Chapter 11
Alfred sat up bolted upright in his hammock bed panting heavily. The room was dark but he could hear someone moving in their own bed by the rustling of their bed clothes. Since only he and Mexico shared the room it could have only been Mexico who moved. Not that Alfred was giving all this much thought, he was still trying to regain his breath and calm his shaking.
"¿Qué es Alfred mal? Was it the dream again?" asked a sleepy Mexico
Alfred nodded in the darkness. Naturally Mexico couldn't see him nodding, but the Mexican waited patiently. Alfred took a deep breath, prayed silently to a higher power that his voice didn't betray his fear and sadness and decided to tell Mexico about it.
"Yeah. I saw all my uncles and fathers ships go up in flames. Then my twin brother was crying. I kept trying to reach him but I couldn't. I could hear him calling my name, but I couldn't see him anywhere." Alfred told Mexico trying his best to sound brave.
"You have a twin hermano?" asked a surprised Mexico
"I think so. I dunno." Was the unclear reply.
Alfred was aware that he probably sounded like an idiot. Who didn't know if they had a brother or not? Still he was pretty sure it wasn't just a dream. If he asked his father about his brother would he know? Perhaps all this had something to do with his father's magic. He didn't believe in magic, but he had seen his father pull off some strange stuff. Could the reason he didn't know be because his father had cast a spell wrong?
Mexico sighed. Alfred was making strange sounds. Mexico concluded that this must be because of the stress he was putting on his poor brain as it wasn't use to being forced to think deeply. He leapt nimbly from his bed and opened the cabin door. The light coming from the sky lit by the dawn flooded the room in an orange glow. As Mexico glared out to sea he let out a gasp.
Alfred's interest was piqued and he jumped out of bed to look at what Mexico was looking at. When he arrived next to Mexico's side he realized that he was looking at nothing. All around the ship was empty sea. For awhile he couldn't think why Mexico was reacting like he had. Then it hit him. His uncles where gone!
"They've abandoned me!" cried Alfred
In truth the British navy hadn't abandoned Alfred. His uncles where standing on the deck of the Black Thorn with Arthur and Francis. At first Arthurs brothers had rushed forward with the intention of taking Arthur prisoner and then forcing him into a noose. Hanging a nation was a lot more fun than hanging a human as they just came back to life afterwards to be killed again. Each time they came back they would be weaker which was exactly what Arthurs brothers wanted.
However before their bloodlust was satisfied Francis and Matthew stepped forward and the siblings froze. Arthur noted this with interest and wondered if they knew anything about the secret that the other nations where hiding from him.
"As you can see the three of us are together." Arthur waved a hand at Francis and Matthew as he bluffed
"Is tha sae? Sae yer spell has been broken then?" Iain asked
Arthur raised an eyebrow. Spell? He had done something to make him forget Francis and Mathew? Why? Iain unfortunately saw the arched eyebrow, the size of Arthurs eyebrows made it hard to miss it, and sneered. Arthur chose to ignore him and get to the more important issue.
" Right, anyway, It's time for the Spanish Armada to fall to its knees. I propose we do this together as Antonio has attacked our family directly, and no one, absolutely no one, messes with the Kirkland family! We may try and kill each other, but like hell will I allow an outsider to try and hurt any of you. " Arthur hissed
"Aww I didn't know you cared so much Albion." Teased Connor
"shut it!" Snapped Tristan
Arthur rolled his eyes. After explaining the importance of the red flags with the cross on them to his brothers he left and walked to his cabin. He knew that Wales and Ireland would help, mostly because they liked Alfred somewhat. Scotland was difficult. He always seemed to harbour a grudge against Alfred so it was hard to tell if he would aid Arthur in his efforts.
Arthur grabbed a bottle of rum from the liquor cabinet and took a large swig from the bottle. When the bottle was half empty a drunk Arthur could be found with his feet on his desk, one eye closed and his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth as he aimed a throwing knife at the target on the back of his door. The door was covered in knives and he slung the knife he was holding as the door opened. A shocked Francis lept back, narrowly escaping the blade. Arthur laughed.
"Oui, very funny. " Sighed Francis
Arthur shrugged and clumsily reached for the bottle of alcohol. He took a large mouthful from it as Francis inched slowly into the room well aware of the remaining knives on Arthurs desk near his hand. Once he was closer to Arthur he sat on his desk and wrinkled his nose.
"You're drunk." Stated Francis
"Nothing gets past you does it frog?" Arthur replied with a hiccup which Francis found kind of cute.
"Is it a common occurrence?" Asked Francis unfazed by Arthurs rudeness
"It is when my brothers come to visit. Hey Francis? Can you keep a secret?" Arthur said suddenly becoming serious and his eyes widening
Francis's mouth twitched as if he was trying hard not to laugh. Arthur didn't care. In his mind what he had to say was of utter most importance.
"Of course mon cher, what is it?" Francis asked
"I think I may love you. That or you put a spell on me, which of course is completely possible." Arthur said matter of factly
Francis blinked and Arthur looked at him and sighed. Oh heck, Francis was French he probably didn't understand him or something. Being French he was probably a little slow in the head as well. Still Arthur decided it couldn't be helped that he was born French and decided he loved him anyway. He offered Francis the bottle of rum as the poor bloke looked like he needed it.
