Last part in my card-verse AU. If you haven't read Impeccable, Foul and Putrid then you should, because this fic will make no sense otherwise.

Warning: probably horrible grammar and spelling and stuff and crap...I wrote this at 4 am. Yeah.

Fate, what can you do once you are able to control it? How can you wield it against your enemies or towards your favor. What happens when you change it? If you can control your fate, if you can dominate it... What happens to the you that doesn't? You become more than one person, you divide yourself through your whole life, over and over again. The one that chooses their destiny goes right, while the one that bends their fate, goes left.

But what happens when someone else controls your fate?

The queen was thirsty. He was rubbing his tongue against the roof of his mouth, trying to gain any kind of moisture but it was useless. Arthur was weak and sick, he needed attention. He needed someone to take care of him. If only his king was here. If only there was someone here to make him feel better. But all he could see when opening his eyes was the same dark room. The same soft walls and the same dim blue light hanging from the ceiling.

Arthur stared at the light, trying to distract himself from the pain on his throat. Why was his king not here? Why was he not taking care of him? Oh...yeah, his king was not the same anymore. He had forgotten. The little queen forgot that his beloved king was not the same as he was before. That's why he was chained up in his dark room. That's why he wasn't allowed outside. He was not allowed outside and his king, his king hardly ever came to see him. He could see sadness in those blue eyes, a deep sadness that only seem to grow whenever Alfred looked at him.

Was he really that disgusting? Was he abhorrent to see?

The little queen wouldn't know, couldn't know. It had been so long since he last brushed his hair. It had been so long since he last washed his face with clean water. He couldn't remember the last time he looked at himself on a mirror. Maybe he wasn't even able to remember how he looked like...no, that wasn't possible. That was impossible. Especially when he had constant reminders...constant companions.

He looked up, his half lidded eyes showing pain. He couldn't move too well, not with the chains wrapping around his neck, arms and torso. The thick chains that kept him glued to the wall so he wouldn't hurt himself. How many times had he cracked his skull? How many times had he broken his neck...yet, he was still alive. How? Just how?

Arthur tried to bring his mind to get lost in thoughts, to forget the pain but what was around him wouldn't let him.

"The queen is falling asleep again? How could he fall asleep when we are all here. Come on! Come oooon! Why don't you play with me, why don't you talk to us? I have tea, I have cookies. What does the queen want!?"

Arthur stared at the pair of green eyes in front of him. They were so much like his own. This boy was so much like him. He was a giggling mess and looked oh so insane! The queen was afraid of him or maybe he wasn't. It was the little company he had or was it?

It wasn't the only one here, no. He could hear other voices and even muffling noises. People that couldn't speak. People that couldn't hear and once in a while he could hear someone screaming. They were all sad, they were all so angry. Angry at him. Angry at his king. How could they be angry at him. He hadn't done anything to them. He was innocent, he truly was! He wouldn't dare kill this many people. It was not in his power. The blood that he could see in his hands was not taken on his own.

The queen could even see demons and angels. All of them were crowded in his little room. The room he was stuck in. He heard them crying and screaming and over and over they would bleed and die on his lap. Why wouldn't shut up, why wouldn't they just fly away!

"Because your king started a war. A war against my country, against me and against my allies."

Shut up. He needed them to shut up!

"And no matter what. My demon will come for me. He will find me and he will kill your king."

No! He wouldn't let that happen. He couldn't let that happen. Alfred, his Alfred, his little apprentice. He couldn't let him die. He wouldn't let anyone hurt him. The queen loved his king, he loved him so much. Even if he broke his bones, even if he made him cry and made him hurt. He couldn't stop loving him.

"My brother will find me. He will come here and pick me up because we have to die together. We must die together. I'll die protect him just like you will die for your king."

Arthur screamed against the gag in his mouth, his head banging against the wall behind him. He wanted to muffle the voices. He was squeezing his eyes shut so tightly that it was giving him a headache but it was useless. Everything was useless. He couldn't get them to shut up.

"But what we all want to see, is the same thing that you wish for."

