Numbers of his Life
Story by: VeNgEaNcEoFrAiN
Disclaimer: Hidekaz Himaruya owns every personified country as well as this Cardverse AU ideas, I merely exploit his ideas for my own personal uses muahahah! Everything else is purely fictional, any resemblance to other stories is purely coincidental – I don't really know if there's a similar story around but this idea just popped up in my head so I decided to write it (all I can say is great minds think alike). Some fundamental ideas like how the pocket watch chooses the royalty in Spades is kept in this story. I would like to credit the person coming up with the idea but I think it'd probably be hard to track who started it. If you think I violated copyright laws, erm, I can take it down if you send me a mail or review.
Author's Note: Special thanks to 01blackcat02 (And also thank you for the PM), Little miss innocent liar and OldNewLife (You could have just msg me on the phone xD) for the review! Sorry I took such a long time - I say this a lot omg. To celebrate my 1st year anniversary I shall present you the longest chapter yet lololol. Thank you all and have fun reading. Enjoy!
Chapter 5: Allies of Five
Part II: Get set
"I'm sure I saw a dragon, stop fretting over it. It's starting to get on my nerves." A brow twitched in company with the statement. Unease tingled along Alfred's skin as he tried observing his mark from the mirror image of a mirror's image of his back. "Stop thinking about it, we don't have time for that, get dressed and besides, we need to get going." Frustration started to pent up within as Arthur watched the younger man put up a pout. At times, the youngster seemed too childish to be called a king yet other times, he was the most matured person Arthur had ever known. Alfred had his brows scrunched up still worried about his mark. Literally something snapped. Broken pieces of the comb Arthur was holding onto fell from his grip. Arthur had exceeded his nonsense capacity. The urge to hit his husband on the head was mounting. His lips pressed into a thin line, marked with dissatisfaction. Waves of dark aura began rushing towards Alfred. Alfred could feel chills going down his spine. The intense glare and the thickening atmosphere – who would be so dense to not notice it.
"Okay, alright I get it! I'll go, geez…" He gave up. Soon after, the royal couple of Spades walked briskly towards what Arthur regarded as a conference room. The guards gave a polite bow to the both of them before an announcement of their arrival was made. The room had an oval table where court officials, nobles and representatives of each dimension of the kingdom.
"Ahh, it's our first appearance in court. Let's play a game, shall we?"
A grin spread across the young King's face.
"Wha- treat this seriously, you're the King for goodness sake and we're about to-…!" A finger pressed against Arthur's lips, effectively silencing him. The taller figure also placed his finger on his own lips. A weak smile hid behind it. Arthur stared at him with his mind going through all the things his partner could be thinking of. He averted his gaze and brushed Alfred's hand aside. "Fine, I get it…" Even if he didn't, he'd still say that. His lips pressed into a thin line.
"If I win, I get more kisses ok?"
"Pfft, you're so full of yourself huh? What if I win?" The Englishman questioned that condition.
"Ohh I'm sure you won't. But if you do, you'll get kisses too!"
"-…!" A blush exploded across Arthur's face. He was at a lost for words. He could only grumble some string of words that he himself couldn't understand. "Bullocks…" He eyed his King uneasily as the latter whistled happily. He proceeded to walk behind Alfred, letting him lead the way into the court room. He'd better shake off that sense of embarrassment before the start of something serious. He was led to his seat where his husband pulled out his chair for him. He thanked him for the deed before settling in. "Wait, he hasn't said what game it was…" He thought and just before he could ask, Yao started the court session.
"Your Royal Majesties, Princely Lords, Nobles. I believe we all know the agenda for today but please allow me to officially start this court session. Our main concern today is the oncoming war from Kingdom of Hearts. Preparations are already in place for both the war and the peace talk." The raven-head continued. "However, I am not too optimistic about the latter… What do you think, Arthur? The military looks prepared but how confident are we?" His gaze landed on Arthur. Arthur took a deep breath in before preparing himself to speak. "I'd like to believe we're nearly 80% confident but of course, there's no such thing as a definite win. We'll go through strategies and make sure our counterattacks are fast, swift and efficient. Of course, I'd love to have minimal casualties as well." He leaned back against the back of the chair, gracefully crossing his arms in front of him. His stand on the matter was clear and the majestic feel he was giving off seemed to affect many of the court members gathered in that room. There were small whispers here and there but most were convinced.
