Chapter Text
Running as fast as his short legs could carry him, Alfred sprinted through the dark hallways of the palace, desperately looking for someone to hide. The heavy rain splattered against the windows so hard that it was as almost as if the glass would shatter any second. Lightning flashed through the windows, briefly illuminating the dark hallways, the rumbling of thunder loud and terrifying, but not as terrifying as the predicament a nine year old prince was in. He was keen to call out to someone to help him, but feared that his loud voice would attract the unwanted attention of the person currently seeking him out. Every now and then he would glance over his shoulder, his heart racing even more when he spotted the silhouette of his pursuer. His blue eyes looked around frantically until he at last spotted the decorated draperies that were big enough to conceal him.
Rushing behind the long and heavy fabric, Alfred clamped his hands over his mouth and stood very still, trying to calm his young heart. He couldn’t stop trembling, gulping back the built up salvia that had filled his mouth, and tried to reassure himself that he was safe, no matter how much he felt that he wasn’t.
“She can’t find me,” he told himself in his head, “she didn’t see me, she didn’t see me, I’m safe, I’m ok.”
He repeated it over and over, hoping the small voice in his head would steady his beating heart, but when he head the sharp tapping of those dreaded footfalls, his heart almost stopped.
“She can’t find me, she can’t find me, she can’t find me.”
Over and over he repeated this in his head, the closer the steps became, the faster the internal voice grew, almost as if he was trying to mentally drown out the noise. His heart was beating out of control and he truly believed that his frantic heartbeats would give him away.
“She can’t find me, she can’t find me, she can’t-...”
“Alfred?”
At the sound of his name his blue eyes snapped open, and his body jerked forward. His frazzled mind was a blur as he tried to get everything back in order from the swirling mess that were his thoughts, and it made his head ache in an irritating way. Rubbing his sore brow, he suppressed a yawn but couldn’t resist groaning as he stretched his stiff muscles. He looked around but everything was blurred, until a distorted arm presented him a pair of glasses.
“You shouldn’t sleep in such a position,” sighed the person who awoke him, “you’ll ruin your posture like that.”
With a grumble, he took the glasses and placed them back on, the world around him suddenly became clearer. He glanced up at the man, recognising him to be his Jack. “I was only power napping, Yao. Get off my back.”
“Keep napping like that and your back will need my acupuncture treatment,” retorted Yao, moving away to a nearby table where fresh coffee was ready to be served, along with cookies, cakes, and other sweet treats that would make any child’s mouth water in delight.
Alfred rolled his eyes as he massaged his head, stretching out his aching body whilst trying to hold in a groan as his muscles were pulled and twisted. He hadn’t intended to fall asleep, but with what was happening today he felt mentally overwhelmed.
“What time is it?”
That question caused Yao to laugh. “The King of Spades asking me for the time?”
That statement was true, asking the King of Spades for the time was like asking a person if they knew their own name. “Well, you are the Jack of Spades, and it was just a question.” Alfred stood up, hissing a little as his legs were still a little numb from sitting down for too long.
“If this is about the ceremony, you needn’t worry.” Yao walked over to Alfred and presented him a fresh cup of coffee, the smell already waking him up. “It’s in an hour and everything is going according to plan. The Knights are all ready, I inspected them early this morning and the ceremonial guard have been mustered.”
Taking a sip from the cup, Alfred sighed as the energised drink gave him a little buzz. “You usually get a bit more agitated when we only have a hour left.”
“That’s because there’s nothing left for us to do, other than to attend and for you to do your part.”
Seeing his Jack acting so relaxed before a high profile function was odd, in fact it was a little unnerving, but Alfred decided to ignore it and enjoy it, for it was far better than getting his ears chewed out. Yao was normally bossing him around and telling him how to do his job, kicking up a fuss when there was something minuscule that needed doing, treating every single task like it was top priority. If Alfred wasn’t working then he’d go out of his way to find more work for him, chasing him up relentlessly if he wasn’t satisfied with the final product. He could be quite unbearable at times, but Alfred could not deny that it was because of his strict attitude that aided him in running the Kingdom.
“I’m guessing Francis and co will show up soon,” muttered Alfred out loud.
“The Diamond Court are en route, the Club and Heart Court will leave their accommodations soon, and the other guests are already making their way to the palace-...”
“Yao, are you really ok?”
“Of course I am.”
“You sure?”
“...yes.”
Alfred frowned and returned to drinking his coffee.
“...do you have your speech memorised?”
There it is.
“I told you before, I’ve got everything sorted on my end.”
“I’m just making sure. You also prepared for-...”
“Yes!”
“And-...”
“Yes!”
“What about-...”
“Yes, yes, yes! Yao, we are GOOD. TO. GO!”
Yao raised his hands up as Alfred glared at him. “No need to get frustrated, I want you relaxed before we begin.”
Alfred clenched his coffee cup and screamed internally, wondering if his Jack had just been playing him just for a laugh, or it was his twisted way of relaxing by messing with him. Yao just smiled politely whilst checking off things off in his little notebook, probably just triple checking a few things in order to calm his well hidden nerves. With nothing left to do but wait, Alfred leisurely strolled over to a large window that overlooked a majority of his palace, admiring the architecture of his beautiful home.
The Mighty Palace of Spades was the crown jewel of the powerful Kingdom of Spades, its pure white brick walls soaked in the sunlight, and the dark blue slated roofs seemed to twinkle under the sun, almost as if the material used to construct them were forged out of the midnight sky. It was situated in the central part of the Kingdom, built upon the Mountain of Time that overlook the grand city of the Spade Kingdom. It took decades to build and to this day it has been the home of the Spade Court.
There were tall towers dotted here and there, bridges that connected parts of the palace to each other, and luxurious gardens that were filled with all sorts of colourful flowers and exotic plants. With the mountain taking up most of the rear of the palace, surrounding the front of the palace was a grand lake, and pouring into that lake was waterfall that flowed from mountain and through the palace as a natural river. Whoever had designed this place was an architectural god, though Alfred couldn’t deny that the other palaces in the other Kingdoms were just as grand and beautiful, he just wasn’t going to tell the other Kings that.
