As Alfred grew worse, Arthur grew more determined. There was never a better push than loneliness. Francis didn't understand why his old friend locked himself in his room for hours, practicing his magic. He didn't understand why Arthur muttered every time someone from Clubs stopped by, or why he was spending an increasing amount of time following Elizabeta.

Arthur barely focused on anything else. He was on a mission. Of course, the moment he stopped his mourning, he realized this was something far more than losing Alfred.

This was Clubs.

And they were attacking.

As the last day approached, and diamonds was having it's final feast, Arthur was in his room, pacing.

He closed his eyes and stopped. His heart was hammering in his chest. He controlled his breathing to slow and even gasps.

He could feel it.

He never really noticed it before, the magic. It had always been with him, resting in his chest just below his heart. It was like some sort of muscle. And like a muscle, it had the ability to grow bigger and stronger. With Arthur's constant and risky practice, it had.

It was thrumming powerfully. In the dark behind his eyelids, he could see it's glowing fingers stretching outward.

He pushed them further. They obeyed. Now he could sense the bed table beside him, he could see it illuminated in the dark. He pushed the magic out until it was covering the room. The whole place hummed with energy. Certain things were brighter than others.

The mirror on the wall, the Spaden symbols on his clothes, the blue rose he had transformed earlier.

As Arthur was feeling his surroundings, he felt his energy drain. Using his magic, just like using a muscle, was very tiring. He could feel his energy drop. His head began to ache. The room flickered. Then, Arthur snapped open his eyes and gasped.

He dropped to the floor and placed a hand over his racing heartbeat.

There was no way he would ever succeed in magic if he was so weak. He couldn't see anything. He couldn't do anything.

He couldn't make Alfred love him.

This wouldn't do.

Arthur was ready to join the game that Elizabeta had kindly started.

He picked himself up slowly, and walked over to the door. He had a few people to talk to.

"Queen Elizabeta, might I have a word?"

"Who calls?" Her soprano voice asked through the door.

"Arthur of Spades."

There were footsteps, and the door snapped open to reveal a sweetly smiling Queen. "Of course, darling! Come in, come in, sit down. And please, just call me Eliza."

Arthur did as he was asked. The past week had taught him that Elizabeta was most certainly playing a game with him. She was all tight smiles and compliments.

That was fine.

Arthur was quite good at games too.

"I leave tomorrow," Arthur told her. "Back to Spades with my Jack and my Ace."

"Ah? Is that so? Well, I'm sorry to see you go. We could have had so much more fun in the future."

Eliza was seated across from Arthur in a plush green armchair, smiling gracefully. Arthur mirrored her in a stiff fashion. "Ah, the future. You seem so fond of it."

Eliza raised an eyebrow. "Yes. There is so much promise. I can't help but have a certain fight for it."

Arthur shifted in his seat. "What unique wording." He remarked.

Elizabeta just faked innocence. Arthur felt the knot in his stomach tighten. He felt the Magic jump in his chest.

He spread it outward. Eliza was so close. He felt his energy draining, but he couldn't give up now. He was staring right into the Queen's eyes. He would find her.

The magic brushed her, and unlike most times, it stuck. Suddenly, in Arthur's mind's eye, Eliza was glowing. She was the brightest thing he'd ever seen. She had Magic too. But it was spread through her entire body, yet still centered in her chest. It was humming powerfully. With horror, Arthur realized it was on him. She was using it on him.

She was changing their relationship.

He cut off her magic as soon as he could, and suddenly he felt the knot in his stomach disappear. But with the loss of that pain came another great pain. Arthur's head throbbed.

Eliza's face suddenly became confused, as if she noticed what Arthur had done. "Is it...hot to you?" She asked him.

He just shook his head. He didn't trust his voice to be steady now.

His Magic streamed upwards, and it was now resting on her forehead. With a horribly painful throb throughout his entire body, Arthur sent his magic into her head.

...

It was dark. Everything hurt.

Arthur groaned and opened his eyes. The faint light burned them.

"Arthur? Are you awake?" A man's voice asked. Arthur blinked the water out of his eyes and stared at him. It was Yao. He looked tired and worried. "Are you okay? You fainted, ai-yah. What happened?"

Arthur's hand drifted to his head. It was throbbing horridly. As if something extra was in it, and there wasn't enough room. It was pressing at the walls of his skull. Arthur groaned again. "How long was I out?" is voice was gravelly.

"Two days."

Arthur's eyes flew open. "Two days?" he repeated, ignoring the ripping sensation that ran through his dry throat. He looked around the room. It was his room. He was in Spades.

And Elizabeta was gone.

"Ai-yah, Arthur. You gave us a scare. We had to leave diamonds to return to the castle. Our doctor took care of you then."

Arthur tried to think around his pounding skull. If it would just stop for five minutes he could sort everything out. But it continued like a marching army.

"Alfred," Arthur croaked. "He...do you know? Was he worried? Where is he?"

Yao blinked. "He is with his brother, believe they are training. Do...do I know what?"

Arthur gasped for air. His chest felt heavy. He was so cold. "Eliza, the Queen," he chocked. "What...what are her powers?"

The Jack leaned over Arthur's bed and felt his head, tutting slightly. "She can manipulate relationships. She can slowly make people fall in love or become enemies. She can give trust or take it away. However the process is gradual, so it appears to be a normal relationship." Yao's brow tightened. "Why do you ask, aru?"

Arthur's eyebrows dipped. "She's manipulated Alfred." He informed the Jack. "Alfred is no longer in love with me."

Yao's mouth dropped. "No," he whispered. "She..." he looked around the room as if something would jump out and eat them any minute. "She does not know what she had done."

Hey guys. Sorry this is so short but I have a bad case of writers block.

Sorry for any mistakes, I'm American!

-Mallory