Veilon, the bittersweet beauty in what remains hidden, in secrets never spoken.

Alice was twelve years old, she had spent two years living alongside her new king. He was eight years old now and ever since their first meeting he had been stuck to her side like glue. She found she welcomed the new company, yet feeling incredibly unsure at the same time. What if Alfred got hurt because of her? What if she scared him? But Alfred hadn't been alarmed. When he found out about her powers, it actually seemed to excite him. He said she was cool and amazing and no one had ever complimented her like that before.

Being with someone who wasn't scared of her did wonders for her mental state, and she actually felt like her powers were easier to manage. Maybe that was a fluke? But she was choosing to be an optimist.

Even though Aflred wasn't afraid of her, it didn't mean the rest of the palace shared those sentiments. Being on her own just made her body tingle with barely contained energy that threatened those around the volatile queen.

As she walked down the halls, her ears picked up on whispers and every time she tried to make eye contact they'd hang their heads. Discomfort twisted in her stomach as she slowly made her way to the library. It had been a while since she was in there on her own, with Yao being tasked with watching over the future king- it left said future queen on her own. No one wanted to be her babysitter, which was fine with her. She was old enough to take care of herself.

The library was still so magnificent, the giant bookshelves lined with any book she could ever imagine, the large fireplace that seemed to always be lit- granted a guard was put on duty to make sure it was always lit and also so no sparks caused a fire, and the blue floral upholstered loveseats and sofas were cozily scattered around the room. You could find any place to read and be comfortable.

Her footsteps carried in the empty room, no one tended to be there unless there was a gathering and people wanted to explore. Gatherings she was never really privy to. Even though she was a royal, she was still hidden away. The people were too afraid to introduce her to other royals. What if she harmed them and caused a war by complete accident?

It didn't matter much anymore. At least she felt wanted in one aspect of her life, to be a good friend to Alfred. Close with him so they'd have a tight bond for their future rule. The future king was a kind-spirited child, always sunny and bringing smiles to everyone's faces. Alice was no exception.

The bookshelf she often frequented was all the way in the back, it wasn't an important section- not offering much value except for simple fantasy escapism, yet it was the one she always ran to. Fairytales and romance novels. Honestly, she felt as though the section was created for her. Any time she'd ask Yao about anyone else using the library he dodged anything implying her section. Yao was like an elder brother to her by this age, and often she was annoyed by him, but as green eyes scanned over familiar titles- memories of smaller Alice curled into the Jack's side as he read to her flashed in her mind.

One of the stories she adored was Alice in Wonderland. Yao picked it out specifically for her the first time he came to her room. He told the girl that she was most likely named after the very same character. That was the only reason she had any sort of like for her name. Names... they were complicated. You were assigned a name as soon as you were born, yet for some reason she felt as if hers did not fit. Pulling the book off the shelf and opening the pages, she let herself stare at the little blonde girl in the story running around meeting new magical creatures. Yao said she was like book Alice. They both enjoyed fantasies and yearned to escape destiny, yet they were both bound by it all the same.

Slamming the book shut, she put it back onto the shelf. With how much time she spent in the library, there weren't many books left that she hadn't read. Books she was interested in anyways. Everyone would have preferred she read biographies or history scrolls but she did not find any interest in them. She read those when it was asked of her, when she was made to study.

Study she did, all the time. Trying to prove she could learn about everything about the kingdoms, about their histories, about their magic- trying to distract those from her own. It wasn't her fault, and yet she always felt like it was. If she didn't have the abilities that she did... she would've had an easier time- right? Less lonely?

With that painful thought, she grabbed a random romance novel that she read only a few times. Her classes were over for the night- which meant she was free to be even more alone and in her room. At least the loneliness was chosen that time.

The walk back to her room was slow as the queen stared straight ahead. The expression on her face was guarded, cold, something that didn't befit a little girl. Yet it was the only way to protect her heart. Too many times she greeted people with smiles only to receive fake and fearful ones in return.

Burdens of the scary future queen.

Her room was all the way at the end of the hall, far from everyone else. The Queen's chambers should've been closer to the King's- yet for everyone's protection they had her practically locked away in a tower.

