January 11, 1776

United Colonies had gotten his hands on the pamphlet soon after it was published. It was already making quite a stir in Philadelphia, and United Colonies could imagine it spreading quickly to the other colonies.

After all, a pamphlet arguing for total independence from his father was bound to attract the attention of his people.

It had caught his attention and, therefore, the attention of his colonies.

"I mean, the idea that the monarchy itself is rooted in sin is a mad idea," Virginia declared.

"I don't know. You know all those kings take mistresses and such. Isn't that a sin? It's not too far of a stretch, I don't think," New York said, sounding contemplative.

"You could argue that the point originated with his current problems against King George III. After all, many of the points he makes there are issues he had with our current king," Georgia pointed out.

"I know that you will argue circles around each other with this new pamphlet, but do you think you're arguing about the wrong things? Who cares if the monarchy is sinful or not? He argues for independence." United Colonies cut it, running his finger along the pages that made that very argument.

"No. The author argues that our independence is an assured thing. That no matter what we do, it will happen someday, and that perhaps it would be easier just to get it done with now and make our little rebellion about rights about something more," Massachusetts said.

"But...why can't we just wait? If...if independence is inevitable, then let's just wait for Grandfather to give it to us. Should we...can we really fight him for it?" South Carolina questioned.

"I don't know. Father is powerful, and we are but a colony. None of the minutemen have formal training. Very few men in the army do. Even if we turned this rebellion into war, even if it is inevitable that I will find myself playing the role of a country, I don't..." United Colonies trailed off, shaking his head.

"Foreign allies are a thing. Like it or not, the author is right when he says these problems are doomed to repeat themselves, especially since Grandfather does not want to listen. Even when he repealed the taxes before, he always put new ones down. He always found a way to make that tiny little victory a defeat," New Hampshire argued.

"With that act saying he could do whatever to use because we're his colony...he won't back down or stop violating our rights. The author argues that the system is corrupt and unjust, and I believe it. We can't just twiddle our thumbs and wait for Grandfather to choose to listen. He believes he's entitled to do whatever he wants. He thinks he's entitled to ignore our voices and impose whatever he wants on us. I can'...Father, I don't want to sit by and take it. I know that has worked before, but this isn't about us being punished. It's about our people being punished for wanting rights. Can we really claim that Grandfather truly cares when he does these things?" Massachusetts explained, his voice gentle and concerned. It wasn't angry. It wasn't an impassioned speech.'

It was Massachusetts explaining the reality of their present relationship with Britain. If it was more impassioned, maybe United Colonies could have ignored it, brushed it off as things said angrily in the heat of the moment.

But he couldn't. Massachusetts was right. The author of this pamphlet was right. Father was not going to change for United Colonies. He wanted United Colonies to change for him, change to fit his whims.

"Well, even if he is right about that, how in God's name are we meant to fight off the British Empire?" South Carolina questioned.

"Massachusetts said foreign allies. He's right about that. France hates my father, and she's probably still bitter about losing Quebec and the others to Father. She might be willing to help," United Colonies pointed out. While France was not a trustworthy person, her help would be invaluable.

"I mean, the author does say that there is a lot we can benefit from if we are independent and able to form ties with other nations," New Hampshire said.

"If they want to help us. There's no guarantee they will," South Carolina said. New Hampshire laughed.

"Always a skeptic, huh, Southie?"

United Colonies began doing his best to tune them out, looking back down at the pamphlet and the line that had stuck with him the most.

Why is it that we hesitate? From Britain we can expect nothing but ruin. If she is admitted to the government of America again, this continent will not be worth living in.

Many of the arguments were based on facts that United Colonies had turned over in his head time and time again. They were rousing words and solid arguments that only served to make United Colonies feel worse.

All of these ideas made sense, especially the idea that he could expect ruin from his father. United Colonies knew his father was not happy with anything United Colonies had done in the past decade.

If United Colonies were to go home, there would be no talking to his father or tempering his rage. That was only further proven by the Proclamation of Rebellion. His father did not want to negotiate or hear him out, only force United Colonies back under his thumb.

But United Colonies had his own name. His own flag. His own currency.

He had his Congress and his army.

