The Prejudice of Spades
Oneshot. Cardverse AU. A disaster is averted thanks to the early movement of the Jokers and the family of the Queen of Spades. But what happens next after he is saved?
Joker Island
Matthew Williams, the Aide of the Jokers, glanced worriedly at the door that leads to the Solarium. The Elder Joker, Gilbert, had been locking himself inside for the past couple of hours, which was unusual to the inhabitants of the island. Gilbert had always been outside, tending to the dogs that he had raised in the island since coming there when he was still sixteen. And the loudmouthed Joker has been the life of the Central City ever since.
That was ten years ago.
But now the atmosphere of the Joker Manor was depressing and foreboding the moment Gilbert woke up.
Peter, the Younger Joker, had confided in Matthew about the change in atmosphere regarding the older Joker. He used to be the life of the manor, but now, all he had done was spread the dreariness and mutter to himself. Until ultimately after breakfast, he locked himself up inside the Solarium, the one room that no one is to enter but the Jokers and the Aide.
"He's still in there?" Matthew turned to see a young blond boy at the age of twelve, his black and red horned hoodie down, showing his actual horns and his tail was waving slowly, probably from worry.
"Peter. I thought you were taking a nap," he asked. Joker Peter may be, but he was still a child. He has received strict orders from his older brothers and sister that he should at least take a nap. Peter was still twelve years old, after all.
A frown marred his features, "I tried to, but…I can't help but stay awake. It's as if something bad is happening…or will happen…"
The way Peter had told him about his thoughts alerted Matthew right away. "What do you mean?"
Peter shrugged, "It's not the Younger Joker senses…more like…brother senses? It feels like…some of my siblings is now in a tight pinch." He shared. "It's not Alistair, not James, certainly not Lizzie,"
Matthew was waiting for him to continue, when he noticed Peter's eyes glaze over and stared into space for five seconds. "Peter?"
All of a sudden, Peter was on his knees and hugging himself. "No…Arthur…" he looked back at Matthew, "Arthur is in danger of his own country!" he shouted.
Purple eyes widened in disbelief at his statement as he righted Peter back on his feet. "What? But Alfred can't lift a finger on Arthur. That's naturally impossible."
"Alfred can't and won't hurt him. But the former king can," the door opened revealing a very disheveled Elder Joker.
"My Father?" Matthew breathed.
"He was never the same after the two of you were born at the cost of your mother's life. After all, her death was the reason magic was outlawed in Spades." Gilbert reasoned. "Alfred can't defy your father without earning the anger of those who approve of banning magic from Spades. And they are a lot. So to say, the current king is being cornered by the former king."
The Aide understood what he meant. He and his older twin brother, Alfred, the current King of Spades, had been born with the help of magic. But to create a life, another must be taken in return. And since they were twins, two lives were taken, the first was their paternal grandfather, and the second, was the life of their mother, the former Queen of Spades. In his grief, he outlawed magic from all over the kingdom, and barred any magician from other kingdoms from coming to Spades unless it was only by the borders. Matthew had only gotten away from being discovered to be with magic when he was taken away by the former Elder Joker to be raised as the Aide of the two incoming Jokers, which was Peter, the Younger, and Gilbert the Elder, the lover of Matthew.
But to expel magic from Spades is not what the All Mother will stand for. Magic was needed in all of the four kingdoms, and the queen had always held the magic of the kingdom. The death of a queen by execution because of being born with magic had never happened before. But now…
"They found out Arthur is a mage!" Matthew gasped in surprise. "What should we do?"
Gilbert's face was dark. "We have to get him out of the kingdom immediately. I've been seeing flashes of the future and its forked roads all day, and this is the best route to take. Not to mention that something going on with the queen…"
"Then we'll have to hurry!" Peter exclaimed, worry marring his features. "I just saw a moment ago that Arthur will be sentenced to be beheaded at dusk tomorrow!" he said. "I need to mirror call the Blue Rose. They're nearby Spades, and hopefully I can get a hold of Lukas,"
Gilbert nodded. "Lukas is just a flash transport away. Peter, you get in contact with him, and I'll take care of your brothers and sister and I'll tell them what's happening." As soon as he did, Peter disappeared in a red flash, already on his way to teleport to where the Mage Lukas was. He then looked at Matthew, "Matt, get in contact with Mirana. She'll know what to do when you explain the situation."
"Understood." Matthew replied as he went on his way to the Hall of Mirrors with one objective in mind: Save the Queen of Spades from the prejudice of his father-in-law.
All of a sudden, a ring on his coat pocket was heard. It was his own Mirror Communicator that was connected to only one person. His older brother. He answered the mirror while he was running. "Alfred?"
"Mattie…" from the other side of the mirror, Alfred looked like he had aged ten years. "I need your help."
