Stumbling through the cavern, Alfred walked towards the strange light that illuminated what he hoped was the exit. He had no where else to go thus he had no choice but to see where this exit lead. For all he knew it probably lead to some sort of trap and this whole thing was designed to torture him. Only moments ago he was at the mercy of the vengeful spirits of the four slain Elder Trees, getting torn apart by the vicious things, and then he found himself in a strange underground lake with no injuries, just his torn and ruined clothes as the only evidence of what happened to him.

“I could be dead,” he wondered aloud, “this is probably the underworld and I’m on my way to either heaven or hell.”

It wasn’t what he truly believed as he was certain he was still very much alive. So then why was he here? He was certain that the Grand Elder Tree has told him that in order to save the world from the vengeful spirits of it’s slain children, he had to allow them to take their vengeance upon him. It was a death sentence plain and simple, so why wasn’t he dead?

He almost reached the cavern exit and he covered his eyes as the light began to blind him. Walking forward he finally stepped out of the cavern and into some large open area. His eyes had a hard time adjusting to the light and he squinted until they were able to focus. When he looked up to see where he was, he staggered backwards in complete awe.

“Woah...”

All around him was a forest made up entirely of Elder Trees. No longer was he surrounded by the bleak and twisted nature that was the Forest of Eternity but now he found himself what had to be a paradise like no other. Nothing else but hundred and hundreds of these sacred trees surrounded him, as far as his eyes could see. Their silver bark shimmered in the strange light, and their blue leaves glowing like the sky on a sunny day. The ground was littered with beautiful flowers that swayed in the breeze and gave off such a sweet scent it was enough to relax him. A nearby waterfall of pure fresh water poured down a small ledge and into a stream that trickled and bubbled as it flowed through the forest floor. Looking up beyond their branches he could just make out the blue sky that, for some reason bore stars that twinkled gently. The whole place was surreal but beautiful, not even an artist could capture its beauty even if he sat right here and painted it.

It was like something out of a dream. No one could ever hope to see so many Elder Trees in one place. Although he had literally walked away from a life or death situation, Alfred could not help but look around in wonder and amazement.

“If Ivan was here, he’d have a heart attack,” he chuckled, uncertain why he was in such a happy mood.

He walked away from the cave he emerged from, wondering if he indeed ended up in heaven. He could hear strange but pleasant sounds coming from all around him, like the sound of laughing children. As he peered through the trees around him, he could see bizarre creatures that looked like they jumped straight out of a fairytale. Rabbits with horns. Birds that looked like they were on fire. Butterflies that giggled as they fluttered about. Giant stag like beasts that carefully treaded through the trees. It was like everything was alive around him, even the flowers around his feet moved out of his way so he wouldn’t step on them. It was like a whole other world.

“What even is this place?” he mumbled.

“The Forest of Eternity.”

Alfred nearly jumped when heard that familiar voice. “Y-you!?”

“Who else? Welcome to my realm King of Spades. Not many have had the privilege to walk through here.”

Alfred felt uneasy as he looked around. “Where are you anyway? I thought you wanted me dead!”

“I said no such thing. Honestly, you’re as simple minded as you always were.”

“B-But you told me in order to save the world-...”

“You had to allow my children to take vengeance upon you and end their suffering, which you have completed. I never said anything about dying.”

Alfred blinked. “That was it!?”

“Did you want them to continue hurting you?”

“No...”

“Well then.”

There was another period of silence. Alfred tapped his hands against his sides. “So... where are you exactly?”

“Here.”

“I mean your physical body.”

“Here.”

“Where?”

“You need only look up.”

Alfred looked up but he only saw the strange sky high above him. “Are... are you in the sky?”

“You cannot see the sky from where you stand.”

Once again Alfred was confused. He focused on the sky and it was then that he noticed that it wasn’t a sky at all. He moved forward, carefully passing some trees until he reached a large clearing that overlooked a valley full of Elder Trees. Although it was a stunning sight, something else had caught his attention. Something that made his jaw drop and made him readjust his glasses.

Towering above them all, with a trunk that was as wide as a small city and just as tall as one, with roots that were as high as hills and branches that stretched out until they covered the whole sky above them was the biggest Elder Tree he had ever seen. It reached up into the heavens, the leaves upon its branches looked like they formed a sky, explaining how it confused him earlier on. It was like he had shrunk down to a microscopic size and was staring up at a normal sized tree. It was pure magnificence and Alfred was unable to think of what to say. This had to be the Grand Elder Tree, there was no doubt about that.

“Is it really that shocking to see?” came the voice again.

Alfred was snapped out of his trance and suddenly grew a little uneasy. “Wait a minute, hold it! I paid the price for my crime, right?”

