Ch. 11
"And then you just… fold it like this!" Peter grinned and showed off the little boat he had made out of his breakfast napkin.
"Oh, that's simply lovely Peter!" Arthur chuckled.
"Do you like it? Gilbert taught me how to make boats like this!"
"Did he now?"
"Yup!" Peter set his boat on the blue placemat, as if to pretend it were a tiny sea. "We were in the far south of Diamonds, and it was very hot! But when we got there it had just rained, so all of the other children were outside playing. Me and Gilbert-"
"Gilbert and I." Arthur corrected him. Peter paused to give him a scowl before going on.
"Me and Gilbert got some candy, and he and me folded little boats out of the wrappers! And they looked like this!" Again he gestured down to his paper creation, and again Arthur applauded his efforts to recreate Gilbert's paper boats.
"Bravo Peter! It sounds like you had a whole lot of fun while you were there." Arthur rested his head on his hands. "You've got so many nice stories to tell, don't you?" He glanced around the breakfast car. Most of the people still there were stuffy adults pouring over newspapers and engaging in dull, polite conversation. A little ways away Gilbert and Alfred sat at another table, talking about something terribly businesslike that Arthur had little interest in. As such, he was tasked with watching Peter. Alfred noticed him looking and gave him a little smile. Arthur found himself smiling back. If nothing else, this did give him a chance to catch up with his beloved brother.
"There was another time that me and Gilbert went to Diamonds," Peter started again. "And he said he got to talk to the King, so I got to have tea with the Queen! She's got a big room all to herself, with lots of toys and games and art supplies. She taught me how to draw a robin, and then we went to the garden and had teeny sandwiches for lunch!"
"That sounds delightful, Peter." Arthur fixed his attention on the little boy again. "You went to Diamonds, you say? Did you get to meet the King? I hear he's a very kind man."
"Oh he is! He was with Gilbert for most of the time, but I got to see him once before I saw the Queen. He pat me on the head because I look just like someone he knows, that's what he said."
"Did he now?" Arthur couldn't hide how happy that made him. Had Francis even known that this boy was his own brother? "What about the Queen Peter, what did you think of her?"
"Um… she was pretty." Peter giggled. "She let me put flowers in her hair, and she took the stems and… and made the flowers into a crown! And then we were both Queen!" Arthur laughed and almost snorted into his tea. Peter laughed along with him, though he hardly knew why. A little ways down the car, Alfred- barely listening to Gilbert- smiled at the two of them, before having his attention dragged back to the topic at hand.
"Oh my…" Arthur rubbed his eyes. "Well, I'm glad to hear that you had fun in Diamonds, it sounds like such a nice place to visit."
"It is!"
"It is… I'll have to visit it again someday." Arthur allowed himself a moment's thought of Francis and the beautiful hours they had spent together before forcing his mind back to the present. "It sounds like you and Gilbert have a lot of fun together."
"We do! We get to go lots of fun places, and meet fun people, and do fun things! And we eat lots of good food!"
"Well, everyone loves good food." Arthur crossed his legs under the table and took a final sip of his tea. "You sure seem to be getting alone well…" He paused to stare into the empty cup.
"Yup. Gilbert and me have a lot of fun together. I wouldn't trade it for anything!"
"I don't see why you would. It sounds like you really adore this life…" Arthur trailed off. He was sure that Peter said a little more about fun, candy, and something having to do with Hearts, but Arthur was content to do little more than smile and nod. The poor boy had no idea the havoc he was wreaking on his brother's heart. Outside the window pine trees sailed past them, and the wind blew green leaves from the ground. The train chugged along at an impressive speed that Arthur had somehow learned to get used to over the course of a few days. He still kept his feet braced against the floor in case they jolted to a stop, but he wasn't afraid of the steel beast swallowing him like a tasty morsel. The mountains that had once been far in the distance were practically within walking distance now, close enough that he could see the trees that dotted their tops and the snow that piled up in the stony veins. Arthur's smile steadily faded. How close were they to Spades.
"Hey!" Arthur jumped. Peter was frowning at him, his arms crossed over his chest. "Are you listening? I just told one of the best stories!" Arthur stared a moment, then put on a smile.
