How long had he been walking? It felt like hours or even days but Alfred continued onwards. He had to, no matter how uninviting the environment was around him. The forest loomed around him, nothing but ancient trees keeping him company as he marched on to an unknown destination. Looking up all he could see were leaves and branches belonging to the trees around him, blocking out any light so he couldn’t tell wether it was day or night. He couldn’t even see the ground as a thick layer of a fog like substance smothered his feet. It felt cold despite his thick coat protecting him and he felt slightly disoriented, like he had just been spinning around in a circle and his brain was trying to adjust.

Looking back he couldn’t even see the forest exit. Then again the moment he entered this forest he couldn’t even see the way he came in, it was like his first step transported him somewhere deep into the forest. He couldn’t even connect himself to time to allow himself to warp through it, it was like he was completely disconnected from the world. It was a horrible feeling and there was a small notion in his mind to hurry up and get out of here. Well even if he knew the way back he knew couldn’t just leave, for he came here to fix this terrible mess.

So he continued to stomp through the forest floor, wondering if he was walking the same path Arthur did. It also filled him with an overwhelming sadness to think that he ended up wandering through here for nothing. What if... what if he ended up coming across his remains? He shuddered to think about it, hugging himself for comfort at the very idea. It didn’t help when he accidentally stepped on what looked like a skeleton. It scared him of course but as he inspected it, it was clear that it wasn’t Arthur, it was too short and the remains of it’s clothing didn’t resemble anything Arthur wore.

“Probably someone Ivan sent in,” huffed Alfred, stepping away from it and continuing.

Onwards and onwards. He passed more skeletal remains but was too uneasy to check if any of them belonged to Arthur. He stared at the ring on his hand and noticed it started to glow when he walked in a certain direction, even if all the paths looked the same. He passed through what felt like a hundred trees, their wooden faces glaring down at him as if they knew what he had done.

Eventually he was starting to feel tired and he sat down on a large exposed root to catch his breath. Looking at the ring he found that it was still glowing.

“What does this mean? Am I lost?” Looking around he was certain he was lost the moment he came in here. “What do I even do when I find this Grand Elder Tree? Beg? Plead with it? Offer it my life?”

Although these thoughts wandered through his mind, he couldn’t help but think of what Arthur did. Did he think the same thing as he did? Did he wonder what he was going to do once he found the Grand Elder Tree.

“Dammit, why am I doing this to myself!?”

He hated thinking about these bleak thoughts about Arthur, but it was the only think that seemed to occupy his mind. He wanted to remember those happy times when they talked to each other, laughing at jokes, arguing over petty things, calling each other names before apologising, and sharing personal thoughts. They were his cherished memories but thinking about them seemed to make him feel worse.

When he wasn’t trying to think about Arthur, he was wondering what was happening with the others. Yao was probably in pieces over the whole thing, but Alfred was confident he’d keep everything together until a new King came along. Francis would probably cry given that he was actually quite the emotional person, he just hid it really well, or maybe he’d be trying to comfort poor Erika. Kiku would probably be saddened but hide his emotions from sight. Ludwig might act like it was all his fault in an attempt to take the blame. Ivan... he wondered what he would do? Would he wish that it was he himself who sent Alfred to the Forest of Eternity? Or would he actually be a little sad? He could only imagine how everyone was fairing, feeling slightly guilty that he just left them without a single word.

Too late to go back now.

As he stood up to carry on, he suddenly heard a voice.

“So we meet at last, King of Spades.”

Alfred jumped and spun round, expecting to see someone standing there. However there was no one there. He was certain he heard a voice, someone was here he knew it, but where. All he could hear at present was nothing but silence and that scared him more than the sudden voice he heard.

With a gulp he tried to respond and hoped for his sanity he’d get a response. “Who are you? How do you know me?”

“I know everything, King of Spades.”

Alfred shivered as it felt like the voice was right in his ear. He spun round but no one was there. It was like... it was like it was all around him. It didn’t take him long to realise who the owner of this voice might be.

“Are you... are you the Grand Elder Tree?”

There was a silence before he got an answer.

“That is what you mortals call me.”

Alfred felt his chest tightened. “I came looking for you,” he called out, “I came here to-...”

