deck-of-cards-arc

[deck-of-cards-arc]

The sun shines down upon the base, the rays sweltering and blinding. The one star in the sky looming over the entirety of Carterre. Yet somehow, the darkness still consumed the very likeness of the fortress. Every corner seemed like a shadow with its claws grasping onto the stone brick walls of the place. In the middle of it all, it was all but silence. The wind was still, yet the air was heavy. I was told this place used to be a place of common commerce, market stalls of produce and food used to line the stone walls. It was never intended to be a place reckoned as a fortress, now with the crimson banners and stains on the walls. This was the only place that blocked access form the Noir Kingdom. Hopefully, soon, it would change. And it will, as a lone soldier donned in red metal armour decided to patrol right into my line of sight. They walked too close, possibly could’ve seen the frightened eyes hidden in the darkness of the fortress, so I might as well have struck. One good smack to the head by the hilt of my sword later, that was at least taken care of. The other eyes stepped forward, the one with clubs for her brown irises simply poking the unconscious body with the handle of her dagger.

🌹 “Well, that was easy.”

🔥 “Too easy?”

🌹 “No, because we aren’t spouting clichés today, Ai.”

♦ “Besides, the real difficulty is taking the rest of them out. There's about a hundred of them here”

🃏 “Yeah…so many and so spread out.”

♠ “Focus, the stairway isn’t far ahead. We just have to move further”

🔥 “We’re near the gates, I think I can set the fire there. Should be enough to lead them off.”

♠ “Alright. Rose, get Ai over there. We’ll get into position to move up.”

🌹 “Roger.”

🃏 “Who’s Roger?”

🌹 “No I mean-, nevermind”

I huffed a breath, taking Ai by the forearm and guiding her through the shadows. Shuffling near the walls, hiding behind the mess of clutter surrounding the place, and soon we reached the gates. Ai stood by it, her hands rubbing together as if she were creating a spark. And unsurprisingly, it worked. The fire in her hand was bright and burning, remained as such whilst she lowered it to the grass. It was a good thing she got the endorsement from Morgan, otherwise, this would set him off. Once the fire was set, I grabbed Ai’s arm again. This time, with a finger snap, we were back in the shadows. I peeked around the wall, watching them all act like moths as they were drawn to the flame. From the opposite side, a few of those moths were tied up with vines before they could even move. Morgan raised a thumb at us before continuing up the stairs with Lou. I heard grunts and punches thrown from above us. Sounded like Jacques was in position too. All the pieces were set in place.

🔥 “It’s showtime.”

🌹 “You ready?”

🔥 “Born ready, let’s go”

And with that, Ai and I ran towards our positions. We shimmied close to the walls to reach the opposite side of the fortress. Near a tall structure, I pressed my back against it and cupped my hands. The hermit managed to get up to climb it as I boosted her. I only had to jump up to pull myself up. It didn’t take too long before we sprinted across the roof of the upper floors, where Jacques was next to a pile of unconscious soldiers. I had to do a double-take to notice the pile.

🌹 “Okay, that’s gruesome, wow”

🃏 “Hey! I didn’t kill them. They're just asleep”

🔥 “Rigghhhtt and they’re in a pile because?”

🃏 “There's not much room up here, give me a break. I’ll put them down later.”

🔥 “Fine, fine. Are we ready?”

🔥 “Let’s do it, squad!”

🃏 “SQUAD!”

🌹 “Squad!”

Ai took out her card, taking a deep breath before she flicked it. I didn’t expect that the flame erupting from the card would get so big, but here we are. With a giant flame very much attractive to the moths down below. She reeled back, the flame getting unstable as she did so. I held the card over her hand, giving my reassurance. To regain stability. She nodded, holding the flame higher. Jacques took out their card too, flicking a small but considerable whirlwind to carry the pyre across. Ai watched, her hair was morbidly alight with orange upon the sight of the soldiers’ scurry and panic. I just smiled, at least she’s having some fun, right? The two kept sending the waves of blistering flames across the courtyard> I was just tasked with making sure they didn’t get too caught up in the arson. Even if I threw in my own powerful flames into the mix. With that, the entirety of the platoon was out of the fortress, running to the forest to retreat. We all joking waved them all goodbye as their shapes shrinking into ants in the distance. I placed a hand on both Ai and Jacques’ shoulders, finger-snapping us back to the centre of the fortress. I ran a hand through my charcoal hair, the wind seemingly staying and blowing it. Jacques was already calling the early celebrations, jumping up and down in a joyous fervour

🔥 “Is that everyone?”

🌹 “Got to double-check, we can’t be too sure.”

🃏 “Alright, you go west, you go east, I’ll see the back”

One collective nod later, and it was off searching for the strays. I made my way over to the west wings of the fortress, making the couple turns to a wide-open area, surrounded by the walls and floored with the same stone. Now without the adrenaline sidetracking me, I was able to get a more comprehensive view of the place. Although, there wasn’t much to comprehend. There were supplies but they were very limited amounts in the crates in which I checked. All that was there was just the broken and dilapidated scraps of the wooden stalls that used to occupy the space. Not a lot of food, not a lot of weapons either. This was where the platoon had placed themselves, for the long time being, it was supposed to be their residence. Yet it seemed so barren. None of the ones that fled could’ve taken so much stuff in a short amount of time, so they had such a small supply in the first place…the reasoning behind it was a head-scratcher. Needless to say, it was mostly empty. Not a soldier in sight. That was a relief, at the very least.

I made my way back to the main courtyard, seeing Ai fiddle with the dagger out in the open.

🌹 “Heya,”

🔥 “Rose, have you seen Jacques anywhere?”

“No..? They went to the back, did you check there?”

🔥 “I did, not there”

I placed a finger on my chin. But there wasn’t much time to think when I heard the crackling of fire just behind us.

🃏 “WATCH OUT!”

Instinctively, I ducked and pulled Ai down with me. As we did, a wall of water came to shield us form a wave of flames.

🔥 “THE FUCk-“

“Well, this place still isn’t empty”

🔥 “NO KIDDING!”

🃏 “Guys! Are you okay!?”

“Yeah, we’re okay, what was that?”

🃏 “I-I don’t know, I saw someone rush by and towards you guys. I ran here just in time though. ”

“Great, we got company”

In the silence, there was a giggle. Somehow, a familiar giggle

“Ai? Why are you laughing?”

🔥 “What- I’m not?”

🌹 “Jacques?”

🃏 “…oh no-“

The Joker flicked their card, carrying the water shield next to them. They stood on-guard, even if the grip on their card was shaky. I stood too, Ai behind me. All three of us looked upon the source of such roaring laughter, seeing the flame ignited in the shadows. Out stepped hickory leather knee-high boots, with tight neat laces. Short and tattered black skirt and dress, torn all around the edges. Deep mahogany tunic over it, tightened at the waist with a black leather belt with a golden buckle. Short puffed up sleeves making room for her brown leather gloves. In her long, straight midnight and scarlet hair, a crimson ribbon tied in a bow. She smiled wide upon her carmine clubs eyes landing onto us. If it weren’t for the whip in her hands, there might've been a small chance I though she was friendly.

♣ “Good to see you again. Jackie!~”

🔥 “…why the fuck does she look like me?”

♣ “Yeesh, you couldn’t get partners with less dirty tongues? Yikes, yikes, yikes”

🌹 “Jacques, explain-“

♣ “No worries, don’t let the dimwit slow my introduction down. My name is Reine Trèfle”

🃏 “Ria.”

♣ “Oh! So you’ve heard of me? I’m honoured that Jackie over there is still remembers me. Even If nobody else remembers him”

🔥 “Okay, what the hell do you want?”

♣ “Isn’t it obvious? I’m here to kill a very very specific person. Specifically, the joke over there”

🔥 “Oh fuck no, we won’t let you hurt them”

♣ “Correction, you’ll try. And you’ll fail!”

She snaps her fingers, inviting a wave of a groaning chorus to erupt. All of a sudden, from all around us, soldiers donned in the crimson armour stood tall. Many of them blocking the exit. Ria laughed even more and skipped like a child towards the stairway. Towards Morgan and Lou.

🌹 “Same as before?”

🔥 “Gucci”

We split, me taking the west once again. I unsheathed my sword and charged through blade first. I managed to make enough headway, parry after a parry, swing after swing. Quick slices and most of the soldiers were dealt with, though many more came to fill their place. And here I thought there was just a platoon, it was like a whole army was stuffed into the fortress. I turned my head around, spotting Ai being pushed back by a couple of them. I huffed, snapping my fingers. I didn’t look back as my other self took care of them for her. I had to snap my fingers a couple times to handle the influx, actually. Even with many sword swings, there were about three more for every one soldier I took down. I was getting overwhelmed with it all like my head was spinning, or perhaps it was the overuse of my multiple selves around the area. Eventually, it was enough to drive me away. I made my escape towards the back area of the fortress. It was essentially a small field caged by the usual walls and short hallway, leading up to a spot for observing. Or perhaps being flung through to land onto the patch of grass, which was what happened to Jacques. The Joker-bound slammed against the wall, arm over their chest bleeding. The moment I took my eyes off the soldiers, I was pushed to the wall. Being pinned never hurt so badly, the stone scraping my back through my cape, if it weren’t for the fact exhaustion overrode my stamina.

♣ “Well, well, aren't you all a weak bunch. I expected more from Earth dwellers. After all, many wondrous things were said about you, especially after the Ten of Clubs was sent there. But I guess you're just all talk”

🌹 “For someone who hates talk, you don’t know when to shut your damn mouth- GAH!”

♣ “Oh, hush. Since she’s injured anyway, kill her off”

🃏 “NO! Ria, why are you doing this!? We’re here to stop the king!”

♣ “Why do I want that?”

