Arthur stared at Alfred in disbelief. He had led Alfred away from the gardens, but once back in a small side room the Diamonds castle, and had begun pelting the King with questions.
"You don't remember me?"
Alfred leaned away from Arthur's assault of questions.
"No..."
Arthur frowned.
"You remember everything else? Spades...your position?"
Alfred nodded slowly.
"Yeah..."
No matter how much he tried to fight it, a sad expression began to tug at the features on Arthur's face.
"You...really don't know anything about me?"
Alfred shook his head, only looking cautious and confused.
Arthur paused, trying to make Alfred's situation.
"Please, Alfred-" Arthur reached his hand towards Alfred's face only to watch the King flinch away uncomfortably. There was a cool, almost fearful look in his eyes, and his mannerisms were completely devoid of warmth. He really didn't know who Arthur was at all.
"Your Excellency!"
Yao burst through the door into the room, responding to Arthur's distress call. He was followed by Francis, who remained near the door. Alfred turned and looked towards the Jack with a smile.
"Yao." Alfred said plainly.
Arthur whipped around to look at the King, disbelief in his eyes.
"...you remember Yao?"
Alfred looked at Arthur blankly, and slightly accusatory.
"Of course."
Arthur tried to fight off the deep form of hurt that slowly took over him, but was cut off by the frantic Jack. Yao knelt before the seated King, worry clouding his eyes.
"Your Excellency, are you alright?"
Alfred frowned and shook his head.
"My head hurts and my memories feel all fuzzy..."
Yao turned to look at Arthur.
"Your Highness, what has happened?"
Arthur shook his head weakly.
"I don't know...We were just in the Diamonds gardens and he suddenly collapsed. When he came to, he said that he..." Arthur paused, processing the painful truth, "...he didn't know who I was."
Yao's face lit up in alarm and turned back towards Alfred.
"Is that true your Excellency?" Yao stood and gestured to Arthur. "You don't know who this is?"
Alfred's eyes traveled from Yao to Arthur, holding his gaze for a few moments before he furrowed his brows and lowered his head in confusion.
"No...I'm sorry."
Arthur would have laughed at the sickening irony of his situation if he hadn't felt so heartbroken. He walked closer to the seated King and knelt before him, fully aware of how cautious Alfred was acting towards him; a stranger. The Queen then offered the best smile he could in this situation.
"There's nothing to say sorry for, Alfred." Arthur paused before continuing. "I'm Arthur...Arthur Kirkland." The Queen felt a strange wave of despair as he introduced himself to the King who no longer remembered him.
"Arthur..." Alfred repeated the name, and frowned, visibly trying to wrack his brain. Yao turned to Arthur.
"Has he forgotten anything else?"
Arthur looked over his shoulder back at Yao.
"No. Just me, it would seem."
It was true. After Yao pelted Alfred with similar questions, it was apparent that all memories containing or surrounding Arthur seemed to have dissipated from the King's memory. Yao furrowed his brow, thinking deeply. Suddenly, his eyes lit up.
"This could be magic, Your Highness. Could you search him for traces of foreign magic?"
Arthur's eyes widened. Magic. Of course. Arthur had been so frantic about the King's state that he hadn't even considered it. Feeling a little hopeful, Arthur nodded, his face regaining some composure.
"Alright." Arthur turned back towards the King and hesitantly held out his hands. "Alfred, if you would...I want to check you for any fragments of a spell."
The King complied, holding out both of his hands, allowing Arthur to close his hands around him. Arthur closed his eyes and mumbled some words under his breath. A low, blue glow surrounded the two and a few magic circles danced above Arthur's figure. After a few moments, the Queen's face grew visibly frustrated, and he released his spell. He stared ahead, not making eye contact with anyone.
"...I can't find anything. There's no residue of magic being cast on Alfred, and there's no way I wouldn't pick up on a spell, no matter how intricate." Arthur turned to the Jack, at a loss. "What could it possibly be if it isn't a spell?"
Yao turned to Alfred.
"Your Excellency, what do you remember of this evening?"
Alfred frowned, thinking for a moment.
"I arrived at the ball...I spoke with a handful of people who lived in Diamonds. And then I met with a girl from Hearts who-"
Francis suddenly perked up at this statement and took some steps towards the trio.
"Wait. From Hearts?"
Alfred looked over at the other King and nodded.
"Yeah."
Francis' face immediately darkened in confusion.
"...No one from Hearts should have been at this ball. Given, I invited the Queen, but he had other business. And no one serving the house of Hearts would be present without one of the royals."
Noting how this was incredibly suspicious, Arthur frantically turned back to Alfred.
"Alfred, what did you talk with her about?"
"Nothing...I don't think. I was feeling unsure because of..." Alfred paused and frowned. "...something. I don't know. But anyway she gave me a drink to make me feel a little better, and-"
Arthur's eyes widened as he remembered the glass that the King had been holding. Potions. That could be why he couldn't pick up on any spells. Potions were a different branch of magic altogether, and for the most part, weren't practiced very often anymore. Arthur looked at the Jack.
"Yao, there is a glass in the south garden on the reflection fountain. Bring it to me." Yao nodded and immediately left the room at an alarming speed. Arthur then turned to the King of Diamonds. "Francis, secure the Diamonds castle and have the premises searched. Whoever this Hearts girl is may still be on castle grounds." Francis nodded, and returned to the door at the edge of the room, immediately barking some orders at the guards just outside the door. The Queen was left in the room alone with the King of Spades. He could feel Alfred looking at him out of the corner of his eye. Arthur looked at the King, only to feel discouraged. Alfred's bright azure eyes were devoid of the affection that Arthur had grown accustomed to. Now, he only looked at Arthur with caution, and curiosity. Alfred spoke up.
"Are you...the Queen of Spades?"
"...Yes."
Alfred brought his hand to his head and squinted in pain, visibly frustrated.
"...why can't I remember anything about you...?"
Just before Arthur could reply, Yao returned, grasping the glass that the King had drank from. He panted lightly as he held it towards Arthur.
"I was able to retrieve it just before a servant was heading to clear it away."
Arthur smiled, relieved.
"Well done, Jack." Arthur took the small glass from Yao into his own hands. Arthur turned the glass around in his hands for a moment There was a small amount of the potion left. Arthur leaned forward and sniffed it. It had no distinct scent, but as he held it up to the light, it had a slight green tint to it. Arthur frowned.
"That's not good," he mumbled under his breath, noting that slightly green color was characteristic of many potions. Slowly, Arthur mumbled a short incantation, as his body began releasing a low blue light. The contents of the glass, in turn, released a green glow. Anger flitted through Arthur's eyes as he released his spell. Without removing his eyes from the glass, he spoke.
"It's a potion. A highly concentrated one, at that."
Yao and Alfred's faces illuminated in alarm. Alfred suddenly spoke up.
"What type of potion was it?" Alfred said, visibly upset that he was apparently afflicted by magic in some way. Arthur shook his head.
"I'm not sure. I won't even be able to tell it's contents before I get a hold of my own magic potions to analyze it."
Yao turned to the Queen.
"Your Highness, we should return to the palace immediately. We don't know what this potion is, nor if it is through affecting the King."
Arthur said nothing, but nodded. The Jack was right. Diamonds didn't have the advanced magic to support his proper analysis nor the treatment for this potion. Arthur spoke.
"You're right Yao, let's return to Spades for now."
The three Spades, escorted by Francis left the Diamonds palace under the veil of night. As they entered their royal vehicle, Francis spoke.
"Arthur, I truly am sorry about all of this. To think, something would happen to the King of Spades under my watch." There was a sincerity in Francis voice that almost made Arthur feel sorry for him.
"It's alright, Francis." Arthur thought for a moment. "Let me know if the Hearts culprit is found."
"Absolutely." Francis turned to Alfred. "I am sorry about this, King Alfred. I hope that the strange effects of this potion are broken soon." Alfred smiled at the fellow King.
"Sure thing, Francis." Alfred felt a little perplexed. He felt as though he had been upset with the King of Diamonds, but he couldn't for the life of him remember for what, or even when. He smiled at Francis and waved as the Spades vehicle pulled out from the Diamonds castle. As they sped quickly through the shining city, Alfred turned his eyes towards the man named Arthur. He was staring at him with a complicated expression on his face. As Alfred looked the Queen, a strange feeling stirred in his core before a fiery pain ignited in his head. Alfred brought his hand to his face and Arthur immediately perked up.
