Alfred began to wonder if the whole night had been an elaborate dream. After their night in the garden with kisses and wandering hands and holding each other, Alfred was sure that something had changed inside of Arthur, as well as himself. However, when morning came it was almost as if as if none of it had happened. Arthur knocked on his door to wake him up per the norm, and the two went to eat breakfast together in the main hall just as they always had. Arthur rattled on about the schedule for the day as they ate. He was completely composed, seemingly unfazed at any of the previous night's activities. Arthur was being as friendly as ever, but was definitely not acting as close as they had been in the garden. Alfred swallowed. Was it all a dream? Had he and Arthur never actually kissed, and this was all the result of a weird, heated dream he had? It all seemed too real though, as if he could still feel Arthur's tongue lapping over his own and his hands caressing his face as they slid into his hair. As if he could still feel Arthur's body pressed against his, and his name whispered briefly between gasps for air.
"Alfred."
The King dropped his fork as he snapped back to reality and looked at Arthur, who had stopped talking. Arthur shot him a questioning look as Alfred retrieved the fallen utensil.
"Are you alright?"
"What? Yeah, uh, fine. Why do you ask?"
"Well, for one thing, you haven't eaten anything yet."
Alfred looked down at his plate, still full of untouched food.
"Oh. Right." Alfred shoveled a few forkfuls of food into his mouth eagerly, trying to dispel any idea that he wasn't acting normally. Arthur watched Alfred in mild disgust and slid an extra napkin to the King seated beside him. Arthur cleared his throat and continued.
"As I was saying, Alfred. As of yesterday, you're officially responsible for taking care of all of your duties as King of Spades."
Alfred swallowed as he slowly nodded his head. He felt ready, however, he was less than enthusiastic. Arthur continued.
"However, after talking with Yao this morning, I was able to encourage him that you are still in need of your lessons."
Alfred's head shot up at this statement.
"Wait. We're going to continue our lessons? In what? I already know everything that I have to do as a royal."
"True. But there are some things that you need to have reinforced training for as a noble."
"Like what?"
Arthur's eyes flitted down to Alfred's plate, then back to Alfred, who was eagerly chewing once more.
"Well, for one thing, manners."
Alfred stopped chewing and thought for a moment. He then carefully took the napkin that Arthur had offered him to wipe his face. He had a point. Arthur continued talking.
"There are a number of things that would be helpful for you to know. And while they don't play directly into your role as a King, it certainly would be more than becoming of you to know them as a member of high society."
"So we're going to continue our lessons?" Alfred let a bright smile spread across his face. Arthur nodded.
"For the time being, yes. Of course, your duties as King will come first. But we'll meet for lessons four times a week."
While they were no longer going to be meeting every day anymore, Alfred couldn't bring himself to be too upset. He had originally feared that he wouldn't be seeing Arthur anymore, but now that he knew that they would still have their lessons, he was elated.
"So we'll still be able to see each other?"
Arthur gave Alfred a quick, puzzled look before a small smile crept across his face.
"Of course. Just because you're officially King, I wasn't going to leave Spades. I'm still employed by the castle, I legitimately can't go anywhere." Arthur paused for a moment and looked down. "And contrary to whatever you may believe, I enjoy seeing you."
Alfred felt his heart skip at Arthur's statement. He tried not to think about his memories of the night before, and simply smiled at the thought of Arthur still spending time with him.
"So, when's our first lesson?"
"Today, if you'd like. I know Yao wants to discuss some details with you after breakfast, but supposing you finish that work, your afternoon should be free."
"Yeah, sure!"
Arthur smiled at Alfred's uncontrolled enthusiasm, and let out a short laugh.
"Excellent. I'll come get you after lunch."
The pair finished eating breakfast, and left the dining hall. Arthur was to resume his work with the palace sorcerers, so the two of them would be working in separate wings of the castle until later in the afternoon. They lingered for a moment outside of the dining hall.
"Remember, Yao will be meeting you in the conference room in the North Tower today." Arthur said, unconvinced that Alfred would find it on the first try.
"I know, I know. I'm heading there right now."
"Alright."
Alfred turned to head towards his destination for the day, but froze as he felt a pair of lips briefly connect with the back of his neck. Arthur's voice came in a low whisper.
"See you."
Alfred turned around quickly, but watched as Arthur made his way down the hall and disappeared around a corridor without another word. Alfred was left in the empty hall alone with his thoughts, wondering where exactly the line was drawn between his dreams and reality.
Alfred found Yao in the North Tower, just as Arthur had said, and the two of them worked in the lofty conference room for most of the morning. Yao was overviewing most of Alfred's duties for the month, but shortly after he listed the events that needed to be held, Alfred took over the meeting. Yao seemed surprised at first, but quickly began scribbling down notes and dates that Alfred told him to. Alfred was making the transition to King quite easily.
"And the first big order of business we need to take care of is our alliances with Hearts and Diamonds." Alfred spread out an old map of Cards on the conference room table and traced his hand across the paper. "Hearts is closest geographically. I also spoke with the Queen of Hearts at the ball last night. I think now is the right time to make our alliance official for the duration of my reign." Yao nodded, with a pleased expression on his face.
"Excellent observation, Your Excellency. I couldn't agree more."
Alfred looked up from the paper and smiled at Yao.
"I heard that Kiku is your cousin. He seems like a great guy."
Yao looked up at the King of Spades and nodded.
"He is. I didn't get to talk with him at the ball last night." Yao paused for a second and his smile fell slightly. "Did...did he seem alright to you, Your Excellency?"
Alfred cocked his head to the side and thought for a moment. Kiku had seemed to be the very definition of composure and grace at the ball. And there seemed nothing false about his smile either. After drawing his conclusion, Alfred spoke.
"He seemed fine to me, Yao. Why? Is something wrong with him?"
Yao shook his head quickly.
"Oh, no, not at all. It's just...I've heard that he's been under some stress lately, something about his King and his Jack..." Yao trailed off, then he cleared his throat. "But if you didn't sense anything wrong, Your Excellency, then I'm sure it's nothing."
Alfred found his Jack's concern a little unnerving, but since Yao didn't press the issue any further, he let the topic drop. Yao flipped though a book filled with times and dates for each day of the year, then he spoke up.
"I agree, I think it's best if we close this deal quickly, Your Excellency. After all, Hearts has been our ally for centuries and it would just entail you greeting them as the new King of Spades and a formal signing of papers. Shall we head to Hearts at the end of this week? It's only a few hours Southeast of here."
Alfred looked at the map and traced his finger between the Spades capital and the Hearts capital. It was true, the castles were closer than he had thought.
"Yeah, lets do that."
"Yes, Your Excellency. I'll send a formal announcement to Hearts this evening."