“I know why you’re here, King of Spades.” The voice sounded both ancient yet intimidating at the same time. “The question is; why should I accept your pleas?”

Alfred gritted his teeth. He should’ve known it wasn’t going to be easy. “Please, my predecessor committed a crime and I came here to make amends!”

“No... it was you who committed the crime. It was you who murdered my children.”

Before Alfred could protest, the very root he sat on moments before came to life and whacked him across the back, sending him flying into a nearby tree. Alfred grunted with pain from the impact and quickly jumped up, ready to defend himself. He should have anticipated this but he didn’t think a tree would actually attack him.

“It wasn’t me!” argued Alfred angrily.

“You are the King of Spades are you not?”

“Yes, but-..”

“So you are the guilty one.”

Alfred was confused. “It was a King if Spades that hurt you and your children, but it wasn’t me!”

The roots of the trees around him began to groan and creak as they moved about, ripping themselves out of the very earth that sustained them, seeking out the one they wished to harm. Alfred steered clear of them as best he could, ducking and swerving to avoid getting hit.

“I forget you mortals know nothing about the powers bestowed upon you. You see a King as a title, handed down to a successor to inherit. To me I see an eternal power, who changed forms once it’s host can no longer sustain it. You may be not the mortal who slaughtered my children, but you are the King of Spades and it was this King who committed this terrible crime against me.”

Alfred couldn’t understand how this being saw his legacy, but he knew he couldn’t change it’s mind, it was clearly angry. He didn’t have time to discuss on who do what or what he was, he just wanted to get this whole thing over with and settle the matter.

“Look, I came here to pay the price alright! Blame me if you want just please spare this world! Calm the angered spirits of your children and take my life as penance!”

At first his plea was met with silence.

“Is that why you came here?”

“Yes!” insisted Alfred, “so please, I-...”

“Liar...”

Hearing the accusation thrown at him started to stress him out. “It’s the truth!”

“You mortals forget that I can see into the depths of your hearts, as easily as you are able to see the world around you. Why should I take your life when you no longer care for it?” The voice seemed to taunt him. “You came here to seek out the lost Queen of Spades.”

Alfred felt like someone had pulled a nerve in his body. “I-I... I don’t-...”

“Alfred...”

A new voice suddenly caught his attention, a voice he recognised. He spun round so fast his neck almost snapped. He looked around frantically and from the corner of his eye his saw a familiar shape.

“Arthur!?”

He dashed around, trying to confirm if what he saw was the truth but saw nothing. Then something would move again but before he could see what it was, it vanished. He began dashing about frantically as a strange desperation suddenly spurred within him.

“You came here to seek him, did you not?”

Alfred cringed as the voice of the Grand Elder Tree continued to torture him with the truth he desperately tried to hide.

“I... came here to pay the price for the mistake of my predecessor,” he insisted in a shaky voice.

“Speak the truth King if Spades,” demanded the voice. Shaking his head in disbelief he heard Arthur’s voice again. It called out to him, like a siren trying to lure him into a trap. “You came here believing he was here, did you not? Abandoning your Kingdom for a doomed Queen.”

He wanted to deny it but it was like his mind was being ripped apart to expose him, his heart being ripped into pieces to reveal what it hid, and no matter how hard he tried to hide it, it was in vain.

“I... I didn’t... I-..”

Alfred took a step back and the ground beneath him suddenly caved in, crying out as he fell through what felt like a dark void. He eventually hit what had to be the bottom of the cavern he fell into, hissing in agony as he body felt bruised and battered from the fall. He rolled over to stand back up, looking above as he massaged his injured arm. He couldn’t even see where he fell from.

“Where am I?” he shouted, his cry echoing around him.

When he got no response he looked around for an exit. Before he could take a step forward he heard what sounded like the rattling of chains. His heart skipped a beat and for a moment he thought he was near that accursed door. Slowly looking over his shoulder he saw not the door but another sight that caused him physical pain.

“Arthur!?”

He saw his beloved Arthur, bound in chains, gagged, and blindfolded, forced onto his knees. The chains that bound him were so tight they were digging into his flesh, his blood running down his trapped limbs. The collar around his neck was so tight that it looked like it was ready to crush his neck, and the gag in his mouth appeared to be ready to rip his flesh. He was clearly in pain but he neither moved or reacted, he just sat them in complete silence. For Alfred, it was a sight from his nightmares.