“Yes, now this way King of Spades.”

Alfred flinched as the tree around him began to part, forming a pathway that lead directly towards the Grand Elder Tree. At first he didn’t want to but with no where else to go he slowly walked through the pathway that was made for him.

“So... the world is safe, yes?” asked Alfred, continuing to wander down the pathway.

“Yes,” replied the voice, “you managed to soothe the tormented spirits of my dear children, and they are now at peace.”

“Good,” replied Alfred with a relieved sigh. “So... why am I still here? Oh wait, I forget. I can’t leave this forest.”

“You can.”

“I can?”

“With my consent of course.”

“Of course,” muttered Alfred. “So... I guess you aren’t going to let me leave.”

“Not yet.”

“Why?”

“There is one last thing I need you to do.”

Another thing he had to do? What could that be, he had already stopped the four spirits so what else did he need to do?

“What... is it?”

“I need you to end the seal.”

“The seal?”

“The one made to keep my children from destroying this world.”

Alfred felt his heart ache when he realised that it was talking about the seal Arthur made to delay the end of the world. He paused for a moment as a loose tear fell down his face, realising he was going to destroy the very thing Arthur made to save them all. It seemed wrong and deep down he didn’t want to do it. He rubbed his eyes and walked on.

“I thought... I thought the seal wasn’t made to last.”

“It wasn’t.”

“So do I need to do anything really? Can’t we just wait it out until it eventually vanishes?”

“It won’t simply vanish.”

Alfred scratched his head. “I don’t understand.” He looked around and saw amongst the trees were strange looking children, vaguely similar to Guinevere. They ran off giggling the moment Alfred noticed them.

“Do you know how a seal works, King of Spades?”

“Um... not really...”

“Hmmm... I forget you are a simple one. Never mind.”

Alfred sighed as he continued onwards. “Can I ask you something?”

“What would that be?”

“Did you... place a curse on the Spade Kingdom?”

“A curse?”

“We haven’t had a Queen in a hundred years,” explained Alfred, “after what happened I assumed that you cursed the Spade Kingdom, took away our Queen and all that.”

“Oh that... I suppose I did.”

“So you did curse us?”

“No I didn’t.”

“But you just said-...”

“You asked me if I took your Queen away.”

“Y-yeah.”

“That’s exactly what I did.”

Alfred was getting lost. It cursed the kingdom but it didn’t? Why couldn’t this damn thing make any sense. It was like talking to a Joker.

“So... will we get a Queen again? When I return will a new Queen of Spades finally arise?”

“Eventually.”

Though it was indeed good news for his Kingdom, Alfred found that he wasn’t ecstatic to rule his Kingdom with a new Queen. He wanted Arthur to be his Queen and no one else. He wanted to rule the Spade Kingdom with Arthur by his side, but knowing that he was now dead it was merely a dream that would never come true. However he vowed that he would treat the new Queen with respect and promise never to lock them away from the rest of the world. He also vowed that he would make the world remember Arthur and ensure his name would forever be recorded in every history book. He didn’t care if it would tarnish his Kingdom’s history, Arthur deserved to be remembered.

He eventually reached the base of the Grand Elder Tree and as he stood there gazing up at it, he could not believe at what he was looking at. It was ridiculously huge, and stretched high into the sky. It was like something out of a fairytale and even though it was right there, he could not believe that it was real. If Ivan was here, he’d be having a field day with all of this.

Looking around, he wondered where this seal was. “Hey, so... where is this seal?”

The large roots before him moved and Alfred watched as a long carven formed before him, leading deep into the tree. He was nervous at first as he didn’t want to imagine what chaos he’d create if he damaged the Grand Elder Tree.

“In there, the seal is in there.”

Alfred swallowed hard before entering the tree, the silver bark surrounding him as he ventured inside. It was longer than he realised and he couldn’t really see the end of the long tunnel, but he walked with care as not to cause any damage.

“So... how do I destroy this seal?”

“Remove it.”

“How the hell do I do that?”

“You just take it.”

“And do what with it?”

“Whatever you like.”

Alfred groaned and gave up talking to it. He just wanted to get this whole thing over with and return to his Kingdom. As he ventured through the trunk of the tree he suddenly felt that something was off. He felt disconnected before when he first entered the Forest of Eternity, but in here did he truly felt disconnected, like he just entered a room that was not there. He couldn’t explain it, it was like he had been suddenly cut off from existence itself.

“Where am I?” he asked, shivering a little.

“Outside.”

“Outside of what?”

“Time. Creation. You are no longer within in.”

“How is that possible?”

“You understand how time functions? It flows onward like a river, always going in one direction and waiting for no one. You mortals are a part of this river, flowing with time. However in here you have wandered out of the river and onto the bank, no longer bound to the law of the river.”

