8/11/2016

Ugh. I'm so mad. I wanted to put everything in one chapter but of course I ended up writing wayyy too much (if kept together the chapter would have been over 15k words long and counting) so I had to split it up. I have almost the whole next chapter written out as a result, which is good news for all you readers because that means it'll be out sooner than my updates have been of late.

So enjoy this chapter in the meantime! Can't wait to see how you guys react to everything. Love all the reviews, favs, and follows, you guys are the best :)

I don't own Hetalia.

-o0o-

Spades Castle

The Wormhole shot Alfred out of its vortex like a bullet from a gun; he hit the ground hard, landing on his right side and rolling over several times before sliding to a stop. But he staggered to his feet and was sprinting down the hallway before Bejing's magic had even closed in on itself.

He pelted down the corridor, not giving himself the time to think about where he was going. He couldn't afford the time, honestly. He had to get away from Spades as fast as he could if he was going to have any hope of surviving.

Eventually he found himself on the first floor of Spades Castle, in the middle of the courtyard where he shot the Iron Bow. Here, he ducked behind a pillar and leaned on his shaking knees to gasp for air.

He could barely process what the hell had just happened. All of the Triumvirates now knew he was the Wild Card. Alfred's stomach lurched; Arthur knew. Holy Ace, what was Alfred going to do now?!

Alfred shook his head violently. Forget Arthur, the whole world was out to get him! It didn't matter if it was his friends from Hearts or Russia of Clubs. If anyone found him, they would kill him or torture him for his abilities. He would end up dead within a month either way.

The realization turned Alfred's blood to ice. The tremors in his legs increased and he struggled to breathe normally.

He couldn't do this, not now. There would be plenty of time to freak out later. First he needed to escape. He needed Artemis.

He was out of breath again by the time he reached the stable. He'd been prepared to grab whatever he needed to ride Artemis and flee as quickly as possible. What he hadn't expected was Simon Amuls, sitting cross-legged in front of the stable entrance.

Simon scrambled to stand once he caught sight of Alfred, panting and sweaty from sprinting. He asked, looking alarmed, "Alfred, what the hell happened to you?"

Alfred's heart hammered in his chest. He was glad Simon had recovered enough from the Clubs infiltration mission to be put on duty, but right now he was the last person Alfred wanted to see. Rather than explain, he grounded out, "I need my horse."

Simon bit his lip. "Sorry, Alfred, but no one is allowed inside for the time being. Jack China's orders."

Alfred grit his teeth so hard it hurt. He didn't have time for this! "Simon. If I don't leave Spades right now, I will die. I cannot stay here. I need Artemis so I can leave."

Simon's mouth fell open and he blinked stupidly at Alfred.

"Simon!" Alfred hissed, panic rising like bile in his throat. "I know I'm not a Spade and you have no reason to believe me, but-"

He stopped. Simon was holding out his gun, a set line of resignation in the downturns of his mouth.

"Take it," Simon ordered and Alfred did so automatically. "Just, please, don't hit me too hard? I'm still healing from Clubs."

What was he talking about? "I don't-"

"I'm letting you go!" Simon said with a roll of his eyes. "C'mon, Alfred. You're smart enough to figure that out."

"B-but," Alfred faltered. "Why would you do that?! You'll be fired!"

Simon shrugged, then said in a teasing tone, "Consider it payment for not letting you go as easy the first time we met. Remember? You were with the Queen and I gave you a hard time for entering his room."

"You've got to be joking," Alfred said. Of course he remembered. He'd thought Simon was a total ass. But that had absolutely nothing to do with the current situation at hand!

Simon scratched his chin. "Well. That and the fact that you did just save my life back in Clubs. Besides, you're a good person, Al. I learned that much after all the time we spent together. If you say you need to leave Spades to live, I'm going to help you. I would never let my friend die if I could help it."

A surge of warmth for the guard left Alfred nearly speechless. He swallowed thickly. "I- thank you. For what it's worth, I'm sorry for anything that happens to you because of me."

Simon gave him a tight-lipped smile. "I'm prepared for it, but thanks. Good luck, Alfred. I hope we meet again soon."

"Same here. You're a good guy, Simon."

Alfred swung Simon's gun and hit his friend in the back of his head. Simon fell forward but Alfred caught him before he could hit the ground and placed him gently on the ground. He was putting Simon's gun back on his belt when he caught a glimpse of Simon's sword. He bit his lip, hesitating, before grabbing it. He was going to need a way to protect himself.

Not even five minutes later he was lying flat on Artemis' back, eyes squinted against the vicious wind.

He really was blessed to have such good friends. One day, he would make it up to them.

-o0o-

Alhliða, center of No-Man's-Land

At first, Alfred hadn't known where to go. He couldn't bring himself to return to Hearts. And he'd promised to leave Spades. So he just kept pushing Artemis to go faster, faster, until finally they were flying past Spades boarders and hurdling deep into No-Man's-Land territory.

No-Man's-Land had always been a place of legend and mystery. The land changed as it saw fit without an Ace to keep it in check. One day there would be mountains off in the distance, the next day it was a dessert. No person ever claimed to have seen the same scenery twice.

There were only two exceptions to this fact.

The first was Alhliða. Throughout the Kingdoms' history, Alhliða never moved from the center of No-Man's-Land. However, it took travelers different amounts of time to get there depending on their path and the changes in the land's geography. The other exception, naturally, was Alfred himself.

Alfred never had any problems crossing through No-Man's-Land. If he wanted to find something there, like a certain flower for Hearts' healers or bring Artemis to fresh water after a hard day of riding, he was able to stumble across it within minutes. He never really understood why other people had such issues with No-Man's-Land when it had always been welcoming to him.