"Of course I was. I'm sorry Peter, I just wanted to look out the window. It's very pretty out there, isn't it?" He pointed at the glass. Peter leaned forwards and watched for a few seconds before sitting back down.
"I suppose so… I don't like being out in the cold though." Peter shrugged. "I like things that are warm, like Diamonds and hot chocolate."
"You like hot chocolate Peter?" Arthur glanced around the dining car. There was still a waiter or two on duty. He grinned and moved a little closer to Peter. "How about you go ask one of those nice men in the vests if they'll bring two cups of hot chocolate out for us, hm? It's an awfully chilly morning, I think we deserve it, don't you?" Peter's eyes lit up at the suggestion. Without another word he slipped from his seat and trotted over to one of the men. Arthur watched him follow the man into the small kitchen, and to his surprise and to Peter's delight the waiter allowed it. He decided to take the opportunity to check up on Gilbert and Alfred. He stood up and made his way to their table.
"…wants to start something with Spades, it would not be wise to continue trying to arrange something with him."
"As King of Spades I have to insist that I at least—Hello Arthur." Alfred plastered on a big smile. "Do you need something?"
"Not at all." Arthur sat on the edge of Alfred's booth seat. "You two are awfully quiet considering how much talking you're doing, may I ask what it is I'm missing out on?" Gilbert opened his mouth to speak but Alfred cut him short with his signature bubbly laughter.
"Nothing that you would be interested in, Art." He wrapped an arm around Arthur. Arthur looked up at him.
"What's this 'Art' business?"
"What, it's a nickname. It's cute!" Alfred shrugged and flashed Arthur a grin. "Don't you like it?"
"I suppose." Arthur muttered. The topic of nicknames had never come up between them, and he didn't see why it would now, but he didn't completely hate the idea. "Do I have to call you something then?"
"No."
"I could probably come up with something."
"No!" Alfred laughed and pulled Arthur into his lap just in time for Peter to come running at them with one cup in his hands, and the waiter behind him with another. Peter set the cup before Arthur with a grin and Arthur rewarded him with a pat on the head.
"Thank you dear. Why don't you sit with us?" He nodded across the table. Gilbert moved over with a small frown that not even Peter's presence could wipe away. The second cup of cocoa was set at Peter's place and the little boy quickly took a sip.
"Arthur, try it! They make it with cream!"
"Do they now?" Arthur took a tiny sip and smiled. "Oh that is good…" he chuckled and set the cup in its saucer. He caught Gilbert glaring at the cup. Alfred gave him a squeeze and took Arthur's hands in his own.
"We're getting close to the station, I believe. Not more than twenty minutes." Alfred glanced out the window.
"Good." Gilbert grumbled, leaning his head on his hand. "We can finish talking there, where little ears can't listen." He nodded his head towards Peter as he said it, but Arthur was sure that Gilbert met his eyes.
"I suppose you're right. We should enjoy these last few minutes after all, it's going to be right back to work once we get home! Heh…" Alfred eased back a little. Arthur helped himself to another sip of hot chocolate.
"What is it that you two are talking about anyway?" he asked, looking at Alfred. "Sounds awfully secretive, surely nothing I can't be kept up on?" Again Gilbert opened his mouth to speak, but Alfred spoke up before he got the chance.
"Don't worry your pretty head about it Arthur." He leaned up and pressed a kiss to the first part of Arthur's face his lips came into contact with. "It's just business and the like."
"Business?" Arthur crossed his legs on top of Alfred's. "Isn't that the Jack's department? Perhaps I should tell him once we get back to Spades?"
"That will not be necessary." Gilbert lowered his voice. "…if you have to know, queenie, we can talk when we're at the palace, but you aren't the only one who doesn't need to hear this now. Even these walls have ears." He glanced around. Nobody made it obvious that they were listening, but now that Arthur looked there were an awful lot of people with newspapers around their car. His gaze swept the room before landing on little Peter, who was still enjoying his cocoa, blissfully unaware of the seriousness of their conversation. Arthur's grin disappeared.
"Fair enough." He looked Gilbert in the eye. "But I don't want to be left out on whatever this is. I may have been gone, but I am still the Queen. I want to be kept in the know."
