Prologue: A Spell Gone Wrong

"That absolute bastard. This is the last time!" An irate England bellowed, striding through his house towards his study, already thinking of what curses he could use, which ones would cause that Spanish prick the most pain.

Upon reaching his study he flung open the doors and started to search the shelves, rifling through old tomes and grimoires. There had to be one that could offer a spell or a curse gruesome enough, right? Though, if it came down to it, he could always cast a hex on the arse's precious little South Italy.

He was about to do just that when a particularly ancient, rarely used tome fell to the floor, opening to a page that presented the perfect spell to the infuriated Brit. A twisted grin quickly spread across the country's face as he skimmed through the spell.

"To destroy one's enemy, the power you seek, to divide his strength, and leave him weak. Then these words you must repeat…"

Arthur had never used this particular spell before, he was not quite sure what the spell promised in its cryptic words but as long as it destroyed one's enemies then surely it was good enough to use again Spain, right?

He quickly read the spell aloud, chanting words so old even he had forgotten most of them and their origins. Despite this, he was sure he was pronouncing them correctly and he was positive that when the room lit with a brilliant green light that he had cast the spell flawlessly. All that was left to do was wait for the next World Conference to roll around; then he could gloat when the Iberian nation failed to arrive.

Oh yes, Arthur was sure that nothing could deprive him of his victory and that nothing could dampen his mood, not even that hamburger loving America. Especially not him.

He moved to return the tome to its proper shelf before deciding to leave it on his desk where it did not face the risk of falling again. He was not certain the old book would survive another fall. Besides, he might have need of it again. After all, he'd been wanting to knock that accursed frog down a few pegs. If this spell worked out, then there was undoubtedly a spell good enough for that pervert somewhere inside the book.

He left the room, smirk wavering as he briefly contemplated whether this was a little extreme when all Spain had done was accidently run into him at the World Conference, no doubt he'd been chasing Romano again. He quickly shook this thought from his mind and firmly affixed his smirk, assured that he was in the right. After all, Spain hadn't apologized.

The door swung shut behind England, leaving him unaware of the spell book that he'd left sitting closed on his desk flipping itself back open to the page from which he'd cast the spell before turning to the next page.

"He will be divided, the strength of one shall become three, the past will be given form. Only through the acceptance of all may the three reunite to become one."

However that couldn't have been too important right?

~/~/~/~/~

Antonio locked the door behind him. Lovi was always lecturing him about locking his doors. It was so cute the way Lovi worried about him, even if he said he absolutely was not worrying about him. He then shuffled up the stairs, thoroughly exhausted and sore.

Why did his little tomato have to elbow him away so hard? All he'd wanted was a hug. It didn't help that someone had tripped him as he tried to catch up to the feisty, little Italian. If he were a gambling man he'd have bet it had been England, but they'd been on not exactly okay terms but slightly less antagonistic terms recently, so it probably wasn't him.

He collapsed into bed, a warm smile making its way onto his face. He would get to see his precious, little Lovi soon. Lovino had promised, all flustered and stuttering, that if Spain left him alone for the rest of the meeting, then he would visit as soon as he felt like it. He hugged his pillow close. If he knew his Lovi (and he did), then that meant he'd be here sometime this week. He couldn't wait to see those lovely eyes again.

The tingle that ran up his spine just as he drifted to sleep was completely ignored. He was probably just excited about seeing Lovi. Maybe he'd get to see one of his little tomate's rare, but unbelievably beautiful smiles.