Spain's Prisoner 9

"Where's the Captain!"

"The floor collapsed!"

"He's in the fire!"

Spain could hear the shouts from his crew, but they were faint and remote. His tan body was smothered in agony as the blazes grew nearer, but he couldn't force himself off the ground. He was unable move at all, actually, and the stinging tears were mocking him in his wide eyes.

"D-Damn…" He choked out, straining his neck to look around. But as he did, his blurry gaze was greeted with nothing but more flames dancing slowly closer.

He had to get out now!

The aching Spaniard slowly got his right arm to shift so he could push himself up. He stared down at himself. Pieces of glass and wood were jabbed into his flesh, blood spilling from him in numerous places. He glanced at the horrible bruises on his right leg and left arm, staring at their odd angles with remorse. Both were now visible due to his pants and shirt being ripped by the fire and his fall.

He clenched his teeth, knowing that meant they were both broken and he couldn't get out with a smashed leg.

But he had to try…

The tan Captain growled, using his last two useful limbs to push himself into an unsteady standing position on his left leg. Knowing he couldn't risk moving his other leg, he spread out his right arm for balance and started to hop to find an opening to escape.

"Captain! Captain where are you?" Antonio heard suddenly. His burning throat coughing out the loudest reply he could with his weakened state.

"Here! I'm here!" He coughed, the smoke swirling into his lungs now. His vision became hazier as he jerked his head around, searching for the person that accompanied him in this place.

"I'm here…" He mumbled now, his eyelids lowering as his body wobbled.

"Captain!" The crew member shouted, finally finding his Captain unmoving and fallen on the gravel covered floor. He carefully lifted the man over his shoulder, turning back towards where he had come in before rushing forward.

"Captain! Get him aid! The doctor!" The man with Antonio on his shoulder yelled, laying the burnt man on the chilly dirt away from the fire.

The half unconscious Spaniard looked around, everything mute in his ears and his eyes were still almost useless now. But, he stared over, seeing a familiar, little form beside him on the dirt.

"Lovino…" Spain whispered to the unawake boy beside him. "Lovino…I'm back…I promised I'd get you out…I love you." He shivered, but moved his good arm, lightly caressing his underling's dirty cheek before passing out as well. "I'm sorry."

~~~~~ The next night ~~~~~

"It's good to have you back, Captain Antonio." One of the members chimed, looking over his bruised and burnt leader.

The mass of the pirate crew was spread throughout the bar now, all laughing and celebrating the lack of death of their Captain.

Antonio grinned, his leg and arm still unusable, but they were wrapped securely in wooden splints. "It's good to be back, gentlemen!" He cheered, raising his bottle of rum.

It had been yesterday night that the town's people had helped put out the fire after Antonio was rescued from the burning building. Romano was resting in his and Spain's room, being watched over by Gabriel, the pirate that had caught and kept him safe while the others tried putting out the fire. The man was tough and very loyal to the Spaniard.

Unfortunately, Spain was told the boy's legs weren't broken, but to badly burnt and he would be unable to walk for a while. He cursed Arthur for doing that to him.

"Alright, men, tell me now." The Captain started seriously now. "Is that damned Kirkland still slithering around here?"

"No, sir!" One of the men answered quickly. "Me, and a few others, we saw him undock and go out into the storm, sir!"

"Into the storm?" Antonio repeated in disbelief. Even that crazy Englishman wasn't that senseless to risk his entire crew to go through that! "Are you sure?"

"Si, sir."

"Idiot Englishman…"

~~~ On Kirkland's ship, ten days later ~~~

"Captain Arthur," A young man greeted politely. "Sir, Alfred wants more food, sir."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "So? He knows the rules. People in the prisoner chamber get food once a day. He is to be treated no different." The Englishman snapped, looking over his slightly wrecked ship.

The storm had been a bad one. It smacked their vessel about, but they had made it out of the tall waves and grabbing wind within five days. Now, they were almost to the land of Italy and everyone was rested from keeping the ship from falling apart before.
"Captain! The land is in sight!" He heard, a grin spreading across his face.

"Prepare to dock, men!" He commanded back before looking back down at the younger man who'd come about Alfred. "I change my mind, bring me Alfred's second meal for the day. I'll bring it to him."

"Yes, sir."

It only took a few minutes for the food to be brought to him, and Arthur took it as planned. He tread away once he had it, stepping casually towards the prisoner chamber.

Alfred glanced up, his face pitiful and pale. "Artie?" He questioned, suspicious but kept his ocean eyes on the older man. "I want food, Artie!" He whined childishly.

Arthur shot the boy a glare, but quickly retracted it, and put back his grinning, serene exposer. "I told you, it's "Captain". Remember, Alfred?" He spoke smoothly, now kneeling in front of the caged boy. The boy always did have an abnormal appetite. "Here, Alfred. You must still be hungry." Slowly, he slid the plate into the cage, watching the famished boy grab it eagerly.

"Oh! Thank you, Artie!"

"Captain!" Arthur snapped, but his smirk still remained, twisting his pale face into a horrible form. "It's Captain Kirkland, you twit. And don't worry, you don't have to be so happy about just this."

Alfred lifted his head away from the plate, staring at the man uncertainly. "Wh-Why?"

"Because," The Englishman chuckled eerily, the disturbing sound making Alfred flinch. "Soon, you won't be dining alone."

"Wh-What! Arthur, who…" Alfred shivered. "Who did you capture! Lovino? Captain Antonio?"

