From that day on, Alfred and Arthur were almost inseparable. Their time together was no longer limited to just their lesson time, which ended in early afternoon. They ate all of their meals together, they often spent their afternoons together, they even spent most of their evenings talking until late into the night. Alfred and Arthur became fast friends before they even realized it themselves, and soon it felt strange for them not to be together.
Arthur noticed after only a few lessons that it was very difficult for Alfred to learn from textbooks, so he began teaching Alfred using different methods. He would take Alfred through the palace, teaching him the names of the portraits on the wall and showing him artifacts from past wars. Sometimes he would take Alfred on walks through the palace courtyards and simply talked about things his grandmother had taught him about Spades. And to his surprise, Alfred remembered those facts far more than anything they had studied in the textbooks.
Of course, studying wasn't all that the two did. Now that the pair had become so close, Alfred was more playful with Arthur. Sometimes in the middle of lessons, Alfred would suggest that they play a game like hide-and-seek in library or in one of the towers, and surprisingly, Arthur often agreed. Even more surprising, Arthur would occasionally be the one to suggest a game in the middle of lessons. Arthur's game of choice was chess, and while Alfred wasn't good at it, he liked watching Arthur's expression light up anytime that he agreed to play. Despite the pair often being distracted by one another, Alfred was learning and the lessons were going very well.
"Alfred."
The King of Spades heard his name being called, but burrowed deeper under the covers. He recognized the voice immediately, but resisted nonetheless.
"Alfred!" This time, the familiar voice was paired with a hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently. Alfred didn't stir, hoping that eventually the visitor would leave. Silence fell for a second, but then, without warning, he felt someone jump onto his bed. Alfred scrambled to sit up, only to have someone sit on top of him, pressing him down. He slowly opened his eyes to see his visitor straddling his stomach.
"Arthur..."
"Yes, Alfred."
"Couldn't you wake me up more normally?"
Arthur raised an eyebrow at Alfred's question.
"I tried."
Alfred made a sour face and let out a groan. "Is this any way to treat the King of Spades?"
Arthur thought for a moment before answering.
"No. But it's the proper way to treat you."
Alfred blushed and tried to roll out from under Arthur. "C'mon, get off..."
Arthur's smile disappeared and leaned a little closer to Alfred, squinting slightly.
"What?" Alfred asked, confused. Arthur placed his hands on the sides of Alfred's face. Heat immediately rushed to Alfred's cheeks. Some silence passed between them, then Arthur spoke.
"You look weird without your glasses."
"Screw you, too!" Alfred said as he shoved Arthur off of him. Arthur laughed and situated himself on the side of the bed as Alfred slowly got up and walked towards his dresser. He slipped his glasses on as Arthur began to tell him the day's schedule, like always.
"Yao wants to speak with you. We'll head to the Jack's study before we have breakfast."
"Alright," Alfred replied as he removed his shirt and began getting dressed for the day. Arthur's eyes lingered on Alfred for a while as he got ready. As he had noticed previously, Alfred was exceptionally strong and very well built. Usually his figure was hidden in the blue, royal garments that he wore for most of the day, but now, it was very easy to see every sculpted muscle from his shoulder blades to his abdomen.
"At least pretend you're not staring." Alfred looked over his shoulder and smiled at Arthur, who was immediately pulled from his state. Arthur swallowed and looked away.
"I wasn't staring at you."
"Oh yeah? What were you staring at then?"
Arthur turned back towards Alfred, who had since begun buttoning up a collared shirt.
"Your mark is in a different place than the last King," Arthur said. Alfred tilted his head to the side, unsure if Arthur was answering his question or starting a new topic altogether, but nonetheless, he stopped buttoning and looked down at the mark embedded on his chest.
"Really? Where was the last King's mark?"
"It was in the center of his back." Arthur stood up and walked towards Alfred before continuing. "All of the marks have different patterns, and show up in different places, but they always have the kingdom's emblem in the center of it." Arthur paused and stared at the mark branded across Alfred's chest. "Yours is particularly intricate. One of the nicer looking ones if I had to say."
Alfred blushed at the strange form of praise and let out a sheepish grin as he buttoned up the rest of his shirt. He then attempted tying the blue tie that came with his royal garments. After only a few seconds of struggle, Arthur took the tie from Alfred's hands into his own.
"You never tie it properly." He said as he quickly and efficiently began tying the strip of fabric.
"Thanks," Alfred said as he looked down at Arthur. Arthur was only slightly shorter than him, but at this angle he could see deep green of his eyes flickering in concentration just below his own. Alfred cleared his throat and tried to look away from the man in front of him.
"So...uh. Where's Yao's mark?"
"It's on his left shoulder blade."
Alfred turned frantically back towards Arthur, shocked at how quickly he answered.
"How do you know that?"
Arthur looked up at Alfred with a questioning look.
"I was the one who verified his mark, just like we did with you." Alfred paused, then let out a nervous laugh in response.
"Oh...yeah."
"If you really want to see it, I'm sure he'll show it to you...It's a simple mark, just a black spade."
"No, it's ok."
Arthur shrugged and finished tying Alfred's tie. He clapped his hand on the finished tie and headed towards the door.
"Come on, Alfred. Yao is waiting." Alfred nodded and walked towards the door, then paused before speaking.
"Arthur...Where was the last Queen's mark?"
Arthur stopped in the doorway then smiled at Alfred.
"It was on her right hand."
The two made their way to the East tower and went into the Jack's study to find Yao, working with several books and papers sprawled out before him on a large oak desk. He looked up when the pair entered the room.
"Ah, Your Excellency. Arthur. Come in, come in," he said as he tried to organize the information before him. Alfred spoke up as they walked into the room.
"You wanted to speak with me Yao?"
The Jack nodded fervently.
"Yes. With both of you actually." The Jack waited until the two were standing in front of him before beginning. "Your Excellency. It's been almost a month since you've come here, and your studies are going exceptionally well." Alfred smiled at the compliment.
"It's really nothing special, Yao. I'm just learning what Arthur is teaching me."
Alfred saw a prideful smile tug at the corners of Arthur's mouth. Yao smiled as well and continued.
"Even so, Your Excellency. You've learned quite a lot at an impressive rate." He paused and folded his hands on the desk in front of him before continuing. "I think you're ready to officially take over your duties as King."
