Involuntarily a Pirate pt. 1

"Line up you peasants!"

Alfred and his brother shuffled their way with the others. Chains rubbed their wrists and ankles raw as they took each step. Both men looked alike, though one had a cowlick that would upset any mother. His brother, Matthew, nervously took hold of Alfred's shirt. The brother ruffled his hair reassuringly, knowing that this may be the last moments they had together. The slave trade didn't take kindly to siblings.

After all the men lined up, Matthew on his right, did the announcer call out again. "The captains of the Les Français Lily and Kirkland's Revenge will be gracing you with their presence today." He walked down the line, "As the two can't stand each other, they will choose you lot at different times. In a few hours, some of you will become pirates to serve your captain and crew."

A few men gasped, others looked around in shock. Alfred felt the grip on his shirt grow tighter and more anxious. His brother looked absolutely terrified. Of course, he would worry. He's not exactly pirate material. Alfred mused to himself. Matthew's small body was wracked with tremors of fear. He nearly knocked his glasses off as he tried to perch them back onto the bridge of his nose. Alfred let a small smirk slip as he saw the bear token he carved for him around his neck; it was the only thing they had left of home. Well, besides each other.

Alfred pointed to Matthew's neck. "Don't you worry, I won't let them separate us."

"Thanks, Al." The tremors stopped only for a moment.

"Aahh, brotherly love, ohonhon." A smooth voice chuckled. "Well, assuming you're brothers, oui?

A flamboyantly dressed blond was gazing at them like they were food. His cerulean blue eyes narrowed curiously as Alfred took an instinctive step forward in front of Matthew. Taking off his royal blue hat, light blond hair gracefully fell onto his shoulders. Smirking, he reached out to cup Matthew's face, only to be interrupted by Alfred. With a snap of his fingers two of his men had grabbed his shoulders, shoving him into the hard, wooden floorboards of the dock. He coughed as the air left his lungs. Tears had begun to gather at his brother's indigo eyes.

"Do not cry, mon cher." His hand reaching out to finish what he started. "It was only for my protection so as to not get hurt."

Matthew's tears streamed down his face, "W-who are y-you?"

Turning the boy's face, critiquing the facial features, the man smiled, "I am Francis Bonnefoy, captain of the Les Français Lily."

"The French Lily?"

"Ohonhon! Such intelligence despite sharing blood with this chien," Francis took his hand from Matthew's face, wiping it on a white handkerchief. "How much for this one?"

Alfred struggled against his captors furiously. "NO! You can't take him away!" A hand shoved his nose into the floorboards. "HE'S ALL I HAVE LEFT!"

The French captain smirked, "Sorry, but I only have use for one brother."

"YOU DAMNED FRENCH BASTARD!" he snarled, feeling his own tears burning in his eyes. "Do you have no heart?"

The captain was already placing shillings into the slave master's hand. The two men holding Alfred released him as soon as Frenchman and his brother were a safe distance away. Al pulled himself up, battling with himself to challenge the man taking away his brother or bawl like a two year old. A hand clasped around his shoulder, not forcefully, though. He looked through his blurry eyes; a small red-haired man gazed back at him. A larger blue-eyed blond man shook his head, sighing.

"CAPTAIN FRANCIS BONNEFOY!" Alfred shrugged off the man's hand lightly. The captain was nearly up the board that connected his ship and the dock. His blue eyes narrowed as he turned to face the blond, Matthew's eyes were puffy from crying. Grinding his teeth together, his chest heaved in a sob. "I WILL TAKE MY BROTHER BACK! YOU HEAR ME, MATTHEW? WE'LL BE TOGETHER SOON!"

The last thing Alfred saw of his brother was his small nod and a teary-eyed smile.

It had been hours, hell, to Alfred it seemed like decades, since the Frenchman's ship had disappeared behind the horizon. He had learned the names of the red-head and larger man. Feliciano, an Italian immigrant, had been caught along with his brother trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea. His brother had already been sold to a Spanish captain in the last slave auction. The blond haired man, Ludwig, had been protecting Feliciano and his brother. His own brother, Gilbert, was on Kirkland's Revenge.

"That is why I would voluntarily give myself up to become a pirate," Ludwig murmured, "to see mein bruder again."

Feliciano patted Alfred's arm. "I'm sure you will see your brother soon."

A call was given out to line up once more. Straightening his shoulders, Alfred followed the command. It was all he could do without sobbing and crawling into the fetal position. The slave master had given him lashes with his whip for his later outburst. He could feel some of the wounds seeping into his white shirt and the salty sweat running down his back did not help any. A trio of men worked their way down the group, studying each man from head to toe. Things were not looking well as the leader of the men had not claimed any of the slaves.

Alfred had been occupied with thoughts of the French bastard and his brother when a shadow fell upon him. Gazing downwards, a man in a scarlet red coat and a ruffled white shirt stared back. A large brimmed hat with a feather stuck inside it hid his hair, but the thing, well, things that perplexedAlfred were two thick eyebrows right above the man's emerald eyes. They were more like caterpillars that had mistaken the man's forehead as their home. Obviously self-conscious of his appearance, the man pulled the hat part his eyebrows, a small lock of light blond hair poked its way out. His face was dusted with a light pink, coughing into his fist, he finally addressed Alfred.

"What is your name, sir?"

Alfred squinted his eyes at the man. "I usually don't give out my name to pirates."

"You're cocky, aren't you?" The American bowed slightly at the compliment. "Fine, only in exchange for your own – my name is Arthur Kirkland, Captain of the Kirkland's Revenge."

"Revenge, huh? What kind of revenge are we talkin' about?"

"Ah, ah! I've introduced myself, now it's your turn." Arthur wagged his pointer finger at him. "It would be impolite to break a promise."

"Alfred F. Jones, I'm originally from America." He pushed his glasses farther up his nose.

The captain took a step closer, intrigued by their conversation. "American, huh - you're a little far from home, wouldn't you say?"

"Only a small swim across the Atlantic."

Arthur smirked, "How would you like swimming across the pond full time?" He was digging for a specific item in a satchel slung across his shoulder.

The blond shrugged. "Sounds wet, Artie, but I could go for it." He gaped at the sight of the Englishman placing coins in the slave master's hand.

The master counted the payment, then placed the gold pieces in a tied bag. Holding up his key ring, the right key was found and unlocked the shackles around Alfred's wrists and ankles. The blond rubbed the raw skin, it was pink and lighter than the rest of his arm. Arthur relayed information to one of his men, who nodded and pointed to Feliciano and Ludwig. The German and Italian's chains were released later on, too. A hand fell on the Alfred's shoulder, making him look at the one whose hand it belonged to.

"Well, Mr. Jones, welcome to the crew." Arthur also added, "And it's Captain, git."

[A/N]: So...how was it? It was something in my head after reading a Pirate!USUK fic on here. Hopefully I'll better at Arthur's dialogue. British speakin' ain't my thing.

Oh and the fic I was talking about is called "Tide of Betrayal", and you may see some influences from it in here. Sorry about that.

Those of you who follow my "Frog Dissection" fic: Part 5 is in the makings, though both fics will be updated slower than usual because of band camp/school.

Thanks for reading, guys, and if you don't mind, please tell me how I'm doing. Do you guys like more dialogue, less dialogue, or more action paragraphs, or less action paragraphs? I try keeping them balanced but the dialogue is more my thing and I could probably create a whole fic made of dialogue if I wanted to. But anyways, thanks again!