Ten received both cards accompanying their messengers when they arrived, something which puzzled Riku and the two other cards on the walls, Eight and Nine. Five came up to join them, directed all three of them to join Ten, despite his agreeing to put him on the walls.
Still present in the hall when they arrived were the Seven of Swords and Pentacles, clear contrasts to their own closed-mouthed Seven. Five took Riku aside as he joined them, murmuring, "Hope you remember how to be our foreman."
Riku gave him a quizzical look, but Five said no more.
"Page has some strange ideas," Ten muttered to himself, reading a message in one hand. "Leave this to me, then dictate things from there. What does he think I'm supposed to do, stand here and look pretty?" He paused, then to Riku, "Not a word from you either."
"Me?" Riku asked benignly. "You don't really think I'd say something about that, do you?"
"Four would, and sometimes you two seem too alike," he said sourly. "Anyway. Listen up. You're all heading off to the Sword castle, but it's not the Swords we're working for. The Pentacles are still rebuilding their castle in stone, and after seeing the good work we did under Ace last time we were there, they've asked us to lend a hand."
"Wait, last time I was the foreman for our cards because I was the messenger, shouldn't Five take up that this time?"
"Five doesn't like giving orders," Ten replied. "Besides, you did so well last time. Might as well let you carry on where you left off. Anyway, to continue. Our two guests are here to take on various tasks – the Seven of Swords is going to be taking the kitchen back again. I know normally there's two of them, but Page decided to let only one in."
"And a bit of an argument that caused," their Seven remarked. "Hey, Ace," he said then. "No hard feelings, right?"
"You were just doing what you were told," Riku shrugged. "Nothing to have hard feelings about. What about him?" Riku asked, gesturing to the Seven of Pentacles.
"I'm here by special request," he answered. "Your Knight asked for one of us to turn up and survey the foundations of the castle so we can protect it against any future underground attacks."
"You do know there's a part of your mines where the Swords tunnelled in?"
"Yeah, we've known about it for a while," he nodded. "We've already mined out down that way, so we never really got around to doing anything about it. I think we're meant to be pulling down the cavern in that area at some point, but I don't know for sure."
"If you two have finished," Ten cut in. "Page has authorised you to open the portal to the Sword castle, Ace. Second door, in case you don't already know. He also insists you make sure someone's with you at all times – just in case."
"I can take care of myself, Ten," he protested.
"If you have a problem with it, take it up with him when you get there. Now get moving. I won't be coming with you, since he's left me with things to do here for him. Honestly, if this is what he has to put up with, I can understand why he's still around... there's so much more than you'd think..." he trailed off, heading up the stairs toward the throne room.
"Now there's an interesting thought," the Seven of Pentacles murmured. "I wonder how long it'd take one of you to be able to take over for your Page so reliably."
"As long as it doesn't end up being me," Riku replied. "You heard him people – lets move."
The Devil muttered things to itself as he led the other Staves up toward the portal corridor, but apparently decided not to interfere in the proceedings. Maybe it had been trying to get him to go to the Sword castle – but to do what there?
The others were all interested, having never seen him open the portals himself, only heard about it from one of the few cards who had.
"Nice blade," Seven murmured when he called out Way to the Dawn.
"Oh, this?" Riku said. "Just a little thing I picked up along the way."
"Can you use it?" Nine asked. Riku just pointed it at the door to unlock it. "No, I meant in a fight."
"Of course I can. What, did you think I just liked the look of it or something? All pile in now," he added as the blue glow faded. "Next stop, hard work."
The Devil, interestingly, had not even attempted to interfere even once as Riku easily picked up where the Pentacles were working and started to carry on. The Pentacles had dropped work themselves to haul more stone over to the Sword Castle, which held up the work – but now Riku was putting the Staves to work as he had before, that was getting underway again.
Now their castle was well on the way to being half-completed, the main castle already built in stone, one wall and the towers at either end completed – one of which until recently he'd been held in the basement of – and the structures forming the front wall being worked on.
The Pentacles joined in when it came to the main gates as it was being redesigned into a gatehouse, with additional towers on either side and in place of the gates, a portcullis on either side – a series of heavy metal bars and strips that formed squares, raised or lowered to allow or deny access. It seemed impractical for a castle that wasn't likely to fall under seige, but the Swords had apparently requested it.
Even the Swords, or at least those of them who weren't busy with other tasks, joined forces with the Pentacles and Staves to get the gatehouse finished in a show of unity that made it possible to forget there had ever been any disunity between any suit.
Once it was done the Swords provided lunch, and a slightly wild-eyed Sora turned up with some news. Since they were all gathered together, he didn't have to go looking for anyone.
"The Queen of Cups has given birth," he announced once he'd got their attention. "Two healthy twin boys."
"Twins?" Seven said, startled. "Here?"
"Something strange about that?" Riku asked him.
"Rare thing for one, let alone two," he answered.
"Just think. Two more just like you."
Seven didn't answer, wandering off looking strangely disturbed.
"What's his problem?" Sora asked curiously, joining him.
"He's just like the new twins. Native to this world. You're looking a little..."
"Yeah, I know. They had me help with the whole thing. Not that I mind that, I just... well, I got to find out some things I really think I'd rather I hadn't."
"You'd have found out sooner or later."
"Why couldn't it be later?" he complained. "What are you all doing here anyway?"
"Rebuilding the castle. The Pentacles asked us to lend a hand, and we all worked to build the new gatehouse."
"Impressive," he noted, glancing it over. "But impractical. Would you excuse me? I think I'm going to see if I can track down a few of the Swords I was friends with."
"Well finally," The Devil noted. "I thought he'd never go away."
