Hi again! It's me, Rei Haruno, reporting for duty! Hahah, I'll post another AU story for Hetalia— and not just any kind of AU, IT'S CARDVERSE! Some things will be twisted since I will be implying some of my headcanons for this AU and the characters themselves. This will be centered in my favorite kingdom, Kingdom of Spades… and on the life that the male queen had to endure. Happy reading!
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia, Cardverse!Hetalia or any character that has copyright. I only own the plot and the dialogues involved. Some references had been used, but are not fanfics from any author.
Warning: In contrast to what I normally do, I will put this in Rating T because of lack of violence, gore, strong language and mature themes. I hope it stays that way.
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I am the Queen
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Summary: Generations passed, and the Spades' first male Queen was chosen not amongst the aristocrats, but amongst the merchants. Arthur Kirkland shall take on this title as he dives into the hated world of royalties that are born into the War of Colors. Cardverse USUK and some other pairings.
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I am the Queen
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Heels clicked against the floor as the new queen walked along the halls with his maidens. His long flowing coat flew as the wind constantly kept it and the curtains afloat. It was a windy day in Spades as the citizens met the newly chosen queen of the kingdom.
"Are they mad? They chose a man." "The oracles should have gotten it wrong. There's no way a man could be queen." "Let them be. It will be their responsibility if our kingdom was turned into dust." "It makes perfect sense! They needed soldiers to become royalties! They are losing the war!" "We are losing the war!"
Those were the chatters that were left in Arthur Kirkland's mind as he walked across the halls of the castle. A lot have disagreed of his coronation because of his gender, and a lot had blamed him and his family business.
But it was not like the oracles cared if he was a silk merchant like his brothers, who captured the hearts of the aristocrats with their crafts. The oracles did not care if he was just a nineteen-year-old that was just starting to get comfortable with his life. The oracles did not care if he knew nothing about the royalties and their ceremonies. The oracles did not care if he was born male.
All they cared for was it was him. He was chosen.
He was chosen by their highest power, but why wasn't he happy? If it was in another time, Arthur would be happy to be a royalty: Free food, huge home, no business, no silk to vend. Everything he was working for would have been for free and well taken care of by others. But no, it was the worst time to become a royalty. It was during the War of Colors, and no one wanted to be a royalty during the War of Colors.
The War of Colors was the time when the four grand kingdoms of Suit wage endless wars against one another. It was hellfire brought upon land, burning everyone who dared and not dared step on it. There were these shaky alliances, indefinite enemies, and endless rebellions and revolutions among the kingdoms. It was a golden time of nothing but bloodbath and death toll.
However, the Kingdom of Spades had stood tall and proud, not being reformatted by rebellions and uprisings. It was the kingdom of power, where everything was about influence, knowledge and evil. It was the darkest among the kingdoms, light shed was light eaten. But that didn't stop the citizens to become happy. It was not like everyone was a royalty to become part of the foundation of the kingdom's dogma.
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I am the Queen
Rei Haruno— Sakura no Imooto
Chapter 1: Queen Arthur of Spades
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"Your Highness, the Queen, we will be attending to you in another few minutes. We have two maids on stand-by outside if ever you need anything. There will be two guards posted outside the doors. We will take our leave." The highest among the maids spoke continuously and monotonously before leaving with the crowd.
It was a long, hard day already for Arthur, yet it was nothing close to midday. It was the first day that he was in the castle as the crowned queen. Yesterday, he was just a merchant summoned by the highest present authority, the Archbishop of Spades.
Arthur lied down the humongous bed where he was seated, not bothering to remove his coat and his hat. He closed his eyes, remembering that night when the guards came crashing to their house, ravaging the factory as if Arthur was a spy— which was way worse than the worst criminals that they ever executed. He could remember the screaming and the groaning of his brothers who tried to protect him from being taken. He could hear the screams of his bed-ridden mother who almost crawled out of her bed that night.
Perhaps, he should have been treated better. He was the chosen queen. But he was a merchant, not an aristocrat; that made the biggest difference.
"This is interesting: a male queen."
A voice rang through Arthur's ears, making him jerk up and fling around in panic. He had his eyes gaze around the majestic room, examining all the expensive and rather antique fixtures in the queen's room. Everything was dark and bluish, the drawn heavy curtains covering the room from the slightest shed of light.
Arthur got up to the window and drew the curtains, letting white sip through the cloth barring. That was when he saw a dark figure standing in front of him. It had silver hair, blood-red eyes, and a menacing smirk. Its clothing was tainted with black, making him mix well with the darkness of the room.
However, the curtains felt heavier, and they escaped Arthur's hand to cover the light again. Once again, it was dark, Arthur backing up against the wall. That was when he noticed that the ticking clock was not ticking. He reached out to push a vase off the pedestal, yet it did not budge. A helpless sigh escaped his lips before a weird ball of fire appeared before him.
