It was Kane's favorite part of the night when he retreated to his room and prepared a chess game. One that was promised in exchange for hours of painting a full-fledged portrait…in his eyes, it was more than a fair trade. Nothing could clear his mind like his favorite board game. He was eager as he set the pieces in their respectful spots. By the time he was finished, 'Queen' walked into the room and discarded her gloves.

She took a seat and flashed a smile, matching his enthusiasm as she made the first move. True, they had a rough exchange earlier that day...she'd been insistent on asking about his father since they met with her mother. He repeatedly dodged her questions and mentally prayed they would come to an end. She hadn't asked him a single question since their small confrontation. He was quick to brush that thought aside, watching their pawns go along the board thoughtfully.

His head was completely wrapped in the game. They barely spoke. There wasn't much to say. The movement of their pieces exchanged plenty between them. He was speechless at the result of their match. When Queen called 'check', he was taken aback in his seat. He thoroughly inspected the game and made his moves after painful examination, only to end in a checkmate that wasn't left from his lips.

She won.

It was the first time in years he'd been beaten at his own game.

Even she was surprised, staring at him with wide eyes. She giggled. "You must have finally let me win..!"

"I didn't." He insisted, staring at their board. His look was perplexed, his gaze focused intently on the leftover pieces. He was attempting to piece together how this happened. She noticed his stiff posture and set the chess piece down.

"Really..?" She clacked her tongue. "All that practice must've paid off! I've been playing so much ever since I met you."

Kane sat back in his seat. He realized how she won. He played her entire strategy in his mind, remembering every move she made in their game. She played him like a fiddle. He didn't notice a couple of her openings that should've been obvious. How she managed to trick him was beyond his understanding. But he didn't really need to know.

All he knew was that a strange sensation went through him. It was an excitement and a familiar longing that came from deep within. This newfound arousal caused him to eye her from across the small table, abruptly standing in his seat and clearing the board. Queen jumped as the pieces fell messily onto the floor. Her brown eyes went back to him, advancing on her as the seconds passed.

"Kane?" She asked, her heart speeding as she clenched the sides of her chair.

He removed himself from the table and finally met with her, holding the sides of her head with shaking hands. "Do you know how long it's been since someone beat me at chess..?"

She swallowed. His touch was desperate. "I'd think you'd be outraged… "

"Not at all." He left a kiss on the side of her neck. Then two. Then three. "It takes someone incredibly resourceful to outwit me."

She let out a surprised noise when he grabbed her from the seat. In a matter of seconds, he had her pinned down to the bed. She had no moment to think as he covered her skin in needful kisses, embracing her figure tightly while he worked his way down. It didn't take long before her dress was completely removed and he led them through the night. Not that she protested; she *liked* him like this - she adored his strength and how he could overpower her at any moment he wanted.

She made it a goal in her mind to win again.


. . .

Kane's eyes opened. The sunlight brightened the room as he sat up and observed his surroundings. The table was tipped over, their chairs thrown carelessly aside, and chess pieces laid around the floor. He brought a hand through his white hair as he recalled what happened last night. The sensations returned to his body the longer he remembered them. A smile grew on his lips at the revelation.

Queen beat him at chess.

To him, this symbolized more than improvement in a game. For so long, he had the upper hand - knowing his movements far before hers, always faster to complete the game in time. But she caught up. Their sessions became longer and more difficult as she recognized his strategies and played against them. It was only a matter of time before her mind worked just as fast as his, and she noted all the movements that became muscle memory to him.

He placed a fist over his chest as his heart beat intensely. There was that feeling again. The strange ache when Emilia asked if he loved her. The weakening of his muscles and heat that overpowered his chest. Of course he loved his Queen. Her winning that game last night reminded him why he did. She was growing so capable, strong and incredibly sharp…everything he envisioned of her becoming: she was finally there..!

He was excited. Proud. All this hard work sculpting her into the fine woman he wanted by his side….Queen was finally ready. He turned his head in expectation that he'd find her beautiful, sleeping form - only to be met with an empty spot on the mattress. He peered around the room for a minute before removing himself from the bed and dressing in his uniform.

