"Jones!" A voice growled. Alfred's head immediately snapped up and he brought his arm up in a trained salute. "Sir!"

There was a sigh, and then a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Jones, you've got to pay more attention. If you ever want to be a soldier you're going to have to learn to control yourself."

Alfred looked at his boot-clad feet. It was true, he had been gazing off, thinking about different matters entirely...but...

"Sir, I do try! I work really hard and I have to be the strongest person here!"

The official Head Guard paused to scratch at his chin. "That reminds me, where do you get that strength? I've seen you lift four boxes full of armor without a single grunt."

Alfred shrugged noncommittally. "I don't know. I've always been pretty strong."

"Yes, I know. It's the only reason I took your juvenile ass out of apprenticeship. It's just...well, if I didn't know any better, I'd compare you to a King of Spades!"

To this, Alfred laughed. "I'll have to tell Arthur that, sometime!"

The Head guard clapped him of the shoulder and smirked. "I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to do that. You're cleaning the library again after duty. You're a guard, Al. You might try standing it."

Alfred groaned. "No fair, Head! You had me trusting you!"

The Head simply tipped his imaginary hat and strode happily from the room.

After his time of standing in front of the door he had never bothered to open was over, and a new guard relieved him, Alfred made his way to the barracks to rid himself of his cumbersome uniform.

His quarters were separate from the other guards. He had requested at a young age to room with his brother, who worked as a waiter in the kitchens. (Though secretly, he had begun wandering down to the archery and practicing with his bow and arrow.)

"Hey, Mattie!" Alfred called the moment he opened the door.

"Hey, Al." Matthew greeted, halfway through removing himself of his apron. "Are you gonna come with me to the archery again?" Matthew asked Al as he removed his chain mail.

"Sorry, bro. I can't. I got put on library duty again for not paying attention."

Matthew sighed. "Really, Al. Sometimes I think that you purposely slack off just so you can talk to His majesty."

Alfred flopped on his bed, enjoying the few minutes of rest before he had to organize and stack books. "No way! I mean, I like Arthur, but I need to work my way up the ranks too. But I do need to talk to him about something..."

"Oh? What?"

Matthew sat on his own bed which was across from Alfred's in their small room. He looked pretty tired, but still interested.

"Well, today was like the bajillionth time someone has said I have the strength of a King of Spades. And well...I was wondering what that really meant?"

There was a shout in the hallway outside of their room that was easily heard through the boy's wooden door. The walls may be stone and they may be under a castle, but the halls were crowded with workers and it never failed to snap Alfred's already fragile attention span.

"You'd better go." Matthew nodded to the door. "Ask His Majesty, he'll explain."

Alfred grunted and got up from the bed, walking over to the door. "Alright." He agreed. "But really, Mattie. I wish you'd just call him Arthur. It's weird hearing 'you majesty'."

Matthew waved Alfred off. "He is our future King, Al. Now scat! You're going to be punished for being late to your punishment!"

Alfred rushed out of the room. He nodded to a few familiar faces as he went by "Hey, Mary-Lou! Is Dave doing okay?" "Hello, John. I gotta go now but I'll see you tomorrow at drills."

By the time he had finally made it to the library, he was half an hour late.

He burst through the high mahogany doors and was greeted by the familiar smell of aging paper and dust. It was already dark, so only a few candles and lanterns lit up the place.

"Yo, Arthur, you in here?"

The reply was instant and sharp. "Of course I am, you nit. And your superior informed me that you were supposed to be here precisely thirty minutes ago. I have more important matters to attend to than reporting your sorry ass late."

Alfred chuckled and rounded the corner of a bookshelf, taking in the scene before him. Arthur was glaring at him from a cluttered desk. A few candles lit up the place, and maps were spread about on the floor haphazardly.

"Then do us both a favor, and don't report me for nothin'." Alfred grinned cheekily, stepping into the light and taking a seat on the wooden chair in front of the desk.

Arthur's scowl deepened. "Do not use double negatives, Alfred. It is unbecoming."

Alfred replied by sticking out his tongue and scrunching up his nose.

Arthur sighed and returned to his paper work. He knew that Alfred would eventually leave to go dust or organize books so long as he ignored him properly.