Alfred's eyes widened in surprise. He looked at Arthur, searching for a reaction, but Arthur was looking as calm as ever. He looked at Alfred with an honest expression.
"I agree. I believe he's ready."
Alfred's heart began to pound. Those words had come from the same man who, just a few short weeks before, had called him an 'incompetent King', and now he was looking at him as if he trusted him in any choice he could make. As if he wholeheartedly believed in him. Alfred's heart swelled with confidence as he looked back at Yao.
"Alright. I'd be honored to start my duties."
Yao smiled and nodded his head.
"I couldn't be happier, Your Excellency. This truly is a joyous day! Alright then..." Yao turned towards Arthur. "The Coronation as well as the King's ball will be held two weeks from this day. Begin training him in magic and ball customs starting today. He'll need them." Arthur lowered his head in a bow.
"Yes, Jack."
"That will be all for today. As usual, I will check on your progress in the afternoon." Yao stood and bowed at Alfred, then the two left the room. As the door closed them, Alfred spoke.
"Arthur...uh. Do you really think I can do this?"
Arthur smiled and placed his hands on Alfred's shoulders and squeezed lightly.
"You'll do well. I assure you."
Alfred smiled and felt as if a weight had been lifted from him. Arthur really believed in him. He felt the urge to embrace Arthur, but stopped himself. Instead, he gently rested his own hands on Arthur's waist for a few seconds before Arthur abruptly released his shoulders and started down the hall.
"Come. We have a lot of work today."
The pair quickly had their breakfast in the dining hall before heading towards a wing of the castle that Alfred had yet to see. Arthur quickly maneuvered the winding corridors, and after a short while they came to a large stone door. Arthur placed his hand on a metal plate beside the door and closed his eyes. Alfred heard him mumble a few words under his breath, then saw a faint, blue light radiate from his hand. Not a moment after, the door slowly opened. Magic, Alfred assumed. Just past the door was a winding stone staircase, and the pair slowly began to descend.
"Where are we going?"Alfred asked, as he watched the door close behind them.
"The Castle's heart. It's where all of Spade's magic originates." As the pair descended, Arthur spoke again. "This is where I spent most of my time before you came here."
"You study magic?"
"Yes. A little." Alfred's eyes widened slightly. Only the highest classes were taught magic, so Alfred had never had the opportunity to learn any.
The pair eventually made it to the bottom of the stairs. Alfred could tell they were very far underground. Without a word, Arthur turned down one of the corridors, and Alfred followed after him. The walls were lined with shelves, each one covered with spell books and strange glowing instruments that Alfred had never seen before. Every now and then, they would pass someone in a blue cloak, who would bow, then return to their activities.
"We have the strongest magic forces in all of Cards," Arthur said, catching Alfred's attention, "...and because of that we also have the strongest military. The only country who even comes close to rivaling us in strength is..."
"Clubs, right?"
Arthur let out a quick smile at Alfred's quick answer.
"Right."
Eventually they came to the end of a long hallway with a large stone door similar to the one they had seen before. Arthur stopped and turned to Alfred.
"Only the royals can open the door to the Spade's heart." Alfred paused for a moment, then looked to the side of the door. There was a metal panel beside the door just like the one he had seen before. Alfred walked up to it, and started to place his hand on the panel, then stopped.
"So...uh. Do I need a password or something?"
Arthur tilted his head.
"A password? No, just place your hand on it." Alfred nodded then mimicked what Arthur had done on the door above. Upon placing his hand on the panel, Alfred felt a warm feeling near his heart, then watched as a bright blue light emitted from his hand. Almost immediately, both sensations were gone and the old doors creaked open. The pair entered the room, and the doors creaked closed behind them. Alfred couldn't believe what he saw. The inside of the room was very bare. There was nothing of monetary value inside, but floating overhead was large blue ball of light. It was something that Alfred could only describe as unearthly, as it spun, slowly emitting wisps of shining energy. The only sounds in the room were coming from the strange ball and were hard to place. It sounded metallic, but also like drops of water, and in the background was the unmistakable ticking of a clock. It sounded beautiful.
"Wow," Alfred exhaled at a loss for words. Arthur nodded.
"This is the Spade's heart. Not only is it responsible for all magic in Spades, it is also the system that chooses the royals."
Alfred turned to look at Arthur.
"This is the thing that chose me to be King?" Arthur rolled his eyes in response.
"It's not a thing, Alfred. This is the very life of Spades itself. Without this alive and intact, there is no Spades. Every country in Cards has their own magic system. This is what makes Spades...Spades." Arthur looked back at the glowing ball of energy. "The system also bestows the royals with unbelievable amounts of magic." Alfred's eyes widened in response.
"Wait. So I can use magic?"
"Very powerful magic, Alfred. The King can wield far more magic than anyone else in Spades. You just need to learn how to access it."
Alfred's mind raced, trying to process the idea of being able to use magic himself. He opened his mouth to ask another question, but was distracted by something on the far wall. He wandered over to the wall and found two shelves in the wall. He looked at the item that was resting on the shelf closest to him. It was a large golden clock, in fact it was so large it looked like it would need two hands to hold. Arthur walked up behind him.
"That's the Queen's arms. Its a weapon of sorts."
"A weapon? How's it used?"
"It's a time shield. The Queen can combine it with a spell to temporarily stop time to evade advancing enemies...only for a short amount of time though. It's very physically taxing. I only saw my grandmother use it once."
Alfred blinked back his surprise.
"Wait, time? There's magic that can stop time?"
"Yes. In fact time magic is specific to Spades. None of the other countries can use that type of magic." Arthur paused and looked down before continuing. "The King can cast the most time magic though. While the Queen can alter time at a short range, the King can alter time for all of Spades. The King can also look into the future and the past-"
"Wait, you're saying I can do all of that stuff?" Alfred jumped forward, grabbing on to Arthur's shoulders. Arthur, eyes wide with shock, nodded his head.
"Yes, with the proper spell and enough practice..."
Alfred released Arthur's shoulders and stepped back.
"Wow..." Alfred said as he walked towards the other shelf to see that it was empty. "What goes here, Arthur?"
Arthur looked at the shelf, then blinked.
