The History of the Four Kingdoms
AN: Hello! Pardon me if I come off rather straightforward but I'm not quite sure how to explain this. I know this "rant" will be long but it is important to read to understand my view on the cardverse and how this story came to be:
This story is based in the Hetalia card universe (cardverse). It is my understanding that it is a loose universe based on the concept of cardverse and Hima's drawings of an Hetalia cardverse. No plot or generic story was ever created by Hima to accompany his drawings (much like the 2P universe). I'm rather new to the cardverse though I've heard of it before. It did not interest me back then. However, back when I was looking for scanned images of season five promo pictures I found a drawing of America and England in the new art style in their cardverse clothing. It actually got me thinking about the cardverse and before I knew it this complex plot more or less drew itself in my head. Because the cardverse is not set in stone (only basic details are known such as the four kingdoms and the roles of the King, Queen, Jacks and Jokers) I opted to switch some characters around to places I saw fit for them. You'll notice that characters do shift around a lot in the story. Some stay stagnant in their positions while others rise and fall. I don't want to give too much away so I'll begin the story now!
Thanks for reading my terribly disorganized blurb.
Current Pairings: Chinwan (China/Taiwan), Jawan (Japan/Taiwan)
Note: The pairings list above will change as pairings are added or wane away. A question mark beside a pairing means it may become official in the story, it may be temporary or it may be in question/disappear.
)()()()()(
Yao Wang sat on his wooden chair leaning in towards the children that crowded around the seat in his cozy office. The sun was fading outside, bringing a bright orange light into the room past the dark red curtains. The sun was always a tint of orange in this region of the kingdom. Perhaps that was why the former King had declared it the official colour of the once independent region. It was now the 2nd quadrant of Yao Wang's vast empire that stretched coast to coast.
"That was a good story, Papa Yao!" One of the little Asian boys at his feet cheered. Yao had finished telling the tale of his journey across the ocean in a foreign land where he fought dragons and other mythical creatures.
"Did you really fight those things, Papa Yao?" A little girl with braided pigtails asked, her eyes sparkly, but afraid.
"I did," He placed a gentle hand on her head and patted her.
The children surrounding him were not his own. Yao Wang, now an old man in his eighties, did not have children. The youngsters crowding him were those of his young council members who advised him in a variety of matters pertaining to the kingdom; everything from finances to military protocol.
"Your Majesty," A smiling face popped in from behind the wooden door, "I think it's time to call it a night. You need your rest."
The children were upset. They begged Papa Yao to tell them one more story about the old days. "Please, please?" They cried.
"Hmmm," Yao had to think about it, "Alright." They cheered.
The King's assistant was not as pleased, "Sir…"
Yao waved a hand, restraining the young man, "Now Yong Soo…one more story won't hurt." He turned to the children with a smile, "Have I ever told you the story of the Four Kingdoms?"
Yong Soo had to interrupt again, "That's a very long story, I'm not sure you'll have time to tell it."
"Hush now Soo," Wang scolded him. He relented when he saw how nervous and disappointed the young Asian looked. He apologized, "I'm sorry Soo. Have you heard this story?"
"I have, Sir." Soo acknowledged, "And I'm not sure it's fit for young children."
Yao Wang just nodded like the old sage he was, "All children should know their history."
Examining the focused looks on the children he began his tale, "Once upon a time, long, long ago, there were four Kingdoms. Each Kingdom was represented by a symbol. The Kingdom of Spades was in the far west. They were known for their great military. The King of Spades was not the brightest but was powerful. His Queen, on the other hand was intelligent and had great control over the navy. The Kingdom of Hearts was their arch-enemy and was considered the most powerful of the Kingdoms. Their King was a tough but reserved man and the Queen was quiet and calculating. Separating these two warring kingdoms was the Kingdom of Diamonds, known for their wealth. The King of Diamonds, historically, had trouble with both Kingdoms surrounding it but also managed to pull together some sort of treaty with either side. Their king was self-absorbed and thought of himself as a philosopher. Not much is known of his Queen other than that she was an attractive aristocrat. The last kingdom was the Kingdom of Clubs. They were a neutral kingdom. The King was very wise and his Queen…" Yao sighed. He paused for a moment to reflect on the image of the Queen whom he'd wiped out of his mind so long ago. Her long, flowing black hair, the smell of plum blossoms that followed her as she floated from room to room in the great oriental castle. It felt like only yesterday…
"Papa Yao?" The braided girl pulled on his wavy tunic, "Are you alright?" She could see the sadness in his eyes.