"Excuse me?" Francis said slowly in perfect English accepting the bottle.
Arthur's face fell. Surely Francis, who had been flirting with him all this time, would be happy to hear about Arthurs emotions for him. Unless...
"Hey frog, you have commitment issues don't you?" Arthur asked bluntly
Francis spat out the rum he had tried to swallow as he choked on it. He looked at Arthur while spluttering slightly. Arthur looked at him expectantly.
"Non! I am the-erm from the country de la amour!" Francis cried out
"Then you won't mind if I do this." Arthur said
Arthur stood up from his desk chair, and with amazing speed and grace for a very drunk man, wrapped himself around Francis and kissed him on the lips. Those lips. Arthur was going to find out just what Francis put on them to make them taste so good. Arthur deepened the kiss and was delighted to find Francis respond so readily.
" So Frog what do you have to say now?" panted Arthur once the kiss had been broken so that they could breath
Francis held Arthur loosely in one of his arms and ran his fingers through Arthur's short scruffy blonde hair. Arthur sighed.
"I think I love you as well Arthur." Francis replied
" Good, because I love you." Arthur told Francis
However just as Arthur said that an feeling like something warm running from their heads to their toes fell upon both men. Before either could say anything memories flashed before their eyes. A young blonde haired boy wearing a green traveling cloak, a teenager with long blonde hair and blue eyes wearing something like a dress as well as numerous of battles where each other tried to kill each other. Some memories held the two laughing together, drinking, dancing, riding horses, and some memories held things that made Arthur blush. But the most staggering memory of all was two identical baby boys. Both Francis and Arthur knew who those twin boys where, Alfred and Matthew. Matthew had been right, he had had a twin brother all along.
Francis and Arthur stood gasping as the flood of images and emotions filled their minds. They remembered everything, though right now some things where a bit hazy as they tried to organize the oncoming flood in their minds. One thing was certain though, Francis was a nation and he and England had had two sons together. That was what the huge scar on Arthurs abdomen was from. It was from the c-section he had to have. Unconsciously Arthur placed a hand on it. Francis noticed the sudden movement but seemed to be too distraught to make sense of it.
"Ow could you Angelterre? You erased all of our sons memories and ours of them! What kind of monster are you?" Francis, who was really France, said as he staggered to the door.
"Wait Francis! I had to-" Started Arthur but the door slammed shut in his face.
Arthur scrambled to fling the door open and follow Francis, if only Francis would remember the reasoning for the spell. Arthur walked with an amazing speed that was almost a jog. As he was about to turn the corner he paused as he heard voices. Instead he crept quietly and peered around the corner.
The sight that greeted him almost made him cry out. His elder brother Scotland was holding Francis in his arms while Francis was sobbing. Arthur had almost forgotten how easily the Frenchman cried. He remembered that in the past he had seen him crying over ruined clothes and what he deemed hopeless situations, which of course weren't. Arthur watched as his brother soothingly stroked Francis's hair.
"Ah ken, ah ken. He is a monster. He has forgotten how tae be civil. Why don't ye help me put an end tae his wee game? We could secretly capture him and make him give up his pirate ways and ye can have the ol Albion back. He is a faither now, so he should give up on such reckless actions." Scotland said slyly
Arthur felt his heart scatter into tiny pieces as Francis nodded. Francis had stopped crying and Arthur found himself wondering if the tears where actually crocodile tears to get Scotland's pity. Arthur grit his teeth together as he watched his brother flirt shamelessly with Francis, who being Francis reacted with his own flirtatious actions.
Deciding he couldn't bare to watch anymore, Arthur turned on his heel and quietly marched into his cabin and slammed the door. He turned to see his older twin brother Tristain, or Wales, sitting on his chair. As soon as he saw him he quickly attempted to wipe away any tears that had escaped on the journey back to his cabin. Tristain saw them and rose from his chair with concern. He may dislike Arthur, but they where brothers and the two were pretty close not that either admitted it.
"Albion?" Tristain said gently using the nickname his brothers had given Arthur
"Cymru, do you still have the extra gun powder on board your ship?" Asked Arthur using Tristain's nickname.
Tristain froze. Arthur no longer looked helpless and miserable. He stood straight and tall, his eyes shine with an evil cold gleam and his expression was that of an mad man finding amusement in something terrible. Tristain held back a shudder. He had known Arthur all his life, and knew that whatever or whoever had caused such an expression from Arthur must have hurt him deeply.
"Yes I have it."
Notes:
Ok sorry its taking me so long to write this and that the last few chapters have been so mushy. However now the mushy side story is over! It's been taking so long to write because I have 10 hr work days, and when I do sit down to write my sweet little ferret Zanny pulls on my pants to get me to play. How can I say no to her?
Historical notes:
France and Scotland's relationship is due to the Auld Alliance. The Auld Alliance was created between the two after England beat them up. In history the two countries called upon the Auld alliance and used the armada as a distraction so that they could sneak up on England while the English where protecting themselves from the Spanish.
Wales and England: The Welsh helped the English out by keeping watch for the Armada. They actually spotted them. Wales and England have been together the longest out of all the British nations. Wales was forced to "live" with England after he defeated him during Henry V's time. That was a long time ago and was also around the same time the Auld alliance was created.
Feel free to correct me if I have screwed up the historical facts.