Traveling from the Kingdom of Hearts to other regions for work wasn’t always part of Bill’s plan, yet the curator for the museum he worked for informed him of archaeologist positions open within the other regions. Each region’s history was rich and new knowledge for Bill, yet he didn’t wish to travel too far, so the Land of Clubs was quickly taken out of the equation. Hearts are connected to both Diamonds and Spades, so those two were his obvious options. Though the Diamond Empire was much too interested in their luxury, something Bill and his family didn’t really have, they made do with the love and care they had for each other. And that leaves the Country of Spades. Spades’ history with both science fiction and technology is quite huge with material still undiscovered. Bill would have been crazy not to accept the offer, and the travel cost to Spades was covered by the museum.
And so Bill had accepted the position in Spades. On the train, passing through the mountain path connecting Hearts to Spades, Bill sits alone in a booth reading over the papers from Spades’ museums the History Vault, home of the general history of the country, and the Science Fiction Institute, where all creations and inventions of Spades are held. Unlike in Hearts where he only worked in the museum for the kingdom’s artifacts, Bill has access to work in both the Vault and Institute. It seems there will be more for Bill to discover within the country and his nerves are building it up in anticipation.
The train’s air horn blows signaling the passengers on board of their next stop. Bill quickly gathers his things, placing his papers and within his briefcase. Looking out the window, Bill is amazed by the vast difference to the environment of the country. There’s machinery everywhere. Mechanic animals pulling carriages and carts, the machines mostly in the form of a horse or a giant bird. “Was that an ostrich?” Bill muttered as he watched a giant robotic bird pull a carriage along the streets. Smoke pours out from the steam engine’s chimney pipes as the train slows to a stop on the tracks just by the station’s platform. People filed out of the train as soon as the doors opened, some shoving or bumping into others as they made their way through the crowd. Bill steps out onto the platform, ice grey eyes observing the station until he finds the information desk. With his luggage and passport in hand, the young man makes his way towards the receptionist.
“Next in line!” The receptionist calls and the young man steps towards the desk, immediately handing over his passport and credentials. She takes them, reading over them with little enthusiasm. “Hmm, William Weasley. You came from the Kingdom of Hearts and you’re traveling for work?”
“Yes. I’m here for the archaeologist position for the—”
“Oh you’re the new recruit!” The lady cuts off, “Lady Buckthorn-Snyde has already informed us of your arrival.” She immediately stamps Bill’s travel form and passport for approval, before reaching over to the brochure stand and pulling out a couple pamphlets. “She was very adamant that we make sure your access into the country goes smoothly. Normally, this isn’t a long process, but Lady Buckthorn-Snyde can be an intimidating woman to deal with and I don’t want to be the next person to face her wrath.” She hands over the pamphlets leisurely. “So these pamphlets will help you around the place. One is the map, one is for housing and renting, and the last one is a basic guide for tourists and foreigners. Anyways, enjoy your stay or whatever.” She dismisses Bill after handing him his paperwork before signaling to the next person in line.
Dumbstruck by the quick dismissal from the receptionist, Bill faltered as he gathered his things and left the information desk. He looked around for the exit, head darting left and right before spotting the double doors people were flooding through.
Stepping out of the station the astonishment from before had come back as Bill gazed at his surroundings. The skyline is packed with distinct buildings and towers and their history seems to shine more now than ever. Science and development is flourishing in Spades and it has clearly attracted a lot of attention. From the distance he can see a clear view of the palace, including the factories and the sea behind it. Many different inventions have left their mark not just on business, but also upon the city's identity. A zeppelin, a huge air ship he was only able to see from a very far distance in the Kingdom of Hearts, can be seen flying overhead of the buildings. Just like the trains they built for Cinderhaven, branding the country’s symbol and colors, the Country of Spades was truly magnificent.
A loud screech was heard, causing Bill to snap his attention towards the mechanical ostrich pulling a carriage charging right for him. He jumps back before the bird runs into him. “Oh I’m definitely going to enjoy my stay here.” He chuckles, watching the ostrich continue to run down the street before pulling out the pamphlets of the map and housing. Bill reads through the information on the pamphlet, finding two places closest to the museums, Saxons Motel or Magrath Villa, both for good prices in rent. However since Bill will be residing in Spades for the foreseeable future, having a permanent place to stay would fare better for him. So Magrath Villa will be the first place Bill heads to.