The queen opened his eyes and stared at the dozens of green eyes that were looking at him. All of those green eyes were staring at him, not blinking even once. Just watching him. Waiting for him to crack. The little queen felt tears running down the corner of his eyes. He was crying, sobbing non-stop and trying to ignore the stares. All he wanted was to sleep, to ignore everything around him and to pretend...to pretend that everything was okay. Just like he did so many years ago. Just like he did all of those years ago when Alfred lied to him. When he pretended to love him, when he tricked him. He just wanted to go back to hiding in his room. Could he? Would he? After seeing all of this. So many of him. How could he?

"Freedom. We wish for freedom and we know...we know they are coming."

How long could Arthur last like this? How long would the little queen squirm and struggle. He wanted to die. He needed to die. Why wouldn't he just die?

"My demon is coming."

"My brother is coming."

"My red queen is coming."

"My angel is coming."

"My mute is coming."

"My hunter is coming."

"My...America is coming."

Poor little queen, the only one that wasn't coming was his king. He was chasing another one, another one like him. He was chasing the shadows and ripping apart life itself to keep him here. In this cage, with these people. With all the voices he truly did not want to hear. Why? Why was his king doing this? Why was he not back yet? He wanted to see him.

Why were they torturing him like this. It wasn't his fault. It was not his fault! It was not his fault! It wasn't. It wasn't. It wasn't!

Arthur banged his head against the soft wall behind him again. He hit himself over and over again, feeling the painful headache spreading all across his brain. They needed to shut up. Now, they needed to shut up! Please, they needed to keep quiet.

The queen cried, he cried for so long and the green eyes never stopped staring. No matter how much he cried they kept hissing in his ears. They kept mumbling words and truths that he didn't want to acknowledge

The door of his little dark room slammed open. Foot steps filled the room and the queen looked up. His sad, jaded eyes wanting to see who it was. Was it someone that was here to help him? Was it Alfred? Who was it?

It was, of course, his king and the queen found himself smiling. He smiled from ear to ear and fought against the chains, against the gag. He just wanted to get near him. He wanted to get near his king. The king was smiling. He was looking at him with such a content face that he couldn't help himself but to laugh. Laugh in happiness and maybe even madness. Was he mad? Was he like the hatter that would keep him company?

The king sat with him. He held him tight and pet his dirty, blond hair. He kissed his forehead over and over, before kissing his gagged lips.

The queen couldn't believe this was real. It was his king. He was next to him, keeping him close and loving him. He wanted that love, he needed it more than anything else. It was what kept the little strength he had. It was his Alfred, his little knight that kept him alive. That kept his body from rotting and having maggots filling his insides.

The king said nothing to him. But he unlocked the chains on his arms. He pulled the gag off and he kissed his dry and dirty lips.

"You need to go, my little queen." Alfred smiled at him. But there was something wrong. Arthur could tell. He could feel it. There was something wrong with his king. Something so wrong...death. He could see the grim reaper in his eyes and Alfred, Alfred was accepting it. He was welcoming it with such a relief that it frightened the little queen.

"Go where?" The queen asked, or he tried to but his voice was long gone. He couldn't speak any longer, not to question his king, not to ask him anything. He couldn't. And he couldn't because a pair of green eyes were always behind him, and a pair of thin hands wrapped around his throat, crushing his vocal cords and forcing only little noises out of his mouth.

The king knew, he knew what he was asking and there was no need for words. He touched his thin, weak and filthy hands. He gently let them touch his face, allowing the digits to brush against his cheeks and drag the filth on there.

"Anywhere, any place that you wish. Any castle that you desire. But do not stay here. I can't allow you to stay here. If I were to lose you again, if anything were to happen to you. I'll go even madder." The king laughed against his hands. He kissed his fingertips and then he leaned in to kiss him. He kissed the little queen and he let go of him.

The queen watched as his king left the room. Once again disappearing into the light and then...then he was all alone again. But the door was open, and the chains were no longer restraining him. Arthur forced himself to his feet. The little queen slowly moved across the room and for the first time, he saw what was behind his door.

Arthur stared at the stairs. He was weak and fragile. How could he get through this, how could he? But he needed to, his king went this way. He left and allowed him to escape, to escape from madness and that crazy room. He needed to get away, to get away from everything. The queen found new strength in his legs, strength he thought was long gone. He dragged himself through the long set of stairs, wishing for nothing but to see his king.

