I attempted to get the accents down, but I'm sorry if they aren't accurate. It actually makes me really nervous to do a story like this because I'm so against butchering a language, but my older sister convinced me it would be fine. Also I couldn't find a human name for Monaco so just so nobody is lost, I named her Monica, because that was the first name that popped into my head when I heard Monaco.
Also just to get this out of the way. I accept criticism not flames. First time I see a flame I will reticule your review and humiliate it on my next post. The second time, you're done to me and I block you. Go ahead punks make my day. You're only making my story more popular by reviewing anyways. :) Enjoy!
~Hetalia~
In a generally peaceful town where laughter and music danced through the normally drunk peasants and pirates alike a small girl sat at the docks swinging her feet back and forth as she hummed a soft tune to herself. Her best friend who she looked up to like an older brother had promised to come back and visit her this evening. He and his pirate crew always stopped at this town to gather supplies and rum before staying the night and leaving the next day. She got to spend the evening with him on those rare days he wasn't sailing making her grin in anticipation.
"Yo 'o yo 'o a pirates life for me." She sang smiling as she kicked up her feet splashing into the frigid salt water.
The ship that was darker than the night misted up closer to her spot, seeing the flag waving with the skull and dagger hanging out its teeth caught her attention as she stood up on the edge of the docks. A beautiful creature that had her mouth open as if in the middle of a song that was carved onto the front of the ship became visible making the small girl jump up and down in excitement. Once the ship docked she could hear the ship's Captain bark orders left and right as the boarding plank was placed down and the Captain himself flanked by his first mate and navigator stepped out.
The Captain gave the small girl a smirk as he ruffled her hair. "Francis, your little friend is here." He teased.
She giggled before locking eyes with the ships navigator, her brother.
"Francis!" She squealed as she rushed towards him.
His blue eyes brightened as he picked up the small blonde headed girl rubbing the scruff on his chin against her soft cheek.
"Oh my sweet petit Monica, it's always so good to see you." He cooed setting the girl on his hip.
She wrapped her small arms around his neck holding him in a tight embrace. "Grand frère! I've miss zee." She smiled refusing to let go. "Please tell me all about your adventures zus far."
Francis chuckled as he brushed the blonde curls from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Let's see when we first set sail we came across an island." He said dramatically.
"Was it magical?" Monica asked pulling away to look into blue eyes that rivaled hers.
"Oui." He said grinning as he walked down the dirt road dodging the occasional flying bottle as the town of drunks continued to drink. "Out in ze woods we saw creatures you couldn't come up with in your wildest daydreams." He explained.
"Will you draw me a picture of zem?" She asked.
He nodded his head as they made their way into a tavern. "Oui mon cherie." He smiled.
Any normal tavern would have shooed the little girl out, but considering that everyone here was drunk and that she was sitting alongside a group of the most feared pirates everyone ignored it.
"Francis you're not boring the fraulein, vith tales of the dumb beasts ve happened to run into now are you?" Captain Gilbert smirked draining his mug of its contents.
"It's not boring." Monica defended. "I find it all very fascinating." She explained.
The Captain laughed his burgundy eyes twinkling in delight as he ruffled her hair once more. "I'm sure you do fraulein. You don't know any better." He commented.
Monica frowned. Was he insulting her intelligence? Being a child who lives in a town known to have pirates dock at their shore and have no parents or family of any kind, she became very independent and found herself eager to learn any and everything she possibly could. She didn't take kindly of those who insulted the one trait about her that she could be proud of.
"Gilbert, play nice, she is very bright for 'er age." Francis praised her stroking her hair.
Monica nodded her head leaning into Francis's loving touch.
"Well as good as it is to see you again chica, I'm going to find myself some older female company for the night." Antonio, the first mate, smiled cheerfully before patting Monica's head and moving over to the women who were hardly dressed.
One of them Monica could clearly see didn't have a corset and was showing off her ankles. Monica shook her head in distaste at them as they flirted and thrust themselves at Antonio. Sure the Spaniard was handsome with his tan skin and wild curly brunette hair that framed his deep forest green eyes, however Monica didn't understand why the women couldn't hold their dignity as ladies when confronted by a gentleman.
The Captain just laughed. "Toni just might have a point for once." He commented. "You know vhat to do I'll see you in the morgan. Gute Natch." He waved off approaching the same group of women as he swept his large blue hat with elegant black and white feathers from his head and bowed courteously before offering his arm to one of the tavern's finest women.
Monica rolled her eyes before looking over at Francis who had pulled out a bit of parchment to study for a moment.
"Frere? What is zat?" Monica asked.
Francis smiled and scooted back in his seat as he patted his lap. Monica eagerly scrambled into it as she studied the map with him.