Entering her room, her eyes widened seeing the mess in there. Clothes were strung across the furniture and her blankets were strewn on the floor. The balcony door swung open and everything on her dressers and vanity knocked over or off- rolling on the floor. Hearing giggles, she whipped her head around to look at devious little creatures.

"Oh! Why you- must you make a mess of my room, today of all days?!" She questioned the gnomes that should not even be in her abode to begin with. Stomping inside, she set the book down onto the coffee table by the personal fireplace that had long gone out, and started to pick things off the floor. The only answers she got were laughter and the sound of feet running around.

Another thing that had everyone terrified. She saw things. People knew that magical creatures existed, some of them were even visible to the naked eye of most people. Yet they were always in the forests or in the wastelands between countries. No, unfortunately Alice was tormented daily with the creatures no one else could see.

So many times she'd get into trouble if a fairy ate all the cookies and put the crumbs in her bed. So many times she'd get even more stares if she yelled at seemingly nothing. Learning to keep her mouth shut when in public was incredibly hard, especially when they'd be physically bothering her or the people around her and getting it blamed on her magic. Her magic was time related- not blowing up soup related thank you very much!

It was taking forever to get her room back to normal, and she knew by then she would be too exhausted to even read. A frown settled on that pale face as she stood in front of the standing mirror- having just grabbed a gown from off the floor when she caught a glimpse of her reflection. Alice Kirkland. Queen of Spades. In only a few short years she'd be crowned officially. Picturing that reflection with a crown settled between her usual pigtails sent shivers down her spine.

She stepped closer to the mirror, staring at the perfect image of herself. Fingertips reaching out to touch. Skinny, much too skinny. Pale skin with only a light smattering of freckles across her nose. Golden hair long and reached her mid thigh when let down from their hold- which she reached up and undid the tie- watching the waves cascade down her body. In front of her was a girl. Donned in a purple dress, wrapped in corsets and petticoats. A choker around her neck that held a sapphire cut into the shape of a spade. Nails were painted blue. The person in the mirror... wasn't her. It was what everyone wanted. What everyone needed. A stinging sensation formed behind her eyes, throat tightening with her thoughts. Why was she born into that body? The body that was owned by the kingdom of Spades. The body she had no control over. The body named Alice. A Queen. A too young queen who never wanted the job she was forced to have.

Tears slipped down her cheeks, tasting salt upon her painted lips. She always had to be presentable, if she wasn't presentable then she'd make her already bleak situation that much worse. Who'd want a scary queen that was also improper?

In the mirror she saw a small fairy land on her shoulder. Whispering in a language she didn't even speak. By the tone, it was probably meant to be encouraging. The creatures around the room seemed to feel guilt and quietly fixed their mess before disappearing. Their presence leaving didn't affect the sad queen, she was used to being alone and even though she saw them- it was as if they weren't even there to everyone else. Like she was crazy.

Pain ebbed away at her heart and she found herself falling to her knees, sobbing into her hands- the gown she was holding crumpling on the floor. Hiccups wracked her frame, golden tresses flowing down her back- curling in the most flattering way. Ways she didn't even care about. So caught up in her misery she didn't even hear her door opening. Didn't even hear quiet footsteps approaching- what she did notice was a hand on her shoulder, which startled her so quickly that the room crackled and as she whipped her head around to look she spotted Alfred blinking from his previous spot by the door.

He looked down at his hand that was just touching her and then back up at her horrified emerald eyes, "A-Alfred-! I am so sorry, I didn't hear you come in-" She apologized, voice tight with shame, her hands were shaking and balled into fists. Knuckles white.

"It's okay! You didn't do anything wrong!" Alfred chirped, walking back over as if nothing even happened. His face softened into one of worry, "are you okay? Did someone say something mean to you again?"

She snorted at his words. Mean was a very simple way of putting her previous encounters, but she shook her head. That night it was all her. Sniffling, Alice brought her hands to her eyes to rub them. "I... I don't feel like a person..." she whispered, admitting such a thing to her young companion.

Alfred tilted his head like a confused puppy, crouching down to be by her side, "what do you mean?" He pressed, wanting to understand Alice with every fiber of his being. She was the only other person he could rely on to know what he was going through, the only other person stuck in the same game as him.

Her eyes were watery as that pale face lifted once more to the mirror. The reflection showing a very sad girl. Heart throbbing once more- she just wanted to scream and cry, but she couldn't. Not with another person in the room. "Girl..." She tried, her voice failing her.