"Oh. That's where the King's arms usually are."
"Oh. My weapon...so where is it?"
Arthur looked away from Alfred.
"...I have it..."
Alfred frowned in response.
"Wait, why do you have the King's arms?"
"Because."
"Hey!" Alfred folded his arms and scowled at Arthur, who seemed unfazed.
"Well it doesn't matter, you only need it for larger spells. Today we'll be working on conjuring magic without your weapon," Arthur said as he headed for the door. "Come on, let's get started."
Alfred made a sour face, but followed Arthur out of the room without pressing the issue any further.
Arthur led Alfred to a large, stone room just a short distance away from the Spade heart. As Alfred stood in the doorway, Arthur went to the other end of the room, and began setting up what looked like an old, wooden target. Alfred closed the door behind them and called to Arthur from across the room.
"So, what kind of magic are we going to do?"
Arthur got the target set up, then began walking back towards Alfred.
"A simple fire spell. The coronation will take place without magic on your part, but at the ball you will have to ceremoniously light the chandelier in the great hall."
"With fire? Do you think I'll be able to do something that impressive?"
A smirk tugged at the corners of Arthur's mouth.
"Conjuring fire is actually pretty easy. Controlling it will be your downfall."
Alfred raised his eyebrows, intrigued at Arthur's statement. Alfred then rolled up his sleeves as Arthur came to stand beside him.
"So, what do I do?"
"Well, first we need to find out how you access your magic. From there, you should be able to cast spells with a simple thought without needing incantations." Arthur looked at Alfred, who was wearing a confused expression. Arthur rolled his eyes. "To start with, close your eyes. It'll be easier for you to focus."
Alfred nodded and let his eyes slide closed. A few seconds passed in silence before Alfred felt Arthur's fingers gently touch the area just above his stomach. He then heard Arthur's voice very close to his ear, in a low and gentle whisper.
"When you use magic, you should feel a warm feeling in your core..." Arthur gently traced his hand up and let his fingers rest over Alfred's chest. "...and on your heart."
Alfred's breath hitched slightly as he shut his eyes tighter and nodded.
"Okay," Alfred said, hoping that Arthur couldn't feel how fast his heart beating. Arthur applied some pressure where his hand was resting over Alfred's heart. Alfred, now sure that Arthur could feel his heartbeat, began to say something but Arthur spoke first.
"You need to calm down, Alfred."
The words were said so close to Alfred's ear, that he could feel Arthur's lips briefly on his earlobe. Alfred nodded lightly, and after a few moments, his heartbeat calmed down and Arthur's hand slowly pulled away. Arthur, however remained close, and Alfred could still feel his breath on his ear.
"Now, think of a place or thing that makes you feel at ease."
"At ease?"
"Yes. It's very important that you only think of positive things when casting magic. Casting magic with bad thoughts makes it very easy to loose control." Alfred felt Arthur lean closer to him and felt his lips brush past his ear again. "So think of something that makes you feel good."
Alfred nodded again, feeling heat rush to his face. He then tried to think of something positive to hold in his mind. However, with the gentle warmth on his side and the lips near his ear, it was impossible for him to think of anything but Arthur. His eyes that shone like emeralds in sunlight. The creases that formed between his eyebrows when he was focused on something. The accent he spoke with. The way he smiled at him. His laugh. He couldn't think of anything but the man beside him.
"Are you thinking of something?" Arthur whispered into Alfred's ear once more.
"Yeah, I am."
"Alright. Now, when you're ready, open your eyes and focus on the target. As you do, think of the spell you want to cast. Nothing else, just the spell."
Alfred nodded, holding the thoughts of Arthur in his mind. Then he opened his eyes.
It happened just as Arthur had described. Upon opening his eyes, Alfred focused on the target and simply thought of fire. There was a very quick burning feeling above his stomach and over his heart and not a second after, the target, as well as most of the far half of the room, erupted in blue flames. Startled, Alfred took a step back and looked at Arthur beside him. Arthur was looking at the target with a smile on his face.
"Nicely done," Arthur said as he turned to look at Alfred. Alfred smiled sheepishly, then looked back at the target, overwhelmed that he had properly cast some magic. Arthur stepped forward, mumbled something under his breath and extended his hand. Alfred watched in amazement as the flames extinguished upon Arthur's command. Arthur walked towards the target, which had been knocked over in the flaming blast, and set it upright again. He turned back towards Alfred.
"And now we work on control."
The pair practiced magic in the palace dungeon into the rest of the morning. It took a lot of practice for Alfred to get used to casting magic, but eventually he got precise enough for only the target to erupt in flames. The goal was for Alfred to light only the innermost circle, but it appeared that would take more sessions. By the time their practice came to a stop, it was early afternoon. Alfred sat down on the cool floor of their practice room and leaned back on his hands.
"Magic takes a lot more out of you than I thought," he said, breathing a little heavily. Arthur came over and sat beside the King and smiled.
"Practicing magic is like working out physically. Eventually it will become easier and you won't get tired anymore."
"Really? Nice," Alfred said, finally catching his breath again. Arthur let out a short smile and clapped his hand on Alfred's shoulder.
"You did really well today."
Alfred smiled.
"Thanks." Alfred hesitated for a second, but then brought his own hand to rest over where Arthur's hand was on his shoulder. A few seconds passed before Arthur pulled his hand away and stood up.
"Do you want something to eat?"
"So much," Alfred said, standing up as well. Arthur flashed a smile at the King.
"Come on, let's go have lunch."
The next few days, the pair practiced magic together until Alfred was finally able to light only the innermost ring on the target. Preparations for the coronation and the ball were beginning to take place, so as the main rooms of the castle were decorated, the pair had to constantly move their normal lessons from room to room to stay out of the way of the castle servants. However in the mornings, the great ballroom was empty, and the pair began using the room for their next set of lessons. Alfred was confused when Arthur led him there for the first time though. As they entered the empty ballroom, Alfred looked around at the high, ornate ceilings and the chandelier that he would have to light at the ball.
"So what are we doing here?"
Arthur began setting up a music player near the wall where they came in, and looked over his shoulder at Alfred.
"Don't you remember? Yao instructed me to teach you ball customs this week. And today we're going to start with dance."
Alfred frowned.
