The Queen's Duplicate [USUK]

Words of Solitude

Chapter 2

      Arthur had came back in holding his pose a little too high for the other Royal's to understand what had been exchanged between the two, Alfred trailing behind him shortly after looking downcast before sitting back down. Arthur exchanging words with Hearts Queen before residing in their silence through the duration of the meeting, mind you, lasted another two hours as pollution industries and containment were on the subject matter. The other's giving shy eye's to the Diamond's from time to time through the progression of plans, the Diamond King seeking refuge with Spades, with their Queen not giving a warm welcome. 

     Once the meeting adjourned those who had attended were weary, a few walking out clutching their hands attempting to be unnoticed by the rest as stress or caffeine caused a reaction to further from their muscles. Alfred having been one of them as his left hands fingers constantly started to move on it's own at erratic times. 

     "You should really learn to read your Queen better, he's quite a tempered one." Francis boomed, a little too loud to the two Spade's contempt, resting his hand on Alfred's shoulder, the other on Arthur's head.

     Swatting his hand away, he stated as anger pulled through his vocals, "You're one to talk, polluting our waters with the more you produce out of your own satisfactory pride."

    Sensing the tension between the two figures a hand fell upon either's wrist, both being pulled away by their respective other in the opposite direction, hoping for a fight not to embark through the night as it once had a prior day. 

    Finally making their way out of the Club's palace, they situated themselves back within the carriage. Ease settling between their feet as each either kept their gaze to their hands sat in their laps, or outside the window watching the scenery pass by with a chilling sweep. The tension between the two never ending as the aftermath of the explosion laid in his mind, running through the halls only to find Arthur staring intensely at a painting of an older man with a long pointed nose, whose eye's ran fear down Alfred's spine. The two standing in the hall bickering over nothing for minutes before Arthur finally let down, stomping on the King's foot out of frustration and heading back. 

    "Arthur look,"

    "I really don't care to hear your excuses." He jeered.

     Looking up, his legs were curled into his chest as his arm laid between the space that hadn't been filled, the other propped on the window as he kept his eyes towards the trees, eye's watering as wind swept past and flakes falling in his face, "I didn't know what you were wanting, in the first few months of knowing you and attending meetings you would occasionally tap to inform me you were leaving. Truly, if I had known of your intentions I wouldn't have spoken."

    Turning to view him, his eye's slightly red and cheeks flushed, "It wasn't what you said, rather how you said it." Alfred sat there, confused as to what he meant, "You sounded like you didn't care, it was as if I didn't matter in that little span of time." His eyes watered, this time no wind to accompany their appearance, "You always do this. Everytime I attempt anything you always do that,

    Alfred couldn't choke up words, watching the other try to contain their emotions as he wiped furiously at his eyes, "Sometimes I wonder if we're just like other kingdoms, the one's who are simply fated to rule beside one another, rather than together. I thought I married you to become one with you, not to simply place up an image." He whispered, not wanting the other to understand what he had placed into the far corner's of his mind.

   At this rate he couldn't stand it, Arthur having pulling his arms to hide his face as tears fell and he shook with vigor out of his own sorrow and the temperature surrounding them. Shifting closer he took care, sliding off his coat before placing it around him and pulling him in, "No, we're not like the other Kingdom's, we have no relationship that has no thread wrapped through it. No matter what fate says I married you due to my deepest emotions for you, many I can't explain even if I pulled out the largest dictionary in the four Kingdom's entwining our languages." At this rate the shaking had broken off, either from the extra warmth provided from Alfred's coat or him in general, neither could say, "I would never marry, or even dare place a ring on someone's finger if I did not want to be entwined with them forever, I said my vows to you and they're sealed." 

    Sensations fell upon his cheek, opening his eye's he found Arthur near him, closing the small gap between the two as he wiped his tears away, "Do you remember that one time I was attempting to cuddle you one night and instead you thought I was falling asleep on you, so you picked me up and placed me into bed." He chortled, light reflecting into his eyes as he laughed, "I was never able to go to sleep that night, was it from anger or isolation I cannot say, until you came in with it being around the hour of devils and laid on the foot. That night I heard so many things I hadn't thought I would hear, including those I wish I could have taken back." Memories played, Alfred walking in holding his head before gently placing himself on the foot and lying back, saying how one day this would all end and they would be happy, everything would be like fairytales he had read. Only for minutes later quiet sobbing accompanied the room's vacancy. 

    "Arthur, if I'm to admit in time of weakness, I fear this will never end, that day will hang upon our heads forever like the blade of a sword; however, other time's I see a future full of peace, but I couldn't tell you what else lays ahead." There should have been the hours of silence, rather the two looked at one another, analyzing features that were new or old, dark circles or small freckles from the gleeful suns embrace.

     "Our future might be sealed between us, but we never know what it upholds for us." 

     The rest of the journey home close proximity was close, when warmer weather traveled through they simply refused to budge, Arthur resting his head on his lover's shoulder before falling asleep, wrapped in the Royal blue of the King. Alfred took the rest of the journey home to think on what had been exchanged, it's true that the nights he worked until the cracking of morning had placed a strain between the two as he had become more pulled into himself, either through fear of a war or stress, the last time they had enjoyed one another's company when it wasn't called upon was on a dark night out in the royal gardens. Arthur had come out seeking refuge from Yao's insisted input for the two to wear the crowns passed down: a tradition that had never came to an end, usually worn on every occasion and day, yet over the years of civilization the only time the two had worn them were at their coronation and wedding day. There was no need to say they weren't charming, they were both taken by past rulers to be fixed to set in with their time, the two had just agreed upon wearing them when it was needed, there was no need to be obnoxious when the two were already set apart as royals. 

   The time Arthur had walked out and through the small maze, Alfred had been on his way back as they ran into one another, only giving small nods of acknowledgment before Alfred grasped onto Arthurs hand, tearing through maze back to the spot he had just left. The stars shown out in the small area, surrounded by silver bark and blue leaves, white rose petals flying around their bare feet, stargazing until their eye's simply fell back to one another. Words didn't need to be exchanged that night. Those simple moments always reassured Alfred that he had made the right choices in his life.