Chapter 10:

"You betrayed the crown? How on earth did you betray th-ow!" Arthur cried out, his sentence disappearing into pain as Antonio's fingers prodded at his open wounds with some 'special' ointment. It stung the moment the cream made contract with his sensitive skin and Arthur immediately slapped away the offending hands, face scrunching up in pain and hands hovering around his injury in a pathetic attempt to protect it from Antonio. When the doctor made another move to place more ointment onto his wound, Arthur gave him a stern warning stare.

"Come at me with that one more time and I swear I will stick it in your bloody eye."

"As your doctor I have to advise against that. This ointment also has to go on your shoulder before you are allowed to bathe; although you might not enjoy your bath too much either."

"Why would I not enjoy a bath? Do you know how delightful a bath sounds about now?"

"Well, I would like to be present during your bath so I can be sure your wounds don't worsen whilst you bathe."

Arthur stilled for all but a second.

"If you think for one second that you are sitting in that fucking bathroom with me whist I take a bath you have another thing coming mate!" Arthur hissed in a flurry of fury, slapping the small tube of ointment straight out of Antonio's hand where it flew across the room. All three watched as it landed and slid across the floor to a stop, Antonio pouting at his trusty equipment now halfway across the room before rounding on Arthur with an irritated glare.

"I am a doctor! Your Majesty, it is highly recommended he do as I advise."

"The key word there is recommendation! I am certainly not taking orders from someone like you!"

"I wasn't talking to you!"

Antonio's eyes almost glistened as his lips quirked upwards into a smirk. Arthur couldn't believe a banished Ace had the cheek to speak to him in such a manner and opened his mouth to retaliate – ready to lay down the law that he was of higher rank no matter what kingdom they were in – before he realised that Antonio had referred to Alfred. The Spade King merely sat back in his chair comfortably with his arms crossed over his chest. He was watching the bickering pair silently, clearly unimpressed with their behaviour and waiting quietly like a father ready to scold his disobedient children. The look didn't suit Alfred's youthful face.

Arthur had to admit that this was not his usual way of handing a situation but this was Antonio and Antonio was one of those people that somehow managed to turn him back into a whiny toddler. It was infuriating. Alfred had made several comments on multiple visits to the Diamond Kingdom when Antonio had been their Ace that their conversations, although amusing, were highly unprofessional. Arthur had been mortified the first time he heard that but his time of caring was long ago. Now all he cared about was winning.

He was extremely tired, frustrated, confused about many things regarding Alfred, his wounds were hurting more than ever and Antonio was just stood there looking highly smug whilst his own husband was all but ready to scold him when clearly Antonio was in the wrong. He had been the one to viciously attack Arthur with that terrible ointment.

"Alfred, clearly he-"

"He's a doctor now Arthur. He's right."

"You're going to let a strange man sit and watch your own husband whilst he's in the bath?" Arthur deadpanned. Alfred heaved a heavy sigh, looking down his nose toward Arthur in disappointment that Arthur would act so childishly. Arthur had to catch himself before he made a comment about how much Alfred had acted like one himself earlier – slamming a door in his face had been the epitome of childish. Thankfully, Arthur caught the thought before it formed into words on his tongue although he was fairly certain that Alfred had caught on simply from the look in his eye.

He stared at Alfred for a few moments longer before realising that arguing his case would get him nowhere and would just be yet another dispute between them. Alfred's mind was clearly made up on the matter and although Alfred had his best interests at mind it hurt Arthur a little that he didn't take his own wishes into consideration. Arthur was almost certain that he himself would not appreciate having someone sit in on his bath. Alfred really was okay with letting Antonio sit in with him even if Arthur wasn't and if that's what Alfred wanted then so be it. Arthur couldn't argue. He was too tired to argue. Alfred was his King and Antonio was the doctor. He was overruled.

"Antonio?" The doctor looked up from where he was knelt on the floor at Arthur's knee, green eyes meeting with the Spade Queen who deflated instantly under his gaze. Arthur really was having the worst day ever. "I… apologise. That was highly out of order and I have no authority questioning you. Please forgive me."