"80%, Arthur?" A voice from beside him questioned. "We'll never fight an uncertain war." The entire room became silent. Many pairs of eyes stared in the King's direction, debating internally of what their King just said. The Jack let out a small sigh, seemingly at the overconfidence. While Arthur's eyes stared fixatedly at his husband, lips slightly parted in shock. He was in a mental turmoil. Part of him wanted to agree with Alfred and part of him was screaming that'd be impossible. Then there was the other part who secretly admired that confidence Alfred had. It was like nothing could stop him.
"I need more than 100% certainty. I want the results of this war to be nothing but our victory." He paused. "Can you do that, Arthur?" Sapphire eyes locked with emerald ones. The latter was momentarily stunned at that question. Seconds seemed to drag on as he sorted his thoughts. Perhaps that extraordinary confidence was starting to influence him, Arthur swallowed and nodded his head with a serious look. "Of course." He had no idea what made him say that but he supposed it wasn't a bad thing. The wheat head gave a satisfied smirk in response before turning to the others in that room.
"Can we do that as a kingdom?" There were many exchanges of looks however, there seemed to be a general consensus amongst the members. "Yes, Your Majesty. We'll do our best and ensure our victory!"
The session went on in details of war matters and slowly proceeded to internal problems which were not of the highest priority at that moment. They had a small break before getting prepared to leave for the city. Their palace, contrary to popular belief, was located in the countryside rather than the city. While the highlights of the city were the war memorial of years back, the peace halls and the grand church, the countryside had the royal palace. Royals of the past believed if it was built in this way, poorer citizens would have a chance of bringing their matters to court without having to spend too much in getting to the city. Also anyone seen to be amassing power and influencing court decisions was deemed as treason.
"Thank you for your hard work, Your Majesties." The nobles thanked the pair before taking their leave through the door. The Jack was still conversing with several of them with financial problems over the droughts in Dimensions 6 and 10. Arthur looked on as Yao communicated with such authority with the subjects. Maybe he was slightly envious of that confidence; it made him felt unsure of himself.
"You'll get used to it, don't worry." A hand landed on his shoulder. "Yao's been Jack for quite a long while. He's really good so you don't have to compare yourself with him. Besides, you're doing great." A smile crept onto Arthur's face and warmed his heart. Alfred was trying to be sweet. But how did read his mind? It made Arthur think if his expressions gave his thoughts away. "Nah, it didn't, I guessed it. By the way, I won our little game my Queen. Now give me my rewards." The young King grinned brightly at his spouse. His arms snaked around Arthur's slender waist. The former leaned in for a kiss but was stopped short by his husband's hands. Fingers covered his mouth and managed to hold Alfred back. He could feel the force on his hands pushing forward towards him and the hands around his waist pushing him forward against Alfred's body.
"Ack, w-wait, wait! I don't even know what game it is. How do I know if I lost?" The Queen was quick to defend himself. He wasn't about to admit his loss without knowing how he lost.
"I thought I said it just now. I was betting that I could convince you to be sure of our ability as well as those at the session. And I did, so I won." He leaned in once more but was stopped again. He pouted subsequently. "When was that said?! I don't recall you saying that! No, wait, you didn't say anything!" Arthur subconsciously inched his head backwards to keep a healthy distance. All the response he got was a slightly disappointed face from the pseudo-American. The dull gaze from the other was making Arthur feel slightly uncomfortable, it was as if it was his fault.
"I-It's not my fault. You didn't say anything, idiot…" Arthur looked to the side and sighed. God damn him and his soft spot. "A-alright you wi-..!" Before he could even finish the sentence, strong fingers pried one of his hands away from where they were previously at. The force was rather big and the Brit felt like he was pulled forward to meet the other's lips. Arthur's left arm was trapped between their bodies while his right was held by Alfred. A passionate kiss was delivered. Both parties were looking into each other's eyes. A watery mix of shades of green stared right into the sparkle hidden behind that ocean of blue. Arthur felt like he was drowning, it was getting harder to breath since the younger refused to let him escape. "Nhh.." Arthur grabbed at his partner's wrists when he found the other sliding his finger down his sensitive neck and tugging at his neckcloth. The King smiled cheekily into the kiss at that futile resistance. He looked on as his Queen's eyes narrowing dangerously at him, seemingly saying, "Stop that, you git."
