Alejandro: Nueva España and Las Islas Filipinas (Part 1)

A/N

I just love calling Mexico Kuya Nueva.

Nueva España and Las Islas Filipinas were both discovered by Spain in the 1500s. After colonies were formed, Spain established a galleon trade between Manila, Las Islas Filipinas and Acapulco, Nueva España. This was the start of a strong friendship between the two countries. After Mexico broke free of Spain's reign, the newly sovereign state assisted the Philippines to do the same which contributed to the ongoing Philippine Revolution. Nowadays, the Philippines and Mexico are very similar in traditions, cultures, and practices because of the Manila-Acapulco Trade. Maria and Jandro also love TV dramas, although the latter rarely admits it.

Mexico OC (Alejandro Carriedo Hernandez): first name is based on the character in DamageCtrl's UKPH fic "A Bedtime Story (England x Philippines)" in Wattpad, which got me onto the UKPH ship in the first place. I recommend it to other UKPH shippers, although I must rate it M. You have been warned.

Brunei Darussalam OC (Zafran Abdullah Muhammad) by: Mr-Brunei-Darussalam of deviantart

P.S. Please give me suggestions because I'm seriously running out of ideas.

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A boy with unruly dark hair and tanned skin slept peacefully as the bells of the nearby cathedral tolled, indicating the seventh hour of the day. For a child looking no more than nine years of age, he slept peacefully; fatigue and days of voyaging had taken its toll. Chocolate brown eyes hid behind his thick, dark lashes as the tropical sun streamed down from the slightly open window onto his bed. Suddenly –

"Nuevaaaa! Come down and meet your new hermana!"

Alejandro awoke to the somewhat annoying tone of his Spanish 'father', Antonio Carriedo, the conquistador. He stumbled out of his bed, disoriented upon finding himself in a room not his own, and remembering that it was prepared for his arrival. Antonio had demanded that he sail with his traders to Asia as the former had high hopes in his newly built colony. If Alejandro recalled the contents of the letter his Papa sent him correctly, this new land was a large part of what Antonio called the Spanish East Indies. With that said, Alejandro travelled alongside his merchant traders with the finest goods and produce his country could provide and he had reached the shores of Las Islas Filipinas last night. Antonio, upon seeing his 'son', ushered him to his home and led him straight into bed; he was, after all, still a young country.

"Alejandro Carriedo, you come down here right now! Andalé!" Antonio's voice cut through his thoughts and he hurriedly put on his clothes. Alejandro was dying to examine this new home, with large, sturdy wooden doors and shining, wood-paneled floors, but instead he hastily made his way out of the room and down the first staircase he saw, leaving the bed in complete disarray.

As he waited downstairs for his 'son', Antonio felt Maria's hand clutch his tighter. He could tell she was nervous. She was adorable, even if she did look like a boy when he found her accidentally. In his defense, she was pointing a spear to his face and she was covered in dirt, dried leaves, and mud; females in his country do not do such savage things. It was a good choice, Antonio surmised, to make her wear more feminine clothes from his country. He could not imagine how such a small country survived by herself in such a dangerous place. He would have to make sure she is taught to be civilized if he wanted to present her to the world –

"You called, Papa?" Alejandro skipped the last few steps down the narra staircase and landed a few feet from Antonio and Maria. While Maria hid further behind her Papa, Antonio simply glared at the boy. "Jandro! That is not a good example for your hermana! You had better be more careful."

"Sí, Papa. Lo siento." Alejandro inclined his head, trying to look like he was ashamed. He then turned to the girl hiding behind his adoptive father. Maria, noticing Jandro's eyes shift towards her, shielded herself more behind Antonio.

Antonio placed a hand on Maria's head and gently told her to come forward. Maria left her hiding spot from behind him and faced Alejandro apprehensively. Antonio did not seem to notice. "Nueva, this is Maria Clara. This is her country, and she will be your hermana from now on. I won't be here very often, so I want you to take care of her in my place, lo entiendes?"

Alejandro merely nodded as he scrutinized the Asian country. Her air was so unlike that of his sisters; he supposed it must be because she was from the other half of the known world. Her hair was a dark brown, almost black even, and she had wide, clear brown eyes and a tanned complexion. She seemed to be almost his age, or at least slightly younger, and was also a few inches shorter than him. A crown of small, white, fragrant flowers adorned her head and a cross, similar to the ones Antonio had given him and his siblings when he adopted them, hung from her neck.

Maria shifted uncomfortably under Alejandro's gaze. His eyes were so scrutinizing; this was coupled with his thoughtful frown which Maria assumed was due to her inadequacies as a country.

Right before Alejandro's and Antonio's eyes, Maria burst into tears, crying for people she called Ate Nesia, Ate Malaya, and Zafran. Alarmed and sligtly sympathetic to her current state, Alejandro rushed forward and held her hands in his, "Maria, hermana, don't cry! I'm sorry if I scared you – I did not mean to. Lo siento, Maria." He hugged her and started stroking her hair as her sobs dwindled down.

Antonio watched the scene unfold and it warmed his heart that his underlings could get along so wonderfully. Nueva, he decided, was going to be the best big brother for his youngest daughter.

"Kuya Nueva?" Maria had finally stopped crying, and although her eyes were still red her spirits had somewhat lifted. As Alejandro let her go, Maria acknowledged that she would not be seeing her family for a very long time, but at least she was sure that Ate Nesia, Ate Malaya, and Zafran would think her in capable hands with a big brother like her Kuya Nueva. "Papa told me all about your dances while you were still asleep. Will you teach me? I love dancing."

"Of course, hermana," Jandro replied, smiling down on her new and only little sister, "but you shall have to tour me around your country first in exchange."

Maria beamed and held out her hand, "What are we waiting for, then? Tara!"

Alejandro took her hand and she dragged him along laughing, leaving Antonio Carriedo alone in the exquisitely furnished living room. As he watched his two underlings play, he realized he would not have it any other way. Las Islas Filipinas and Nueva España were now partners in crime.