Antonio looked startled by the formal apology and certainly not expecting one from Arthur of all people. He looked to Alfred for reassurance almost as if to check the apology was real (he got a tiny nod of approval) before he gave a small nod and smile of his own. Arthur felt sick.

"Of course," He said, standing to retrieve the ointment from the centre of the room and quickly returning to Arthur's side. He worked in relative silence after that, gently applying more ointment to the area despite Arthur's hissing and faces of pain. Antonio explained that it merely cleaned the wound more thoroughly in places where he couldn't reach and would hopefully protect it more whilst he was in the bath.

Before Arthur knew it the wound on his front was deemed done and he was being asked to turn so that Antonio could asses his shoulder. Luckily for him, that meant that he no longer had to face Alfred. Those baby blues were instead forced onto his back where Arthur could feel them watching as the bandages were unwound, the silence in the room growing unbearably uncomfortable. Still curious about just how the Ace of Diamonds had come to reside as the Royal Doctor of Hearts, Arthur deemed the silence too much and broke it.

"You don't strike me as the type to betray the crown. What did you do? Rob Francis of his favourite jewels?" Arthur tried not to laugh or smirk at the mental image that suddenly flooded into his brain of King Francis freaking out about his favourite gems suddenly going missing, realising rather quickly that Antonio had paused in undoing his bandages. He turned to look over his shoulder and saw the doctor staring at his bared skin with a distant look in his eye as if he weren't really seeing it, instead remembering something and only snapping back into reality when he saw Arthur's face.

"Ah… I, um, ha…" Antonio took in a deep breath, eyebrows furrowing when he pulled away the last of Arthur's bloodied bandages. Obviously, Arthur couldn't see the injury, judging only Antonio's reaction out the corner of his eye and clearly the Heart doctor didn't like what he saw as he called for one of the guards.

A small surge of panic pulsed through Arthur as he turned his head the other way to gage Alfred's reaction, the King wrinkling his nose before looking over his shoulder also at the guards who entered the room. Arthur was relieved when Antonio asked only for another bowl of clean water. There was another pause as the guards swapped the water bowls, removing the previous bowl of red water that had sat at Arthur's feet and replacing it with clean water and a new cloth.

"Antonio?" Alfred urged Antonio to answer Arthur's question, or at the very least return to the topic of why he was banished. He seemed jumpy as his gaze turned from staring at the doors the guards had just closed back to Alfred sat down in front of him.

Standing in front of them both, Antonio sighed before shyly pulling a chain with a golden ring hung on it from around his neck. The necklace had been hidden beneath his shirt and the minute he pulled it out, the doctor began to toy with it affectionately, even bringing it to his lips as he showed it to them. The way Antonio looked at the ring was unlike anything Arthur had ever seen from the man. He recognised it instantly.

"You fell in love?" Arthur asked quietly. He didn't know why his voice was so quiet or why looking over at Alfred seemed like such an impossible task as he watched Antonio smile. He rubbed his thumb over the ring and brought it up to his lips, lightly kissing the gold before tucking the chain away beneath his shirt once more where it was hidden again. Looking between the two, he gently held Arthur's arms to turn him once more so that he could continue working on healing his shoulder like he should be.

Arthur followed the guidance, turning, and hated the feeling of warm water dripping down his spine when Antonio began to clean his wound but tried his best not to focus on it. Instead, he listened intently to Antonio's story - the story of a friend's life that had changed whilst he had been locked away in his own castle too busy with the looming threat of Ivan.

"I fell in love. Well, I've been in love for a long while but we are from different kingdoms. He was a Heart and I a Diamond. I couldn't let that stop us but we were found out and reported. Francis had me imprisoned immediately."

Arthur could feel the way Antonio paused in cleaning his wound for a brief moment before continuing.

