Alright, so I thought that I would give a series a shot. This is basically going to become a series of events throughout England's life. And we'll start it off with Rome's invasion of Britannia!
Character ages:
England: 2
Wales: 4
North/Ireland: 7
Scotland: 10
To clear up any confusion:
Albion = England
Cymru = Wales
Tuaisceart = North
Eire = Ireland
Alba = Scotland
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia: Axis Powers or its characters.
Southern Britannia
(Fishbourne, England)
43 AD
A boy with unruly blond hair clumsily ran through an empty meadow. The boy, being no more than two years old, was almost swallowed completely by the tall, dry grass, however he trotted along undisturbed. His small legs were unable to take him too far too quickly, and before long he found himself lying on his back in the shade of a large tree. His chest heaved as his tiny lungs worked to catch his breath, but his face held an expression that was nothing less than pure content.
Another small boy, this one with dark blond hair, slowly followed in the aftermath of his younger brother. He joined him underneath the tree in a comfortable silence for several moments before the younger one spoke up.
"Cymru," he began. "Where are Alba, Eire, and Tuaisceart?"
The older boy, known as Cymru, shrugged as he began to unconsciously pull at the grass. The younger frowned, but accepted the answer. Their brothers would return soon.
As he relaxed under the tree, a pleasant drowsiness overcame him. The earlier spark of excitement in his emerald eyes began to fade as his eyelids suddenly gained weight that he was unable to support. As he closed his eyes, he allowed the gentle sleep to take over.
Cymru sighed as he watched his younger brother. Their earlier playing had clearly taken its toll on him, and Cymru knew that Alba would be concerned. Cymru leaned his back against the trunk of the tree as he waited for their older brothers to return.
"You are awful at this, you know," Eire scoffed at his twin. Tuaisceart shot a glare at Eire before retrieving his fallen arrows in defeat.
"As if you are any better," he replied meekly, blushing in embarrassment.
"Shut it, you two!" Alba snapped. "Both of you just need practice. Stop picking on each other." The glare between the twin brothers eventually twisted into amused smirks as the tense air began to fade. Alba ran his fingers through his flaming hair, clearly exhausted from spending the day teaching his younger brothers how to hunt. The quiet forest had quickly lost its animal inhabitants as soon as the rowdy brothers had arrived. Not that Alba had expected them to catch anything. He was merely teaching them proper form and techniques to help hone their early skills. For the past few days he brought the twins into the forest to teach them, leaving his smaller brothers, Cymru and Albion, to do as they wished. Alba did not fear for their safety. The brothers had lived together in this part of Southern Britannia for several years, tucked away from danger and from the tribes that roamed around the island of Britannia. However, being the eldest, Alba was never able to rid himself of the nagging and nervous feeling he had whenever he was separated from any of his brothers for too long.
"Let us head back. The sun is starting to set and I want to make sure that Cymru and Albion made it back safely," Alba instructed. Eire and Tuaisceart nodded in agreement as they gathered their arrows. Alba led them through the forest, knowing his way through the dense trees. His sturdy boots protected his feet from the small rocks and twigs that littered the ground. Eire and Tuaisceart followed him, shoving each other occasionally with mischievous glints in their eyes. Their shaggy, brown hair glinted with red as the rays of the setting sun beamed on them through the tree tops.
Eventually the trees began to thin as they opened up to a large meadow. The meadow was empty, save for a large tree in the middle. The setting sun painted the sky with deep purples and fiery oranges as grey clouds delicately listed by. Alba squinted against the blinding backdrop and saw two small figures underneath the tree. He felt relief flood through him as anxiety he wasn't aware he held left him. Tuaisceart dashed in front of him as he ran to great his younger brothers. Eire grinned and took off after him.
Alba walked after them, observing the scene in front of him. One of the small figures jumped up from beneath the tree and ran towards the twin brothers. Alba chuckled as the three brothers created something of a dog pile, causing the small figure to tumble down. When he reached his brothers, he helped Cymru up as Eire and Tuaisceart continued to wrestle with each other. Cymru hugged Alba's leg, earning him his oldest brother's attention.
"How was your day, Cymru?" Alba asked. Cymru grinned up at Alba.
"It was fun! Albion and I played in the meadow today," Cymru explained. Alba smiled at Cymru.
"And what is Albion doing?" Alba asked, frowning slightly at the small figure that had not moved from its spot underneath the tree. Alba already knew Cymru's answer.
