So... Here's the next chapter! I hope it's to your liking. :)
I just tried to think of something to apologise for... And I couldn't think of anything! Yay! Finally! :)
Arthur glanced at his father who nodded in encouragement. Then the doors opened and they entered the throne room.
It was huge; the walls strained to reach heavenward as the arched ceiling stopped them, the floor stretching into infinity. Stained glass windows dyed the room several colours, the images projected onto the floor in perfect clarity. Pale pink silk was draped artistically over the walls to prevent them being bare; they fluttered restlessly as a breeze entered with them. Four huge chairs were situated at the other end of the room atop a dais – three of them were filled by members of the royal family who smiled down at them.
Once they were at the foot of the dais, Arthur and his father knelt respectfully, their heads bowed. Arthur had already glanced around for the princess.
"Your Majesty," said his father. "My son has trained for years in order to protect you and your family to the best of his ability. Please appraise him and accept him as a knight."
The king chuckled. "Rise, my good man. I have already appraised him." Arthur's head jerked up in surprise. "I am sure he will be a good knight. And I am sure he will make an excellent companion for my son." He gestured to the young man in one of the outer thrones. The prince smiled sweetly down at Arthur and he had to resist frowning. He would really rather had become the princess' bodyguard.
Arthur woke up rather more calmly than the other times. This was getting worse. It was almost as if he was watching someone's life in fragments. The fact that it seemed to be him in these dreams was worrying him.
He rolled over and glanced at the clock. He stared at it for a moment before blinking in confusion. "Shit!" he yelled, jumping to his feet. He had promised Kiku that he would be in the square again today. He rushed around, searching for clothes until, finally, he was dressed. He grabbed his bag, phone and keys before rushing out of his flat.
Almost immediately, he bumped into someone. He yelped out a sorry, glancing at the person. It was a girl with long blonde hair tied in a pair of bunches. She was wearing glasses. That was all he saw before he took off in a run.
He was quite unaware that the girl stared after him, a smile slowly spreading across her face…
Arthur sat in the same spot he usually did, ignoring Francis completely. He really didn't want to talk to him. He had to keep telling himself that he only needed to put up with him during these photo sessions and then he would never see him again.
He opened his book and started to read. After a while, he sensed that someone was beside him. Presuming it was Kiku, he didn't bother looking up until the person spoke.
"E-Excuse me," said a girl's voice. Arthur glanced at the girl. She had long blonde hair tied into bunches and a pair of glasses covering her brilliantly green eyes. It took him a few seconds to realise that this nervous looking girl was the one he had bumped into outside his door.
"Er, hello," he said. "Sorry about earlier."
"Ah, no, that's okay!" she said hurriedly. "I'm not bothered by that at all. Actually… I think I'm looking for you…"
Arthur's heart skipped a beat. The princess was blonde. And this girl was blonde… Was this the princess? He stared at her, perplexed, before mentally shaking his head. No – this girl didn't feel like the princess…
"Um… You are…?" he asked.
"Ah. My name is Alice. Alice…" She paused, as if unsure. She flashed him a weak smile. "I just found out I'm adopted. My real surname is Kirkland."
Arthur stared. Not only was he also an orphan, his real surname was Kirkland as well…
"Wait… What are you saying?" he asked her.
"Well… You're Arthur Kirkland, right?" she asked. He responded with a nod. "Well… I think you might be my twin brother…"
"What?!" exclaimed Arthur. "Are- Are you sure?"
Alice nodded and reached into a small bag she had slung over her shoulder. She produced a rather old-looking document, handing it to him. He placed his book down beside him and gently unfolded it only to find two birth certificates. Everything matched except the genders and the names. He stared at it, allowing his brain to take it all in.
I have a sister. A twin sister. This is amazing! I've always wanted siblings! Maybe she can help me with these dreams…
He glanced back at her, giving her a warm smile. She smiled back before flinging her arms around him. He hugged her back, laughing, almost sounding relieved.
There was a sudden flash and Arthur glanced round. Kiku was beside them, his camera raised. He lowered it and frowned. "I know that this is a good picture, Arthur-san, but I would rike it more if I can take photographs of onry the people I invited today…" He pointedly glanced at Alice who had already pulled back from her brother's embrace.
"Ah," said Alice, looking awkward. "Sorry." She paused. "Hey, I know a café just along from here. Can I meet you there after you've finished here? It's called Destiny's."
Arthur nodded. "Of course. Ah, hang on!" He ripped a sheet of paper from a notebook and scribbled a number on it. "Here. Call me if there's any problems with meeting up or if I'm late. But I promise you, I'll be there!"
