Arthur didn't know how to swim.
That fact dawned on him as he sank deeper and deeper in the lake. He flailed his limbs underwater, hoping and praying it helped him float to the top. But he just kept sinking.
His lungs were on fire, his ears were close to exploding; he was going to die. He was going to drown and no one would find him. He'll be on the lakebed, food for whatever predators that lurk in these murky waters.
Something grabbed onto his shirt, and Arthur yelled as a result. He realized that to be a mistake because he just released the last amount of air in his body. He ached to inhale, but that was asking to be drowned.
The sink seemed to be endless as the unknown being dragged him deeper. Arthur swiped at whatever was holding him down; he was successful, but he heard it release a cry, though unintelligible due to the water.
The wails got louder and louder to the point where Arthur felt dizzy. He felt being tossed and turned by the current, like a whirlwind, and eventually, right before he could slip into unconsciousness, his head sprung to the surface.
Arthur gasped for air, it entered his lungs whilst he coughed out the water that invaded his system. He hacked, wheezing immensely due to the lack of air. The man thanked whatever deity that pulled him to the surface, for it, whatever it was, saved his life.
Through his blurry vision, light shone against his eyelids. The sun felt nice on his skin; it made him feel at ease, relieved, and alive . He could have shouted for joy if water didn't clog his throat.
As his coughing abated, Arthur began to register the constant ringing in his ears. It took awhile before his vision cleared up, and at the same time, he realized the ringing was turning to screaming .
Arthur blinked his heavy eyes, and from his peripheral vision did he notice the screaming man beside him. The howls were continuous, and Arthur remained neutral until he realized he was not in a lake.
But in a fountain.
"What on Earth…?" Arthur coughed, eyeing the strange man with furrowed brown. He would have worried about his… odd whereabouts, but the man beside him caught his concern. "Excuse me, are you al-"
The man had shrieked even louder, falling onto his behind before kicking the ground to get away from him.
"A… a monster with scary eyebrows!" The auburn-haired man wailed. He turned his head to his shoulder. Crying, "Kiku! Kikuuuu! I accidentally summoned something horrifying!"
In a second, armed men were pointing spears at Arthur's head. The blonde yelped, arms raising upwards in surrender. Arthur panicked as he whirled his head around, searching for an escape, but there was none. He was flanked by soldiers in all corners, all aiming their sharp weapons against him.
Arthur feared for his life. He stilled, refusing to move even just an centimeter, for the spear nearest to him has its point just an inch from his neck. The blonde Englishman has no idea where he ended up in; the last thing he remembered was falling into a lake, nearly drowning before being pulled to the surface.
"I... " Arthur croaked, fighting to search for words as he stared warily at the armored men around him. They were clad in metal armor, a sword to fight against their enemy, and a shield for defense.
The touch of red caught Arthur's attention. The letter 'A' was boldly stamped on the soldiers' chestplate, right above their hearts. And speaking of hearts, the shield they held against them had the shape painted at the front, bright with red while a black, elegant 'H' was printed in the middle.
"What's happening?"
Two people were conversing behind the line of guards. After a few seconds, three of the men retreated to let a raven-haired man come in. A pair of puzzled, hazel-colored eyes glanced down at Arthur. Dressed in formal clothing, color coding with the former man with auburn hair, Arthur conjectured them to be of high importance and position.
"Hello, there," the man greeted with curiosity. He eyed Arthur attentively, hazel eyes scanning him up and down. After a moment, he turned to the guards and gestured for them to leave. Upon receiving confirmation, they withdrew their weapons and stepped back, however, they stood at a close range just in case. "I'm sure you're probably wondering where you are. Come, let's get you some new clothes."
Bewildered, Arthur slowly stood up, water running down from his trousers. He leaped over the fountain, once again questioning himself about his current whereabouts. Now that he thought about it, Arthur couldn't remember any events prior to now. He fished for his memories, but nothing came to the surface. He still remembers his folks at home: Liam, Cassandra, the orphanage… but how he got here? He has no idea.