"It was horrible not knowing how my love was doing over here. I didn't know if he, too, was locked up or if he had fled. I was sentenced to death for betraying my kingdom and fraternising with the enemy. Francis couldn't take the risk that information had been shared. He has to set examples, who can blame him."

"Enemy? Are Heart's and Diamond's not on good terms?" Alfred frowned in confusion and Arthur thought he could sense a small bit of panic in his voice. Had they really missed so much that international relationships between two kingdoms had changed right under their noses. Spades was supposedly the most powerful of the Four Kingdoms and yet here they were the King and the Queen, questioning almost everything.

Yet, despite Alfred's valid points, Arthur found himself staring down at his left hand. Seeing the ring around Antonio's neck reminded him of his own wedding band. It reminded him of the promise he had made to Alfred. How he wished it were still around his finger now. He knew that, like he and Alfred had agreed, it was back at the palace. They had come to the agreement that they would both remove their wedding bands until everything involving Ivan was considered over. Arthur couldn't bear the thought of losing it or damaging it. Even without it on he already felt like maybe he had damaged it. He missed having it around his finger – he missed that connection with Alfred.

In fact, he missed everything about Alfred.

All that seemed to connect them now was a single word and even that was fragile. Did Alfred want to be his husband anymore? Arthur didn't know.

A small jolt of pain brought Arthur back to his senses. Good job too because the Queen was moments from breaking down into tears had that thought process continued. Instead, he thought elsewhere, not really listening to Antonio explaining to Alfred how, yes, Diamond and Hearts were still on good terms. Frowning, he suddenly realised that the ring around Antonio's neck was not unfamiliar. He had seen it before in brief passing only hours ago.

"Lovino…" He mused.

"Hm?"

"Lovino. You fell in love with Lovino. That's why Francis had to either execute you or banish you. He is the Ace of Hearts. You could have been feeding each other private information."

Once again, the feeling of Alfred's eyes on his back nagged in his stomach but he chose to ignore it. Clearly Alfred had not seen the matching rings they both wore around their neck. Twisting his head, he caught Antonio's eye as he paused in cleaning his wound. He gave him a weak smile and nod.

"Lovino travelled to Diamond Castle the day of my execution. I don't know how he did it but he got my sentence changed. Instead of death, Francis banished me from the Diamond Kingdom. He forced Lovino to stand at his side as I was forced out the kingdom so that he would not follow and then, only then, was Lovino allowed to return to Hearts."

"How did you find each other?" Alfred's question followed eagerly, ever the youngster wanting to find out how the story ended even though it was staring him in the face. Arthur had a feeling the ending was a good one considering the rings and the fact that Antonio was not scrounging around on the outskirts of the Four Kingdoms. Instead he had a home as the royal Heart doctor.

Arthur winced when Antonio finished cleaning his shoulder and applied ointment to it without a word of warning, apologising for being so careless only afterwards. The Spade Queen gritted his teeth and nodded despite the stinging.

Arthur was far more interested in Antonio's story.

It made him realise that the world still existed outside his feud with Ivan. If this was how he felt then he had no telling how Alfred felt. This had been a rivalry between the two of them far longer than it had with Arthur. He had only become involved upon becoming Queen and marrying Alfred. However, listening to Antonio made Arthur want to know just how much had he missed in his quest to protect Alfred and his kingdom? How much had his friends and other royals been through whilst his own thoughts had been buried deep within the sand? Did Ivan's threats affect them just as much?

He had so many unanswered questions.

"There was an abandoned outhouse on the outskirts of Hearts where we would always meet. He knew I would flee there. He came to me instantly and told me that he would fix everything. I was a mess. Everything I had ever known had been taken from me until he brought me here. If there is one thing you need to learn about Hearts Your Majesties it is that Heart's is the kingdom of second chances. Without it, I don't know where I would be. I owe Lovino everything…"

Antonio trailed off, excusing himself when a guard called for him from the doorway. Arthur thought the timing absolutely impeccable as the doors closed and left him and his husband in silence. Turning back around, he fixed his eyes on his ring finger, picturing his wedding band and trying to imagine all the times when he had looked at it in happiness as Antonio's words lingered in his ears. He remembered Alfred's quivering voice and shaking hands as he slipped it onto his own shaking fingers clear as day.

