Chapter 1

January 23th, 2013

It was a cloudy day in Minsk, Belarus. Today's weather was pretty much suitable for Natallia Arloŭskaja, the personification of the country herself. Today was the day when she was finally released from the underground psychiatric asylum after serving her isolating sentence there for ten years. The only person who waited for her at the airport was Alena Navitski, the personification of her capital, Minsk. Natallia had learned from Alena's letters that Alena attended the world meetings as a temporary representative during Natallia's isolation. Natallia had already felt like crap, too ashamed to look at her capital in the eye.

"I am glad you are returned to your rightful place, Mistress." Alena politely bowed her head to Natallia. "I will drive you to your home in the countryside."

Alena was a mini version of Natallia. She had platinum blond hair and violet eyes like hers. Alena's neck-length wavy hair was the only way to tell them apart, as nations and humans often mistook them for twins.

"Thank you," Natallia nodded, her expression remaining detached.

Natallia had trained herself not to show emotion so smoothly during her time in the psychiatric asylum. It was much better than showing intimidation so coldly to her fellow countries and unhealthy infatuation with her brother so openly.

As Alena drove Natallia in a black Honda Civic away from the Minsk National Airport, Natallia glimpsed her surroundings through the window. The city looked the same as always. Her people strolled around, focusing on their daily lives, unaware of her existence and past actions. The only human who would know about her existence as an immortal human entity would be her boss.

Natallia did not want to even think about her boss. She used to admire him in the past. Now, she does not.

Natallia lived in a two-story house in the countryside.

Her home was light blue with white trim. There was a flower garden, a white birdbath fountain, a white stone stepping walkway with gravel, and a light blue garden table with a garden chair under a white Gazebo in the front yard.

"We're here." Alena entered Natallia's house.

Natallia looked around in amazement. Her house looked so clean, and her furniture was rearranged in the living room. She wondered if Alena had been cleaning and rearranging her home in her absence.

"You've been cleaning my home?"

"Well, yes," Alena confirmed with a smile. "I've received help from your siblings."

Natallia's expression was mixed with confusion and surprise. She had understandably thought her siblings had entirely abandoned her.

"May I check out the place?"

"Of course," Alena blinked at Natallia, baffled by her question. "This is your home. You do have the right to explore."

Natallia had gotten used to seeking permission in the psychiatric asylum. The strict rules have been drilled into her head. She felt more like an empty shell now.

'Much better than feeling what I felt back then.' Natallia throught in self-loathing as she approached the stairs to the second floor.

"I'll be preparing tea in the kitchen, Mistress," Alena said before heading to the kitchen.

Natallia nodded at Alena and walked up the stairs to her bedroom. The hallway looked the same. Photos of her, Ukraine, Russia, and the other nations that were part of the Soviet Union were displayed in frames on the wall. A brown rectangular coffee table with Common flax flowers in a pot was also in the hallway. Natallia noticed the flowers had just been watered. The flowers were pretty, too pretty for her inner ugliness.

Natallia entered her bedroom. She has a bed, a closet, a desk, a wardrobe, a dresser, and a bookshelf. It looked the same as always. Suppose Iryna and Ivan left her room the way it was to avoid her wrath. Natallia felt very hurt at the thought. Natallia noticed an envelope with writing on it on her desk. It was from Iryna.

The dreadful memory of that day triggered in Natallia's mind.

Natallia quickly put her head down, her fingers gripping her hair. Her closed eyes twitched as she whimpered in distress.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"

Natallia apologized repeatedly. Tears fell on her cheeks. Traumas and sins would never go away, no matter how much therapy she had received over the years.

"Oh, there you are, Mistress." Alena poured tea into a teacup as Natallia entered the kitchen. "Are you all right?" Alena asked, concerned with Natallia's pale expression.

"I am okay," Natallia lied.

Natallia did not deserve sympathy. She pulled out a chair and sat down. While she waited for the tea to cool off, she brainstormed a few ideas. It was now the afternoon. She was released from the psychiatric asylum very early in the morning.

"If you say so," Alena did not press her for an explanation. "Well, I do have bad news."

"Well, what is it?" Natallia demanded as she gazed at Alena.

"We have to meet our boss around 2PM," Alena answered. Then, her expression softened in guilt. "I apologize for not informing you earlier."

"Ugh, just great." Natallia rolled her eyes, annoyed. "There goes my plans for the day."

"Plans?" Alena curiously blinked at Natallia. "What were your plans before I mentioned the meeting with our boss?"

"Grocery shopping, reading books, and doing acrobatics," Natallia sighed. Now, she wasn't in a good mood. "We shall leave once we're done with tea."

"Of course," Alena smiled at Natallia, her gaze showing loyalty. "It's best to deal with the boss sooner or later."

The clouds still haven't disappeared, and the cloudy weather worsened Natallia's mood swings. Natallia and Alena had gone to the Belarusian president's estate in the city. There was silence between the country and her capital in the car. Once they arrived at the estate, Natallia and Alena showed their identification to the security guards outside.

Once they were allowed to enter, Natallia and Alena walked into the estate. There were maids and butlers around, and they flinched in fear when their eyes landed on Natallia. Alena scowled, and Natallia was unsurprised.

Natallia had mistreated the maids and butlers in the past; she should not even blame the humans for being so afraid of her.

Alena and Natallia ignored them and headed towards the Belarusian president's office. They reached his office, and Natallia knocked on his door.

"Sir, it is I, your country, herself," Natallia said.

"And her capital," Alena added.