Ria swung her whip again, Jacques dodged. This continued around and around the field. It was only for a brief moment that they pulled out the card and flicked it up. Ria was knocked back, held down by the vines that shot up from the ground.

🃏 “Don’t you see what he’s doing!? He’s causing the imbalance in the world! This is wrong, to hurt people, to kill off the innocent, you taught me that! Didn’t you?”

♣ “PFFFT, YOU THINK I MEANT THAT? Those are just the stupid things that adult teach kids. But as a kid, I already knew those adults were liars. They teach but never preach. They only do so for their own benefit. Make us kids subservient, to be their little slaves.”

🃏 “W…what…”

♣ “I turned the tables on them, Jackie. I gained the system early. None of those morals matter, they just are puzzle pieces to switch around. Put them right and you can fit in perfectly”

🃏 “So…everything you taught me….was a lie…”

♣ “HAHAha, of course! Just like everything in your life! Your fate to be the hero of Carterre, to bring upon peace? Please, that’s just a title that gets you freebies. The only reason I was around you was to get the goodies that came with”

🃏 “You…lied to me? Ria..you lied to me?”

♣ “Hehehe, since when were you a friend to me, let alone a person? You weren’t fated to be a hero, you fated to be a tool”

That was enough for Jacques to hyperventilate. Their breaths quickened, all short and shallow. Gave Ria ample time to burn down the vines and kick Jacques right in the face. As they rolled across the grass, she skipped happily towards them. Her hands reached for her card, trailing the edge of it across the bleeding spots. I tried breaking out of the hold, but teleporting was a no go. Not in my weakened state. All I could do was watch as Jacques was begging to breathe, writhing with tears and screams. Ria was laughing like she heard a joke, maybe to her, the joke was right below her. But that laughter would be cut short with a knife. Or rather a dagger flung past her cheek and enough to catch her off guard.

🔥 “Seriously, explain why you look like me”

♣ “Heh, well if it isn’t the third weak one of the group.”

🔥 “How about you shut up, ya sack of shit”

♣ “How about you do yourself instead of letting other people do it for you?”

🔥 “Hah, bitch say bet”

Ai lunged first, tackling her legs and kneeing her gut. Just as Ria leaned forward, Ai pulled on her skirt and tossed her aside. Ria whipped the other Clubs-bound, wrapped around her arm. The whip seemed to glow red, smoking even. But Ai looked at it with fascination and shrugged. She tugged on it and tossed that far away. Once discarded, the hermit dashed over to Ria, pinning her down with the dagger in hand. If I weren’t so weakly pressed on the wall, I would’ve cheered.

♣ “I think I am allowed to kill you, no?”

🔥 “Go on, try”

The blade was right at her neck, blood might as well be seeping out. Yet the long-haired one smiled so confidently.

♣ “See, you can’t, you have morals. Just like any other weakling.”

🔥 “Oh you really are a piece of shit aren’t you?”

♣ “I accept any name, honestly. But you, you're scared of whatever label they give you. You don’t want to be a murderer, that’s why you’re shaking

🔥 “I-I-I’m not-“

♣ “What's the matter? Are you scared right now? Are you afraid? Without anyone, you're frozen. You need people to be confident for you”

🔥 “Shut up!”

♣ “Am I wrong, Ai? Am I wrong that you’re quivering even if you tower me?

🔥 “I said SHUT UP!”

♣ “Am I wrong to think that you're useless on your own?”

🔥 “SHUT-“

♣ “Am I wrong? Tell me I’m wrong-“

Ria releases a hand from her grasp, gripping onto Ai’s wrist and twisting it. Her screams are bloodcurdling, already the tears have formed.

♣ “-that you're nothing more than a crying coward?”

She kicks Ai back, the hermit rolling over and curled up in gasping inhalations. In that time, Ria was able to reach for her whip. She could’ve killed her right then and there, I wouldn’t be able to stop it. But it was even worse when she didn't take the opportunity, only the adhere whiplashes onto Ai’s back. The hermit was curled in her ball, hands to her head and clutching her midnight hair. The other, in her own sweet time, picked up the dagger and added a few slashes into her back too. My hands clenched, I felt the barest tear prick my eyes as I witnessed it all. I couldn’t even breathe to shout either. To add the literal salt to the wound, Ria gleefully wrapped the whip around her neck and tugged.

It was almost like clockwork, like a chime of the bell. As soon as Ai’s cry for help, cry to breathe reverberated, I felt one of my selves disappear. One last boost of strength allowing me to teleport and cut that bitch’s whip with a swing of my sword. I collapsed on the ground, still conscious but barely hanging on

🌹 “You…aren’t going to do shit”

♣ “You annoying little-“

Before she could even finish her insult, a scream erupted from somewhere. Ria lowered her cut whip and tossed the dagger away.

♣ “Hmm, seems like she did her job. Nevermind you, I best be going.”

🌹 “No, you're not going ANYWHERE-“

♣ “I beg to differ. But then again, I don’t really have to beg too much”

Ria snapped her fingers, flipping her midnight hair ever so mockingly. Her hands spread out as she let herself fall to the sliver of light below her. I almost could lunge at her by the legs, but I wasn’t quick enough. My body fell to the grassy field, my hands gripping at the grass. I heard the rustle behind me, followed by a frail hand at my side

🔥 “A-Are…you okay…?”

🌹 “Yeah, yeah, I’m okay”

I coughed, sniffled and heaved a heavy breath. It all was now a blur of everything. Jacques injured. Ai severely hurt. Ria went as soon as the scream…

The realization hit me, as I snapped my fingers quick. My body leaned against the doorframe I teleported to. And it seemed, it hit me too late. As I breathed the dead air hanging above me, the stench of it clogging my nose like the sobs in my throat. With eyes trailing to Morgan clutching Lou in his arms. Hand in his twilight hair, grasping it tightly. His entire body being grasped tight, even if it were leaking crimson and ice shards poking through his stomach. Morgan took his sight away from his chérie for a moment, to face me an say-

♦ “I’m sorry, Rose…”

---

#the end #ep 1 #rose #ai #ria #jacques #HOLDS HEAD AGAIn

[deck-of-cards-arc]

The sun shines down upon the base, the rays sweltering and blinding. The one star in the sky looming over the entirety of Carterre. Yet somehow, the darkness still consumed the very likeness of the fortress. Every corner seemed like a shadow with its claws grasping onto the stone brick walls of the place. In the middle of it all, it was all but silence. The wind was still, yet the air was heavy. I was told this place used to be a place of common commerce, market stalls of produce and food used to line the stone walls. It was never intended to be a place reckoned as a fortress, now with the crimson banners and stains on the walls. This was the only place that blocked access form the Noir Kingdom. Hopefully, soon, it would change. And it will, as a lone soldier donned in red metal armour decided to patrol right into my line of sight. They walked too close, possibly could’ve seen the frightened eyes hidden in the darkness of the fortress, so I might as well have struck. One good smack to the head by the hilt of my sword later, that was at least taken care of. The other eyes stepped forward, the one with clubs for her brown irises simply poking the unconscious body with the handle of her dagger.

🌹 “Well, that was easy.”

🔥 “Too easy?”

🌹 “No, because we aren’t spouting clichés today, Ai.”

♦ “Besides, the real difficulty is taking the rest of them out. There's about a hundred of them here”

🃏 “Yeah…so many and so spread out.”

♠ “Focus, the stairway isn’t far ahead. We just have to move further”

🔥 “We’re near the gates, I think I can set the fire there. Should be enough to lead them off.”

♠ “Alright. Rose, get Ai over there. We’ll get into position to move up.”

🌹 “Roger.”

🃏 “Who’s Roger?”

🌹 “No I mean-, nevermind”

I huffed a breath, taking Ai by the forearm and guiding her through the shadows. Shuffling near the walls, hiding behind the mess of clutter surrounding the place, and soon we reached the gates. Ai stood by it, her hands rubbing together as if she were creating a spark. And unsurprisingly, it worked. The fire in her hand was bright and burning, remained as such whilst she lowered it to the grass. It was a good thing she got the endorsement from Morgan, otherwise, this would set him off. Once the fire was set, I grabbed Ai’s arm again. This time, with a finger snap, we were back in the shadows. I peeked around the wall, watching them all act like moths as they were drawn to the flame. From the opposite side, a few of those moths were tied up with vines before they could even move. Morgan raised a thumb at us before continuing up the stairs with Lou. I heard grunts and punches thrown from above us. Sounded like Jacques was in position too. All the pieces were set in place.

🔥 “It’s showtime.”

🌹 “You ready?”

🔥 “Born ready, let’s go”

 And with that, we split. Ai ducked and rolled to her position. I snapped my fingers to get in position, the whole of the second floor now in my sight and area.

The floor was clear of guards, thought the walls were a whole different story. Every inch of them was covered in the crimson flags and banners that dominated the fortress. I scoffed at the tacky decorations and moved on ahead. Through the openings of the wall, I could see the bursts of the fire from above on roofs. Accompanying the heated rage was the strong whirlwind just as planned. And according to that plan as well, the soldiers were absolutely demolished. I felt the smile grow on my face hearing the hermit’s cheery laughter so loudly before I reset my mind back to the task at hand. I kept scouring on the second floor. Passing by the grown flora around and the cracks against the walls. Soon enough, the familiar heads of brunet covered by a green hood and of twilight blending with his cape were in view. I whistled, turning them around to face me.

🌹 “You said there were a lot of guards around, no?”

♠ “Yeah, we took them down. Didn’t you seem them when running here?”

🌹 “What are you talking about, the floors were clean”

Morgan flashed a confused expression before he returned to his usual.

♦ “Nevermind that, the ones leading this platoon of soldiers should be here. For all we know, they may also be a Card-bound.”

♠ “Right. Let’s focus, we’ve got a serious target. Be on guard, Rosie, Morrie”

♦ “Pff-”

♠ “Now what's with the giggle?”