"Why don't you scream for the guards, Queen of Spades?" The voice came again as the dark figure showed itself through the ball of fire that was resting on its hand. Arthur stared at it before frowning, "What are you?"
"That's rude, Queen Arthur. Aren't you supposed to ask who I am before what I am?" The figure chuckled as it reached the fire closer to the queen's face, the ball of light red reflecting on the queen's emerald eyes.
"Will that even make a difference?"
"What did they see in you?" The figure's voice trailed as it swayed its arm, summoning more balls of fire to better the lighting. It did a curtsey, chuckling in a menacing, yet delighted voice, "I am the Joker of the Black Suits! You can call me Gilbert." He straightened and twirled, "I am the deliverer of a royalty's death!"
"I just got crowned. Now, I'm dying?" Arthur frowned more, becoming unenthusiastic about the other being's presence.
"Ah, no. You see, I show up twice before a royalty. One, to remind them that they will die as a royalty, and two, to harvest their souls from the land of the living. If I don't show up in front of a royalty, then that royalty is either not truly chosen by their oracles or will not die as a royalty—"
"We can stop being royals?"
"…On special occasions, yeah. But you just got crowned."
"What? You don't know that I'm not supposed to be queen? First of all, I'm no woman. Second, I'm no aristocrat. Third, I'm… I'm no one. How am I queen? More importantly, Queen of Spades in the War of Colors?"
"Only the oracles know why you're queen. Anyway, I have to take my leave. I just came here to visit the male Queen of Spades. The first one at that. This is very intriguing. Off I go!"
And with that, the Joker of the Black Suits mystically disappeared in a blink of an eye. Arthur frowned at the scenery, once again hearing the ticking of the clock. He drew the curtains and left them halfway, only to see that they did not move back like how they did before. Also, the light from the midday sky gave Arthur the chance to spot a note lying on where the Joker should have been.
To the Queen of Spades, only time can tell why you were chosen, and what you are to do in the malevolent war in the land of Suits. I see a great power inside you, and you will cause a revolution. Seek protection under the arms of the sturdiest wall, for this power you have will be dreaded more than the war. I will see you soon. Until then…
"A revolution worse than the war…"
Arthur sat down on the bed again, soon lying on the same spot he was before. It was only the first midday he was queen… yet catastrophe already shrouded his path to the future days. Restlessness and fatigue battled in him, soon making him drift into unconsciousness.
'A revolution worse than the war… I wonder what I will bring upon this kingdom…'
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I am the Queen
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Stroke. Stroke. Stroke.
Arthur could feel fingers stroking against his face. Soon, he could feel his body curled while lying on his side. His arms could feel something warm against it, and his toes free from the frame of his leather boots. His eyes slowly opened, revealing a person smiling next to him. It was his hand that was touching his face, and it was his bare chest that Arthur's hands were touching.
Wait, bare chest? The emerald orbs wandered from the other's smiling face to his body, and, apparently, he was shirtless in the same bed Arthur was lying on. The queen pulled back, soon finding out that he was stripped down to his shirt, pants and socks. He almost swung away, but the man held his wrist and pulled him towards his body. Arthur gasped at the strength the other man had, and at the fact that he was now pressed more against the other.
The other man continued smiling, "Hm, now that you're awake, tell me…"
He tightened his grip on Arthur's wrist, "Who are you? What are you doing in this room?"
Arthur's eyes widened at the sudden pressure gripping his wrist. However, he was able to take his hand back before rolling off the bed. Landing badly on the floor, he sat up and dragged himself towards the wall, "I-I'm—!"
The other man rolled off the bed as well, soon standing up swinging a sword around as if conditioning his arms to cut the new queen, "Who?"
"I! I'm!" Arthur held his sore wrist as if it was life itself, "I'm the Queen of Spades! Bow down before me!"
"Are you kidding? The Queen of Spades was already dead two weeks ago. And I'm pretty sure you're a man." The other man took steps closer, brandishing the sword more.
Arthur could see the crest of Spades on the sword he was swinging by then. His helpless voice cracked, "Good lord, you're the king. Your Majesty—!"
It was him: King Alfred of Spades. The youngest among the kings and the bravest of them all. He had his ventures of defeating Hearts on their conquest earlier on the War of Colors— as well as pushing back Diamonds from their posts nearby the borders of Spades. He was chosen as the King five years ago, and the kingdom knew nothing greater than him and his name.
Alfred swung the sword for the last time before having it pierced through the wall, brushing against Arthur's golden blonde locks. Alfred then kneeled before the trembling queen, "Now, now, let's take the truth out of you. Who are you, and why are you here?"
"I— I—" Arthur cried as the intimidating aura of the king began to eat him from inside. His malevolent gaze piercing through his soul was one thing, while the other one could have been the sword resting beside him. He couldn't escape; all he said was considered a lie.