“Arthur!” He tried to run to his side but vine like ropes appeared from no where and coiled around him, trapping him and stopping him from getting anywhere near his beloved. He cried out as he struggled viscously against his bonds. “Let me go! Let me go! Release him right now or-...”

“Or what?”

Alfred stopped himself when he heard the voice again, only this time it was coming right in front of him. He then heard footsteps, getting louder and louder until a form emerged from the shadows. His eyes widened when he saw... himself.

“W-what?”

It looked exactly like him. From his head to his feet, it was like looking into a mirror. What kind of trick was this!? His doppelgänger merely smirked at him, speaking to him in the voice that had spoken to him earlier. “You forget it was you who locked away this poor little bird.” Then without warning the doppelgänger kicked Arthur across the face, the action causing him to fall to the ground.

Alfred felt his heart sting as he watch himself attacking the helpless Arthur. “Stop it!”

“Why? Why do you care for this thing?” The doppelgänger sneered at him as he grabbed Arthur by the hair and forced him into his feet. Seeing Arthur’s eyes, Alfred was mortified to see they were devoid of all life, as if he was completely broken. “Look at this pitiful thing, how can you love such a useless creature.”

It made Alfred sick to watch someone using his form to torture the man he loved. “Get off him! Leave him alone!”

“This thing has power that surpasses yours! Better to keep him locked away, beaten and broken so you won’t be overshadowed by it, yes?” He petted Arthur with mocking affection. “Tame this poor thing, make it see how worthless it is compared to you.”

Alfred felt his skin crawl as the doppelgänger slowly dragged it’s tongue up Arthur’s cheek who didn’t react at all, he just continued to stare into nothingness.

“I don’t care if he’s more powerful than me, just let him go,” begged Alfred, “he doesn’t deserve this!”

“Why bother,” sneered the doppelgänger, dropping Arthur and unsheathing a sword from out of nowhere. “He’s dead anyway.”

“No!” Alfred watched in terror as his doppelgänger raised the sword, ready to strike the defenceless man.

With his last strength he finally ripped free from the vines that trapped him, he lunged forward, crying out as he charged towards his doppelgänger and punched him before he could harm Arthur. The moment his fist collided with him it’s body shattered like a broken mirror, the broken pieces fell to the floor. Alfred cringed and stepped back as he watched that false form disintegrate before him. Immediately he turned back to Arthur but he was gone.

“Arthur? Arthur where are you?”

“Why are you looking for him?” The voice spoke once again. “He came from another time, what makes you think he’s alive?”

Alfred clenched his fists and hung his head in shame. “I... I thought that maybe... maybe he’s alive in here?” It was indeed a thought that had crossed Alfred’s mind, given that he had heard tales that even time was warped in this forest. “I thought I could meet him in here, that maybe our times could cross,” he confessed.

“Time in this forest flows as time flows outside it,” confirmed the voice, “it was a hundred years ago that the Queen of Spades ventured in here, wishing to pay for your crime.”

He wanted to cry but all his tears were spent. He knew that this was the truth... he knew it but still he had hoped that somehow he was wrong. “Please... tell me... what happened to him? I... I know he failed but please tell me... what happened to him?”

There was a unbearably long silence until at last he got his answer.

“He paid the price.”

100 years earlier

Arthur stumbled over the roots, falling to his knees and gasping in pain. His whole body had become weak and he was bruised all over, he felt sick and his stomach growled in hunger. It was a struggle to get back on his feet but he forced himself up and staggered onwards. He had been walking through this damn forest for days and he was still no closer to finding the Grand Elder Tree. He wanted to stop and rest but he knew that if he did he wouldn’t get back up.

“I... I have to find it,” he gasped, “I have to. Alfred’s future depends on it.”

He opened the satchel he took with him but the small amount of rations he managed to bring with him were all but gone. He tossed the satchel away out of frustration and continued, his legs begging him to stop. The blisters upon his feet stung like hell, it made him want to cry out but he held it in, gulping down the pain. His head was spinning and he wanted to vomit but he lacked the strength to do this. Trying to focus on where he was walking, he found that he was swaying as he walked and the Forest seemed to spin around him.