The city itself was just as mesmerising. It had been here since the very founding of the Spade Kingdom, a mixture of old and new. It spanned beyond the horizon and was the largest and most popular city in the four Kingdoms, mainly because it had everything and anything, and what it didn’t have, it soon would. There were buildings that were centuries old, but maintained and protected to this day, some of them used as museums, fancy shopping centres, or even cute little antique cafes that were quite popular. The newer buildings were skyscrapers that stretched into the heavens, many of them serving as HQ’s for world famous businesses and cooperations. All of them were unique and people traveled all over the world just to say they stood on the top of one. There were large parks where you’d be able to fit a small village, streets filled with the hustle and bustle of the people, and somewhere in there was a theme park or two, at least Alfred was certain there was more than one. He never got to fully explore his realm.
He peered down and could already see the drips and drabs of high profile guests being guided up the palace’s main road from the city, making their way to the ceremonial hall where today’s ceremony was to be held. There were so many, all of them here to attend it, for it only happened at least once a generation.
“The Queen’s Succession.”
Today was the day his Queen was chosen.
“What do you think they’ll be like?” he asked out loud, wonder if Yao would answer him or not.
“Your new Queen?”
“Yeah. Do you think she... or he will be... a good candidate?”
Yao was silent for a moment. “You’re concerned about this now? You were all but excited about meeting them the other day.”
“Well... rather I’m...” Alfred tried to find a way out of this, afraid that the conversation will end up talking about something he didn’t want to share. “Don’t you think the Spade’s Queen Succession Ceremony is kinda lame?”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“Oh c’mon Yao,” groaned Alfred, tearing himself away from the window. “The Diamond Kingdom holds a beauty contest for their Queen! The Heart Kingdom has a obstacle course, and the Club Kingdom gets to hold a gladiator match! Compared to theirs, ours is just so plain and boring!”
Yao rolled his eyes. “There is nothing plain or boring about it all. All you have to do is use the string of fate to reveal the name of your Queen.”
“Exactly,” retorted Alfred, “it’s just a overblown elaborate game of hide and seek. The crowds won’t even get to see me do anything, they just stand about and wait!”
“I wouldn’t exactly call it that,” muttered Yao, feeling offended at the very idea that’s how his King saw one of their traditions, “but that’s all you have to do. Use the string of fate in the realm of time, simple!” Simple for the King of Spades anyway.
“But it’s so lame,” moaned Alfred, sinking back into his chair. “Why can’t I have a talent show? Or even a dancing contest? Throw in some sparklers, loud music, make a show out of it!”
“Well I can’t exactly make it exciting for you,” sighed the Jack, trying not to imagine the horrendous ideas that his King came up with, “I just hope the Queen you end up getting will reign you in and make you work harder.”
Alfred shivered at the thought of his future Queen ending up like his stubborn Jack, that was the last thing he wanted. Looking back towards the window, he decided to take a quick stroll before he headed for the grand hall. “I’m just going to stretch my legs,” he declared as he headed towards the exit, grabbing a few cookies as he passed the table.
“Please don’t be late,” pleaded Yao.
Giving him a thumbs up to confirm he wouldn’t be adrift, Alfred left the room he had rested in and made his way down a decorated hallway. He decided to go relax in one of the gardens as he suddenly developed the mood to relax whilst surrounded by some nature. Being stuck inside, plus the upcoming ceremony was giving him a headache. A few maids and stewards he passed bowed in respect, guards saluted him as he walked by and he returned their salute with one of his own. There was other servants who were dashing about as they made last minute preps for the ceremony, and Alfred would offer them praise for all their hard work, his words inspiring the palace staff.
Although being the King could give him a headache at times, seeing his people smile at his presence was enough to keep him going another day. They always praised him, thanking him for doing a wonderful job, amazed that he had been doing this all by himself for ten years. Considering how long he had been King and how young he was when he received the Kings Insignia, Alfred believed that he was doing more than a decent job, though it would’ve been better if he had a Queen by his side. Unfortunately, due to his sudden succession to the throne, he was far too young to engage the Queen’s Succession Ceremony. Hopefully, after he got his Queen, the workload would be lighter and everything would be a breeze.
Pausing by a mirror, he peered in to inspect himself, making certain he presentable. He was wearing one of his best uniforms, the traditional midnight blue coat with the Spade insignia sewed upon it, a pressed white shirt with a navy blue tie and dark blue waistcoat that matched his trousers, and his black shoes that were polished so well you could see your own face in them. His rich blond hair sat perfectly upon his head, his bright blue eyes were practically sparkled like stars, and his unique glasses that framed his handsome yet young looking face. As always, his appearance was beyond perfect, and there wasn’t a single person who didn’t envy him for his looks. He gave himself a wink before he continued his walk, his thoughts wandering from topic to topic, one of them regarding today’s ceremony.
There was still some concern about what kind of Queen he’d end up with. Francis, the Diamond King, lucked out when he got that sweet innocent Erika as his Queen. She was so kind and gentle, her smile melting even the coldest of hearts. He even envied the Club King, Ivan. As much as he detested that creepy bastard, Alfred couldn’t deny that he had the best version of the Queen’s Succession Ceremony, and he ended up with that badass beauty, Elizabeta. Then of course Ludwig, the Heart King, ended up with the calm and composed Kiku. Whilst he acted meek, he was in fact a very strong willed man with a resolve that could not be broken. He did manage to complete an obstacle course that was reportedly near impossible to complete, he even broke a record according to Ludwig.
The other Queens were all different from each other, each with unique personalities and quirks, so Alfred couldn’t help but wonder what type he’d get. Would it be a he? A she? Would they be calming, or fierce? Friendly or spiteful? Pretty or hideous? He had no idea what they’d be like, and it wasn’t as if he was the one choosing who it would be, that was all up to that blasted string of fate he had to use. All he could do was hope that it would choose wisely, and that was all he could do.
