Here's some more for you guys to read :) In this chapter, we meet Italy and Germany! Hooray! Also, the Jokers come back, and I love the Jokers. I love the idea of them wearing really heavy makeup and a set amount of clothing and being these really intimidating figures, but when you're one-on-one with them, they're kind of goofy.
Oh, and as a note: the Jokers are basically the only magic-practicers that are accepted at this point. They have some technology that allows them to live for about 160 years, which is why they can wait two fifty-year reigns before retiring. So, as of this, Rome is like 110 and Gilbert is like 55.
Disclaimer: I still don't own Hetalia. Still just a fan. I'm hoping I'm getting their characters right, but of course, I don't know them as well as I would if I had created them!
~Elsi
Chapter 2: The King, the Queen, the Jack
Kiku didn't know what he had been expecting from that day. It was the final day of the season, the noted day on which Kiku would receive the Joker's great decree. Everyone in Hearts had traveled hundreds of miles in order to attend the Joker's pronouncement – if not for the sakes of their neighbors or relatives, than for the naming of their new monarchs. Kiku and his father recognized nearly all of their neighbors in the background, craning their necks for a good look at the raised platform on which Rome would make one of the last announcements of his Joker career. The final announcement would be made in the Kingdom of Spades at the end of next season, when the new Spades monarchs were chosen. For now, however, it was the turn of the Kingdom of Hearts.
Kiku was sitting with his hands calmly folded in his lap. Unlike those around him, he had no desire to chatter and gossip about careers they were sure they would have. Somewhere in the row behind him, two annoying boys were taking bets on whom their new monarchs would be. Kiku himself didn't know what to think about. What fate would the Joker deliver him? He considered being a bureaucrat, or doing something in philosophy or politics – Rome certainly had been interested in his more diplomatic skillset. Perhaps that was his future. Kiku certainly wouldn't mind it, so long as he didn't have to get too close to people.
The crowds fell into hushed awe when the Joker and his assistant stepped onto the stage. The Joker attire was more definitively regal today, accented with gold and silver to recognize that this was more than just a regular job announcement. Today, the monarchs of the next fifty years would be decided. Their makeup seemed to mask their features even more effectively than the last time Kiku had encountered them, although he wondered if those frowning faces they bore were genuine.
"Today is a major day for the lives of the young people of the Kingdom of Hearts," said Rome in a voice that surprised Kiku. The old Joker sounded…serious. His distinctive voice, the one that was accented and melodic, had settled into a more thoughtful monotone. "Today, their futures are decided. Your community changes for the better. Life goes on. But even more than that, today, we decide the next monarchs of the Kingdom of Hearts." There were a few whispers at that sentence. Rome didn't seem to pay them any mind, going right along with his speech. "My assistant will read the professions, and then we will crown our monarchs."
Gilbert stepped forward with a lengthy list and began to read out names in a voice equally as flat as Rome's had been. Kiku waited to hear his name, gripping his hands together tightly. He heard his closest neighbor become apprenticed to the jeweler. He heard another childhood friend become the new librarian. But no Kiku Honda. No Kiku. And as the list went on, Kiku twisted his hands into his clothes, which were styled in a more comfortable Eastern style this time. Where was his name? Rome and Gilbert hadn't forgotten him, had they?
A slight flicker of discomfort wedged its way into Kiku's chest. What if they had forgotten him? It wasn't as though he was a particularly memorable, loud-spoken young man. He was just some immigrant from the Far East, someone who had considered himself special. Maybe he just…wasn't. Special. He wouldn't be surprised if the Joker forgot him. He was sure that it had happened before, but no one cared long enough to notice. Well, if nothing happened today, he still had a chance. He could get a job like his father had – maybe it wouldn't be glamorous, but it was still something.
The list of names came to a horrible close, and Kiku let his eyes drop to the ground. Only the royal court was left, and unless Kiku was serving as some sort of servant advisor, there was nothing for him to do. Of course, the Joker had been interested in his political aptitude, but…there was no way. Kiku was from the Far East. He was not meant for the palace life.
That was probably it. He would be some sort of servant. Library master, perhaps. A council member. A bureaucrat. But how many bureaucratic positions were still open? He wasn't sure if any were, actually.
"Now, our royal court," said Rome imperially, and the hushed excitement passing through the crowd as their careers were decided died out. The Joker cleared his throat. "The new King of Hearts will be…" He leaned over Gilbert's shoulder to clearly read the name. "Ludwig Beilschmidt."
Heads turned as people from the entire kingdom scrambled over each other to get a glimpse at the young man that had been proclaimed their king, and Kiku was no real exception. Though he was absorbed in his own anxiety, he watched half-heartedly as this Ludwig fellow made his way to the raised platform, as all monarchs would have to do eventually. Kiku decided that he looked kingly enough – he had slicked back blonde hair to add to the intimidation derived from his huge shoulders and warrior-like build. When he turned towards the crowd, Kiku couldn't help but note the worry in his pale blue eyes that matched his stiff frown. Kiku didn't blame him for being nervous. Ludwig had just been proclaimed the heir to the throne of Hearts, and if that weren't enough, he was about to be introduced to his queen.
