Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When a ruler dies, there is a short period of time during which the ones in line for the throne make one last attempt to get to it first. A rather chaotic few days filled with paranoia, especially for those involved. 

When a kingdom falls however, everyone jumps ship. Families, friends and partners take all of the money and valuable belongings they can carry and run away, lest they run the risk of losing the very things that give them power. When the King of Spades died mysteriously, without an heir to his name, it did not take a long investigation to figure out that it wasn't an accident or an illness that took him. Although most of the commun people believed he simply died of old age, the late king wasn't the most beloved ruler amongst high society. It wasn't that hard to imagine that his death was caused by someone. No one knew who did it, but no one wanted to take his place and maybe find out for themselves. The court of Spades had now less than half of its people. All of the high noble families ran away.

Which left Lady (Y/n), a low-ranked noble whose family owned the smallest estate in the kingdom, in the position of High Council member, with the mission of keeping her homeland from falling appart.

It was a mess. And the fact that she’s had no experience nor knowledge on how to manage an entire kingdom – she could barely manage her own estate – only made her more restless. The few other council members were of great support to her, and they’ve all grown closer as a result, but that didn't change the fact that none of them were ready for this kind of responsibility, duty, and power. They were either too low ranked, or too young. It was often very overwhelming, to the point where some wanted to quit more than once. But she never gave up, she would always lift up their spirits, support them, and put them back on track.

She may be from a small family, but that family was formed with its kingdom. She’s always held a certain pride for it, though she’s never said it out loud. No one wanted peace and prosperity for the Kingdom of Spades more than she did. So she studied, she has read almost every book in the royal library, what was left of it anyway... History, geography, politics, agriculture, anything that could be helpful.

But it takes a lot of time to learn this much, and she simply couldn't afford it. Not when her home was in need at this very moment.

The fact of the matter was, they needed help, desperately so.

Thankfully, an opportunity would present itself: the Shuffling. A silly name for the most important ceremony in all of the land. Every ten years, the four courts – and allies from neighboring kingdoms – gathered in one place for a week and a half. Ten days to celebrate the founding of the four kingdoms. It was six months away.

“My father used to call it the Shamble.” the young Marquis of Spades, Lord Arnold, sighed, curling a strand of his light pink hair around his finger as he lazily leaned on the council table. “Said it’s all just one giant pageant contest.”

“Then a pageant contest we shall attend!” (Y/n) exclaimed, lightly hitting the table with a determined look, she was standing at the end of it while everyone else was sitting by its length. 

“But…we have nothing to show off.” the Baroness of Spades, Lady Catherine, nibbled on her nails.

“We don’t have to show off, we just have to show up. Show everyone that we are still alive and kicking!”

“Yeah, and be treated like the bad guys.” Arnold rolled his eyes. "That, or being a laughing stock... I dunno which one is worse."

“Don’t you see this golden opportunity? This is our chance to get in contact with the two Kings and Queen.”

The council members looked at her with big eyes, some whispered amongst themselves.

“The other three royals?” Arnold’s back straightened up, now with a spark in his eyes.

“Yes! If we get in their good graces, we could ask them for help and support. The Shuffling can’t just be a series of parties and spectacles, it’s also an effective way to meet people and make connections. It’s networking. They must know that."

The members looked at each-other, unsure.

“Won’t we look desperate?” Catherine asked.

“We are desperate.” Countess Gwendolyn bluntly said, her arms folded. “I agree with Lady (Y/n). This is an opportunity we simply cannot pass.”

“And, I dunno about you, but I wouldn’t mind standing by the royals’ side.” Arnold puffed up his chest.

"If we are to ask for favors..." (Y/n) thought out loud. "Then we must make sure that we have something to offer in exchange." she hit the table again with a huff. "Let's gather all of the cards we have in our hands! And make sure they're valuable, something the other kingdoms don't have!"

"If we had any of that, then our predecessors took them." Gwendolyn said.

There was a short silence, during which the council members felt a twist in their hearts. It was true, when the previous king died, and when half of the Spades nobility ran away, they didn't just take what belonged to them. Documents, books, art pieces, and more... It was the biggest act of theft the Kingdom has ever known, only talked about in whispers. 

"H-Hey now!" (Y/n) broke the silence. "There must be some things left for us... We still have the Dark Forest.”

Everyone looked at her with big eyes again, only this time, she knew she brought up a touchy subject.

“Woah.” Arnold leaned back, it was clear that he and the others didn’t like this idea. “You want us to use the Dark Forest as a bargaining chip, already?”

“Listen.” she raised her hands. “I know we haven’t even gotten any concrete results on our research, yet. Of course, if we’re still unsure, we’re not touching it. However, if it comes out that there is any possibility that we could utilize it for the benefit of the nation, then we have to try and talk about this to the right people. And the Shuffling will be where we find those people.”

“...We’re talking about the Dark Forest!” some council members complained, though their skepticism was justified. 

“We’re talking about the future of our Kingdom!” she hit the table. “We’ve had this exact conversation before guys, just trust me!”

They fell silent. She huffed.

“And come on,” she smiled. “the Dark Forest isn’t the only thing we have left. Like...we still have our mines, and our port too!"

"The port? That old place?" Arnold lifted an eyebrow. "Even the previous king gave up on i-"

"But its location could provide a market expansion to the North-West!" she quickly grabbed a quill and a parchment and started to quickly write on it. "If I'm correct, the Kingdom of Diamonds has yet to do any dealings in that direction. We would just need to renovate the docks, provide a few ships- This could work! We would have to update our inventory and maybe they could deal with the manufacturing, although the overall production will have to-"

"Oh boy, there she goes again." he ran a hand through his hair, hanging his head down. "Hearing her business babble gives me a headache~."

"Mmh, but if the Diamonds don't have any deals to make, then this is all useless... Which is why we would have to talk to the Kingdom of Tarock first, see if they even want to trade with them- Or with us." she gasped. "Oh this is good. This is really good. We are getting somewhere guys!" she pointed at them with a big smile, shaking her hand in excitement, before going back to writing and saying her stream of thoughts out loud.

"Well, that is our queue to leave." Gwendolyn stood up and so did the others.

"Do I have to do this?" Arnold whined. "You know I hate homework!" 

"...My Lord, Marquis of Spades."

They all froze and looked back at (Y/n). All the excitement was gone from her face and she looked at him with an expression that could only be described as a quiet plea.

She called him by his title, they thought, she was being serious.

"I know that you, of all people here, want to go back to the way things were, when you didn't have to deal with all of these things. You are also the youngest, I know I may be asking a lot. I understand and I apologize. But please, your help is greatly needed. You're of the highest ranking here, you have a certain access to information that could be a game changer to us. So please..."

He blinked twice, caught off guard by her... he would call it 'serious gentleness'.

"Y-You don't have to kiss my boots like that! Calling me my lord and whatever!" he looked away. "Within this room, we're the same! And you're older than me, so it's weird!"

There was a moment of silence. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm sure my old man dropped some papers when he left." he mumbled, loud enough so she could hear. "I'll look around his office."

(Y/n)'s face lit up.

"Thank you Arnold."

He just huffed, avoiding eye contact, his cheeks dusted with pink, then left in a hurry. The lady quickly went back to writing. 

"We have six months to prepare." she said to herself, gathering books and reports. "That's plenty of time!"

Six months became five, then four, then three. There's been no news, no letters, not even rumors, nothing.

"We're still not invited!" (Y/n) exclaimed, holding her head.

"We're screwed!!!" some council members panicked.

"This is the Shuffling, this celebrates the four kingdoms. It's obvious we'll be going." Arnold said.

"But it's happening in the Hearts' estates, they have to formally invite everyone." Catherine said, glancing at (Y/n) who was walking in circles, still holding her head.

"The Shuffling is three months away." she quickly spoke. "I know that's a lot but for such an event surely they must give out invitations like a year in advance. There is no way they won't invite us, not even with the reputation we have- Not even with the history we have together. But what if they don't even know who to send the invitation to? No they know about the council. Just send it to the castle, it's not that complex. Still, do we reach out to them first- No! That's preposterous! Are they inviting us last? That would make more sense. But then-"

A newcomer might assume that she was panicking. But this new council of Spades knew that it was only her mind racing, thinking of every scenario possible and then coming up with a solution for every one of them. But they did hope they would get invited soon, or else she will really panic. And no one wanted to see that.

She flinched and stopped when there was a knock at the door. Someone cleared their throat on the other side.

"Members of the High Council?"

"Come in Henry!" Arnold exclaimed, leaning back in his chair.

The head butler opened the door and bowed to them.

"Hello Henry." (Y/n) smiled. "What is it?"

"A messenger from the Kingdom of Hearts has arrived with a formal letter from their king."

Their eyes widen. Arnold almost fell off his chair but caught the table just in time.

"They also said they wanted to hand it directly to...'whoever is in charge' they said."

Everyone looked at Arnold. Arnold looked at (Y/n). Everyone looked back at her. She pursued her lips, took a deep breath, and nodded.

"Alright. Send them in."

Henry bowed and left. As soon as the door closed, her and Arnold quickly switched seats.

"Wear gloves." she told him.

He nodded and clumsily took a pair out of his pocket as she took a seat by the length of the table, the farthest away from him, considering the gap in their titles.

"Remember guys." she looked at everyone before sitting down. "Everything is under control, and we have noooo emotions."

Everyone nodded to each-other and took a deep breath. With neutral expressions, they waited for Henry to knock on the door again. And he did.

"The official messenger of the court of Hearts" he announced before taking a step to the side.

The messenger, their red and white outfit contrasting the dark blues and pink golds of the castle, glanced around, curious yet unimpressed. They bowed.

"High Council of the Kingdom of Spades. I come with a mission from my King to deliver an official invitation."

(Y/n) contained a cry of surprise. The messenger took out the envelop and handed it to Arnold, who didn't move, knowing he shouldn't bear the trouble of walking across the room. Everyone noted this subtle act of mockery, but only Arnold reacted with a frown. Henry took the letter from them and went to give it to him. He simply looked at it, then back at them.

"Thank you messenger. Give our regards to your King and his court. We will send an answer as soon as we possibly can."

"Surely. Please excuse me."

"Henry." (Y/n) looked at him. "Please give our guest something to eat and drink before they leave. The trip here must've tired them."

The messenger blinked twice, they seemed surprised for an instant. 

"You are too kind, my lady." they nodded with a hand over their heart. 

She nodded back. When the door closed, and the footsteps faded away, the entirety of the small council rushed to Arnold's sides.

"Open it open it open it!" they exclaimed.

"Wait!" (Y/n) gently moved his hands towards her so she could have a closer look, at the seal to be more specific.

Bright red wax with a ribbon of the same color underneath, a beautifully detailed, decorated heart with a crown on top, inside the heart were the other three symbols. She breathed a sigh of relief. Although their situation started less than a year ago, she was afraid the other kingdoms would have taken the spades out of their official seal.

"Okay open it." she let go.

Arnold gulped and did just that. The handwriting was beautiful, elegant, effortless.

To our friends of the High Council of Spades. As you may well know, the Shuffling is approaching. I would be delighted to have you and your court attend the festivities. In these trying times, and in the spirit of such an event, I would like for our respective courts to join together in peace and understanding. For I hope this new era dawning upon us all will be one of trust, partnership, and most importantly, friendship. You will find all the information regarding the Shuffling and its events in another document within this envelope. With regards and understanding, His Majesty, the King of Hearts.

They all looked at each-other.

"His Majesty...?" (Y/n) read, confused.

"He didn't write the letter himself." Arnold frowned. "Someone did it for him!"

"Who cares about that?!" her face lit up, taking a step back. "For one, we're invited! Two, they want us to be on good terms. Three, we're invited!" she squealed, jumping up and down, quickly moving her hands in excitement.

Everyone cheered, except Arnold, who was still offended. 

"Oh wait! What does the document say?”

“It's just the formalities.” Arnold said in a ‘don’t worry ‘bout it’ tone as he opened the document and mindlessly read it. “Where the Shuffling will be held, at what date, list of guests, the one month duration, and-”

“One month?!?!?!” they all exclaimed, leaning over to read and almost crushing the poor young marquis in the process.

“Isn’t it supposed to be ten days?!” (Y/n) asked, taking the document for herself and re-reading it over and over again, just in case he read it wrong.

“It is! What the hell is this?!” he took it back and slapped it with the back of his hand.

She took the invitation and re-read it.

“Maybe… Maybe that’s a part of this ‘new era’ he's talking about. I do agree that ten days is a very short time for business and royal dealings, considering the current situation.”

“But is that really why he wanted this?” Gwendolyn asked. “The King of Hearts is known to be keen on the theatrics. And this is his first time being master of ceremony.”

“Either way, we simply can’t leave the Spades kingdom for that long. Not all of us.” (Y/n) said with a grave expression. “I’ll stay behind to take care of things in your absence.”

“What? No!” Arnold stood up. “Then I'm staying too!”

“Arnold, you know you can’t. With your status, you’re the face of the kingdom, you have to go-”

“But you are the brains!”

“Me? Oh no no no.” she bashfully waved a hand. “I’m nothing like that.”

“Even if that wasn’t true, this is important, especially to you.” Gwendolyn said. “And this whole plan was your idea in the first place. You must see it through.”

“Yes lady (Y/n), we’ll stay behind!” a few other council members exclaimed. “We’ll take good care of the kingdom in your absence!”

(Y/n) felt her heart squeeze.

“Then let us prepare for the Shuffling! There is much to do!” she huffed, determined. "We have so many things to decide! Do we have our assets in order?"

"We do." Gwendolyn nodded.

"Amazing! Then we can focus of this." she pointed at the letter. "First of all, we gotta write a letter back!"

"What do we say?"

"Well we thank them, first of all, say that the feeling is mutual..." she shrugged, her face twisting with uncertainty. "'I'll see you at the party'?"

"That's not how you write to a king, Lady (Y/n)!" Catherine exclaimed.

"I've never written any formal letters like this before!" she waved her hands. “Much less to a king!"

They spent the rest of the day constructing a short but proper response.

It's been decided that Arnold, (Y/n), Catherine, Gwendolyn and the high knight, Captain Brahms H. Meredis, will attend the Shuffling. The latter was chosen as escort, for his military prowess and loyalty, totally not because he was also Lady Catherine’s fiancé.

“Tooootally not.” they assured her.

“Stop it please!” she shook her head, blushing.

(Y/n) reworked on her manners, and packed her most beautiful gowns with her. She wanted to take one of her mother’s, but not only would it be considered too old fashioned, she wasn’t sure she could emotionally handle it. But she did take some of her jewelry, and the ring of her father’s. It was a symbol of her family’s heir, a title she didn’t feel was fit for her. But in this instance, she was their representative, and she shall bear that title and its burden. Being a small noble, she knew nothing in her wardrobe would turn people’s heads. Which wasn’t her goal at all, but she didn’t want them to turn their heads in disgust either. So she asked for local tailors to upgrade some of her dresses, using clever and cheap ways to make them look more expensive. Luckily the tailors that were left in the Spades Kingdom were very talented, and yes they added that to their list of assets.