"Alright. Next is Diamonds." Alfred looked back down at the map. "Diamonds has historically remained neutral for many of the wars between Clubs and Spades, however with their wealth, I really think it'd be better for us to have them as an ally."
Yao stepped closer to the map and spoke up.
"Perhaps it'd be best to go to Diamonds directly after Hearts." Yao looked up from the map at Alfred and continued. "Diamonds maintains a good relationship with Hearts as well. Maybe our newly renewed alliance with Hearts will sway them better than waiting and trying again later."
Alfred thought for a moment then smiled.
"Good plan. Okay, lets head to Diamonds directly after Hearts."
Yao nodded in response, then began writing the new information down in one of his books. As he did so, Alfred's gaze fell on the map again. He looked at the large, Northern-most portion of the map, shaded in worn, green ink with thick, black borders. Clubs. Alfred's thoughts flickered back to the tall, looming man at the ball whose eyes were cold like ice and smile was as menacing as death itself. Then he thought how all of those features had immediately softened and become more human when faced with Yao. Alfred knitted his brows.
"Yao...did something happen between you and the King of Clubs?"
Yao's hand immediately stopped writing and froze in place. Alfred knew that he was over-stepping Yao's boundaries, but he had to know. Yao was his Jack, after all. As Yao slowly looked up from his book, Alfred was shocked at what he saw. Yao's eyes were filled with regret. However, that expression quickly faded away, and soon Yao was wearing his normal expression again.
"Yes. Though that was a long time ago, Your Excellency." Yao returned his attention back to the book and finished writing his sentence. "But everything is over now. My loyalty is solely to you, and my love is solely to Spades, Your Excellency." Yao looked back up at Alfred, his dark eyes shining in honesty. "There is no room in my heart for anything else."
Alfred finished his meeting with Yao on schedule, and when they were finished, the King went to the dining hall for lunch. Arthur was nowhere to be found, however. Alfred waited around for a little while, but when it became clear that Arthur wasn't coming, he quickly ate his meal and hurried down the halls to find him. Alfred easily found the doors that descended to the lowest level of the castle. Alfred slid his hand over the panel, as Arthur had done the last time they went to the lower level, and watched as the door slid open. After descending to the staircase, Alfred walked about the stone hallways, trying to find Arthur. Sound carried very easily in this level of the castle and it only took a few minutes for him to hear Arthur's voice. Alfred followed Arthur's voice down a long corridor and eventually found the room where Arthur was. The door was left open, and Alfred was about to run in to surprise him, but stopped immediately just outside of the doorway.
Arthur was indeed in the room, donning the cloak used by palace sorcerers with black gloves thumbing through the pages of a magic text. His emerald eyes were shining in the dim candlelight of the room as they flickered across the pages. He looked just as Alfred had imagined he'd look when practicing magic. What he hadn't imagined was the taller man standing next to Arthur, as what Alfred deemed to be a little too close. The man with brown hair and dark eyes was wearing an identical cloak to Arthur's and looked to be at least a year younger than Arthur. He reached over, taking part of the book in his hand, brushing just past Arthur's hand. What was he doing? Why was he acting so close to Arthur? Or was this simply a normal way to share a book? Alfred didn't know, nor could he comprehend why he was feeling so sick. Alfred had never felt this way when any of his previous friends hung out with people he didn't know, so why was he disgusted to see Arthur acting so close to someone who wasn't him? The man with brown hair pointed at a passage in the text.
"See? Right here. Wouldn't this spell work?"
Arthur furrowed his brow and shook his head.
"No, it wouldn't. I tried the exact same class of spell before. It didn't work." Arthur's voice was stern and authoritative, a tone that until now Alfred hadn't heard him use on anyone except himself.
"Really?" The man leaned closer to the book, his face now right beside Arthur's. Alfred couldn't bear to watch any longer. Alfred stepped closer into the doorway and loudly cleared his throat. Arthur immediately looked up, and Alfred watched the concentration fall from his green eyes as they widened in surprise.
"Your Excellency."
Alfred almost physically flinched at Arthur's statement. Arthur never called him anything but 'Alfred.' Anything else felt far too formal, and in this situation, it was the last thing he needed. The other man looked up in awe at the King, then bowed deeply. Alfred forced a laugh.
"I uh, hope I'm not interrupting or anything..."
Arthur closed the large book and shook his head.
"No, not at all. Your lessons, right? Just a moment."
Alfred's forced smile faltered slightly. The thick layer of formality in Arthur's voice was making him irritated. Arthur handed the magic text to the man beside him.
"Thank you, Gareth. We'll try again tomorrow." The man took the book from Arthur and smiled.
"Alright. Thanks, Art."
He took the book and headed for the door, pausing to bow slightly to Alfred as he left. Alfred leaned against the door frame, allowing the man named Gareth to pass, but shot an icy look at the man's back as he walked away. Alfred turned his attention back to Arthur, who had taken off his cloak and had begun removing his gloves.
"Ready to go?"Arthur said, unaware of Alfred's foul mood.
"Sure. Who was that?" Alfred mumbled, trying his best not to sound as irritated as he felt. Arthur looked confused for a moment then looked at the door.
"Oh, Gareth. He's a sorcerer. He's been with the castle for a couple of years and sometimes I help him with his magic."
"You seem close."
Arthur thought for a moment then shrugged as he folded his cloak and placed it on the table in front of him.
"I suppose."
Arthur's lack of denial stirred a new feeling inside of Alfred that he wasn't familiar with. But he knew he didn't like it. Alfred took a few steps inside the room as Arthur cleaned up the array of books and texts sprawled across the room. Alfred looked around. Judging by how it was organized, he guessed that this room was used only by Arthur. The books and files that lined the wall were arranged in a clear and practical order. Jars containing magic properties were neatly labeled in Arthur's handwriting on some of the lower shelves, and despite the room having the dusty smell of magic, there was an almost undetectable fragrance of black tea, which Alfred knew his instructor loved. The King idly tugged at the corners of Arthur's freshly folded cloak on the desk and said nothing. Arthur walked to the far side of the room to a shelf.
"Sorry I didn't eat lunch with you today. I got caught up in my work, and I ate down here."
"Hmm." Alfred didn't gratify Arthur's apology with actual words, and instead continued to tug at the velvet material of the cloak. The prolonged silence caught Arthur's attention. He turned and looked at the King from across the room as he slipped some books back into their rightful places on the bookshelf.
"Is everything alright?"
Alfred's hands stopped moving.
"Your Excellency? Since when do you call me that?" Alfred's voice came out a little more fierce than he had planned, and Arthur's composure immediately fell from his face. At first, he looked a little apologetic, but then he rolled his eyes and walked towards Alfred.