"Yes," He smiled at her. Collecting himself he continued with his story, "Despite the difference in policies and attitude they managed to get along for the most part. They fought in bitter wars here and there but respected each other's right to rule. That is until the Queen of Hearts plotted to take the throne of the Kingdom of Clubs.
"Now children, you must remember that Kings and Queens acted as co-rulers. They could be either male or female and were not necessarily married to each other. Some signed contracts. This was the case for the Kingdom of Hearts. A burly, blond man named Ludwig Beilschmidt was the King of Hearts. He signed a contract with another young man, named Kiku Honda. They signed this contract because they were both deemed to be the strongest in the Kingdom. As I said before the Kingdom of Hearts was a powerful Kingdom and only the greatest leaders would do. The Kingdom of Hearts was next door to the Kingdom of Clubs who sat on the East Coast. They regularly conversed with each other. One day the King and Queen of Hearts visited the Kingdom of Clubs to congratulate it on its new royal leaders who were appointed by the sage council. The Queen of Hearts instantly fell in love with the Queen of Clubs. He wanted her for himself."
Yao stopped to scan his head for more information, "Did I remember to tell you how ruling worked?"
The children shook their heads no.
Yao sighed aggressively, disappointed in his fading memory. "What happens is each Kingdom has a way of appointing a King and Queen. For the Kingdom of Spades it is related to destiny. The Queen must always be of aristocratic routes. Normally the King is too, but the choice of a King can rely on the Queen's own visions. Essentially he or she can choose their King. For the Kingdom of Diamonds it's the other way around. The King must be of aristocratic background and he or she must choose the Queen. Unlike the Kingdom of Spades however, the council must agree to the King's choice. This is because the Queen is important. You see, a King cannot rule without a Queen…but a Queen can rule without a King."
"But why?" One of the little boys asked, "That doesn't seem fair."
"That's just the way it was," Yao nodded, "that was our agreed upon system. People rarely challenged the system back in those days."
He continued with his explanation of the system, "For the Kingdom of Hearts a contract was signed between the two strongest people in the Kingdom while in the Kingdom of Clubs the council chose both the King and the Queen."
Getting back to the original plot as to not become too sidetracked, Yao carried on with the tale, "The Queen of Hearts was more of a fool than a Queen…he believed if he killed the King of Clubs he could take the kingdom for himself. A fool," He repeated, shaking his head, "such a fool…"
)()()()()(
SEVERAL DECADES AGO
Ludwig Beilschmidt stepped out of his wooden carriage casually followed by his Jack, the right hand man and advisor to the King. His Jack, Felianco Vargas, a tanned brunet with shiny brown eyes was anything but intelligent. How he had become the Jack most couldn't understand, but those in the know knew of his family's past as the ancient monarchs of the Kingdom of Spades and Kingdom of Diamonds and how it would be an insult to their legendary history not to have a Vargas in a top authority position.
"Woooooow!" Feliciano, called Feli for short by all, squealed at the sight of the oriental castle in front of them. It was an amazing structure built of pillars with cedar wood, resting on a stone hill. It towered high into the sky each floor marked by a semi-pyramid like roof made of brownish-red tiles. A red torii gate welcomed them at the top of the stone stairs into the garden marked with flowers and a giant fountain. Feli looked back and waved to Kiku Honda, the Queen of Hearts, "Hurry up, Kiku! You have to see this!"
The dark haired Asian waved back from the bottom of the stairs, "Yes, I am coming." He wasn't sure Feliciano had heard him. He was in no mood to raise his voice. It was, in his opinion, incredibly rude to do so in a foreign land lest he disturb someone. When he reached the top he took in a strong whiff of air. The scent of plum blossoms was strong. He found it soothing.
A guard was waiting to escort them to the main hall where they would be presented to the new King and Queen of the Clubs. The King of Diamonds had already paid his respects and the King and Queen of Spades had sent many gifts.