A flash of some other emotion besides happiness crossed Alice's face only to be replaced by a winning smile. "Yes! I will! I'll see you soon, then!" she exclaimed before hurrying off excitedly.
Arthur watched her go, feeling oddly relieved and incredibly happy. There was another flash but Arthur didn't even glance at Kiku.
"Who was zat, cher?" asked a voice in Arthur's ear. He managed to stop himself from jumping in surprise and turned to Francis.
"None of your damned business!" he snapped. He picked up his book and pointedly went back to reading, fuming that the git had even spoken to him. Although, really, he was just embarrassed: it was better, however, to take it out on the Frenchman.
After the session, Arthur shoved his things back into his bag and began to make his way to where he knew Destiny's was. In fact, he had been in the café a few days ago – with Francis. He tried to shake thoughts of the man out of his head but, no sooner had he done so, when he heard a sound behind him. He turned and saw that the man himself was trying to hide behind an old, metal dustbin – he had hit it by accident.
"What the hell is your problem?!" Arthur exclaimed, angrily.
Francis hesitated before sidling out from behind it and hurrying forward. "I… just…" He trailed off before grabbing Arthur's hands, holding them tightly. "You must not meet with her! She's not who you think she is!"
Arthur jerked his hands away from him. "You stupid Frog!" he yelled at him. "I don't care about your weird delusions! I'm going to meet my sister and there's nothing you can do about it."
The taller man froze, a confused expression on his face. Then his hands dropped. "Votre soeur? Oui… Je comprends." He backed away. "Désolé." He turned and walked briskly back down the street.
Arthur stared after him, confused and irritated. It was only when Francis was out of sight that he realised that he had dropped his French accent when he had spoken in English…
Inside the café, Alice was easy to find. She had appropriated a corner booth and excitedly waved him over, almost jumping up and down on her seat. He grinned and hurried over, slipping into the booth beside her.
"Hello… sister," he said, happily.
She hesitated for a brief second before replying in kind. "Hello, brother. I'm so glad I found you, Arthur!"
"I'm rather glad as well, Alice. I can't believe I have a sister. But it more than makes up for my adoptive parents – they died in a car accident last year." He paused, choking up a little but he swallowed it. "And now I get to have a family again!"
Alice smiled. "Yes! So… Let's talk about ourselves. You first! What sort of things do you get up to?"
"Ah," said Arthur, excited to be able to share his life with her. "I go to university. I'm studying English Literature. It's quite interesting, picking apart various authors' works. Oh! And I really do love Shakespeare. His words are so eloquent."
Alice nodded, excitedly. "I love Shakespeare, too! We have so much in common! Well, except, perhaps, that I specialise in 'magic' throughout historical works and modern interpretations of magic."
"Really?! That's amazing! You're really clever, sister!" He grinned at her and she laughed at his expression.
"Is there anything else you do? Do you have a girlfriend?"
Arthur shook his head. "No." He paused and then decided on telling her. He trusted her – he wasn't sure why he did. He felt safe and comforted in her presence. "Though… I have these dreams about being in a different world where there's… a princess… But I can never remember what she looks like…"
Alice looked confused for a moment before a sweet smile spread across her face. "I need to find you that princess, then, brother."
"N-No need," he said, hurriedly, blushing.
Alice laughed and hugged him. He hesitated, not used to the contact, before relaxing into her arms with a grateful sigh.
"It's been so wonderful to see you, brother," she whispered into his ear. "But now, I need you to help me get home."
Arthur was about to ask her what she meant and agree regardless when he felt something sharp sticking into the small of his back. He froze. "What?" he managed to croak out, fearfully.
"I really am sorry, brother," said Alice. "But my sisters and I wish to go home."
"S-Sisters?" Arthur glanced around the café, wondering if anyone was noticing his predicament. Not that he was quite aware as to what was happening at the present moment. He was feeling confused. More than that – he felt betrayed, felt at a loss. He had felt this feeling before somewhere – but he couldn't remember where or why…
"Yes. They are more my sisters than you are my brother, Arthur. But it looks as if you do not remember much. It will be prudent to kill you now and use the energy to get home."
"I-I don't understand what you're talking about!" Arthur exclaimed, trying to twist round to grab her wrist. The knife pressed against him, the point now touching his skin having poked through his thin shirt. He squirmed away from it as much as he could but Alice was stronger than he'd thought.
"You don't need to, sweetheart. Just relax as much as possible, alright?"
Arthur gasped as she put pressure on the knife…
A point about Alice's hairstyle - I call them bunches. Other people call them pigtails. Whatever. Pigtails to me is what some people might call plaits.
Have I explained this before? I don't remember... But if I have in a different story and it's dé ja vu, sorry. =/