O' Secrets to Spill

Scared

"Bonk!" Acilino announced slapping a large crate. The crewmen laughed watching the little toddler. He looked around three years old and hopped around the deck.

"Are we almost there?"Austin asked brushing the wrinkles of his thick coat.

"Almost sir" one man declared. It dawned on them that they were speaking Spainish.

"Are you sure you're okay with this sir? You can just stay on the boat." Another person said to the ten year old. Austin pulled on a determined glint in his eye.

"I will not cower" he declared sternly. The crewmen backed off from pressing the issue the last thing they wanted was a pissed off country meeting another country for diplomatic reasons.

Not to mention Austin was only ten, so the changes of him being taken seriously by any country was slim but they didn't want to risk any chance they had to get a trade route running full speed. It had been slow trading, no one recognized Texas. A trade route with Belgium would be wonderful.

Austin sighed sitting on the rail, he wasn't one for safety. Not yet at least.

"When is this?" Kiku asked, he didn't recognize the clothing nor way of speech.

"Huh? Oh! 1835, Just after my independence, I think this is when I was heading to the Netherlands. That or Belgium" Austin said shrugging.

"Oh, why don't I ever remember you at any meetings?" Kiku pressed.

"I punched Arthur in the gut in my first meeting and ended up slamming my head against the underside of the table because I was taking a nap and got spooked," Austin helpfully supplied.

"I remember you falling asleep halfway through the presentations and I had to carry you out," Alfred laughed.

"I was ten and walked, i had the right to be exhausted" Austin huffed.

"Aiya! Walked?!"

"Yes, I was poor as hell. I walked" Austin growled.

"Um, sir?" A man approached Austin.

"Si?"

"We are nearing Belgium, I would get ready for boarding" the crewman advised. Austin sighed, "Give the commands and let's get ready," Austin ordered.

Austin appeared back on deck, his jacket was thick and his boots muddied and pants ragged. Yeah he was poor, this clothing reflected that. Acilino huddled at Austin's legs while the pulled into dock. Austin nodded and the board was dropped, The people who spoke the language stepped off to speak with the dock men as the others waited.

Soon they got the ok, Acilino was put in the kitchen with the cook as the workers began unloading. Austin being Austin carried two at a time.

"Oh, who are they?" Belgium asked a crewman.

"Austin, I advise against talking to him now. He is busy" The crewman advised.

"He's a child" Belgium said alarmed. The man shrugged, "He likes work, he is strong to do so. He is fine. He eat well" The man said with an accent.

Laura was not having it. But she knew something was off about the boy, he was lifting far over his own weight. "He is your country, is he not" Laura asked looking at the crewman.

"How do I know, I follow orders and get pay. No questions" With that the burly man went back to work.

"I liked him, he minded his own damn business. His wife watched Acilino when I had to go to meetings. She also watch Sage and Fritz when they showed up" Austin smiled, he was back to his stoic nature.