Hi! This is my first story, please review! Conventional criticism is appreciated!
The room was intimidatingly huge. It was so large that it was impossible to see the far wall from the oak doors that served as entrance. The peak of the tall, dark, domed ceiling was almost totally indistinguishable. Candles seemed to have been set up without any forethought so that there were random groups of bright light interspersed throughout the room. However, the rest of the room was cloaked in shadows and lit by only a few dim lights. Patches of wax and scattered playing cards littered the ground as though forgotten. The air was hot and heavy as though the little smoke from the candles weighed it down. There were no windows and the walls were covered with black and red drapes, originally hung ornamentally and to liven up the room but it had been a long time since anyone had cared what the room looked like. A fine layer of dust coated the drapes and shadows cast by the candles seemed distorted and almost to move of their own accord.
Four rows of black tables stretched all the way crossed the room and a single figure walked silently down the middle aisle between them. He walked on, ignoring the tables and ignoring what filled them. Card houses. The tables were covered in giant card house. Every style of card building in fact. There were towers, that seemed to reach the roof and there were single story cubical that sprawled out without trying to ever go up. There was the classic triangle style and there was also likenesses of castles. The buildings on each row of tables were made with a different suit of cards. The row farthest to the right of the figure had only buildings made out of Spades. To the immediate right of the person, Diamonds and to the immediate left was Clubs; the far left row was made with Hearts. However, the person walked on, ignoring his surroundings as though it was nothing new. As though he had done it a million times before.
The houses started beyond impressive, but the farther down the row the figure walked, it became apparent that there was once much more. Cards seemed to have slipped and fell, bringing down parts of houses and sometimes whole tables would be covered with not buildings but piles of cards that had once stood. Each row of suits showed such damage but what caused the cards to slip and fall was not clear. The farther he walked the more cards covered the ground and the fewer grand building stood untouched by whatever force cause the cards to fall.
He knew it was there. He had helped build the houses. He knew the significance of the room and all of the cards both standing in houses and part of piles that once stood. It was his job to know. He was a protector. He protected the Cards and Suits from each other. The figure approached an area where the metropolis suddenly stopped. Unlike before, where damage was dispersed, the huge gap stretched a crossed at least three tables on all four rows. Here, the cards of all suits mixed and covered the floor but, the figure barley looked at it. He moved on, walking over the fallen cards to where the houses began again. On the table that held Spades, a tall wall of the classic triangle style stood, as the figure moved by, a card inexplicably slipped. The wall crumpled in on itself, cards fell into a tower nearby and both the wall and tower collapsed.
Almost as one, the cards and the person fell to the ground. His body curled and grew tense, a choked gasp of pain escaped clenched teeth. He clutched his chest and his long red tail flicked back and forth. As the cards settled around him and the cards on the table grew still, he slowly relaxed and sat up slowly as though the movement triggered more pain. His breath came quick and short and he looked at the new gap where the tower and wall had stood, looked and sighed tiredly. He got to his feet and brushed his white hair back out of his eyes, then he moved on.
He was a protector. The Red. Supposed to be one of two. The Red and the Black. The Jokers. They protected the Cards from each other and kept the balance. That was their job. They had failed. Both they and the Suits had paid the price. He was one of one now and he had to rebuild. He had to restart, maybe another one would come along to replace the Black lost but he could not afford to wait, already the cards were beginning to slip again. It was effecting him more than he had expected, but he had to deal with it. He was now both the Red and the Black, he heard prayers meant for both and he felt the pain of both's losses. However, the Black's magic had vanished along with it's wielder. He was the Red, he was the protector of the Red Suits and, as his nature was to keep things balanced, he naturally was the controller of Black Suit magic. This left the Red Suit magic untended as the Black Joker was gone. Regardless, he had to, needed to get the Suits back together, replace their losses, they couldn't know that he was alone. They couldn't know the Black was gone, the Black Suits unprotected, and the Red Magic uncensored. He had to fix it or everything would all fall.
Just thinking about it made him tense. It wasn't entirely his fault. If the Aces had stayed out of the way. If only they had let him do his job and not interfered. If only. This had happened before, for the same reason. If he didn't fix this, there would be no second chance. This was the second chance and he was alone this time.
He cursed quietly under his breath, "See?" He said out loud, "See what happened?" He stopped and turned slowly, arm raised as if presenting the room of cards to an unseen observer. "This is why you guys don't mess with the Suits. This is why I exist!" He sighed, letting his arm drop as if defeated, "Stay out of my way for a while."
He started walking again.
