as always, i do not own the selection nor hetalia. these belong to kiera cass and himaruya hidekaz respectively.
The room was completely packed by the time Arthur got there, to his absolute dismay.
Everyone had been requested to wear the outfits they had came into the palace with again, according to Anna, so Arthur didn't have to worry too much about his appearance other than attempting to tame his hair, which didn't end particularly well. Still, there was something reassuring about seeing thirty odd people wearing the same clothes as he was.
Once he got there, a palace guard placed a badge on his chest with his name on it, and then opened the door to what felt like a completely different room.
It felt as if a miracle had been wreaked on the Drawing Room overnight. What had once been a spacious room filled with ornaments, sofas and ornate tables had been transformed into what felt like a film studio. There were two white backdrops on the sectioned off right side of the room that had two sofas on it, with all sorts of camera equipment that Arthur couldn't name, to a seating area half filled with people. What interested him the most, though, was the trio of rectangular tables filled with finger foods, so he decided to make a beeline for that first.
The familiar sounds of a bustling room filled his ears as he took a plate and helped himself to a few things. Shouts of a name, clicks of a camera, general conversation, the sounds of a door...it did feel a little overwhelming, but as long as he managed to get breakfast Arthur felt as if he might stand a fighting chance surviving the day.
To his relief, he managed to spot Leon and the two girls from yesterday in the seating area. Attempting to not feel overly self conscious, he picked his way to them and greeted them with a noncommittal wave.
"Good morning," Sakura said politely, returning the gesture. "Pr - please, take a seat. We are still waiting for our turn – you were from Hearts, correct?'
"Yes, I was," Arthur replied, and sank gratefully into the seat next to Leon, who also greeted him. "Are they interviewing the Diamonds and Clubs first?"
"I think so, yeah," Leon said, taking a bite out of his own club sandwich. He looked in the direction of Emma as if he were expecting her to say something, but she was clearly distracted by the camera on the right side of the room.
"Camera shy?" Arthur asked, attempting to drum up at least a little bit of conversation. When she only gave a halfhearted nod, he decided to look over in her direction and realised she was in fact staring at the prince, speaking with a boy behind the glass partition. A small line had formed behind the two cubicles, with the Jack in the first one, probably doing a more general interview.
"Doesn't he look so regal?" she murmured to herself, resting her chin on one hand. "What would it be like to speak to him? Wouldn't it be such a wonderful date?"
Sakura gently nudged her. "Emma, you will be speaking to him soon enough, but I do think you should be eating," she chided gently. "At re – least, finish what is on your plate."
"...! Um, I'm so sorry," she stammered, her face the familiar embarrassed expression it had worn last night, looking at her companions. "Sakura, you're right, I just..."
"Sir Arthur has just joined us, maybe you should say hello as well."
Emma gave herself a little shake, two pink dots appearing on her cheeks. "Oh! Good morning, Sir Arthur, I hope you're doing well!"
"Good morning – er, you could just call me Arthur," he replied, trying to ignore Leon's barely concealed chuckle. "I'm doing very well, thank you."
A little too well in the competition, perhaps, he thought to himself, having her words echo in his head. So it was what he had suspected since he had returned to his room - last night's 'interaction' had indeed been a date of some sort. Impromptu and completely unplanned, of course, which confused him, but it fit the criteria of one on one time.
Naturally, it did embarrass him a little when it kept him up at night, but of course it would not go anywhere except between him and the prince. Arthur would prefer to not have a target painted on his back so early in the competition, especially if it would mean nothing later on – if he were still here.
The four of them continued to exchange brief small talk, musing on their different experiences before they were Chosen. Seeing as Emma was from Diamonds, Arthur asked her about the well spread rumour in his holding facility that tracker chips were used in the Clubs and Diamonds facilities, but was only greeted with a laugh.
