The Queen's Duplicate [USUK]

Presided King

Chapter 21

      The moon barely ever showed it's face, which gave the blonde an explanation to the thick blackout curtains that stringed around the bedroom, which didn't appear to be a conflict to anyone outside of the foreign appearance who was still struggling with the mere concept. No moon? Well that didn't make any sense, how was the environment stable and waves created, where did the balance fall. None of which he received answers, often a moon being a symbol of harkening to the Queen, or more specifically: an event was soon to arise that would be a joyous occasion to many. Not to Alfred. 

       Speaking of which, was currently being dragged through the halls by his hand, dark patches having settled underneath the sapphire blue eyes, face void of colour, yet despite all of this refusing to admit that he wasn't doing well. At one point he had been sat down, explained what a mental relapse was, the severity of it, how when it did occur as it often did, to reach out immediately otherwise it would take a much worse toll upon him. This was it unquestionably, no energy to do anything, unable to find any reason in waking up. All of it was lining up, and what made the feelings worse, the suffocating drowning, never ending feelings worse, nobody could help him. 

      Taking a seat he looked down, fixating his gaze upon the cobblestone. Only looking up when he heard a faint sound of cups clinking, one being handed to him on its saucer, eyes widening as he saw the dark colour only to find the aroma different. It wasn't black tea, whatever it was, which somehow managed to only subdue his feelings in their position. Not bothering to question what it was, the scent managing to make his nose wrinkle as he brought the cup up to his lips, considering for a second that he could be getting poisoned before deciding he would take that chance. 

      Eye's quickly flickering up as he observed the other who let out a sigh, "It does seem our time is very well settled since your first week here, the improvement definitely does benefit." Speaking with a tone that beamed of approval, smirking towards the other. 

      Never once had it occurred to him to even query on how long he had been here, knowing what had seemingly been three days through the dark woods to the Queen of Spades, having turned out to be a startling two weeks. A typical day, if he wasn't being carted around that is, would be spent sleeping on the floor, long showers that burned his skin, only to either wander about or find himself in the joke that was considered a library. There wasn't much of anything in truth there, only around two shelves, practically empty and discarded outside of two thin books typically adorning them. He had read them all, each one somehow dragging out longer than the last, laced with boredom from the very first word, each perfectly typed out work with no care nor consideration upon it's readers mind simply drawling on with its monologue. 

      Life was rather drab, suddenly finding a longing to work on crashing markets, being the first to handle the panic that arose from the citizens, even the lousy attitude sometime's obtained from either other party. No longer did the longing remain in the long dances, sweet words, or what had occurred, rather reflecting on what he had once taken for granted, wishing for every second to return, to experience the worst bits of his life over again. The horrendous disaster with the King of Clubs walking in, threatening war upon the reveal of the Spadian marriage, or even what had occurred not even months ago with how the Diamond King was being a stuck-up refusing to invest and assist his economy. Hopefully, with nobody to hold the Queen back, that little drawback would be established, set into place without any interference, or he would end up dead, admittedly that was the least likely possibility. 

      Hearing the clink of the cup upon the saucer, he cleared his throat. "How long has it been?" Avoiding any chance of catching his eye, speaking with a low voice doing his best to not express any emotion, and looking off to the side, "That is, since the entire incident."