"Oh..." Alfred let out a large sigh as he leaned against the wall behind him.
"Try not to sound so excited, Alfred."
"You don't understand, Arthur! I can't dance..."
"You also said you couldn't be King of Spades."
Alfred paused and thought for a moment.
"Okay, that's different," Alfred said as Arthur made his way back to where he was standing.
"No, it's not." Arthur said, extending his hand towards the King. "Come. I'll teach you everything you need to know."
Arthur had planned to teach Alfred four dances. The first two were Spade's traditional folk dances, which Alfred actually picked up very quickly. However, the last two were closer to classic ballroom dances and waltzes, which Alfred couldn't seem to grasp.
"Your left, Alfred. Not forward."
"Wait. But I just went left! I thought you go forward after that..." Alfred had one hand resting on Arthur's waist and the other grasping onto Arthur's hand, but because he kept messing up the steps, the pair ended up colliding more than a few times. Arthur sighed.
"There's only eight steps in this dance, Alfred. Surely it can't be that difficult for you."
"Well it is..." Alfred frowned, frustrated that learning this dance wasn't coming as easily as magic was. Arthur raised his eyebrows and leaned a little closer.
"Hey..don't look so upset, Alfred. I know it's difficult. But you need to learn this. It's a staple dance for any social event in Cards and as King, you'll be attending a lot of those. It's also the first dance you'll do with your Queen. You have to learn it."
Alfred's eyes widened.
"My Queen?"
"Of course. The Queen of Spades has yet to be found, but any day now the Queen will show up and—wait. Surely you've thought about this."
He hadn't. Alfred's days had been so filled with lessons and studying and Arthur that he had never even thought about the Queen of Spades. He rapidly thought back on everything he had studied about how the Cards royalties work.
"Wait. So I'll have to marry the Queen of Spades once she's found?"
"Or he, Alfred. You know the Cards roles are not chosen based on gender. Even the current Queen of Hearts is a male, and the last King of Diamonds was a-"
"Yeah, whatever, but I'll have to get married to them?"
"Well, yes. Of course."
Alfred's hands let go of Arthur as he let the idea sink in.
"Alfred?" Arthur said with a concerned look falling over his face. Alfred shook his head and took a step back.
"Yeah. Sorry Arthur...I just...I think I'm a little tired today. I'm going to go take a break."
"Oh. Alright then. Get some rest," Arthur said. Alfred walked out the door of the ballroom and disappeared down the hall. Arthur stood in the ballroom in silence as he rubbed his hand across his forehead and mumbled some curses under his breath.
The next few days, they continued their morning dance practice, but with little progress. In fact, Arthur found Alfred messing up more and more as the days went by. Alfred's attitude had also changed a little. The King who was usually always smiling and joking with him had suddenly become more somber and seemed uncharacteristically quiet and constantly lost in thought. One afternoon, as the day of the coronation and the ball crept closer, the pair went to the study after another unsuccessful dance session. Alfred sat at the desk, scribbling down some information on a piece of paper. Yao had recently begun giving him paperwork, and Alfred was quickly getting used to the new assignments. The pair sat in the study in silence. Arthur had brought a book to read as Alfred worked, but he found himself constantly peering over at the King, who had his brow furrowed in concentration. Arthur suddenly closed his book and walked over to the desk where Alfred was working. The King finished writing the sentence he was working on then looked up at Arthur.
"What's up?"
"Let's go for a walk."
Alfred looked back down at his paper and finished signing his signature.
"I really should finish this work, Arthur."
Arthur raised an eyebrow at Alfred's statement.
"Since when do I need to convince you to skip out?"
Alfred looked back up again and smiled at Arthur weakly. He looked tired. The dark areas under his eyes indicated that he probably hadn't been sleeping very well. Arthur's heart fell slightly as he reached out and rested his hand on top of Alfred's wrist.
"Come on, Alfred. There's somewhere I want to take you."
Alfred followed Arthur through the castle and to the back courtyards behind the palace. Just beyond the gardens, there was a tall rose maze with blue roses in bloom. Arthur led Alfred into the maze. They made two turns to the right and one to the left, then walked along a long, straight portion of the maze. Eventually they came to a small dead end in the maze that had an old wooden door right in the middle of a wall of blooming roses. Arthur reached into his pocket and removed a small, silver key. He inserted it into the knob and twisted, opening the door before them. Alfred walked in and looked around. Natural walls made of stone and rocks surrounded a circular grassy area. There were several flowering trees that interwove overhead and a small water fountain in the middle of the clearing. Several glowing flowers and crystals were releasing soft light in the shade produced by the overhead trees. A small smile spread across Alfred's face as he looked around.
"What is this place?"
Arthur closed the door behind them.
"This is my garden. Well, my secret garden. No one knows this is here but me." Arthur stepped forward, towards Alfred. "And now, you."
Arthur beamed at the thought that Arthur trusted him enough to take him here. He looked back around.
"This is amazing, Arthur."
Arthur looked down, with a prideful smile on his face. Then he spoke again.
" I have a magic barrier protecting this place. No one else can enter here." Arthur paused for a moment, then walked forward, slipping the key into Alfred's hand. "I want you to come here anytime you want. If your role as King of Spades ever becomes too much, you can come here. You're not a king here. You're just Alfred." Arthur looked up into Alfred's blue eyes. "Like how to me, you're not a king. You're just Alfred."
Alfred felt his heart skip a beat as he smiled warmly at Arthur. He closed his hand around Arthur's, which had lingered after giving him the key.
"Thank you, Arthur."
Arthur nodded, and the two of them stood in silence, unmoving for a while. This time, Arthur seemed reluctant to pull his hand away, so they stood with their fingers intertwined in their own secret garden.
The day of the coronation finally arrived. The ceremony of officially crowning the King of Spades was a private affair, and the only ones who were allowed to witness it were the other royals and the palace staff, including the knights, the guards, the sorcerers, and upon Alfred's demand, Arthur.
Alfred was waiting in a small room near the throne room where the coronation would take place. There were just a few moments before the ceremony was to begin, and Yao said he would come to get him when it was time. Alfred was sitting by a window, anxiously drumming his hands on his knees. He was wearing clothes that were far more elaborate than his normal palace clothes and the stiffness of the garments were beginning to affect his nerves. He had asked a palace servant to bring Arthur to him, hoping that seeing Arthur would help him to feel more calm. However, that was several minutes ago and now he was beginning feel more anxious than ever.
