Author : Luneternelle
Disclaimer : The characters of Axis Powers Hetalia and the Scottish song "Tha Mo Ghaol Air Àird A' Chuain" do not belong to me.
Rating : K
Gender(s) : Family, friendship, fluff, songfic
Summary : To answer the question "Why does it rain so much in England ?", little Arthur already has a full-made response he's so proud of : "My big brother told me everything !"
Little word from the author : A rainy day on a bus trip added to the listening in loop of the music of Pixar's animated movie "Brave" and it gave birth to this one-shot. No to mention that I wanted to write something cute about the brothers England and Scotland... Here are the (young) nations !
Oh, and English is not my mothertongue !
Enjoy !
England was a rainy country, this was no secret. Arthur was used to it but it wasn't the case of his French neighbour. The young self-proclaimed nation of love was drowning in despair because of the waterfalls pitylessly hitting the ground of his friend oversea.
- I don't get how you do to deal with such a weather all day that God makes, Francis said.
The French was shivering for even though they were preserved from rain thanks to the old stone castle's roof, heat wasn't at the rendez-vous.
Arthur rolled his eyes. leva les yeux au ciel. The froggie was such a sissy! Wrapped as they were in their thick cover and with the little blond-haired child in his arms - not that he had cuddled against him with haste, it was the other one who had quickly caught him absolutely not much to his delight- the French was still complaining about his horrible condition. Anyway, he was a country of grouches - like people like country.
- Seriously, can you explain to me why is it raining so much ?!
- Of course ! Arthur proudly answered, glad to pull the rug from under his neighbour's feet for once. My big brother told me everything !
Francis rose an interrogating eyebrow, implicit request for a development. Gathering his memories, the little English nation began to tell the story that explained rain in his country according to Scotland.
It was raining cats and dogs when Allistor and Arthur came back from their walk. Wales had led the march with the rest of their siblings and surely they had returned home in advance, safe from the rain in the family cottage. Only Scotland and England were under the downpour. And what a downpour ! There were so much raindrops that it made it impossible to see a few steps ahead. The two brothers had eventually taken shelter in a little cave in the rock after checking if anyone or anything already lived there.
- Come here, kiddo, the red-haired teenager said.
He took off his little brother's dark green coat soaked by rain, the cloth joining the dark blue one of the Scott near the tiny improvised wood-fired.
Allistor caught the little child and placed him between his spread legs so that his feet were close enough to the fire to dry. As a nation, he could not die of sickness neither get ill, but it was always better to wear dry clothes than wet ones.
Nonetheless, he quickly saw that the child in his arms was shivering even though he was doing his best to show none of it. Arthur was still young, he was physically five, six years old. Allistor was sixteen and well immuned against the cold. He drew his little brother closer in a gruff embrace, keeping him warm as best as he could. Shivers stopped not long after.
There was a long moment of silence with none of them saying a word, listening to the sound of rain outside.
- Say, why does it always rain here ? Arthur asked, a bit of sadness in his voice.
- Why are you asking that ? Does it bother you, kiddo ?
- No but...
- You know, its rain in other places too. In Wales, in France... even in Scotland !
- Yes but not always. Here, it's always raining. And... Francis told me that rain is cloud's tears...
Inside, Allistor insulted the stupid French brat. What a dumb thing to tell that to his hypersensitive - even though he hid it well - baby brother !
- So, does it mean that clouds are always sad when they come here ? the child asked with a trembling voice as if he was about to cry.
- Of course not ! That frog eater told you bullshi- nonsense, that's all !
Allistor got a a look glimmering with hope from his brother.
- Is it true ?
- For real. It's not cloud's tears, it's somebody else's tears.
Oops. Tears began quickly to fill Arthur's green eyes. Allistor cursed himself : he wasn't good with children and he knew it ! So why did he make the education of his siblings his duty ? Another complete mystery far from being resolved...
- Don't cry ! It's a good story : here, listen.