♦ “Nothing, nothing, you're too cute when you say our names like that”

♠ “AM NOT!”

I couldn’t help but giggle too as I marched on ahead. Morgan’s not wrong after all, he’s the one puffing up his cheeks and pouting. Nevertheless, we slowly made our way through the halls. It was strangely quiet. Strangely dark. As if this whole thing wasn’t as strange. Trailing my hand across the stone, I huffed a shaky breath. I stopped for just a second, feeling the flow of the soldiers come in rapidly. But it was just a platoon, no?  Luckily, I could bring in more help form myself, just with a finger snap. I was spreading myself, or rather my selves, out a little thin but it was enough to slow it down. Such a large flow of the Rouge soldiers, it was unsettling nonetheless.

It wasn’t until I took a turn, seeing the open ajar wooden door that it hitched. I held up a fist to stop the two behind me before I readied my sword. Slow, steady steps in the quiet hall down to the door. Palm against the wood, pushing it slowly to reveal the room. With openings for windows that reached almost the ceiling. With makeshift tables made out of empty crates and sheets of cloth. With boxes of parchments, books and charms. That what drew my eyes first, as I reached a hand to inspect the objects. The books were scriptures of the Cards. From their words contained within them, detail archaic events or quotes I couldn’t exactly grasp. For all those bound by either the Clubs or Spades. The charms were like dreamcatchers, in away. They all were strung by either string or wool, with small jewels for what I assume, good vibes. I placed the things back, looking back to Lou and Morgan. The Diamond-bound was busy inspecting the rolls of parchment on the table. The Spades-bound was preoccupied with swiping the unscathed map of the land. One thing was for certain with the room, the leader wasn’t here.

Or so we thought, as the echoes of clicking, clacking against the stone caught our attention. My hands reached for my sword instinctively and my legs lunged towards the door. Morgan took the initiative too and ducked behind the table, Lou hiding with him only a second later.

As soon as the door swung open, as soon as the figure took a one…two…three steps, the door shut tight

“NOW!”

The arrows were shot, just beside her cheek. The shock was enough to freeze her, giving me nice ample time to position my blade under her chin. The adrenaline hit us too hard since it was second before we realised who we were pinning against the door.

♠ “Ms…Le fond..?”

♦ “Evequeline, what are you doing here? Rose, lower your sword”

I followed the orders, the sword now at my side instead. The High Priestess heaved a deep breath and moved a few steps forwards away from me.

♥ “I came here to deliver urgent news”

♦ “Couldn’t it wait for after the mission?”

♥ “It affects this mission too, your highness”

♠ “Don’t call me that”

🌹 “What does it have to do with the mission?”

♥ “It’s important, you must listen”

♠ “Okay, okay, what is it.

My gaze shifted from Evequeline’s gentle but worried expression to her firm grasp on her staff. That small moment, as I saw that hand move, as that worry shifted to darkened face…

The realisation hit me too late.

♥ “You have already lost.”

I couldn’t swing my sword fast enough. But Lou could. His rapier knocked the staff away before she could even land her strike, his card pushed her against the wall firmly with the winds. I pointed my sword back to her, now with Lou’s blade and soon Morgan’s arrow also holding her back

♠ “LE FOND, HOW COULD YOU?”

♥ “I am not sorry, your highness.”

♠ “STOP CALLING ME THAT, YOU TRAITOR!”

♥ “Since when was I on your side?”

🌹 “…The Hearts Sisters…They were always with the Rouge kingdom…YOU were always with the Rouge kingdom. They weren't insurgent, and YOU knew that!”

♥ “How else did the armies find your base?”

🌹 “Not without a spy.”

♦ “Everyone died…BECAUSE OF YOU”

♠ “You're supposed to Priestess, yet you killed hundreds…Why? Why are you hurting us, why are you fighting for imbalance!?”

♥ “My reasons are none of your business. And besides, there’s in knowing now. Now when you’re losing”

At that very second, I reeled back. The sight was flooding back to me as she spoke of the devil.

Ai was on the ground, barely able to stand. Not with a figure’s foot pushing her down with a loud and agonising crack. The figure was chuckling away as I saw the hermit crying eyes and throat out for someone, anyone…

Jacques was grounded too, arms clutched and unable to reach for their card. It was only just a small rach away, but the deep crimson wounds all over their body made moving seem like hell.

Me? I was pushed against the wall, staring up the soldiers pinning me. I could barely breathe.

Even in the room with my actual self, I couldn’t breathe. Morgan was calling my name, but I couldn’t hear it. The vertigo was surrounding me, I spread my selves too thin. And of course, that was her chance. With a swing, she knocked back into the table. Lou was incidentally knocked back too, right into the boxes. Morgan was the only one still standing. Just before she delivered another blow, he dropped a seed. Vines of flowers shot up to knock the staff right out of her hands and into his. The plants were staring to wrap around the Priestess, to which she countered with a finger snap. The room became blinding, just as I was getting out of my blackening out before the light disappeared. Evequeline had moved to just behind Morgan. He wasn’t fast enough to stop her from knocking his card out of his hand. He wasn't fast enough to stop her from kicking him down to the floor. He wasn't fast enough to stop her point a card at him square on his bowed head

♥ “I’m sorry, Diamant…but this is the king’s orders. Do not take this personally.”

She flicked it, I didn’t know what to expect

Explains how I didn’t see Lou lunge towards Morgan as soon as it happened.

It was like déjà vu, seeing those ice crystals poking out of Lou’s stomach, the crimson that spilt from there. So much so, my short of breath came back around. And I only at the side to witness it. So I couldn’t imagine Morgan’s position at all.

What I could see was Evequeline backing up slowly, even she was taken aback by her actions. I panted, heavy and fast, I couldn’t regain any breath of mine. All I could do was crawling towards Lou, the pain already seeping in harshly. Morgan was clutching the body in his arms, the glow from his hands doing almost nothing to him. The tears were already beginning to roll down his face as he pleaded. I came closer, using my own white light to surround him. But he still was coughing up blood, whimpering under his own movements. Lou tried turned around, groaning and heaving dryly.

♦ “Please, please, please, p-please, p-p-please, p-please…”

♠ “M…or…rie…it…hu…rts…i…t…hu…rts…”

♦ “I know, chérie, l-Look at m-me, okay? L-Look at me, please, p-please”

🌹 “I-I can’t do anything! It’s not working!”

♦ “What do you mean!?”

I looked closer at the crystals in his stomach, trying not to let the choking screams hurt me even more. The crystals themselves were crimson, but the blood didn’t stain it. It was as if it flowed within the ice itself.

🌹 “…She froze his blood…”

♦ “B-But, that’s fucking impossible, not unless she’s higher than a…a ten…”

My head turned to Evequeline. She turned the card in her hand around to show us. It wasn’t the Five of Hearts

It was Queen.

♦ “H-How…”

♥ “We’re done here”

Her calm and peaceful silence returned, as she took the staff from the ground and flicked it to tear a sliver of light. She stepped in, back facing us. I took that last chance to get her as my feet and arms acted on their own. It was too late to take the action, however, my body and sword meeting the cold stone instead. Huffing, slamming my fist down and cursing almost everything. I turned back to Lou being cradled in arms. His frail weak whines were haunting, they floated and hung in the air even if they were quiet. The Spades-bound curled up, his hand grasping at the grassy green cloak. Breaths were getting shorter by the second, the shines of the sapphires dulled. No waterworks escaped his eyes, but he was already in pained and stinging tears. How do I even bear to watch it all end like this, without my own tears blurring my vision and sobs clogging up my throat? Morgan was barely able to bear it at all. His words were scattered, stuttered. His hand was still over the puncture in the stomach, the glow losing its luminance. His pleas were repeating, over and over and over through his voice. Emeralds searching for at least some sign, any sign something could work at all. One slice of a chance, something to reach for to save just one soul. Hopeless and wishful thinking was all it was, though…

♦ “Chérie, chérie, p-please, please-”

♠ “I…I’m…sorry…”

♦ “What’s there t-to be sorry for, don’t say t-that please”

♠ “I…I’m sorry t…that I can’t…can’t keep…our promise…”

♦ “Please, p-please, don’t say y-you’re sorry, please!”

♠ “Then…I should say, M…orrie…t…thank…you for everything…for being…my everything…”

♦ “C-Chérie…Lou, p-please don’t go, please don’t go.”

♠ “I…said the same…to you, when…you had to l…leave…what a…turnaround…huh? S…sorry…I just noticed it…”

♦ “F-Fuck, you’re r-right, I shouldn’t have l-left you, a-all alone in t-the c-capital, with a-all those fuckers, I s-should be sorry, I should b-be-”

♠ “Shus…shhh…it’s okay…you're still here…with me…and hey…”

♠ “You got…your kiss…in due time…”

♦ “Chérie, c-chérie-“

♠ “See…there’s the…the smile I love…”

He shifted himself, laid against Morgan’s arm and smiled too. His love couldn’t help but ruffle his twilight hair softly, as he tried to stop his sobs.

♠ “Rose…”

🌹 “Y-Yeah-?”

♠ “You know…I never thought…I’d say it like this…right now…but… you’re one of my…bestest friends…too…you showed me…so much…Thank you…”

🌹 “L-Lou…please, s-stay, ple-please”

♠ “I…I want to…so badly…”

🌹 “ I don’t w-want you t-to d-die like this! You s-still have so m-much to l-live for…”

♠ “I’ll b…be okay…I’ll see…mother, a…again…she’ll take c…care of me…I won’t have…to see…The King…ever again”

🌹 “Y-Yeah, y-you’ll n-never see that dick, a-again”

♠ “Heh..he...You two…are the best…I couldn’t h…have asked for better…friends…in the uni…verse”

🌹 “L-Lou-“

♦ “Chérie…”

♠ “I…love…you”

With that, silence. His hand fell limp, his sapphire eyes were gone, his pale skin lost the lively glow it once had.