"He is sleeping," Cymru answered. Alba stared at the figure for a minute before looking back at Cymru.
"Well, he will wake up when he is rested!" Alba smiled back down at Cymru. A yelp from Tuaisceart caused Alba and Cymru to jump as Eire stood up proudly, puffing out his chest and placing his hands triumphantly on his hips.
"You cheated!" Tuaisceart snapped at Eire. "You kicked me! You cannot kick in wrestling!" The twins continued to argue as Alba sighed in annoyance and Cymru watched them, slightly amused by their behavior.
"Alba!"
Alba looked back toward the tree as the earlier stationary figure began to run towards him. Albion's light, blond hair shone in the setting sun as his tiny body ran across the field. When he reached Alba, he jumped into his arms and buried his face into his chest. Alba hugged his brother fondly.
"How are you feeling, Albion? Were you sleeping?" Alba asked. Albion nodded as he yawned lazily and stretched his arms.
"Cymru and I played a lot today," Albion explained.
"But you feel alright now?"
"Yes." Alba placed Albion back on the ground. Albion sent him a toothy grin of reassurance.
As the evening passed, the brothers ran and tumbled, laughing and play fighting in an almost savage way. They were children of the land, free to do as they pleased. Their mother, Britannia, had left them several months before, promising to return and asking they look out for one another in her absence. This was not an uncommon occurrence, especially after Albion's birth. She made frequent visits to Rome, refusing to allow them to accompany her when they asked. She would promise them that she would come back to them soon, and, as soon as her four youngest sons had finally fallen into a peaceful sleep, she would speak to Alba privately. Their secret conversations always consisted of her praising of him, asking him to keep looking after his brothers, and, most importantly of all, to keep a close eye on Albion. She had always feared for her youngest son. He was much smaller than his brothers and tired far too quickly for her liking. Though she would never call him weak, her worry was evident, and she would continue her trips to Rome for as long as she had to in order to protect him from invasion. An invasion, I fear, she would tearfully confide in Alba, will surely be the end of him.
Alba laughed as he watched his brothers play in the meadow. Eire and his twin were throwing dirt clumps at one another while Cymru tried to hide in the grass, his eyebrows knotted in concern. Albion watched his older brothers perform their mock war and gave Cymru a wide, toothy grin, cocking his head to the side. Alba crouched beside them.
"You are fine, Cymru. They are just having fun, that is all," he assured his younger brother. The worry disappeared from his face to be replaced with a smile. Albion, wanting to join in his brothers' fun, grabbed a dirt clump, and threw it at Cymru's back. The four year old jumped, quickly sending a tiny glare to his younger brother. Alba barked out a laugh, earning him a glare as well.
Albion, clearly happy to have earned that response from Alba, started giggling. A sudden flare of pain hit his chest, and his wince did not go unnoticed by his eldest brother.
"What is wrong, Albion?" Alba asked, quickly rushing to his brother's side. Albion blinked at him in confusion.
"I do not know," he responded. "It hurts."
"Hurts? What do you mean? Hurts where? How?"
"It feels tight," Albion replied. Another squeeze of pain ripped through his chest as he felt his muscles tighten. His breath hitched before his chest relaxed once again. He swayed on his feet. "Alba, it hurts."
Alba felt his younger brother's forehead.
"You feel warm," he mumbled. He scooped Albion up.
"Alba! Where are you going?" Eire called after them as a clump of dirt belatedly hit his cheek.
"I am putting Albion to bed. You should come soon, too." Eire grumbled, noticing for the first time that the sun had finally set before turning his attention back to his opponent. A final clump of dirt hit Eire in the face before Tuaisceart whooped in victory. Eire grumbled to himself as he stalked after Alba. Cymru clutched Tuaisceart's hand and they too followed in the wake of their brothers.
Alba watched Albion, frowning slightly as he fell into a fitful sleep. The three remaining brothers felt the tension in the air and sat awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Alba assured them that Albion would be fine and that he just needed rest. Cymru and Tuaisceart nodded languidly before falling asleep. Eire looked at Alba skeptically and was met only with hard set eyes. Eire broke their eye contact, accepting that whatever Alba was hiding from them would not be explained, and soon fell asleep as well. Alba sat beside Albion, occasionally feeling his forehead to check for rising temperatures. He had been dreading this since his mother had warned him of the possibility. He knew that she could only protect them for so long and from so much. He watched Albion twist and turn in his sleep as he contemplated his next course of action. However, as much as he refused to admit it, he knew that he was already much too late. The day his mother had fought to postpone had finally arrived.
