Natalya stared ahead at her practice ground as she felt her arms move with ease as her knife became an extension of her being and slashed through the air under basic commands.
She paused; her breath billowing out from her with each heaving breath of her own.
Her mind flickered back as if under it's own accord towards the two men that were caring for her as she knew that she didn't want to leave them yet would have to soon enough.
Natalya startled slightly as she heard Feliks call her for dinner from beside her; it was odd how seemingly paranoid the two had gotten as she recovered with Feliks and Toris both seeming to fight for her attention yet not fully up the other while not wanting to up the other at this miniture competition of theirs where they wanted to 'fight' yet didn't.
"I'll have to go back and fight for my kingdom soon. Is it alright if one or both of you were to join me?" Natalya asked.
"We aren't much of fighters." Toris's eyes were cast downward, and Natalya could clearly see his sadness and frustration, worry, and fear building upward.
"That doesn't matter. I meant to ask if you wouldn't mind being my queens?" Her eyes were downfallen as well at the moment as she surrendered the personal request that contained the last of her dignity.
"I will." Feliks's statement lacked his normal language yet that seemed to spell it out more clearly as to what he meant and what he wanted or needed.
"Me too." Toris answered in a more supdued fashion and way as he spoke up towards the two now in his presence.
"Thank you." Natalya muttered towards them as that ended the perhaps too personal topic before them.
It seemed to take far too long for Feliciano and Kiku to be at this moment when they had barely spoken recently.
Antonio was holding the young king of the Hearts' Kingdom in all of her unabashed beauty while the Jack of the kingdom and the Queen were dressed in dark outfits to conceal their identity as they started towards their old castle and the life that it had told of the past.
Jack Feliciano knew that someone had to have cleaned the castle of dead bodies yet feared that he would see his dead love in the castle marking the scene of such a horrendous crime.
Feliciano couldn't resist but to take the Queen's hand to squeeze it tightly before he let go as if that would give him enough confidence, encouragement, and comfort to allow him to keep heading towards the old castle walls that once contained so much joy yet so much work.
The castle had extensive security for having lost it's king, queen, and jack.
Feliciano mantained his cool though he barely did so.
The guards seemed to believe that Kiku and Feliciano were who they were guarding and let them in under the names of 'Luciano' and 'Kuro.'
Feliciano didn't mind too much as he knew that he desperately needed in that castle, so he walked calmly beside Kiku and continued onward.
It only seemed to leave an impact on the young Italian again once he saw another Italian with extreme similarities towards himself curse him out and go ahead in an attempt to kill the more cowardly look alike.
Feliciano nearly squeaked in fear before he remembered what Antonio had gifted him for this fight though he hadn't managed to avoid being sliced through slightly with a sharp knife.
The young Jack of the previous reign stuck a needle in to the arm of the man in front of himself who swayed slightly under the pressure of whatever drug had entered his system though he didn't end up collapsing just yet until he stuck his knife hard in to Feliciano, causing him to crumble as well.
They both dropped then like rocks suddenly; one with a side bleeding terribly and the other with pale as snow skin.
Kiku couldn't even pause to help out Feliciano as he was caught up fighting a look alike of his own while fighting someone who looked far too much like Ludwig for every impact on either to not leave scars upon the Japanese Queen's heart.
He nearly crippled under the force of the hefty punch that was sent his way yet he tried regardless to jab a needle in to the German's arm while his heart exclaimed, "No, that's Ludwig!"
Kiku knew much better than to trust his heart when he believed what the eye deceived of him.
His mind knew of Ludwig's death far better than his heart did.
Queen Kiku finally managed to jab the needle against the soft purchase of skin but only due to his look alike moving to guard the current king of the kingdom.
He silently watched as his look alike crumbled under the force of the poisonous drug now under his skin.
Kiku struggled to right himself mentally, and he reached out to claim from Feliciano another needle full of the stuff though he didn't have time to treat his friend and potentially a future lover of his.
Queen Kiku moved to right himself after he was forced backwards, tripping over Feliciano, and shoved against the castle's cold and rocky edge.
He gasped as blood slowly started to spurt from his mouth yet he refused to crumble under this harsh blow and treatment that he was afflicted with.
The Japanese Queen finally ducked in a way around the man before him enough to jab the needle in to the underside of his arm.
Kiku finally collapsed from exhaustion as he saw the now dead king drop before him.
He slowly scooted over to Feliciano to begin bandaging the poor jack and to apply medicine for him.
The Japanese man only glanced away from the man that he was falling for when he heard the steady stomp of feet upon the floor laced under durable boots and managed to find several soldiers before him ready to charge in for the kill.
The guards had managed to hear the commotion and had returned.
Kiku grasped for a weapon from beside himself as he knew that he'd be doomed if he couldn't find one; he pulled up an old knife that had clearly seen it's fair share of death and blood.
The previous queen that refused to not be granted queen again stood up and raced forward, brandishing the knife like it was his favorite and well worn katana.
When he could finally rest knowing that the throne was theirs again, he collapsed by his fainted love and hoped for the best for them and the future that could promise utter darkness like it had recently.