The years spent with Arthur and Alfred were Matilda's happiest. She was the center of their world. Alfred stayed near her when Arthur had to leave the North Americans to see to his empire, protecting her from whatever harms might come their way. And when Arthur could he would be there doting on her. She was never lonely and she felt loved and cared for.

Then Arthur began to set heavy taxes on Alfred and his people and they grew disgruntled. They began to rebel and cause trouble for Arthur. Matilda watched as Alfred and Arthur began to argue more often and more heatedly. She began to shut herself up in her room during these moments to shut out the shouting. When all out war began between the two Matilda felt torn. on the one hand she truly loved and cared for Alfred, he was her brother and constant companion. He was the one that kept her safe and played with her while they waited for Arthur to return from his business trips. But Arthur, Arthur had taken her in and given her everything and more than she had ever longed for when she was Matthieu. In the end she choose to pack her bags and leave the home she had shared with Alfred. The house was technically his and in his lands, so it only made sense that she would leave it if she choose Arthur over Alfred.

The war erupted at her decision and Arthur took Matilda back to his London home until things with Alfred were settled. When the revolution was won and Alfred was independent she was taken by Arthur to the signing of the Treaty of Paris. She was terrified when Arthur told her he had lost and she was to come with him to the signing of the treaty as per her brother's wishes. She was scared that Arthur was giving her up just as Papa had. Dressing in her best dress and making sure her long hair was done nicely she accompanied Arthur to Paris.

When the two reached the city and were led to the building where the treaty was to be signed Matilda's breath hitched in her throat. There was her Papa. She had heard that he had been helping Alfred but she didn't think she would see him here. She shrank into herself at his curious gaze when she entered.

"Canada?"

"Oui, Papa."

There was a pause all about them as France took in the girl before him, brows furrowing in confusion.

"I am sorry that I never noticed what a flower you were. Come. Your brother has a question for you before things can be concluded here."

Matilda let loose a silent breath at how quickly France had accepted that she was now a girl. She had been worried that he would make a fuss about her attire and demand to know why his little Matthieu was dressed as a girl. Maybe Alfred had told him about her. Either way it didn't matter as she followed her Papa into the room and to the table set up for the signing.

"Mattie! I hope England's been treating you well and not been making you eat his horrid cooking."

"My cooking is not horrid you insufferable git!"

"He hello Alfred. I... Congratulations I suppose."

"Hey, hey. Don't look so sad about it. I know I'm leaving Arthur, but that doesn't mean I have to leave you too. You're my sister and if you want, you can come back and live with me. I know you went with England when everything started and you were probably safer going to London during all of that but now." At this Alfred stepped forward and took her hand in his, smiling that big happy smile that always made her feel safe when they were small, "But now you can come back with me, we can be independent together. Free of England and together, the way it was always meant to be. Just the two of us."

Matilda's eyes widen and she glances between Alfred and Arthur and France. Her brother looked happy and excited, hopeful even as he expected her to say she would go with him. Arthur would not meet her eyes and just looked down and to the side, though she could see his fists clenching tightly and the slight shake to his frame that showed how upset he was. She knew he was scared she would leave him too from just that. Lastly she looked to France, her Papa. He looked eager, hunger was burning in his eyes and not just directed at her, but at Alfred as well. He was doing something and even though she knew it was something she didn't fully understand why or what. But she knew that if she went with Alfred there would be no escaping France and no escaping the pain of her past with him.

Sadly she shakes her head and removes her hand from Alfred's before walking over to stand before Arthur.

"Big Brother?" He looks up at her, slightly surprised to see her standing before him, though hurt was seeping into his green eyes as he assumed the worst. "This is my choice correct? I get to decide who I stay with?"

Swallowing thickly Arthur nods. "Yes love. This is solely your decision."

"I see, then I would like very much to stay with you Arthur. You've always been so kind to me and while I love Alfred and will certainly miss him I still would like to stay with you."

Stunned silence fills the room before a soft chocked sob breaks it and Arthur pulls the young colony into a solid embrace. He breaks down then and sobs into the shoulder of his charge and she returns his embrace, holding him and comforting him.

"Mon cheri. I do not understand. Why would you want to stay with l'Angleterre? Surely you would rather stay with your brother?"

Matilda looks up to take in France and Alfred. France is pouting like a child who has just been told he can't have a specific toy while Alfred seems confused, not understanding why she is staying with Arthur after everything he had just been through.

Once Arthur had calmed down the treaty was signed and Arthur and Matilda left for London.

"I suppose I will need to build you a new house in Canada since you can not return to your brother's house after this."

Matilda bites her lip in worry. "I can not stay with you Brother?"

Arthur lets out a sigh. "I, you will still need a house in Canada, even if you are staying with me. I can't very well leave by yourself there, but you need to be able to stay there to keep your lands healthy. It was fine for you to not have your own house when you were staying with Alfred. His was close enough to your land to keep your connection strong. Don't worry love, we'll work it out somehow."

And somehow they did. Arthur built her a lovely house. It was everything she could ask for. Most of the time though she was with Arthur, visiting his other colonies or going with him to London. Every now and then he would have to leave her in her Canadian home, but it was never for more than a few weeks while he saw to some business elsewhere in her lands. It didn't bother her since she knew he would be back for her soon.

