Chapter Text
"Do you ever regret it?" Trust Territory asked, his eyes turned blinding by the sunlight reflecting off the sea. "Having children?"
Ellice sighed and took a long, slow sip of her champagne. "No," she said at length. "Not at all."
Trust Territory nodded, mentally jotting her answer down. "I do."
Ellice winced, looking out across the field at their children. Palau, Northern Mariana Islands, Tuvalu, and Marshall Islands chased each other around in exuberant circles while Kiribati and Micronesia watched from the sidelines, their heads bent close together to whisper giggling secrets into each others' ears. Ellice wondered if Trust Territory's children knew that their father regretted them.
"Why?" she asked him, not bothering to veil the bewildered bitterness in her voice.
Trust Territory clocked it. He gazed at her sidelong, his eyes harsh and narrow. "Your daughters were born from a place of love," he hissed. "My children are from the terrors of war."
Ellice narrowed her eyes at him. Champagne burned down the length of her throat. "What spurred on this conversation, Trust Territory?" she asked cautiously. "Are you planning something?"
Trust Territory huffed out a resigned sigh. "You know what America wanted to do, right? With Marshall Islands and the bomb testings?"
Ellice nodded mutely, her eyes drawn to Marshall Islands across the field. Just a child, brimming with light and laughter.
"I'm going to go through with it."
In a flourish, Ellice stood, champagne bubbles sloshing down into the grass. "Trust Territory, no. You cannot."
The man shook his head in sorrow. "You must understand, Ellice. I have no true choice in this matter. I'm as chained to America as you are to the British Empire."
"You can't just allow him to hurt your son like that. Trust - he could die."
"There's no use trying! I couldn't protect them from the war. If I refuse this, it will make everything worse!"
His voice cracked cleanly down the middle.
Ellice glared at him. "Coward," she spat.
"I suppose I deserve that," he answered quietly.
"You do," Ellice hissed. "You do, and much more."
Trust Territory extended a hand. "Don't worry about Marshall Islands. We'll protect him, Ellice. He'll be okay."
"He won't," Ellice snarled. She flung the champagne in his face.
Trust Territory caught it, unflinching, and tipped the glass up, downing the rest of the alcohol in a single gulp. Gold dripped like blood down his chin.
Ellice turned and made her way across the field. Palau and Marshall Islands were tussling in the grass, two brothers unaware of the fate that awaited one of them. She clenched her teeth against the sorrow.
Ellice beckoned Tuvalu and Kiribati over. Kiribati hugged Micronesia one last time, her tiny golden wings now long enough to rest their tips against Micronesia's shoulders. Tuvalu bounded over instantly like a cheerful puppy.
Before she could stop herself, Ellice knelt in the grass, mud catching on the hem of her dress. She reached out toward the wrestling boys. Bemused, Palau and Marshall stopped and lifted their heads, cautiously pulling themselves apart.
Ellice pulled Marshall Islands close, sorrow and rage and pity colliding like asteroids in her chest as she brushed the confused child's hair out of his face. His wide eyes, bright orange and luminous with innocence, gazed questioningly out into her own.
"Be safe, Marshall Islands," Ellice whispered softly. His black hair was down-soft beneath her fingers. She stood, releasing him, casting a last reproachful glance toward where Trust Territory sat at the very edge of the field, licking from his lips those last golden drops of happiness.
Before the tears could flow, Ellice put her hands on Tuvalu's and Kiribati's shoulders and guided them away.