Fandom: Hetalia - Axis Powers
Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing.
Main Characters: America, England
Coupling: UKUS, side SuFin, mention of past SuNor
Summary: We all do stupid things when we're young. Berwald's son would pay the price for his stupid mistake.
Warnings: Fantasy AU, Snake!Arthur, Unbeta'd
Author's note: Kirisikka is Fem!Finland, and Else is Fem!Norway.

The day the basket appeared in the palace was a day that threw the whole kingdom into a state of panic. No one knew how it had gotten there, no guards had seen it brought in, and none had seen anyone leave. It had simply appeared in the throne room, sitting in the right hand seat where the eldest Prince sat. Inside the basket, swathed in a blue blanket who's material was not made by any human hand, was a small babe. A little boy who's skin was pink, and hair as gold as the sun's light, who's eyes were such a startling blue they were impossible to stare into.

The Prince, at the age of sixteen, had reluctantly claimed the child as his own, and had explained to his father in private the nature of the child's birth. Rumours spread throughout the kingdom, the Heir to throne had clearly had an affair with a fae, an inhuman creature. Perhaps he'd been bewitched, or tricked. They feared that the appearance of the child would cause the Princess of the nearby Kingdom to call off the wedding that would soon be held for the two. She nearly did, her mother and herself had traveled to Sverige to see the child that had caused such a ruckus, and her mother swore the wedding off.

The Princess, Kirisikka, who'd always feared the Prince and his intense stares, looked down at the babe in his cradle and melted. While her mother ranted to the King of Sverige, and the Prince stood beside his father, Kirisikka had lifted the babe, still wrapped so well in his blue blanket, and cradled him in her arms, rocking him gently. Holding the baby, she found herself quickly falling in love with him, such a sweet precious thing he was, and she turned to her mother, who had not noticed her daughter's actions. In fact, the only one who looked at her, who saw she'd taken the baby at all, was the Prince, who's stare was just as intense and frightening as ever, but somehow, it didn't bother her as much as it had before. "The wedding must not be called off."

The princess' voice had broken the anger that had veiled the room, and her mother had looked horrified.

"Our kingdoms need to be united, if we are to avoid war, and this... this shall not change anything." In fact, Kirisikka was quite sure that the child's appearance had made things much easier. With the warm babe in her arms, she did not fear the state of the kingdoms as she had once, and the thought of being married to the Prince was not as nervewracking as it had been before.

The Princess stood her ground when her mother and father tried to presuade her, and the wedding was held as it had been planned. On the first day of summer, Princess Kirisikka married Prince Berwald, and that night she went willingly to his bed, hoping that any child she bore him could be as beautiful as the child he'd been given by whatever fae had graced his bed before.

It would be several years before they would have a child of their own, however, and Kirisikka could not have complained. For as much as she longed for a child, she was glad to give her focus to the Fae Child. She had named him Alfred, and while Berwald spent his days with his father, learning what he needed to rule the now joined kingdoms, Kirisikka spent her days with Alfred. She coddled the boy, who grew more beautiful with each passing day. His skin forever sunkissed, and his hair like spun gold, those eyes as blue as the deepest river, his laughter echoed through the palace, and though his unnatural beauty frightened some of the people, it endeared most to him.

When Kirisikka finally bore a child for her Husband, she found she could not quite love this child the way she did Alfred. Surely, she loved Peter, she did. He was her own flesh in blood, but he did not hold quite the inner light that Alfred had. His hair was flaxen, and his eyes gray-blue like the stormy sea, and though she tried her hardest, she could not claim herself enarmored with her own child as she'd been with the fae boy.

Peter, though, newly born, was immediately named heir to the Kingdom. Berwald, who had then been king for a mere year himself, had proclaimed it for all to hear that Peter would take the throne when the time came. Many were relieved by this. Peter was human, and though he was not as beautiful as his elder half-brother, he was one of their own kind, and surely a better choice. Alfred, merely five years old at the time, couldn't have understood the power he may have had, or what he had just lost.

His step mother still dotted on him, though her attention was now shared with the baby, Alfred found he couldn't bring himself to mind. For Peter was small, and new, and smiled whenever he saw Alfred in a way that no others had. Genuine and sweet, and wrapped his tiny pudgy fingers around one of Alfred's own, and he was just as in love with the younger prince then any other could have been.

As the two grew older together, they were close. Alfred, older and blessed by the fae, was naturally gifted at many things Peter had to learn by hand. But he stood beside the younger and helped at every chance and Peter, who was both bitterly jealous and deeply grateful for the attention never lashed out at his older brother.

Alfred was thirteen when Kirisikka grew heavy with her second child, another boy she hoped. He was excited to meet this new child, another sibiling for him to love and teach, and be close to, but his father knew that Alfred would never be able to meet his new brother or sister. For Alfred's fourteenth birthday was right around the corner, and the child would surely not be born before then.

