"Hey, Mattie. Do you know what day it is?"

"Another day that you're bothering me?" Matthew called from the library's group reading table. He did not even look at Alfred creeping around the nearby bookcase. "Did you see Yao?"

"Yeah. He gave us the King-Slaying Blade. Seriously. Do you know what day it is?!"

A heavy sigh. "No, Al, I don't. What?"

"This is a day I want to be remembered by us. Write it down!"

"Ugh, and why would I..." Matthew finally looked up. Alfred was by himself. Lilac eyes went wide, and he shot from the table. "Alfred! You're—the chain!"

"Ha-ha! Yep! That thing is gone!" They cackled and tackled each other in a hug, manly back pats included. "I tossed it down the freaking mountain!"

"Oh, my Gods! Did you tell Yao?!"

"Yep! He was the first one I told. You would've been the first, I mean it, but Yao was closer."

Matthew stepped away to gesture, "How did you even...? Did you cut with it the King-Slaying Blade?"

"Can it even do that?" Maybe Alfred should have tried. Then again, "No, I didn't try that. Didn't need to!" He shot his arms in the air, beaming, "I made out with Arthur!"

His brother took another step back, giving him a bewildered once-over. "Oh, so...okay. That's...um, congratulations?"

Alfred bobbled his head. "He totally digs me, man! Like how I dig him!"

"That's great, Al." Matthew turned on his heel to flee back into his books. "The most important thing to note is that the Queen accepted you as his King. Now there's going to be the crowning ceremony and everything!"

"And my first King's Meeting!" Alfred spun around in place, squealing, "I'm so excited!"

Matthew put a hand to his forehead, exasperated at the disturbance in his library, but that smile tattled that he was just as excited, too.

~.~

"It's not a marriage ceremony. Royals do not often marry. They are bound. There is a difference."

"Well, Arthur and I were already bound. Been there, done that. What's the difference?"

"It's a legal and financial agreement. To rule the sovereignty together, as one. No, no, not that far. Step back a little. Good," Yao held an arm out in front of Alfred and beckoned for Arthur to take his place across the balcony. The Spadian Palace had a lot of balconies. There was nothing like the view of clouds and the sharp drop-off down the mountain. The old man said it was practice. They had to practice showing up in front of the entire Kingdom. Alfred wasn't kidding when he said his crowning was going to be a big ceremony. His ceremony. It was one of the few times peasants and rich people alike were allowed to congregate before the palace doors.

"Some marry for love and whatnot." Yao gave his head a slight shake, "That is not necessary for the Royals. We seek dowries and exchange of power. Heirs are produced based on how well they take to the Spadian Strength. Not through a romantic relationship."

"Oh," Alfred grimaced as Arthur held up a sarcastic thumbs-up to Yao. He was in place. It was foreign being so far from him, even a couple weeks after the chain hit their bedroom floor. "Could it be out of love, too?"

"What?" Yao tossed behind himself as he hustled to the center of the platform, "Stay there! Arthur! You're up soon!"

Alfred sighed to himself. Apparently, making out with Queens was uncommon. For some, a short cut to easy power. Being close to their 'battery' rejuvenates a King's strength, but that was it. Just a means to an end. He wanted his cake and eat it, too. He wanted to be just like that King and Queen on the Royal Wall with twenty-three kids.

"All right, we can get started. I will address the Kingdom first. You will converge here," Yao pointed to a spot on the floor. "The Queen will be the one performing the crowning. I will hold the crown. Once I ask both of you if you accept the other, I will give it to Arthur. Alfred, you will kneel, and Arthur will put the crown on your head."

"Cool."

"Say a quick thank you to your people, a maximum of five seconds."

"Five seconds?! What am I supposed to say in five seconds?"

"'Thank you,' preferably."

"What if I want to tell them more?"

"Whatever you wish to tell them should bleed into your work output."

Arthur lifted his nose to the air and let out a snooty noise. Alfred couldn't help but grin to his ears.

