The King of Clubs was due to visit today. Yao, Jack of Spades, waited by the castle gate. Not very often did Spade country host visitors, especially not royalty of another country. The green king was a man that Yao had never seen before, despite both of their respective positions on council. He thought Alfred, King of Spades country, kind to offer to host this man. The Queen, Arthur, had disagreed, and argued with him about it incessantly. Yao wondered why.
There was a clacking of hoof against stone, and Yao's eyes remained glued to the gate as it opened. As either side of the gate moved, a brilliant man atop a stunning white horse was revealed. Green cloaked him, and he wore it with pride. To either side of him trod a guard, also on horseback. Clubs country was the furthest away from Spades, so their travel must have been lengthy.
As the group put their horses to the stables, Yao jumped down from where he'd been sitting, and apprehensively approached.
"Your Majesty," Yao greeted, bowing slightly. "As Jack of Spades, I wish you a kind stay in Spade country. You may come inside and have refreshments, as I'm sure you are tired from your travel."
"No need to be so formal, Spadesman," the King of Clubs smiled and turned from his horse. "This is just a friendly visit, not any serious dealing."
"My apologies," Yao said uncertainly. He had to speak unfalteringly politely, regardless of situation. Queen Arthur insisted on it, and as a replaceable Jack, he had to obey. On that topic, he wasn't respected very much by the King and Queen, and honestly, he believed that they didn't like him at all.
"Do you know my name?" the King said quietly, waiting for his guards to finish with their horses.
"No, Your Majesty."
"Call me Ivan."
Confused and puzzled, Yao nodded. Now, he led the King-.. Ivan, inside, and showed him to the guest room that had been decked out for his visit.
"This is nice," hummed Ivan, wandering around the room while Yao waited by the door.
"If you wish, you may go down to the mess hall and have something to eat." Yao stated quietly, looking at the ground.
"Oh, I'd like that. Take me there, Jack. Wait, you haven't given me your name!" Ivan puffed, returning to Yao and crossing his arms.
"I am the Jack of Spades, and my name is irrelevant." He replied bluntly, as if echoing a mantra. That was what the Queen insisted, was it not?
"Surely you have a name," the King sighed, looking down at him with enticing violet eyes.
"I do." Even the King and Queen didn't call him by name. In fact, he was the only one to refer to himself by it, and that was rare. Talking too much about oneself was deemed impolite, no?
"Then tell me."
"Y-.. Yao." His words were rusty, and he just stared up at the Clubsman with a confused gaze.
"Yao! It suits you." Ivan chirped, patting the Jack on the shoulder. "Let's go and get something to eat." Eating with the King of Club country? Yao could hardly believe this. His Majesty hadn't even asked to see the King or Queen of Spades! Why was he wasting his time with an insignificant Jack? They made their way to the mess hall, and Ivan sat down. He looked up at Yao with curious eyes. "You aren't going to sit down?"
"No?.." mumbled Yao. He had to eat at different times to the King and Queen, as they did not wish to share audience with him.
"Sit down," hummed Ivan with a smile. "I'm curious to hear whatever tales of Spade country that you have, Yao." It felt alien to be called by his name, but Yao obeyed and sat down at the table beside Ivan. It was a little unorthodox, just coming in and eating whatever was served, but it was a bit late to leave now; plates and dishes were being put down left and right. Then again, that was probably because it was the King and Queen's meal time, and they were to be expected any second now. Yao felt increasingly nervous. Surely he would be scolded and punished for breaking a set rule.
As if on cue, the door to the mess hall burst open, and the King and Queen of Spades entered, dressed in blue. Alfred's eyes fell first to Yao at the table, rather than the Clubsman sitting at its head. As he returned the gaze, Yao hurriedly stood and backed away. "I am sorry, Your Majesty, the King of Clubs invited me to sit."
"That's no reason to disrespect us, Jack," Alfred muttered, giving him a glare before sitting at the other end of the table. Yao was sweating bullets, but he seemed to get away with sitting at the table, so he was relieved.
Ivan looked confusedly from Yao to the King, and frowned. "Why can't he dine with us? Is he not royalty as much as you or I?" Yao stared, worried. Ivan was surely going to get either himself or Yao into trouble at this point. It was best not to argue with the King and Queen of Spades, as the former was a reckless fool, and the latter had an extremely short temper. Alfred made an expression of disgust.
"He will not eat with us." Arthur stated bluntly, furrowing his thick brows at the Jack.