At least he hopes he can get there. Hailing for a cab or carriage has been futile as many of the transportation vehicles passing by are already occupied or simply ignored him. With no luck of getting a ride to Magrath Villa, Bill grabs his suitcase and proceeds down the street. The map the receptionist gave him proved to be useless as there were more than the necessary amount of trails to follow. Maybe he’ll be lucky to get directions from people passing by.
However that also proved to be useless as the people actively ignored him and went about their day. Some even outright refused because he was a foreigner. It seems even in Spades, there is some prejudice against outsiders. Still, Bill tried to find someone who was helpful enough to give him directions. He spots some men carrying boxes and instruments into the music shop up ahead. “Excuse me, gentlemen!” Bill rushes up to them, “I'm looking for Magrath Villa. Would you–“ the men completely ignored him, a couple giving him dirty looks as they haul the equipment into the building, leaving Bill alone on the street-- “hmmm, I guess not…”
A sigh escapes Bill as he has no choice but to try and find Magrath on his own. Lost in his own thoughts a young woman with brown wavy hair rushes by, seemingly excited to get to wherever her destination leads her. The girl accidentally bumped into Bill’s side as she passed him, stumbling a bit before catching herself and continuing onward, spewing out a hasty apology. Taking the chance to ask the girl for directions, Bill calls out to her “Oh wait, excuse me, Miss. Can you please help me–” just as Bill held his hand out to tap the girl’s shoulder, a heavy silver handle in the shape of a wolf landed on his shoulder and pulled him back. The sudden force caused him to stumble a bit as he was turned around. The same silver handle lands roughly on his shoulder again, steadying him. And as he regained his composure Bill looked up at the man before him, bewildered ice grey eyes meeting steely eyes hidden behind blue tinted round shades.
Before Bill had a chance to speak, the man shoved the cane handle under his chin, forcing Bill to tilt his head upward. “Now I’m certain you weren’t just trying to make a move on my sister.” The red head was too stunned to speak. Never before had he ever expected to be caught in a situation like this. From the hard expression on his face down to the accessories on his person and the aura he presents, the man before Bill was effortlessly intimidating.
The man was dressed in a form fitting velvet black suit jacket, a velvet black and white waistcoat with a Jacobean pattern to match. The citrine gemstone on the wolf lapel pin, his blue tinted glasses and the accessories on his hat are the only elements that add splashes of colors to his entire suit. Everything about this man screamed upper class, and that’s when Bill noticed the emblem pinned on the belt of his hat. A silver Spade adorned with a crown. The man holding him hostage in the middle of the street was none other than— “The King of Spades—” The red head sputters, trying to regain his composure as the king glares down at him. “I’m sorry, it wasn’t my attention— I’m new here—”
“Clearly. No Spades wears this amount of red and bears the Hearts crest.” The king remarks with a scoff and a roll of his eyes. He tilts his shades down, peering his vibrant magenta eyes at the red head. Once again, Bill was silenced by the scrutinizing intensity of the king’s gaze on him. What are the chances that Bill would meet the King of Spades on his first day in the country. And already, he’s gotten himself in trouble with the king. Before Bill could come up with a sentence, a feminine voice was heard from behind. “Coby, leave him alone.”
The young woman from before came into view again, she had a frown on her face as she faced the king. ‘She called him by his first name. Is she allowed to do that?’ Bill thought as he watched the king and the girl go back and forth in their banter. “Vera, he was hitting on you!” The king exclaimed, earning an eye roll from the girl now known as Vera. “He already said he wasn’t. For the love of Avis, not every guy is out to get me!”
“You don’t know that. Men can never be trusted!”
“Yeah? What about Carson? Is my best friend not to be trusted?”
“That’s different. He’s family, of course you’re gonna trust him. I’m just saying, all men are animals. Don’t be getting close to any of them!”
“Oh shut up! You do this all the time. You know some guys are afraid to approach me because you’re the king!”
“As they should be! None of those guys are worthy to be in your presence if I have anything to say about it!”
