Main Pairing: USUK

Rated M for later stuff. Cardverse and Omegaverse.

I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

It's a bit shorter again - sorry! I wanted to get another one out because I may not be posting anything for a few days - I'm going on a trip to Chicago for the weekend. If I'm able to get wifi in the motel I might be able to do it... I'm not sure. We'll see.

Expect longer chapters (hopefully) ahead!

Biff3r: I don't even know...

Velonica999: I am becoming famous for my cliffhanger endings.

After Alfred left, Arthur felt it. He felt the exact moment that he was gone - just gone. It was like a piece of Arthur left. The piece that held Alfred.

He went back to business as usual. Helping Yao with business of the state, paying visits to the citizens. But his free time was a void. He went down the kitchens, didn't feel like baking. He went out to his garden, but didn't feel like reading. Everywhere he went corresponded with something he didn't want to do.

He spent most of his free time in his garden, just sitting. After a few days, he started getting bored sitting in the same place every day. He began walking around the plants and noticed how dry and withered they were. He wondered why - the servants would never have let flowers die like this.

Then he remembered - he had asked them not to water these plants. He had wanted to do it himself. So much for that.

He found an old, rusted watering can lying half buried in the dirt. He picked it up, roots and loose earth cascading down.

He found a pipe in one of the walls close to the railing and pumped the handle. Clear water flowed out steadily. At least the pump was in good shape.

He went around flooding the gardens with water. He wasn't sure how much the plants would need after so long without.

"You're gardening," a young voice said in surprise.

"Peter," Arthur said. "You're back."

"Hi." He said. "I brought a desperate fool."

"Objection," another voice said. Gilbert.

"I knew he was a fool, desperate is new," Arthur said, standing straight from examining a certain flower's spotty leaves. "What is it?"

Gilbert stepped forward. "Is there a way to stop being a joker?" He asked.

Arthur whipped around. "What?" He asked, startled. "Why are you asking me?"

Gilbert shrugged. "I'm desperate."

Arthur shook his head. "I'm guessing that if you stopped being a joker you'd die."

Gilbert nodded grimly. "I was hoping that you wouldn't say that."

"What else do you want me to say?" Arthur asked. "If you want to quit, you have to find another person at the perfect time."

Gilbert ran his hand through his hair. "I want to become a regular person again. That's what I want."

Arthur became curious. Gilbert sounded so sad.

"Gilbert, have you fallen in love with someone?" He asked.

Gilbert glared at Arthur, his red eyes piercing. "Maybe. Have you?"

Arthur looked away.

"You would do better to talk to Yao about this," Arthur said after a moment. "He has studied magic. Or you could travel to the ice villages in Clubs. There are people that live there who live by magic and charms."

Gilbert shuddered. "Ugh, the Ice Straight. Wind goes right through you. Feels horribly hollow."

"I'm sorry, I can't help you," Arthur said. "I hope you find a way. Ludwig would be happy to see you again."

"I'll go speak to Yao now," Gilbert said. "Thank you."

Arthur continued watering his flowers. He even found a sunhat with a wide floppy brim.

He wondered if there was a way to get into Alfred's world.

No. No way. Arthur couldn't abandon his kingdom. Alfred had already done that.

The spade clocks didn't seem to realize that, however. Instead of lazily roaming around, one hand was fixed on Arthur. The other was spinning wildly, randomly, as if searching for its King. As if it couldn't figure out where he was. Arthur didn't understand why. Alfred was gone. He wasn't the king anymore.

Unless it was waiting for him to die...

In that case, the clocks would be broken for a long time. Unless they started working again if Arthur inducted a new King... There were so many things Arthur didn't know. Even after a few years of co-ruling with Yao.

"Arthur," a voice said. "It is time to go."

Yao was at the door.

"Go?" Arthur asked. He racked his brain for a reason why they would be leaving. And wasn't Yao supposed to be talking to Gilbert right about now? What was going on?