The answer came to him suddenly as his face pressed against Artemis' whipping mane. He let out a breathless laugh and bit his lip hard enough to draw blood to keep himself from crying.

He was the Wild Card. This place couldn't trick him like everyone else because he had no Tattoo, no influence, no Kingdom where his loyalties lay. He was just like No-Man's-Land in that sense.

Artemis slowed without warning. Alfred leaned around her neck to see a clearing between the thick trees. When they broke through the forest, he was shocked to find they were in Alhliða.

It was totally different then when he had been here during the Gathering. Gone were all the venders, customers, food and decorations. Instead the town had an abandoned look about it; clouds cast the huts into shadows and fog drifted out of the alleyways.

Alfred shuddered. "Creepy," he muttered. He could feel Artemis' muscles tense beneath his legs and he frowned down at her. She kept shaking her head, a nervous behavior that only served to freak him out more.

He slid off her back and onto the pavement, deciding it would be best if he led her from now on. He didn't want to be on her if she started to buck.

He walked forward cautiously and made sure to look both ways before crossing an intersection. The path looked familiar, kind of the way stuff in real life sometimes reminded him of his dreams. Eventually, he came across a wide circular area. At the center was a grand water fountain. It was dry at the highest spout but the lower pools rippled with water.

He brought Artemis to the fountain and let her drink. Then he left her side to wander around the courtyard, wondering why this place kept giving him such a strong sense of déjà vu.

Alfred jolted, eyes widening involuntarily; he'd been here before, that's why it seemed so familiar! This was the location of the Gathering party. Gone was the food and lights and fairies, but it was the same place without a doubt. This was where he danced with Arthur for the first time-

He shut down the memory before it could finish taking form. He refused to think about Arthur right now. He said he would deal with his emotions later and he planned on sticking to that promise.

He breathed out slow and closed his eyes. He hadn't been in a right state of mind when he grabbed Artemis and ran. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to come here. The whole place emitted a type of eeriness that was impossible to shake off. If someone attacked him now he would have no idea what-

"So you came here."

Alfred stiffened, spun on his heel as his hand jumped to Simon's sword.

Prussia stood just a few feet away, arms crossed and an odd smile on his face. It was an unnerving expression, and his scarlet eyes seemed to glow through the fog.

Alfred didn't relax his pose. He'd learned not to trust the Jokers. "What do you want."

Prussia's tail curled back and forth. "Now there's a question."

Alfred bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from screaming in frustration. Impatience had always been a weakness of his. He couldn't let it control him now.

"The only thing I want is to be with my brother," Prussia said simply.

Surprise made Alfred lower his guard. "What? That's it?" That couldn't be all. It never was with the Jokers.

Prussia said with a click of his tongue, "Yep. That's it."

"But, then. Why would you go through all of this? Why would you bother helping me? My powers can't reconnect you with your family."

Prussia laughed. Shivers shot down Alfred's back, gooseflesh raising the hairs on his arms.

"You don't know anything!" Prussia gasped when he finally caught his breath. "Let me break it down for you, kid, before I get serious."

He started to circle Alfred, agonizingly slow, while explaining, "When I was a youngin once upon a time, I was a Heart, much like you. My parents died of illness and I was the only one left to care for my younger brother. One day men knocked on our door, told me to leave Hearts and never come back. I had to leave my only family or else they would remove me by force. I didn't see him again until he was a fully grown man."

Alfred kept his eyes trained on the Joker and made sure to never expose his back.

"I love him," Prussia said. "Loved him then, love him now. I'll love him in the next life, too. That's what it means to be a family, right?"

He stopped walking and faced Alfred head on. "That's what it all boils down to, doesn't it? Everyone just wants to remain forever with their loved ones. I'm no different. I want to be reunited with my brother, even if it means destroying the world and remaking it for my wish to come true."

He pointed at Alfred with one finger. "That's where you come in. I need you to destroy this world so it can be reborn. In the next world I'll be with my brother again and I'll never let anyone separate us ever again."

Alfred narrowed his eyes. "Did the Aces tell you that? You can't trust them. They'll backstab you whenever it benefits them."

Prussia grinned, revealing all teeth. "We have the same end goal. That's all I care about."

Alfred swallowed thickly. He didn't like where this was going. "So, when you say you want your brother back, but you need me to get him, you're really saying…"

"I'm saying I want you," Prussia said bluntly. "I want you to do what your powers were made for. What you were born for. It's all in the Plan, my Kingdomless friend. You can't change fate and every move we've made has been leading you to that moment."

Were people only ever interested in him for his powers?! Alfred clenched his jaw. He thought Prussia was being nice this whole time but apparently he was wrong.

"I don't care about destiny," he spat out at the Joker. "You can take the Plan and shove it, for all I care. You told me yourself that the Wild Card alters the Plan when no one else can. And that's what I'm going to do; I'm going to change the Plan. I will not destroy the Kingdoms. I won't do it!"

If he gave in and did what the Aces wanted, chaos would erupt and millions of people suffer. The end wouldn't come quick and painlessly. So Alfred couldn't rationalize erasing the Kingdoms' influence just because a few handful of citizens wanted a new start. Even if his friends hunted him down and killed him. Even if he was tortured for the rest of his life. He wouldn't do it.

Prussia's expression darkened. "You'll change your mind soon enough, Wild. What will you do when I bring the Kingdoms to you? Will you run forever?"

"I'll think of something," Alfred said even as his heart hammered with fear. Prussia had to be bluffing- right?