(Y/n) kept breathing deeply inside the carriage, reviewing the several files she's compiled about each guests and their courts and kingdoms. But once she looked out the window, she forgot all about it and kept looking out in awe. She's never left the Kingdom of Spades, let alone her estate prior to her King's death, so seeing new sights simply blew her away. Everything looked so different, from the architecture to the flora and fauna. How she wanted to explore it all, if only she had some time...

She was reminded as to why she was here once the carriage stopped. She fumbled with her files and quickly put them back in her luggage. She took a moment to watch the castle before leaving the carriage, besides she mustn't get out first, being the lowest one in the hierarchy amongst the council. The castle of Hearts was simply magnificent. Red, pink and white, gilded with gold, each window ornated, grandiose in its simplicity and effective in its impression as a monument of the Kingdom of Hearts. And with the festivities of the Shuffling, there were flowers and decorations everywhere, fitting the symmetry of the castle, harboring the colors of the four kingdoms, along with their respective flags. 

In that moment, she didn't want to exit. She didn't feel like this was a place for her to be. She was content with this sight, like looking at a picture book. Alas, once the others were out, the door of her carriage opened, and she stepped out. They were greeted by servants and escorted inside by a maid. Standing at the back of the group, (Y/n) looked around. Royals, nobles, representatives from every kingdom were here, salutating each-other. Sometimes with a firm handshake, sometimes with a friendly hug, sometimes with a simple curtsy. She noticed that no one was greeting them, aside from servants of course. Only glances and whispers, none of them addressed directly to her of course. She pursued her lips, and kept looking forward.

As they entered the palace and walked through its corridors. She tried not to look too excited to be here. But she discreetly clenched her fists, suppressing a squeal everytime they walked through a new room. Everything was just so beautiful! Its pastel color palette was so warm and soft to the sight! Yet just like its exterior, it all felt grandiose, historical.

She saw something that made her stop. A giant painting of the former Queen of Hearts, Ambrosia Darling. (Y/n) looked ahead and noticed that her group kept walking, they hadn’t notice that she’s stopped. She looked around, noting that she was alone. The silence, before filled with chatter and laughter, was almost unsettling. But she didn't mind. It reminded her of home.

She looked back up at the painting. It was very realistic, as much as she could tell. She’s never seen the Queen of Hearts, she’s heard nothing but good things about her however. She looked very elegant, her smile seemed genuine, her big red hair in the shape of a heart, her dress was the most beautiful gown she’s ever seen. She emanated a sense of control and poise. She looked on either side of the corridor, making sure it was empty, then bowed to the painting. 

“It’s an honor, madam.” she spoke softly, then smiled at her. “Thank you.”

She heard a chuckle behind her and spun around, her eyes wide open. There was an opening to the courtyard, but it was empty. The hallway was empty. She was alone. Still, she heard it loud and clear. She hesitated to ask if someone was there, but she didn’t want to bring unnecessary attention to herself. Her face got redder, suppressing a whine of shame yet let out a noise from the back of her throat. She then quickly rushed back to her group. Arnold gave her a look that said ‘where were you?!’, to which she just tilted her head apologetically.

They were led to the throne room to give their regards to the master of ceremony. On the way there, they saw none other than the Queen of Clubs, walking in the other direction and so going past them. She was in the middle of an enthusiastic conversation with her three siblings – all four of them of a different color – so they didn’t say hello to each-other. They did however make a small bow, knowing they’ll have another opportunity to formally greet each-other later. One thing (Y/n) noted from this very short encounter was her blond hair, shaped like the Clubs symbol. She wondered how long it really was if she was to let it down...

Finally, they entered the room. Large in length, with a bright red carpet leading to a small set of stairs. The wall in the back was nothing but giant windows, with bright red satin curtains open to let the sunshine light up the entire room. At the top of the stairs was a platform, at the centre of which set a tall throne, bright red, the top shaped like a heart. But its owner wasn’t sitting on it. There he stood at the bottom of the stairs, saluting his guests, talking to his officials about some last minute changes for future events, and laughing with…?

“That’s the King’s jester.” Arnold whispered.

“Oh.” she let out, she didn’t expect that.

She kept looking at the blue dog person. They were so tall. Or maybe the king was small. Maybe it was both. Either way, the two of them looked like they were getting along very well. 

"Ah, the High Council of Spades!" she almost flinched hearing the king's voice, she felt ashamed to be so focused on his jester rather than him. "We meet at last."

"Greetings, King of Hearts." Arnold said, him and the other council members curtsied, while (Y/n) and the others bowed.

"Young Marquis, I did hear you were the head of the council now. Accept my admiration for taking such an important role at such a young age."

"You were younger than me when you became king." he smiled.

"Haha, the circumstances were widely different however. I do hope your trip went well."

As they engaged in small talk, (Y/n) was still bowing and has now realized her mistake. She was a noble, she should've simply curtsied like everyone else! Now she looked and felt like a fool! But still, she was intimidated. The Kingdom of Hearts was the most powerful of the four, and it has been that way since the very beginning. Not only that, but the Hearts Kingdom and Spades Kingdom have had a, let's say, strange relationship. Always at odds with each-other, culturally speaking especially. They were even at war, fifty-or-so years ago. The history books called it The Eclipse. A war that the Hearts won, obviously some might say... A communally known image was that, within the four kingdoms, the Hearts were the Sun and the Spades were the Moon.

But (Y/n) wasn't intimidated because of their history of rivalry. Even after the tragic death of its former queen, the new King of Hearts kept things in order and the kingdom even flourished from his ruling. She's read all about it, and she was fascinated, trying her best to apply his methods within her kingdom (the results weren't astounding just yet). And now, the person she admired was only a few steps away. She did grow curious... She's only read about his work, never really caring for his appearance. But now she could have a close look. As she finally stood back up, she glanced at him.

Their eyes met.

She immediately looked back down, flustered. In the end, she only caught a glimpse of his pitch black eyes and red pompadour.

"I do hope you enjoy the festivities." he looked back at Arnold. "I shall see you at the welcoming banquet later tonight."

"Of course." Arnold nodded. "Have a good rest of your day."

The rest of the group curtsied, (Y/n) included this time.

"My King." she said as they walked away, then looked at the the jester. "Hello sir."

The dog person's eyes became a bit bigger, with an upside down smile, and for a short moment, he just looked at her. He didn't expect to be acknowledged by any guest today.

"M'lady." he tilted his small red hat.

She smiled then looked back at the king. She looked like she wanted to say something, but she just curtsied again before walking back to her group. 

Barnaby and Wally shared a glance.

"She must be new here."

"You don't say..." Wally kept looking at her.

Chapter Text

Each court was given an entire part of the estate for themselves. Now that she was amongst friends, (Y/n) could freely marvel in the splendor of the place.

"Everywhere my eyes lay on is like a beautiful painting!" she giggled. "And to think this will be our home for the next month! What a gift!"

"Don't get too excited now." Gwendolyn said, as calm as ever. "We must stay alert, remember why we're here."

"Of course, of course. But one must be able to have fun, lest they crumble under the pressure. I'm gonna go see my room!" 

"Where’s Catherine?" Arnold looked around.

"On a stroll around the premises with her darling fiancé~."

"But we already saw everything." he shrugged, frowning in his confusion.

"Oh young Arnold,” she shook her head. “you know nothing of love."

"Wha- And all of your knowledge on the subject comes from books and plays!" he pointed at her.

She just laughed and left to see her room. She laid on her king size bed and didn't want to get up. 

Lady (Y/n) felt a lot less enthusiastic at the banquet later that evening. After a delicious dinner, the guests were moved to another venue to have a drink and simply talk to one another, with beautiful music in the background. Each of her friends were partaking in their own conversations, some with acquaintances, some with people of a similar status as them. But she was the only noble of her caliber, therefore no one went to her, and she knew better than to force herself into a conversation. She sighed through her nose, embarrassed about being on her own, and sad that she couldn't contribute to her cause. But she trusted her council, and since no one was looking at her, that meant she could freely admire the beautiful venue. The paintings on the high ceiling, the chandeliers lit up with so many candles, the carvings on the walls and pillars, even the floorboards had pretty designs into them as if they grew from the inside the trees themselves. She thought the architects must’ve used magic to achieve such a thing.

Suddenly she bumped into someone. The two parties yelped in surprise and faced each-other. They must’ve both been absent-minded at the same time. There stood a tall handsome man with a big stature and red hair, well put together if not panicked in this moment. Based on his outfit, decorated with paper flowers, he was from the Kingdom of Diamonds. However, she couldn't put a name on his face, nor could she tell his status. Somewhere between her and Arnold for sure... Now she regretted not including pictures in her documents.

"M-Miss I, I am terribly sorry!" he spoke frantically, with a southern accent.

“I-It’s alright.” she waved her hands.

"Please," he took one flower from his decorated suit and gave it to her. "accept this so that I may atone for my terrible behavior! And do not fret, I shall not take any more of your precious time. Adieu my fair lady!" he bowed before rushing away.

She stood there, astonished. That was her first ever interaction with another person outside of her court.

"What an odd man…but very well mannered." she whispered before looking at herself. "Now what should I do with this?"

'I want to put it on, it's so pretty. But I know people will talk if I do.'

"Ah, I know." she took out a handkerchief and gently placed the flower on it before folding it in half. "There."

She carefully put it in her pocket, then noticed someone was staring at her. It was none other than the King of Diamonds. Of all people! And he was frowning! Her heart dropped and she curtsied. When she looked back up, he had turned away, back to a conversation he was having prior to this. She sighed, a bit relieved but anxious that she’s made a poor impression on him for talking to someone of his court. Maybe he though she bumped into him on purpose. Her mind began racing, not knowing that frowning was the king's default expression.

"Ah, Lady (L/n)."

She turned around and saw Arnold walking up to her. It would seem he had left a group of nobles from a neighboring land, as they were still looking at him. The young marquis was staring into her eyes, his were slightly bigger than usual.

'Ooo boy, I know that look.'

"My Lord." she curtsied.

"I believe you’ve haven't met the Lords of Klondike yet." he offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

“You are too kind. I shall be honored." she took it and the two of them walked away.

She glanced back at the group of nobles, they were laughing. She felt a twist in her chest.

"One more minute and I would've punched one of them." Arnold spoke under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear.

"Was it that bad?" she spoke in a similar volume.

"Never leave me alone with these fools again.”

"At least people are talking to you. I feel like I'm one with the walls here."

"Well then please, let's trade places at once.”

She couldn’t help but laugh out loud, which made a few people look. One of these people being the King of Hearts. He looked at her from across the room, her smile peaking through the crowd.

'Her again...'

“(Y/n), please…” Arnold whispered, glancing around.

“I apologize, truly.” she smiled with an apologetic nod. “But you’ve attended the Shuffling before, haven’t you? Surely you must be accustomed to its social circles.”

He took a moment to get used to her noble babble. She changed her way of speaking after getting some attention on the two of them. However he would’ve much preferred to address her in a manner he felt fitted her.

“By the lord no,” he said. “I was but a child the last time I was here. My father was the one bearing the role of ambassador of our family. Now I suppose I understand how he felt- Maybe that’s why he left.”

“Arn- My Lord!” she put a hand to her mouth, containing a laugh.

He simply shrugged with a huff. She was caught off guard, surprised that he would joke about the matter. Which she supposed was a good thing...

“If this isn’t your first time here, then do you know anyone?”

“Yes, but they’ve changed. Too much so for my liking.” he glanced back at the group he just left.

“Ooooh.” she said under her breath. “Well…” she smiled, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze. “I would be delighted to be in the company of a friend.”

He pursued his lips, yet a smile could be seen through his attempt to hide it.

"Although tonight I'm allowing us the comfort of staying with one another, starting tomorrow, we'll have to be able to be on our own." she whispered. "Remember why we're here, to reach out to others and make connections."

He just glanced to the side. He didn't like it, but he understood the importance of this task.

Thankfully, with the Marquis of Spades now by her side, Lady (Y/n) could finally be included in conversations.

"What a pretty ring!" a countess exclaimed, holding the lady's hand to better see it. "A bit big for your slender fingers though, isn't it?

"Haha, thank you Countess." she nodded. "That's only because my father, his father before him, and so on, had much larger hands than I."

"How odd. Has your father left this ring behind during the Great Departure?"

'Oh, is that what they call it?' she thought, not sure how to feel about this.

"Oh no, I'm afraid there is a misunderstanding." she chuckled, her eyebrows furrowed. "It was but an unfortunate coincidence that both of my parents passed away, a short time before our previous King did."

"Oh my." she covered her mouth with a sympathetic look. "My dear, I am so sorry to make you recall such memories."

"It is quite alright."

"How did they die?"

"I…” she cleared her throat. “I'm not sure. I was away when it happened." she caressed her ring, her gaze growing distant. "Surely you understand that I was much more preoccupied by the news itself than its cause."

"Of course, of course."

Arnold noticed the look on her face and gave her arm a small tug. She smiled at him, silently telling him that she was fine.

"Well I suppose that your, current situation," the countess' husband, the count, spoke. "has allowed you to become closer."

"Why yes, we have." she beamed. "I don't believe I would've ever gotten the opportunity to even meet the marquis otherwise. He is, to me, reminiscent of a little brother I've never had."

"While you, lady (L/n), have the likeness of a governess I used to have."

"Well then she must've been the most cultured and well-centered governess in all of the land. Thank you my lord."

They all laughed. This night was starting to go better than expected. Although it was at her expense. She sometimes felt like Arnold's jester more than anything, despite not even trying to be funny. That became apparent when the King of Hearts' jester came by to tell some jokes, an intention that she wasn't aware of.

"Say my Lady," he told her. "why does one say 'break a leg' to an actor?"

"Ah! I’ve read about this somewhere.” she began to think hard. "I believe... Actors are queued to perform, if they weren't chosen for the play, they have to stay behind the 'leg line' as they call it. And so, wishing for an actor to break a leg means to wish them the opportunity to perform and get paid." she said with a smile, happy to have remembered this interesting tid bit of trivia.

There was a moment of silence. A duchess let out a small 'oh'. The royal jester burst out laughing.

"Because every play has a cast!"

"O-Oh!" she blushed.

Everyone laughed with him.

"It would seem that Lady (L/n) is knowledgeable in most subjects except for the concept of a joke!" one noble said.

"Which only makes her funnier, don't you think?"

"What a dear, she is."

She wanted to tell them to stop, each remark felt like a vicious mockery. But she kept silent, even forced out a complicit laugh.