As he walked, out of the darkness, he heard a prayer. One of thousands, but this one was clearer and seemed overly sharp and crisp. It almost seemed to cut into his mind and again, he stopped, listening to the young voice ringing through his head. It pushed the thought of the Aces out of his mind as, at first he thought it was one of the monarchs of the four kingdoms, as their prayers were always louder than the others, but out of the six living monarchs, only one had prayed in years.
"Dear Jokers, both Red and Black, I pray, I ask, I hope for peace." The youth's voice said, it was a voice the Joker recognized. Not one of the monarchs but, a long ignored, a friend, no, a brother. The Red Joker shook his head, but that voice persisted, "I pray for peace and that you two will find Hearts a new King and Jack. We need them now, we need heirs to appear. I know you aren't ignoring us, but it feels like it sometimes." The words seemed to cut deeper, but they cut into the Joker's heart now, not his mind. "I know you're busy and everything, but could you spare a few moments for us? For me? We miss you Gilbert. We need the Joker's blessing right now, and it hasn't seemed like you're watching over us, Gil."
The Joker shuddered, as his younger brother used his name. It had been years since he had heard it. In a way, he had been ignoring his living family, but this wasn't something he had chosen, it wasn't something he had wanted. New Jokers were chosen so rarely, some people didn't believe it happened. But it did. In these dark days, some people didn't even believe in the Jokers. Gil remembered dyeing, he remembered seeing Gabriel, the old Black, and he remembered becoming the Red Joker. However, he also remembered his life in the Hearts Kingdom. It was painful, hearing his little brother pray to him. It was painful knowing that everything he had tried to do had failed. In the chaos of the last few years, he had stopped going home to see his parents and his brother. Now that the Black was gone, he had been busier than ever.
"Gil, we don't blame you like the Council does, but we do need some help. Let us know you are still there." The boy continued, jolting Gilbert out of his nostalgic pain. Why didn't they blame him? They had every right to. Of all the people of the four kingdoms, his family was the most justified in hating him. "I pray for peace, Red. I pray for heirs. Amen."
Gilbert stood frozen in the dark room, the cards were still and a strange calm seemed to settle on the room. He brushed his white hair back again, swished his tail and started walking again. His family still believed in him. Even if the Black was dead, even if he was now both Red and Black, he could still do this. Gilbert knew he could find the heirs, he knew peace was just around the corner and if would have to set in before winter or the peaceful countries would starve. The Red magic being unchecked was something that the Red could not deal with immediately, but he could protect the Black Suits. First things first, he had to find the new Heirs of the thrones and ensure that each kingdom had a King, Queen, and Jack leading them.
Gil couldn't help but grin darkly to himself, things would be okay. This was his mess, but he would be able to fix it. His little brother, Ludwig, had been able to rekindle a hope, he hadn't felt in months. A single prayer, Ludwig's prayer, made Gilbert want to keep going.
Gilbert left the room of the card towers and went to the throne room of the castle. Here, he had already pushed the two thrones to the very back of the platform they sat on and put a long table in front of them. On the table was scattered cards, but Gilbert brushed them out of the way, ignoring those that fell on the ground. Apart from the raised platform, the table and the thrones, the room was empty. It was long and large, though not as large as the room housing the card towers. Again, the walls were draped with red and black velvet, but here the ceiling was much lower and a huge mural of the map of the content stretched a crossed the ceiling. This room had no apparent light source, but it was dimly lit anyway. On the far, opposite wall of the thrones were four door sized pieces of glass, each looking into a different room.
Gilbert pulled a fresh deck of cards out of his pocket and shuffled them. Without looking, he flipped the top card from the deck onto the table, and as he knew it would be, it was the Jack of Spades. The next card he flipped and placed next to the Jack, was the Jack of Clubs, and the next the Jack of Diamonds. He then moved these three cards to his right, they represented the three living Jacks in order to the longest in his position to the newest. He shuffled his deck again, and flipped a fresh card in front of him, it was the Queen of Spades, the next was the Queen of Hearts. Again, he moved these two to his right and put them above the row of Jacks. Gilbert didn't bother shuffling again, but flipped another card onto the table in front of him. The King of Diamonds, he moved this too to his right, putting it above the Queens. These were all of the monarchs in the four kingdoms, all but three had been found as Heirs to their throne after the war had started.
The Joker looked over the six cards, the hope he had felt moments before lessened. These people would have to help the new monarchs get the countries peaceful. He had watched these monarchs and the chances of them working together seemed very slim. Then again, as long as the Aces didn't get involved, everything should go well. Gilbert shuffled his deck thoughtfully, pushing some of his magic into it, and took a card from the middle of the stack. Theoretically, this would be a Heir, if it wasn't, he would have to hand pick someone, and the chances of it being right person was slim, as he didn't have an intricate knowledge of the Black Suits like he did the Red. He held the chosen card in front of him for a moment before slowly flipping it over. Queen of Clubs. Gilbert smiled, an heir was found.