…
Prison Cell, Windsor Castle, Spades Kingdom
Arthur stared out the barred window of his prison cell in the tower, glancing at the full moon that illuminates the prison cell he is in. his eyes showed nothing but pain and worry. Pain because his own people had condemned him to death because of his magic, and worry because his husband, the King of Spades, could not defy his father because of some half-assed law that the former (and unfortunately, still living) king had passed out of grief and bitterness. Alfred had always been afraid of his father, and his ruthlessness knows no bounds when it comes to magic.
Now he sat in his cell, his arms protectively wrapped around his stomach, embracing the child growing inside of him. Being a mage and a bearer was something that has been coveted by a number of people, but not in Spades. Not anymore.
He was taken out of his reverie when his cell door opened, revealing his husband, the current King of Spades, Alfred, wearing a solemn look.
"Arthur," he breathed.
As soon as Arthur stood up, Alfred enveloped him in a tight embrace. From that simple action, Arthur knew that he was not the only one hurting from this whole ordeal. Even he had kept from his husband about his magic, and had never disclosed it to anyone. Not even his husband. He could feel the fear and regret in the shivering body of Alfred, and that was enough of a reassurance from him that he understood his reasons.
"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…I tried telling father but I couldn't do anything to save you…!" he sobbed in his arms.
Guilt flooded Arthur. Holding up his face to look at him straight, he spoke, "Alfred, look at me. Listen to me. It's my fault. It's my fault I hid my magic from all of you. I didn't…I didn't even trust you enough to let you know about what I am because I didn't want a day to come where you would have to choose between me and your father…"
Alfred shook his head, "No! If anyone would be at fault, it would be my father. He did something that Fate cannot condone he outlawed the very life of the kingdom. The All Mother brought you to Spades from Diamonds to sustain the magic that is within the walls and the earth we walk on, just like the others. I understood that from the very beginning. I knew you had magic," he confessed.
Emerald green eyes widened in shock, "You…knew all along?"
Alfred smiled sadly, "With the help of Yao, I've been reading up a lot of history since I was a child. All queens of the four kingdoms always had magic. They had always wielded magic, unlike the king. With our without magic, they are the kings. But all queens were mages…" Alfred said, "And no doubt about it, you are the Queen of Spades, and will stay that way,"
"But I will be beheaded come morning…and you will have to rule Spades without a queen and under your father's thumb," he said worriedly.
The taller male kissed Arthur on the forehead, "Not to worry, Arthur. I have a plan. If I can't save you by keeping you, I will save you by getting you out of Spades." He whispered.
"What?" he trailed off.
"I called for help. Yao managed to sneak in the Mirror Link to a reliable person. They would take you out of the Suits Continent and somewhere safe." He assured him.
"But what about Spades itself? Without me…"
"Spades will continue to thrive even if their Queen is away. As long as they are alive. And I promise, we would be together soon enough. I just need to take care of things here. Prejudice about mages had spread through the kingdom, and I have to eradicate it before I find you. At least…until my father finds it in him to go to the other side with no complaints,"
"Alfred, this is no time for jokes!" he hissed.
"I'm not. Until father is alive, we can't be together. I have to gather help to put him in a situation where the people of Spades no longer trusts his judgment. Do you understand me? While that is happening, I want you in a safe place. The reinforcements will make sure of that," he took out something from his pocket.
Arthur looked at his hands and saw that he was holding a golden necklace with a spade shaped pendant. In the middle was a blue rose gem. "I want for you to at least have something to remind me of. Father ordered to burn all your things, and I couldn't stop him…"
Arthur shook his head, "It's fine. They're simply stuff anyway. But…will you be alright? Your father would force you to remarry,"
"Don't worry. Without the All Mother's approval, I can't be married to anyone else but you." He assured. "I have to go before they find out I snuck out. The reinforcements will arrive soon, but don't speak a word about it. Just pretend that it would be your last night alive so they won't get suspicious," Alfred tilted Arthur's chin so that he was looking up at him. Pressing his lips on his for one last time, he sighed, "I love you."
Arthur embraced him tightly, "I love you too."
And with one last look, Alfred left the cell in secret. All the while, not knowing that Arthur carried an even bigger secret from his husband.
…
He didn't know how many hours had passed after he laid on the cot for some sleep. All he knew was that he was woken up because of someone blowing up a part of the prison cell walls. When he sat up, the smoke from the debris began to disappear, and he had a clear vision of who broke in. it was a blond man with blue eyes, wearing a red cape with blue piping. The back of the cape had the blue cross of the Nordic People, the people who lived in the snowy Alps all over the continent. He recognized that clothing anywhere. The cape of the Norway Faction. "So my theory is correct. The cell only restricts magic from the inside, not the outside…" he concluded.
"Lukas?" he asked in disbelief. "How…?"
Lukas Bondevik, the Head Mage of the Norway Faction and his former fellow apprentice, looked at him with relief. "Oh good, we made it."