"Oh man!" the jester exhaled. "No one has made me laugh like that in a long while!"

"Oh my! What an accomplishment!" a duchess tapped her shoulder. "Congratulations my dear."

"I suppose I shall bear that achievement with pride." she said with a faint smile, fanning herself a little bit to get rid of the redness of her cheeks.

Arnold was still snickering when the two of them left the conversation.

"Arnold please." she whispered, tugging on his arm. 

"Ah. I know that one." a tear formed in the corner of his eye. "I read it somewhere."

"I beg of you. Spare me and my poor heart."

He took a deep breath and wiped his tear away.

"Oh (Y/n), I'm so grateful you're here."

"Sure, because now your laughing stoke allegations are all dumped onto me. I feel like... a small dog harboring a funny hat."

He suddenly covered his mouth, if not his laughter would've filled the room.

"Are you sure you're not also a jester?"

"Arnold!" she whispered harshly. "I'm serious!"

"I'm glad you seem to be enjoying yourselves."

The two friends froze, tensing up as they watched the King of Hearts walking over to them. His mannerism and his outfit stood out from the rest, like a red rose in a field of tulips.

"My King." (Y/n) curtsied, along with Arnold.

"Although I cannot speak for her. I can assure you that I am having a lot of fun." he smiled.

"Well I am just glad that my Lord is having a delightful evening filled with laughter." she glanced at him.

"Are you not?" the king asked her.

"I-I am, I am!" she nodded.

"Which reminds me, this afternoon, you seemed like you had something to tell me."

"Oh!" her eyes widened. "I just... It was nothing really, nothing you haven't heard before."

"Pray tell." he tilted his head, his expression unchanged. "Now I'm curious."

She avoided his eyes, though without looking away from him. His gaze made her flustered.

"I just wanted to tell you how beautiful your land and castle were. I've never been so in awe in my life."

"Aww." he chuckled. "Thank you very much, you are too kind."

With her previous interactions, she wasn't sure how to feel about such a powerful man laughing at something she said.

"Your Highness, I must thank you again on behalf of the High Council of Spades." Arnold nodded. "I know there's been some rumors of our absence but we never doubted your integrity for a moment."

"Oh I never bothered with these things." he waved a hand. "I do admit that I was uncertain as to who to address my invitation to." he paused. "I must say, since the tragic death of your king and the Great Departure, I understand that your court has been very busy sorting out the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Spades. Too much so for any external meetings to take place. So, I speak on behalf of myself and my fellow royals when I say: I do hope the Shuffling will be an opportunity for us to converse."

(Y/n) glanced at Arnold, squeezing his arm as her heart jumped from joy. She wanted to speak, but knew that he was the one the king was addressing.

"Of course your Highness." he nodded. "We shall be delighted."

"Mmh. If I may speak honestly." he leaned a bit closer. "I would like us to leave the Shuffling on good terms. I understand the tricky situation your court is in at the moment. So me and my friends want to be able to help you. In the hopes that, history doesn't repeat itself."

"...Then we share a common goal, your Highness."

"Wonderful." he smiled and leaned back. "Now, if you'll excuse me." he nodded before walking away.

The two of them watched him leave. Once he was out of sight, they looked at each-other with big eyes. (Y/n) contained a squeal, rapidly waving her hand as a way to put her excitement outward. 

"I say that, after this, we can fully enjoy ourselves." she said once she's calmed down. "Verbal confirmation of shared intentions is more progress than I could have ever dreamed of."

"See? I told you, you were worrying too much. It'll only be a couple of days before I'm invited to a tea party with the Kings and Queen." Arnold puffed his chest full of pride.

She smiled. But she couldn't help glancing back at the King of Hearts.

There was a short pause in his sentence, which made her believe there was a hidden subtext in his words. When he spoke of history, was he talking about the late King? Or even of the war between them fifty-or-so years ago? Either way, if he wished for history not to repeat itself, then that must be a good thing...

A small frown formed on her face.

The next day, the members of the High Council of Spades received a few letters addressed to its individual members. Lady (Y/n) hasn't received anything however (except for a report from the council back in the Spades kingdom). Although she expected as much, she breathed out a small disappointed sigh. She didn't speak a word of her feelings on her situation and instead pried her friends to know their letters' content. They didn't mind at all and shared. They were from the people they've met at the banquet last night, some were invitations to interact further, some were simply a personal welcome to the Shuffling. The sentiment conveyed in almost all of them was one of polite welcoming with a subtle condescending tone, to which Arnold reacted by threatening to rip the letters to shreds.

"Arnold please, no need for that." (Y/n) told him, patting his back. "They're being nice."

"To hell with their niceness, if it's to look down on me when my title is higher than theirs!"

"The most you can do is not answer them, ignorance is much more powerful than hate you know?" she turned to the others. "Have you guys also sent your letters?"

"We have." Lady Catherine nodded. "To everyone you’ve told us."

"Have you written to anyone, Lady (Y/n)?" Gwendolyn asked.

"Only to our people at home."

"What about someone here?"

"Of course not." she shook her head with a smile. "No one here would bother to even open a letter of mine."

They wanted to disagree, for they themselves would be thrilled to receive anything from her. But they knew that, amongst the Shuffling, it was the absolute truth.

The few servants that accompanied them were brought in earlier this morning, to tell them about what they heard. It was essential to their plan that they knew what people were saying about them when no one (of importance) was watching. So they gave this special missions to their maids, a task they've accepted gladly. Despite of course their poor reputation as people of Spades, there was hope for them, for they've made a good enough first impression last night.  

Even with her ridiculing herself, no one has spoken a word about Lady (Y/n). She was simply a lady of nobility accompanying them. 

"One baron believed she was the young Marquis’ governess."

"How dare they?!" Arnold hit the table with his fist. "Who said that?!"

"It doesn't matter." (Y/n) said.

"Doesn't your pride hurt?!"

"My pride has no matter in this situation. If any of you guys succeeds in our mission then I'll be satisfied."

Today, there were no big events, for the King of Hearts believed that having a grand party every night wouldn't be healthy, especially if the Shuffling had a one-month period now. But he welcomed anyone who could organise a gathering of their own. There was a variety of activities available throughout the estate. And so, the High Council took this opportunity to answer to the invitations they've received. Each of them went their separate ways for the day: Lady Catherine and her fiancé went on a stroll by the gardens with another couple, with whom they shared a similar history. Lady Gwendolyn was invited to a book club once the involved parties learned that they've been reading the same book. Lastly, Lord Arnold was invited for lunch by a Duke from the Kingdom of Diamonds, an old friend of his late uncle. The young marquis hesitated to leave, he kept looking back at (Y/n) on the way out.

"Oh Arnold, I told you I can't come with you." she smiled, her eyebrows furrowed. "The invitation was for you and you only."

He just frowned and looked to the side. In that moment, she felt he was the one who was like a small dog. She chuckled and patted his hair.

"You'll do great Arnold, I know it."

"Don't do that!" he slapped her hand away. "I know I will! I'm just worrying about you doing nothing all day!"

"It's quite alright, I'm happy with that. If anything, that means I am the most free person in the Shuffling." she held up her chin with a smile. "I get to do as I please today."

She would be lying if she said she wasn't worried about leaving him alone. Arnold tended to forget his manners and duties if he was under enough pressure. But she trusted him.

And so, (Y/n) spent her day doing as she pleased. She first stayed in her quarters, studying her documents to find more information on who were the people her fellow council members were spending time with. She looked for anything that could be of any usefulness to them, if they were to interact with these people further. She's made a few additional documents she shall give out for them to study once they're back. She huffed, happy with her work. Then noticed that it was still only mid-day, there was plenty of time left. She hesitated, but her explorer spirit got the best of her. She went out to the main castle of Hearts to marvel in its beauty longer.

Each time she would see anyone, she would act as if she had somewhere to be and pressed on. Thankfully, with the beautiful weather, almost everyone was outside, so this scenario happened only a handful of times. And it wasn't like people would give her the time of day anyway. Although she wished she could not care about what people thought of her and wished to act as she felt – gesturing at whatever she would praise out loud, like she was complimenting the architecs themselves, laugh in astonishment, spin around and rush from room to room – she knew that a bad impression of hers would badly reflect on the Kingdom of Spades. She didn’t want to risk that, so she kept up appearances.

Not to mention the fact that, although she hasn’t encountered many people, she could feel eyes constantly on her. She'd sometimes glance behind her, but there was no one. She thought maybe she felt this way because she was in an unfamiliar place. After all, just because she was a guest, that didn't mean she could get too comfortable.

But there was a moment that made all preconstructed social facades and self-inflicted rules drop: when she heard a child crying.

"Oh please don't cry young miss lady." she heard a male voice, with a southern accent.

"That voice..."

With quick steps, she turned around the corner. In a large, empty corridor was a small girl, probably less than ten years-old, curled up against the wall, her face hidden in a handkerchief as she sobbed. Based on her dress, she was from the Kingdom of Hearts, and she was of high nobility. Crouched beside her was the panicked man from yesterday, who looked just as panicked right now.

"Excuse me."

The man gasped and looked up at her.

"The lady from yesterday..." he whispered to himself.

"What is going on?" she asked, suspicious of him. "Why is this child crying?"

"I-I'm not sure myself! I saw miss lady crying and I gave her my handkerchief and I've been asking her what's wrong but..."

With a small frown, (Y/n) walked up to them and kneeled beside the girl, making the man move away. Her expression became softer when the child glanced at her. Glassy yellow eyes peeking through bangs of red hair.

"Hello there." she smile. "Whatever is happening, I'm sure it must be pretty bad. But you shouldn't bear your burdens alone, sharing it with others will make you feel lighter you know?"

The girl sniffed, some snot staying on her face.

"Oww. May I?"

(Y/n) took the handkerchief from her and gently wiped her face.

"There. Now you look as beautiful as a princess." she booped her nose. "What's your name? I'm Lady (Y/n) (L/n)."

"A-And I'm Eddie Dear!" the man, Eddie, exclaimed. "It's nice to meet you Lady (L/n)!" he quickly bowed his head to her.

She returned the gesture with a chuckle. His name did ring a bell, but she didn’t remember writing about him in her files... The young girl sniffed again.

"I'm Molly." she said in a tired voice.

"What a pretty name you have Miss Molly!" Eddie smiled. “A pretty name for a pretty lady.”

"What's troubling you Miss Molly? We promise we won't tell anyone." she quickly put a hand over her heart and raised her other one.

Eddie did the same gesture, which made her smile. Molly looked down, her eyes teary again.

"My father will hate me."

"What? Why would he hate you?"

"He told me to look after Clarabelle while he was gone, but I lost her."

"Who's Clarabelle?" Eddie asked.

"Father's pet duck."

"And who is your father?" (Y/n) asked.

"...The Duke."

The two acquaintances glanced at each-other. The Duke of Hearts, this was a big deal.

"Well, we just have to find her then." (Y/n) smiled.

"Really? You'd do that for me?"

She shook her head with a hum.

"No, you have to do it. But we'll gladly help you, won't we Mr. Dear?" she looked at him.

"Why yes!" he stood up, puffing his chest and flexing his arms. "With my height and my strength, I could carry you up in case Miss Clarabelle is up on a tree branch!"

"And with my keen eye," she added. "I'll find her even in the darkest corners of the castle. With our powers combined, you shall bring Clarabelle back to her chambers before your father the Duke even hears of what has happened. What do you say Miss Molly?"

The child rubbed her eyes and stood up.

"Okay."

(Y/n) smiled and offered her hand. She took it.

"Then let us go miladies! Our mission awaits!"

"But let's be discreet about this, please Mr. Dear. This is a secret mission."

"Ah. Y-You're right. Let us go, secretively."

Her and Molly chuckled. (Y/n) told them to "combine their brains together" and asked Molly to retrace her steps, starting after her father put her in charge of Clarabelle.

"Well, I dressed her up and then took her out to show her off."

They retraced her steps, going the exact same way she did earlier that day.

"I saw the King and said hi. Hello King." she bowed to an invisible person.

"Your Highness." (Y/n) bowed too.

"Lovely day we're having." Eddie did the same.

This made the young girl laugh, though she covered her mouth.

"We talked for a bit, and when he left, Clarabelle had gone too."

The three of them looked around.

"Could she have followed the king?" Eddie suggested, scratching his head. "Maybe he saw her leave, if we could just talk to him-"

"Talk to the King?!" (Y/n) exclaimed, getting flustered at the mere idea. 

"Noooo," Molly whined, tugging on the man's jacket. "then he'll know she's missing!"

"But if he saw her..." he sighed. "You're right Miss Molly. If only she'd left us some kinda clue..."

"Something like this perhaps." (Y/n) took a few steps before crouching down.

Her two companions for the day joined her and leaned over to look. She picked up something very small.

"Bread crumbs." she said.

"My my, you really do have a keen eye, my Lady!" Eddie exclaimed. "Yes, now that you mention it and now that I look closely, there's a whole entire trail of 'em!"

The trio looked from one direction of the trail to the other. One led to outside, the other further into the castle.

"Miss Molly, do you happen to know where this leads?" she pointed to the latter direction.

"Uh... The kitchens probably." the young girl then realized something with a loud singular 'Ah!' which startled her two assistants. "The servants leave to feed the birds every morning!"

"Miss Molly you are one smart cookie!" Eddie ruffled her hair.

"That's our lead, great job!" (Y/n) added, patting her shoulder.

Molly giggled. The three of them quickly stood up.

"But remember." (Y/n) told them as they made their way outside. "No one knows of our mission, we must be swift like the wind, and invisible...also like the wind."

"Be the wind." Eddie said in a grave voice, nodding slowly.

"Be the wind." Molly repeated in the same manner.

(Y/n) contained a laugh at how cute these two were. Then she remembered something. She stopped in the doorway. Her two companions looked at her, confused.

"Miss Molly, I must tell you right now before we step out. I must tell the both of you." she faced them. "I'm not exactly the most popular guest here at the Shuffling. I'm from the Kingdom of Spades, you see. If you couldn't tell..." she looked down at her outfit, harboring the colors of her kingdom, although in a lighter shade. "Being seen with me could have a...certain impact on your own reputation."

The mention of her kingdom did make their eyes bigger.

"I apologize for not telling you right away,” she bowed her head. “I didn’t want to scare you. Now that you have your lead, I can be at ease and let you two go on without me."

"Lady (L/n), don’t be silly." Eddie smiled. "We started this together, therefore we must rescue Clarabelle together."

"Yeah!" Molly nodded. "What if she's... hiding in a dark corner outside?"

(Y/n) felt her heart squeeze. She smiled, her cheeks dusted with pink.

"Then let's become the wind."

Their faces lit up. 

