"Alfred! Alfred!" Matthew was searching frantically for his younger brother. after the boy had woken up Matthew had taken him in and taught him what he could but his brother was always running off. He seemed to have limitless amounts of energy. Matthew normally didn't mind that though. It was just that lately Matthew had noticed the native people in both his lands and his brother's had become more hostile, more ready to attack and less accepting of those they saw as different. He also had heard whispers of others that looked like themselves coming from across the sea in large wooden vessels. Matthew was curious about the rumors he was hearing and had brought them both closer to the coast to see if they were possibly Danmark and Norge, returned to find him again. But before he could determine that he had to find his brother before someone with hostile intentions could.

A giggle echoed in the forest and Matthew bolted to follow it. He knew it had to be Alfred. As he approached a clearing he spotted Alfred in a bush and was about to go out and get him when he saw three strangers. None of them looked familiar, though he could feel they were like himself and Alfred. He worried what might happen if they saw his brother but realized too late that they already had. He held tightly to Kum as he began to pull to go towards the other boy but stopped when he realized Matthew wasn't moving. Matthew watched as the smallest of the three strangers left, leaving the other two bickering and it reminded Matthew of how Lina and Gourry would always fight with one another. Eventually he watched as his brother approached the stranger that was currently sitting on the ground crying and patted his arm to sooth him. After that he saw the man scoop up his brother and hold him tight. It caused Matthew's heart to clench knowing that his brother would not be coming back with him but staying with this other man. Hurt but understanding Matthew turned and left, returning to his lands.

It was while he was wandering the southern coast of his lands that Matthew spotted one of the large vessels that was bringing the strangers across the sea. It didn't look the same as he remembered Danmark and Norge using but he approached it anyway in the hopes that they might be there. He saw several people milling about the shore, unloading supplies and generally doing work. He snuck into the area they had inhabited to look around when he felt the presence of another like himself and turned to find himself face to face with one of the same men that had taken his brother in. Though this was the taller of the two, the one that seemed upset that Alfred had gone with the other man.

"Ah, qu'est-ce que nous avons ici? Un garcon a perdu peu a la recherche de son papa?"

Matthew stared at the man in confusion before speaking. "I don't speak whatever language you are speaking in." He hoped the man knew the language he was using, it was the one that Norge and Danmark had used when they first found him and he hoped it was something universally known by their kind.

"Ah, oui, I am sorry about that. I was just so happy to have found a little nation like yourself. That snob England said he already had laid claim to America when he chose him over moi."

Matthew scrunched up his face at hearing about this 'England' and his laying claim to 'America', though it made him slightly angry when he realized America is what they called his brother.

"You've found me then." Matthew made to turn and leave but was stopped when he felt himself being picked up and hugged tightly.

"Ohonhonhon. Little Kanata why are you trying to leave so suddenly. I will be your papa now and take care of you. Such a sweet little boy."

Matthew struggled to be released but he couldn't get any leverage to free himself of the clingy man. "Let me down."

"Hmm, but why, mon fils? Do you not like Papa's embrace?"

MAtthew struggled for a moment more before slumping in defeat. "You're not my 'Papa' and I refuse to call you that."

The blonde man holding him pouting slightly. "Fine then I can be your granfrere, your big brother, oui?"

That didn't seem so bad, he was getting tired of only have Kum as a constant companion and it might be interesting to see if his new 'big brother' knew anything about what had happened to Norge and Danmark.

"Alright 'granfrere' it is, now let me down."

"Non, I think I will keep you, though we should get you some new clothes, these rags you are wearing make you look like a savage."

Matthew didn't say anything in response as he was carried off to a tent and simply seethed quietly at the insult to his clothes. They had been a gift from his villagers to him the last time he had visited. It was no wonder these strangers were disliked by the natives so much if they called them savages and looked down on them for it.

Once in the tent the man set Matthew down and began to remove his clothes. Matthew jumped back from him glaring.

"My clothes are perfectly fine."

The man frowns at him and tries to grab him again but Matthew evades him.

"Come now Kanata. I can not have my charge looking like some savage beast."

"My clothes are fine, they're warm and practical."

The man frowns but gives in with a shrug. "I suppose I can not argue with that."

As Matthew watched the man settled down he too relaxed.

"You keep calling me 'Kanata'?"

"Oui, that is what my people call this land that you represent."

Matthew is thoughtful for a moment then nods in understanding. "Then what is it that they call you?"

"Ohonhonhon, how silly of me to have forgotten to introduce myself. My people call me France."

"France. And where is the land you represent, the land from which you and your people come from?"