"Are you alright?"
Arthur's voice rang in Alfred's head and the pain intensified. Alfred nodded, pushing Arthur's hand away which had come to rest on his shoulder.
"Yeah I'm fine, um..." Alfred knitted his brows together for a moment, "...Arthur." He let the foreign sounding name roll off his tongue reluctantly.
Arthur's expression didn't change, but the King thought he saw a flicker of sadness run through his eyes. Arthur withdrew his hand slowly, and spoke again after a moment of silence.
"The potion may be causing a number of other side effects." Arthur leaned back in his chair. "Rest, Alfred. I'll wake you when we've arrived."
Alfred nodded at the man across from him and let his eyes slide closed. The nagging feeling at the pit of his stomach continued. Why was his memory so full of holes? What had he forgotten? Frustrated from his own lack of answers, Alfred welcomed sleep as it slowly closed around him, lulled by the engine of the Spades vehicle.
Arthur stared at the sleeping King across from him, distraught. Who had done this to Alfred? And what had they done? Was it a potion specifically designed to rip Arthur from Alfred's memory? How could such an accurate potion even exist? Arthur's stomach churned at the thought, as he turned to watch the shining city of Diamonds slowly fade from view.
.
Arthur sat upon his throne in the empty throne room, lost in thought. He leaned his head uncharacteristically on his fist and tapped his other hand's idle fingers on the arm rest, the sound echoing throughout the empty hall. The Queen wracked his brain, trying to figure out what sort of potion Alfred had ingested. Just then, Yao opened the door of the throne room and made his way toward Arthur, followed by Matthew who wore a worried expression on his face. Once the two were standing before him, Yao spoke first.
"I've had King Alfred retire for the night. He's already fallen back asleep."
Arthur let out a small sigh of relief, knowing that strange pain that was accompanying the King's memory loss would at least be at bay while he was asleep.
"Good."
Yao turned to Matthew and spoke.
"I've explained the situation to Lord Matthew."
The King's twin immediately spoke up, a pained expression on his face.
"This is all my fault. I should've accompanied you to Diamonds rather than remaining here to train more. I...I should have..."
Arthur held up a hand, stopping the Ace's frantic apologies.
"This isn't your fault, Matthew. You haven't learned the necessary magic to detect poisons and potions yet. This would have occurred whether you were there or not." Arthur lowered his hand and his own face darkened. "If anyone should have been able to stop this, it would be me. Alfred is still too trusting of others and I should not have left him unaccompanied, even for a short while."
"Your Highness."
Yao cut the Queen short and spoke again.
"This is not your fault either. The only one at fault is the one who has placed this spell on our King." Yao cleared his throat. "I have heard back from the King of Diamonds. He said that though the premises was secured and Palace thoroughly searched, no one from Hearts was found among the guests at the castle. They are now extending the search throughout the capital city, but it is likely that the perpetrator is no longer in Diamonds."
Arthur's face darkened, doing nothing to hide his displeasure. Yao spoke up again.
"I've sent word of our situation to Hearts. Though given the current time, we most likely won't hear from them until the morning."
Arthur nodded. He was right. It was well past midnight, and it was illogical to expect any response before the morning. Matthew spoke again, still a little frantic.
"Is it really alright for Alfred to be sleeping? What if the potion's effects get worse?"
Arthur shook his head.
"Potion magic takes place very quickly. It is improbable for the effects to take a long time to fully cast. Alfred's current state is the final stage of the potions' cast. He won't get any better or worse from where he is now. Right now, we need to be focusing on how to procure an antidote."
Matthew took another step towards Arthur.
"Do you know much about potions?"
Arthur frowned.
"I fear potions aren't exactly my specialty. Potions are an old form of magic, and Spades are the creators and masters of highly advanced new magic and spells. Though I know enough to get a start."
Yao nodded, familiar with Arthur's magic practice before he became Queen. The Jack spoke.
"I have faith in you, Lord Arthur. Will you be able to start approaching an antidote by tomorrow? If possible, I would like this problem to be resolved without alerting too much of the palace staff. The wedding is approaching, and I don't want the capital to be flooded with rumors."
Arthur tensed, aware of the impending pressure of their wedding. The Queen did not break eye contact with the Jack, asserting a level of confidence.
"I assure you, I will find the antidote before our wedding."
Yao relaxed slightly and nodded.
"Good."
Arthur turned toward the Ace.
"Matthew. Please spend this time to study and practice spells that detect potions and foreign magic. Next time something like this is attempted, it will not go over so easily."
Matthew nodded, determination showing clearly on his face.
"Absolutely."
Arthur returned his mind to the conundrum at hand. Potions, Hearts, A young girl...and Arthur alone being ripped from Alfred's memory. So many pieces were not coming together. The Jack broke the Queen's concentration by speaking again.
"Let us all retire for the night. We'll approach tomorrow's problems tomorrow."
Arthur nodded and stood up from his throne.
All three of the royals retired to their respective rooms. Arthur took the long way through the castle, passing by the King's chambers. Arthur desperately wanted to be at Alfred's side, making sure that he was alright, but at this moment, Alfred no longer knew who he was. Arthur was now a stranger to him. The Queen shook off the negative thoughts and made his way to his own room in the opposite wing of the castle. He had to find a way to break this spell.
Arthur slept very poorly that night. His rest was shallow, and he tossed and turned from one nightmare to the next. For someone who was accustomed to relatively dreamless sleep, it was unnerving, and by the time the Spades' night was beginning to lighten at the first hints of dawn, Arthur had dressed and gone to the magic libraries in the dungeon.
Spades was well known for its magic, and was fortunate enough to have a large library of magical properties in the belly of the castle. Arthur quickly went to work, collecting samples from various jars that he estimated could have been used in the potion that Alfred had. After a few hours of searching and studying various samples, he returned to his magic study and spread a large roll of paper on the table. Potions were an old form of magic, which meant that all of Arthur's magic would have to be cast manually.
The queen had just begun drawing a large magic circle on the roll of paper when he heard a knock at the door. He looked up, and shortly after, Yao appeared in the doorway and crossed his arms.
"Your Highness..." Yao paused and looked around the room, taking in the sight. It was apparent that the Queen had been at work for quite some time. He looked back at Arthur. "...Did you sleep, Your Highness?"
Arthur immediately brought his attention back to the paper in front of him.
"Yes."
The Jack, obviously not very satisfied with the Queen's answer, frowned for a moment before letting out a sigh and dropping his hands.
"If you say so."
Arthur returned to drawing his magic circle but continued speaking.
"Where's Alfred?"
"In his room. I just sent Matthew to wake him."
Arthur's heart pained slightly at the thought of Alfred, and how the man he loved no longer had any memory of him. Arthur's resolve immediately strengthened and he shoved down his feeling of disappointment in order to maintain a composed exterior.
"Will you send him down to me once he's eaten? I'd like to start right away."
Yao bowed where he stood.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Yao immediately disappeared down the hall from which he came. Arthur returned to finishing the intricate circle, and just when he finished writing the necessary spells throughout the complex drawing, he heard a knock on the door frame. Arthur looked up and saw Alfred standing in the doorway, clad in his palace uniform. He looked a little hesitant, but had a beaming, friendly smile on his face.
"Uh...Kirkland?"
Arthur's eyebrow twitched downward and spoke.
"It's Arthur. But yes." The Queen immediately corrected the King, knowing that he would never be able to focus on his magic if Alfred was calling him 'Kirkland'.
Alfred let out a short laugh.
"Right, right. Arthur. Yao said you wanted to see me? You're going to help me break this weird spell that messed with my memory?"
Arthur nodded and gestured to the small, wood table that he had spread the magic circle on.
"Yes. Have a seat. Let's begin."
Alfred stepped into the room, and sat down at the seat across from where Arthur was standing.
"So what are we going to do?"
Arthur sat directly across from Alfred at the small table and cleared his throat.
"First, we need to determine what properties were in the potion that you drank." Arthur gestured to the large collection of samples to his side. "So I am going to manually test each one."
Alfred tilted his head to the side.
"Manually? Couldn't we just find out with another spell?"