It was during one of these times that war was once again threatened. Arthur brought word back with him that Alfred, America, had declared war on Canada and the British Empire. Arthur told Matilda to stay in her home in York while he went to the front lines and fought for her. Not long after that word reached her of the war with France at the same time and a terrible sense of foreboding filled her. Arthur did not leave her front lines, even though his forces were loosing. When the fighting reached York Matilda was able to see the fighting and saw Alfred and Arthur face off against one another. She watched as Alfred beat Arthur back until the American forces had taken the city. She watched from her window as he set fire to her capitol and marched on her home with a small squadron of soldiers. She barricaded herself into Arthur's room when she heard them breaking down the door and grabbed for the cutlass he kept above his bed. she had never been shown how to fight or defend herself. As a girl why should she need to, she would always have Arthur or someone there to defend her. Suddenly Matilda wondered if ridding herself of Matthieu was a good idea if it led to her being so unable to fight back. And when Alfred and his men began to break down her last barrier Matilda decided that it wasn't enough to be noticed if it was because she was defenseless. It wasn't enough to live solely as a girl when she could do nothing for her people who screamed for her to fight with them. And she decided that there were times when she would need to be more than she could be as a girl and fight. At that moment the door was broken down and Alfred stepped into the room Matilda raised the blade with both hands and held it pointed at him. Her feet spread and the hilt near her shoulder she was ready and she sent her brother her fiercest glare.

"Do not come any closer America!"

Alfred stopped in his tracks and looked at her in shock. Wasn't this supposed to be his sweet innocent little sister? What had happened to make her suddenly be so angry with him? She should have been happy, happy to be liberated from England.

"Mattie, come on. Put the sword down. We'll go home and it will be just like old times."

"No. Where's Arthur? What have you done to him?"

Frowning Alfred takes a step further but Matilda holds her ground and holds the blade more threateningly. "Come on sis. Why are you worried about that old bastard anyway? I know he had to have told you what to say in Paris. That was supposed to be your choice but I know he someone kept it from really being yours. But you can come with me now and it can be just the two of us."

"I don't want that! I want to stay with Arthur! He's been good to me. I can't just leave him. You don't see what your war with him has done to him. How often he cries himself to sleep because of you. I won't leave him too, I won't. I won't cause him that kind of pain when he was the first person to care about me and love me. He stayed and fought for me even when his own people were fighting someone much more threatening to him. Do you know that France has declared war on him as well? And despite that he stayed to protect me and make sure that I was safe. So just leave already, leave. I've given you my decision. I've given it to you twice now so just leave me in peace."

Matilda was red faced at her short speech. She had let out all her pent up anger in that small rant and she watched Alfred through violet eyes as he raised his rifle at her.

"If that is your choice, then I'm sorry. My boss wants you to join me and if you won't come peacefully then I will have to force you. I can't have England using you to stage an invasion. Come along then, and drop the sword."

Matilda feels her anger grow at how Alfred is treating her. She knew she was a viewed as a girl and as such was not expected to be able to defend herself, but Matilda knew what she really was and despite hiding it that did not make her weak. Refusing to back down she rushes at Alfred with the sword raised and swings it, knocking the rifle from his shocked hands. With a cry she swings her fist and catches him square in the jaw before bolting past the shocked soldiers and into the burning streets of her city. It hurt to do what she did but it had to be done. Even by force she could not allow herself to be taken from Arthur, not when they both needed each other.

She searched the city for him and after an hour of searching managed to find him. He was surprised to see her carrying his cutlass but said nothing of it given the circumstances. The two then fled into the forests and sought out the remnants of Arthur's troops. They watched as the American forces pulled out of York before fully regrouping. Arthur left Matilda in a farmhouse not far from York and told her to stay there and remain safe. She put up some protest at this but was unable to convince Arthur to let her fight with him. Arthur left to go and try to fight Alfred's forces. Matilda found that the farmhouse had been abandoned as the American troops marched on York. A young man must have lived there before the war as she found his clothes. Coming to the conclusion that the only reason Arthur wouldn't let her fight was because she was a girl in his mind she stripped out of her dress and dressed in the boys clothes. They fit rather well and if she tied her hair at the nape of her neck rather than in pigtails then she could pass as a boy. But being dressed as a boy wasn't enough. She needed to be a boy, which meant using a boy's name. She could use Matthieu, but it was so French and she had good reasons for not wanting to associate with the French at the time. Thinking about it for a short moment she decided to use the English version of the name and began to call herself Matthew.

Leaving Matilda in the farmhouse Matthew made his way in the direction that he had last seen the British led Canadian troops go and was able to catch up to them quickly. Shortly after he joined the fight the tides of the battle shifted and the Canadians had the Americans on the run. Matthew was an inspiration to the men fighting alongside him. He had been so green when he first joined up with them but had learned quickly and was soon one of their best riflemen. Matthew wasn't helpless when his men went to war and fought for him like Matilda had been, he was right out there fighting with them. And somehow just over a year after the burning of York Matthew was in the forces that marched on Washington. He was handed a torch and helped set the city ablaze. He watched as the president's house turned black with soot and flame. He had re-payed the debt he owed Alfred for burning his capitol and now it would be over. When word reached the troops that America was surrendering Matthew was already gone. He had to be Matilda for the signing of the treaty and so Matilda he would be.

XXXXXXXX

Maple that was a long chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed this and I hope it wasn't too confusing. I'm trying to use a similar style as what I used in Confession with the pronouns used to describe Canada. And to clear it up, no he does not have split personalities. But depending on the situation he is going to either think of himself as a shel, Matilda, or a he, Matthew. Either way it doesn't change that Canada knows he is a boy and I hope this isn't just confusing you more. Review please!