"You two may enter." A gruff voice answered from behind the door.

Natallia's heart raced. She was too nervous to enter her boss's office, her trembling hand on the doorknob. Her boss never once visited her in the psychiatric asylum, only informed her about what had been happening in her land during her absences in his letters.

"The fools are protesting against me, my dear Belarus. To think they would be ungrateful…"

According to Alena, her people, the Belarusians, protested against their boss during the 2010 Belarusian presidential election. Of course, her boss was the victor. That election happened three years ago. Natallia could not believe that time had passed quickly. She felt like it was just yesterday when she got locked up in the psychiatric asylum.

"Hey," Alena comfortingly placed her hand on Natallia's shoulder. "It'll be okay. I'm right here with you." She smiled at her softly.

'I'm not okay. I was never okay. I have always been broken…'

"Mistress, please. You need to stay strong for your land and people."

Natallia turned her head slowly towards Alena. Her capital was right. She needed to do this; reunite with her boss after ten years.

Ten years of isolation. Natallia felt the punishment was too light for her crime against the personification of Ukraine herself. The older sister who had raised her and Ivan after the death of their mother. Natallia was too young to even remember what their mother looked like.

"Please note I'm not ready to see Iryna and Ivan again." Her voice quavered with guilt.

"Of course, mistress. I understand," Alena pityingly gazed at Natallia "Now, we need to see what our boss needs."

"Yes." Natallia turned the doorknob and entered the office.

The first thing Natallia's eyes landed on was the Belarusian flag. She felt sick in her stomach. Now that Natallia had thought about it, her land's flag was just a Soviet flag without the Soviet hammer and sickle.

It was no wonder the other countries referred to her as Europe's last dictatorship like it was her fault.

Natallia and Alena stood in front of their boss. The boss was an older human man standing before the window with his hands behind his back. He was in a black suit. He has slicked-back dark brown hair and blue eyes.

He was Ihar Kalachev, the president of Belarus.

"Welcome back, Belarus." Ihar turned around to face her. "It has been years, has it?"

"Yes, sir. It has." Natallia quickly responded in a professional tone.

"I will get to the point, my dear Belarus." Ihar smiled at her. "There will be a world meeting in Minsk city hall in two weeks. You will be the host and start the meeting by apologizing to your fellow countries for your shameful actions ten years ago."

Natallia felt the color had left her cheeks. Her eyes widened in shock, fear, and anxiety. She didn't come back to her homeland to humiliate herself again. Alena sensed her mood and scowled at Ihar.

"It is too soon for a world meeting, sir? My mistress just got out of the psychiatric asylum."

"I disagreed, Miss Alena." Ihar sternly gazed back at her. "The sooner Miss Belarus reunited with her fellow countries, the better. This is a request from the president of Russia."

"Why would my brother's boss want me to host a meeting?" Natallia narrowed her eyes at her boss, now feeling very suspicious.

"I cannot share the details," Ihar answered coolly.

"What?!" Alena reacted with confusion and offense. "What do you mean you can't share the details?! Miss Belarus had the right to know why the Russian president requested such a demand from her!"

"You did not get my permission to raise your voice at me, Miss Alena." Ihar shot an aggressive look at her.

Alena glared at him as she crossed her arms, revealing her refusal to stand down.

"It is okay, Alena." Natallia glanced at her. Then, suddenly, her eyes landed on Ihar determinedly. "Very well, sir. I'll be attending this world meeting for the sake of myself, the Republic of Belarus."

"I'm glad you haven't changed when it comes to seeing things my way, Belarus." Ihar smiled brightly at her.

'He is a vermin. I can't believe I used to worship this filthy human…' Natallia looked down at her foot, biting her bottom lip bitterly. "What else do I need to do for the world meeting?" Natallia regained her composure, gazing at Ihar again.

"I'm glad you asked," Ihar smiled at her again.

"Is he fucking with us?!" Alena angrily exclaimed when she and Natallia arrived back at Natallia's house. "He wanted us to lie about the reason behind the protest from three years ago?! What is the point?! The whole damn world knew about the reason already! We also have to do a presentation about other bullshit he told us to share!"

Natallia sighed as she opened the door and walked into her house. She could tell Alena was enraged and wanted to trash her living room, which was understandable, but Natallia needed to calm her down.

"Have you been in contact with Tokyo, Berlin, and Rome?" Natallia suddenly asked without thinking.

"Huh?" Alena stopped ranting like a madwoman and blinked at Natallia, confused by her question. "Now, I think about it…yes…." Alena stood there in deep thought. "I spoke to them in a four-way conference call yesterday."

"What did you four speak about?"

"We were catching up about our duties as the capitals."

"I see."

Natallia had no idea why Japan, Germany, Italy, and their capitals flashed in her mind. However, strangely, their faces were blurry.

"Why do you want to know?" Alena asked, concerned. 'You usually ask about Kyiv and Moscow."

"I was just wondering. And I don't even want to think about my siblings's capitals," Natallia walked the stairs. "I need to work on my apology and prepare for the meeting in two weeks."

"Very well. I shall do the same." Alena nodded and understood Natallia's reasons for not asking about the Ukrainian and Russian capitals. "First, I need to prepare dinner."

"Do what you wish," Natallia added as she headed to her bedroom and shut the door. She approached her desk and stared at the unopened envelope from her sister in guilt. She tossed the envelope aside as she sat on her chair and took out blank paper and pen.

Iryna's letter can wait. Natallia got better and necessary things to do first.