Arthur shook his head and started unscrewing a nearby jar filled with dried plants.
"Potions are a lesser magic, Alfred. They are old, and very cryptic, due to the fact that they are rarely used anymore. If we use advanced magic as an approach, we will not find the answers that we are looking for."
Alfred nodded, trying to take in the information that the man in front of him was saying.
"We'll have to fight old magic with old magic, huh..." Alfred looked at the written magic circle in front of him, before looking up at Arthur and smiling. "Well I'm sure we'll figure something out!"
Arthur let out a short smile, realizing that Alfred's personality appeared to have been completely unaffected by the potion's effects. Feeling a little weight lifted from his shoulders, Arthur set the jar to his side.
"Here's hoping." Arthur straightened his posture and looked directly at the King. "Let's begin then."
Alfred mimicked Arthur and sat up a little in his chair.
"Alright. What do we start with?"
Arthur held out his hand towards Alfred. It hung in space for a moment before Alfred realized what Arthur wanted. He placed his own hand in Arthur's open palm. Arthur then looked down, using his other hand to open a small, nearby box. Arthur removed a silver knife from the box, and Alfred's eyes immediately widened a little.
"Uh...Kirkl-Arthur? What are you-"
"Potions' magic only react once inside the body. Your blood will aid us in finding out what is afflicting you."
Alfred's face went a little pale.
"You need my blood?"
Arthur looked up, a calm look on his face.
"Only a little."
Alfred frowned slightly but the sighed.
"Fine. Just do it quick?"
Arthur said nothing but brought the knife up to Alfred's hand. The King flinched, immediately screwing his eyes shut as he felt a sharp prick at the center of his palm. Arthur let a few drops of the King's blood fall in the center of the magic circle, then immediately set the knife aside. Arthur placed his hand over the cut on Alfred's hand and mumbled a short incantation. The wound on the King's palm quickly closed, and Alfred slowly opened his eyes as he felt the pain dissipate from his senses. Arthur let go of the King's hand, and Alfred brought his hand closer to his face.
"Whoa." Alfred murmured in disbelief.
Arthur cleaned the knife's blade on a handkerchief before returning the knife to its case.
"If it still hurts, I'll take a better look at it later." Arthur said as he returned his attention to the King in front of him. Alfred shook his head, opening and closing his hand for good measure.
"You're amazing..." Alfred said, looking at his completely healed hand.
Arthur blushed slightly at the honest praise and reached for a vial.
"...Next, I need you to place your hand here." Arthur pointed to a specific position on the magic circle. Alfred complied, then watched in amazement as the paper magic circle released a very feint, blue light. Arthur spoke up again.
"This magic circle is now in sync with your magic output. From here, we simply need to find out which of these magical properties reacts to you."
For the next several minutes, Arthur removed countless samples of magical properties, plants, and stones from their jars before placing them on a specific portion of the paper circle. When there was no response, Arthur would remove it, and quickly move on to the next sample. About an hour in, Arthur was beginning to lose hope. He was rapidly going through the majority of the samples he had collected, and was beginning to think that whatever property was in the potion may not be housed in the Spades' magic library. In the process, he had begun ruling out what the potion was not. Arthur had started with deadly properties that if made into a potion would slowly strip away memories until Alfred remembered nothing. He was glad when he realized that none of these were the culprit. The same held true for many of the potions that affected brain activity or any of the long-term poisons. However, this was as much as he had figured out though.
Frustrated, Arthur removed yet another non-responsive plant from the circle. Alfred's posture had slouched slightly, and he looked rather bored, but every time Arthur placed a new component on the circle for testing, Arthur could tell he tensed up a little in anticipation. After yet another non-responsive item, Arthur sighed and reached for another jar. It was an old, glass jar covered in a thick layer of dust. There were only a few samples inside. Arthur placed the strange, twisted black flower on the particular spot on the circle. Suddenly, bright blue light started pouring from the paper magic circle. The pair's eyes widened, as they pulled their eyes from the magic circle to each other.
"That would be it," Arthur whispered, amazed that they had been able to find the potion's main ingredient.
Alfred quickly leaned forward, almost rising from his chair.
"What is it? What type of plant is that?"
Arthur frantically grabbed the jar that the plant had come from. He wiped the dust from the tattered name label, and squinted at the old handwriting. His heart immediately fell.
Alfred leaned forward, frantically,
"What? What is it?"
Arthur did his best to quell the despair that had instantly begun to accumulate in his core. Then, he turned to the King and slowly let the plant's name roll off his tongue.
"Heartlocke."
Arthur was familiar with this particular plant. Heartlocke is a plant commonly studied in introductory ancient magic. The rare flower is native exclusively to Clubs, and was used in some of the earliest recorded years of Cards. Originally prescribed as a cure for heartbreak, potions made from Heartlocke erase all memories of romantic love interests, including any and all memories surrounding them. Eventually, with advances in magic, ethical problems, and the rarity of the plant itself, its use had completely disappeared from records for the past few hundred years. It is infamous, however, because there is no known antidote.
Arthur immediately went to the Jack's study to report their findings. On their way, they bumped into Matthew, who they took with them. Once before they Jack, Arthur told them what they had found out. Yao's face immediately hardened at the word 'Heartlocke', and Arthur explained to the twins what exactly the plant's effects were. Matthew seemed more worried, but Alfred looked genuinely shocked. After his explanation, the study fell silent. Yao wore a complicated expression, but spoke up.
"I heard back from the Queen of Hearts." Everyone looked at the Jack and held their breath as he continued. "Just as we predicted, there is no one who serves the house of Hearts who fits the description of the girl that Alfred gave us." Yao leaned forward on his bridged hands and though for a moment. "Now that we know that it is Heartlocke that has afflicted Alfred, I think we need to consider the possibility that that girl may be a servant of Clubs."
Arthur nodded grimly.
"I agree. Heartlocke is extremely scarce. Though if it were to be growing fresh somewhere, it would only be in Clubs." Arthur turned to Matthew, a serious expression on his face.
"Matthew. Have you mastered your invisibility and low-detection spells?"
Matthew nodded quickly.
"Yes, I have."
Arthur thought for a moment, then made a decision. He turned to fully face Matthew, a very grim expression on his face.
"Matthew. This will be your first assignment as Ace. You will go to Clubs and confirm whether or not this girl serves the house of Clubs."
The room fell silent and Matthew's face illuminated in alarm. Slowly he took a deep breath.
"Alright."
Alfred stepped closer to his brother, concern on his face.
"Are you sure, Matt?"
Matthew turned to look at Alfred. He stepped forward and placed his hands on Alfred's shoulders, squeezing gently.
"I'm the Ace, Al. No one will do this job better than me." Matthew stared at Alfred before the worry slowly dissipated from the Kings face.
"Right." The King's response was short, though filled with trust.
Matthew smiled before he turned back to the Queen and spoke. "I'll depart right away, Arthur. I will find out if this girl serves Clubs."
Arthur smiled at the Ace's audible resolve and nodded.
"Thank you, Matthew. We'll await your swift return."
Matthew bowed, and with conviction, quickly left the room to prepare for his departure. As soon as the door closed behind Matthew, Yao turned to Arthur.
"Do you think that you will be able to procure an antidote, Your Highness? I know that there is no recorded history of a cure to Heartlocke, but surely if someone were able to do it, it would be you."
He was right. Arthur had excelled with his magic studies and was recognized as a prodigy far before he had become the Queen of Spades. However, he could already feel that this was a far taller order than he had ever faced before. Arthur bit his bottom lip and thought for a moment.
"I will. I'll make some sort of antidote." Arthur wasn't sure if he himself was convinced by his statement, but he wanted to be. Yao gave an apologetic smile and let out a sigh.
"I have faith in you, Your Highness. I'll leave you to it."
Arthur nodded and turned on his heels towards the door, quickly leaving the room. The King followed after him, and soon, the pair of royals disappeared out the door.
Arthur made his way down the corridor, back towards the door to the magic dungeons. Alfred followed behind him, but said nothing. When they arrived at the door that led down to the dungeons, Arthur turned to Alfred.
"I'm going to begin researching an antidote. I'll call for you when I need you."
Alfred nodded, but said nothing, visibly lost in thought. Just when Arthur was about to close the door behind him and descend the stairs, Alfred caught the door, looking at Arthur frantically.
