AN: Just a sad drabble. I saw a story where it talked about England's control was killing his colonies and that they hated him because he could not see this. So I thought what if it was the other way around? Surely it makes more sense that if an empire falls piece by piece would it not slowly kill the nation that rules that empire, if they were not strong enough to pull through? With the whole Scotland wanting independence from England it would make sense that he would not be as strong.
Does no one care?
England, no, Arthur Kirkland sat alone in his empty house. All that surrounded him were ghosts. The eerie laughter of children from long past echoes off of the walls. The bottle in Arthur's grip starts to slip. The photo on the wall surrounding him look at him with accusation.
Each photo is of a young child, then of them as they had grown. Arthur had no one now. None of the children were here anymore. Some had been more... kinder in their gain of independence, but even they could not care enough to notice...
He was dying.
They were killing him slowly.
He felt a sob wrack his body, his shoulders quaking as it passed him. Arthur lifted the bottle and took a large gulp of the bitter substance.
It was his fault, Arthur told himself, he had driven all of them away. He had ruined their childhood. Taken advantage of their land and people. He deserved such a fate.
Arthur looked at the photo on his desk in front of him. It was of him, America and Canada. Alfred had left after he won a war he started against Arthur. Dear Matthew had stayed, but even he had left.
It hurt.
It hurt more than anything.
Over the centuries his colonies have left him and he has got ill more and more often. No one had noticed.
And now... now his brother wanted independence. His own siblings could not see the pain he was in.
The clock started to chime and Arthur held his breath.
Soon the twelfth stroke had passed and Arthur felt a blinding pain, he felt a new set of hot tears running down his face.
Scotland was now gone.
Scotland had his independence.
Arthur let the bottle drop to the floor. He looked at the letter he had left. It was addressed to his colonies and his siblings. He hoped they might care enough to at least notice it.
Arthur felt all resolve to fight his fate, a fate he had fought since the first colony left him, disappear.
It was around noon when Matthew arrived at Arthur's house. He had gone to see his Papa and thought he would surprise his Mama, Arthur, with a visit.
Matthew knocked, smiling at the memories of himself, Australia and New Zealand all calling Arthur 'Mama' and how Francis had found it hilarious. Canada had done so as he already had Francis as his Papa, the others because Arthur was much like a mother hen. After waiting for a little while Matthew decided to let himself in with the spare key.
Upon entering the house he felt cold. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
Matthew decided to follow his gut feeling and ended up stood outside Arthur's study. He knocked calling out to see it Arthur was in.
When he got no reply he opened the door.
The room was in darkness, there were photo albums strewn across the floor. Odd photos also lays haphazardly all over the place. By the desk there was the smashed remains of a bottle, the alcohol that had been in it seeping into the carpet.
At the desk, in the chair, was Arthur slumped, eyes closed and drying tear tracks on his cheeks.
Matthew sighed, he had forgotten that Scotland had gained independence now, Arthur was taking it badly, as he had with all the ones before.
Matthew did not mind picking up the pieces. After all this man had raised him and Alfred to the best of his abilities, even if Alfred would deny it, Arthur did a good job.
Matthew was careful of all the obstacles in his way as he went to take Arthur to his bed. Once he was stood in front of the older nation he reached out to pull him to his feet, as soon as his hand touched Arthur's arm he felt cold seeping through the fabric.
Matthew frowned, it was not overly cold in the room so why was Arthur so cold? Then Matthew noticed something. The lax position of Arthur's body, the lack of movement, how devoid of sound the room was.
Matthew reached a trembling hand up to Arthur's neck. "Mama, are you ok?" His voice was quiet and fearful. He waited, then he froze. "Mama... A-Arthur?" He mumbled. Suddenly he was able to move again and he backed away quickly, tripping over his own feet in the process. He felt the scream die in his throat.
Francis sighed as he read the paper, Scotland had finally got away from England it seemed. England was going to be sulking about it. It was then his phone rang. He was surprised to see it was Matthew. Francis smiled and answered it as he raised it to his ear. "Mon petit Matthew, what is wrong?"
The silence that follows set Francis' nerves on edge. "P-papa..." Was the sob that finally pierced the silence. It was Matthew and he sounded so scared and upset. Francis knew that Matthew had gone to see Arthur, so he guessed Arthur had vented on the Canadian.
"Matthew, has Angelette been mean to you? He probably is angry about Scotland cutting free of him. Don-"
"B-but P-papa... Mama... He-he's d-dead!" Matthew had sobbed down the phone. It had silenced the Frenchman, Angelette was dead? Impossible! Arthur was too stubborn and had too much pride to just die! "H-he l-left a-a n-note... Pa-pa I-I'm s-scared!" Matthew had cried out.