The three of them went to the direction of the chicken coops. On the way there, they passed by numerous groups of people of various titles, and Mr. Dear would hide Molly behind his large back whenever that happened. Sometimes, people would try and talk to him – which made (Y/n) even more curious about who that man was – but he would come up with an excuse to quickly leave every time, with (Y/n)'s help, since he didn't seem to be much of a liar. Good to know. 

"That's weird." she told him at some point. "I was scared people would believe we were courting each-other, but no one even hinting at the idea. Which, don't get me wrong, I'm relieved about! But it is strange…”

"I understand." he smiled. "The reason is quite simple: it is well known that I prefer men."

"Ooooh I see. Well that's one less thing to worry about then." she smiled.

The way to the chicken coops went smoothly, only once was there a moment of panic.

"Oh my gosh!" (Y/n) held Eddie’s arm when she noticed that certain someone in the distance. "The King of Diamonds!"

Eddie gasped and quickly hid behind a tree, the two ladies followed, but peeked to see him.

"Did he see us?" Eddie asked, not daring to look.

"No, he's looking at flowers."

"He's looking for insects." Molly said.

"Insects?"

"His Majesty considers himself an entomologist." Eddie explained. "His bug collection is the biggest in all of the land. He’s a very passionate and dedicated man- Or so I heard!”

"Uh-hu…” she took notice of how nervous he looked. "Would you like us to avoid him, Mr. Dear?"

"I-I mean... We mustn't be seen by anyone, right?" he intertwined his fingers together, his eyes darting around.

She smiled.

"Then let's go this way instead."

He sighed, looking relieved.

"Have you ever met him before?" she tilted her head. 

"Um… A couple of times..." he looked down, still twiddling his thumbs. "When I was selling my wares to the castle."

"Selling wares?" 

"I’m a travelling merchant you see-"

She gasped.

"It’s you!" she pointed with a big smile. "Eddie Dear, the Dear Merchant! It’s an honor sir!" she bowed her head."

"Oh please! Just Eddie or Mr. Dear is fine! Y-you know me?" he pointed at himself, flustered.

"Who hasn’t heard of the best merchant in the land?! Especially the legend: the merchant travelling the world, able to bring back anything you ask for."

"Not everything." he chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "I just like to travel a lot and bring back souvenirs. Just so happen that some people just want the souvenirs. I get to share pretty items and make a livin’ doin’ what I love."

"So you’ve sold things to royalty as well?" she leaned a bit closer with interest.

"Y-yes! The King of Diamond sometimes asks me to bring back any interesting-lookin’ bugs I find during my travels."

"Ah, so that’s how you know he’s an entomologist enthusiast."

"Oh nah, I knew that already- I mean! E-everyone in the kingdom knows that!" he waved a hand and looked away, his cheeks redder.

(Y/n) smiled at his reaction.

"But if you’ve met, why are you scared of him?" Molly asked.

"Scared?"

"You don’t have to be, he’s very nice."

"I- There's no doubt in my mind about that!"

"I can understand." (Y/n) nodded. "Talking to a king can be very intimidating." 

"R-Right! Exactly!"

Not wanting the ladies to get dirty, once they got to their destination, Eddie went into the coops and looked around by himself. Thankfully, the chicken's caretakers had already left the scene when they arrived. 

"Unless your duck looks very much like a chicken, I can't see her anywhere Miss Molly." he said once he came back. "I apologize."

"That's okay." (Y/n) said. "The chickens can't be the only animals that are fed bread crumbs around here."

"We have the wild swans!" Molly pointed to a direction. “They feed them so that they stay around.”

"To the swans!" he pointed.

"We gotta hurry, father will be back soon!"

"Roger that!" Eddie picked up Molly and put her on his shoulders.

The young duchess giggled, which made the two adults smile and they hurried to the direction of the river. They were so busy having fun, they didn't notice that they’ve passed by the King of Diamonds once again, and this time, he heard their laughter and saw their smiles.

"From your height, can you see her?" (Y/n) asked.

Still on Mr. Dear's shoulders, Molly straightened her back to gain as much centimetres as possible as she looked around with a long hum, a hand shielding her eyes from the Sun.

"I see some ducks, but none of them are he-"

"Eeeee!"

Her and Eddie flinched and turned over to see that Lady (Y/n), who just made a sound they didn't expect her to make, was being approached by a swan. 

"Easy there, my Lady." he said. "These guys are the territorial kind, any sudden movement could agitate it.”

"H-hello sir, ma'am?" she curtsied, slowly stepping back. "I'm more accustomed to badgers, foxes and crows. I didn't expect swans to be this big."

The bird quacked, making her flinch.

"We must be near its nest." Eddie suggested. "We should move to another spot then."

"Agreed, very much agree-Eeeeee!"

The swan suddenly rushed up to her and she ran towards Mr. Dear for safety, but with Miss Molly on his shoulder, he would've ran away too, if not for that someone coming to the rescue.

A singular quack made the swan stop. Everyone looked over to see a yellow and green runner duck waddling over to them. With its little hat and matching silk scarf, they knew exactly who that was. The first thing (Y/n) thought of was a very thin lemon.

"Clarabelle!" Molly exclaimed.

The swan went up to the duck, and the three companions started to panic, but the swan didn't attack her, instead it rubbed its beak on the side of her head, and she returned the gesture. (Y/n) gasped.

"Was the swan trying to protect her?"

"An affair with a wild swan..." Eddie said under his breath. "Well I'll be damned."

"Clarabeeeeelle!" Molly shook his head.

The duck noticed the girl and suddenly rushed up to her, quacking all the way there and flapping its tiny wings. Eddie – his hair now messed up – put the girl down and she also rushed to pick up her pet and give her a hug. Clarabelle rested her head on her shoulder, so if she could've, she would've hugged her back. This sight made (Y/n) let out an 'awww', with a hand over her heart.

"I hope you've been treating her well." Molly faced the duck's lover. "If you have, then I'll allow this to continue. But if any harm to Clarabelle comes from it, I'll tell my father right away and you will be cooked!"

Although the swan was unfazed by this warning, it made both (Y/n) and Eddie gulp. One quack from Clarabelle made the swan leave. With a sigh of relief, the two adults went up to the child.

"That was incredible Miss Molly!" (Y/n) said. 

"You've caught Clarabelle!" Eddie clenched a fist in victory.

"...Thank you." she faced them but looked down. "I would've given up if it weren't for you. Today was really fun."

They smiled.

"It was a ton of fun for sure, I really didn't expect my day to go like this." (Y/n) said.

"As did I!" Eddie pointed at himself. "I'm glad to have made your acquaintances miladies." he bowed his head.

They returned the gesture.

"We must go back now, and quickly. Will the addition of miss Clarabelle be too much for you Mr. Dear?"

"Hahaha! You're teasing me, my lady!" he picked up Molly bridal style, while she was still holding her pet duck. "It only means that I'll have to hold her like this. Now let's go!"

But their mission wasn't over yet. Clarabelle needed a wash if one wasn't to suspect she's been out and about in the wilderness. Lady (Y/n) appointed herself in charge of this mission. They went to Molly’s family’s quarters, making sure no one would see them, and went to the large, pink and pastel red bathrooms.

"I've never washed a duck before, it can't be that different." she said to herself as she rolled up her sleeves and put on an apron.

"Let me know if there's anything I can do to help." Eddie said.

"S-Same!" Molly nodded, still holding the duck.

"You're both very kind, but I think I can handle it by myself. You two can go back to..." her voice trailed off, like the question just dawned on her. "Didn't you two have anything planned today? I hope you didn't miss any meetings or..."

They looked at each-other, then back at her.

"I did..." Eddie bashfully scratched the back of his head. "I was actually on my way to catch up with some friends when I came across Miss Molly. I'll make sure to apologize to them when I see them."

"Oh, I'm sorry you missed it."

"No worries at all, milady." he shook his head, waving his hands. "There will be plenty of opportunities for me later this month. Now what about you Miss Molly?"

"I prefer playing with Clarabelle." she said. "I didn't like any of the letters I had today."

"But you did receive letters?" (Y/n) asked as she filled a tub with water.

"A bunch." she nodded, her and Eddie sitting on a small bench in a corner. 

"What was wrong with 'em then?" he asked. 

"I don't know these people." she huffed. "They don't sound fun."

"I see..." she checked the temperature. "May I have miss Clarabelle please?"

Molly hopped down from her seat and gave the duck to her. After taking off her accessories and putting her in the water, (Y/n) fully expected her dress and hair to be ruined, despite her precaution. But Clarabelle was very calm and tranquil, only sometimes flapping her wings and splashing some water on her.

"What about you Lady (Y/n)?" Eddie asked. "Were you going anywhere before you found us?"

"No. I didn't get any letters."

"None?!" her two companions exclaimed, surprised that such a thing was possible.

"How come?" Eddie asked.

She paused and looked back at them, smiling at their confusion.

"In the high society we live in, one can never reach up. You can only reach down or besides you." she said. "And I simply have no one to reach for."

"But you are a noble, aren't you?"

"Yes, however, I am but a Lady. I'm not even a baroness." she chuckled, turning back to her task. "And, again, I'm from the Kingdom of Spades."

Eddie and Molly looked at each-other, their eyebrows furrowed.

"Oh my." she looked to the side at the soap rack. "Um... Miss Molly, which soap should I chose?"

"I don't know." she walked up to it to look closely. "The strawberry one!"

"What about that green one?" Eddie followed and pointed. "The color's so pretty.”

"Both then!"

(Y/n) gasped.

"Miss Molly, you are a visionary."

She giggled.

After Clarabelle was all clean and dry. Molly placed her in her chambers then escorted her two assistants back in the castle's corridors. When they gave her their farewell, she frowned, looking down and clenching her dress.

"Is something wrong, Miss Molly?"

She hugged (Y/n) tightly. The woman was too surprised to properly react. Then the young duchess went back in her quarters and closed the door behind her. The two adults looked at each-other, then laughed.

"What a sweetheart she is." she said as they walked together. "I do hope her father is kind to her."

"He must be, I'm sure. Who could be harsh to such a cute lil tomato?"

She chuckled at his choice of comparison.

"But did you hear what she said? She was so afraid and quick to think that he'd hate her."

"Well I suppose having a Duke as a father must bring a lot of pressure."

"...I know someone like that." she whispered before saying. "Well I do hope she was just overthinking."

"And so do I, of course."

Finally, they've come back to where they met.

"Lady (L/n), before we go our separate ways." he faced her, hesitating a little bit. "I know of everything you said, and of the Spades' reputation. A bunch of nasty stereotypes if you ask me. But I can assure you, that if I had any prejudice before, meeting you today would have thrown away all those preconceived notions, replacing them with the pleasant memories I've made in the last few hours. And I’m certain it is also the case for young Miss Molly. It may not be much coming from me, but I would be honored to write to you in the morning."

(Y/n)'s eyes grew glassy hearing such genuine words as she unconsciously placed a hand over her heart. She smiled.

"I shall eagerly await for your letter then, Mr. Dear." she curtsied. "Until we meet again."

He curtsied back, and the two of them parted.

Chapter Text

The next morning, the High Council of Spades received a handful of letters again, mostly from the people they've spent time with yesterday, to thank them for the lovely time they've had. Everyone shocked to find that Lady (Y/n) has received, not one, but two letters. One from a Mr. Dear, the other... only had 'MOLLY' written on it with big red letter.

"And who is this Molly huh?" Lady Catherine raised an eyebrow.

"Please put your romantic mind away, she is but a child." she said as she opened the letter and read it.

Lady (Y/n) (L/n). I am pleased to have made your aquaintance, along with Mister Eddy Deer. I am happy to tell you that father was none the wiser and Clarabelle is doing well. I'm planning to take her out to see her swan lover some times during the Shufling, I hope you and Mister Deer will join me to chaperon them. With much affection, Molly.

"Awww." she let out. "She must've sent it in secret."

"You've made some friends Lady (Y/n)?" Gwendolyn asked.

"By pure coincidence. For once, I thank fate." 

Mr. Dear's letter was a lot more clean looking, by an standards in fact, his handwriting was beautiful and even the envelop looked so pretty that she didn't want to throw it away. In his letter, he thanked her for yesterday and hoped they would have more opportunities to get to know each-other. He also reassured her that his friends with whom he was supposed to meet weren't mad at him at all. With the way he worded his letters, one would never suspect him to be such an easily nervous man. She made sure to respond to these letters right away, thanking them for reaching out to her, although she asked her messenger to be discreet when delivering miss Molly's.

"Now!" she turned to her friends with a newfound determination. "We must prepare for tonight!"

A splendid ball was organized that evening, and the Council of Spades brought out some of their best gowns for the occasion. (Y/n) assigned herself to stay on the side lines, by the tables, to get a good look at the entirety of the venue. That way, if anyone is eyeing someone of her court, she shall see the glances they get when their back is turned. Baroness Catherine and Captain Brahms. H. Meredis' coordinated outfits were a huge hit! And Countess Gwendolyn was in an avid discussion with her new book club. She even spotted Mr. Dear, the two of them waved at each-other and he rushed to her side. But she noticed that someone was on their way to talk to him, though they stopped when the saw he was leaving, and acted like nothing happened.

"Lady (Y/n), you look as radiant as a morning Sun."

"You are too kind Mr. Dear." she stood up and nodded.

"For whatever reason is a lady such as yourself sitting in solitude?"

"I just like to stay in my little corner, nothing too grave or sad I assure you." she chuckled. "What about you, how are you enjoying the ball?"

"Resplendent! I wish I could thank the master of ceremony himselves!"

"Well, I don't know about the King of Hearts but..." she leaned to the side to look behind him. "Someone just as powerful seemed to be eager to talk to you."

"Huh?"

He looked back, saw the King of Diamonds, then suddenly faced her again, tense.

"I-I... Surely there must be some kinda mistake."

"Mr. Dear, I promise you, he was looking right at you when you came up to me." she smiled.

"But I-I don't wanna leave you by yourself milady!"

"I'll be fiiiine, don't worry." she waved a hand. "You better come back to his reach before he gives up and moves on." she gently pushed him away. "Go on now."

"M-Milady, please, a moment." he took a deep breath, standing tall. "Have a lovely night."

They curtsied before he walked away. She smiled and sat back down, watching him disappear into the crowd. She wondered if he was this nervous for talking to a king – for she would be too, of course – of it it was for talking to the King of Diamonds specifically. She remembered his reaction upon seeing him the other day. Whatever it was, she hoped things will turn in Mr. Dear's favor.

For her however, she was about to find out that she's thanked fate too early.

"Excuse me miss?"

She looked over to see a servant from the court of Hearts, bowing to her. She frowned for a quick moment. Did they really call her 'miss'?

"I come with a message from my master, the Duke of Hearts." they said. "He asks why would his daughter send a letter to you this morning."

