Chapter Nine: Family
It had been a few months after the wedding and coronation, and Arthur and Alfred had been attending numerous meetings within the Spadian Court. Arthur was settling in well to his new way of life, though there had been occasions where he deeply missed his family back home in his old country house. His King comforted him the best he could, but made sure that Arthur could see his family at the bare minimum of once a month; Yao would not give him anything more than that, particularly in times of trouble.
Spades Kingdom was stable enough, but the agricultural power of Clubs was becoming overwhelming; threatening the profits made by Spadian farms, lowering the wealth of those in the lower classes. People were getting hungry, starving to death in the worst areas of Spades. The philosophy of their Kingdom had always remained the same: 'Give back to the poor the same value as they give to the rich.' This meant that the poor should be paid back the same value, in wages, of the crops they sell to the rich and the industry; 'Equality is the key to Spadian survival, let the poor and rich no longer be divided, as everyone will soon come to share the same level of wealth.'
This philosophy was a huge priority to the new King, as he wanted to let his people live in comfort everyday of their lives, and not worry about the future. Crop yield in Spades was at a stable level, however, Clubs was surging. As the Kingdom prosperous in agriculture, it had always been strongest in comparison to the others; but this was an unexpected spike in the crop yield that caused each Kingdom to question what had happened.
Soon, a meeting had been called between Hearts and Spades. Alfred needed to leave for private business with Ludwig, the King of Hearts. The Spadian King, still a boy at heart, frowned deeply as he read the urgent letter over and over; his sapphire eyes gleaming with a small layer of tears. He did not want to leave his Queen behind, despite being instructed to by Yao.
It is compulsory for each Monarchy to state who they will need at the meeting, should one be called. The addressed, whoever that may be, must attend. If the Queen, or Jack, are to attend, it must be stated to prevent Kingdoms being put at risk due to the rulers' absence. Usually, the King and Queen would attend meetings, and the Jack would take care of business until they return. However, there have been occasions where the Jack must attend, thus leaving the King or Queen behind. It is not often, but can occur.
Arthur and Alfred were sitting in their chamber; the former in bed with a book in his hand, while the other was getting ready for bed after a shower. The Queen held a soft smile on his face, as his mind was captivated by the words on the pages; his emerald eyes scrolling left to right as they took in every letter.
Noticing his partner's tranquillity, Alfred glanced up at him, as he dried his hair rigorously with a towel, grinning brightly. "You really enjoy books huh, Arthur?" In curiosity, the addressed looked up, a blush spreading across his pale cheeks.
"Y-Yes, I do enjoy reading. It's one of the greatest pleasures in life, I find," Arthur spoke up, smiling as he cradled the book close to his chest, as if it were the most precious item in his life. With that, Alfred chuckled, slipping on his glasses, and pushing them up onto the bridge of his nose, so he could see his Queen in finer detail.
"Even more pleasurable than 'that'?" The King quirked an eyebrow, sneaking in a wink, which rewarded him with a flustered Queen, who quickly used his book to conceal his face as he sank below the bedsheets, crying out Alfred's name, clearly embarrassed. He simply laughed, hopping onto the comfy bed beside Arthur, ruffling his hair playfully. "Hey, Artie! I was only kidding, y'know I was joking, right?"
Hesitantly, Arthur peeked up over the pages, his cheeks still dusted with a rosy pink; he nodded reluctantly, setting the novel aside after saving his place. "That joke was highly inappropriate for someone of your status, My King." He sat up, crossing his arms over his chest in mockery, raising a bushy eyebrow.
"Welp! It's what you're gonna' get from me I'm afraid, My Queen. I thought you'd be used to it by now~" He pouted moodily, lying down so his head was cradled in Arthur's lap. The King was met with a hand brushing through his hair, carefully threading through his locks.
"After only a few months? My dear, there is so much we still need to learn about each other, especially since we haven't had a lot of alone time to simply bond without needing to discuss business, and what our plans are for the Kingdom," Arthur spoke knowingly, a cheeky sparkle in his eyes; clearly there was some intention behind his emerald gaze.
Alfred quirked a brow, his youthful face lighting up with intrigue as he sat upright. Carefully, he straddled over his partner's hips, leaning in so their foreheads touched. Instinctively, their eyes shut as their lips met; both reminisced about their first kiss at the dance for Alfred's coming of age ball those few months ago. Arthur's lips curled into a smile, a brief chuckle leaving his throat. This caused Alfred to sit back slightly, furrowing his brows in confusion.
"Sorry, love. I… I was just thinking about our first kiss. It's amazing to think how far we've come since then… that's all," Arthur blushed softly, turning his gaze away. However, Alfred simply pulled the other male back into his embrace, and kissed him vigorously. This intensity made the emerald-eyed male gasp out into the other's mouth, sweet mutters of pleasure and love shared between them.
Arthur could suddenly feel clawing hands at his back, determined to remove the nightshirt from his slender frame. Willingly, he lifted him arms above his head, without breaking contact with Alfred's lips for as long as he could, as the soft shirt was pulled off, revealing milky white skin that contrasted greatly with the King's sun-kissed tan.
They couldn't hold back anymore; kisses gradually became more peppered yet deep, hands feverishly caressed each other's body, wanting more and more with every moment that went by.
The following morning, Arthur was still in a deep sleep beside his King, who glanced down at him with a certain fondness as he brushed his fingertips gingerly across the other's cheek. A knock at the door caused the Spadian King to glance up, a frown carving its way onto his lips. "I'll be out soon, Yao… I just want to say goodbye properly, okay?"