Rome had finally succeeded in invading the shores of Southern Britannia.
The morning came early for Alba. He had stayed up late the previous night as he watched over Albion. Eventually, the blond toddler fell into a peaceful sleep. Alba allowed himself to succumb to his own exhaustion only after he felt assured that Albion had finally settled down. As Alba stretched, he inspected Albion and felt relief flood through him as the toddler's chest fell up and down in a calm rhythm. His porcelain, baby face was peaceful and content. Alba shot a quick glance at his other three brothers, chuckling to himself as he found that Tuaisceart had somehow managed to grab a chunk of Eire's hair in his sleep. Eire contorted his face into a scowl, but whether that was out of unconscious annoyance towards Tuaisceart or his general demeanor, Alba couldn't tell.
Alba sat underneath the large tree for a few quiet moments, savoring the early morning stillness. The sun had just begun to ascend into the sky, decorating it with gentle, pastel colors. A slight mist adorned the tall grass, giving it a shimmery appeal. The scene was completely silent save for the distant singing of early morning birds and the gentle snores of the Irish twins. After collecting himself during his moment of peace, Alba gathered his bow and arrows.
"Where are you going?" Alba jumped at the sudden noise. He sighed before addressing the voice.
"What are you doing up so early, Eire?" Eire stared back at him, sleep still evident in his emerald eyes. He flashed his older brother a crooked grin.
"I could ask you the same thing," he retorted. Alba smirked back at him. Eire frowned slightly, remembering his earlier question. "Is it Albion?"
Alba tensed. "Yes."
"And Rome?"
"Most likely." Eire ran his fingers through his thick, brown hair. He smirked back up at his brother.
"And what exactly makes you think that you can take on Rome by yourself?" he asked.
"The same thing that makes me think that I will not benefit by your being there," Alba retorted. Eire opened his mouth to protest before being cut off. "Look,I know that this is Rome, but I cannot just sit here and pretend it is not happening. He is in Britannia. If left unstopped, he will eventually take over Albion. After that, it is only a matter of time before he gets to Cymru and me. If he has all three of us, there is no one to stop him from getting to you and Tuaisceart. I promised Máthair that I would not let that happen. Besides, I do not think that Albion is strong enough to handle an invasion. Máthair expects me to look after you all, so I cannot sit by and let Rome take over without a fight."
Eire let Alba's words sink in before reaching for his own bow and arrows. Alba moved to stop him, but Eire slapped his hand away.
"You cannot just set off looking for Rome and attack him without some sort of plan," Eire explained. "You are an eejit if you think you can. Let us at least get some breakfast for this lot before you set off."
Alba tensed, not welcoming to the idea of leaving his younger brothers alone. Not with the possibility of Rome lurking around. Eire saw the frown on Alba's face and quickly stepped in with reassurances.
"They will be fine while we are gone. Do you not think that if Rome knew where we were then he would have come after us by now? We will not be gone for too long. Besides, Tuaisceart will look after Cymru and Albion while we are gone. He is a dunderhead, believe me, I understand this, but he will keep a close eye on them."
Alba relaxed and allowed Eire to ready himself for the hunt.
"Let us just hope they stay asleep while we are gone," Alba said. "I do not want to go looking for them in the woods again." Eire laughed, recalling the memory of Tuaisceart getting lost in the woods in search of Alba.
"Nah," he said. "There is no way Tuaisceart is waking up before the sun is up and Cymru and Albion seemed pretty exhausted last night. We should be fine." Once ready, Alba and Eire left their brothers behind as they entered the woods in search of their meal.
It wasn't until an hour had passed that the meadow saw movement again.
Cymru stirred awake, rubbing his eyes. Cymru yawned as he stretched his tiny frame. Once aware of his surroundings, he noticed that the sun was shining and the usual early morning dew had disappeared. He had slept in later than was typical of him. Not to his surprise, Tuaisceart and Albion were still deep in sleep, undisturbed by the bright light of the sun.
Cymru stood up and looked around for Alba and Eire. He circled around the trunk of the tree, gently tracing the bark with his small hands as he did. He ventured out from underneath the shading of the tree branches, giggling slightly as the tall grass tickled him. When he failed to find either of his elder brothers in the meadow he assumed that they had gone into the forest before he awoke in search of breakfast. Cymru observed his two sleeping brothers. Coming to the conclusion that they wouldn't be waking up any time soon, he set off into the dense trees in search of Alba and Eire for companionship.