Once again he tripped over a root and he stumbled forward, grabbing onto a tree for support. He heaved heavily and stayed there for a moment to catch his breath.

“Dammit,” he sobbed, pounding a fist against the trunk he leaned upon.

He wanted to stop, his body was begging him to just give up. He wanted to give into it all... but he couldn’t.

“If I don’t do this,” he choked as he forced himself to move, his aching legs causing him to wince, “Then Alfred will never have a future. I don’t have anything left... if I do this for him, at least he’ll live. I’ll be happy knowing that.”

He forced himself on and after taking a few more steps he heard a voice.

“Arthur!”

Arthur stopped and looked round. He was certain he heard his name being called out. There was nothing around him.

“H-hello? Hello?”

“Arthur!”

It came again, only louder this time. Arthur looked around, trying to figure out where that voice was coming from. Who did it belong to?

“Arthur!”

He heard it once again but this time he recognised it. His heart began to thump loudly within his chest and he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Sweat trickled down his face and he shivered as he looked over his shoulder.

“It can’t be... it can’t... not even he would follow me in here.”

Slowly but surely he turned round and he swore that his heart stopped when he saw a terrifying familiar figure marching towards him, emerging from the darkness of the forest like a nightmare come to life.

“Arthur! How dare you runaway! You belong to me! I own you! You are mine!”

Arthur staggered backwards as the man whom he was cursed to be his Queen strode towards him, his eyes filled with malice and his very presence radiating pure terror. Arthur’s eyes widened in horror. How did he get here? What was he doing here? For a second he was too scared to move but as he drew closer and closer, Arthur found the strength to suddenly run.

“Leave me alone,” he shrieked as he struggled to run.

“Get back here, you wretched creature!”

Ignoring him, Arthur ran but his worn out body was failing him. Running as fast as he could, he was too scared to look over his shoulder to see how far behind that man was, but for some horrifying reason he felt like he was getting closer. He couldn’t get caught. He couldn’t. He still hadn’t located the Grand Elder Tree, he still hadn’t secured Alfred’s future.

Then he fell forward, crying out as he did. He tumbled across the ground and in desperation tried to get scramble back onto his feet. He ignored the pain as he was far too scared of his tormentor to care. However before he could run someone grabbed his wrist, and he looked up in dismay to see it was that monster of a man.

“You can’t escape me Arthur,” he sneered, grabbing his other wrist and pinning him to the ground.

“Let me go,” begged Arthur, struggling in vain to free himself. “You’ve already done enough damage!”

“Pitiful Arthur.” The man leaned in until Arthur could feel his breath upon his skin. “I bet Alfred pitied you too.”

Arthur shook his head. “N-no! He would never!”

“Then let’s ask him, shall we?”

Arthur gasped when he felt the presence of another person. Looking over he was mortified to see Alfred, standing there and just staring at him as he was pinned down by his tormentor.

“Al-... Alfred? How... why...?”

“He’s here and that’s what matters,” laughed the man holding him down, “tell me Arthur, does he know about your first night in the Kingdom of Spades?”

Arthur stiffened up upon recalling that wretched memory he had tried to bury deep into his subconscious. “S-Shut up,” he begged weakly.

“You were just a mere 18 year old welp, dragged off the street and brought in to be my Queen.” Arthur squeezed his eyes shut as the man continued to force him to remember. “You believed every word I said, including your duties as my Queen.”

“Stop talking,” pleaded Arthur, “I... I don’t want him to hear! Alfred please! Don’t listen to him!”

“Hear what? How you spread your legs like a willing whore!?”

Arthur’s eyes snapped open and he looked back at Alfred who continued to stare at him. His shame washed over him and he shook his head in denial. “No! I didn’t! You tried to trick me! I refused you! I never laid with you!” Alfred, he’s lying!”

“But you thought about it.”

“No! No! I didn’t! Shut up!”

“You were so lonely.”

“Stop it!”

“So desperate for someone to notice you.”

“Stop it, please!”

“Don’t you want me? Arthur?”

The voice above him changed and Arthur stopped struggling. Looking up he saw that it was now Alfred hovering over him. Those gentle blue eyes stared down at him, protected by those thin glasses. That smile upon that handsome face seem to wash away all his fears. It was like looking up at an angel.

“Don’t you want to be my Queen?”

