Queen Elizabeta of Clubs strode down the granite hallway. Her back was still aching, as it had been ever since she tried to spell Arthur. She supposed he was the Queen for a reason, even if he chose not to admit it. She stopped in front of a small desk and looked throughout the hallway. She didn't really need to, as it was almost always lonely in the Clubs castle. Once she was sure she was alone, she reached under the small desk and pressed a button.

A horrid screeching sound was heard and part of the wall detached itself from the rest. It drew back to reveal a torchlit hall. Eliza took a deep breath and entered the room.

After a few minutes of walking down the seemingly never-ending hallway, it grew wider and revealed a fireplace with a few couches and armchairs around it.

There was King Ivan, and there was the Jack.

They had chose not to announce the Jack for strategic purposes. Everyone knows that the Royals grow more powerful once they are complete, and Spades would become suspicious of them.

"Ivan, Roderick," Eliza greeted with a nod of her head as she took a seat next to the Jack.

"Are you feeling well, Eliza? You were quite sickly after the run-in with Arthur." The Jack asked.

Eliza nodded. "Yes, I'm better. But I didn't put a spell on him. He blocked me before I could even reach his heart. And then...he stole some of my memories."

Ivan sat up straighter. "Which ones?"

Eliza bowed her head. "Luckily some unimportant ones. Like eating dinner with Jack Feliciano, things like that. But..." she trailed off. "If he recovers the memories, then there is one that might destroy our entire plan."

Roderick looked worried, but Ivan remained smiling in that scary way of his. "Which memory was that?"

Eliza's brow creased. "It was when that stupid Joker came to visit me. He warned me that I couldn't change fate, that the magic wouldn't let me. He said everything happens for a reason." Eliza paused and took a shuddering breath. "I argued with him. I told him that fate is cruel and...in our conversation I revealed a few things that could prove our plan...and..."

Elizabeta buried her face in her hands and began to cry. Roderick softly rubbed circles into her back for some sort of comfort, and Ivan's face fell. "Do not worry, Queen. There is a chance he won't remember at all."

…

Arthur's headache had been getting worse for the past week. Sometimes he would simply confine himself to his room and lie there in agony. As his headache grew worse, his relationship with Alfred lessened. He had not talked to the boy in three days. He certainly wasn't wooing him under the stars as he had planned. Yao kept him updated. Apparently Alfred was spending time with Matthew, training. They were both showing some promise, but Yao was too concerned about the state of the Kingdom to worry about that.

Love between Royals was the Magic's gift to the entire kingdom. It inspired the people to love, it inspired loyalty and forgiveness, and peace. And though the Kingdom did not know they had lost the love, it was almost as if they could sense it. The Magic had strange ways, as did Fate, and the crime spiked. Illegal trading had never been so big, a drought was starting in the east, and everything was falling to shreds. There was no time for wooing, there was only here and now.

But with Arthur's horrid state of mind and Alfred's ignorance to boot, Yao could only see one escape.

"We must crown you Queen."

Arthur was bedridden once again, and his eyebrows had adapted into an ever-wincing state. "Q-queen? Why? Why now?"

"Once you become Queen, your power will increase. Perhaps you would be able to charm Alfred, or relieve him of his charm, and then..." Yao trailed off.

Arthur grumbled. "I...my health has not been fantastic lately, Yao. I don't think I could take a ceremony."

"We will only invite our allies! And the announcement will be made after you have a crown on your head. Then you will far more powerful!"

Arthur tried to think about it. However, he hadn't been able to do much thinking lately. He supposed that Yao understood what was going on, and had made the best decision. After all, he was the smartest man in Deck. "I...alright, Yao. Anything to get Alfred back."

…

Matthew was running alongside his brother as they had taken to doing before training. "So," he breathed. "How is Arthur doing?"

Matthew felt proud of himself for finally referring to the future King as "Arthur" without stuttering. However, Alfred did not give him the reaction he was expecting. Instead, his face turned into confusion, and he made a small exasperated noise in the back of his throat. "I don't know. I haven't really seen him lately."

Now it was Matthew's turn to be confused. "Really? Why? You haven't been very busy. Don't you miss him?"

Alfred looked ahead of them, at the dirt road they were jogging on. "No...not really."

"But...Last time you away from him for two days you wouldn't stop talking about him! He's all you ever talked about. And come to think of it...you haven't mentioned him in ages! Did you two get into a fight?"

Alfred shook his head slowly. "No...I mean, before we left Diamonds he was acting a little weird but other than that...not really."

Matthew was very confused. "O-oh..."

He too looked ahead at the road. And just for a moment, he thought he saw a familiar pale figure, staring at him with sad red eyes.

...but that was probably just his imagination.

FORESHADOWING

BUM BUMBUUUUUM

Eliza has a very sad back story, one that we'll get to later. Soon Diamonds will be returning, and Francis will bring something special.

Thanks for all the reviews.

Sorry for any mistakes, I'm American!

-Mallory