But when he looked into Prussia's eyes, he wasn't so sure. He could tell this was a person who was willing to do anything to get what he wanted. He recognized it in Prussia's expression just the way he did in the Ace's.

Which meant he was in serious danger right now.

Prussia took a step forward. Alfred's eyes latched onto the movement and he jumped backwards, hand on the hilt of his stolen sword.

Prussia chuckled and Alfred felt his muscles lock in place. The sound was…wrong, somehow. It was too high for Prussia's laugh. It grated on his ears like metal scrapping together.

"You still try to run, Wild?" Prussia asked.

"If someone is threatening my life, yeah." Alfred lowered himself into a defensive position, hand squeezing the sword's hilt until it hurt. "You can't kill me though; if you do everything you've done up until now will be for nothing."

Prussia blinked. Then, to Alfred's horror, his iris became a bright, unnatural blue. An explosion of azure light burst from his body and rippled through the air. Alfred raised his hands for protection but the light passed through him harmlessly with a gust of warm wind.

Alfred felt his lips part in a yell as he saw Prussia's body fall- but it disappeared into smoke before it could hit the ground. The smoke curled into the air with deliberate, gradual movements. Alfred watched, transfixed as it formed a head, complete with long hair, arms like spider legs and fingers too long to be human-

"You," Alfred said, heart in his mouth.

"Alfred," whispered the smoky form of the Ace of Spades. "You'll never escape, Alfred. You'll never be free-"

"No," Alfred said even as her voice echoed in his ears and around the courtyard. "You're- you're dead. You can't be here."

The form inched closer to him, as if carried by nonexistent breeze. "You can't kill an idea, Alfred. I will always be here, watching you. Guiding you."

"You can't tell me anything I'd want to hear." He took another step back. For the first time he noticed how thick the fog had become. He cast his gaze around, realizing that his surroundings had been swallowed by the fog while he'd been talking. He couldn't see anything beyond the Ace in front of him, he couldn't even hear Artemis lapping at the water anymore. Had this been the Ace's plan all along?

"Are you trying to trap me here?" Alfred tried his best to keep his voice even. He looked back at the Ace's grey figure. It was still flowing this way and that, like it couldn't keep its form. "Was Prussia even here or was that all you?"

"All will be revealed in time."

Bullshit. Alfred breathed heavily out his nose. The Ace was still creeping closer. He had to get away from her. Who knew what she would do to him if got her hands on him?

He backed up, slowly, matching her pace. He refused to turn his back on her, though. She looked like she was almost part of the fog herself. Would he pass through her too, if they made contact? Probably. Could that be his way out-?

He back hit a wall and just like that he was stuck. He glanced at the brick and back at the Ace with wide eyes. She smiled her cheshire grin.

Well. It was now or never.

"Maybe I can't get rid of you," he admitted, bracing himself against the wall. "But I can still destroy your form."

Bearing his teeth, gathering up his will to survive, he threw himself off the brick all and straight at the Ace's head.

He passed through her easily- she was literally just air- and scattered her from. He gasped at the sensation of being plunged into icy waters, but kept on running. The fog lessened and he was able to make out town houses as he sprinted down cobblestone streets.

The Ace's horrible laughter echoed all around him in the fog and followed him no matter how hard he ran.

"You will never escape!" she shrieked in his ears as he escaped Alhliða and passed into the town's surrounding forest. "Never! Never! Never-!"

Alfred grabbed a tree branch. He pressed a rush of hot energy into its bark and the forrest around him flared orange and yellow, melting into metallic shades of gold and silver-

The Ace's screech transformed midway into cold laughter.

"You think you can run?" this voiced hissed and Alfred immediately recognized the Ace of Diamond's piercing tone. "Run all you want, we will find you no matter where you run-"

No!

Alfred ducked, avoiding a group of low branches, and slid along the grass. This time everything changed to bright emerald. When he lurched to his feet to run again, the ground was coated in a fresh layer of snow.

Clubs, he thought, panting as the Diamond Ace faded away.

The voice this time was gleefully high pitched, "It will be oh so much fun to tear you apart! Won't you please stay still for just a little while?"

Alfred remembered black eyes like caves and endless darkness, like death, and shivers ran up his spine that had nothing to do with the cold.

He willed the land to transform once more. Finally, the dirt churned scarlet under his feet and the ice withered away under Hearts' presence. Red chased ahead of him through the path like the trees themselves were crying tears of blood.

"My boy," said the rich tone that belonged to the Ace of Hearts. "You belong to me, you were raised under the protection of my own influence. You cannot win. Accept your fate like a true warrior."

Alfred felt hot tears cascading down his cheeks. The air was stifling and burned in his throat as he gasped. Everything hurt, everything. Why couldn't these creatures just leave him alone-?!

His foot caught on a root, and then he was falling.

The earth rushed up to meet him and then he was tumbling over sharp rocks, at once realizing he was on a downward slope. He threw his arms up to protect his face as he rolled over, once, twice-

He didn't know how many times he'd been turned over by the time he slid to a painful stop. For a few moments, he just stayed where he was, too stiff and tried to move. His eyes stung and his cheeks were stiff with dried tears. He breathed heavily into the grass and blinked: it actually looked normal under his nose. The voices, too, had stopped. Was he finally alone?

Alfred slowly raised his head. He was in a small clearing, circular in shape with no obvious parting to reveal an exit route. He followed the line of tree trunks until they met a steep incline made out of charcoal stone. Out of the stone trickled a waterfall into a tiny pond.

Alfred felt a shock run through him; he knew this place. It was where he had first found Washington D.C.

