Alfred moved on once more. His thighs were aching from the constant travel. If he had been any less of a rider, he would be stiff as a board and as sensitive as a newborn's skin. But Alfred, with all his quite literal horse-play as a child, and his training as a future Royal, was too tough or the patchy forest trail.
Ace, ever as trained as his master, picked through the terrain smoothly. Though for both of their talents, it was nightfall before they saw the town's lights.
Alfred was nervous at the prospect of entering Diamonds. A cabin at the border was one thing, but a booming city was another entirely.
However, Alfred trusted Gil's judgment (and his aching backside) so he approached the tall iron gate guarding the entrance to the place.
The gate-master sat outside it along the wall of a tower with a sword balanced across his lap and a cigar on his lip. He was snoring so loudly that the cigar burned brightly each inhale, and almost petered out each exhale. His large stomach accentuated the movement.
He was quite the sight, and Alfred, despite himself, smiled.
"Hello?" He called. "Anyone awake? Hello?"
With great show, the gatekeeper startled and slashed his sword just to the right of Alfred's face. This successfully knocked the cigar from his mouth. It landed on his pants and easily caught aflame. "Oi!" The man exclaimed. "Attack! Son, there's been an attack!"
Alfred watched from the saddle of his horse as the man tumbled to the ground and started rolling and slapping the fire out.
Then, with just as many dramatics, the gatekeeper's son came bursting forth from a tower door. He looked ready to take on an army (and was probably big enough to) but upon setting eyes on Alfred, he lowered his club and snarled:
"You."
…
Alfred sat at a table by the window of the tower, staring out at the town below it. It stretched on for what he thought could be miles. He saw the few people still awake bustling around lazily. They seemed to be happy. Diamonds was happy.
Alfred wondered how Spades was doing.
He hadn't heard a single piece of news about his homeland since he left four days ago. His brows furrowed with worry.
A mug with murky liquid was placed in front of him. The man who had laid it there grunted and sat across from him, where he sipped at a similar mug and glared at him over the rim.
"Thanks, I guess," Alfred said, picking up the mug and swishing around the mixture hesitantly.
The man grunted once more. His hair was braided in some strange fashion and then tied up at the back. He was dark skinned, like most people from the outskirts of Diamonds. His brown eyes looked angry.
"My name is Alfred," Alfred said, extending a hand. "Could I have yours?"
The man eyed his hand, but sipped his drink and growled "Carlos. And I know who you are."
Alfred was once more faced with an accent, though this one was far different from the woman in the cabin. The man seemed well spoken in Deckian, and for that, Alfred was relieved. "How do you know me?"
Carlos shrugged his heavy shoulders. "Gilbert."
Alfred should have known. He looked down into his cup of mystery-drink and pursed his lips.
"You know," Carlos quipped, "I don't like guys like you. So self absorbed. You don't care about anyone."
Alfred gaped like a fish. "That's not true!"
"Oh yeah?" Carlos challenged, raising an eyebrow. "Why'd you leave Spades, then? I know all about your apparent King status. What sort of King leaves his country—and his Queen—when they need him?"
Alfred set down the mug. "It's not like that! I- I would have been a horrible King!"
"Do you really think that, or are you just telling yourself that?"
Carlos leaned back in his chair and shook his head. He sipped at his drink. "You need to sort out your life."
Alfred huffed. "Well, I couldn't stay with...the Queen! Because I don't love him, and Spaden Royals have to love each other!"
Carlos set down his mug. "So because you suddenly didn't love the Queen, you decided it was best to leave him all together? Not stick around and talk about it? Just sudden up and leaving?"
Alfred swallowed harshly. "I thought it was best..."
"Stop thinking, you idiot!" Carlos suddenly exclaimed, leaning forwards and crossing his arms. "What has Gilbert been telling you since you were small? Use your heart, not your head! You need to understand others, and you can only do that with your heart."
"I...I don't understand..."
Carlos stood angrily and crossed the room. "Permanecer fuertes...permanecer fuertes, Carlos..." He muttered, tearing at his strangely styled hair.
Alfred watched him in confusion. He was always confused.