"I have not mentioned it much," Yao said. "There were already many things you were worried about. There is a court meeting tomorrow on Deck Isle. Everything is prepared."

Arthur stared at Yao in dismay. "I do not have anything prepared for speaking."

Yao looked smug. "Did I not just say that we have prepared everything? I did not want you to be stressed. You can look over the draft on the ship."

Arthur sighed. "I am not mentally prepared for a court meeting. If I breakdown, please try to cover my embarrassment and get me out of there straight away."

Yao gave a short now, his silly ponytail slipping over his shoulder and hanging towards the ground. Arthur's eyes were drawn to it; it caught the light of the sun and glinted amber.

"As you wish," he said. "Court meetings are typically stressful. I will do my best to keep the atmosphere calm."

Arthur was shuffled onto a ship a few minutes later, yawning and wondering where Gilbert had got to. He settled himself quite comfortably in a pile of ropes between a few barrels and boxes. He started going over the parchment that Yao had given him, but soon, the rocking of the ship that made many others sick to their stomachs lulled Arthur to sleep.

He didn't open his eyes until night had fallen and people were busy unloading the ship. Li Xiao shook him out of a drowsy state, the workmen quietly moving around him to collect supplies. Even half asleep, Arthur moved away quickly. He hadn't meant to be a burden. He sat on an empty space on the deck and metaphorically rubbed his eyes. In reality he barely moved, nearly falling back to sleep.

"Come, Arthur," Yao whispered. "We will get you into a bed. It will be more comfortable."

Arthur groaned. He really didn't want to do anything. Especially not be here, where tomorrow he'd have to stand and recite a speech he barely knew. Court was so annoying.

Nevertheless, he stood with Yao and walked with him to the rooms where they would be stayed. Deck Isle was small, and there were only a few houses there - five. Even if they were somewhat large. On was for Hearts, one for Spades, one for Diamonds, one for Clubs. The last was for the aces. If they ever showed up. Arthur had never met one. Nor had he met anyone who had met an ace. They were mostly legend.

Deck Isle was an island in the center of the Wild Sea. Its land was completely neutral. If blood was spilled on that island, it resulted in an immediate dethroning of those involved, no questions asked.

Arthur had barely had half an hour to go over his paper before the Court began. Roderich, as usual, directed it, as he was the least likely to kill someone.

"Now," he said. "Does anyone have any topics that they believe affects the entirety of Cards?"

Francis stood. "Yes, I believe I don't," he said smoothly. "An uncountable amount of damage has been done to my country because of him," he said, pointing to Ivan. "My people are in poverty. Homes have been burnt down. I believe compensation is owed."

Roderick stood. "The incident has been noted and will be returned to at later notice," he said. "Is there anything else anyone has to say at all?"

Arthur stood. "I have something that I am merely pointing out. I do not need discussion on this topic. We are required to report whenever political changes occur in our country. I am once again searching for a King." Arthur's face heated up slightly and he marveled at the fact that he was able to maintain polite speech at this level of tiredness.

Ludwig stood. "I will report also. We have found a Jack, though I am sure you already know of this." Under his breath, he whispered to the small boy sitting beside him. "Feliciano, stand now."

Feliciano stood up beside his King, smiling brightly. "Hello!" He said. "May the aces find favor in you!"

"And in you as well," came the murmured reply. Feliciano looked to Ludwig for direction, then sat down.

Arthur saw Francis mumbling something to Vasch. His jack chuckled quietly and Arthur felt a tight coil twisting in his gut.

Roderich stood again. "Thank you. Is there anything else?"

No one spoke.

"Alright. Francis, Ivan and I will discuss with you what compensation is fair and what is needed for you and your country. Spades and Hearts, you are dismissed."

"Vasch will take care of the details," Francis said dismissively. "I have other business that needs urgent attention."

Roderich nodded.

Arthur was walking towards the doors when he heard Francis call his name.

Gritting his teeth, he turned back to see the tall man sashaying towards him. Honestly. Sashaying. Why did he have to do that all of the time?

