♠️ Exceptis Centrum ♠️ ✔︎

Chapter 10

When Alfred went to bed that night he was terrified he’d have a terrible nightmare and he was correct to think so. After what the accursed Joker showed him, he was afraid he’d never have a peaceful night ever again. He kept a dim nightlight on but as he laid in his bed and stared up at the ceiling, that horrible imagery continued to plague his thoughts. Trying to get it all out of his head Alfred tried reading funny comics, watched comedic adventure films, he even tried to read a long boring book about the past conflict between the four Kingdoms but the moment he closed his eyes to try and sleep, he always saw that gruesome thing.

“Dammit,” whined Alfred as he tossed and turned.

It was far too disturbing for him to even think about at the moment. He didn’t even want to know the reason why the last Queen of Spades died like that, he just didn’t want to see it again, even in his dreams. He tried humming a jolly tune to himself, read a joke book and forced himself to laugh, he even ate an entire tub of his favourite ice cream hoping to brain freeze it away, but it was still there at the back of his mind as if to taunt him. Why the hell did he summon that wretched Joker?

As he stared up at the ceiling he did try and think of something to take his mind off it all. He had the tea date with that noble’s daughter coming up next week. Supposedly she was the top bachelorette in the Spade Kingdom, and apparently she even had a lunch date with the King of Diamonds. There was also that dessert taste testing coming up, he was looking forward to that. Yao has taken care of some overdue work for him, so that was nice. He heard that the King if Hearts got a new dog. In fact a lot of people said that the King of Hearts bore a similar appearance to one of the Jokers-.... dammit.

Alfred groaned as he slapped his head in a vain effort to get rid of that wretched image of a woman turning into a rotting corpse before his eyes. If didn’t know any better he’d think that very Joker was watching him right now, laughing his head off. The clock ticked on and even though his eyelids were getting heavy he couldn’t nod off to sleep. He just continued to stare upwards until his eyes ached and his throat felt dry.

By the time he thought it was ok to sleep, the birds were already singing and the sun was glaring through the window. He could hear the maids and butlers move about outside his room, and then his door opening as a steward waltzed in with a tray of juice.

“Good morning, your majesty,” sung the cheery steward as he poured a glass of orange juice and placed it on the bedside table. “Freshly squeezed, just how you like it.”

Alfred eyes aches as he moved them to look at the glass. “Coffee,” he moaned.

The steward seemed surprised by this. “Coffee? You prefer a glass of orange juice first thing in the morning, your majesty, is that not so?”

Glaring up at the steward, Alfred repeated his command. “Coffee... I need coffee... lots and lots of coffee.”

The steward said no more and dashed off, leaving the orange juice behind. With a weary arm Alfred tried grabbing the glass, bringing to his face and attempted to drink it. It spilled down his throat as well his chin, staining his pyjamas and bedsheets. He didn’t even have the energy to put the glass down, he just dropped it unto the duvet and forced himself out of bed.

“This is going to be a long day,” he groaned as he made his way to the bathroom, missing the door and walking into the wall. “A very long day.”

And indeed it was. Yao took no pity on him and accused Alfred of staying up all night play video games or something, declaring that Alfred would not be allowed to rest until he had finished his work. He drank at least five cups of coffee during breakfast but he was still feeling fatigued and craved his bed, but feared it at the same time. In his tired state Alfred could barely hold a pen and half the time he couldn’t hear what Yao was saying. He walked like a sick man, constantly walking into things or other people and the worst thing was the morning had barely ended.