“Would you stop! Oh my lord, you can be so annoying! Why do you—”
“Um excuse me!” Bill’s voice rang out, effectively putting the argument to a halt. The sibling duo stopped and turned their attention back to Bill, still in Coby’s hold. Bill gave them an awkward smile, “Aha, yeah… I’m sorry for the trouble but can you please let me go?” Coby instantly removes his cane away from Bill, returning to a casual stance leaning a bit of his weight on to the cane. “Right,” he cleared his throat, “Apologies for that. Just looking out for my little sister, didn’t mean to rough you up there.”
After clearing up the misunderstanding, Coby had properly introduced himself and his sister, whose name is actually Veruca. Bill returned the introduction, explaining that he traveled to Spades for work and needed directions to Magrath Villa. To Bill’s surprise, Coby and Veruca offered to show them the place. Ignoring his complaints, the sibling duo proceeded to walk in the direction of the villa, leaving Bill with no choice but to catch up with them. The three engage in small talk, with Veruca asking Bill about Hearts to Coby asking why he specifically chose to work in Spades.
“I see,” Coby noted, “So the luxuries of Diamonds would be far too glamorous to what you’re used to. Well if you can get through the day with all the pollution from the factories and engines here, I’d say you’d fit right in with Spades.” He gives Bill a signature charismatic grin earning a small laugh in response from the red head. “Yeah well, Spades’ history is one that intrigues me more than the other regions. Why and how did the people go from actual horses to making machinery of horses?”
“Though, I am surprised to see the king himself walking in the streets without a guard. Don’t you think that’s a little careless? What if you get attacked?” Bill can’t help but wonder how Coby can just roam freely as the king of the region. Not even King Declan left the castle without a courtier following closely behind. It was a big surprise to Bill with how lenient Coby is as a king.
Coby simply hummed, “I could be careless, but I was never really a rule follower. Ironic right, since I’m the king?” He laughed, patting the younger man on the shoulder. “But I don’t like being followed around by a guard every hour of the day. Besides, this one here, hates having our bonding time interrupted.” A grin forms on the king’s face as he taps Veruca’s head with the handle of his cane. He expected Veruca to swat his cane away or hit him back but the younger McQuaid was more focused on their new companion. She had a hard gaze in her eyes as she scrutinized the red head. Bill cleared his throat, feeling uncomfortable by the girl’s glare. Coby wasn’t sure what got his little sister bothered, but knowing Veruca, it was either going to be entertaining or insulting.
“I’m sorry” the younger McQuaid halts in her steps, "but who did your hair? It looks absolutely terrible. You really need a new barber." Insulting, Coby confirmed mentally. He wasn’t sure if he should laugh or scold Veruca for her comment. And yet he found entertainment in the situation. A sheepish look was on Bill's face, scratching the back of his head he let out an awkward chuckle, "Aha yeah… my mum tends to chop it off if I let it grow out too much."
An awkward silence followed, Veruca cringing at both her choice of words and Bill’s admittance and Coby shook his head as he sighs. “I’m sorry for my sister’s comment.” Coby spoke up first. “She has the habit of speaking her mind. A good thing so she isn’t pushed around but, in casual conversation she can sound rather insensitive and ignorant.” He ruffles Veruca’s hair earning a shove from her. Fixing her hair up with a roll of her eyes, Veruca turns her attention back to Bill, eyes narrowed in a skeptical gaze. “What, you're not grown enough, so you still let your mother cut your hair?” Her question had earned her a smack to the back of her head by her brother. “You don’t have to answer that.”
It was safe to say, the sibling duo became a central part of Bill’s life in the Country of Spades.
~ One Year Later • Aug. 28th ~
Life in the Country of Spades had gone dim as soon as news of King Coby’s death reached the people’s ears. News stations were competing against each other to make headlines on the cause of the King’s death. Even the people were starting to create their own theories on Coby’s death. Bad gossip and nothing more.
Sitting in the outdoor dining area of the cafe nearby the museums, Bill tossed the newspaper onto the table with a tired sigh, dragging a hand down his face. He had met the King many times and most of them were when he was with Veruca dragging him out of the palace and to places she wanted to go to. From their interactions and seeing how the siblings are, Bill could tell that Coby was a good man. He cared not just for his family but for the people as well. He worked hard with Duncan Ashe, the country’s Chancellor and his best friend, to create Spades’ very own annual event for the people to enjoy and have fun in.