"Girl? You?" Alfred inquired, glancing at where Alice was even looking- which was that cursed girl in the mirror.

"N-No..." Alice took a shaky breath, "I... I don't want to be a girl... I don't want to be Alice... I-I don't want to be Queen Alice ," a noise tore through her throat as she hunched over. "I-I'm not a girl... I don't know what I am..."

It was silent. Alice had her face hidden in her own lap, crying so pitifully over things she seemingly couldn't change. Yet it was a comfort to know Alfred was in the room, her only friend. Even if he was wandering around said room. He didn't say anything and she didn't even expect him to understand, her just getting it out was enough.

But what she wasn't expecting was the sound of scissors cutting into hair. Gasping, she looked up and saw that Alfred was holding silver shears and a chunk of her golden locks fisted into one hand. He looked determined and she looked so afraid and so confused. Yet he continued, grabbing her hair connected to her head once more and cut another piece out- hair dropping like waterfalls.

"Wh-What are you doing?!" Alice screeched, face burning red now from anger- and slight distrust. Was Alfred trying to get her into even more trouble?!

The tone of her voice nor the expression on her face scared the future king. Just smiling at her, "if you're not a girl. Then you're a boy!" He said oh so innocently, so simply, like it was just a fact. "Boys don't need princess hair so I'm cutting it off, you don't seem to like it much anyways!"

Gaping at Alfred, Alice was trying to form words. Boy? Was she... a boy? He? "I... a boy?" The words felt hard to spit out, like Alice was chewing on her own tongue. Or was it his tongue?

Alfred beamed a smile, "if you're a boy now, you need a boy name... hmmmm..." he stopped cutting the hair and put his finger to his chin in thought. Trying to come up with a perfect one.

Stories Yao once read to Alice popped into her- his mind. Knights of the Round Table. Even though Alice was Queen and couldn't change that title, what if... what if he could choose to name himself after a king?

"A...Arthur..." Voice so small and meek, it was a wonder if anyone even heard it.

Which, thankfully, Alfred did. "Arthur? That's perfect! Arthur Kirkland, Queen of Spades! Boy Queen," he announced with conviction. Stars in his blue eyes.

Alice, now Arthur, stared up at him. Uncertainty weighed in his chest, "would it bother you..? That... That your queen wishes to be a boy..?" He questioned him, biting his lower lip so roughly it was surprising that it hadn't bled.

Alfred shook his head, plopping onto the floor, "doesn't bother me one bit! You're still you! You like fairytales and the rose maze, and have super awesome powers! Being a boy is also fun, I can tell you all about being a cool boy," he promised- holding out his pinkie.

Arthur looked at that pinkie, before finally allowing a smile on that face- he slowly brought his hand up to link their little fingers together, "you'll make a mighty fine boy king, Alfred."

That got the younger to laugh out loud, "and you'll make an awesome boy queen, Arthur!" He agreed, infecting the room with that joyous energy.

Queen Arthur... It sounded nice, and kept that smile on the queen's face. In all honesty, he didn't care that he had a feminine title. Because he could still choose how that identity affected him, he'd be Alfred's queen and that was okay with him. Being the best queen he could be, but as himself , was his most important goal now.

"Though... we should get Yao. I don't know how to cut hair..." Alfred's voice interrupted those sweet thoughts.

Glancing in the mirror, Arthur choked before bursting into a fit of laughter, "he's going to kill us." Blonde hair was cut so unevenly, it looked like someone went at his head with a sword and LOST the battle.

"Yeah, but we're in it together," the future king mused, nudging their shoulders together, enjoying the way Arthur smiled. It was a rare sight, and one he wanted to protect. They were going to be best friends of course.

To say the royal court was shocked would be an understatement. It wasn't unheard of to have people exploring gender identities, it was just a surprise that it happened to come from the Queen. Yao had burst into Arthur's room when Alfred came to him about scissor mishaps- and seeing Arthur on the floor smiling at his reflection for the first time once Yao cut shorter and shorter brought the eldest to near tears.

Arthur was afraid to tell Yao at first, trying his best to speak- even apologizing for not being Alice, had the Jack aching for the boy he considered a younger brother. Reaching out, he pulled the young blonde into his chest, hugging him, one of the few times he did.

