Chapter 1:
Rumbles of War
Moriyah and her brother entered the room where the great Shuffling was taking place. It was that time again when all four Decks gathered together to peacefully discuss problems and how to solve them. All the kings, queens, jacks and advisors were dressed in their best attire. The Suit of Diamonds wore clothes studded and embroidered with precious stones and gold while Hearts had clothes fashioned with fringes hanging from the edges, and Spades was known for showing off their vast stores of iron by wearing blued steel here and there on their clothes as ornaments, and by decorating with gear patterns. Clubs, however, preferred natural-looking clothing bedecked in floral and vine patterns, and they enjoyed looser clothes than the other suits which often promoted corsets or tights. Indeed, the shuffling was quite an interesting time to gather, debate, and secretly admire other suits' clothing choices.
The building was painted grey, to show no bias towards any suit, and was round, with a few hallways surrounding a huge meeting room in the center, where a great round table was erected for all the delegates to sit at while debating. As Moriyah entered the room she again admired the marble floors and smooth walls, wondering how long the building would stand and if the meeting would be a success today. Moriyah's robe was white with a dark green trim, with seven clubs arranged down the front and back of her dress, showing her rank and suit proudly. Since Clubs was known for its prized silk, her flowing robe was made of silk, which shone in the lanterns hanging from the ceilings. She appreciated the reflective white paint of the ceiling, for it was rather dim in the room, although she could still see where she was going and all that was before her. Although the building itself was very functional, it lacked modern steam-power to create electricity, hence the delegates had to sit in the light of lanterns.
Slowly Moriyah stepped forward, searching for her friends from other suits… mainly one…who actually found her first.
"MORIYAH!" A friendly voice called.
Instantly Moriyah spun around and saw a woman dressed in a long, fringed, bright red dress which was ornamented with a long, wide white sash which had three crimson hearts on it. The tan, brown-haired, brown-eyed woman rushed towards Moriyah with her arms outstretched. It was Indrakshi Jaya Rao, her dear friend from Hearts who preferred to go by Jaya.
"Jaya!" Moriyah exclaimed as Jaya embraced her and squeezed her tightly, "It is so good to see you again!"
Jaya pulled away from her and beamed, replying, "It is wonderful to see you to! How is your brother?"
"He is right over there, why not ask him?" Moriyah suggested as she pointed to her brother who was a few feet away, standing beside King Yao of Clubs, as was his duty.
"Oh, he's doing well… and he looks busy-anyway, so what is the news on the king and queen? I hear they are… getting along quite well, if you know what I mean," Jaya hinted with a playful look in her eyes.
Moriyah sighed, remembering Jaya's matchmaker side. Sure, the Suit of Hearts was known for love and close-knit communities, but Moriyah felt that Jaya went far beyond the normal expectations of romance in hearts.
"King Yao and Queen Irunya are indeed growing closer these past months, but they have not made any official romantic advances yet, so please do not speak of it," Moriyah divulged in a warning whisper.
"Oh, I see! I won't speak of it, but if you want… I know how to..push things along," Jaya offered with a grin.
"Jaya, you live on the other side of the world; what could you possibly do?" Moriyah giggled as she brushed back her thick black bangs from her ice blue eyes.
"Oh trust me, in the time we are stuck here for the next few days, I can do quite a bit!" Jaya assured her with a stifled giggle.
Moriyah sighed and rolled her eyes, unsure of what else to say to her best friend.
Meanwhile, King Yao and Queen Irunya were discussing something with King Alfred of Spades.
Irunya was dressed in a magnificent dark green silk dress that flowed over a hoop, with gold lines that streaked across it, reminiscent of vines, and of course on her chest was an enormous lighter green club, with two more on opposite corners of the hoop of her skirt, reminding everyone that she was the queen of Clubs, if the silver headdress with an emerald club and silver lace wasn't enough of a clue. She tucked her hands inside her huge sleeves that hung from her arms and listened while Yao said to Alfred, "Alfred, I have told you before, I cannot give you any land, and even if we debate this I will say no, so please, to keep the peace, do not ask me."