The entire time he prepared that morning, he looked for her. He wanted to speak with Queen - to hear her lovely voice again...He climbed down the stairs and searched around. He expected her to be with Bishop, but instead found his tinkerer alone in their workshop. Her presence was not in the house at all. He finally reached the kitchen and found a note attached to a magnet on the fridge. He removed it and read what was written:

'Went to the library. Will return. -Q'

He crumbled it in his hand. A strange decision to head somewhere this early in the morning...but he didn't question it. For now. He had other things on his mind - plans he wished to fulfill while she wasn't here. He collected some gold and promptly shoved it in his coat's pocket as he left the mansion, his pace quick to get to his desired destination.


'Queen' spent her week in the halls of Cadiz' grand library, reading as much literature as possible. She wanted to get all the information she could before meeting Kane's father. She searched for books, documents, and people who knew of Valencia's once-famous toymaker. She'd spoken with different scholars about Gazpaccio, and those who allegedly met him. The process was peculiar. The people she met insisted on being anonymous and kept their exchanges private. Even obtaining the right papers to read about came from unknown hands, in alleyways and dark corners of streets.

She was instructed to read them alone, to keep them away from eyes of nearby soldiers. So she sought solitude in the library during the quiet hours, remaining undetected as the days went by. She learned through newspapers about the inventions Gazpaccio made, and what golden wonders were brought into Valencia. They ranged from wondrous toys to downright killing machines. His work appeared more malicious as time went on...

When she was out of material about the toymaker, she read about her partner instead. There were books published about Kane's work and contributions to Valencia. Engineers and scholars alike went crazy about his designs and machinery. Despite how hard she looked, she couldn't find anything about his past. There were biographies written about his days in the war, but nothing mentioned the toymaker. Even the papers about Gazpaccio neglected to mention anything about his son.

. . .

. . .

Her eyes fluttered open. Her vision became blurry and she rubbed them until it cleared. She noticed Kane's figure on his side of the bed, his bare chest moving while he breathed. She slipped out of the covers as quietly as possible, tiptoeing to the drawers and getting dressed. Her eyes were locked on the man across the room, intently watching if he stirred. Today was the morning she was due to meet with Phule at the docks. She didn't want Kane to notice her leaving, in fear he would suspect something.

Her boyfriend was in a better mood lately. Ever since she won that game of chess, he showed more affection her way and spent plenty of time together. Any moment she wasn't in the library, she was usually by his side, watching his soldiers train. He provided Queen with her own chair to sit in during these times, placed next to his. It almost felt like a throne of her own, watching people work below her.

She loved it.

Queen ensured he was asleep before leaving the room, shutting the door quietly and making little noise as she traveled down the stairs. She was unnoticed as she left the front doors of the mansion, making her way to Cadiz' docks. She wasn't wearing her usual clothes. She wore a different mask she'd found in a closet, with clothes that covered her entire form. She advanced on the docks and found a single ship there, with a man standing by himself. It looked nearly deserted, which was strange, since there were always soldiers working around the bastion.

She approached Phule, who was in his usual costume. He didn't seem to care about anonymity. He noticed her appearance and made a pleased noise once she was standing in front of him.

"Finally! No one noticed you coming here?"

"Not at all." She replied confidently. She peered around him to find only one other man waiting on the ship. "Where is everybody..?"

"Don't worry about it. I wasn't going to captain a ship with a nosy crew."

He motioned to the man to prepare for departure. Queen helped herself aboard and noticed how small it was compared to the usual vessels. Phule joined her side a moment after, and they were traveling on water within the next minute. The other man aboard was completely quiet, wrapped from head-to-toe like her, wearing a regular bauta mask. She almost believed it was Deacon, had it not been for the brown eyes.

She tilted her head at the jester. "You're able to captain ships..?"

"I normally don't have fleets like my brothers do...but I am able to go wherever I want, anytime I want."

She glanced at the other man and whispered quietly. "Who is he ..?"

"Someone I can trust not to blab about where we're going." Phule nodded at him. "The Tortellinis should be preparing right about now. It's an all-day affair. They have the entire family over to party and drink...we will be hanging low until they start their game. I know the perfect hiding spot on that island."

"You've been there before, haven't you?"

He looked into the horizon wordlessly. That answered her question. "Do you come to visit your grandfather?"

He shot up in his seat and nearly went for her throat. He had his hands in the air and calmed down, retreating them to his side and growling slightly. "Don't you go talking about it!"

She held up her own in defense. "It seems we both have a secret to keep..."

