Main Pairing: Franada

Rated T (could be changed later). Cardverse and Omegaverse.

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Matthew shivered in excitement. He couldn't wait to see Alfred. His brother, always the adventurous one, had signed up for a school trip to Europe. Matthew had decided to take a chance and travel to England on his own, leaving the USA/Canada area for the first time in his memory. Alfred's professor, Mrs. Violet, was very kind and had allowed him to tag along on the trip, as long as he paid for most things, of course.

He glanced down at the maps in his hand. He gripped the strap of his bag in the other hand nervously. His stomach had been aflutter ever since arriving in the airport. He didn't know anyone here, besides his brother (which was a situation that had occurred quite often, unfortunately). And somehow he'd never thought of England as being the first new country he visited. He had always pictured France. Paris sounded exquisite, and it would be quite interesting to visit the country that his own was descended from.

However, he wasn't in France, he was in England. And his brother was nowhere in sight.

Matt was sitting in a rented car - so strange, how the steering wheel was different - and looking across the street. He recognized Mrs. Violet, who was surrounded by a haggle of kids and another curvy woman. There was no Alfred.

A motion caught his eye. Alfred stepped off the bus, holding a girl's hand and pulling her behind him. Matthew scoffed to himself.

He checked his phone one last time. There was a missed call from Mom blinking on the screen. He dialed the number quickly. When Laura didn't pick up, he left a message.

"Hey Mom, sorry I missed your call. I'm in England, I'm with Alfred, don't worry. Call me back later, if you can."

When Matthew looked back up, Alfred had moved again. It took him a few moments to find his brother. As the other kids grouped up, discussing where to go over maps, Alfred was walking slowly down the street. He wasn't aimlessly wandering, however. His gaze was fixed on an old church. Matthew didn't like the look on his face.

Matthew stood and ducked out of the car, checking that his bag remained securely over his shoulder. He set off down the street in pursuit of his brother.

Alfred disappeared inside the church and Matthew ran to catch up. On the door was a sign. One word in particular stood out to him.

DANGER.

Matthew's heartbeat quickened. Of course Alfred would ignore something as easy as that. Matthew quickly scanned the sign for more. Apparently the church was off limits because of unstable support beams. Matthew blinked. It was rather stupid of the people to keep the door unlocked.

Matthew carefully opened the door, a strange buzz filling his head as he did. As he glanced around, he noticed a thick layer of dust over everything. Or rather, the footprints in the dust.

He followed them to a small, less ornate wooden door than the ones at the church entrance. The footprints weren't as clear from there on, but Matthew tried to follow them quickly, wondering how far ahead Alfred could have gotten while he was still outside. When he got to a narrow, steep staircase, he grimaced. Why was Alfred so determined to do these things to him? Matthew's heart was racing, his cheeks warming.

He got through the staircase as quickly as he could. At the top was a strange room, the walls and floor and ceiling made of stone. On the opposite wall was a set of large, beautiful doors.

Alfred's bag was lying in front of them.

Matthew scowled and moved it to the side of the room. He'd get it when the two of them retraced their steps. How careless could his brother be?

Matthew paused before opening the doors, hand hesitating a few inches away. There was something strange about the doors. The buzzing in his head had transformed into ringing, and it was stronger now. The symbols were unlike any Matthew had ever seen.

Clutching his bag tightly, Matthew pushed the solid door open and stepped through.

He barely made it three steps further before his vision blurred. He didn't have any time to process as his knees buckled and he spilled to the floor.

"Ah, mon ami, the sky is turning," Francis sighed. "Soon the sun will reach the point on the horizon when it lights my castle, and my heart, on fire."

Gilbert snickered, languidly relaxing next to his friend. "Well don't count on my for help putting the fire out."

Francis glared at him half-heartedly. "You have no appreciation for a poet," he pouted.

"You mean I have no appreciation for the dramatic tales your face hole spills out," Gilbert teased.

"Ah, well." Francis sighed, laying back in the grass. He watched the sky, pinks and purples and oranges meshing with each other seamlessly. The clouds were golden today.

"Lying like this," Francis said slowly, dreamily. "It is almost as if we are children again."

Gilbert chuckled again, but bitterly, softly. "Too much has changed for it to ever feel that way again."

"Perhaps," Francis said. He winced slightly as the place in his chest where his heart was began to burn with warmth and nostalgia. The dreaminess suddenly faded from Francis's eyes.

"And Antonio isn't even here."

"Oui, I have not seen him for so long," Francis said. "Perhaps you are right. Perhaps too much has changed -" He broke off, unable to voice the rest of his thoughts. Francis was now a King. Antonio was a cook in Hearts. And Gilbert…

"Something more is going to change," Gilbert stated, suddenly, loudly, boldly. "Something will happen soon."

Francis sat up. Gilbert was now standing, looking out over Diamonds.

"How do you know?"

"I can feel it," Gilbert said, and the last thing to fade away was his wolfish grin.