Yao shuffled back against the wall, left the room, and just waited for the Kings and Queen to finish their meal. Through the wooden door, he heard chatterings and snippets of conversation. Alfred and Arthur officially greeted Ivan, and told him that he could recover from his travel up in the guest room. Alfred pushed open the door Yao was standing beside, and looked down at him. "You are to escort the King to his room, Jack." Yao nodded meekly, and began to lead Ivan when he appeared by the door also.
"In Diamond country, the Jack eats with the King and Queen, as in Clubs and Hearts." Ivan commented softly as they traveled back to the room they had been at previously. "Why is Spades different?"
"Spades' Jack was not born into royalty." Yao stated quietly, opening the door for Ivan to go through. "That is why."
"He wasn't?.."
Ivan sat down on the bed, and patted the space beside him for Yao to sit down on. Yao remained by the door. "They took pity on me, a boy of the streets, and took me in to be raised within castle walls. I fought my way to Jack." He explained quietly.
"That's quite the feat, Yao." Ivan gave a little smile, patting the bed again. "Come, sit down. I have something for you."
A gift?.. Such a thing was unheard of to Yao. Hesitantly, he closed the door behind him, and moved over to sit down on the bed. Reaching into his coat, Ivan pulled out a little-.. Actually, Yao wasn't sure what it was. Was it a collection of napkins? Wait, no, it was a cloth, knotted at the top and seeming to hold something. "Do you not get to eat the same food as the King and Queen?" Ivan asked, handing the object over.
"No," answered Yao. "I eat leftovers." He put the cloth down on his lap (it was warm?) and carefully untied the knot. Inside the little parcel was bits and pieces of different foods, ones that had been on the table earlier. His eyes widened. "Why?.."
"I saw how hungry you looked, Yao." Ivan said with a smile, tilting his head. "It's about time you got some of the proper food, instead of leftovers, anyway."
Yao felt happiness begin to bubble in his heart. Slowly, he picked up a bit of food, and lifted it to his mouth. By the time he got to eat usually, the food was cold. But this was warm, and soft, and tasted brilliant. He looked up to Ivan for a moment, before swallowing and returning his eyes to the food in his lap. "Don't hold back, eat however you want."
With that said, Yao began to stuff his face rather enthusiastically. This food was delicious, and he practically wolfed it down. Once it was all gone, he gingerly wiped his mouth, and folded up the cloth. "Thank you.." he mumbled softly, looking at the ground. Ivan took back the cloth and stowed it away within the recesses of his coat.
"It was nothing. But you're very much welcome." The King smiled. And at this, Yao felt his eyes began to tear up.
"I've never-.." he sniffled, gaze glued to the floor. "Never been shown such kindness in my life.. Thank you.." Ivan put an arm around Yao's meek shoulders, and smiled. "T-.. The King only took me in so I could work for him," he whimpered, leaning back against Ivan. "Thank you.."
They sat like that for a little while, with Yao crying and Ivan patting his shoulder. A birdcall from outside made Yao remember what the time was, and he promptly apologized. "I'm sorry, it's dark now.. I should leave you to your rest."
"It's alright," Ivan said quietly, chuckling. "If you don't mind, could I request a hot drink in about an hour or so? I usually have one to help me sleep."
"Of course, Your Majesty." Yao said with a smile, standing up and bowing. "Again, thanks. May your rest be peaceful." He chirped, before leaving the room.
Yao was happy. He hadn't felt this good in a long time, years perhaps. It was funny how some kindness could boost his mood like that. He frowned at the thought of Ivan leaving the castle, but wondered if he may be able to visit Club country some time. Yeah, right. As if the King would allow such a trip. As far as Yao knew, Alfred disliked Club country, but he did not know why.
He waited this hour through, only happy thoughts of Ivan in his mind. And, as requested, he had a drink made and warmed up for the King of Clubs. Unable to stop smiling, he went to Ivan's guest room, and rapped his knuckles gently against the door. "Your Majest-" he paused. "Ivan?" There was no answer, and he frowned. Perhaps the King was sleeping, he thought. Ivan was already quite cute when awake, and Yao could only imagine how adorable he must look when asleep. Smiling at the thought, he opened the door.
He dropped the drink, and its cup shattered upon impact.
He saw Alfred first. Standing there, with Ivan slumped against him. Then, Yao noticed the blood. It stained Alfred's blue clothes scarlet, and the King turned at the sound. He took a quick step back, and Ivan dropped to the ground, blood still bubbling from his slit throat.