He found a new pair of doors, heavy and big wooden doors. The queen pushed with all of his strength and the doors whined and cracked open, showing the street behind them. But instead of looking at his beautiful kingdom, instead of looking at his people...Arthur saw nothing but death. His kingdom, his beloved land. It was being attacked. Houses were burning, people were running wildly and solders were fighting against each other. Everything was chaotic and Arthur, Arthur was so lost. What was happening?

The queen felt fear spreading through his body. He ran then. He ran until his legs were shaking and trembling. He only stopped when he saw his reflection on one of the windows in a bakery. He stared at the filthy and unknown face that was staring back at him. The dirty, long blond hair that was sticking to each other with something dark and sticky. He looked so disgusting. So horrible. He couldn't remember ever looking like this. He touched the class in front of him and he stared at his hand. The long yellow fingernails were so long that they had cracked at the ends.

The queen kept staring, his eyes slowly tearing up as he found himself unable to look away. He had been so perfect before. Everything had been so perfect. So flawless and beautiful. He had been beautiful. But now, he was nothing. He was not a queen. He was not who he remembered and he was not who his king fell in love with.

His king. Where was he?

Arthur watched as different green eyes stared at him again, this time through the reflection of the glass. They looked at him, judging him, hating him. They only came out when he thought of his beloved king. It would always summon them, it would always bring them back to life.

"He is probably fighting. He might be dying and all that you are doing is standing here. Pitifully."

The queen ran his hands through his dirty hair, his head tilting back and forth. He was idle, he was gone. There was nothing that could break this spell now. He hated everything. He hated himself, he hated this kingdom...but did he hate his king? No, he couldn't. He did before but he found out too late, far too late that he truly loved him and now he was late again.

"Yes, yes, the queen is late! The queen is so late. The little queen needs to go and meet his king. He needs to save him. It is his turn. Run little queen, run and maybe, maybe the madness won't catch you this time!"

Arthur touched his dirty face and then forced himself too look away from the mirror. The queen needed to look away. He needed to find his king. But where was he? Everywhere he went, there was nothing but corpses and fire. He was never attacked. Not once did someone tried to kill him. Why would they? He looked like nothing but a mad man. A crazy peasant with no hope or future. He was nobody.

The queen wondered through the city, until the sunlight crawled through the mountains. The light began to shine and he almost hid his face. He was not used to the sun anymore. He couldn't withstand it. In fact it almost felt like it burned! But maybe it wasn't burning him but someone else. The little queen dragged his bare feet forward on the rough ground. He was bleeding, his feet were bleeding and his toe nails had long snapped from running, leaving nothing but a hollow emptiness that was letting blood flow freely.

He kept walking. He kept moving. He didn't stop until he was able to see the familiar and beautiful blue eyes of his king. He smiled. The queen smiled then, he kept walking, his legs hurting so much, his feet burning so bad but he kept moving. He didn't stop, not once until he noticed that his king was bleeding. Only then did his body freeze. He stared with wide eyes. The lovely apprentice, the knight, his king. He was wounded and bleeding.

The king wasn't looking at him, he didn't even notice he was there. He was glaring. He was glaring at the people in front of him and then Arthur glanced at those people. He looked at him with the same wide greens. It was a sea that he saw. So many blue eyes, so many pretty eyes looked at him and they knew who he was. They recognized him...Arthur knew who they were. It was the people that the green eyes would speak of. It was all of them but...but they were hurting his king. They were hurting his love.

The little queen felt tears building up in his eyes and without care he started running. He ran towards his king and fell. He fell twice, and once did he heard a nasty snapping noise coming from one of his ankles but he couldn't stop. He wouldn't stop. Not this time. He ran until he was able to catch his king, just before his knees gave up because of the blood that was pouring out of his body.

Arthur held him tight, his arms tightly around his king. He was crying non-stop, his body shaking and trembling as he kissed his king's forehead and hair. He felt as Alfred grabbed his arm and he could tell he was angry. He was angry at him for not running away, for not leaving like he asked. But everything was fine. It didn't matter if he die, as long as he was next to his king.

The queen smiled and brushed his king's hair. He ran his fingertips over the soft lips and leaned his head against his chest. He felt the blood wetting his cheek and hair but he couldn't bring himself to care. No. The queen did not care. He was able to hear his king's heart, it was quietly pulsating against his chest. Moving and keeping him alive.