"Oh, Arthur, don't talk like that." Alfred chuckled. "It's not like I'm going to let them dump work on you the moment you arrive, you'd be horribly stressed if I did. You shouldn't overwork yourself-"
"I'm not overworking myself Alfred!" Arthur squirmed until he got Alfred to loosen his grip "I only want to do what I should have been doing for the past month and a half."
"Don't worry, it's all going to be taken care of."
"And I am the one who's going to take care of it!" Arthur crossed his arms. "I am fully capable of doing whatever must be done, Alfred. I am the Queen after all, just as you are the King." This quieted Alfred for the time being, and Arthur took the moment's silence as an opportunity to sip his drink. The table fell quiet, save for the occasional question from Peter that would be answered always by either Gilbert or Arthur.
The train was steadily growing nearer and nearer to the grand capitol of Spades. A full three minutes passed during which Arthur could look out and see nothing but the river below the narrow bridge they rode over. The ice had started to melt, but water crashed against the rocks with as much vigor as ever. Peter told him that from where he sat he could see buildings, no doubt the great city walls and the domed roofs and the not-so-faraway towers of the palace.
"Thought I would never see this place again…" Arthur murmured, staring out the window at the sparkling city. Alfred leaned them both over to get a better look. A grin spread across his lips when he realized that Arthur was talking about Ten.
"You missed it, huh Art?" he whispered. Arthur said nothing. To Alfred, words weren't necessary. He pressed his lips to the back of Arthur's neck. "We'll be there soon enough. A hot meal, a nice bath, and a good night's rest, that's what you need. I'm not letting you anywhere near your work until you've had at least one good night of sleep."
"I've been sleeping just fine in out compartment…"
"I mean in the palace!" Alfred raised his head. "Art, I don't know what they were putting you through back in Diamonds, but you're going to be treated properly now that you're back home. I'm going to make sure that you're well taken care of before you even try to start!"
"You two know that we only have about five more minutes until we reach the station?" The pair looked up. Gilbert sat facing the window, head in his hands. Peter was trying to fold a scrap of paper into a tiny boat for his cocoa. "We'll be there soon. I uh, hate to cut this little visit short, but we might not stay more than one night here. Bad time for us to be sticking around in any one place for any length of time. You understand, right Alfred?"
"Right, of course." Alfred paused a moment to slide Arthur off of his lap and onto the seat beside him. "You two are going to go back to your traveling… where are you off to next?"
"You know I can't tell you that!" Gilbert put on a fake scowl. Alfred laughed, waving his hand as if to wave away the idea itself.
"Of course, of course, I was just joking…" Arthur stopped listening around that point. Peter was going to be leaving him again. His tiny paper boat was currently half-sunken in his cocoa, and he was trying to pick it out with his fingers before it sunk into the drink. Arthur smiled and moved a little closer to Peter's end of the table.
"What are you doing there my boy?" he asked.
"Making more boats!" Peter held up the soggy piece of paper before setting it on his napkin. "Little teeny ones. It's fun!"
"I'm sure it is." Arthur sighed. His own little brother, gone as quick as he had appeared… "You're going to come visit me at the palace, aren't you? I would love to have your company. We can sit in the garden with little cakes and things."
"I'd like that sir." Peter looked up from his current paper scrap boat. He gifted Arthur a precious rosy-cheeked smile. "I'll come visit lots and lots of times!"
"I'll make sure we're well stocked with cakes then." He laughed and smoothed back the little boy's hair. "But you can't be gone for too long, I'll miss you an awful lot."
"No mister Arthur, I won't. I'll come back so that we can have cake together!" He reached up and took Arthur's arm in something that was just about close enough to a hug to send Arthur's heart aflutter. Peter's bubbly giggling made his heart melt and he was so tempted to give the boy a kiss on the forehead that he drew his hand away just to remove the temptation.
A few minutes later, they rolled into the train station. Arthur felt ready to stoop down and kiss the ground he stood on. If he could help it, this would be the last time he had to use one of those damned trains.
/ \
The moment Arthur stepped into the palace, hours turned into moments. People were everywhere, trying to let him know how glad they were that he was back, that he was okay, that the 'awful Diamond monsters' hadn't gotten to him. If only they knew… though if they did, Arthur had a feeling that things wouldn't by very nice for him.
