"What am I to do?" the king dressed in yellow sighed. He had been pondering this question for months now. "Vash, you're just as worried, are you not?"

"Of course I am sire," the jack of diamonds responded. He didn't look up from his work. In front of him on the wooden table were pieces of clockwork. He paid no mind to the worrying king. It was more important to finish the small clock in time.

"There's Lilli—"

"There is no her," Vash snapped. "If you even lay a finger on my sister, I will blast your head off faster than it can be cut off."

The king nodded. He understood the Swiss Jack's anger more than most people did. He flirted with many women and girls, but not one interested him. His queen, or rather princess was far too young to rule if he suddenly died. Lilli was only a girl. They needed a woman to run the kingdom. If he died, the Bonnefoy line would cease to exist as well. He had no heir. Things were troublesome for him. At least war was not on the horizon.

"As my trusted advisor, what do you think I should do?"

"The same thing you always do," he answered bluntly, "just make sure it goes further. You realize that any girl in this kingdom would love to be your bride, yet you take them on one date at the most and then leave them behind."

"I'm not that low! I will not marry if it isn't for sweet love," he cooed as if wooing the Jack.

"Then go on more than one date and maybe you'll find love."

"With that attitude of yours, you'll die alone."

"And I'm perfectly fine with that unlike you. Do you wish for me to set up another ball, sire?"

"What's the point?"

"Ve, Ludwig~ Ludwig~ Where are you going?" the Italian sang as he ran after him. He waved the long spear with the Heart's flag on it as he did, nearly knocking several things over and stabbing a couple of people.

"I'm going to discuss something with the queen, so if you wouldn't mind releasing my arm," Ludwig said angrily under his breath as he walked toward the throne room. He struggled to pull his arm out from the red Jack's grip. For some reason, he only found the strength of Italian when it came to clinging onto -something. He shook his head and smiled lightly as he just let him hold on.

The throne room was large. There were thousands of hearts embedded into the décor. The stained glass windows held several hearts in them and even the tiles were heart-shape. The carpet was red and showed the least amount of hearts. Two large seats stood at the top of the stairs, in one was the queen of hearts.

"Oh, hello Ludwig… Feliciano," the queen greeted as he put the drawing he was working on.

"Please, Kiku, don't mind the Jack. We have several things to talk about today," Ludwig responded and took a seat next to him.

The fire was roaring in the twilight out of the kingdom. "пять, шесть, семь, королева, король," he mumbled as cards were tossed into the fire. "Stupid Spades."

"Come on, you're taking too long," Alfred whined as he waited. He rested his head on his arms that were crossed over the table. The younger male pouted as he folded up papers and threw them at the other blond.

"It wouldn't take so long if you helped!" Arthur snapped and picked some of the paper out of his hair. "This is your job too, lazy king." He brushed the other aside as he looked through papers that ranged from simple complaints to possible threats on their lives. It was weekly activities that build up through the week. Arthur rarely had any time to look through the papers and Alfred, when he wasn't by Arthur's side, was visiting children and doing his daily heroic activities.

Alfred pushed his chair back against the wall in protest. "That stuff is lame. The kingdom is fine, yet all the peasants think it is the end of the world. They never complain to me when I visit," he whined.

"That's because they know you'll get upset and take it too personally. I've dealt with this long enough to find it bothersome to track down simple complaints."

"Won't you put the papers down for me?"

"I will if you help me out," Arthur said and continued looking through the papers.

"Please Iggy?"

"Just put the fat arse to work, Alfred! I am tired of doing all of your work," Arthur snapped but he was silenced when Alfred kissed him on the cheek. The queen of spades turned bright red in that instance and turned his face to the papers again.

"Are you sure Iggy?

"J-j-just give me some time, you idiot! You can't just seduce your way through work," Arthur stuttered and tried to hide his face.

"But it works," Alfred laughed and stood up.

"Shut up! Go get Yao to look over the papers we have if you want my attention so badly!" he said with a sigh. He shook his head with a smile as he watched Alfred run out, looking for the Jack of Spades.