Power and Love

Chapter 13: Vision

Arthur's POV

I closed the door after me and started walking downstairs. When I arrived at the garden about four minutes later, I started looking for a bench. I soon found it and sat down. I inhaled, closed my eyes -

- and fell.

"You idiot, don't you dare to die on me!"

"I'm sorry, Alfred, my son."

"You don't love me! I'm just a toy to you!"

"This is just a game."

"NO!"

"But... How?"

"Someone get a medic, quickly!"

"For the revolution!"

"King and Queen are dead! Celebrate this new age of Spades!"

"What do we do now?"

I was falling. Falling, falling down, until I fell into the water. I sank under the surface. Panic took over me. I tried to swim, but I've never learned how. Shining bubbles escaped from my mouth. Where was the surface? Where was the bottom of the river? Where was I?

I was drowning. I couldn't do this...  Oxygen ran out of my lungs. My consciousness vanished slowly, as I reached for the world above the surface which I could never see again.

I inhaled abruptly and opened my eyes. My breathing was quick and shallow, as my mind tried to process that I didn't die, I was alive -

"Arthur!" I blinked as I saw Alfred in front of me. His shining blue eyes watched me apprehensively.

"What happened?" He asked. I leaned on the bench's back rest and closed my eyes.

"You should know."

"No, I didn't mean that. What happened in your... Vision?" He said hesitantly. I sighed. I didn't want to talk about this. Not now. Not yet, when this... Vision was fresh in my mind. Damn this curse, which wasn't really a curse. Just a gift, like Theresa liked to call it, because all magicians have this 'gift'.

"I.. Fell and drowned. Before that, I heard voices." I told him. I couldn't tell him that I can't swim. That would be the most embarrasing thing ever! Alfred moved to sit next to me, but his behaviour was careful. Like he was hiding something, but what?

"I see you're hiding something." I said, instead of telling him about the voices. "Tell me." Alfred glanced the sky, before he turned to watch me again.

"No, you tell me about your vision first." He said, looking demanding.

After a quiet moment, I nodded slowly. I told him what the voices had said.

"So... What do those mean?"

"As I said, I'm not sure. And now, tell the news."

Alfred nodded.

"Clubs have drawn statement of neutrality, which is good news, but city of Nine of Spades has been conquered by Diamonds."

"What?" I exclaimed. "And you didn't tell me? We have to attack -!"

"I was worried about you!" Alfred exclaimed angrily, interrupting me. I was taken aback. Alfred looked like he was going to say something more, but he closed his mouth.

"... Sorry." He mumbled after a moment. "I'm just stressed." I nodded slightly.

"I came here to find you because Yao and Theresa were going to have a meeting in the map room, where we should attend."

"Shall we go?" I asked and started walking towards the castle, but soon I stopped. I didn't even know where it was. Alfred chuckled behind me.

"Guess you don't know where it is." He walked past me. "Come with me."

-----------------

When we arrived at the map room, Theresa and Yao were already there, like Alfred had said.

"While you two were somewhere cuddling, we got a message saying that city of Ten of Spades has been conquered." 

"What?!" Alfred exclaimed. "They are fast. Are you sure they don't use some kind of magic?"

"We weren't cuddling, we don't even like each other!" I added, blushing. "And there haven't been any signs of magic."  Yao raised his eyebrow.

"Is that so?" Theresa chuckled and glanced me. She must already know what happened. Anyway, why everyone keep watching me today? "We have to attack and stop them, before they reach the capital." Yao said.

"That's easy! Our army is ready, so it will be only matter of days when we banish Diamonds from our lands!" Alfred said. Theresa shaked her head.

"War doesn't end in few days, Alfred. It may last weeks, months, even years." Theresa said. I glared at the map, which was on table. Spades was colored in blue, Clubs were green, Diamonds were yellow and Hearts were red. Two of the most eastern cities, Nine and Ten of Spades, were ticked over.

"So, do you have any plans?" Theresa asked.

"We should gather our troops and then travel to city of Eight of Spades. It's the nearest city, after all." Alfred suggested. 

"Then we slip into two groups and try to capture them back, right?" I said, when I understood what he was trying to say.

"Yes!" Alfred smiled. "So, when do we leave?"

Yao frowned. "Not yet. You need to come up with a plan B."

"I don't wanna!" Alfred pouted, acting like a child.

"Idiot." I mumbled.

"It isn't necessary." Theresa said. Yao glanced him, but didn't say anything.

"So we can leave?" Alfred asked, his expression excited. Yao nodded.

"Let's get ready." When we left the room, I glanced quickly Theresa. Her eyes were full of worry.

"Take care of my son, Arthur." She said.

"I will." I answered and hurried after the King and Jack.

------------------

In courtyard, everyone were in hurry. Young soldiers tried to find their equipment, as the older soldiers just gathered into groups. Suddenly, soldier bumped into me. He was going to snarl at me, but when he realized who I was, he bowed quickly.

"I'm terribly sorry, your Highness! I didn't realize who you were!" He said.

"Rise up, soldier. I'm not angry." I said calmly. Soldier rose up, and I saw that his eyes were as grey as a sky before storm.

"Thank you!"

"What's your name?" I watched him closer. His hair was brown, and he wore an armor. He didn't have a shield, but he had an battle axe.

"My name's Rick." He said. There was enthusiasm in his eyes, like he was watching his hero.

"Rick! Are you coming?" Someone yelled. Young boy turned his head. "I'm coming!" He yelled. Rick turned to watch me.

"I'm sorry, your Highness, but I have to go. It was pleasure to meet you." Rick bowed, before running to his friends.

I smiled sadly. There is lonely atop of power.

I had problems how to translate a Finnish proverb into English, but I think it's understandable.

And Rick will appear again in this story.

I have this headcanon, that instead of counties, there is cities, where, for example Nines, live. Of course, there is slumms near the cities, where poor or banished people live. The biggest slumm is in capital, because capital (named Verhen) is supposed to be the 'Place of Dreams', but it's not.

As you know, Arthur was poor and lived in slumms with Antonio's family. His father died when he was seven. He believes that his brothers and mother are also dead, although he's not 100% sure about it. Part of him believes they are alive. (Idk why I like to write tragic backstories to characters)