"Don't be a child." Arthur said as he came to stand beside Alfred. His voice came out stern at first, but then he looked around the room and lowered his voice to a whisper. "People have begun talking...saying that I'm being too casual to you as a King. If I am to maintain any sort of position here, people need to know I respect you." Arthur paused for a moment. "Or at least, I need to make them think that I do."
Alfred shoved Arthur's shoulder at the snide remark and Arthur let out a short laugh in response. Alfred then thought for a moment. What Arthur was saying did make sense. He knew that there was a wide difference in status between him and Arthur that would probably never go away. Alfred let go of his anger on the subject and let out a sigh.
"Fine. But you'll never call me that when we're alone, got it?"
Arthur raised his eyebrows, intrigued at the notion of Alfred essentially ordering him to do something. A thin smile then tugged at the corners of Arthur's mouth.
"I wouldn't dream of it."
Alfred followed Arthur down the hall to the same room they had used when they practiced magic. In the weeks since then, they had occasionally come back, Alfred's magic and control growing steadily more powerful with each visit. However, they were not there for magic today. No sooner than Alfred closed the heavy door of the practice room, Arthur tossed a large object towards Alfred.
"Catch."
Arthur's words were more of a statement than a warning, as the item almost hit the King in the face. Alfred frantically grabbed the item tossed to him, managing to catch it without injury. He shot Arthur a short glare, then looked at the item he had caught. The long silver weapon was immediately recognizable as Alfred looked at it. It was a silver sword in its sheath. Alfred looked at the sword, then returned his gaze to Arthur, who was holding an identical sword. Arthur slowly removed his sword from its cover, drawing out the long, ringing sound of metal on metal.
"Most of your battle techniques will be magic-based, but it will be more convenient if you know how to wield a weapon." Arthur tossed the sheath to the far side of the room. "So we're sparring today." Alfred looked down at the weapon in his hands.
"With actual swords?"
"Relax." Arthur said, as he brought his hand to the side of the blade and swiftly drew the sword across it. He held his hand out to Alfred, showing that it was completely unharmed. "These swords aren't sharpened. It's impossible to hurt yourself." Arthur paused. "Probably."
Alfred drew his sword from it's sheath, and looked at the blade. He was right, the edge was far too dull and rounded to cut anything.
"But I can't fight you with sports..."
"Oh? Why not?"
"Arthur, I was on four sports teams all through school, there's no way that this is a fair fi-"
Without warning, Arthur whipped his sword in a wide arc, knocking Alfred's sword from his hands. The metal weapon skidded across the room, and Alfred looked from the sword to Arthur in disbelief. Arthur wore an amused smile on his face.
"Hopefully I won't slow you down, then."
The sparring that ensued was definitely one-sided, but not in the way Alfred had originally thought. While Alfred was stronger and quick on his feet, Arthur was more agile and far more skilled with a blade. Alfred had never used a sword before, and it showed. Time and time again, Arthur was able to knock the sword from Alfred's hands or strike him with the back of his sword, not strong enough to leave a mark, but strong enough to make a point. Alfred had underestimated him, and he was keen on letting the King know.
Arthur mercilessly swung his blade at Alfred to the point where Alfred wondered if Arthur truly did want to kill him. Alfred blocked to the best of his ability, able to knock the blows away from him, but unable to strike offensively himself. With each strike Alfred had to step backward in order to completely knock Arthur's blade away, and soon, he felt his back hit the wall behind him. Not a moment later, Arthur swiftly knocked Alfred's sword from his grasp, and the King watched as his weapon once again skidded across the room. Arthur brought the tip of his sword to rest at Alfred's throat. Arthur had a proud smirk on his face, and his green eyes were shining in amusement.
"My win again."
Alfred didn't say anything, and simply looked at Arthur. He was amazing. As Alfred held Arthur's gaze for a while, Arthur's smile fell from his face. Suddenly, Arthur tossed his own weapon aside, and just as Alfred was going to question what Arthur was doing, Arthur's hands came to the side of the King's face as he swiftly leaned forward pressing his lips into Alfred's. Alfred had just a moment to be confused before his hands grasped onto Arthur, returning the kiss fervently. The rush alone was incredible. Arthur's lips were so soft, but the movements they were making were deliberate and hungry. At the familiar sensations of Arthur's lips and the collision of their bodies, Alfred realized that the previous night's events had been very far from illusion. He had kissed Arthur, and for some reason, Arthur had kissed him too. And now it was all happening all over again. This time, Arthur seemed especially enthusiastic and Alfred partially felt like he was being devoured. So much so that the two of them ended up lowering to the ground with Alfred's back against the wall. Alfred pulled away briefly to catch his breath, and Arthur used the opportunity to swing his leg over, straddling Alfred's hips. Arthur eagerly leaned forward, loosening Alfred's tie and placing kisses along the King's neck until their lips met again. Alfred let his hands rest on Arthur's waist trying to set a steady rhythm as Arthur's hips rolled into him. All of the pushing and pulling and demanding was enough to make Alfred's heart feel as if it would burst. The warmth of Arthur kissing him so zealously and the feeling of Arthur's hands caressing his body made him feel as if he would never want anything else ever again.
Arthur pulled away slightly, allowing the two of them to catch their breath. Both of their faces were completely flushed, unable to find the words for what had just happened. Arthur's eyes were half-lidded, and the emerald color was shining as he looked at Alfred.
"You have no idea how much I'd been wanting to do that again..." Arthur whispered, tightening his grip on Alfred. Alfred pulled Arthur closer to him and shakily nodded. Alfred didn't say anything but as they tilted their heads and pushed forward, he felt he didn't need to.
Arthur was the first to return to his senses as he gently pulled away from Alfred, gasping heavily. The King, however, was less eager to let the closeness end and as Arthur pulled back, Alfred leaned forward, nuzzling against Arthur's neck and placing kisses just below Arthur's ear. Arthur let out a short moan.
"Dear lord," Arthur mumbled, trying to regain a proper grip on reality. Alfred hummed contentedly against Arthur's skin and tried pulling him closer to him again. Arthur resisted lightly and spoke up.
"We have to set some ground rules," Arthur said, relaxing his grip on the man below him.
"Yeah..?" Alfred said as he leaned up and nipped at Arthur's jaw.
"We...ah. We can't do this unless we're completely alone. No one can find out we're doing this..."
Alfred succeeded in pulling Arthur closer to him, but felt a little irritated at the notion of having to sneak around in order to do this. He let out a shaky breath next to Arthur's ear before speaking.
"I'm King of Spades, I can do what I want."
"This is serious, Alfred!"
Arthur raised his voice angrily, and Alfred pulled away from Arthur to look at the man before him. There was a deep fear in Arthur's eyes that Alfred had never seen before.
"Promise me, Alfred. No one can ever know about this."
Alfred swallowed nervously, but nodded.
"I promise. No one will know."