The only thing left, was a scream from the one holding him piercing through the dead air.

---

#the end #ep 1 #rose #evequeline #morgan #lou #HOLDS MY HEAD

[deck-of-cards-arc]

🃏-🌹

🌹 “Jacques?”

I could only see their blonde head flinch upon their name, before turning back to me

🃏 “Oh! Rose, sorry I must’ve woken you!”

🌹 “It’s fine. What about you?”

🃏 “Hehe, I just like to get up and early. Maybe a little too early, whoops!”

🌹 “Uhuh…”

🃏 “No worries! I’m okay. I have the sound of the water reminding me of the rain. I always enjoy the rain, splishing and splashing in the puddles. Like when I just a wee child too!”

I raised an eyebrow as Jacques giggled, it wasn't long before the laughter had died down. The sound faded, blended into trickling of water.

🃏 “Guess I don’t really fool anyone anymore, do I?”

🌹 “After your breakdown, maybe not. You know you don’t have to fake a smile for me.”

🃏 “Just, a force of habit, really”

🌹 “It’s okay, you can just…be honest with me right now.”

🃏 “Then, hmm, I guess…I could use a walk. This place is really stuffy, after all. There’s a bit of a problem with that.”

🌹 “And what’s that?”

🃏 “I…I don’t know where to go”

🌹 “…really?”

🃏 “I get lost easily, sometimes. I’m not exactly too bright with directions, not unles I’ve been here before. And everyone else is asleep so…”

🌹 “I can just teleport you out, but I have to tag along to bring you back.”

🃏 “It’s alright, it’s only a walk. Plus, it’ll be a quick bonding time for us”

🌹 “Heh, sure. C’mon.”

Crawling my body near the edge of the wooden frame, I placed a limp hand on their shoulder and snapped my fingers with the other. Just as they blinked, their heterochromatic eyes met the coloured night sky. The darkness above us, painted with blue and pale white streaks of midnight across the clouds. The soft luminance of the moon, coupled with the splatter and splash of the stars across the canvas. The breeze passing us by as we stood in front of the view of the village. Some lights were left on for the night owls, though the most had shut or began to shut their windows tight for the eventide. It was a gorgeous sight, one to be distracted by. And Jacques was completely enthralled, their eyes seemingly regaining the sparks they once had. Although, not as excitedly as I would've imagined, just a calm smile as they surveyed the sleepy town. The Joker-bound stood up from the grassy plain, bending back down to offer a hand. Naturally, I took it and let them pull me up to stand as well.

It was automatic, we began strolling the perimeter near view. How far we had walker, I wasn’t sure. All I could tell was that we made a considerable distance yet it felt mere second passing. I simply walked with my hands holding each other behind my back. The blonde skipped slowly, hopping from each spot of grass with satisfying crinkles. However, despite such playful behaviour, the silence was solemn. As if it were to send one’s condolences rather than enjoy the peaceful night outside. I clutched my own hand tighter upon such a thought, so I picked up my paces and scampered closer to Jacques.

🌹 “You seem to enjoy the outside a lot”

🃏 “Mhmm…I don’t think you know this about me, but my family is entirely made up of farmers. I practically grew up with nature as my third parent”

🌹 “Really? That's interesting trivia.”

🃏 “Yeah, it’s apparently a shock to many as well... I guess they envision me from a long line of warriors or noblemen, or something. Really, the Joker card can pick anybody…doesn't really matter as long as the card deems you fit to wield it”

🌹 “Does the card have a sort of consciousness then? It should have since it made the choice to pick you”

🃏 “I think so, maybe. Nobody really knows how these cards came to be, what gave them this power. Not even the Priests and Priestesses truly know the source of it all. And they dedicated years to learning these cards.”

🌹 “Hmm…”

🃏 “I don’t come from a family that bothers too much in this sort of stuff, so it’s a mystery as to why I was picked. But my fate was sealed anyway…”

They stop skipping, halting in their place. I stopped too. Taking an eye off the scenic spot, my ice blue gaze trailed to their hand. Holding the Joker card, possibly crushing it in their grasp.

🃏 “And I’ll have to bear the costs this power has. Until I die.”

The silence afterwards was just as crushing. I couldn’t really think of anything to say to alleviate the tension all of a sudden, at least not before Jacques's head perked up.

🃏 “Wait a minute, I know this stretch of land!”

In just a blink, they launched themselves into a full sprint towards the west. I barely had the bearings to run fast enough behind them. I didn’t even know where they decided to venture towards, not even sure where exactly my feet were stepping on. All was on m mind was simply catching up. Surprisingly so, I did manage to make some good headway before Jacques pulled the brakes and drifted through the soil. I was panting heavily until Jacques clamped my mouth. Just before I could retort, they shushed and pointed just far beyond the shrubbery. I poked my head of charcoal hair through, spotting a small field of soil. Raked, sowed and watered seemingly with love and care. Tiny dots of green sprouts poked through the group, as far as I could see. A barn with fenced-in cattle and poultry situated just beside the field. Along with a smaller house a few feet further away. The town was just a drive away, or rather a horse ride away. Amongst the flat field, was a lone farmer, tending to a small plant. Whoever it was, it seemed to bring Jacques a wide smile.

🌹 “Is this…”

🃏 “Home.”

🌹 “Wait, so this town is YOUR hometown?”

🃏 “That’s why the resistance is here, this is the only place that wasn’t afraid to let us stay. All the other towns were fearful that the Rouge Kingdom attack them. But here, everyone knows that I’m ‘amazing’ and ‘undefeatable’, or something”

🌹 “Guess they idolise you too, huh?”

🃏 “In a more a way your parents would be proud of you for achieving something grand. Still hurts to be treated like prize more than anything.”

🌹 “Do you want to say hi to your parents? We have time”

🃏 “No, at least not at this hour. Papa likes to work late but it gets him sort of cranky. Plus all that work does a bit on his back, so he can get extra mad too. So we just leave him be to sleep at night. I’ll visit them in the morning, no worries.”

🌹 “How old are they? You’re twenty now, right?”

🃏 “They’re uhm…around fifty? Or younger, maybe. My my, it’s been a while since I counted their ages, oh no”

🌹 “So they’re on their own without you?”

🃏 “It's not like they're completely alone, I have siblings. Even then,  I didn’t want to leave, they just decided for me. I just had to smile for them as they wished me well and sent me off.”

I heard the rustling of the foliage and fingers tracing the dirt just beside me, causing me to turn my head back to Jacques

🃏 “I guess everyone changes when they’re around me. I’m the chosen hero of the lands, after all. I was fated to bring hope, peace, balance…To bring a smile to everyone's faces”

🌹 “You’ve never been given a choice in any part of this. Even far beyond being the Joker…”

🃏 “I was chosen for a reason. All Jokers are chosen for a reason. My reason is that I’m good of heart, I can't just reject the choice to be the hero of the lands. Not when it saves lives. And it has”

🌹 “Still, you were pushed into this life, driven away from your home. You had to put on the persona of the Joker by force. Hasn’t it hurt you?”

🃏 “I…I don’t regret becoming the Joker, Rose… I met so many friends through my journies…but…”

🌹 “But?”

🃏 “…But…it has hurt me in more ways than one. I miss my home, I miss my parents, I miss my siblings, I want to just come here without the threat of war down my neck. I just want to help out on the farm, just like I wanted since I was a kid. I don’t want people thinking so much of me. S-so many eyes, so m-many standards, so m-many t-things to think about a-all the time…”

Their legs curled up to their chest, blond head ducked into their knees. Without their beanie, their locks simply flowed in the gentle wind as soft sobs began to gain volume. I kneeled in front of them, pulling them into a tight but breathable hug. Arms wrapped around their fragile form, shivering in my grasp. It didn’t take too long for them to hug back, their arms weak but enough to hug back. Their face laid against my shoulder, I didn’t mind a few tear stains on my shirt anyways. Rubbing their back, patting their head, softly whispering comfort, all the like. I wasn’t going to mind. They needed some release after today…after so many years. How could I deny them of that? So there they were, curled up in my hold until no more tears dripped from their eyes. In the gentle, still night…I let them relax. Let the ambience of the midnight lull them away from the worries for tomorrow. For now, it wasn’t time to think about being the Joker. For now, it was just Jacques and me under the glow of the stars.

 > Next morning

#ep 1 #rose #jacques

[deck-of-cards-arc]

🔥-🌹

🌹 “Ai?”

She turned around, her midnight black hair flipping over her shoulder. Actually, midnight and soft, azure blue hair. Though, the flames began to change to a toxic purple as soon as I announced her name.

🔥 “EEP!- O-Oh, it’s j-just you Rose.”

🌹 “You can’t sleep?”

🔥 “Narcolepsy is a fucking bitch, I need melatonin”

🌹 “Well, I can just conjure that up-“

🔥 “No, it’s not…not just the narcolepsy. It’s…well..”

🌹 “It’s what?”

🔥 “Thinking too much, really…Even if I could sleep, I don’t think I want to”

🌹 “Ah…”

🔥 “…Can you spar with me tonight?”

🌹 “Wow, just like that?”

🔥 “I mean, if you can, what with your arm and all.”

🌹 “My arm isn’t too badly scratched, I’m okay for a friendly match”

🔥 “R-Really? You’d want to?”

🌹 “Sure, why not? I’m up for it anytime.”