When they entered the great hall, which was truly worthy of the name, they walked along the red velvet carpet to the golden platform where the King and Queen sat on their golden throne. Each Kingdom had its own special throne. The Kingdom of Clubs had gold, the Kingdom of Diamonds was bronze and jewel encrusted, the Kingdom of Hearts had Silver while the Kingdom of Spades had Platinum.
"Welcome, my friends." The King stood up, "My name is Yao Wang. Welcome to my Kingdom."
)()()()()(
Yao instinctively kept the fact of him being King hidden. Right now was neither the time nor the place for these little ones to know how involved he was in the horrors that would soon take place in his story.
)()()()()(
"Yes," Ludwig bowed as it was customary to do so in another King's region, "It is a pleasure to meet you. I am King Ludwig Beilschmidt of the Kingdom of Hearts. I hope we can become great friends and allies."
Yao sat down, "I too hope a strong relationship can prosper between our Kingdoms. I hope the Clubs can be friends with all nations."
Ludwig turned to his company who also bowed out of respect for the new king, "This is Feliciano Vargas, my Jack and Kiku Honda, my Queen." He looked back to Yao, "As you know it is tradition in my Kingdom to sign a contract with…"
"Yes, yes," Yao waved. He knew all of this. He noticed the humbled but slightly irritated look on Ludwig's face, "My apologies. I did not mean to suggest your explanation was unimportant. You must understand that for the past few days I've seen envoys from all over and each one of them explained to me a thousand times over things I already had knowledge of. I have grown tired of hearing the same things over and over again."
"I see." Ludwig was still hurt but let his feelings pass for the sake of keeping peace.
"Oh!" Yao lifted his head from his hand, which was propped up by his arm on his chair. The position had made him look like he was bored which may have added to Ludwig's disappointment. His face suddenly lit up and he gestured to the woman next to him, "I almost forgot! This is my Queen. Her name is Xiao Mei! Isn't she beautiful? She will be a wonderful Queen I am sure." He nodded sagely, "I am confident in the council's decision." He couldn't help but smirk and take a friendly shot, "As I'm sure you're well aware, King Ludwig, that is our tradition."
"I am," Ludwig nodded.
Beautiful indeed, was all Kiku could think in the depth of his mind. Keeping a straight face to hide his inner thoughts and feelings he examined the petit woman. Her round face, her long slender legs, the hot pink flower in her hair that brought out her brown eyes. She was stunning. Time slowed down as their eyes met. Staring into those dark pupils he felt like he had known her for a hundred years yet at distance. He wanted to reach out to her, to touch her. Had Feliciano not snapped him out of his hypnotic stare he might have stretched out his hand to her.
"Hey Kiku!" The peppy brunet said with a giant smile, "Let's go check out the herb garden!"
"Uh," Kiku felt time suddenly speed up again and it hurt his train of thought, "I am sorry, what was that Feliciano?" Only in the comfort of their own castle would he refer to the Jack by his shorter version.
"I said," Feliciano repeated, his smile never fading, "Let's look at the herb garden. King Yao said there was an herb garden planted in his honour. I want to see if any spices have bloomed yet!"
"Spices do not bloom," Kiku smiled at Feli the way a parent would smile at a youthful child, "they grow."
"Oh yeah!" Feli laughed, "I knew that!" He grabbed Kiku's hand dragging him away from the platform and towards the doors of the great hall, "Come on, let's go! Let's go!"
As he was pulled away by the energetic young Jack, Kiku turned his head back to catch another glimpse of the new Queen as she grew smaller with each step he took. He analyzed every piece of her, burning her image into his memory in case he never saw her again. He hoped to God (or whoever was out there) that he would see her again. He hoped it would be soon. His heart anticipated to see her come to life. To see her dancing across the hall, not sitting like a lifeless statue.
When he was finally out in the garden, Kiku could collect his thoughts and carefully go over his feelings. He shook his head while the Jack prodded around the garden looking for roots of various spices. He had been disappointed when nothing had shown signs of sprouting. Kiku reminded him that the garden was newly planted and buds wouldn't start appearing for a while. As Feliciano jumped around the garden, smelling flowers and talking to frogs and fish, Kiku brought up that image he'd saved of the Queen. He tried to animate her. Her voice, the way she walked, how she fidgeted with the flower in her hair, trying to position it just right. He sighed with depression. None of it was good enough. He had to see the real thing.
