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Hetalia and Cardverse don't belong to me.

CHAPTER II

THE KING BY FATES' HAND

"I am your mere pawn yet by a twist of fate I am your King-I intend to do my part so please allow me to do so."

Unlike the three other Kingdoms, Hearts was special and unique about its monarchy for the one who stands on top was the Queen. The Queen of Hearts who was the example of how a Monarch shall and will remain forever till eternity. The Queen, being the one on top, as dictated by fate, is to be given everything he or she needs. He or she is to be the best of anything.

Along with those royal robes of crimson comes the price of long history upon his shoulders. Along with the *Crane throne he sits on comes the authority that matches any King of the three Kingdoms of Diamonds, Clubs and Spades. In exchange of all the luxury and status given to the Queen, he or she was given the authority to chose who would fit the crown of the King, the scroll of the Knave and the Sword of the Ace. – No wonder the candidates who shall sit beside him was thought out so carefully by the councilmen.

Despite the fact that the current monarch, Queen Kiku, was utterly perfect, nothing could change the fact that he was alone on top of that flat form of Royalty. But all those "silly men in weird hats", as the current Queen calls them, could only come up with candidates that were nothing more but silly suggestions.

Who would give their monarch a list of a hundred men and women to fit the role of King and Knave? The Queen understands that it was a task that requires complete attention and he is utterly grateful for the given list but he had yet to meet this people! How could he rule with people he had yet to face? Wouldn't that be wishing the Hearts a terrible future? He'd rather be alone if that was the case.

An elder approached him saying, "Rather than qualification, why don't you choose someone who you love?"

Ah, it was those words yet again. He can't... He can't choose someone he loves to take the throne- not when that someone had already a throne of his own.

Pressure was building up inside him. The pressure of ruling and the pressure of loneliness; for the first time, he felt being toyed with by the fate who had dictated all his existence. One event led to another and now, he was standing before the door of the throne room.

What was new?

Queen Kiku had done this several times in his life. He's done it almost every day of his life as Queen without fail yet this time... His eyes wonder at the man who stood beside him.

"Let me have a look at you first before we enter..." The Queen of Hearts muttered in a voice mixing with command and tenderness. His chocolate brown eyes studied every inch of him carefully. He was in the robes of a candidate which fits him perfectly like the uniform he would wear in duty as a general. Kiku's eyes wonders to his firm shoulders and muscular arms... He was in every day fit for any position and no doubt he was smart as well. Those clear blue eyes that captured Kiku's attention were somehow filled with doubt- who wouldn't be?! If you were just going to give an update to the Queen, entered the wrong door and suddenly proclaimed King-will you not be in doubt?

Kiku clearly saw this circling about his mind even without using any magic ability. This person... He was easy to read. The way his cheeks flushed crimson when he kissed it a few days back was this engraved upon his mind for some unknown reason. It was a good memory... It was the first time that he'd seen cheeks blushed that way other than from his friends, Queen Arthur of Spades and Queen Lilian of Diamonds.

"I do not mean to be rude, your Majesty- " Ah, he finally spoke. His voice was just as strong as his body it seems. It was deep but somehow the way those words rolled upon his lips, Kiku found them enthralling... worth listening to a whole day if he was allowed!

"You are being terribly rude-" Stab. Ludwig felt every fiber of his being destroyed in seconds. The last thing he wanted was to be rude to the Queen of Hearts who he serves. Ludwig's expression says it all. What should he do? How should he apologize? The queen of hearts was known to treasure respect and for him to not give the respect required, how could he call himself a general? No, better yet, the New King? " I was kidding... Can you hear me?"

"What?" Ludwig snapped back to reality as he saw the queen of hearts chuckle behind his sleeves of maroon and red. This was... the first time he'd seen this side of the Queen. The first and he presumably the last time he saw the Queen was the time he was given honours as General and yet now...

"I said, I was kidding, General", said the Queen as his gaze softens at him. "You looked so tensed and worried so I thought of lightening up the atmosphere but it seems like I made it worse. My sincerest apologies, my lord. I hope I did not offend you?"

"N-No! Of course not, your majesty! I just thought I offended you a-and..."

"You did no such thing, I was just-"

Awkward.

It was suddenly all so quiet once more and Ludwig felt ashamed. Kiku felt the same. What was this? All Kiku wanted was to help this seemingly too worried general to loosen up by telling a joke and he ended up making it all worse. Ah, he should really learn more about this joking business with the Club's Queen, Elizabeta.

"Your Majesty, why... did you chose me to be King?" Ludwig asked which certainly made Kiku blinked several times. How could he tell him that it was a game he played with fate right on the spot because he was heartbroken? Won't he feel a lot worse? The all respected Queen of Hearts would tarnish his reputation if that got out and... and for sure his ancestors would haunt him down and curse his existence!

"W-Well..." Oh dear, it was no use. He should at least be honest with him. He was the one to make his whole life scramble into all royal duties and etiquette without even a fair warning! On second thought, he had every right to do that. He was Queen after all. He can do whatever he wants and get away with it with some smart excuse-now, if only he could come up with one and tell him.

No, those eyes are just too honest. He couldn't. "I honestly do not know. I really thought no one would have the nerve to enter that door so I made a bet with the Queen of spades..."

"A bet...?" Was this all a game for the queen of Hearts? There he was going to face the Royal court of numbers and councilmen because of a silly bet? He was the youngest and most aspiring general of the Kingdom and now his future was being questioned because of his ridiculous timing and opening of doors? The room suddenly felt dark as Ludwig's hand found its way to his forehead. What was the world coming to? He had sworn his loyalty to the Kingdom and now... and now...