"Is that the kinda stuff they really say down here? Well, I haven't lived in one myself, but my brother had a friend who applied for the Hearts Deciding a few years back, and there was nothing like that!" she laughed, and Arthur felt the social awkwardness come back all over again – he knew it, he should never have made friends with anyone. "Though I have to ask...do they make you in Hearts...you know?"
Was she trying to make fun of the rumour, or him, or both? "No, I don't."
"Well, in Diamonds we hear that everyone has to be packed in the same sleeping area to save costs," she began. Right, even with the trade deficit issue, Diamonds was still known for its wealth. "And you have to share a bathroom between twenty people."
"Fates, not at all, I roomed with one person at most for all my years I spent there," Arthur said, grimacing a little at the thought of having to share a bathroom with twenty other people. "So I promise you, there's nothing like that in Hearts."
A touch of mischief sparkling in her eyes betrayed her amusement. Even though she had definitely got the best of him in that regard, Arthur had a small feeling that they'd get along well.
"You two, we're already out of the facility things," Leon interjected, though he and Sakura were smiling. "Guess we should, like, focus on the interviews? At least, I hope I wasn't the only one thinking about it last night."
A guard called out two names that Arthur couldn't recognise, but he was fairly sure that he had seen the two boys that stood up and walked up to the waiting area yesterday morning, meaning that the Spades and Hearts people were up soon. "No, it was not just you," Sakura replied whilst Arthur was watching them move. "I am quite nervous that I will not know what to say."
"Just be yourself, Sakura," Emma smiled, brushing her arm against her friend – though Sakura shied away, Arthur figured she was just shy, returning the gesture with only a nod. "I'm sure that alone will charm everyone!"
Almost as if on cue, the guard standing near the seating area called for her and Emma. Before the two of them had even stood up, the guard read out Leon's name then Natalya's, the girl that Arthur had had a brush with. Even though they had barely interacted since coming to the palace, she was still here, so a recognisable face was still appreciated. Still, with their departure, the three of them still sitting couldn't help but feel anxious.
Unsurprisingly, they weren't alone in their fear. There was a most terrible noise, and it sounded as if someone had been sick. A commotion rose up near the waiting area where the person was standing, then soon afterwards the door had been hurriedly thrown open, coupled with the harsh smell of disinfectant.
"Poor thing," Leon mumbled, though he looked nauseated right before he left. "Don't blame whoever it is, though. Being presented to Spades, let alone the whole of Cards..."
The uneasiness of the entire situation, not to mention the fact that everyone had been called up so soon, meant that Arthur couldn't help but sit quietly by himself for the next half hour, half heartedly taking sips of the tea that he'd requested. The heat didn't exactly do much to calm his nerves, though the chamomile scent did help him feel just that little more gentlemanly.
When it was finally his turn to be summoned, Arthur decided to simply watch what was going on – to his relief; it seemed to be mostly interviews and nothing else. He could at least trust himself to not screw up to some degree with them. Nevertheless, his heart couldn't help but pound faster in his chest as he approached the first cubicle, where the Jack was sitting with a pleasant expression on his face.
"Sir Arthur, welcome," he said, waving once in way of a greeting. "I hope you've been doing well this morning. Shall we start?"
"Thank you, Your Highness, it has," Arthur said, bowing before sitting on the other sofa. "Yes, I'm ready."
With a small gesture, the red lights on the two cameras started blinking, then the Jack started his interview without missing a beat. "So, Sir Arthur, since you've been educated in the Hearts holding facilities, would you say that it gives you the advantage in the competition?"
Arthur's mouth went dry. Somehow, he felt as if that were a loaded question – of course, the holding facility programme was designed to not only prepare exemplary candidates for the Deciding, but provide an affluent education that they wouldn't have been able to receive otherwise. Because of that...
"I wouldn't say it gives me an absolute advantage," he replied. "That being said, the education I've received as a result of the holding facilities, I feel as if I've been able to adjust to life within the palace fairly easily. Though I will admit, one of the most comforting moments I've had would be with the use of the palace cutlery."