He struggled to stand and rushed over to the pond. He dropped down on all fours at the water's edge, eyes desperately searching, praying, hoping.

His eyes caught a twinkle in the water and they widened involuntarily. Was that-?

He plunged his arm into the pond, ignoring the bone-cold temperature, grasping until he felt chains. In one swift movement, he pulled out the King of Spade's Eternal Implement from the pond's depth.

Alfred stared. The Spade-shaped clock glinted in the low light as water dripped off it into the grass. It was as beautiful as he had last seen it upon leaving it with Rica. But how had it found him?

He sat back and cradled the clock to his chest, trying to hold back a sob. If nothing else, at least he had this.

But why had the Eternal Implement come to him? What was it trying to say?

-o0o-

Spades- Palace in town of Qin

Arthur was numb as he listened to the other Triumvirates shouting among themselves. His fingers tingled and he stared at the spot Alfred had stood only minutes before, where the teen had dropped Beijing and disappeared into the darkness.

"I do not know where he has gone!" Yao snapped. "I never needed to know where the Wormhole opened up last because I was the only one able to use Beijing's power! It's pointless to even try now."

"Then you must have some inkling where the Wild Card went. You know him well, yes?" Russia radiated a cold, deadly aura as he spoke. It was the closest Arthur had seen him to revealing his true emotions.

Yao opened his mouth, shut it, and looked at Arthur who simply looked back. What was he supposed to say?

"You have nothing to say on the matter, England?" Japan asked, voice trembling with rage.

His tone caused Arthur to snap back into himself. He shot Japan a poisonous glare- he despised the tiny shrimp- and retorted, "Perhaps you know where he went, Japan, since you keep claiming he's your friend and all that. He was just my 'prisoner', after all."

Germany had to grab Japan's wrist to stop him from lunging forward. Yao gave Arthur a disapproving glance but Arthur couldn't bring himself to care. Alfred wasn't here to see Arthur's treatment of his childhood friend so what did it matter?

Arthur's heart sunk and he cast his eyes to the floor, unseeing. Alfred really was gone. He left Spades and was not coming back. He-

"It's obvious that the Wild Card is different now than when the Hearts Triumvirate lived with him," Hungary pointed out. "If anyone knows where he went, it would be Spades."

"We were not as close to him to know this," Yao said smoothly and Arthur did not outwardly react to the lie that was obvious to his ears only. "Even if we did know where he went, we wouldn't dare approach him. Remember what he said?"

If I see any of you ever again, I swear I'll neutralize you on the spot! I won't hesitate.

Alfred's words rang in Arthur's mind. He believed them.

"Regardless, someone must find him," Austria said as he pushed his glasses up his nose. "Maybe the best course of action is for Spades to locate the Wild Card first. After we can form a plan together on how to capture him."

Arthur felt his muscles tense as Austria spoke. He didn't dare look at Yao, least his thoughts be read by the others.

"That is a perfect plan." Russia beamed. His murderous air had subsided. "Spades finds the Wild Card and then we shall convene just as before. It is the most peaceful solution."

Peaceful, my arse, Arthur thought as he grit his teeth.

Germany nodded. "I agree. After all, Alfred will have most likely gone to Spades if there are certain matters he needs to finish before truly disappearing. It will be easier for Spades to find him then any of the other Kingdoms."

Russia clapped his hands together gleefully. "Excellent! Then it is decided: Spades and Diamonds will search for the missing Wild Card and let us know once he is found."

"What?! We never agreed to this!" Vash stood by the door, from which Francis and Lily had been carried through to the nearest healers. They were now being treated for their injuries though Arthur could not begin to fathom how serious Ace inflicted injuries were.

Hungary said flatly, "You don't have a choice. If you don't find the Wild Card, we will have to assume you are hiding him for your own goals."

Russia hummed. "I believe forty-two hours is long enough to locate the boy. Otherwise we will simply have to enter your Kingdoms and search for ourselves. Unfortunately, our men will not be as careful in finding the Wild Card as I'm sure yours will be."

Yao gaped at the Hearts and Clubs Triumvirate. "This is insane," he said quietly in disbelief. Arthur felt his stomach twist in horror at the daunting task.

"We can't look through our entire Kingdoms in two days," Vash said, face white as porcelain.

Russia smiled his fake smile. "Then I suppose you better get the word out to your citizens. Time is ticking, as the Spades say!"

-o0o-

Spades Castle- King and Queen Room

"Yao, I don't know how we are going to survive this," Arthur said hours later as he stared down at his empty hands. He wholly ignored the cup of tea Yao placed on the table in front of him before sitting at his side.

Yao reached over and squeezed Arthur's hands with his own. "We will. We always do."

Arthur shook his head. "This is different. This is- is unprecedented. How can we prevail and save our Kingdom with war at our doorstep?"

"We have already dispatched en to search for Alfred within the Castle and spread word for his capture. We will find him soon, I'm sure of it."

Arthur shook his head. He couldn't displace the sense of crushing despair hanging over him. "What if he left the Kingdom? Hearts and Clubs won't believe us. They will attack and everything will be destroyed. Yet if we find Alfr-" He stopped short, words stuck in his throat. He took a deep breath and started again, "Even if we find the Wild Card, we must hand him over and Hearts and Clubs will benefit regardless."

Yao's brow furrowed, a deep frown gracing his lips. "Arthur-"

There was a loud knock from the door. They both looked towards the sound, then each other.

Yao sighed and rose. "I'll just be a moment." He left.