He eyed her before looking away and crossing his arms. They spent the rest of the ride in tense silence. It took a few hours until an island came into view. A large tower overlooked dead land and small buildings, with only the tiniest of a dock to board. So that's why they took a ship so small - they were able to board with ease, and out of sight. It looked like a private dock for the island.

The man in the bauta mask made himself scarce. Phule led her onto the land, taking a trail and hunching below the walls. He held the bells on his cap so they wouldn't ring with the movement. The walls were covered in large rotating gear mechanisms. They dodged around them as best as they could. Then they stopped to get a good look at what was going on. There were large men here, moving chairs and tables around. Their voices were gruff and they spoke in Italian. Their skin looked greasy and they wore plenty of jewelry, smoking cigars while they moved packs of alcohol. The others were currently putting up decorations.

She ducked down when one glanced in their direction. Phule tsked as they moved on - they were advancing to the tower on the island. It was situated near the shoreline. There were two guards currently standing at the door, looking bored out of their minds. Phule settled several feet away where they could not be seen. Queen craned her neck to look at the birds flying overhead.

"So, we wait here? For how long?" She whispered. He rubbed his hands together before sitting on the ground.

"You may want to get comfortable."

"Couldn't we just...knock them out?" She suggested. They looked easy enough - she was sure she could take them on her own. He waved his hand.

"That will let them know someone was here - and we can't have that. This is a family island. They know who's where at all times."

She huffed before joining him. It felt like eternity passed as they remained in the bushes, swatting away bugs and watching the guards. The men were eventually ordered to start heading in. They cheerfully left their posts a second after they got the message. It was afternoon by this point. Queen shot an impatient look at Phule, who stood from their hiding spot and cracked his back. She came to her feet and brushed the dirt off of her clothes. It was a good thing she wasn't in a dress...it could've been ruined !

"In there." He pointed to the tower.

They approached the door. She was surprised it opened upon her command. It was quiet inside, beyond a slight ticking sound. She moved herself in and motioned for Phule to follow. He stood where he was, waving a hand at her.

"I'll keep a lookout. If I see anyone coming, I'll knock on the door and you have to come out. Understood?"

She frowned. She expected him to want to see his grandfather, but it was safer if one of them kept watch. She wasted no time closing the door behind her in one movement. The moment it shut, she heard a startled voice from above. It sounded like it belonged to a man. It came from the direction of the long staircase circling around the room.

"Who is there? Is it already time for me to eat my lunch...?"

Her eyes widened when a figure climbed down the stairs. He was nothing as she expected - a balding man wearing a baggy, white shirt with brown pants folded at his knees and an apron tied around his waist. He wore long, white socks with a pair of shoes that were beginning to wear. She noticed what was left of his brown hair had gray streaks, and there was a goatee just under his lip. His eyes were a familiar shade of blue when he looked at her. As he stepped forward, she noticed a golden earring pierced on his right ear. He took a wobbly step towards her, holding the railing of his staircase uneasily.

"Wh-who are you...?" He asked weakly. "And how did you get here?"

'Right. I should introduce myself.' Clearing her throat, she replied, "My name is Queen. You're Kane's father, right?"

"Kane sent you here...?"

"No! I came here on my own."

He smiled slightly, folding his hands together and finally moving from the staircase. She noticed the ball and chain hooked onto his right ankle, which dragged on the floor as he moved. "-Ah. I recognize your name. You're his girlfriend, aren't you?" She smiled. He knew about her! "I have heard many rumors. I couldn't believe he was seeing a woman, after all these years..."

"I thought it would be right to meet you. I wanted to know who you are." She fumbled for a second. "You were the Toymaker, right? The one who made all of those wonders for Valencia, years ago...?"

"Yes; that was when I was in my prime." He spoke softly. "Please, we must get comfortable if we are going to talk."

She noticed there were no chairs in here. He sat on the floor in front of her. She took the cue to sit across from him. Not the most ideal place to sit and chat, but it was the only option, as this room was barren...A desk with various machines sitting on its surface caught her attention. They looked like the ones in Kane's workshop. Before she could get a better look, the man leaned forward. She could see how exhausted he looked, with the wrinkles on his forehead.

"How did you find this place?" He asked wearily. She couldn't blame him for not letting his guard down.

"Your grandson, Phule, led me here."

"Robert..." He tsked under his breath. She went to ask who that was until he changed subjects. "-I have never met any of my son's girlfriends before. My name is Gazpaccio. It is a pleasure to meet a beautiful woman like you."

