For Queen and Captain {|Hetalia Human AU|}

A memorable man, indeed

Arthur couldn't help but be a bit excited by his first carraige journey as they approached the carriages, the sound of horses milling about in the dark loud in the near-silence. Arthur couldn't keep the grin off his face as Allistor helped his nephew and Francis up into the first carriage carefully before climbing in, followed by two teenagers that Arthur remembered seeing at the tavern while he was telling his story.

The first carriage was for Allistor, the boys and a few select men, while the rest rode in the back carriage, which also contained the trunk that Francis and Arthur's new clothes had been all packed up in for the journey. They had changed before they got to the carriagehouse where they'd rented the carriages, and both boys now looked strapping in fine tunics, Arthur clad in a deep green attire, whilst Francis tsked his way through color choices, settiling for a light blue tunic coupled with burgundy trousers.

Arthur thought it was ridiculous.

"Uncle, how long will it be before we reach Southampton?" Alistor smiled as the carriage lurched forward, signalling the beginning of their journey. "It should be about  nine hours, including stopping to care for the horses. Plenty of time to get to know each other a little better." He gestured at the two young men who'd followed him into the carriage. "This be Ollie and Finn, the useless bastards." The two young men looked up from where the first one, presumably Ollie, was dealing cards between them. "We're not useless, really. And our parents were married..."

"Yea, sure they were. Whatever you say. Now, this one is Ollie," He jerked a thumb at the dealer, a by with waist-length dark brown hair and nearly black brown eyes.

"Ollie is our top melee swordsman. Trained him myself when we picked these two up in Ireland a few years back, just before you were apprenticed to that motherless pig of a Frenchman." Allistor glanced at Francis. "No offence." Afrancis smiled peacably and waved him off. "None taken." Allistor continued, moving his point to the second of the two, obviously the younger one.

"That's Finn, a damn fine gunner if I ever saw one. I rented him to your father for a while, Arthur, but he was sent back for... what was it, lads?" The two went still for a moment before a devilish smile broke over Ollie's face, Finn shaking his head.

"Nay, don't ye dare do it, Ollie, don't ye dare--"

"He tried to impress the Cap'n by swallowin' a sword, like they do at the circus, but he ended up puking up all over the Captain's cabin." Finn groaned, putting his pale, freckled face in his hands. "I said don't bring that up!"

"Like the time I made you laugh so hard you--" Finn started rapidly smacking Ollie over the head, the older brother laughing gaily as they started to tussle. Allistor had to elbow them repeatedly to get them to calm down.

"Lads, lads! I'm payin' for this trip, so ye gotta treat the carriage nicely!" The brothers nodded, unrepentant grins on their faces. "Yea, Cap'n! Whatever you say!" Finn quickly collected the now-scattered cards as Ollie turned to Arthur.

"Would you like to learn a card game, lad?" Arthur huffed indignantly. "You're not much older than me, you have no right to call me that. It's Kirkland to you." Ollie nodded. "Yea, yea, Artie, just answer the question." Arthur stared at him in disbelief before giving his uncle a look. Allistor shrugged, grinning that carefree grin of his.

"What can I say? I like the lads, and practically raised them." Arthur frowned at the two, who had managed to collect the cards. Ollie was doing all sorts of nifty tricks with the cards as he shuffled the deck, finally cutting out a few cards to each of them as Allistor sighed. "sadly, they don't listen very well anymore. All thy do is help with the pir-- privateering, and play--"

"Go fish, Finn." Arthur frowned at the two as the younger slipped a card from the pile kept safely in Ollie's hand, so it didn't spill from the carriage's movement. Finn scowled and placed a card on his knee. Arthur watched in facination as they played with all the passion of a pair of poker hounds, both keeping a perfect game face until Francis piped up, making Arthur jump. He'd almost forgotten that the other boy was there for a moment.

"Do you play SlapJack?" Ollie and Finn glanced up slowly. "Nay, never heard of it...." Francis grinned suddenly, the angel face making another appearence. "When you're done, I'd be happy to show you how to play." Ollie and Finn glanced at each other, seeming to have a silent communication befre both of them nodded.

"You win, Finn. you had the hand for it." Finn nodded smugly as he snatched Ollie's cards, quickly cutting the deck before handing it to Francis, who cut it again quickly before tossing the cards out expertly, dealing in Arthur as well.

"I really don't--" Francis winked. "Angelterre, be calm and play a game you're too serious, really." Arthur huffed, picking up his set of ten cards as Francis split the rest of the deck into four pieces, whish were set on knees before he drew a card from his own pile and set it down on Ollie's provadid knee, which served as a tabletop. Allistor watched in silent joy as the boys bonded over a card game, Francis explaining the rules briefly and the game beginning, each taking a turn slapping down a card with the occasional cry of  "SlapJack!", occompanied by several hands slamming down on top of the Jack card, the boy whose hand landed flat on it getting the entire stack and the next person in the circle setting down a card from their stack.

This proceeded until Finn had a handful of cards, smugly brimming with pride as Francis grinned. "You're a natural, as I believe they say, Finn!" Ollie clapped his brother on the back, obviously not in the least bit upset by his skimpy hand of cards.

"Good game, Finny!" 

Arthur, however was quietly looking at his own cards. He'd come up one short of Finn, and was damn proud of it. Finn was obviously an experienced card player, from what Arthur could see during the game, his bright green eyes picking up on what the other's hands were doing easily, also finding the Ollie appeared to delibrately hesitate before putting his hand down every time.

Arthur was very glad that he wasn't the oldest, and as such, not in the position of having to hold back so younger people could win. Though, looking at Ollie, Arthur didn't think it would be bad. Ollie looked perfectly happy, congratulating his little brother on his fine performance and joking about his own supposed lack of skills.

"Lad? Are ye alright?" Athur blinked to find his uncle peering at him, the redhead's green eyes so like Arthur's tinted with just a touch of worry. Arthur gave him a smile, reaching forward and tussling his uncle's hair, revenge for the hair ruffling done previously by the Scot.

"Yea, uncle. I'm alright. Just thinking." The older Kirkland nodded in acceptance of the answer, grinning and running a hand through his unruly hair to fix the damage from Arthur's hair-ruffling attack. "Yea, lad. If you say so, then I'll take your word for it. I-- Oi!" He blocked a stray elbow from Ollie, who grinned.

"Sorry, Cap'n!" Arthur laughed under his breath as Allistor responded by grabbing the boy in a headlock gently and grinding his knuckles into the top of his head.

"Ye be good, Ollie, or you have to stay on the ship next time we make port!" The boy squirmed away, whining. "Cap'n, how'm I to court all the ladies if I'm on the ship?" Allistor grinned. "My point exactly, so behave!" Allistor released the boy, who stuck his tongue out at him before going back to his game.

"What was it you were saying about keeping respect?" Allistor winked, beckoning Arthur to lean forward as he whispered quietly.

"Arthur, you need both respect and kindness to run a ship. If your crew all respect you but simultaniously hate you, you aren't going to get anywhere. you have to be kind and firm in correct proportionates, or it all goes to pot eventually. If you're too serious, they'll tire of the strictness and get into mischief trying to entertain themselves." Allistor leaned back, appearing to have finished his little talk on leadership morals.

Arthur was a little bit stunned as he sat back, blinking at his lap as he thought about that. Allistor was right. He was a successful Captain because he wasn't just the crew's Captain.

He was their friend.