The next day America had dueling lessons, it wasn't as bad as his other lessons but he still didn't enjoy it much.

The two of them walked over to the outdoor dueling area which was near the walls of the castle. There his tutor stood and next to him was a training dummy.

"Your highness," he did a quick 90 degree bow, "let us start," he lifted his head and handed the prince a sword. It gleamed in the sunlight.

Russia stood on standby next to the palace walls, watching as the prince obliterate the dummy.

Albeit the prince looked fine right now, inside he was still confused. He still pondered about what happened yesterday, the words repeated in his head non stop throughout the night and still even now.

'Why am I like this' he internally sighed, the words suddenly flashed in his mind which made him slip and fall in surprise. The sword clattered on the ground beneath Russia's feet.

The guard immediately went up to help the prince who had fallen down. "Are you ok?" His thick accent rung in the American's ear, "Don't worry I'm fine I wasn't focusing."

He stood up with no problem and went back to his lessons.

After awhile of lessons the prince was given a break, he sat down leaning against the palace walls. The smell of fresh grass filled his lungs.

His guard stood next to him, leaning on the wall as well with his hands crossed, staring blankly into space. He seemed to be on guard, well he was always like that anyway.

"Dueling lessons are always so boring," the american whined and threw his hands up. The prince suddenly stood up and scaled up the wall, the rocky surface of the wall made his hands have a weird texture.

He stood on top of the walls all proud and mighty with his chest puffed up. "You'll fall," his guard warned him, "doubt it," America replied very confident.

He scanned around for his dueling instructor, after concluding his instructor was probably busy somewhere, a mischievous smile formed on his face. Which was never a good thing.

"Russiaaaaa, come, let's escape lessons and go to town or something," America extended his hand. "You must do things according to your schedule, escaping isn't allowed either way."

"Hmph- such a party pooper," he squatted and rested his head on the palm of his hand as he pouted. "Well even if you're not coming along I'm still escaping either way." The prince leaped off the wall into the other side, which was the Britannia forest, the largest and only forest in Britannia.

"Come back here prince or else I'll have to forcefully bring you back," Russia informed from the other side of the wall, his voice still unchanging. "Nope! Blehh-" America stuck out his tongue.

Suddenly a figure appeared on the top of the wall, "the hard way it is," he said. America bolted, he tried his best to contain his laughter as he ran.

The guard only chased him, through the abundance of trees, lakes and much more. America burst out in a fit of laughter as he was chased around like a rat.

He had forgotten how fun it was to play tag, it was old memories.

Then he slipped, he lost his balance for a second before regaining it again in a flash. But that was enough time for Russia to catch up, he pinned the prince down on the ground to prevent him from bolting again.

America burst out in a fit of laughter with a dorky smile on his face, they both stared at each other face to face. "Whoops looks like you caught me, I'm still the best at tag though, I just slipped."

He said from under the taller boy, the Russian's face was glazed with a slight pink tint that was hardly noticeable. Maybe from the position they were in, maybe from the american's smile, who knows? Even he doesn't.

He hurriedly picked up the prince and carried him like a suitcase back to the palace. All while he squirmed from under his grip, "hey! Let me go! I can walk."

"So you can run away again? I'm not taking the chance." The tricolored country said in a monotone voice.

"I probably look so fucking stupid right about now," the shorter boy said a little pissed but yet still laughing. The guard hauled the troublemaking prince back to his lessons.

He finally set him down, "about time! I'll go through my lessons with no trouble anymore okay?" America crossed his arms.

The instructor came running up to the two boys, "thank god you two are safe, you both disappeared so I got worried and thought the prince skipped classes again."

"Yeah yeah, let's get back to the lesson and get this over with quickly, I still have dancing lessons later..." America walked off a little annoyed.

The instructor gave a slight bow as a thank you to the Russian before following the prince.

...

The two boys walked into a large ballroom, the blinds were open and light shone through illuminating the room. A lady was in the middle of the room, she was the dancing instructor.

"Let us start right away," the lady had a fierce gaze and slender hands, her dress was velvet red and black. She held out her slender hands to the prince.

America of course took it and they danced as she instructed him what steps and tempos to take. Yelling at him occasionally when he made a tiny mistake.

Russia watched from the side of the room, he was quite captivated by the prince's dancing. Russia has never danced before, not that he wanted to but new things always fascinated him.

The way their feet moved to the beat so gracefully, he could never understand how people were able to do just that.

America snuck glances at his guard who was watching with interest glazed in his eyes. The prince found it quite funny, or maybe in a way... cute?

"Eyes on me!" His thought were interrupted when his instructor yelled at him for not focusing. He felt like this class was such a hassle, why does he even need to learn how to dance?

When the song came to an end he got quite a scolding for not focusing, America was just glad he got to take a break. Dueling lessons were tiring enough.

A maid came in and handed the prince a cup of tea. After the maid left he just stared into the tea for awhile. The cold floor under him was comforting, "here you can have it," he handed the teacup to the country standing next to him.

Russia eyed the teacup and the prince confused, "but that is yours," he cocked his head slightly. "I'm kinda bored of tea, it's my dad's thing not mine so you can have it."

The guard nodded in understanding, he accepted the cup of tea with both his hands. The Russian watched his reflection in the tea for awhile, the ripples in the liquid gradually got smaller and smaller, the smoke surrounding the teacup was starting to gradually disappear.

He brought the teacup to his lips and drank it all in one gulp since the teacup was tiny, "it's good," he tried to compliment, Russia wasn't very good at the sappy stuff.

He placed the cup down on the ground next to him, "remember the first time we met?" America suddenly brought up.

"And how you only chose to answer me after I stole your hat,"

"I'm still wondering why it's so important to you," he placed his head against the wall behind him. "It was a gift, from my late father, it was the first and only gift he ever gave me so I cherish it a lot," his tone was unchanging.

"Ah, sorry for bringing it up," the shorter country apologized. "It's fine prince, I'm not the type to understand emotions well either way."

"Oh! I almost forgot, my dad told me to tell you that he wants you to compete for the guard competition between the other kingdoms."

"I see," he answered simply, "then I won't taint Britannia's good name, I'll do my very best," he tilted his head a little. "I'll definitely be cheering for you when the time comes," America gave him a wide and dorky smile again.

"Thank you prince," he thanked America, a slight tint of red glazed both country's cheeks. Both didn't notice though.

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Note : 1 Spell Check