Tradition in the Kingdom of Hearts decreed that the King and Queen of Hearts would be married, regardless of gender or sexual preference or romantic interest. It was a union meant to bring peace to the kingdom overall, and was usually always a happy marriage. Kiku had been brought up under the reign of the old king and queen, who had always functioned well as a couple. A lot rested in the next few moments, and the announcement of Ludwig's queen. Kiku would be nervous as well.
"The new Queen of Hearts will be…" Gilbert handed Rome the list on this one, so as not to keep the crowd in suspense, but that just drew the moment out longer (Rome had managed to fumble with the scroll this time). At last, Rome straightened in his Joker position and forced the mask of indifference over his face. "Kiku Honda."
It took a long time to realize that his name was Kiku Honda, and that Rome's eyes had sought him out in the crowd. When he did realize what was going on, Kiku's throat went suddenly dry. Heads turned as he stood from his seat, and then Ludwig's eyes were on him, dark and judgmental. He was to be Queen of Hearts?
As if in a dream, Kiku moved through the throng of people up to the raised platform. Up close, he could make out the ways the makeup on Gilbert's face was beginning to smear, and how Rome's eyes were sparkling still. Ludwig hadn't budged, his face still squished into a frown that made Kiku want to vanish. Was Ludwig…unsatisfied? Now that Kiku had been announced Queen – Queen – he would have to marry Ludwig.
"H-hello," Kiku said quietly, offering a hand for Ludwig to shake. The blonde boy did, but his expression didn't change.
"Hallo," said Ludwig in a low voice. It was no more than that, but Kiku let himself memorize the voice. He and Ludwig would have to work together. As monarchs.
He didn't quite remember the rest of the announcement, or the rest of the day altogether. Kiku just remembered standing up on that raised platform, realizing very abruptly that he was dressed very distinctly in Eastern clothing and that everyone was seeing for the first time that their new ruler was an outsider. There was a moment where the attention was taken off of him and directed towards the new Jack, a pleasant but obviously dull young man named Feliciano Vargas. The rest of the day was a blur of congratulations and sweating palms and shaking hands and trying to avoid the glares he was receiving from Ludwig. What was wrong with the new King? Was Kiku the problem? Maybe Ludwig hadn't been expecting to have a Queen like him – someone from the Far East, someone male.
But the Queen had been male as many times as the Queen had been female, so this should have come as no surprise. It was still a little awkward, however, for Kiku to consider the fact that Ludwig's disinterest may have come from his own perceptions of what Queen should be.
At some point that day, Kiku got to return to his house to gather his things. There were guards of the kingdom standing outside all entrances to his house to ensure that the new Queen wasn't mobbed with supporters (or, as no one had mentioned, dissenters). Kiku returned to his small house and pulled his clothing into the only large traveling bag he owned, the same one he had used when fleeing the Far East. His father came in and sat on the bed while Kiku packed, not exactly saying anything until Kiku was completely ready to depart. Except that he wasn't ready to go, not really, but he couldn't say that.
"Kiku," said his father suddenly, and Kiku turned to see his father pat the bed covers in a rare invitation to bring Kiku closer. "I know you are nervous."
"I am not…" Kiku stopped protesting, because he was nervous. There was no sense hiding it from his own father.
"You have been chosen for a great honor," said Kiku's father, placing a hand over Kiku's. It was a soft gesture, and would have been uncomfortable if anyone else had done it, but this was different. "I know that you were not expecting this, and I know that the future may bring hard times. Having such responsibility will not be easy."
Kiku didn't know what to say to this, but his father went on.
"You are going to make an excellent ruler," said his father. "You must be fair. You must be kind. You must be firm. I think that, given time, you will know what you must do. Have faith in yourself."
It was the right thing to say, because Kiku's father had always been gifted at knowing the right thing to say. Kiku felt some of the worries he didn't know he'd had start to vanish. Maybe his father was right. The Joker had chosen him to be Queen, and the Joker had chosen Ludwig to be King and Feliciano to be Jack. All would work out in the end, right? The Jokers never made mistakes.
Then again, Rome had never made this particular decision before.
There were voices from outside calling Kiku to the carriage that was waiting to carry him and the others to their residence for the next five years. This year, the new monarchs from all Four Kingdoms were training in the Kingdom of Diamonds, and they would reside there for two of their next five training years.
In the moment, Kiku's father reached over to embrace Kiku. Somehow, the proximity wasn't odd at all, and Kiku found himself relaxing in the familiar smell of his father. This old man was the only family he had left.