Just then, Arthur burst through the doors of the room, completely out of breath. Alfred stood up as Arthur made his way towards the King.
"Arthur! Where were you? I'm loosing my mind over here," Alfred said, already feeling a little better at seeing his instructor.
"Sorry, Alfred. I had something to take care of in town."
"What?"
"Not important."
The pair stood in silence for a moment. Alfred was in no mood to further press why Arthur had gone to town, so he let the subject drop. He was beginning to feel a little better, but his nerves were still getting the best of him. He spread his arms a little, showing off the flowing fabric of the King's ceremonial garments.
"So...how do I look?"
"Ridiculous."
Alfred let out a short laugh before shaking his head and speaking again.
"Seriously, Arthur...do I?" Alfred shuffled uncomfortably in the heavy garments and looked away, bracing himself for whatever Arthur might say.
"You look like a King, Alfred."
Alfred turned to look at Arthur, who had a genuine smile on his face. He then got closer to Alfred and gently placed his hand on Alfred's arm and squeezed lightly.
"You're going to be fine. I promise."
Alfred felt a wave of relief as he looked into the eyes of the man he had come to trust more than anyone. Without thinking, Alfred took Arthur's hand in his, and slowly leaned forward, gently pressing their foreheads together. Alfred had a huge smile on his face, but then his smile fell. As they looked into each others eyes for a moment, they both felt something very different pass between them. Arthur didn't say anything, but Alfred felt Arthur's hand fall from his arm and instead slid down to the King's waist. Alfred felt his breath catch in the back of his throat as his heart begin to pound erratically in his chest. The King sloped his head slightly, causing their faces to slide closer together. Arthur's expression was unreadable, but Alfred could see the color that had begun to enter his instructor's face. Arthur's voice came out in a low whisper.
"What are we doing?"
Alfred hesitated for a moment, but instead of having Arthur push him away, he felt Arthur's grip tighten around his waist, pulling their bodies closer together. Alfred couldn't think of an answer to Arthur's question, but as he felt all nerves and reason slip away, he found himself leaning forward, beginning to close the gap between them.
There was a loud knock on the door. The pair broke away, startled. Alfred, who immediately felt reality rushing back to him, looked at Arthur in shock of what had almost happened. However, was more surprised at what he saw. Arthur, who was the definition of being calm and collected looked uncharacteristically flustered and embarrassed. His cheeks were flushed, and for once appeared to be at a loss for words. There was another knock on the door and the Jack's voice called into the room.
"Your Excellency?"
Alfred cleared his throat and tried to collect himself.
"Yes, Yao."
The Jack opened the door to the room with a smile on his face. He, too, was wearing more formal clothes than usual, however he seemed unaffected unlike Alfred.
"It's time, your Excellency! Are you ready?" The Jack paused upon entering the room. He looked from the King, to Arthur then tilted his head. "Is everything alright?"
Alfred spoke up immediately, attempting to clear the strange atmosphere in the room.
"Yeah! Yeah, uh. Everything's fine." Alfred looked at Arthur, who had nervously began adjusting his tie. Yao looked at the pair again, then shrugged.
"Alright then. Anyway, everything is in place for the ceremony. I suggest you take your seat now, Arthur. As for you, Your Excellency, please follow me."
Arthur left the room quickly, and Alfred thought he saw Arthur look back at him before silently slipping through the door. Alfred and Yao left shortly after. As they walked down the hall to the throne room, Yao spoke up.
"Did something happen, Your Excellency?"
Alfred looked at Yao, who looked genuinely curious. Alfred shook his head.
"No..." Alfred paused for a moment. "...at least I don't think so."
The coronation was able to start without any problems. Yao entered the room first, and waited for Alfred before the throne. As Alfred entered, the palace staff stood, as Alfred slowly made his way to where Yao was standing, being careful not to trip under the weight of the garments. As he walked in, he immediately saw where Arthur was standing, towards the middle of the room among the palace sorcerers. His expression was as calm as ever, and any evidence of his flustered state from before was long gone. Their eyes locked for a moment, and Arthur gave Alfred a reassuring smile. Alfred turned and looked forward again, trying not to be to distracted by thoughts about what had almost happened with them. If he started thinking about it now, there was no way he would be able to remember his lines for the ceremony. He finally reached Yao at the end of the room and stopped. He then lowered himself on one knee before the Jack. Yao then began speaking.
"You who bear the mark of the King," Yao said, looking at Alfred before him. "You have been chosen by Spades to be our sovereign ruler. Do you formally accept your duties?"
Alfred took a deep breath before speaking in a powerful voice that shocked even himself.
"I accept my duties. I, as King of Spades, promise to
grant my strength to our forces,
my power to our military,
my magic to the kingdom," Alfred paused before continuing.
"And my love to the people."
A servant then appeared beside Yao, holding the King's crown. It was made of a shining silver and was liberally decorated with the country's emblem. Yao took the crown from the servant, and gently placed it upon Alfred's head.
"You may rise, King." Yao said, taking a step back. As Alfred stood up, he and Yao slowly switched places and this time, Yao lowered himself to one knee.
"King of Spades. As your Jack, I formally swear to assist and guard you for as long as I live."
Alfred nodded and Yao slowly rose to his feet again.
When Yao stood up, and the pair slowly walked towards the thrones. Alfred took his seat in the Kings chair, and Yao stood beside him at his left hand side.
"Those who serve the Kingdom," Yao said, his voice echoing throughout the room, "I present to you King Alfred of Spades."
The throne room erupted in applause and cheers. Alfred looked out on the small crowd in the room and was able to pick out Arthur again who genuinely looked proud. Alfred's eyes then flitted to the empty Queen's chair beside him at his right hand. The King took a deep breath, wondering how a Queen would ever be able to take the place of the man he truly wanted beside him right now.
After the coronation, Arthur discretely pulled the new King aside into a corridor, and the pair walked to the gardens behind the Castle's West tower before Yao even noticed that the new King had gone.
"So, how was I?" Alfred said, proud that nothing had gone wrong in the ceremony.
"You could have sat on the King's throne a little more gracefully..."