"We will them converge at the bottom of the palace, where a carriage waits for us, and we ride into town in a welcome parade. We'll go over more of that...after this." Yao clasped his hands together and nodded. "Good. We will start now. 'Citizens of Spades...ai, ai, ai...' Okay, come out."

Alfred stepped into the meager sunlight.

"No, Arthur comes first. Come out here. Okay, good. Now, Alfred."

Alfred's cheeks washed pink as he skittered to join the others. He smiled to his Queen, and let out a shy, "Hi."

Arthur cracked a smile, but Yao swished a hand, scolding. "Hush! No talking. And no giggling!" He pointed to Alfred's feet. "Don't rush to get out here. You can walk normally. I seen you do it. You will look like an utter fool if you trip over yourself in front of the entire Kingdom."

"Oh." Now Alfred blushed even more. If that was possible. "Okay."

"Go back and try again."

With a grunt, Alfred turned on his heel and marched back to the doorway leading back into a guard's tower. He tried again.

"You're too stiff!" Yao snapped. "Walk normally!"

"But it's such a short walk!"

Arthur lifted his hands from his sides, putting one foot in front of the other, and much more gently, demonstrated, "If you must, doing it like this is a fine way of pacing yourself."

"Oh, okay." Gods, why did he have to be so perfect? "Thanks."

Yao grabbed Alfred's shoulders and spun him in the direction of the doorway. "Do it again!"

"Okay! Okay. Sheesh." Alfred showed them that he could walk somewhat normally. Yao huffed and puffed and sighed, going as far as tugging on Alfred's jacket when a wrinkle was out of place. To think this was practice, too. He started to dread his own crowning, all for different reasons he would ever think to expect.

Yao swished his hands out dramatically, holding Arthur and Alfred at their hidden positions. "One more time, from the top! 'Citizens of Spades...ai, ai, ai...'"

Alfred hoped he wouldn't slip up and actually say that during the real deal. Actually, that would be pretty funny. He jumped, clenching a fist as someone clanked up the stairs behind him, panting against the cold mountain air, "Excuse me! Excuse me!"

Yao snapped, "No excuses! Can't you see I'm trying to organize a crowning ceremony?!"

Hustling to the center of the balcony, a Knight bowed at the waist before pulling himself straight with a fatally serious expression. "Deepest apologies, Your Grace, but a carriage has pulled up to the front of the castle! There are two women claiming they need a welcoming party, and will not leave otherwise."

"What?" Yao shook his head. "That is just..." His face fell. He turned to Arthur.

"No, now? Are you kidding? It can't be. We just sent the word out ereyesterday afternoon!"

The Knight pressed, "They are extremely impatient, your highness."

"Well, if it is who I know it is, then they can be impatient all they want!" Arthur grumbled as he pushed by. "Can you two sweep the castle to see if everything and everyone is decent? Gods know I would never hear the end of it."

"Arthur, wait!"

Yao clamped a hand onto Alfred's shoulder. "You heard the Queen. That's an order."

"But..." Alfred tossed a pout at the Knight.

"Thank you." Yao said, dismissing, "Rally the others. It appears we have some guests!"

~.~

"Oh, my Gods, Arthur! Look what you've done to the place!"

"It's...the same old palace since you were last here, Ingrid."

"You got rid of those peasant-cushions I sewn with my bare hands!"

"They're in storage."

"Storage! My hard work!"

A heavy sigh, "Why don't you sit down and I'll tell the kitchen to bring you out something."

Another voice rung out, much clearer than the nasally first one, "Arthur. You have not said one word to me yet. Has our last meeting ended so sourly?"

"I do not wish to speak of it."

"Arthur!"

"What, mother?!"

The blond woman put on a tight smile, and simply stated, "A good evening to you as well, my son. A cuppa would be delightful."

The other woman chortled, "We did make sure we were here as soon as possible."

Arthur groaned and turned from the women, almost desperate to toss himself into cooks and servants scrambling amongst pots and pans.

A new presence drifted into the main room, tossing his head back and forth to the Knights by the entry ways, and smiled to a maid hustling by with a broom, whisper-yelling that she was doing great. Everything seemed in place. His sky-blue gaze landed onto the apparent trouble giggling and easy against the throne table.

