Checkmate
Alfred dragged Arthur through the large hallways, maids scampered to get out of his way as he entered the foyer. Arthur was use to this type of behavior from his king – granted, he never really acted like this anymore. The Jack of Spades had been at work, the two Heart royals were sound asleep in two large chairs. Alfred released Arthur's hand as Yao pulled out his sword and placed it against the Heart Queens throat. Arthur pulled out his pocket-watch and clenched it tightly between his hands before pulling them away. The watch levitated in between his hands and grew before he clasped it quickly.
"Here we go~!" Alfred sang happily as he snapped his fingers. The stress from the spell Arthur had cast disappeared and he relaxed visibly as he cradled his large clock closely. His gaze never leaving the Heart King's form.
"Don't struggle or I'll slice your neck." Yao muttered to the Queen whose mouth was falling open. Yao quickly moved his blade under the queens' chin and pressed, forcing his mouth closed.
"Welcome to our kingdom!" Alfred said brightly as he threw his arms out. "I'm glad you found your way in so easily, most have a hard time. Considering our security."
"Tch." Ludwig snorted as he made a move to stand. Arthur released his clock, letting it float before his hands. Ludwig froze in place, his frozen blue eyes meeting Arthur's green ones in in fury. Arthur cocked his head to the side as he smirked at the Heart King.
"What was I saying...oh right! What are you doing here? Between you and me of course. Well. And my Queen and Jack." Alfred sat on the arm rests between the Heart King and Queen's chairs, completely relaxed. Kiku reached to the side suddenly across Alfred's legs to grab onto Ludwig's arm.
"For him!" he gasped against the blade on his throat. Kiku's eyes were on Arthur. Yao looked at him in confusion before looking to Alfred. Arthur's clock dropped into his waiting hands as Ludwig fell roughly back into the chair. Alfred clasped his shoulder tightly as the Heart King shrugged off his queens' grip. Queens were to answer orders from their kings, but queens tended to try and look out for each other when they could.
"Why would you be after my Spade Queen?" Alfred asked with a tight smile, fiery fury roared in his eyes.
"We need to see something in the future." Ludwig snapped. Arthur raised an eyebrow quizzically as he met the Heart Kings gaze.
"I'm not a fortune teller. I only see things that concern me and my own." He snorted. Kiku attempted to move his hands, but Yao tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword.
"Let him talk." Arthur demanded, looking to Alfred. The Spade King shrugged and waved to Yao. Kiku's hands flew through a series of motions, shapes and imitations. Arthur followed the motions easily in understanding.
"They wanted me to give them information about your plans." Arthur said turning to Alfred. Hell. HE was the queen and he didn't know what Alfred was doing.
"Good thing I don't have any plans." Alfred said cheerfully as Ludwig sputtered in disbelief. Alfred released Ludwig's shoulder and let him stand quickly. Arthur didn't move as Ludwig towered over him.
"Goodnight Ludwig." Alfred said brightly.
"We will figure out what his plans are, and the outcomes. Even if that means forcing them from you." Ludwig sneered. Arthur raised his gaze to meet Ludwig's as he released his clock - letting it float between his hands threateningly. Now that his King was here, the energy between them kept Arthur energized to keep doing magic.
"Are you threatening me in my own home?" Arthur asked darkly as he smiled wickedly at Ludwig.
"Goodnight. Ludwig." Alfred said in a darker tone. The Heart King snorted before turning quickly to grab his queen's hand roughly before pulling him quickly from the castle. Yao sheathed his sword and turned to watch the duo exit quickly into the swirling snow. Alfred snapped his fingers and the large doors slowly shut out the cold. The foyer was silent as electricity snapped between the King and Queen.
"Whatever you're doing is now bringing people after me." Arthur said darkly. His gaze on Alfred, who was glancing at the skylights.
"So it seems." He muses. Arthur clenched his teeth in irritation as he shoved his hand deep into his coat pocket, letting his now normal pocket-watch settle.
"Look. I am your queen, and I will do anything to protect you and the kingdom. Either tell me what you are up to, or stop what you are doing." Arthur hissed lowly. Alfred turned his eyes to meet Arthur's, his blue eyes wide in innocence.
"You think I'm doing something?" He asked teasingly. Arthur's temper snapped as he clenched his hands to fists.
"Clearly if people are coming to me to see YOUR future." Arthur seethed.
"Tell them." Alfred shrugged nonchalantly. The words hurt like a slap.
"I haven't had any visions of you in years." Arthur said softly. Right when Alfred started leaving for longer periods of time did he stop seeing his King in visions. It troubled him that he couldn't see Alfred's future; but he tried to ignore it as much as he could.
"Exactly, there's nothing to tell them." He shrugs absently. Arthur sneers at his King, taking a step forward before freezing. His vision turns blurry before blackness washes over him. Yao, who was standing awkwardly out of the way of the impending argument, starts towards Arthur as he falls to his knees. Alfred rushes forward, wrapping his arms around Arthur protectively as he helps him to the ground. Arthur's eyes were closed, but you could see the flicker of movement underneath his lashes.
