When Arthur is promised in marriage to the new King of Spades, Alfred, he imagines his troubles will be limited to somehow coming to love a man he has never met, and learning to govern an entire kingdom side by side, as one. However, when multiple attempts are made on the life of the King and Queen, Alfred and Arthur realize they must, together, assert their rule as the strongest royal house, and take part in the dangerous power struggle unfolding between the four Suit kingdoms.
"4 Houses: Spades, Hearts, Clubs, and Diamonds. One will rise, the rest will perish."
"Here, powder his face more on this side."
"Mother-"
"Don't speak, you'll ruin it."
"Mother, please! Let me breathe."
The hands flew away from Arthur's face in an instant, while he coughed away the cloud of powder surrounding him. It dissipated through the carriage slowly, settling on the passengers' hair like unseasonal snowflakes. Arthur forced the last of it out of his lungs with an ill sounding hack, jolting all of the women that surrounded him.
"Mind yourself," his mother warned of his manners, remaining completely unfazed as the makeup blended itself with her white updo.
"And suffocate? I'd rather not," the blonde scrunched his small nose at the heavy feeling spreading across his face, the thick powder coating his skin. "Am I not pale enough?"
The servants moved on to quickly cleaning his clothing, dusting away the dull sheen that dragged the deep royal blues of his outfit down to unimpressive pastels.
"Besides, I heard the King loves the outdoors," Arthur chuckled out, unable to dodge the blow that hit his side when his mother brought down her fan on him.
"The King can do as he pleases. You, however, cannot," the woman shook the powder off of her fan before returning it to her lap, ignoring the venomous look that was seething her way. "We don't need Royalty thinking you do chores outdoors alongside the help."
When the cleaning was finished, both girls backed away, sure their eyes did not meet either of the Nobles before them. Arthur let out a dejected sigh, gazing out the window at the just-flowering trees that rolled past. Spring was arriving, a new season, a new year, a new King…
The death of the long reigning King Andrew of the House of Spades sent the country, once at peace, into a frenzy. His rule had been long and virtuous, but the ascension of his heir Prince Alfred was not met with resistance. It was the excitement of the century, and the kingdom was preparing itself to enter an age of jubilee and cheer.
Charming, handsome, and kind to all, Prince Alfred had captivated the hearts of the kingdom since his birth. The mess of wild blonde hair and bright blue eyes had become the staple of an intelligent and blessed monarchy, one who governed with peace and love for their subjects in their hearts.
Or, so they say.
Arthur was not one to doubt the power of the Royal Family of Spades, he was merely a Noble himself, but this whole Prince Alfred business irked him from day one. It was as if the second the late King had fallen ill, a murmur of excitement began to spread between all noblewomen and their advisors. A young King, both attractive and powerful, his bachelor status became the starting point for the power struggle that lasted up until his poor father's death.
Arthur never entertained himself with the gossip and battles that constantly raged in the Court, but his Mother and her advisors certainly did. They saw it fit to introduce Arthur as one of the possible suitors for the new King, without his consent naturally.
And Arthur was stuck. He could not disobey the Matriarch that held control of his family, but more importantly, he could not say no to his mother. Of course, he did not want to live the life of a Queen, locked in a palace with stiff regulations and even stiffer robes; and he certainly did not want to embarrass himself by presenting alongside the avaricious women who only craved power, but not the responsibility that came with it.
But yet, here he was, only miles outside of the capital city, on his way to make his appeal to the King's circle for the young Prince's hand in marriage. Well, it was more as if the late King's death, and Alfred's unmarried status, were just invitations that sent out proxy marriage proposals to every noblewoman in the kingdom. Arthur was only answering his call.
"He will never pick me, Mother. I'm older than him, and certainly not as attractive as the women of the Court."
Arthur's mother reached out, forcing Arthur to meet her eyes with two hands on either side of his face. Her usually stern, proud demeanor melted away into a mother's concerning reprimand.
"You doubt yourself before you even know, who taught you to act that way? I surely did not."
Arthur stopped his whining, and let her smooth out the bow on his neck, arranging the silk fabric until it sat perfectly taut and straight.
"The King is young, he needs someone older at his side to guide him and teach him. There is no other person in this kingdom more suited for this job than you, my beloved son," she pulled her hands away, setting them in her lap with perfect poise. "I chose this fate for you not for the glory, but simply because I knew the role belonged to you. I know you will make me proud."
The rest of the ride was silent, Arthur accepting his duty with wavering loyalty, and the nearer the castle approached, the more difficult it became to calm the restless turning of his stomach. More than once he was slapped again with his mother's fan for slouching, the skin on his shoulders stinging red beneath his clothes.
As they entered the courtyard, Arthur was alarmed by the endless stream of carriages that lined up in perfect order. Inside each one was a beautiful flower, a girl or boy of immeasurable class and beauty, all rushing toward the same goal, all but one forced to bow their heads in defeat.
One by one they entered and exited, their ladies in waiting calling encouragements and praises as they gracefully made their way up the palace steps. Each one returned, face shielded by the decorative flowers and fur of their fans, giving Arthur no clue as to if any had succeeded.
