Native America

-Hernando De Soto-

Hernando De Soto landed on the banks of what would one day become to be known as Tampa bay, Florida or in that time, named by the Spanish conquistador as Espiritu Santo. He was a determined fellow, thirty-nine years of age with a desire for wealth and exploration. After the tales of Christopher Columbus and his discovery of America, Hernando also wanted the chance to explore this strange new world.

"Hernando, we should mark this day, as a day of fulfillment my friend."

Hernando turned to his friend Juan Ortiz and regarded him before nodding.

"I suppose this was a great achievement, but we have much to explore before we can consider this an accomplishment."

"Ah, you are so wise my Lord, you are right," Juan agreed.

"Men, we move out in one hour. Be ready!"

"Aye!" came the shout from behind him as all ten ships began to unpack their belongings and provisions.

Looking out at the expansion of endless possibilities, Hernando felt himself come alive. This land was wild and he, would help tame it into the glorious piece of Spanish land it should be.

*MD*

"Mama, I feel it in my bones. New visitors have landed."

Native America aka Anahi looked over at her child and frowned. She too could feel them, but she could also sense their intentions and she worried about the land and her people and what would soon befall them.

"Mama?"

"Libellee, mama is tired. We should let her rest."

Anahi sighed.

"Thank you Matai, but I am fine. Libellee, these strangers are not like the others. Stay away from them, yes?"

Libellee pouted and tossed her mom her biggest puppy dog eyes.

"Come on mom, pleaseeeeee. I really love meeting new people. Can't I at least watch them from afar?"

Anahi stared at Libellee and Libellee sighed, defeated.

"Fine…" she muttered, kicking a loose stone as she rushed into the forest.

Matai looked after her before glancing at his mother.

"You know she will go anyways, right?"

His mother nodded.

"That is why you must look after your sister, right Matai?"

The boy sighed.

"She is bigger than me…" he murmured, but headed off to find his twin sister and keep her out of trouble the best he could.

Anahi on the other hand closed her eyes, wincing. She knew that these strangers being here was important. It meant that Libellee would be begin to grow into the nation she was destined to be, but it still scared her, the unknown. She only hoped that in the future, her daughter would be strong enough to survive all on her own.

The cry of a baby startled her from her thoughts and she quickly hurried inside the large hut.

"Basilo, I thought I said to watch the baby?"

"I was mama, but he started crying and…"

The door to the hut closed and the forest around them continued on in silence.

*MD*

Hernando scowled as he watched his men burn down the native villages. If they wouldn't obey, then they would learn the hard way.

"My lord, we have a young boy here who speaks Spanish!"

Hernando, curious, headed towards the wagon where a young boy, around seventeen stood, watching the conquistador approach with an obvious nervousness.

"What is your name boy?"

The teen hesitated, nervous to respond incorrectly to this man who he had just witnessed burn his village.

"P-Pedro, sir," he replied.

"Hmm… do you know the land and native tongue, well?"

"Y-Yes, s-sir."

Hernando smiled.

"Excellent, you're hired. You can be my personal slave and so long as you do your job, you will be treated fairly. Understand?"

The boy nodded emphatically.

"Good, now tell me what you know about this native land. Who are the tribes living in it and what can we expect to meet as we journey?"

As Pedro answered the questions the best he can, neither one were aware of the eyes now watching them from nearby.

"Libellee," Matai hissed, "Mama said we shouldn't be here! What if they hear or see us?!"

"Well then be quiet," the girl hissed back, "I want to get a closer look."

"No!" Matai shouted, reaching for her, but both froze when they heard the sound of a gun.

"Hernando, I heard something here!"

The conquistador frowned.

"An animal?"

"Perhaps. Might be a native."

The man just shrugged.

"Shoot them if it is. We don't need any more slaves, unless it's a woman. If it's a girl, take her. They sell for far more."

The man chuckled.

"If it's a woman, can I have her?"

Hernando smirked.

"We'll see Pablo."

The man searched the brush, but during the time the conversation took place, the two native children had vanished and he found nothing.

"Whatever it was is gone. Must have been a beast."

The men moved on as the two children panted far into the forest, having run at their approach.

"That was close…" Matai whispered, relieved.

"Why are they killing mama's people?" Libellee whispered, horrified.

"Mama tried to tell you. They are not like Leif and Diego. They don't want to just explore, they want to make wealth and conquer."

Libellee was silent, not at all happy with her findings.

"Come, we should go check on mama. The native people are her people. She may need our help."

Matai started into the jungle, but Libellee hesitated and glanced back. Did they truly only come to conquer?

If so, she would not stand for it. She would stop them, if it was the last thing she could do.

*MD*

Anahi sighed in relief when her children wandered into the hut, but a throbbing in her side swept the smile from her face, instead causing to her gasp in pain.

"Mama!" they shouted, but she could not answer them.

"How long has she been like this?" Matai whispered, fearful.

"A while," Basilo said, coming out of the back room, "I watched the baby for mama, but it seems to be growing weaker along with her."

"Oh no…" Matai whispered, his eyes watery.

"Is this because of those men?" Libellee whispered, horrified.

Basilo peered at his sister.

"Probably. It happened in my land as well. I wasn't always the personification of South America you know? The original faded when the Europeans arrived and took over."