Whilst passing through an archway that lead to one of his favourite gardens, he heard a couple of familiar voices coming from the next chamber.
“...it’s amazing to think of the rich history the Kingdom of Spades has, there isn’t a single part of it that hasn’t failed to fill me with wonder.”
“I’m certain the King would be pleased to hear that, your majesty.”
“I’m particularly curious about the history the artist of this painting has captured with such skill and beauty. What is this based on?”
“This one? I believe it’s based on the legend of how a King of Spades from long ago vanquished the Beast of Despair... I think. My knowledge on this is a little rusty I’m afraid.”
Alfred peeked into the chamber and spotted two people he did indeed know. The first one he noticed was the Queen of Hearts, a fair young man with ebony hair and snow white skin, Honda Kiku. He was dressed in a traditional crimson gown decorated with beautiful floral patterns, the Heart Kingdom’s insignia etched onto golden charms he carried. Alfred had met Kiku a few times in the past, and the pair of them had grown into decent friends, even though they were complete polar opposites.
The second person caused a slight discomfort in his mood; his younger brother, Matthew. Serving as the Second of Spades in his court, Matthew was the leader of the Spade Knights of Nine. Despite his gentle persona and his quiet nature, Matthew was skilled in combat and was resilient no matter what he went up against. Whenever he met someone new, they would always point out how similar he looked to Alfred, only his hair was a bit longer and wavy, with a single strand of it that always stuck out. Matthew would have no choice but to admit that he was related to his King, but he never liked to talk about it. Unfortunately their resemblance was all they had in common, and despite being brothers Alfred had only known him for a few years. Their history was... complicated.
Before he could step out, Kiku suddenly noticed him hiding round the corner. “Alfred, is that you?”
Alfred cursed silently but walked over to them with a smile plastered on his tanned face. “Hey Kiku, I see you’re getting the grand tour courtesy of my Second. Hope he’s showing you all the good spots.”
Kiku nodded with a gentle smile, and Matthew stood there with an awkward expression upon his pale face. A moment of silence passed. “Excuse me, but I must check if the other knights are ready for the ceremony,” Matthew said suddenly, bowing before he took his leave.
“I thought you did-...”
“Eh, let him go Kiku. Matthew likes to make certain the Knights are ready to go,” insisted Alfred, thankful that his brother decided to leave on his own accord.
Kiku appeared concerned with the sudden departure of the knight, but he decided to try and change the awkward atmosphere. “So are you prepared for the ceremony? You must be very excited that you can finally perform the ritual in order to acquire your Queen.”
“Tell me about it,” chuckled Alfred, “they always told me I couldn’t do it until I was an adult.”
“You were a child when you became King, is that correct?”
Alfred’s grin almost broke. “Y-yeah.”
Although he tried to hide it, Kiku could tell he had said something he shouldn’t had. “I’m sorry, is this a sensitive topic?”
“Don’t worry about it,” replied Alfred, trying his hardest to maintain his smile, “so, um, what were you two talking about? This painting?”
Staring up at the painting, Alfred found he was staring at the famous, Battle of the Four Kings and the Beast of Despair, depicting a King of Spades wielding the Ace of Spades as he fought alongside the other Kings against a monster of a creature. The Beast was a horrifying monster that supposedly could defy death, and according to the legends it was as tall as a mountain, with skin that was impossible to penetrate with normal weapons, and fiery breath that was so hot that not even the sun could mimic its intensity. It wreaked havoc throughout the world and it almost ended it, until the Four Kings, their Queens, Jacks and Knights came together and defeated it. It was one of those classic legends that some artist just had to paint, and honestly it was one of Alfred’s favourite legends, mostly because the legendary defeat of the Beast occurred after the King of Spades threw the Ace of Spades at the Beast with such force, it’s soul and body was shattered across time and space.
“This story is also told in my land, but told in a different way,” stated Kiku, his eyes fixated on the painting.
“Oh really?”
“Yes. According to my country’s version, the Beast was in fact a dragon that was angry with humanity.”
Alfred’s eyes lit up. “Dragon?”
Kiku’s golden eyes also sparkled with delight on the topic. “Yes, a powerful dragons who breathed white hot fire, bore claws that could tear the very earth apart, and whose eyes that could peer into your very soul.” Kiku sighed as he imagined it all. “I’ll admit my least favourite part about the story is it’s defeat.”
“What!?” Alfred couldn’t believe his ears. “But slaying dragons is the best part of the story! Besides it was a bad guy.”
“I suppose, and I guess it couldn’t be helped. It’s just a shame that it had to die.”
“It was either us or it. I hope one day I can slay a dragon like my ancestor did, I’d look like such a heroic badass whilst doing it.” He noticed the sad look upon Kiku’s face. “Only a bad dragon though, I’ll leave the good ones alone.”
Kiku shook his head. “You haven’t offended me, Alfred. It’s just, I wish I could meet one... even if they only exist in fairytales.” That was true. No one had seen a dragon in centuries, so it was a common belief that they were merely creatures born from humanity’s imagination.
“Tell you what Kiku,” declared Alfred suddenly, “I’ll allow you to see this legendary suit of armour we got stashed away in our Treasure Hall. They say it was forged from the scales of dragons and is virtually fire proof.”
Once again, Kiku’s eyes sparkled with a soft sparkle of excitement. “Is that so? I would love to see it before we depart.”
“Kiku! I’ve been looking for you.”
The two men looked up to see another young man dashing towards them. Alfred recognised him to be the Jack of Hearts, a gluttonous person known as Feliciano Varugasu. He had often heard Yao openly wonder how the heck someone like Feliciano got the job as the Jack of Hearts, because he was apparently lazy, cowardly, and a bit absent minded. Jacks were supposed to be chosen by the Kings based on their skill and determination, so Alfred had no idea what King Ludwig was thinking when he chose this guy.