Arthur let out a relieved sigh and as he relaxed, he leaned in and pressed his forehead against Alfred's, staring into his azure eyes.
"Good."
Alfred could see the unyielding trust in Arthur's eyes and knew immediately that he would never forgive himself if he broke that trust. Alfred brought his hand to the back of Arthur's neck, and as he leaned forward one more time, he was relieved to feel just how eagerly Arthur complied.
After that sparring lesson, a very new relationship unfolded between Arthur and Alfred. Most things remained the same. They still did friendly things; they still ate together every day, would often take walks through different parts of the palace grounds, and spent many of their evenings talking late into the night about no subject in particular. However, what had changed were the moments in which they felt they were completely alone. Behind closed and locked doors in secluded rooms in the palace, they would kiss, hold each other, get a little too worked up, then calm down again with gentle touches and reassuring words before returning to their activities as if nothing had happened. They never put a label on what they were doing or what exactly their relationship had changed to, in no small part because they had no idea themselves. However, there were fleeting moments where they looked into each others' eyes or held each other so endearingly that Alfred truly began to wonder what was happening between them. He cared about Arthur, and he knew that Arthur genuinely cared for him as well. But in what way?
Alfred had dated before. He was very popular all through school, and he had had more than a few girlfriends. He had indeed kissed them as well, but it was always very brief and done mostly because he felt that's what they had expected from him. However, with Arthur he felt very different. It took only the slightest touch or shortest word from Arthur to set his heart racing, and once they started kissing he found himself desperately trying to prolong it for as long as possible. Through these secret meetings, it didn't take long for Alfred to come to the conclusion that Arthur was more experienced than he was. Judging by how eagerly Arthur coaxed his tongue out to play or the times when Arthur would hold Alfred in the position that he wanted him, it wasn't hard to imagine that Arthur had done this several times before. Arthur was almost four years older than Alfred and had held a very attractive position in high society for several years. It wasn't unimaginable to think that Arthur had also had his fair share of encounters. But the thought of who had taught Arthur all of these things all the years before Alfred had even met him irked the King. However it wasn't all bad. Every now and then when they were especially worked up, Arthur would produce moans so obscene that they truly did have to make sure no one was listening. Alfred took it as the best form of compliment. It meant that somehow he was different. And Arthur liked it.
Alfred often felt he was walking a thin line though. Not just with making sure that no one found out what he and Arthur were doing, but the fact that if Arthur truly was as experienced as he appeared to be, Alfred worried that Arthur might eventually become bored with him. His worries were very unnecessary though. In fact, the opposite effect seemed to be happening. At first, Arthur only allowed Alfred to kiss him in their secret garden behind Arthur's carefully constructed barriers. However, as time went on, Arthur began specifically holding their lessons in quiet, unused wings of the castle so that when they inevitably did start kissing, no one would be around to see or hear them. And lately it seemed like Alfred could barely get his feet in the door before Arthur's lips would connect with his ear or his neck or his lips and Alfred would have to scramble to close and lock the door behind him before all of his thoughts failed him completely. Not surprisingly, the lessons started to take place only after they had had their time together, though there were many times that they didn't make it to their lesson material altogether. Although neither one wanted to admit it, they were both getting very attached to each other in a way that they probably shouldn't have.
Eventually, they got careless and let their guard down. Alfred was working desperately on paperwork in his office later that week. It was still early morning, but he had wanted to spend some time with Arthur before Arthur was scheduled to begin his work with the sorcerers for the day. Unfortunately, Arthur only agreed to spend time with Alfred when he had finished his King work. Luckily, on this particular day, he didn't have that much to do, and Alfred managed to sloppily, yet correctly, finish all of his paperwork for the day. Upon finishing, the King produced his gold pocket watch from his palace uniform and looked at the time. He had an hour before Arthur would start his bolted from his office and made his way to Arthur's room. He knocked on the door and waited. No answer. He wasn't in his room. Puzzled, Alfred then dashed through the other wings of the palace and made his way to the rose maze and their secret garden. Arthur wasn't in the garden either. Alfred felt at a loss and just as he was about to give up and head back to his office, he remembered the other place in the palace where Arthur was always likely to be.
Alfred made his way to the East Tower, ascended to the fourth floor, and eventually made it into the palace library. The library was impressive by any standards, and housed tens of thousands of books, mostly about history and magic. The glossy, wooden shelves extended all the way up to the lofty ceilings, and they were arranged in a circular pattern around the room, not unlike a maze. Soft and dusty light poured into the room from the glass ceilings. The room was quiet, but Alfred could tell Arthur was there. He walked slowly and silently through the forest of bookshelves before he found who he was looking for. Standing before a shelf filled with books on magic stood Arthur, completely absorbed in the book he was reading. In fact, he was so engrossed he didn't even notice Alfred coming up behind him. The King leaned forward and rested his chin on Arthur's shoulder. Alfred could feel Arthur tense up at first, but he almost immediately relaxed upon realizing who it was.
"Did you finish your work?" Arthur asked without looking up.
"Of course."
Upon hearing these words, Arthur closed his book and turned around to face Alfred.
"Good." Arthur then paused for a moment, looking at their surroundings. "What are you doing in the library?"
"I'm looking for something."
Arthur raised his eyebrows at the thought of Alfred actually having business in the library.
"Oh? What are you looking for?"
"A hard read. It's a little bit boring, but it has amazing eyes."
A thin smile crept across Arthur's face and he stepped closer to the King.
"Well, you found me," Arthur said, letting his voice drop to a whisper at the end of his sentence. Arthur leaned forward and gently kissed Alfred a couple of times before setting his book aside and letting his mouth meet Alfred's in something more definite. Arthur set his hands on Alfred's waist, pulling the King closer to him. Today, Arthur quickly let Alfred take control as the King held Arthur's face where he wanted as he kissed him hungrily. This had become a routine occurrence, yet the two were still very quick to loose themselves. In fact they were so engrossed they almost didn't hear when the library doors opened and closed again with a heavy click. Arthur pushed Alfred away from him and the pair looked at each other in alarm. A set of footsteps began to echo towards them.
"Your Excellency?" Yao's voice echoed through the room and began to get closer to the shelf where the two were standing. Arthur looked visibly distressed and turned to step away from Alfred, but the King caught him by the arm, holding him in place.
"What is it, Yao?" Alfred called out into the library, but his voice came out far more stern than usual. Alfred heard Yao's footsteps stop immediately and shuffle a bit in place.
"A personal letter has arrived for you, Your Excellency."
Arthur restlessly tried to pull free of Alfred's grasp, but the King held him in place as he called back to his Jack.
"Thank you. Just leave it in my office."
Alfred heard Yao hesitate for a moment, but quickly heard the footsteps begin to recede, and soon after the doors of the library slammed closed once more.