"Do not refer to that weakling of a man as Captain. I am your Captain, no one else!" But Arthur recomposed again and chuckled once more, his green eyes staying on the now panicked boy behind the bars in front of him.

"No, neither of them. Actually, we haven't captured anyone yet, but soon, that brat's baby brother will belong to Captain Arthur Kirkland!" He laughed that disconcerting sound again, the noise echoing through the cold lower level.

"Northern Italy will be mine!" He stood again, staring down at the enraged boy that was firing glares at him.

"North Italy? Arthur don't you dare!" Alfred yelled, standing up to face the man. "Don't!"

"What? You can stop me, hero?" Arthur scoffed. "You think you can-ALFRED! Fuck!" Arthur yelled as the remains of the burnt, English food came flying at him from inside the cage. Pieces of scorched fish and bread flew through the spaces between the bars, sticking themselves onto the angered Captain. "Brat!" He slurred, wiping his coat off as he started back for the stairs to the deck.

"North Italy, remember that, Alfred! Soon he'll be your new roommate!"

Arthur ignored the yells from the boy, and drowned them out by shutting the door behind him.

"Ready to dock, sir!"

"Then hurry up! This shouldn't take long." Arthur watched as his ship docked into the port, his men scattered around the craft before beginning to evacuate it. He followed them soon after readying himself properly, stepping onto the sand of the Northern Italian shore.

Those that he had told to come alone with him nodded and followed him, the rest were still on the boat or separated to get more desired supplies for the ship like food and clean water.

No one spoke to the group as they walked, most knew who he was. The feared, merciless Captain, they didn't want to get on his bad side.

His grin was back as he strode proudly through the city, the buildings were tall and worthy of gloating at his sides. Soon, the group met face to face with a beautiful building. Its windows were colored with various rainbows and it was much like a cathedral. Its tops were pointed, and the pale stone, castle-like structure was something to adore.

Arthur made his way up the boulder steps, turning the golden handle and shoving the door open. He looked around, treasures were scattered around neatly like a pirate's utopia and gorgeous paintings hung around the walls. The place was elegant and well-ordered, but he stepped into it and stared around.

"You!" He snapped, noticing a pair of brown eyes staring fearfully at him from behind a corner. It was obviously a maid. "Fetch me North Italy at once! I have something to…discuss with him."

The woman flinched, realizing she'd been seen and ran off.

Arthur was confident she would listen, and smirked yet again as a young boy came into view soon after.

He was lean and childish though it was obviously he was close to Alfred's age of sixteen, maybe fifteen or fourteen. He had shiny auburn hair with an odd curl emerging from the side and bright brown eyes.

"Yes?" He asked, the soft voice noticeably petrified.

Arthur waved at him, motioning him to come closer. "Come on boy, I can't properly talk to you from over there."

The younger Italian shivered, but grew closer. Now Arthur could see he was in a dress similar to his older brother's, but his was a lively green.

"Good boy. You are Feliciano Vargas, correct?" Arthur watched the boy nod. "Good…Angus, Cornelius…If you would please…"

Feliciano gasped as two of the men stepped forward, grabbing him by the arms.

"L-Let go!" He panted, kicking and squirming about.

"I'm so sorry, but we can't do that, you see. You belong to England now." Arthur laughed. "The rest of you, grab what you can and let's get back to the ship."

"I don't think so, Kirkland! You're wanted here, and every other country out there, you're coming with us!" Arthur scoffed, seeing a group of armed Italian men pointing guns at them. "Put Italy down!"

"Don't let go of the brat." Arthur ordered to his crew.

"Put him down!"

"Do not."

"Down!"

Arthur smirked, "If you insist." He said, his pale finger cocking the pistol at his side.

"Wh-What!?" The man beside the one who had been yelling gasped, watching his partner fall to the ground dead.

Italy screeched in fear, starting to sob at the sight.

"What? He said down. So, I put him down." The Englishman grinned. "Kill them men!"

The Italian country clenched his eyes shut, but the excruciating screams and insulting laughter from the pirates could still be heard as they attacked his people. When it was quiet again, the boy opened his eyes in hopes of it being a dream. Instead, he cried at the bloody bodies of his fellow Italians.

"Now take him. And you three, kill anyone else who gets in their way of taking him to the ship." Feliciano heard, the grip on his arms being tightened as he was dragged away.  

Arthur and the rest of the remaining crew gathered the treasures with their gore stained hands, carrying the items in their arms all the way back to the ship. A few of the men had brought cloth bags to hold things in as instructed, and filled them to the point of overflowing.

"Ready to undock, men!" The English Captain announced once they ship was reloaded with all the men and new items. "And bring me North Italy!"

"Here, sir!" A young man announced respectfully, throwing the shivering boy at Arthur's feet.

"Here we are…" He bent down, grabbing the boy's clothing and pulling him up to stand. "Welcome aboard my ship, North Italy, Feliciano." He chuckled. "Let me introduce you to my lover, Alfred Jones of America." He jerked the boy along with him, back under to where Alfred was imprisoned.

"Arthur!" Was heard from the dirty blonde once he was seen, but the boy flinched with wide eyes as he noticed Arthur pulling another.

"Here he is, Feli. You'll be sharing a cage with him from now on." He shoved the crying boy into the cage with the enraged other. Alfred rushed over and helped lift the quaking boy from the chilly ground as Arthur relocked the cage.

"Arthur! How dare you!" Alfred cursed him.

But the Englishman just grinned more before walking away. "I already told you, boy. We aren't the heroes. We're the pirates."