And then the red-haired one began to sing with a deep voice, his little brother all ears.
.
Feasgar ciùin an tùs a' Chèitein
On a quiet evening at the beginning of May
Nuair bha 'n ialtag anns na speuran
When the bat was in the skies
Chualaim rìbhinn òg 's i deurach
I heard a tearful young maiden
'Seinn fo sgàil nan geugan uain'
Singing beneath the shadow of the green branches
Bha a' ghrian 'sa chuan gu sìoladh
The sun was setting in the sea
'S reult cha d' èirich anns an iarmailt
And no stars yet graced the sky
Nuair a sheinn an òigh gu cianail
When the young girl sang sorrowfully
"Tha mo ghaol air àird a' chuain"
"My love is on the high seas"
.
Thòisich dealt na h-oidhch' ri tùirling
The night's dew began to fall
'S lùb am braon gu caoin na flùrain
Each bloom yielding softly to the droplets
Shèid a' ghaoth 'na h-oiteig chùbhraidh
The wind blew in a fragrant breeze
Beatha 's ùrachd do gach cluan
Bringing life and renewal to each field
Ghleus an nighneag fonn a h-òrain
The girl tunefully sang her song
Sèimh is ciùin mar dhriùchd an Òg-mhìos
Quiet and peaceful like the June dew
'S bha an t-sèisd seo 'g èirigh 'n còmhnaidh
And this chorus constantly repeated
"Tha mo ghaol air àird a' chuain"
"My love is on the high seas"
.
Chiar an latha is dheàrrs' na reultan
Day darkened and the stars shone
Sheòl an rè measg neul nan speuran
Setting their course amongst the clouds
Shuidh an òigh, bha 'bròn 'ga lèireadh
The maiden sat, burdened by her sadness
'S cha robh dèigh air tàmh no suain
Her singing could not have been more soothing
Theann mi faisg air reult nan òg-bhean
I moved closer to the young woman
Sheinn mu 'gaol air chuan 'bha seòladh
Singing of her love sailing on the sea
O bu bhinn a caoidhrean brònach
Oh sweet was her sad lament
"Tha mo ghaol air àird a' chuain"
"My love is on the high seas"
.
Rinn an ceòl le deòin mo thàladh
The music enticed me
Dlùth do rìbinn donn nam blàth-shul
Nearer to the brown-haired maiden of the warm eyes
'S i ag ùrnaigh ris an Àrd-Rìgh
And she prayed to the King of Heaven
"Dìon mo ghràdh 'th' air àird a' chuain"
"Protect my love on the high seas"
Bha a cridh' le gaol gu sgàineadh
Her heart was breaking with love
Nuair a ghlac mi fhèin air làimh i
When I took her by the hand
"Siab do dheòir, do ghaol tha sàbhailt
"Wipe your eyes, your love is safe
Thill mi slàn bhàrr àird a' chuain"
I have returned to you from the high seas"
.
Allistor got a skeptical look from the child.
- A lady who cries because her love is dead at sea is not a good story, Arthur said, a blase expression on his face.
The red-haired teenager sighed deep down in him. At least, his baby brother understood Gàidhlig - Scottish Gaelic.
- Kiddo, didn't you listen ? He's not dead : she's reunited with him at the end of the story.
- ... But what does it have to do with rain ? Arthur asked, not really convinced.
- Well, rain here is like the girl's tears : it'll stop when you'll find love.
Seeing the empty look of his brother, the country of kilts gave up.
- You'll get it when you grow up, he sighed.
When Arthur finished his tale, his eyes met his little French neighbour's blue ones who was smiling with amusement.
- Why are you stupidly smiling, froggie ? England asked.
- Nothing, nothing... the older one answered, placing his head on the smooth blond skull of his young friend, who cuddled against him and began to doze.
And just when Morpheus was about to steal him, Arthur noticed that he didn't hear the sound of rain anymore.
France : Francis
England : Arthur
Scotland : Allistor