Francis was on his feet, grabbing his car keys and passport, he would be able to get there within the hour if he talked to his boss. "Matthew I'll be there quickly, I am on my way, have you called his boss?"
"Y-yeah, h-he s-said t-to w-wait f-for his men to de-deal with it. S-said it'd take a-about t-two hours for them to g-get here." Matthew was still sobbing. "I-I need to c-call o-other... P-please hurry!" With that Matthew hung up.
It was the next day that a world meeting was being held, but even nations or micro-nations/former-nations like Prussia and Sealand were there too, news of one Arthur Kirkland's death had reached all of them and they wanted to prove or disprove the news(even those who did not like Arthur much at all, did not wish for him to be dead).
England, France, Canada, New Zealand and Australia were currently missing. They were late by twenty minutes, even America had arrived on time. As the others were getting too agitated, as none seemed to know the answer.
Then the door opened and in walked France, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, England was absent which did not bode well.
"Is it true?" Was all Germany asked, not wanting to possible accuse them of being late, if what was said is true. They would have reason if what was being said was true.
Canada, New Zealand and Australia look close to tears at the mere mention of it. France looks rather hurt by the question, like rubbing salt into an open wound. "Oui... Malheureusement, il est." France forces past a tight throat.
There was a silence that was deafening, then chaos ensued. Questions were half screamed, no one seemed to understand why, what had caused a nation as strong as England to just kick the bucket? Were they in danger? Was there some kind of attack? Was a war about to start?
It was Canada that brought silent to the room. "SHUT UP!" He screams, the usually quiet and shy Canadian being even louder than America normally was. "He, left a note. It explains what happened, so shut up and listen!"
Everyone fell silent and waited. France looked to Canada and he nodded. Matthew pulled out the note from his pocket and opened the paper up to read aloud.
'Dear former colonies, family and allies,
I, Arthur Kirkland, the former United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, am writing this today as I am going to die today. Today Scotland is getting his independence from me. Since the first colony that left me I have known this would happen.
I remember the day I met her, my lovely Britannia, Alice, stood looking up at me with matching green eyes and thick eyebrows and I knew. I just knew. My fate had been sealed with the fall of the empire my Rulers so wanted.
At the time so did I, but for different reasons. I wanted a family. That was all. Yet it fell because I was a fool. I held on too tight and made them all feel suffocated. Some were kind and stayed longer before asking. Some demanded it. The rest started wars.
With each loss, each colony that broke away, I felt more of me dying.
America had won the war. I was left to wallow in defeat and when I got home, there she was sat on my doorstep to shelter from the rain.
She was small, like all the colonies once were, a mere child. Yet I knew when I saw her that one day she would take over from me.
Please look after her. For she was the only one to see me slowly dying and that hurt her so much. I had to send her away, make sure she did not watch me die.
She may not be fond of anyone of you, but please give her time.
Goodbye,
Arthur Kirkland
The former Captain Kirkland;
The former head of the British Empire;
The former United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.'
Once it was finished and all had the information setting in it was America who choked out three words. "We killed him?" America was, of course, referring to the colonies.
It was Australia who muttered out an answer. "Bloody cleaver wanker aren't ya." He sneered at the american.
It was Germany who next spoke. "Who is Alice? Have you found her?" France nodded. The four nations turned to look to the door as it opened.
There stood a young teen, she was wearing a white and blue dress. She had white and black tights and her blue shoes matched her dress. Her blond hair was long and held in two ponytails with a few pins keeping her fringe away from her deep green eyes and thick eyebrows.
"Hello. I am Britannia. Alice Kirkland." She states, a hint of coldness and hate in her voice. A hate for all the people who should have seen Arthur's death coming. Seen how he was suffering.
No one knew what to say, least of all the British Nations, so Alice continued. "My father raised me to be civil, but do not expect anything more. Understood?" It was sharp and all the nations could only reply with a nod.
Alice was not going to forgive them anytime soon. After all she had watched as they left Arthur and she had seen him slowly die. Seen ever illness getting worse and worse. Something they should have seen.
Something they should have noticed. It left all the nations thinking the same thing.
Why did we not care to look at the signs so clear to us? Did we truly not care?
AN: French(may be inaccurate):
Mon petit-My little
Angelette-England
Oui... Malheureusement, il est.-Yes... Unfortunately it is.