(Editor's note; This isn't actually MY story, although I did edit it, it was made by a friend of mine, and I'm publishing it for her :) it's very different from my style but I think it's interesting in it's own way.
It was the dawn of the Piracy era, the start of the golden age of discovery.
Antonio adored his ward Romano he thought the world of the boy Despite the fact he had sulky face, and a less than sunny disposition. Romano may not have been a happy go lucky bundle of chibi joy like his brother, but he was a young boy with his whole life head of him. Spain had adopted him, and was like a father and guardian to the young Italian nation. Even though they argued and bickered constantly they had wonderful time together looking out for each other like father and son. Antonio's constant carefree smile and sunny disposition, was the perfect thing to lure south Italy out of his sulky little shell.
They had fun traveling the high sea's and doing small raids. Antonio got a rush like no other, when his vessel hit land. From up atop his ship he'd watch as the madness below unfolded. His crew members crashed through defenseless villages, plundering them for their riches. Riches they'd add to the mighty Spanish on every raid, little Romano would stand by his side, his little hand clasped in Antonio's. It was the dawn of the age of Piracy, and Spain was leading the way.
Every now and then, The pair would run into Spain's old friends, sometimes enemies, and always drinking buddies France and Prussia. They'd sit together in nameless little seaside pubs and swap exaggerated stories of heroics and war. They'd sing sea shanties together, each in their own respective languages, so the end result was like a tri-lingual cat's wail. Francis and Prussia would drink themselves silly, but Antonio always tried to remain sober- he had a little boy to take care of, after all.
Despite their differences and quarrels Romano and Toni got like a house on fire the shared the happy and sad times the good days and the bad days.
The ship seemed to hum with harmony of the captain and young ward. The crew treated Romano with respect as they would their captain. he was a grumpy child, but something about him melted the hearts of even the most bitter, weather-worn of sailors. He was the constant recipient of head-pats and hair-tousles.
Toni refused to spoil Romano, and resisted the urge just to give into the angry young nation whenever he was throwing a tantrum or sulking. Romano eventually learned that when Toni said no he meant no matter how Romano pouted or sulked if he kept up his moody demur he got sent to his cabin to cool off until he learned that what adopted big brother said he meant. This lead to Romano spending a lot of time locked away in his cabin. His short temper always did get him into trouble. He'd lie back in his hammock, the taught rope digging into his skin, and close his eyes, letting the sea rock him to sleep like the mother he never had.
The only one Romano did not get on with was Netherlands. Spain's other charge. The Nordic nation stayed true to his viking nature and bullied Romano relentlessly, like he used to do to England once upon a time. But even the usually oblivious Antonio got fed with him bullying little Romano that he banned the older country from his ship. He just wanted Romano to be happy with him. From being abandoned by his grandfather Rome, to being tossed around from nation to nation like an unwanted toy, Romano had been through enough.
Unfortunately, Spain's once prosperous piracy age turned sour when England grew power hunger and his might and conquest were begging to out rule his common sense. Spain remembered the days when England was a weak little nation, constantly being invaded; First by Rome, and then by France. Then after that he was terrorized by vikings. The England of now seemed determined to prove he wasn't just a weakling anymore. Tensions between Toni and Arthur spiked, when Queen Elizabeth chose to marry her England rather than Spain's king Phillip. Antonio sent out a battle fleet- his famed armada, most powerful thing at sea- to put the little runt in his place. But England beat him, humiliated him, and laughed as his sailors drowned in the icy British waters.
' That's what you get for trying to invade me, stupid Spanish git'
From then on, England was the new king of the ocean. he was Lord of the Pirates, always robbing from Spanish ships returning with riches from the new world. Thrice he tried to raid Antonio's own ship with out much success he was beaten. But hardly. And that Scared Spain, to think England had come so close to hurting his Romano.
Little did Antonio know that when the newest member of his family arrived, a few months after a particularly bad fight between him and England, that Arthur would be so desperate to hurt Antonio, he'd attack the innocent child, leaving her as a terrified stuttering shell of the once fun-loving intelligent little girl she used to be.
Toni was devastated that he'd nearly lost his sister to that cocky, arrogant pirate boy. Sorrow, guilt, and ultimately wrath began to consume him. The powerful, fiery emotions plaguing his every thought. One day he would get his revenge on that nation for taking his sisters innocence.