Her heart dropped. In the distance, she spotted the Duke of Hearts. He was the only person in the ball looking at her, with cold golden eyes. She could see the family resemblance, yet could swear that Molly and him were the complete opposite of each-other. But she understood where his stood on the matter.

"Please tell his Majesty the Duke that I do have an ill intensions concerning his daughter. I have the upmost respect for the both of them." she said. "I was on a stroll around the castle yesterday when I saw Lady Molly, looking quite distraught, so I came to her aid. That is all that happened. And in her endless benevolence, she wrote me a letter the next morning to thank me."

The servant nodded and left to give her message to the Duke. She discreetly kept an eye on him, to see his reaction. It wasn't positive. The servant came back a short while later.

"His Majesty the Duke thanks you for your selfless action. But suggested to call upon Lady Molly's maids next time. Such a matter isn't fitting for a woman of, your status."

Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"Did he ask you to add that pause?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Nothing." she smiled. "Please tell your master that his words are heard and understood. You may leave now."

In response to her message, the Duke clicked his tongue and moved on to other matters. Now that no one was looking at her, (Y/n) leaned back in her chair, resting her head on the back of her fingers as her elbow rested on the armrest. With a frown, her gaze wandered as her mind began racing. This was bad. She should've known that the Duke's servants would be too loyal to keep any secrets from him. She didn't fault the young miss Molly. If anything, she was sad that there now was very little chances of them meeting again. She traced a chronological line of how being on the bad side of the Duke of Hearts could affect the Council of Spades' overall plan.

Suddenly, she felt something on the back of her neck, like someone blowing air. She gasped and spun her upper body around, sitting up. But she saw no one. Behind her was only one of the many tall window doors on the wall. She thought maybe it was cracked open, but looking at the gardens outside, nothing was moving. There was no wind.

"Strange..." she said under her breath.

For whatever reason, this left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Gosh, I'm so paranoid these days." she rubbed her eyes, shaking her head, then suddenly looked back up. "Wait. Where's Arnold?"

As if the universe itself answered, she heard the sound of broken glass, followed by gasps. Although the band was still playing despite the commotion. The ball must go on after all. Somewhere in the venue, a young Count from the Rummoli Kingdom has been interrupted, his wine glass slapped away by a particularly angry marquis.

"...Marquis of Spades?"  he smiled at Arnold.

"You take that back. Right now." he glared at him, doing his best not to yell.

Servants quickly picked up the pieces of broken glass and wiped the floor. The two young men ignored them.

"You spoke ill of my father and I demand an apology!" he spoke again.

"Whatever did I say that wasn't the truth?" he tilted his head. "You yourself would complain about him at the last Shuffling."

"I was but a child then-"

"Has that changed since then? Pray tell."

Arnold clenched his fists.

"You dare insult me? A Marquis?!"

"Let me put this in a way you will understand." he said, enjoying the look on his face. "Should a bear bow down to a queen ant? Even if that ant is without her colony?"

This was it for Arnold. He stepped back and drew his sword. The people around them backed away in panic. This caught the eye of the King of Hearts, who was on his way down a set of stairs, but stopped upon seeing the fight that was about to happen. He sighed through his nose when he saw who was involved. He did hear that the young Marquis of Spades had a bad temper.

"Must we do this here, Marquis?" the count sighed.

"You talk such a big deal. Why don't you put your money where your mouth is? Draw your blade!"

"Are you really your father's son? A real shame he abandoned his home before teaching you about manners."

"Yeah? Well you have done nothing but parade your father's wealth around the entire ball! At least I am my own man, and not a pompous little daddy's boy!" 

There were some gasps in the audience. The Count turned red, his face twisting in anger.

"Alright then." he said, drawing his own blade. "If you wish to ruin your already hopeless reputation, I won't stop you."

'Now they're both at it.' the King of Hearts sighed. 'I better go and stop them before anyone gets seriously hurt.' he began making his way towards them.

"This has nothing do to with reputation, it's about honor!" Arnold pointed at him. "And you have none to begin with!"

"Try not to use dark magic to cheat, Spades."

"You son of a bitch!"

With only two clashes of metal, Arnold had the upper hand. It was clear he was the more experienced swordsman out of the two. The Count, holding his sword with two hands, swung it vertically, his back hunching over with the weight he carried. Arnold easily dodged the attack and with a clear opening, and a clear view of the back of his neck, he raised his sword to finish him off. Suddenly, something from behind pulled his sword away, with not enough strength to take the weapon away from him however. There were gasps, the music came to a halt this time. Silence filled the room, everyone around them stopped and looked, while confused whispers were shared amongst the people who couldn't see what was going on. Ready to yell at whoever disrupted his duel, Arnold looked back to see Lady (Y/n), holding the blade of his sword with both hands, her face twisting in a deep painful frown. His expression fell instantly, he became paler.

"(Y/n)! You-"

"Let it go!"

He let go of his sword without question and even backed away.

"And you! Drop it!"

The Count let go of his sword and he also took a step back. (Y/n) let the sword drop on the floor and quickly closed her hands into tight fists. One could see blood soaking her gloves and sipping through the fabric. She looked at the two young men with a deep frown.

"Now will you two stop embarrassing yourselves!" she exclaimed. "You are representatives of your courts and your kingdoms, first and foremost! Don't you know of the larger effects pitiful disputes like this can lead to?! You go through with this, and before you know it, there is no coming back! Whether one, both, or even none of you die!"

There was a moment of silence, the two young men looked down in shame.

"Think what you will of one another, just remember who you are and where you are. We are guests here!" she said. "...It's hasty decisions like this that make a kingdom crumble." 

They glanced up at her. She took a deep breath, her teeth and jaw clenched.

"If you'll excuse me, my Lords." she curtsied, her voice softer now. "I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening."

And with that, in the absolute silence, she turned and walked out of the ballroom, ignoring everyone's eyes. The music started again once she left.

The King of Hearts then realized that his mouth was opened agape. He closed it, still feeling his heart beating in his chest. Before he knew it, he followed her into the corridors. He wanted to apologize to her for letting this happen, with an ulterior motive of course. This sure was a theatrical moment, which captivated him and everyone else of course. In his scepticism, he wanted to know if it was planned or not. After all she didn't even flinch from the pain when she-

As soon as the music and the chatter had faded away, as soon as she was far enough that she believed no one could hear her, see her, (Y/n) collapsed to her knees. A long agonizing noise coming from the back of her throat, a scream that pleaded to be let out, but she shut her lips tight. She opened her hands to see the deep gashes across her palms and fingers that could be seen through her tore gloves.

"Fuck..." she muttered in an ugly voice as tears flowed down her face uncontrollably.

The blood coming out was starting to overflow in her palms, and it threatened to fall on and stain the carpet.

"No. No no no no." she quickly closed her hands, like she was holding water, and turned them away from it.

She tried to stand up, but the pain made her shake too much. And she couldn't stop crying.

"Dammit..." she closed her eyes, suppressing another scream.

Suddenly, someone took her hands. She gasped and looked to see the King of Hearts.

"M-My King!" she panicked, forcing the words out of her. "I-I am terribly sorry, I-" she sobbed, the tears kept flowing. "I was just about to-"

He made her open her hands, her blood pouring onto the floor. He quickly took off her ruined gloves and carelessly tossed them aside.

"It's alright, really!" she tried to make him let go, but his grip was firm. "There is no need to bother yourself with me! Just tell me where I can find a healer and I'll-"

"Quiet."

With this singular word, she stopped, now trying to not make an noise. The king hovered a hand over hers and in the dark corridor, only lit by the moonlight, a pink-ish light shone through his palm, making her wounds glow in that same light. (Y/n) felt a warmth, the pain progressively going away. Her expression changed to one of awe as she witnessed the king's magic for the first time. Her skin began to slowly put itself back together.

"You don't have any magic, do you?" he asked, although he was still concentrating on his spell.

"I don't, your Highness." she shook her head.

"Then, would you say your pain was worth it?" he glanced at her for a quick moment, smiling. "That speech you gave was very heartfelt, I'm sure that by now, you must be the talk of the ball."

She blinked twice, a small frown on her face. She sniffed and wipe some tears off her cheek using her shoulder.

"Most importantly, I stopped these two from doing something they'd regret!" she huffed. "I've told the Marquis many times to just ignore these kinds of provocation."

"He has a lot to learn, it seems."

"Oh please my King, have mercy on him." her eyebrows furrowed. "He's still very young, and he has a lot of pressure on him."

"You care a lot for him."

"Of course."

"Is it perhaps because the two of you are in a similar situation?" he looked at her again, his eyes softer. "I heard about your parents, I'm sorry."

"Thank you very much." she nodded.

"I'm sure that if they saw what you did tonight, they would be very proud of you."

She pursued her lips, doing her best not to frown, and forced a smile.

"You are too kind, my King."

"I suppose I can relate to him as well." he looked back down. "I was also bestowed my current position at a young age, after my mother's passing."

"Right... My deepest condolences. I heard a lot of good things about her as a Queen."

"And as a mother, she was just as perfect." he smiled faintly.

A short while passed, with neither of them saying anything. By that point, there was still red marks where (Y/n)'s wounds were. Finally, the King sighed and placed his hands on top of hers.

"I apologize. Healing magic isn't my forte, and these wounds are quite deep. if I were to let go of your hands, they would come back, along with the pain."

She pursued her lips, her eyebrows furrowed, the idea alone made her feel terrible.

"So I must keep my hands on yours while we go to someone more qualified than me." he smiled

"...Both hands?" she tilted her head. "Won't it be a little...awkward?"

"The two-hand holding, or the hand-holding itself?"

Just then it dawned on her that she would be holding hands with the King of the Kingdom of Hearts for an undeterminedperiod of time. Her face became a bit redder and she struggled to answer as her eyes darted around. He chuckled again.

“Can you stand?" he stood up and helped her up with him. "If we just..."

Without letting go of her hands – sometimes holding both in one – he made them go arm in arm in a way that'd allow them to hold both hands while walking side by side, without it being awkward.

"Oh and, before we go..."

Holding both her hands on one (she took notice that his were smaller), the king picked up her gloves off the ground, along with the ring she was wearing over them. Her father's ring has protected her finger from being wounded, but as a result, there was a deep gash in the metal. If it were to be thrown to the ground, it would likely break.

"I believe you wouldn't want to lose these, even if they're torn."

"Ah, y-yes! Um..." (Y/n) nodded, then looked down at her dress. "Could you put them in my pocket please? If it's not too much trouble."

"You have pockets?" he tilted his head, trying to look for them.

"Yes, they're right there- No, to the left- My left, sorry."

The king couldn't help but chuckle. He didn't want to jam the items onto her dress, so he kept hovering his hand around until she gave him the go. Unbeknown to the Lady, he only put the ring inside and kept the blood-soaked gloves, putting them in his own pocket.

"There you go." she smiled. "Thank you."

"A pleasure." he put his hand back on top of hers. "Now please, bear with me."

She nodded, her cheeks still red-ish. There were so close to each-other. They began to walk down the corridors, it took them a moment to adjust to each-other's pace, but they got the hang of it eventually. The king led them to another wing of the castle, going up a few sets of stairs. At some point on the way there, they heard footsteps in the distance, coming closer.

"Do you wish for us to remain unseen?" he quietly asked her as they kept walking.

"Huh? Uh..."

"Quickly now, they'll be here any moment."

"Y-yes, if you don't mi-Eeee!"

He quickly pulled her away from plain view with one swift spin, hiding the two of them behind nearby curtains as a guard from the nightwatch passed by. They peeked out, waiting for him to be out of sight. (Y/n) glanced at the King and once again felt her heart beating faster at their proximity. Despite being smaller than her, he was stronger without a doubt. Just as she looked back at the guard, he then glanced at her for just a moment. He recalled the noise she made in surprise and contained a laugh.

"The coast is clear." he stepped out, gently pulling her with him. "Let's go."

She just nodded, still a bit shaken by how quickly the past thirty seconds just went.

"I'm sorry if I offended you, my King." she said as they started walking again. 

"No need to apologize. I'm sorry for pulling you so suddenly." he smiled before she could further explain herself. "I understand that you wouldn't want people to find out about your wounds."

"Ah. Y-yes, that too."

"What else is there?" he tilted his head.

"What? You... You don't know?” she avoided eye contact. “Being seen alone, together, like this…”

He chuckled.

"I do know. I'm just pulling your leg."

She scoffed in surprise, which made him chuckle again. She felt the urge to hit him and tell him to stop – in a friendly way of course –  but knew better than to do that to a king. They had to hide a few more times, which the King found amusing. It reminded him of the shenanigans him and his childhood friends would get into. He kept these thoughts to himself however.

Finally, they stood in front of a door. It was different from the others, it looked more rustic, and it wasn't decorated. They looked down at their hands, lost for a moment. Then Lady (Y/n) tugged on his to get his attention. She shook her foot. His eyes widened slightly and he nodded. He then lightly knocked on the door a few times with his own foot.

"Yes?" a small voice asked on the other side.

"Miss Partridge?"

"Young King? Why aren’t you at the ball?"

A moment passed before the door opened. (Y/n) was surprised to see that the small voice belonged to a very tall bird woman, her feathers were in ranges of red and blue, with a mohawk of a variety of bright colors. She had very long eyelashes and her orange eyes had no irises, no pupils, yet she had this gentleness to her. Her eyes went big as she immediately spotted the position these two were in. (Y/n) once again blushed.

“Miss Partridge,” the King of Hearts broke the silence. “I ask that you keep this between us-”

“M-my King!” she covered her beak. “I won’t stop you, in the name of love, but I implore you, your kingdom needs you!”

“M-Miss Partridge!” (Y/n) harshly whispered, her face even redder. “His Majesty simply cannot let go of my hands, lest I suffer incredible physical pain.”

“I understand, heartbreak is indeed painful, but I’m sure you could bear it.”

“No!”

The king couldn’t hold himself back and burst out laughing. If she could’ve, (Y/n) would’ve covered her face, but she instead turned her head away. He finally told Miss Partridge about her injuries and how he was holding back her pain.

“Oh my! You poor thing!” she tilted her head, her shoulders dropping.

“You are one of the most powerful sorceress I know.” he said. “I’m certain you can make up for my lack of skills.”

“You’re only lacking regarding healing magic because you’ve never had to use it in the first place. But no matter, come in, quickly.” she stepped aside.

They stepped into what seemed to be a completely different place. If it wasn’t for the lack of windows, (Y/n) could’ve sworn that they’ve just entered a small cottage in the middle of a forest. With a nice fireplace, Miss Partridge sat them down on a sofa and leaned over to look at their hands. Her eyes narrowed as she hummed softly.

“I’m afraid his Majesty will have to let go.” she said. “For just a moment, I assure you.”

