Cardverse Hetalia ~ Kingdom Of Spades ♠️

Chapter 13 ~ Following The Sound

After an afternoon of reading in the library, Arthur was back in the master's room looking down to the marking on his hand. He wasn't sure what to think with what he found out and what the master's brother has been speculating about the royals' underlining power associated with magic.

His master didn't seem to be the magical type but maybe he hasn't figured it out as of yet...

Arthur's throughts were disturbed by Alfred's entrance into the room. "There you are, I had a feeling you would be in here." He beamed before sitting at the table, reading through some documents that were left on the glass top. Arthur didn't respond and kept looking down. Alfred's expression dropped from Arthur's quiet demeanour.

"What's wrong?" He asked him, leading to Arthur looking up to his master. "Sir...did you hear any singing earlier?" He asked hesitently. Alfred looked confused to his servant trying to process what it was that he was asking about. "You don't mean the one I thought you heard the other day?" He replied, to which Arthur nodded back. The young man reclined back into his seat in his throughts before answering back.

"Aside from the other night, no I haven't heard anything..." He sighed. Arthur felt disappointed in himself since it seems he could only hear this siren sound. Was it different to the one that Alfred heard the other night...?

"Why do you ask, Arthur?" Alfred asked again now leaning closer to his servant. Arthur shook his head tro try and brush off this uncertainty. "It's nothing." He spoke shakingly but Alfred didn't back down. "C'mon Arthur. You don't usually dismiss something unless it's bothering you." He said in a cheeky smirk. Arthur wasn't sure how to react to such a child-like attitude. Regardless, he sighed in defeat and began talking in a calm manner.

"One evening, I heard a call that I thought was the same one you heard but this afternoon while reading a few books, I heard this siren like song that felt like a call to me. It wasn't the same one as the one I heard..."He said. Alfred looked at Arthur with a raised eyebrow. "Could you describe what it sounded like?" He asked the servant. Arthur had to recall what the sound was like in visual terms.

"Well...It was a youthful sort of voice, soft but seemed like a hurt and sad kind of sound as if it was singing for help and love or something." He said. Alfred then realised that what he was hearing was nothing like the one Arthur can hear. Maybe they both have something to do that can only be found by themselves. "Interesting..." He spoke softly thinking with himself. Arthur decided to grab his journal quietly in order to write down about his master without him noticing.

By the time the sun had set on the kingdom, Arthur was tidying the room while occasionally looking over his shoulder to his master. The young man took off his shirt to reveal his back as he changed into his night pajamas. Arthur was shocked for a second before resuming his chore to cover his curiousity. Alfred however noticed in the reflection that his servant caught sight of his back and grunted. "Don't tell anyone you saw that, okay?" He said as an order. Arthur nodded in response. Alfred turned to his attention as well as his body towards Arthur with narrowed eyes and a low expression. "I'm waiting for a response, Arthur. You don't tell anyone else in this castle what you saw on my back. It's only known about between you and me. Am I clear?" He said in a stern manner, making Arthur gulp. "Yes, Alfred. Crystal." He replied with a bow. Alfred nodded back as he proceeded to the bed. Arthur was about to lock the balcony doors until Alfred sat up.

"Arthur, don't lock those. We may need them open in case it get warm." He said with a softer tone this time. Arthur nodded and proceeded to the wardrobe to get changed himself. Alfred could only exhale sadly as he saw Arthur's scars on his back. Alfred looked down to the covers before asking his servant. "A belt or a whip?" He asked. Arthur peaked over his shoulder towards alfred with a baffled look. "Pardon, Alfred?" He spoke before Alfred glanced back up to Arthur. "I was just wondering about what 'they' used. A belt or a whip?" He said hesitently. Arthur let out a breath of sadness. "When I was child and still in cells, they used whips. But whenever I was owned by my masters. It varied between belts, brooms and even hot fire irons...Those hurt like hell..." He said in as calm a voice as possible but was shaky mid-sentence. "The burns from those were on my legs...It was lucky they didn't go as far as..."