Alfred tried to process all that. “So basically inside your trunk, time doesn’t exist.”

“It exists, it just doesn’t flow through here. You could stand there for eons and never age. Forever trapped in a single moment.”

That sounded like something Alfred didn’t want to experience for long and he moved quicker. He eventually came out of the tunnel and found himself in another strange place. It was like he was inside an enclosed space that had its own mini forest, complete with flowers and tall trees. Even strange little birds flew around him, though they were like none he had ever seen before. The roots of the Grand Elder Tree were twisted into the landscape, creating a unique environment and as much as he wanted to marvel it, he didn’t have time... well he did, but he didn’t want to linger. He gazed around trying to find this seal.

“Where is it?”

“There... within my roots.”

“Your roots are everywhere!”

“Walk forward and you’ll see it. Past those trees.”

Alfred huffed and did as he was told. He pushed past some low hanging branches of the interior trees, making certain he didn’t harm any of them. There was actually quite a number of them so he had to be extra cautious, as he ducked and squeezed past the branches. He flinched as birds he disturbed fluttered past his face, grunting as manoeuvred through this strange place whilst taking care not to damage anything. Once he made it past the obstacles he looked around to find this seal.

“Alright so where... is... it...”

His body suddenly went numb and he staggered backwards.

His eyes widened at the sight before him, uncertain if it was just his eyes playing tricks on him.

He rubbed them with his trembling hands and even wiped his glasses to be safe, but as he looked back at what was before him he slowly started to accept that what he was staring at was the truth.

“...Arthur?”

He couldn’t believe it, he just couldn’t believe it and yet the evidence was right there in front of him.

Tangled up in the roots, as if they had coiled round his thin body to protect him from unknown elements, was the form of his beloved Arthur.

His limp body was suspended in the air as the roots held him, a couple of birds fluttering around his still form and perching upon the roots that held him. He was as still as the air around him, not moving a single inch. It looked like he was in a deep slumber, and in a strange stage of peace.

Alfred could only stare at him, uncertain if it was still the real deal. His heart was thumping like mad and he was shivering like crazy. Was this real? Was this just another illusion? Was the Grand Elder Tree trying to fool him?

Gulping he took a step closer. Then he took another step. And then another. He moved at a ridiculously slow pace but he was terrified that this was just a trick, or some sort of twisted trap. His breathing was rapid and he couldn’t calm it down, even if he tried. He soon found himself within reach but Alfred could only stare down at him in fearful awe.

He looked exactly like he did when he last saw him. His golden messy hair, his thick eyebrows, his pale skin and those rosy lips. Clenching his hand into a fist in order to stop it from shaking, he slowly raised it and reached out towards him.

“Are you... really here?”

His fingers trembled like mad, so he took a deep breath and he reached for that peaceful face... gasping when he felt the soft skin that it bore.

Snatching his hand away, he clasped it over his mouth and stared down at him. It was no lie, it felt it, he felt him upon his fingertips. Tears streamed down his cheeks either from the shock or from pure joy, and with trembling hands he reached out once more. For a second he thought that it had to have been his mind playing tricks on him, that it wasn’t real... but as his hands reached to caress that face, he sobbed as he felt the tender flesh upon his fingertips. He wept with joy as he ran his fingers across those cheeks, over those lips, through that messy hair and even upon those thick eyebrows. It was a sensation like no other and Alfred continued to shed tears of utter joy as he finally was able to caress the man he had loved all this time.

“It... it really is you, isn’t it? Arthur?”

Arthur did not respond but remained in this strange slumber. Looking along his thin body he noticed that the roots were wrapped that tightly around him. Carefully wrapping his own arms around his back and his legs, he pulled Arthur away as gently and as hard as he could, the roots eventually releasing him from their hold.

Stumbling back Alfred looked down at what he held and still could not believe it. He was holding Arthur in his arms. He was right there, his body pressing against his chest, his head resting upon his shoulder. He could feel his weight, despite how light he was. He could even smell him and he smelt like lavender and honey. He clutched him in his arms, afraid to let him go in case he vanished from sight. It was like everything he ever wished for come to life.

How did he get here? Why was he here? He quickly dismissed these questions for he no longer cared, what matter to him was that Arthur was in his arms and he wasn’t going to let him go.

Briskly turning around he made his way through the tunnel, keeping Arthur as close to him as he could. He had to get him out of here, he had to take him far away from this place as he possibly could. He kept peering down at him as he walked but he remained the same, unmoving and silent. It worried him at first but he hoped if he got him out of this tree he might get better... he hoped.

Once he finally made it outside the tree, he looked around and tried to think which way to go to get out of here.