The Lady didn’t seem comfortable with the idea. The king noticed.

“Can’t I still hold on to them?” he asked. “I’ll let go as soon as you start healing her.”

This made (Y/n)’s heart warmer.

“But…I must know what I’m healing to administer the right amount of magic.”

“I grabbed a sword.”

Miss Partridge let out a squawk of shock.

“With your bare hands?!”

In this moment, now that it was said out loud, (Y/n) felt a bit ridiculous and looked down.

“When you spoke of a gash, my king, I thought she only cut herself with a knife! You poor thing!” she sent her a concerned look before quickly going to some shelves and looking through them. “However did this happen?!"

The king simply looked at the lady next to him, waiting for her to tell the story, as it wasn't his to tell. She looked back at him and, understanding what he was doing, was a bit surprised. She told the sorceress what happened, but only stated the facts and quoted her own words. Never once did she spoke of her feelings or thoughts on the matter.

"By the stars..." Miss Partridge said, pausing in her research to look at the lady. "And you don't possess any magic of any kind?"

"Um... Not that I know of."

"My... You are very brave, my Lady."

The King of Hearts felt the lady's hands twitch under his own. He believed that, if he wasn't holding them, she would've closed them into fists.

"Thank you Miss Partridge." she nodded.

The bird lady nodded back, then came back with a potion. She gave them a warning before slowly and carefully pouring its content onto their hands. The king removed his, once he was sure (Y/n)'s were soaked. She did feel a big stinging sensation, and sharply inhaled through her teeth, but it quickly went away. She watched as the liquid sipped through her skin, her wounds disappearing and leaving no trace, not a drop of it was wasted.

(Y/n) looked at her hands in shock, turning them over a few times. They looked as good as new. She looked at the king's.

"Even I feel a lot better." he said as he opened and closed them. "How do you feel Lady (Y/n)?"

"Ah, a lot better! As if nothing happened! Thank you very much, to the both of you!" she bowed her head to him and the sorceress.

"There's no need to thank me my Lady, it's only natural." she tilted her head, her eyebrows furrowed. "But please, do be careful next time."

"Y-yes, of course. I swear I'm not usually one to rush to danger like this." she smiled and bashfully rubbed the back of her neck. "It's just that..."

"I should've acted sooner." the king said in a graver voice than usual. "I apologize." he bowed his head.

"N-no! No no no!" she intensely shook her head. "Please, it is none of your fault my King! Let's all just be thankful that, at the end of the night, no harm has come to anyone."

“I couldn’t agree more.” Miss Partridge nodded. “I believe you, my Lady, have had an exciting evening. Would you like some warm tea of my personal brewery to calm your nerves?”

“Yes… Yes please, if it’s not too much trouble.”

“Of course not.” she smiled. “I naturally extend the offer to the young King.” 

“I shall gladly accept, thank you.”

After a little while, Miss Partridge gave them both a cup of tea. (Y/n) smelled its sweet aroma and gently blew on it before taking a sip.

“Mmh!” she exclaimed. “Did you perhaps make it with magic?”

The sorceress and the king chuckled.

“The only magic I ever use while making tea is lots of love.”

“O-oh!” her cheeks became pinker in embarrassment. “Well it’s very powerful magic.”

The king chuckled again, a hand to his mouth. She was beginning to wonder if maybe he was laughing at her.

“Thank you, my Lady.” 

A moment of silence passed, during which (Y/n) took a few sips of her tea. But the King hasn’t touched his once.

“May I ask,” he finally spoke. “you said that you don’t usually rush into danger, yet you did it because… Could you finished that sentence?”

She became tense. She didn’t expect to be put on the spot like that. She looked away, nervously and slowly spinning her cup between her hands.

“Like I said… I didn’t want them to do something they’d regret.”

“Of course.” he nodded. “War isn’t something that should be starting with such trivial matters.”

“It should not be starting at all!” Miss Partridge exclaimed.

“Ah, yes.” (Y/n) nodded. “That too, of course.”

“Did you have another reason in mind?” he tilted his head.

“Well, I may just be too sensitive or naive but…” she glanced to the side. “Taking the life of another… Being the cause of a war… One could easily spiral down. And for someone this young… Surely, you must understand what I mean.” she looked at him.

There was a moment of silence, and though he hadn’t looked away, the king’s eyes grew distant, like he was looking through her.

"And since the marquis is a close friend of yours, you wouldn't want him to go through such a thing."

"I wouldn't wish that upon anyone, to be honest."

"Mmh." he smiled, but it looked different from before. "That is very noble of you, Lady (Y/n). His lord the marquis is lucky to have someone like you to watch over him."

"I try my best, your Highness." 

"How old is the Marquis of Spades?" Miss Partridge asked.

"He is soon to be eighteen this year."

"Seventeen. So young... Have his parents left during the Great Departure?"

"Only his father. His mother passed away while giving birth to him. Bless her soul."

There was a moment of silence, (Y/n) took this moment to say a small prayer in her head to Arnold's mother.

"You must be like a mother to him then." the king said.

She looked at him with big eyes. She didn't expect him to even say something like this.

"My King, what makes you think that?"

"The way he said your name when you stopped the fight, and the way he looked at you. I know that look." he smiled.

(Y/n) glanced to the side, her face twisting a little bit. It made the king perplexed. Did he say the wrong thing, he wondered.

"What's wrong?" 

"...He's more like a little brother to me." she said. "Being compared to a mother, it makes me feel old."

The king once again couldn't hold it back and burst out laughing. Even Miss Partridge chuckled, though it was mostly upon seeing her king's reaction. (Y/n) frowned, blushing, and decided to change the subject.

"As I heard, you're lacking in healing magic, my king. Can I then ask what kind of magic do you excel at?"

"It's...complicated."

"What do you mean? I'm sorry, I myself don't know much about the matter."

"It's alright, my Lady." Miss Partridge answered for him. "His Majesty the young king is a particular case. For he was born with an incredible amount of mana. Something most people have to work on daily for years."

"Really?!" she looked at him with big eyes.

"From what I've been told." he smiled.

"His Majesty is very modest." the sorceress commented before continuing. "And so, he received a different training. Whereas an average person would learn how to channel the mana within themselves and shape it into various spells, my king had to learn the opposite. How to control his magic, taming it in the form of spells. A much more difficult process actually."

"I see..." she slowly nodded. "I thought magic could only be conjured through spells. What does raw magic look like?"

There was a moment of silence.

"W-Well-"

"It's a messy thing." the king sighed, shaking his head. "A chaotic first decade I had in life." he spoke in a dramatic fashion to lightened the mood, the back of his hand on his forehead.

"It wasn't that bad I'd say." Miss Partridge smiled.

"I caused you a lot of trouble."

"Being your teacher was never a bother, my king, I assure you. In fact, I would be delighted to help you with your healing magic later on."

They smiled at each-other. He looked relieved by her words. Lady (Y/n) finished her tea, thinking that, if Miss Partridge was the king's teacher when he was a child, then these two must be very close as well. She thought it was very sweet.

"I believe I've taken enough of your time." she put her tea on a small table besides the sofa and stood up. "I must away now."

The king stood up as soon as she did, common courtesy. 

"I cannot thank you enough for what you've done for me tonight." she bowed to the two of them. "I'm in your debt."

"Lady (Y/n), there is no need to apologize." the king smiled. "What kind of king- what kind of person would see a young lady crying and simply look the other way?"

She was once again taken aback by his words.

"Would you?" he raised an eyebrow after receiving no answer.

"Only because I would be looking for help." she responded almost instantly.

"Of course." he nodded. "Would you like me to accompany you back to the ball?"

"Wh-?!" she stopped herself just in time, she was about to shout in shock.

Walking into a ballroom – walking into any room – accompanied by the King of Hearts? A small noble such as herself?! She couldn't believe he would suggest such a thing. She cleared her throat.

"Actually, my King, I believe I will return directly to my quarters." she said. "The past few hours have left me quite tired. And to be honest, I don't believe I could show my face in public again, not for tonight at least."

"Really?" he tilted his head. "Are you sure?"

"No worries. No one outside of my court, and yourself of course, will notice my absence." she waved a hand.

He didn't say anything. Or else he would’ve disagreed with her.

"Then, shall I escort you down the castle?"

"That is very kind of you my King, but I wouldn't want to trouble you any more that I already have." she curtsied. "I've held you from the party for too long, I apologize."

"I trust my people and believe they can do as excellent a job as I do." he said. "If anything, this has been a welcomed change of pace. So thank you, Lady (L/n)." he bowed his head.

She pursued her lips, flustered, not knowing what to do with herself.

"But," he exhaled. "you're right. People will start to wonder where I am if I don't get back soon. Rest assured that I shall keep what happened between us a secret."

"As will I." Miss Partridge nodded.

"Here."

He took out the blood stained gloves. (Y/n) let out a small ‘ah’ as she realized he’s kept them this whole time. Using his magic, he made them look as good as new before handing them back to her.

"Thank you so much, your Highness." she bowed as she took them back with both hands.

"A pleasure. Before we part, I must say:" his smile became softer, along with his voice. "I've had a lovely time."

(Y/n)'s heart skipped a beat.

"And I wish you a good night." he curtsied. "May you rest well."

She curtsied back. Miss Partridge insisted on being the one accompanying her. She accepted, feeling a bit nervous at first, but the two of them had a very pleasant talk. She learned her name was Poppy, and she got to learn how to make tea like her.

They passed by the ballroom, they could still hear music and chatter. (Y/n) wished her friends were okay.

When she got back to the Spades' quarters, she pressed her back on the door and let out a long heavy sigh, suddenly feeling exhausted. For a moment, she just stood there, her eyes closed. Then she went to her room. She planned on changing to something more comfortable then get to work for a bit before going to sleep, at least once everyone is back. She has received new information, and along with the events at the ball, she had to know how it could affect anything and, if it caused problems, she had to look for solutions.

She yawned. How she wanted to sleep.

"That wouldn't be fair." she told herself. "They're still working out there, then so will I."

She passed by an open door and stopped. She looked inside the room and saw Arnold, sleeping on his bed. He didn't change, it would seem he just let himself fall onto it.

"Oh no..." she whispered, feeling her heart tightening. "Arnold..."

Although her first thoughts were to theorize about how he left, how people saw him and how this could affect their plan. She quickly casted those thoughts aside. She stepped into the dark room, holding just a candle. She placed it on the bedside table and could see the young man's face. He was in a deep sleep. Although he looked like his dreams weren’t more pleasant than reality, his face twitching a bit.

“Can never catch a break…” she sighed.

Gently and carefully, she took his sword and jewelry away from him and set them aside. That way they won’t bother him. She noticed that he only had the scabbard, the sword itself was in the corner of the room. He probably threw it, which only made her sadder. She looked for a blanket and put it over him. Then mindlessly brushed some hair away from his face and ran a hand through his light hair. As she did, he looked calmer than before.

In this moment, all her sisterly/motherly feelings resurfaced. In this moment, he was just a tired boy, who she felt tremendous sympathy for. The two of them (mostly him) have only spoke about this with jokes and sarcasm, but sometimes she wished to tell him honestly what he meant to her, to open her heart to him. So that he knew it was okay to do the same. She felt like he needed it.

"Goodnight. May the burdens on your heart be lighter by the morning." she whispered before leaving, closing the door behind her.

She studied in her room, but ended up falling asleep at her desk.

Chapter Text

"Lady (Y/n)!" Lady Catherine shook her awake.

"Huh?!" she sat up, panicked, the blanket sliding off her shoulders and back. "What is it?!"

"I'm sorry, we wanted to let you rest, but you have to see this!"

Despite not being fully awake, she quickly followed her to the lounge area and gasped when she saw bouquets of flowers of every color on every surface of the room. There was a big pile of letters on the coffee table, being sorted out by Lady Gwendolyn while Arnold was drinking a cup of tea, sitting back on the couch opposite to her.

"Lady (Y/n)!" Gwendolyn stood up when she saw her. "How are you feeling?!"

"All good, thank you." she smiled, showing her healed hands. "What is all of this?"

"They're for you."

"Excuse me?" she blinked twice.

"All these flowers and..." she separated the two piles of letters she's made and gestured to the biggest one. "All these letters are addressed to you."

"...What?!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide open.

"Yes!" Catherine beamed. "Not one person wasn't talking about you after what you did at the ball last night."

"Your popularity skyrocketed overnight." Gwendolyn added.

The Lady was too stunned to speak, she covered her mouth with the tips of her fingers. She looked at Arnold, who avoiding looking at anyone. She could easily figure out at what cost her reputation improved. 

"Arnold, how-?"

"I gotta go." he mumbled as he stood up, grabbing the couple of letters that were addressed to him.

"Arnold."

He ignored her and left without another word. She felt a twist in her heart. This wasn't what she wanted. She cursed herself, her mind telling her that she should've came up with an alternative solution. Something that wouldn't have required anyone to get the short end of the stick. But she knew that, even if such a plan existed, she wouldn't have changed what she did. For she let her feelings take over her, and she would do it again if it was to stop this futile duel. Then should Arnold and the count be blamed for this? She didn't want to, she didn't want to blame anyone.

"Oh don't mind him." Catherine waved a hand. "He's been like this since this morning."

She sighed. There was no use thinking about it now. This was the present situation and she now had to work around it, along with working to put the young marquis in people's good graces.

"He left the ball early, didn't he?" 

"Why yes, a bit after you did actually." Catherine nodded. "We tried to cheer him up, but he lashed out at us too and left."

(Y/n) pursued her lips.

"But don't be too troubled. You know him, his ego is just hurt because he's not getting all this attention, he'll calm down eventually just like always."

"But this is of an entirely different level..." she whispered before asking. "Did you hear from the servants?"

"Yes!" she nodded with bigger eyes, like she's been waiting for this question. "Like I said, everyone talked about what you did- Positively, of course! About half of the people believe it was all just for show, that you weren't actually injured. But the other half was awestruck!"

"A nickname that often came up was Brave-Bloody-Bare-Hands." Gwendolyn added. "A mouthful, but they liked the rhyme."

(Y/n) frowned, her gaze wandering.

"You don't like it?" she tilted her head.

"That's not exactly the image I wanted people to have of me." she rubbed her face with a light groan. "I didn't want anyone to have an image of me! A simple noble Lady like me isn't supposed to be in the spotlight!" she groaned, letting herself sit back on the couch. "But I suppose I only have myself to blame."

"There is also a rumor..."

She looked at Catherine, who was now hesitating to speak.

"Please, you know what I think about rumors."

"I-I know, but we thought you should know about this one..." her and Gwendolyn exchanged a look.

"Is this about dark magic and witches?" she frowned.

"No- Well, there was some of that too. But it's not what we're talking about! Some have called you, and I quote, 'the real new Ruler of Spades'."