Arthur let out a heavy sigh, and the King relaxed his grip on him, realizing that he had been just as tense as Arthur. Arthur seemed angry, but the expression gradually faded as he stepped closer to Alfred. The King's back was against the bookshelf behind him, and Arthur came and rested his shoulder on the shelf next to Alfred's, facing him. Arthur held the King's gaze for a moment. While their faces were close, Alfred knew that they were done for the day. They had almost been caught, one of the main things that Arthur stressed must never happen. So instead they just stood close in the silence of the library for a while.
"You leave for Hearts in the morning."
Arthur was the first to break the silence, and Alfred slowly nodded in response.
"Yeah." Alfred moved his hand towards Arthur's, but stopped, gently catching the hem of Arthur's sleeve instead. He played with the light material between his fingers for a few moments and averted his eyes before speaking again.
"You could come with me."
Arthur raised his eyebrows for a brief second then let a small smile tug at the corners of his face.
"It's only two weeks, Alfred."
Alfred felt heat begin to spread across his face at the realization of how childish he must have appeared. Still, it would be more fun to have Arthur with him, especially with all of the meetings he was slated to attend. He continued looking down, avoiding Arthur's gaze out of embarrassment.
"I know."
Arthur let out a short sigh as his smile faltered.
"I won't go, Alfred."
"...And if I commanded you to?"
"I still wouldn't go."
Alfred sighed and let go of Arthur's sleeve. The King then folded his arms and leaned back against the shelf behind him. Arthur really didn't treat him like a King in any way outside of what was necessary, and Alfred was grateful for that. However, it really worked against him in situations like this. Alfred immediately knew that there was nothing he could say to weaken Arthur's resolve, and he would be going on this trip without him. He shot Arthur a slightly angry look from behind his silver lined glasses.
"You suck."
"You wish."
Alfred blushed and shoved Arthur in the arm at his instructor's remark. Arthur let out a genuine laugh at the King's reaction. Alfred turned on his heels and started out of the library. Arthur collected his books and quickly fell in step behind him, and soon the pair were heading down the hall to the King's study.
The pair reached the royal study, and Alfred found a thin envelope on his desk. Upon walking over to pick it up, he almost immediately recognized the handwriting. Arthur came over to the desk and looked over the Alfred's shoulder at the letter.
"Who is it from?"
"Matt," Alfred said, as he eagerly and happily tore open the envelope. He sat down at his desk and opened the letter.
Dear Al,
I imagine things have gotten very busy for you recently. I read in the newspaper that your oath and kingship have been officially finalized. Congratulations, I'm so happy for you, and I'm positive that you'll make a really great King. I know that pictures of the royals usually aren't officially released until the whole royal family has been assembled, but Yao sent me a picture of you in your ceremony garments. And I won't lie, I laughed for a few hours. This is all just so amazing, I can't believe this is really happening. Mom and Dad would be so proud of you.
Things are going well for me here too. I'm doing really well in all of my classes and midterms are already next week. I am learning so much and I'm so thankful for you setting this up for me. If you hadn't pushed me like you had, I don't think I ever would have realized that this is what I truly wanted. So, thank you so much, Al.
I'd really like to visit you soon. Yao has informed me that I am welcome to visit so long as I don't interfere with your work. Please let me know when you'll be at the palace and when would be a good time for you. I'll work to fit your schedule.
I wish you all the best, and hopefully I'll see you soon.
Sincerely,
Matthew
Arthur skimmed the letter from over the King's shoulder.
"What college did Matthew end up attending?"
"Mount Spade University."
Arthur raised his eyebrows.
"That's a very prestigious school, good for him. Did he say what he's studying?"
Alfred set down the letter and thought for a moment.
"I think he said in his last letter that he's studying Spades history and politics."
"Hmm...you could take a leaf out of his book."
Alfred turned to protest at Arthur's latest remark, but as he did, Arthur gently caught the King's lips with his own. It was gentle and lasted only a brief second, but was enough to make the King's heart quicken and mind go completely blank. Arthur pulled back and looked into Alfred's blue, slightly startled eyes.
"I won't be seeing you before you leave in the morning." Arthur brought his hand to the side of Alfred's face and caressed his cheek for a brief second. "Have a safe trip, Alfred." Arthur let his hand fall from Alfred's face and pulled away. As Arthur collected the books he'd brought with him from the library, Alfred's eyes remained locked on Arthur, his heart still beating a little erratically. As Arthur began to head for the door, Alfred called out to him.
"You...you've been working longer shifts with the palace sorcerers...what have you been working on?"
Arthur froze in place just as he was about to leave the room. He turned back to face Alfred with a strange expression. He looked as if he was at war with himself. He was quiet for a moment then he spoke up.
"We're trying to cast an original spell. We're...we're essentially casting several combinations of spells at once to produce a certain effect."
Alfred squinted. He didn't like how cryptic Arthur's response had been.
"What effect? What are you guys trying to do?"
Arthur swallowed and tightened his grip on the books in his hand.
"We're trying to draw out the Queen."
Alfred froze at the statement and felt his heart drop in his chest. Alfred blinked and shook his head in disbelief.
"Draw out the Queen...as in make the Queen appear? Is that even possible?"
Arthur looked unsure and shrugged.
"Maybe. We're not sure. The Spades' heart is what chooses the royals and we have no control over that system. However, with the right combination of spells, we should be able to coax it to speed up the process."
Some silence fell in the King's office. Part of Alfred felt betrayed. Yes, he had never asked Arthur what exactly the sorcerers had been working on, but he never imagined it would be on this. The entire concept of the Queen of Spades made Alfred feel uncomfortable, and Arthur knew that. Yet despite knowing this, not only was Arthur working to bring the Queen forth sooner, he had been keeping it from him. Alfred swallowed and tried to force down the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.
"That's what you've been working on?"
"Yes." Arthur paused, noticing that Alfred had grown visibly upset. "Alfred, the Queen is the center and channel for all defense magic in Spades. If this threat of war with Clubs proves eminent, we need our Queen to appear."
"Stop."
"Alfred...?"
An edge began to creep into the King's voice.
"Stop. Stop trying to draw out the Queen. You can't do this, you-" Alfred stopped, realizing how desperate his voice was beginning to sound. He looked at Arthur, lowering his voice, pleading. "Promise me, Arthur, you have to stop this."
Arthur looked apologetic for a brief moment, before his expression hardened.
"I'm sorry, Alfred. I know you're less than ecstatic about the Queen appearing. But this is for the sake of Spades. And I won't stop this, even if you ask." Arthur paused and averted his eyes as he placed his hand on the door handle. "Sometimes you have to do things you don't like for the sake of the kingdom you love, Alfred." Without another word on the matter, Arthur then proceeded out the door. "Have a good trip, Alfred."
