Heart of a Diamond: A Rakta Diamond Story

Ace of Clubs

Rakta tilted his head, peering down at Club Castle through the spyglass Masuta had given him. Tamsus whistled an upbeat tune that grated against his nerves, but he held his tongue as he watched the armies of the Diamond and Club Decks clash just outside the palace walls. The distance made it all seem very neat, but Rakta could imagine the screams, the blood.

He could practically taste the chaos.

"Why aren't you with your Queen attacking the Spades?" Rakta finally asked, looking at the other Ace where he was cradled comfortably in the low boughs of a sprawling cypress tree.

Tamsus stretched before standing on the branch, balanced precariously. He held his hands out in front of him, bending his knees slightly. Rakta rolled his eyes as Tamsus flung himself backwards, tucking into a tight back flip before landing on the ground.

He gave a small bow and said, "There wouldn't be very much for me to do. I already killed the Spade Ace, remember?" He pursed his lips into a pout. "I'm hoping that the Club proves to be more of a challenge."

Drily, Rakta said, "Maybe you would have had more fun if you hadn't ambushed her."

Tamsus cocked his head, considering this. His eyes narrowed and he nodded sagely. "You're right. I didn't give it enough time. Next time, I'll stretch the hunt out a little bit."

"Next time?" Rakta asked. "After we kill Dynami there won't be any Aces left. Unless you intend to hunt me?"

Tamsus chuckled, giving him a sly grin. "I can't kill the next King of Diamonds."

Rakta just shook his head, forcing his heart to slow down so he wouldn't blush. The slim band of iridescent stone around his right ring finger glittered at him and he said, "The princess always gets what she wants."

Tamsus laughed again and nudged Rakta's shoulder. "You can say her name, you know? You're allowed to do that now."

"Are you allowed?" Rakta asked, his attention still on the turmoil to the north of them. "To call the Queen by her name?"

A thick silence descended around them and Rakta turned to the other Ace, who was watching the battle with a blank expression. Unconsciously, he rubbed the back of his hand across his mouth and said, "Mavros... uses me as she sees fit. In return, I've been granted certain... privileges. Over the years I have come to realize that my Queen and I share the same... tastes about many things."

Rakta decided to let that revelation firmly alone and said, "How much longer do we need to wait?"

His mood changing abruptly, as it always did, Tamsus laughed, grinning wickedly. "So eager to see your princess?"

The innocent question was laced with double meaning and Rakta tried mightily to ignore the memories it brought on. Still, images of Avinos' pale skin and loose hair danced through his mind as he remembered when she had snuck into his quarters the night before the Diamond army had departed.

Tamsus took his silence as an answer and snickered. With an airy sigh, he said, "Fear not Rakta. We'll have you back in the princess' warm bed in no time."

"Please don't make me shoot you before we defeat the Clubs," Rakta said, his voice surly.

This just made the Heart laugh again before he said, "We should probably make our way towards the little Club bitch. And I think I know how we can get into the castle."

"Oh?" Rakta asked, relieved by the subject change.

Tamsus stood behind Rakta, extending his arm right past his face. Trying to ignore the urge to leap away from the Ace, Rakta settled his breathing and lined his sight up with Tamsus' pointed finger. His eyes widened as he followed the route the Heart traced along the almost sheer face of the castle's tower.