"How do your wounds feel?" Alfred's spoke up, Arthur jostling in his seat at the sudden voice and letting his eyes lift slowly to his King. He was much closer than Arthur was expecting, sat forward in his chair with his hands clasped together, and he noticed instantly the way those blue eyes were watching the way he was rubbing at his ring finger.

Arthur had the urge to lie. To tell him that he was fine, that his wounds were fine, but he knew how that played out last time and couldn't bring himself to say those words again. For the next couple of weeks those words he had said so carelessly would haunt him.

"Not great but Antonio knows what he is doing I suppose," he answered quietly instead. Dropping his gaze, he focused on the mark on Alfred's chest, following the beautiful swirls and patterns of blue dancing across his skin. He tried his best not to focus on the bruising or the cut – he tried not to worry but Arthur found that it was an impossible feat. It was automatic. He had to worry. As it seemed Alfred did as well. Despite their arguments, large or small, Arthur was content in knowing that at least Alfred still cared about his health.

"Arthur, we need to talk."

"Are you sure? You seem to be doing a diligent job in avoiding me so far."

Arthur caught the way Alfred opened his mouth but paused before continuing again.

"I want to be able to talk on our own terms and in our own privacy. I just… I haven't found the right time yet."

Arthur frowned, looking out across the room in front of him just so he wouldn't have to see Alfred's face because he knew that the man would have that lost puppy look on his face. Arthur was a sucker for that face.

"You demand an explanation, quite literally scream it in my face, and then when I try to give it to you each time I'm met with a slamming door. Forgive me when I say I'm a little confused with the signals you're giving me."

Alfred fell silent for a moment, Arthur turning to look at him as his eyes dropped to the floor at his feet. He looked uncomfortable, as if he were battling with his inner thoughts before he let out another heavy sigh. Arthur couldn't deny that as beautiful as his King had looked in that moment when he stepped out the bath now that he was sat here, close and with his guards down, he looked just as tired as Arthur felt, if not more so, and void of all energy. Alfred looked done with the world around him. He appeared ready to give up, blue eyes constantly close to filling with tears and Arthur didn't need to hear to low grumble of his stomach to know that he was starving. They were running on barely anything and when energy drew thin emotions grew high.

"I know and that's my fault. Maybe once we have dinner we can-"

The doors to the guest chambers opened and Arthur looked past Alfred to see Antonio re-enter the room with Lovino at his side and although the doctor was smiling cheerfully with the Ace, Arthur could have happily killed them both in that mere moment. He wanted nothing more than to get up and shove them both back out that door because he was sick of interruptions. Every time he got marginally close to a civil conversation with his husband someone just had to up on in and ruin it. Arthur didn't have the patience for it anyone.

"Look who I found!" Antonio cheered as he strode back into the room, grinning until he saw the death glare plastered across Arthur's face and the glum look on Alfred's. "Oh. I interrupted something didn't I?"

"Yes! So, if you could politely twirl around and head back out that would be fantastic."

"No, Arthur, its fine. We can talk later."

Arthur cringed at the use of his own words against him yet again, staring openly at Alfred with a slack jaw for giving away their own moment together so easily. That was the only opportunity where they had been given the choice and Alfred had thrown it away like it meant nothing, hardly even considering it. He had spoken about finding the right time not seconds ago and now he was throwing away precious moments where they were finally talking?

Antonio hesitated between them, glancing back at Lovino who was hovering beside the door. The Ace whispered something to one of the guards before they closed the doors behind the two, doing his best not to intervene too much by entertaining himself with one of the candleholders on the wall beside the doors. Arthur considered it all too little too late.

"If you wish for me to leave I will. It's just that I would like to tend to King Alfred's wounds before I proceed with your own bath. If you would like to speak in private, however, I will gladly wait."