Sora paused for a moment as he walked away, as if he'd heard the voice, but continued after a moment. Maybe he'd just stopped to look for someone.
"Don't think you're going to make me do anything," Riku murmured quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear him apparently talking to himself.
"Think again, Riku. I've learned a little more about you than you think. We're going this way."
As he said it, Riku already started moving. Unwillingly, but heading for the nearest tower, one of the only two that had not yet been rebuilt in stone.
"What are you up to?"
"You'll see – unless you manage to stop me again," it replied.
Under its forced guidance he headed into the deserted tower and along the lower floor of the structures forming the walls until he came to a room that was clearly a residence, though who for wasn't clear. A fire was burning in a stone fireplace, out of place among the wooden structures. Care had clearly been taken to ensure it wouldn't set the wood alight.
The Devil had him take a stout piece of firewood, light the tip of it, then continue on through to the next tower – the one opposite where he'd been held, and where he'd delivered the wheat to on his last visit.
"Oh, no," Riku said firmly. "You are not using me to do that."
"Do what?" The Devil inquired. "Just what do you think I'm going to make you do?"
"Plain as day. This is wood you had me light on fire, this is a wooden area and it's where they store some of their harvest."
"Yes. And?"
"I won't set it on fire," he insisted stubbornly.
"It's either that or let the fire work its way down that wood and burn your hand."
"I could get rid of it before then."
"You mean you could try. I think you'll find it hard to do that while I'm holding on to it."
"Trying is better than letting you have your way, anyone would agree with that."
"Who's there?" a voice called.
"Damn," The Devil muttered. Riku tried to leave, but the little beast still managed to hold on to the overruling control it had somehow established, rooting him to the spot.
"I hate you," Riku breathed to his shadow. "You don't get your way so you're going to get me caught."
"You're welcome," it replied with an evil cackle.
A card came in through the other door of the tower, the sword belted to his waist identifying his suit.
"What are you doing?" he exclaimed. "Fire in here? Are you mad?"
"I wasn't-" Riku started, trying to explain himself – however futile that would be with The Devil hiding in his shadow waiting to stop him revealing its presence.
"Get that fire out this instant!" The card cut him off. "The Knight is going to hear about this!"
"If you've got me disqualified..." Riku threatened under his breath. The Devil just laughed at him.
The Sword seized the chunk of wood from him, quickly extinguishing it in a conveniently placed bucket of water on their way into the main castle, then up into the throne room itself. Riku's stomach turned cold when he saw the occupants of the room – not only were the King and Queen of Swords there, but also their Knight and to make it as bad as it could possibly be, the Page of Staves.
"What is the meaning of this unwarrented intrusion, Ten?" the King asked calmly. "And why is he here?"
"I found him just now in the granary tower," he answered, then held up the charred piece of wood. "He was holding this – lit."
Four pairs of eyes turned on him.
"Explain thyself, Ace," Page said.
"It wasn't my idea," Riku said defensively. "I was forced to do it."
"Forced? By whom? Who ordered thee to do this?"
"I... didn't get ordered to do it, it was..." he broke off, forced by The Devil, but tried again. "I can't say. It keeps stopping me."
"It?"
"He's clearly making excuses for himself," the Ten of Swords asserted. "Else why would he try to pin it on something he can't tell us about?"
"You'd be stopped from talking about it too if it was stuck in your shadow," Riku retorted.
"Uh-oh," The Devil murmured. "Didn't see that one coming."
"Shadow?" Page murmured, apparently interested, then to the Queen, "Your Majesty, perchance art thou familiar with the older Major Arcana?"
"Older?" she said with some surprise. "You mean the ones who haven't shown up in a while, don't you?"
"Aye, save for the four seen yesterday. I cannot say for certain – many of them even I have never seen myself – but I believe there may be one at work here. Dost notice how when thou set eyes upon him, a chill be felt?"
"It's probably nothing," Ten said insistently. "Are you really going to just let him get away with trying to burn down the tower?"
"Silence," the King of Swords said calmly. "There may be more at hand here than what is apparent." He thought for a moment, then added, "Fetch instead the Three of Staves for me."
"But your Majesty," Ten started to protest, but the King pointed imperiously to the door. "Yes, your Majesty," he said through clenched teeth, then left muttering to himself.
"And you, Ace of Staves, will remain here," the King added. Riku just nodded, not trusting himself to reply.
"Dost think Three be involved somehow?" Page asked.
"How else could he have transferred?" the King replied. "Even we weren't aware of it until the replacement intended for you arrived here. If the Royal Arcana wasn't involved, that means one of the Major Arcana had to be."
"And since he's no longer under the influence as Ace apparently is, we should be able to get some straight answers out of him," the Queen added. "Do you have any idea which it could be?"
"Nay, Majesty," Page answered. "I have only a passing knowledge of most, and had thought we would never again see their like. I know them not well enough to tell which it could be. Needs must we wait for Three to join us. An thou wilt allow it, I will have him take me back to my castle where I will find the tome detailing each of the Major Arcana."
"We'll hold Ace here then – for the safety of everyone, including him," the King decided. "Knight created a prison cell underneath one tower, we'll use that."
"Post guards just outside the cell this time, your Majesty," Riku said. "When I escaped yesterday, it was because there was no one there to check on me. I was forced then as well."
"A suitable precaution. How freely can you speak, Ace?"
"I think as long as I don't say anything to identify the card hiding out in my shadow, I'm alright. It might change its mind and decide to intervene again at any moment though."
"Perhaps we should consider leaving any further questions for him until after we have removed the card's influence from him," the Queen decided.
"If it be possible," Page added, then as Ten returned with Sora, "Ah, good timing. Three, accompany me. We will return forthwith."