"A-Haha! I am greatest pirate of them all! The best American pirate ever!" Laughed the blond boy as he wore a paper pirate hat, sitting in a small tree with hands on hips and a huge smile.
The young boy -looking to be eleven- dressed in a big red coat that looked to be a bit big for him and his winter boots, looking to be a pirate. "First mate, Mattie! Where do we sail?"
Another blond boy, his Canadian twin, looked through a paper roll up to be an eye glass. "We would be sailing north, Captain Alfred." He sat on a higher branch to see better.
Alfred gave a confused look, blinking up at him. "Where's that?"
Matthew pointed at a building. "Toward the house."
"Ha! I knew that! Let's go weest of that!"
"West, Al."
In a good distance, a British parental nation chuckled watching the two play. He was stitching a blanket Alfred had ripped earlier over a fit with breakfast. Seemed he wanted Arthur's cooking, but it was Matthew's turn to choose, and he picked a certain Frog's cooking.
"You need to scold that wild boy of yours." Green eyes gave a glare to his sitting neighbor who didn't seem as content. "Having a fit and ripping my poor boy's blanket." The long haired Frenchman sighed.
"Well, you have to admit Matthew is a bit too close to nature, he keeps letting in little rodents into the house." Arthur told looking back to his sewing.
Francis grinned. "But he is too cute, I want to give him every critter of the world." He bloomed, extending his arms out. Beside the Frenchie was a small white bear –Mr. Kumajiro- sleeping. He rather nap than follow with his owner Matthew.
Arthur frowned. "If I find one more snake in my cupboard." He warned, last time it was a poisonous one Matthew found in the cold, and wanted to warm him up. Arthur was lucky to find it in his trousers before wearing them.
Francis raised his hands. "Alright, I'll talk with him about that. If you with yours about ripping Matthieu's things." He pointed an accusing finger at the Brit.
"Sure, I'll talk with him before supper."
"Where is West again?" Alfred asked not leaning against the tree still on the branch, playing with his paper hat.
"That way," Matthew answered pointing to a different direction then the house. "I think that leads to someone else's house." He pondered trying to have the paper telescope help him see.
"Well, let's find out!" The elder twin climbed down the tree and jumped to his feet, running towards the direction Matt pointed.
"H-Hey! Wait for me!" Matthew easily got out of the tree and ran after Alfred. "Why are we leaving the ship?" Mattie asked as the boys were hiding in a bush.
"We're out to plunder and steal women." He hushed looking around seeing a girl playing by herself. She looked to be a bit younger than the boys, probably about six or so. She was playing with some dolls having a tea party. "There!" He pointed.
Following his brother's gaze, Matthew knotted his brows. "That's not a woman, Al. That's a little girl." He looked to Alfred. "And she's playing by herself. We should leave her be."
He looked to his twin. "Use your imagination, Matt!" He whispered. "That's a woman we can plunder from!"
Matthew blinked. "…What does plunder mean?"
Al shrugged. "I don't know, but Arthur said in his pirate stories, they did that a lot." He turned back with his stick that was his sword. "Ready? CHARGE!" Al screamed charging at the girl.
Matthew sighed and ran after with him giving a weak, "Charge…"
The little girl hummed fixing her doll's dress. She smiled and reached over for a finger sandwich. "Miss Canapé, your hair is so pretty." She smiled.
"Charge!"
She looked up seeing a boy running at her with a paper hat and what looked to be a really sharp stick. She squeaked in fear and her eyes teared up. "Alex!" She cried hugging her doll close.
"Emily? What's wrong?" The twins stopped seeing a boy looking much older than them coming out.
The little girl, Emily, ran over hiding behind his leg. The boys looked up as the elder boy, his hands pressed against his hips. "What's going on?" He asked seeing his sister upset and two boys with sticks.
"We're pirates!" Said Alfred with a bit smile. "And we're plundering!"
Alex, the eldest boy, raised a brow. Matthew guessed he was about thirteen or so compared to the little girl looking to be six or five. "Plundering? Do you even know what that means?"
The boys looked to each other. "N-No…" Matthew meekly told.
Alex sighed. "It means you want to rob from my sister." Emily clutched her doll tightly. "Do you really want to steal from my little sister?" He asked looking over them threateningly.
Alfred blinked, not knowing what to say or how to answer. Matthew hid behind the American nation, who just stared between the siblings.
"Alfred! Matthew!" The named were called. The kids looked over seeing the twins' care takers.
"Papa!" Cried Matthew as he ran to Francis' arms.