Arthur smiled against Alfred's chest, feeling the others hand resting against his head and playing with his filthy hair. The queen slowly looked back at his king, his face now stained with his blood.

"My cute, knight apprentice." He tried to speak but once again no words came out. He smiled at his king. He kissed the wound on his chest and lay down next to him, hugging him close to himself.

"It is your turn to save him."

An angel whispered to his ear. The voice was warm and soft, unlike before.

"He went mad for you. He destroyed so many lives, so many people...for you."

The demon spoke this time, with the same gentleness as the angel.

"He tortured me. He killed me. He betrayed me. He hurt me. He raped me. He locked me up and he made me like this." The queen whispered. The king had done all of this. He had done so many bad things...horrible things. He killed him so many times. He stabbed his body, crushed his love and spat on his tenderness. He had gone mad, his king had gone mad after he died.

The sea of blue eyes did nothing but to stare at him. They said nothing and just watched. The deed had been gone and the only one left was the queen. The sad queen that was crying and hugging his dying king. He was silently screaming and tearing up. It was heart breaking, to watch someone that looks so much like the one you love in so much pain, to be in such a state.

The queen would die for his loved one. Why shouldn't he, why wouldn't he? It was his fault. It was his sad reality. It had been him that approached the young apprentice. It had been him that dragged him into the palace...it was all his fault. He had been the one that had been blinded by hate and sorrow. It was the queen that threw himself out of the balcony. It had been him, no one else. He died. He died but he died realizing his love for his king.

He would never see him again. Not in the future, not in the past, not in the present. But it had to be done. The queen felt pain building up in his chest, it was hard to breath and he let out a choking sobbing noise. He felt tears building up in his eyes again. For his king, for his love, for his little apprentice...he would disappear for him. Just for him.

For the kingdom of spades, the kingdom that held the biggest treasure...was the kingdom of time.

Arthur felt his hands shaking and trembling as he reached inside his beloved's coat. He knew it was going to be there. He knew it...the heart-shaped pocket watch, his wedding gift, was in Alfred's pocket. Looking as polished and new as before. He touched the pocket-watch, opening it slowly and smiling at the painting that was inside.

It was Alfred and him. The royalty of this kingdom. The beloved couple. Arthur wanted to scream, he wanted to run away and stop himself from doing what he was about to do, but he couldn't. It was his time. He needed to be gone, and this time for good.

The little queen ran his fingers through the cut in Alfred's chest, he dipped his fingers in the blood and then slowly traced a pattern on the floor. The writing was so different, something that was hardly seen in the kingdom and the symbols were something that was considered taboo. Nobody was allowed to use this kind of magic, it was the same magic that had driven his king insane. But Arthur couldn't become like that. He was already mad enough. He was gone and the only reason why he was still alive was because of his king.

He placed the pocket-watch in the middle of the scribbles and then smiled. He kissed his king one last time. He kissed those lips and stared at the blue eyes that he loved so much. The king was looking at him, confused and in pain. He was trying to hold him back but he had lost too much blood to struggle against him.

The queen then grabbed the sword of his king and placed it in front of him. The blade was showing him his reflection and just then, just then did Arthur saw his old self. He saw his old kingdom, his beloved king kissing him, and their wedding day. He saw the day that he met him and the day he confessed to him. Everything that ever made him happy was reflected in that blade, as if it was trying to stop him. To keep him from destroying himself. But the queen only smiled. He was going to cherish these memories until the ends of time. No matter how long he was gone.

Arthur leaned his body forward, letting it drop on top of the blade and letting it pierce through his body. The sword shattered into pieces, leaving the body suspended in the air as blood dripped down on top of pocket watch. The watch started glowing and soon instead of a ticking noise, a beating heart was heard. It was the only gift the queen could give his king...his life. Only he could do it, only Arthur was able to do it. He would die for his king if so he wished but the price was too high. He would be gone, forever. Everything about him would be forgotten, no one would remember him. No one would ever think of him. He was going to disappear.

The little queen looked at his king, and sneakingly he reached to hold his hand. He smiled at him and then the pocket watch exploded in a blinding light. Everything went white, and the sea of blue and green eyes disappeared. They were all gone, none of them was left and the only ones that where still on the floor were the queen and the king.