I could tell, her eyes were glistening once more, in a tired sort of way. Her hair changed to a bright dandelion orange. I merely chuckled, standing up and offering a hand to the hermit. She took it gladly, and with that, I snapped my fingers so we would stand under the night sky The darkness above us, painted with blue and pale white streaks of midnight across the clouds. The soft luminance of the moon, coupled with the splatter and splash of the stars across the canvas. The breeze passing us by as we stood in front of the view of the village. Some lights were left on for the night owls, though the most had shut or began to shut their windows tight for the eventide. It was a gorgeous sight, one to be distracted by. The pretty illuminations didn’t seem to move Ai at all, though. Her gaze was focused on the fresh grass by our feet that swayed in the winds. On the dagger still in her hands, one she trailed a finger across the flat surface before her eyes moved back to me.

🔥 “So…”

🌹 “So? Let’s get to it then.”

🔥 “Wait, you didn’t bring your weapons though…”

🌹 “Or did I?”

Like magician unveiling the rabbit from a hat, I pulled out a long bamboo bo staff from just behind my hand. And as expected, Ai was the bewildered audience to witness the reveal. Wasn’t much of a trick, per se, I just wanted to get that out of my system. But it was still nice to know, even after seeing the extent of my powers multiple times, she could still be star-struck.

The innocent joy from it soon was shaken off, much like how Ai shook her head of midnight. She took her stance, and I took it as a go for the first swing. Naturally, she dodged it easily. It was then her turn to strike me with a slice, that one I blocked easily too with the staff. Ai didn’t wait for my next move, she kept striking the same spot in the staff. No other choice but the back up as she struck. I managed to find a small opening to push her back, but she managed to step forward the same distance. I could block all of her swings, but I knew she already had something else up her hoodie sleeve. And I was right. Enough distraction to the centre of the staff made me forget she could strike the ends and send me off guard. Once she saw her chance, she lunged forward. Unfortunate for her, I grabbed the end before it could fly off to parry. With a swing, I pushed her down. Like slamming a hammer down in those carnival games, except the game was pushing back with all of her might. The blade dug deep into the wood, perfect. I swayed the staff away, the dagger along with it as it bowled away to the grass. It only took Ai a second to realise she was weaponless to roll away too. It only took one last swing down, being barely blocked by her arm to down her. I loomed just above her, staff pointed to her face, one of possible horror. I still couldn’t tell. Either way, with the poke of the bo staff on the forehead, I let out my giggle.

🌹 “I win”

🔥 “Jeezus fuck, yeah you did”

🌹 “Wanna go again? That was fun”

🔥 “Sure, I can- ACK!”

As soon as she began to push her self up, she doubled back down with a scream. I dumped the staff aside and kneeled to her level. To the centre of her chest, she was clutching her left wrist tightly. I must’ve been too eager in that match.

🌹 “Here, let me see-“

🔥 “NO DON’T TOUCH ME!”

I reeled back my hand before I could even touch her wrist. Ai covered her mouth over her mask, upon the awareness of her instinctive shout.

🔥 “I-I-, sorry I d-didn’t mean to shout…”

🌹 “It’s okay, just…can I see your wrist?”

The hermit let go of her wrist, using the uninjured hand to push her to a sitting position. She handed over the wrist to me like I was confiscating it. With careful steadiness, I pulled back the sleeve and touched the blue-black spot. As expected, she whimpered. From what I could tell, it wasn’t too bad of damage that I couldn’t patch up. I hovered my hand over it and let the strands of light wrapped around the injury. I could still hear the faintest whimper from Ai fade, but not the sight of the azure flames from the corner of my eye.

🌹 “Ai, do you have any other injuries? Knees? Arm?”

🔥 “N-No…just the wrist…”

🌹 “Sure?”

🔥 “Mhmm…”

🌹 “Are you okay? The flames are acting up again.”

🔥 “H-Huh? Oh.”

🌹 “What’s wrong?’

🔥 “…Rose, remember the one time you barged into the bathroom?”

🌹 “I…I think you might need to specify which bathroom”

🔥 “In Ko House”

🌹 “And?”

🔥 “I was in there, crying my eyes out”

“…It still doesn't ring bells.”

🔥 “It was just…basically, I was going to have another panic attack then you lockpicked the door and ran to me in a hug. And Mia was there.”

🌹 “Oh. Oh?”

🔥 “I have a weird memory, Rose. I remember a lot of things. It’s not consistent”

🌹 “Or I just wiped it from my head, maybe”

🔥 “I have…uhm…bad memories associated with this wrist. Only the left…but it’s a lot. I locked myself in the bathroom because of it. I locked myself in the bathroom many times before coming to Ko. I panicked and then locked myself in rooms after coming to Ko, such as…”

🌹 “…Don’t tell me you were going to-“

🔥 “Don’t remind me…please?”

🌹 “S-sorry.”

🔥 “You know, I don’t think I've ever felt so stressed being in Ko…I don’t know if you’ve seen the house in its glory before”

🌹 “Only heard, saw some”

🔥 “You know, it was peaceful…peaceful as in chaotic. But the fun chaotic, you know? Everyone was happy, and sure we had our downs. Many downs, but we’d be there for each other. God, everyone in Ko, the first family that ever was a family to me...”

🌹 “But then what happened?”

Ai remained silent.

🔥 “I don’t know…but a lot of stuff happened. Let me see, uhm- the principal, demons, powers, Mynn was acting up- Gah, everything’s a blur.”

“And that was BEFORE I arrived?”

🔥 “Mhmm, now there’s even more things to be worried over. All of my friends…I don’t know where they are, I don’t know how they're doing…even now I can’t help but think, when can we go home?”

🌹 “Ai…I’m worried about them too.”

🔥 “At least you have all those cool powers. Me? I’m stuck cowering over the next disaster of the month. God, it just hurts to worry over my friends. I just want them to be happy, I just want them to be happy with me…I sound like a whining kid, fuck”

🌹 “It's natural for you to be scared…you’ve seen so much, I can’t blame you for worrying.”

🔥 “I can just blame myself then…no matter how much I’ve seen, I’ve never been able to help.”

I lifted my hand but grabbed it again before she could slip it away.

🌹 “Ai…you told me something, didn’t you?”

🔥 “I…what-“

“You said, ‘I know you want to, badly want to solve everything. But you can't do everything on your own’, you said that didn’t you?”

🔥 “Oh…the sparring ring”

🌹 “I can’t solve everything, that’s what I remember you saying. Neither can you. Problems will always arise and you can’t get through them on your own…that’s why we have each other. I’m still here, so are many of the others. It’s okay to be scared, we’re still here for you.”

🔥 “Yeah…you are still here...even after so long…”

🌹 “And I don’t intend on leaving you behind”

The blue flames still were ignited, now with the golden pyres to accent it. She ran her free hand through her alight hair, her fingers trailing to behind her ears. In a fell swoop, the hermit leaned forward to lay her forehead on my shoulder. I didn’t move away, as I promised. I almost expected her to burst into tears, her ever-familiar cries to echo in the night. No…I didn’t hear any of it. All I heard in the passing winds were a “thank you” before I felt her body go limp. I patted her head, feeling the harmless flames extinguish themselves. Her arms loosely around my body were only something I noticed as I moved my arm away. The only thing I didn’t notice was the glasses left in my lap, and the mask she clutched onto in her palms. Either way…she was asleep. And I didn’t intend to move her just yet. It was a rare moment to enjoy the peace without the stuffiness of the cave in my windpipe. Suppose I should let her enjoy it for a little while longer with me…

> next morning

#ep 1 #ai #rose

[deck-of-cards-arc]

---

🌹

Suppose you’d like to hear what I saw…my account of things…

What I witnessed, as soon as I stepped a foot into the realm…

Were crystals.

That was what I saw first, decorating the fields. The field of green, jade and peridot, belonged to the grasp of crimson that seeped from all the bodies that laid so limp. All with dismembered limbs and disfigured faces. Soldiers of the night displayed as served meat on frosted blue skewers. The stench was undeniable, rotten and brimmed with ash. Pure dried metallic smells, the kind that would leave much distaste or even sickness to one’s breath. Not even the sky could shed light on the silhouette of the gruesome catastrophe. It was only shades of dingy grey and black, pure monochrome without a single other hue to bring the sky back to life. No warm glow of sunrise peeking through the dark clouds to aid all those left spared to view the dead crowd. It was for the best they couldn’t see clearly. They would’ve been puking up their rations and gagging to hold them in. Even in the distance, no wails or cries could be heard. No clashing of metal blades, shouts of battle or calls for backup even. Utter dead silence. All that was left to fill the air was the cackling and cracking of a nearby pyre, left to burn the remains of the corpses. To incinerate the slashes of red in their bodies that wrapped around their throats. To get rid of the forms with the crystals of frozen water protruding through their skin and some organs.

It was only a couple of days. Just a few. No more than a month. Who knew such little time could lead to such a sight? Just outside the west of the base? Well, no one could explain. Not even the second-in-commands left to fight in the longest war in Carterre’s history, as they said. Even though they were present for the better half of it, none could retell the story. The details left in shambles, pieces lost in the confusion that led to their demise.

That was what we were greeted with following the bloodbath. That was what Morgan had to be told once he returned. He simply stood there, asking the limitless queries on what happened in his absence, and receiving such bare-bones answers. He could barely steady himself, his emerald eyes darting all over the map of the land, or what remained of it. It seemed during the haste of their escape out of their old resistance base, the survivors couldn’t salvage everything. Not even objects could be saved from their close-shave of their downfall. He hung his head down, seeing what was marked on the parchment, all mostly red. The lack of pure black ink, it sunken his head down further while listening to the others explain. He ran a hand through his brunet hair, serving at least the last comforting move to pull on himself in an attempt to concentrate.

The Jack of Spades peeked through the door to observe him. Morgan was not in the mood for a visitor in the middle of his meeting. Even if he looked like he needed a breather in between the information dumpers that were his second-in-commands. However, he didn’t seem eager to step from the entryway, his head was stuck facing to the archer. It seemed like Ai wasn’t keen on leaving Lou’s side either, her hand clasping her wrist whilst her head was locked onto him. What lied behind her mask was always a mystery, but her expression of concern written all over it was something familiar.