"Well it is far to the east, across the ocean. You seem rather knowledgeable for a newly born nation."

Matthew blinks at this statement, not aware until now that he was assumed to be newly born. He assumed it had to do with his young appearance, knowing he had not aged since he was first found. Learning this though he did not correct France, instead he realized he could use this information to his advantage, wouldn't Lina be proud. Though there was one downside to keeping his true age a secret from France, he would never be able to flat out ask about Danmark and Norge. He just hoped that one day he would be in a position to learn about what had happened to them.

That night Matthew stayed with France in his tent and the next morning learned that France was building a small settlement nearby that his people were calling Quebec. He stayed with Matthew for the next several months as the small settlement was built. He taught him French, his language, and told him about the world. Matthew listened and learned. He learned about the man, England, that had taken in and claimed his brother and his rivalry with France. When Kum came into the camp looking for Matthew after a few days France and his people had panicked until Matthew managed to explain that Kum was his friend. France still seemed a bit wary of the bear but did not protest his joining them.

Winter came and the settlers and France did not take well to the cold. Matthew did his best to subtly help them through the winter but the place they had chosen to build on was atop a seaside cliff and caught the worst of the cold winds blowing in from the sea. They were stubborn though and toughed it out and eventually spring came. Once it did France and a few of his men began to prepare for a journey home. France promised that he would return and that Matthew should not worry. Matthew nodded and watched as the ship set sail until it was gone from site. Once it was gone he looked over the settlement he had been left in. France had had a house built specifically for him but he would never call it home. He had asked some of the settlers to look after him and make sure he was safe and happy. The whole situation reminded him sadly of the last settlement he had been left in and how tragically that had ended.

Letting out a sigh Matthew headed back to his home, he gathered a few things together and assembled them to resemble a child much the same size and shape as himself. Then he chanted the words and gave it life creating a golem replica of himself. He instructed it to act as he would until he got back so as to not worry or alert the settlers, before packing a bag and slipping out. Kum tried to follow him but he ordered him to stay behind so the golem didn't mess up. Kum was not happy to be left behind but obeyed regardless.

Once outside the walls of the settlement Matthew hastened to the west where his little cottage lay in the mountains. He wasted little time in his journey and within a month had made it nearly to the foothills of the mountains. Another week had him coming to the village, his village, and being greeted by the people there. They began to prepare a feast to celebrate but he shook his head, explaining he could not stay long enough. Things in the East were changing quickly and he was needed there. His people understood and he left to his cottage to gather what he had come for. Entering the house he realized how small it was in comparison to the large house France had built him. This house was scaled so he could do things for himself while the house France had built was built for someone of an adult's size. Moving quickly about he gathered his gifts from his family, his sword and spear, the cloak Zelgadis had once worn now worn and patched but still warm, Amelia's cuff with the crystal on it and lastly he packed Lina's book that she had made for him. These things had been left in his home for as long as it had stood, he had never traveled with them for fear they would be damaged. Now though he was not sure when he would be able to return here and thus he wanted to take these things back with him to keep them close.

As he left his home he took one long last look at it over his shoulder before heading to the village to say his goodbyes. The people of the village gave him praise and gifts, food and new boots for the journey back to the East. They saw him off as he left them behind and made his way back to Quebec. It was another month before he reached the gates of the settlement and he quietly snuck back to his house there, pleased to see the golem doing what he had made it to do. Once he had returned he summoned the golem to him and dispelled it, returning it to the mundane items it had been created from. Done with that he went about stashing his treasures away in the bottom of his wardrobe.

After that life became a routine and eventually France did return, just as he had said. He brought with him more settlers and news of other settlements being built. That was when France did the strangest thing Matthew had ever heard of. He took matthew into the hallway of the house and had him stand with his back to it before taking a piece of wax and marking the wall with his height.

"There, now we can see how much you grow during my visits away from you."

"Grow?" Matthew was confused by the concept, in all his years he had never grown. So why now was France so convinced he would.

"Oui, now that my people are settling here you should begin to grow. It may take some time but you will see, soon you will be big enough to not need nannies and governesses to look after you."

Matthew nodded in understanding and in the years that followed whenever France would visit he would mark on the hallway wall how much Matthew had grown. generations passed and Matthew now looked to be seven and aside from insisting that he continue to wear the beads in his hair he was dressing like the other colonists rather than the 'savages' living in the wilds of his lands. He still preferred practical clothes over the flouncy clothes France would bring back for him from his country and helping the servants out around the house, despite France telling him such things were beneath him.