His mother continuously quizzed him as the carriages creaked forward, how to properly bow, how to address each member of Royalty, what exactly he had to offer to the already illustrious family of Spades. Listening closely to each crack of the horses' reins served as an ominous countdown to the admittedly nerve-wracking event ahead. Whatever the outcome was of this, Arthur was sure his life would not be the same.
Arthur was next now, and when the large doors to the castle opened, the guards slamming their decorative spears against the ground in unison to signal the passage of a Noble, the thumping echoed in time with his heart.
"It's time," His mother announced, and the servants' hands did one more swift straightening of his clothing before the golden doors opened and the steps were laid out. Arthur did not look back, knowing no hugs or kisses would be offered to him, and let himself be helped onto the ground.
The stretch of the courtyard leading to the castle was cut in half by a dark blue, velvet rug, protecting his feet from the hardened marble. Two guards escorted him, saying nothing as they traversed the same piece of land for likely the hundredth time that day. Arthur had half the heart to feel bad for them, but had no time to think as he passed under the mammoth doors into the castle.
The spears again began to hit the floor as he took small steps into the royal castle, making sure to keep his chin lifted, yet holding a demure expression to offset the pride of his stance. Many times had he done this, entered a place where all eyes were on him, somewhere he was forced to become a statue that held only the grace of his ancestors and the grandeur of their name. He was the heir to the Kirkland household, after all.
As he followed the path before him, one thousand eyes of the Royal Family of Spades followed him, glaring down from their positions on the wall, painted and trapped on their canvases. The strong and beautiful faces of Kings and Queens stared without emotion, forever encapsulated and immortalized, their portraits all that remained of their once glorious lives.
At the end of the Grand Hall, greater, larger than them all, sat the portrait of Prince Alfred. The traditional azure robe of the Spades, and the golden crown adorned with rubies and sapphires, signified his position as the highest of the high, the new ruler of the lands farthest explored to the West, and the newly conquered lands in the East.
It had been sometime since Arthur had seen the Prince, the last being at a ceremony long ago for the death of his mother, the Queen. It was a time when they were both children, and it only came back to Arthur in bits and pieces. The only thing he could remember, was that even in all black and in a place of mourning, he still smiled and shone. If he were to be called the King of the Sun, and not Spades, Arthur would have still found it fitting.
His portrait now was not one of a cherubic child, but a young man with the tell-tale strong, noble jaw of the Royal family, his blonde hair matching identically with the others along the walls next to him. The painting was close enough for Arthur to appreciate as they passed below it, and once they were gone, he wondered how true to life the attractive depiction was.
After a winding path, the decadent carpet came to an end before a small table flanked by three men. Arthur immediately recognized the two on the left and right, both long-time advisors to the Royal family he had met many times. They both stood at his entrance, their rank not placing them above the long-standing, aristocratic Kirkland family.
Arthur bowed deeply, legs bent in a curtsy like manner, and they returned the gesture, all except the man in the middle, who made no effort to move at all. This man was an enigma, someone Arthur had never once seen before, or whose existence he had yet to be informed of. Despite this, he bowed in his direction, and the bizarre man nodded in response.
His appearance was that of a person Arthur had never seen before, lacking all characteristics of typical Spades royalty. His long, brown hair was pulled into a low ponytail, and the interesting bone structure of his face was both intriguing and vaguely beautiful. He was not Spades royalty, but he was surely royalty of some sort.
"Arthur, how much you've grown!" the plump man on the left, the Count of Breckenridge, addressed him with the same air he had when Arthur had been a child, seemingly oblivious to the fact that now, being an adult, the Kirkland outranked him.
Smiling through the glaring misstep, Arthur approached, handing him the sealed letter he held in his hands. The Count accepted it, babbling on to the Count of Delafontaine on the opposite end of the table, both enjoying reminiscing about the past at the expense of Arthur's childhood. How tiny he had been, they said, but it was not if he was exceptionally larger now. Arthur could not help but frown at that.
"Ah, excuse me. This is Lord Arthur of the Noble House Kirkland. Their family has served the Spades Kingdom for many centuries," the slightly more aware Delafontaine ceased his chattering and introduced the boy properly. Arthur took the hint and bowed deeply to the mystery man in the middle whom he was being acquainted to.
"His mother is the Marquess of Kirkland, meaning he outranks both the Count and I, in truth," The Count of Breckenridge handed over the letter after he finished reading it, and the Delafontaine concluded his foreword in favor of reading the officially marked paper.
The silent man finally moved to speak, lowering the large sleeve that had blocked his mouth and made him virtually expressionless. With his lips revealed, he addressed Arthur, in a light voice, but one that held familiar power. A Royal's voice.
"I am Wang Yao, Emperor of Chi. I now also hold the title of High Jack of Spades," Yao gave Arthur's shocked state a once-over with his expectant eyes, and went back to covering whatever expression he held with his drooping sleeve.
Upon hearing the word 'Emperor', Arthur dropped himself into a deep curtsy, lowering himself even more when his position as High Jack was revealed. An Emperor from the Eastern land of Chi, it explained his appearance and the air he held about him.
