This is an introspective songfic. Poor England… he used to be so great.

I own nothing in this fic, the character, song, and history are all not mine and I make no money from this fic.

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets that I used to own

Arthur Kirkland rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand as he swung his feet out of bed for the day. The bed was cold. Had been for years, since the last of his children left him. It was… he blinked at the calendar and sighed. Today was another day of independence. Another day celebrating another nation's birthday. His people spoke of his sons, and what fine young men they'd grown into, and he went to the cabinet to pull out a bottle of whiskey. Today, he would drown himself. Today, he would forget. Today, he would remember. A pirate, ruler of the oceans and defeater of the Spanish Armada. The oceans themselves seemed to obey his every whim. But that was years ago, and all he could command today was the alcohol in his glass.

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing:
"Now the old king is dead!
Long live the king!"

Years ago he conquered them. He was the greatest Empire in the Western world. India. America. Canada, or most of Canada at least. Australia. And dozens of others he's forgotten over the years. They would fear him, throw down their weapons, and proclaim him as the new King of their lands, and he would treat them with gentleness and raise them. His wards. Children. Brothers. The people adored him. And then they became angry. His bosses ignored him, and he had to go along with their commands.

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

He admired the amber liquid in his glass, smiling as it burned its way down into his stomach. He was once the most powerful nation in the world, and now he fights to keep a small scrap of land from his brother, Ireland. His expansiveness couldn't have lasted. He knows this now. But it's a bitter pill to swallow; best wash it down with more alcohol.

I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never, never an honest word
That was when I ruled the world

He swills the whiskey like it's water. Remembering when he led the charges of his armies again his foes. Remembers crushing France. Remembers the Crusades and taking back the holy city of his people. Remembers his people making an effort to gently convert natives to their way of thinking before their human brutality got the best of them.

It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become.

No one knew what to make of him. No one realized that he had the potential. The defeat of Spain was just a stepping stone to a greater purpose. He wanted to rule the world. And he did, at one point. He had ruled the known world.

Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?

Then the fighting would start again. The revolutionaries, the heroes, the legends… they all wanted him dead. People he raised, countries he started… all wanted him to die. Except… except America, and Canada, and Australia. His bright and shining wards. All grown up and even allied with him. They never wanted to see him crumble. They just wanted to live by their own rules, like any rebellious teen. And he'd tried to crush them.

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter will call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

The glass hit the table with a thunk, the bottle empty on the floor, and the ice within the glass clinking gently. Arthur sighed and rubbed his numb face. I hate these days, and one day, I'll just sleep through them.