“There you are.”

Alfred spun round and hugged Arthur’s limp body even tighter. He heard the voice once more but this time he found the source of it. Standing not too far from him was a tall woman with long flowing silver hair. She appeared old and ancient but at the same time she was fair and beautiful, carrying a strong sense of grace and a presence that demanded to be feared and respected. She was both intimidating but gentle in appearance, and Alfred was understandably weary around her.

“So... is this what you look like?” he asked cautiously, “Is this your true form?”

“No,” she replied, “my physical form is right behind you. This shape is merely a way for my kind to speak with you in a way that does not confuse you.”

Alfred snorted. “Well I don’t care what you look like, I’m getting out of here and I’m taking Arthur with me!”

The woman tilted her head in confusion. “In that state? There is no life inside him, besides you haven’t done what I asked. You do realise he’s-...”

“Shut up!” barked Alfred, refusing to believe the body he held was devoid of life. “I don’t care! I finally found him, after all this time I can finally hold him, so back off!”

He fell to his knees, still holding Arthur close to him. He looked down at him and tried to hold back his tears as he stared at his lifeless form.

“He’s here now,” he whimpered, “I finally found him. I finally got to hold him. I here with him now like I promised!”

“Then do what I asked you to do.”

Alfred tore himself from Arthur and looked at her, confused by her words. “What are you talking about?”

“Remove the seal.”

Alfred shook his head in annoyance. “I don’t understand! Tell me what I’m supposed to do! Tell me what to do to help him!”

The woman sighed and stepped forward. “I am as old as time itself and I’ve observed you mortals for eons, yet I still lack this understanding of those emotional bonds you forge between each other... nevertheless I did try...”

Alfred flinched as the woman’s hand rested upon Arthur’s head and stroke his golden hair with her long pale white fingers.

“I saw you two... I saw how, despite being separated by time itself, you two forged a bond I had not seen in many ages. What you endured together was nothing short but poetic. It would’ve been easy if you both just gave up on each other, but you both chose to suffer to ensure the other would be alright. It was pitiful to watch... but I was envious. I’ve never experienced such a thing as love.”

She removed her hand and stepped away, looking over the thousands of Elder Trees that surrounded her. “It wasn’t the first time my children were harmed by mortal hands... as a mother I was angry that something dared to bring pain to my children. I can only watch as they inflict their wrath upon those who hurt them, only ending their suffering once they were satisfied... and then this happens.”

Her eyes narrowed and glared at the pair of them. “Four of my children, nurtured by the power of the Queen of Spades, only to be killed by the King of Spades. Such an action warranted the destruction of the mortal realm. Yet you both came here, in separate timelines, begging for the same thing; to save the one you cherished above all else.”

Clinging to Arthur protectively. “If you’re still angry about that-...”

“No... I don’t cling to emotions like you mortals do, nor do I hold grudges. I simply act accordingly.”

“You have a weird way of expressing yourself then.”

The woman weaved her hands through her long silver locks, the fine strands waving in the air as if it was one with the wind. “I have already punished those who committed these crimes against me and my children.”

Alfred glanced down at Arthur quickly before looking back at her. “You mean me and him?”

“I’m talking about those who disrupted the natural law of this world.” She began to slowly circle round Alfred, her strange eyes locked onto his. “Spade. Heart. Club. Diamond. These are the names you mortals called the powers that was bestowed upon you to keep order in this world. You divided these powers amongst yourselves into titles; King, Queen, Ace and Jack. For millennia your four Kingdoms kept the world in order, even when you waged war against each other or conquered other lands, you kept order. I silently watched, believing that I didn’t need to act as your warden.”

She paused and lowered her head. “Until that one disrupted this law for his own gain.”

“That one?”

Looking up to face him, Alfred shivered when he felt a cold sensation coming from her. “You know him... or at least you almost do... I doubt you’ll even recall him by the time I’m finished.”

“Who?”

She pointed at Arthur. “His King... the one he was supposed to rule over the Spade Kingdom with.”

Alfred had to think about that for a moment. “You mean... that creep of a King who started this whole thing? His name was... was...” Alfred blinked when he realised he couldn’t recall his name. He was certain he knew it but he couldn’t remember. In fact he realised that he couldn’t even remember what he looked like. “Why... can’t I remember him?”

“He lusted to have an eternal legacy that would span the ages. What he failed to realise is that no matter his influence, the Queen will always surpass him in power, yet the Queen is powerless without the King. They keep valence together but he ignored it. Instead of accepting the truth of the nature of his rule, he twisted it into his own gain.” She then formed a twisted smile. “So I erased him.”

“Erased him?”