He did stop, satisfied of the reactions he'd gotten and also, somewhat scared of what the older is capable of doing. No matter how hard he tried, it seems teasing Arthur made his heart flutter most of the times. The feelings were pretty hard to suppress. They broke apart but their eyes still locked in gaze. "Hey now," The wheat-head cupped both his partner's cheeks. "You do know the sign will start to fade if we don't constantly do something to make us believe in each other, right? And our powers will fade with it too right?"
"How am I supposed to believe in you with a kiss?" He questioned. Alfred shrugged. "Maybe it's trusting your body with me or something." Arthur jaw hung open slightly from the response. "Huh?" He uttered in disbelief.
"Alfred, Arthur, the carriages are ready. When you're ready, we'll head out." The Asian Jack called out to the both of them. The call snapped the two out of their conversation. Both of them recollected their thoughts and answered almost simultaneously. "I'm ready." The pair looked at each other, puzzled. "Let's go." Yao quirked a brow. "Another unison response? Seems like you're getting along well, aru. I've been told about your signs and have witness them myself. Whatever you did, next time warn me before hand. I havn't caught a wink of sleep just worrying about explaining everything, aru." He gave an involuntary yawn.
Arthur noticed the dark circles around the Jack's eyes. He must have been up all night trying to convince himself to convince the officials. He too was up all night. He couldn't sleep with someone beside him so he spent the time trying to sneakily read up on Spade's finance allocation and recent news just to keep up with Yao. But because he read in the bedroom instead of the study, half the time was spent on making sure the candle is bright enough and that he hadn't woken Alfred up. Part of the reason why he didn't switch rooms was that he didn't want unnecessary rumours of the new couple sleeping in separate rooms. He remembered falling asleep on the table but awoke in the bed. He reckoned it was Alfred who carried him back into bed. Contrary to Arthur's belief, Alfred was also awake the entire time. He kept his eyes closed but he knew what was going on around him. He took occasional peeks at Arthur's back just to check on him and was quick to close his eyes when Arthur did the same. He found Arthur's back-view attractive. It wasn't because of physical beauty, but it was the natural determination and concentration the man had to outdo himself. And Alfred knew, his Queen's heart was here with the Kingdom. When the Brit finally fell asleep, Alfred felt relieved. The worry seemed to end with his sleeping form. He tucked his husband in for the night and gave him a light kiss on the side of his head.
None of the three royals of Spades slept properly and by the time they reached the Peace halls, they'd have been mistaken as the three zombies of Spades. All three looked shagged and tired from the long ride. The King sandwiched his face with his palm in attempt to slap himself awake. The Queen pinched the bridge of his nose to ease a throbbing headache while pressing against his stomach to suppress the effects of motion sickness. While the Jack popped an extremely sour plum into his mouth to keep awake, holding his fists tight to resist the overwhelming sourness. None of them were in the right condition to do anything productive yet, the three immediately got better the moment they saw the doors leading to the meeting chamber. The tall doors were decorated with intertwining vines and angels holding up luminous jewels, spreading their wings right across the doors. The three of them exchanged looks and took breaths to calm themselves down. Then, the doors were pushed open.
"The Royals of Kingdom of Spades have arrived." The announcement filled the room, accompanied by the loud creaking of the doors. Immediately, many heads turn towards their direction. Arthur noticed that most faces weren't as friendly as last night. The Brit could feel his skin soak up that atmosphere as he slid off his coat. Arthur and Alfred had to remove their coats as a form of respect to the other kingdoms. They were folded neatly and hung over the back of the chair. Alfred pulled out Arthur's seat with a smile before dropping back to something serious. An unreadable expression was on his face as he walked over to his seat.
"I guess we all know what we're here for." All of the attention fell on the well-built Hearts King. "But before that, I propose a game of chess with the King of Spades. And if time permits, I'd like one with the Queen as well."