Seeing the face of that young man he had fallen for and the voice that had provided him much comfort in his times of loneliness, Arthur choked on his own tears as he slowly reached for him. “Alfred,” he sobbed, “Alfred, take me with you. Please, I don’t want to be here anymore.”

“You can’t be with me Arthur,” stated Alfred flatly, suddenly pulling away from him. “You aren’t my Queen. You already have a King.”

Arthur tried to reach for him, but chains suddenly coiled round his body. He cried out as they dig into his skin, ripping it and bruising his battered flesh. No matter how hard he struggled against them, they would not loosen and they tightened even more. He then felt he was being pulled back, and looked round to see his accursed tormentor was pulling at his chains, dragging him back towards him.

“You’re my Queen! You belong to me!”

“No! Let go!” He desperately looked back at Alfred but he was walking away from him. “Alfred! Don’t leave me!”

But Alfred continued to walk away from him, and he was dragged back closer and closer to the man he detested above all else. He grimaced as he felt those disgusting arms coil around his body, that horrid face pressing against his own. It felt like he was being absorbed into him, the very thought was enough to make him vomit.

“You’re my Queen Arthur,” cackled his tormentor, “and you’ll be mine until the day you die. Locked away for me and me alone. Sing for me, my little bird. Sing only for me. Forget Alfred. Even when you turn old and grey, you’ll never be able to stand with him. He’s out of your reach, so give up.”

Arthur opened his eyes, his tears blinding his vision but he was able to make out Alfred, walking into the darkness. He remembered how Alfred came into his life. How cried when he thought he was a ghost. How he played silly games with him. How he would stare at him whilst he told him stories. It all felt so real. Arthur wanted nothing more than to spend every second with him... but after learning the truth, after learning that Alfred was from a hundred years in the future, it broke him. He had to accept that he was never going to be with him...

“It’s not... fair...”

It wasn’t fair all. He loved Alfred and he never got the chance to tell him, he vanished before he could. There were so many things he wanted to tell him. He wanted to hold him. He wanted to kiss him. He wanted to love him properly. It wasn’t fair that they were born a hundred years apart.

“It’s not fair!”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s fair or not,” spat his tormentor, “I am your King, not him. Accept it!”

Arthur clutched his fists and shook his head. “No you’re not! I’m not your Queen! I’m not!” He pulled against his chains again, the metal beginning to snap and break. “I’m his Queen! I’m his!”

“Foolish child! He’s beyond your reach!”

“I don’t care!” Arthur tugged yet again, digging his sore feet into the ground. “He promised he’d walk through hell for me, and I’d do the same for him! If he’s beyond my reach-” the chains were close to snapping as he pulled himself one last time “-then I’ll just extend the limit of my reach!”

With that the chains holding him back broke apart and he ran towards Alfred, extending his arms towards him.

“I promised him! I promised we’d be together! I can’t break that promise! Not again!”

He was almost on top of him, his fingers mere inches away.

“Alfred, I want to be with you!”

He lunged towards him, expecting to wrap his arms around his dear sweet Alfred. However Alfred suddenly vanished and Arthur found himself smashing onto the floor, crying out in pain as his worn out body had now reached it’s limit.

He forced himself up, his arms trembling to support him as he looked around and found that he was still in the Forest of Eternity. Alfred was gone, those chains were gone, his tormentor was gone, only the trees of this accursed forest surrounded him for company. It was like they were never there to begin with.

“It’s... it’s finally happened,” he laughed with a sob, “I’ve gone mad.”

He buried his face into his arms and began to cry, wishing he was anywhere but there. Wishing that Alfred would appear and take him away from all this. He just wanted this torture to end.

“Arthur.”

He heard a new voice but he covered his ears. “Leave me alone, I don’t want to be tormented anymore.”

“Arthur, I am the one that you seek.”

Hearing this, Arthur cautiously peeped up but found that no one was there. “Where are you?”

“Where I need to be; here.”

Arthur gulped as he wasn’t certain if this was his mind playing tricks on him or the truth. He forced himself onto his knees and gazed around. He couldn’t see anyone and could only assumed that maybe the Grand Elder Tree didn’t have a true physical body like it’s children did.

