♠️ Exceptis Centrum ♠️ ✔︎

Chapter 2

Alfred yawned as he buttoned up his cotton pyjamas, his eyelids now heavy as his body craved sleep. He removed his glasses to give his face a quick wash in his en suite, the warm water helping him relax. He stared at himself in the mirror, his vision a little blurred now that he wasn’t wearing his glasses but he could still make himself out. He appeared a little worn out despite not really doing much today but as Francis had said earlier, a little sleep and he’ll be as fresh as summer flowers, or something like that.

“Did I really just dream all that?” he pondered to himself.

He couldn’t get it out of his mind. The whispers, the buzzing in his head, the vanishing guests, and that creepy voice going on and on about waiting. He wanted to say that it was nothing more than a bizarre daydream, or a weird illusion, or some strange phenomenon. Whatever that was that happened in the garden, he knew for a fact that it had happened.

“Maybe it was some weird enchantment, or it was part of the ceremony... or maybe Francis was playing a trick with me?” Each King had their own unique magic power, though it was never to be used for personal amusement. Francis had a humorous nature but even Alfred doubted he would use his own power to play a trick on him.

Well whatever it was he knew he shouldn’t bother dwelling on it any further. It wasn’t as if any harm had come to him, and no threats were made against him.

“A good nights sleep is all I need,” he yawned as he climbed onto his oversized bed, wrapped himself in the super soft sheets, and snuggled against the mattress until he was in a comfortable position. “I’ll talk to Yao about tomorrow,” he decided, clapping his hands so that the lights would dim.

He sighed as he stared up at the ceiling, letting his thoughts wander. The ceremony ended with everyone happy and content, even Yao seemed overly pleased with how everything went. Everyone focused on the Diamond Queen, praising her for her beautiful singing and even the stoic Diamond Jack smiled as he congratulated her. They all shared drinks and stories and as the night dragged on they all retired to their rooms.

Alfred recalled how Francis danced with his Queen, the pair of them smiling and laughing like there was no tomorrow. He then looked around him, finding himself incredibly small on this large bed of his, which was saying something because Alfred himself was rather tall for his age. Those feelings he hated began to resurface, and he rolled about in annoyance.

“Who needs a Queen anyway?” he told himself. “My old man and the Kings before him did just fine without one. If only he didn’t waste so much time trying to-.... argh... whatever.”

He rolled into the soft sheets and closed his eyes, hoping that he would at least dream of something pleasant. The scented pillows helped him relax and soon his consciousness began to fade.

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Something was stirring him from his slumber. At first it was just a small noise but as his mind began to return to the land of the living, it was getting louder and louder. Soon he found that it was impossible to go back to sleep with that irritating sound. He snapped his eyes open and sat up, rubbing his eyes and muttering curses.

“What the hell, I can’t even get a good nights sleep,” he grumbled.

He looked up to see it was still dark and was about to clap his hands when he noticed something. He rubbed his eyes again and tried to focus them, but as he looked around his room he realised that something was off.

“This... this isn’t my room.”

Although his eyesight was still a little blurry, he could still see that he was no longer in his large bed but now he was on a smaller one. The room itself was smaller, and all of the decorations were different to the ones he had in his own room. There was a couple of large bookshelves with a desk covered with empty books. A table with a single chair and decorated with flowers in a vase. A large screen decorated with pictures of flowers of every colour. A cabinet with fine dining utensils displayed and a large and ancient looking grandfather clock that ticked away. The room had a regal feeling to it, even the bedsheets were covered in beautiful patterns.