"A vision?" Yao asks standing beside Alfred. Arthur hadn't had a vision in months.
"So it seems." Alfred says. The visions were coming faster, which meant that time was running out. Alfred's heart stuttered at the thought. He gently brushed the hair from Arthur's face before pressing his forehead to his.
When Alfred opened his eyes he was standing at the edge of a cliff that was just behind the castle. Snow was covering the kingdom, and everything was dyed white. Alfred watched himself hold his hands up defensively as he was surrounded by all the other Kings and Queens. He glanced to the side to find Francis and Lili holding his queen down and in the snow. His green eyes wild as he watched the shadowy Alfred turn away.
"Why!? Why would you do something so stupid?! Something so taboo!? For what!? It wasn't worth it - I wasn't worth it!" Arthur yelled, fighting against the people holding him down. The Alfred of the vision turned back with a large smile.
"I couldn't live in a world without you." He said before winking. An order is yelled and red colors the snow - Arthur's green eyes widen as breath comes in a quick, painful gasp. Alfred sighed as he turned to watch himself fall towards the cliffs edge. He was used to seeing this, Arthur had had this vision 10 times. His eyes widened as wind rushed past him - he watched as Arthur lunged forward, wrapping his arms around the vision version of him as they both feel back and down.
"Like I can live without you." Arthur yelled in pain.
Alfred pulled himself from the vision and looked down at Alfred's calm face. His breathing quickening, that's exactly what Alfred had wanted to avoid. It looked like the future had changed again.
"Well?" Yao asked.
"If you value Arthur's emotional state. You won't tell him his." Alfred threatened as he rubbed Arthur's temple gently before he kissed it. It hurt and stung as Alfred stole Arthur's latest vision of the future.
"You can't hold visions, only Arthur-." Yao said quietly. Alfred sent him a dark glare, silencing him.
"Do not tell him." Alfred ordered as Arthur's breathing slowed, falling asleep against Alfred's arms. Yao pressed his lips together in irritation but said nothing as Alfred picked Arthur up.
"Hey Yao, can you make me some coffee?" Alfred asked brightly, looking over his shoulder with a large goofy smile. Yao bowed at the order, before smirking. Yao followed the Kings orders, but his real alliance was with the queen. And he would do anything to make sure the queen was prepared for whatever future Alfred was keeping from him. He watched as Alfred carried a sleeping Arthur through the castle silently.
'030/
Arthur woke well into the night. His head was throbbing in pain. Another almost vision. Those hurt more than actual visions of the future. His gaze turned to the window, the dark sky was littered with stars. A knock made the queen lazily turn to the door before glancing at the pocket-watch on his bedside table. His dimly illuminated room gaze him a warm cozy feeling.
"Yao, it's 3 in the bloody morning." Arthur groaned as he slide out of bed. He vaguely remembered waking up long enough to help Alfred take his suit off before passing out again. From the looks of it, they only got a small portion of his suit off. The knock echoed again as Arthur hissed and threw the door open.
"Yao I- Alfred?" Arthur blinks in shock as Alfred wraps his arms around him suddenly.
"Are you...okay...?" Arthur asked awkwardly as he started to lower his arms to Alfred's back.
"I wish it wasn't you." Alfred breaths sadly. Arthur clenched his teeth as he stiffened and pushed against Alfred's shoulders.
"Well I wish it wasn't you." A lie, but it was covered up from his effort as he pushed roughly against Alfred's shoulders. "Why don't you just get a mistress then?" Arthur snapped, it wasn't uncommon. Kings were always male, but queens could be any gender and the two didn't have to be in love. They just needed to exchange energy, some kings and queens just got lucky enough to fall in love. Alfred leans back and sways.
"Can't. Only you." He says shaking his head. Charming, Arthur mentally muttered dryly as he watched his King. Alcohol pricks his nose and he glares in disgust.
"Are you bloody drunk?" He snarls at Alfred.
"Yao opened new bottle of sake." Alfred muttered absently. Arthur raised an eyebrow in mild surprise and amusement. Alfred could always handle his alcohol, how on earth did Yao manage to get him this drunk?
"Go to bed Alfred." Arthur snapped in irritation as he held his forehead in pain.
"I can't sleep. I just see you." A large emphasis on the 'you'. Arthur pursed his lips in thought, letting his hand drop. Alfred was trying to keep something from him.
"What about me?" He asked lowly, glancing at Alfred's tired looking eyes.
"Different things. About you." Alfred swayed and Arthur quickly grabbed his arm to keep him up.
"Different..?" Arthur asked, pressing the subject.
"Things that, ya know, might happen." Alfred shrugs. Arthur's eyes widen in shock as he roughly pushed Alfred into a chair.
"Things that might happen to me." Arthur mused as he glanced at Alfred. His eyes were half open as he yawned largely. Arthur didn't have much longer, Alfred would quickly push away the haze soon.
"Tell me about it." Arthur breathed, leaning towards Alfred. Alfred leaned away and shook his head.