“I can control time a whole lot better than you can King of Spades, and I wiped out his entire existence from the very fabric of time itself as easy as you can blink. It takes effect slowly but surely and soon you won’t even remember ever knowing him. Haven’t you ever wondered why you didn’t recognise him during your trips back in time?”

Alfred shivered when he realised how terrifying this sounded. To be wiped out of existence completely was not something to be taken lightly. He looked down at Arthur and he did remember how he had been locked away, doomed to be erased from existence himself. It was kind of ironic if not horrifying. He had a feeling the Grand Elder Tree was powerful but he didn’t know it had this kind of power. He wanted to say he deserved it for all he had done to Arthur, but he was tired of the blame game.

“And what about Maria?”

“Who?”

“The false Queen, the one who took Arthur’s rightful place.”

“Oh her. I told you, she paid the price.”

Alfred didn’t recall her saying that.

She sighed when she realised he had no idea what she meant. “Remember when I told you how the Queen of Spades paid the price?”

He nodded whilst clutching Arthur.

“What your Arthur didn’t realise was that whilst he was indeed paying the price, it was not him who ended up fulfilling it. He merely contributed himself to uphold his vow.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Your Arthur was the true Queen of Spades. This Maria was a usurper who claimed the title for herself. I told Arthur what the Queen of Spades would endure after biting the fruit but it was not he, but Maria who took the punishment.”

Alfred suddenly recalled how Gilbert told him how Maria Somerset died in a horrifying and mysterious circumstance. He remembered how the Joker showed him her gruesome death and he had spent many a nights trying to forget about it. However it all now made sense. Since she stole the title of the Queen of Spades from Arthur, she ended up taking his punishment for him. The moment Arthur bit that fruit it sealed her fate, and she died in that horrendous fashion.

“After her death, the forgotten King went mad and took his own life. As new Kings ascended the throne of the Spade Kingdom, I kept the true Queen here. You see Alfred, whilst the false Queen perished after Arthur consumed the fruit, it killed him as I said it would... but he is not dead in the way you know it.”

Alfred felt his heart beat hard upon hearing that. “What?”

“He is merely sleeping, trapped in a death like slumber. I needed him that way. That seal he made could only be maintained as long as he existed and his lifespan was not long enough to sustain it. I brought him here to where time doesn’t flow, isolating him from the nature of time itself, and kept him here to continue his role as the seal that held my poor children back, and to ease the burden on my dear daughter. A hundred years may have passed since he has been here, but in reality he had only been asleep for a mere few minutes.”

It was almost unbelievable to hear but Alfred felt a surge of warm wash of hope wash through him. “You mean... you mean he’s not... dead?” It had been on his mind ever since he found him, but he couldn’t bear to think of it. To hear that he wasn’t dead... it was overwhelming.

The woman then finally smiled at him. “Do you not know how the fairytale ends? The hero must kiss his beloved to awaken them for their slumber.”

Falling backwards into his rear, Alfred emotions exploded and he bawled loudly as he held onto Arthur’s body, burying his face into the crook of his neck. The joy that he felt had drowned out all of the negativity that had been building up inside of him, falling down his face in the form of tears.

“The Kingdom of Spades never needed a new Queen... because the Queen was just sleeping, waiting for his King to wake him up.”

Looking up Alfred found that the woman was gone. It was just him and his slumbering Arthur, sitting under the base of this gigantic Grand Elder Tree. He looked round, expecting her to say something else but there was nothing but the sounds of the forest around him. Rays of light that shimmered from somewhere high above them, illuminating the forest floor. The flowers continued to sway around them, and the leaves rustled gently in the wind. It was like they were alone in some distant paradise, far from the worries from the rest of the world.

Alfred stared back at Arthur, his body as still as ever but he knew that there was some life still in there. He thought back on what the Grand Elder Tree told him and it reminded him of the stories that Arthur had told him before, all of them ending in similar yet unique way.

“...and the hero took his beloved in his arms, and kissed him upon the lips. He awoke and they lived happily ever after...”

Cradling him in his arms, he could only stare at him for a while. He still could not believe that at long last he was holding Arthur in his arms, cute man who was beyond his reach for so long. He gently took hold of Arthur’s face, stroking his cheeks gently with his thumbs. It was so peaceful and angelic looking. How long had he been waiting for this moment? How long had he waited to share this experience with the man he loved.

He swallowed the lump in his throat as his nerves began to build up, closing his eyes as he brought his face closer to Arthur’s. He almost shivered when his lips pressed against Arthur’s, the soft sensation he felt was like rose petals. He almost smirked when he realised that this would be his first kiss.

Allowing his instincts to guide him, he pressed his lips closer and felt his body relax as he finally kissed him.

