The White House

Albus, The White Kingdom

Alfred's POV

Alfred stared at the golden bishop. His sapphire eyes widened as his thoughts stumbled around his brain. Gulping audibly he wiped his sweating hands on his trousers. The man in front of him sighed and waited for him to speak. Finally, he spoke.

"You're kidding right, Francis?" His voice had a hopeful tone. He gaze met the other's and he frowned.

"Non. Your nineteenth birthday is coming up, Alfred. You will become king but you cannot until you find your queen. You have two months. I did warn you earlier..."

Alfred huffed and crossed his arms. He didn't want to agree but Francis was right. The White Kingdom's bishop had been warning him that he needed to search for his queen. He turned sway to gaze out the window. He scanned the green treetops and in the distance the amber fields being harvested and the giant mountains towering over his small kingdom.

"Fine... What do you want me to do about it, Francis?" Alfred took the bite and hoped it wouldn't be too much to chew on.

The bishop hummed in reply, his long fingers trailing the silk of the window curtains. His blue eyes were calculating as if this was some giant scheme he cooked up. Finally, he turned to his king.

"You are to go out to Port Hugo and join Matthieu to find your queen."

Alfred's eyes narrowed. He knew his twin brother Matthew was in the big port city later to oversee the capture of the infamous Captain England of the Britannia. Unsure how joining his brother on his journey would help find his queen he protested. Francis quickly hushed him.

"Your queen will find you, Alfred. It will take a little coaxing but you will bring them back and you will become king."

Alfred sighed. Francis made this sound so easy, making seem all he had to do was go out there and bring back the one destined to be his queen. It wasn't! How was he suppose to search out a queen in the many thousands of his kingdom?

Oh, he knew that Francis was most likely persuading him with those words and in the end he would show up fruitless. He was certain he would not find his counterpart. In fact, he was willing to take the risk. He would go on this trip and prove to Francis that not everything went to his plan.

Yes, that was it. He was going. He would go with his brother and come home to laugh at Francis once his plan had gone wrong.

Walking out of the office Alfred paused to speak, a smirk playing on his tan features. "Fine. I'll go with Mattie but you won't get your queen, Francis. And I'll laugh."

He glanced back at the Bishop. Francis' echoed prideful smirk was unreadable. He stepped away and closed the door behind him, missing the final six words from his advisor.

"Oh I don't doubt it, Alfred."

"...And that's how I found myself here, Mattie." Alfred took a sip of the citrusy drink in his hands and he finished his story. He sat in a small cozy room in a small inn where Matthew and his close guards were staying. The dying fire in front of them had warmed him from the bitter cold winds that had began as he approached the city. The locals had told him a storm was brewing and he'd better find shelter.

Moving to nudge the fire back to life his twin brother sighed. "That does sound like something papa would do. Although I'm curious why he sent you here. Do you really think your queen is here?"

Alfred set his cup down to think about the question. "Maybe... I mean he did sound very certain. He is older... Maybe he knows something we don't." He suggested.

Matthew nodded. "He is the bishop. He should know a lot. And I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't have tons of things he hasn't told you or I."

Alfred seemed satisfied with that.

Matthew opened his mouth to speak again. He quickly jumped up as the door slammed open, interrupting his words. His hands gripped an iron sword as he stood in front of Alfred. His frame relaxed as he recognized the young figure in the doorway.

"Peter?" Matthew called out as he stepped forward to address the young male.

Peter shifted the best in his armour. "Sir, Morro found the pirate! He's on the beach! He seems to be alone since we can't find his ship!"

Matthew jumped into action and pulled on his armour. It gleamed like moonlight, giving him a silver glow. Alfred jumped up grabbing his own gear and following his brother and the young pawn to the beach. As the neared the water a figure caught his eyes. It lay half buried in the sand the storm had dragged in but Alfred could tell they were a person of great respect.

