Soft blue skies (countryhumans revolutionary war)

nervous

Vermont sipped the tea from the cup, participating in the conversation circulating between the other people at the tea shop.

She had finished her shopping, and was stopping in at the local shop for a quick cup of tea. The tea they made there was always perfect.

Vermont had a hunch that the people were revolutionaries, not that it bothered her at all. She was happy to find people rooting for freedom, but she felt a slight amount of guilt for going against her father. 

Even though she had been raised to hate her father with every fibre of her being, she couldn't punch back the feelings of regret and the knowledge that she was betraying a member of her own family.

She sighed.

It was still early in the morning, and she had nothing to do today. 

She had managed to get the states to do the chores they had been putting off for so long, and it was Maryland's day to cook. 

Maybe today she could go for a walk, and pick wild berries to make into a pie.

No. That wouldn't work. She had banned the others from berry consumption after Massachusetts smeared the raspberries she had last picked all over the walls.

Suddenly, something interesting happened.

Two redcoats, one of which she recognized as Wales, burst into the tea shop.

"Alright, colony scum! Where are the weapons?"

Vermont choked on her tea, spitting it out with such force that the teacup developed a crack.

"Psst. Scotland." Wales tapped the other redcoat on the shoulder.

Scotland growled. "What now?"

Wales looked around, her nervous side showing in all its glory. "England meant the other tea shop."

"I don't care!" The Scottish woman snapped, slapping Wales's green hand away. Wales whimpered, and nodded. "Yes, boss."

Wales wasn't the only nervous one. Vermont had helped hide the weapons in the hidden compartment of this very tea shop, and had a very good reason to be shaking like a madman.

"Search everywhere!" Scotland hollered, flipping over a table.

The people at that table gasped in shock, rushing out of the tea shop.

Vermont's green hands fidgeted. She hid them in the folds of her skirt and bit her lip, trying to drown out her fear with the pain of sharp teeth against the soft tissue of the inside of her mouth.

Scotland continued to trash the shop. 

Wales comforted the people, gently asking them if they knew anything. 

The people shied away from Wales, believing the gentle country to be as rough and furious as her Scottish friend.

A few people left. Vermont decided to leave as well, and spare herself from a possible interrogation.

There seemed to be redcoats everywhere. 

More than usual, which was suspicious.

There seemed to be smoke coming from off in the distance. Also strange.

"Excuse me, sir?" Vermont softly asked the nearest redcoat.

It was a mistake.

She saw the red cross upon his face when he turned around to greet her. She saw the gold-rimmed glasses resting on the bridge of his slightly flushed nose. She saw the look of surprise in his pale blue eyes. 

It was England. How unfortunate for Vermont.

"Hey. You're one of France's daughters, aren't you?" He asked.

"H-How could you tell?" She stammered, averting her eyes to avoid direct contact with his.

 "You have her hair and eyes," England answered in a soft tone as he pressed a palm to her cheek.

His hands were surprisingly soft, and the tip of his pinky finger on his right hand was missing.

"Who was your father?" England asked her, looking into her eyes.

"Portugal." Her answer was a lie delivered in a rushed tone, as she was fearing what would happen if she told him the truth. She didn't know what would happen. Even scarier.

England nodded. "Ah. He's an old friend of mine. What were you going to ask me?"

"What are you all doing here?" She finally asked.

"The soldiers? We're looking for weapons horded by revolutionaries." His fists clenched.

"Filthy rebel scum." She added.

"You hate them too?" England asked, his eyes widening.

"Yes. They disgust me." Vermont nodded.

He smiled. Some of the ice in her heart towards England melted.

"Even though you're the daughter of France, you're nothing like her, really. You're kinder, and way prettier."

"I- Well, thanks." She blushed slightly, but it was covered by the light dusting of makeup on her face. 

Thank gosh. 

Vermont didn't want to be caught looking starry-eyed at a redcoat, especially not England. 

He was quite high-ranking in the armed forces, and hated revolutionaries.

Like her.

"Hey!" Confederate ran up to her, looking nervous.

Vermont's eyes widened.

 "Oh, thank gosh you're here! I was so- whoa..." He trailed off when he noticed England.

"Is that 13?" England asked.

"No."  She shook her head. "That's Confederate, his twin brother." 

"I have an order to take him to Britain. He's been worried sick about the twins," He said as he grabbed Confederate by the wrist, dragging him away.

'For someone with such soft hands, he's really strong...' She thought to herself.

 'No! No! Snap out of it! He's a redcoat! Evil! Plech! Augh!' Vermont looked down towards the ground, averting her eyes.

"Hey! You should leave him-" She paused as she ran up to England, holding a squirming Confederate.

"Why is that?" He asked.

"N-Nothing." She sighed.

"Okay! Will you come with me back to my house?" England offered.

"W-What?" Vermont's eyes widened.

"You could stay at my house for a day or two," He explained. "I guess it would be okay."

"Sorry. I have things to look after."

"Okay. The offer is still open." He nodded as he walked off with Confederate.

She couldn't do anything but watch as her older brother got dragged away.

She sighed. Useless.

"How am I going to explain this to America, and the states?" She asked herself under her breath.

"They'll be furious," She chuckled. "Maybe I should've taken England up on that offer of his."

She blushed at the prospect of it.

"Dang it!" She hid her head in her hands. "Why am I acting this way?"