Part two is here!
When I first woke up I was cold. I remember looking around and seeing nothing but white. I got to my feet and began walking. I don't know why I choose to go in the direction I had chosen but I was glad I had when I saw people working in the distance. I hurried to them, stumbling a few times as the cold was making it very difficult to move. Eventually I made it to where the people were and tiredly fell to the ground looking up as some of them looked at me in surprise. I heard a few shouting and noticed one run off to where some boats were pulled up on the shore. Despite my shivering I was left alone, except for the looks, until two people came from the boats. One of them pick me up and looked me over with a wide grin. I heard him talk to the other one, who seemed to have a sour look on his face. I didn't understand what they were saying right away then the one that had picked me up lifted the bottom of my shirt. I squirmed as the cold air reached my exposed lower regions. The one holding me made what I assumed was a disappointed sound before tucking me under his arm and taking me to a tent set up beside the boats that I hadn't noticed before. He spoke to the other with us, both ignoring me. When we got into the tent I was shoved at a tall man with a scowl on his face. He took me and mumbled something before setting me on a pile of furs and stripping me. He seemed surprised as I sat there shivering in the cold, completely exposed before he shrugged and pulled out some clothes and helping me to put them on. I thought I caught a look of pity through his glare and really found myself wishing I spoke their language.
Several days later I found out why I kept getting looks of disappointment and pity from the men around me. I was a girl and they were all men. They had been hoping when I was found that I would be a boy, which would make the journey more fruitful for them. But as I was a girl they were beginning to lose hope that this land I represented would be worth their time. Eventually they left. All of them. It didn't matter to them that leaving me behind would lead to my death in their eyes, I may not have known much but I understood that much. Angry, I cursed and shouted at their retreating sails. I vowed to myself on that beach that I would prove to them that just because I was a girl I was not worthless.
After I made that vow I struggled to survive in the cold and desolate lands I laid claim to. I met a spirit named Nanuq, he showed me how to hunt, how to build shelter. He taught me to survive.
I have lost track of the time I spent by myself in the wilds of my land with only Nanuq to keep me company but one day while I was near the shore I saw large boats with white sails approaching. I stiffened at seeing them, thinking the ones that abandoned me had returned at last. But the boats did not come ashore, they stayed out where the water was deep while smaller boats were sent ashore. These men were not dressed as the others had been and I grew curious. I ventured forth and one of the men approached me. He spoke to me in a soft voice, a lilting language. I did not understand what he was saying but he seemed nice enough. He extended a hand to me and I took it. He seemed to order several of his men to explore the area as he helped me into the small boat before we were heading back to the large boat. When we got there he took me to a large room on the boat, closing the door behind us. He hadn't spoken directly to me since we had met but now he was studying me before pulling out some clothes from a chest, he laid them on the bed before turning to me and extending his hand. He spoke softly and kindly but I shied away. I didn't want him to learn that I was a girl. He was being so nice to me, I didn't want him to leave me like the others had. He seemed to grow confused by my sudden shyness before glancing at the clothes then back at me. Nodding he walked to the door and locked it, he covered the windows and lit a candle to chase back the darkness. Then he began to strip himself of his clothes and I saw his form melt away with the layers of clothing. Soft curves were exposed first followed by small but pert breasts as wrappings were released. I saw that what I thought was a man was a woman. She was hiding herself from men, I assumed for the same reasons I had for being scared of her finding me out. she pulled her clothes back on and I ran to embrace her. I cried onto her shoulder, muttering about mt suffering. She simply held me and muttered into the top of my head in that soft lilting language.
I quickly was able to learn her language and we shared with each other our stories. she was shocked to learn about my encounter with the others. She said she knew who they were but that she hadn't known they had made it this far West. She also was able to answer for me how long it had been since they were here. 500 years, at least. After I had shared my history she told me hers. I wept with her when she told me about her daughter. I vowed to help her fight against this England person and that I would always hate him for what he had done. Truth was, her stories about him left me shaking in fear. I was scared that he would come for me in the dead of night and burn me as he had done Jeanne.
Papa, that is what she had me call her, had me dress in boys' clothes to hide me from others like us and so her people would treat me with respect. I didn't mind much, I quickly grew to love the freedom of being a boy. Papa was so kind and took very good care of me, she always made sure I wanted for nothing, I admit I was spoiled. A part of me wondered if she treated me so well because she saw her daughter in me, but one day she showed me a picture of her daughter and I realized we looked nothing alike. One day I did ask though and she laughed, she told me she saw herself in me and wanted to give me every advantage she never had.
Which is why when england beat her in a bid for my lands I was devastated. I was forced to go with the one being that always haunted my nightmares. Papa gave me one last hug, promising to never give up on taking me back from England. She whispered to me to be careful and to always be strong for her. I nodded and held my head high as England grabbed my hand and dragged me away. I shed not a tear for my Papa. I trusted her to win me back, until then I would give England hell.
England took me South to a port city named Boston. There he introduced me to my brother, America. The boy looked slightly older than me but I knew he was not. Papa had told me about him and we both knew he was younger than me. America was very energetic and happy to meet. He babbled on and on about whatever came to mind while I listened quietly. I saw England give the boy a soft look and smile. When America asked about what was for dinner and called England his father it was then an idea began to take form in my mind. England enjoyed taking things from Papa, but what if he lost something precious to him.
I began to plot. I didn't want to hurt America, he was innocent in this fight, so I couldn't attack him. However as I was staying with America I began to hear whispers among his people. Whispers of disgruntlement towards how they were being treated. I began to fan those flames while England only added more fuel to the fire. More taxes on America's people while my own benefitted. Eventually war was declared and I was sent back North. I was there to watch England break when America broke away from him and it gave me a sick sort of satisfaction to see the powerful man on his knees and in tears.
Once he had earned his independence America asked me to join him. I was very tempted to go with him but then I thought of the promise I had made to myself to make England suffer for Papa. Instead of accepting America's offer I wrote a letter and asked him to give it to France for me. He looked at me curiously and I just smiled at him and told him it would be easy for me to act as a spy for him and keep tabs on what England was doing. He was surprised by my offer but smiled and accepted it. He delivered my letter to France as well as a sign of good faith.
With that years seemed to fly by. I began my subtle war against England. I fed information to America and others that were England's enemies. They never knew it was me that was feeding them this information but regardless they used it. My hatred for the English simmered as I slowly worked myself from his grasp, gaining my independence in a slow but steady manner. I watched as England crumbled at the loss of his other colonies. Gleefully I watched as his power dwindled, knowing my hand in it. Eventually the twentieth century came and with it a great war. The Great War. I was forced to fight for England. I didn't want to but I took that anger out on our enemies. I made demands of England for my soldiers, eventually he had no choice but to give into them. We won the war, but at such a great price.
When things began to settle England approached his remaining colonies and told us we would be granted independence upon the completion of our constitutions. Apparently it was too expensive to continue to support each of us when England himself was so ravaged by the war. When no one was looking I smirked. I could take my time in writing that constitution and drag this whole thing out.
The Great Depression struck and the whole world suffered for it. War broke out in Europe once more. When the Axis set their sights on Papa I was livid. I joined in and fought like a monster, I left Germans quaking in fear in my wake. I didn't mind that the other Allies didn't seem to realize I was a part of them. I was never really at meeting because I was always out fighting with my people. When the war was won and the Allies the victors I slipped back into the shadows of history. I found myself stepping out once in a while but I found it suited my needs more to be 'invisible' to the rest of the world.
Hope you all liked this, please review and if you were lost by the whole France thing in this one please go read 'France' as it is part one to this.