The door closed loudly behind Arthur, and Alfred heard the footsteps of his instructor disappear down the hall. Alfred stared at the door, letting the idea of a Queen appearing soon sink in. A stranger. An arranged marriage. An end to his time with Arthur. He looked down at his desk and began shoving Matthew's letter back into the envelope to try and distract himself, but upon doing so, he saw that something else had been in the envelope. Alfred reached in and removed the contents. Upon seeing what it was, Alfred smiled a little. Matthew had enclosed some photographs. Alfred flipped through the small stack of pictures Matthew had sent. Most of them were candid shots, probably taken by Matthew's friends. There were pictures of his twin laughing in a library with a small group of people, a few shots of him and the same group on what appeared to be a courtyard, and even a picture of Matthew in the stands of a college sports game, which Alfred knew he usually had no interest in. He really did look happy. Alfred smiled as he finally got to the last picture. Matthew was in what appeared to be his dorm room. He was wearing a lumpy, blue sweatshirt with his college's emblem on it, and was proudly holding up an identical sweatshirt in his hands. Alfred tilted his head and flipped the picture over, hoping for an explanation. There, in Matthew's neat handwriting was a small sentence.
Don't worry, I got you one too! I'll give it to you next time I see you.
Alfred smiled and let out a short laugh as he shook his head. Since they were little, Matthew had always found some way of cheering him up when he needed it most. For the first time in several weeks, Alfred desperately missed seeing his brother. He was the only family he still had. Alfred gently folded the letter and placed it, along with the photographs back in the envelope. As soon as he returned from his trip to Hearts and Diamonds, he was going to arrange for Matthew to come visit him. If he was going to be faced with something as upsetting as an arranged, political marriage, he wanted his family to be with him through it.
Alfred left for Hearts early the next morning. As Arthur had predicted, they did not see each other before Alfred left. Alfred knocked on Arthur's door in the morning, hoping to say goodbye and apologize for his behavior the day before, but Arthur was not in his room. He guessed that Arthur probably hadn't slept, and was still working in the dungeons. This wouldn't be the first time this had happened either. So, without any other action, Alfred departed for Hearts without saying goodbye to Arthur. He and Yao rode in the Spades royal vehicle while a small number of guards and attendants followed them on horseback. It was cool in the morning, however as the day went on and they got closer to the Southern region of Cards, It grew warmer. The lull of the vehicle's engine and the warm light pouring through the window was enough to lull the King of Spades into drowsy relaxation and not long after, Alfred slipped into a deep sleep.
Alfred stirred in the murky darkness that surrounded him. There was a comforting warmth that he felt tangled around him, and through the blur of slow movements and unknown sensations, he felt someone caress his face.
"Alfred, my King..."
The voice was distorted and unrecognizable, and Alfred couldn't see anything. Everything felt unclear and clouded as if he were submerged in the depths of the darkest sea. However, the voice rang in such a beautiful tone and was filled with such adoration that he couldn't help but to try and draw closer. Alfred slowly became aware of reassuring touches and the sensation of someone kissing him gently. The unknown voice came again.
"There is no need to hide from me, my King. I am your Queen, there is no one in Cards who adores you more..."
Alfred felt the voice wrapping around him and not a moment after, soon felt everything slipping away. The warmth began to fade from his senses and the darkness began to grow blindingly bright. The voice faded farther into the distance.
"Alfred...my dear King..."
Alfred opened his eyes to find Yao gently shaking his shoulder. Alfred squinted at the harsh sunlight that was still pouring in through the window of the vehicle.
"Your Excellency."
Alfred turned to look at his Jack beside him. Yao had a small smile on his face.
"I'm sorry to wake you from your sleep, Your Excellency, but we've just entered the Heart's capital. It won't be much longer now."
Alfred rubbed his eyes and sat up in his seat. The memory of the dream was already beginning to fade from his consciousness. Alfred tried to focus on what he had dreamed about, but the more alert he felt, the more the clarity of the dream slipped from him, and soon, he could barely remember anything about it at all. All that he could remember was the sensation of someone being with him, and the feeling that he had just met someone very important.
Alfred looked out the window. This was his first time leaving Spades, and Hearts truly was far more different than anything he was used to in Spades. The climate was drastically different, for example. While Spades' climate was mild, cloudy and often patched with mist and thin fog, Hearts was far warmer and sunny. Alfred also knew that Hearts had a higher population than Spades, and as they moved deeper into the capital, this was very apparent. There were countless buildings and houses. The streets were filled with people and markets selling many things that Alfred had never seen before. In the distance, the Hearts castle came into view. While the Spades palace was notable for its tall towers, The Hearts palace was closer to the ground by about half. However, it was not small by any means, and covered more land area than the Spades palace. The Heart's castle shone in gold and silver and the country's emblem of a heart could be spotted on several areas of the palace even from far away.
It was only a few more minutes before the Spades royal vehicle pulled up to the front of the Hearts castle. Alfred and Yao got out of the vehicle and began walking up the steps to the lofty and intimidating building. In the past few days, Yao had instructed him of what he was supposed to do. First, he was expected to formally introduce himself to the royal family as the new King of Spades. Then, he would simply request for their assistance in the event of a war with Clubs. It was essentially all formalities, the long part would be the signing of contracts and paperwork later. The King and Jack of Spades made it to the front doors of the castle, which were slowly opened before them. The inside was not too unlike the Spades palace. The architecture and internal decor reflected Hearts culturally, but the layout and loftiness of the palace was very similar to what Alfred was used to. As they stepped inside, a servant wearing a Hearts Castle uniform bowed to them.
"Welcome to Hearts, King of Spades. Welcome, Jack of Spades." The guard looked up at the pair. "Allow me to show you to the throne room. Our royals await you." The guard started walking down the main hall, and the pair of Spades fell in step behind him. It didn't take long for the them to come to a set of large double doors donning the Hearts royal crest. The guard opened the doors and Alfred and Yao stepped into the room. The throne room was large and filled with warm light. Accents of red and banners with images of the Hearts emblem liberally decorated the room. At the end of the room, sitting on their respective thrones were the King and Queen of Hearts. Kiku, who Alfred had met at his coronation ball, looked just as he had a few weeks ago; composed, calm and the very definition of being collected. He looked distracted and distant for a moment, but as he looked over at Alfred and Yao entering the room, a smile spread over his face.
On the other hand, this was the first time Alfred had seen the King of Hearts. Yao had tried describing him to Alfred before, but still he was nothing like how Alfred had pictured. The man sitting upon the King's throne was intimidating to say the least. He was wearing a stern expression, and had an air of boundless control about him. He was far larger than Alfred was, being both tall and very muscular with his pale blonde hair slicked back. The man looked generally angered, but the clarity in his pale blue eyes led Alfred to feel as if he was actually far kinder than his exterior led him to believe.