Few times throughout the day did his mind manage to breach the surface of clear thought. Once he found himself in a steaming, honey-scented bath, half-buried under fragrant bubbles. Another time he was idly making conversation with someone important over dinner. He wasn't sure whom, they had said their name and he had merely nodded his head. Now he was laying in his and Alfred's bed, staring up at the silk canopy above him with his arms splayed across the sheets. His muscles ached. He would have closed his eyes if only he had the energy. Soft sounds reached him from around the room; birds chirped outside the window, and leaves rustled; somewhere in the far, far away he could make out the faint bustle of the palace; just a little ways away Alfred was getting dressed in his pajamas. Arthur didn't look up until he felt the bed dip beside him. By the time he could bother himself with thought again, he found that he was in Alfred's arms.
"You're tired, aren't you?" Arthur blinked. Was that Alfred who had just spoken? It must have been.
"Yes, a bit…" he muttered, rolling over to hide his face against Alfred's silk shirtfront. Gentle fingers ran through his hair and down his back.
"Maybe you should just take a little bit of time to relax? Just a couple of days? I mean, your work isn't going anywhere, so you could just take some time to get your energy back-"
"Alfred." Arthur sighed and reached to pull up the covers. "For heaven's sake, I'm not taking any time off. I just need a good night's sleep is all, just a good night's sleep…"
"Well maybe it isn't just that. Maybe it's because you were locked up for so long in Diamonds, and you've gotten weak. You're certain that the King of Diamonds didn't… do anything to you? Anything at all?"
"Yes Alfred, I'm sure. In face, the King was a very pleasant host." Alfred's chest shook as he laughed at that idea. Arthur caught himself cracking a grin.
"You're lucky that I'm the only one who heard that." Alfred rolled Arthur over to face him and stole a kiss. "I understand if you don't want to talk about whatever did happen, as long as you're sure they didn't harm you."
"I'm quite sure." Arthur opened one eye. Now Alfred lay beside him, one arm draped over Arthur and the other working its way under him for a makeshift embrace. "I just… spent so much time locked up there, I suppose." Locked away in Francis's company, that is, practicing magic among other things. "For all you know, the King could have tried to lay with me like you do…"
"Don't say that." Arthur opened his eyes. Alfred had sat up. His eyes were wide with something like horror or anger. "Don't you say that. He didn't, did he? I swear I'll have his head if he did!"
"No, Alfred, he didn't." Arthur was quick to cover up his mistake. Idle joking, Alfred just had to think it was idle joking. "Nothing bad happened to me while I was there, and the King certainly didn't do anything bad to me. Especially nothing like that." As long as Alfred heard what he needed to hear…
"Good." Alfred's embrace tightened. "He better not have laid one finger on you, Arthur, you are mine." Arthur blinked. He was lying on his side, in Alfred's arms. Alfred was clutching onto him like his life depended on it. His voice was but a whisper through gritted teeth, "Mine!" The single word send shivers down Arthur's spine.
"Alfred, for heaven's sake." Arthur squirmed a bit to get some breathing room. "Let's not argue about this anymore, I'm too tired to talk… if we must, we can pick this conversation up in the morning, but there's nothing more to discuss. Goodnight Alfred."
"Goodnight…"
"…Alfred, your arm is going to fall asleep if you keep it under me like that all night."
"It'll be fine."
"Alfred!" Arthur looked up at him. With great reluctance, Alfred shifted his arm to a place where it wouldn't get laid on all night. The remainder of the time until either of them drifted off to sleep was spent in silence.
/ \
Morning came and went. Gilbert and Peter ended up staying for two more days, and Arthur spent as long as he could doing fun things with his little brother. In the morning when it was cold out, they cuddled up in the library and read storybooks together. At noon they would have lunch in the garden, to the delight of the gardeners who would occasionally look their way and smile at the sight of a pair of brothers enjoying a meal together. The afternoon were for games of Peter's own creation, ranging from exploration of the gardens to an odd combination of chess and dollhouse.