Yao was wearing his own gold silk robe with a long vine pattern wrapping around it, with prominent clubs on his shoulders and one more at the hem of his garment, reminding all that he was the king of Clubs. He, like Irunya, had his hands tucked into his wide sleeves, with a hardened look in his brown eyes as he stared at King Alfred of Spades.
King Alfred, bedecked in his white long-sleeved shirt, silver-blue satin vest, dark blue satin trousers, white boots and indigo velvet and coyote fur trim cape stood there stubbornly, adjusted his spectacles and his blued steel crown which was adorned with gold, silver and bronze gears, and then placed one hand on his hip defiantly, pushing back the edges of his cape, making the lantern light hit the light blue velvet of one of the giant spades adorning his cape regally.
"I will decide what to speak about when it is my turn, Yao," Alfred grimly replied to Yao.
Naphtali, in his white and green robe stood by, eyeing the pistol holsters on King Alfred's legs, prepared to draw his own knife from his own leg holster if necessary to defend King Yao. Irunya, also sensing the tension, lifted one hand and smoothed her short, platinum blonde hair, cleared her throat and suggested, "Why don't we all get to our seats? It is almost time to start the meeting."
Eyeing a nearby clock, Alfred nodded and turned away, his indigo cape twisting with him as he stormed away from the Clubs defiantly.
All three Clubs sighed in relief. At least for now they had avoided disaster.
Meanwhile, a few other friendly delegates were speaking to Moriyah and Jaya.
The Three of Spades, a friendly, black-haired, pale-skinned man named Honda Kiku, or Kiku Honda, approached them with a light bow and asked, "And how is the Seven of Clubs doing today?"
"She is doing well, Three of Spades," Moriyah greeted him back, admiring his politeness to avoid using her informal name at this important occasion. If they were better friends he would address her by her informal name like Jaya did. Moriyah always admired how he remained true to his honor and did his best to respect other delegates; his politeness made her more comfortable around him than she usually was around men.
"And how is the Three of Hearts?" Kiku added to Jaya with another polite bow.
"She is wishing you would just call her 'Jaya' like everyone else already," Jaya declared with a laugh, to which Moriyah added a giggle and Kiku a smile.
Moriyah was always fascinated with Kiku's accent and style of clothes. Although he was a spade, he preferred looser clothing, like the Clubs, and so his dark blue trousers and long-sleeved shirt with gears and three silver-blue spades on it reminded her of her own people despite the obvious Spades over tones. After Jaya had quieted, Kiku opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly another delegate bounded over to them.
"Ve~ how are you doing, Moriyah?" Feliciano, the Two of Hearts asked with his usual happy smile.
"I am doing well," Moriyah answered him with a polite grin. She was often uncomfortable around men, but Feliciano's happy temperament made her relaxed.
"Feliciano, we like you and all, but the Three of Spades was about to say something so go away," Jaya declared with a wave of her hand and a frown.
"Oh, in that case, how are you doing, Kiku?" Feliciano added to Kiku casually.
"I am doing well, My Friend Feliciano," Kiku replied with a short bow.
"Oh good! Now if you don't mind, I think I'll go talk to some of the pretty Diamond ladies over there!" Feliciano decided with a wave of his hand as he jogged to the other side of the room.
"You know, I keep trying to get him a wife, but instead of settling down, he goes and flirts with all the ladies," Jaya sighed as she placed a tanned hand to her face.
"I am sure one day he will settle down," Kiku assured her quietly.
"Well, I'll get him a wife one of these days," Jaya determined, "and what did you wish to say?"
"Oh, I was merely going to ask if both of your journeys went smoothly," Kiku explained.
"Why, yes, the carriages went especially smooth this time," Moriyah answered, glad for Kiku's kind question.
"Oh, it was awful! It rained most of the way!" Jaya complained, but before she could begin her long, woeful tale, King Marijn of Diamonds shouted, "Let's get this meeting underway!"
With that, Jaya threw her hands in the air and walked away, and soon all the Decks were sitting together around the table. Moriyah glanced around the table at her brother, who gave her a comforting smile, which made her calm as she sat back in her seat. Since the table was arranged by suit and numbers, she was sitting between Feliks, the Number Six, and Tino, the Number Eight of clubs, but she did not mind. After years of serving with the Deck of clubs, she learned to be comfortable around the men in her suit more than most men, and especially was fond of Feliks, who had always been kind to her, and Tino, who was always a friendly spirit.