Alfred and Yao stepped closer to the two thrones and stopped just before the steps that led to the two monarch's chairs. Alfred bowed briefly and spoke the most authoritative voice he could produce.
"Greetings, King and Queen of Hearts. I am the new King of Spades, Alfred Jones."As Alfred looked back up, the King of Hearts Spoke.
"Nice to finally meet you. I am King Ludwig of Hearts. Welcome to the country of Hearts, King Alfred of Spades. " He turned to look at you Yao. "You as well, Jack of Spades." The King of Hearts turned to look at Kiku, who looked generally pleased at the events unfolding before him. Ludwig then cleared his throat and looked back at Alfred.
"What brings you to our country today, King of Spades?"
"While I have only been King for a short while, King Ludwig, I have come to formally request your assistance in the event of a war between Spades and Clubs."
The King of Hearts raised his eyebrows, Alfred now having his full and undivided attention.
"Oh?"
Alfred nodded and continued.
"Historically, Hearts has always been our closest ally. As the new King of Spades, allow me to speak on behalf of my whole country that we desire to maintain this alliance no matter what."
Ludwig thought for a moment and rested his chin on his fist.
"Has Clubs attacked the Spades border recently?"
"Yes, we have reports of Clubs soldiers gathering on our Northern-most borders and have experienced two small attacks on uninhabited areas within the past year."
Ludwig narrowed his eyes in what appeared to be disgust.
"Any Spades casualties?"
Alfred shook his head.
"No reported casualties. However, I do not want to wait for Spades citizens to die before establishing official alliances, King Ludwig."
For the first time, Alfred briefly saw a small smile flash across the King of Hearts' face.
"Well said," Ludwig said as he stood up from where he was sitting on his throne. "As King of Hearts, I offer you Hearts' assistance. The very second that Clubs launches an attack on Spades that produces casualties of Spades citizens, I vow that Hearts will become your ally in a war against Clubs." Ludwig's expression darkened and he looked as if he were remembering something. "This madness with Clubs...it has to stop."
Alfred smiled and ascended the short number of steps towards Ludwig and extended his hand. Ludwig took Alfred's hand and shook it firmly, solidifying their alliance.
Not a moment after, the doors to the throne room opened again. Alfred looked back and saw a smaller man with red hair entering the throne room. He was wearing royal garments and wore the crest of Hearts on the left side of his chest. He was wearing a warm and genuine smile. The man walked past where Yao was standing and made his way to the thrones. Alfred looked back at Ludwig, whose features had softened considerably at the sight of the new man who had entered the room. Ludwig turned and spoke to the man.
"Yes, Feliciano?"
The person named "Feliciano" came and stood right next to where Alfred was currently standing and faced the King of Hearts.
"The sponsors for next weeks' ball are here, Ludwig."
The King of Hearts' face lit up in alarm.
"Why didn't you remind me about that this morning?"
Feliciano's smile never faltered, but Alfred saw a twinge of sadness enter his expression. Ludwig almost immediately calmed down and let out an exasperated sigh.
"Never mind...fine, then. Let's go greet them..."
Feliciano's smile brightened and he came to stand next to Ludwig, latching onto his arm affectionately. Just as Alfred was beginning to question who this man was, Ludwig looked at Alfred.
"My apologies, King Alfred. I will have to cut our meeting a little short for today." Ludwig looked over his shoulder at Kiku. "Queen, will you take care of things from here?" Kiku nodded.
"Of course."
With that, Ludwig and the man named Feliciano began to exit the room, with the smaller of the two clinging onto the King's arm the whole way. Just as they were about to disappear out of the throne room, Feliciano looked over his shoulder at Alfred and shot him a small, friendly smile before the door closed behind them, leaving the two Spades alone with the Queen.
Kiku stood up and walked towards Alfred.
"Well done, King Alfred. Your negotiations could not have gone better."
Alfred smiled at the Queen's compliment.
"Thanks Kiku..." Alfred looked over his shoulder at the closed door. "Who was that?"
The Queen of Hearts followed Alfred's gaze then smiled.
"Oh, that's Feliciano Vargas. He's the current Jack of Hearts." Alfred's eyes widened at the realization that the smiling man had been the Jack. Kiku continued. "He's a little shy around people he doesn't know yet, especially royals. However, he's very friendly. I'm sure he'll introduce himself to you later."
Alfred thought for a moment. The Jack seemed to be very close with the King of Hearts, even closer than Kiku was acting with him. The Queen's hand on his shoulder brought Alfred out of his thoughts.
"Rest easy, King of Spades. The worst is over. Now all we need to do is start the official paperwork. Ludwig will provide his signatures later." Kiku looked past Alfred's shoulder at Yao. "Always nice to see you, Yao. Will you be joining me and King Alfred to sign the papers?"
Yao smiled at his cousin and nodded.
"Yes, I'll be along shortly. I need to give proper instructions to our Spades guards, but then I will join the two of you."
"Very well then." Kiku looked at Alfred and started down the steps. "Let's begin then, shall we?"
Kiku led Alfred to a large study in the main floor of the palace. Once they were both seated at the large, glossy table, Kiku pulled out the papers for finalizing a war alliance.
"I'm sorry that the meeting with my King was so short," Kiku said, flipping through the pages of formal paperwork that he and Alfred had to go through. Alfred shook his head.
"No, it's fine! Really. Actually I'm a little relieved. Your King is...uh." Alfred paused, trying to think of the proper word. Kiku let out a short laugh.
"He is rather intimidating at first."
Alfred nodded, thankful that Kiku understood what he was talking about. Kiku continued.
"He may seem off-putting at first, but he really is one of the kindest people you will ever meet. All of the people of Hearts adore Ludwig because of it."
"Really?"
"Of course. The King of Hearts is always deeply loved by many." Kiku paused and looked up at Alfred. "Do you know the old saying about the Kings of the four countries in Cards?"
Alfred shook his head.
"No, what are they?"
Kiku slid a small stack of papers towards Alfred to sign, then began speaking again.
"The King of Hearts has love. Regardless of who the magic systems choose as King, the King of Hearts will always be greatly loved. Each King in Cards has a trait that they are always graced with. The King of Clubs has luck. The King of Diamonds has wealth. And do you know what the King of Spades always has?"
Alfred was intrigued at the premise, but felt a little afraid to guess, so instead he just shook his head. Kiku smiled and continued.
"The King of Spades has power."
Alfred blinked back at the thought that he was chosen by the Spade heart for being powerful. In comparison to the other royals he had met, he didn't even feel close to being on their level. Alfred smiled at Kiku's compliment but shook his head.
"I don't know about that saying then...I certainly don't feel powerful."
Kiku looked down and begin signing a paper as he spoke.
"Spades does have the strongest magic in Cards, there's no denying that. However, I feel like the 'power' that this old saying references may be different than pure strength."