"Where will zis lead to grand frère?" She asked.
"If we're lucky, treasure." He responded. "Darling do you still 'ave all of the books and parchment you found in ze town's library?" He asked.
Monica nodded. "Oui, I'll show you!" She said eagerly hopping down from his lap and trying desperately to pull him to his feet.
Francis chuckled at her eagerness as he bid farewell to the ladies who were trying to gain his attention. Skirting around several of the violent drunks that had their guns out waving, Monica led Francis to the building that once was City Hall. Now it just looked like the building all together needed to be condemned. Monica took a liking to it though, seeing how no one ever comes near it and it was big enough for her to store any and all documents in without worry of one of the town's people coming around and destroying it. Monica often stayed there and read till there wasn't anything left to read then slept to her heart's content. Today was going to be the first time to show Francis her humble make shift house.
"Watch out for ze beam." She warned walking through the doors and hopping over debris here and there.
Francis looked more concerned than enchanted with the place unlike the little girl, but gave her a smile anyways and encouraged her to keep going. She giggled and then proceeded to climb the stairs going up to the attic. Francis was careful to follow her footsteps so as not to break a hole in the slowly rotting wood. Once they reached a door that was ridden with holes Monica stopped him and gave him an excited smile.
"I'm about to show you my treasure room, you need to close your eyes." She ordered.
Francis chuckled but played along by covering his eyes, but gave himself enough room to see so he wouldn't trip on anything as the little girl took his hand and lead him through the doors and into the middle of the room.
"Ok now open." She said in anticipation.
Francis removed his gloved hand and stared around the room in awe. "Inocroyable. You found all of zis yourself ma cherie?" He asked his eyes scanning the wall to wall shelves filled with books and scrolls.
"Oui." She smiled proudly.
" 'ave you read all of zese already?" Francis asked.
Monica nodded her head. Francis then proceeded to sit on the floor and hold up the parchment he had been looking at earlier to the seven year olds eye level. "See zis symbol." He said pointing to the compass that held an octopus in its center.
Monica nodded her head again.
"Anything you remember reading zat 'ad zat symbol I need you to bring to me s'il vous plait." He smiled.
Monica nodded and went to work grabbing as much as she could carry before handing it to Francis and moving to grab the rest. Francis would mutter to himself then jot something down on his parchment. Monica paused in her duties to light a few candles that went unnoticed by the pirate as he continued to mark down a few things. Monica thought she had grabbed all of the parchment containing the symbol when one book caught her eye. That was the last one. She thought as she grabbed a chair to gather it when the faint boom of cannon fire sounded off. Monica and Francis both paused confused when the joyous laughter soon turned to screams that became the night's drastic change in melody. Monica toppled down as she handed the book over to Francis.
"Frere?" Monica questioned uncertainly.
" 'ang on one moment ma Cherie." He stated scanning the book of its contents.
His eyes became wide as he snapped the book shut and stood up. "I must find Gilbert." Francis stated completely on alert. "Come Monica." He ordered grabbing her and holding her tight as he sprinted out of the room and down the steps.
"Grand frère, where are we going?" Monica asked confused.
"Finding a place for you to 'ide darling." Came his gruff voice as he came out of the building and looked around for a decent place to hide.
The screams became more apparent as Monica watched in horror seeing fire in the distance. Francis frowned and moved quickly away from it hiding and turning down several alley ways to make his way back to the ship. He paused for a moment before griping his sword and clashing blades with a man behind him. Monica gasped as she held onto Francis.
"Burning down an entire village seems a little low even for you, Arthur." Francis commented with a smirk.
The boy in front of him couldn't have been much more than seventeen if not younger. He was in a military officer uniform Monica noticed with messy blonde hair falling in his face, trying desperately to cover his bushy eye brows. His green eyes looked conflicted as he grit his teeth and batted Francis's sword away.
"I'm under orders by Commodore Edelstein." He spat.
"To do what?" Francis asked curiously.
"I don't answer to you pirate." He snapped attacking Francis yet again before catching the little girl's bright and innocent eyes.
Francis blocked and pushed away to gain some distance.
"Put the girl down so we can continue on fighting as gentlemen." Arthur commanded.
"Careful Arthur with ze way you're responding your precious Commodore might realize you 'ave a conscience." Francis smirked, but complied setting Monica on the dirt path. "Stay behind me ma Cherie." He whispered.
Monica nodded and went to hide behind a nearby barrel so she could still watch.
"And with the way you're responding your Captain might realize you don't have a passion for pirating." Arthur shot back as he lashed out at Francis causing the swords to ring out in their metallic clang in the narrow alley.
"So are we continuing where we left off zen?" Francis teased paring his blow and taking a swipe at his chest.
