So it's my first day in Talamh...

This place smells like flowers. Well...duh, Jacob. This is Talamh Blathanna after all. The ship docked, I hopped off.

"Ouuu!~" Sam clung to me that day, I think she was afraid of getting lost. "This place is so pretty, Jakey!~"

"Yea...it is." I looked around, it was a clean looking place. I assume England really helped clean this place up since he kicked Ireland out.

Yup, this land is mine now. A beautiful piece of land set on the west coast of Ireland. Maybe that's too much responsibility for a 16 year old, but if I want to save this place, I guess I have to give up a lot of time to put all my effort into fixing this economy.

"Welcome, Mr. Keenan!~" I heard from the end of the dock.

I let the other passengers get by before I stopped in front of an old guy, holding out a big bouquet of flowers in front of me. "Uhh..."

The man shoved the flowers into my arms, and then pulled something from behind him. "Heh! This is little Talamh, isn't she just precious?"

I looked down.

My God was it-er...she... small.

She didn't even look like she was four feet. I have to say though, it-er...she...was adorable. I handed the flowers off to Sam, who stared at Talamh. "Hey there, little one."

She stared up at me, I don't think she really recognized me, though I had stopped a couple of bullies from picking on her only a few days ago. "Who..."

I tilt my head, confused. "Jacob Keenan." I held my hand out. "I'm your new leader."

She must have felt comfortable after I smiled, because I saw a big smile come to her face after I reminded her who I was. (though she still had tears in her eyes, I assume she was just nervous. After all, I was nearly six feet tall. What would you think if someone came towering above you, telling you they were your new leader?) "Keenan...!" She smiled and took my hand, or at least tried.

She could only fit her hand around three of my fingers.

I almost died from the face she made, trying to fit her hand around mine. "Hah!" I held my arms out to her slowly.

She cautiously wrapped her arms around my neck as I leaned down to her.

She let me lift her up, holding her on my side. She adjusted herself, instead of having a leg on either side of me, she felt comfortable with her leg closed and held under my arm.

She stared at Sam, who was raising her brow to Talamh. "So...what, we're just supposed to call you Talamh?"

I saw the nation bury her face in my shoulder.

"Does she have a name?" I looked to the old guy.

He shrugged, he seemed to just want to show me to my home and leave. "I have no idea, honestly."

I rolled my eyes, nodding. "Fine..." I nudged at the nations head softly, and she looked at me with her watery crystal eyes. "I'm guna name you, Aine. After my mother."

"How about, in English, Jakey?"

I turned to Sam, and then nodded. "Fine," I smiled and touched my forehead to the nations. "Anya."

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I stared up at the building that was being built. I wanted to make it just for Anya, but she insisted that I keep it.

What's a princess without her castle, right? That was she was, my princess. She was actually like a daughter to me, more than an employee, or country...

She even called me... "Daddy!"

I turned my head and smiled, falling to my knees with my arms open for her. "Anya!~"

She jumped up and hugged my neck tightly as I stood.

Arthur stared at me, he had a surly look on his face. "Hello, Keenan." He cleared his throat. "sorry, I was late again. We had a meeting, I was unable to pick Anya up until just a few minutes ago."

"Oh, don't worry about it Arthur."

"England..."

"Right..." I didn't know why, but England didn't like me calling him by his name. I didn't question it, I honestly didn't care.

I smiled and turned to Anya, kissing her head softly. "So, what'd ya find today, brea?"

"I found a couple seeds, papa, can we go plant them, please?"

She tugged on my pant leg, and I nodded. "i have to make my will video first, then we can go plant it, how's that sound?"

Anya nodded to me, smiling brightly, and England held his hand out as he knelt down to Anya. "I'll see you tomorrow, love."

Anya nodded and hugged her brother instead. "I love you England!~"

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I felt something pulling at my nose. "Mnn...Sam, stop it..."

"Papa..."

My eyes shot open at the tiny voice. "Anya?" I rubbed my eyes and sat up quickly, looking to the side of my bed.

She was shivering, which brought me to two conclusions. She was cold...or scared. "Anya, what is it, what's wrong?"

"I had a bad dream..." She held her arms up.

I smiled, lifting her up from the floor as I kicked the blankets off of myself, careful not to wake Sam, sleeping on the other side. "Anya, it was just a dream, it can't hurt you. Even if it could, I would never allow it."

I flipped the switch on, walking into her room. She whimpered, clinging to me before I set her down. I looked down at her when she didn't let go of me. "Alright..." I sighed, scooting her over as I put myself in her bed. "But just for tonight. Sam's guna kill me."

She nodded, and crawled over me, grabbing a book from the nightstand, and then crawled back, holding the book out to me. "Wha...?"

The Ugly Duckling.

Anya really liked this story for some reason...

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I never knew how much a child could affect my life.