"Arthur!"
The Queen stopped, immediately looking back up at the King who stood one step above him.
"Yes?"
Alfred thought for a moment, and shifted where his fingers rested on the door.
"...Was I in love with you?"
Arthur stood in silence for a few seconds before speaking.
"It would seem that way, yes."
Alfred seemed almost apologetic before he began speaking again.
"Yao said that our marriage is set to take place a week from today, but..." Arthur raised his hand and cut the King's sentence short.
"We were going to be married whether you were in love with me or not. The effects of this potion will not affect our marriage date."
"Still..." Alfred frowned, obviously dissatisfied with the concept. Then he spoke again.
"Uh...I know it's not the exact solution, but have you considered making a love potion instead?"
Arthur frowned.
"A...love potion?"
Alfred nodded.
"Yeah. I mean, it's not really an antidote, but it... it would at least put some things back to the way they were right? I mean, I don't want you to be bummed out, and this could fix everything!"
Arthur felt a disappointed feeling growing in his heart. He shook his head.
"Alfred, you don't know what you're talking about. Yes, while love potions are relatively easy to make, the love induced by love potions isn't real love. It just creates a temporary high; a hyper-obsession that mimics love. I would sooner prefer you hate me before I would even think of casting a love potion on you." Arthur looked down, and his voice fell to a whisper. "It doesn't mean anything unless you love me of your own accord, Alfred."
Alfred's eyes widened a little, and his face felt a little warm. As this happened, he swore for a moment that the Queen's saddened profile looked incredibly familiar. However, just as quickly as the nostalgic feeling had stirred, it quickly dissipated and was replaced with a dull throbbing pain in his heart and head. He brought his hand to his face and winced slightly in pain. The Queen immediately took notice, and turned back to the King.
"Are you alright, Alfred? What's wrong?"
The King shook his head as his eyes fluttered back open.
"Yeah, my head just...hurts."
Arthur reached out his hand towards the King, before recoiling his hand, and gently patting the King's shoulder instead.
"Go rest, Alfred. I'll call upon you again tomorrow."
The King nodded, and while still clutching his head, made his way back down the hall. Arthur watched as he disappeared, and soon, let the door slide closed behind him.
.
Arthur delved fully into the task at hand. He flipped through countless magic texts, scrolls, and encyclopedias searching for any components that could be used to make a cure for Heartlocke poisoning. However, no matter where he looked, all he found was information pertaining to how it could not be cured. Arthur let out a weary sigh as he set another book aside, and reached for a new, thicker book. He didn't even notice when the Jack came to stand in the doorway.
"Your Highness."
Arthur looked up from his book at the Jack, standing a few feet away. He looked back down.
"Hello, Yao." Arthur turned a page in his book before speaking again. "Is something wrong?"
"You never came to dinner, so I thought I would check on you."
"Dinner?" Arthur looked up, puzzled, before removing a pocket watch from his vest and looking at the face. It was well past dinner, and Arthur had hardly eaten anything that day. However, the urgency in his heart was currently fending off any feelings of hunger. Arthur put his watch back and returned his eyes to the magic text in front of him.
"Sorry. I hadn't noticed."
Yao frowned.
"Your Highness, why don't you come upstairs. You can accompany me for a drink."
Arthur looked back up at Yao. The only other time Arthur had had drinks with Yao was after the previous Queen's funeral. They had not done it since. Arthur knitted his brows and looked back down.
"I really should get back to-"
"Lord Arthur."
Arthur looked back up at the Jack who had cut him off. Yao wore a concerned look and offered a small smile.
"Please. Take a break, Your Highness."
Arthur held the Jack's gaze for a moment before he let out a defeated sigh and closed his book. Shortly after, he stood, and followed the Jack out of the magic study and back up to the main floor of the castle.
Arthur sat in the castle's bar room, and drummed his fingers on the top of the cool, mahogany table in front of him. Yao had briefly disappeared, but returned shortly after holding two glasses and a tall, chilled bottle. When he got closer, Arthur immediately recognized the blue liquid in the bottle. Teardrop Ale. Arthur's spirit of choice, the light blue liquor was brewed from the same fruit that shared its name, and after being aged for half a century, it acquires a strikingly high alcohol content. A few years prior, Arthur had the drink on a regular basis, but since the Queen's death, he had mostly stuck to tea.
Yao set a glass in front of Arthur and poured some of the liquid into the glass before repeating the gesture for himself. Arthur eagerly took a sip, calmed by the familiar taste. He was immediately thankful that he had eaten so little.
"I take it the antidote research is not going so well."
"The outlook is very grim, Yao. I can't find any history of anyone even getting close to curing Heartlocke poisoning."
Yao sighed.
"Were you ever able to tell Alfred your feelings, Lord Arthur?"
Arthur looked up at Yao, caught off guard.
"You knew?"
"I'm reserved, Your Highness. Not blind. And I've known you for quite a while."
It was true. Yao had known Arthur for several years. Arthur was fifteen when the previous Jack died and Yao received his mark, and by then, Arthur had already been living at the palace for a few years. In fact, Arthur had accompanied the previous Queen to verify Yao's mark and bring him back to the castle. Over their years in the castle, Yao had grown very familiar with Arthur's temperament, and was rather quick to notice changes, no matter how subtle.
Arthur rested his head on his open hand, remembering his own confession to Alfred. He heart fell.
"I told him a few moments before the potion took effect."
Yao said nothing, but took a sip of his own drink before speaking.
"I see." Yao paused for a moment. "Your Highness. It may very well be impossible to find a cure for Heartlocke. His Excellency may never get back those memories that he lost. But your feelings were indeed mutual. Even if he lost his love and memory of you, it is very possible that King Alfred may fall in love with you again."
Arthur set his empty glass down, disappointed that his buzz was doing little to quell the despair growing in his heart.
"...it's what I fear most, Yao."
The Jack tilted his head to the side, slightly confused.
"What is?"
Arthur sighed as he poured himself another generous glass.
"That he won't fall in love with me again."
Yao frowned as he took another sip of his drink.
"Why wouldn't he?"
Arthur paused and rubbed the back of his neck in visible displeasure.
"...You know I'm not exactly someone who falls in love on a regular basis."
"I am very aware of that, Your Highness."
Arthur looked at his glass.
"Rather than believing in a love based on fate, I think that falling in love is purely situation and chance. Just a number of variables that line up just right; a one in one thousand occurrence." Arthur shook his head lazily. "Odds that never seemed to work out for me." Arthur stared at his reflection in the light blue liquid before speaking again. "Falling in love with someone is a highly improbable chance, Yao. And even if Alfred loved me once, he may not fall in love with me again. This may have been my only shot."
By now, the Teardrop Ale was doing a lot of the talking for Arthur. Even with Yao, Arthur would normally never speak so openly about his feelings and emotional concerns. However, this did not mean that they were not legitimate.
Yao thought for a moment.
"What an unromantic approach to love."
Arthur let out a cynical laugh.
"I know."
Yao set down his glass and looked at the Queen.
"Your Highness. You and King Alfred will be married in a few days time, regardless of if this Heartlocke spell is broken. Nonetheless, you and King Alfred are my dear royals, and I want you to be happy. Even with your twisted approach to love, please know that there is always the chance that Alfred could fall in love with you again, regardless of if his lack of memories." Yao's face darkened. "However, Your Highness. Whoever did this to King Alfred did it on purpose; and with malicious intent, no less. We mustn't let them believe that they can so easily toy with the King of Spades. Please; for the sake of Spades, try your best to find an antidote."
Arthur nodded and stared into his glass, wondering if he truly would be able to.
.
Arthur stood alone in the dark forests of Spades. He couldn't remember why he was standing in the grassy clearing, but cold rain was pelting his face, and a deep feeling of hopelessness was stirring in his core. Arthur closed his eyes, letting the rain run over his face in an attempt to distract himself from the lump in his throat and the feeling of wanting to cry. Suddenly, he felt the presence of someone else in the clearing. There was no sound of footsteps, but as Arthur turned around, he saw Alfred standing just a few feet away. He wore a warm smile and was looking at Arthur with unwavering eyes. Arthur opened his mouth to speak, but found that his voice was gone. He tried again and again to say something, but his voice would not come out.