“If you are who you say you are... then please, I need your aid! Four Elder Trees were slain by my... by the King of Spades. I-I managed to seal them away before they did any harm but-...”

“The seal you cast will not last.”

Arthur hung his head in shame. “Yes... I know. I beg of you, for the sake of my Kingdom and it’s future generations, calm the angered spirits of your children. Bring them peace so that the world would be spared from their wrath.”

The voice was silent for a moment. “Is it the Kingdom you wish to save... or is it Alfred?”

Arthur opened his mouth to protest, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t pretend anymore. If he had never met Alfred then he knew he wouldn’t care what became of this world that shut him away. However Alfred had shown him the light and proved to him that there was good in this world still worth saving.

“I... I want to save him more than anything. He saved me so please, let me save him! Take my life if it means he’ll be saved! I’ll pay any price so please! Please...”

There was a silence, the only sounds made were Arthur’s own choked and desperate sobs.

“Any price?”

“Yes! Anything!” Arthur was determined to uphold this vow. “Whatever you ask, I’ll do it.”

Then right in front of him, a silver branch emerged from the earth, growing like a weed only faster. A small flower bloomed upon it and in an instant a strange looking fruit formed from that very flower. He stared at it, transfixed at what just appeared before him.

“Do you know what this is?”

Arthur swallowed the lump in his throat. “It’s... an Elder Tree fruit...”

“Do you know what happens when you eat it?”

Arthur had a few ideas, none of them solid. They were just theories that he read about. “I don’t...”

“Queen of Spades, this is the price you will pay. When you bite this fruit you will suffer. Your body will go through a pain unlike anything a mortal creature has experienced before. You will long for death but it will never come. You will die slowly. You will suffer slowly. Every second of agony will feel like an eternity, then you will sleep for all eternity. This forest will become your resting place. However even in death you will suffer, your immortal soul never knowing rest. If you bite this fruit you will prove to me your honesty and I will uphold my promise to spare your King.”

He felt sick just hearing all that and there was a brief moment of doubt... but if this is what he had to do to save Alfred, then he would gladly suffer for his sake. With trembling hands he reached for the fruit, gently plucking it from the branch. As he brought it to his lips, tears began to fall down his face. Not from the fear of his eventual excruciating death but from regret. He wanted Alfred to be there, to save him from all this. He wanted to hold Alfred. He wanted to stand next to him. He wanted to spend his remaining days with him... but that just wasn’t going to happen. It was cruel... but he had to accept it.

With the fruit pressed against his lips, he thought about Alfred. His warm smile, his silly laugh, his overwhelming presence of pure joy. He was like a walking sun ray, brightening his day no matter what. Only now he was going to a place his light would never reach him.

“Goodbye,” he whispered.

His teeth sunk into the bittersweet fruit, biting off a big chunk of the soft flesh and instantly swallowed it.

All of a sudden his vision began swirl and everything became disoriented. Dropping the fruit, he slumped where he sat and felt a horrible tingly sensation across his body. He fell backwards onto the ground and stared up at the trees that stood over him, towering over his small body. His breathing felt distant... he felt sick... there was a pain but it felt odd. Something was wrapping round his body and he just managed to make out thin silver like vines, creeping out of the ground and coiling round his limbs and body. Before he could even try to wonder what they were, he realised he was being dragged into the earth, his body sinking into the ground. He closed his eyes as his final tears trickled down his cheek, the ground completely smothering him. His conscious started to fade. He felt like he was sinking into a deep ocean. As his mind faded into nothingness, as all his thoughts and memories faded away beyond his grasp... the last thing he held on continued to linger in his mind.

“Alfred... it hurts... I’m sorry... Alfred...”

And then there was nothing.

Present time

Listening to what the Grand Elder Tree has told him made Alfred feel sick, and he fell to his knees and vomited. Despite having thoughts that Arthur had perished in these woods, to hear how it transpired sickened him to the point where his mind nor his body couldn’t cope. He choked and sobbed as the bile rushed past his throat and spilled onto the ground below him, trembling as the images of Arthur’s final moments plagued him relentlessly.

“He died... alone and in pain... that was the price he paid.”

Hearing it caused Alfred to cry out in agony, and he slammed his fists onto the ground, his tears falling like rain from his face. His howls echoed round the cavern he was in, the walls trembling with his grief.