His attention was snatched by a shadow looming over him. It was King Ludwig. "Ah, Kiku," He said, sitting down next to black haired man, "King Yao has invited us to a gala to celebrate his coronation."
"When is this?" Kiku questioned nonchalantly.
"Tonight," Ludwig grunted combing his hand through his thick, gelled hair. He groaned, "Rumour has it the King of Diamonds will be there." He added a quiet mutter, "I can't stand that guy."
Kiku fell short of laughing, opting for a telling smile instead, "You two do not get along very well." Kiku could understand why. Ludwig and King Francis were very different people.
"Ja," Ludwig sighed aggressively, "He's too flashy and annoying." He pounded his fist into his hand, "I hate his laugh! Even the King of Spade's laugh is tolerable."
Kiku folded his own hands neatly in his lap. He disagreed with Ludwig but did not say so. For him, the King of Spades was more irritable but regardless he did his best.
A state dinner was held as the sun dipped down out of the sky, giving way to a black blanket with bright stars. All the foods served were Yao's favourites, specialties his family had become famous for. There were egg rolls, roasted duck, fried rice, beef noodle soup, cabbage and mantou for dessert. Longjing tea was served afterwards with dried fruits and small sweets.
As Ludwig had suspected the King of Diamonds was present. He brought with him his finest wine which was served with the main course. Ludwig rolled his eyes. Of course Francis brought enough for everyone. He's fishing for compliments, as usual.
Kiku finished his meal and quietly slipped into the dance hall where a symphony band played serene music. Everyone was dressed in their finest – ball gowns and suits. It was not difficult to tell those from the Diamond Kingdom apart from the Hearts and Clubs. The members of the Diamond Kingdom were mostly aristocrats with high fashion. Their dresses and suits were the most expensive and stunning on the floor. They glittered, calling out to anyone they could dazzle for attention. The Diamond Kingdom citizens also had a love of feathers. They were found on dresses, on hats and hair clips. If someone was wearing a feather it wasn't hard to guess where they called home.
Kiku's eyes scanned the room. He was on a mission. He wanted to find the Queen of Clubs. He looked at the dancers as they glided across the yellow marble floor; she was not there. He glanced over at the dessert section, three long tables, each with a pearl white, silk table cloth and mountains of silverware; she was not there either.
She was not near the band, she was not talking to foreign diplomats and she was not with King Yao. He had checked…double checked, in fact. Frowning he gave up and made his way outside onto the dancehall's semi-circle balcony which overlooked the luscious garden, famed in all kingdoms. There he found her. Or rather, she found him.
He had been standing there, observing the sakura trees, their soft pink peddles falling in the wind (a scene which made him feel at peace with all things) when she walked out behind him. Her traditional dress was long and red. A long white fabric, looking very much like an apron, sat on top with another red sheet on top of that made of lighter materials with a flower pattern cut out. White silk sheets poured out from the sleeves, cascading down to the ground like waterfalls. Golden trim was used to put the entire ensemble together, making it all the more beautiful. She wore a red and golden bandana around her head and her black hair was put in four hoops atop her head, where long red ornament strings hung, falling towards the ground behind her. Kiku was speechless. She looked like a ceramic doll one would take care of and display with pride.
Kiku tried to swallow the lump in his throat but couldn't force it down. When he realized it was the echo of his rapid heartbeat in his chest he resolved to calm himself. Just as he had managed to slow it down it sped up again. She spoke.
"You are Kiku Honda, correct?" She joined him at the railing, "The Queen of Hearts."
"Ah, y-yes." Was all he could stutter out in response. Her voice was soft but high. If roses and honey had a sound, it would certainly be like hers.
"I have never been to the Kingdom of Hearts." She said without looking at him. Her gaze was focused on the garden, "I have heard it is very large."
"It is." His eyes were squarely on her.
