Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

Sum: Cardverse AU Spades is a vast land known for its' fertile lands and abilities in magic. Arthur is due to be the Queen of Spades because he has the highest connection to nature magic in the lands. What no one knows is that Alfred has a bit of magic too.

Regrets

Chapter 1: Start of the Fall

Arthur scowled once he and Alfred were alone in their room together.

"C'mon, don't be this way Artie…" Alfred sighed.

Arthur's scowl deepened, "I'll bloody well act however I want you bloody git! I don't want to be married to you!"

Alfred was glad that Arthur was turned away as he felt a pang of hurt and knew his expression was probably also telling. He didn't try to speak again that night and had respectfully set up a makeshift cot so he wouldn't have to sleep next to Arthur, knowing the other would probably just kick him off the bed anyway. He kept his back turned to Arthur and Arthur likewise did the same.

Alfred hated this, this coldness, this distance that caused him nothing but grief. Most of all he hated knowing. The kingdom's rulers were chosen by magic, a magic that meant for the king and queen to fall in love and work together, that gave them a patient jack to help come up with compromises. Alfred hated knowing his queen would never know until it was too late just how much he loved him.

There were few things Alfred would say he felt regret for. One being that his brother and he were separated by the suits and another being that he could no longer casually walk among the lower classes to talk to friends like Tony. He was isolated and alone, but he didn't regret being chosen as king because he truly did love his queen.

His queen, his beloved who denied him and hated him and wanted nothing to do with him, the one who hurt him as he tried to laugh off the insults and made him say halfhearted insults in return to make the queen think he felt the same, to protect his queen from the future that was held for the two of them.

Everyone in Spades knew the queen had magic, knew the jack gained wisdom, and knew that the king was just and forgiving. That is what everyone knew. The Royals kept additional gifts a secret. Like Yao knowing more about poisons and fighting than the majority of the guard or Arthur's ability to grow any sort of plant and have it bloom within a week. It was the king's that was the largest secret, the one none of the other Royals knew of at all.

The greatest gift the Spades kingdom has is the hidden talent of its king. The gift to see the future and know what was to come to the kingdom. All too soon a few years had passed, life continuing in the same manner, until they received a declaration of war by the Clubs kingdom. The others rushed into action, but Alfred merely got up and went to his private study. Once there he stared out the window and let a few tears fall.

A knock interrupted his thoughts. He wiped away the tears and continued staring, "Come in."

Arthur scowled at the man before him as he walked in, but the man did not turn to face him. "I beg your pardon Your Majesty but we need you to be with us as we alert the generals."

"Right, of course, I'll be there in a few minutes, I just have something to take care of," Alfred said steadily.

Arthur's scowl deepened as he concluded that something was wrong with the king, but he couldn't pry as it was obvious the king had dismissed him. He walked out the door without another word and slammed it shut behind him.

Alfred flinched at the slam, but he could not tell anyone what would happen. He wanted Arthur to be happy and if Arthur still hated him when he left, if he didn't care for him, then surely he wouldn't be hurt and would be able to move on, maybe find a king he truly did love. With that determination Alfred walked to the room where the general's where meeting and stood beside his queen and the jack his face blank as he announced the war and proceeded to detail a battle plan. They had about two weeks to be ready, one before they would have to leave to meet their enemy on the battle front.

During the week before his departure Alfred secluded himself further, choosing to sleep in separate quarters from Arthur, but still watching his queen when he would take walks through the garden or sit beneath the Spade Tree and enjoy a cup of tea while reading a book in the little free time he was given to not stress himself out before the battle.

Arthur was worried about Alfred, while he did not like being married to the git he knew Alfred was a good man. He didn't like how Alfred, who was usually a very social person, secluded himself and closed himself off from the other members of the kingdom. Only once had Alfred left the castle grounds, he returned to the place where he grew up to see an old friend, Tony, without knowing Arthur was following him. A sharp pain flooded Arthur as he watched the two talk and laugh. It was the closest Alfred had been to himself since the news of the war and he was jealous.

Arthur returned to the castle without noticing Alfred's eyes on his back as he spoke to his old friend.

"You should tell him before you go Al," Tony said. "You'll regret it if you don't."

"I'd regret it anyway. I want him to be happy. Knowing my feelings won't make him happy, he hates me," Alfred responded, his head hanging down. "It would be unfair of me."

Tony didn't say anything, just let his friend finally let go of his feelings, because really, there was nothing else that could be said. Even if Alfred did tell Arthur, it was obvious that the queen made no secret of his feelings for his king and Tony could tell that Alfred was hurting. The two stayed and talked a while longer before Alfred made his way back to the castle, feeling just a bit lighter since the news had come.