Bill glances over at Veruca sitting across from him. She had been quiet ever since she got to the cafe, staring off into space and in her own world. Bill was worried for her. With her brother gone, and the country making up theories on his death, no one seemed to realize or care how this loss is affecting Coby’s family. Veruca’s parents had already made their statements, choosing to mourn in peace and silence. Veruca on the other hand was sought after by the press every time she left her home. It didn’t help that Coby was assassinated on her birthday five days ago, making Veruca an easy subject for journalists to go after.
Bill pulls out a small rectangular box and slides it over to Veruca on the table top. Veruca seemed to snap out of her daze, curiously gazing at the box before looking up towards Bill. He simply gave her a small smile and nodded his head towards the gift. “A birthday gift.” Veruca’s face scrunched up, “But you already got me a gift, you don’t need to give me another one.” Bill shakes his head, nudging the box closer to her. “I insist. Besides, this one is undoubtedly special to you.”
Veruca was silent again, but seeing how Bill was adamant that she accept the gift, she took the small box in her hands. Just as she removed the top cover of the box, her breath hitched as the contents within was revealed. Inside laid a golden bullet connected to a chain necklace. Veruca instantly recognized the piece of jewelry. Picking up the bullet, she turned it over to see her brother’s name engraved into the pendant. Her green eyes glossed over as she ran her finger over the carved letters. “Where… where did you get this?”
“Lady Buckthorn-Snyde wanted to put it up on display in the Vault alongside the former monarchs’ belongings as another artifact, but it didn’t sit right with me.”
“Wow… of course she would do that.” Veruca laughed bitterly. “I’m surprised you got permission to take it though. I hear that woman is very tough to persuade.” RBill shrugged with a teasing grin, “Well, I never said I got permission.”
“You just took it?” Veruca had an incredulous look upon her face, a lighthearted huff escaping her lips. “Now if only they can find Coby’s cane. That one was actually a family heirloom, it belonged to my great grandfather.” Bill hummed, holding his chin in thought, “I haven’t seen his cane within the Kings’ Artifacts exhibit, but I’ll be sure to keep a look out for it.” Veruca responds with an appreciative smile.
“Well if it isn’t the King’s younger sister, Veruca McQuaid.” A voice calls out, causing the two to look over to see Patricia Rakepick approach their table. At the Ace’s presence, Veruca went quiet again. “Miss Veruca I haven’t seen you since the incident. I am not surprised though, after what happened I expected you would hide away for a while.” The Ace spoke aimlessly with a wave of her hand. The tone of her voice was empathetic, but there was an eerie chill, almost taunting, that followed. “Madame Ace, what a surprise to see you here.” Veruca quietly spoke, barely keeping the older woman’s gaze. Bill noticed Veruca’s reaction, leaving him confused to see her act so small in the Ace’s presence.
“I am merely taking a stroll, then I saw you and I must simply come by to say hello.” Rakepick’s cool demeanor was anything but comforting. Veruca felt as if the air around her was starting to suffocate her. Before Bill could greet the Ace himself, Rakepick’s cold gaze turned in his direction. Upon looking into her eyes, Bill froze, feeling a hitch in his breath. Now he knew why Veruca was so hesitant to face the Ace. The way the woman gazed at him was almost akin to a predator spying on its prey, ready to pounce. The world around him was slowly fading to grey as he maintained eye contact with the woman. The last remaining color Bill saw before everything faded in a sea of grey were the piercing cold blue ice peering down at him.
‘What the hell is going on?’ Questions rang through Bill’s head as he was frozen in place. He’s personally never met the Ace, only heard of her reputation being a brutal yet highly respected member of the court. But upon meeting her now, Bill wasn’t too fond of being in her presence. At least now he understood why Veruca felt so uncomfortable with Rakepick around. He snuck a glance over to Veruca to see her sitting tensely, eyes now casted onto the box he had given her.