Arthur clenched his fingers into white-knuckled fists. He wanted to be angry. He wanted to rage at the world and destroy everything he could touch. Yet he could not move. Instead of fury, he only felt a horrible helplessness and emptiness. His shoulders shook and he closed his eyes to block out the world for a brief minute.

When he opened them, three people stood in front of him.

A jolt of surprise caused him to sit up straight. He said in a questioning tone, "Toris. What are you doing here?" His gaze slid over to the girl with long dark hair and golden brown skin. Her face was oddly familiar, and suddenly he was in the Spades Capital Town with Alfred, who was hugging the girl and smiling without a care in the world-

He stomped down the memory. He spoke as calmly as he could manage, "And you are one of the Capital citizens, yes?"

"Yes, Your Highness," the girl said with a slightly unsteady curtsy. "I work here as a seamstress now."

"Ah. Of course. And what business do you have here?"

Toris and the girl shared a guilty glance and then Toris nodded grimly. Arthur narrowed his eyes. What was going on?

The girl said somewhat awkwardly, "Well. Your Highness, I am good friends with Alfred Jones. He gave me something important to hold on to before he parted for Clubs. He told me if anything were to happen to him, I was supposed to hand it over to the Spades Triumvirate."

"Oh?" Arthur leaned forward, curious despite himself. "And you decided to hand it over now upon hearing that my men are searching for him?"

The girl- Rica, Arthur's memory supplied- swallowed. "Um. No, not exactly. The thing is, it disappeared. I swear I didn't lose it! I've had it on me since Alfred gave it to me. But today- one moment the weight of it was dragging my pocket down and the next it wasn't. It was gone, just like that. I wasn't sure who to go to, but Toris said- he said I should come to you."

Arthur frowned at Toris who looked back solemnly. Arthur couldn't tell what he was thinking at all.

Yao spoke slowly, "This object you speak of must be involved in magic. That is the only possible explanation of its disappearance. Sometimes magical objects attach themselves to certain places or creatures and return to them if moved." His hand moved to clutch his Eternal Implement.

Arthur agreed, "Yes, but such things are incredibly rare." He turned back to Rica, who fidgeted where she stood. "What exactly was it you lost?"

Rica stuttered, "It was- um. It was Washington D.C. The King of Spades' Eternal Implement."

Arthur's mouth fell open and the teacup shattered, sending bits of tea and broken porcelain across the table.

No one moved to clean up the mess. The leftover silence was heavy and deafening. Arthur leaned back in his chair and pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. He was officially done with surprises. He wasn't sure how many more his heart could handle before giving in for good.

"You are sure it was the real Eternal Implement?" Yao's voice broke through the tense atmosphere.

"Yes," Rica said. Her tone left no room for argument.

"I doubt she would be here if it was anything else," Arthur said. "The real question is why did he have it?"

Rica was calm now as she spoke, "I only discovered it was the King's Eternal Implement once Alfred had parted for Clubs. I never got the chance to ask him anything other than if it was real."

And obviously Alfred had said it was. Washington D.C. had been missing for over a year. One of Arthur's top priorities up until the Gathering had been to bring it back under protection for the next King. That was unnecessary now, it seemed.

"So he either stole it, took it from someone who stole it, or found it someplace after entering Spades," Arthur reasoned.

"Alfred wouldn't steal!" Rica snapped, her mouth turned down in a snarl. "He's not that kind of person!"

A spike of irritation bubbled up inside him. "And what would you know of his character?" Arthur retorted as he rose from his seat. "Of his nature, his intentions? He's barely been here long enough for you to consider him your friend!"

"Friendship has nothing to do with time and everything to do with the matters of the heart!" she countered hotly. "Alfred is my friend, no matter how long I've known him! And as his friend, I know he's a good person. He got me my job here after I told him it was my dream to work in the Castle. He always made time to see me no matter how busy he was. He trusted me to keep hold of that clock, even though it was obviously important to him! It doesn't matter how he got it because there's no way he did anything bad to get it. Nothing you can say can convince me otherwise!"

"Yet he didn't trust you enough to tell you it was the Eternal Implement!" Arthur spit back at her.

"That's because he knew how dangerous it was! He was trying to spare me from choosing between him and my Kingdom." She took a large, shuddering breath. Her chocolate eyes were glassy. "I wish he hadn't, though. I wish I- I wish I was a good enough friend that he would've known I would choose him."

Arthur clenched his jaw so hard his teeth hurt. He was ready to scream and rage at this fiery, blunt girl who stood tall in front of him, but no words rose to his lips. He had no comeback. Why? He could easily prove her wrong by pointing out how Alfred lied to her about his true identity. But what would that prove? She had already said he hadn't told her the whole truth to keep her safe.

Did he have no answer because in some horrible twist of fate, she was right?

Arthur stilled. No. That was impossible. Alfred was- he had flat out lied. Lied to Arthur, lied to Toris and Matthew and Rica and the entire world. How can anything else about the boy Arthur knew as compassionate, wide-eyed and full of life be true?

This girl in front of him seemed to reject that logic, however.

Arthur gazed at Rica, her hands in fists and tears in her eyes. It was painfully clear that she didn't care what Alfred was hiding. Because she claimed she knew who Alfred was deep down past all of his secrets. She saw Alfred as his kind actions and considerate nature.

A pang of despair resonated in his heart. How could she just throw away everything else Alfred was hiding? Was it blind love for Alfred? Was it because she cared about him more than Arthur did?

Fury turned his hands to claws as he gripped the table. No! That was not possible! Alfred was Arthur's friend before anyone else's, he was-

He recoiled, shocked at his immediate, passionate response. Then he laughed brokenly and covered his face with one hand. He ignored the worried faces of Toris, Rica and Yao and turned his thoughts inward.