"Alfred, listen to me," Carlos strained, turning back to the blonde. "Listen to me before I rip your head off. If you can't understand yourself, you can't understand others. If you don't understand others, you can't love them. Got it?"
Alfred nodded, but he wasn't quite sure whether he really "got it" or not.
…
Arthur was dressed in his finest robes. He held his head high as he walked through the secret passages he knew so well to get to the meeting. He was using a candle for light, and was walking quickly. His shoes made a staccato beat on the stone. He was to have a meeting with the Royal Numbers, (ones he did not particularly care for) and Jack Yao.
Since his recent crowning as Queen, Spades had fallen into a state of panic. It was a complete outcry. Every last peasant knew about Queen Arthur, even those that had no care for politics, and never had. Everyday and night someone was pounding on the gates of the castle. Half of the military abandoned their posts, and Arthur didn't trust the other half.
The servants that remained in the castle only stayed for the latest scoop. But Arthur barely ever emerged from his chambers.
As he neared the end of the dark hall, he heard a roar of at least twenty arguing people, and Yao's voice shouting at them all to remain calm.
Arthur did nothing to help the situation when he pushed open the door and stepped into the room.
The crowd of pomp administrators quieted when they saw the wall open suddenly, but hastened to an uproar when Arthur stepped out of the previously invisible entrance.
Arthur pressed his lips together and squared his shoulders. "Please, gentleman. Settle down," he spat bitterly.
The men sensed the venom in his voice, and regrettably returned to their chairs. They muttered to each other and glared at the two Royals in the room.
Yao took Arthur further into the room, and placed him at the head of the table. "Now, numbers," Yao began. "Arthur is the Queen of Spades. We have known this for quite some time. He has the clear powers of Queen. He owns the Queen's clock, and therefore he wears the Queen's crown."
One man jumped from his chair. "Blasphemy!" He screeched. "Arthur is male, we would be going against the magic if we allowed such...such unorthodox behavior!"
Arthur growled. "Sit down, sir!"
The man dropped to his chair immediately, staring at Arthur like he had just pulled a sword on him.
"Now," Arthur turned to the rest of the crowd. "I want each and every one of you to keep your mouths shut." He took in a large breath, and set his eyes on each of the men. "I am a Queen. I don't know why, so don't ask. I will run this Kingdom to the best of my ability. I need no King. Jack Yao is beside me. The Magic has not betrayed us, I can still fully utilize it."
One of the men raised his hand and spoke softly. "What of the people?"
Arthur's face hardened. (If that was even possible.) "The people of the Kingdom will learn to trust me. All of the other Kingdoms in deck have had male Queens and female Kings. It is time we followed suit."
Many men jumped up. They exclaimed that Spades would never conform, and that this was a bad omen. They cried that they needed a King. They needed a female Queen. They needed two Royals in love."
Arthur felt a deep anger in his stomach. It was nestled there like a watermelon seed he had accidentally swallowed. Alfred.
Alfred was the reason for this.
He left him to face all of this on his own, after he promised to stay with him no matter what. He told him a lot of things, were those all lies? And then the vision, the vision of Alfred betraying Spades!
The anger boiled over, and a great electric shock flew throughout the room. It knocked everyone to the ground except for Yao, who was still holding Arthur's shoulder. "You are all dismissed!" Arthur screeched, pulling out of Yao's grasp.
He rushed over to the secret door. "Permanently!" He added before slamming the door and taking off into the dark hall.
Hello everyone!
I have a lot of news, so I would be very happy if you read this author's note!
School has begun, and with that comes this terrible thing called "homework". I'll probably only be able to update on the weekends, but I'll do my best!
Also, I've begun taking a creative writing class. I hope my writing is improving. Have also plotted out the entire climax and part of the ending, which is a big deal because I never plot anything.
If any of you have any questions, comments, or critique, do not be shy to leave a review!
You can also follow me on tumblr, and ask me anything there, if you so desire at:
animewatcherfreakmal dot tumblr dotcom
The man at the beginning was Cuba, if you didn't catch that.
Sorry for any mistakes, I'm American!
-Mallory