"Who are you? And… and…" The king's gaze broke off from those emerald eyes and pinned to his trembling lips, and soon to his pumping chest. The vacant hand traced a finger from Arthur's face down to the collar of his shirt, only to start popping the buttons open as his fingers forced its path down. The emerald eyes could only watch the other's movements, Arthur's throat gulping down saliva.
With his shirt open, the vacant hand started groping the other's flat chest, causing the king to have this mischievous smirk on his face. His vacant hand then grabbed the other's chin, and he leaned closer to kiss the trembling blond. Arthur's tensed body mellowed through the kiss, as well as the king's hold on the sword.
Leaving him with an opening.
Arthur suddenly grabbed the king's shoulder, biting the other's lower lip hardly. The king tried to pull back, but Arthur trampled both of them over, trying to pin the king down as he bit his lips. Alfred grabbed Arthur's hair and tried to pull him off oh him, causing the queen to bite harder.
"KING ALFRED! THERE'S SOMETHING—!" Someone burst through the door along with some of the maidens that Arthur walked with. However, they all froze as they saw the predicament both royalties were going through.
That was when Arthur flicked the king's hand off his hair and crawled towards the one who burst, "Help me! He's going to kill me!" Alfred then swung to grab the queen's leg, "Hey! Wait!" Arthur screamed as he got held back, only to kick the king in his face, "I don't fucking care if you're the king! Let me go!"
"You— You kicked my face!" Alfred screamed back after consoling his face for a while, only to lunge at his sword to pull it out. Arthur managed to lunge at the man who burst, unsheathed his sword, and stood there trying to wield a weapon he never held while wearing a maniacal expression, "What!? Wanna go, king!? Come on, FIGHT ME!"
"Queen Arthur, put the sword down!" The head maiden screamed as the girls started to panic.
Alfred twitched and sighed, soon wiping the blood from his lips with the back of his hand. The man who burst in tried to go to the queen but Arthur started swinging the sword miserably. He then charged towards the king, but Alfred only dodged him and let Arthur crash towards the drawers, hurting himself more than he should have.
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I am the Queen
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"I'm sorry. I didn't know they crowned a new queen while we were out there on the frontlines." Alfred chuckled as he stroked at the Queen's head. The two royalties were sharing the bed for the night even against Arthur's will. It seemed that the King just wanted to stay so he could apologize for terrorizing the Queen. Almost knowing the four previous Queens that came and mysteriously died under his reign, he thought he should do so. However, Arthur wasn't frightened anymore after knowing the mistake- only pissed by the stupidity of the great King. And by then, they lied on their sides next to each other: Alfred trying to soothe the Queen, and Arthur turning his back to the King.
"Ah, enough, my King. I already accepted your apology hours ago. Now go back and leave me on my own to sleep." The Queen grouchily answered, using a hand to softly touch the King's hand instead of flicking it roughly like what he would have done if it was someone else.
"No need to be so distant, my new Queen." Alfred took the hand and led it to his lips to kiss. Arthur pulled his hand away before whispering, "Listen, my King. I'm not yet accustomed to your touching and rendered very close distance. Will you just leave? I will be fine on my own."
"No, you listen, Arthur." Alfred's tone changed as he got up from lying down, "I'm not used to soothing another man either. But as King, I had to emotionally cater to my Queen." He then flopped back down, "It's also tiring to keep up the King atmosphere as well."
Arthur rolled to his other side to face the other blond, "I've always thought that you were always like that, my King."
Alfred turned to him as the Queen spoke in a different tone as well, seeing his emerald eyes glistening naturally in his direction. The King then suddenly flung towards the other, latching his arm around the other's waist and pulling him near once again. He then started smothering himself with the other's fringe.
The Queen's eyes widened and dared struggling yet finding the action rather harmless. He then stayed in place as the King continued. He then whispered, "Let me go. Please let me go, Alfred." Seeing that his favor wasn't granted, Arthur just dropped it and tried to ignore the fact.
Soon, he started hearing soft snores from the King, the fatigue from the dragging day showing. The Queen only sighed and hesitantly placed his arms on the other's chest again, trying to gain the comfort of sleeping in such position.
However, dread and curiosity came to him.
Lying before him was the greatest King the Spades had ever had: the bravest, the youngest, the strongest, the kindest and the one who embodied power the most. Yet, he was also the King who served the most Queens of all; all the four Queens who died unexplained deaths. He could be next if he was deemed destined to.
Also, why now of all the time? Of all the time to become a royalty? The War of Colors was a very important phase of the regimes. Every royalty should be special in their special ways.
There was a lot of what he could not explain in the rank of royalties in his very own kingdom: the Archbishop, the knights, the Oracles, the King and even him being a Queen. He thought of having this as an adventure that would have torn him away from his usual and timid merchant life.
An adventure that would have given him answers as to his purpose of being the Queen and as a royalty to give his own life in the name of the War of Colors.
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End of Chapter 1
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Thanks for reading! Please review! My anon review is on. ^^