There were silent exchanges of thoughts before the mentioned Spade royalty uttered, "I accept your challenge." Green eyes tried to connect with black ones behind their King's back. Arthur was worried. He was so worried, he nearly wanted to pull his King back, calm him down before declaring that the whole situation was a joke. But, he knew, they were both serious. He looked on as a chess set formed from empty space. "I hope you like the chess set I made, veh~" The happy-go-lucky Jack of Hearts chimed on completion of the set. He was probably the only one not bothered by the tense atmosphere within the room. Many moves were done before Alfred questioned. "What is the meaning of this, King Ludwig?"
Seconds seemed to drag on as Ludwig picked up his Queen piece and admired its design. "Don't you think that war is nothing but a game of chess? We've all got pawns, bishops, knights, rooks and a Queen. We Kings are in command but with limited power. We are essential to winning, yet we seldom confront our enemies. Our Queens, however, are the most powerful pieces in the game, eating away at the enemies defenses. But we cannot sacrifice them for anything less than our opponent's Queen. Your Jack seems to be more like a rook while my Jack, a bishop." The King of Hearts picked up the black rook and set it on G6 on the board. "Check."
"Their thoughts are similar…" The Englishman's brows knitted in the middle. He vaguely remembered the time where he had a few games of chess with Alfred. Those blue eyes never left the chess pieces until the last piece was played. Alfred would look at him with a serious look each time he checkmated. And the Queen would look away from that powerful gaze while perspiration rolled down the side of his head. The Brit was an excellent player, winning many competitions when he was younger. He'd found himself a worthy player. The last game they played was memorable. The King had him cornered and there was no other way out. Arthur frowned while squeezing his brains for a plan. In order to save his King, he needed to sacrifice his Queen; and this late in the game, sacrificing the Queen was not a wise choice. A hand broke his train of thoughts. He snapped backwards, surprised as the other picked up his Queen piece. "War in this world is like this game of chess. We sacrifice pawns, rooks, bishops and ultimately the Queen to win." His eyes stared right into Arthur's intensely. He then kissed the chess piece between his fingers, eyes fixated on Arthur.
"I'd never sacrifice the Queen or anyone else for anything even if it means my death."
Arthur swallowed subconsciously, the same way he did under that tense atmosphere. His lips parted, but before he could speak, the Blue King reached out his hand angrily. Frankly, Arthur had never seen him that furious before – even though it wasn't a long time since they know each other.
Alfred gritted his teeth. He took his white knight, replacing the black rook. "Uncheck. You may be hiding behind your line of pawns but I'm out there fighting; fighting with my people and my Queen. He's not alone, I wouldn't allow that. I'm not alone. I'll protect myself and lead my army to victory. Just you see. Everything's not just a game played by the suits. If you see this as just a game and that lives mean nothing to you, please see yourself out, King Ludwig." His furious blue eyes narrowed at the figure in front of him. How could he be so heartless? He treated everyone as pawns of a silly game.
"Our main objective for today is to talk about peace. Let's not disrupt the delicate harmony and balance of Trumps." The red King of Hearts maintained a poker face.
"Said the ones who started this entire situation." Arthur retorted. He couldn't help but feel irritated at that righteousness Ludwig showed when they were in the wrong. Then again, what was wrong or right was purely subjective.
"We did that because you were not making the least to comply with what we proposed." The Hearts Queen justified and defended their stand on the matter.
"What you're saying is if we do not follow your orders, we're deemed as disrupting the balance of the world. What sort of contorted nonsense are you saying? You're not the ones having the world under control." Angry brows knitted in the middle, hands positioned furiously to prove the point.
"When we win the war, we'll have it under control." The deep voice from the King of Hearts rolled across the room. Silence engulfed the entire room adding to the tense atmosphere that was already threatening to collapse under stress.
"That's despicable! I won't allow that!" Infuriated expressions flashed across the young King's face. He stared at their counterparts darkly.
"Perhaps we should see this world more as a game of poker than chess. Whoever has the better hand wins. Whoever looses any one of their royal flush doesn't stand a chance, especially when the Queen is new and an amateur." Blue eyes of the Red King stared fixated at the Englishman. The stare was making Arthur feel uncomfortable and awkward. It was as though he was piercing through the Spade Queen's being. Arthur maintained a straight face and retained eye contact with Ludwig. Alfred caught a glimpse of the emotions building in the antagonist's eyes – the wish to destroy his Queen. Of course, he wouldn't allow that. "Ludwig, let's not forget that your Queen is also an Ace. If Kiku falls, you'd lose two of your hand. And what makes you think Arthur would fall? He's capable."