Feliciano halted before the pair of them, bowing clumsily. “Kiku, Ludwig wants us to be in the ceremonial hall now. He told me to go find you so we wouldn’t be late.”
Alfred looked up at a nearby clock. “You still have 45 minutes, you have plenty of time.”
“Apologies, but Ludwig is very strict about punctuality... especially with Feliciano.” The Heart Jack responded with a “veeeee” before he and Kiku took their leave. “Good luck in finding your Queen,” stated Kiku as he left.
Alfred thanked him with a wave, and after finding himself alone once more he sighed heavily, staring up at the epic painting once more before he departed to find somewhere to relax before the ceremony began. He silently wished that his Queen would be someone like Kiku, someone gentle and someone he could talk to with ease. Yet at the same time he hoped it was someone who he wouldn’t care for.
———————————
The ceremonial hall was full of people, all here to witness the Queen’s Succession with eager glee. For ten years their young King ruled the land without a Queen, unable to undergo the ceremony due to his youth and his need to hone his skills. Now that he was nineteen years of age and had mastered everything he needed to be the King of Spades, he was able to do so with no concern, and everyone was joyous that a Queen would now aid him in ruling the land.
Alfred could only gaze out at the crowds, the sound of people chattering echoing off the tall walls, some calming music playing in order to entertain them until the ceremony began. Anyone else would suddenly get cold feet, but Alfred was a crowd pleaser and a part of him was a little excited to perform the ceremony before his beloved people. He could see the Club Court chatting with a few nobles in one corner, and the Heart Court in another corner doing the same thing. Near the Thrones of Spades his nine knights were talking amongst themselves, possibly going over last minute details about their role in the ceremony.
“How would this not bore anyone,” he sighed, unable to think of anything to make it more exciting. “Yao wouldn’t let me use fireworks, and he refused to have a rock band play. How am I supposed to entertain my guests like this?”
“Alfred?”
Yao appeared by his side, and Alfred could already see that he was starting to stress out. “You doing good, Yao?”
“Yes, yes, everything is in order. A few delays, and an incident involving Michelle, but we’re on track.” The Jack paused for a moment, trying to think of something to say. “Ah yes! The Diamond Court has arrived.”
“Have they?”
Alfred looked out at the sea of people again, and it didn’t take him that long to see a figure dressed in shimmering golden robes walking about as if it were normal to look that flashy, completely standing out from the rest of the crowd. The King of Diamonds, the extravagant Francis Bonnefoy, knew how to entice the people with his presence, and he didn’t even need to use his title. Francis was a perfect mixture between enchantedly beautiful and ridiculously handsome, the fashionable clothes he enjoyed wearing only highlighted his envious beauty. His hair was long and gold, often tied in a beautiful ribbon or left to hand over his shoulders. His eyes were a gentle shade of blue, and if wasn’t for the fact he had a small beard decorating his chin, you’d be trying to debate what his true gender was. He was kind man, but he was also shamelessly perverted. He loved to flirt with anything with two legs, drowning them with his honeyed words until they succumbed to his charms. There was even a saying that if the Diamond King tried to woo you, then you yourself was just as beautiful as he was, which had to be the biggest achievement in any lucky lady or gentleman’s life.
Francis was also somewhat of a friend, or as he liked to put it, a big brother to Alfred. During his early days as King, Francis would visit him in order to offer advice and educate him on how to be a leader. In fact Francis had been crowned the King of Diamonds not too long after Alfred was, and he was around the age of sixteen, the age one was supposed to be when receiving the title of King. Alfred was only nine when the crown was placed in his head.
Pushing those thoughts aside, Alfred made his way through the crowds to meet with his old friend. “Francis, you’re looking sharp as ever,” he said with a welcoming smile.
The Diamond King returned the smile, and wasted no time in pulling Alfred into a hug whilst kissing his cheeks. “Alfred, mom ami! Look at how handsome you’ve become. It wouldn’t surprise me that half the people in here are hoping you pull their name from the strings of fate.”
Alfred blushed a little and chuckled nervously. “It wouldn’t surprise me if they only showed up because they knew you were here.”
“Ah, that is true.” Francis grinned as he winked at a group of women who had their eyes fixated on them, all of them giggling with glee upon being noticed. “I do have a habit of luring sweet creatures wherever I go.”
A small figure suddenly appeared next to the Diamond King. “A pleasure to see you again, your majesty.”
Alfred recognised her as Erika Vogel, the innocent looking Queen of Spades. Unlike her flashy King, she wore a plain, yet beautifully decorated yellow dress, a crown of white and golden flowers decorating her straw coloured hair, along with a lilac coloured ribbon that held it together. Next to her was the Jack of Diamonds, the strict Basch Vogel, who coincidentally happened to be the Queen’s brother. His appearance to his sister was almost identical, except he was constantly frowning. He looked like he was ready to jump into battle, and stuck close to the Queen like her life depended on it.
“Back at you, your highness,” replied Alfred, bowing respectfully. “You’re looking as adorable as always.”
The compliment made Erika blush and giggle, but her brother rolled his eyes. “Would it kill you to talk like a King?” he muttered, loud enough for them all to hear.
“Basch!” Erika seemed embarrassed by her brother’s criticism. “Don’t be rude.” Alfred forgot that Basch was a man who spoke his mind too often, no matter who it was or how insensitive it was.
Francis laughed and patted Basch hard on the back, causing his beret to fall over one of his eyes. “Basch, my friend, you need to learn to relax and enjoy yourself. Now why don’t you take Erika to grab a drink, the journey here has worn you both out.”
Basch responded with a huff but obeyed, escorting the Queen over to a steward handing out drinks. He was one of the few Jacks that Yao actually respected, if it wasn’t for the fact he treated anyone as a potential threat.
“Has he still got a pole up his ass?” asked Alfred.
