Stepping back to look up at his work, Alfred tapped the marker he was holding against his bottom lip and stared intensely at his work.

“Alright, lets figure this out,” he murmured to himself.

After the fourth visit to that other place, Arthur’s Garden he decided to name it, Alfred decided to try and figure out why he was constantly and randomly going there against his will. The first step of any investigation was to take note of every piece of information he had and he did just that. In his office he erected a whiteboard and scribbled on everything he knew so far.

The first thing he recorded were the dates and rough timings he went to the garden. The first one happened in his sleep right after the tree ceremony, the second just as he was about to take a nap the day after, the third when he was dealing with difficult staff and the fourth was when he was at the spa. So far nothing connected these things, they were just random times throughout the day, though so far it looked like he was going there once a day.

“So will I end up there today?” he thought out loud as the spa trip was yesterday. He’d have to wait and see.

The second thing he recorded was everything he knew about Arthur’s Garden, including Arthur himself. He was a stubborn man with thick eyebrows who lived by himself and maintained a beautiful garden that was surrounded by a large stone wall. Arthur didn’t seem to know why Alfred was showing up either, always acting surprised whenever he appeared. He knew things about magic and supernatural things, had a few talents...

“...and has a good singing voice,” recalled Alfred as he wrote that down.

Alfred couldn’t touch anything or anyone in that place and although Arthur could see and hear him, it turns out that no one else there could. That rude man from his last visit seemed to lash out at anything that upset him, and he didn’t even make eye contact with him even when Alfred was making a fool out of him. So why just Arthur and no one else?

“Made him laugh at least,” chuckled Alfred as he made some more notes. “He looked ridiculous.”

There still other things that made no sense to him. Who was that grouchy man who appeared in his last visit? What was his relationship with Arthur, and why did he take some of his hair? Where was that place? A tower maybe? Some house with a very high wall? Why was he constantly going there at random?

The other thing he took note of was that whilst he was over at Arthur’s Garden, time didn’t seem to move here at the palace. He could be gone for over an hour and only a second would pass here, he had witnesses who claim that he never went anywhere, so what was up with that?

One thing he did know that it wasn’t a dream or an illusion. He may not be able to fully interact in that place but it was as real as the tip of his nose. All he had to do now was figure out why he was going there, who was sending him there, and where exactly was it?

Looking at all the notes he took Alfred sighed as none of them connected. The only pattern he could see was that so far he had been going once a day for the past four days. Maybe today he’d end up there but the question was when?

Someone knocked at his door and he looked up to see Yao letting himself in. “I trust the spa has helped you relax?” he asked, “because we got a busy day today and you better play your part.”

“I know, I know,” mumbled Alfred as he placed the marker down and walked over to his desk.

As Yao approached he noticed the white board and was curious as well as surprised. “What’s all this?”

“I’m trying to figure out why I go to this other place all the time,” answered Alfred nonchalantly.

Yao groaned in disbelief. “I thought the trip to the spa was supposed to get this off your mind.”

“It happened at the spa too Yao, I went there whilst on a tour... better write that down just in case.” Alfred grabbed the marker and scribbled that little detail on the whiteboard too.

Rolling his eyes, Yao decided not to interfere. This was probably some game the King had come up with to either get out of duties or use to annoy him. If only he put this much effort into his work. “Well get this out of your mind for now because we have a lot to do today.”

Alfred nodded. “Ok, but it’s possible today I might end up going somewhere for a second, so don’t be surprised if I act a little dazed out of nowhere,” he warned.

Yao gave Alfred a blank stare before saying, “let’s get on with it then.”

The first thing they did was fill out some forms, nothing interesting but it was still vital stuff, like maintenance jobs throughout the Kingdom and some rather pitiful complaints or concerns from the citizens. Alfred had to stop himself from laughing when the head of the farming committee wrote in to complain about a dispute over a stray cat. It was easily fixed; Yao suggested that they either keep the cat to hunt for pests or send it to an animal sanctuary, and also not to send something like this to the King ever again. Alfred and Yao discussed certain things back and forth, finding decisions they both agreed on, and finally stamping each one with a stamp of approval.

“So, did you go anywhere?” asked Yao in a sarcastic voice as he neatly arranged the completed paperwork.

Alfred shook his head, he had been there the whole time. Maybe later on he’d end up going?

The next thing on their list was to inspect the royal guard, another trivial thing as it was just an excuse to check up on them whilst they showed off, but Alfred didn’t mind it so much as there was no paperwork for starters. He toured the barracks, shared friendly words with the captain and lieutenants, saying hello to the young recruits, was shown special formations and drills, and finally shared a coffee with them before leaving. Everything was in order and the royal guard were happy.