"W-..What is this?.." whispered Yao, who was absolutely horrified. "The .. The King?.." Alfred casually fixed his glasses, and leant down to take the knife from the dead Clubsman's neck.
"He was the enemy." Alfred stated simply, walking toward Yao. Yao slumped back against the door, feeling as if he was going to vomit at the sight in front of him.
Alfred's face and chest were splattered with Ivan's blood, and he didn't even seem to notice. That, and of course, the man who Yao had only just been chatting with an hour ago, he lay dead upon the floor of the guest room. "And so, I eliminated him." Yao, distressed, swung a fist at the King of Spades.
"Are you stupid?! Do you want to start a war?!" He shouted, anger rising and escaping through his words. "Do you think Club country will forgive for something like this?"
Alfred creased his brow. "He was a corrupt leader."
"He was a kind man!" spat Yao, trying to kick Alfred, who easily dodged. "Kinder than you, or the Queen, or anyone in this damned country!"
"You didn't see how he ruled his land, Jack!" Alfred hissed back, wiping sweat and blood from his brow. "Slaves, lying, taking money from the people! His kindness has always been a mask!" Yao faltered, and felt even sicker. No, he had been so sure that Ivan's kindheartedness had been genuine.
"I-.. I don't-"
"It was a necessary life to take, and we can win the war if it comes." Alfred boasted with a sullen frown. Without saying any more, he left the room, leaving Yao with Ivan's bloodied self.
Yao, fearing that if he stayed here any longer, he would start crying or hurling up what he'd had to eat today. Scarred, he left the room, and retired to his own quarters. It seemed Alfred had already taken care of Ivan's guards in their sleep. He was quite a ruthless king.
It didn't take very long for the news and whispers to travel to Club country. It took only three days for the soldiers, led by the Queen, to charge into the country of Spades. Elizaveta, Queen of Club, was a valiant woman, and led her army to the castle with cries for retribution.
Yao hid himself away while the attacks raged on, too fearful and worried to be anywhere near the front line. He knew that Arthur and Alfred were leading the Spades soldiers, but he also knew that Clubs outnumbered them greatly. The country fell on this day. Throwing aside his title, Yao ran from the castle. If the death of one man had truly saved Club country, then why had a war broken out? He had no time to quarrel with his thoughts.
As he ran through the streets, Yao saw children crying on their mothers, and the mothers were weeping for lost fathers. He had never seen a war before, although he had read of their horrors. Alfred.. He questioned how right Alfred had been about murdering the King of Clubs in cold blood, and he frowned as he recalled just how sweet that man had been to him. Yao was a gullible fool.
Flames licked at the castle walls; Yao smelled the smoke as he fled through the battle-torn streets. With nothing left to turn back to, he ran on, fearing for his life. Clubsmen and women charged through the streets. He wasn't lucky enough to avoid them. They caught him by the arms, and shouted to their companions that 'we've got the Jack!' Yao was shortly bludgeoned unconscious.
When he awoke, his hands were bound. Alfred sat beside him, whimpering things softly to his Queen, and crying. Yao shouldn't have been here. Then again, he didn't know where he was. He just knew that he was not safe. When a Clubs soldier came in and grabbed he and Alfred by the collar, Yao only grew more confused. Another guard came for Arthur. They had been in a dark little cell previously, and now they were being lead up into the light.
As he was walked into the sunlight, Yao blinked to help adjust his eyes. The sight in front of him was terrifying. A crowd gathered, silent and watching as the three Spadesmen were tugged up onto a wooden platform. Yao recognized it instantly, and a whole new wave of dread and fear washed over him.
"We have here today, the former rulers of Spades country!" a man, dark-haired and pale-skinned, announced. He wore green, and was accompanied by Queen Elizaveta, so Yao could only assume that he was the Jack of Clubs. Former rulers?.. Made sense, considering where they were right now. Yao refused to even look at the King and Queen of Spades.
"These three are involved in the murder of King Ivan Braginsky, our King and ruler! Such crimes cannot go unpunished!" the Jack declared, and looked to the guard holding Yao. Said Clubsman grabbed Yao by the hair, and marched him over to the center of the platform, and forced him onto his knees. Yao's head was pushed down onto the block, and he cringed. Even now, he thought of how kind the King had been, and continued to doubt how corrupt Alfred claimed he was. Out of the corner of his eye, Yao saw the guard pulling at the rope.
He closed his eyes just before the guillotine's blade came down.