Blonde tufts peeked out from under a soaked black hat decorated with gold chains and a sandy feather. A dark blood red coat clung to the surprisingly lean and small figure. Alfred had thought with as big as the name the pirate captain had that he would have also been great in figure. Ignoring his brother's protests Alfred stepped up to fallen man and kneeled next to him.

Alfred gently pushed the pirate's hat away from his face to gaze down on a pale face. The pirate was young, probably the same age as him. A shallow scar ran from his cheek to his neck. A dash of freckles sprinkled his cheeks and nose. A pair of giant eyebrows made themselves known above closed eyes.

Suddenly the pirate moved. Alfred stood and pulled out his sword to point it at the other. Emerald eyes met his own sapphire ones. The pirate made his move without hesitation. He sat up.

"Well that's rather rude."

Alfred's breath nearly hitched. That voice. Clear and crisp. He heard it from somewhere.

"Alfred... That's your destiny! It's been written for you! I don't want that. I... I want to be my own author."

Alfred shook his head and focused on his current task; apprehending the infamous pirate captain. He smiled at the pirate in triumph.

"It seems the kitten has claws, hm?"

The pirate didn't reply for a moment. "It seems the swine has a brain." He snarled out, emerald eyes flashing angrily. He glared at the sword in front of him. "Now use the bloody thing and move thatsword out of my face."

Alfred let out a chuckle. The pirate's words didn't hurt him. They were his last weapon and Alfred knew that. Captain England was trapped with no escape of his impending doom.

"Now, now pirate. I'm sure you know how to behave yourself in front of your king."

The other's face paled quickly and he sputtered before glaring once again at the king. "I have no king."

Alfred's hand shot out to stop the guards surrounding the two from hurting the pirate. He hummed softly. "Is that so, England?"

"I listen to no one. The sea is my kingdom and all who live there bow to me!"

Alfred raised a brow in question. This pirate was interesting. He treated and showed himself as royalty. He talked well and knew how to insult others. The pirate captain was indeed just as the legends and stories portrayed him as.

"Well unfortunately for you we are on land. And you have a punishment to carry out." Alfred stepped back as the smaller figure was shackled. He watched the pirate's expressions intently. A flicker of fear grew in the emerald eyes but was quickly hidden with a mask.

Alfred followed the train of pawns to the town square where a crowd of townsfolk had began to gather as they took the sight of the captured pirate captain. Excited chattering broke Alfred out of his thoughts as he stood next to Matthew who had watched the pirate forced onto his knees with his hands tied to the wooden post.

"You have the papers, Mattie?" Alfred spoke and Matthew nodded before stepping forward with the official sentence papers for the pirate's crimes. He glanced at the kneeling figure before speaking loudly to the crowd. It hurt Alfred to see his kind hearted, quiet brother to become this knight who sentenced people to death.

"You are the Captain of The Britannia, correct?" The question was answered with a small nod. "Do you have any final words before your sentence is read and carried out?"

The pirate hesitated before nodding, a triumph smirk played across his pale face. "Tell that bastard of a bishop he lost his game." A laugh followed his statement and he suddenly didn't look scared of his fate. Matthew's fists tightened. Alfred's followed suit. Francis was a father figure to the two of them and any insult to him they took personally.

"You are hereby sentenced to twenty lashes and to be hung afterwards." Matthew's voice rang out through the square followed by the cheering of the people. He continued. "For the crimes you have done against the White Kingdom."

The people who had grown silent erupted into cheers once again. A guard stepped up behind the pirate who had closed his eyes, accepting and preparing for his fate. The guard pulled out his sword and cut through the silk shirt so that his sentence could be carried out. The pirate flinched as the cold metal grazed his spine. The white shirt fell down his arms revealing a pale and slender frame.

Suddenly the sword fell from the guard's hands and he fell to his knees. The other's nearby followed suit. Stepping forward in confusion Alfred found himself staring at the pirate's right shoulder. A mark of blue and white stood out on the creamy skin.

"No way..."

His queen.