"The pleasure is all mine. I came all this way, after all."

"There are so many rumors nowadays. No one talks about me anymore." He shook his head slightly. "I heard about you from those guards outside. They said you were a soldier that he fell in love with…"

"That's right." Her heart tingled at that word. "Kane observed my unit before taking me with him to Cadiz. He was giving me lessons and keeping track of me before that, in Florenza."

Gazpaccio rubbed his chin in thought. "It is an interesting story. I wouldn't have imagined him like this. I am glad to hear he's found someone, after all this time. I was hoping for it. That he isn't as heartless as they say…"

His words trailed off as silence settled in. Queen got a better look around the tower. There were a few books and papers laying around, but even more small toys and mechanisms on the tables and floors. It reminded her of what she was here for.

"I tried to read about you, but there wasn't much I could find. Someone handed me some newspapers from your day…" She searched through one of her pockets and unfolded one in question, handing it to him. "You were a beloved inventor back then. There were countless positive reviews about you."

He observed the page and chuckled, a bright smile growing on his face. "Yes..! This is quite an old one. It was the beginning of my days with toy-making. Things were so much better back then.."

Queen lowered her head. "I have a few more, but they describe your inventions becoming... different . You were making dangerous things. What happened to the toys?"

He set down the paper as his smile dropped. This was when he looked ashamed, refusing to make eye contact with her. "Such a long story...I was successful with what I was making, but I wanted more. When I was offered to build 'special' devices, I did not hesitate to do so. I wanted the money badly; I did not realize I was making such terrible things…"

He stood and walked over to the only window in the room. It had bars over it, to dissuade any attempts of escape. He held onto one and glanced out into the ocean. He looked almost reminiscent, a sad look washing over his eyes.

"I made a lot of money with what I did. But it didn't matter, in the end. They took advantage of me, stole everything I had, and drove me out of business..! I suppose what happened was out of spite. Greed. Anger. I knew it was bad then, but I didn't care. I just wanted revenge. How terrible of me…"

Gazpaccio picked his head up and realized her presence. He got swept up in his own story..! He returned to her with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. It has been so long since I've been asked about this. Holding onto all of it is such a weight I want to get off my shoulders…"

"I don't mind. I came here to get to know you. It's hard learning anything about you or Kane."

"But you are together with him. What is there you don't know?"

She bit her lip. "…He doesn't tell me a lot about his past. I've asked him plenty of times, but he won't tell me anything. Not even about you."

His look turned sad. "I don't blame him. It is right not to want to talk about me…"

"He said you two had something of a fight…"

"Not one fight. We had plenty of disagreements. But I was in the wrong. I realized that, after getting locked up here." Queen had a confused look on her face. He elaborated. "I wanted Kane to be an artist like me, to sculpt him in my image. And he was incredibly skilled. So, we worked together to build and paint these machines...At first, it went well. Years passed while I taught him everything I knew. He was intelligent and caught onto everything quickly. I guess it wasn't a surprise when he surpassed my own intellect…"

Queen clenched her hands. This was it. She was finally learning about his past…

"Kane was smart. Smarter than his brother, and eventually, smarter than me." Her mouth opened in surprise. "I could not teach him everything. What I didn't know, he taught himself. He wanted to learn. He grew less interest in building and painting, and wanted to work on other things. He was restless, but I didn't notice. I forced him to keep working with me, and when I grew more selfish...I asked for more of him. I started having him paint on his own. He was so talented, you see. I sold his works and kept the money - sometimes, I brought him out just to paint and sell them right away...he must have worked for tireless hours..."

Her fingers itched. "Kane has a brother !?"

He snapped out of his story. "Oh? You didn't know?" She shook her head indignantly. "Kane has a twin brother, named Able. He was not as gifted as him, and worked slower with machines...so I didn't have him around. I suppose that made him jealous, all the time I was spending with Kane. He worked around the house for me instead."

"What happened to him?" She asked curiously. He took a deep breath. She felt guilty for making a man speak this much, but they had so little time…

"Able was loyal. He stayed with me after everything. Kane...did not. I was putting him through so much - I entered him in chess competitions, just to keep the gold. I had him build countless machines and craft paintings, all so I could keep the profit as my own. I made him work harder than I should've. I praised to everybody that he was my 'ingenious son' , capable of anything. He was popular. But he did not want it. When the war came...he told me he wanted to serve."

