Another songfic! Goodness I am just cranking these things out! Woo! Anyways, this one is America/Britain centric but not in that coupley sort of way. More in the way that reads "My-Country-Is-Breaking-Up-With-Your-Country". That's right y'all!
AMERICAN REVOLUTION COMING AT YA!
Nothing super duper sad or angry, just some ideas I had about the way America might feel during this and how he thinks these things through while he things are happening.
The song I based this off of is called "The Cave" by Mumford and Sons. When I heard it (which was actually like summer 2012) the idea just smacked me in the face. I'm really just now getting around to writing this and when I started, it took me like 2 days! I'm glad I finally did! I follow the lyrics almost directly but I bend and twist a few lines to mold to the story.
Please do enjoy, gimme some feedback, like the post, and all that jazz~!
'It's empty in the valley of your heart. You just don't see what's going on anymore, do you? You've grown older; you tuned us— me out. All for your pompous king whom even you aren't completely happy with overall.1 You think the sun will rise slowly as you walk away from all these fears and all these faults you've left behind. The sun won't do what you want you know. It doesn't revolve around the world you claimed as your own. Because I'm not yours anymore. I understand that you were young too. Once upon a time at least. But do you really remember it? Do you remember when you were pushed around? And hurt by the other, bigger countries and empires? You wanted to leave it behind, and you did. But now it's you. You are pushing the rest of us—no, you are shoving us. And you're shoving us away. I did my time; it's time for me to go. This harvest, you'll have no food left for you to eat, no labor as your right to use, no life of mine to control. You're a cannibal, don't you see it now? You take and you take and you take from me! You're eating these people alive each time you take their only money for taxes and take them down because they don't agree with your pompous views! I, too, have seen the same things that you have seen in my country. You may not understand yet, but I know the shame in your defeat. But I will hold on hope for you Britain. And I won't let you choke on the noose you've put around your own neck. You're wrecking your own empire and tearing our family apart. Now I'll have to find strength in pain. I'm going to change my ways. I can't keep following you forever Iggy. You were my big brother, my protector, one of my best friends. But it's time for me to go. I'll know my name as it's called again. And it will truly be mine. You can have no more claim to it. I have other things to fill my time now. I have my people to watch out for; I can't keep going on this way! You continue to tax us, to board in our homes, to take my Americans' rights You can take what is yours, I would allow nothing less. You took from us, and I've seen the damage, I can't do that to you. I couldn't bear to watch that much. Once you've finished, I can take what is mine. These United States of America, to watch over them is my birthright. So tie me to a post and block my ears. I dare you Iggy. Would it be new for you? You punish so many because they want the freedom you already have. I can see all the widows and orphans through my tears. You're ripping families apart! It isn't right what you're doing to our— their families. I can't be selfish this time. I want to be a family, but I But I will hold onto hope. Hope that someday, we can be friends again. I think it's too late to be brothers again Britain, but you'll always be a sort of family to me. So I'm not going to let you choke on the noose around your neck. You won't be without family. It might take a while before we can forgive. Someday maybe we can even forget! But I'm not going to leave you to rot. I hope we can be together again, somehow, someday. And I'll find strength in the pain of missing you. The relationship we had. The memory of you coming to my house and visiting. The fun times we had. The toy soldiers you gave to me. I'll keep those forever, I know it. But I just can't keep being like you Britain, I will have to change my ways so I'll know it's my name being called again. It's what my people need, and I have to do what they ask of me. I feel so divided though! Part of me wants to stay, to live with you and become a bigger empire and thrive! But the other part of me, it's screaming no. You have hurt us all in the process of expanding. You really hurt me too. I wish we could just pretend nothing had happened. It would be our biggest pretend game! I want to ignore the war and act like our families aren't being torn apart. So come out of your little cave walking on your hands and see the world hanging upside down. Maybe then you'll see it. I only wish you'd understand.'
"America, you bloody insolent brat! You're the one who cannot understand!"
Britain was yelling at the American man, waving the letter in his hand. Strapped to him was his trusty rifle, ready to be rid of the nuisance, the rebel before him at a moment's notice. Diplomatic meeting or not, a country should always be prepared. Consequently, America had brought his own. The stark difference between Britain's blood red uniform4 and America's navy clothing was striking. It was the good vs. evil here. In this war, though, neither was entirely sure who would be proclaimed the victor for good and the loser for evil. Both wanted to believe it would be himself, but after so long at war, each had his doubts.
"You can understand dependence when you know your maker's land! You don't remember our traditions, the way to behave, how to follow your king! King George is right! I am right America! So you can make your sirens call! You can shout and sing about this independence gibberish all you want! But I'm not going to hear of word of it! We won't hear what you have to say in this decision as it is not yours to make!"
"It is my decision though! I need my freedom now, it's time! I need to know how to live my life as it's meant to be. Not the way you've been trying to show me. I may as well have been locked in a cage, and you've been holding the key. I'm meant to learn my way through this; it's the will of the people! You and I both know I can't deny them that, and you cannot deny me this! Just let me go. Please Britain, I can't hurt you anymore!"
America watched him drop into his chair, rifle across his chest as if he might actually shoot his colony. America's own gun was at the ready, but the last thing he could do was watch him go down. He knew it in his heart, from the bottom of his soul.
"Please…" The American pleaded with him. Because that's what he was now, an American. He was not longer a Brit, a British colony, or under anyone's claim but his own. And he didn't want one of his first acts as a brave new country to be hurting the one who raised him to be so strong.
"Ju-just go…" Were those tear tracks on Britain's face? The shaking, hunched over form might suggest so, but America simply couldn't see him crying. It just couldn't be! This was the British Empire! The most fearsome man on land and sea! He did not cry.He barely complained after being shot!
It took a moment to process his words. "Go," he had said… America was free… He was free! Following England's orders for the last time, he went.
He looked back at the man kneeling on the floor, speaking quietly, calmly.
"I'll hold on hope for you Iggy. For us. And I won't let you choke on that noose tied around your neck. I'll be there if you need me. I know you can find your strength in pain. Maybe you'll learn to change your ways.
Just don't forget my name as it's called again. This isn't our ending, just a new beginning. I'll be a hero for you any day."
They may not be part of the same empire, country, continent even, but they were like family. And they would be allies as long as Britain still needed him. He could see it would happen soon enough. It would take time to heal, certainly. Each side had taken significant damage, both physically and mentally.
But now, America could walk out of his darkened cave. The United States of America were free, and the light outside was burning bright, awaiting the new country. He wasn't leaving Britain behind. He was just moving out into the world at his own pace.
And someday, maybe Britain would join him there.
1: Many people in Great Britain between 1775 and 1783 became upset with King George III because they thought the war was 'unjust'. He was also thought to be manipulative and influence the people in Parliament a lot.
2: Great Britain taxed the American people a ridiculous amount. The American people were forced to allow British soldiers to stay in their homes and feed them, even in times of peace.
3: About 40% of the colonists wanted to be free, 40% wanted to continue to be a part of the British Empire, and 20% were neutral.
General note: America doesn't sound like the classic, loud mouthed, annoyingly cool hero that he is here. I know. But I feel like when he was just getting away from Britain and his ways, he still sounded like him. America hadn't really created its own mannerisms and such as this point, so he still sounds intelligent and much like his 'big brother'.