"That's all I needed to know. I don't need you to elaborate any further..." Alfred spoke up to stop the servant from talking. Arthur didn't respond and continued dressing before proceeding to the bed. Alfred lowered his head before speaking quietly.

"The scar on my back was a sword cut from one of the slave sellers. I was a child turning 13 by then. I saw this poor girl who was limply walking along and I went over to give her a piece of bread. She smiled and thanked me over and over again. About 5 minutes later, this big brute of a man came over and pushed me to the side before striking my back with his sword. My father was angry and the girl was protected by my mother for a while before she was given away to another family. To this day, the scar remained and father avoided being near the slaves despite giving most of them a home here. He feared that history could repeat itself so he does sympathise with them, just not emotionally attached." He explained.

This story broke Arthur's heart. It explains why he acts indifferently towards slaves. Why he avoids talking about his involvement with them. He fears about consequences repeating itself for his kinds acts towards them. Arthur looked away feeling guilt with himself. He started wishing that he didn't see it and forget he saw this poor man wounded by a slave dealer. Small tears streamed down his face much to the surprise of Alfred whom turned Arthur's face towards him.

"Arthur, what are you crying for?" He asked with a tone of concern. Arthur tried to answer but found his voice choked up from the sobbing and tears. "What if it does happen...that...that involves me?" He choked between sobs. Alfred wasn't sure how to react to such a reaction but presumed that it was because of what he said about his scar's origin leading to Arthur believing that his presence feels like a nuisance towards him. Alfred intentionally brought the sobbing servant in for a comforting hug, rocking him back and forth while running his hand through Arthur's soft hair. "Easy Arthur. You are alright. You are a good friend as well as a servant. You are fine here with me. It'll be okay." He whispered in this calm mood.

After calming down, both men were asleep in the soothing blue of the room. Arthur seemed to be sleeping peacefully before hearing a familar call. This makes the man open his eyes alarmingly and sit up from the bed. His first thought was the siren call is not leaving him be but it is entising him to follow the call to find its source. He glanced over to the sleeping young form of his master who remain undisturbed from Arthur's sudden gesture. The servant cautiously got up from his side of the bed before finding a gown to tie around himself.

As he emerged into the courtyard where the gate leads to the forest that he promised his master he wouldn't tell about. He glaced back before slowly opening the gate and continued towards the woods in the night. The call was progressively getting louder to which Arthur resumed it was leading to the tree. However when he reached the tree bridge, he discovered that the sound is clearer and louder down river and not towards the tree. He looks towards the tree bridge and back down the river, mentally wondering which way to go. Eventually, he decided to follow the sound down river that gleam of bright blue crystals along the water as well as small glimmers of light in the trees which glowed under the moonlight. He reached a waterfall accompanying a lake full of rainbow like colours on the gleaming water surface. Arthur found himself at ease initially from the stillness of the body of water and the sound of the water hitting the lake. In the meantime, he was still scouring the area for the source of the song.

He soon saw a small figure form on the waters service, a female figure forming who appeared to be singing. A female that Arthur couldn't identify but carefully reached a hand towards her. Unwittingly, he found himself falling into the lake and seeing patterns and colours rush through his eyes. Images appeared around him as well as inhuman screeches and cries within the water. Arthur found himself panicking while struggling to reach the surface as he was fighting to be able to breath. He saw images of hundreds of figures with markings on them, some were manmade and others glowing in lime green. Markings that the servant found himself to recognise. Like a sting to the system, he found himself in agony as small particles flowed through his body triggering memories of red and grey.

The next thing he knew, he was sinking to the bottom of the lake as his vision went dark. Everything felt still until he felt himself elevated by a pull. A familiar feeling to a person pulling someone up. The next thing he knew, he found himself coughing water with his saviour hovering over him dripping of water. It was Alfred, his master.

TO BE CONTINUED

The siren song that came to mind was this one

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