"Oh, what is wrong, mon petit Matthieu?" He asked picking him up and giving him a comforting hug.
"Alfred Kirkland what in King's name are you doing!?" Arthur barked seeing a little scared girl. "Are you bullying these kids?" He asked looking down at the American boy with a frown and arms crossed.
"He was going to plunder my sister!" The eldest boy told glaring the twins, holding Emily close to his side.
Arthur blinked and looked to Alfred. "Alfred, is this true?" He had that stern but angry father look to him. "It's unlike you to bully others, mostly little girls."
Alfred hid the stick behind his back and shuffled his knees together. "I was only playing pirates." He told innocently hopefully to win the cute side over with him.
"Pirate stories again!?" Cried out Francis. "Mon dieu! No wonder he is a so wild. You keep telling him those old pirate tales!"
"They aren't tales, they're real!" Alfred yelled and threw a stick at Francis.
The French turned his back holding Matthew close as the stick hit his back. "Hey!"
"Oi! Alfred!" Arthur yelled and went for his ear. "I won't be having any of that, young man!"
"No-OW! owowowowo!" Alfred cried as a hand tugged hard on his ear.
Arthur looked to the other kids. "I am deeply sorry, I'll punish him severely."
The British man dragged the loud crying boy back to the house with Francis in lead soothing Matthew in soft French, that he would not be in trouble. Alfred knew exactly what he would be getting, the switch.
"Ow! I'm sorry Arthur!" Cried the American nation as the thin stick known as a switch, whacked against his bare bottom. "I didn't mean to scare the girl really! I was playing pirates!" He begged as tears streamed down his red cheeks. Not as red as his butt cheeks though.
"That and?" Arthur questioned pausing.
Alfred knew what and kept quiet. This caused Arthur to hit again. "Ahh! I'm sorry for throwing the stick!"
"That's a good boy." Arthur told putting it down and letting Alfred off his lap as he rubbed his sore stinging bottom, carefully pulling his pants and shame back on.
Matthew watched feeling guilty only Alfred was punished and not him. Though, he was glad he wasn't given the switch this time.
Alfred wanted to glare Arthur but just sat bit away from him in the family room with puffed red cheeks, teary eyes, and giving a sniffle here and there. Francis was finishing in fixing Matthew's blanket watching it all. He was glad the boy was given that, but at times Arthur was a bit.. over done by his anger at times. Just wishing the wild child could be calm and gentlemen like Matthew.
Francis scoffed to himself, the English country may now be calm and relaxed, but when America's age he was just as wild and in trouble with his leaders.
"Alfred, we're not done here." He told sitting back in his chair after tossing the switch away. "I still want to explain something to you."
Alfred sniffled and looked over giving his attention but didn't want to be near him right now. "I said I was sorry."
Arthur nodded, "I understand, Alfred. I mean, the stories I've been telling you."
"What about them?" Matthew asked sitting on the floor by the warm brightly lit fireplace playing with Kumajiro.
"They are-"
"Horrid stories and should not hear anymore of them!" Francis exclaimed cutting Arthur off.
"It was my fault, let me tell them." He growled at him not wanting to break his inside voice.
The British nation cleared his throat and looked to the young boys. "Those stories, about me and my pirate days and stealing and plundering." They nodded. "..Well, It wasn't something you should be pretending. You really scared that girl, and we thought that boy was was going to hurt you."
"Why would he hurt us?" Alfred asked wiping his face as his voice cracked a bit.
"He was protecting his little sister, it's what older siblings do for younger. Like what you would do for your dear brother." Francis told easily nodding between the two.
"Protecting..? Like a good guy? Like those knight and king tales?" Alfred asked turning more towards his guardians.
Arthur nodded. "Precisely. It is a man's job to protect fair maidens and those weak." He smiled seeing Alfred was getting the concept.
Francis smiled. "So, when you approach a woman, you must give full respect to them and show great kindness. Never hurt a woman, to both of you."
Alfred pondered on their words, cupping his chin in thought. A spark of a word appeared, he grinned widely and stood exclaimed. "I'll be a hero!"
The eyes shot to the blond American seeing him grinning huge again, his blue sky eyes sparkled. The boy managed to ignore the stinging as he stood straight with hands on his hips feeling proud of his statement.
Arthur smiled and laughed a bit, "Yes, you be the hero Alfred." He encouraged. "Protect the people of the weak and be their hero."
Alfred felt proud of Arthur's encouraging words. Little did the British nation know how much he would regret doing so in later years...