Author's Notes: Finally some action! I have been planning this since I first began this story, but I always wanted it to be a bit longer...oh well. I didn't really want to stretch this scene out too long. I am too lazy to change that (Q_Q) PS if you skipped any chapters I would go back to chapter 23 and chapter 5. I was too lazy to look for more clues, but those are the main chapters with them...Anyways, do you think this story is a bit rushed? Maybe it is maybe it isn't. I like short but more chapters, personally. And sorry about not uploading this earlier...I do not know why, but I am lazy and I want to watch Olympic trampoline [I didn't even know that was an Olympic sport] and diving while drinking hot chocolate. And yes, I know very well that it is summer and I am drinking hot chocolate. Also, I am going on vacation this week so I think this is my last update until I return. Sorry :( I go on vacation too much don't I? Hahaha I have 69 reviews (immature) but I appreciate every single one from the bottom of my heart! Without further rambling, I give you chapter XXXI.
Warnings: Strong language, magic and angst.
Disclaimer: I do not own hetalia.
Arthur raced out of the dining room only to follow the black arrow on his Clock, blindly, out of the castle. Passing by servants gave him a few peculiar looks, but he ignored them as he was too focused on finding Alfred. With another glance at the Clock, Arthur noticed it was pointing towards the gilded clock tower stretching almost one hundred meters in the air. He thought to himself of all things, why choose something so close?
He pushed aside his thoughts whilst opening the oak wood main door to the golden pointed tower on the south side of the Spades castle. "Alfred!" he called, not really expecting an answer, to the top of the tower while beginning his climb up the winding turret.
The inside of the tower was nothing like the gold studded outside. The interior consisted of large stone walls layered in dust and cobwebs dating back before the Great War. It was a surprise the clock even worked given that the tower was abandoned.
Atop the stone staircase was another wooden door leading into the clockwork of the tower, which Arthur pushed open, using all of his body weight to facilitate him.
"Alfred!" he called once more watching his King's drooping head perk up a bit from his slumped position in the far right corner. Alfred was chained, with platinum shackles, to a small square object with blue and red circuits tied around it. His usually beaming sapphire eyes were greyed, almost lifeless and ethereal. His mouth was covered with purple cloth to prevent him from speaking. Arthur had seen this image before, in that dream while he was poisoned.
He began to rush frantically over to the young King but, instead, was threatened with a knife against his pale neck, a small line of blood trickled down. "Come any closer and I'll kill him," a familiar voice said quite satisfied.
"William?" Arthur asked as his youngest brother stepped into the light streaming into from the transparent clock.
A smile crept upon his face as his other two brothers joined in beside him. "Surprise!"
"Unhand me this bloody instant!" he demanded kicking the assassin, the same assassins that attacked his brother, which restrained him in place.
Connor came inches from the Queen's face and smirked "I don't think so, your majesty. We are the rightful heirs to the throne, you should be bowing to us."
Arthur's jade eyes widened a tad bit baffled. Of all the people he expected to turn on this, how could he not see this coming? "How-"
"It was simple, really," William added twirling a sharpened knife between his middle and pointer fingers. "You see, we have been developing this plan since the day mother died and you took the throne."
"We waited until those dumb Clocks found a King before we would put our plan into motion."
"All the factors were working out perfectly. First we killed your greedy father, and to think that your loyal citizens blamed you. Then Alfred's dumb brother was the first of our victims. We used him to lure Gilbert into giving us the weapons we needed."
"Then it was all too easy to get Alfred tied up and all," Iain continued and walked over to Alfred, placing both of his hands on his muscular shoulder.
"It wasn't too hard to lure you in after him, after all, love is a weakness."
"Not much of a King, are you?" Iain asked kneeling behind the King who struggled from his restraints, his acid words muffled by his restraints.
"All we have left is Yao and then we will be the Spades' royals," Connor said with a gluttonous grin.
"It just took a little time," Iain said pulling out the Jack's missing Clock from his pocket. Its golden glow shimmered from the streaming sun's streaks.
Arthur's gaped "The Jack's Clock! How did you get it?"
"We have our ways."
Arthur struggled to get out of the assassin's grip as he yelled "you will not get away with this!"
"Oh, but we are," William said, inches away from Arthur's mouth, his disloyal breath cooled the royal with ease. "Pretty soon, that bomb will go off and you two will be dead, leaving us to fill your places," he added with an insufferable laugh that echoed off the stone walls.
"Come on, our work here is done," Iain said raising one hand to signal the assassins to let go of their grip on Arthur as the three redheads and assassins walked out with a satisfied chuckle while locking the two inside the tower.
"Alfred!" he gasped kneeling beside his love and untying the cloth from his mouth.
"Art…ie…" he exhaled heavily, his chest moving up and down in violent intakes. His once pure white shirt was splattered with crimson blood dripping from various parts of his body.
Arthur wrapped his arms around him with tears streaming from his face. "How do you get this contraption off?"
"It has some sort of lock."
Arthur began fumbling with the padlock, only to get shocked by its magic charm. "Ouch. Fuck, my brothers charmed it. I can get it open, but it will drain almost all of my energy."
"Then go! Forget about me! I'm just a peasant!"
"You are not just a peasant…you are my love," Arthur said with pleading emerald irises. "I am getting you out of this," he said stubbornly and closed his eyes to cast a spell before Alfred could open his mouth to refute. Within seconds, a yellow glow engulfed the bomb tied around Alfred's body and the shackles fell to the floor flaccidly.
He exhaled, almost passing out on the floor before Alfred caught his limp body. "Come on," he said tugging on Arthur's white shirt.
Arthur placed a hand weakly on Alfred's shoulder. "Run."
"What!?" he sputtered.
"Run. This is going to explode just get as far away from here as possible, okay?"
Tears streamed down Alfred's face in fat beads. "I'm not leaving you."
"If you do not, then my brothers will win. Just go."
"I can carry you-"
"I can try a transportation spell, but it will not take me far into the woods and I will probably be passed out. You better start running before that thing blows."
Alfred nodded before kissing his pink lips and breaking the lock with his brute strength before running down the stairs and out of the tower.
"Look!" Connor called pointing to Alfred running aimlessly into the woods surrounding the Spades castle.
"He's getting away," William shouted a bit panicked that their plan was unraveling.
"I can see that!" Connor deadpanned.
The three brothers recited an ancient spell in fast sentances creating a grey haze that englufed Alfred and sent him plunging into the darkness of his mind.
Arthur kneeled beside the King who lied wilted on the forest floor. He looked almost vulnerable, like a dying flower, as his body remained sprawled out amongst the shrubbery and overgrown ivy. "No, no, no," he repeated to himself chanting the words to a healing spell but was unable to gather enough energy to complete the spell.
"Please be alive," he whispered with a streak of tears falling from his face.
The King's sapphire eyes fluttered open as if by some miracle. "Huh?" he asked a bit confused. "Where…where am I?"
"Al, you are safe, we are in the forest," he said locking his arms around him safely to confirm that neither was dreaming.
Alfred vision focused as he scanned the blonde with blank and fearful eyes. Warily he asked "who are you and how do you know my name?"
To Be Continued...