Alfred still mattered to him in some capacity. No matter how hard he tried to ignore his own feelings, his attachment to the golden haired teen was undeniable. Even after discovering Alfred was the Wild Card, Arthur shielded him from Russia. And he refused to let Hearts kill Alfred despite the fact that it was the most peaceful solution.

If he couldn't kill Alfred, what could he do? Ignore everything Alfred had done, try to somehow protect him? Arthur snorted. He doubted that was possible. Hearts and Clubs would storm Spades the instant Arthur found Alfred.

But all of that was just details, really. Only one question really mattered, and Arthur had been trying to avoid it as soon he found out Alfred wasn't the Jack of Hearts. Yet he knew he had to face it now.

Did Arthur still care about Alfred as his friend? Did he want to continue their relationship? If that was true, nothing else mattered. Arthur had so few friends that it was in his nature to go to the end of the world to save them regardless of risk. That was how much he valued his bonds with those he loved.

Arthur felt something break someplace deep inside of him and he knew his answer. All of his confusion melted away and everything was clear.

His body began to shake with suppressed laughter. It was so obvious. It was so bloody obvious, he couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before and that it took this servant girl standing in front of him to understand.

"Arthur?" Yao asked with alarm but Arthur shook his head and waved a hand to show he was fine.

"I'm a fool," he muttered with a low chuckle. "I'm a bloody fool."

Of course he still cared about Alfred. He was in all likelihood the most important person in Arthur's life; he became Arthur's friend because he simply wanted to, choose Arthur who nobody wanted before he had gained the title of Queen. Thus it was not surprising that of all his relationships, Arthur valued Alfred above all else.

It made sense now why the truth of Alfred's magic had upset him so. It was going to change everything about their bond and pull their friendship to a breaking point. But it didn't change the fact that Arthur loved Alfred.

Alfred was not aware of that indisputable fact, though.

Arthur's giddiness fell away at once, replaced by suffocating fear. Alfred was alone. Arthur had abandoned him. He had let Alfred think Arthur hated him. How could he possibly rebound from that? He had to find Alfred, tell him the truth before it was too late-

"Arthur!" Yao hissed. "If you don't tell me what you're thinking right now I swear to all the Aces-"

"We have to find Alfred, Yao!" Arthur interrupted urgently.

"Yes, we've already come to that conclusion a long time ago!"

"No, I mean-" Arthur struggled to form words. "- I have to find him and apologize."

"What?!" Yao, Toris and Rica cried out simultaneously.

Arthur let out a long breath between his teeth. "I've been an absolutely horrid friend to him. I don't- even if he is the Wild Card, Alfred was my friend first. Rica is right. He would never destroy the world if he could help it, it's in his personality to be the hero, remember? I cannot believe I didn't see it before."

Yao's worry melted into relief as Rica said, "I still don't understand. What's the Wild Card?"

Toris didn't say anything, setting off alarm bells in Arthur's head. He gave Yao a pointed look and said to Rica, "You have been a great help, Miss Rica. I have to ask you to leave now, but thank you for everything."

She gaped. "I didn't-" but Yao steered her out of the room before she could say anything else.

"Toris," Arthur said. Toris was suddenly very interested in the wallpaper and said, "Hm?"

He was going to have to force an answer, then. Arthur walked around the table and stood in front of Toris so the servant wouldn't have anywhere to hide. "Toris, I need a second opinion on this matter. Do you know what the Wild Card is?"

The servant grimaced. "Yes."

"You are aware that is what Alfred is, yes?" Arthur probed.

"…yes," Toris admitted.

"How did you find out?"

"Alfred, he…he told me himself before he left for Clubs, Your Highness."

Arthur paused to let the words sink in. So. Toris had known for quite some time what Alfred was, and the teen himself had confided in him. Genuinely curious, he asked, "Why did you not report him? You were part of the Clubs Royal Deck, I'm sure you must have had some idea of how important that information was."

Toris was looking more uncomfortable by the minute. "I cannot say anything to defend my actions except that I have the same mindset as Rica. Alfred is my friend and a good person. Had I told anyone the truth, Alfred would have been severely punished for deeds he would never in his right mind commit. He trusted me, so I trusted him."

He squared his shoulders. "I accept any penalty for keeping secrets from you and the Spades Kingdom, Your Highness." He bowed, as if expecting to be whipped.

Exasperated, Arthur said, "Toris, stand up. I won't hurt you for protecting him."

"You…won't?" Toris blinked.

Arthur heaved a sigh. "No. I understand the difficult position you were in and the judgement on your part. I agree with you, actually."

"I…what? I'm sorry, I do not understand."

Arthur ignored Toris' gape and began to pace. He needed to think out loud. Quickly, he said, "Alfred is the Wild Card. That fact is unquestionable. However, he is fundamentally a good person with moral standards. He would never destroy the Kingdoms or hurt others; he said as much himself. However, the other Kingdoms- Hearts and Clubs- don't care much for our convictions and want him dead as soon as possible. In all honestly, that is probably what the Wild Card Prophecy is referring to."

Yao, who had just entered the room, jumped in, "What do you mean, Arthur?"

Arthur gestured wildly with his hand. "The Prophecy states that the Wild Card will cause the end of the world, but it doesn't say how. Seeing the events unfold as they are, it is the dispute over the Wild Card is what will most likely drive Alfred to the point of removing the Kingdom's influence. You see? We are the ones that cause the end of the world, not Alfred- the Wild Card Prophecy is a self-fulfilling prophecy!"