"It can be quite intimidating at the beginning, yes," Jack Yao chuckled. That sort of response was reassuring, at least. "Was there any reason you chose to come to Spades for this year's Deciding?"
Yes, but I can't say it out on camera, Arthur thought to himself, before thinking it was probably a good idea to stop thinking to himself all the blasted time. "Er, there wasn't one specific reason for me choosing to come to Spades, I did not expect to be chosen at all. T-Though, that is not to say that I didn't think about it, I would, er, say that after learning so much about the kingdom, I thought that it would suit me the best."
Yao raised one elegant eyebrow, half surprise, half amusement by the glint in his eye. "That is to say, not the prince?"
Arthur took it back; he was horrible at doing interviews. He never wanted to do one ever again. "No, that's not true...o-of course, for the prince as well, yes."
"I see, I see. How are you finding the palace, then?"
Be honest. "Erm, it's quite large, like a maze," Arthur said. "I managed to find some time to visit the gardens, briefly, and it's even more amazing than I imagined it to be. And, I suppose, the prince himself is somewhat intriguing."
"What intrigues you about the prince?"
Oh bollocks, that was a mistake, Arthur swore internally, noticing the mistake only after the words had flown out of his mouth. Painfully aware that this was probably the clip to be shown on the Broadcast that evening, he planned his next answer very carefully.
"Well, in the holding facilities, we're taught a lot about the Primary Suits, more so than usual, I believe. I've seen His Highness in one light, and with what little interaction we've had I believe that it may be a chance for Cards, during this Deciding, to see another side to him." Coupling that with a smile, he hoped it didn't seem too extraordinary. He'd prefer to stay under the radar as much as possible, thank you.
"That's an intriguing answer in itself," Yao said. "Unfortunately, our time is quite short, so I must ask you one more question only – do you think you stand a chance in the competition, Sir Arthur?"
No, not really. "Yes, as everyone else does." Arthur replied, opting for the more conspicuous answer.
"Well, we'll have to see, yes?" The Jack stood, holding out his hand, and Arthur shook it, hoping his palm wasn't sweaty. "That wraps up our brief interview. Thank you, and best of luck, Sir Arthur."
Alfred was, to put it plainly, exhausted.
He felt as his voice was about to give out, his shoulders were slightly sore, his glasses had slid down the bridge of his nose, and he'd confirmed the hard way that four people could, in fact, not communicate with him at all.
Not even to the level of stuttering, blushing, goosebumps, but sitting in their chairs and staring blankly at him for a painful eight minutes. He'd had to stop the cameras, gently ask them to stay back for the rest of then day, and then called for the next person. He was pretty sure he heard one of them sob. That had been pretty awful to pretend as if nothing had happened, but that came with the job, he guessed.
By the time the Hearts candidates started trickling in for their interviews, he just wanted to slouch in his seat and eat a burger. Or three. Of course, that was outta the question, so he kept his smile, kept on trying to be charming, witty, funny, attractive, smart, whatever else a crown prince of Spades should be.
As soon as Sir Arthur appeared, though, he couldn't help but panic. All day the other Chosen had talked about how he hadn't actually taken them on a date, and if Arthur felt the same about their encounter last night, that could be a problem. Ideally, he'd wanted to start dating soon, but two days into the process could be seen as rude and disruptive. The advisors would surely have some...words to say to him.
When Sir Arthur sat in the chair next to him and turned expectantly, Alfred gestured once for the cameras to give them a moment of privacy.
"Sir Arthur, if you don't mind me saying something real quick before we start our interview?" Back to formal mode before I turn on the charm later.
"Yes, of course, Your Highness," Sir Arthur said, and Alfred could tell his voice was wobbly. "Have I done something wrong?"
"No, you haven't, it's just..." Alfred paused, before lowering his voice so that only he could hear. "About yesterday. I would prefer you keep the encounter secret, as...technically, within the rules I am not supposed to have one on one time with the other Deciding candidates until forty eight hours have passed. I'm not saying you did anything wrong, it's just...you know. Don't wanna hurt any feelings."