"We…?" he was about to ask more, when he noticed a familiar red tail that came out from Lukas' cape. When the blond showed him who was inside, his brother instincts kicked in. "Peter?! What are you doing here?"
"We're here to save you, duh!" Peter said as he pulled Arthur from the cot. "Come on, we'll explain when we get to the ship!"
Before Arthur could protest, the banging on the cell door was heard, and Lukas took out a very familiar compass with the insignia of the Kirkland Family of the Kingdom of Diamonds. The Navigator. There was only one Navigator, and that belonged to the captain of the Blue Rose, his eldest brother, James Kirkland.
"Hold on tight." Lukas said in a monotonous voice as he grabbed hold of Arthur, and the three of them jumped off the hole in the wall Lukas made, all the while, activating the Navigator.
A brief flash of blue light was seen in the corner of the palace, and when the guards arrived, all that was left was a prison cell with a hole on the wall, the Queen of Spades that was held inside was gone.
…
Arthur felt the usual tugging sensation that was the side effect of using the Navigator. The relic once belonged to him, when he was still the Head of the family after the death of their father, but passed it onto James when he was discovered to be the Queen of Spades. The Navigator was a transportation device that would always lead you to the Blue Rose, the main family vessel.
And now as he felt the wood on his shoes, he felt nostalgic as the cherry wood flooring made contact with his shoes, all the while, being held securely by Lukas and Peter. The impact was too strong, he had to kneel to stop his shock.
Seconds later, he was held up by familiar strong arms. "Up ye get,"
Arthur looked up to see a mane of red hair and the vibrant Kirkland green eyes. "Alistair?"
"Nice to see you too," a blond man with green eyes stated. He was a bit older than Arthur and Alistair, the eldest of the six Kirkland children, James Kirkland IV. "Elizabeth and Flynn are at the lower deck, getting your room ready,"
"James. What…how did you know I was imprisoned? I was apprehended only this afternoon!" Arthur exclaimed, clearly confused.
"I can explain it…" Peter said as he raised his hand slightly. "Gilbert and I saw your imprisonment…or at least, I did, after it happened. Gilbert saw what would happen should your execution had happened," he answered.
Not everyone knew the secret that the Jokers held from the public. They were branded as the oracles of the Suites, the younger who could see the past, and the elder who could see the future. Both are granted ageless but normal lives along with their Aide.
James looked at Peter, "What would have happened should Arthur's execution had been carried out?" he asked.
Peter shrugged. "Gilbert said it was not a pretty sight. After Arthur's execution, you guys went on a rampage, and had cut all ties with Spades, including your trades. Then a year later…Alfred committed suicide, Yao relinquished his title and left Spades for Hearts, and the All Mother wreaked havoc in Spades the people lost trust in Lord William. War broke out between Diamonds and Spades, until Spades was eventually absorbed by the Diamonds. Lord William was publicly executed afterwards."
"But…shouldn't the new king and queen appear in a new bloodline at that moment when they both die since no one carried the family blood? I mean, none of the four kingdoms could even survive without their royals for more than three months!" James stated.
"Yes, but the All Mother has her ways. After Arthur's execution, she declared that if Spades will forsake magic, then she will forsake them their royals, who were the ones who supplies the lands of Spades magic to prosper. They tried to search for the new royals after Alfred committed suicide, but none of their citizens bore the mark of Spades." Peter said. "Eventually, Spades will disappear from the map."
Arthur knew that there was still something missing from Peter's story. "That's not all there is, isn't it Peter? You looked at the past. You know what I mean."
Looking at the approving face of his older brother, Peter decided to just tell his brothers about it. "I also know about our incoming niece or nephew," he added.
"Our what?" James and Alistair asked in shock.
Arthur was one of the rare male mages who could produce a child. From magic without any repercussions in the balance of life and death, unlike the method that the former Queen of Spades had used to have the royal twins, Alfred and Matthew. He was a Bearer. A Bearer can give birth to a powerful magical child, which Arthur was sure would take after his husband.
He told no one of the child. He had planned to tell his husband in a few days, but his accidental display of magic to save the hide of his father-in-law had ruined it. Maybe he should have just let Lord William die by a fallen pillar, then maybe, he wouldn't be in this position, now the most wanted person in his own kingdom.
"Huh. So that's what the old man meant when ye were born. A special mage," Alistair mused. "Though to be honest, I am glad you actually managed to have a kid. Hope it doesn't have your eyebrows,"
"Alistair!" James chided softly. "Now we understand why you didn't act rashly and just use your Flash Transportation. It could have harmed the child,"
Arthur nodded dumbly. "So…what now? You can't hide me in Blue Rose forever, and going back to Diamonds would cause a war between the two kingdoms."