He spun to face them, a grin so wide it was painful as it stretched across his face. "Alfred is no danger to us or any other Kingdom!"

Understanding bloomed in Yao's eyes and a slight smile graced his lips. "Yes, of course, it makes sense. That is certainly a relief to hear. I don't think the other Kingdoms will agree, though. And it won't fix the war at our borders," he finished with a defeated tone in his voice

Arthur's mind was whirling as he shook his head. "They don't have to agree, they just have to face the facts. If we can convince them of that, Alfred will be safe."

Yao raised his eyebrows. "And what facts are you talking about?"

Arthur tilted his head in Toris' direction. The servant squawks, "Me?"

"No, Toris, not you, specifically-" Why was this so damn difficult to explain? He started from the beginning, "What did Rica say about Washington D. C.?"

"That Alfred gave it to her."

"And what did Yao say about magical objects that disappear? Objects like the Eternal Implements."

"They attach themselves to people or places. And they return to them once removed-" Toris' eyes bulged and he breathed in. "-oh."

"Exactly," Arthur said with a smug sense of satisfaction. "The Eternal Implements are usually tested against noble youths because they can undergo the proper training to make them more suited for rule. But there are some rare occasions when the Eternal Implements disappear on their own to find the next heir instead of the other way around."

Toris says slowly, "So that would mean Washington D.C. found Alfred. Alfred is meant to be the next King of Spades."

Arthur nodded. "If we can explain that to the other Triumvirates, they will know that he cannot bear any ill will to the Kingdoms. As King, Alfred would understand the gravity of the situation, especially in regards to Spades. Washington D.C. would never have chosen him otherwise."

Toris said thoughtfully, "There's definitely some truth to that. Alfred even mentioned getting some weird visions a while back. One was definitely about Queen Elizabeth. He might have met the Ace of Spades in a dream as well."*

"That was probably a vision of the past," Yao concluded.

"Which is the King's power!" Arthur exclaimed. His head was spinning and he felt out of breath, giddy. "It all makes sense!"

"That doesn't mean Alfred will choose to become the King, Arthur," Yao pointed out. "If he refuses, he will keep his Wild Card powers and still be considered a threat by the other Triumvirates."

"I know. But I cannot force him to pick Spades. The most I can do is ask him to be a peace keeper like the Jokers. He will still be a threat but as long as he keeps out of the Triumvirates' grasps, he will be able to live as he pleases. And if I apologize to him he can move on knowing he is not hated and alone."

Yao pressed a hand to his chin, considering what Arthur had said. Arthur acknowledged, "It's not a perfect plan, of course. But you must admit it makes a damn good case."

"I suppose," Yao said with a long exhale. "It's risky, though."

Arthur half-shrugged. "This is what we were thinking of all along, correct? You believed we had a United Bond before I even brought up the subject. And what of you, Toris? Do you think Alfred will be King?"

Toris chewed his bottom lip. "Alfred…is a free spirit. He always liked to slip away and challenge the rules."

Arthur snorted, thinking of the Iron Bow and how Alfred wormed his way into the Clubs invasion. Alfred defied all logic. True to Toris' words, he never followed the path Arthur tried to set for him.

Toris continued, "Yet, he knows when to respect boundaries and follow orders. He never once tried to slip away from Spades because he promised Your Highness he would stay here. He always completed his servant duties. He cares for the townsfolk and treated all Castle guests with respect. He...didn't give up Washington D.C. or erase the Kingdom's influence even though he had many opportunities to do so. All of this tells me that he cares for Spades. I think Washington D.C. correct; I believe, personally, that Alfred would make an excellent King with some training."

That was precisely what Arthur wanted to hear. Everything Toris said confirmed his belief and he beamed as Yao followed the servant to the door.

"So. This is your master plan?" Yao asked after reentering the room. He massaged his temples. "Find Alfred, convince him to become King or peace keeper to the world, end the war before it begins?"

Arthur winced. It sounded rather simple when put that way. "Well. Generally, yes. But I won't force Alfred to choose Spades. I can't do that to him. He deserves the chance to make up his own mind."

"And if he doesn't choose Spades?"

Arthur shrugged. "Then I will support him in whatever endeavor he sets forth on. I refuse to let the other Kingdoms abuse his power or kill him, however. No matter what I do not plan to lose him. He is my friend, Yao. I simply want to be there for him. Is that not what friends are for?"

Yao studied Arthur with a trained eye. He said softly, "You've forgiven him."

He pursed his lips, considering that. He was still bloody pissed off at Alfred for hiding this all from him for so long but now he understood why at least. He did not blame the teen for his actions. Arthur's only regret was his own extremely poor reaction and how harshly he cast Alfred out.

Arthur's stomach turned over uncomfortably. It was going to take a lot of effort for Alfred to listen to him. But Arthur was nothing if not determined.

-o0o-

Alhliða, center of No-Man's-Land

Arthur pulled back on his horse's reins as soon as he saw Alhliða's old huts off in the distance. It had taken him quite a bit to travel from Spades' boarder to the town but he had reached it at last.

Alhliða was shrouded in low hanging fog and appeared to be deserted. He wasn't going to take any chances in No-Man's-Land, though. He lowered himself onto the grass and cautiously led his steed forward. After he secured her in the town's stable and locked the door, he set off down the road. He kept his eyes and ears aware for any movement but there was no one.

Eventually he found himself in the Town Square where he had first danced with Alfred.