"What do you want?" Arthur growled.

"It saddens me to see how hard you are working. Trying to find a new King while managing to rule a country alone must be hard on you," Francis said, pretending to be sympathetic. Arthur could see the mocking in his eyes. So this was what he wanted to talk about.

"You must be really terrible if you could not even keep Alfred here."

Arthur's vision went red. He didn't care that Francis's confidence was overwhelming his senses, urging him to back down, he didn't care that people were around. He didn't even care that they were on Deck Isle. He threw himself at Francis with a shout and tackled him to the ground, punching his face again and again. It took Ludwig and Yao to drag him away.

As Kiku helped Francis up, Arthur shouted profanities at him. But as he was dragged away, the worst came to mind, and he hoarsely screamed it without hesitating.

"You must be worse if you couldn't keep that pathetic Matthew in your bed!"

Ludwig pulled him harder, taking him single handedly out the doors of the Court building and throwing him onto the grass.

"What were you thinking?" he yelled. "You could be removed from the throne."

"I don't care," Arthur gasped. "I don't care. He deserved it. He deserved more. The slimy little bastard -"

Yao messed with his ponytail nervously. "I did not believe that Francis would say that," he said. "He is not the best person, but I can not believe it."

"What did he say?" Ludwig demanded. Both Arthur and Yao shrank back.

"He said that Arthur must be terrible in bed if Alfred chose to leave him," Elizaveta Hedervary said, coming down the stairway from the building. "I couldn't believe it either."

Ludwig's jaw tightened. "I thought it would be something of the sort, given Arthur's response... you are correct. That is not like Francis."

Arthur breathed in heavily, attempting to control himself. "That bloody bastard... As soon as we get off of this bloody island I swear I'm going to sink his ship. Not only did he mock me, but he insulted Alfred as well... that went bloody below the ground that the belt was standing on." he mumbled on to himself, unaware that several pairs of eyes were watching him steam.

"You really tore up your knuckles," Yao said, wrapping a bandage around the tender skin. "I am surprised that you did not break a bone. Or several."

Arthur glared at the floor. "Why didn't you let me kill him?" he asked. "I really would have."

"No," Yao said. "You would have been dragged away and removed of your status. Probably exiled as well. And Spades would be in trouble without a King or Queen. You must think of your country."

"I'm thinking of Alfred," Arthur muttered. "All the bloody time, thinking of Alfred..."

The Spades Court left quickly that day. The others had agreed not to speak a word of what had happened, lest the citizens cry for Arthur's removal. They had agreed that the attack was sufficiently provoked, even if they weren't supposed to let those things slide.

Arthur just wanted to be back home in his garden. He was beginning to grow rather a liking for the little rows of plants. They were beginning to look a bit greener - unless that was just him hoping. Maybe plants couldn't look greener after only a few minutes. Arthur didn't know. He didn't know a lot about plants.

He got back to his garden quicker than expected - winds were strong and the ship sped through the ocean. The rocking of the wide ship reminded Arthur of how Alfred had spun and tripped around the deck. Alfred had terrible sea legs. Arthur had learned at a young age how to hold his own against a ship...

He spent a lot of time in his garden, even if his hands were sore and stiff for a while. Over the next few weeks, the head gardener found out about Arthur's struggle and helped him replant the plants. It took a while for the little green shoots to stick up, and the weeds were nasty and persistent - but Arthur was proud of his little terrace garden. He knew it would turn out to be amazing. He was even better at gardening than he was at cooking (no comment from Yao, he noted).

But his garden also marked the passage of time. The end of summer was approaching. Soon it would be autumn and the seasonal shift of power would turn to Spades (not that Spades needed any more power - even without a King, Spades was the most powerful country. They all had their trademarks). And the clocks were still confused, and they still didn't have a King, and Alfred was still gone. Arthur was getting sick. He had all the symptoms. He knew it would only get worse as the time stretched on.

Arthur wondered if he'd ever see him again.