Then everything seemed to change. France left early from one of his visits when a messenger came with news of war with England. Not long after he left Matthew began to feel pain like he had never felt before and news reached them that British soldiers from the American colonies were marching on them and likewise Canadian colonists were attacking British forts in Appalachia. It was the first time Matthew had felt war and he hated it. When the marching soldiers reached the walls of Quebec he was thankful for the location on top of the cliff though he still wanted to make them all leave as their hostile intentions so close to his center, his heart, was giving him the worst pain of the whole war. He prayed for his big brother to return and fight them off but he knew France was busy elsewhere fighting England on the main battle ground, he understood that this conflict in the colonies was only a small part of the whole war. Matthew was tempted to use magic to drive off the invaders, but feared their retaliation and just what the spells might do to him. Succeeding might mean self harm and being labeled a witch or worse he might be sent to the front lines to decimate entire armies, and he did not think he could bear to inflict such harm on another of his kind. Failure would mean the overrunning of his capital and his capture. No magic was not an option he could afford.

Eventually the siege broke and the British soldiers stormed the city. Matthew whimpered in pain as fighting broke out in the streets. Before long he was being dragged out into the streets by soldiers dressed in red. The lead him out of the city though he fought to stay. Knowing it was futile in his weakened state he commanded Kum to protect his treasures as he was thrust onto a ship that set sail South along the coast. In a week they were pulling into a harbor and docking. Matthew stared in awe. Certainly Quebec had been large, a city even, but it was nothing compared to the city he was seeing now. It sprawled out across the land around the natural harbor created by a river mouth and there were no walls to protect it and if there were they had long since been expanded past. Matthew wondered why he had been brought to the metropolis as the soldiers led him off the boat, he still was not feeling his full strength returning and assumed things were staying relatively the same in his lands, and through the streets to a large house. It was larger than the house he had in Quebec but only slightly and the houses on either side of it were about the same. The soldiers led him to the door before one of them knocked and a portly black woman answered and led them inside.

"Mattie!"

Matthew suddenly found himself being picked up and swung around by a boy that looked about ten. Looking up he saw familiar blonde hair and sky blue eyes and had to blink at how much older his younger brother looked in comparison to himself.

As Alfred put him down Matthew saw the soldiers talking to the woman that had let them in before leaving. Alfred kept yammering on about everything and anything, excited, it seemed, to have his brother back in his life. He led Matthew up a set of stairs and into a room full of toys and other childish things. In a pause Alfred took to breath Matthew interrupted him.

"Alfred?"

"Huh, what is it Mattie?"

"Alfred, why am I here? Those men they took me from my house, my city and brought me here. They hurt me and I couldn't fight back. I still feel weak. Please, tell me what is going on?"

Alfred grew quiet and scuffed his feet against the floor.

"There's a war going on, between England and France. I think England must be winning if you're here. He told last time he was visiting that the soldiers had made it to Quebec, and that that was where you were staying. He told me that as soon as his men took the city they were going to find you and bring you here to stay until he had a chance to come and assess you himself."

Matthew stared at his brother in shock. What he was saying was that France was losing and that meant he was being taken away from him. Matthew wasn't especially attached to France but he hated that he was being treated as nothing more than property. And what if France had been the one winning. Would Alfred have been the one feeling this pain and being dragged from his home to be forced to live with him. It was then he did something he hadn't done in centuries, not since he had been forced to leave behind the only people he could call his family, aside from Alfred, and cried. He fell to his knees in tears, heavy sobs choking past his lips as the realization that everything he was and everything he had was not really his. He was a pawn, the property of more powerful and older nations that wanted to dominate the Earth.

As the realization struck him and he broke down crying Alfred seemed to panic slightly He didn't know how to help his brother, he didn't even understand why he suddenly was so upset. He assumed it had to be because he had been taken from France and he tried to comfort the older, but younger looking, boy. Eventually Matthew was able to calm down and Alfred handed him a handkerchief to wipe the tears and snot from his face.

"Don't worry Mattie, you'll like it here. I promise."

"Alfred?"

"Yeah Mattie?"

"England, did you tell him I was older than you while you were with him?"

Alfred blinks but shakes his head. "No, it never came up. Why?"

"Good, don't. Let him think of me whatever he wants, it's easier to let them all think I'm not as old as I am."

Alfred gives Matthew a confused look, nodding in agreement, even if he didn't understand it all.

"Hey Mattie?"

"Yes."

"How old are you really?"

Matthew opens his mouth to answer but stops. "I don't know, I never really bothered to count, older than you for sure, countless generations perhaps."

Alfred looks on in awe before the servant woman comes to call them down for dinner and the two head off to the dinning room to eat.