He can't… possibly be dreaming? The feeling of waking up from an unknown dream was similar to what he was feeling now. But in this case, it was backwards.
A cold wind breezed through him, and he shivered. If this was truly a dream, then why was it so lucid?
"I need you to wear this," the raven-haired man announced, slapping a metal band around Arthur's wrist.
Arthur curiously inspected it. "What is this for?"
"Safety precautions. It conceals whatever magic or power you may be hiding. If you have that is."
"Magic?" Arthur laughed. Did they believe in witchcraft? "I am no warlock if that's what you are wondering."
Despite his honesty, the other man only replied with silence. Although he was quiet, his eyes were reading Arthur, as if he didn't believe him. "Very well. Please follow George, he'll get you something to change into. Meanwhile, I shall prepare tea for us both."
Arthur should have continued to question his current situation, but the promise of tea was more alluring.
x
Arthur pinched himself under the table. He pinched his thigh, his arm, his hand; but it didn't do anything to wake himself up from this strange dream. Didn't people say to pinch oneself in order to escape their nightmares? Although this was far from a nightmare, no one was out to kill him or something, but Arthur wished to return back to his reality.
This dream felt awfully terrifying regardless. He felt alive, and everything around him appeared real. It was as if he jumped into a different universe. They said dreams are supposed to be short and nonsense; albeit this world was nonsense and abnormal already (why are they so obsessed with the color red?!), it wasn't short like what people say. It was continuous, and Arthur could remember every moment that passed.
He could feel the wind dance on his skin, he could smell the faint scent of roses from the garden, and he could literally taste the tea he was drinking right now. Why was his dreams so different from everyone else? Was this why he can never remember when he wakes up? If so, how come only now he can visibly see his dream transpire?
"What kingdom are you from?"
Arthur tears his gaze away from his tea. Matcha, the raven-haired man called it. He's never had this type of tea before, its taste foreign from what he was used to.
"Pardon?" Arthur replied. He would have replied England, but if this dream was different from his reality, would the latter accept his answer?
"Yes, kingdom. You are currently in the Kingdom of Hearts," he replied. "And I do apologize, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Kiku Honda, and I am the Queen of Hearts."
Arthur would have questioned it, but he bit his tongue. If he truly was in a crazed-filled dream, then many things would be nonsense. A Kingdom named Hearts? A male carrying the title 'Queen'? Arthur decided to just follow through this dream's system, afraid he may appear suspicious in front of him.
"My name is Arthur Kirkland," he answered. If this was hearts, then the other kingdoms must be the other suits, right? Was this whole world based on a deck of cards? Quickly, think of an answer. "And I'm from… Spades."
"Spades?" Kiku quizzed, incredulous by Arthur's answer.
Bollocks, Arthur said to himself. Did he mess up? Was Spades their eneny kingdom?
"But Spades is…" Kiku muttered, but he stopped himself. "Who are your monarchs then?"
Arthur was scared about his second thought. "Um… Queen Alexandrina Victoria and her prince consort, Albert." Arthur ensured he spoke confidently, but his stomach sank when Kiku raised a brow.
It was silent for a while. Arthur's heart drummed violently in his chest, and he did his best to remain eye contact with Kiku.
Finally, Kiku broke the silence. "You're wrong." Was all he said, yet it forced Arthur's heart to skip a beat. "You can't possibly be from Spades. The entire Kingdom of Spades is barren. No one has seen a single citizen of their kingdom."
All of a sudden the walls began closing in on Arthur. It started to suffocate him. He remembered the sharp spears that were held against him a few minutes ago. Any moment now the guards will burst inside the sitting room with their Queen's command.
"At first I thought Feliciano accidentally transported you here from a different kingdom. But he said he did nothing with the water in our fountain. You appeared there at your own accord, so you must have an intention to be here."
If Kiku accused him of some spy, then he looked strangely calm about it. Arthur's wary eyes turned to the metal band wrapped around his wrist, and he recalled Kiku saying it was something to conceal whatever magic he had. Is that what Kiku thinks? That he was some sorcerer ready to overthrow their kingdom?