(Y/n)'s eyes widened. She stared at the two ladies with such intensity that they looked away.

"Those are just rumors- As a joke! They said it as a joke."

"Then I shall not bother myself to even acknowledge them." she sternly said with a huff.

The two ladies were worried. They knew that a rumor could easily grow into something bigger. 

"'The ruler'..." she shook her head. "If anyone is to replace our King, it would obviously be Arnold!"

"We know that's what you think." Gwendolyn glanced to the side.

"He's of the highest rank, and he's from a very prestigious family!"

"But his attitude..." Catherine slowly shook her head. "I know you have a point but, you must know that he is no king."

"Not yet!" she pointed. "He's young. With the right mentoring, and if he just focuses on what matters, I know it in my guts he will be a great king." her eyebrows furrowed. "He just... He just needs help."

There was a moment of silence. She sighed and began to gather her letters.

"Now, I have to read and reply to all of these."

Most of the letters were telling her that the sender wished her well, that they were very impacted by what she did. Although the way they addressed the incident ranged from one extreme to the other. Some talked about it like it was a vague, summarized story they saw in the papers, but they mostly read the title and looked at the picture of her grabbing the sword, for they were unable to recall anything she said, but they were still very impressed and deeply impacted. Others told her it was a 'wonderful soliloquy' and they wished her a good future in theater. Both of these instances bothered her.

Some called her a witch. She would put the letters aside as soon as she read that word. If it wasn't so risky, she would've thrown them away.

What really made her perplexed were the few love confessions, from people she hasn't even been introduced to. There were also a lot of invitations and although this would work with her plan to make connections, not only were there just too many of them (she wouldn't have any time for herself if she accepted them all), but, from the way those invitations were worded, she was invited with the goal to only provide more entertainment. 

We are certain that our afternoon will become much more exciting with the addition of you as a guest.

She frowned, feeling a twist in her stomach. She hoped that, if someone ever said that to her face, she'll be able to keep her composure. 

She noticed that there were no letters from the Kings or Queen. But it made sense. At the end of the day, she did cause a scene during an official event of the Shuffling. Although yes, she wasn't the one who started said scene, all the attention has turned to her in the end. Thinking about it this way, she felt embarrassed. She was okay with not receiving any word from them. After all, she spent most of the evening with the personal company of the King of Hearts, that was plenty enough for her...

Thinking about it again, she wondered if it was all a dream. Holding hands with a king, she never thought this would ever happen again. At her very first royal ball nonetheless! When he was healing her hands, she finally got a good look at him.

"He's pretty handsome..." she whispered.

Realizing what she just said, she shook her head and went back to reading her letters.

One of them surprised her. It was from the Duke of Hearts, Molly's father.

Last night, the people of the Shuffling have bore witness to a certain aspect of your character. An aspect that clashed with my perception of you. I would like to formally apologize over some tea.

She wasn't sure what to feel. She didn't know him well enough to know if he was being genuine or not. She made a note to take priority of his invitation over others.

Another letter was from Mr. Dear! She saved that one for last. Although the lettering was as elegant as ever, the wording itself was a bit more...personal. As she read, she could clearly hear his panicked voice in her head.

My Fair Lady (L/n)! I heard about what happened at the ball last night! I'm terribly sorry that I wasn't there! If I was, I would've knock some sense into the both of them boys! I plead for us to meet as soon as possible so that you could tell me all about it. For I have things to tell you about as well. But please make sure you're well rested before! I await news from you eagerly.

She laughed as she read. What a sweet man, she thought. And she was curious about what were those things he wanted to share with her. Has he talked to the King of Diamonds? She gasped at the thought with a smile on her face. When they parted ways yesterday, she actually wished he would relate to her what happened. So she was very happy. She also put his invitation as priority.

She replied to all of the other letters with the most proper, polite, and emotionless response she could come up with. She wrote the same message numerous times, declining a few confessions and a lot of invitations using as little negatives as possible. Checking her documents to strategically chose whose invitation she should accept, she ended up choosing a few, filling up her schedule. Sadly, Mr. Dear also said in his letter that he would be busy today. Which was a shame, (Y/n) didn't want her day to be all business. But she said she hoped they could meet the next day then.

First, she went to the Duke of Hearts. When she got to his quarters, he wasn't there to welcome her and so she had to wait. She was given tea and food but she hasn't touched anything of course, although the snacks did look appetizing. With a few maids standing in each corner of the room, she shifted awkwardly in her seat. She would always converse with her servants, so she felt bad not speaking to the maids. She believed that if she did, she would be judged for it. Finally, the Duke walked in.

"My Lord." she stood up and curtsied, a gesture he returned, to her surprise. "It's an honor to be invited." 

"Thank you for coming Lady (L/n). Please, have a seat." 

She sat down as he took a seat on the couch opposite to her. For a brief moment, she debated with herself if she should look him directly in the eyes or not. Thinking about last night, she decides to.

"As I said in my invitation, I would like to formally apologize for the hasty judgement I made." he bowed his head.

"You were only trying to protect your daughter, my Lord. I completely understand."

"I would like to hear what happened between you two from your lips, if you wouldn't mind."

"Of course."

She told him how she met Molly in more details, although she still didn't say anything about Clarabelle missing. In fact, she didn't even mention the darling duck. Just in case she was supposed to stay in her quarters.

"And did you find why she was upset?"

"Sadly no, but that wasn't my priority at the moment. I just wanted her to feel better."

"In order to do that, wouldn't it have been better to know the reasoning behind her feelings."

"I tried of course, but she wouldn't say. I didn't want to force it out of her."

"You and Mr. Dear, correct?"

She felt her heart drop, hoping her expression didn't change much. How did he find out about him? Molly must've sent a letter to him as well. It made her wonder if the Duke gave Mr. Dear the same treatment. Probably not...

"Ah, yes." she nodded. "He had found her a short time before I did."

"Did it ever occur to you that he was the one that made her upset?"

"I did actually." she smiled. "That was my first assumption on the matter. But then both him and the young Lady Molly assured me that wasn't the case."

The Duke hummed and took a sip of his tea. In this short moment of silence, she wondered how much he knew.

"My daughter told me about the two friends she's made two days ago." he said. "And she seemed very eager to see you again."

(Y/n) suppressed a smile.

"She doesn't have a lot of friends, and you can understand why I would rather she doesn't spend time with grown adults, unless of course they are people of great importance."

She simply nodded.

"Therefore, although I am glad we cleared up this misunderstanding, I must ask you to-"

Suddenly, a voice behind one of the doors cut him off, along with rapidly approaching footsteps.

"M-My Lady please, your father is having a meeting-" 

A door slammed open, making the two adults flinch and turn over to see the young Duchess of Hearts, she looked pissed. She saw Lady (Y/n) and her face lit up.

"Lady (L/n)!" she rushed towards her. "I knew it was you!"

"Mi-My Lady." she stood up and curtsied.

The child stopped in front of her upon hearing this.

"Miss Molly!" she pointed with a frown.

"Uh..." she glanced at her father before nodding. "As you wish, Miss Molly. It's an honor to see you again."

"Same!" she hugged her.

The lady couldn't help but chuckle, she patted her head.

"Molly." 

Her father's stern voice made her gasp. She stepped away and faced him, standing straight.

"I've told you many times to not interrupt me when I'm with guests."

"But...Lady (L/n) is my friend."

Said lady looked at her with big eyes.

"You do know of...her reputation, do you not?"

(Y/n) knew that he wasn't referring to her specifically, rather her kingdom.

"I know she's nice and fun to be around. Same with Mr. Dear." she looked down, nervously fiddling with her dress. "May I... May I spend time with them? Clarabelle likes them too!"

That surprised her father.

"You...You know about Clarabelle?" he asked, his voice smaller than before.

'Is he...flustered? He must really love her.'

"Yes. I do hope she is been doing well by the way." she turned towards Molly.

"She's doing great! And now she smells extra good thanks to you!"

"Oh but it was your idea, Miss Molly. I don't deserve your praises." 

"The idea was mine, but the execution, that was all you!" she pointed at her.

(Y/n) chuckled.

"Then I thank you very much."

"Ah! Do you wanna see her? We could go for a walk together!"

She had a feeling this was code for 'let's get her to secretly meet her swan lover', which only made the words she was about to say hurt more.

"Oh, I would be more than happy to, Miss Molly." she said with an apologetic look. "But I have plans for today, I won't have the time to play with you."

Molly looked sad for a moment, but she quickly recovered.

"That's okay." she said. "We have the whole Shuffling for that."

"We do, but I'm afraid the last word is your father's to give on the matter."

The two ladies looked at him. The Duke suddenly felt like an outsider to this conversation and he wondered how it happened. He cleared his throat.

"As long as I know where you are and with who. Then I shall allow it."

(Y/n) smiled and Molly's face lit up as she giggled.

"Thank you father! Thank you!" she jumped up and down.

"Molly. A true lady doesn't jump like that. You're not a kangaroo."

"Ah. Sorry..." she unwrinkled her dress and stood up straight.

"Thank you very much, my Lord." (Y/n) bowed. 

"Now Molly, please go back to your room."

"Okay father!"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Ah. Um, very well father." she curtsied.

He nodded, satisfied. He waited until she had left, then stood up, looking into (Y/n)'s eyes.

"I must speak bluntly now: if any harm comes to my daughter on your watch, there will be consequences."

"That goes without saying, my Lord." she smiled with a nod. "I was a daughter once too, I know of the power a protective father can hold."

(Y/n) has attended a few other gatherings, each of them were a bit harder to get through each time. As previously mentioned, she was invited with the not-so-hidden goal to provide more entertainment. And sadly enough, she didn't accept the most genuine invitation. She was hoping she could have a serious conversation with these people, but they weren't interested in that. 

For example, she attended a big gathering for tea time in the Western gardens, organized by a very influential duchess from the Tarok Kingdom, owner of several businesses. This was a perfect opportunity to talk about the prospect of doing business with the Kingdom of Diamonds via the Spades' grand port. Lady (Y/n) tried to subtly shift the conversation, but these people were more experienced than her when it came to the art of conversation, and they all silently agreed to never follow her on any topic. All they wanted from her was the story of what happened at the ball (even though most of them saw it all with their own eyes), or make jokes at her expanse and her homeland's.

"My my, Brave-Bloody-Bare-Hands really wants to talk business." the Duchess chuckled. "Come on now my dear, this is tea time. Let's just relax and have fun."

She became tense, having been put on the spot.

"Have you never been invented to tea time before?" she looked at her with concern, which (Y/n) believed was fake, since it made people laugh.

"N-Not by people of such high standing like you, my Lady."

"Awww! She's nervous!" she turned to the other people in the conversation.

"How sweet she is, the poor thing!"

"The lost look in her eyes is simply adorable!"

(Y/n) felt a twist in her stomach. She wanted to leave, punch her pillow and go back to bed. But she just smiled, and acted like she was in on the joke.

She did reach her limit when the royal jester from the court of Hearts came in "unannounced". Not only did he show up, but other entertainers too, such as acrobats, magicians and more.

"I am happy to inform the Duchess that her tea party has been selected, by me, for a surprise extra dose of fun!" he exclaimed.

"Oh! What a plaisant surprise!" the Duchess clapped.

But (Y/n) didn't believe this was a happy coincidence, with the glances that people were giving her, including the duchess. This must've been in reference to what happened at the banquet. After all, the duchess was one of the witnesses to her ridicule. Feeling a bumbling anger rising in her throat, (Y/n) excused herself and left. She found a bench, a bit secluded from the center of the party, and let herself fall back on it with a huff. Everyone could still see her, which otherwise wouldn't be a good look, but thankfully they were too distracted by the performers.

All according to Barnaby's plan. He's heard about this Lady of Spades from Wally, and upon talking about it, the two of them shared a suspicion that she had a bigger role within the High Council that she was leading on. So when the duchess secretly hired him to do one of his happenings, he decided to create an opportunity for them to talk alone by bringing more of his mates along. He was good at reading people, so he trusted that he could get to know the lady more, even with just a few words.

He approached her, her back was turned to him. As he walked closer, he could see the slight hunch of her back, her hands clenching, and the deep breaths she was taking. She was clearly angry, but was she trying to hide it, or to calm down quickly so she could go back to the party? These two possibilities would mean very different things about her character. He stopped beside the bench.

"Good day, milady." he tilted his hat.

(Y/n) flinched, successfully suppressing a squeal, and looked at the tall dog man.

"H-Hello."

"May I ask, why are you sitting all the way over there all by your lonesome? Don't you wanna join the party?"

"I'm just...a little tired." she smiled. "I've had a busy day so far."

"Mmh, what a shame." he sighed. "And here I thought I could enjoy the company of one of the best comedic partners I've ever had."

She pursued her lips, her eyes narrowed for a split second. He knew this callback would struck a cord, he wanted to see her genuine self. 

"I apologize, but I'm not really in the mood to be laughed at at the moment." she said with a stern voice before facing forward.

'There it is.' he thought.

Although he still found what happened at the banquet really funny, he felt bad for the ridicule she's gotten because of him. He wanted to tell her he was sorry, that he didn't mean to mock her. Rather that he found her obliviousness charming. But he knew words from a "jester" wouldn't mean much to her. Although with how she greeted him along with Wally, maybe he was wrong with that assumption.

"Laughed at?" he tilted his head. 

"Yes." she huffed. "I'm sure you're used to these sort of things – but even then, it's normal, you are a jester – But I certainly am not."

"I see, then I apologize for offending you." he bowed with a hand over his heart.

She looked at him, her eyebrows furrowed. She felt she's shown too much resentment to the poor man who was just doing his job.

"It's fine... I'm sure that, from an outside point of view, it could be viewed as funny." she looked down.

"Do you not like being the center of attention perhaps?"

"Not when it's to be the butt of the joke." 

"I understand. You want to be taken seriously as a Lady."

She swayed her head from side to side before scooting to the side, giving him some room to sit down.

"May I confide in you?"

Barnaby blinked twice, he didn't expect that.

"Of course." he took off his little hat and sat next to her. "I'm all ears." he fluttered his big blue ears.

The lady glanced around, making sure no one was looking or within hearing range, before leaning a bit closer.

"I actually don't mind not being taken seriously, I'm okay with that." she said. "What bothers me is that we are not being taken seriously. We are already in the middle of a grave situation, we made time to come here – our first public appearance in almost a year now – and all the people here can think of is make snarky remarks, provoking the young Marquis, use outdated stereotypes and giving out stupid nicknames!"

Barnaby leaned back as she became angrier with each word. It was then that (Y/n) realized that she's gotten ahead of herself. She cleared her throat and turned away from him.

"I'm sorry..."

"...Is it really such a bad thing?"

She looked back at him, he leaned back in his seat, facing forward with his arm resting on the back of the bench. His expression was more relaxed, more serious.