Gilbert carefully folded the card in half, creased it and cupped it in his hand. He wasn't sure he would be able to use the searcher locked in the card since it was a black suit, but he focused, feeling the life behind the card, willing it to reveal itself to him. Then he suddenly threw the card up, but as he opened his hands, a little green bird burst out. It fluttered around the room, then dived in the direction of the glass doors on the far wall.
"Hey! Wait!" Gilbert yelped, following quickly, pushing himself up and into the air.
The bird flew directly at the glass in the middle left, the glass shimmered and just as the bird would have hit the glass, the glass disappeared. Gilbert flew after the bird, the glass replaced itself, but on this side it looked like a mirror, only reflecting the room it looked into.
"You know, I could have just teleported us closer, but it you want to go the long way through Clubs then fine." Gilbert said absently to the bird, glancing around the room. The bird ignored him and dove recklessly through the room, circling in an agitated manner, "You realize that the castle personal can't see me, but they will be able to see you right?"
The bird continued to ignore him, Gilbert sighed and opened the door of the room with a tap, and the bird dove out of it, turning into a corridor. The castle was almost totally deserted. The fine decorations and bustling servants were gone, and compared to the last time Gilbert had come here, it seemed dead. The bird navigated the castle with ease, but became agitated whenever they came to a door. Gilbert opened doors and followed the little bird, quietly disturbed by the transformation of the Clubs Castle. In the open air, Gilbert followed the little emerald bird as it climbed into the air and headed east. As they flew over the Clubs Kingdom, the land below them turned from lush forests to a battle torn country. Trenches could be seen stretching below them, and the bird turned, following one group of these ditches.
` "If we go much further, we will reach the Diamonds border, and I have really don't want to have to deal with a foreign Clubs Heir." Gilbert said, but again the bird continued flying. Suddenly it dove down, below them sat a field of dark green tents, "Wait, a field hospital?" Gilbert grimaced, if the new queen was already injured, that put a huge dent in his plans. Plus, it seemed to him it would be just his luck to find an Heir who was dying.
"Please stop complaining, I'm doing my job." the bird said, in a soft feminine voice.
"Oh, so now you decided to talk? Well, I'm trying to do my job too." Gilbert retorted, they had reached the ground and he dropped down and walked after the bird.
"No you are not. You are doing the Black's job, I have no reason to talk to you nor do I have any loyalty to you." The bird sounded almost insulted by the fact that she had to talk to him.
"Look, the Black is gone, so I am both Black and Red for the time being." Gilbert said, trying to sound reasonable and not defensive.
"I hate you. It's your fault the Black is gone."
"Okay, whatever."
As they moved through the camp, Gilbert was totally unnoticed and the emerald bird only brought a few glances. They moved through tents, until the bird slowed and fluttered in front of the flap of one tent. Just then, a pair of nurses came out, carrying bandages and other supplies.
"A female queen? The last two were guys." Gilbert said, more to himself than the bird. The positions of Queen, King, and Jack were just that, positions. Each was a title and either gender could hold that position. The two nurses couldn't see him, nor could they hear him.
"Must you state the obvious?" the bird snapped and both nurses spun around in surprise at hearing another voice. The bird was magic, but it was a temporary being that was part of the queen's future magic and did not have the capability of rendering itself invisible or unheard.
"What? Who's there?" one of them asked, her hair blonde hair was cut short and her uniform stretched tightly a crossed her chest. A light blue headband kept her hair back and she seemed overly nervous about the prospect of someone else being around.
"Hello?" the other said while looking around, "I don't think there is anyone here." She was shorter than her companion, her hair was brown and wavy and she had a pretty orange flower in her hair. She was much more relaxed and had a commanding dignified air about her.
"Well, are you going to do your job?" Gilbert asked, they couldn't see him although they were looking directly at him, and the bird had landed grudgingly on his shoulder, rendering her invisible as well.
The bird was silent for a moment, "Let her see you."
"What?"
"Let the brunette see you, but not the other. Elizabeta Hedervary is to be the new Queen of Clubs."
Gilbert snorted; he had never had to deal with the Black's magic animated before. Discovering a new heir in the Red kingdoms didn't go like this, "Why?" He asked warily. Half of the continent still prayed to the Jokers and the other half either hate or don't believe in them. Jokers were sort of gods to the people, but they were also sort of annoyances. Furthermore, if this Clubs girl was an enemy of Jokers, then the Red appears before her, what would she do? Maybe if it was the Black . . . .