Alfred smiled an began making steps towards Arthur until they were mere inches apart. He leaned closer to Arthur and brought a hand to the side of Arthur's face. As Arthur looked at the King, he realized there was a warmness and familiarity in his eyes. Alfred knew him. He remembered him. Alfred then smiled a little sadly and gently caressed his knuckle down Arthur's cheek.
"Shhh, Arthur...why are you crying?" Alfred's voice was a warm whisper that fell upon Arthur's ears like velvet. How he had missed that tone.
Arthur then realized that what had once been cold raindrops had become warm streams pouring from his own eyes. Normally, Arthur would have been highly embarrassed to be crying so shamelessly in front of someone, but instead of embarrassment, he only felt a warm sense of relief. He felt as though a large weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Arthur reached up to rub tears from his face, but found Alfred's hands were already there. The King slowly rubbed the soft pads of his thumbs across Arthur's face, wiping the tears away. Arthur's eyes fluttered closed at the intimate gesture and let out a relieved sigh. Alfred spoke again, his voice low and reassuring.
"It's okay Arthur...I'm right here..."
Shortly after, Arthur felt a pair of soft lips gently connect with his cheek and proceeded to leave a series of kisses where the tears had once been. One of Alfred's hands fell from the side of Arthur's face and moved to his waist, pulling him closer to him. Arthur complied eagerly and wrapped his hand's around Alfred's back, realizing how starved he felt of the King's gentle affection. He let his face rest on Alfred's shoulder, quickly trading the cool sensation of the rain for his King's warmth.
"Arthur..."
The King's voice came again, and Arthur opened his eyes and leaned back a little to look at his face. Alfred let his cerulean eyes bear into Arthur as if he could never desire anything more. The King looked at Arthur through his lashes before he closed his eyes and gently let his lips meet Arthur's.
The darkness of the forest intensified, and soon nothing was visible, but among the darkness, Arthur's voice finally came forth, mumbling a single word.
"Alfred..."
Arthur's eyes slowly opened and were met with sunlight pouring into the Queen's quarters. He squinted, as he realized that the whole scene had been nothing but a dream. However, the feeling of wanting to be kissed by Alfred remained present even in reality. Arthur sat up slightly, immediately aware of how his head throbbed. The Teardrop Ale had indeed helped him to sleep deeply and well, however he could already tell that he had quite a hangover. Arthur looked at the ornate clock by his bedside and sucked in air. He had overslept. For one who usually awoke just after sunrise, the fact that he had slept until well after nine was alarming to him. Arthur slowly sat up, mumbled a short spell to diminish the effects of his hangover, and prepared getting ready for the day.
Arthur made his way down to the main hall. He walked into the breakfast room and was immediately met with the sight of the King. He was sitting at his usual spot in his palace uniform, sans his palace jacket, and his tie was tied messily around his neck. He was just finishing an apple, but there were an array of different plates spread out in front of him, suggesting that he had already eaten quite a lot. As Arthur came into the room he looked up and offered a friendly smile.
"Morning."
Arthur pushed down the persistent memory of his dream and greeted the King as normally as he could.
"Good morning." Arthur made his way to a teapot in the middle of the table and poured himself a cup. Alfred's eyes followed him the whole way, and after he chewed a bite of apple he spoke.
"You look awful."
Arthur let out a dry laugh.
"Thanks..." Arthur came to sit at the Queen's chair beside Alfred. "I drank too much last night."
Alfred nodded and swallowed.
"I heard. Yao said you put away a whole bottle of Teardrop Ale. He told me to make sure you ate something."
Arthur sighed before he took a sip from his tea.
"Fine." He wasn't particularly hungry, and he was more interested continuing his production of an antidote. Arthur set down his tea cup and turned to the King. "I need you to come with me today. We'll be testing a handful of different antidotes."
Alfred nodded nonchalantly.
"Sure." The King reached into a nearby bowl of fruit and produced another apple. "But first, I've got to make good on what I promised Yao." Alfred set the apple directly on a plate in front of Arthur. "Eat. Then we'll go."
Arthur sent Alfred a slightly irritated stare, before the King's cerulean eyes resurfaced the memories of his dream. Would Alfred ever hold him and kiss him like that again?
Arthur blushed a little at the memory before letting out a defeated sigh.
"Fine."
.
One apple and a breakfast sandwich later, the pair of royals headed to Arthur's magic study. Alfred sat on a chair and waited patiently as Arthur ground, steeped and brewed a multitude of different magical properties into potions. Alfred watched Arthur's back as he worked swiftly.
"How exactly is this going to work?"
Arthur looked over his shoulder briefly and poured a potion into a glass.
"We'll be testing a number of different potions. We'll start with general all-purpose dispelling potions, then some antidotes for various love and memory-altering potions, and finally a few that are a combination of the two."
Alfred nodded and drummed his hands on the table in front of them.
"Sounds fun."
Arthur brought a tray with a number of small glasses on it, each glass filled with a different potion. Arthur set the tray on the table in front of him and pulled out a notebook with the potions listed, so that he could keep track.
"If we are able to properly dispell the Heartlocke, you will most likely loose consciousness."
Alfred nodded and then swallowed nervously.
"And if it doesn't dispell it?"
Arthur set a glass in front of Alfred and gave a nervous smile.
"Then it'll just taste terrible."
.
Alfred tried one potion after the next. Glass after glass, Alfred tried the strange liquids, however the only observable reactions were the bitter and sour faces that Alfred made after trying each concoction. About an hour in, they had tried upwards of thirty potions, but none had caused any type of change in Alfred's condition.
"Arthur...can we stop for today?"
Alfred looked up at Arthur with pleading eyes. The last four potions had been impossibly bitter, and the King desperately wanted to salvage what remained of his taste buds.
Arthur looked at the countless failed antidotes and nodded.
"Yes. Let's stop for today." Arthur closed his notebook, and stood up. He went over to a side table and poured a glass of water, he handed it towards Alfred who stood up and took the glass. He sipped at it eagerly, trying to rid the taste from his mouth.
Arthur let out a defeated sigh.
"Sorry."
Alfred looked up at Arthur, confused, while swallowing a gulp of water.
"For what?" Alfred set down his now empty glass on the table below of him. "If anything, I'm sorry. I'm the one who drank the Heartlocke. I'm the one who accidentally poisoned myself." Alfred looked down, visibly upset. "If I hadn't taken that stupid potion, none of us would be in this situation, and you wouldn't even have to be running yourself ragged trying to make this antidote for me."
Arthur looked at Alfred's downcast profile. It was times like these when he would usually be doing everything he could to comfort Alfred. Arthur's thoughts returned to the dream he had, and his mind began to wander. How would Alfred react if he kissed him right now?
Arthur reached up tilting Alfred's face up towards him, and took a step forward, allowing their bodies to get closer. Alfred's blue eyes met Arthur's, looking a little surprised. Arthur felt his heartbeat quicken, knowing that he was taking a big risk, but he knew he couldn't stop himself now. He let his voice out in a low whisper.
"...Can I kiss you?"
Alfred's eyes widened and color visibly rushed to his face. His eyes flitted down for a moment before meeting Arthur's again and stuttering out his own whispered response.
"Did...did we used to kiss?"
Arthur felt a small flicker of disappointment at the realization of how Alfred had truly forgotten him. Defeated, Arthur dropped his hand from Alfred's face and was about to turn away, when he felt Alfred's hand catch his wrist. The King's face was flushed, but nonetheless, he slowly leaned a little closer to Arthur. Alfred's voice came out in a steady whisper.
"Alright."
Arthur's eyes widened a little, not expecting Alfred to comply so easily. Nonetheless, Arthur leaned a little closer. Arthur watched as Alfred lidded his eyes slightly. His body was tensed, but he stood calmly where he was, his eyes scanning over Arthur's face. Arthur slowly let their faces slide closer together and gently let his lips meet Alfred's.