Antonio looked at Arthur with an understanding look, one he hadn't quite expected, and although he appreciated the offer he could see that Alfred was growing increasingly uncomfortable. He could only presume that sitting in just a flimsy towel with two Heart members in the room with them was not the safest feeling.

"It's alright. Alfred's wounds are more important and I would like them seen to immediately," Arthur nodded to Alfred's arm and his chest, the younger King rolling his eyes and Antonio came closer and inspected the pre-mentioned wounds. He told Arthur that whilst Alfred changed into something more suitable he would finish up the Queen's wounds, Alfred rushing off into the bathroom with a flush face when he realised that Lovino was still lingering in the doorway and nearly saw his towel slip. Lovino was busy trying to avert his eyes anywhere but the Spade King until he disappeared.

"Those sure do look nasty," Lovino mused as he approached the bed now he was certain he was fine to do so, eyes glossing over Arthur's visible injuries. Arthur watched the way those eyes drifted over to the chair Alfred had previously sat in beside him as if he contemplated sitting in it for half a second before thinking better of it, instead turning back to Arthur and ever so slightly tilting his head toward him. "King Ludwig has ordered that a small feast be put into place for you both this evening. I came to tell you that the perpetrations are almost complete."

Arthur's stomach dropped upon hearing those words, realising quickly that he had yet to bathe. He refused to return back to the Heart throne room and greet his fellow royals with a bird's nest upon his head and mud smeared across his face. Luckily for him, Antonio, who was leant over him and fixing up his shoulder with more of that dreaded ointment, explained to him that there was more than enough time for him to tend to Alfred's wounds and provide Arthur with his bath.

Still, Arthur wasn't certain about this bath under Antonio's supervision, however, the thought of finally scrubbing the grime off his skin and being able to run his fingers through his hair without them getting caught in painful knots or finding small splinters of wood and leaves he'd collected over the past five days since he'd fled his castle was enough for him to agree. He just wasn't in the mood to argue anymore, even with Antonio. He'd run down almost all of his energy, he was hungry and he wanted nothing more than to simply sit down and have the opportunity to speak with Alfred.

If having a bath under Antonio's watchful eye got him there faster then that's what he would do, no matter his own personal embarrassment.

Lovino left rather swiftly after delivering his message. He hung around only for a light conversation with Antonio which Arthur hardly paid attention to before watching as Lovino took the bowl of bloodied water with him out the room albeit with a disgusted face. Antonio did say that it was mostly died blood and Arthur's wounds were, although not in the best condition, something he could work with. It seemed to ease Lovino's conscience as he left.

Once Alfred returned from the bathroom fully clothed save for a shirt, Antonio called for the help of a passing serving girl to help him run a bath whilst he tended to Alfred's arm. She was more than happy to help as the guards practically grabbed her and asked her to enter the room, bowing to the Spade royals and smiling as she scurried into the bathroom to tend to Arthur's bath.

As much as Alfred had complained about Arthur's movements during Antonio's attention, the young King was much shiftier under the doctor's touches. Arthur stayed close by, swapping places by letting Alfred onto the bed and instead sitting on his chair so he could sit as silent support not matter how clear Alfred made it that he didn't want Arthur to sit and watch. Alfred had watched him and so Arthur would be dammed if he wasn't going to sit and watch Antonio bandaged him up like a hawk.

He couldn't help but grimace as Antonio poked and prodded around his husbands wound, Alfred choosing to watch Arthur's face instead of his own arm. He tried not to focus on that, listening intently to Antonio's voice as he cleaned a little deeper in the wound than the bath had and told them both that it was a fairly clean cut that seemed to be healing well on its own. Some small specks of dirt had managed to work their way into the open wound but didn't appear to be causing infection, Antonio didn't seem to be concerned as he removed the dirt and pressed a different sort of cream onto his wound.