Alfred jokingly sneered at Arthur's comment. Arthur then slowly let a smile form on his face.
"...but aside from that, you were brilliant."
Alfred let out a short laugh and scratched the back of his head, nervously. The memory of the events before the coronation were beginning to come back. However, his train of thought was cut short by Arthur's voice.
"There's something I want to give you..." Arthur said, reaching into the pocket of his jacket. He produced a small box that had been simply wrapped and handed it towards Alfred. Alfred blinked in response.
"This is for me?"
Arthur nodded, and Alfred took the box from his hands. Alfred attempted to unwrap the box neatly, but ended up tearing it open in excitement. Inside the wrapping was a small, black box. Alfred carefully removed the lid, and his eyes widened at what he saw. Inside the box was a shining, gold pocket watch in the shape of a spade. It had ornate detailing on the face of the clock as well as the back, and it was hooked on a short, gold chain. Alfred carefully removed the watch saw how it glinted when in caught sunlight.
"That is the King's weapon. With that, every time spell is at your disposal."
Alfred looked at Arthur, at a loss for words. Arthur looked away, swallowing his embarrassment as best he could.
"The previous King didn't take very good care of it, so I wanted to make sure it was cleaned and polished before I gave it to you."
"Is that what you went into town for today?"
Arthur didn't answer, but Alfred understood at this point that that was one of his ways of saying 'yes.'
"This is amazing, Arthur." With little warning, Alfred wrapped his arms around Arthur. "Thank you."
Arthur didn't return the embrace, but did tilt his head a little so that he could properly rest his head on Alfred's shoulder.
"Do you want to know how grateful I am?" Alfred said, playfulness coming into his voice.
"How grateful are you?" Arthur replied.
Alfred pulled away, with a huge smile on his face. He then took a step back and did a mocking bow towards Arthur.
"I'm going to let you have my first dance at the ball tonight!"
Arthur smiled and let out a short laugh.
"As much as I'd enjoy getting my feet trampled by you again, I'm afraid that's impossible."
Alfred blinked back in confusion.
"Wait, what do you mean?"
"I'm not attending the ball, Alfred." Arthur tilted his head in confusion. "I thought you knew."
Alfred's smile immediately fell.
"What? No, why not?"
Arthur took a deep breath and looked away.
"Alfred, this ball is your first official event as King. You can understand that your being accompanied by your instructor would not give off the best first impression of the new ruler of this country. You're already so young as it is, and you're going to need to appear as in control as possible to win the social approval of the people."
Alfred frowned and said nothing, so Arthur sighed before speaking again.
"I don't belong at that ball, Alfred. The ball is going to be nobles from all over Cards. While it has been arranged for me to stay in the Spades palace, it is only under the pretext of my working there. Once the Queen died, I lost my nobility. Therefore, I am no longer welcome at such events."
Alfred nodded and tightened his grasp on the cool, golden watch in his hand. He didn't like this. Alfred then realized what he had done. Upon accepting his roles as King, he had immediately wedged an enormous difference in social status between himself and Arthur. Not only that, now that he had accepted his duties, there was no reason for them to continue their lessons anymore. There was no longer any reason for Arthur to stay by his side.
"I understand," Alfred said. He tried to force a smile, however his face was dark from the realization. Arthur took a step forward, picking up on the King's solemn attitude.
"After the ball, come and find me. You can tell me all about it."
Alfred smiled at Arthur's suggestion and nodded.
"I will."
Alfred left the gardens and headed to his room to get ready for the ball, but somehow knew he was now only looking forward to it being over.
Alfred stood in the great hall with his eyes closed in concentration. A hushed silence fell over the audience as Alfred extended his hand. He opened his eyes, and surprisingly, he was able to perfectly cast the spell. The hundreds of candles on the chandelier hanging from the ceiling illuminated all at once, setting the room aglow with light. The crowd of people began clapping, and Alfred smiled, knowing that all of the practice he and Arthur had done had somehow paid off. He slowly made his way away from the front of the hall and joined Yao just a short distance away. The Jack had a pleased expression on his face.
"Well done, Your Excellency."
"Thanks, Yao." Alfred let out a relieved sigh, happy that the spell had gone well. Yao patted the King on the shoulder.
"You may rest easy, Your Excellency. The worst is over. This is a ball, so enjoy it!" Yao looked absolutely elated, and Alfred smiled at how positive Yao looked to officially have him assuming his role. The Jack then stepped away. "Wait here, King. I'll get you something to drink."
"Thanks," Alfred said, and he watched Yao disappear into the crowd.
The ball was far grander than anything Alfred had experienced thus far as King. There were a few hundred people in the hall, and as Arthur had told them, they were all nobles. They were dressed in fine clothes, and carried themselves with an air of elegance that Alfred still had not gotten used to. The majority of the guests were from Spades, but every now and then someone bearing the crest of another country in Cards walked past. The room was decorated with extravagant and exotic flowers, there were palace servants walking about with trays of food and drink, and there was a full orchestra playing dance music near one of the far walls. The high windows of the great hall looked out on the palace inner gardens, and over all, the atmosphere of this event was unlike anything Alfred had ever experienced. Alfred still felt slightly uncomfortable, and not just from the suit he was wearing. While he was gradually getting used to it, he still felt like he didn't belong here. 'Like he didn't belong here.' He thought back to Arthur's words in the garden.
He would fit in here much more than I do, Alfred thought to himself.
"Excuse me."
Suddenly Alfred heard a voice to his side and turned to see who it was. The man standing before him had jet-black hair and dark eyes. He was shorter than Alfred was, but he had a very unique elegance to him. He was wearing deep red robes and bore the crest of Hearts on his chest, and the man gave off such a calm air that even Arthur's collected attitude could be rivaled. Every hair and garment was perfectly in place, and Alfred felt that the man before him practically looked like a painting. Alfred collected himself before speaking.
"Uh, Yes?"
The man in red smiled.
"So it's true..."
"I'm sorry, what's true?"
"I had heard rumors in Hearts that the new King of Spades was a young and attractive man, but I had no clue the rumors would be so accurate." Alfred shuffled nervously, unsure of how to respond to the compliment. The man covered his mouth to stifle a short laugh. "Forgive me, King of Spades. I'm just joking with you." The man then extended his hand towards Alfred. "I am Kiku Honda. I am the current Queen of Hearts." Upon receiving context, Alfred smiled and shook the hand offered to him.
