A/N: For reference, the arcana are associated with the people below—
The Fool—Alex
The Hermit—Alex's father
The Priestess—Kate (his sister)
The Star—Callum (his son)
The Chariot—Alex's mother
The Magician—Toby (youngest brother)
The Lovers—Sam (older of the twins)
The Empress—Cass (cousin)
The Sun—Nora (wife)
I. The Fool
You're screaming but no one hears you and you smell something burning before your world goes white.
II. The Hermit
"D-daddy, come- where-" It's the one person you can remember and you have no idea where you are, why, for what purpose.
"Alex, wake up." Your father's voice is gentle, just as it was every morning of your childhood. He always woke you, since your mother was even more of a hurricane in the mornings, and the memory has you feeling his arms around you in an instant. "Alex."
Your eyes open and it's just white. Fuzzy shapes take form into the playground your grandfather always took you to as a child, familiar play structures blooming out of pure emptiness, a painting slowly emerging from the center out.
"D-Daddy? Where am I?" The voice that comes out of your mouth is the frightened plea of a child, not the seasoned voice of a warrior that you've grown used to. "Daddy?"
"You'll see, buddy. You'll see."
Your eyes close and it turns black.
III. The Priestess
"Daddy?" You call for him again and your father's perpetually disheveled form appears next to you. "Where are we?"
"We're in your head, Alex." He presses a kiss to the top of your head, pulling you into a warm embrace. "You've been so strong. I'm so proud of you."
"Strong? Wh-what?" You frown. "Daddy, what happened?"
"You'll remember with time. You have to."
"But you and..." You don't remember anyone outside your father and it scares you. You know there are more important people there.
He watches you, almost scared by your lack of knowledge, and runs a hand through your hair. "Think. Think hard. You'll get them back, one by one."
"K-Kate?" The first name that pops into your head is out of your mouth before you should stop it, memories of a girl who liked purple a little too much bleed into your head. How is she?"
He smiles slightly, squeezing your shoulder. "She's fine, Alex. Sleep for now."
You nod and close your eyes.
You can't disobey a direct order.
IV. The Star
"Alex? Alex?" A little girl's voice calls and you turn around to see your little sister at six, the only safe thing in this strange landscape. "Alex!" She smiles wide the minute you meet her eyes and creeps forward in that shy way of hers to hug onto your leg. "I missed you..."
"Wh-what do you mean?" You frown. "I haven't been anywhere! I saw you just a month ago! You're safe and... and..."
"It's been longer than a month." She looks unusually subdued. "Almost a year."
"A y-year? B-but..." A little boy with blond hair and unusual eyes. His name is on the tip of your tongue and you can't quite say it, so you look to your sister for some help.
"Daddy couldn't help you, so I can't either. You'll be okay, big brother. You'll be okay."
"C-Cal. My... son?" She nods and throws her arms around you. "Where-where is he? Why isn't he with me? His mother..." There's a faint picture of a blond woman with blue eyes that no one should forget forming, but you can't find a name. "Who... where..."
"They'll come back when you do. Sleep?"
Yes, sleep.
You can't think anymore, not now.
V. The Chariot
"We're technically not supposed to pop up until you realize who we are, but your daddy's rules can go fuck themselves. My baby doesn't get any less than he deserves." She's familiar and you just can't place a name until she smiles.
"M-mom." You grab her hand and she laughs, squeezing back.
"That's my smart boy." She cups the side of your face, lovingly smacking it before she stands, leaving you on the floor. "I've gotta go, baby. Make us all proud, okay? There might be someone more proud of you than we are, though."
You frown and she laughs again. "I'll give you a clue. Blue eyes, no tact."
"B-but, Toby isn't..."
"There we go." She melts away into air and you're left grabbing for a glimmering specter before you fall asleep.
VI. The Magician
"Brother." You wake to a face full of military man. "Brother, our time is short."
"Toby, come on..." He pulls away once he's gotten sufficient proof that you're awake and you sit up. "You're... supposed to help me remember someone else, aren't you?"
"You're almost there, you know. Only... one, two, three... Three more until you're free to go."
"Only three?" You're surprised by this and he cracks a smile that doesn't even look like one, but you know it is for some reason.
"You have no idea." It sounds like he's speaking with someone else's voice, a familiar one, and your mind clicks.
"Sam's going to hate your haircut."
"Why, because I don't look exactly like he does?" He chuckles and slaps your back. "He'll learn to deal with this and other things. Take care. He'll be here soon."
"Oh boy, can't wait." You roll your eyes and fall asleep in seconds, comforted by the memories of siblings that are finally clear and unobstructed.
VII. The Lovers
"Big brother?" Someone softly shakes you and you open your eyes to see Sam. "Ah, good, you're awake! I was starting to get worried!"
"Starting?" You raise an eyebrow and he pouts.
"Well, wouldn't anyone? I mean, we thought you were d-I mean, uh, wow, uh, would you look at those clouds."
"What's happening to me?" You frown and he chews on his lip. "Do you really want to know?"
You nod and your white world dissolves into nothing for just seconds, but you can feel maggots eating at your skin and burns marking whatever isn't disease ridden. There hasn't been anything to eat for weeks, but you're so thankful that no one else has taken the fall, that only you have been-
"I... I need to go back." You open your eyes and he nods as well.
"You have to. There are... two more, though. Your white knight and... well, your other one."
"White knight? Really?" You smirk and he nods.
"She likes being the hero, doesn't she?"
"Cass loves being the hero." The name pops out before you recognize it and he smiles. "There. One more left to go, huh?"
VIII. The Empress
This time, there's no one when you wake up.
You've got an image and you hear yelling outside, where you know you should be, and the clang of metal pulls you away from this little white world before something in your mind snaps.
Nora.
That's it.
Nora.
IX. The Sun
Cass is barking orders as she unlocks your cell and you have enough strength to mutter thank you before your eyes close.
The white room doesn't appear.
You wonder what that means.