"Our dad…" Matai whispered, "I never met him."

Basilo smiled.

"He was a good guy, but a bit more… of a warrior, then mom, I guess?"

"And the baby?"

Basilo grimaced.

"I don't know. Perhaps it had once been a growing native nation, but I think with the return of foreigners, it won't survive too much longer."

Libellee stared at her mother, a deep frown on her face.

"Mama, you told me I am the land of America… is it my fault you and the baby are dying?"

Anahi stared at the child, hiding her pain. Had she truly grown up so much that she now understand the truth behind their existences?

"Libellee…there is a time and place for everything. I and the baby are one in the same. I knew when I had the child, she wouldn't survive. Your place is here, as the personification of your coming future nation. As Matai will be his and Basilo his. Just as your other brother Verdean became the personification of his land."

"Leif's papa, right?" Libellee whispered, "He gave Verdean his name?"

Anahi nodded.

"There is so much that is soon going to take place and you must be strong. All of you must be strong. Verdero was founded by Erik the Red, the father of Leif Erikson, your friend. He was named Verdean by Erik and now helps his people settle into their new homes as the lands patron."

She turned to Basilo.

"Basilo was named Brazil by the French and English who occupied the land. He still calls himself Basilo, but the people there do not know him by his native name."

"And me, mama?" Matai asked.

Anahi smiled.

"You are still growing my love, but the French and English have begun to fight over you. No doubt soon, you will meet the one who will lay claim and rename you."

"And me?" Libellee whispered, "Will I too find the one who will rename me?"

Anahi whispered, her voice rusty and thick sounding.

"Of course my love, you will find your special one too. I have no doubt that fate has a special plan in mind for each one of you."

A sudden pain shot through Anahi and she gasped before her eyes widened.

"He moves toward the river…" her eyes narrowed, "and there this so called god shall meet his end."

Libellee frowned and took off out the door, transcending space and time, she arrived at the location of the explorers and peered on with curious eyes.

"You say he sun god, but I see no sun god. Only man who sick," the native chief demanded.

"You have it wrong, my friend," Oritz argued with a smile, "he merely is ascending to a higher plane of existence. You will see, he will not even have a body left to look at when he rises."

The natives looked unsure, but they walked away. A few moments later, some men from the camp arrived, looking rather sickly.

"He isn't going to make it Oritz. Hernando is struck with fever. He is going to die."

"When he does… it will be too dangerous for us to continue on with his body. They will grow suspicious. When he dies, take his body and wrap it up with sand and stones. We will throw it in the river and claim he has ascended."

"You think that will work?" one man asked.

Oritz frowned, his expression serious.

"It's all we can do, or they will kill us all for our trespasses in their land."

"You see," a voice whispered and she turned, looking up into the face of her twin brother, "foreigners are not always the loving people you think they are. Some, live by lies alone."

As Matai vanished into the forest, Libellee could only watch as the men stared suspiciously at the natives around them. Perhaps Matai was right… but, she would believe in her nation. As mother said, fate no doubt, had great plans for her; a magnificent destiny, perhaps was in the making.

AUTHORS NOTE:

Wow, it's been a while since I published a chapter in this story. I don't really like this chapter, but there was just so much going on during this time in history that I wasn't really sure how to write it.

I decided instead to give a bit of background on all of the American characters (Native, South, North, USA, and Greenland as well, since it's a part of North America. The only one I haven't added in yet is Mexico, but it will be added, probably maybe next chapter? Idk, maybe not. It will be eventually.)

Anyways, here is the history check.

I won't be going into Canadian and other countries history very much, so here are some fun facts to help you understand the times taking place:

In 982 AD Erik the Red, the father of Leif Erikson founded Greenland.

In 1000AD Leif Erikson discovered North America.

In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovers America.

In 1497, John Cabot (Italian) discovers Canada for England.

In 1534, Jacques Cartier (French) discovers a part of Canada for France.

In 1534-1763, French landed in America and started New France.

In 1539-1541, Hernando De Soto discovers Florida/America and the Mississippi River.

· Hernando landed in Florida with ten ships.

· He met Juan Oritz, who had once been captured by natives after his own expedition landed there and met their end at the hands of the Indians. He became friends with Hernando who trusted him as their guide.

· They met a 17 year old Indian boy who they made into a slave along with hundreds of Indians and due to his ability to speak Spanish, they made him a guide and favored him.

· Hernando met his end at the Mississippi river after he contracted fever. In order to protect himself and his men, they had originally told the natives he was a sun god. When he started to die, they tricked the natives and hid his dead body supposedly in the Mississippi river where they weighed it down with sand and stone to make them think he ascended.

In 1540, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado started a Spanish settlement in America

In 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert founded the first English colony in Canada.

In 1600's the Dutch started a colony in America

In 1603, Samuel De Champlain, founded the first French settlements in Canada.

In 1607, Jamestown, the first English Colony was begun by the Virginia Company of London.

Next chapter (we are doing this slightly out of order), the French land in America in 1534 (Francis) and Libellee gets her first view of the French without actually meeting them. We will however, have Matai meet Francis and get his name ^_^

Please remember this is my take on events and they will be slightly different than the anime and based more around history, though with again, my own take.