On the night before he was due to leave, Alfred walked into the room he had shared with his queen who stared at him blankly. Alfred shuffled his feet and shifted uncomfortably, "May I stay here for the night?"

Arthur stared at him wanting to turn him away, knowing the man never really used proper grammar and English unless he wanted something, but he could feel himself giving in, because he had never seen his king's eyes as sad as they were now staring at him. He nodded and Alfred walked over to the bed, slipping in but kept his back to Arthur knowing he would never be able to stare at his queen without wanting to do something.

"Thank you," his muffled voice said as the queen too slipped into the covers.

The next morning Alfred was awake before sunrise. He slipped out of the room and went to his study where he penned a quick note. Walking into Arthur's study he slid the note on the desk, beneath piles of paperwork where he knew his queen would get to it eventually. He went to the stable and saddled his horse, getting himself up on it and having the horse trot up to the stairs of the castle where his queen and jack awaited him with his generals.

"I take it you are prepared?" Arthur said sternly, his eyes just a bit softer in the early morning light, his hair a bit more beautiful, and his skin with more of a glow. Alfred nodded not trusting his voice. As was customary the queen gave his king a kiss on his lips, just a peck that made Alfred blush from intimacy that he had never had before as the only other kiss they had shared was in the church the day of their marriage, for luck, there had been no wedding night to consummate their marriage.

The group set off into the distance and soon enough could not be seen by those left behind at the castle.

On the battlefield there was nothing but the ringing clashes of blades, the terrain drastically changed by the spilt blood and the bodies that littered the floor leaving behind a horrid smell.

The kings swords clashed, sparks flew dangerously, as they matched each other blow for blow on the battlefield, but Alfred could tell the other king was growing weary and a slight hope grew that maybe the future would not be as he had seen, but a misstep and fall over a fallen body proved him wrong and Ivan thrust his sword and ran him through. Pulling his blade out Ivan laughed, "So this is all the great Spades kingdom has to offer. You are a foolish king, it is no wonder your queen never talked about you."

"You lie," Alfred hissed, knowing he was losing blood fast. "My queen would never associate with the likes of you."

Spitting at the ground of Ivan's feet he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness. Ivan chuckled. "Well, you'll never know the truth or not."

Mounting his horse Ivan went back to his own troops, ordering them to return and rest for the night.

Alfred's troops did not know where their king was, but they retreated. Only two people had seen the king fall, a messenger who returned to the palace without delay in order to deliver the horrible news, and a mage who wandered over to the fallen king, the only man to have shown him any kindness in his childhood and helped him find a place where he could train his magic and live peacefully amongst the strange forest creatures that dwelled in the surrounding areas of the kingdom that usually dissuaded the other kingdoms.

Arthur was going through his paperwork when he found a parchment written in elegant cursive he had only seen once before. Checking the signature to confirm who the work belonged to he saw his king's signature. He read through it once, then twice, and again unbelieving of the words written before him and he felt his heart flutter in joy and shock, before turning to guilt and sadness and maybe regret.

Dear Arthur,

My beloved queen I know how busy you are and know that you will not find this note until well into the war. This may be my only chance to make my feelings known. I love you. Those words have been a burden upon me as I wish you nothing but happiness. I know you hate me and think me immature, but if you treat life like a job, everything worth living for will pass you by.

I love the way you look in the morning, your golden hair a tad bit messy and your eyebrows look so fluffy that I want to run my fingers over them just to see if you might purr like a cat. I love the way your eyes light up and how they reflect your mood. I love the rare smiles that grace your lips and it makes me want to hold you close and kiss you over and over.

I love you so much that I never want you to doubt it. I was so happy when I found out I was going to be king because it meant I could help the people of Spades. When I met you I was happier because I believed I was the luckiest man in the world to be able to wed you and get to know you. You might not remember it but we met before when we were younger, and I've always watched you from afar since then. You were so kind to me, an orphan no one cared about, and it made me happy.

I also have something else to confess. For all that I love you and you not I, all I desire is your happiness. Should anything happen to me I beg of you to find someone who will love you as much as I and more, someone to care for you and show you that you are loved in every way, even ways that I was not able to.

All my love forever,

Alfred F. Jones

A/N: This is liable to stay a one shot. For several reasons including, but not limited to, I'm lazy and have four other stories to write, plus my college work, I'm getting a job, and this was mostly written to vent for me being kicked out of my house. I might continue this, but it will be after I finish at least three of the other stories and I have a bit more time on my hands.