♠️♠️♠️♠️

The cards shifted and the Euchre bolted upright in bed. His finger twitched and he knew something of importance had happened. He lit a candle and left his bed, making his way to the small room adjacent to his chambers where he kept the black deck of cards.

On the table, the four suits of cards were arranged by the kingdom to which they belonged. In the northeast was the Clubs kingdom--his kingdom--and nothing had shifted. The king, queen, and crown prince were all accounted for. He shifted his eyes to the top left--northwest--the Diamond Kingdom. Nothing out of place that wasn't already.

His eyes trailed down to the southwest--the Hearts kingdom--and the King and Prince were in their rightful places. The Queen had long been unaccounted for. He smirked.

Finally, his eyes shifted to the kingdom just south of Clubs in the southeast--Spades. The king and queen were there, their cards huddled close together. But, the Jack--the crown prince's card--had tumbled onto the floor.

The Euchre bent down and picked up the card. He flipped it over and the Jack still had his eyes, so he was alive, but he was away from the castle when he wasn't supposed to be. The Euchre licked his lips as he placed the card into the center of the table.

"Let's see if we can find out where you're headed."

♠️♠️♠️♠️

"Your Highness!" the maid called from down the hall before even reaching the younger prince's chambers. She nearly tripped over her own feet as she caught herself against the thick wooden door. She nearly fell again as the door opened, revealing the young Prince. His hair a bird's nest and his eyes barely open with exhaustion.

"What's wrong?" he asked, running a hand through his hair.

"Your brother," the maid said. "He's missing."

Jungkook's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

The maid looked down the corridor before leaning in closer to the prince. "It's probably best if you get dressed and meet their Highnesses in the throne room."

Jungkook nodded and motioned his attendant into the room who helped him dress. His mind ran wild with the possibilities. Namjoon was intelligent and not the type to leave without notice. Was it possible he was kidnapped? Had Spades finally made a move to attack? As his attendant finished adjusting his robe, he noticed something resting on the floor, near his door.

"I can handle it from here," he said. "If my brother is missing, I would prefer you to help look for him."

His attendant nodded and bowed, before shuffling out the room, not noticing the paper still resting on the ground. It was obvious that the letter had not been delivered by his attendant or any of the servants. They would've either waited until he was awake or given it to his attendant. A Prince's letter would never be slid under the door.

♠️♠️♠️♠️

Jungkook,

I am leaving for a short while. I plan to return in a number of months, but I do not know how long this journey will take me. I intend to find the Lost Princess of Hearts and prove her existence. Please look after the Kingdom in my absence. Take my place if necessary. It is your time to prove you are more than just my little brother.

There is a scholar--Da-hye--watch after her for me. Her work is important and is imperative to my mission. Her work must not fall into the wrong hands.

Love,

Namjoon

♠️♠️♠️♠️

The letter dropped from Jungkook's hands. Namjoon had left. Of his own accord. To seek out a Princess that didn't exist. He shoved the letter into his pocket and headed to the throne room.

Unlike most mornings, the hallways were full of people bustling around, all looking for a trace of the Crown Prince. When he entered the throne room, he found both of his parents, his father's brow furrowed and his mother's face lost its color.

There was another figure there as well. She wore the green garments that signaled she was a scholar. She was on her knees in front of the King and Queen and her head bowed politely. The scholar only looked up when the door shut behind Jungkook.

"Your Highness," she said, bowing her head once again.

She looked somewhat familiar, but to Jungkook nearly all the scholars looked vaguely familiar. There were two paths in Spades. One of the brain, and one of brawn. Namjoon had always been the scholarly one, always reading or learning the languages of far away places. He was the Crown Prince, after all, it was Namjoon's duty to be the epitome of a Spades man.

Jungkook--on the other hand--had taken the path of brawn. He knew how to fight, was an archer, and would one day be in charge of Spade's military operations. Namjoon would obviously be the strategy behind it, but Jungkook, the general.

"Jungkook," his father said. "I'm sure you've been informed of Namjoon's disappearance." His father--the King's--shoulders slouched and it was the weakest he'd seen his father since he'd last fallen sick. "We're unsure of the current reason and all of the Knights are out looking for him or confirming somewhere he may have gone."

Jungkook nodded. "Yes," he said, his head tilting in confusion.

"Do you know this woman?" his father asked, motioning over the scholar.

