~Spades~
"And the Knights of the Trump are?"
"The Knights of the Trump are what you would probably call the royal guards of the king. Something similar to your 'Knights of the Round Table'. They're all equal in status of course, just not in title. But they're all talented in something of their own. That's what makes them different and unique. But just like your knights, they do the same in protecting our kingdom."
England accepted the new information rather well. It had been a week since he had been here, but there were still so many questions he had to ask. So many things unasked, and so many unknown. But everyday they went at it little by little.
"But, I still don't get it. How is it that you know of our world, while all of…"
"ArteStella."
"ArteStella, yes, your world, has no idea of it?"
"That's a bit complicated. A gift probably. You see, I kinda knew about other worlds for a while now. But it was out of nowhere. Like a dream."
"In other worlds, you have no idea."
The king laughed. "Yeah, no idea."
"Honestly, you're just like America. Not just the way you look, but even your on-look towards life."
"Well, are you suggesting that this may as well be a parallel universe or something?"
England contemplated the idea, all the while staring at the tea set before him.
"A Wonderland, may be a better way to describe it."
Alfred, the king, looked confused. A Wonderland in terms, is a world where dreams are reality, and reality are dreams. A paradox of some sorts. But that's only a world in a story of madness created by the ramblings of a professor. He adored Alice, favored her above all the other children of the Liddell family, but Wonderland is nothing more than that of a story. And Alfred had no idea.
"Wonderland?"
"It's a fictional world. About how a girl falls down the rabbit hole and enter a whole new different world underground. It was called Wonderland. But in the end it was just a dream."
Was it really a dream? In the end, Alice had forgotten, but the sister…without being told a word dreamt of the same.
"A dream world." Alfred started. "Maybe. But to us this is very real."
"It's- I'm…I'm not saying that this isn't real," Arthur stuttered, "just, just…—"
"Relax, I was just kidding. But the war is upon us. That much I cannot kid about."
England sat back down from his sudden outburst. This Alfred is very much like America.
~Diamonds~
"Sir, I have some bad news." A soldier said immediately after entering the room.
"What, can't it wait?" The king complained.
The king had been enjoying the view of his garden from his balcony. The gardeners were currently tending to his roses, and they looked so lovely while working so hard for his sake. The king enjoyed the sight very much. It was breath taking as he puts it.
"Well, yes…but…" The soldier didn't know how to deal with the king's frivolous ways and just decided to obey to orders and keep quiet until the king was ready.
Minutes passed and the king still wasn't ready for the news. The soldier was starting to get frantic and decided to speak up, but not before the door was slammed opened.
"Francis! What are you going to do about this!" The man demanded.
"Geh! Vash…" The king was shaken from his daydream.
Vash had always had the authority of a king. The people of their kingdom had acknowledged that. But he opted for the knight's position in order to protect his people, and more importantly, his sister, the queen. But many, including the people of the other kingdoms had acknowledged him as the second king, however his position as Knight does not give him full authority over government matters. In particular matters of war was not for him to decide.
"About what?" Francis asked.
"About what? Didn't anyone tell you?"
"I tried but…" The soldier spoke up.
"The Queen of Spades had passed at the hands of Clubs." Vash announced.
The king was shocked speechless at the revelation. He and the queen were close once upon a time. And he knows very well how Arthur is able to take care of himself. This was a joke. That's right, a joke.
"Vash, this is a bad joke, even for you."
"The queen is dead." Vash delivered.
"No!" The king shouted. "Stop saying that. He's not dead!"
"It's already been a week since. She had passed. Now wake up and see the danger coming our way. There will be war."
The king shook his head in denial. He knew Vash wasn't lying. The man never did have a sense of humor. But the words just didn't make any sense. He was a mess.
"Um…Sir, I have a letter." The forgotten soldier said.
Maybe it was bad timing, or perhaps it was good. It tore the king's attention away from the current issue at least. But not for long.
The letter was from the King of Spades. Francis received the letter with shaking hands. It was an urgent matter judging from the seal, but he just couldn't bring himself to open it. Vash had grown impatient with the king's behavior and removed the letter from the king's hands, and began reading it.
"It's a letter of alliance." He said. "He wants the Kingdom of Diamonds to be his ally for the war."
He looked up from the letter and at his king. Four simple words left his lips. But that was all that was needed.
"What is your answer."