Arthur blocked before jabbing at him only for Francis to dodge and retaliate. "If you're referring to when I had you cornered in that God forsaken forest only for your Captain to come and bail you out, then yes this could be a continuation of that fight." He grunted clashing blades with the pirate yet again.
"Looks like someone is still bitter about losing." Francis teased pushing the younger male away.
"You cheated and you know it." Arthur snapped charging back at Francis.
"Pirate." Francis responded with a grunt as he blocked his attack.
"Then I guess I shouldn't be expected to win in a fair fight against you." Arthur smirked swiping at his legs causing the Frenchman to block before Arthur reared back and punched him across the face.
Francis stumbled back then threw up his sword to block Arthur's next attack before twisting and taking a jab in the open area Arthur had left out before him. It was a decoy though as Arthur swept his sword up in a high ark causing Francis's sword to go flying and land in the dirt. Arthur held his sword at Francis chest his green eyes flitting from Francis to Monica and back again. Monica noticed how his eyes seemed to soften as if recalling a lost memory before they hardened once more. He looked conflicted as he looked back down his blade pointed at Francis. Monica stared in awe at what he did next.
"Damn my conscience." He muttered sheaving his sword causing Francis to blink in confusion. "Francis I'm going to offer you a once in a life time offer that if you refuse the next time we meet I will kill you." He stated.
Francis paused staring at the other boy in curiosity. "What did you 'ave in mind mon ami?"
"Obviously you're not a fighter or I wouldn't have been able to disarm you so easily. So I can't see you being happy at being a pirate. My offer is this: change your name, pick up an honest living, and I'll house you and the young lady over there you seem to treasure." Arthur stated.
Francis arched an eye brow at him. "And why ze sudden concern about my 'appiness mon ami?"
Arthur sighed. "You remind me of someone I once knew, and I haven't the heart to kill you without giving you a helping hand."
"If you truly wanted to 'elp me zen you would let me go find my Captain." Francis remarked edging toward his sword.
"Then what would happen to the young lady?" Arthur asked staring between the two. "Surly you're not cruel enough to shove her into the life of a pirate." Arthur said crossing his arms.
Monica came out from behind the barrel and hugged Francis's leg. "I don't mind. Honest I don't. I can be a pirate with you! I promise I won't get in ze way."
Francis's eyes softened as he crouched down to her level brushing her hair out of her face. "You deserve a better life zan ze one I lead mon petit Monica." He smiled pulling her into him. He turned to face Arthur's surprised eyes. "You're right." He finally said to Arthur. "What's the plan mon ami?" He asked Arthur looking tired.
"Get rid of your pirate clothing, and hide under the docks till I find you." Arthur ordered.
Francis grabbed him by the arm to stop Arthur from turning as he gave him a hard glare. "'Ow do I know zis isn't a trap?" He questioned.
Arthur simply brushed him off his serious green eyes clashing with Francis hard sky blue ones. "I could already have you in cuffs by now, why go through all the trouble of making you believe me and follow my orders if I was just going to betray you in the end?" He questioned.
Francis let out a sigh. "You 'ave a point, promise me one thing zough."
Arthur raised an eye brow allowing the Frenchman to continue. "Don't 'arm Gilbert or Antonio."
"You know I can't make that promise. However I won't touch them, and I hardly doubt anyone else would be able to fight them as well as I can." Arthur responded.
Francis nodded. "Very well I shall see you at ze docks zen."
"Don't be late." Arthur warned taking off.
Francis nodded setting Monica back down and shrugging off his light blue lacy coat revealing a lose ruffle shirt tucked into tight black pants. He discarded his gloves and took a blue ribbon from his pocket to tie his shoulder length blonde hair back in a low pony tail.
"Monica I want you to refer to me as papa from now on. Understood?" Francis asked placing his hands on her shoulders.
She nodded. "But gr-papa, what about ze Captain and Antonio, you said you 'ad something important to tell zem."
Francis took the parchment and tore it up to tiny pieces before pulling Monica in to him. "Something's I'm starting to realize zey are better off not knowing. We must 'urry stay silent my darling I'll get us to safety." He promised placing a kiss on her forehead and running off into the night.
More canon fire went off frightening Monica as she held on to Francis. Gunfire rang through the town as Francis ran closer and closer to the docks. They were almost there just a little more and…that's when Monica saw it. A man blurred by the bright fire blazing behind him as he held a gun out unmistakably being pointed at them. Before Monica could get out a scream of protest or warning the trigger was pulled leaving a particular blast still ringing in her ears for the rest of her life.
Hahahaha cliffhanger! Sorry I like cliffhangers I think they're fun. I will be posting the next chapter sometime tomorrow so don't hate me too much.
Enjoy life and all of its wonders!
~Alaina Rayne~
