Chocolate Flap Jacks [o.c. x Canada]

The Meeting

I set my basket in the back of the horse dawn carriage where Alfred and Mathew sat. "Guten Abend Alfred und Mathew." **Good evening Alfred and Mathew. **

"Guten Abend, Kinder," America responded in slightly accented German.

"Bonsoir, Kinder," Mathew responded in smooth sounding French as though he were France himself.

"Parlez-vous français Amérique?" I asked. **Do you speak French America? **

"Oui." America smiled. **Yes. **

"Bien. Allons-y alors." I smiled at them. **Good. Let's go then. **

Mathew flicked the rains and a block away he handed them to me. "Why were we speaking in French and German in front of the manor rather than English?"

"Because English is a language that is relatively unknown in the area and the mannerisms are easy to detect in the German language." I turned the horse down a small road to the left. "Where we're heading though, England had a bit more influence at one point than other parts, so English is more common there and a translator for each language will also be off to the side."

"Oh... you're bleeding on your neck, Kinder. Can I put a bandage on it for you?" asked America.

"That would be nice..." I said moving my hair to the side with one hand. "There should be bandages in my basket just under the lace I wore tonight."

"Lace, ay?" Canada asked with an equal amount of interest and concern for me.

"Yes, lace. King Howard likes to see the scars." I stared forward as America applied the bandages.

I still felt disgusting from the occurrence only a half hour before. To have any part of that disgusting man inside of me had only made want to die more than ever before. I wanted to die more this time than I had anytime he had done this to me before. I felt like I still smelt of sex even after I washed up and applied perfumes.

"There you go." America placed his hands in his lap as I drew the carriage up to a small church with a sign that said "Closed."

I grabbed a garment from the side of the basket. It was a dress that was slightly more revealing than what I wore but not nearly as revealing as my towel. I folded it into the apron. "I'll show you where the meeting is." I picked up the laundry basket in one arm and waited for Alfred to finish with tying off the horse.

When he was done I led the way around the back of the church and found the glass door. The light was still off in the stairway but there was a faint glow from the kitchen in the basement. I pushed the door open and led the way down the stairs. At the bottom I stopped. "I want to take off this maid's dress and put my own on. Please wait right outside the bathroom door. I don't want you to get lost." I set the basket down and stepped into the bathroom. I changed quickly and came back out. "Let's get to the meeting now."

I could feel Mathew's eyes on me. They didn't seem to feel sorry for me more just a feeling that he wanted to help. I felt his eyes travel up and down my body with my dress showing off the scars on my arms and legs. He seemed to be more angry and curious at the same time than America was.

I stopped at the door to find the meeting had already begun. The leader of our group was standing behind a pulpit and the pews were lined with all sorts of people from nobles to farmers. He was reciting the pledge to our rebel flag. "We refuse to pledge allegiance to the divided Kingdom of Schokolade, nor to the King and Queen, whose rule has divided up justice for the few and the rich. We pledge our allegiance to a single Schokolade with no class system and equality and fairness for all."

A woman beside him nodded towards us. "Kinder, you've brought some new recruits? Have they been checked?"

"Would you mind if I made an announcement, ma'am?" I asked, avoiding her question.

"It's not on the schedule but I suppose you can..." She offered me the hand mic.

I hurried up the isle and took it from her. "Thank you, Harriet." I shut off the mic and laid it on the pulpit, surprising everyone in the room who had ever spoken to me. "I speak to you today not as a member of the palace staff. I am not what you all think I am, I am more. My name... is Schokolade. I go by Kinder. I know every last one of you in this room and all of your jobs and reasons for being here. You are the reason I am here... the reason I am alive. Tonight I come to you, speaking with the voices you've been forced to quiet, and stand before you for the first time. I show you now your scars that I bear. Every fire set, every cover up concocted, every executed innocent." Tears filled me eyes as I felt the knot grow in my chest. "The king is a ruthless man who plays games with a glass filled whip. His wife is in love with the smell of blood to the point that she requests we give up an innocent. I show you these scars not to gain your sympathy, for they are your scars as well, but rather to show you and tell you want I wish you to know.

"Tonight I bring you two outsiders fluent in many languages. They are both from North America and have allies who can help us. Please join me in welcoming our greatest allies, our strongest allies, our first allies, Canada and America." I began clapping and everyone followed the example. "They have offered us their help to free us from the treacherous King and Queen and their royal pain in the ass. I implore you all to vote to accept the help of these two young men and their countries. Thank you."

I stepped back down the aisle and grabbed the boys' hands. "Let's sit now..." My voice came out small again. We sat in the back row in my usual seat. I sat between them and when the votes for action came up towards the end of the night I squeezed their hands.

"Let the record show that tonight we voted to allow, or not allow, other countries to interfere in our affairs in order to get out from under the feet of the King and Queen." The man from before stood before us currently in his day robes as a catholic preacher. "We vote. All in favor of allowing these men to help us, raise your right hand, those opposed raise your left."

Hands went up all over the place my own right arm being the fastest to shoot up. I didn't need to count the hands on each side. I knew we had won the vote by the presence I felt in the room. I watched him count out votes and then put my arm down and threw my arms around the boys beside me. "Thank you both so much."

"Let the votes stand official. Thirty five for allowing others to help. Two against. Three unknown. We shall allow these countries and their allies to help us. We thank you, America and Canada, for offering us aid. The next meeting will take place in thirty two days. Kinder, we know you have our interest at heart and mind and nominate you be our ambassador in this. Work out the contract with the two countries and we shall vote on the action next time."

I stood, still holding each of their hands. "I accept the responsibility. I shall have a treaty ready for thirty two days. Thank you."

"Thank you, Kinder." He knocked on his pulpit. "We call this meeting to an end."

I stood and led the way out.

On the way out, I kissed my hand, then touched the rebel flag on the way out. This was something I did every time I passed this special flag, even though in a matter of minutes it would be removed from the post and hidden below the Holy water.