She changed the topic. She didn't have a strong interest in the Kingdom of Hearts and felt it wasn't worth discussing, "I saw a blue monarch butterfly in this garden once."
Kiku was surprised, "Those are quite rare." He joined her gaze across the grass, flowers and small trees, "When you see such rare things it means you have been blessed by the gods."
She looked at him and he looked at her. Their eyes instantly connected. "I do not feel blessed." She told him, her voice hastened sounding angry and upset. He apologized. He hadn't meant to insult her.
"It is not your fault," Her voice dropped, indicating she was truly sorry for her outburst. She swung her arms over the railing looking down at the grass beneath her.
Kiku was beginning to get the hint. As to not assume too much he asked the question, "Are you enjoying the palace?"
"I like the garden," She told him, "It is very beautiful…but even here I cannot find peace." She lifted herself up and looked at him once again, "I feel like I belong here…and yet I don't. There is something wrong about this place Kiku."
At once Kiku's mind clicked on Yao. Oh how he hoped it was Yao! But even so…there was not much that could be done about it. It was the council's will that they rule together. He shook his head. Again, he was presuming too much. He would be best to stay quiet and mind his own business.
Mei wasn't ready to let the subject die. She wanted to understand her own grief. "Maybe it's the feeling of being trapped." She suggested. The council's choice wasn't a matter of saying 'yes' or 'no', one was expected to agree to their decision for the sake of the kingdom, otherwise become an outcast. Some who had chosen not to be appointed were exiled completely.
"I'm afraid I do not know," Kiku said. He did not want to discuss this further less he spoke out of turn. Sometimes the Queen of Hearts could be too forward without realizing it.
"I am sorry," She smiled sympathetically; "I did not mean to burden you with my problems."
"I do not feel burdened." He smiled back, "I am glad to know you are comfortable speaking with me."
"Yes," She blushed. Even she was surprised, especially now that he had brought the fact to light. She turned on her heels and walked away, but stopped when Kiku called to her.
Although it was in bad taste he couldn't help himself. Deep in the pits of his stomach he wanted to be bold. Even so, he spoke softly, hoping to fall on deaf ears, "If you truly are feeling trapped…I will rescue you."
She turned and looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "Would you?"
"Uh…" Kiku suddenly melted on this inside. Had he taken this too far? He had not expected her to even notice. He summed up the courage to open his mouth. Of course I will rescue you! Your majesty, I know we just met, but you are a glorious treasure of which I want to protect and hold dear. He wanted to open the Pandora box in his soul containing his most private thoughts…but was interrupted by a rather loud and overly happy King Yao.
"Your Majesty," Mei said, soft but dry, lifting her dress to bow. In that instant Kiku could see his suspicions confirmed. He watched them communicate, he watched their body language. It is Yao! How still she was in his presence, how formal… He touched her and she froze, creating an unseen barrier around her heart. In that moment Kiku knew what he had to do. In that moment the clock of his destiny started. He would rescue Xiao Mei.
King Yao finally noticed Kiku and smiled at him with a wave, "Kiku, is it, right? Hello! I hope you are enjoying yourself. My party is quite grand, is it not?"
Kiku nodded polite, "It is Your Highness, thank you for the invitation." He lifted his head, "I do apologize, but I'm afraid I must retire for the night." He stood tall, like a soldier at attention and left the balcony back into the dance hall where he slipped out of the celebration and into the dark halls, his self-made duty still on his mind.
The Queen of Hearts turned the corner of the long hall into another one. He took a few paces before he stopped and spoke firmly, "King Ludwig, I know you are following me."
The strong blond walked out from his hiding place around the corner. He stood unaffected. It was no surprise to him that sooner or later Kiku would sense his presence. The Queen was very gifted in that. "I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you, Kiku." He started, "But I did notice you left in a hurry. Is something wrong?"
Kiku turned around. Normally he would not hesitate to tell Ludwig how he felt. He had great respect for the man who had defeated him on the road to becoming King of Hearts. It had been a long, drawn out battle for the throne, having lasted nearly three days. Kiku believed he had Ludwig cornered, having outsmarted him, but Ludwig not only had great strength, but also determination on his side. None of Kiku's stealthy moves could deter the broad man. In the end, Kiku lost. His recovery took almost a week. When he was fit to be crowned as Queen, the title given to the second strongest citizen of the Heart Kingdom, he was surprised to find that Ludwig had courteously waited to be crowned alongside him. Ludwig had argued that it was only fit that they be ceremoniously appointed together. It was another move by Ludwig that had earned Kiku's eternal respect.