“He’s just not thrilled to be in the same room as Roderich,” explained Francis, smiling humorously, “you see, Erika and the Club Queen, Elizabeta, have become good friends. However the Club Jack has a cute little habit of teasing my Jack. Let’s just say that whilst the two Queen’s catch up, poor Basch has to deal with Roderich treating him like a fool.”
Alfred did recall that the Club Jack was famous for dishing out sharp tongued insults to anyone who deserved them, which made him wonder what Basch did to become a constant target of them, but then he quickly realised he answered his own question.
“Anyway, how have you been, Francis? How’s everything in the Diamond Kingdom?”
“Perfect, beautiful, and spectacular; is my answer for both of those questions. What about you? You must be excited to finally get your Queen, qui?”
Alfred responded with a small nod. “It’ll be nice to finally have someone to carry the workload with me. Yao is such a slave driver.”
Francis didn’t seem to be satisfied with that answer. “Ah, but you must be hoping it’ll be a fair young maiden... or fair young man, whichever you desire.”
“Eh, not really.” Alfred didn’t realise he was blushing. “I mean, I’m not interested in that kind of relationship with my Queen. Just someone to give a hand around here so I can relax a little more, I just hope they turn out to be decent.”
“Oh come now Alfred,” continued Francis, “choosing your Queen using the very fabric of fate itself is the most romantic-...”
“I’m not looking for a lover, Francis,” insisted Alfred, now getting a little uncomfortable with the topic, desperately thinking of a way to change it, which was practically near impossible when Francis was involved. “I just hope this doesn’t take too long. According to some records I read about this, the longest it took to end was a week!”
“Well, you know what they say? Finding love can take a lifetime. However you are correct, it can take days for this ceremony to end. The shortest one lasted a day and a half.”
“I’m not planning to take that long.”
“It actually depends how it takes for your Queen to arrive. They could be located anywhere in the world. The ceremony won’t conclude until they are standing here, in this very chamber.”
“Really?” Alfred must’ve missed that part in his notes. “No wonder Yao hired all those marquees with beds.”
Erika and Basch returned with drinks in hand, and the pair of them had managed to catch on to the conversation. “We rested on the journey here, so if I have to stay up all night I’m ready to do so,” declared Erika, her cute face displayed her determination.
“There’s no need for that,” laughed Alfred, “we have your room prepared. I just didn’t realise you could be stuck here until the Queen arrives.”
Basch appeared annoyed with that response. “How can you not know that? Didn’t your predecessor tell you anything about this ceremony?”
A heavy silence suddenly hung in the air between them all. Francis warm smile sunk, and he cursed under his breath. Erika tensed up and could only stare at her brother in disbelief. It only took Basch a moment to realise what he had just said, his face glaring red from shame.
“I... I didn’t-...”
“Well, I better go get ready,” Alfred suddenly declared, his face bearing a forced grin. “I hope you enjoy the show, we’ll catch up later!” Then, before Francis could say anything, Alfred headed back towards the throne to start the ceremony.
Erika shoved an elbow in Basch’s gut whilst Francis sighed in embarrassment, a rare frown decorated his fair face. “Alfred, you can’t let it continue to hurt you,” he said silently. He then turned to his Jack. “Really now, you need to learn to keep certain thoughts to yourself.”
“Basch, you really need to think before you speak,” hissed Erika.
“It slipped out... I wasn’t thinking... I was-...”
“You? Thinking? It clearly isn’t working on you, Basch. You’ve only been here for five minutes, and you already offended the host.”
The trio from the Diamond Kingdom glanced up to see a fair young man standing before them, with chocolate brown hair, violet coloured eyes that could be seen behind a pair of decorated glasses, a charming face with a mole just underneath his mouth, and dressed in beautiful garbs that almost put Francis’ own clothing to shame.
Basch was glaring at him with his burning red face. “I’m aware I messed up, Roderich! I don’t need you to rub it in.”
Roderich made a “tut” sound. “I don’t think you need my help for that, little solider.” The Club Jack then turned his attention to Francis, ignoring the death glare he was getting. “My King and Queen have you invited you to join us to witness the ceremony. Please, won’t you join us?”
Francis couldn’t help but purr seductively as he approached the Club Jack, the handsome man was definitely his type when it came to pretty boys. “Roderich my dear, you are such a delight to behold. You are like a rare flower that bloomed in a frozen wasteland. Elizabeta is such a lucky women to have you for a husband.” He hooked his arm around the Club Jack, which made him sigh in agitation, and followed him to where the Club Court awaited them.
Meanwhile, Alfred sat upon his throne as he tried to steady his nerves, but because of what Basch brought up he was now fighting off his own anger. The last thing he wanted to do was throw a tantrum in front of so many people. Under his chest his heart was beating so hard he though it was going to burst out of him, and he could already feel the sweat starting to drench his skin. He whipped out the notebook he kept in his coat, going through everything he had recorded regarding the ceremony. He must’ve skimmed that part about the fact everyone had to wait until the Queen arrived. He needed to focus on something, anything, to prevent him from remembering what happened all those years ago.
“Shit, shit, shit,” he hissed under his breath. “Not now. I don’t want to remember it now!”
“Remember what?”
Alfred flinched and looked up to see Matthew staring down at him, his violet blue eyes filled with concern. He was the last person he wanted to see when these memories came back to haunt him.
“Are... are you alright, Alfred?”
“Yes! I fine,” snapped Alfred, shoving his book back into his coat. “Shouldn’t you be at your post?”
Matthew opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out at first. “I... just came to check if you’re ready to start?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m ready.” Alfred waved him away. “Let Yao know so we can begin.”