"Who are you and why are you here?"
"I'm not a criminal!" Arthur blurted. His heartbeat raced even quicker, sending adrenaline swimming in his veins. Would they lock him up? Torture him? It was a dream, he kept reminding himself, nothing could hurt him here. But he dismissed that thought away because rememberd that he can feel pain even if he was here.
Kiku was baffled by Arthur's sudden outburst. "Then who are you?"
"My name truly is Arthur, but I come from a land named England," Arthur explained. The metal band started tightening around his wrist. "I'm not a… sorcerer or something. I'm an entirely normal human being. I'm not sure how I ended up here."
"England?" Kiku echoed, rolling the word in his tongue again. "I've never heard of a land named England." He studied Arthur, becoming silent once again. "Although you sound honest, you can't make me believe that you live in… England."
"That's because I don't belong here. This isn't real. It's a dream and I'm going to wake up from it soon."
x
They did lock him up. In a small cell that didn't even have a bench to sit on. Arthur was curled up on one corner, his forehead atop his folded legs. He incessantly muttered, wake up, wake up, wake up, as if it was going to help him.
When Arthur spat about how this was all a dream and that he didn't belong here, to Kiku, it sounded like I'm a very suspicious individual that might potentially kill you if you turn your back. When the guards threw him in this cell, Arthur only hoped he'd wake up before they do anything else malicious to him. He didn't know how their system worked, therefore he has no idea how this kingdom punishes the guilty. Will he receive a trial first? Or will they execute him for trespassing in the royal property?
Because that was exactly how it looked. Some stranger suddenly wakes up in their fountain, claiming to be innocent and lost, and suddenly blurting how he was from some land that was probably uncharted in their maps. Which actually made his situation sound worse. Kiku claims he practices witchcraft or something because apparently, it was Arthur who transported himself here in the first place.
By this time his sanity was already beginning to lose itself. Arthur lived a normal life, despite how mundane it was. He made sure to be a good citizen by upholding the law and ensuring he doesn't follow a troublesome path. Being accused and thrown into jail was something he tried to avoid, but then it happened.
Arthur continued to tell himself that this was a dream, that he'll wake up any second and remember none of it. Maybe this was why his mind refused to remember any moment in his dreams. It was terrible and abnormal. Why did he feel like a villain in his dreams? Why did everything appear so lucid and real?
Unless… it wasn't a dream? What if he truly did jump into a different universe? It sounds far-fetched but it seems reasonable enough. Then again… something in the back of his mind told him that all of this, the kingdoms, the monarchs, this land, was familiar. It was like a thought that was on the tip of his tongue. His mind said he should know what this place was, persuading that it is a dream that he's been having, but a dream he couldn't remember.
So what is it?
Shadows fell upon Arthur, and he silenced himself. Glancing upwards, he sees several individuals present. There were guards standing at attention behind three people, two which Arthur already acquainted with. Kiku and Feliciano, however, the other man he hasn't seen yet.
A gust of wind entered his cell, causing Arthur to curl into a tighter ball. As he warmed himself up, he wondered about the wind's origin. His cell had no window, and in fact, they were underground! Wind couldn't possibly enter beneath the surface; unless they left all the doors leading to this cell open. It was a silly deduction, which Arthur shouldn't think about because he was probably going to be executed at any moment.
"Arthur Kirkland of England, am I, right?" The voice belonged to the newcomer. It was demanding, and Arthur was compelled to reply as soon as possible.
"Yes, sir," he responded. From the faint light outside, Arthur sees that the man had blonde hair that was neatly slicked back. He appeared taller than the two, and his clothing appeared more elegant and regal.
Intense blue eyes stared at Arthur, that alone sending cold chills to run down his spine. "Put this on to your other wrist, and then come over here." The other blonde threw something, and Arthur caught it on his end.
It was another metal band. He didn't want to appear more suspicious, so he slipped the enchanted band on his naked wrist. Automatically it readjusted to his size, making it impossible for him to remove. Unless he cuts his hand off.