"I am fine. Think I may have eaten too much," Kiku smiled, trying to shrug off any body language that might give him away.
The King could not easily be fooled. "Kiku," He started with an understanding voice, "We have ruled as coregents for several years now. It is not always easy for me to tell what you're thinking, but I do know when something isn't quite right. I need you to be honest with me. Are you really not feeling well?"
Kiku frowned. He knew that if he told Ludwig he was not feeling well the King would believe him with no further questions. They had a relationship of trust. However, Kiku realized that if he was going to carry this plan out he would need his King's aid. The only problem was the disappointment of being told no. King Ludwig could flat out refuse to assist him and shut the entire mission down. He would have to convince Ludwig that this was his destiny.
"Yes," The Queen nodded, "I am not feeling very good at all."
"I see," Ludwig said. He turned on his heels to leave, "Well then, have a good ni-"
"I am not feeling well because I am troubled."
Ludwig turned back around, "What do you mean? What is troubling you?"
Kiku hesitated, trying to find the right words. How could he explain all of this to Ludwig? He decided to start with the theme, "I believe I may have found my destiny."
Ludwig was not a believer in fate or any such nonsense. For him, destiny was a childish dream dreamt by those from the Spades Kingdom. However, he knew honour and fate was important to Kiku. He continued with reserve, "I see. And what do you believe that to be?"
"To save someone."
"The Queen of Clubs?" Ludwig was good at deducing things. Besides, his Queen had been abnormally distant since he'd entered the hall of Clubs. While Kiku could be quiet and keep to himself, he had grown comfortable with Ludwig and Feli…enough to relax. However, he had been acting as if he was hiding something. Ludwig was grateful that it was finally coming out. He always worried about the young man when he went silent.
Kiku bowed his head as if the revelation had shamed him. Carefully analyzing what he was doing he thought himself foolish. He looked up and smiled, prepared to drop the whole thing. There was no way Ludwig would risk the safety of the Heart's kingdom, not now.
"Why do you believe this to be your destiny? What exactly does she need saving from?" Kiku gaped. He wasn't expecting Ludwig to have further interest. He felt a sudden fire in his belly, as if Ludwig's curiosity was a sign that he was on the right track. That this is what he was meant to do.
"I believe the council may have been wrong." Kiku told him.
"The Club's Council?"
"Yes," Kiku continued. "Perhaps this mistake was meant to start a change. I believe Queen Mei is the rightful heir, but I am not sure about King Yao. There is no spark between the King and Queen. There must always be some understanding between two rulers. Some type of comfortable content. Mei does not have this with Yao. She feels he is out of place here."
"And what do you intend to do?" Ludwig was getting the feeling that Kiku had a plan in mind. A terribly dangerous plan that could jeopardize the peace in the four kingdoms. He had always known Kiku had a dark side that longed for superior control no matter how hard he tried to humble himself.
Kiku looked Ludwig straight in the eye. Any fear he had carried before had sunk to the pits of his stomach. Without flinching, without hesitation he said, "I believe it is my destiny to rescue Queen Mei from her despair and become King of Clubs." The fire in his eyes made it clear his path had been set. Ludwig felt a cold shudder down his spine. He now had a choice to make.
My apologies for the ending…it's a bit forced and weak. ;-;
I hope to have a chapter up every month. I may post chapter two and three sooner just to keep people's interest but after that I'm going to be conservative. While having additional chapters written before posting the first is great, the last time I did so I found myself updating once a week...then went on a serious writing hiatus. Before I knew it BOOM I'd caught up to myself and began missing deadlines.
Also, sorry for all the information thrown at you in the first one third of the story. I kind of had too I guess since I have my own twist on the cardverse.
Lastly, please don't tell me I have people in the wrong position. As I said at the beginning characters have been moved around. I'm well aware that in Hima's cardverse Russia is the King of Clubs and not Yao.