"I'm Alfred. Nice to meet you, uh-"
"You can just call me Kiku, King Alfred. There's no need for formalities in a setting like this."
"Alright, Kiku then."
The Queen of Hearts nodded and spoke again.
"I do hope that my cousin is serving you well."
Alfred thought for a moment, then made the connection on why Kiku looked somewhat familiar.
"You're Yao's cousin?"
"Yes."
Alfred's eyes widened at the realization, then Kiku spoke up again.
"You'll have to forgive my King and Jack for not being here, King Alfred. They had prior engagements. But I couldn't resist the urge to come to Spades to congratulate you personally, so I am here as the royal representative for Hearts this evening."
"Oh, I see," Alfred said, beginning to feel more comfortable around the man before him.
Alfred was familiar with the fact that on the King's first ball after the coronation, each country in Cards traditionally sends one member from their royal family to represent their country in the new King's celebration. Of course, any country can send more than one, but one is the absolute minimum. Suddenly Kiku looked over his shoulder.
"Oh, look over there..." Kiku gestured towards the wall opposite where the pair were standing. "There's the representative for Diamonds. They sent their Jack." Alfred looked over towards where Kiku had pointed. There was a man in shining golden clothes and was currently talking with a group of other men. He had blond hair cut just past his ears and was wearing a very serious expression as he spoke with his captive audience. Kiku spoke again, lowering his voice. "I wouldn't interrupt him right now. It looks like he's closing a financial deal, and you don't want to come between Basch and money. He's a kind man, but very motivated and ruthless when it comes to financial gain." Kiku raised his voice to a normal register again. "But I suppose that's typical for Diamonds." Alfred smiled at Kiku's statement. Diamonds was well known for their wealth, and quite frankly that was almost all that they were known for aside from their high population of aristocrats and their bustling fashion trade. Suddenly, the orchestra switched songs, and Alfred immediately recognized the tune from his practices with Arthur.
"You aren't going to dance, King Alfred? Since you don't have your Queen yet, you certainly wouldn't have a hard time finding a partner..." Kiku discretely pointed towards a small group of women who had gathered a short distance away. Alfred hadn't noticed them before, and when he looked over at them, they all giggled and turned away. Alfred let out an embarrassed laugh.
"No, I'm afraid I'm not much of a dancer."
Kiku smiled at the statement.
"Good. Neither am I. I've never cared for it."
The two exchanged a look of appreciation the laughed. Kiku spoke up again.
"I have a feeling we'll be good friends, King Alfred."
Alfred smiled, feeling genuinely comfortable for the first time since the ball started.
"I get that feeling too."
Kiku cleared his throat and collected himself after laughing, then spoke again.
"Since you've officially sworn to your duties, you'll be slowly making your rounds around Cards to reaffirm your allies, correct?"
Alfred nodded. Yao had mentioned something about traveling to Diamonds and Hearts to formally re-request their alliance. Kiku continued.
"Why don't you come to Hearts first? We are your closest ally both geographically and historically, and we'll be sure to offer you our greatest hospitality."
Alfred raised his eyebrows at the thought then smiled.
"Yes, I think I'll do that. I'll bring it up to Yao this week."
Kiku seemed pleased and he took a short step back.
"Well, I'm going to go greet some of the representative families from Hearts. It was nice meeting you, King Alfred. I look forward to seeing you again." And with that, the man named Kiku disappeared into the crowd.
Alfred waited for a little while longer by the wall, but when Yao still hadn't returned after several minutes, he made his way across the ballroom towards where Yao had disappeared. He eventually made it to a large table on the far side of the room with covered with assorted beverages. Alfred looked around for a while, then felt a hand on his shoulder. Alfred turned around, expecting to see Yao, but froze upon seeing the person who was behind him. The man was much taller than Alfred and donned green garments that flowed just above the floor. He had pale hair and deep blue eyes, and while the man was smiling, there was something dark about his mannerisms that made Alfred uneasy.
"It's nice to see that you've finally appeared, King of Spades. I was beginning to think you would never be found."
The chilling grin never fell from the man's face as he spoke. Alfred frowned, refusing to be intimidated by the man in green.
"And who are you?"
The man in green let out a laugh.
"How rude of me. I should have been more clear from the start..." The tall man stepped forward, looming over Alfred. "I am the King of Clubs. I believe we have war to discuss."
Realizing that he was staring at the man responsible for the several attacks on Spades in the past few years, Alfred felt disgust rising within himself. Just as he was about to say something, he heard a familiar voice filled with anger.
"Ivan!"
The pair turned towards where the voice had come from, and Alfred's eyes widened. Standing just a short distance away was Yao, holding two drinks in his hand. However, what Alfred had found surprising was Yao's voice. His face was calm, but Alfred had never heard him sound so furious. Alfred glanced back at the King of Clubs to see that the menacing smile had disappeared from his face and instead he had a blank expression.
"Yao." The King of Clubs said quietly. Without saying anything, Yao stepped forward standing by Alfred's side. He turned to Alfred and spoke.
"You'll have to forgive me, Your Excellency. I was talking with an investor and couldn't get away." Yao handed Alfred a glass, and shot a glare at the man in green.
"I certainly hope you weren't tormenting my King, Ivan."
Alfred looked from Yao to the King of Clubs, trying to figure out what was going on. It was obvious that the two had met before, but what Alfred was currently distracted by was how angry Yao seemed. Not only was he glaring, which Alfred had never seen before, he also had one hand wrapped around the sword strapped to his waist, as if he were ready to draw it at any time. Even more surprisingly, The King of Clubs, who had seemed cold and menacing just a moment ago now seemed almost apologetic. Ivan began to extend his hand toward Yao, but then hesitated, pulling his hand back.
"Yao, I...I just want to talk."
Yao's expression didn't change, nor did he remove his hand from the sword. A few moments passed, then Yao let out a sigh.
"Fine." Yao turned to Alfred. "Please excuse me, Your Excellency. I'll be back as soon as possible."
Alfred looked at the King of Clubs, then back at Yao.
"Alright."