“It’s not fair!” he screamed. “It’s not fair, it’s not fair, it’s not fair!”

“How is it not fair? He offered his life and I took it.”

Alfred glared into the darkness, grinding his teeth so hard that they nearly chipped. “You lied to him, you bitch! You promised him to calm the vengeful spirits of the Elder Trees after he bit that fucking fruit, but you never did!”

“Because he did nothing.”

“Fuck you!” Alfred stood up and frantically looked around. “He didn’t deserve any of this! He didn’t deserve to suffer! If you want revenge then take it out on me! I’m the King of Spades, I’m the one you fucking want!”

There was a silence before the Grand Elder Tree spike again. “Do you wish to free him from his suffering?”

Alfred felt a lump in his chest and immediately said, “yes!”

A loud bang suddenly sounded behind him, along with the familiar rattling of chains. He turned round and right behind him was that accused silver door. It continued to bang and rattle, the force behind it terrified him once more.

“What is that?”

“The seal.”

Alfred gulped as he stared at it. “So behind that is...”

“My tormented children. King of Spades, if you wish to free your Queen from his suffering then unlock the door. Allow my children to take vengeance upon you. End their suffering. Do this and your beloved Arthur will know peace.”

Alfred hesitated for a moment. “How do I know you aren’t lying to me like you lied to Arthur?”

“Because he was the Queen, I needed the King to pay the price. Arthur could’ve offered me his life a hundred times over but it would’ve been worthless.”

“So... you murdered him for nothing?” he muttered bitterly.

“You murdered four of my children for nothing,” retorted the voice.

Alfred wasn’t in the mood to argue. He looked back at the door and stared at those locks. “How do I unlock it?”

“You always had the key on you.”

At first Alfred didn’t understand but he realised something was in his hand. Opening it he found a Queen chess piece of all things. Before he could wonder how it got there, it suddenly split into two and revealed a hidden key. Although he was genuinely curious as to how he had this key on him, but he had no time to wonder.

As he walked towards the door he boldly stated, “I’m not doing this for you... I’m doing this for Arthur.”

There was no response as he stood before the door. Holding the key tight in his hand, he slowly but surely unlocked the chains that bound it, watching as they fell to the floor. The banging continued but Alfred no longer feared it. With every lock he opened the closer he was to Arthur’s salvation. Soon all the locks were gone and all he had left to do was twist open the handle.

With a trembling hand he reached towards the door handle and clasped it tightly. He could feel the blood pulsing in his ears, his skin developing goosebumps, and the sweat dripping down his back. Closing his eyes, thinking back to those days he spent with Arthur in his garden, he twisted the handle, opened the door and entered.

His heart was thumping, he was scared but he knew he couldn’t run away. There was no sound but that terrified him more. With no other choice he opened is eyes.

Darkness. Nothing but darkness.

He looked around, but the door he walked through was long gone. It seemed like he was trapped in a dark void, with no end in sight. Before he could even call out for someone, something suddenly punched him in his gut.

“Ow... fffuck!”

It hurt more than he realised but before he could see who attacked him, something that felt like claws scratching his face. He hissed in agony as fresh blood began to bleed out but before he could even tend to his wound he was suddenly attacked again and again. He was kicked, stabbed, beaten and clawed at, each wound he received was excruciatingly painful and he couldn’t help but cry out. The attacks came from all directions and he couldn’t stop them. He tried shielding himself but it was useless. He spat out blood, and groaned as his attackers continued their assault on him relentlessly.

And then he heard it. Their screams. Their taunts. They howled at him, spewing cruel things towards him. It was awful to hear such hateful things but Alfred was powerless to do anything against it. It was like he was trapped in a living hell and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Time seemed to slow down. He was certain he had been sliced up all over. He wondered why it hadn’t killed him yet. Maybe he wasn’t allowed to die. There was a horrible ringing sensation in his ears but he could still hear the screams targeted at him. He could feel their hatred. Their overwhelming malice. It was awful.

Were these the spirits of the fallen Elder Trees? Was this their revenge? To beat him to death? To make him suffer? Every blow felt as painful as the last. He could feel his blood pouring out of every wound, and he was certain he was now standing in a puddle of his own blood. Soon it was too painful to stand and he fell over onto his side, and yet the blows kept coming.

