Two men stood at different ends of a dark, misty clearing. Large fields, grass rippled like waves by the wind, stretched out to distant mountains to the west, thick woodlands towards the south, and a towering kingdom in the northeast. Citizens surrounded the clearing, but stayed far enough that they will not be in the way at all of what was about to happen. 

     "You have the right to know, you drove us to this." The clear, unwavering voice carried out easily through the cold air. The man's eyes were dark, but, this was undeniably the most intense emotion that had ever coursed through his body. Everyone was so used to his usual emotionless self, hardly anyone had expected this.

     Especially Alfred.

     He tried to match the intensity of his rival, but he couldn't bring himself to it. This was not the Kiku he had always known. He was always told that war, stress, and pride changes him. However, with all this, he forced his eyes to shine the brightness that they always had. "Kiku, listen to me." Alfred paused as he rested his gaze on Kiku's and Kiku's only, "It doesn't have to be this way. We could rule the lands together. You don't have to be alone-"

     "And how would that work?" Kiku snapped, "You naive and pitiful child, this is a kingdom. We have a reputation. Knowing you, you will take control and push me aside the same way you have before. But, me, myself, ruling alone? Do you understand how much power we can have? No one will ever go hungry nor shelterless again."

     Alfred was silenced for several moments. The watching citizens held their breaths with fear. Lord Alfred had always filled them with joy. He had always made them feel safe. Even if their stocks grew low during the winter months, he gave them hope: hope for the future; hope for joy in their lives. They knew that Lord Kiku was in charge of anything that contained thought and planning, so just the thought of one of the powerful men was going to be banished made them worry for their future. In all honesty, they don't even know if one will be lucky enough to be banished.

     The two men did not lose eye contact. After the long painful moment of silence, Alfred spoke up - not an inspiring speech, nor words of hope. Two words left his lips: "Can you?"

     Kiku's eyes widened. You insolent fool! That Alfred had never trusted him; he has proven it now, after all those years! Fires burned in Kiku's eyes as he pulled his sword out from his side. He bolted towards the tall blond man, and as he was within range of the fool, he swung at his chest and yelled, "You foolish child, you don't understand how I rule this land!"

     Alfred's sword was already out, and he blocked the swing and pushed back as adrenaline pumped through his veins. "You call me the fool, but what words have you shared with the people? I make them feel safe. I make them feel happy."

     "You make half of them starved and shelterless!" Kiku spat back as he twisted his wrist to get a stronger attack towards Alfred's abdomen, but he dodged the attack by sliding smoothly to the side as he brought his sword down on the smaller man's forearm. 

     "Your ideas are cruel and dishonorable. Of all people, I wouldn't expect you to stoop down low enough to even think about burning the precious fields of the farmers." Alfred grunted as Kiku brought his weapon across his cheek.

     Kiku met his eyes, his own blazing, "You foolish child, don't you know how agriculture works?" He spat.

     "Some people were born and raised on those farms. Why would you think that they would agree to seeing their beautiful fields on fire?" Alfred's sword was barely even swung as he got caught up in the moment. The most that he could do was block the majority of Kiku's attacks. Every so often the beautiful metalwork would meet Kiku's skin, but Alfred was getting the worse of the damage. 

     Kiku glared at the younger man, "You idiot, it's something called fertilization." Kiku snapped. "If you do not tend to the earth, there will be absolutely terrible food shortages. Don't you understand that?"

     Another slice, another block, another slice of the skin. Blood oozes out of the wounds, but Alfred's blood pooled out faster than Kiku's. He felt miserable, but he won't let the citizens know. He kept fighting and quit arguing. At one point, his strokes were overpowering Kiku, but with all the blood lost, his swings then grew weaker and weaker. 

     He couldn't go on anymore. He couldn't feel anything anymore. He felt light-headed. All of it was from the blood loss, his incapability of talking things out with his love, and the strain to stay positive. Tears stained his face as his knees buckled. The blood-stained grass felt cold and moist under his cut-up knees. 

     Kiku stopped what he was doing and looked down at the defeated man. Emotions tugged at his heart, but he couldn't let them get in the way. He kneeled down and placed his hand on Alfred's back. He sighed. I can't just let them slip away like nothing. He rested his hand under the pathetic man's chin and pulled his gaze into his eyes. Something replaced those dark and intimidating eyes: a look that Alfred had only seen once. "Alfie..." He muttered softly.

     That's it. That gesture, that look, that word. He couldn't hold it in no more. Tears did not just stain his face, they poured out of his eyes. His mouth was forced into a pout as sobs left him, loudly and painfully. "K-Kiku, don't...p-please..." He stammered.

     Kiku looked into his eyes without a word, eyes not changing. Alfred saw it coming. He saw it once, and once was all he needed to never forget. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and the two stayed in the same position. Alfred couldn't take it. He knew he loved him. He was naive, and it was true that he kept the people happy, but lately, the both of them have been stressed from all the pressure of the terrible food shortages. What hit the both of them the most was all the citizens without proper homes, especially the young children. Kiku set out to help the best way that he could by making it end while Alfred spent personal time with the children on the streets. 

     Neither of them understood what was happening at the time.

     Now, they were here, bloody and crying. Alfred's sobs grew, and Kiku gained some of his own. Alfred wrapped his arms around the small bloody body, and Kiku hugged back. Alfred's head slowly grew fuzzier and fuzzier. Kiku pulled back from the hug and looked down at Alfred as his sobs ended. His eyes still full of sorrow, Kiku looked at who he liked to think of as his innocent hero. Now, Alfred's eyes were dull and depressed. Kiku was too weak to care for his lover, and the citizens are already frightened enough. He knows that he had lost all trust in his people, but they will not have Alfred to make their days full of joy. The way it is now, it will be safer for the people to believe that they are controlled by a cruel and unworthy leader if it was the only way that his people will be safe and that Alfred wouldn't have to suffer the pain caused by Kiku. Who knows? Kiku could be killed by someone who looked up to Alfred all their life, and Kiku couldn't let Alfred suffer that guilt.

     Please understand... Kiku thought to himself. He held up his sword and aimed it at Alfred's chest. He was still conscious, and he was obviously terrified by what Kiku was about to do. 

"Although the truth is hard to face, if you try to hold onto optimism for too long, just remember: when the time's right, be true to yourself. The hard truth is stronger than a happy lie."

     As the words settled in, Kiku started tearing up again. Alfred heard what he said, and he saw how Kiku looked. Tears still stained his face, and there was blood smudged here and there, but he still smiled. "You know, I just love you Keeks. I'll see you once you're ready..." 

     Alfred's eyes did not shut yet, and before he did anything, Kiku smiled at him for the last time and muttered "Aishiteru, Alfie. I'll see you soon..." With that, the sword impaled straight through Alfred's chest, straight through the spine, and blood flooded out of the wound.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

     "You bloody wanker, you killed Lord Alfred!"

     "He brought joy to the kingdom, how dare you?"

     "It's all true! You don't care!"

     Kiku heard all this hate ever since he killed Alfred, so many years ago. Now, the kingdom was as great as ever, but instead of joy and hope, the streets are full of question and uncertainty. He sighed. He couldn't walk anymore, and people still hated him. He just hoped that his replacement will be more smarter than he was when he was young and naive, like a love that he will see soon.