Hello friends! This is my first fanfic, please be gentle :) I had this idea for awhile, after reading many RusAme fanfics on this website. Please leave a review! Any comment is beneficial. Even if this does not get many reviews, follows, or favorites, I will still continue posting... Enjoy!

Prologue

Nothing. All I could see… is nothing. I swallowed, leaving a burning sensation in my dry, aching throat. How long has it been… like this? The wind slapped my cheeks; I cringed, but I stood straight and looked ahead. I brought up my gloved hand and rubbed my cheeks, thankful for my thick scarf to protect me. I pulled up the scarf to cover my ears and squinted my eyes, trying not to let the snow blind me. I grasped at the stone railing in front of me. Even though I wore gloves, the cold penetrated through them and burned my hands. I closed my eyes and turned back to my room, closing and locking the doors behind me. I pulled back the worn out curtain and looked through the dusty window. My footsteps were already concealed by a heavy blanket of white. When I let go of the curtain, dust flew and traveled down my throat, causing me to cough painfully. I didn't bother shaking off the snow the piled on me- what difference was it going to make. I was still going to be cold. I trudged towards my bed and sat down, placing my head in my hands, staring at the floor. How has this happened? Oh right… it was around 3 years ago…

Begin Flashback

"Sir, y-you have a guest at the front door," Toris, my servant and right-hand man said meekly to me on a cold, windy night. I sighed, and gently placed my vodka glass on the table next to me. I didn't want to leave the warmth coming from the fire. My duty as the prince required me to greet all guests myself. I pushed myself off the cushioned seat and took my time walking to the front of the mansion; I only glanced at Toris and he started to tremble. I smirked, and made my way to the door.

At the bottom of the staircase, I saw a figure; it was covered in snow, shivering slightly. I made my way down, making my footsteps audible and the figure slowly brought it's head up. The figure was an old woman with a horrible hunchback. She had an abundant amount of wrinkles, and her face was mottled with ghastly warts. Her dark eyes looked worn; they have seen many great things, and witnessed many horrors.

"My lord, it is so very cold outside. Would you be very kind and let an old woman like myself stay for a night or two? Just until the storm passes. Please, I have nothing to offer in return," she croaked. Her teeth were yellow, and she was missing a few. I grimaced, but said nothing. I felt no sympathy for this witch of a woman; her was her fault for walking outside during a storm.

"I have no reason to help you, especially since you have nothing to give me in return. You even dare to face the prince with that appearance; now leave immediately, or you will be escorted out by the royal guard." I turned on my heel, and began to walk up the steps once more, looking forward to the rest of my drink. Oh, how I should have let the "woman" stay the night.

I expected to hear her trudging towards the doors, but instead I heard her laugh. The laughing grew louder and louder, until it turned into cackling then a roar. I slowly turned back around, facing the woman. She was kneeling on the ground with her hands on the carpet to support her, shaking from the laughter. I swallowed nervously, but I stood my ground and showed no sign of fear. Her cloak now covered her body completely, the black swallowing her presence. She started to shake; there was a rumbling in the room. A beam of light was emitted from her body, until the light swallowed her completely and filled the room. I was blinded and fell on the stairs, shielding my eyes. I heard the windows shatter and the wind made me deaf. Even through all this noise I could hear the constant cackle. I finally looked back at her, shocked from what I saw. Instead of the hag, there was a beautiful young woman. The light dimmed and I could see clearly. I may have been lovestruck if it wasn't for her sour face.

"My appearance, huh, how very shallow of you. The prince is supposed to be the most caring one of all, always helping the villagers. You have now shown your true colors; only a beast could turn away a poor old lady and force her back into the cold. How would you like it if you were cold?" She let out a little giggle. She slowly brought up both of her hands to the top of her head, and let them touch at the base of the palm. She began chanting a ghostly tune, getting louder a louder each line.

"Cor tuum est frigidus

Ut in hieme,
Tu , perpetuo gelu constringi!"

She kept repeating her chant; soon, another beam of light erupted from her hands. The wind blew me back. I shut my eyes, and waited what she had done to affect me. Nothing happened. Nothing was broken, and she just stood there, looking at me with a small smile. It was not out of kindness; it was almost condescending.

"Luckily, I am not as heartless as you. There is a way to fix everything in life, no matter how impossible it may seem." She started to walk around, looking at the paintings the decorated the halls. She stopped and stared at a painting. The painting had a single, vivid sunflower inside a simple vase.

"As a present for letting me 'stay', I shall give you a sunflower," the sunflower seemed to grow out of her palm. I just stared. "Alas, this is no ordinary flower." It started to float, giving off an eerie golden glow. "This rose shall stay beautiful and bloom until your 21st birthday. When that day comes, the flower will begin to wilt. The countdown begins when the petals start to fall. If one does not love you for who you truly are, then you and those in this castle will be cursed for the rest of time."

The witch cackled loudly again, and with one swish of her cloak she was gone, leaving me and the wind in the dark.

End Flashback

That was 3 years ago, when I was 18. I turned 21 a few days ago, and the flower already has one less petal. If I do not find a love soon, it'll be winter forever.