It was not the organs of a functioning country, but it was a baseline—more importantly, a working baseline. The author of this pamphlet had argued that his independence was inevitable, and United Colonies could see why.

Maybe the idea of independence wasn't as radical as he thought.

• ───────────────── •

February 27, 1776

Scotland had to give it to Thirteen Colonies. He certainly knew how to shake things up. Maybe it was because Britain thought he had Thirteen Colonies on a tight lease, or perhaps it was because he hated the idea that any more of his colonies (outside of Scotland's darling brother Ireland) were rebelling against him, getting the idea that maybe Britain isn't as nice as they thought.

Scotland knew that Britain was better at being a country than a parent. He had noticed it from the get-go, back when England and Britain were arguing over who the real country was, back when Britain was still just an anomaly.

Scotland had tried to avoid that drama. He lived in his country with his daughters and son and did his best to ignore the drama from his southern border.

Then, he became a part of the United Kingdom. He and England united and gave Britain his own name, his own flag, and a purpose.

Scotland was happy at first, glad that the child he had taken to calling his own (as England certainly wasn't going to do that, and Wales seemed to have a strange avoidance of Britain) was no longer at the threat of death.

However, Scotland felt that with the creation of the United Kingdom, the child he knew was gone.

While he could not comment on the parenting practices of Britain and England before he moved into their house, he knew that their present ones were terrible. Spare the rod was one thing, but they took it too far.

Britain beat his children till they were unconscious, denied all the colonies food if only one of them made a mistake, punished even the slightest hint of disobedience, and did his best to stamp out any ways of thinking he didn't like.

Britain used the most extreme methods to make his children just like him.

Scotland couldn't help if the way England raised Britain had something to do with it.

But there was no use in wondering about that. Whatever the cause, Britain suffocated the life out of his colonies. Was it any wonder Thirteen Colonies snapped? The pressure was enough to drive any man mad.

Scotland was lucky that his children were not subjected to the same treatment. No affection for Britain would have stopped Scotland from ending the empire the second he began to do that.

However, as much as Scotland could understand why Thirteen Colonies had been driven to this breaking point, he also knew the rebellion had to end.

It was not supported by the people of Thirteen Colonies; Scotland could see that in the colonists who had come to him since his arrival in North Carolina, swearing their loyalty to Britain and their king. It was over issues that would not be solved with violence. No one could force Britain's hand like that, especially not rebels from a colony.

More importantly, Scotland could see that Britain loved Thirteen Colonies and that Thirteen Colonies loved his father. The more they fought, the worse things would get. The sooner the bloodshed ended, the sooner Britain would listen. He was already mad enough at Thirteen Colonies for England's injury (although Scotland couldn't bring himself to be that worried about it. It was nice seeing Sasainn being knocked down a peg or two), and the sooner Thirteen Colonies came home, the quicker that anger would burn out.

This led Scotland back to his previous point that he was in North Carolina to solidify Britain's control over the region and remind Thirteen Colonies of his father's never-ending anger.

He was now with Brigadier General Donald MacDonald and a force of loyalists who were making their way to the coast to meet up with Major General Henry Clinton and begin operations to reassert British control over North Carolina.

"Rebels!" a cry then went up as they approached a bridge, seeing what must be rebel troops standing there. Scotland couldn't help the slight grin that appeared on his face. While he did not support the rebellion, he could admire the audacity of a group of people to attack a countryhuman that might not be their nation but was close enough for anyone to find it treasonous.

"Well, it seems they want a fight, General. Surely we will give them one?" Scotland asked.

"Of course we will. That's why we are here," Brigadier General MacDonald said, preparing the men for an assault on the rebel's earthworks. Say what you will about them, but they came prepared.

"King George and Broadswords!" Scotland heard a particularly enthusiastic loyalist yell before crossing the creek and heading towards the rebel pickets. However, as they approached, the rebels opened with rifles and cannon fire—cannon fire and quickly began to devastate their ranks. Scotland's joking attitude faded as he became more serious.

He knew, after Bunker Hill, that it would be more like facing an army than a mob, but it was one thing to hear it from the two more dramatic people you know and another to see it for yourself.

That didn't mean Scotland was happy to retreat from the battle, nor did it make him any happier to see the rebels pursuing them.

Why did Thirteen Colonies have to be as stubborn as his father?