"Way ahead of you," Peter said. "We're bound to Chess Continent in two days,"
Arthur's eyes widened at that. "What?! Chess Continent? You mean at the White Kingdom of Mirana?!" Queen Mirana Kirkland, the current ruler of the White Kingdom, was a distant relative of the Kirklands before they moved to Diamonds five generations ago. Their line was the branch family, and when they moved to Diamonds, all ties the family had with the White Kirklands had been cut off. Until recently, when Arthur and his brothers had been shipwrecked in the docks of the White Kingdom did they find out about their estranged relatives.
James shrugged, "Mirana already gave her consent. She would give you sanctuary from a 'prejudiced kingdom who forsakes the very entity that keeps our worlds alive,' or so she says," he informed.
"But…what about Alfred? I can't just go!" Arthur protested.
Peter sighed, "Relax. Alfred can take care of himself. After all, he did call Matthew for help after we settled our plan. He wants you to escape so he could fix the internal problems of Spades without you being in any sort of danger."
"Or near a guillotine." Alistair stated. "Look, fact is, your husband will just have to suck it up and fix the problem so you could go back there to resume your duties. Leave it to the King who needs to grow up and man up to stand against his father." He lectured. "So put some trust in him and just follow what we talked about."
At that, Arthur had to agree. "Alright…" he said with a sigh, "But the moment something bad happens, I have to go back. I can't just leave the kingdom just because the people of Spades are so prejudiced about magic that they should forsake it. Peter said it himself, Spades cannot survive without magic."
With that, Peter returned to Jack Island, and Lukas disappeared with his familiar to go on with their lives to avoid any suspicions about their hand in the escape of the queen.
All that was left was to go to the White Kingdom in the Chess Continent, where Arthur will have to hide until further notice, until a time comes when the All Mother deems time perfect for the separated monarchs to be together again.
…
And thus, eighteen years passed, with the monarchy of Spades in despair for the loss of their queen, and the All Mother's rejection of any woman that Lord William had arranged for his son to marry.
Eighteen years of animosity between the King of Diamonds and Lord William.
Eighteen years of normalcy, but any wise person will know that without the energy of the queen, Spades was doomed not to prosper unlike the three other kingdoms.
Eighteen years of the truce King Alfred signed with the three other kingdoms not to attack the kingdom, as a form of friendship between the monarchs.
Eighteen years passed, since the new hope of Spades was born in the distant kingdom of the Chess Continent.
Eighteen years since the birth of Captain Arturia Jane Kirkland, the unknown Princess of Spades, and is now sailing to the Suits Continent in order to fix the bond that was severed all because of a past monarch's impossible grief.
END
Whoa. This Cardverse AU really gave me the WTF thought in my mind when I made this…
Joker Island- the home of the Jacks and their citizens which consisted of the banished people of the four kingdoms and their descendants, tasked to serve the Jokers in return for them living in the land.
Elder Joker- the Joker that could see through the future and its endless possibilities. The current Joker is Gilbert Bielschmidt, the brother of the King of Hearts.
Younger Joker-the Joker that could see through the past and gives the monarchs the insight of their predecessors. He could see as far as half a century. The current Younger Joker is Peter Kirkland of Diamonds.
Aide of the Jokers- the one who watches over the Jokers and keeps them in line. The current aide is Matthew Williams-Jones, the younger brother of the King of Spades.
The Castles of the Suits- I imagined their palaces to be based on real world palaces.
-Windsor for Spades because America has no palaces.
-Versailles Palace for Diamonds because of its grand design.
-Neuschwanstein Castle for Hearts because I love that fact that it inspired Sleeping Beauty.
-The Winter Palace of Saint Petersburg for Russia because it fits Ivan perfectly.
Chess Continent- if there are kingdoms for the suits, then surely there is also for the chess. The Chess Continent consists of two kingdoms, the White Kingdom and the Black Kingdom.
White Kingdom- the former homeland of the Kirkland family before moving to Diamonds as nobles. They are related to the royal family of this kingdom, which is Queen Mirana (Yes, I named her after the White Queen in the Alice in Wonderland movie).
All Mother- he All Mother is simply like Mother Nature or their patron goddess in a sense. Legend says that she created the world, and her favorite people are those from the Suites Continent simply because mischief often happens between their rulers. They may bicker, but no all-out war occurs between the four kingdoms.
-She imbued the queens of the four kingdoms with magic in order to sustain the life of each kingdom, and these queens has the magic of their kingdom at their disposal. For example, when a foreign hostile army from another continent and country comes along, the queen can turn the weather at their command and send storms in order to destroy the fleet.
-In a sense, the queens are the priests and priestesses of the All Mother and follows her every will. So killing a queen because he/she possesses magic is unforgivable.
You are free to imagine what happens next~
Sadly, this is simply a oneshot to get the plot bunny out of my head.
Thank you for reading~!