“Go anywhere?” asked Yao.

“No,” answered Alfred.

Lunch came and went. Nothing happened, though Alfred was anticipating to end up in Arthur’s Garden throughout his whole meal. It never happened.

The next thing on Alfred’s to do list was to write a speech for a charity dinner next week. It wasn’t anything grand but showing his face would help the organisation raise money for its cause as well as boost his public image. A few drafts later and Alfred finally produced something he could say to a crowd without offending anyone. Yao looked it over and was satisfied, insisting that Alfred should practice reading it.

“So, did you-...”

“No.”

It was late in the afternoon and Alfred was finishing off his final task. It wasn’t anything interesting, just getting updates about the status of the towns and villages in his Kingdom. Nothing major was reported and everything was as it should be, everything running like clockwork. He ticked boxes, gave orders and made plans to improve some minor problems.

Yao didn’t even bother asking him this time, he just thanked Alfred for his hard work and retired for the day.

Before he even realised it, it was time for dinner. Alfred ate but he poked at his food from time to time, wondering why he didn’t go to the garden today?

With the day over and everything complete, Alfred casually walked back to his room deep in thought. Had something changed? Did he do something different? Or was his last visit actually his final visit? He should of felt glad, now that he no longer was going to randomly go over there whilst in the middle of something, and yet he didn’t feel glad. He wasn’t sure what he felt.

He read some comics. Worked out in his gym. Watched some cartoons. Ate some snacks. Read some more comics. Played a video game. Ate some more snacks. Time was dragging on and on until he glanced up at the clock and saw that it was getting late.

“Maybe it’s over,” he thought to himself as he changed out of his clothes.

He showered and brushed his teeth, changed into his pyjamas and climbed into bed, clapping his hands so the light would go off and stared into the dark. He took in a deep breath and silently exhaled, his thoughts all muddled up and his emotional state made little sense.

“I didn’t even say bye,” he murmured to himself as he rolled over and closed his eyes, thinking about Arthur. Was he still tending to his garden? Was he singing to his special plants? Did he even exist? These thoughts stayed with him as he slipped into a deep sleep.

——————————

“Alfred? Alfred, wake up.”

Alfred groaned and slowly opened his eyes. It was still dark and he couldn’t really see anything. With a grunt he sat up, rubbing his eyes and reached for his glasses. His mind was still in the process of waking up but he could’ve sworn he heard someone say his name.

“Alfred.”

For a second Alfred thought he imagined the voice but as his eyes focused he saw someone standing next to his bed. His heart raced as thoughts of ghosts filled his mind. With trembling hands he quickly reached for his bedside lamp and switched it on, gasping when he spotted who had been calling him.

A little girl?

Alfred stared at her. She didn’t look like a ghost. She had pale skin and was dressed in ridiculously frilly clothing but she seemed to be alive and present... at least he thought so. The little girl smiled sweetly at him and giggled but not in a creepy way that ghosts were famous for. She seemed sweet and innocent, and Alfred couldn’t feel any malice from her. Who was she? How did she get in here? Was she a daughter of one of the maids?

Before he could ask the girl stepped forward and grabbed his arm. “Alfred, we should hurry,” she said.

“Hurry?” What for? What was going on? Before he could even ask she dashed off towards the door, looked back at him and ushered him to follow before disappearing. “Hey wait!”

Alfred jumped out of bed and ran after her. He didn’t know why but something was telling him to follow the girl, that where ever she was leading him was important. The hallways were dark with only the moonlight pouring in through the windows and the lace curtains dancing in the gentle breeze. It was creepy as hell but Alfred wanted to know who that child was. She didn’t run too far, stopping to look over her shoulder as Alfred caught up with her.

“Hurry Alfred,” she pleaded, continuing to rush through the silent corridors of the palace.

Without even asking why Alfred did as she asked. She lead him deeper and deeper into the palace, further and further, her footsteps echoing throughout the halls. Alfred wanted to ask the girl where they were going when he heard a distant thumping sound. At hurst he thought it was the sound of his own heart but he realised that it was something else.

“We’re almost there,” stated the girl, running towards the noise. “Come on Alfred.”

“Where are we going?” shouted Alfred as he followed.

The girl didn’t respond and kept going, leaving Alfred no choice but to follow. With every step he took the louder the noise got, and the more terrifying it sounded. The girl didn’t seem to show any fear as she constantly peeped over her shoulder to make certain Alfred was following. It was like something or someone was pounding against a wall, and it sounded... angry.