"You will be a good ruler," said Kiku's father gently. "I will miss you, but I know that you will be doing great things."
"Thank you, father," said Kiku. A moment more, and the two separated. Kiku stared down at his father on the bed, and another grief-stricken moment passed over his heart. When Kiku left, his father would be alone in this house. Perhaps the neighbors would be good to him, or he could adopt a cat, or take in some of the homeless children that ran through the streets in search of a good meal. The man would find something to do.
"Goodbye, Father," said Kiku, picking up his bags. "I will do my best to make you proud of my time as ruler."
Kiku's father smiled, but there was an exhaustion in even the rise of his cheeks.
"You already have, Kiku," he promised. "Do not forget that."
XXXX
The first hour of the carriage ride was terribly uncomfortable, for a tension rested in the atmosphere that even Feliciano could not displace – and Kiku knew that he had been trying. Feliciano had attempted to elicit conversation out of Kiku and Ludwig for a good forty-five minutes, but his questions were generally circular and did nothing but confuse Kiku. It seemed that the young man was even spacier than Kiku could have imagined.
Feliciano had given up and was slipping into a gentle sleep, and still neither Kiku nor Ludwig had said much more than a few words. Kiku stared at his hands in his lap, searching for something to say. He did not know what was keeping Ludwig from expressing anything more than irritation. Was it his Eastern origin? His gender? Feliciano's chatter? The pressure of the day? He tried to calm his nerves by mentally reciting an old poem from an Eastern poet his mother had loved, but the verses kept getting scrambled up in his head, and that had never happened before.
Feliciano woke by the time they crossed the border into the Kingdom of Diamonds, and when the scenery changed to a more tropical crop of forests, the young Jack-to-be let out an excited yell.
"Hey, Ludwig, Kiku, look! Ve~ Diamonds is so pretty!"
Ludwig moved over Feliciano's shoulder to sneak a look out of the carriage window.
"I suppose it is rather nice," admitted Ludwig, and his voice was starting to calm. Feeling half-relieved that his King could speak amiably and half-nervous that Kiku himself really was the problem, Kiku cleared his throat to find words.
"I am very excited to stay in the Kingdom of Diamonds," he said. "I have never been here, but in the books, it is depicted as the most comfortable of the Four Kingdoms."
"You read?" Ludwig asked, and when his blue eyes landed on Kiku, they were less hostile. "What subject?"
"I read whatever I can find on culture here," said Kiku. "It is interesting to see the contrast between the traditions here and those of the Far East."
"Ve~!" said Feliciano excitedly. "I read a book once! It was on the history of pasta! Pasta is the best! Ludwig and Kiku like pasta, right?"
Finally finding something in common, Kiku and Ludwig muttered an affirmation to Feliciano, who seem appeased by their answer. Then King and Queen exchanged a glance. Perhaps it was Feliciano that would be the key to their relationship – why had such a young man been chosen as Jack? It seemed odd. The Jack's main purpose was to ensure that everything was done, and that all the duties of King and Queen had been completed. Would someone like Feliciano be up to that arduous of a task?
"Were you raised in the Far East?" asked Ludwig, as if Feliciano hadn't spoken. "I was wondering, due to your attire."
Kiku looked down bashfully at his long, dusk-purple robes, which were far more common in the East than anywhere nearby. He had draped a large purple jacket over his more comfortable clothing, to at least look somewhat authentic as a citizen of Hearts.
"My father and I left the Far East when I was seven," said Kiku quietly. "But his traditions have remained a major part of our household."
"I see," said Ludwig. "How interesting. If you are comfortable doing so, I would like to hear more about these traditions of yours."
"Yeah, me, too!" said Feliciano. "Your life sounds really cool, Kiku!"
Kiku thanked him quietly, a smile beginning to form on his face. He was sure that he could see the corners of Ludwig's mouth twitching, as if the King-to-be was trying to smile, but had forgotten exactly how those muscles worked. Still, it was a start.
Needless to say, the final few hours of the ride were much more comfortable.
Notes galore!
1) Okay, Ludwig's problem isn't actually a problem. You know Germany. He just sort of looks intimidating, and I don't think Kiku really gets that. Writing Feliciano was hard, though. I hope he came off okay and not too OOC. Same with everyone else, but Ludwig and Feliciano in particular.
2) The real action is going to start soon, I promise. At least, some of it. This chapter and the last chapter were originally intended to be one, but then they got too long. Anyways, next we're going to meet the other monarchs for basically monarch-training camp! Which means Arthur and Alfred and Francis and everyone! Yay!
3) Pretty please, review this story. It helps me know that there are people out there looking at my stuff, it reminds me to write more, and it also helps my stuff get read by more people. Which is kind of the goal of putting it up there ;)
Thanks for reading! More should be up soon, as I'm very excited about this little project!
~Elsi
