A/N: There are extensive notes explaining the historic references at the end of each chapter. The bold numbers at the end of the paragraphs each relate to one of those explanations, and the story will probably make more sense if you refer to them as you read. (Highlight the paragraph you are currently reading, scroll down to the bottom of the chapter without clicking again, read the endnote, scroll back up to the highlighted paragraph, and continue on your merry way.)
The other chapters are longer (I should know, as I have already written them), and I will update every weekend. Also, I took all of the colonists' names from the actual list of the colonists of Roanoke, so these are not OCs, they are historical figures.
Please note that Alfred F. Jones is America's human name. And 'Elyoner' is the old English spelling of 'Eleanor', and thus should be pronounced like its modern counterpart. Also, I do not own Hetalia.
"The Lost Colonist"
He was not always the United States of America, or even the American Colonies. Once, he was just Alfred F. Jones, a little boy from the Lost Colony of Roanoke…
The Prologue
May 1588
"Still no word from White," Dyonis Harvye yelled loudly, effectively halting the bickering going on within the large, single-room building. (1)
Suddenly, the rest of the assembled colonists roared to life once again, eager to state their own responses to Bailie's statement, both positive and negative.
"He's just going to get supplies," Ananias Dare quickly came to his father-in-law's defense. "He'll be back soon enough." (2)
"He shouldn't have left in the first place. As the governor of Roanoke Colony, the least he could do is be present," another man, Thomas Stevens, spoke up.
"We've no idea what's happening across the Atlantic, there might be a legitimate reason as to why he hasn't returned yet," John Sampson called.
"Like what?" the question came from an unidentified person in the crowd.
"Like…" Sampson paused to think, "The Spanish Armada attacking England."
"As if that'd ever happen," Rodger Prat replied with a darkly amused chuckle, "I say he abandoned us."
"Quiet, all of you!" Elyoner Dare was obviously upset, and Ananias quickly went over to comfort his wife. "My father's a decent man who'd never abandon his colony or his granddaughter," she clutched at her daughter, Virginia Dare, who was currently suffering from an unknown cold. (3, 4)
"Do either of you have anything to add, Manteo, Wanchese?" Christopher Cooper addressed the two Native Americans sitting quietly in the back of the room. (5, 6)
At this, everyone present turned to face the two dark skinned natives, eager to hear what they had to say.
Wanchese remained silent, while Manteo added cryptically in accented English, "Have patience. The truth shall be revealed in time."
September 1588
"Griffen, Griffen! You simply must see this!" Jane Jones exclaimed, excitedly attaching herself to her husband's arm and bouncing on the balls of her toes. The man could not help the way his smile suddenly appeared when he caught sight of his wife's own wide grin, not in the least bit annoyed by her energetic behavior.
"What is it, dear?" he asked warmly, ignoring the man he was conversing with in favor of watching the woman's smile grow even larger. Jane spun around enthusiastically and proceeded to drag her unusually tall husband in the direction of their hut.
"Sorry, John. Maybe another time!" he called over his shoulder as his wife's unrelenting gait dragged him further and further away.
"Don't fret about it, we'll continue tomorrow," John Cotsmur shook his head. Jane Jones was a special sort of woman, having held onto that energetic, childish spirit within her despite being well into adulthood. She quickly endeared herself to everyone she met, and within the first hour of knowing her one would become used to her childish antics, and come to learn that this sort of a happening occurred rather frequently.
~ C R O ~
"Alright, Jane," Griffen stopped right in front of the door to their cottage, "what is it that has you so excited?"
"It's our son," she answered with enthusiastic nodding.
"And what about him?" he pressed.
"Oh, it's wonderful, marvelous, amazing! And you have to discover it for yourself."
The tall man sighed – if she wanted to keep a secret then there was simply no getting information out of his wife – and made his way into their home, careful not to hit his head on the doorframe as he entered.
The woman was already holding the sleeping baby boy, barely a year old, in her arms, and her husband went to stand beside her.
"He has your hair," Griffen said, motioning to the golden blond tresses hidden under her bonnet.
"But he has your eyes," the woman said it softly, barely above a whisper, "I've never seen such a brilliant shade of blue anywhere else."
As if on queue, those sky blue eyes opened, nearly identical to the father's, and the young child began energetically tugging on his mother's blouse.
"Good morning, sleepy head!" Jane exclaimed, smiling even wider and laughing along with her son. Griffin was reminded of the similarities between the two when he saw how their brilliant smiles were so similar.
"Now," she said, "do you have something you want to say to your father?"
There was a moment of silence, where he looked at his mother with a confused expression, Jane held her breath, and Griffin waited in anticipation for whatever had gotten his wife so excited. Then, the baby boy broke out into a huge smile once again.
"Engwand!" the baby squealed with a smile, clapping his hands together twice. "Engwand, engwand, engwand!" he continued in his repetition.
"His first word," Jane said proudly.
Griffen smiled a watery smile at that, hoisting his son up into the air before bringing him back down to his chest and holding him close, leaning in to whisper something to the boy.
"I'm so proud, Alfred."
Historic Notes:
A VeryBrief History of Roanoke Colony – The "Lost Colony" was the second colony to be located in Fort Raleigh on Roanoke Island in present day North Carolina, which was at the time considered to be part of Virginia. The second colony was established in 1587, the expedition being led by its governor, John White. However, after dropping off the colonists and staying with them for ten months to make sure they would be okay, he returned to England with the ships the settlers had arrived on. He had the purest intensions in doing so, planning on getting supplies for the settlers, but was kept from returning because all the ships in England were being used to fight off the Spanish Armada. When he finally returned three years later in 1590, the entire settlement had been deserted. The houses had deteriorated due to obvious abandonment, but the wall surrounding the settlement remained intact, with the single word "CROATOAN" carved in the fortifications, and the letters "C R O" carved into a nearby tree. Though John White wanted to stay and search for the colonists, an impending hurricane prevented him from doing so. He returned to England, leaving the real story of what happened to the Lost Colony to remain a mystery forevermore.
1. John White – an artist as well as being the governor of the Fort Raleigh, he left to get supplies for the colony and returned to find the settlement abandoned.
2. Ananias Dare – the father of Virginia Dare, the husband of Elyoner/Eleanor Dare, and John White's son-in-law as well as one of his assistants.
3. Elyoner Dare – also Eleanor Dare, I simply opted to use the old English spelling seen in the original list of Roanoke colonists. She was the daughter of John White, and decided to join him on the expedition despite being pregnant when she left for America. She gave birth to a daughter within the first ten days of landing on Roanoke Island.
4. Virginia Dare – the daughter of Elyoner/Eleanor Dare and Ananias Dare, and the granddaughter of John White. She was born within the first ten days of landing on Roanoke Island, and claims the title of the first English child to be born in the Americas.
5. Manteo – a Native American from a friendly tribe called Croatoan, which inhabited a nearby island of the same name. In 1584 there was an expedition to scout out land for an English colony in the Americas, and Manteo decided to return to England with the explorers. While in England and as a colonist in the first Roanoke Colony, he learned the language and the culture of the English. He once again joined a colonization expedition when he decided to become a translator and peacekeeper between the Native Americans and the settlers in the second colony of Roanoke.
6. Wanchese – another Native American in the same position as Manteo; some sources say he is the Chief of the Croatoan tribe, but he has not been characterized this way here because these claims have not been proven..