The girl turned towards Jungkook, her eyes were red and puffy, and her clothes were disheveled as if she'd rushed to put them on.

Jungkook shook his head.

"This is Da-hye," his father said. "She is one of our top scholars and has been doing important work for us. She and Namjoon were close and often worked together."

Jungkook nodded, his eyes narrowing. "I don't see what this has to do with--"

"Namjoon left her a letter before he left."

Jungkook froze.

Da-hye. She was the one Namjoon had mentioned in his letter. His eyes flit over the girl. She couldn't be much older than Jungkook himself and she was at least a head shorter than him.

"We wondered if he left anything for you," the Queen said. "If anyone else were to receive a letter, we thought it would be you."

The letter nearly burned a hole in Jungkook's robes. His fingers tensed as he hesitated from reaching into his pocket.

"No," he said. "I didn't get a letter."

His parents shared a glance before looking back down at the dejected scholar. "So, tell us, Scholar. What makes you so special?"

Da-hye shrugged and attempted to hide the tears that threatened to spill over, but instead, they were all heard in her voice. "I-I don't know. As you know, I'm working on recreating and recollecting our Ace. Namjoon and I, we worked closely together, we were friends, but there is no other reason I should've gotten this."

The Queen sighed, her eyes soft towards the girl, but her face still tense. "Please show Prince Jungkook your letter. I think it will clear some things up."

Da-hye handed Jungkook the letter--formally--with her right hand gripping her left wrist and her left hand extended towards him with the letter hanging from her fingertips.

♠️♠️♠️♠️

Da-hye,

I am off to find the Lost Princess of Hearts. I know you will think me foolish, but I know she exists and I intend on doing everything in my power to prove her existence. I think it may end this war.

Your work is important. Not only does it give us a chance to recreate and recover our stolen Ace, but if you succeed, it means the other Kingdoms may be able to re-create their Aces as well. This puts you in extreme danger. While I know you can fend for yourself, I think it's best if--in my absence--Jungkook takes my place as Crown Prince.

You can teach him what he has neglected and he can teach you the same. I think it will make you two stronger people, and ultimately, if I don't return, a stronger kingdom.

Sincerely,

Namjoon

♠️♠️♠️♠️

"He wants me to take his place?" Jungkook asked.

"It would seem so," the Queen of Spades said. "While this whole endeavor of Namjoon's is foolish, I do believe it is wise for you to learn something from this dear Scholar. And, that she, in turn, may learn something from you"

"This is all so wrong!" Da-hye said, her tears flowing freely now. "Namjoon is being foolish. The Lost Princess of Hearts doesn't exist and he thinks he'll be able to just waltz into another kingdom in pursuit of her?!" She took a deep breath, before bowing to the King and Queen. "I'm sorry. I do not mean to speak ill of the Crown Prince."

"It would appear," the King said. "Namjoon is no longer the Crown Prince for the time being."

All heads in the throne room turned to Jungkook. Sweat erupted on his palms and his normally soft robes, felt itchy and hot.

"I do not think I am right to be the Crown Prince," he said. "I've prepared my whole life to be the second Prince. I--"

"Yes, dear," the Queen said. "That is the void which Da-hye will fill. She will teach you the intellect and culture you have neglected."

Jungkook eyed the Scholar. She kept her head down and her hands folded politely. Her hair was long and worn down, probably because she didn't have time to pull it up. It wasn't often women wore their hair down, Jungkook had only seen his own mother's hair down once.

"Da-hye was the top of her class and has been working closely for us--under Namjoon's direction--for months. She is the best for this job." His mother looked between the two. "Both of you seem a bit shaken, so take today to search for Namjoon or rest and we can begin with Jungkook's lessons tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Da-hye asked. "I'm not sure I'll have time to prepare everything by then."

"Jungkook's lessons will only be a few days during the week," the Queen said. "As he still has his normal duties to tend to, I'm sure you can put something small together before then."

Da-hye nodded, although pressed her lips together.

The Queen rose her hand to dismiss the Scholar, but she quickly dropped it. "Before you leave," she said. "Speak of Jungkook's new position of Crown Prince to no one. The King and I want to delay the announcement for a few weeks until we know if Namjoon will be back in that time."

She nodded, before being dismissed and walking from the throne room.

Jungkook bowed to his parents before taking his own leave. The letter still in his pocket. Threatening to boil over and spill it's contents and existence into the world.