You see, a deal had been struck before Alfred had been concieved. It was something that Berwald was loathe to think of now, years later, when he'd grown to love the boy and knew how deeply attached his wife was to him. But Berwald had been young, and foolish, and Else, the fae he'd slept with, had been so beautiful that he could not have looked away from her. He'd longed for her from the moment he'd glimpsed a sight of her in the forest. In his desperation, Berwald had gone deep into the forest, to the base of the mountain, where he sought out the aid of the monster that lived there.

Arthur was a demon, they said, cursed by the gods with the form caught between man and reptile. Berwald had been horrified when he'd first seen the creature, with the torso of a man, and the lower body of a snake, but his desire had won over his fear, and he'd pleaded with Arthur. He needed Else as his own, his betrothed forgotten. However, Else was a fae, and not simply a solitary fae that could be won so easily, she was royalty herself, and would never be wed to a human... Arthur could, ensure a single night for Berwald, to get the desire out of his system, so he could go on living his life without longing for a woman he could never have. But it came at a steep price.

"A child will be born from your union," Arthur had assured him, thin forked tongue flickering between his lips, "When the child comes of age, you will bring him to me."

Berwald had agreed, not thinking of what the price could truly cost him. Not able to fathom the outcome of the day he would leave Alfred with the demon. Arthur had given him a blade, it was brilliantly crafted, with a handle of gold and gems woven into the blade, and told him to take it to the river, and wait. That he would give the sword to Else, and she would surely give him one night in payment for the gift.

Arthur was true to his word, and Else had appeared at the river and taken the blade. She'd been cold and beautiful, and had gladly laid with Berwald that night, but was gone before morning, as was the sword he'd given to her. Berwald still longed for her presence, but it was no longer consuming, he could remember his betrothed, and his duties, and his love for his home, and returned. No one could have guessed that the moments when the Prince, now King, would stare off into the distance that he was thinking of the beautiful fae that had borne Alfred. That he ever thought of anyone but Kirisikka never crossed the minds of anyone in the kingdom, for his love of his wife was obvious and never doubted for a moment.

It was his love for Kirisikka that caused him to go to Alfred the night before his fourteenth birthday. If the Queen knew he was going to take the boy to the monster, she'd surely never allow it. She would do anything to keep Alfred safe, he knew, and so he had to do this without her knowledge. Heavy with child, she had taken to retiring early, sleeping deeply in their shared bedchambers, and would never notice him gone until morning.

Alfred had been confused, but had done as told, packing his saddlebag with clothes and books, things of importance to him, and under his father's order, dressed in his best. He'd followed his father out to the stables, and climbed atop his horse, and went with his father into the forest. They rode long into the night, and Alfred nearly fell asleep many times, before they reached the cave.

Alfred had heard many things of the demon that lived in the forest, but never had he thought them true. He'd seen nothing of the creature before, though he'd been in the forest many times. Even so, he was reluctant to dismount with his father, only doing so when urged. His father rested a hand on Alfred's shoulder, and pulled him into a hug, the action odd and unfamiliar to the boy. When he drew away, they sat near the entrance of the cave, their horses tied to the low branches of a nearby tree, and waited for sun up.

When pale light began to spill over the land, Berwald woke his son, who'd fallen asleep against his shoulder, and with much trouble, explained the situation to the boy. He told Alfred of his mother, and the deal that had been made, and apologized profusely for the things to come. He didn't know what Arthur wanted with Alfred, be it to keep him as a pet, or devour him, it was hard to understand. All he could do was hug his son again, and apologize in broken tones.

Alfred, for his part, half frozen with terror, returned the hug, and urged his father to give the Queen his best. To not forget him, and to take care of Peter and the new baby.

Berwald left before the sun could rise fully, leaving Alfred at the mouth of the cave to face his fate alone. He took the prince's horse, and dared not look back to let his heartbreak show on his face, or see how small and alone his son looked.

Alfred watched him disappear into the forest, taking with him the life Alfred had known, and the future he'd hoped for. He had never expected to be given much, had known when he'd learned he was not Kirisikka's son that he was never a true prince, though his father had never allowed anyone to call him a bastard or any other slurs. He'd been treated like he was trueborn, and now any life he might have had was lost. His fate now lay with the demon that slept inside the cave, to be eaten, or killed, or caged, there was little he could do to change it now. He thought to run, perhaps escape, but what horrors would befall his family? Would the creature go to the palace and demand to take Peter or the new babe in his stead? Alfred could never allow that.

So, with his bag at his side, and his sword heavy on his hip, he waited, frightened and nervous, for the creature to emerge.