This is War
A Cardverse story.
Chapter Four: The Last Laugh
Not far off from the Heart Kingdom lays the impressive splendor of the Clubs. As a matter of fact, someone none too pleased had been awakened in his slumber, by none other than a Joker.
"What do you expect me to do about it?" The Jack of Clubs eyes the albino Joker warily. When he arrives in the dead of night, it is neither good nor enjoyable. The poor Jack had been asleep in his bed, counting sheep until his heart's content. It is just his luck that the Joker decided to barge into his room and make demands so late into the night.
"I expect you to keep Elizabeta in your sight Roderich." The squatting Joker states, his feet digging into the Jack's mattress.
The Jack stitches his eyebrows together, "Why? I'm not her keeper Gilbert."
"Didn't your mother teach you to trust a Joker?" He smirks, jabbing his side with his finger.
"Couldn't this have waited until morning?" Roderich yawns, remembering the speech his King was to give at dawn.
"Nein. Just listen to me Roderich."
The Jack sighs when the albino grows serious. A carefree Joker is better than a somber one.
"What has gotten you riled up Gilbert? What has been going on?"
"It's the Spade King. He's dangerous."
The Jack rolls his eyes, "When is he not."
Roderich is alarmed when the Joker threads his fingers into the collar of his shirt, hoisting him from his bed to be with the Joker face to face.
"Unhand me." He grabs the other's wrist, unable to match the Joker's strength in order to be released.
"Do not let Elizabeta go alone anywhere. Got it?"
The Jack searches his blood red eyes, the mark of a Heart born Joker, for answers he could not receive.
"Why can't you? You obviously have plenty of time on your hands."
The Joker releases Roderich, letting him fall back against the sheets. He is a hopeless cause. Gilbert should have known better than to ask the Jack of Clubs.
"Do what you want Edelstein," The Jack shoots the albino a questioning gaze at the use of his last name, "But if something bad happens, don't say the Joker didn't warn you."
He snaps his fingers, teleporting himself to some other sorry soul. Swiping his fists over his eyes, Roderich snatches his glasses from his bedside table and puts them on. He gets up, his bare feet wading across the cold surface of the floor. He collects a robe, threading each arm through before exiting into the hall, drawing the robe tighter around him when the chill of night seeps into the castle. The wide and beautiful window of the castle has curtains covering them, evaporating the moonlight before it has a chance to reach the inside. If Roderich hadn't been living here as long as he has, he would be easily frightened by the darkness and could get lost in the winding corridors of the Club's castle. Stifling a yawn, he locates a door, gently easing the mahogany wood open. Not a creak echoes through the room, allowing him a quick glance at the occupants without their waking.
The Queen of Clubs lays tangled in her bed sheets, her dark hair haloing around her head. The slight huff in her cheek signifies the best of sleep still evades her. Her chest gently rises and falls as she cranes her neck, pressing half of her face into the pillow. By doing this, she exposes the Club tattoo stretching dauntingly across her pale skin. In this position, deep in her dreams, the Queen is truly beautiful. She appears almost as an angel bound to such a breathtaking maiden. The Jack pauses a moment or two to admire her soft features, noting how well they complemented her slim and feminine figure. She is the pride of the Kingdom. Everyone adores her dearly, even the other kingdoms that have succumbed to the wrath of her spitfire attitude.
"If only." He whispers, his eyes trailing over the contours of her body in a trance, "If only…"
Shaking his head to snap him from his daze, he quietly closes the door. To an extent, the albino's words bother him. Gilbert was not known to lie, only annoy. A Joker is simply sent to tease, not to lead astray, therefore some of his message could ring true. But while she is in the castle, the Queen will be safe.
"But Arthur wasn't." He abruptly counters out loud.
He cringes at the thought, wrinkling his nose in disgust. He doesn't want to think about how he died so brutally and at the very hands of King he advises. Pressing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, he sighs softly, letting his feet carry him to the next destination. Even in the dead of night, he knew who he sought would be waiting and the moment he stepped foot in the library, he is proven correct. Perched in his chair, observing the absurd weather swirling outside with a smirk firmly etched on his face, is the King of Clubs.
"My Lord." The Jack bows his respect before crossing the threshold.
The King nods his head in acknowledgement, unlatching his eyes from the chaos outside he had watched in amusement.
"What do you want?" He questions, his eyes flaring up in the candle light.
This is the man that murdered the Spade Queen, but the only evidence of such tryst lies in his hand, his knuckles bloodied and bruised. However now, the doctors have attended to the 'defensive' wounds with bandages. There is no way he could lie about it, and why would he? He prides himself for having slaughtered him.
"Gilbert appeared in my bed chamber." The King's eyes stay locked onto the Jack's face, unphased by the unknown name. He is unfamiliar with the personal names effective in their place, "The albino Joker."
"Ah yes. I remember." His smirk tightens, slowly fading away until a frown draws his lips downward, "What did he want?"
"He came with a warning." The Jack readjusts his robe, feeling underdressed in the presence of his King.
"A warning?" The gaunt shadows mask his face, creating a permanent glare that burns into the Jack's very core.
"He told me to not let Queen Elizabeta out of my sight. It has something to do with the Spade King." He explains.
The King waves his hand as if to cast away such words, "Such warnings are vile from the Joker's mouth. It is a lie and nothing more."
"But, sir—"
"It's a lie." The King cuts him off, gritting his teeth to prevent the vile remarks left on his tongue, "And nothing more."
The Jack wearily nods his head, bowing in apology, "I am sorry for pressing the matter I shall return back to my bed." He turns to leave, only pausing when the King speaks again.
"The New Spade Queen is coming, Roderich. May hell accompany them." He chuckles darkly, chilling the Jack to the bone before he retreats to his room.
The world outside the window in all its turmoil causes another smile, cruelty curling his mouth to form the most sinful of such. The weather is a reflection of the Spade King's heart and the Club King just reveals in the fact that he was behind such a chaotic creation.
"It's all like one big chess game," He speaks softly, letting his fingers dig into the upholstery of his chair, "And this is checkmate Alfred."
Laughter rattles his chest, burning his lungs as he chuckles long and hard at the memory of the Queen beneath his hands, telling his beloved Alfred to run. It is all too amusing to him, causing this dark melody of hearty laughter to erupt from his lips until tears begin to surface in his eyes and his chest aches with the fact.
"One more false move and I win. It's your turn Spade King. Let's see what you are made of."
His lilac eyes burn a hole through the darkness as that one last laugh still evades him yet. He will soon have his moment though.
"In the end, you're going to lose. So let's see your last resort, because only I will have the last laugh."
The sneer returns to his face, "What are you going to do about it, Alfred?
Yes. What will he do?
-Soul Spirit-