Final chapter~

Alfred, blue from the cold that he could no longer feel looked up from the ground where he sat next to the Snow King's thrown. A frown was on the usually smiling face of his king. He sat up and leaned his chin on the Snow King's knee. "Is something the matter?"

The Snow King opened his eyes and stroked Alfred's hair then ran his fingers along his chilled cheek. "There is an annoyance nearby. Nothing you need worry about my dear. Continue to play with your puzzle, I shall get rid of it."

Alfred tilted his head. "Are you sure it's alright?"

A small smile returned to the Snow King's face. He pressed his fingers to his own lips then placed them upon lips pale from the cold, leaving a kiss of ice crystals. "It is fine. Once I return we shall travel again. I will take you to the burning mountains, Etna and Vesuvius, and I will make them white. It shall be in their best interest."

The Snow King caressed Alfred one more time then stood. The wind blew quite hard for a moment and just like that he disappeared. Alfred ran a hand through his hair then turned back to his puzzle, for that was what the Snow King had told him to do. He looked upon the pieces of ice and thought so deeply and was so still that he appeared to be an ice statue.

Meanwhile Matthew had just reached the doors of the palace when a great wind blew him back violently. He staggered and fell into the snow, trying to shield his face until the wind calmed itself. When he looked back up the Snow King stood before him in all his frozen glory. Unlike Alfred who had the piece of glass in his eye and had been effected by the Snow King's magic and thus saw him as a normal person, Matthew saw him as pure ice as Alfred had seen him upon their first meeting.

After a moment of staring in awe, Matthew pulled himself up, whole body trembling. "Y-you must b-be the Snow K-King. I have come h-here to take A-Alfred back!"

The Snow King tilted his head looking utterly unimpressed. "I do not know why you have wasted your time little one. Alfred has a piece of glass in his eye which distorts how he sees the world in an ugly way and another piece has turned his heart to ice. He is much better off with me. Alfred is not human so long as he has those fragments in him. I can make him happy while he is like this which is more than you can claim despite your brave if not foolish efforts. Alfred is mine now."

Matthew shook his head. "N-no! I c-c-can save him! I w-won't give up no m-matter what you say!"

A small laugh, like tinkling bells, escaped the Snow King. "How foolish you appear to me. Shivering so violently you can barely speak. And yet you claim you can save Alfred. The wind has told me much about you and your journey to get to this place. As you have gone through so much for his sake I will give you your chance. If you can break the evil hold over Alfred caused by the glass fragments as well as the magic I have put over him then both of you are free to safely leave this place. If not then Alfred will remain mine so long as he shall live and I will freeze your body and put it on display. Are you willing to take those odds?"

There was not a moment of hesitation as Matthew nodded. "I-in a heartbeat."

The Snow King's smile only grew. "Then seize your chance and try to win back your beloved. Just remember that winter is not forgiving in nature."

The doors of the Winter Palace opened up and the Snow King disappeared. Hugging himself, Matthew determinedly moved forward. He was not intimidated by such threats, though a chill had settled over his heart. But it did not linger, for he had no doubt in his mind that Alfred would come around upon seeing him.

Winds that cut through him seemed to push Matthew back and the palace was miserably cold. It was a dreary, empty, heartless place. Still he pushed forward. He couldn't give up, not then. He had to save Alfred. He just had to...

Matthew walked for what seemed an eternity, trying to navigate the spiraling maze that was the Snow King's home. At long last he came to the The Mirror of Reason and spotted Alfred, who he hadn't seen in nearly two years. And yet he knew him on sight and his heart became so full he thought it might burst.

Matthew ran across the slick floor, slipping as he collapsed before Alfred, throwing his arms tightly around his neck. He held him close, hardly believing he had actually found him again. "Oh Alfred, my dear Alfred I have finally found you!"

But Alfred was not responsive to him. The most he gave him was a sharp brush off and an uninterested glare, annoyed to be distracted from his task by such an irritating person. The sneer was more painful than any other hurt Matthew had suffered on his journey. He began to weep fresh tears, pressing his face to Alfred's chest. "Oh Alfred, it's me, Matthew! Please, please Alfred!"

The tears penetrated into Alfred's heart, thawing the lump of ice that it had become, which washed away the fragment that had been lodged there. Alfred blinked slowly, as if coming out of a daze. "Who...?"

"Matthew! Oh Alfred, it's Matthew! Please remember me! Remember our roses, our lazy summers, the stories your father told us... Oh please remember Alfred. I love you, so please remember!"

Matthew leaned in and kissed Alfred fiercely, desperately trying to convey the depth of his love, the single minded devotion and purity of it. The emotions got through for it all came rushing back to Alfred and he burst into tears, weeping so that the splinter in his eye was also washed away. And thus all evil and magic over him was broken.

Alfred pulled back, finally recognizing Matthew. "Oh Matthew, I remember. I remember you! And I love you, too."

Unbridled joy shone in Matthew's eyes and they kissed again, holding each other tightly and crying and warming each other up as they laughed through their tears. "But Matthew...how did you come to find me?"

Before Matthew had a chance to answer there was a horrible howl of the wind and a terrifying groan. There followed a cracking sound that reverberated for miles and miles over the quiet blanketed land of snow as the floor split nearly in two between Alfred and Matthew. Both boys cried out at the sound and Alfred quickly pulled Matthew protectively to his chest. They held their breath but nothing further occurred.

