The Kingdom of Cards

Chapter 14

Three weeks later

    Queen Lili sat in the garden pulling weeds. She could have anyone else do it, but she prefered to do it herself.

She wiped the sweat off her forehead and sighed. She had only done a little, but she exhausted. She got up to get something from the kitchen, but swayed on her feet as the world spun.

Darkness enclosed her before she even hit the ground.

    She heard muttered voices. She moved her hand and felt cool sheets beneath her. Her body ached. She groaned and heard a deep male voice above her.

    "She's been in the sun for too long," he said, "Oh, it seems she's awake." the Queen sat up. She noticed that it was the doctor who had spoken and forced her to lay back down.
Basch was there also. He looked concerned, she guessed, well, his regular straight face was contorted slightly. Once the doctor left, Basch stepped forward and asked her, "The kings in a meeting, do you want me to get him?"

    "No." she said softly, "I'm fine."
she rolled over, "I'd just like to sleep some."

Basch nodded and left quietly. He turned back and looked over his shoulder, and noticed a mark on her arm.

He turned around to peer at it. It was series of little black dots. He walked up to her and attempted to brush the dirt off, but it was still there. The sleeping queen didn't even notice.

He had seen dots like this before. He gasped and rushed out of room. He told the knights that no one was to disturb her, not even the king, before running after the doctor.

*Elsewhere*

    Alfred sat up in his chair. He gave orders, but slept most of the time. Yao and Arthur walked up to him. "So, what do we need to do?"

    Alfred sighed, "I don't know what we can do." he tried to stand but grimaced and sat down again. "Yao, since you have the most connections with the club kingdom," Yao blushed from the statement, "go check on them. I've heard rumors that they've had more attacks."

    Yao nodded, "I'll leave right away."

*3 hours later*

    Yao shivered in the cold wind, that seemed to cut him to the bone. He drew his coat closer around him. The big king came out and smiled slightly. "Yao, what brings you to my kingdom so late in the evening?"

    Yao said simply, "I'm here to check in on you, I've heard there have been more attacks."

    "Well, everything is okay," he said smoothly, "Nothing we couldn't handle." he smiled, though his eyes where not closed in child like joy like normal and instead were open. Yao noticed the dark circles under his eyes. Ivan shifted nervously, "since you're here, why don't I show you around?"

    Yao's eyes widened in surprise, he was about to say no when he heard, "great," the single word parted from his lips. One word changed it all.

    Ivan grabbed his hand, "come on! It's getting dark!" he led the stunned Jack out into his kingdom. His eyes were so bright as he showed Yao monuments built in honor of many heroes of the Club kingdom, most of them knights, generals and soldiers. He talked with such passion and enthusiasm. The king truly loved his kingdom, he was a fighter.

Yao knew the king was assertive, he was known to take control by force. Never asking or taking no for an answer. He was gentler this evening. They continued down the streets. Ivan looked at Yao as his stomach growled.

    "You are hungary, Da?" he asked. He took Yao's hand and led him into a nearby old timey restaurant. He ordered the food, then turned to Yao, "I'm sorry to order for you, but you have to try their speciality. After that, then you may get whatever you want."
    "What speciality is that?" Yao asked curiously.

    "It's a surprise." Ivan slowly smiled. Yao looked at the king. He was full of surprises, like coming out of nowhere to save him, he had never seen the king so... happy. The food arrived. It was a hot, thick soup with a warm loaf of bread. Ivan watched as Yao took a sip, who swallowed the mouthful though it was extremely hot, but it also burned in a different way down his throat, not like a spice, but different.

    "What is in this soup?" he asked Ivan.

    "You don't like it?" Ivan bit his lip, the big man looked as though he might cry.
    "No, no, I do, but there's a certain spice, but not a spice, it's heat but not temperature..."

    "Oh, that's the secret ingredient, vodka, it's a hard liquor, they make their own here. They call it Liquid Fire, it burns the tongue, but warms you all the same." he said, taking a sip of his soup. He asked the waiter for two glasses of Liquid Fire.

    "Here," he said, handing her a glass, "sometimes you have to try it alone." the glass was filled to brim. Ivan downed it in one gulp. Yao took a deep breath and mimicked the king. Whos eyes widen once Yao coughed, setting the glass down hard on the table. It set his insides on fire, but it burned and hurt even, but it felt good.

    Yao turned to the waiter, "I would like another round, aru." The two continued to eat their soup in between glasses of liquid fire. Once they finished their meal, the king overpaid by just handing the waiter a handful of gold coins, "Here," he said swaying slightly, Yao gripped onto his jacket just to stay standing. "Keep the difference."

    They walked out into the freezing weather, but neither one was cold as they made their way back to the castle. Ivan stopped a moment to picked a sunflower, it was the only one not yet withered in the cold.

    "I plant them every year," his voice suddenly was deep, cold and like the winter nights, dark, desperate, cold, far from light or warmth, yet yearning for the daylight.

His eyes studies the sunflower's beauty. "I love them, they don't grow here, but when ever I see one.." he smiled, "they are like hope. Like summer. Like dreams. They are so beautiful." He put it in Yao's hair, behind his ear. "Like you."  his lips were so close, they brushed his ear. Without thought he leaned into him and Ivan kissed Yao on the cheek. Yao, surprised, pulled back. Ivan blushed and turned away and Yao caught a glimpse of sorrow in his eyes. They walked the rest of the way to the castle in silence.

    On the steps, Ivan turned to Yao, his eyes down cast, "I'm sorry, about all that, it was..." His voice trembled. Yao saw a few tears land on the stone steps. He felt something in his chest, something more sorrow. He hated to see the king so defeated, he was the unstoppable warrior.

Yao stepped up and kissed him with tenderness, and Ivan, surprised for a moment, responded with intensity. Ivan gripped Yao in his arms.

    "IVAN!"

    Ivan turned to see who had yelled and he stood face to face with Elizabeta, the Queen of Clubs... his wife. Her eyes burned with anger, before she sighed and left.

Ivan stood there, watching her go. He turned to see Yao had disappeared also. He peered back up into the castle.

    Yao looked over his shoulder as Ivan stood, looking up into the castle. He found his horse in the stable and took off.

His eyes burned with tears as he gripped the horse's mane. He felt the wind whip the sunflower from his hair. He didn't care at first, but then he wheeled the horse around.

He looked for it blindly in the snow in frustration. Finally, he found the sunflower, slightly battered and withering.

He held it tight to his chest, a hope... a dream that he could never have.
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*sobs grossly*

Names you need to know:
Gilbert- Prussia
Peter- Sealand
King Ludwig- Germany
Queen Kiku- Japan
Feliciano- Italy
Heracles- Greece
Sadik- Turkey
King Francis- France
Queen Lili- Lichtenstein
Basch- Switzerland
Antonio- Spain
Lovino- Romano/ S. Italy
King Ivan- Russia
Queen Elizabeta- Hungary
Roderich- Austria
Toris- Lithuania
Eduard- Estonia
Ravis- Latvia
King Alfred- America
Queen Arthur- England
Yao- China
Mathias- Denmark
Berwald- Sweden
Lukas- Norway
Tino- Finland
Kyle- Australia
Im Yong Soo- South Korea
Queen Emma- Seychelles

I'll see y'all later 🖐🏿