The Joker-bound was pacing up and down the corridor. In their hands, balled into clasped fists, was their beanie. Shaped with two cat ears, half dahlia purple and half void black. That left their blond hair in a frazzled, unkempt state. With strands of their frizzy hair sticking out like feelers of an insect. Under their breath, Jacques spoke rushed and overlapped words to themselves. Only a few words were what Lou could interpret clearly from those. Namely, the phrase “This is bad” over and over again. Their head was dipped down, chin against their backhands, and heterochromatic eyes locked onto the jagged, stone floor. I could merely watch them, their reactions and their mannerisms laid in front of me. Back against the cave walls, arms being wrapped by bandage after bandage.

They all were playing the waiting game, standing idle until the meeting adjourned. Pending for the next piece of news to worry over, just as the group needed. But in all of this, I felt my body choosing my instinct for me. Making my way over, I tapped the shoulder on…

> My left

> My right

#ep 1 #deck of cards #rose #AHEAHEG #IM DYING AM SORRY

[deck-of-cards-arc]

🌹 - 🃏 - 🔥

She turned around, snapping out of her automatic worried gaze. She gripped the sleeve of her hoodie jacket as she turned to me

🌹 “Are your wounds okay, Ai?”

🔥 “They’re fine, I think. Some of it still kinda aches…It’s mostly fine.”

🌹 “Hey, I’m proud of you fighting out there”

🔥 “I’m less proud of myself. I forgot how…hectic it is out there. Unsurprised you made it out with only an arm injury.”

🌹 “Don’t beat yourself up too much, you fended them off pretty well on your own. Well, before I had to drag you out of there”

🔥 “Pff, yeah. Thanks for that, by the way, you saved my skin”

🌹 “Most of your skin”

🔥 “You healed most of it, so it’s still valid”

🌹 “Suppose so”

Ai turned to peek at the meeting room. I turned too, though also peeking her grip on her arm tighten from the corner of my sight.

🔥 “I’ve never seen him frazzled like this”

🌹 “Neither have I, besides one time.”

🔥 “God, it’s like he’s a whole other person now. It’s…scary”

🌹 “He lost half of the resistance because he was gone for days, I can’t blame him”

🔥 “He couldn’t have known, neither could we. But still…”

I turned my head to Lou, only spotting the empty space beside us. I turned my head further, to see him beside the Joker-bound. They seemed to have stopped, head of the blonde in their hands while his own rubbed circles into their back.

Lou...I couldn’t imagine how difficult it must’ve felt, to see the kingdom in such a state. Something similar, yeah, but nothing like what he underwent.

And to see the person he cares deeply for, in such a state? His head must be filled with so many thoughts. Spinning and circling him, all about the other in the meeting room.

He didn’t come out unscathed from the fury of the battle just now either, though to him it might’ve just been another mark on his body. Brushing it off and downplaying how much it really stung

And Jacques…

I never have seen them so in shambles. Hair a mess and tears welling up in their normally sparkling gold and lavender eyes. Yeah, what happened back in the house, it did happen. But seeing Fia’s bloodied body was nothing compared to the hundred from before.

The atmosphere feels heavier, with the heavy breathing echoing. One couldn’t breathe without it choking you in an iron fist.

🔥 “…the Resistance is really going to have to pull weight now, doesn’t it…”

🌹 “Things are very much different now, we’ve been gone for too long. And it feels like just days”

Just as the sound of my sighs passed, sounds of clicking, clacking echoed. It bounced off the cave walls, turning all of our heads to further into caverns. With her flat heels from her burnt umber boots, a tall figure with sleek features ambled her way over to them. Her hands rested at her front, clasping ever so gently onto her long staff as if the object did not weigh anything in her palms. Her dress, dark cadmium cloth layered over pure white and black accents, was flowing behind her. The shape of her skirt was long enough to form a path behind her. Along with the dark red cape draped over her shoulders, under the curls of her long scarlet hair that outlined her chin like the frame of an artist’s finest work. Looking ahead to the group, the ethereal presence of a Hearts Sister already brought Lou a smile to his lips.

♠ “Miss Le Fond!” he called out.

♥ “Your highness,” to which Evequeline answered with a bow.

Lou scrunched his face for only a second. He wasn’t so keen on the royal salutations but he put on a smile anyway.

🔥 “Hey, Miss High Priestess, haven’t seen ya in a whole while.” Ai greeted as well, tone as flat as ever

♥ “Me neither, little one. I’m glad to see you all safe and sound” She brushes her hair from her cream milky skin like it hasn’t been so groomed enough.

🌹 “Safe, yes. But not exactly sound.”

♥ “At least all of you did well to fend off the armies so we could retreat. We appreciated your efforts just in time.”

🌹 “Thanks, I guess.”

♥ “Do any of you need any medical attention? Or perhaps food, there should be plenty from the neighbouring town. Blessings upon them for being generous to let us stay in the vicinity.”

♠ “I think some of us need a rest…just for a bit…”

♥ “Very well, come with me. I’ll bring you to the quarters”

Lou nodded, helping Jacques from the wall to follow. Ai also took a step away from her wall to tag along the trail. And soon, I was right behind them too.

We all travelled deeper into the cave, the hollowed-out shaft with spikes of stone hanging from the ceiling. Normally, one would be amazed by the spacious caverns. Shimmering of water like precious jewels lining the rocky walls and the like. But my mind was adrift elsewhere, wandering the spaces far beyond the cave. How could I not, as I twirl my charcoal black hair in my fingers? I would be here much longer than expected, not that I wanted to leave any of them behind. This resistance would need everything to get back on its feet.

Before I knew it, the entrance to the temporary quarters was just on my left. Since it was a cave, after all, the “room” was an open floor plan, one could say. The large shared bed was simple, strewn and strung together hay clumps packed together by whatever solid building scraps that were salvaged. Pillows were substituted with sacks of more straw and blankets were seemingly replaced with the crew’s rags. The floor was ornamented with few wooden boxes, filled with rations or weapons. The only highlighters were only the dripping water from above in the back corner and the glow of a small wax candle in the middle of the room. Overall, not something I was used to but what else did I even expect?

I could hear Ai’s sigh just behind me. Seems she would take a much longer time than me. Nevertheless, she strolled over to the hay beds and patted them down. Jacques smiled a little, I could tell before they followed suit. Evequeline sauntered over to the corner where the water had been dribbling down from the ceiling. Pulling out her card from her pocket, she waved it around and let the water turn from a trickle to a flowing roar. The water travelled through the air, separating into three large drops. Before long, the water slowed again back down to the dripping. She carried the water to the others, much to both of us Earth dwellers’ astonishment.

Ai simply looked at the blob up and down, meanwhile, Jacques was already sipping on the water. They hummed quietly, so did Lou once he sipped from a cup he was given by Evequeline. I was given a cup too, which I did take a sip of. Surprisingly, it was clean and pure, tasted like something flavoured by paradise. Amazing how cave water could taste nice, at least after being served by a Five of Hearts.

“I’ll leave you few, for now, I have my Sisters to look after in the main Sanctuaire in town.”

The priestess bowed deeply before making her leave, her skirt flowing behind her in a flourish. As the resonance of her steps faded, Ai set her cup aside whilst already laid down on the hay bed. Her eyes only looked up to the rough, stone interior with the shimmers of water surface glistening in the muted candlelight. The rest sat adjacent to her on the hay bed, all mostly silent. There wasn’t anything they could do to lift the mood, the heavy atmosphere that hung everlastingly in the air. A cloud that never seemed to pass in the wind, one that shaded the area underneath for longer than it needed to be. So no banter was exchanged in between the three. Just silence uttered by the ambient water that flowed above the cave channels.

“I’m…going to wait for Morgan outside the waiting room.”

🌹 “Alright then…see ya”

Lou stood up, waving the group bye before scampering back to the caverns.

There weren’t many other places to set my head down. Not a single rafter, unfortunately. So, I set my weapons in the communal crate and lied down first, my charcoal hair spread on the golden hay and cape as a nifty blanket. Jacques lied back too with a heavy breath. And so did Ai, very very slowly. It was just us three now, still not much of a chat between us. I might as well let the darkness shroud me as I fall asleep…

Or at least that’s what I thought. Until I heard shuffling just beside me. My ice-blue eyes shot open, as my body jerked to a sitting position. A figure in front of me, sitting by the edge of the bed, holding…

> A dagger

> A card 

#rose #jacques #ai #ep 1

[deck-of-cards-arc]

♠ - ♦ -🌹

He turned around, his line of worried sight broken just to face me. The twilight hair spilt over his eyes, only being brushed aside after he heaved his breath.

🌹 “Hey”

♠ “Hi, Rose. Oh, is your arm okay?”

“It’s fine, not the first time I’ve been struck with a sharp object in the same place.”

♠ “You saying it like it’s nothing is still worrying.”

🌹 “There’s more to be worried over, honestly. I can tell from here…”

Lou looks away, his finger twirling a strand of hair. His eyes trail back to the meeting room beside him. I feel compelled to look away as well, just to peek.

♠ “…I’m more worried for him if anything…He’s not the kind to simply stand there””

🌹 “Like a clueless child no less.”

♠ “Lost for words, I’m stunned. I don’t think he’s faced a loss this big. This isn’t like the ones before, we’re surrounded everywhere we go”

🌹 “He’ll be okay, Lou.”

♠ “You sure?”

🌹 “Positive”

I turned my head to Ai, only spotting the empty space beside us. I turned my head further, to see her besides the Joker-bound. They seemed to have stopped, head of the blonde in their hands while her own rubbed circles into their back.

Ai…she’s done well in the field so far. I’m proud of her, she’s grown quite a bit. Still…

This…this was only the start of her fight in this world. Significant scars on her back, arm and legs were the few traces of the battle from just now. They weren’t too deep, but it was a lot to patch up.