"Of course, Your Highness," Arthur said, his shoulders relaxing. "For the record, it was a...yes?"
"Yes, I believe so, and it counts for such," Alfred admitted, rubbing the back of his neck in sheepishness, "But I'd just prefer ya not mention it until it's within protocol. Sorry about asking another favour from you. "
Arthur's cheeks pinked; something about it was strangely cute. "Ah. Understood, Your Highness. And that just means you owe me something else, yes?"
Alfred fought back a laugh; maybe he wasn't so embarrassed about it as he thought he was? "Yeah, kinda. Let's just get this interview done and we'll sort that stuff out, okay?"
"Thanks, everyone – we're ready to start now." An unspoken question was exchanged between the two cameramen, but they did not raise it and merely began the recording.
"So, Sir Arthur, do you have anything you'd like to ask me?"
He raised a thick eyebrow – what did that mean? "Your Highness, how is this interview different from the one we just went through with Jack Yao?"
"..."
That was it. Alfred broke into a very unprincely, ungentlemanly, full chested chortle. Thankfully, he'd managed to rein it in very quickly, but the damage had already been done.
Arthur looked as if he had been run through clean with one of the guards' spears, mouth hanging slightly ajar, green eyes wide with panic. "I...I'm so sorry – that was rude, I should not have-"
"No, no, Sir Arthur, please, I found it funny," Alfred said, trying to wave him down. "I'm serious, it's not rude. It's funny. Really it is. Oh man, I'm just the worst, aren't I?"
A deep blush made itself known all over Arthur's cheeks, and Alfred couldn't help but feel a little guilty at the seething emotion coming off of him in waves. "Your Highness...I can't help but feel as if this is déjà vu. Did you not pull that prank on me the first time we met?"
Damn, he's good, Alfred squirmed internally. Way too good, probably for me. "Maybe, but...it wasn't a prank. It was my genuine reaction. Promise."
"I hope so, because if not you have played me for a complete fiddle," Arthur spluttered – a small noise sounded behind them, and Alfred realised it was one of the cameramen slapping a hand to their mouth. "An absolute...oh, and on live television as well. I daren't think of what horrendous reputation I've created for myself across the continent."
Oh no. Man, he hadn't fucked up in awhile, but he had fucked up bad this time. "Sir Arthur, please don't worry about that," he said quickly, almost tripping up on his words in his rush to reassure him. "I'm sure that everyone is charmed by you already."
The flush didn't seem to leave his face, so Alfred tried another tack and turned on the charm. "At least, you're still in the competition. So you could say that includes me."
To his relief, his distress appeared to subside somewhat, though Alfred barely noticed as he soldiered on. "Even though I'm perfect, well, far from it, you still managed to bear with my antics. And for that I'm thankful."
"Oh, I..." Arthur stammered. The blush didn't go away though, but his eyes were enough to distract him from that shortcoming of his own making. "I...Your Highness, thank you."
"Don't count yourself out, ya know!" Alfred winked – he'd put on the charm for the cameras, might as well keep on going, right? "The competition's just starting."
That had been an odd interview, to say the least. Arthur had left the interview room and had expected to be completely blindsided, overshadowed, possibly having made a fool of himself on television and even possibly eliminated, but not breathless.
All that talk...he still felt as if the prince was an enigma, something he couldn't quite understand. He wasn't even sure if all of it was honest or not, but there was a sincerity behind those words. Yes, he had been royal his entire life and therefore might have been trained for these sorts of situations with a golden tongue, but Arthur thought it was prudent enough to let his cynicism slide for a moment and give him the benefit of the doubt.
He wasn't leaving, and his time wasn't over yet. That alone managed to quell his turbulent inner thoughts.
That is, until he stepped out of the cubicle and saw all the eyes fixated on him.
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