Matthew left him after bowing, leaving him to deal with the surging emotions that were threatening to sabotage his good mood. He tried to think of the things that normally cheered him up, like the food that was waiting for him after the ceremony was complete. Yao had arranged a gigantic buffet, filled with all sorts of goodies from around the world. There was even drink bowls that were full of his favourite soda, chocolate fountains, dishes full of marshmallows and sweet fruits to dip them in. Every flavour of ice cream imaginable, and all of the toppings, and of course his absolute favourite burgers in the world, mountains of them. There was going to be a huge party afterwards, with streamers, music, coloured lights, and lasers. There was even going to be a firework display once the sun had set, and then even more food brought in. Yes, it was working, it was bringing a smile to his face, along with some drool that made it past his lips.
The sound of the Grand Clock loudly announcing the time, as well as the start of the ceremony, made him sit up, quickly wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his coat. The crowds began to quiet down and all of the focused upon him. Behind his throne his Nine Knights stood to attention, all dressed in their ceremonial garbs, standing guard in case anything went wrong. Yao stood before a podium, looking over his shoulder to check on him, before returning his attention to the masses.
“Esteemed guests. Ladies and gentlemen. I thank you all for travelling this far to bear witness to the Queen’s Succession Ceremony of the Spade Kingdom.” He paused as everyone applauded, waiting for it eventually cease. “Our King, Alfred F. Jones II, will use the very threads of fate to lead him to the identity of his Queen. For those of you unaware, the King will enter the realm of time, where only he and his sacred bloodline are able to enter. He will vanish from our sight, but worry not for he will still be present, seeking out the golden thread of fate. Once he returns with the thread, it will reveal a name upon this very parchment,” -he pointed at a table where a parchment rested- “which was crafted from the ancient trees that only grow on upon the Mountain of Time. Once the name appears, revealing the identity of his Queen, the Queen’s Insignia will appear upon body of whomever name has appeared. I will then announce their name to you all. If we are lucky, they might be here in this very chamber. If not, then we will use the Map of Suites to reveal their location in the world. The Queen will then be collected by the Second and Third of Spades, and brought here to be crowned before you all. By the time this ceremony concludes, I invite you all to welcome our new Queen, whomever they may be.”
Everyone applauded as Yao concluded his induction speech, the Jack stepping aside as it was now time for Alfred to say his piece. Rising from his throne he approached the podium, standing before his people who continued to clap their hands for him. He could see the other Courts amongst the crowds, media crews focusing their cameras on him, children waving small flags as they sat upon their parents shoulders. It was quite a sight, and made him forget his past concerns.
Raising his hands to silence the crowds, he cleared his throat before he addressed them. “It’s great to see you all, and I thank you all for coming to support me on this awesome day. Hopefully once I’m done, I would’ve chosen an amazing Queen who will aid me to continue ruling over our mighty kingdom.” He paused as everyone applauded once again, along with loud cheers of excitement. “According to the ancient legends, when the first King of Spades was tasked to seek out his Queen, he followed the threads of fate to seek them out. Thus as tradition dictates, I will do as all my predecessors have done. I will venture into the realm of time and seek out the thread of fate that will lead me to my Queen. I only hope I don’t take too long.” There was some laughter that followed after that remark, and Yao could only roll his eyes discreetly. “So wish me luck, and I’ll be right back!”
Once more there was applause, and Alfred waved to his people as he stepped away from the podium. His heart was thumping in anticipation, he could feel everyone’s eyes locked on him, and his desire to entertain them was fuelling his eagerness to do just that. Entering the realm of time was something only the King of Spades could do, and he was thankful that he had practised many times before the ceremony. Normally he would’ve been taught by the previous King... but he had to rely on ancient texts and the tutors who aided him in honing his skill. Without them, he wouldn’t be able to be here today. Unfortunately there was no light show spectacle when doing this, he was just going to literally vanish into thin air before everyone, which was a little disappointing, but at least he could do it without breaking a sweat.
Taking a deep breath, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the Ace of Spades, which bore the appearance of an elaborate pocket watch with the Spade Symbol etched into it. Grasping it in his hand, he focused on the sound of the ticking, watching the hands move across the velvet blue face, feeling the very flow of time pass through him. Around him the colours began to merge and blur, the music playing sounded stretched and distorted, and everything felt far off yet incredibly close at the same time. It was like gravity became jumbled up around him, and for a second he couldn’t tell if he was standing up, or upside down. It was like he was spinning but still all at once, it’d make anyone feel sick and vomit. The only way Alfred could describe it was it was like riding in a roller coaster with a blindfold on, but you knew which way the car would turn. He focused hard until he found his footing and everything became still.
He opened his eyes.
It looked like he was still in the ceremonial chamber, however he was completely alone and everything appeared differently. There was no light shining in through the windows, there was no colour upon the walls or furniture, instead it looked like he was surrounded by a midnight sky that was twisted and wrong. The walls looked like they were forged from living breathing galaxies, small void pockets that made his eyes feel like they were going numb just by looking at them, shapeless objects that broke apart only to reform and then merge with other objects. Stairs that lead to doors that hung in the air, twisting around and were pretty much impossible to walk on. It was like a surreal painting that even the artist who painted it wouldn’t be able to make heads or tales of it.
Walking out of a nearby door, he found himself able to see most of what the realm truly looked like. The Realm of Time was a maze of distorted paths and ludicrous stairways, hanging above a sea that constantly tossed and turned, and an endless void that hung above it. Walkways that lead to somewhere and nowhere both above and below, towers that shrunk and grew, gears and clockwork parts that were built into practically everything, their function either to serve the flow of time or do nothing at all. To anyone it would look like a beautiful nightmare where you weren’t certain whether to be enchanted or afraid. Alfred was confused when he came here the first time, but his later visits made him appreciate the beauty of this place, until he eventually grew used to it all. All he could say was that he doubted any professional painter he’d bring here wouldn’t be able to capture its bewildering beauty.
Peering over a ledge he was near, he could just make out someone else walking through the realm, close enough for him to see but too far away from him to call out to.
“It must be a King from the past... or future?”