A wicked smile graced the Ace’s sharp features, “And you must be the archaeologist the Curator spoke of. William Weasley was it? I see you’re well acquainted with Miss Veruca.” Swallowing the lump in his throat, Bill gave Rakepick a nervous smile, “Hello Madame Ace, that is correct. Veruca is a good friend of mine.” A quiet hum was her response. “I see. Well I do hope that Miss Veruca has been treating you well. She does not seem to realize that her incessant need for company can be seen as distracting and a burden.” Aghast by the accusation, Veruca quickly snapped her head up to Rakepick. “Excuse me?”
Bill shifted in his seat looking just as uncomfortable as Veruca, “I’m not sure what you mean by that. Veruca has been nothing but pleasant since I first came to Spades.”
“I am sure she has. Be careful around her though, Miss Veruca can be very demanding when she wants someone’s attention. Just take the late king for example. Tried to do his job as the country’s king, but his own sister kept getting in the way. Distracting him until, well, it’s all in the news. Everyone knows about it.”
“Madame Ace, that was uncalled for! Coby’s death was not my fault!”
“Was it really? Was it really not your fault that your brother is dead?” Rakepick turns her head back to the brunette, the gaze in her eyes scrutinizing and accusing, “Your brother had a role to play as the king of this country. Yet you constantly interrupt him of his duties, dragging him out of the palace to entertain your silly little ideas.” Veruca shakes her head, looking up at the older woman with a scowl, “That’s not true! I never distracted him, Coby—”
“Are you insinuating your brother was a slacker? That he cared less about his role as King and spoiled you because you are family?”
“N—no! I would never— I never said he—”
“King Coby was perceptive and sharp despite his laidback attitude.” Rakepick silenced her, “If you weren’t at the palace at the time of the assassination, his majesty would have easily detected the assassin. But he was too preoccupied with your presence.” Her eyes narrowed, glaring down at Veruca. “And his majesty couldn’t properly fight off his assailant as he was too focused on making sure you weren’t in the way.” The tension around them was getting heavy, Veruca couldn’t defend herself with Rakepick cutting her off at every chance. The people around them were quietly whispering amongst each other and sneaking glances their way. “But you got in the way, anyways. And now your brother is dead, and the country has no king.”
“That’s enough!” Bill slams his hands against the table, standing up with so much force the chair is knocked back. He steps between the two, shielding Veruca from any more of Rakepick’s torment. A deep frown crosses his features as he holds a stern glare towards the older woman. “Have you no damn shame! Veruca just lost her brother, and on her birthday no less! She doesn’t need you accusing her of something out of her control, have some damn empathy!” At Bill’s outburst, a guard stalks through the crowd ready to dispel the commotion.
“How unbefitting of you, Madam Ace, to be causing a scene in public. Most especially against King Coby’s sister.” An authoritative voice broke through the crowd, silencing everyone around as their eyes turned in the guard’s direction. Erika Rath, the Chancellor’s guard, stands before the three. Her arms were folded across her chest, standing tall and confident as she observed the group with a neutral expression. “It would be wise to control yourself, lest you would like the Chancellor to get involved. He’s a very busy man, Madame Ace, and he has no time to be dealing with your nonsense.”
“You have a lot of nerve to be talking down to me, soldier.” Rakepick snapped towards the blonde. “I should have you put through a restriction and a reduction in grade, for talking back to your superior.”
The expression on Erika’s face was intense, she steps closer to Rakepick, fiery gaze in her eyes, “I report directly to the Chancellor, Madame Ace, not you. And on his order, no one is to disturb the late King’s family as they mourn over their loss. You may be the Ace, Madame, but the Chancellor still ranks above you. You do not want to make him even angrier than he already is with you.” Rakepick says nothing, keeping up with the intense stare down with the guard. A few seconds passed before a cold smile reappeared on her face. “Apologies, Rath. It seems I have overstepped many boundaries today.” The Ace turns her attention back to Bill and Veruca, the two feeling a chill run down their spine as if they felt the older woman peer right through their souls. “My condolences Miss McQuaid. I do hope you can let this whole ordeal go. With the king gone, so many things are going on and everyone is clearly out of sorts.” She spoke with a hand over her heart as a sign of sincerity but there was none in her words. “I’m sure you can understand the stress we are all in.”