"You will be following my Queen and Jack to the Diamond Kingdom," he says, voice tight and commanding. It boomed all the way to the other cell rooms. "We are not allowing you your liberty yet until we ensure your innocence. Those metal bands you have conceal whatever power you may hold, as you may already know, but wearing two of them would most likely knock you off conscious if you attempt anything."
"I don't have any power," Arthur replied honestly.
"Francis will confirm that."
Before Arthur could ask who Francis was, one of the guards opened the cell door. He gestured for Arthur to follow, and the latter stood up with no hesitation. He sauntered to the exit, wary of the dozens of eyes staring at him as if he was some criminal.
Whoever Francis was, Arthur hoped he could be his ticket back home.
x
"I know you speak the truth."
Kiku starts a conversation out of nowhere. All three of them were currently inside a carriage, with Arthur on one side, and the other two monarchs on the opposite. Feliciano, which he was introduced to as the Jack Heart, sat closely to Kiku, wearing a terrified expression. He stared at Arthur as if he would hurt him if he looked away.
Meanwhile, Arthur finished eating a small delicacy they brought as a snack for their journey. Mochi, they said. It came in small, circular molds that taste sweet and chewy once you pop them in your mouth. It was a soft cake made of rice and a few ingredients to create different flavors. Arthur was a little ashamed when he kept taking one after the other, but Kiku assured him that it was fine.
Arthur felt as if he was more of a guest rather than their prisoner.
"You believe me?" Arthur asks.
"I do, but I'm a little hesitant. You look innocent enough, but something tells me you're more than that," Kiku replies with a nod. "That is why we need you to wear those bands on your wrist. You may say you have no power, but my King, Feliciano, and I sense something in you. It's subtle, but it's there."
"Right," Arthur muttered. "The man with blonde hair and blue eyes; that was your king?"
"Yes, Ludwig, the King of Hearts."
"He's very intimidating."
"I know. Many have said that in the past, even the current monarchs from the other kingdoms. He is the youngest king among others, that is why he tries to practice perfection and relay authority to become as prestigious as his father, the previous King of Hearts."
"The Monarchy is passed down by family?"
"No. The Gods choose the next Kings, Queens, and Jacks. It's rare for children to bear their parent's mark and become their successor."
"Oh," Arthur blinked. So there's Gods who give people titles then. "How do you know who's the next monarch?"
"The mark," Kiku answered. The Queen pulled his collar down, exposing a dark figure printed over his heart. "It appears on their chest once the previous ruler dies or loses their position. The latter is unlikely, mostly because those who receive the mark are true leaders with passionate souls."
"How do you know if someone, you know, has a fake mark?" This was actually a little interesting.
"We'll know just by looking at it. If that fails, which is highly unlikely, they'd have to present us their power."
"Power?"
"Each royal has their own power, and it all depends on which kingdom they are assigned to. My Kingdom, the Kingdom of Hearts, controls the forces of nature. The Queens are given the power of growth, the Jacks can manipulate water, and the Kings guide the wind. Each one of us have complete control over our assigned abilities, and it is our job to evenly distribute our powers to the other kingdoms."
"So, not only are you the rulers of your land, you carry certain abilities of how the world works? And you have ultimate control of it?"
"Yes."
"Wow," Arthur gawks. "You said you have the power of growth? What does that mean?"
"It means I cultivate and nurture plants and other plant life. I can double the growth time of any seedling if I wish," Kiku explains and then turns to the window. "Those trees you see right now."
Arthur follows his gaze. "Yes. The one with pink leaves?"
"I call them sakura trees. They're my favorite."
"They're magnificent," Arthur says in awe, amazed by the beauty of these sakura trees. Never in his life has he seen a tree that bore leaves that were pink. A gust of wind flew by, stealing away some of the blossoms. They looked like petals flowing with the wind.
