You WHAATT!

The Commonwealth nations looked back at England expectantly. "So, as of yesterday morning, the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland" he paused to swallow past the unexpected tightness in his throat "is officially dissolved into its constituent countries, each one being a member of the British Commonwealth". A babel of voices arose at this statement, all trying to make their opinions known or ask questions of the brothers. England rubbed his forehead, trying to stave off the impending headache. "Shut up you bloody gits!" he shouted at the bickering nations, causing a sheepish silence to fall. "Anyone who has questions on this matter, please raise your hand and wait to be called on. Yes, Egypt?"

"So which nation holds the Commonwealth now?" Egypt asked curiously. "I mean, the treaty was with the UK, so if that is dissolved does that mean the Commonwealth is too?" A low assenting murmur arose from the other curious – and in some cases anxious – nations as they waited for an answer.

"No, Egypt" England sighed tiredly. "The United Kingdom being a Union between our countries", he gestured to his brothers, "Not a merger, it still holds valid with myself holding the treaty, as my country was the Primary ruler of my Empire. My brothers had the choice between staying in the Commonwealth or leaving once they became independent; they chose to stay in." He looked around the room. "If there are no other questions – "… "Wait!" Australia interrupted, clearly excited and looking rather like a child at Christmas as he bounced in his seat. "So does this mean that the United Kingdom of your brothers and you is definitely over for good Mum?" he looked hopeful, exchanging glances with Canada, who was smiling happily beside him for no apparent reason. England looked at his former colony suspiciously, wandering just what his hyperactive son was up to now, as Wales replied.

"Yes, we are fully independent of brawd now – "

"As ye would 'ave heered if ye 'ad bin lissening!" Scotland snapped over Wales's calm reply. Instead of taking offence, Australia simply lit up at the rejoinder, turning to England with a wide-eyed look of pleading. "Muuummm" "Whatever it is the answer is no, Jack!" England said tartly, refusing to be moved by the cute sight. "Buuutt Muuummmsssyyy, yoouu pprrooooommiiiisseeed!" Jack whined, now joined by Canada giving Arthur a heartmelting puppy dog eyes look that made him groan under his breath. "You promised us we could if this ever happened, eh", Canada piped up, still wearing that adorable expression. Most of the gathered nations started taking bets on what was going on whilst Arthur's brothers looked vastly amused at their baby brother's predicament. Meanwhile, England was trying to remember what he had apparently promised his sons. "Back in 1812 Mama eh" Canada piped up helpfully, putting on his most adorable face as he and Australia stared hopefully at their 'mother' figure as he remembered what he had promised. "You two cannot be serious!" England spluttered, waving his arms in the air for emphasis as he spoke. "You are strong independent nations now – oh bloody hell, don't give me those kicked puppy looks, Matthew!"

Matthew and Jack pouted at Arthur as he went on, trying to resist their pleading gazes and the invisible stares from the rest of the Commonwealth who had already fallen for it and were silently pressuring him to give in.

England slumped defeatedly. "Oh bloody hell – fine, just stop giving me those looks you bloody gits!" he snapped with an embarrassed blush staining his cheeks as he looked away from them grumpily. "YEEESSS!" Jack cheered, dragging an overjoyed Matthew up with him to do a really weird victory dance as the other nations stifled chuckles and curiosity. "Excuse me, Australia, but may we know what this apparently important promise England made was?" India spoke up, interrupting the riotous moment and stopping the dancing pair in their tracks. "One moment, mate!" Australia replied cheerily, as he and Canada took out two extremely formal looking documents and placed them in front of England – who was attempting to hide an embarrassed yet touched expression. "Just sign here eh, Mama" Canada piped up from behind his polar bear, Kumajirou. The other nations watched with almost stifling levels of curiosity as Arthur signed the official looking forms in triplicate, followed by Matthew and Jack. The moment they were all signed and safely filed, Canada gave an extremely out of character whoop and grabbed Arthur and spun him round, who had given up on trying to hide his emotions and was looking at his two sons with a honest, true smile no one else in the room had seen for decades, if not centuries.

Northern Ireland lost patience and slammed his fist down on the table, making the glasses rattle and the other nations jump. "Someone better tell me what the feck is gooin' on NOW or else!" he yelled, getting a creepy smile of agreement from Wales and a snort from Scotland. "Jist what the 'ell is this promise wee Artie made, and what were those papers for?" Scotland growled darkly at the trio, who had frozen in their previous positions.

"That's simple, eh" Matthew replied quietly with dancing eyes. "Back in 1812 we did something good for Mama and got promised a reward, eh"

"And what we asked for, Mumsy couldn't give it to us then, so he made us a promise, that if ever the bonds of government binding him to his brothers broke, he'd give it to us then; and now they have, and so we collected on our promised reward mates!" Jack laughed cheerfully with one arm firmly wrapped around a blushing England who was still in Matthews's arms. "WHAT WAS THE REWARD YOU IDIOT?!" yelled his brother New Zealand exasperatedly, echoing the sentiments of the rest of the room. Australia scratched his chin with a mock thoughtful expression. "Well…" he grinned in sync with Canada's devilish smirk, and England's loving one, "To make a long story short – " he paused and grinned around the room, before taking out a package and starting to unfurl it on the table – "we are proud to announce to you today" the last of the packaging came of and the silk bundle was unfurled with one swift shake as audible gasps went around the table "the formation of the new Union, Canada, England and Australia as the United Kingdom of Avalon!"

Stunned silence went around the room as the nations struggled to comprehend the staggering news and stared at the new flag in front of them. Then – "WHAT!"