"Rosa," the younger one hissed, jabbing an elbow to her sister's side. "Over there."

"Oh. Oh, my," Rosa put a hand to her chin, and a smirk crept along a pale cheek. "What do we have here?"

"Uh...hey." More sturdy and louder, "Good evening!"

"Love," Rosa held out her other hand, beckoning the young man to come closer. "I won't bite. Let me see you."

The woman beside her snickered, "I might, though."

"Ingrid! Manners!" Rosa chuckled, earning a delightfully warm handshake. Her fingers were thin and bony. "Pardon my sister. She can be such a riot."

Ingrid let out another stream of snorts and flailed her hand in the man's direction. "Oh, don't be shy. Me, too, darling!"

Rosa cleared her throat, batting her pretty green eyes innocently as the attention shifted to her sister. Ingrid clutched onto his wrist a little too long. "What is your name, love?"

"Alfred." And he really wished these wackos would stop calling him 'Love.' Seriously, what is up with that? However, these women were apparently guests, so to be polite, he asked, "And you two beautiful ladies are...?"

"Oh!" The sisters swatted each other on the shoulders. The older blond put a hand to her chest, nonchalantly flicking the deep blue crystal necklace against her bosom, "Rosa. Rosa Kirkland."

The other piped up, "She used to be the Queen of Spades!"

Alfred's mouth popped open.

Rosa's cheeks went pink as she batted her eyes. "Yes, as you heard, I was the Queen of Spades"—her expression prickled as she took a deep breath, but she quickly affixed a smile—"before I bequeathed the throne to my son, Arthur."

"Ingrid's the name, dear," the other one's zappy voice interrupted Alfred's shock, "I may not ever been a Queen, but don't think for a second that the Kingdom would be the same without me!"

Yes, Alfred presumed it would be much more quiet.

Rosa took Alfred's hand again as soon as Ingrid stopped whipping it up and down, and so delicately, "What is your place, Alfred? You certainly do not hold yourself as a servant." Her eyes trailed down his waistcoat, "Nor are you dressed like a Knight."

"Oh, I'm...uh..." Alfred wasn't sure what to say, if he should spill the beans.

"Mother!" Arthur's voice shot across the tiled floors. "Unhand him at once!"

Rosa lifted her chin, narrowing her eyes as they found her son looming in the hall to the kitchen. She dared to clamp her other hand around Alfred's, "Here I thought you sent this extraordinarily fine young man to give us a proper greeting, since my own child, the Queen of Spades, cannot."

Arthur flushed a brilliant red. He shoved from the doorway and stormed across the room, past the table. "Alfred. A word with you."

"Did I do something wrong?" Alfred wandered aloud. He swiped his hand back, smiling uneasily to the women. "Uh, just a moment!"

"Oh, take your time, sweetheart."

Ingrid agreed, "Yes, don't rush." To her sister's ear, "Don't want the sight of those buttocks leaving so soon."

"Ingrid! You devil!"

Arthur waited before the entrance to the library. Not too far, but a nice private pocket between the stairwell and the main room. "Arthur?" Alfred warily held out his hands, palms up, "You okay?"

"No, I'm not okay. My mother and her damned sister are here already, more than a week from the crowning ceremony, and I just know they're going to try to make a proper fool out of me. They probably already have! What were they saying?!"

"Arthur." Alfred shook his hands. "For you. Come on."

Arthur grumbled, tossing his head back like Alfred was offering a plate of stale lima beans...before relenting and stuffing himself against his chest.

"See? Isn't that better?"

"Be quiet. Don't ruin it."

Alfred sighed happily as he rested a hand on the back of Arthur's head. "Your mom and aunt are weird."

"Mum's insane. Don't let her bat her eyes and fool you."

"Touchy, even."

Arthur squeezed his arms around Alfred's waist, grumbling against his shoulder. "Tell her to sod off."

"To your mother? The old Queen?!"

"Yes, the old Queen. You're going to be the new King. Just...you know, 'sod off.' Just like that."