Gilbert and Alfred made themselves scarce throughout their visit. Once or twice Arthur would check on them and be told that they were merely still talking. The question of what was never answered. He was sure it was something vitally important, but surely nothing that could make him want to squander his time when he could be skipping rocks or searching for dandelions with Peter. The odd duo left early one morning. After saying their goodbyes to Alfred, Arthur, and Yao they vanished into thin air, presumably to some other destination.
"So, did you ever tell him?" Arthur looked up. Alfred's good eye was fixed on him, and he had a small smile on his face. Arthur chewed at his lip.
"No, I didn't. I didn't have the heart to tell him…"
"Tell who, what?" Yao spoke up, arms crossed. "What are you two talking about?" Alfred said nothing and merely looked at Arthur.
"…that little boy was my brother, b-but he's forgotten because of something Gilbert did." He muttered. Arthur had never seen Yao with anything but a scowl on his face, so seeing his stern featured soften was perhaps as much of a surprise as getting to see Peter had been.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Yao placed a hand on his shoulder. "I suppose that a Joker's magic is a fickle thing… but at least he isn't dead, or worse, and I'm sure he's happy with Gilbert. He doesn't look it, but he's very good with children."
"That's just what Peter said." Arthur stared down at his feet. "I know I shouldn't be upset about him being so happy, but it's just… strange. I-I didn't think he would be so well off with someone outside of the family, we were all together for such a long time, and now we're all…" he trailed off. The last thing he wanted was to make himself tear up now, in front of these two. He caught Alfred reaching for his hand and let him, and Yao gave his shoulder a gentle pat.
"He'll be safe, if nothing else." Yao didn't smile when he spoke, but Arthur could tell that he was trying to cheer him up. "And I'll sure he'll come to visit. They're never gone for that long."
"Yes…" Arthur looked up, his eyes finding the place where Gilbert and Peter had stood just a moment ago. "I hope they do."
Conversation between the three didn't go on for much longer. Within a few minutes Arthur found himself in his study- an addition that was in the making while he and Alfred were on their way to Clubs- with a fountain pen in one hand and a stack of papers that he had to look over. It wasn't hard work, not really, but it was horribly tedious.
Too bad you can't just get me to do it for you, hm? Don't even ask, I'm not offering.
"For goodness sake, where the hell have you been for the past week?!" Arthur scowled, leaving a large blot of ink at the end of his signature before he remembered to pull the pen off the paper.
What, you don't think I'm going to come out with that Gilbert fellow around, do you?
"What?" Arthur capped his pen. If this was the opportunity for a break, he would take it. "Why not? What's wrong with Gilbert?"
He's a Joker, you dolt.
"And? What of it?"
The Jokers are meant to 'protect' you royalty people. If he finds out that I'm up here, he'll probably try to get rid of me.
"Is that bad?" Arthur narrowed his eyes. "For me, I mean? Why am I letting you stay again?" He heard the demon scoff.
That question is an insult to both of our intelligences. I'm up here because I agreed to handle your 'duties' as Queen, and because we made a deal until death. You let me in, Arthur.
"I most certainly did not!"
But you agreed to let me in all the same, and until I hold up my end of the bargain and you hold up yours, I'm here to stay.
"Well… I agreed to let you take my responsibilities. Y-you've done a bit, haven't you?"
I haven't done nearly what I agreed to, darling. You gave me your Queenship, and your body as a vessel by which to obtain it. In exchange, you have my service until death.
"S-so what? I've given up my body until…"
Until death, yes.
Arthur clamped his hands around the armrests of his chair. "You did trick me! I knew it, I knew you would!"
I didn't trick you, I just used you for your flesh body. Besides, it's not as if I've done you any harm.
"You could have cost me my life that night on the mountain!"
Oh, you do have a point… but I did save you from an awkward night with Alfred, if I remember right.
Arthur opened his mouth to speak but stopped short. The demon was sort of right, he hadn't been at all ready to honeymoon with his husband when he had barely known him longer than they had been married. He could feel the heat rising to his cheeks at the thought of doing anything with Alfred. With them came memories of his time with Francis, all the lovely nights he had spent in his arms…
You see? Without me there you would have had to commit yourself to that silly boy-king of yours without getting to… try new things, as it were? You know what I'm talking about.
"Sh-shut up…" Arthur covered his face. "I… What is it that you want from me? Why did you even do this in the first place? You've got my body, I don't believe that you would just use it to get your hands on Alfred."