Alfred cried out at that. Shying his arm away from Antonio and cursing at him, Arthur had the temporary thought of calling him a hypocrite. The creams sucked and now at least Alfred knew his suffering. Despite getting a small sense of satisfaction knowing that he hadn't just been a baby and Alfred too had despised the feeling of the ointment on his skin, Arthur still didn't want to leave when the serving girl called that his bath was ready.

It was strange. That seeing the smallest hint of pain cross Alfred's face could make him long to be beside him until it was over. He didn't even realise he was leant forward in his chair toward the bed, his hand pressed against his own knee to stop it reaching out onto Alfred's because he didn't know how Alfred would react to the contact. He didn't know how Alfred would react to him.

Sensing the hesitation, Antonio assured him that Alfred would be fine, despite the daggers said Alfred was glaring at him, and the cream he had applied was there to merely cleanse the wound further and stop infection should the dirt have got deeper than Antonio thought – therefore it hurt and stung a little.

Arthur understood, nodding slowly and looking to Alfred. Baby blue eyes were staring at his arm before they turned to meet with green eyes. He looked mildly like he was in pain but he managed a fleeting smile. It was short lived, the corners of his mouth barely lifting upwards, but Arthur had seen it and he swallowed with a nod as he stood and moved his hand to pat Alfred's knee on his way up.

With slight reluctance he headed into the large bathroom where the serving girl smiled at him as she bowed before leaving him to undress, closing the door behind her. He knew that Antonio would join him the minute he was finished with Alfred and so he took a deep breath of the hot air and tried to enjoy the peace of his own company. He stripped himself of his clothing, peeling the fabric from his skin, and dropped it into the corner of the room before walking to the large bathtub and lowering himself into it. He was very weary of his wounds no longer protected by thick layers of bandages but at the same time he couldn't help the feeling of wanting to just submerge himself beneath the surface of the water and bubbles.

The thought of sinking into the frothy white cloud of bubbles surrounding him to just lay there until all the dirt and grim melted away from him and he was once again feeling like his normal self was a tempting one however he knew that wouldn't happen from just one bath. It was highly unlikely a bath could fix his troubles but cleaning himself up was a start in the right direction.

So, carefully he sat down in the large tub situated in the centre of the room and that could easily fit several people in it. Using his arm, his cleared away the bubbles so they wouldn't sting at the wound on his stomach, hissing when he accidentally leant back into some bubbles behind him and they stung at his shoulder. Maybe he really had underestimated how hard this whole bath malarkey would be without a little help.

As if on cue there was a knock on the door and Antonio entered quickly, closing the door behind him to keep as much heat in the room as possible. He didn't look directly at Arthur immediately on the off chance that Arthur wasn't fully submerged.

"Your Majesty?"

"Antonio."

"How are your wounds feeling?"

Arthur knew that as a doctor it was his place to ask such questions but, honestly, Arthur was growing tired of being asked about his injuries. He wanted to be asked about something different. Perhaps something along the lines of: 'Hey, Arthur, are you hungry? Are you tired? Are you homesick? Do you miss the only person you've ever truly loved because he won't talk to you and you're confused as to how he truly feels about everything as of this moment?' Anything that wasn't about his wounds would suffice.

"They're alright for the time being. Bubbles aren't particularly kind I'll give you that but it's nice to be in a bath." Arthur looked over to Antonio just as the doctor jumped up on the long marble counter where the sinks were placed just behind him. He had never felt more exposed with Antonio seated above him and unable to pull the surrounding bubbles around him for more cover in fear that they would aggravate his wounds; simply having the water slosh against them was odd enough. "I can't believe I'm allowing you to do this…"

"Me neither. When Lovino offered the position of Heart Royal Doctor I don't think sitting in a bathroom with the Queen of Spades was included in the job description."

Arthur scoffed, rolling his eyes as he leant back against the tub before letting them close. He tried to pretend that Antonio wasn't there, watching him, and that he was at home in the familiarity of Spade Castle. It was a day as regular as any as he bathed in his solitude. Alfred was outside in their wide-open chambers, humming a soft melody as he practiced the waltz for an upcoming ball. Everyone would be there. Royals from all Four Kingdoms would show and, as host, they would have to dance first. Alfred would invite him to dance in the centre of their beautiful ballroom, extending a pristine gloved hand in his direction along with a pearly white smile. How romantic it would be even if Alfred stepped on his feet every two seconds.