"Oh, about that...the ceremony coming up..."

A grunt. Arthur didn't pull away. Thank the Gods.

"Yao mentioned that Royals don't really get married. It's all like, a big blow-out to tell everyone, 'Hey! This is your King now! Okay? Bye!' There are no rings. There is no honeymoon. There isn't even cake!"

Arthur craned his head back, revealing a toothy grin. "Did you want a honeymoon, love?"

Oh, okay, now Alfred got the 'love' thing. Ew, those older ladies were all over him, calling him that left and right! But this Queen, from his Arthur, that was perfectly fine. Alfred wondered if Arthur felt how he made his heart eager. "If we got married—wait, you know what a honeymoon is? I thought that wasn't a Royal thing."

"The whole library is chock full of books with commoners mooning over one another. I've read plenty in my downtime. It's simply an excuse to get away from everybody and shag to your heart's content."

"Oh! But Royals don't really do that. Have a lot of babies because the whole power-thing is passed down to random people. Not kids."

"It could. I got it from my mother. Although usually, family trees don't go too steep with Royals."

"Oh..." Alfred did not know what else to say. Hey, that curtain looked nice. All dark blue and stuff. Uh huh.

Arthur put his head back on Alfred's shoulder again. "Why? Not satisfied with just a wee crowning ceremony? There's a grand dinner after we get back from the parade. We could have cake. And Alfred," His voice drooped as a finger traced the buttons of Alfred's shirt, and it must have been some 'magic stuffs' that sent a spritz of gooseflesh up his neck, "Don't you think the crowns are already putting a ring on it? You're going to be my King. We already share a bed. Isn't that what you wanted in the first place?"

Once that chain fell off and clattered to the floor, it must have unleashed some kind of pent-up demon residing in Arthur. That murderous intent that pinged Alfred on the back of the head had shimmered into something much more intimidating; Arthur wouldn't tear his eyes away from him!

Alfred turned his head in his direction, trying not to swallow too loudly with Arthur pressed up and against him like that. "Yes." Good, his voice came out without sounding like he was choking on spit, like it sometimes did when Arthur got close and personal. "After the ceremony, after the parade, after dinner..." They sprouted mirroring grins as their faces came together, and Alfred promised in a dainty whisper, "We're going to be spending the rest of the night together. Alone."

Arthur clamped his hands over Alfred's cheeks, coming out hoarse as he tried to keep the volume down, "Kiss me right now, Jones. That's an order from your Queen."

"Yes, sir." And Alfred did. All nice and snug, he squeezed his Arthur closer to himself, wanting to giggle against his lips, and put his mouth anywhere and everywhere, and run his hands up and down his clothes, and yell to the world that he had the best ever-

Arthur stood on his toes, pushing his hips into Alfred's. Snap! That was his brain short-circuiting. Now, he did not say anything, but those eyes hanging above that half-tipped smile promised something like nothing else.

"Hey, you know what?" Alfred tried, "Maybe we should just sneak upstairs now."

"Oh." Arthur dared to pucker his lips as a finger snuck between Alfred's buttons and trailed down his chest, "Oh, Gods, no, what would poor mother think if we just left her there? My, she would be so lost and confused, the thing..."

They broke into giggles, bringing their faces together once again. "Come on, Arthur," Alfred pleaded against his Queen's cheek, nonchalantly pulling in the direction of the staircase, "Please, please, please-"

Arthur just responded with an eager grunt as he wound his arms around Alfred's shoulders. Yes, he would. The Queen always gets what he wants. Alfred hitched a hand behind Arthur's thigh, tuning to the way he reared on a heel to leap up and wrap those creamy legs around his hips-

"Oh, there you two ran off to!"

The pair ripped from each other; laughter slashed to silence from the two women breaching their moment. Totally unabashed, Ingrid cackled as her nephew and Alfred nonchalantly swiped their palms over their mouths and clothes, "Arthur, won't you be a dear and show us around? It has been so long since I last roamed these halls, I think I need a refresher! Don't want your old Auntie getting lost now, do we?"