You would be surprised what I would do for a good… er, I mean, no, that isn't the only reason, of course it's not. But if I told you the reason then you'd probably get angry at me.
"I'll be angry if you don't tell me!"
That's something I'm willing to risk.
Arthur scowled out the window. It was a nice day outside, considering how cold it always was. The icicles had melted that morning, and if he looked hard enough and over the palace walls then he could see to the city beyond, and the people who were outside enjoying the weather. He didn't realize that he had put his feet up on the windowsill, but he didn't bother to take them down.
"You're going to tell me eventually…" he grumbled. "Mark my words, I'll make you tell eventually."
Oh yes, eventually I'll have to, even if it's not until I'm dragging you down to Hell with me once this is all done.
Again he stopped himself about to speak. Of course he was going to Hell. Why wouldn't he be? He had sold himself to a demon after all, he had just never thought about it before. "Does that mean that I'll be separated from Alfred? I-if I'm going to Hell, then…"
I wouldn't worry about that if I were you.
"What are you saying?"
Now isn't the time to talk about it. All will be revealed with time dear, but for now I'm afraid I'll have to keep you in the dark. For now, just focus on living your life one day at a time. You're the Queen, you've got access to some of the nicest things in the land. You should be taking advantage of it.
"…I suppose." Arthur sighed. He loathed that the demon wouldn't tell him everything now, but he didn't want to get himself worked up now, especially not when it would be so easy to take out his frustrations with the fountain pen on his work. "Once I'm done with all of this work perhaps I'll have myself a bath."
You should try the lilac oil with it, it's supposed to be soothing. If nothing else it will keep you from smelling like a pond, you filthy, filthy child you.
"Oh hush!" Arthur pushed his feet from the window and send his chair rolling back against the desk. Arthur barely managed to stop himself from crashing into the desk, and somehow he managed to catch his pen before it fell and left a horrid black stain on the rug. The demon's horrid sniggering filled his head. He propped himself back up and, though it was with some difficulty, tried to go back to work as if nothing had happened.
\ /
It happened early one morning, some few days after Gilbert and Peter left the palace, perhaps a week or two. Arthur woke to find himself alone in bed with the covers hastily tucked around him to keep him warm. He dressed himself slowly, lazily even, choosing something that would go nicely with his fur-trimmed cloak so that nobody would say that he couldn't wear it on such a chilly morning, even just to breakfast.
He didn't really notice the strange looks that the servants gave him until the third or fourth group of giggling maids quieted with his presence. Once he stopped to look at them with the hopes that they would explain, but they merely slunk away from his sight. The dining room was empty, save for a boy dusting the portraits and another polishing the knick-knacks on the mantle.
"His Majesty never came in for Sunday breakfast milord." Said one, "Somefin' important made them cancel the whole thing for the week, but there's prob'ly still some rolls and things in the kitchen if yer 'ungry."
Arthur left the dining room, jam roll in hand. What could possibly be so important that Alfred had gone and canceled Sunday breakfast because if it? Arthur hurried to his husband's study to find out.
"Alfred?" He poked his head in the door. Alfred was pacing the floor, arms behind his back. He looked up when Arthur came in.
"Oh, thank goodness you're here." Before Arthur could ask Alfred had come rushing towards him and pulled him into his arms in an embrace. "Don't worry Arthur, I'm here. We're going to get through this, I promise that much to you. Oh, Arthur…" Arthur's eyes wandered the room a bit. Yao was standing to the side, his solemn gaze fixed on the ground. Manus stood with him.
"What?" Arthur pushed at Alfred. "What on earth are you going on about? What happened? Why did you cancel breakfast?" Alfred stared at him in utter shock. That really scared Arthur. "Alfred, answer me, what's going on?"
"Oh God… nobody told you?" Alfred's expression steadily turned from worry to apprehension. Arthur glanced to the other two. They said nothing.
"…no, nobody told me. Told me what?" Arthur shut the door behind him with his foot. Alfred cringed and reached to take his hands.
"Arthur…" He started, clutching them to his chest. "Arthur, we've been working to keep this from happening for weeks, but there was nothing we could do. As of this morning, we… Spades is at war."