"Arthur."

Arthur continued writing.

"Arthur."

Just be patient Arthur, focus on your assignment...

"Artie."

"FOR SPADES SAKE! What is it? And my name is Arthur, you blasted fool!"

Alfred merely chuckled. "Well, you weren't responding to Arthur so I tried the alternative." Alfred watched Arthur splutter weak insults before he turned serious—which immediately caught Arthur's attention. The boy was almost never serious.

"Arthur, I have a question."

"Yes, what is it?"

Alfred looked around to the high ceiling that was rather extravagant. "Well..."

"Out with it! I don't have all night!"

"Well, it's just that people have been saying that I have the strength of a King of Spades and I was wondering what that meant." Alfred tore his eyes from the ceiling above him to look at Arthur's emerald orbs, which were clouded with worry.

"Ah..." Arthur sighed. "I suppose this would have come up eventually. I..." Arthur trailed off, his voice cracking. This was a topic he knew he would eventually have to dive into. Though, he hadn't expected to talk about it with Alfred. He had more expected Yao or some other official. Not...not a friend.

"The Royals of Spades have certain powers." Arthur explained, looking very nervous. "Our King has always had incredible strength, our Queen unbelievable magic, and our Jack inconceivable knowledge. It develops at an early age, I've been told. Usually the magic knows when someone is destined to become a Royal, and gives them the powers early on..." Arthur took a deep breath. "But once they are crowned, their powers fully appear. They are also shown a bit of the future...but I don't know much about that."

Alfred seemed entranced. "Whoa." He gasped. "Do the other suits have that too?"

Arthur nodded. "When I was younger, I didn't think so. But after meeting with that bloody King Francis I have to believe otherwise. More than once has he...persuaded me into something I would have rather not gone into. If it weren't for my own powers, I'm sure I'd be dead by now."

"Wait, he can make you do stuff?"

"No. He cannot make you do something you would never do, like murder or declare war, but he can persuade you with things you have thought of or subconsciously wanted, like per say, announcing to the entire meeting room you believed in unicorns."

Alfred smiled at that. "I think I like this Francis guy." He said.

There was a pause, and then Alfred seemed to realize something. "But wait...you're not very strong, Artie."

Arthur sucked in a breath. There it was. He didn't even bother correcting for Alfred for the use of his nickname. "Yes, I am aware."

"But you're gonna be the King! Why don't you have super strength or something?"

Arthur looked away from Alfred. "Listen, Al. You can't tell anyone. Do you understand? Not even Jack Yao."

Alfred's eyes widened and he nodded, hoping Arthur could see it from his peripheral vision.

The Royal closed his eyes. "I think...I mean, I know...I have the powers of...a queen."

"What! But you're a guy!"

Arthur chose this time to glare at Alfred. But after a moment, his expression softened into worry yet again. "Male Queens and Female Kings are not uncommon in other suits. Queen Kiku of Hearts is male."

Alfred frowned. "But..."

Arthur stood up. "Never mind it, Alfred. It's not your problem. Just go and dust the history section. Or something."

Alfred stood up to, and watched Arthur bend down to a map of Deck on the floor. Alfred wandered closer and squatted down beside the Royal. "Y'know, Artie, you're looking at the map upside-down."

Arthur snapped out of whatever state he had been in before. "Yes! I knew that! Where the bloody hell did you learn to read maps anyway!"

"I didn't join the forces to work library punishments, you know." Alfred laughed with a wink. "I do pay attention when they teach us something."

Alfred stood up, but laid a heavy hand on Arthur's shoulder. The Royal couldn't help but notice that despite their three years of age difference, Alfred was almost taller than he was. "And Arthur," Alfred continued, "Whatever happens, I'll stand by you, 'kay? So don't worry."

With a final pat, Alfred turned and left to tidy up.

Arthur stared down at his maps. He couldn't help but wonder what Alfred had really just promised, and what it would cost them both.

BUM BUM BUM! And here, the drama begins!

I gave Francis some naughty powers~ Ohoho~

Also, Alfred is an idiot. I loveable one, but still an idiot. I don't really have anything useful to say...except that I LOVE CARDVERSE.

...that's about it. Sorry for any mistakes, I'm American!

-Mallory