He was no stranger to the land of Britannia, and this particular forest was no exception. Cymru wound his way around the trees, completely sure of his direction. However, although he knew the land well, tracking down his older brothers within the labyrinth was something else entirely. Cymru sighed to himself as he continued to wander around, hoping to come across them soon. If all else failed, he would simply return to hopefully a fully awake Tuaisceart and Albion.
Tuaisceart snapped his eyes open to find his brothers' usual resting spots, save for Albion's, unoccupied. Undisturbed by this fact, he simply stood and stretched his stiff muscles. He glanced around for some sign of his brothers and found himself again undisturbed by their absence. Sighing out of boredom, he decided to grab his bow and arrows in order to practice his aim near the edge of the forest.
He slowly made his way through the tall grasses, tromping on the blades that stood in his way out of habit. Once he spotted an ideal tree on the forest's edge, he glanced over his shoulder in order to make sure he was able to see Albion. While he was not quite as protective as Alba, he too was coming to the age where he began to feel the shared responsibility for his youngest brother's well being. Once he was satisfied, Tuaisceart began his practice.
He carefully aimed each arrow before setting them free. He smiled to himself when the arrows hit their intended target and cursed silently when they missed. Pieces of the tree's bark split and flew into the air as it gave into the blows. Tuaisceart's chest filled with pride as he observed his last arrow wedge into the trunk. He walked over to the tree, feeling as though he had improved much from his yesterday's practice, and that he would need to show Alba and Eire when they returned.
After he cleaned up his make shift practice area, he glanced around the meadow for any signs of his brothers' return. He frowned with impatience. However, he quickly regained his good humor when he saw Albion sitting underneath the tree playing with the large blades of grass. Tuaisceart quickly darted back to the tree.
"Good morning, Albion!" he greeted. Albion grinned at his older brother.
"Good morning, Tuaisceart," he replied, dropping the grass in his hands suddenly to rub at his chest. Tuaisceart frowned.
"Are you feeling alright? What is wrong?" Tuaisceart asked, kneeling down to meet Albion's gaze. Albion allowed his hands to fall as the pain in his chest subsided.
"My chest hurts," Albion replied, a small whine in his voice.
"I am sure that Alba will be back soon. Do you think that you will be alright to wait for him?" Albion began to nod, but stopped abruptly as he suddenly collapsed. Tuaisceart immediately supported his younger brother's shoulders. Albion allowed his body to limp into his brother's grasp, shaking slightly as he hiccuped and as tears began to slip from his eyes.
Cac, Tuaisceart thought as he grabbed Albion. Once he had the toddler secure in his grasp, he ran back towards the edge of the forest. He didn't bother to shove the grass out of his way. Once clear of the meadow, he ran into the forest in search of Alba.
"Where are all of the animals?!" Eire demanded of no one in particular. He stomped his foot in frustration as a growl escape his lips.
"I do not know, but it is too quiet for my liking," Alba interjected. As he observed the forest, a small glint on the ground caught his attention. He walked over to it and carefully inspected the object. He frowned.
"What is it?" Eire asked. Alba turned to face his brother, showing him the object in his hands.
"A knife," Alba said, surprised. Eire looked at the knife, shock evident on his face.
"A knife? Out here? But no one has ever come out here before," he said. Alba glared at the knife.
"He is close. We need to get back to the others," Alba ordered as he began marching back through the trees. Eire quickly followed. Alba's blood felt hot in his veins and he could feel his heart beat racing. He began to perspire, making his skin clamy. His breathing came in quick, short gasps.
"Alba?" Eire asked cautiously. Alba ignored his brother. Suddenly, he broke into a sprint. Eire, worried for his older brother, ran after him.
Whether it was his sudden spike of adrenaline or his protective instinct that made him run, Alba wasn't sure. He blocked Eire's anxious shouts from his mind and continued on. He swiftly dodged trees and debris that blocked his way on swift feet.
Then, just as quickly as he began, he came to sudden halt. Eire crashed into him, sending them tumbling to the ground.
"Alright, what in blazes was th-"
"Hush!" Alba demanded. The two tangled brothers froze as they strained their ears. Just as Eire was beginning to worry for his brother's health, he heard it. In the distance, he could faintly hear something moving. People moving. He shifted his gaze to Alba. They exchanged a nod before rising back to their feet and quietly following the source of the noise.