The girl finally stopped and pointed down a hallway. “We’re here Alfred.”

Alfred cautiously peered down the hallway where the girl pointed, almost afraid at what he was going to see. It lead to a large silver door completely covered in rusted chains and locks. The loud banging noise was coming from behind the door, with every bang the door shook violently and the chains rattled. The door groaned and creaked and looked like it would break apart, the chains began to strain and were on the verge of snapping. Something behind that door wanted to get out and it wasn’t going to give up until the door came off its hinges.

It wasn’t the door itself that scared Alfred, it was that horrifying presence he could feel behind that door. It made him tremble on the spot and he couldn’t find the courage to utter a single word, as if he was afraid that the thing behind the door would hear him. It was like a force of overwhelming hatred and spite was trying to get out, wanting to cover the world in malice and ruin.

“They want to get out,” said the girl finally, “I’ve been keeping the door locked but soon not even those chains will hold them.”

Alfred looked down at the girl. “What’s behind that door?”

The girl stared up at him. “They want the world to suffer as they have suffered. They almost brought the world to ruin, but before they could he locked them behind that door and I have been guarding them ever since.”

Bring ruin to the world? “What? Why?”

The girl looked back at the door. “You and the others have been keeping them calm, but they have grown weary of your efforts and their desire to see the world fall into chaos has only grown, and I have become tired. Soon the chains will break... and then all will suffer.”

“What are you talking about?” demanded Alfred, feeling a chill wash over him. The banging grew louder and Alfred was certain he could hear cries of anguish.

“The Kingdom of Clubs will freeze. The Kingdom of Hearts will flood. The Kingdom of Diamonds will rot. The Kingdom of Spades will crumble. The whole world will fall to ruin. This is what will come to pass unless you finished what was started.”

Hearing this almost made Alfred’s heart stop, even though it was coming from the mouth of a little girl it sounded as if she was speaking the pure truth. The banging grew louder and louder and the cries became even more terrifying, it was like they were right in his ear. The girl looked back up at him, her eyes were like staring into a void and Alfred couldn’t look away, it was like he was getting pulled into them.

“Their blood is on your hands Alfred. It’s always been there.”

It was then that Alfred felt a sticky sensation upon his fingers, and looked down. His eyes widened in horror as he found that his hands were drenched in fresh blood, dripping down onto the floor into a large bloody puddle. He could feel his heart beat faster and the fear he felt was intensifying. He stared back at the girl and was horrified to see she too was soaked in blood as it dripped from her eyes like an endless flow of tears.

“You better find him Alfred, he’s waiting.”

With a jerk and a gasp Alfred woke up, sitting up and breathing rapidly as his heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to explode. His body was drenched in cold sweat and his hands were shaking like mad he had to clench his hands a few times before they calmed down. Once they stopped shaking he opened and inspected them, relieved that there was no trace of blood on either of them. He looked around and even though his vision was blurred he recognised his own room, the sunlight pouring in through the windows and the birds singing outside.

He wiped his wet brow and flopped back onto his bed. “What the hell was that?”

That dream... no, it was more like a nightmare was a little foggy to recall properly but he remembered the little girl, the banging door, the terrible warning and the blood dripping from his fingers. It left a horrid feeling deep down inside him and it felt like nothing could wash away these terrible thoughts.

What did it all mean? Dreams were usually a mess of thoughts and ideas twisted into a bizarre story of nonsense but this dream had a purpose, Alfred was sure of it. What was behind that door? Why was it angry? Why were his hands drenched in blood and who did it come from? ...and who exactly was that girl?

“As if I don’t have enough on my mind,” he moaned, running a hand over his face.

He could only hope that it was just a dream.

——————————

“You have rings under your eyes. Did you sleep well?” asked Yao as Alfred munched away on his cinnamon toast.

“I had a bad dream,” muttered Alfred, not really feeling enthusiastic and ate his breakfast like it was the hardest thing to do.

Yao appeared amused. “That garden place of yours? Did this eyebrow monster of yours scare you?”

“No,” huffed Alfred as he poured a glass of orange juice, “that place felt real, the dream I had was... weird, creepy and weird.”

“All dreams are weird,” chuckled Yao, “if they weren’t they’d be boring.”

Alfred responded meekly and forced the rest of his toast into his mouth. It wasn’t just the dream that was bugging him, he had mixed feelings about why he didn’t go to Arthur’s Garden yesterday. Although he should be glad he was still bummed that his last visit might as well have been his last visit. He still couldn’t think straight and it was because of that damn nightmare, he was going to be on edge every time he walked through the palace in case he came across that very door.