And the battle was a brief one too. Who knows how much more she might sustain if it went on for longer. If I weren’t here to drag her out in time…

And Jacques…

I never have seen them so in shambles. Hair a mess and tears welling up in their normally sparkling gold and lavender eyes. Yeah, what happened back in the house, it did happen. But seeing Fia’s bloodied body was nothing compared to the hundred from before.

The atmosphere feels heavier, with the heavy breathing echoing. One couldn’t breathe without it choking you in an iron fist.

♠ “…this one really shook us for good, hasn’t it?”

🌹 “Things are very much different now, we’ve been gone for too long. And it feels like just days”

Just as the sound of my sighs passed, sounds of clicking, clacking echoed. It bounced off the cave walls, turning all of our heads to further into caverns. With her flat heels from her burnt umber boots, a tall figure with sleek features ambled her way over to them. Her hands rested at her front, clasping ever so gently onto her long staff as if the object did not weigh anything in her palms. Her dress, dark cadmium cloth layered over pure white and black accents, was flowing behind her. The shape of her skirt was long enough to form a path behind her. Along with the dark red cape draped over her shoulders, under the curls of her long scarlet hair that outlined her chin like the frame of an artist’s finest work. Looking ahead to the group, the ethereal presence of a Hearts Sister already brought Lou a smile to his lips.

♠ “Miss Le Fond!”

♥ “Your highness.”

-To which Evequeline answered with a bow.

Lou scrunched his face for only a second. He wasn’t so keen on the royal salutations but he put on a smile anyway.

🔥 “Hey, Miss High Priestess, haven’t seen you in a while...” Ai greeted as well, tone as flat as ever

♥ “Me neither, little one. I’m glad to see you all safe and sound” She brushes her hair from her cream milky skin like it hasn’t been so groomed enough.

🌹 “Safe, yes. But not exactly sound.”

♥ “At least all of you did well to fend off the armies so we could retreat. We appreciated your efforts just in time.”

🌹 “Thanks, I guess.”

♥ “Do any of you need any medical attention? Or perhaps food, there should be plenty from the neighbouring town. Blessings upon them for being generous to let us stay in the vicinity.”

🔥 “I think some of us need a rest…just for a bit…”

♥ “Very well, come with me. I’ll bring you to the quarters”

Ai nodded, helping Jacques up from the wall to follow. I began to take a step forward before I realised I didn’t hear any steps behind me. Lou barely had moved from the entryway, his head back to looking longingly away.

🌹 “You want to stay?”

♠ “I don’t want to leave him yet.”

🌹 “Can’t fault you for that, I guess…Well, if you’re not leaving then so am I”

♠ “H-Huh?”

🌹 “Or do you perhaps want some alone time?”

♠ “O-Oh, uh, I don’t want you to push you away if you want to see Morgan after this. He’s your friend too, after all.”

🌹 “I’m fine with leaving you two love birds alone, you two could use it”

♠ “Ah, eh…it’s okay, I’m fine with you staying”

🌹 “Settles it then”

I turned back around, pressing my back again to the cave wall. Charcoal hair spilt over my shoulder, ice blue eyes looking back and forth between the stone floors and the source of the babble just beside me. Soft candlelight illuminating the space, warmness to contrast the chilling crawls up my spine. I could just hear the frosted words coming from the second-in-commands in the room, every piece of news they laid upon was another cut. I couldn’t imagine how Morgan must’ve been thinking. I could have a general silhouette formed in my head but it was too much of a blurry shadow than anything. He spent a day dancing under the glorious sun while the rest of the resistance caved into the fell step of the Rouge Kingdom. And so, they resorted to caves because of it. Looking over to Lou, I couldn’t fathom what ran in his head either. They let what they cared for be reduced to almost dust. Though unlike Morgan, I could try to sharpen the blurry silhouette.

🌹 “Lou…are you doing okay?”

♠ “Not really…I’m thinking over everything. How are we going to get the resources we need? How are we going to make out next move?… How the king is going to react to this…”

🌹 “He’s not going to be positive towards it, that’s for sure”

♠ “Obviously. I’m over him taking control of my life but…he’s definitely going to drag me back as soon as he knows I’ve returned from Earth”

🌹 “He won’t, we won’t let him at least”

♠ “…thanks, I really appreciate that”

🌹 “Hey, if that dick thinks he can just come to collect you and hurt you again, he’ll get it”

♠ “That’s at least a consolation in such trying times. Right now, I just want my focus on just one thing”

He turned back to the room, his lips tightly pressed together.

🌹 “Let me guess, him?”

♠ “I’m predictable, aren’t I? I just…I just want him to be okay. Level-headed at least through this. Maybe not now, but soon.”

“He better be. The resistance needs him to be, more than anything”

♠ “I just…am hoping for the best for him. All eyes are on him, after all.”

🌹 “I’m hoping too…but he’s confident. He’s clever and he’s crafty. I’m sure he’ll pull through. After all, you’ve seen how he is, haven’t you?”

Lou lifts his head, his sapphire eyes focused onto me. I could’ve sworn I saw the shines in the jewels return, glisten like the fragment of the stars they once were.

♠ “I have. And he impresses me more than anything. Yeah…he’ll be alright”

I feel the smile creep back to my face. At last a glimmer of hope, in this dreary dark cave. And soon, it becomes darker, the candlelight fading. With that, the steps of the people trotted right of the room. I had to pull Lou aside so he wouldn’t get trampled by them. Left and right, their scampers echoed. Their faces passed us both, all going in their separate directions. But none of their faces was the one we recognised. Lou peeled himself from the wall, head of the twilight peeking around back to the meeting room. And within it, was a space already attempting to thrive of flora.

The commander had already tossed his seeds around, with the flower vines crawling up the stone. And there he was, standing with papers scattered over the makeshift table of crates. Holding down the papers were the cutter of instruments strewn about. Sticks of chalk, callipers, compasses, rulers, quills and many, many pots of ink. A map was held up loosely by vines pressing the sheet of parchment against the wall. In the middle of the room, darting between each crate of the papers, was Morgan. Grassy green cape tossed aside, revealing his leather and black cloth under armour. Twirling his brunet hair, his head kept whipping to every possible direction. The mutterings under his breath were repeated and much faster than before. I turned to my side, seeing Lou helplessly watching as the commander raced past him multiple times. It wasn’t until I made a simple coughing sound that Morgan stopped for a second. Mere second to whip his head around and eye the prince and the earth dweller standing awkwardly in the entryway.

♦ “Oh hey, you two!”

♠ “Morrie, how did it already get so messy, the rest had just left the room-“

♦ “Can’t answer, trying to focus…Were you waiting outside this whole time?”

🌹 “Yes, we have”

♦ “Aww, that’s sweet. But uh- Chérie, Rose, you should probably sleep? It’s late out, isn’t it?”

♠ “And you?”

“Oh, I’ll be fine, I just gotta plan for our next move. The essence of time and all that. After all, our sources to the rest of the lands are cut off. We can’t receive any sort of help from the Noir kingdom without them being trampled too. I’ll uhh, brief you all in the morning once I have a solid plan in place-“

♠ “Morrie, how much you have to plan”

♦ “Uh…hmmm. Well…”

🌹 “Morgan.”

♦ “There’s a lot of aspects to consider, lots of options to play. But this is fine, this is fine, I can ma- Whoops!“

♠ “M-Morrie, careful! You’re rushing everywhere!”

🌹 “Jeez, Mona, what are you even doing?”

♦ “Just have to think, just have to think, it works better when I have plants around at least”

🌹 “Explains the seeds everywhere-“

♠ “But you should be sleeping, we have the morning to do something.”

♦ “But-“

🌹 “Okay, Morgan, calm down. You’re panicking. And it seems like you’re not thinking straight. Not really a benefit for planning”

♦ “No, I’m not? I’m fine, just let me work stuff out“

♠ “Morgan-“

♦ “I’ll be fine!”

🌹 “Morgan…”

♦ “It’s going to be fine, Just lea-“

***THWACk***

It…well wasn’t the best of choices to hit Morgan in the head with the hilt of my sword as he ducked away for parchment. And it didn’t help that Lou was standing there horrified, eyes widened as he stared at the unconscious body on the cave floor. Understandable reaction afterwards, though-

♠ “EST-IL MORT? QUEL GENRE DE MERDE AS-TU FAIT??”

🌹 “He’s fine…for now at least.”

♠ “Y-you sure???”

🌹 “As I much as I can be, it was just a blow to the head. Do you know where the sleeping quarters are?”

♠ “Yeah, I do. I think I passed his a few steps ago. Uhm...Are you going to-“

🌹 “Carry him? Yes”

As I said, I lifted him up and draped him over my shoulder like a rag doll. For someone taller than me, he’s to fireman carry, at least when the living daylights were forcefully smacked out of him. The Spades-bound simply gave him a head pat for reassurance, tousling his unkempt brunet hair before his steps lead me away. Heaving, I traversed down the caverns with him.

We all travelled deeper into the cave, me only being distracted by the stalactites looming over us. Normally, one would be amazed by the spacious caverns. Maybe by the flowing streams of the water through the walls and the like. But my mind was adrift elsewhere, wandering the spaces far beyond the cave. How could I not, as I twirl my charcoal black hair in my fingers? I would be here much longer than expected, not that I wanted to leave any of them behind. This resistance would need everything to get back on its feet.

Not before long, the stepping sound on the stone came to a halt, so did I. Lou stood just adjacent to the open entry to the quarters. Since it was a cave, after all, the “room” was an open floor plan, one could say. The considerably small beds were simple, strewn and strung together hay clumps packed together by whatever solid building scraps that were salvaged. Pillows were substituted with sacks of more straw and blankets were seemingly replaced with the crew’s rags. The floor was ornamented with few wooden boxes, filled with rations, a leather quiver of arrows and a crafted bow. The only other attractions were the unlit candle just beside the bed and the spilt sacks of seeds dumped so dispiritingly in the corner, with only some sprouting early. Overall, not something I was used to but what else did I even expect?