After several minutes of nerve racking progress, the trees began to thin. They carefully hid themselves behind two of the thicker trunks and cautiously glanced around.
They found themselves situated at the top of a small cliff that overlooked a vast beach. The deep, dark waves gently lifted themselves onto the gray sand of the beach before lazily retreating back. Alba and Eire knew this beach. The five brothers had come here many times to play in the shallow waters and the slushy sand.
However what was new to them was the a group of large, wooden devices with large blankets of cloth hanging from tall wooden poles. A crowd of men cluttered the beach, carrying things from the large wooden structures that floated in the water. The men were covered in robes long pieces of cloth, protecting clothing them from the chilling air of Britannia. Alba's eyes widened in shock and he tried to take in the scene.
"Alba!" Eire whispered. Alba looked at Eire. "Do you think that those are those ship things that Máthair told us about?"
Alba stared at the large wooden structures on the water. Their mother had explained to them many times what ships looked like. His imagination ran wild with the idea of a device that would allow him to travel beyond the shores of Britannia and into the rest of the world. He had heard tales of exotic lands in the horizon under names like Gaul, Hispania, Gallia Belgica, and Germania.
"I think so," he replied in awe. Alba and Eire continued to watch the scene before them. They watched with childish curiosity as the men on the beach continued on, unaware of the two boys watching from above. Just as Alba and Eire found themselves entranced by the foreigners, a sudden, unwelcomed feeling spread through them. They snapped their attention back to each other, as if to confirm that the other had felt it as well.
"Is that...?" Eire asked uncertainly. Alba nodded as dread caused his stomach to drop.
A man with short, curly, dark brown hair stood in the midst of the crowd on the beach. He stood up straight with his chest puffed out in authority. His amber eyes blazed with pride and his golden armor glinted in the sunlight. Alba felt his body tense with anger.
Rome.
"We need to find the others. It is not safe here anymore," he snapped at Eire. Eire nodded as they abandoned their positions behind the trees and sprinted back to the meadow to find their brothers.
The trees blurred past them as they hurried back to their home. Anxiety spread throughout Alba as his mother's warning repeated itself in his head.
An invasion, I fear, will surely be the end of him.
Alba ran faster, determined to shake his mother's words from his mind. Calm down, he thought to himself. I will protect Albion. I will protect all of them. Do not worry, Máthair.
A tall, slender woman sat underneath a large tree in middle of an otherwise empty field. Her white skin and pale blond hair seemed to glow in the fading light. She wore a pale blue dress that draped down to her ankles. Her gentle green eyes held years of sorrow, but that was tucked away to be replaced with peaceful state of content. She was beautiful, despite the many bruises that adorned her arms.
Two boys with messy, rust colored hair and freckles on their noses slept beside her, no longer tossing and turning while they dreamt. Their mother had returned. All was well again.
A third boy, this one with a darker version of his mother's hair and her freckleless skin, slept with his back leaning against the trunk of the tree, his small head leaning against his mother's arm for support.
A fourth boy with flaming red hair stared intently at his mother with matching green eyes. He sat a few feet across from her, leaning forward to take in everything that she had to tell him. He kept quiet, enjoying the rare moments he was able to spend with her.
"You are doing a wonderful job watching over them," Britannia explained. "I hate to have to ask you to do such things when you are still so young yourself."
"No! I do not mind at all!" Albion quickly interjected. Britannia smiled at her oldest son.
"You have grown so much since I last visited," she continued. "And Albion! I cannot believe how he has been faring."
Britannia turned her gaze to a fifth child nestled in her lap. Her arm that wasn't supporting Cymru was supporting her youngest son's head. His pale blond hair that matched hers perfectly poked out in different directions. She smiled affectionately at him as she slowly and gently ran her fingers through the soft strands. The toddler sighed contentedly as he unconsciously leaned into his mother's touch. His tiny hand had formed a gentle fist and his thumb was carefully placed near his lower lip. His body rose and fell slowly with his peaceful breathing.
"Yes. I have been keeping a close eye on him," Alba told his mother. She turned her attention back to him.
