Arthur let out a broken sob and his grip tightened on Alfred's limp hand.

This is war.

Hearts against Hearts, Spades against Hearts. The Threes of Spades kept their tight circle surrounding their Queen and their fallen King as they continued to fight. The others did not even notice the death of Arthur's heart.

The Queen was quiet as he stared into the blank eyes of his beloved. His own face was a gruesome mess of tears and misery as he frantically searched for a sign of life in the man below him. When he found none, his eyes and heart hardened into a grim acceptance. He let go of his King's hand and shakily picked up his King's Trump. The blood on his hand stained the golden Spade-shaped watch red. Red just like the color of Alfred's eyes.

He stood up, stumbling slightly. He pushed his way out of the circle of Spades, his sword gripped tightly in his hand.

I will avenge you, my love.

"My Queen." One of his Threes said softly. Arthur ignored him and stared out into the battle field. His eyes caught on the Heart's Chosens and an unexplainable fury rose in his heart.

"It's their fault." He said to himself dimly. If Heart did not have their stupid civil war, him and his King would have been at home. They would have been making love, their bodies intertwined against each other. Alfred would have still been alive. They would have been happy.

Arthur looked around and saw the bloodshed and the bodies that used to host the souls of Hearts. He saw so much red. The battle was almost over. Spades and the Royals of Hearts were quickly gaining the upper hand against the few stragglers that remained.

He slowly made his way to the Queen of Hearts. Kiko did not even notice Arthur getting closer and closer; he was so busy looking out into the distance. Arthur's mind was a haze of anger and pain and spite and he knew what he was about to do would risk everything. But what did he have to lose? He lost his King, his heart, his soul mate. His life did not matter, he knew DEATH would come anyway. All the Queen of Spades had left was Spades itself, and he knew that his King was a part of Spades as Spades was a part of him.

Kiku turned to him. "Fellow Queen, I am sorry about your King. It was not-" He didn't get to finish whatever he might have said. Arthur's sword pierced through his gut and the Queen of Hearts choked. Blood spilled out of his mouth and Arthur stared deep into his wide, shocked eyes. His eyes were red. Just like Alfred's. Arthur laughed and pulled out his sword before kicking Kiku down. It wasn't the right shade of red. Not as pretty. Not his.

"KIKU!"

Arthur looked up at the harsh yell. He gazed cooly at the King and Jack of Hearts as they stared at him and their Queen in horror. The silence from the Threes of Spades and Hearts was deafening.

"Why...?" Ludwig choked out. "How could you do such a thing to your ally? How could you do this to us?"

Arthur laughed loudly and a sob cracked in his throat. He smiled at them-if you could call the cruel twist of his lips a smile. There was a crazed glint in his eye and he giggled slightly

"You killed my King." He said simply. Feliciano snarled and leaped towards him with his spear outstretched. Ludwig grabbed him and pulled him back to his side harshly, but even his grip tightened on his own Trump.

"We did not!" Feliciano screeched. "I swear on the Deck, I will make you pay. Spades will fall!"

Arthur smiled. "If it wasn't for your Deck-damned civil war, Spades would not have been here. You took my King from me. It's only fair that a Chosen of the Hearts will die in exchange for the death of a Chosen of Spades." His smile widened as his Threes came up beside him and flanked him on either side. Kiku lay in front of them.

Kiku gasped pathetically on the ground, his eyes darting around everywhere. He grasped his stomach as the blood continued to pour. Even their Nines wouldn't be able to save him. Ludwig and Feliciano stared at him, and Arthur could not figure out the expressions in their eyes. The look in their eyes spoke of loss, pain and something else but Arthur couldn't care less.

"It is unfortunate that your King has fallen but I beg you, Queen Arthur. Think about what you've done." Ludwig spoke carefully. He knew the emotions of the Queen. He could feel the rawness of it and if anyone knew how to deal with emotions, it would be the King of Hearts.

Arthur stared at him and laughed. The people around him flinched at the harshness of it.

"As Queen of the Kingdom of Spades and rightfully chosen by the Deck, I, Queen Arthur Kirkland, renounce and revoke the Treaty and the Kingdom of Hearts as my ally."

The power in his words settled heavily on the shoulders of those present.

"Spades will meet you again in battle. Do not forget what you have done to me." Arthur bit out coldly. The King and Jack of Hearts stared at him and both seemed so unsure on what to do next that Arthur had to smile. He pulled out the Queen's Trump and his Threes surrounded him. His Fours seemed to appear out of nowhere as they all grabbed hold of his Trump. His breath hitched slightly as he noticed the body of his King carried gently in one of the bigger Three's arms. He looked away and instead smiled sickly sweet at the Heart's Chosens.

"Ta ta, good sirs." He said to them cheerfully and his tone hid bloody promises.

The Queen of Spades and his convoy of Threes and Fours disappeared.

Ludwig and Felicano ran towards the Queen of Hearts.

"My Queen." Ludwig whispered softly. Kiku gazed up at him and shook his head. "There is no time for tears." He gasped out. "We must get things done."

Feliciano scowled. "You weren't supposed to die. Arthur is fucking messed up in the head and now that Alfred has died, the Domino Effect has started."

"Maybe we could save you." Ludwig murmured. He sat up and his eyes met one of their Threes. "Call for the Nine. Call for-"

"It is no use." Kiku cut him off. "We have lived our lives only listening to our hearts and not to reason. The mind must come above the heart now. The insurgents in the North are the least of our problems now. We took out much of their people."

"What do we do now?" Feliciano said bitterly. "We've killed our own people. My heart hurts at the thought of it."

Kiku stared at them both forlornly. His voice was weaker than ever. "It had to be done. You must find out their reasons for rebelling. Cut it off at the source."

"We will," Ludwig promised. "You know I'd do everthing for you, my Queen."

Kiku laughed and then coughed, blood coming out of his mouth. Feliciano looked away, a snarl on his lips.

"One last thing I must ask you," Kiku smirked. "Avenge me."

"We will." Feliciano replied with a dark glint of determination in his purple eyes. Kiku smiled sadly and looked away into the sunset.

"I always thought of myself as a man of the rising sun." He said quietly.

Ludwig and Feliciano both bowed their heads. They stayed with their Queen in the midst of the ruin and the remnants of the battle until he drew his final breath.

Ruin and pain shall follow the Queen of Spades indeed.

xxx

Wow, it's been a while. This is unedited.