"May I remind you that your previous 'capable' Ace fell to me?" The voice came from the usually reserved Queen of Hearts. He gave a small chuckle, seemingly delighted at that fact. "I wonder how yours would fare this time, not to mention a meagre Queen."
Arthur could feel two pairs of eyes narrow at the raven. He could also see from the corner of his eye that Yao physically tensed up at that statement. The already dense tension was threatening to explode. The room remained silent as the suits of the other kingdoms felt the oppressing atmosphere. "Let's talk this over calmly." The Diamond King offered peacefully. "We'll call for an adjournment here and resu-"
Alfred slammed his palm against the table. The entire room's attention fell on him.
"There's no need to do so."
Yao and Arthur looked at him intently as he stood up and began walking towards. Subconsciously, both the other two royals of Spades followed, understanding his intentions.
"This is pointless. If you want war, we'll give you war. The next time we meet, we'll meet on the battlefield." He grabbed his coat and put it on before opening the doors and heading out. The Spade Queen and Jack gave glances over their shoulders back into the room, looking carefully at everyone's reaction. A mix of amusement, worry, nonchalance and delight were all that Arthur could gather. The statement Alfred made earlier was an outright declaration of war. The talk didn't go well at all. It didn't even last for an hour before the King of Spades walked out on it. "How am I going to account for this?" Arthur sighed softly. The carriage shook a little as an angry foot landed on its footplate. "Ridiculous." Alfred let out some pent-up anger as he plopped down onto his seat.
"Alfred, I think it's unwise of you to just walk out of this talk. You should've waited to see what happens next." The Englishman stated.
"Oh you think so? I think we shouldn't. Clearly, Hearts wants this war. I didn't see the point in talking further if all they want is a war."
"He's right aru, they wanted a war to weaken us. But you came along as they were preparing, aru. I thought they'd back down with their intentions but, it seems they're going along with it nonetheless. Those bastards…" The usually calm Jack gritted his teeth in frustration. "They've already snatched my brother from me. Now they're after our Kingdom. What's next? The world?"
The other two present briefly exchanged looks. Arthur briefly remembered his talk with his King regarding their Jack. The current Queen and Ace of Hearts used to be Yao's brother. Yao's family was large and many of them weren't blood related. Some were adopted because their parents loved children. After they passed away, Yao, being the eldest, had to take care of the entire family. His siblings were obedient and often helped him with household chores. But the day when he returned home to find his house wrecked, his nightmare began.
There, in the middle of all the wreckage, stood the second eldest of the family, with a katana in his hand. Blood was dripping from the edges of the sword. His other siblings lay around in small pools of blood. Some were desperately gasping for air while others were already unconscious. He swallowed, shaking his head thinking all that was merely a harsh nightmare. He knew it wasn't the case when his beloved brother turned around staring at him with a bloodthirsty glint in his eyes.
"Kiku…?" He reached out a hand instinctively, trying to convince himself that that wasn't real.
A swish followed by a splash of blood on the floor was heard as the sword sliced across Yao's chest. Yao's pupils dilated. The pain was only registered many seconds after the initial shock subsided. The next thing Yao remembered was waking up in the palace after being rescued by the then King. After knowing his other siblings were rescued and treated, Yao let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. A wave of relief washed over him but the trauma wasn't over. He naively thought the person who attacked him that day was someone pretending to be his younger brother. But the solid truth hit him like speeding truck. When he first greeted the Queen of Hearts on the day of his coronation, his heart stopped. His pupils dilated at who he was seeing. Flashbacks of that bloody night came back, haunting his bewildered mind. The Hearts Queen merely smiled and gave a bow as if nothing had happened. Yao held a tight grip on his pants to control and subdue his emotions upon realizing the true nature of his ex-brother.
Silence casted its net over the three of them. Only the rhythmic trot of horses and the running of wheels were heard. As the palace came into sight out of one of the windows, Arthur tried to start a conversation. "A-ah, the weather is delightful today, isn't it?" He mentally cursed himself for saying that lame line which made the atmosphere even more awkward. "Oh god, please kill me now." He thought, though it was true. The sun was exceptionally bright and the winds were pleasant – a good sign for the start of his reign. Back in England, it was pretty rare to see a bright and clear sky and to be honest, he didn't mind either weather. He shifted uneasily before someone actually replied.