Many months prior, Alfred had been the one to initiate their first kiss. Though now that the tables had turned, Arthur was currently testing the waters with an Alfred who didn't know him, and didn't love him yet. Arthur could feel how tense Alfred's lips were against his own. However, a mere second passed before Alfred immediately relaxed and leaned a little closer, matching his mouth's movements to Arthur's. The Queen relaxed as Alfred's tension quickly melted away. He kissed Alfred gently a couple of times before Arthur slowly pulled away. What happened next, surprised him though. Alfred eagerly leaned forward again, recapturing Arthur's lips. Arthur was almost overwhelmed by how honestly Alfred was kissing him. The King gently curled a hand behind Arthur's neck, gently positioning Arthur's head so that he could kiss him better. The kisses that ensued weren't rushed, but lingering and gentle. Arthur couldn't be more pleased though. Between the misunderstanding caused by his rejection, their issues in Diamonds, and now Alfred's memory loss, they had not kissed like this in a very long time.
When Alfred finally pulled away, he leaned forward, resting his head on Arthur's shoulder. Arthur couldn't see Alfred's face, but judging by how Alfred had tensed his body again, it was apparent that he was thinking. Alfred then whispered out a single phrase.
"...Why does it feel so familiar...?"
Arthur thought for a moment, but before he could answer, he felt Alfred nuzzle a little closer to him, a hand coming up to wrap around Arthur's waist.
"...Why do you feel so familiar?"
Alfred leaned back, and placed his hand on the side of Arthur's face. He stared at Arthur, looking for any sort of sign; anything that would resolve the conflict in his head, and apparently, his heart. His azure eyes were filled with uncertainty, and his expression grew more complicated as his eyes scanned over the Queen's face. Seemingly giving up, Alfred squeezed his eyes shut and his head slumped down.
Arthur smiled sadly. Alfred truly was trying to remember him despite his state. Arthur placed a hand atop Alfred's and stroked it consolingly. Alfred looked back up at Arthur, looking visibly upset with himself. Arthur spoke in a gentle tone.
"This is terribly complex black magic, Alfred. It will take some time for me to find a solution. But I promise I'll find a way to break this spell, alright?"
Alfred stared into Arthur's green eyes before his expression softened.
"Alright."
Arthur tugged Alfred's hand downwards and kissed the side of his hand. Much to his surprise, the King did not flinch at the intimate gesture.
"...Rest now, Alfred. I'll research other ways to dispell Heartlocke and call for you again when I'm ready to test them."
Alfred's eyes filled with trust and his frame visibly relaxed. He nodded a little and managed a weak smile.
Alfred, seemingly reluctantly, pulled away from Arthur and left the magic study to return to his room.
.
The next few days, Arthur worked tirelessly to produce an antidote. When he seemed to stop making progress with forming a tangible potion antidote, he began researching advanced magic remedies that may work. Because he no longer needed access to the potions' library in the dungeon, he had moved to work in the King's study upstairs with Alfred. While Alfred had resumed his royal paperwork, it was taking him far longer than usual to get assignments complete. Not just because he was under the stress of knowing he was under Heartlocke poisoning and worrying about Matthew who was still gone. But because Arthur had been the one to give him a lot of his primary training, this meant that there were holes in his knowledge of the Kingdom. Arthur had situated himself on the nearby couch in Alfred's study, so that whenever Alfred had a question, he was present to help.
Arthur had brought a stack of magic texts up with him, and was thumbing through a particularly thick one about all-purpose dispelling magic. So far, there was nothing that seemed promising. His eyes briefly flitted over to Alfred. The King hadn't asked a question in over an hour and had fallen rather silent. He was leaning his head on his fist, and was staring down at a paper in front of him with a tired and frustrated expression on his face. He blinked a few times before removing his glasses pinching the bridge of his nose. Arthur spoke up from the other side of the room.
"Need a break?"
Without changing his current position, Alfred spoke.
"Probably."
Arthur closed his text and set in on the table.
"Why don't we both take a breather?" Arthur watched as Alfred placed his glasses back on and turned towards him.
"What did you have in mind?"
Arthur thought for a moment.
"Chess?"
Alfred immediately made a sour face.
"No way. You'll just beat me in fifteen minutes like you always do."
The statement hung in the air as silence fell over the room. Arthur's eyes immediately widened in alarm as he turned to look at Alfred. Alfred seemed unaware of his statement for a few seconds. He held the sour expression on his face before it slowly changed to confusion, then his eyes widened in realization. He looked over at Arthur, equally alarmed. Arthur stood up and made his way around the desk where Alfred was sitting.
"How do you know that?"
Alfred brought his hand to the side of his head, wracking his brain trying to remember.
"I...I don't know."
"How did you remember that...?" Arthur paused and knelt in front of Alfred. "Do...do you remember anything else?" Arthur said, trying to rein in the pleading tone that was entering his voice.
"Honestly, Arthur...I don't ever remember playing chess with you...it just came out before I realized it and-I..." Suddenly, Alfred's eyes released a soft blue light as if he were trying to to cast a spell. The light flickered away, and Alfred pressed his hand harder into the side of his head, and squinted his eyes shut, seemingly in pain. Alfred let out a small groan, and Arthur leaned forward, concerned.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, my head just hurt for a second there..." Alfred slowly opened his eyes again, looking at Arthur apologetically. "I'm sorry, Arthur...I just can't remember anything..."
Arthur shook his head and stood up.
"Don't be sorry." Arthur made his way back to where he had been sitting, and began collecting his magic books. "Take a break, Alfred. I'll be back later this afternoon."
Arthur quickly headed towards the door. Alfred started to call out to stop him, however, just as he was able to raise his voice, Arthur was gone.
Arthur made his way down the hall towards the lower floors, his mind racing. This was good. Despite the fact that little was known about Heartlocke, aside from its unshakable potency, Arthur now knew something incredibly valuable. Heartlocke does not destroy or erase memories. It buries them. It makes them inaccessible. But it does not erase them. Somehow, a memory of Alfred's had briefly floated to the surface without him even being aware of it. Even though the memory had vanished by the time Alfred had even become aware of it, it had still been there.
.
Arthur made his way down to the dungeons and began collecting a new set of books in the magic library. There were very few spells that directly pertained to Alfred's specific situation, but at the very least, he may find something helpful with this new information. As he was moving a new stack of books, the Queen heard a voice call out to him.
"Art!"
Arthur turned towards the voice and saw the familiar face of his magic apprentice.
"Gareth." The Queen continued carrying the books into his study, and Gareth fell in step behind him. "What is it?"
"Have there been any changes in His Excellency's condition?" Gareth was one of very few magicians who had been alerted to Alfred's condition. Arthur shook his head as he set down his books.
"Not quite. Though I think I have found a direction to go in."
Arthur quickly explained what had happened just a few moments before. Gareth's eyes widened.
"That is remarkable. Though that really plays right into a theory I was wondering about."
"What theory?" Arthur leaned in, listening to Gareth's words closely.
"Art...at any point while King Alfred was remembering, did it look like he was releasing magic?"
Arthur thought for a moment, then thought back on the blue light that was briefly released from Alfred's eyes.
"A little, yes. It almost seemed like he was using magic."
"I knew it," Gareth said, and he readily flipped open the book he was carrying. "From the beginning, I was wondering how a spell like Heartlocke could be cast on the King of Spades. Heartlocke, while powerful and irreversible, should not have been able to cast perfectly on a King, who inherently has so much magical power."
Arthur nodded thoughtfully. He was right. He had been so caught up in the actual make up of the potion itself that he hadn't even considered that Alfred has vastly more magic power than any average person. Gareth continued.
"A complex magic system is housed within each of the royals. We all know know this. What I hadn't realized though, is what this implies. The fact that Alfred was able to remember even a small memory of you while still being under the effects of Heartlocke is because his personal magic system behaves similarly to an immune system. It's actively trying to fight off and override the potion's magic."
Arthur's eyes widened.
"Really? Now that I think about it...that would make a lot of sense."
"Yes. Though from what I've deduced, this shouldn't happen automatically. There would have to be a deep will within Alfred for the system to be activated and fight the potion enough for him to remember a little." Gareth paused and looked down. "...He must have really loved you a lot, Art."
Arthur was moved by this statement, though he didn't show it on his face. Gareth's eyes suddenly turned grim.
"But...there's no guarantee that his magic system will be able to break the spell though. Heartlocke is still Heartlocke, and if his magic system is strained too hard to break the spell, it may start wearing him out physically."
"Then...what do you suppose would be my best plan of action?"