The glower on the Queen's face screamed, yes, yes, he wanted the both of them to get lost.

Rosa, ever so quietly beside Ingrid, held a hand toward Arthur, "Oh, Ingrid, dearest sister, I think we just stumbled upon something. How rude of us. You have yet to introduce us to this man. It was just a simple mistake that we interrupted..."

"Mother," Arthur warned through gritted teeth.

"Your top button is undone."

He swiveled around, back to the women, as he clamped a hand over his shirt.

Rosa fought a smirk as she turned to Alfred, "You were telling us who you are."

Alfred tossed a desperate look to Arthur fidgeting with his blouse. "Uh, I'm...I'm Alfred! Yeah! Alfred Franklin Jones!" He kicked out a leg and jabbed a thumb to his chest, smiling like an idiot. Dang it, that was something stupid he always did on the farm when they got visitors. He just did that in front of the old Queen of Spades and her sister!

"Jones," Ingrid questioned.

Rosa pointed out, "It's rather simple."

"Almost peasant-like."

Arthur's shoulders hunched up.

"Uh," Alfred glanced around the hall. "It's—it is."

Rosa tipped her head, her smile of the suspicious sort. "Pardon?"

"It is a peasant name."

Ingrid mumbled, "Well, isn't that interesting?"

"What do you do around here, Alfred?"

"You know, Royal stuff..."

"Like snogging my son?"

Arthur spun and snapped, "Damn it, mother, he's going to be the King!"

Rosa and Ingrid stared with wide green eyes. The former lifted her neat eyebrows, bringing a dainty hand to her chest and shook her head, "Arthur, a King?"

"Yes," Arthur poured his greatest scowl onto his mother. "My King."

Ingrid jutted in, "A peasant King?"

Alfred grumbled, "Farmer!"

"A farmer?!"

Arthur bristled under judgment, "Once a farmer. Not anymore."

"My son—to a farmer—hm!" Rosa held up a hand, perhaps to stop her thoughts in track, but Alfred figured they wouldn't get that lucky. She narrowed her eyes and tipped her head with a little smirk. Yep, definitely not lucky. "No. Spadian History is laden with commoners and rich folks alike. I'm no stranger to being acquainted with those who started from poor beginnings. That is not what concerns me."

A huff, and Arthur unable to care any less, "And what could possibly concern you about this, mother?"

Immediately, like she already had this down pat, "After everything you learned from me...I would think my son could lead the Kingdom as I have without having to give up some part of himself to a...King."

"Hey!" Alfred said.

"What I learned from you," Arthur sneered, "was to be selfish and close myself to everybody and everything. Yes, it protected me at times, but do you know the silly little opportunities of happiness I missed out on because of it?" Arthur snagged Alfred's hand and firmly squeezed it in front of his mother and aunt, "This man has brought that part out of me once more. I've never felt better in my entire life. Especially during the time that you like to pretend you raised me."

"Arthur!" Ingrid scolded. "You-"

"I don't care what you have to say against it, either, dear Auntie. This man is going to be my King. And I look forward to rebuilding the Kingdom together."

Alfred drew in a long breath, giving air to his lungs when he forgot to breathe. His legs almost trembled, but it felt so wonderful to stand beside his Queen before these women. He made sure his head was held high, and he met their disdainful green stares, direct, even though he did not utter a word.

"Ah, well..." Rosa flicked her hands at them, and her nose had curled in the slightest despite her tight-lipped smile, "Since you're so in love and everything..."

"Yes," was all Arthur said. He and Rosa stared at one another. The lights subtly flickered.

Ingrid clapped her hands together, "Well, that's that. How about a tour?"

Without tearing his eye from Rosa, that vile sneer started to creep into Arthur's tone, "Don't play dumb, Ingrid. You two know exactly where everything is. You can help yourselves. I will be having time alone with my fiancé, and nobody is going to disturb me. I will see you at dinner."

"Arthur!" Rosa snapped.

"Whatever you want," Arthur called over his shoulder, "it most certainly can wait until later."