According to his notes, and many texts he had read, there was always a chance where he might encounter a King from either the distant past or the far off future, wandering around this realm for whatever reason that may be, maybe seeking out their own Queen or seeking answers to questions that had none. If he was lucky, or unlucky, he might end up coming face to face with one, and they’d either ask him questions or offer advice. It was suggested to him that if he encountered any of them, he should ignore them until he had grown a little more wiser, and he wasn’t certain if that was genuine advise or a hidden insult.
“Alright, let’s get this over and done with,” he declared to himself, clapping his hands.
There was a light source that was all around him, and it was only light source in the entire realm. It was coming from the very thing that Alfred was looking for. High above him, hanging from the ceilings and draping over the walls, golden webbing was strung up everywhere, where small creatures could be seen crawling over them.
“No matter how many times I see them, these chrononarids creep me out.” He couldn’t resist shuddering.
Chrononarids looked like large spiders that were about the size of an adult hand, and were one of the few creatures native to the realm. They scurried around on twelve legs that looked like they were made out of brass, attached to a small body which bore twelve eyes above its twitching fangs. It’s oversized abdomen looked an awful lot like a tinted blue rose, only the petals were just flaps of its hard exoskeleton that flexed to make it look like it was constantly blooming. When they were still, anyone would mistake them for an out of place rose. In fact some of the golden webbing had many of them crawling about on them, and it looked strangely beautiful to see these rose-like creatures resting upon the threads of fate.
According to scholars, these creatures were created to forge the threads of fate, using them to build the very destiny of the material world. A single strand in their webbing could either hold a prosperous life for an ordinary man, or their ultimate downfall. Binding the fates of individuals together in an eternal tapestry, each strand that crossed paths with another strand depicting the lives that came into contact with each other, wether it was a good encounter or a bad one. You could practically read the destiny of the entire universe with this thread, only it was believed it would take at least five lifetimes in order to even perceive what one thread lead to.
Alfred was here for one reason, and to do it he was going to have to do something that made him cringe. Grimacing, he held out his hand and presented before one of the chrononarids. “Come here, little guy.”
The creature paused its work and stared at him, its twelve eyes swirled with various colours he couldn’t make out. He almost squeaked in fear when it hopped onto his hand, crawling around his arm a few times before resting upon his palm. It tucked away it’s legs and the folds of skin on its back fully opened until it looked like Alfred was holding a rose and not a large creepy crawly. From the centre of the rose like abdomen of the creature, a single golden thread suddenly emerged.
“My fate.”
The notes had informed him that holding the chrononarid would make it reveal to him his own thread of fate, the very tool he needed to seek out his Queen. His thread was then pulled by some invisible force, leading up one of the twisted stairways.
“Okie dokie, let’s get this over with.”
Taking care where he walked, he followed his thread. Every now and then he’d find it tangled with another, and he’d gently stroke the thread where it met with the other. It’d present him with a brief glimpse of what this joining of the threads meant, and this one displayed a mere second where he was certain he was talking with Francis. The next one showed him speaking with Yao. The next one was with a servant. Another with a cat. A man with red hair. A crying little girl. An elderly woman. They were all very brief and he even though he was certain he witnessed them, he was unable to recall what he had seen. He also wasn’t certain if this was the past, the future, or a completely different timeline.
He continued walking through the realm, following his thread of fate to wherever it would take him. It felt like hours had passed. The thread was leading him all over the place, and he was certain he had passed through the same corridor a few times. His stomach growled and his feet were getting sore.
“The book said I’d know when I see it,” he sighed. “I wish it would explain what the hell that meant! I mean, for all I know, I could’ve-...”
It was then that he suddenly noticed something, or rather he heard something.
“...singing?”
It was distant but he was certain he could hear someone singing. His first thought was that it was another King, but his instincts were telling him that it was something else. Glancing at his thread he could see it lead in the direction of the singing, so he continued to follow it, hoping he was close to his goal. Passing through rooms that made little to no sense, climbed and descended unforgiving stairways, crossing over confusing bridges of unmeasurable length, the singing grew louder and louder. He noticed that even though it was getting louder, it was muffled. It sounded like a young woman, or possibly a child, he couldn’t quite tell.
He continued following the song, noticing that his thread was starting to glow a little brighter. This could only mean that he was getting closer, so he picked up the pace. Turning a corner, he yelped when he almost fell into the unforgiving abyss below him. Taking a step back he found himself staring at what used to be a bridge that had collapsed into ruin. To see something like this was odd, as everything in this realm was functioning in its own bewildering way. On the other side of the bridge, he found himself staring at what looked like a barren landmass that was completely smothered in a swirling darkness, save for one small source of light that was slowly receding into the dark territory before him.
“Is that... it?”
Gently waving about in the air, a single strand of thread was slowly disappearing into the darkened land across the bridge, the muffled singing was coming from it. That had to be it, that just had to be the thread connected to his Queen, he could feel it in his gut. Alfred looked at his own thread and could see that it was reaching out for the other, but couldn’t seem to pass over the bridge to reach it for some reason.
“Dammit, now what?”
Alfred wanted to get this over and done with, he couldn’t be damned to look at his notes to see what was going on in this current situation. He decided he was going to do this his own way. Placing the chrononarid down, he took a few steps back.
“I can make that. It’s just a small gap... over a never ending pit of time and space.”
Pushing all doubt out of his mind, he forced himself forward with all his might, sprinting towards the collapsed bridge with no fear and leaped over it. Time seemed to slow down as he flew through the air, desperately reaching out for the safety of the other side. He barely made it as his feet landed near the crumbling edge, waving his arms frantically to regain his balance. Once he was safe, he looked up and saw the thread, almost smothered by the darkness. Without thinking he reached out and grabbed it.
“Gotcha!”
He pulled it with all his might... but then it pulled back.
“What?”
Was it supposed to do that? He pulled it again, only it felt like something was pulling it back towards the darkness.
“What the hell!?”
With all his strength he pulled the thread towards him, determined to complete his task. It was like tug of war with an invisible force, and he was intent on winning.