"Whoever is ready may speak," King Marijn called, eager to get this shuffling started.
Of course, everyone knew who would be first.
"I AM READY!" King Alfred declared as he stood to his feet. A quiet groan echoed around the table as the other cards knew that this was going to be a long speech.
"My suit has land which is not watered well, and it had become more and more infertile over the years, making it hard for us to grow enough food to feed our growing population which is spread over our vast territory. Since Clubs has the most fertile, most watered, and most productive agriculture land, I ask that some land be given to us peacefully so that we may be able to feed our people more," With that, Alfred sat down as Yao stood up with a groan.
Yao looked at Alfred in the eye and retorted, "I have already been trading food with you for years-you know my suit needs my land too, and we have less than yours does, so please, be grateful with what you get, and stop asking me for land that you do not need!"
No sooner had he sat than King Alfred leapt to his feet and shouted, "We do need the land! All I ask is for a small strip going down the border, probably only a few miles or so!"
With that, King Yao slammed his fist on the table and leapt up while Alfred was still standing. For years they had debated this, and it was pushing Yao (and all the other Clubs and Spades) to the edge of his temper.
"Then what will you ask for when your people outgrow that? My whole nation? My blood? The clothes off my back?" Yao demanded.
With that other Clubs echoed his cries, proclaiming that they wouldn't give up their homes to the Spades, to which the Spades all began echoing their king's demands for land, and soon the whole room was in an uproar. Eventually it was so unbearable that all the Decks left the building and returned home, feeling that any cooperation was impossible. Because this rarely happened, and the meetings normally lasted a few days at least, everyone felt it had an ominous ring to it.
On the boat ride from the island to the mainland, Moriyah discussed what happened with her quiet brother.
"Do you think this could… lead to war?" Moriyah whispered, barely able to fathom being part of a Deck that began a war.
For several minutes Naphtali was silent, comprehending the situation and analyzing it somberly. Eventually he sighed and turned to her with a look that said, "I hate to admit it, but… probably."
Moriyah was used to him speaking with his actions more than his words, and so she instantly got the message. She turned away from him, breathing deeply to calm herself.
"Is there any way to have peace now?" Moriyah questioned, barely expecting an answer.
Naphtali placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, kissed her on the head caringly, and whispered, "Anything is possible."
When they arrived home to their terraced palace, Moriyah and Naphtali both hoped that, by some miracle, they would not have to endure a war… and that if war must come, it would end quickly.
As I was writing this I was dreading it turning into a long introductory chapter like in Healing Wounds, so I carefully chose which characters to introduce and which to leave for further chapters, to not overwhelm anyone.
I have drawn some of the formal outfits and posted them on Deviant Art under the name PioneeringAuthor, so if you want some pictures please go there to get an idea of what it looks like at these meetings. If you want a specific character drawn, feel free to ask me, because to be honest, I feel burned out by all the work I am doing and really don't know if I want to draw every barking character... but I would like to draw them, if people are honestly interested. If no one cares, I don't know if I care about it anymore.
Characters:
King of Clubs: China-Wang Yao
Queen of Clubs: Ukraine-Irunya Chernenko
Ace of Clubs: Judah (S. Israel)-Naphtali Shalom Tziyon
Six of Clubs: Poland-Feliks Lukasiewicz
Seven of Clubs: Israel (N. Israel)- Moriyah Beulah Tziyon
Eight of Clubs: Finland- Tino Väinämöinen
King of Spades: America- Alfred Franklin Jones
Three of Spades: Japan- Honda Kiku
Two of Hearts: Italy (N. Italy)-Feliciano Vargas
Three of Hearts: India- Indrakshi Jaya Rao (I made up this OC before I knew there was an India)
King of Diamonds: Netherlands-Marijn Mogens
As always, please leave me a kind review letting me know how to improve and what I am doing well.
THe pioneer with a heart for people and a thousand stories to tell ~+~
