Soft blue skies (countryhumans revolutionary war)

rain

Britain watched his oldest son, Canada, walk up the stone path leading to their house. He was wearing a jacket that wasn't his, and wearing a dopey smile on his face. It was one in the morning, and there was no sign of 13 around him.

"Where have you been? Have you found 13 yet?" That was Britain's welcome.

Canada shook his head, sending small droplets flying, and then responded with his own question.

"Have you sent for France yet?"

Britain nodded in response.

"I sent it to the post office two hours ago."

Acadia poked her head out from behind the wall separating the living room and the kitchen. It was clear that she didn't want to go with her mother, France, and that she wanted to stay with her father, Britain, instead.

She didn't say anything, and just stared at them both with the yellow eyes she inherited from her mother.

"Bonjour, Acadia." Britain turned to face his daughter.

Acadia snapped back into the kitchen very quickly. It was as if she had never been there.

The sounds of her footsteps upstairs were blocked by the pouring rain.

He sighed. "Confederate's worried about his brother, Canada. You should go talk to him."

Canada nodded, and climbed the staircase that lead to the second floor.

Britain walked into the living room, and took out the jar of ink, and a quill. The feather was of a European robin, and it was slightly battered.

"I've got to get a new quill," muttered Britain. "This one's a little off."

Quill scratched on parchment as inky words bloomed from the tip. 

Britain couldn't buy a new quill, not yet at least. 

He was in severe debt, and needed more money to pay it off.

There was also nobody he could ask for money. He was all alone.

"And I impose these tea taxes on the citizens of the 13 colonies..."

The words he was writing spilled out of his mouth. He didn't want to tax anyone at all. 

But he was out of money. And he needed the money to pay off his debts to the people who built his ships and guns.

And after he paid off his debts? He would go to war with France again. It seemed that he would eternally be in a war with his ex-wife.

The two of them had been married for years and years, but arguments between the two of them were common.

The last straw was when Britain had fallen in love with his sister-in-law, Spain.

They had an affair for two years, that had ended with Confederate and 13 being born.

Fortunately, Portugal, her husband, had been away at the time, and Spain's own children had been too young to remember them being born. 

The only one who could possibly remember was The Netherlands, her prisoner, who used his knowledge of the affair to blackmail Spain into giving him his independence. 

The bond between Britain and France was broken on the day that Spain showed up at their doorstep, holding the twins in her arms.

The words said between them still haunted him.

It was a rainy day, like today. 

"Spain! What are you doing there?" France seemed overjoyed at the sight of her sister- until she saw the children, that is.