His shoulders slumped. "I begged him not to go. I needed help to get revenge on those who wronged me. But he saw how pointless that was. So he spent his time training instead...He had so many responsibilities. There was a baby! Able and I helped look after Robert. But when the time came...Kane left, anyway. My business fell while he was gone. I struggled to keep up, and the competition wasn't helping. The fact that two more children were delivered to our doorstep only made things more difficult."

'Rooke and Deacon…' She thought.

"I was struggling. I thought it was a miracle that Kane came back alive! I was so happy...but there was something different about him. That war was unforgiving. It was cruel. And I think he experienced some things. He became more distant, emotionless...The stress of three children only made things worse. He was constantly overworking and seemed so unhappy...

I should have been proud to hear about his promotions. He was working his way up, while I was only falling down...But I took out my frustration. We had many arguments at this time. We fought. We said terrible things. He didn't want to help me anymore - and I took this terribly. I can't blame him for leaving me when he did."

His voice became shaky. He took a moment to recover himself, and in this silence, Queen felt shocked. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She sympathized with Kane, but also felt bad for the man before her eyes…she didn't know how to feel….

"Years passed while I wallowed in my own self pity and lost all my money. Able was still by my side. He supported me and our house...but I knew it was only a matter of time. Before the worst came, I was arrested. By my own son, with Rooke and Deacon. They told me I was imprisoned for my illegal practices...and they were not wrong. I am not proud of the deals I made, or the machines I crafted in those times. I was sent here that same day, to pay for my crimes in Valencia."

He motioned around them. She frowned. "And what about your other son..?"

"Able insisted on coming with me. He was arrested, too. When he was here, he would constantly talk about getting revenge on Kane. But I didn't want any part of it. I felt like I belonged here, to pay my sentence...and Able disagreed. He managed to escape, years ago. He promised he would come back and break me out...but that time has yet to come. I don't know where he is. I can't receive letters or messages to know how he's doing."

His tone sounded sad...Queen wanted to comfort him. "I'm sorry you two don't get along anymore. I'm sure Kane is just as affected by this as you are. He seemed emotional any time I mentioned you."

"I'm surprised he didn't have me killed. Sometimes I wonder why he sent me here...to stay here, rotting away...he has only visited me once, after all these years. I still love him. I know I wronged him. I wish I could see him one more time, to apologize for everything and fix what I had broken...if only he could give me the chance…"

She wanted to bring him back with her. But she couldn't. Kane didn't know they were here. And taking Gazpaccio from this tower...it was a bad idea. Her eyes went to the ball and chain around his ankle and frowned. That would be another issue entirely. She was also weary of those large men on this island. No doubt they would be enraged if their captive got away...

"I wish I could do something for you." She confessed. "I wanted to get to know you, but I feel terrible for what happened."

"Please, tell him I am sorry...and that I wish to redeem myself. He may not want to listen, but I just want him to know." He laid a hand on her shoulder. "I am sure you will make him happy, Queen. I'm glad I got to meet you. Thank you for coming."

"It was the only way I could know about you." She smiled. He returned it.

"Perhaps, if you gave him more time...he would talk about this. I'm sure of it."

She opened her mouth to say more, but they heard an abrupt knock from the door. Phule swung it open and faced the two of them. He moved his attention to Queen first.

"We must get going. They're finishing their game as we speak."

"Ah. You do not want to get caught. Believe me. The Tortellinis are...persistent." He held Queen's hands in his own and shook them meaningfully. "Please, remember to tell Kane what I said. It is my only request."

"I will."

Phule hastily motioned her out of the doorway. Gazpaccio nodded to the jester and he returned the look, shutting the door before rushing them out of sight. While they jogged away, she turned her head and found him holding his cap in one hand and steadying his mask with the other. He was doing this to stop his bells from jingling and alerting anyone of their departure. She could not stop her eyes from wandering to his brown hair, the curls bouncing lightly with his movement. This was the first time she'd seen any of Kane's sons without their mask...

She was pulled from her thoughts when they found the boat ready for them. They boarded it quickly and set sail. Queen sighed in relief as they left unnoticed. Her heart pounded in her chest with how quickly they ran. She took a minute to catch her breath. Then she shot a playful look in Phule's direction. There was plenty she learned just now...but one matter rang in her mind:

"'Robert' ?" She asked teasingly.

He glared at her in return.