As Kiku continued to speak, sharing with him about his other favorite flowers and trees, Arthur couldn't help but watch the beautiful scenery outside. He wished he could just hop out of the carriage and see how the pink blossoms feel on his fingertips, but he needed to remember that he was still a prisoner. Any suspicious activity would make him lose Kiku's trust. And it seems as if only Kiku believed him at this point.
However, as they passed the gate, a stronger wind blew past, forcing the window shut. In a second the temperature dropped, causing Arthur and the other two to shiver and shake. Now he understood why, despite a hot day, they've given him a thick coat. It was to protect him from the weather.
However, something was off.
"What was that?" Arthur's voice was uneven, his words turning into clouds of smoke in front of him. He glanced at the window, reaching a hand before opening it.
Emerald eyes widened in shock. A while ago there were healthy trees and sunlight, but that was all replaced with a cloudy sky and a storm. A blizzard perhaps? They were at a village already, just outside the palace. Arthur could see the villagers, all dressed in heavy attire to protect themselves from the rigid wind. There were no signs of trees at all, and if there was, it was nothing but a dead bark.
Arthur didn't notice his mouth was opened until he felt his tongue go dry. From the corner of his eye, he sees an odd dome a few yards behind them. Wishing to see a better look of it, Arthur pushed towards the door, bringing his head outside. Although the wind pricked his skin like needles, his attention was allured by the strange, dome-like shadow that separated the palace from the village.
Arthur would have gotten a better look if Kiku didn't hurl him back inside. The raven-haired man closed the window, locking it as well. "Don't do that! You'll get frostbite!" Kiki chided with a small scowl.
"Sorry," Arthur apologized. His eyelashes felt awfully heavy. He looked up and saw snow residing on them. As he dusted them away, he turned to Kiki with a baffled expression. "I was just… what was that just now? The weather changed dramatically in just a second and… and what was that dome?"
Kiku and Feliciano looked at each other, and then back to Arthur. The solemn look in their eyes told Arthur he shouldn't have asked that.
"War," Kiku said, in a whisper that was barely audible. "The dome acts as a shield for the palace. Outside, a terrible storm has taken over. For years in fact. We cannot risk the palace from becoming barren. A kingdom's palace is the land's heart, and if something were to happen to it, the land would perish."
Sorrow washed over their faces, and Arthur could tell they were thinking about the citizens. The people he just saw a few moments ago. Although they were protecting the palace, they had to carry the burden of seeing their citizens suffer. And from what Kiku said, this 'war' had been raging on for years.
It made Arthur uneasy. Did he just waltz himself into a battlefield? If so, he needed to get out of this world before he encounters a destructive war between these kingdoms. And from the looks of it, it may be more worse than the wars he's seen in his world.
Clearing his throat, Arthur changed the subject. "So, you said the Jacks can manipulate water?" He asks, turning to Feliciano. The man's expression turned from worry to terrified in a fraction of a second.
"Forgive him, he is still…-" Kiku gasped when Feliciano forced himself to hide behind his back, pushing the Queen a little from his seat. "-... he is still shaken from our early episode. When you appeared at the fountain. He thought he summoned something from the undead but I assured him his abilities are far from that; no royal can bring back a deceased individual."
Arthur frowned. Surely he doesn't look that unpleasant. He feels self-conscious now. His eyebrows do come off as… horrendous and bizarre, but if he attracted someone as beautiful as Cassandra, then surely his appearance wasn't too odious. And he was a gentleman!
Nevertheless, the thought of Cassandra flew to the surface like a buoy, followed by a string of memories. Cassandra, attraction, birthday - however, the memories began drifting apart the second they appeared. Arthur tried his best to keep them afloat, to remember the events that lead to now. Despite his internal efforts, his memories drifted away, far from the extent of his reach.
"Are you alright?"
Kiku pulled him back to reality: reality? Arthur blinked, seeing the Queen of Hearts eyeing him with worry. Even Feliciano showed concern, peeking out from behind Kiku's shoulder. Or he was probably a little unsettled with Arthur's odd behavior, watching him like a hawk just in case he does something awful to him and Kiku.