"Hmm...I would suggest trying to take His Excellency to places he may remember to try and bring his memories to the surface again. Coaxing his own magic to break the spell may be much faster than trying to procure a potion antidote." Gareth playfully nudged Arthur's shoulder. "Though if anyone were to make a successful antidote, it would be you."
Arthur smiled. Gareth was a good magician to have found these facts out, and Arthur was grateful to have this new information in his possession. The possibility of being able to break the Heartlocke spell no longer felt so impossible. Arthur spoke up.
"What books were you looking in to draw all of these conclusions, Gareth?"
Gareth closed his book and showed the title to the Queen.
"It's a book on the personal power systems of the royals. I figured the information in here may be helpful since we're dealing with a King."
Arthur leaned closer to book. That truly was a brilliant idea. Just when Arthur was about to inquire further on anything else Gareth had found, he heard a rustle at the door. Arthur looked up and saw Alfred standing in the doorway, a broad smile quickly falling from his face. Arthur blinked in surprise.
"Alfred...what's the matter?"
Alfred took a step back from where he was in the doorway, a new, visibly forced smile on his face.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you." Alfred frowned in hurt disbelief before he turned and headed back down the hall. Arthur readily stood and made his way after the King. He briefly stopped in the doorway and turned back towards Gareth.
"Excuse me, Gareth. Some other time." Arthur said quickly before returning his attention to the retreating royal.
Alfred had made it halfway up the stairs exiting the dungeons before Arthur caught up to him.
"Alfred wait!" Arthur reached out and grabbed the King's shoulder only to have the King aggressively shake it off. "Alfred!" Arthur spun Alfred around, grabbing at the King's wrists. Taking a better look at the King's face, Alfred was wearing a hurt expression. Arthur dropped his voice to a gentle yet concerned tone. "Alfred, what's wrong?"
"I don't know!" Alfred raised his voice, frustration and anger apparent in his voice. "Fuck, I don't know!" Alfred tried shaking his fists away from Arthur, but his grip held tight. Suddenly a bright blue light was released from Alfred's eyes immediately followed by a a pulse of magic so strong that the entire palace seemed to shake on it's foundation. A stone or two fell from the dungeon ceiling, and shy plumes of dust fell from above. Alfred let out a groan of pain and clawed at the fabric over his heart as he lowered himself on the stairs in fatigue.
"Alfred!" The Queen lowered himself as well, trying to steady the King. Arthur's eyes widened. Gareth was right, Alfred's magic system was trying desperately to break the spell. However, with the expression of pain on Alfred's face, Arthur's concern only heightened. Alfred was releasing large outputs of magic, but more dangerously, he was casting magic with negative thoughts, which makes it extremely easy to loose control. Alfred's eyes flickered blue again, signaling that he was going to unleash another burst of magic. Arthur cast a few spells of his own to hold back Alfred's magic. Arthur quickly leaned forward, placing his hands on the sides of the King's face, and spoke in a low tone.
"Alfred."
The King looked up into Arthur's eyes. The glow dissipated from his eyes, and his magic quelled once more. A new emotion flowed across Alfred's face. It was fleeting, but Arthur knew it instantly. A sad smile tugged at the corners of Alfred's mouth.
"Arthur..."
Arthur immediately knew. It lasted a mere second, but for that brief moment, Alfred knew who he was. Just as quickly as it had come, confusion clouded Alfred's eyes again, and the sad expression returned to his face. Alfred slumped his head in exhaustion, defeated.
"...Arthur..." The color had left his face and Alfred seemed completely worn out. Arthur ran his finger across the Kings face.
"I'm right here, Alfred..." Arthur leaned forward, gently pressing his forehead to Alfred's. Alfred screwed his eyes shut in frustration.
"I can't remember...I was so close-"
"I know. It's okay."
.
Arthur waited patiently outside of the King's room. Shortly after he had calmed him down, Alfred collapsed. He was taken to his room and was currently being monitored by palace doctors, as well as Yao. Arthur was allowed in, but in an attempt to seem more calm, he waited outside patiently for any news. Just when Arthur was about to approach the door, it opened, and Yao walked out into the hallway.
"Is he alright, Yao?"
The Jack frowned and shook his head.
"You were right, Arthur. It would seem that his magic system is overactive in an attempt to break the Heartlocke spell."
Arthur's eyes widened in alarm, but before he could say anything, Yao spoke again.
"His physical body is being exerted to excess in an attempt to break this spell. His magic is literally starting to destroy his body."
A dark expression clouded Arthur's face.
"No..." Arthur said, almost inaudibly. Yao leaned closer to the Queen and lowered his voice to a steady, yet urgent whisper.
"We need to find a way to break this spell, Your Highness. And quickly. If this goes on for very long, Alfred could very well be broken by his own magic."
Arthur's expression darkened. It could be very possible that this was the true desired effect of the Heartlocke poisoning. Heartlocke is a notoriously unbreakable spell, however it is not inherently deadly. However, because it was cast on Alfred, who was a royal, the effect could essentially cause Alfred to destroy himself. Arthur looked back at Yao, a serious expression on his face.
"Have we heard any news from Matthew?"
Yao looked down.
"He has crossed the Clubs border. We were originally tracking his magic output. However, once he activated his invisibility and stealth spells, even we can no longer track him. We are having him send encrypted signals to our palace magicians every few hours. He should be near the Clubs capital by now."
Arthur nodded. Until Matthew returned with his findings, it remained impossible to know who to assign this blame to. Arthur turned and headed down the hall.
"I'm going to return to my work. Call for me, if there are any developments."
Yao bowed.
"Yes, Your Highness."
.
Arthur returned to his study, working adamantly to find some way to break the spell. Over the course of a few hours, he began weighing all of the information that he had collected, and tried thinking of any sort of solution. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't seem to craft a spell to break the poisoning itself. For the time being, he settled on trying to make a spell that would cause Alfred's magic system to calm down, at least enough so that he wasn't such a danger to himself. Just as Arthur was about to practice casting the new spell, Yao burst into the room. Arthur turned to see the Jack out of breath with a panicked expression on his face.
"Yao? What's the matter?"
"Your Highness, have you seen His Excellency?"
"No, I haven't seen him. I assumed he was still resting in his room." Arthur paused, worry beginning to stir inside him. "Why do you ask?"
"Some of the staff went to check on him, but he wasn't in his room...we can't seem to find him."
Arthur set aside his spellbook and briefly closed his eyes. He could still feel Alfred's presence in the castle. He opened his eyes again and looked at the Jack.
"He's still in the castle, Yao. It feels like he's in the West Tower." Arthur headed towards the door, knowing that there was no reason for Alfred to be in that wing.
"I'll go find him."
Arthur quickly navigated towards where he felt Alfred's magic output and found him, slowly descending a glass stairwell in one of the farthest points of the West Tower. He was visibly worn out, and judging by his expression, he was doing everything he could to keep his magic under control. Arthur's eyes lit up in alarm.
"Alfred!" He rushed up the stairs to the King, and held out an arm to steady the visibly weak royal. "What are you doing? You were supposed to be resting!"
Alfred suddenly winced in pain before he shrugged off Arthur's hand and spoke.
"I was trying to find you, but I didn't know where you were, and I got turned around..."
Arthur frowned.
"Why didn't you just have someone fetch me? I would've come right away."
Alfred grimaced and shook his head, cutting Arthur off.
"I wanted to talk to you. Just you."
Some of the concern lifted from Arthur's face, but was still worried how apparent it was that Alfred was currently suffering under his own power. Arthur instinctively offered his arm again for support.
"I understand, Alfred. But I'm not going to sugar-coat this; our situation is dire. You need to rest. If you aggravate your magic much more, you'll-"
"It hurts."
Alfred's pained statement caught Arthur off guard. It was apparent he wasn't talking about his physical state. Arthur was going to inquire what Alfred meant when Alfred continued with a pained expression on his face.
"It hurts...It hurts to see you like this, Arthur. I don't remember you, but you're my Queen. I'm not blind, I can see how much my not remembering you is hurting you, and I can't stand it. But no matter how hard I try, I can't remember anything about you, and..." Alfred paused, the frustration apparent on his face. "...it makes me feel sick, and I don't know why."
Another rush of pain flowed through Alfred's core, and he stifled a groan. Arthur reached out, and this time, Alfred did not shrug off his hand. Once the fit passed, Alfred opened his eyes and looked at Arthur apologetically.