He wanted time to stop. He just wanted to stay in this moment of pure bliss forever. Yet he knew that time had to continue, and he was strangely content with that.

Pulling himself away from the kiss, he opened his eyes and peered down at Arthur. He wondered if it worked and he held his breath.

At first there was nothing.

No movement.

No sound.

The world was as still as they were.

Alfred felt a small sliver of fear crept up his back.

“...Arthur?”

Then there it was.

A small twitch around his eye-lids. A sound he barely made out passed those lips that gently parted, allowing sone air to pass through them. Those thick eyebrows of his moved to form a frown, and his face twisted into a little scowl. Alfred could feel his body gently heave against his own as Arthur began to breath at long last.

Alfred could only stare as Arthur began to stir from his slumber. His eyes twitching once more before they slowly opened, revealing those beautiful green eyes. They were unfocused as Arthur stared at him, but he didn’t seem to recognise him. Blinking a few times and allowing his eyes to focus, Arthur raised his head and squinted at him.

Alfred felt his voice box struggle as he tried to say something. He had waited for this moment for so long, dreamed about it and even daydreamed about it, and now he didn’t know what to do or say. His frazzled brain tried to form sentences and he took a deep breath before opening his mouth.

“Arth-...”

SMACK

Without warning Arthur suddenly struck him across the face.

“You idiot!”

It came from out of nowhere and caught him off guard. Alfred hissed in pain as he massaged his sore cheek and could only stare dumbfounded as Arthur suddenly scrambled out of his arms, and forced himself to stand up on trembling legs. He stood there heaving and glaring down at him, his cheeks burning red from embarrassment.

“What the hell have I told you about sneaking up on me!? Just because I can’t touch you doesn’t mean I-...”

Arthur stopped mid sentence as the realisation suddenly hit him. He stared down at his hand that he used to hit Alfred, flexing his fingers before looking back at him. It didn’t take long for him to put two and two together, gasping as he jumped back and now looked at him with uncertainty.

“I... I hit... you...” he stammered.

Jumping up to his feet, Alfred took a careful step forward. “Yeah,” he said with a smile, “you did.”

Arthur trembled as he stared back at his hand and then back at Alfred. “I-I... just hit you...”

“It stung like hell.” Alfred took another step forward and held out his hand, smiling gently at him.

Staring at the outreached arm extended towards him, Arthur slowly raised his arm and with trembling fingers reached out towards it. His thin hand hovered over it, as if he was too scared to see if it was real or not. He looked absolutely terrified, there were even tears starting to form in the corner of his eyes. It looked like wanted to pull his arm away but he couldn’t.

With a grin Alfred suddenly reached out and grasped his hand, squeezing it tight. Arthur actually gasped out loud upon contact and his legs suddenly gave way and he started to fall backwards. Reacting instantly, Alfred pulled him forward and wrapped his arms around him to stop him from falling, his small frame collapsing against him. He could feel Arthur tremble in his grip, the shock of the whole scenario clearly effected him.

Alfred could feel Arthur’s quivering hands grip onto his ruined clothes, his body shivering as he could only stare into the chest of the man that held him.

“Am... am I dead? I can’t... remember...”

Alfred squeezed him harder. “No... you’ve just been dreaming for a long time. You just finally woke up.”

“Are you really here?”

“I’m holding you, aren’t I?”

“You could be a illusion.”

“You can’t hit illusions.”

“W-well maybe you’re a ghost.”

“You can’t hit ghosts either.”

“Idiot.”

“Says you.”

Arthur shivered again and he finally dared to look up into Alfred’s blue eyes. His cheeks were already stained with salty tears, even his eyes looked like they were trembling. “I went into the Forest... I went to stop it... I...”

“It’s all over Arthur,” whispered Alfred, holding him until he was almost smothered. “The Elder Tree spirits, your imprisonment... it’s all over. You’ve got nothing to be afraid of.”

He could feel Arthur pressing up against him, as if he was trying to confirm that he was indeed right where he thought he was.

“So... you actually kept your word... you actually found me... you got to be my hero...”

Unable to contain it any longer, Alfred suddenly clutched his hands upon Arthur’s hips and hoisted him up into the air. Arthur yelped and could only stare down at him with bewilderment, his legs dangling in the air.

“What hell are you doing!? Put me down, you idiot!”

It was too much. To actually hold him in his arms, to hear his voice, to actually share the same space together, it was overwhelming him. His grin exploded into a wide smile and he laughed as he pulled Arthur into an embrace and spun him round and round.

“I did it! I really did it!” he laughed, “I found you, I really found you!”

Arthur had to cling his arms around Alfred’s broad shoulders in order not to get thrown off, even though he was already being held by those sturdy arms of his. Strangely enough he didn’t protest, even though this was clearly something he wouldn’t partake in. He just buried his face into the crook of Alfred’s neck and squeezed his arms as tight as he could.

