the figurine.

snuck up behind him, curious as to what he was doing. He just watched the other carefully.

gently brushed a thumb across the figurine's aged features, having followed an illustration from the book. "Hallo." He greeted calmly.

smiles. "Hej. What're ye doin'?"

turned the knife in his hand, holding it by its blade and pointed to the illustration of Holger Danske with its hilt. "Carvin'."

looked over from the illustration, then back to the carving. "... That's really good."

put the knife down, tapping his fingers gently on the figurine. "I didn't get you anythin' for your birthday, so.."

chuckles a bit and crouched down, putting his arms over the others shoulders. "Ye didn't have to in the first place."

didn't shrug him off for once. "I felt like it.." He turned the figurine over in his hands. "I'll smoothen it first."

nods a bit. "S'really good and awesome... Can ye teach me to carve?"

glanced back at him from the corner of his eye, his shoulders relaxing comfortably under his arms. "Takk.. Y'haven't learnt it by now?"

shakes his head. "Nej. Didn't have the patience."

hums, putting the figurine down carefully. "Figures." He points to the shed. "There's several left over wooden pieces in there for y'to

start with."

nods and pulled his arms back, running to the shed and bringing back a few. He sat beside the other and held a piece. "There."

glanced over to it before handing him the knife. "First.. Get used to cuttin' in it. Just try. This wood's smooth 'n easy."

nodded and held the wood carefully before starting to shave off a few bits of wood.

leant back on the bench and watched him work, mumbling, ".. Next, figure what y'want to carve 'n go by that. Just the main cuts; no use

startin' with the details."

nodded and started to carve a mermaid. Something simple that he knew by heart.

"'s not that hard, y'see.. Once y'start." He hums thoughtfully. "At least you're doin' better than Island."

chuckled a bit. "Really? How was he like?"

"Ah.." He paused, wondering just how cruel he should be to his brother. Or, honest, really. "He cut himself more than the wood."

chuckles a bit, making sure to be extra careful now. "That seems like him. He's got no patience."

"Not with things he doesn't get at once.." He mutters fondly, watching Denmark's hands as he works.

slipped once and cut his finger. He hissed but just wiped it on his pants and continued.

frowned lightly but made no comment on it. At least now he could see it was going to be a mermaid. "Someone special?"

shakes his head. "Just a general one... maybe one day I'll make one of each I know, and give it to them as gifts..."

nodded and kept watching him for a while, then looked across the garden. "I still have that necklace.."

hums. "What necklace?" He was concentrating.

watched some birds hop around on the lawn. "Y'gave me some months ago. For meetin' the mermaids."

chuckles a bit. "Oh, ja. That necklace. Of course." He brushed some of the shavings off. "What about it?"

shrugs, watching a blackbird take flight from the ground. "Thought it might be worth mentionin'."

nodded a little as he blew off the shavings and continued. "Ye wanna meet 'em again, is that it?"

looked back to his handiwork. "Wouldn't mind it.." Seeing them once had already been more than he could ask for, and he'd understand if

Denmark refused.

nods a little as he blew the shavings away again. "Alright. We'll go tonight then. I miss them anyways..." He'd only really share them with

Norge, since he knew about magical creatures and wouldn't make fun of him about them.

never really understood why some people felt uneasy around these beautiful creatures.. Well, at least if they could actually see them. The_

corner of his lips stretched slightly upwards and he nodded, uttering a "Great." under his breath and looked away again.

smiled a bit as he looked over to him, taking a bit of a break. "Ye really like 'em, eh?"

nodded automatically, folding his hands and staring blankly ahead. "All these kind of creatures.. 'n there's nothin' like them on my land."

smirked and put the carving and knife down, patting his back. "What're ye talkin' about? Ye got trolls, fairies, stuff like that."

rolled his eyes. "I meant like mermaids. I'm well aware of those.. The water creatures 'round here are normally monsters."

shrugs. "Well, the only things near my place are mermaids... the only fairies around are from whenever ye're around."

hums and shifts on the bench. "Y'don't have nisser?"

rolls his eyes. "Okay, well, them too. But in comparison ye have a ton more."

"Mmm.. I suppose." He smiled faintly, then shook his head. "I still consider the mermaids unique."

nodded a little as he looked up. "They are... s'why I don't bring humans near them, even if they believe them."