Of course, Ludwig felt very much hurt by that and Kiku was no fool to not notice it as he saw his hands slowly clench and his eyes darkens with uncertainty. The Queen of Hearts closed his eyes and leet out a soft sigh.

"I am desperately in need of a King. One that I can trust and one that the Hearts will respect as much as they respect me." It was the truth. If saying the truth would ease the situation, then for once he will be truthful. "I play with the fates as the queen of Hearts. You might see this unjust and utterly despicable but... You are Fate's chosen King as I am Fate's chosen Queen of Hearts. " Kiku struggled with words to say. This was the problem when he was truthful! He couldn't control the words that rolled down his tongue and it either worsens the situation or it leaves it all to be forgotten. Now, he was struggling to even keep up with his trail of thought.

"I am your mere pawn yet by a twist of fate I am your King-I intend to do my part so please allow me to do so."

Kiku widens his eyes in surprise and gently looked up to the man in front of him. Did he hear that right?

"I... I do not know anything about the post you are to give me but I am willing to learn. You are my Queen and it is by duty that I follow your every word. It is by duty that I heed your calls in such desperate times... but it is also your duty to guide me in this path so Hearts will benefit from me. " Ludwig said, still with the hint of uncertainty but now his eyes showed a light of understanding. This made the Queen of Hearts close his eyes and smile to himself. He had chosen well. This was fates assurance that he had chosen well.

" I will not thank you for your acceptance... but come, let us prove your worth to those silly men in hats."

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Ludwig did not understand what the Queen last told him before they entered the large and elaborated door of the throne room. One word was what he could use for all of this and it was utter chaos but what got his attention more wasn't the fact that everyone there had something to say, oh no, it was the fact that the Queen had an answer to everything the councilmen had to say!

It was like the Queen had them all upon his palm with the way he weave words with one another. It was simply amazing, to him at the very least. When they question him about his judgement, the Queen would quickly name a few times when he had not question their judgement yet everything had fell rather badly.

Ludwig, never once dreamed to be in this room other than the time he was promoted to being a General. That was all and the throne room didn't look as serious as this. All he did back then was get his sword and his royal coat of arms and it was done. No other talks about it were held but perhaps the thought of having a young King on the throne was not something desirable... No, that wasn't it. It was the fact that he wasn't one in the position to be King!

Who was he any ways? He was the youngest son of a proud soldier who died in the battle. With help from a noble man his father had saved, he was given education more than required of his status and his family was able to come back from the ruins in a stable middle class family. His mother was a tailor and his older brother was a proud man who suddenly disappeared. He had the regular poor to stability kind of story and now, the poor to King? Was he beloved by Lady Luck or something? He was too lucky with life! Even if his mother died and his brother disappeared, he was still lucky!

"Your Majesty, I highly implore that you think this over once more", persuaded an old man who even stood to make his point.

Oh yes, he should! Ludwig couldn't help but agree with him in his mind. He wasn't allowed to speak since he was a mere guest unless the Queen had allowed him. He was a guest without the support of the Queen who sat on his throne with a pretty stoic expression upon his face.

"No one had ever said that to the King Alfred of Spades or to Queen Lilian of Diamonds when they took the throne yet when the King I chose takes the throne everyone questions it. Have I not made myself clear?" Kiku spoke with such firm and authority in his voice. It was still calm- deadly calm. "My...My... How regrettable. "

It was enough to silence the whole room with only petty murmurs to be heard. Ludwig blinked at this and glanced at the Queen of Hearts whom rests his chin upon his palm while his gaze was fixed upon his council men and number.

"Pardon my impudence, your Majesty but does this involve your affections?"

'Matters of what?! What was that man implying? That the queen is romantically involved with me?' Ludwig's mind was about to explode before he heard a chuckle. A Soft angelic yet threatening chuckle which came from the ever so calm queen sitting upon his Throne.

It struck the room completely silent yet the one who asked stood proudly infront of the Queen of Hearts. His long white beard proved his age was no sky high. "Majesty?"

"It clearly isn't. The Kingdom of Hearts requires the Queen to have no attachment whatsoever to the King aside from partnership. " Kiku answered before standing up and approached the old man who stood up in front of him. Everyone was left to ponder what could the queen want from the old man as he slowly bent down and whispered something on his ear. Then... the old man chuckled.

"Ludwig will be a King that certainly everyone would be proud of... I am not saying this because of false hope, I am saying this because he has nowhere else to go other than to become the King of Hearts. " Kiku declared and even spared Ludwig a glance from the side.

How can this Queen trust him so easily? Sure, he was a general but where did he got the energy to trust some random strange like him who just came in the wrong door.

Up until the end of the protocol, what the Queen of Hearts said to the old man was left into secrecy. Even to Ludwig it was a big mystery but he was in no position what his Queen did say.

"Everything went well... I was really nervous back there-" Kiku said as he let out a soft sigh and even massaged his shoulder.

"Nervous? You didn't exactly look nervous in there, your Majesty. " Ludwig replied as he looked at him in disbelief.

"Then, it will be one of the things that I will be teaching you to do. I'm sure you can learn it well..."

"I hope so."

"Don't hope because you certainly will. As Queen, I guarantee that you will!"

Now that was pretty much persuasive but he doesn't seem mind at all.

"Now, all you need to worry about is the King's devotion ceremony..."

That sounded a bit new to his ear so without a second thought he asked him, "What does the King do there?" He was ready to get this learning started!

"Oh you just have to get impaled..." answered the queen with a soft smile and a pat on his shoulder. "I know you can handle it." Ludwig paled upon hearing that. Will he really be alright as Fate's chosen King?

*Crane Throne – It is a symbol of the Hearts' Queen as it was said that they resemble how graceful and the beautiful the ideal Queen of Hearts.