"Yea it is. Everyday will be sunny when you're with me, my love." Blue eyes stared longingly into green ones. Arthur's hand was lifted to meet his King's lips. A light kiss was planted on his fingers. Arthur's follow-up reaction was to use his free hand to karate-chop his husband's head. "Ow! Why the heck did you hit me for?!" It took him several seconds to realize what he'd done. His pupils widened in shock and he quickly apologized. "Ooh I'm so sorry I-I don't know what possessed me to do that. Are you ok?" He did hit the pseudo-American quite hard, so hard that the latter sniffed and held back a tear. He pouted as the Brit massaged the aching spot on his head. The Jack looked on while suppressing his laughter. "Hahaha! I like that reflex of yours, ahen! It is hilarious!" The pair watched as Yao finally burst into laughter, holding onto his stomach. They looked at each other and grinned in unison.
Arthur was glad it turned out to be some mood lifter. He dreaded that choking atmosphere. It was like getting that huge weight off his chest. Looking at that smiling face of his King, he couldn't help but wonder if he understood Arthur's intentions and played along with it. The entire trip back to the palace was a long one but as soon as the laughter ceased, the trio began devising strategies for the war. "It's time we contact our allies. I'm sure Diamonds is on our side. Hearts did make it clear back then they wanted world domination. First they need money and Diamonds has lots of them." Yao continued. "Knowing Francis, he'd send Vash to talk to us some time later in the palace. The problem now is Clubs. We don't know where they stand. If they join forces with Hearts, this could be a hard fight."
"There's no fight we can't win." The young King interrupted.
"That's your pride talking, love. I know Spades hasn't lost a war yet and there's no reason this won't be the first. We need to assess this with a clear mind." Arthur rested his knuckles against his lips. "Yao, you said Ivan stopped you from helping us during the attack right? I don't know about you but something's fishy."
"Ivan means no harm. He's probably making it look like it was planned so we have a reason to cook up for the unexpected visitor."
"Yea right, says who? For all you know he could be the one who sent that thing. He's always against whatever I say in the Annual Trump Meeting. And his Kingdom lost to ours back then. It's not strange to find him as the mastermind. I bet he secretly wants us dead."
"That's prejudice, Alfred. What have I taught you? Never judge a bo-"
"Never judge a book by its cover right? It's not like I want to. Have you seen how creepy that guy is? And his words! They're all laced with poison and dripping with sarcasm."
"He's not what you think. And also never bring in disputes from the previous court! Always think of peace!" Yao snapped. Both of them were glaring at each other, threatening to explode.
"Hey now, we're all gentlemen. Calm down. There's no need to-"
"Arthur, you stay out of this."
"That's right, eyebrows, stay out of this or you'll get hurt, ahen."
Suddenly, the surrounding air temperature dropped. It got to a chilling degree and caused the two who were fighting to whip their heads towards the source. They came face to face with a glowering Queen. He looked at both of them darkly. Those emerald eyes seem to glint several shade darker in an intense stare. Icicles started forming in the carriage and on their coats. The King covered his mouth with his hands immediately, seemingly realizing his mistake while the Jack swallowed audibly as a droplet of sweat froze midway from the side of his head.
"You were saying?" The pair in question shook their heads vigorously. "Wonderful." A snap of fingers made the icicles shatter into powder-like crystals. They danced and shimmered beautifully as the late afternoon sun shone on them. They caught Alfred's attention. He noted that Arthur looked attractive with that serious face when he was thinking. The glistering particles just added to the effect. Oh and that silly embarrassed face his husband makes when he realized Alfred's attention was on him. Arthur shut his eyes to ignore the pair of eyes on him. He thought it was unlike Yao to defend someone to that extend. His heart wanted to believe his Jack but his mind told him to discuss that wisely. "How sure are you to convince Clubs to stand on our side?"
"I'm quite sure about convincing Ivan. It's Elizaveta and Roderich I'm worried about. The King doesn't have the final say if the court isn't in agreement, ahen." Yao stated. "I fear they're both in favour of supporting Hearts. Their army isn't as strong as what it used to be but they're well-known for survivorship in harsh conditions. If the war drags on, they have the upper hand."