“I’m... going... to do... this!” he grunted with each pull.
Then with one final tug, he managed to pull the thread out of that dark land, the golden string suddenly wrapping itself around his finger. He raised his hand and watched as the thread formed into a golden ring, emitting a gentle glow. The singing had stopped, and Alfred could only stare at at his hand. It couldn’t quite explain it but his hand suddenly felt warm, like someone was holding it.
“I did it? I did it!”
He had found the thread of his Queen. Now all he had to do was return to the ceremonial chamber in the material world and use it to reveal the name of his Queen to the world.
“That actually wasn’t that hard,” he laughed, glancing over the bridge to see that the chrononarid was staring at him, it’s eyes blinking out of sync. “Thanks the help, little guy.” It felt odd thanking the spider like creature, but Alfred felt like he had to.
He reached into his pocket to pull out the Ace of Spades, ready to return to his own realm... and it was then that he felt it... a sudden wash of bitter cold crashing into him... a sense of frightful dread... it was like something made of pure malice had just took hold of his very core.
Something... was standing behind him.
Alfred gulped as beads of sweat ran down his brow. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, his skin breaking out in goosebumps. The atmosphere felt like something one would experience in a nightmare, and for some reason he felt like he was actually in one. Holding his breath, he cautiously looked over his shoulder, uncertain what he was going to see.
Standing within the dark land, staring at him with illuminated and unforgiving eyes, was the silhouette of what looked like a woman.
Alfred could feel the chills running up his spine as he stared at her, trying to figure out what he was looking at. Was it another creature native to this realm? Or was it a past or future King? If it was none of those, then what the hell was it, and why was it here? His notes never mentioned anything like this.
The woman stepped forward, her steps sounded wet and sloppy as if she had just crawled out of lake. She was reaching towards him, her eyes focusing on him. She then spoke, her voice sounded strained and raspy.
“I do this out of love.”
Alfred took a step back. “H-hey there, lady. Who are you?”
She took another step.
“I do this out of love.”
Alfred could feel his legs getting weak, his heart racing out of fear. “Are you ok? What do you want?”
“I do this out of love.”
She was almost on top of him.
The way she reached out to him... the way she stared at him... it couldn’t be... it couldn’t be her. It just couldn’t be, there was no way that it was her! Alfred jolted and took another step back, only for him to fall backwards as the floor behind him gave way. He cried out as for a split second he found himself falling through the air, and then suddenly he found himself upon a floor, gasping for air as if he had just emerged from a pool of water.
He vision was blurred but for a moment, and soon he was able to make out the familiar ceiling above him. Shortly afterwards, a pale face with golden eyes came into view.
It was Yao, the Jack appearing concerned for his King. “Alfred, are you alright?”
Sitting up abruptly, Alfred found he was now back in the ceremonial hall. Everyone was staring at him out of concern, the sound of worried murmurs echoing around him. His heart was still racing out of fear after what he encountered, but he quickly jumped up and tried to act like nothing was wrong.
“I’ve returned everybody,” he declared with a triumphant tone, gesturing for Yao to continue on with the ceremony.
Yao gave the signal for the ceremonial guards to play some fanfare, which lead to a loud applause from the crowds. As that went on, he approached Alfred to check on him.
“Are you alright? You look pale. What happened?”
“I’m fine,” insisted Alfred, forcing on a smile, “how long was I gone?”
“Around five minutes.”
Five minutes!? It felt like hours.
“You have the thread?” Alfred displayed the golden ring, causing Yao to sigh with relief. “Excellent, let us conclude this part of the ceremony.”
Yao approached the podium and raised his hands to silence the crowds once more. “Esteemed guests, ladies and gentlemen. The King has returned with the thread!”
There was more applause.
“Now he will use it to reveal the name of his Queen.” He gestured Alfred to step forward.
Alfred took a deep breath. This was it. He was finally going to get the identity of his Queen. He was finally going to have one. Forgetting the horror he encountered in the realm of time, he approached the podium where the blank parchment awaited. As he placed his hand upon it, the ceremonial guard started a drumroll, and everyone held their breath in anticipation. Alfred watched as the golden ring seeped off his hand, sinking into the parchment like it was ink. At first it looked like a golden ink stain, but soon words began to form.
Yao read them out as they appeared. “I, King Alfred F. Jones, have chosen my Queen through the threads of fate, and reveal their name to be...”
Alfred’s heart almost stopped as the ink slowly formed a name. Once the name had appeared, he read it in his mind... and he was utterly shocked when he realised who it was. Both he and Yao stared at it, and then looked at each other, the pair of them clearly thinking the same thing, before they looked back at the name. The drumroll had already ended, and everyone remained silent as they awaited for the name to be called out.
Composing himself, Yao called out the name of the Queen of Spades,
“...Arthur Kirkland.”
What was supposed to happened was the ceremonial guard would play another fanfare and the crowds would cheer to hear the name of their a Queen. Instead the ceremonial hall was filled with a chorus of gasps, the shattering of dropped wine glasses, stewards dropping their trays of food, the ceremonial guard playing their instruments out of tune for a brief moment before they stopped from the shock. Even a few of the knights dropped their ceremonial swords in surprise.
Alfred could only stare at the name in disbelief. “A Kirkland?”
There wasn’t a single person who didn’t know who the Kirkland's were. They were a noble family with a long and rich heritage spanning across the ages, and they were also powerful and influential in the business world. They owned many corporations, ran numerous businesses from retail and leisure facilities to pharmaceutical factories, there wasn’t a single trade they weren’t involved in, and they were believed to be more wealthy than the any of the royal families. Their corporate empire stretched across the four kingdoms, so there was no excuse for not knowing who they were. They even had their own private merchant navy they used to transport their goods all over the world.
However, despite all of that, that wasn’t the thing that made them stand out from the other powerful families with similar backgrounds. What made them stand out... was that they were a family of witches.