He paused, letting the rush of nostalgia overcome him. Everything had been so different then. There had been no fear of war, his stomach had been full of rich meat and rough whiskey, Alfred had been laughing at his side, and Arthur was genuinely happy for what felt like the first time in years.

Now, though, the Square was empty. No water flowed in the fountain. No music played. The only sound was the click of his boots against the cobbled road.

He stopped at the fountain and ran a hand over the cool stone surface.

When Yao asked him where he thought Alfred would be, he'd drawn up a blank. Alfred would have left Spades like he promised because that was his nature. But beyond that his location was a mystery even to Arthur. Alfred could have gone to Diamonds or all the way to his old home in Hearts- wherever that was.

But the only place that seemed to make sense to Arthur was Alhliða. Alfred was the Wild Card; it was commonsense that he would go where no Kingdom ruled.

Abruptly, he was aware of hot breath on the back of his neck.

Arthur froze- terror spiking his blood- then twisted around to find himself face-to-face with a grey specked horse.

"Holy Ace," Arthur breathed and collapsed against the fountain. Artemis nudged his shoulder with a low huff of air. Arthur reached up to rub a hand up her nose, arms shaking slightly from the scare.

Artemis. That was the name of this horse. She had ran through their camp after the Gathering, when they were making the long trek back to the Castle with Alfred as their prisoner. Had it really been that long ago?

Wait.

Artemis was Alfred's horse. That meant Alfred was here, somewhere.

Arthur's heartbeat sped up and his mouth was dry. He had made the right choice, it seemed. He whispered to the horse, "Will you lead me to your master, Artemis? Will you bring me back to Alfred? You are the only hope I have left."

A bell-like sound caused Arthur's had to snap towards the noise.

There, on top of Artemis' head, perched a familiar fairy and he exclaimed, "Eleana?!" The fairy giggled with a wide grin.

"What are you-?"

She chirped. "Eleana is here to help, of course! The Queen must find America before it is too late."

America? Was she talking about Alfred? Arthur examined her warily. He was hesitant to trust her blindly. Fairies were tricky little creatures and furthermore directly connected to the Aces. She could be trying to trick him.

Artemis whinnied and Arthur looked back into the horses' dark eyes. They were calm even in the presence of Eleana. He allowed himself a tiny smile; he would follow the fairy as long as Artemis was there. He stood as Artemis jerked her head and began to trot away. Eleana bounced on one of Artemis' ear, laughing all the while.

Just a little longer, Alfred, he thought as he ran after Artemis. Wait for me, please!

-o0o-

The horse and fairy led him through a thick path of trees and shrubs for what seemed like an age. There was no clear path but Artemis's steps never faltered. Arthur kept a steady hand on Artemis' side, afraid of becoming lost forever to the mystery of No-Man's-Land. He didn't ask Eleana where they were going.

After at least an hour of walking, Arthur's patience began to wear thin. His fingers twitched on Artemis' flank and he clenched the other on open air. He was almost tempted to rush forward and find Alfred on his own.

Abruptly Artemis halted, tail flicking.

Arthur stood by her shoulder and looked around anxiously. Why had she stopped? He studied their surrounding with a trained eye but saw nothing.

Artemis snorted then nudged him forward.

He stumbled and grabbed onto a tree for support. He glanced behind him. Artemis stared back steadily.

"The Queen must go straight from here," Eleana instructed. "It would be ill advised to dally. Do not change direction or the Queen will never leave this forest. And the Queen will never see America again."

Uneasiness gripped him. The pair wouldn't go any farther than this, it seemed. He was on his own now. He stepped carefully around an oak and left the two behind him.

The land grew rougher with each step he took. He wrestled past thick groves and pushed himself over fallen trees. He fell over more times than he would ever admit and was covered in dirt and leaves within half an hour.

Arthur wrinkled his nose. Disgusting.

He was surprised by the total lack of life in the forest; he heard birds chirping only twice during his journey but saw no squirrels in the trees or rabbits hiding under cover. He had heard stories of No-Man's-Land rarely seen magical creatures but this was just bizarre.

There must be a reason for all of the animals to hide. He wasn't sure he wanted to find out what that reason was.

When Arthur finally managed to find a break in the dense trees, he tripped over a stray root and smashed face first into rock-hard ground.

"Eugh," he muttered with a wince. His hands stung where they had scraped against sharp pebbles. He pushed himself back to his knees and tried to brush off stray thorns that clung to his coat. He let his eyes wander around the clearing that had opened to him. He wondered out loud, "Where the bloody hell am I-?"

The words die in his throat.

"Alfred," he breathed.

There, barely a few feet away, crouched the person he had been obsessively searching for in the last half day. The teen in question froze and all color drained from his face when he caught sight of Arthur. Behind him a small waterfall rushed into a pond. But all of that faded into the background as Arthur stared transfixed at Alfred.

His eyes raked over Alfred's form quickly; he didn't appear to be hurt in any way and Arthur sent a silent prayer of thanks to the heavens. Alfred was filthy, as was to be expected after being left in the wilderness for several hours. His white and grey clothes were more brown then ivory now. And his glasses were smudged, to top it off.

But that was all fine. The most important thing was that he was alive; no one had found him before Arthur.

Alfred was safe, and for a brief moment in time, that was the only thing that mattered.

-o0o-

"There is a big difference in what we long for, what we settle for, and what we are meant for."

-Anonymous

-o0o-

Background Information:

*"Alfred mentioned getting some weird visions a while back. He might have even met the Ace of Spades in a dream."- Alfred gets the weird visions in Chapter 10 after he visits the King's Study for the first time. He tells Toris and Rica about them while running errands in Spades Capital Town.