Cardverse Hetalia ~ Kingdom Of Spades ♠️

Chapter 9 ~ The Colour of Blue

Arthur returned to his work the following day, despite the episode he had the night before. Alfred's intrigue about Arthur's stubborn approach to carrying on was interesting and concerning him. He couldn't seem to understand why his servant didn't want to take a break after what happened to him even if he was offered the option, let alone what may have triggered it in the first place. Instead of asking with the risk of being answered with an emotionless response, he went along with his own work to take his time off of it.

At this time, his brother came in the office where Alfred was skimming over some paperwork. He approached the desk cautiously. "Hey brother. How are you?" He asked calmly. Alfred glanced up briefly before resuming his work. "I'm doing okay. Why?" He responded quietly. Matthew walked over to sit in a velvet lined chair opposite the desk. He gulped while thinking about his next query.

"How is Arthur doing?" He asked. Alfred didn't respond for a moment but soon after sighed.

"He's up and working, despite his fainting episode last night. I just don't get it. He was clearly unwell when he fainted but he carries on like it was nothing. Why does he do that?" He said in mild annoyance. Matthew thought for a minute before answering. "Maybe it's because he was raised to be like that? I mean, he was a slave bef-"

"He's NOT a slave anymore, that's the point! He seems to carry on through sickness and even near death experience considering how many bastards thought it was okay to fucking beat him up!" He yelled, making Matthew jump out of his seat. "Woah woah! What's with this attitude Alfred? You can't just change what happened to him or where he came from." He said in a calm mammer before being met with an fiery response. "I KNOW THAT MATTHEW! That's why I call him a servant so that I can give him a better life here so he can live as a fucking person when beforehand he was robbed of that for most of his life!" Alfred yelled, breathing heavily as the steam subsides within.

Matthew felt knots twist in his stomach. He's never seen his brother this angry before, making him feel afraid of him but not wanting to run away and hide sort of fear. All was still until there was three knocks that echoed into the room. Alfred was calm enough to answer. "Come in." he called.

The door opened to reveal Arthur with a tray of fresh coffee and a small plate of cakes. Arthur proceeded towards the desk to place the items onto a clear section of the desk. "Your coffees and delights, sirs." He said in a serene tone, bowing to both men before advancing towards the door.

"Arthur." Alfred called, making Arthur halted for a moment before facing his master. "Yes sir?" He asked. Alfred didn't take his eyes off his servant, his eyes reflecting an unknown or confused emotion. "Please take the rest of the day off." He said, making Arthur stunned from this odd request. "Sir?" Arthur uttered confused. Alfred sighed looking away.

"I just want you to take a little better care of yourself. This is not a request, it's an order. Please take it easy for the rest of the day." He answered with a touch of woe in this tone. Arthur didn't dare question this order any further, so he bowed in acknowledgement and leaves the room. Without knowing, Matthew follows the servant out of the door after him, leaving his brother on his own with his mind.

Matthew caught up with the servant. "Arthur!" He called out as he rushed up to the servant. "Master Matthew." Arthur said. Matthew took a few breaths before he started to talk. "Listen, please don't think too much of my brother. He's been behaving in an unusual way since last night. I don't want you to think badly of him." He said calmly. Arthur shook his head in response. "I wasn't master. I understood that he had a lot going on at the moment so I'm just carrying on as usual." He said. Matthew was curious about the sincerity of a man who was a slave beforehand and yet he didn't seem defeated. This gave Matthew an idea. "Follow me." Matthew smiled and guided the servant into a beautiful rose garden. The garden had soft greens, whites and blues dotted everywhere, appropriately complimenting a white marble table set. Ideal for afternoon tea. This was what Matthew had in mind for Arthur. He wanted to treat Arthur to freshly baked treats accompanied with a sweet scented smell of earl grey tea.

Arthur was muddled about this display and what this young man was thinking. However, he felt calm when Matthew gestured him to sit on one of the marble chairs as he proceeded to pour up a cup of tea for Arthur.

"So, Arthur. How are you finding life here in the castle?" Matthew asked with a subtle beam on his face. Arthur could feel the aura of tenderness from this young man which made him feel at ease. "Well...It's definitely really classy...I do love some of the filigree I see in the halls and rooms. It's really beautiful." Arthur spoke softly, making Matthew smile grow bigger. "That's very true." He said. "This castle has been here for centuries and even before Alfred and I were born, Our father was told by his grandfather that the land is not just a place for man to take ownership of. There is a balance that maintains the lifestyle of those living in this kingdom." He said.

"Balance, sir?" Arthur asked. Matthew took of one of his gloves and shows a small marking on the back of his right hand. A small delicately decorated spade with a posh letter 'A' in the centre. Matthew began to speak again while Arthur stared at the piece. "This land has so much mystery when it comes to magic. The spades were known to be shrouded in mystery and intrigue. You could say it's magical. The colours of blue and indigo represent power but it also can link to the beautiful ores that the kingdom is known for. Believe it or not, there were no daughters in our royal family." He said. Arthur was shocked about the last part of Matthew's statement.

"So, it's all been sons?" He asked. Matthew nodded and continued. "Another thing worth noting is our mother, Alfred's and mine, was no ordinary woman either. You could say that two different blood families came and made an amazing fusion of Technology and Magic. Our father's side had a background in Technology which kept people working and producing power, however our mother was a being all of her own. She was from a curious family of people that protected forests and rivers to preserve the precious metals and minerals. Originally these two polar opposites were against each other." He said. Arthur didn't know what to expect from this story he was hearing.

"But then, your father met your mother and it seemed to cease?" He asked. Matthew nodded, applauding Arthur's logic. "That's right. After father and mother became the new king and queen. They created a new balance to even out the works of Power and Nature. Some of the villagers worked in power stations and factories while others were farmers and gardeners. Since then, Alfred hoped to maintain the balance but he struggled with last night as there were..." Matthew's words trailed off for Arthur as he heard a familiar sound. A soft calling sound, like an angel's song. He looked around, leaving Matthew bewildered. He tried to call Arthur's name but he didn't respond.

"Arthur!" He called, making Arthur snap out of it. Arthur stood dazed for a moment before sitting back down, mildly embarrassed. "What's wrong? You were confused for a moment, Arthur?" He asked the servant who was trying to process what had just occurred. He soon looked over to Matthew but he couldn't think of what to say. "I'm sorry, sir. I got distracted for a moment. Forgive me." He said. Matthew didn't too much of it and poured up another cup of tea. "Not to worry, Arthur. I'm so glad I was able to talk to you." He said with a sigh of relief. Arthur smiled back. "Thank you for this lovely tea talk. I will enjoy it here." He responded as they took in the calmness and beautiful scenery of the garden.

Unbeknownst to Arthur, the strange marking on his left hand is slowly morphing into a shape of a spade, or at least half of one.

END OF CHAPTER 9

Author's note

The story aspect I took inspiration from is from LaReforma1857's journal on Cardverse Headcanons on Spades. You can find it here ~ https://www.deviantart.com/lareforma1857/journal/APH-Cardverse-Headcanons-Spades-614092016