Alfred just kept laughing as he danced around with Arthur in his arms. It was like all the trauma he had endured these past few weeks had finally left him, freeing his mind from that dark and wretched place he had been trapped him. He was now filled with a wonderful sense of accomplishment and joy, like he was smack dab in the centre of the universe.

Almost loosing his balance Alfred had to slow down with his spinning, Arthur’s legs stumbling against his but he continued to hold onto him. He didn’t want to let him go, not ever again.

However Arthur suddenly forced himself to push away from Alfred, staring up at him with a flustered face. He wasn’t sure if he was angry or upset, it was possibly both. For a split second he actually thought he was going to hit him again for spinning him around like a rag doll.

“Er... sorry about th-...”

He was cut off when Arthur suddenly closed the gap between them, his arms wrapped around his neck for support, pushing himself up with his toes and before Alfred could realise what was going on, he felt Arthur press his lips against his, kissing him as deeply as he could.

It took Alfred by surprise, but he quickly responded by holding Arthur in a deep embrace as he kissed back, closing their eyes and focusing only on each other, their lips perfectly moulding together in a deep passionate act. They could taste each other as their tongues met, the kiss they shared was the sweetest thing either of them had ever experienced. Alfred cupped a hand round the back of Arthur’s head in an effort to deepen the kiss even further and Arthur tightened his arms around him as best he could, their chests pressed up against each and their hearts beating in sync.

For a second they broke the kiss, opening their eyes a little just to catch a glimpse of each other. Alfred’s brilliant blue meeting with Arthur’s gentle green, their eyelashes almost touching if it weren’t for his glasses. Hungry for more Alfred closed the gap between them this time, and Arthur welcomed it. It was right there and then that time felt like it stopped and the two men would’ve been content if they remained this way for the rest of their lives.

How much time passed? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Neither of them seem to care. The world around them vanished without either of them realising, but still they clung to each other. It was a single moment of pure and utter bliss, a moment that both of them had been waiting for ever since they realised how much they loved each other, neither of them wanting this to end.

Although he want to stay like that for a little longer, Alfred suddenly noticed something was off. He opened a single eye and looked round.

This wasn’t the Forest of Eternity.

Breaking off the kiss the pair of them looked round and it only took Alfred a second to realise where they were.

“The Elder Tree garden?”

Somehow they had ended up in the Elder Tree garden. The garden within the palace of the Kingdom of Spades. The garden that once belonged to Arthur. The moon was shining high above them, it’s pale light illuminating the garden around them.

How did they get here? They were in the Forest of Eternity, surrounded by thousands of Elder Trees including the Grand Elder Tree. Now here they were, standing in the very garden where they had spent their time together.

Before Alfred could even say anything, a small voice cut through the air.

“You did it!”

The two men looked down and standing before the lone Elder Tree was Guinevere, her face bearing a gentle but warm smile as she gazed up at the two men.

“You ended the suffering of my dear siblings. You prevented a great catastrophe... and you brought Arthur back.”

“...Guinevere?” Arthur gently removed himself from Alfred’s grip and slowly approached her, kneeling down to meet her height. “You’ve grown.”

Guinevere’s smile widened and she suddenly leapt onto Arthur, hugging him tight. “I’m so happy. You did it, both of you. You did it.”

Arthur gently embraced her back, the pair of them sharing a sweet reunion. Alfred watched them, smiling as he did. Guinevere has waited over a hundred years to do this, and Alfred couldn’t bear to interfere.

Something then fell upon Alfred’s shoulder and he glanced over to see what it was. To his horror he saw that it was a blue leaf, an Elder Tree leaf. His chest tightened in a panic but before he could even grab it, it suddenly disintegrated into nothingness. It was then that he noticed that all around him were falling leaves. Looking up, he saw that they were falling from the Elder Tree itself.

“What’s... what’s happening?” He looked back down at Arthur and Guinevere. “Guinevere? What’s happening to you?”

Guinevere calmly broke off the hug she shared with Arthur and stepped back, Alfred cringing when he noticed that her smooth skin was starting to crack and crumble away, like a frail porcelain doll that was falling apart.

Arthur reached out to her and gently caressed her damaged face. “I’m so sorry... I never meant for you to suffer.”

“No... you need not apologise,” insisted Guinevere calmly. “This is my price, and I’m happy to pay it in full.”

Alfred stepped forward and watched as one of the branches suddenly broke off from the main trunk, falling to the ground but, like the leaves, shattered into dust. More leaves fell until it looked like blue snow, and the tree creaked and groaned as it started to break apart.