"...I'm sorry."
Arthur shook his head. While he had been unaware of these concerns that Alfred had, it restored something inside him. Despite his memory loss, something had happened that Arthur hadn't anticipated. Regardless of what Arthur had thought, for some reason, Alfred still cared for him in some way. Arthur gently rubbed the side of Alfred's arm consolingly.
"There's no need for you to apologize Alfred, I'll forgive you every single time." Arthur paused for a moment, before looking up into Alfred's eyes. The azure pools were filled with pain and were searching for answers.
"Alfred. You may have forgotten me, but my..." Arthur paused for a moment, bracing himself for the incredibly vulnerable statement he was about to make. "...My feelings haven't changed."
Arthur moved his hand from Alfred's side to the side of the King's face. He wasn't accustomed to saying it, and such a level of honesty was uncharacteristic of Arthur, however in this current moment, it came naturally to him. He gently ran his thumb across Alfred's cheek.
"...I love you, Alfred. God, I love you so much."
.
Neither one was sure of what exactly happened next.
Alfred's eyes widened at Arthur's statement, and a bright green light was suddenly released in a pulse that almost knocked Arthur backwards. He shielded his eyes but looked back just fast enough to see Alfred loosing his balance and beginning to fall towards the ground. Arthur rushed forwards to catch the King before he hit the ground.
"Alfred!"
Arthur looked at Alfred's unconscious face, as worry and confusion took over his senses. Then Arthur's eyes widened in shock.
.
Alfred stood in the murky darkness that surrounded him. It was eerily quiet, and everything felt uncertain. Through the deafening silence, something changed. He heard a voice. It was incredibly faint and muffled, but he understood immediately who it was. It was so familiar, and yet he felt like he hadn't heard his voice in a very long time. Alfred walked towards the voice, trying to seek out the source. The darkness slowly began to fade, and as the voice grew louder, Alfred felt a warmth that he had forgotten, and yet he knew it so well.
Alfred opened his eyes slowly. At first, he was unaware of his surroundings, but then recognizing the blue of the velvet canopy that was cast far above his bed, he knew he was in his bedroom. Alfred tried to blink some of the sleepiness away. He felt exhausted, but at the same time it felt like a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Slowly, Alfred became aware of the warm feeling on his hand. He looked over and saw the reason for it, and his heart lightened. He knew exactly who he was. Sitting in a chair at Alfred's bedside, there he sat. He had long since dozed off, as he had leaned forward, his head resting on the edge of Alfred's bed. His hand, however, was firmly wrapped around Alfred's, even in his sleeping state.
Judging by the shy beams of light that were just barely beginning to filter into the dim room, it was apparent that he had most likely been there all night. Alfred felt a smile pull at the corners of his mouth. Although Alfred had barely stirred, the sleeping Queen's eyes slowly opened. He looked at Alfred, and when he saw that he had awakened, he sat up a little. They held each others gaze for a moment before Alfred smiled at Arthur and finally spoke.
"I missed you."
Knowing what this meant, Arthur immediately leapt forward, wrapping his arms around Alfred. Alfred was quick to return the embrace, and held tight until Arthur leaned back looking frantically but excitedly at Alfred.
"Are you sure you feel alright?" Arthur placed his hand on the side of Alfred's face. He nodded.
"Yeah I feel fine." Alfred could barely blurt out his answer before Arthur spoke again.
"And there are no remaining voids in your memory?"
Alfred shook his head with a smile.
"I remember everything."
An expression of relief overtook Arthur's expression, and he let out a sheepish laugh. He pulled Alfred close again, hiding his own face as he leaned against Alfred's shoulder.
"Thank God."
For the first time in Cards recorded history, the Heartlocke spell had been broken. And just two days before the Spades wedding ceremony.
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When Arthur finally released Alfred, he stayed put, laying parallel to Alfred. The pair lay facing each other for a while. Alfred stared at Arthur, finally relishing the state of knowing exactly who Arthur was. He felt as though he was seeing him for the first time in a very long time. Picking up on Alfred's gaze, Arthur was the first to break the silence, speaking in a low an gentle whisper.
"What is it?"
"...you really love me?"
Alfred's question caught Arthur by surprise. Although he had said it once in Diamonds and once the day before, Arthur still wasn't used to saying it. Some silence passed and Arthur felt some warmth travel to his face.
"Yes."
Alfred smiled.
"I love you too."
A visible blush tinted Arthur's pale skin.
"I know."
Alfred let out a short laugh and tucked his hand under his head as he lay looking at Arthur. He smiled at Arthur affectionately before his expression turned more thoughtful.
"Time really does fly. It feels like I've known you forever, but it really hasn't been that long."
Arthur thought for a moment then shrugged.
"Just over a year, I suppose."
"...but you're okay with marrying me?"
Arthur offered a gentle smile.
"Of course."
Alfred's expression softened. He knew that their marriage to each other wasn't optional, but it really made him feel better to know that Arthur was emotionally not opposed to it at all. In a system that rarely allows for it, they were entering into a royal marriage with a love already existing between them. Such a rarity was almost unheard of among royals, and Alfred truly felt lucky. He thought back to when he first met Arthur just over a year ago. He let out a short laugh.
"I remember when we first met, I thought you hated me."
Arthur smiled, recalling the same memory.
"Well, I was jealous for one thing. I wanted the King's role, you know. And you knew absolutely nothing."
Alfred was thinking of denying Arthur's statement, but quickly realized he wouldn't have much of an argument to back him up. Arthur continued.
"But I think you're exactly what Spades needed...You're exactly what I needed."
Alfred smiled. This time, Arthur watched as a blush overtook Alfred's face. As he watched Alfred, he recalled all of the days leading up to this. His mind settled on Alfred's obvious anxiety when he realized that he would be having an arranged marriage. Arthur's smile fell a little.
"Alfred...you were so worried about the Queen appearing and being forced into a marriage."
"Yeah."
"And...you're really okay with marrying me?"
The surprise on Alfred's face indicated he had not expected Arthur to pose this question, but nonetheless, he thought about it. Several moments passed by, and Arthur began to grow more nervous with each passing second. Just when Arthur was beginning to fear that Alfred was still against it, Alfred spoke.
"Hmm...well, normally, I would've wanted to go on a few dates, at least.
Arthur finally relaxed and let out a short laugh of disbelief.
"We're getting married, Alfred. And yet you want to date me?"
"Hell yeah."
The pair laughed in unison before Arthur's expression returned to a soft smile. He slowly threaded his fingers between Alfred's.
"Fine then. I promise that once we're married I'll start dating you."
Alfred let out a small laugh and tightened his grip around Arthur's hand. His blue eyes flitted down to where his fingers were intertwined with Arthur's and spoke.
"Arthur...I uh...I know that it will happen regardless in our situation, but at least allow me to take a little initiative." Arthur blinked in confusion. Alfred let his eyes meet Arthur's again, his gaze overflowing with affection. "Will you marry me, Arthur? You know, so that we can start dating?"
Alfred couldn't remember another time when he had seen Arthur laugh so happily. Arthur looked back at Alfred, a warm and honest smile on his face.
"Of course."
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Ivan sat atop his throne in the Clubs palace, a stony expression on his face. A small shadow slinked into the room, completely silent. However, she did not go unnoticed by Ivan. When the shadow stayed where she stood along the far wall, Ivan called out to her.
"What is it, Natalia?"
"...The Spades Ace is in Clubs as we had hoped, Your Majesty."
Ivan smirked darkly.
"Excellent. Be sure to let him know he's...welcome."
Just as soon as the shadow had appeared, she was gone from the throne room. Ivan leaned his head on the back of his fist.
"The Spades Ace will soon fall, and the Spades King will perish by Heartlocke...and the Queen shortly after..." Ivan suppressed a small laugh. "The entire house of Spades will fall before the Spades wedding will even take place."
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Author's Notes
-What a chapter!
-So... how was the spell broken? There are two possibilities...what do you think it was? :)
-We got lots of face-touchies and hand-holdies and cute-kissies because I am a shameless fluff addict who enjoys nothing more than copious amounts of buttery fluffy goodness
-Dark times are on the horizon for our royal couple...what will become of them?
-Thank you for reading The Last Spade so far!
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