"I can tell. You have done a wonderful job. I am doing what I can with Rome to keep all of you safe. However I know that he is planning an invasion soon and I do not know what I can do to stop him. I will fight him to protect you, but I need you to be prepared in case something goes wrong. I know that if Rome ever does invade, then he will enter the lands through Albion. He is the closest and I worry for him. He is still so young. He is not strong enough for an invasion yet. You must promise me, Alba, that if Rome ever does invade, you and your brothers will retreat into your lands of Northern Britannia. Promise me this, Alba."
Alba stared nervously at his mother before answering. She had stopped stroking Albion's hair as her body tensed with anticipation.
"Yes, Máthair," he said. "I promise." Britannia visibly relaxed at her son's words.
"Good, good," she said as she resumed stroking Albion's pale locks. "All of you must stay away from Rome. He is a very dangerous man. I shudder to think of the poor, young countries he has acquired. Gaul, Hispania, Gallia Belgica… all of them. I will not let that happen to you. To any of you."
Albion moaned quietly as he altered his position slightly. He grabbed at the cloth on his mother's dress in his small fist before drifting back into deep sleep.
"He is so small," Britannia said quietly as her eyes began to cloud over with tears. "An invasion, I fear, will surely be the end of him."
Alba escaped the last of the trees as he burst into the meadow. He ran to the tree, fear filling him when he found the area abandoned.
"No!" he shouted. "Where are they?! Where did they go?!" Eire stopped as he caught up to his brother.
"I do not know," Eire replied breathlessly. He bent down to pick up a bundle, frowning as he did so. "Tuaisceart left his bow and arrow."
"Cac!" Alba shouted. He jumped in surprise at the sound of rustling near the edge of the forest. He felt enormous relief when he saw the small figure of Cymru emerge from the trees.
"Cymru! Thank the gods!" Cymru looked at his brother with confusion which quickly turned into disappointment.
"Where is breakfast? I am hungry," he whined.
"We do not have time to explain," Eire stepped in as Alba scooped up the four year old. "Where are Tuaisceart and Albion?" Cymru shrugged.
"I do not know. I woke up before them. I went into the forest to look for you two," Cymru explained. Alba and Eire looked at each other in alarm.
"What do we do?" Eire asked, trying to keep the panic from entering his voice. "Should we wait for them to come back or go look for them?"
Alba stared into the woods, willing Tuaisceart and Albion to return. When they did not, he placed Cymru on the ground.
"Watch after Cymru," Alba instructed Eire. "I will go and look for them. If anyone finds you, run. Go north and find a tribe. Albion's people will keep you safe until I find you again." Eire was stunned.
"Alba! No! We have already lost track of Tuaisceart and Albion. We cannot lose you too!"
Alba barely heard his brother's words before he sprinted back into the forest.
"Eejit!" Eire shouted after him. Cymru looked at Eire with alarmed confusion, unaware of the danger that lurked nearby.
Tuaisceart ran through the trees while holding a trembling Albion. The toddler had broken out into a sweat and was shaking uncontrollably. Tuaisceart could feel his panic building up as he continued to search for Alba.
"Cac! Cac, cac, cac," he mumbled as twigs snapped beneath his feet. Albion whimpered as pain continued to flare in his chest. His skin burned Tuaisceart's arms. "Alba, where are you?!"
"Tuaisceart?! Albion?!" Tuaisceart skidded to a halt. He gulped several breaths of air before shouting out to the voice.
"ALBA! Alba, over here!" he shouted. Oh, thank the gods.
Tuaisceart sank to the ground, exhausted from his blind run. Much to his relief, Alba emerged from the trees, looking as exhausted as Tuaisceart felt.
"Alba! Albion. He is-"
"I know," Alba interjected. "Listen. We need to get out of here. Now!" Tuaisceart gave his brother a quizzical look.
"What are you talking about?" he asked. Alba shook his head impatiently.
"Just trust me-"Alba became rigid. Tuaisceart sensed his brother's change and tensed as well. The nearby trees rustled with large movement. The brothers could faintly hear the sound of a foreign language as its speakers advanced.
"Quam eum invenire possumus?" a voice asked.
"Nescio," another answered.
"Sciam quando eum sentio!" barked a voice. Alba gasped. The earlier, foreign feeling he felt while watching the Romans on the beach began to spread through him again. Rome was approaching. Alba observed Tuaisceart. He felt it too.
The brothers held their breath, not daring to make a sound. They shrunk into nearby bushes as they waited for the Romans to pass. The large men slowly walked by, taking in their surroundings. Alba observed Rome from his hiding place as he came closer. The man was tall and muscular with a competitive gleam in his eyes. He growled in frustration.
