Hello. This is my first fanfiction, so if it's utter crap…yeah. Also, no Beta. Maybe that goes without saying…
-O-
Pairings are as follows (may have to update this as I go; PS I added the ages. This is how old everyone is at the start):
Russia "Ivan" (17) X America "Alfred" (8) – Main pairing, so they'll be in here a lot
Spain "Antonio" (19) X Romano "Lovino" (12) – Not much of them until the end, sorry!
Germany "Ludwig" (16) X Italy "Feliciano" (7) – Same as above
France "Francis" (26) X UK "Arthur" (20) – Mostly hinted at, but probably throughout the story
Canada "Matthew" (5) X China "Yao" (14) – Not much of them either until the end…
Prussia "Gilbert" (21) X Ukraine "Katyusha" (20) – Odd couple, I know, but it works with the plot :P
Austria "Roderich" (22) X Hungary "Elizabeta" (21) – They're throughout the story…I think .
Natalia is 13 and Toris is 14
-O-
Also, the Emperor is the Mongol Empire, so he'll probably always be addressed as "The Emperor" XD
And Natalia (Belarus) will probably die…Maybe. I don't know yet. Sorry if you have a problem with that. :/
P.S. to new readers: The periods are there to separate paragraphs with the intention of making this story easier to read. I sincerely hope it doesn't cause any confusion. If it does, you have my humble apologies.
-O-
Title: Built Upon the Snow
Author: La'Keera
Rating: M
Warnings: May contain violence, dark and/or suggestive themes and foul language
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia, obviously
I: Call Me Master
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It was freezing. That was all Alfred could really comprehend. Whatever he laid on was hard and cold. Soon the sounds of coughing and wheezing filled his consciousness and he forced his eyes open. He found himself lying on a stone floor in what looked like a cell with several other children of varying ages. Some were older, some younger. Many of them looked sick. So this is what became of unclaimed children? "M-Mattie?" He searched the faces for his baby brother. At first all he saw were dull, unconcerned eyes gazing back at him. Then his brother lifted his head out from under a little girl's legs.
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"Alfie?" Mattie squirmed out from under the other bodies and climbed over any more in his path. Once reunited, the brothers latched onto each other immediately and tried to get warm. Mattie still had a little heat from his time with the other children. The silence was only broken by the sounds of illness. Several of them were coughing. There was a girl in the corner who vomited. She looked pretty bad. "I'm scared, Alfie."
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He looked down at his shivering brother and held him even tighter. "Don't be. We'll be okay." His own body was already starting to shiver violently. His head throbbed from when the officers had whacked him to make him stop fleeing. He paused his soothing whispers when he heard people moving through the hallway. If it could be called that. The wind blew through it, so he doubted there was a wall on either end.
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"Children of that age group are kept here," a voice said from just out of sight.
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A warmly dressed young man appeared at the bars and looked over the cell's occupants. "Are any of them feral?"
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"No. We kill them immediately. There's nothing you can do with them, you know." The first man, an older fellow with white hair, opened up the cell door. "Go in and have a look. Be careful, though. Some are a bit sick."
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A bit sick. Alfred looked over to the girl who chose that moment to vomit again. The smell made him sick to his stomach. If he had anything to throw up, he might have done so. He merely held his brother tighter and watched the young man reluctantly enter and examine the children. Was he going to take ones he liked? Where? One more glance around the cell and Alfred made up his mind. Wherever this man was going must be better than this. "Hello."
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The man paused his search and turned to him. "Hello."
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"My name is Alfred. This is my little brother, Mattie. They brought us in last night." He rubbed his head where he had been hit and tried to think of what this man would want. What use did children serve anyone? Deciding the best course of action was direct, he asked with a hopeful smile, "What are you looking for?"
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"I'm looking for three young children to take back with me." The man's large brows drew together in an irritated expression. "How old are you?"
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"I'm eight. Mattie is five." He hoped he hadn't caused the man's irritation or he might not get out. The answer hadn't helped him much. He was a child and he would be happy to go. That automatically qualified him, right? "We're well-behaved."
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The man frowned and motioned for them to come closer. "You're going to regret selling yourselves. Trust me." He turned his attention back to the group of children and pointed out the girl in the corner. "That girl and these two here. Charge their cost to the palace."
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Alfred helped Mattie to the man's side and winced at the pink-faced, puffy eyed girl across from him. She looked like she could barely stand. The young man led them swiftly out of the cell and into the windy hall. They had to walk barefoot down the cold stone with the wind whipping around them. Even the man hunkered into his fur-lined coat as they walked. Mattie whined at the cold and Alfred heard his own teeth chattering. He couldn't feel it, he was so numb with cold. Shivers racked his body before they even set foot in the snow.
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"Hurry, little ones and we'll get you some shoes and clothes, huh? Sound good?" The man's question met with a chorus of approval. Even the poor girl seemed to perk up slightly at the mention of something warm. They hurried through the snow and up onto the first platform they could find. Anything to get their pink feet out of the cold white powder.
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The city was in celebration and despite the cold, Alfred found himself entranced by the decorations and people singing through the streets. It gave him something to watch when he waited for the young man to catch up from the sudden dashes from store front to store front that the three of them made. Finally they reached a store that sold clothes and shoes. They were let inside and all three immediately made for the fireplace. It burned to get close to it, but they moved closer nonetheless. The girl coughed and sniffed and looked sick again but Mattie appeared happy at least.
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"Okay, you three. Take your picks." The young man set three pairs of shoes by their feet before disappearing again to find them clothes. Alfred let the others pick first. The shoes were all pretty ugly anyway. Still, they would shield his feet from the snow and that made them precious.
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"Come along." The young man had an armload of clothes and he led them back to the clerk. He paid for the clothes and shoes and handed them each a pair of socks. "Hurry and put your shoes on. We need to get you to the palace and cleaned up."
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"We're going to a palace?" What did a palace need children for? When there was no answer he quickly did as he was told and stood back up on his still mostly numb feet. He helped Mattie up as well and followed the man out of the store and shivered at the cold. "Can't we have coats?"
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"I'm afraid not. You will have no use for them later. I'm not to waste money." The man's voice held a hint of guilt and regret, but he didn't go back and get them coats. Nor did he offer them the clothes he had bought for them. They trudged through the streets, shivering and clinging together for some sort of heat. Every few minutes there would be another person on the streets, happily admiring the decorations for Midwinter's Day or humming a happy song. In a place where winter lasted six harsh months, getting halfway through was truly cause for celebration.
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It seemed they walked forever before the sight of a large, grand palace greeted them. They climbed the hundred steps, staring up at the snow-white walls and golden domed roofs in awe. The doors were blood-red and stood in stark contrast with the rest of the palace. The door opened as they approached and a large, gruff figure glared down at them as they passed. Alfred glared back and stood at his full height. He wasn't afraid of some bully.
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"What a brave little thing."
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Alfred ran into the back of the young man's leg and looked up to see him bowing his head. He looked on ahead and saw where the strange voice had come from. There was a tall young man, perhaps younger than the one that had brought them, standing not far from them. He had silver hair and violet eyes focused directly on Alfred. He looked friendly enough but the young man bowing to him seemed afraid.
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"Not very well-trained, though." The stranger approached him, his boot heels clicking on the white marble floor. He held something thin and black in his hands and smacked it lightly against his palm as he came closer. Alfred had never seen it before, but it looked evil. The furry tip was placed under his chin and forced him to look up into the cold, violet eyes. "What is your name, little sunflower? You may call me 'Master'."
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I hope that wasn't too bad…I'll finish this no matter the response, I think
…Maybe ^^;