The pair hustled away without another word. Ingrid and Rosa were left gaping at their haste departure, until the former let out a lame squawk, "...Fiancé?"

~.~

"You're...in love with me?"

Alfred watched his Queen patter around the room, snapping the fireplace to life, slinging his over shirt over a chair, randomly tidying a knickknack on a wall shelf. Al had pulled the loveseat before the fireplace, so they could be warm and snuggle without having to sit on the unforgiving floor or on separate cushions. Arthur hadn't faced him as he took a sniff, and said, "Yes."

As Arthur swirled around room in some kind of gentle storm, leaving neatness instead of disaster in his wake, Alfred felt his mouth drop into an O shape. Eyebrows up, eyes wide; the Queen just said he was in love with him! Dungeon Alfred would totally be bashing his head against his cage bars from sheer jealous frustration. He spun around on the couch, clamping his hands on the backing to follow Arthur around. "Since when?!"

"Ah...s-since..." Arthur stopped by one of the nightstands beside the bed, pushing a lamp toward the middle...although it was totally fine in the first place. "I suppose after I realized what a harmless fool you were, I stopped wanting to kill you...and..."

"You started to want to touch my butt?"

Arthur's gaze flicked over to the couch, before he went around the wall separating the bed and the wardrobes. Dang it, now Alfred couldn't ogle anymore. "Well," his voice trailed across the room, "it is something rather remarkable. Yes. A bit before the chain came off, I think I realized that this...thing wasn't so bad after all. The extra help. Someone to take care of castle duties before I can get to them, if I even manage to get to them in the first place.

"Some things that come out of your mouth are questionable, but I cannot deny that you're sharp in the mind, and catch onto things quickly. Especially someone uneducated from the lower district."

Finally, after jostling around back there, too, Arthur slyly peeked from around the corner, with the unmistakable fabric of his silk night robe drooping from his body. Crud, maybe Alfred should have shed a few of his own fancy garments, but randomly stripping right now would just be weird—would it? He clutched onto the stiff fabric of his waistcoat.

"I was starting to imagine what our life would be like if that chain never came off. If Yao's spell was broken and could never be undone. Every moment would be with you. Everything I would do, would be with you."

Alfred blurted, "You'd hate that."

Arthur smiled. "Yes, yes, I would. My wrist still feels as if there's a weight on it." He stepped around the wall, trailing his hand over the nightstand, pass the patterned covers of their bed, the etched frame...his wrist seemed fine. He seemed more than fine. "So, once the damn thing came off, well, there was a bit of internal celebrating."

"You nearly downed a whole bottle of wine over dinner that night."

"And?"

Alfred let out a weak exhale that was supposed to be a laugh. Arthur stood before him. He tried to keep his eyes on his face, and meagerly shrugged, "I was just saying."

Arthur snorted and fell onto Alfred's lap. Alfred stiffened, planting his hands on the cushions on both sides as a cool hand trailed up his cheek. "Well, I'm just saying, once I was done with the thing, I'd have enough of you. Imagine my disdain when I realized that wasn't the case." Low, grave, almost humming, "Whenever I do something, I wonder what it would be like if you were with me. How you would do it. What would you say. How you would laugh. What are you doing at that moment. If I was with you instead." Arthur leaned in so his breath pooled against Alfred's mouth, "I have important matters to attend to for the Kingdom, and all I can think about is you."

A brilliant blush bloomed across Alfred's face. He licked his lips, almost licked Arthur's lips, and jested, "Are you blaming me for that or something?"

"Yes," Arthur crinkled his nose yet smiled, "you wanted this all along. All the way back to the beginning, this was your master plan. Now look at us."

Alfred was looking.

"I will be married to you, and you are to never leave my side for any reason for the rest of our lives."

That would be an extremely daunting command if there weren't a now-warm palm to his face. Alfred turned his head, holding Arthur there as he pressed a kiss to his wrist. "Heh. Yes, sir, you got me."

Arthur gently kissed a brow before pressing his cheek to the top of Alfred's head. "Absolutely."