"I'm going to wash your hair."

Dream crushed.

The world that Arthur had created so easily within a few moments of silence crumbled around him as Antonio leapt from the counter top. The shattering reality of where he truly was made Arthur miss his fake world, angrily pocking at the bubbles floating toward him as Antonio came up behind him. Immediately green eyes snapped back up, head twisting and turning to watch the doctor's every move.

"You bloody well aren't!" Arthur warned, scowling as Antonio paused to pick up a few items before turning back to the bathtub armed with shampoo and a funnel to wash Arthur's hair. The Spade Queen stared at it in absolute horror.

"Someone needs to watch your shoulder so that suds don't get in it whilst you wash. Unless you suddenly have eyes in the back of your head that you aren't telling me about you don't have a choice," Antonio huffed as he settled the items on the counter, turning to lean back against the counter. At this point Arthur was twisted awkwardly in the bath just to see him, not trusting in taking his eyes off him with the funnel still close by. "Now, unless you want me to go get King Alfred – who is trying his best to rest mind you – I suggest you sit back, relax and listen to doctors' orders for once in your royal life." Antonio crossed his arms over his chest, jade green eyes flickering over to the door almost threateningly to prove that he would, indeed, go wake Alfred if he so needed to.

Upon hearing that Alfred was finally getting some rest had Arthur feeling guilty immediately, realising that his voice had been rather loud, and so the Queen sank further into the bath and pressed his lips into a thin line.

Arthur had always had a rocky relationship with Antonio; some days they chose to be friends and others not. They had petty arguing down to an art. Seeing Arthur back down had the Heart doctor grinning happily (and a little victoriously because he hardly ever won these battles) as he picked up the funnel from the counter and scooped some water from the bath beside Arthur's arm.

"Thank you," He said sweetly, before dunking the water on Arthur's head.

XxXxXx

For days he had searched; for days he had used up all his efforts and resources scouring the city and its surrounding villages; for days he had torn apart the kingdom searching for two individuals and still nothing. He had used all his methods, sent out all his men and threatened every Spadinian that resided within the Spade Kingdom that should they not give up their Royals their city would burn. Still nothing.

Ivan wanted nothing more than to destroy the throne he had strived so hard to get yet could not sit upon. It stood before him, gloating, taunting. Each time his eyes came to stare at it he could picture that annoying little brat sitting on it with the crown jewels nestled within his hair, sword shimmering at his side and smug grin gracing his lips.

It made his blood boil.

'Is the poor little Club King getting mad?'

Alfred was there, laughing at him, judging him. He had escaped and was still elusive after all his detailed searches and raids. He had escaped from the very tips of his fingers and Ivan had been unable to stop him, watching as his fellow King disappeared in a swirl of blue just before the sharp of his blade sliced at him. He should have won there and then. But now, Alfred was the one winning. The Young King was laughing in his face, his eyes sparkling as he watched Ivan each moment of every day.

With each passing moment Alfred became a brighter picture of his imagination. To start with he had been only a faded blur, scattered across the throne room but as the days started to blur into one he became a stronger image in the forefront of his vision; a constant. No matter where Ivan looked within the room, Alfred was there ready and waiting to taunt him.

Sometimes he sat upon the throne with glistening jewels adjourning his head, twirling a silver staff with a sapphire spade on the end in his hand like the cocky little King that he was – almost as if he was bored. Sometimes he was pacing the throne room like a parallel to Ivan himself, saying nothing and deep in thought but always keeping one bright blue eye on the Club King and other times he skipped and danced around like a taunting child, desperately toying with Ivan and waiting for his sanity to snap like a measly twig.