"Minime! Comminus est. Certus sum sentire possum eius praesentiam," Rome snarled. He motioned for his soldiers to continue on. Alba and Tuaisceart sighed quietly in relief and prepared to run back to Eire and Cymru in the meadow. However, their plans were cut short. Large waves of pain hit Albion's chest.
He began to scream.
Before either of the brothers could react, they felt themselves being lifted off of the ground. Alba immediately began to kick and lash out at the Roman soldier who held him. Tuaisceart remained passive for fear that he would drop his younger brother. Rome snatched the pained toddler from Tuaisceart's grasp.
"Let him go!" Alba screamed at Rome. "Do not dare touch him!" Rome looked at Alba with amusement.
"Quid illis sunt sonis? Vacas quod facere linguam?" he mocked at the child. Alba glared at Rome while Tuaisceart looked at him with wild confusion. Fear was evident in both of the brothers' eyes. Albion continued to scream and clutch at his chest in Rome's grasp. Rome watched Albion struggle in his arms, a look of disgust on his face. He ordered something to his soldiers. They released Alba and Tuaisceart before the entourage promptly turned and began to leave. Albion's pain began to subside briefly and he became aware of his surroundings once again. He panicked once he realized he was no longer in his brother's arms.
"ALBA!" he screamed. "Alba, save me!"
Alba felt his fury skyrocket.
"Oi! You cannot have him! Let him go!" he shouted at Rome. He grabbed a large stick off of the forest floor and threw it at Rome. The stick struck him in the back of the head, earning Alba his full attention. The two glared at each other as Alba began to charge towards the empire. Rome barked another order at his soldiers. The last thing Alba remembered was the Roman soldiers running toward him and Tuaisceart and Albion's screaming before everything went black.
An eight year old Alba tumbled in the tall the grass, allowing the stalks to lick at his pale his skin. His five year old twin brothers were lying next to him, enjoying the feeling of the warm sun on their skin. The two year old Cymru sat nearby and watched his brother with childish amusement evident on his face. The brothers had spent all morning like this while they eagerly awaited their mother's return.
Just as the four brothers found themselves drifting into a blissful state of being, Britannia emerged from the forest. Her pale skin and hair radiated in the sunlight. She was healthy and beautiful, just as she was when she left. Her emerald eyes watched her sons with pride as she approached them. In her slender arms, she carried a small bundle.
Immediately, Britannia's children ran to her. They had waited months for her return and she was finally home. They grabbed at her legs and waist as they desperately hugged her. Each craved her attention after her long absence.
"Hello, my little ones. I have missed you all," she told them softly. Alba looked up at the bundle in her arms.
"Máthair, what are you holding?" he asked. Cymru stood on his toes as if the small height difference would allow him to see the surprise that their mother had brought them. Britannia smiled at each of her sons before pulling back some of the blanket, revealing the small face of an infant.
"This is your new baby brother," she explained. "He is the southern portion of my lands. His name is Albion. He is very small, so you must be gentle with him." She led her sons over to the tree, and the family sat comfortably in its shade. Once situated, Britannia removed more of the blanket to reveal Albion. The baby was deep in sleep, unaware of the attention that he was receiving. The four brothers stared at Albion with curiosity. Cymru held the most interest among them, being the youngest before Albion's birth. The infant had porcelain skin and rosy cheeks, just like his mother and his brothers. If he had opened his eyes, his older brothers would see that they matched their shade of green perfectly. However, Albion had one trait that set him apart from his brothers: his hair was the exact same shade of blond as their mother's. Not one of his brothers had their mother's hair color.
"I must tell you all something," Britannia said after a while. She bit her lip nervously, carefully thinking of how to word her next phrase. "Rome and I are settling out some business. I will be away for longer amounts of time and will not be able to see you all as often. I need you all to look after one another during my absence, especially Albion and Cymru as they are still very young. Do you understand this?" The brothers nodded, excited for the opportunity to please their mother.
Years had passed since the day Britannia brought Albion home. How many exactly, the brothers couldn't say. They witnessed generations of people pass in the nearby tribes of Britannia, yet they scarcely aged. Their mother visited when she could, however with each visit her health continued to deteriorate. Bruises and scars adorned her pale skin and her once lively eyes began to dull. However her smile was always one of pure bliss when she was with her sons. When they asked of her health, she merely comforted them and told them all was well. Only Alba knew of the treatment from Rome she endure in order to protect her lands. To protect them.