"Don't apologize, I think Arthur is a fine name," knowing full well it came from the stories he once read to the boy. His arms were warm, welcoming, and so safe that Arthur just let himself sob- feeling Yao's hand soothingly rub his back, holding him close.

It felt like Arthur could finally breathe as he stood up on the fitting stand as the tailor circled him like a shark, measuring tape in hand. He wasn't being measured for skirts or dresses anymore, no more corsets or petticoats. Right now he was getting fitted for suits of all kinds. He was so excited he barely registered the buzzing in his fingers until he noticed a warbling haze in the room- the tailor was going at a much faster speed than should be possible. Words were being spoken to him, but too fast for him to understand- it sounded like a chipmunk or something.

The world was moving by so fast, fabrics being lifted to his body in blurring speeds- he couldn't even reply to anything- they probably just assumed he was nervous as he was normally quiet during those times anyways. But fear gripped his heart and as they moved faster and faster. Their bodies looking horrifying with how fast they were moving, nothing was slowing down. When he turned his head to the window he saw the sun passing through the sky and lowering until the skies themselves turned purple. Time was passing way faster than anything he ever experienced. Then- it was suddenly dark. Yelping as soon as the lights were off- the queen shakily held his head, glancing around the room. There was no one in there with him. There weren't even any tailor's items left behind. Breathing heavily, he stumbled off the pedestal and out of the room.

The halls were barely registering to him as he raced down the corridors in search of the Jack, Yao. It felt like forever, which was somehow relieving from what he just experienced, when he burst into the study room that held Alfred and Yao and a tutor. They all looked up and clearly two of them had worried expressions on their faces- but the tutor looked more scared for herself than anything else.

"Y-Yao- Time! It- what time is it?!" Arthur blurted, a cold sweat was beading down his back, making his clothes stick uncomfortably to his skin. He must look frightening with the way Yao put his hands up in a way it seemed he was trying to calm a rabid animal.

"It is half past eight," Yao answered slowly, "your tailors left hours ago and you went back to your room. Your new clothes will arrive in a week's time." The words were meant to be comforting, yet the second sentence completely shattered Arthur's resolve.

Letting out a scream, the room around them shook- the lights flickering and Arthur's own image distorting, "NO! NO! No- I wasn't! I didn't do that! I was in the dressing room and then everyone was GONE!" He shouted.

Alfred covered his ears and the tutor grabbed the younger boy- pulling him away from Arthur, away and into the corner where she pressed their bodies against the walls. As if that would protect them. Yao only stared, but his jaw was tense at the display. Stepping closer, there wasn't any hesitancy in his steps, "tell me what happened to you, when your tailors left I personally walked you to your room... is that not true?" he questioned, voice even, calm.

The future queen let out a cry as he covered his face, "everyone was moving so fast, I was standing there one moment- and then the next they were all zipping about! Everything was a blur- and and then I looked out the window, the sun was moving, it was setting even though it was JUST midday! Then the room went dark and the world went back to normal! But I was alone, alone and all the tailor's things were missing- as if they weren't even there, even though I just SAW them!" He explained, his voice was shaky- no memories of anything after the tailors had left seemed to be registered in his head.

Yao finally reached Arthur, hand holding onto those trembling wrists- grounding the queen back to reality, "it seems... you don't just rewind time... you can also forward it as well," he murmured, amber eyes analytical- staring at Arthur's green ones as if they held the answers.

"Oh god ," the tutor croaked, fear clearly overriding any sense as she held Alfred in a tight grip. "How are we supposed to deal with that as well? We can barely-"

She was cut off when Yao shot her a glare, a guilty wave crashed through Arthur's spirit. It was... his fault again, he messed things up for himself again somehow. Unlocking yet another power he didn't even want. Just when... Just when he was finding comfort in himself.

"Do not speak out of turn, he is still his royal highness and you are his citizen, understand?" Yao pointedly asked the woman, who couldn't even meet their eyes. She looked down at Alfred who seemed unsure about what all just happened and worry for the king webbed her nerves, yet she nodded. They'd all protect their king from this terrifying queen. No matter what it took.

Hehe chapter two! I got misty eyed writing this, but I'm happy with how it turned out!

Yao and Alfred, oh what will you do?

As usual, comments deeply appreciated!