The only way Ivan was certain that this was not the real Alfred was the way in which his outline faded out into the surrounding area.

"Your Majesty?" Ivan looked over to the doorway the minute he heard another voice, finding his Queen lingering. Her bottle green eyes were clearly concerned but he paid her no mind, giving her a brief glance before returning his eyes back to the throne where Alfred had been seated. It was empty. Alfred was nowhere to be seen. Of course he wasn't. Sighing and rubbing his temple, the King returned his gaze back to Elizaveta to give her the attention she required.

"Yes?"

"We've searched everywhere." She sounded exhausted. "If Alfred really is still in Spades he's doing an incredible job at staying hidden. Someone must be harbouring him."

"You searched their chambers."

"Every inch."

"Look again. There must be something that we're missing. There has to be something in this godforsaken castle that leads to where they are hiding. Search Alfred's office. Search Arthur's office. Search the library. I don't care. I want this castle torn apart brick by brick until we have something on them," Ivan hissed, beginning to pace to walk off his frustration so he wouldn't aim it at Elizaveta. He could see she wanted to argue, it was clear as day with in her eyes and the way her shoulders squared up at his words, however she simply clasped her hands behind her back, gritted her teeth and bowed at the hip toward him.

Ivan appreciated that she said nothing at all. He couldn't handle an argument from her. He was far too tired. Simply being in the throne room was draining his energy and yet he couldn't seem to leave. Spades was proving to be a lot harder to take down than he had pictured. He had never imagined that the actual castle would fight back. He was losing his mind all over a wooden throne he couldn't even sit on.

Elizaveta left quickly, striding out the room as fast as she could upon hearing her orders. Ivan could tell she was tired and run down but he could not spare her free time – she was a valuable resource at his disposal, he had to keep her close. The minute the large doors closed behind her, Alfred reappeared in the place where they had once been held open by the guards. With a pout on his face, he sauntered further into the throne room.

'Well, that isn't very nice. How would you like it if I tore your castle apart?'

His voice seemed so real as it echoed through the Club King's ears, humming in his head but Ivan had to remain focused. This was not the Alfred he needed.

"You're not real. You're just in my head," He muttered, rubbing hard at his eyes in an attempt to make Alfred disappeared. For just a moment he wanted his thoughts to himself. These visions were distracting and taking him away from the task at hand – finding the real Alfred and brining him in. Perhaps that's why they were occurring in the first place. Perhaps Spade Castle really did have a life of its own.

When Ivan removed his hands from his face he had to bite back the scream that bubbled in the back of his throat, stumbling backwards in fright at Alfred who was now directly in front of him. He was so close, right in his face and he was different, so very different. He looked severally ill. His skin was grey, eyes sunken back into his head still alarmingly bright blue behind the frames of his glasses which remained perched on the bridge of his nose. His hair was like spun gold and his skin was pulled taught over the bone beneath, head tilted at an odd angle like an old broken doll. He looked like the Alfred of nightmares.

'Not real? Just because I'm in your head doesn't mean I'm not real.'

Within the blink of an eye he was gone and the King of Clubs was left alone in a considerably cooler throne room. Ivan groaned, shivering as chills ran across his skin as he looked around just to make sure that Alfred really had gone.

He had.

Ignoring the ice that had formed upon the floor at his feet in the shape of very visible footprints he made a beeline straight for the doors. He didn't even call for the guards to open them for him, yanking them open himself and startling the guards outside as he fled the room with no specific destination in mind.

Anywhere that wasn't the Spade throne room was good. He needed to leave for a good few hours – if anything just to escape looking at that damn throne.

As he rushed away from the room, he didn't look back. Missing the way Alfred reappeared with a victorious smirk upon his lips just as the throne room doors closed.

XxXxXx

A/N: Ah I'm so glad this chapter is done. It was very hard to write but I did enjoy writing Arthur and Antonio's relationship.

At the end of this chapter we get to see a little of how Ivan is coping in the Spade Castle. He isn't doing so well bless him.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading! Leave a review if you did!