know which anybody is which somebody. Got it? Okay, great!

Sorry the first few chapters are a little slow though... I promise it picks up later! :) And most of the chapters are NOT about Prussia/Hungary's childhood.

Historical Notes

* So, the lands which are today part of Germany were, in the 1200s, part of the Holy Roman Empire. The basics of the social structure during this time incorporated a politico-economic system of relationships between liege lords and enfeoffed vassals. These noble individuals would have ruling power over the lands and small kingdoms within the Empire. It was basically feudalism. In German, the system is variously referred to asLehnswesen, Feudalwesen or Benefizialwesen. (Stieber, Joachim. W. [1978]. Pope Eugenius IV, the Council of Basel and the Secular Ecclesiastical Authorities in the Empire, E.J. Brill, Leiden, p. 124.)

* I decided to give Hungary a father in this story but implied that her mother had either died in childbirth or simply when Elizabeta was very young. In the world of Ancient Hetalia,Magyar is said to be a male relative of Hungary who more or less raised her - much like Germania or Rome raised their sons/grandsons. (See: wiki/List_of_minor_characters_in_Hetalia:_Axis_Powers)

* Historical fun fact because I mentioned the Alps! Did you know people used to cross the Alps Mountains blindfolded? Centuries ago, people believed the Alps were home to demons and evil spirits; therefore, while crossing alpine passes, many blindfolded themselves to avoid looking at what they believed was a hell's anteroom.

Google it.