I hobbled my body over to the hay bed, dumping the body onto the golden pile. I sat down at the edge of the wooden frame, releasing and taking in a long deep breath. I could hear the planks creak as Lou gripped the frame next to me before settling on a seat. Us both sat in the silence that hung above us, like the haunting shadowy shapes of the spikes on the ceiling. I gulped the awkward tension down my throat, barely swallowing it just to say at least something to him.

“You should sleep first. I mean there’s not much of room to spare on this one, so I guess you can take this one”

♠ “R-right...”

🌹 “Is…something wrong? He’s going to be fine when he wakes up, Lou”

♠ “It’s not that, it’s…just now…”

🌹 “That was…a whiplash to witness, yeah”

♠ “Normally, yeah, I do care a lot for his well-being and safety. But now, that conviction feels…heightened. Like more, a lot more, after seeing that”

“He might just need some rest, he did just come back after the dance and fighting off the Rouge Armies. Just be with him when he wakes. After all, I don’t know anyone else he might like to see first thing in the morning”

♠ “What? No, I’m sure there are more people he’d like to see once he wakes. You're his friend, he’d like to see you. I think? Or Jacques, the two became closer since he was tasked with the resistance. Oh, Ai? They seem like buddies”

🌹 “No- Lou-, you know why it's you he wants to see. Specifically you.”

…

♠ “Oh it's because I kissed him”

I didn’t even notice my hand automatically on my forehead for just a second as he finally pieced it together.

“He loves you, Lou. You're technically his boyfriend now, ohmygod-“

♠ “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I’m still getting used to that! The whole love thing, I still don’t get much of it”

🌹 “It’s okay. If it helps, I can guess that you’ve loved him for a long time. Just took you a while to realise it, no?”

♠ “I suppose, that’s right…And I think he's loved me for a long time as well, so it shouldn’t be so different from the usual.”

🌹 “Just go sleep with him, you goof”

♠ “Okay, okay, I’m getting to that.”

🌹 “Night, you two”

♠ “Au revoir à demain!”

Stood up from the wooden plank frame, I made my way over to the exit whilst my hand fluttered a wave goodbye. And with that, I resided back to the caverns amongst the drops of shimmering water that dotted the walls like precious stones from a mine. I couldn’t help but feel the need to touch them, excavate them as if they were the gems they appeared to be. My breaths were nothing but cold clouds that brushed my face as I navigated the caverns. I couldn’t help but brush my hand through my charcoal hair again, to be lost in the sea of the thoughts again. I didn’t even know where my legs decided to drag me to whilst my mind ventured elsewhere. Still, I couldn’t think of much else.

What happened earlier, and what happened before that…

Now that I thought more into it, there weren’t many good options to pick before the resistance could crawl out of the corner they were thrown into.

It was already unexpected enough that some of the Hearts-bound still were within the control of the king, driving them away was already a hassle in it of itself.

Even the High Priestess of the Hearts couldn’t have expected their betrayal of their fellow sisters and brothers, as she said.

I could only wonder as I wandered the cavern. To find me back to the meeting room before long. The room was still the cluttered mess as we had left it. I heaved a sigh. If he were to come back here in the morning, then I suppose he’d prefer it to be clean. Was a good thing that at least magic worked in this world, I thought as I snapped my fingers. I watched the pens pick themselves up and marched into a collective neat pile on the cracked open crates. The ink pots lifted from the ground, the spilt darkness from those pots too. They arranged themselves in their spot in between the orderly dancing chalk and rolling pencils. I picked up the parchments with the scribbled letters on my own. I took my sweet time with those, using that time to look upon the written scratches on them. I didn’t expect such disorder sprayed across the page like a half-assed toss of salt into the pan. But the words and diagrams I could make out were nothing short of fascinating. Lists of notes of tiny details, in such tiny handwriting. The small drawings on the sides were illegible at best but they were a treat nonetheless into the commander’s head. Taking the papers and neatly packing them together, I set the pile aside. As I did, I noticed the streaks of green crawl up the stone. They moved so quickly on their own, but their frail forms couldn’t reach so far ahead. I touched a vine, letting it slither past my finger.

♠ “MOOOOORRRRRRRRIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

I whipped my head around, hearing the ever familiar voice and nickname reverberating just behind her

🌹 “Lou?”

♠ “ROSE! ROSE! WHERE’S MORGAN?”

🌹 “He’s, uh, not here. Wait, did he just disappear?”

♠ “He did, he did! I just woke up and he was just GONE. And he left his card with me, that breaks the first rule of the Card-bounds. AND HE NEVER BREAKS THAT.”

🌹 “Well shit, I don’t know if the guy can catch a break-“

♠ “I thought so too, that’s why I ran over here. You haven’t seen him in here?”

“No? I didn’t see anyone in here since I came in. If he teleported here, I couldn’t have known though. The place was a mess”

♠ “Oh no, what if he teleported to somewhere dangerous? WITHOUT BACKUP!?”

🌹 “I don’t think he'd run away, not when we need him now. So he shouldn’t be far…but this is a cave.”

♠ “Right, right…”

🌹 “Okay, I’m going to teleport around the cave and see where-“

♠ “Wait…wait, I think I know he might be.”

🌹 “You do? Already?”

♠ “Remember what he said in here? When he was panicking?”

🌹 “When there were seeds everywhere…”

♠ “Can you teleport us to outside the cave, I know where a bunch of them are.”

I nodded, placing a hand on the Jack of Spades’ small shoulders and snapping my fingers with the other.  A blink later, and the sky was open to us. The darkness above us, painted with blue and pale white streaks of midnight across the clouds. The soft luminance of the moon, coupled with the splatter and splash of the stars across the canvas. But it was no time to be distracted by the night sky just yet. Not even by the soft winds whistling by or the lights of the night owls in the town just far off in the distance. Not when my arm was already being dragged away to the west. Crinkling the grass beneath our feet as Lou led me away, I heaved my short breaths trying to keep up. For someone so small, he was fast on his feet. And it didn’t take long before we reached a forested area. It wasn’t too heavy with trees, but the ones that did grow there were taller than what I've seen before. They could pierce the painted sky above us so easily. Their branches stretching far and wide, hugging the spaces below in the gentle shade. I didn’t even notice the trees were here. Nor did I notice the rustling of leaves just behind us. It was only when the arrow had flown past us, stabbing the trunk of the tree in a flash that I realised he was here already.

♠ “MORRIE!”

Out from the side of another lumbering tower of nature, the aforementioned poked his head out

♦ “Oh, shoot, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

🌹 “I thought you were a good shot, Mona”

♦ “I am, I am! I wasn’t going to kill both of you with that, I’m not that crazy!”

🌹 “Okay, dude chill-“

♠ “You were already going to kill me with worry… Running off without me knowing, really?”

♦ “I thought you were tired, guess not. Heh, I suck at even guesswork.”

♠ “Morrie, what's wrong, you're not…like this. You don’t disappear without warning…you don’t just leave your things like your card out…And you don’t just leave me like that…”

♦ “Chérie, I’m fine, I just…I just can't stop thinking-“

🌹 “About the Rouge kingdom? About what they did.”

♦ “…yeah”

🌹 “Morgan, none of it was your fault-“

♦ “THEN WHO ELSE JUST LEFT THE RESISTANCE TO FALL APART LIKE THIS? I let my self get too comfortable in Earth, I let everyone be defenceless and look what happened. I got complacent. I lost almost everyone. I’m a horrible leader, Rose, now everything is has gone to shit.”

Lou backed up, shoulders dropped and sapphire eyes widened. I still stood rooted to the ground, though my feet were willing to back away too.

🌹 “Morgan…you did all you could from Earth. It was a quiet period, no?”

♦ “Quiet doesn’t mean peaceful, I should’ve known that. I should've known more. Instead, I’m a reckless idiot who abandoned everyone…”

🌹 “There's no use beating yourself over your mistake, Morgan. If you weren’t a good leader then, be a good leader now. And trust me, you are one.”

♠ “Morrie, she’s right…and please don’t worry, we’re still here.”

♦ “I …I lost half of them, what if I lose you all too…”

♠ “You won’t, we’ll all be here. We’re not going to leave you…I won’t ever leave. I promised that to you, didn’t I?”

♦ “…that you'd stay with me, even against your father’s wish?”

♠ “Even against the world…Morrie, I’m not going anywhere. We’ll win this war together. I’ve seen you do amazing things, even as only an Ace. Even before you were bound! So I know…you’ll do great.”

♦ “…chérie…”

The Diamond-bound let out a heavy breath, making his steps towards Lou and ruffling his twilight hair. Pressing his forehead to his, I knew I could see the gentle smile peeking through.

♦ “I love you”

♠ “I love you too, Morrie.”

I felt a little guilty for being an audience to the two, simply standing there with arms crossed and a smile spread across my face. But I wouldn’t lie by saying I wasn’t heart warmed by the sight. I was going to step away, snap my fingers back to the cave. But-

♠ “Hey, c’moooon, you get a hug too”

🌹 “Wh-, Who me?”

Before I had much more to retort with, the winds “mysteriously” pushed me to the pair. A little too forcefully, as I crashed both of them to the grassy dirt. The night was less quiet now, filled with our laughter erupting all so suddenly in our hug pile. It was strange really, to be so happy now. With whatever to be scheduled tomorrow. But none of us was going to complain after all. It was a good night. A good night which we were happy enough to sleep through once we finished our pile

---

> Next morning

#ep 1 #morgan #lou #rose #end 1