Chi was a country newly aligned with the Spades Kingdom, part of the late King Andrew's expansion of lands after inheriting the long-running Eastern War from his own father. Skillfully he had ended the bloodshed and brought glory to the Spades people, establishing new trade routes and aggregating new lands to conquer.
Chi, however, had maintained its own autonomy, too strong of an enemy to be subdued by any foreign power. Cleverly it had associated itself with the strongest kingdom, the Spades, and now their Emperor sat as the controller of all finances and budgets to the richest country in the West.
It was a smart move, honestly, and Arthur had to applaud the Emperor on taking such avid steps to secure his future, and protect his people.
"It is a pleasure to be in your presences, on today of all fine days," Arthur spoke the rehearsed line with excellence, making sure his voice rang utterly humble and pleasing. Yao remained inscrutable, but the other two men made notable expressions at the grace and elegance of Arthur's words.
"So you want to marry the King, hm? I can't say I blame you, but I never expected to see you here alongside all of the women of the Court in their pretentious battling," The Count of Breckenridge laughed boisterously, while his companion the Delafontaine scolded him, handing over the letter to Yao.
"Well, my mother saw it fit I pay a visit, given our status and the events that came to pass," Arthur attempted to sound monotone, but having himself associated with the gibbering of the mindless struggle for power was not entirely flattering.
"Well, Arthur is certainly the most gracious candidate we have seen today, and the one of highest birth as well," The Count of Delafontaine grinned at the blonde as he accepted the compliment with a bow, turning to Yao when he folded the paper to signal the completion of his reading.
"Your dowry, how much is it?" Yao was rather artless in his speech, but then again, as the controller of all finances his end goal was plainly clear. Arthur adjusted his stance to make sure his heels were touching, and prepared himself to voice his most desirable trait.
"Fifty thousand gold coins, just as the letter says, Your Majesty," unsure how to address a foreign Emperor, Arthur settled on the highest honor, and waited patiently for his response.
Without a second thought, Yao leaned over first to the Count of Breckenridge to whisper, and then to the Delafontaine, both men nodding at his inaudible words. Arthur did his best to keep his head high, but when they all turned to him with expectant gazes, he felt his calm countenance melt into a nervous frown on his face.
"You, Arthur of the Kirkland house, will be the next Queen of Spades," Yao's words were accompanied by a tremendous roar in Arthur's ears, blood rushing to his face in surprise, and a hint of dread. "You are to attend the crowning ceremony in seven days, where you will be married to King Alfred, and assume your duties."
Was deciding things so quickly really Yao's style? Of course, his dowry was impressive, but to decide upon a new Queen with only slight murmuring… Arthur could not believe it.
"Congratulations Arthur!" The Breckenridge stood, clapping rowdily, joined soon by the Delafontaine. "I will serve you and the King dutifully, and to all of my ability."
"I look forward to the beauty and glory of your reign," The Count of Delafontaine dipped his head slightly, and Arthur took a tiny step back, still in reeling shock.
"I- Thank you," Arthur curtsied, somehow managing to remain upright while the world spun endlessly around him. The Queen, the Queen of Spades? This was truly happening?
He had been avoiding the gravity of the situation until now, he must have, because the previous slight discomfort he felt at the concept of it all was now an iron weight on his chest. Once he was dismissed, he forced his legs into a brisk walk as he followed the endless blue road out of the castle, ignoring protocol, keeping his gaze forward. He could not meet the stares of the men and women he would soon rank with, their rigid expressions and confidence pushing down on him from the walls.
Without turning back, he felt the painted eyes of his future husband watching him closely as he rushed out of the castle.
Hello, and thanks for checking out the little opening chapter of my fic! This was originally supposed to include the wedding ceremony and ball as well, but the chapter just became far too long for my liking. So I decided to upload this tiny bit to test the waters.
I absolutely love Cardverse, and being a huge historical fashion and Royalty buff, I finally couldn't hold off the want to take my own stab at writing for it. I won't be using the stereotypical 'Medieval' style approach, but more of a Rococo/Baroque themed Royalty and design. Think Marie Antoinette, big dresses, lavish food, lots of alcohol and gambling, and even more sex and power grabbing. Doesn't it sound fun? I'll be changing a couple things for stylistic purposes, and also because I'm not keen on including any sort of ancient sexism or racism in my writing, but the roots will still be all flowers and champagne.
I have a lot of ships planned for this, but it will mostly be a bit of a slow burn for the main couple (USUK) for the first couple chapters. Each couple will be focused on and given development though, they are ALL my OTPs after all *~* Since I can't tag them all on FF, I'll list them here! USUK, CanUkraine, RoChu, Gerita, AmeriPan, AusHun, PruHun, BelaLiech, LiechSey, and Franada. A long list, I know.
So if you enjoyed, make sure to bookmark because I will be updating this within a few days with the next chapter! Also, please leave some favs and a comment as well, as they keep me going. If you have anything you want to say more directly, feel free to contact me on my twitter or tumblr, both being silvakuros.
Have a beautiful day.