Her tone was sickenly sweet, it made Veruca feel sick. She struggled maintaining eye contact with the older woman, only managing a weak nod in response. Rakepick gave them one last icy smile before she left the cafe not even sparing a glance or a word to Erika. As soon as Rakepick was no longer in sight, the heavy tension went away and Bill let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Everyone was urged to continue on with what they were doing by Erika. Though there was an obvious awkwardness in the air. Who can just go back to sipping their tea and eating cakes after witnessing all of that? Erika turns to Bill and Veruca, simply giving them a nod and that she would inform the Chancellor of what had transpired. Bill thanks her and watches Erika leave to continue her patrol.
Once she was further away from them, Bill turned around to face Veruca. She had been quiet the entire time since he stepped in to confront Rakepick. She had a downcast look, and Bill noticed that her eyes were glossy. Her jaw was tightly clenched and he realized that she was trying to hold herself back from crying. Veruca flinches when a hand rests upon her shoulder, she looks up to see Bill giving her a reassuring smile. “Hey, it’s okay. I don’t think she’ll be bothering you anymore, today.” Veruca returns the gesture with a strained smile. “Thanks… you didn’t have to do that, though.” Bill simply waves her off with a shake of his head, “Oh come on, I couldn’t just stand by and let her harass you like that.”
He pulls out his handkerchief and hands it over to her. “Still hard to believe that woman is the Ace of the country.” Veruca hums in acknowledgement, taking the cloth and wiping her tears away, “A foul one, isn’t she? Never really liked her. At least you know the reason why. She has this arrogant aura around her due to her title, and it’s gotten worse since…,” she trails off, eyes glancing around before turning her gaze back to her companion, “well, you know… She started taking the mantle way too seriously, creating more strict policies on everything. Duncan isn’t too happy about her overstepping his authority.”
“I can imagine.” Bill huffs, returning to his seat, “She’s a hard woman to deal with, I give my praise to the Chancellor for lasting this long with her.” Veruca lets out a small laugh before going quiet again, the gloomy expression returning to her face. “Do you think it was really my fault?” Bill looks at her with a reassuring yet sad smile, “No, not at all. It’s an older sibling's nature to protect their younger sibling.” He gently pats her shoulder. “Don’t believe a thing Rakepick says. Coby obviously loved you and was happy to follow you wherever you wanted to go or let you into the palace. And don’t forget, he was willing to chase away anybody who tried to take advantage of you. Even if they were merely asking for directions.” Bringing up their first meeting, hoping it would at least brighten up Veruca’s mood a bit.
Veruca chuckles at that, remembering the encounter. “Yeah, he does have an aggressive way in dealing with creeps.” A surprised gasp comes from Bill, “I’m a creep? Now that’s just hurtful, Veruca.” He frowns, feigning offense and holding a hand to his chest. “And here I thought we were friends.” Veruca rolls her eyes at his comment, “With the shoddy haircut you had at the time, you were definitely a creep.”
“Hey, I told you already my mother was the one that cut it! That wasn’t my fault.”
“No offense to your mother, but you seriously need to get someone else to cut it.”
“Who says I plan to cut it? I’m growing it out. It looks better this way, don’t you think?”
“Well it certainly is an upgrade to your old look. Being an archaeologist pays nicely, huh? Don’t have to worry about your precious hand-me-downs being ruined.” Veruca jests. The two often poked fun at each other’s appearance in a light hearted manner.
A smile breaks out on Bill’s face seeing Veruca brighten up again. Fear, pain and sadness were not emotions Bill had ever associated with Veruca. However after today’s events, he was more open to realizing how much Veruca keeps so much to herself. Veruca hardly had much reason to express any negative emotions, and if she did she kept it hidden, bottling it up so no one ever knew she was upset. ‘The pressure of being the king’s little sister must have gotten to her.’ Bill solemnly thinks, watching Veruca finish up the last of her tarts. With Coby gone, Veruca is much more vulnerable to people with bad intentions. It was obvious with the journalists and then today with Rakepick. Duncan, Wilhelmina and Elroy can only do so much, but they know they can’t watch over Veruca all the time.
“You alright there, Bill?” He must have had a weird look on his face judging by the way Veruca was staring at him. He simply smiled, shaking his head, “Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.” It was then that Bill made a promise not just to himself, but to Coby as well, that he would stand by Veruca and watch after her. After all, it is in the older sibling’s nature to protect their younger sibling.