Alfred watched Yao lead the King of Clubs into the crowd, and once again, Alfred was left alone.
Alfred stood against the one of the far walls of the great hall. He wanted to socialize, but among the nobles, he wasn't quite sure how. It didn't help that most of the guests at this affair were far older than he was. Yao showed no signs of returning anytime soon, and Kiku seemed to have vanished all together. Alfred removed his pocket watch from the innermost pocket of his suit. Only an hour had passed since the ball had begun. Alfred let out a sigh and ran his fingers over the cool metal of the pocket watch. He had attached the key Arthur had given him to the gold chain on the pocket watch, and he could feel the weight of the key resting in his pocket. He thought for a moment, then he made a decision. Alfred waited until the orchestra began playing a new song and many of the guests headed to the center of the room to start the new dance. Then, as discretely as possible, Alfred slipped out of the grand hall and turned down one of the palace corridors, leaving the party behind.
Alfred walked down the empty halls of the palace, enjoying the silence for once. Most of the lights in the other parts of the palace had been lowered, so Alfred made his way through the castle in the dim candlelight. Without realizing it, Alfred had walked to the North-most part of the palace. As he looked out on the North gardens, he could see the rose maze that Arthur had led him into just the other day. Without thinking any further, Alfred walked out one of the side doors and made his way into the rose maze. He remembered the turns that they had taken previously, and without too much difficulty, Alfred was able to find the door in the wall of roses. Alfred produced the key from his pocket and inserted the key into the door, turning the knob slowly.
Alfred had originally come to the garden to be alone. Arthur had offered him to use the place when he felt overwhelmed, and he certainly was feeling less than pleased about how the ball had played out. However, when he entered the secret garden and saw who was in there, he began to think that maybe he had been hoping to see him all along.
Sitting on the edge of the stone water fountain, flipping through the pages of a small book was Arthur. He looked like he was concentrating on the contents of the book, but when Alfred opened the door, he looked up. Arthur smiled and closed his book, and as he stood up, Alfred saw how his emerald eyes seemed to shine in the soft glow of the crystals surrounding the fountain.
"Seventy-two minutes. That's actually much longer than I thought you'd last."
Alfred would normally have taken some offense to Arthur's snide comment, however at this moment, it was just what he needed to set his heart at ease. Alfred let out a short laugh and closed the door behind him.
"You had that much faith in me, huh?"
Arthur thought for a moment before answering.
"I had more than enough faith in you. Those parties, however, can get boring rather quickly."
Alfred raised an eyebrow and crossed the garden to stand beside Arthur.
"It was pretty boring."
"I expected it would be." Some silence fell between them. Even within the magic barrier of the secret garden, the music and sounds of the party could still be heard. Arthur spoke up. "Did you dance with anyone at least?"
"No."
"No? After all of that practicing we did, Alfred...why not?"
Arthur looked at Arthur and smiled.
"Because I believe I promised you my first dance, Arthur."
Arthur froze in place, and said nothing. Alfred thought he saw some color rush to Arthur's face before his instructor turned his face away from him. The muffled sound of the orchestra continued, and Alfred recognized the tune as one of the songs he and Arthur had practiced to. Carefully, he took Arthur's hand and pulled him into the middle of the garden. He placed his other hand on Arthur's waist, then slowly began moving through the steps of the dance.
Alfred had yet to complete the dance without messing up, however somehow on this particular evening, the steps of the dance seemed to come to him naturally. And when the song eventually came to an end, Alfred stopped, ending the waltz perfectly. The pair stood in silence without saying anything. They were still holding onto one another from the dance, but Alfred gently tightened his grip on Arthur. As they looked at each other, they both felt a spark run through them again. Alfred felt his heartbeat quicken in his chest. He knew that if he proceed this time there would be no one to stop them, but as he felt Arthur lean in a little closer to him, he felt his reason slip away. Alfred let his eyes slide closed and leaned in, gently letting his mouth meet Arthur's.
At first, there was no response. However, Alfred soon felt Arthur's eyes flutter closed and begin to kiss Alfred in return. Alfred gasped lightly and pulled Arthur closer to him. His mind began to race along with his heart. He was kissing Arthur. He had cared so much about Arthur, but had never thought about doing this before. But as he tilted his head to kiss Arthur deeper, he wondered if this had been what he wanted all along. Suddenly, Arthur brought his hands to Alfred's chest and pushed back lightly. As they broke away, they were both breathless. Arthur's cheeks were flushed, but he had a pained expression as he slowly shook his head.
"I can't do this, Alfred..."
Alfred felt his heart drop in his chest. He still wasn't exactly sure what was unfolding between them, but he knew that he didn't want it to stop now.
"...Why?" Alfred asked. Arthur didn't answer right away, and looked away from Alfred. Alfred couldn't stand the thought of distance after they had just been so close. He leaned forward and began placing kisses on Arthur's ear. Arthur tried to lean away at first, but shortly after stood still, allowing Alfred to kiss him.
"I-I can't...you'll have, ah. You'll have a Queen soon, and I..."
Alfred interrupted Arthur, not allowing him to say anything more.
"I'm not a King here, Arthur...it's just you and me." Alfred pulled back from Arthur's ear and pressed their foreheads together, looking into Arthur's eyes. "It's just us here. Nothing else."
Alfred watched the hesitation begin to fade from Arthur's emerald eyes. The pair leaned forward again, and this time, Arthur didn't hold back. As if Alfred had somehow convinced him, Arthur began kissing him honestly and eagerly. Arthur's hands began to wander the Kings back, and he pressed his body firmly against Alfred's. Alfred felt a wave of relief as he realized that Arthur might have wanted this as much as he did, and his heart began to pound happily in his chest. They both attempted to hold back moans that began to slip from the back of their throats, but as the kisses became more needy, they knew it was impossible. A deep warmth was being generated between them, and soon not even to cool night in Spades nor the sounds from the ball seemed to matter anymore. The pair eventually pulled away, catching their breath and looking into each others eyes. As they shortly found themselves leaning forward again, they both immediately knew that there was no turning back.
Whew, what a chapter -.-
This chapter was a lot longer than I originally planned? But I guess it all worked out, Alfred finally got some kissies :3
Thanks for reading to chapter three ^^ Let me know what you guys think~