As he grew older, she placed on him the responsibility to watch over his brothers. When she learned of Rome's desires to invade Southern Britannia, she urged Alba to pay close attention to Albion. He was much too weak for his age, and still far too young to experience the effects of an invasion.
Alba jerked his eyes open. The skies were dark and the forest was deserted. Tuaisceart lay next to him, unmoving.
"Tuaisceart! Get up!" Alba said as he shook him. Tuaisceart carefully opened his eyes.
"Alba? What happened?" he asked. Alba stood up, swaying slightly as his blood rushed to his head. Memories of Roman men, panic, and Albion flashed in his mind. He helped Tuaisceart get to his feet.
"Rome has Albion! We need to find them!" he explained. He led his brother through the forest. They wound their way through the trees, carefully avoiding debris on the forest floor. They reached the spot that Alba recognized to be the scouting point he and Eire had used just the day before.
He squinted his eyes in the dark as he searched the distant beach. The Roman ships remained floating in the water, bobbing gently with the tide. Roman items littered the beach. However, no Romans could be found. Alba kicked a nearby tree before sinking to his knees. Hot tears spilled from his young eyes.
"I cannot believe that I lost him. I cannot believe they beat me so easily. What would Máthair say? I let her down," he mumbled. His body went numb, and he continued to sit on his knees. Tuaisceart watched him from a comfortable distance, unsure of what to do. They weren't sure how long they remained that way, but when Alba finally regained his senses and the last of his frustrated tears fell, he stood back on his feet.
"Come. We need to return to Eire and Cymru. I need to get you three out of here before Rome comes back," he said. Tuaisceart nodded and followed after his older brother.
"Why did Rome leave us?" Tuaisceart asked after a while. "We were defenseless. There was no way that we stood a chance against him if we resisted."
"He wants to build up his forces here first," Alba answered. "Albion's lands are closest to his foreign territories. Now that he has succeeded in taking Albion, it will not be long before he returns for the rest of us." Tuaisceart scuttled closer to Alba.
When they finally returned to Eire and Cymru, Eire ran to Alba.
"What happened?" he demanded. "I was so worried. Cymru is confused and terrified beyond belief!" As if to demonstrate his point, Cymru sniffled into his knees. Alba made no move to respond. He couldn't. He had never felt so defenseless in his life and was filled with regret for not being more careful with Albion. He stood in front of Eire and stared off, his gaze focused on nothing.
"We found Rome," Tuaisceart responded when he realized that Alba was incapable of doing so. Eire's eyes widened.
"Where is Albion?!" he asked, grabbing Alba's shoulders. Alba stood limply in Eire's arms.
"We need to move north," Alba responded bluntly.
"Where is he, Alba?" Eire demanded. Alba ignored him.
"ALBA!"
"ROME TOOK HIM!" Alba screamed. "ROME TOOK HIM AND WE COULD NOT STOP HIM!" Eire stared at Alba, his facial expression one of torment. He was barely aware of Cymru's wailing behind him as the child cried out of confusion and fear of his brother's sudden anger. Tuaisceart sat next to him and pulled him into a comforting hug.
"And we are just going to leave him here? We cannot do that! We need to find him. We need to get him back, Alba!" Eire instructed. Alba nodded.
"I know. I will get him back. But first I need to take you three to safety before Rome can take you, too!" Alba snapped. Eire flinched. After a moment, he slowly nodded.
When the brothers finally managed to calm Cymru down, they gathered their few belongings and took one last look around their meadow. Once they collected themselves, Alba led them away from their home. It was with mixed feelings that he left Rome behind him.
I will be back for you, Albion, he thought to himself. I will not leave you behind. We will be a family again. I will free you from Rome. And Máthair too. I promise.
Unbeknownst to Alba, that would be the beginning of many promises to Albion that he would not be able to keep.
Alright, so that takes care of the first chapter! I'm anticipating Roman rule in Britannia to be about three chapters. Although there isn't much history in this, I can explain a few things:
The Romans first successfully invaded southern Britannia in 43 AD in what is today Fishbourne, England. They had atttempted multiple times before (hence the bruises on Britannia mentioned in this chapter), however this was their first successful invasion. The invasion was led by Aulus Plautius.
The following chapters of Roman Rule will have more history in them than this one did. I hope you enjoyed this and that you'll stick around to keep reading. Thank you!