"Because, in this part of the world, the Joker is the one to inform the heir of their destiny. I am a searcher. I have found her. That is my job and I have completed it." The bird said disdainfully.
Gilbert sighed and mentally willed the girl to see him. She gasped, stepping back, her companion looked at her in confusion.
"Elizabeta? What's wrong?" The blonde girl asked.
Elizabeta stared at Gilbert, who in turn smirked at her, "Can't you see him? The horns, the tail?" Gilbert shook his head, afraid that if he spoke and Elizabeta's friend didn't hear him, but Elizabeta did, she would totally freak out.
"What? A demon? Are you okay?" her friend asked gently touching her forehead to check for a fever.
Elizabeta stared at Gilbert. This was turning out to be more fun than he had thought; he turned and started walking away from her, the paused and looked back, motioning for her to follow. He had to get her out of the camp.
"Um, yeah, I'm good." Elizabeta said slowly, watching the retreating Joker, "Um, can you cover for me? I, uh, I'll be right back." She hastily handed her box of supplies to her friend and hurried after the black and red figure.
Gilbert lead her to the edge of the camp, where no one would see her talking to thin air. He turned and looked at her, grinning.
"Hi." He said.
"Hi, what are you? Are you real?" Elizabeta asked, her voice was strong again, and curious, "Are you the Black Joker?"
"No, I am the Red actually." Gilbert said airily and smiling, "But what's more important is who you are."
"Who am I?" Elizabeta asked, wary now.
Gilbert reached up and removed the green bird from his shoulder; he covered it with his hands and forced it back into a card. He lifted the Queen of Clubs for the girl to see, "A Heir."
Elizabeta looked at the card, but her stance did not change, "I'm an Heir? The next Queen?"
"Yes. I can awaken your powers now, or I can take you to the Jack of Clubs, or I can just go tell him to come here and get you." Gilbert said, ticking off the options on his fingers, "The call is yours to make, your actions from here are your own. I once had someone who walked to his capital to tell his Queen himself, so really whatever you want to do, go for it."
Elizabeta studied Gilbert carefully, "Why haven't you stopped the war?"
Gilbert frowned at her, "Assume that running a continent is rather difficult. And please know, I've been trying."
"Try harder." Elizabeta said, giving him an icy stare.
"Look," Gilbert shrugged, "This isn't about me, this is about you." He pushed off from the ground and flew backward to perch in a tree, "Tell me what you would like me to do. Please understand that this is probably the only time I will every follow your order." He grinned down at her.
She glared up at him, "I want you to stop the war."
Gilbert slouched into the trunk of the tree, maybe this wasn't going as well as he thought, "I'm trying, okay?"
"Why are you here and not the Black?"
"He's busy."
"Well, then why don't you go help him?"
"I am helping him, I'm here with the new Heir."
"But-"
"Look, if you keep going on like this, I'm going to activate your powers and let you deal with it!" Gilbert snapped, glaring at her now. This girl was defiantly Queen quality, but these sort of conversations was why he didn't do this sort of thing when discovering a Red Heir.
"Please endow me with the powers of the Queen of Clubs and go inform the Jack that I am on my way to the capital as soon as I have obtained leave from my commanding officer." Elizabeta said, her voice already with the commanding air all of the monarchs adopted.
Gilbert sighed, "You are the Heir. You don't really need permission to-"
"Yes I do. I am no better than them, and even though I am the Heir I still have responsibilities to this hospital!" Her tone was sharp and Gilbert just shrugged.
"Whatever."
Gilbert hopped down from the tree and took the card of the Queen of Clubs, he again folded it and covered it in his hands, then he slowly rotated his hands to be pressed together with the card between them. The Joker pulled his hands apart and as he did, the sword that held the magic of the Queen of Clubs appeared hanging in the air between his palms, it served as a storage for the magic and as the symbol of the office. A faint green glow engulfed him and the new Queen. Gilbert stepped back, away from the weapon, but leaving it hanging the air in front of Elizabeta.
"It's all yours." Gilbert smiled and gave her a small bow.
She looked uncertain for the first time, then after seeming to summon her courage, quickly grabbed the handle of the blade. She and the sword seemed to radiate light, then slowly it faded away. She looked at Gilbert, and gave him a small smile.
"I wish you the best in your reign." Gilbert smirked again, "See you."
Elizabeta nodded, and Gilbert summoned his magic, teleporting himself to the Castle of Clubs in a puff of smoke. Gilbert knew that it was no accident that Miss Elizabeta was the first Heir found, she had the heart of a soldier and the limitations but mind of a woman. She had seen the results of the war, she had probably also fought, she might be the one to force the Jack to offer an arimsance.