"Diamonds wouldn't want to spend too much on this war or at least that's what Vash thinks. He wouldn't want to take sides if it wasn't for that alliance contract we have with them. Though Francis would still want to help us privately." Alfred gave a frown. "I'm not fond of forming an alliance with Clubs."
"We have no choice do we? The only way to get to Hearts is by the sea or through Clubs. They'll be expecting us by the sea. It's hard to have a breakthrough." Arthur tapped onto his own lips. "Arrange a tea session for me and King Ivan. I want to have a light chat over these few days. There's something odd about the Jack's expressions earlier when we walked out of the talks. The Queen, being his wife would more or less be in cahoots with him. Ivan had a frown on his face. Ahh and when King Francis sends Jack Vash, I want to be there as well." Yao nodded lightly in acknowledgement.
"I'll go too. I'm worried about your safety. Ivan isn't exactly the best person to talk to." Alfred grabbed his Queen's hand tightly. Arthur placed his free one over Alfred's and spoke, "Nothing to worry about. I can take care of myself." The carriage gradually came to a halt. "But-!" The youngest protested before he was cut off. "No buts." The door opened and they were all ushered out by their attendants. Yao checked the menu for that night's dinner before ordering some to prepare a notice for court officials to gather for dinner and a hot bath for himself.
"Mei, tell the servants to prepare a hot bath for His Majesty. He must be tired from all the travelling." Arthur instructed before loosening his stiff muscles from the long ride. He thought it'd be a good idea since Yao was doing the same. "What about you, Your Grace?" She awaited for further instructions. "I-I will do that la-"
"He'll be taking the bath with me. Remember to put those blue rose petals and pour us some dandelion wine. That's all, you are dismissed." His 'beloved' King interrupted.
"Understood. I'll take my leave." She bowed and left while suppressing a snicker. "A-ah! Wait!" The Brit called out for his attendant and sighed before shifting his attention to the grinning King. "Marvelous…" He crossed his arms in front of him as the figure who was leaning against him rest his hands on his shoulder. "We're still newly married and it's supposed to be honeymoon right now. I'm sorry I can't give you a proper honeymoon. We'll go on one when the war's over ok?" Alfred continued grinning. "Right now let's give your back a rest."
Alfred landed his hand on Arthur's lower back gently. A light pat heard from impact. "Aack-!" Arthur fell one step forward as a sharp pain travel up and down his back. Arthur's expression was all jumbled up. He, himself didn't think it'd be this bad after that long ride. His right hand grabbed onto the fabric of Alfred's coat and balled into a tight fist as his knees started to give way. Alfred panicked. He merely gently touched Arthur's back. "Oh my god, are you ok? I'll get you to the physician. Matthew!" A figure started to fade in from mid air. Arthur watched in amazement. "What is it, Alfred?" The ghostly figure asked.
"Get the physician to my chambers. Arthur's back problem is worse than we thought." The younger of the two ordered. With a quick nod, the figure turned into mist and vanished. The Englishman watched as Alfred crouched down. Arthur felt an arm reach the back of his knees and a hand supporting his back before he was swept off his feet. "Woah?!" He let out a yelp in surprise. He hooked his right arm around Alfred's neck instinctively to prevent his fall. "Don't worry I won't let you fall." A simple sentence, yet there were so many meanings if one were to look into it. Arthur felt his heart skip a few beats. "This is the worst." He thought to himself. He couldn't ignore his feelings for that idiot King if they kept surfacing. He felt a little down. He didn't want to start something knowing it'd end soon. He leaned into Alfred's coat and held onto it, cursing at himself. Alfred probably understood the body language and didn't question it. He simply held his Queen closer and made a sprint towards their shared chambers.
He was placed gently on his back. Their eyes met for a while before shifting awkwardly away. The physician bowed respectfully before proceeding to checking on Arthur. He casted a spell and a book with a quill pen materialized in mid-air. He stared into the Queen's eyes and muttered to himself before asking him to lift his set of shirt and waistcoat. The King looked on concerned. There was a giant bruise of the wrong colour just slightly left of his lower back. It wasn't there the last time Alfred looked at it. The physician examined it closely, describing it out loud. The quill scribbled words vigorously. "I apologise before hand but please bare with me for a while longer, Your Grace. Your Majesty, would you please be prepared to help His Grace if the pain is unbearable." Alfred nodded and sat down on the other side of the bed, holding onto his Queen's hand. "Is it going to be that pain-!" His thoughts were cut short.
"FUAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
Alfred felt the grip tighten around his fingers. It almost felt like Arthur was squeezing them off and pushing them down so hard against the mattress. An equal magnitude of force was applied in his features. Teeth gritted tightly before the Brit couldn't help but let out another chain of screams. "AHAAck-AHHHHH ALFRED! MY FUCKING BLOODY HELL! ALFRED HELP!" The shrieks echoed through the walls and cause some degree of discomfort to many working in the palace. Everyone looked towards the direction of the source worrying for their new Queen. Then, there was silence. Arthur had passed out. "I've managed to remove the poison. I've encountered this only once in Clubs. The Queen's clan used to lace their weapons with it. It's a very slow neurotoxin, if it spreads, His Grace may be paralysed forever. The extraction is painful because it tends to associate with pain sensors. He should be fine now." The physician remarked. "I'll order the medicine to be brought in after it's been made." Alfred nodded. "Thank you. Oh is it ok for him to lie on his back?"
"Please let the wound dry, in case there's any left over. When this toxin comes into contact with air after affecting a person, it'll gradually turn into something harmless. Please excuse me." The physician packed and prepared to leave by the door. Alfred turned over and watch as his partner's back rise and fall from even breathing. It felt like he had one less burden and his face looked tranquil. He brushed a few strands of hair out of Arthur's face before letting out a sigh. "Is Arthur going to be alright?" Tiny voices filled with worry sounded right beside his ear. "He's hurt by those bastards who want this war. I'll make sure they pay." Slender brows furrowed in the middle.
Those tiny voices did not respond but instead, they exchanged looks, seemingly understanding the King's fury. "Alfred, Alfred. Don't let anger get ahead of you. Vengeance breeds vengeance." The little creatures flapped their wings. From afar, they looked like balls of wisps. They're the fairies that taught the ways of magic to humans. To see a fairy, one must have a small degree of understanding toward magic. Alfred was taught some of that but never really excelled in it. He was able to summon inanimate metallic objects whenever he needed with ease but never anything living or natural. In his case, he could only see Metal fairies. They were clad in armor and had metallic looking wings. They looked so heavy, though, interestingly light enough for them to levitate. "I know. I'll end this in the most humane way possible." He stood up. "Mother, Father. Please watch over me."
When Arthur finally woke up, he stumbled around the palace looking for both the Jack and the King of the Kingdom. He finally found them in the pavilion near the late King and Queen's graves. The Brit was pursued by question of his well-being by both royals present. He assured them that he was fine. Yao was still rather against the war and Alfred, too, but the latter reiterated how badly it'd affect his people if they just let Hearts do what they wanted. Then, Matthew appeared out of nowhere yet again. He reported the status of the auxiliaries, weaponries, ships and port license liaising with Diamonds. Apparently, the King of Diamonds and his Jack were coming over for dinner. It was sooner than expected.
"If they are not interested in helping us, then Matty can seduce the King for his support." The pseudo-American laughed heartily only to earn himself a slap on the arm. "We're just acquaintances! Nothing more!" The man had a horrible blush across his face. "That sounds like a plan, aru." Yao played along with the joke, seemingly to lighten the mood. Arthur could tell the princely lord was slightly fond of the King of Diamonds. "Don't tease Lord Matthew. He'll become as red as a tomato soon." He chuckled slightly from behind his teacup.
"Things had just gotten interestingly complicated…" The Brit thought.
Footnote: You can see I kinda got lazy with following the accent and stuff. And damn it, I ran out of adjectives (that I always use) to use ;|. Remember to msg me if you find mistakes! Anyway Happy 1st Anniversary to NohL! Wow, it's been one year, talk about long... Thank you all those who followed me throughout this journey! And all those wonderful reviews/favourites that kept me going! This journey is far from over! I'll do my best (hopefully)! Thank you all! Oh and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Treat this as a present (although I think you'd have better) from me! Until next year!