As he laid there receiving blow after blow, he could sense their rage, their bitterness, their never-ending need for justice ... but he also sensed their sadness. Why were they sad? They got their revenge, so why was it making them sad?

Was it because they were doing this to him? Guinevere had told them that they all watch him when he was with Arthur. Or was it because they had been trapped here this whole time, alone and unable to escape.

It reminded him of Arthur. Trapped and alone in his garden, waiting and waiting for someone to save him. To think he suffered in such a way made Alfred tremble with woe.

“You’ve been here... all along...” he gasped, finding it hard to breath. “Alone... with no one caring about you.” He forced himself into his knees, his wounds taking their toll on him.

He couldn’t see any longer but he reached out into the darkness, his hand latching onto what felt like an arm. It was clearly the arm of one of his attacker, but instead of getting even with his attacker, he pulled them into his arms and embraced them tightly. He could feel the form he held struggle against him, something biting into his chest as it tried to escape.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered as he held the struggling form in his arms, “You’ve all been here this whole time... murdered by a King who should’ve known better... you were separated from your dear sister... you failed your beloved Arthur... you grew to resent me and this world.” He tightened his hold and the form he held seemed to cease it’s struggles. “I’m sorry... I’m so sorry for all your suffering... you have every right to hate me.”

It was then that he noticed that the howling had stopped. The attacks against him had stopped. He still couldn’t see but he was certain that his attackers had halted their assault on him.

Then he heard it. The sound of children crying. Their bitter wails flooded the air around them. It was just as unbearable as the blows he had just received only minutes earlier. He could still feel the blood pour out of his wounds, and he was fairly a couple of his ribs were broken, but the physical pain was nothing compared to what he felt inside. The sadness from these children around him made him feel like he was drowning in a sea of their tears.

What could he do to stop these tears? What could he do to end their suffering? What would Arthur do?

He remembered how Arthur would sing for his garden, occasionally singing for him. His soothing voice easily washing away all of Alfred’s troubles and concerns.

Though his throat was sore and he didn’t believe himself to be that good of a good singer, he tried to sing one of the songs Arthur sang to him.

“Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
Remember me to one who lives there,
For once he was a true love of mine.

Have him make me a cambric shirt,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
Without no seam nor fine needle work,
And then he’ll be a true love of mine.”

His voice was raspy and worn out, but he sung as gently as he could, gently rocking the small form he held in his arms. He tried to envision Arthur singing the song, and for some reason it made him smile a little. Even he could tell he couldn’t compare to Arthur’s talent. In fact if Arthur was here he’d probably lecture him on how to sing properly. That was probably the first smile he made in what felt like a long time.

Soon the sound of the despairing cries began to fade, before they vanished all together. Even the form that Alfred had been holding had disappeared from his grip. Before he could even wonder what was going, Alfred felt the floor give way and he yelped as he fell through the air until splashing into what felt like water.
As he floated in the water that appeared from no where, his vision was slowly returning and he saw a light above him. Without even thinking he swam towards it, his need to breathe becoming his top priority. Once he breached the surface he gasped loudly, sucking in as much oxygen as he could. He struggled to swim until he reached a shallow area, taking a moment to get his breathing back in order.

Looking around he found himself in what looked like an underground lake, some strange blue rocks illuminating the cavern he was in. So many things were running through his mind. Like what the hell just happened back there? How did he end up in this lake? Where was he?

He inspected his own body, expecting to find horrendous cuts and bruises from his earlier assault. To his surprise, even though his clothes had been ripped and shredded, his body bore no injuries. No deep gashes, no broken bones, no bruises of any kind. There wasn’t even any blood, though he was a 100% certain he felt it ooze out of his flesh as he was attacked.

“What the hell is going on?”

The light he had seen earlier suddenly caught his attention once more. Up ahead he saw a light at the end of the cavern. Where it lead he wasn’t entirely sure, but from the looks of it he had nowhere else to go. Forcing himself up, he staggered towards the light and could only wonder where he was going to end up next.

Notes:
I just want to clear something up in this chapter, Arthur never slept with Edward, the King of Spades from his time. Edward merely offered Arthur the chance to bed him in exchange to cure his loneliness. If he never met Alfred he might've taken Edward up on his offer.