“Guinevere?” Alfred stared at her with panic in his eyes. “What’s going on? What’s happening to you!?”

“I spent the past century ensuring the seal would not break, doing my part to hold back the tormented spirits of my siblings. It has taken all of my strength and now that they’re at rest and the seal no longer needed, I can finally rest.”

More branches fell and Guinevere’s small body continued to break apart.

“Rest!? You mean... you’re dying!?”

“I was already dying Alfred... I was just fighting against it for a long time... now I don’t need to fight it anymore.”

“B-But... you can’t... you can’t just die! I brought Arthur back, he can take care of you again!”

Guinevere said nothing to Alfred, she merely looked up at him and smiled. It was almost as if her eyes were telling Alfred that she was content with all this, that he shouldn’t be upset and just accept it no matter how bleak it appeared. She then looked back at Arthur, struggling to maintain that smile.

“Arthur... you gave me a name. You sang such beautiful songs for me and my brothers. You cared for us, giving us more love and attention then we deserved. Those days we had in the garden were the best days I ever experienced.”

Arthur could only stare at her with a face full of regret. “I’m so sorry I did this to you... I had no choice... there was no other way.”

“No Arthur, you did the right thing. Do not mourn me, for though I’ll no longer be an Elder Tree, I’ll still be there in wind, in the sunlight and in the rain. I’m just becoming something new now. My demise will not bring any catastrophe, so fear not.”

It just sounded like a bittersweet way to describe her demise, and he couldn’t accept it. Alfred wanted to find a way to stop it, to save her from this horrid fate, but something deep down was telling him that it wasn’t going to happen, that he had to accept it. As the Elder Tree continued to fall apart around them, Alfred could only watch on.

“Arthur... I’m sorry I was never able to grant your wish.” Guinevere smiled bitterly. “I did try but-...”

“But you did grant my wish Guinevere,” insisted Arthur, stroking her hair gently, “you brought me the one my heart desired. You succeeded Guinevere, and I am eternally grateful for that.”

She smiled warmly and stepped closer to Arthur. “Arthur, I have but two requests to ask of you...”

Alfred couldn’t see exactly what she was doing, but she had placed something into Arthur’s hand and whispered something into his ear. Arthur clutched at whatever she gave her, holding it tightly to his chest.

“...and secondly... could you continuing singing to your garden? Though I won’t be there in person, I’ll be able to hear it. You promise?”

Arthur sniffled and nodded. “I promise.”

Guinevere smiled at the response and looked back at Alfred. Already most of her body had vanished, her Elder Tree body was now nothing but a pile of broken pieces of lumber that continued to vanish into nothingness.

“Alfred... look after him. Cherish him as I did... and never leave his side... I thank you for all that you’ve done... you are truly a fine King...”

Alfred stepped forward, kneeling down behind Arthur and reaching to caress her face. “Gotta say... I’m going to miss you haunting me the way you did... I’ll... I’ll miss you... Guinevere...”

Guinevere giggled upon hearing that, her warm smile remaining on her face as she continued to break apart... and then just like that she vanished for the last time. The Elder Tree that has once stood in the centre of the garden had now completely disintegrated, and there was no evidence that it had ever been there. The garden now felt empty without it and even the flower looked miserable now that the great tree was gone.

Alfred stared at the place where she once stood and felt a weight in his heart. Despite her strange behaviour, he found that, like with Arthur, she had become a part of his life. Now she was gone... tired after waiting for so long to see the wish she had worked so hard to grant had finally come true.

He was just to about to say something to Arthur, hoping to help ease his pain when he suddenly collapsed against him.

“Arthur!?”

He held Arthur in his arms and examined him, fretting that something was wrong with him. It seemed that he merely passed out as he was still breathing. It was possible that after everything he went through to stop the catastrophe from happening, and after loosing someone he had raised in his garden, it had taken its toil on him and caused him to pass out.

Before he could even think of what to do, he heard someone shout his name.

“Alfred!?”

Looking up he saw Yao dashing to his side, running towards him like a bullet. The Jack stood over him and stared in disbelief. He looked like a complete wreck, like he had been running around like a madman, struggling to keep everything together.

“Where the hell have you been!?” he snapped, “do you have any idea how much you scared me!? Do you not realise how you made your subjects panic!? The Diamond King has collapsed after I announced your departure, the Heart King is now panicking over the whole situation, Ivan is actually upset, all the Queens are currently crying their eyes out and you have the gull to-...”

He ceased his ranting when he noticed Arthur in his King’s arms. “Who is he?” He then looked around and just noticed that the Elder Tree was gone. “W-What happened to the Elder Tree!?”

Alfred scooped up Arthur in his arms and face his Jack with a weary smile. “It’s a long story...”