"Like what?"
Kiku looked up and sent Alfred a knowing smile.
"Who knows..."
Alfred tried to think of what other power he could have, but was distracted as Kiku began speaking again.
"But back to my original statement...yes, Ludwig is truly loved by the people, but he's always been very well liked, even before he became King of Hearts."
Alfred looked up from his paper.
"You knew Ludwig before he got the mark of Hearts?"
"Yes." A flash of realization ran across Kiku's face. "Oh, that's right...you don't know how the royals are chosen in Hearts..."
Alfred squinted in confusion at Kiku.
"Are the royals chosen differently here?"
Kiku shook his head.
"Our magic system chooses the royals just like any other country in Cards: at random. However there is a distinct anomaly that occurs only in Hearts. The three royals are always chosen all at once, and they always know each other ahead of time."
Alfred's hand stopped signing the paper in front of him and looked up at Kiku in disbelief.
"No way."
"Yes..." Kiku looked a little distant, then spoke again. "I've known Ludwig and Feliciano my whole life, King Alfred. We went to the same schools all through childhood and once we graduated, we started a small engineering company together. We were the best of friends, and I had truly never been happier in my entire life. We...we had only had our company up for about a year before we all received our marks of Hearts."
"Wait...so you were friends with Ludwig before you were crowned? Didn't your new royal titles make things..." Alfred paused and tried to grasp the word he was looking for. "...weird?"
Kiku thought for a moment then shook his head.
"On the contrary...I was actually quite pleased. There was no doubt in my mind that I cared for Ludwig. The marriage seemed like a natural step to me." Kiku stopped talking and a sad smile covered his normally collected face. "But...even then, I knew that this wasn't how things were supposed to be."
Alfred blinked in confusion at Kiku's change in demeanor.
"What do you mean?"
Kiku let out a small sigh before continuing.
"I had known for several years that Ludwig loved Feli...I mean, our Jack. We were all so close, but I knew that those two held feelings for one another. So, shortly after our marriage, I told Ludwig that our marriage was purely political and that if he wanted to pursue a relationship with Feliciano, I would wholeheartedly support it."
Alfred couldn't believe what he was hearing. It went against everything that he had learned about when studying the roles of the royals.
"So..." Alfred started to speak, but Kiku cut him off.
"The magic systems of Cards select the King and Queen based on their political and power-based compatibility. And while it is convenient when the King and Queen do fall in love, it certainly is not always the case." Kiku looked back up at Alfred and smiled. "However, that is the relationship that the people of Cards must believe exists between us. So, when we make public appearances, Ludwig and I do act as if we are in love with each other. However, behind castle walls, his heart belongs to Feliciano."
Alfred swallowed and tried to take everything in. He looked at Kiku's saddened face and asked a question he was a little scared to hear the answer of.
"Aren't you lonely?"
Kiku paused and thought for a moment before his expression returned to it's normal state.
"I suppose the role of a royal is lonely regardless. However, no, not particularly. Ludwig urged me to take a mistress if I wanted, but I really have no interest in that proposal." Kiku returned his attention to the paper in front of him and signed it. "So to answer your question King Alfred, no, I'm not lonely. I get to work with my dearest friends for the rest of my life." He looked up and let a genuine smile slip through at Alfred. "And they're finally so happy. Their happiness is mine, King Alfred. And that's all there is to it."
"I...I didn't even know that the royals were allowed to take side relationships."
Kiku shrugged at Alfred's statement.
"Well, it's not encouraged, but if you're a royal, who's really going to stop you? It happens all of the time, actually. Just so long as it's not public and doesn't cause any problems, it's probably fine." Kiku paused and looked at Alfred out of the corner of his eye. "Do you think you'll end up having a side relationship, King Alfred?"
Alfred's heart dropped. All of his worries surrounding his Queen came rushing back to him. Once his Queen appeared, what would become of him and Arthur? And what was happening between him and Arthur? Would Arthur even be interested in being in an actual relationship with him? Was he interested in a relationship with Arthur? Alfred shook his head and began signing another paper.
"I'm not sure...I haven't thought about it. I hadn't even heard of royals having side relationships. Arthu...uh. My instructor, never mentioned it."
"I can see why Arthur would never mention it." Alfred looked up at Kiku, shocked and confused. Then Kiku blinked in realization. "You mean you weren't aware?" Alfred shook his head, unsure of where exactly this was going. Kiku set his papers aside and looked at Alfred. "The previous King of Spades took several mistresses, King Alfred. We're talking dozens of them. And Arthur...well, he loathed the King because of it. Arthur thought very highly of his grandmother, and was furious with how little the King of Spades payed mind to her. Arthur said it was improper for the most powerful man in Spades to not pay any heed to his grandmother, who unconditionally loved the King..." Kiku paused before continuing. "I think...Arthur believes that the King should be devoted to the Queen exclusively. He believes that the magic systems choose the best match." Kiku looked back down at his papers. "So I feel like it's only natural that he would try and avoid teaching you any other ideology."
Alfred sat in silence as this new information sunk in. Arthur had often spoken of his grandmother, the previous Queen, but he had said very little about the last King of Spades. He now knew why. But why hadn't he told him about it? Then Alfred looked up, a more urgent question pressing on his mind.
"Wait. You know Arthur?"
Kiku nodded
"Yes of course. Whenever the previous King and Queen would come here for business, Arthur would often come with them. We haven't spoken in a few years, but we were actually quite-"
Suddenly, Yao burst into the room. His face was pale and he was completely out of breath. Kiku and Alfred looked up in surprise. Kiku smiled at his cousin's entrance.
"Yao! I was beginning to wonder if you'd abandoned your King to work alone."
Yao turned and frantically looked at Alfred, eyes filled with alarm. Alfred froze. Something was very wrong.
"Yao...what's wrong? Are you okay?"
Yao swallowed and tried to speak in a steady voice.
"Our sorcerers...just outside of our capital...they're receiving the signal."
Alfred stared at Yao in confusion for a moment, then froze. He felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. Yao spoke again, but Alfred didn't want to hear it. He desperately didn't want this to be happening, but Yao's voice rang loud in his ears.
"Your Excellency...they're receiving the royal signal."
My chapters keep getting longer...
-There were lots of make-out sessions in this chapter... *w* cover thine eyes, children!
-Look at all of that sexual tension in the sword fight *fangirl-laughs maniacally*
-Fun Fact: "Gareth" was the name of a knight from the round table. Get it? Arthur? And the knights of the...oh forget it.
-We heard from good 'ol Mattie at college. Oh, bros... :3
-We got some Gerita.
-What's going to happen to our heroes?
-Thanks for reading The Last Spade! I hope you liked chapter four, and please look forward to the next chapter! ^^