"Understood, but we must leave at the latest of ten o'clock precisely, My King," Yao spoke up, understanding the need for the King to say goodbye to his Queen. This was the first business trip that Alfred would be taking alone without Arthur by his side; it was evident that the Monarchs were nervous, but their Jack had been as comforting as he possibly could.
Glancing down to his resting Queen, Alfred sighed sadly, standing up to get ready for the long trip to Hearts that lay ahead of him. Once dressed in his finest, yet most comfortable attire, Alfred gazed at himself in the mirror; he really did look like a King. Despite having been in this position for so long, it had only begun to dawn on him that the Kingdom was really under his control, beside his Queen and Jack. A slight disturbance caused the golden-haired male to turn around, only to smile at seeing his Queen sitting upright, rubbing the sleep from his eyes; his hair even more messy than usual.
Their eyes met across the room, the early morning sunlight illuminating the colours of their irises. A certain sadness crossed Arthur's face, before he glanced down to his lap, twiddling his fingers.
"So… you must leave soon?" His voice was solemn, with a sense of worry. Arthur never liked being alone for long periods of time. Of course, he enjoyed his privacy, but after his father died there was always an anxiety about losing someone he truly loved. Arthur was never a very openly emotional man, but Alfred could now read him like a book, understanding his worries or fears with only a mere furrow of his brow, or slight quirk of his lip.
The Spadian King walked over to his Queen, sitting beside him, cupping his cheek with a hand; instantaneously Arthur cupped his hands around it, as if he never wanted Alfred to let go. "I'll be back soon, my Queen. There's no need to worry, I'll be back in a week~" The golden-haired male grinned brightly, trying to make his Queen feel better. Arthur glanced up to meet Alfred's gaze, a small smile finding its way onto his lips; the other's smile was infectious.
"I'll miss you, my King. Take care of yourself, alright?" Arthur spoke, brushing the back of his fingers against the other's cheek. The other turned his head slightly, and pressed a kiss to the palm of his Queen's hand.
"No worries, I'll send a letter when I'm all done with business," Alfred smiled.
Their solemn farewell was interrupted by a knock on the door. It was Yao, enquiring if the King was ready to go. Alfred responded; saying he would be out in a few minutes, before hearing Yao confirm his order and heading back down to the hall.
"Well… I need to go now. I'll see you soon~" The King grinned, kissing Arthur's forehead tenderly. "Go back to sleep. You look exhausted, my Queen."
"Are you sure?" Arthur questioned. "I feel that I should see you off properly…"
"It's fine, rest. That's more important right now. I'll write to you when I get to Hearts; let ya' know I'm safe." He then got up from the bed and advanced to the door. "Farewell, Arthur. I love ya'~" He winked cheekily, before leaving the room, shutting the door calmly behind him.
"Goodbye, my King. I love you too." Arthur mumbled to himself, chuckling, before settling down again, sinking into the bedsheets. His senses were embraced with the lingering scent of his husband, easing him into sleep, despite his aching heart.
Not long after, Arthur felt discomfort within his stomach. Was it because he missed Alfred? No, it couldn't be. His pondering was cut short as a sharp pain ripped through his abdomen, making him get up and dash to the bathroom, where he was sick. He collapsed by the bowl and panted, spitting fluid into the water.
Elizabeth knocked on the ensuite door, asking if Arthur was alright. He answered back saying he was, but then groaned out loud as some more pain coursed through his body. The maid, without question, stepped into the room and assisted the Queen. She rubbed small circles into his back, as he dispelled the last of his sickness; but one question laid on both of their minds: what had made him so ill?
After helping Arthur back into bed, Elizabeth went to call the doctor. The Queen lay back, trying to calm himself after his spell. He gazed up at the ceiling, his eyes following the treads and lines that interweaved with one another in an attempt to forget the dull ache in his torso.
His trance was interrupted by a knock at the door. After calling the guest in, the door opened, revealing Elizabeth accompanied by a man with a white coat and a stethoscope hanging around his neck. "My Queen, this is Doctor Ramhart. He's come to perform a check-up, and to diagnose the cause of your sickness."
Carefully, the doctor approached the Queen, stretching out a hand to shake Arthur's. "Greetings, my Queen. Now, describe what the issue is to me in as much detail as possible, if you please?"
Arthur hummed to himself in thought, before responding. "It… came out of nowhere. I was fine, but then this pain, a quite sharp pain, occurred in my stomach. It gradually got cause, causing me to convulse. But, I still feel quite ill, despite the outburst." He glanced up to the doctor, who was fiddling with his whitening moustache, trying to process the information.
"Now. If you don't mind my saying-so… This sounds awfully similar. But, to confirm my suspicions, I will need a urine sample. I can test it quite quickly; you will not have to wait long." Ramhart spoke up, smiling softly. He opened his briefcase, and pulled out a small vial, handing it to the Queen.
The blond hesitantly took it, twirling and examining it in his fingers. He then got up and advanced to the bathroom. A few moments later, he returned and handed it to the doctor, who took the vial and began to analyse it with a few small tools and tests.
Arthur waited patiently, alongside Elizabeth, yet he truly wanted to know the answer. He twiddled his fingers; flexing and unflexing them, linking and unlinking them. Soon, the doctor adjusted his glasses and glanced up at Arthur.
"Well… I am very happy to announce, Your Majesty, that my suspicions have been confirmed." A sincere smile crossed the Doctor's lips. "Congratulations, you are with child."
Author's Note:
I am back! Finally!
So so sorry that this took so long to update. Uni work was killing me, and then I had super bad writer's block for ages. But never mind, I am here with the next chapter of Finding His Queen! I hope to get back onto my regular schedule with this story, and eventually get the two-part finales of Lower Your Ghostly Sword uploaded as well soon.
However, I hope you enjoy the chapter; welcome back to the story!