Captain Arthur Kirkland sits alone in his cabin, cradling a practically-empty bottle of rum. Outside, on the deck, a war is raging. Scotsmen and Welshmen and Irishmen and Englishmen falling down, wounded and hurt, but never killed.

Arthur sighs. Twenty years ago, he and his brother Scotty [1] had boarded a ship bound for the New World; a ship called Land of the Free. [2]

The Captain, Alfred Matthews, had been hiding below deck, apparently cowering in the corner. It wasn't until he fell to the floor, dead, that Arthur and Scotty realised he wan't cowering, but shielding a box. Scotty ad wanted to open the box. Arthur had wanted to leave before the Navy arrived. It wasn't until a crying noise erupted from the box that Arthur agreed to open it.

Cradled in the cardboard were two identical baby boys. One was crying, fists flying. The other was just staring at him with wide violet eye, silent.

Arthur had wanted to leave them; let the Navy find them. Ignoring his brother, Scotty snatched up the box and stormed up onto the deck, and across the plank onto the pirate ship. Arthur followed begrudgingly.

Eighteen years ago, the boys, who Scotty had named Alfred and Matthew in memory of the Captain who laid down his life to protect them, had developed their own personalities, and were recognised as 'little pirates' by the crew, even if they could only be told apart by the colour of their clothes.

Alfred wore blue. He was loud, and strangely strong. He would play rambunctious games; wrestling with crew-mates, climbing the rigging, making sword out of sticks and string, and attacking innocent barrels, cannons and abandoned fabrics.

Matthew wore red. He was quiet, rarely speaking, and was as intelligent as Alfred was strong. He liked to stay below deck, near the kitchens, or with some of the older crew-mates, listening to some of the tall tales of all the wonders they'd seen.

Despite their differences, they were close as brothers. Their clothes always matched. If Alfred made a sword, he'd make one for Matthew. When Matthew heard a new legend, he'd run and tell it to Alfred. They shared a hammock, their possessions and practically everything else.

Fifteen years ago, Alfred managed to talk Scotty into teaching them to sword fight. At the same time, Matthew talked an English crew-mate, a man named William [3], into teaching them to read. Alfred was much better at sword fighting. He was strong, and after having spent the last three years copying crew-mates, the technique came to him naturally. Matthew was much better at reading. He learnt the letters quickly, and was soon reading fluently and leisurely. Scotty found Matthew a book- Treasure Island- which Matthew stumbled his way through, cover to cover.

Even though Matthew struggled with sword fighting, Alfred would show off his techniques, slaying the shadow-monsters that were apparently trying to hurt his brother. Even though Alfred struggled with reading, Matthew would read pages of Treasure Island aloud to him, and on nights the brothers couldn't sleep, Matthew wound jot down the heroic tales that Alfred would act out before him.

Ten years ago, Arthur put his foot down- or so he thought. He said that if the boys couldn't fight for the ship, they couldn't stay. He said they should be old enough to defend themselves, and he wouldn't be babying them any longer.

Alfred and Matthew worked hard, Alfred and Matthew how to fight, but alas, Matthew stumbled and fumbled and handled his sword clumsily.

On a whim, praying to God for a miracle, Scotty handed Matthew a loaded flintlock. At first, Matthew was nervous, and the loud band and the recoil unnerved him. But within a week, Matthew could fire the little wooden pistol as accurately as Scotty, and within a month he could best both Arthur and Scotty at target-shooting.

Five years ago, the ship had been siling in Northern waters, somewhere near Russia. The ship sailed slowly, avoiding icebergs with care. Alfred and Matthew were gazing out at sea, as they often did, when Alfred pointed at something. Matthew had taken up his rifle, aimed, and shot twice. Alfred took one of the row-boats down, and was back ten minutes later with a polar-bear cub and a seal pup [4], both with a bullet buried in its their head.

Alfred cleaned the dead children, and skinned them with ease. He flung the bear hide over his brother's shoulders, and positioned the seal hide over his own.

Three years ago, Arthur and Alfred had fought. Angrily, Alfred lowered a row-boat down, and threw in his sword, seal hide and all the clothes he could grab. Matthew followed suit, his guns, bear hide, clothes and Treasure Island novel joining his brother's belongings.

Alfred jumped down into the boat in silence. Matthew hurriedly gave Scotty and William a farewell hug. Just before he leapt down into the row-boat, he turned to Arthur and said, "we looked up to you. You were like a father to us. But you were never proud of us, were you Captain?" And with those words, he jumped.

Two year ago, Arthur heard about a ship called Scotland Williams, captained by two men; brothers. One wore blue, and wielded a sword. The other wore red, and had the greatest aim any buccaneer had ever seen. Apparently they travelled from ship to ship, searching for someone. They attacked the crew, wounding, but never purposely killing.

And now, here they are; the brothers are aboard his ship once again. Arthur can hear Scotty on the other side of the door, begging for the brothers to leave the ship.

The door opens, then slams. Twin footsteps echo through the cabin, and Arthur slowly turns around. Before him stand two men; one in blue with a seal hide and a sword, and one in red with polar-bear hide and a rifle and probably a flintlock pistol hidden in his boot.

Arthur downs the remainder of his rum, and throws the bottle against the wall. He doesn't bother fighting back as Alfred shoves him to the ground, and he stares down the barrel of Matthew's rifle.

"Any last words?" Arthur doesn't know which of the brothers aid that. He looks up at them, Matthew' final words to him ringing through his head.

Arthur smirks. "Daddy's proud."

And with a bang, the world goes black.

A/N:

[1] Scotty: Scotland
[2] New World/Land of the Free: Other names for America
[3] William: William Shakespeare
[4] Polar-bear cub and seal pup: Kumajiro and Tony

Alfred and Matthew can't remember the name of the ship, that's why they were searching the ships, and why the name of the ship is never mentioned.

I tried, therefore you cannot fault me.

I don't own Hetalia or Treasure Island.

-Laurel Silver