The king stared at his queen, his breathing heavy as the wound on his chest finally seem to be taking his life.

"I'm sorry." He managed to choke out. He was crying, just like the queen. He was so sorry. The king couldn't understand how everything came to be like this. He had only wanted his queen back, just that. He didn't mean to destroy their kingdom. Their home and their love. He didn't mean to destroy so many people and kill so many loved ones. He truly didn't. All he wanted, all he ever wanted was for his queen to be back.

The queen smiled once again. He smiled at him and leaned over to kiss those lips he loved so much before he...vanished. The queen was gone and all that was left was the warm feeling of the hand that had been holding Alfred's hand.

Blue eyes snapped open. The teen quickly sat up on his bed and his hands rubbed against his face. The sun was shining through his window, blinding his eyes and letting him know how late it was.

Alfred quickly got off of his bed and changed from his pajamas. He was going to be late for the training grounds and that was going to get him punished. He couldn't be late again, but he couldn't bring himself to ever wake up early. Every night, all he wanted to do was to keep sleeping. To dream of that dream that he couldn't remember when he woke up. It was always the same dream and he knew it very well. If only he could remember.

The knight apprentice hardly had time to ponder about his dream. He hurried out of the house and ran all across the open field until he stopped near a hill. Down below, he could see the many tents that made the training grounds. There were practicing dummies, a stable with horses, weapons and everything he would ever need. At the moment he was more of a servant more than anything, but the knight that was taking care of him would still train him and it seemed like he was on the path of a bright future.

The teen smiled to himself and ran down the hill. He didn't stop until he was in his master's tent. He was smacked on the back of the head for being late but in the end, the older man smiled at him and got him to work. Alfred took care of the horses, maintained the swords and also made sure to get food for the knights. He wasn't the only one though, of course not. He shared these chores with six other boys.

Today, was different though. There was a visitor that had been around before, but had never made his presence known. Yet Alfred had known all along that he he had been there. The person waited until Alfred was alone, until he was resting under his favorite tree.

The male approached him and Alfred felt something tight on his chest. He felt like if he had lived through this once before. He was going to turn around and see a pair of green eyes. The sunny blond did so, he turned around but instead of emerald eyes, a pair of light violet eyes smiled at him.

It was queen Matthew. The queen of spades.

Alfred felt disappointment building up in his chest. He truly did and he couldn't explain why. His queen was sitting next to him, talking and keeping him company, HIM, a mere peasant. But he couldn't bring himself to smile, to feel happy and to enjoy the comforting moment.

The queen was talking about love. He was talking to him about the love he had for him and Alfred couldn't believe it. He was supposed to be lucky, he was supposed to be happy. He should have turned around and kissed him...anything to assure himself a future as a king. But he couldn't. He wouldn't.

The sunny blond smiled bitterly, with sadness that he didn't know his heart was holding. He looked at the queen, the queen that was looking at him lovingly and then shook his head. "I'm already in love." He said.

"With who?" The queen asked, sadness slipping in his voice.

"I don't know, I don't know him. But I see him from time to time. He has beautiful green eyes, so bright...like jewels. He has blond hair, the same color as fresh wheat and I'm sure it feels just as soft. His skin is soft and pale but I can see freckles on his nose and cheeks. He is always smiling at me but it makes me sad. Every time I see him. I feel sad." Alfred closed his eyes, his throat closing up as his chest tightened. He could feel his eyes slowly starting to tear up but he forced himself not to cry. He couldn't cry.

"But if you don't know him, maybe he won't love you. How can you hope to be with someone that you don't even know?" The queen was of course trying to convince the little apprentice to give him a chance but he knew better. Something was telling him that he wasn't going to be able to change Alfred's mind.

"I believe I'm searching for him and I hope to one day meet him. Maybe fate will bring us together. I just want to see him, that's all I want." The teen nodded his head slowly and closed his eyes, feeling as the wind blew through his blond strands.

The queen had nothing else to say. He simply stood up and left, leaving the apprentice to his thoughts, not saying another word.

Alfred opened his eyes once the queen was gone and stared at the green field in front of him.

One day he was going to meet this person. One day he was going to find him and one day he was going to be able to hold him...

Until then, he could only dream of emerald eyes and when they would meet again.

dunno, tired.

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