2. Chapter 2 (1/2)

(a/n): hellloooo thank you to all of you who've reviewed and followed this story, it means a lot! anyway i also wanted to formally apologize for failing to push my references to an eleven and making it look like the last king and queen formed a suicide pact...

welp, hope you enjoy this one folks! thanks!

((disclaimer: i don't own hetalia and jason dean does not appear in this story imalmostsory)

whereas alfred's mark had delicate vines with blooming blue roses, arthur's arm was covered with the markings of an iron gauntlet, almost. elegant metal-like workings, forming an intricate web of a blue gate, or perhaps a shield. something akin to that, connected to a spadian mark spread right over his knuckles—right where alfred's thumb first touched him when arthur took his hand.

the royal guards had come to the orphanage all dressed in their gold and blue glory. alfred had gawked then, much like the other children, and gawked when he saw the fancy-looking blue carriage they were to ride in. his mouth had been hanging open from when he was told he was a monarch, to having said goodbye to his friends, to sitting in cushions so soft he never thought possible in a carriage pulled by elegant white horses, to seeing the huge metal gates surrounding the palace he was soon to live in. and that was just the outside!

the gates parted in their slow, massive movement, and the exquisite courtyard of spades was revealed to them. grassy areas and stray bushes were sprinkled around marble and cobblestone walkways, spreading over the enormous grounds. the symbol of the spade was everywhere—on the carriage, the hedges, the gates, the guards' uniforms, and on the coats given for alfred and arthur to wear.

and arthur, right across from alfred in his seat, was gawking in equal fashion although with more confusion and less awe.

"arthur! isn't this so cool?" alfred asked, beaming with excitement.

"cool?" arthur was incredulous. "alfred, this is—"

unfortunately, he never got to finish his sentence when the carriage jolted to a halt, tipping alfred forward in his seat. the door do the side was pulled open to reveal a young man standing at the bottom of the stairs which led to the front door.

he was lean and tall, with dark eyes and long dark hair tied at his shoulder, a few stray strands curling around the side of his face. he regarded the two with a look of genuine surprise, before he coughed into his hand and fixed his expression into something more welcoming.

alfred grinned at him. "hi!"

"hello," said the man with a pleasant smile. "my name is wang yao, but you may call me yao, as most people call me too. i am the jack of spades."

"woah!" alfred

eathed, jumping out of the carriage. "that's so cool! you're the jack? that's so awesome!"

"wait, wait," there was arthur, taking a careful step out behind alfred. "i-if you're the jack, doesn't that mean you serve under us? i mean, uh, as t-the king and queen."

yao nodded. "yes, that's right."

alfred couldn't understand why the older boy looked so worried. maybe he was simply too overjoyed?

"wait, no!" arthur cried. "that can't be, we're just kids! we can't be expected to run a bloody kingdom!"

yao only smiled kindly, a look alfred found similar to what miss amelia did whenever a child cried over something.

"calm down, arthur," he said, kneeling down to their height and offering his hand. "you two won't be expected to run the kingdom yet. you'll be raised here, in the palace, and you will be under my protection. i would never let anything harm you two, and when you need me i'll be there with a single call. is that okay?"

arthur didn't answer at first. he stared at yao with disbelief, hands curled together under his heavy blue cloak. "i-i don't know," he croaked.

"that's alright. you will be okay."

"thanks, yao!" alfred piped. "i trust you already!"

yao raised an eye

ow, but offered a chuckle toward the younger boy who now jumped in his place.

"alright, alright," the jack said in his calming voice. "well, let's see. alfred, would you please give me your arm? yes, the only with the mark of spades. ah, look here," yao pointed to the spade which lay in the center of alfred's upturned hand, arthur watching curiously from the side.

"there's a hole there," the older boy commented. yao nodded in agreement.

"and see how the hole is in the shape of a spade?" indeed, it made the mark look like a slightly thicker cookie-cutter.

"now, arthur give me your arm. see, on your knuckles, your spade is filled completely. that means you're the queen, arthur."

the palace was wonderful! alfred was led down winding halls filled with pretty-looking furniture, gold and blue pieces of art, and, the best part, walls upon walls lined with ancient-looking armor shining and gleaming with weapons alfred wanted so badly to touch, but yao had told him not to and arthur was looking at him weird.

they walked through the throne room—it was insanely huge! two identical golden thrones stood in the middle of a raised marble podium, equal in height and structure. alfred couldn't believe he would be sitting with arthur on those soon!

but as they walked passed he could help but sense the melancholic emptiness surrounding the thrones, curtains drawn over windows and drapes set over some paintings. it was like the room didn't feel as lively as it should have been, and suddenly, neither was yao.

they were tugged along by the jack, further into the palace, and his mood immediately lightened as they left the room. alfred gawked at tapestries and paintings, at weapons and armor, yanking at yao's clothing and asking about all the battle-scenes he saw.

and the man indulged him. he gave a name and a year to each tapestry without pausing, said who fought who when alfred asked, and was rewardingly greeted with high-pitched exclamations of "woah! and "so cool!"

but when alfred looked over his shoulder, he found arthur trudging along with his cloak wrapped tightly around his shoulders. his eyes darted around the palace, lacking any sign of excitement or joy. he had interest, yes, but he seemed almost… afraid.

it was unusual and almost scary in itself, it wasn't like confident, snarky arthur at all! but alfred decided he was still just nervous. it would pass, surely! he could get arthur to play around the palace and have picnics out on the huge grounds—it would be great!

but for the moment alfred quieted down and walked at the boy's pace. maybe he just needed some comfort.

arthur fixed him with a scowl, taking a few paces back, but when alfred was about to question him yao snapped his fingers to their attention.

"look here, you two. this is the palace li

ary, where we house over sixteen-thousand books from all throughout the known world!" yao stood them right in front of a set of massive open double-doors, where inside were shelves that spanned from floor to ceiling filled to the

im with books and ladders running along their lengths. elegant glass tables filled the massive room, complete with plush seats and a royal blue rug encompassing the entire floor.

"books?" alfred mumbled, not entirely sure if he should be amazed by this, but next to him arthur was staring with eyes wide as saucers.

"wow," he whispered.

"come along now. you can visit these places after you clean up."