The Seychellois girl awoke with a start, groaning as she realized that she had fallen asleep on the sand, luckily unburned. Brushing the small flecks of rock from her hair, she spotted the dreaded ships. The despised flag flying proudly in the wind. Every time those ships came trouble accompanied it. Mainly the trouble was a someone named Arthur Kirkland. Rather something as he was better known as The British Empire.

"Honestly I prefer the pirates" Seychelles muttered as the ships grew closer. Instinct told her to hide inside but she wasn`t afraid of him, usually. So there she stood just on the beach water lapping at her feet defiantly, awaiting the moment the cocky blonde set foot on her shore.

As soon as he did it was apparent there were going to be issues. Just the way he carried himself, his attitude of authority was enough to make the young nation want to hit him. Knock him down a few pegs as some might say. At first, to her luck, he didn`t spot her, and she almost went inside where she could avoid his verbal lashings. What had she done wrong this time? She had been very careful since last time to pay everything on time because she did not want to go down that road again. Honestly he was too powerful for his own good and she of all people wanted to be in his way as little as possible. Taking a step back her breath caught as he looked her way. At first he didn`t seem angry, but then again he never did. Giving her a single look Seychelles knew he was telling her to come to him. She debated not knowing, pretending she didn`t see him. But since she was standing, staring at him like a deer caught in a headlight she knew it would never work. Hesitantly she stepped over, hoping she wasn`t in trouble. Tugging nervously on her ribbons she looked up at him, a questioning look in her eyes.

"A-am I in trouble?" She struggled to remember her English, and proper grammar. She had been using nothing but French for a while now, in a rebellion against the threatening man before her. But suddenly it seemed foolish as it caused her issues now.

He seemed almost amused, but not in the good way, in the 'here`s an opportunity to screw with your head and I`m going to take it' kind of way. "You tell me."

Seychelles froze. She hated it when he did that. The last three times he did that he knew about something she had been hiding. But didn`t tell her. The time before that he didn`t know a thing until she said it aloud. She debated. She hadn`t done anything wrong so there was nothing to tell…correct? No, he didn`t seem happy, then again he never was, he must know something, but what is there to know? "I don`t believe so…"

"Then why do you seem so nervous?" He sneered. Yes, he must know something. But what?

"What do you mean?"

"I come upon land and your eyes begin darting like a rodent." Now that's just uncalled for.

"Are you comparing me to a rodent?"

"Possibly. I don`t see the issue when you act like one. Perhaps if you would not sleep on the ground and scurry away every time a person of authority comes your way ,I wouldn't."

"Je ne fais pas !" (I don`t!) Quickly Seychelles covered her mouth. No, all that time of French was definitely not a good idea. She heard a whimper escape her when she suddenly fell under a malicious glare. She couldn`t speak, it was terrifying. He never glared at her that hard unless it had to do with France. Not even when she didn`t pay him, or when she snuck away, or when she didn`t do her work. But when she spoke kindly or France, French words leaving her lips, or if he even spotted a picture of the Frenchman he seemed like he was about to murder her. Surprisingly it seemed like he hadn`t yet realized who the ribbons in her hair were from.

"What did you just say?" He snarled threateningly. She didn`t say a word. The empire stared her down. "Are you going to bloody answer me or just stand there like the pathetic useless speck you are?"

Quivering she muttered, "I-I said I don`t." Seychelles knew full well he wanted to hear her say exactly what she had said in the language she said it. He wanted her to say it because he wanted a reason to punish her.

"What language did you say it in?"

"My native tongue."

"I`m going to rip that tongue out of your God damn mouth if you ever speak French in my presence again do I make that perfectly clear?" She was already in trouble so she had nothing to lose. Seychelles decided to push her boundaries because hell if she was going to be told such things.

"Oui, limpide" (Yes,clear) Bad. Move. In the blink of an eye Seychelles found her fingers touching her spine, his free hand on her elbow ready to take her shoulder directly out of socket.

"This is exactly why I came, you know. I knew this would happen. You need to learn some bloody manners, proper English, and respect and if I have to teach it to you, so be it." He said, in a low growl in her ear. Then he pushed her forward towards the ocean.

"Wai-Wha-what are you doing?" Seychelles tried to pull away from the iron grasp unsuccessfully.

"You are coming back to England to learn what you should know by now."

"Non! I don`t want to go to England! I went there once and wasn`t planning on ever returning!"

"Obviously one visit hasn`t put any bloody sense into you! You`re still acting like a defiant child who is completely obsessed with the frog! Wearing nothing but the dresses he gave you speaking nothing but his language, everything you say or do has something to do with him! I`m bloody tired of it you ungrateful useless worthless piece of land!" Roughly Arthur Kirkland shoved her onto the ship and she debated on diving into the crystal clear waters and swimming to shore. It wasn`t that far quite a few yards was nothing. Just as she was about to she was roughly grabbed again and shoved into the lower decks. "Have fun." The empire cackled and shut the door, locking her in the dark depths.

There was no way the island nation could sleep. The constant, not so gentle rocking, the men drinking, yelling, laughing above. She knocked softly on the door only to jump back when it was kicked. And so was the routine for the next…however long it took. It seemed like years. It could have been days, hours, months. Seychelles wouldn`t have known the difference.

However she did notice when they hit land, but only because of everyone yelling that…they had hit land. Glorious light pouring in she stood only to fall again. Trying to regain balance the took a step up and was suddenly forced onto land by many people crowding behind and in front of her. They must be as anxious as her to be on land again. Just as she sat down once on shore to keep her head from spinning England grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to her feet dragging her along roughly, not caring if she stumbled or tripped. Once the door to the dreaded house opened Seychelles hung her head and stepped inside. Three…two…one…

"Where the bloody hell is your collar?" Seychelles flinched. She had taken it off in the ship and "Accidentally" left it there.

"On the boat." She said brightly, stressing the 't'.

"Why?"

"I took it off and forgot it."
"God damn it! How could you be so irresponsible? Come here!" He said pulling her into a room. Opening a cabinet he took out yet another collar. Just like the one she had ditched.

"Do I have to?" Seychelles groaned

As an answer he snapped it on her neck, too small.

"It`s a bit tight."

"Maybe you won`t leave it somewhere this time then!"