Shakily they looked at each other. Matthew started to pull Alfred to his feet. "Come, the Snow King promised me that we could leave but I think we should go now."

Alfred nodded mutely. His time with the Snow King was a bit muddled and he was now aware of how cold he was. For while the Snow King's magic had shielded his body from serious damage, the cold had seeped in to a painful degree.

Just as they were about to leave Alfred looked down and saw his puzzle. In a moment of clarity he pulled his hand from Matthew's and knelt down. "Alfred, what are you doing? We have to go."

Alfred frowned and did not say a word. Instead he reached down and began to arrange the pieces. A moment later he pulled back. He had formed the word 'Eternity' at long last. But he had no wish for power or anything else. Merely his freedom to go home with Matthew. And as the word was made he realized that the Snow King would keep his promise and let them go.

Standing, Alfred took Matthew's hand again. "Let's go."

Matthew remembered the way back out and they walked quickly, and continued to walk until they were far from the Winter Palace. They spent the time talking of their parents, of their roses and all they had left behind, and as they walked the sun broke through the cloud cover. When they arrived at the bush with the red berries Ba was waiting for them with a second reindeer. They carried the two boys to the Finland man, who warmed them both up and fed them. Matthew told Tino what had happened as he wrote down directions for them to get back home as well as a note to give to Berwald. They waved farewell and headed towards Berwald, who provided them with new clothes he had made for them. As he read Tino's letter his intimidating expression seemed to soften. Once again they said their goodbyes and moved on. The two reindeer followed them to the border of the country where green leaves were beginning to sprout. Here they took their leave of the reindeer for good, Matthew giving Ba a final hug for all he had done.

The birds began to sing in the trees which in turn became heavy with fresh leaves and flower buds. As they passed a forest a beautiful horse appeared and Matthew recognized it as one that had drawn the golden coach he had ridden in. A beautiful young woman rode it, wearing a red cap upon her head and with a pistol in her belt. It was the robber-maiden Katyusha.

Once they recognized one another it was a very happy reunion indeed, the two showing great pleasure at seeing each other again. Katyusha had realized soon after Matthew left that she really couldn't take the life of a robber anymore and that while she truly loved her sister it was perhaps time to move on and make new friends and meet new people. She was nervous but determined and intended to try seeking companionship in another part of the world.

Matthew told her everything that had happened after he had escaped and introduced Alfred, who she was very pleased to meet. "A fine fellow you are disappearing on the winter winds and worrying poor Matthew like that," she teased. "I do hope you are worthy of going to the ends of the earth for."

Alfred laughed and Matthew took his hand, smiling softly before asking on any news she might have on the prince and princess whom had been so kind to him.

"I did hear that they have gone off to foreign countries, though I do not know for what reason," Katyusha told him.

"And do you know of the young Italian man from their court? I would like to know how he and Ludwig are doing."

Katyusha shook her head sadly. "I am afraid I haven't heard a thing about them."

Matthew nodded and thanked her anyway. Katyusha patted her horse and smiled sweetly at the two. The joy she saw in each stolen glance at one another was all the reassurance she needed to know that Matthew's suffering had not been in vain. "It seems all is right. And who knows, perhaps now that the Snow King has lost your Alfred my sister will have a chance at last."

She took both of their hands and told them she hoped they would be destined to meet again someday. And off she rode into the wide world, and off Matthew and Alfred went towards their hometown. The closer they got the more spring bloomed lovely and lush around them. Sweet flowers came to line their path.

At long last they came to their town and arrived at Alfred's door. Upon seeing them Arthur seemed convinced they were ghosts for a moment then collapsed into tears, holding both of them to himself as if he would never let go again. They called over Matthew's parents who wept and fawned over them with equal vigor. It was a very happy reunion between children and parents. And yet Matthew and Alfred seemed suddenly aware that neither were children any longer. Both had become men in foreign lands and under strange circumstances.

When enough tears had been shed to fill a small lake and their journeys (or rather Matthew's full journey and as much as Alfred could remember of his) had been told they were finally given a private moment. The two went to their space between the windows. Despite not having been there to care for them, the roses were in bloom and fresh as the day Matthew had left in search of Alfred.

For a while they stayed at home but their adventures had been so strange and they had seen things that no other in their town had even dreamed of that they felt a bit restless. And so after about a year at home to make up for the couple of years they had vanished, the two left again and went out into the world once more.

They met with the prince and princess and discovered their purpose for going to foreign lands, found Feliciano and Ludwig, did in fact come across Katyusha at least once more, and from time to time returned home. But all of those are different stories for another time. All that you must know for now children, is that the two had many more interesting adventures and met quite a few wonderful, strange, and unique people. And they were quite happy and in love for all their lives.

And one last important thing to note before this tale draws to a close. Neither saw the Snow King ever again, though winter did seem to be oddly kind to them on many an occasion. And no matter where he went, until the day that he died, on chilly winter mornings Alfred would awaken without fail to a window with lacy frost in the shape of a rose in full bloom.

~End

AN: Well kittens, that's the whole shebang. I'm very pleased to have finished this, firstly because I am so endeared to this story and secondly because it's looking like I probably won't be meeting any of my other summer writing goals -laughs- Thank you for reading!