"Noooo. Nononooo." He mutters under his breath. Dammit, Arthur cursed under his breath before changing tactics.
"What will happen to me, Alfred?" Arthur's voice hitched. This was cruel, and he knew it. Alfred froze as he looked at Arthur. He couldn't force himself to cry, but he could act. He threw his arm up to his eyes and quickly turned away from Alfred. Alfred wasn't expecting that. His queen didn't show emotion. His hazy mind lunged in need to protect him from distress. He found himself standing beside Arthur as his shoulders heaved.
"I can't..." Alfred started, grabbing onto Arthur's hip.
"You bloody bastard." Arthur snarled as he turned to look into Alfred's blue eyes. In a quick motion Alfred as laying on the bed unceremoniously.
"Arthur -" he started groggily as Arthur straddled his abdomen. His hands holding Alfred's above his head. Granted, he wasn't as strong as Alfred, but at the moment it kept him from reaching for his watch.
"You've taken something from me that you shouldn't have. Those visions weren't yours to take." Arthur snapped.
"Nono.." Alfred breathed, looking up at his queen.
"Give them back, Alfred." Arthur snarled lowly, his lips barely touching Alfred's.
"I can't, not now. I love you." Alfred said, shifting beneath Arthur. The sentiment of the words lost being that he was drunk and using them as an excuse.
"No one said love was something that was pretty. Sometimes it's cold and broken." Arthur snapped bitterly.
"It all went wrong! But I don't, won't and would never regret it!" Alfred snarls back at Arthur. Arthur freezes, raising to look down at Alfred.
"Alfred..what have you done?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Alfred turned his head to the side as Arthur clenched his teeth before roughly digging his fingers into Alfred's arms.
"Arth-" Alfred starts but he's cut off by Arthur's lips meeting his. Alfred's eyes fluttered as Arthur licked at his lips, before biting his lower lip gently. Alfred's breath caught as he relaxed before he felt energy leave him quickly. Through his exhausted daze he could hear Arthur cry out in pain.
'030/
Alfred groaned tiredly before opening his eyes slowly. He rubbed tiredly at his eyes before squinting. His hand slide over the bedding before he found his glasses and slide them on. His eyes widened as he found Arthur staring blankly at him with foggy green eyes. His face was wet from tears, his eyes red from crying and exhaustion.
"Mind telling me why I just watched you die 33 times repeatedly? Then died myself 5 times?" Arthur croaked. Alfred sat up quickly his hands shaking as he took in his broken queens form.
"Shit. Shitshitshit." He cursed, jumping up from the bed. He hadn't seen Arthur like this since they were younger. While he got the joy of looking down on Arthur's visions, Arthur actually lived them.
"I'm fine. Tell me what you've been doing, Alfred." Arthur hissed, following his kings panicked pacing with his eyes.
"I-"
"Because you sure as hell know that YOU can't change the future. You also know that YOU can't hold visions. I'm surprised you had this many honestly. Far more than last time. What EXACTLY were you planning on doing with these? I would've gotten them back eventually." Arthur sneered at the King.
"I was...I wanted..." Alfred started, reaching forward.
"Don't you dare." Arthur hissed lowly. Alfred stopped in hesitation.
"You...you're low on energy." He breathed.
"I KNOW. But I don't want you anywhere near me. Because of YOU I have to figure out how the hell I'm going to fix this." Arthur snapped as he slowly got off his bed. He wobbled dangerously and Alfred stepped forward. Arthur glared at him before steadying himself, and turned towards the door.
"YAO!" He snapped. The Jack was by the queen's side instantly, his hand slipping into Arthur's to steady him. Alfred glared at him viciously.
"I didn't disobey your order. I didn't tell him. You did. But honestly, if you cared about him you wouldn't have taken them to begin with." Yao sighed. Arthur paused and whirled to see Alfred's furious glare.
"Wait, wait, wait. Did you-?" Arthur sputtered a broken sob of a laugh. "Did you stay away constantly to, 'lessen' the pain of losing you?"
"I mean, it's not...a horrible plan, right?" Alfred combed back his bedhead. Arthur pulled away from Yao's aid and he watched over the queen carefully.
"Alfred. What part of 'Queen' don't you understand? I will protect you and our kingdom. I will give you energy when you need it. I will stay by your side - no matter what idiotic things you do. I will give my life for you, and the kingdom. And I WILL NOT, let you commit such a taboo. I will die, when I am supposed to die." Arthur hissed, stabbing Alfred's chest for emphasis. Alfred's always cocky face fell sadly.
"That's just it, I can't live without you. I can't live where you aren't by my side, I can't live in a world without you as my queen." Alfred breaths.
"You have the damnedest way of showing it." Arthur spits out bitterly before whirling away from his King.
Queen Captured
Hello! Thank you for reading!
I'm slightly new to this fandom - and I was completely swept up in Cardverse and I just couldn't help writing this!
Lot's of hurt right now...but I promise it'll get lighter soon! :0
Please leave a comment, and let me know what you think!
I hope to see you next chapter!
-Iziz