“Say Yao... do we have any silver doors covered in chains that contain a terrible creature or something?” he asked.

Yao cocked his head in confusion after hearing that. “No,” he answered in a somewhat shocked voice, “what kind of question is that?”

“No reason,” sighed Alfred, “I’m just tired.”

“I suggest you drink some coffee then,” suggested Yao, turning round to take his leave, “we got more work to do.”

“Yay,” responded Alfred in a weary voice as he switched on the radio, hoping that something would be playing to get his mind off the dream.

“...-and that’s all for the weather forecast, now ladies and gentlemen it’s time to announce our annual contest, Queen of Spades for a day! Yes, it’s that time of year where you can win the chance to be a Queen for a day!”

As cheering sounds and cheesy music erupted over the radio, Alfred had to make sure he heard that right. Queen of Spades for a day? A contest? How come he never heard of this before? Yao had left so asking him was out of the question, so he looked over at a nearby steward and beckoned him over.

“What the hell is this Queen of Spades for a day thing?” he asked as the radio continued to yap on about it.

“Oh that,” chuckled the steward, “it’s a contest State Radio holds once a year. It’s nothing special, if you win you just win a luxury holiday for two and, like the name suggests, you get treated like a Queen. The name of the contest has raised a few eyebrows but it’s just for fun and to draw in the attention.”

“Well it sounds ridiculous,” huffed Alfred as he stood up and straightened out his jacket. “Now I got to go and...”

Upon looking up he found that he wasn’t in his dining room anymore. He was in a garden.

Alfred had to look round to make sure but this was definitely Arthur’s Garden. “I’m back,” he gasped.

“You’re back,” came a voice.

Alfred looked over his shoulder to see Arthur standing nearby holding a watering can. He looked well and didn’t seem too upset with Alfred’s arrival. “Nice to see you again,” he said in a polite tone, watering some of the flowers as he spoke.

“Hey Arthur,” greeted Alfred as he waved his hand and actually managed to form a grin, “thought I’d never see you again.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Arthur suddenly appeared annoyed with him, glaring at him with some spite in his eyes.

“Nothing, nothing,” chuckled Alfred, “anyway how’s the garden?” He looked around and it looked like it had became even more livelier than the last time he was here. “So how’s Peter doing?” he asked whilst pointing at a random flower.

“First, that’s Olivia you idiot. Second, it’s been doing very well, thank you much.” Arthur walked around some pink hydrangea, giving them some water. “I just got to water Elizabeth here and then sing to them.”

“Oh, I came at a good time then,” said Alfred with a grin. “You have such a lovely voice when you sing.”

Arthur blushed a little. “I sing for my garden you idiot,” he declared, “just because they don’t walk or talk like us, doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate a good song.”

Alfred stuck out his tongue. “I know you sing for your garden,” he teased, “Why? Did you assume that I thought you were going to sing for me?”

Hearing that got Arthur flabbergasted and his face continued to glow scarlet. “W-What!? N-no, I... you... I... w-why would... IDIOT!”

Hearing Arthur getting tongue tied made Alfred laugh, it was strange yet amusing to hear him unable to form sentences. As the blushing man stomped off to put his watering can away, Alfred could not help but smile. Even though he should be wondering why he had come back, he could not help but notice how relaxed he felt. Earlier on he was a morning train wreck not wanting to face the day, but now all of his concerns and sense of dread seemed to wash away. He even forgot about that horrible dream.

It was then that he heard that gentle voice singing that almost hypnotic song. Peering round the hydrangea plant he spotted Arthur sitting on a bench he had placed close to his centre most special plant, singing the song that Alfred had heard before. Arthur seemed completely at peace as he sang and a few birds perched nearby to listen to him, every note he uttered seem to chase away the shadows. Time felt like it stopped and the flowers almost felt like they were truly alive as Arthur sung to them.

Alfred carefully approached and sat upon the same bench, his eyes focused on the singer. Arthur paused when he noticed his surprise guest sitting close by.

“Do you have to be so close?” he mumbled, clearly not used to having a person for an audience as he shuffled awkwardly on the spot.

“Oh come on,” pleaded Alfred, “just pretend I’m not here.”

Arthur snorted. “With you that will be a challenge.”

Nevertheless Arthur cleared his throat and began to sing his song, his cheeks a little red but he carried on. Alfred leaned back upon the bench and closed his own eyes as he lost himself in the beautiful melody, feeling as if he was truly at peace as the song cleared his mind of all worries and concerns.

Notes:
In regards to the technology in this universe, I imagine the world to be like a mix between Final Fantasy 12 and 7, so there are things like radio, tv and cars but in a fantasy setting.