Arthur laughed before apologizing. "Sorry, I was… I was trying to get a grasp of my memories. You see, I honestly have no idea why and how I got here. I just know that I have friends waiting for me at home, in England, and… and they're probably wondering where I am."
Kiki nodded. "I believe you, but I'm still not certain about this land you call England. What if you've got your memories all jumbled up while you transported yourself here?"
"That's… half true."
"So you must be a citizen for one of the kingdoms. I'm not sure where you got 'England' from, but it is not a village nor a state in any of the four kingdoms."
"It is real," Arthur begged. This world isn't real. But the last time he said they threw him behind bars.
"If it were then we would know," Kiku says, gesturing to him and Feliciano. The Jack nodded. "Unless it's an illegal organization that we may need to know."
Worry flooded in him again. "It's not!"
Arthur didn't mean to yell. In an instant, his hand slapped over his mouth. Kiku and Feliciano eyed him again with mirrored looks, expressions that screamed 'we don't trust you'. The reactions that Arthur had made him appear unreliable, enough to convince them about their suspicions. Denying it wouldn't do any good either.
Fuck.
x
They made it to the Kingdom of Diamonds. Similar to Hearts, the palace had a dome enclosing it from the harsh weather. Their long journey had all three of them shivering, even wearing the thick layers of wool wasn't enough to shield them away from the cold. Arthur couldn't imagine how the citizens handled this type of weather everyday, or the soldiers who fight under these conditions. They were flanked by soldiers on all sides during their journey, all on carriages or horses.
If Arthur couldn't handle the cold, how else with the soldiers? This weather he was in was absolutely insane. Arthur has seen winter and snow in England, but never this severe.
When they entered the dome, Arthur sighed as warmth seeped into the carriage. He opened the window, and instead of meeting snow and wind, he was introduced to a cloudless sky, the warm sun smiling down at him. They entered the gates, which led them to a path surrounded by tall hedges. A few servants littered around, trimming the plants to make sure they maintained their shapes.
Unlike the Hearts Kingdom, who dressed in mostly reds and pinks, the Diamond Kingdom wore yellows and oranges. Passing the hedges, Arthur ogles at the field of sunflowers, an abundance of sunflowers! They stretched throughout their gardens, all bright and lively, dancing with the wind. He sees a few gardeners here and there, some of them waving at the carriage.
"This is the Diamond Kingdom, huh," Arthur said, emerald eyes twinkling at the scenery.
"Yes, and it is where we will meet Francis, the King of Diamonds."
"Francis? Oh, yes, him," Arthur said before turning his attention back to the Heart monarchs. "Who is he anyway? He must be someone prestigious if we're travelling all the way here from your kingdom."
"Ah, Francis is the oldest monarch amongst us all. Unlike us, all three monarchs in Hearts were coronated just a little over five years ago. We're still learning and adjusting to our positions. Meanwhile, Francis has been a King for decades. He's very wise and respected by his people. In fact, he managed to bring citizens who lived in small villages to stay inside the dome. Those who suffered the most. Sometimes I think Francis has a goal to cram his entire kingdom in the palace."
Kiku laughed, and Arthur could see the admiration he had for the Diamond King. He must be highly distinguished for him to earn much respect from other monarchs. An ideal King, Arthur might say.
"The Diamond Kingdom is what controls our days and nights. Francis brings the sunny skies, his Queen, Lili, gives us the night we need to rest, and his Jack, Vash, brings the moon to illuminate the land when it's dark," Kiku explained.
When the carriage finally reaches to a halt, Arthur and the Heart monarchs removed their coats since the weather was more tropical and hot. The door opens, and the coachman bows before stating their arrival. Exiting the carriage, Arthur savors the warmth that danced on skin. He was a little lightheaded from the drastic change in weather.
They were escorted by a servant. And as they climb the great steps to the palace, Arthur catches a glimpse of a tall man waiting at the top, dressed in fine silks of orange and yellow. His platinum blonde hair swayed with the wind, and Arthur felt himself compelled. Something itched in his brain, and his bands tightened once again.
So this is Francis.