"If people don't take you seriously, that means they're underestimating you. Then you can catch them off guard. Let them think they're better, put them in a sense of security. Fly under their radar and they'll be flabbergasted when they see what you can really do."

She narrowed her eyes. Hearing no response, he glanced at her and chuckled when he saw the look on her face. 

"What? Did I grow cat ears without me knowing?"

"No... It's just... It sounds like you're speaking from experience."

He raised an eyebrow, his smile growing.

"Aaaah c'mon milady! Now you're taking me too seriously." he waved a hand. "I'm just the King's jester who's got a lot to say."

"The King's, huh..." 

She recalled how close the two of them seemed to be when she first saw them. With this subtle redirection of the flow of their conversation, Barnaby expected her to then ask about the King next. The standard 'what kind of person is he?', 'is he nice?', 'is he single and looking?'. But the Lady surprised him once again.

"What is your name? I'm sorry, I just realized I didn't know. And I didn't have the time to ask you."

"It's alright milady." he bowed his head with a hand on his chest. "The name's Barnaby. Stands for Barnabyestein."

"Really?" 

"Nah."

"Oh!"

The two of them laughed. He felt proud to have finally gotten a laugh out of her. 

"Well thank you Barnaby." she bowed her head. "You're very wise."

"Heh. Not really the term most people use to describe me."

"That might be because they're too busy laughing at your jokes, not taking you seriously."

They shared a knowing look and smiled. Barnaby has seen enough from her, and now he felt bad. He glanced back at the party.

"My Lady, I'll tell you a secret." he leaned a bit closer. "I was actually hired by the Duchess to come here. No doubt she did so in the hopes to recreate what happened between you and me at the banquet."

"I figured as such..." she glanced to the side, her eyebrows furrowed.

"It would seem they don't take either of us seriously." he smirked. "What do you say we catch them off guard?"

He saw a spark in her eyes, but she shook her head.

"I shouldn't. It would only reflect badly on the people of Spades."

"Oh but you won't have to do anything." he puffed up his chest. "You'll just have to follow my lead."

"...For the sake of curiosity, what is it that you're planning?"

He stood up and put his small hat back on with a huff. He then explained his plan to her. It made her gasp. It was simple, but oh so effective. She also noted that there really wasn't any need for her to even be aware of this plan, and yet he was letting her in on it. It made her heart warmer.

Only now was the Duchess beginning to wonder where 'these two' were . Luckily, they were coming back just as she started to look around.

"Well everyone, look who has secretly excused themselves from the party." she said, catching everyone's attention. "Were you rehearsing for a new comedy sketch perhaps?"

The guests laughed. (Y/n) forced out a giggle.

"Actually, I was sharing my newest song to Lady (L/n). And the conversation became more poetic when we began sharing our favorite poems."

"Oh my! You know poetry my dear?"

"Of course. I read a few in my free time." she nodded, ignoring the subtle insult that it was normal for a jester to know poems (which it was, jesters would sometimes write songs and poems) but not her.

"Well I'm glad you're finding time for yourself in the middle of your kingdom's crisis."

(Y/n) forced out another chuckle.

"Actually," Barnaby tapped his chin. "I am suddenly reminded of a few lines from the best poet in the world."

"Again?" (Y/n) asked. "Well do share! The ones you've told me were so beautiful!"

"The best poet in the world?" the Duchess' raised an eyebrow with interest.

"They must be, such a way with words they have. But he refuses to tell me who it is."

"Well, my Lady, where is the fun in that? And does it really matter? A poet should be remembered for their words, not their name."

"You speak truth, jester. And besides," the Duchess glanced at her. "if one is truly knowledgeable in the art of words, then they should be able to know who the artist is with only a few lines. Do share, jester, let's make it a fun little game."

"As you wish, my lady." he bowed then stood straight, clearing his throat.

My lover asks me: "what is the difference between me and the sky?" The difference, my love, is that when you laugh, I forget about the sky.

An 'aww' resonated throughout the audience, then people started debating who the author of the poem could be.

"Could this be a trick question?" (Y/n) asked. "Is it actually you who came up with such lovely words?"

Barnaby laughed.

"If it was, my Lady, then I wouldn't be a jester!"

"Well then I am at a loss." she sighed. "Who is this poet?"

The Duchess scoffed out a laugh.

"I'm surprised, my dear. Are your poetry books in the Spades Kingdom outdated perhaps?"

"Do you know who it is, milady?" Barnaby raised an eyebrow.

"I would prefer to hear everyone's guess before saying mine."

A few people suggested poets from across the land, but each time, Barnaby would shake his head. The Duchess laughed.

"Well milady, that leaves y-"

"Quickly jester, spare these poor souls and give them the answer." she waved a hand. "Lest they perish under more pressure."

"Oh please Duchess, tell us!" a few people pleaded. "If you really know!"

"Of course I know." she held up her chin.

"From just two sentences?" (Y/n)'s eyes widen. "That's incredible!"

"Indeed." Barnaby nodded. "What gave it away?"

"Isn't it obvious? The simplicity of the words, the eloquence of its wording, the way the syllables sound together."

"Oh wow Duchess!" the others guests praised. "Are you perhaps a poet yourself?"

'Are we hearing the same thing?' (Y/n) thought, sharing a glance with Barnaby. 'It must have something to do with the fact that everyone here is of a lower rank than her...'

"I do like to dabble in poetry in my spare time." she held up her chin.

"Well I thank the Duchess for her great insights." Barnaby bowed. "I'm sure my mother will be honored when she hears this."

Gasps, then a deafening silence. The guests all looked at the Duchess, who became as pale as a sheet. Lady (Y/n) however kept her eyes on the jester, for she knew she wouldn't have been able to control her laughter if she saw the look on that woman's face.

"Your mother?!" she acted surprised. "I thought you said..."

"Well yeah, my mother, to me, is the best poet there ever was." he beamed.

"Aww, that is adorable! Then does that mean mean that you've met his mother, Duchess?" she looked at her with an innocent look.

"Um..." she cleared her throat. "Well, she must've published her writing. That's where I know her from."

"She hasn't." Barnaby bluntly said.

It seemed that the Duchess was retaining a shout, based on the way she flexed her throat. But he acted oblivious, as he does.

"Well then." she said in a pitch higher and a speed faster than usual. "I... I must've misheard."

"Oh." (Y/n)'s eyebrows furrowed.

Barnaby burst out laughing and, as if he gave the cue as a jester, everyone joined, including (Y/n) though she tried not to laugh too hard. For she certainly would. The Duchess took out her fan and began to fan herself so she doesn't appear as red as she was turning right now. Sadly enough, because she was of the highest rank here, she quickly shut everyone up and moved on. Not much consequences will come from this, but she certainly won't forget it, and it was a nice change of pace for (Y/n). The tea party continued and the Duchess shared a few words with Barnaby when no one was watching.

"You snake." she harshly whispered. "You tricked me."

"I'm a dog, milady." he shrugged. "And a jester at that, I'm just doing my job."

"This was not your job."

"Oh? Did it involved the Lady of Spades? I pray you will tell me next time, that way I can just refuse your offer right away, and save us all such...awkward situation. That's the kinda thing miscommunication leads to." he nodded to himself.

She scoffed, her left eyelid twitching.

"When I'll tell your king of the humility I've suffered through because of you..." she smirked.

"Go ahead, see which one of us he'll believe." he smirked back.

She gave him a dark glare, but he knew she was unsettled.

"...They told me you weren't no ordinary jester."

"They were right. I'm particularly  hilarious."

Barnaby and Lady (Y/n) haven't talked much after that. Although, when it was time for him and his troup to leave, after he said goodbye to everyone he locked eyes with her and bowed a second time. She wasn’t sure how he felt about this whole situation, but she liked to believe it was a bonding experience that brought them a bit closer. After a few more gatherings, (Y/n) finally went back to the Spades quarters. She let herself fall back on the couch, rubbing her face and groaning.

"I feel like I've run lapses around the whole estate!" she whined.

"You were probably as busy as a king." Lady Catherine chuckled.

Like they were reading her mind, one of the servants served her a cup of coffee.

"Thank you." she exhaled as she sat up. "Okay. How was everyone's day?"

And thus began the Spades' daily debrief meeting. Each council member took a seat on the two couches. All except for Arnold, who stood in front of everyone.

"Before we start. I have something to say." he spoke first, tense, looking down. "This um... This morning I left in a rush, without even saying good morning. It wasn't...very polite. I shouldn't have done that."

(Y/n) noticed that he was quickly glancing at her as he spoke. It made her smile softly, her eyebrows furrowed.

"It's all right."

His shoulders relaxed upon hearing her words.

"How was your day today?"

"Uuurh! The worst!" he let himself fall back onto a chair. "I knew everyone would make fun of me so I ended up not going anywhere!"

"Huh?! How can you say that when Lady (Y/n) had to suffer through an entire day of-"

"It's okay Gwendolyn." said lady waved her hand up and down. "Good for him for having the privilege to simply not go to where he's invited. My calendar is...simply full, for the, next few days..." her voice trailed off, feeling tired again just thinking about it.

"So I spent the whole day with my uncle's friend," Arnold continued. "at least he didn't even say a word of it!"

"Oh, how kind of him! It's good that you get along."

"He's...fine." he glanced to the side.

"Well, me and Brahms were in a bit of a similar boat." Catherine said with a sigh. "All that everyone wanted to talk about was you, my Lady."

"Same for me." Gwendolyn nodded.

"Some even asked if you were a witch."

That made everyone frown, especially Arnold.

"Oh gosh." (Y/n) rubbed her temple. "Magic users can see that I'm not a witch! Right?"

"Right. And I'm not sensing an ounce of mana in you." Arnold nodded.

"Unless you're a very powerful witch." Gwendolyn pointed out.

"Please stop entertaining the idea that I am a witch!"

"You do live closest to the Dark Forest."

"Zip it." Arnold pressed.

"Just because I'm the closest doesn't mean I'm close by any mean. And even if I was, that doesn't mean anything. Now can we please drop it?"

"...Sorry." the lady looked down.

"Okay." she exhaled. "Let's keep going."

Each member of the council talked about their day in more detail. For once, (Y/n) had the most to say, but she was asking the most questions when it was other's turn. 

"Well. It would seem like the incident of the ball is the talk of the entire Shuffling." she concluded.

"For better and for worse..." Catherine sighed.

Arnold looked to the side, clenching his fists.

"Don't worry guys." (Y/n) smiled. "You're forgetting an important detail here..."

Everyone leaned a bit closer, including her.

"This happened under the watch of the King of Hearts, during an official event of the Shuffling no less."

"But no one is blaming him though..." Arnold frowned, one eyebrow raised.

"If he's a good host, he has to take some of the blame. He even apologized to me for letting this happen. I bet you he'll do everything he can to make sure everyone forgets about it at the next event!"

"Wait. He apologized to you?"

"Yes when I left the ballroom he went to me and apologized." she quickly clarified. "Anyway. See? It's fine, we just need to wait it out and-"

"The King of Hearts talked to you?!" they all exclaimed.

"In person?!" both Catherine and Gwendolyn suddenly got a lot closer to her, making her lean back with a 'woah!'. "Alone?!"

"Y-Yes?!" she exclaimed, feeling threatened.

"Oh my gosh. Tell us everything!" Catherine's eyes sparkled.

"He was a really nice polite and handsome man and that's it!"

"Handsome?!" her smile grew bigger and she squealed.

This was the reason why (Y/n) kept what happened with the king a secret. She knew this would happen. Gwendolyn loved drama and Catherine loved romance, combining their forces, they could easily squeeze answers out of her. Arnold stayed in his seat, frowning. He wasn't a fan of the subject matter.

"W-Well that kinda goes without saying!" (Y/n) exclaimed, her face getting redder by the minute. 

"You think he's handsome." Gwendolyn bluntly said.

"He's a king! He has to be charming! Look he just took me to a healer and he apologized and that was it! I swear!"

"Is that really it?" she raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't he absent from the ball for a loooong while?"

"He sure was!" Catherine nodded.

"Okay! The sorceress offered us both a cup of tea!"

"So you talked?" 

"Not that much." she looked away, her whole face now red.

"So it wasn't just the two of you?"

"Catherine, go kiss your future husband! You're in clear need of romance right now!"

The lady gasped and blushed. Arnold cackled loudly, slapping his knee.

Chapter Text

The next day, it was time for the next event of the Shuffling: the Hunt! The guests were lead to the edge of the forest within the estate. There were a lot of small tables scattered around the area, a few stands for drinks and food, and a huge one right in the middle. There was also a display of weapons, such as bows and crossbows, and other hunting gears. The King of Hearts stood in front of his guests and cleared his throat, getting everyone’s attention.

"Welcome everyone." he said in a clear, booming voice that everyone could hear. "Welcome to the Shuffling's Hunt."

The audience applauded.

"We all know the rules: catch whatever animal you want and bring them back here." he gestured to the large table, the to the others. "We've prepared a tea party for the ladies, but really, anyone who is willing can participate. As long as they're not too young." he winked at a group of children.

"Dammit!" one small boy kicked the ground, which made people laugh.

"You have a variety of hunting equipment at your disposal, and may only use these." the king continued. "The game starts at the sound of trumpet, and shall end before dinner time." he hummed, acting like he was thinking. "Am I forgetting something...? Oh yes!" he smiled. "For this particular game, I've decided to make it more...exciting."

There were intrigued whispered shared amongst the crowd. The king's smile grew a bit bigger.

"At this very moment, my men are releasing some additional trophies that are not native to the Kingdom of Hearts. Taken from my personal zoo. Animals and other creatures, from all over the world, now infesting this very forest." he gestured behind him. "Not to worry, they're still harmless."

Suddenly, a loud roar echoed throughout the area, making the crowd flinch, some even gasped.

"Well. Most of them." the king shrugged, his smile unchanged.

(Y/n) gulped and glanced at Arnold, worried. But he looked as excited as ever, with a big smile on his face. This only made her more nervous.

"Whoever gets the best catch is the winner, and shall receive a very special award. You can play by yourself, or join forces with others. Whatever your heart tells you." he clapped his hands together. "You are given an hour and a half to prepare. Those who want to participate, please queue up to receive your bell."

One of the rules was for hunters to wear something that made sound so that other hunters don't mistake them for animal. The small silver bell was attached to a ribbon that one could tie to their wrist, or wherever they chose. Some have pointed out that the bell would just alert the animals of their presence. But they were reassured with the fact that there bells have been enchanted for their sound to be heard only by other wearers.

After talking to Arnold about their strategy for the day, Lady (Y/n) went to look for Mr. Dear. She found him preparing himself for the hunt.

"Lady (L/n)!" he beamed when he saw her. "I hope the day finds you well."

"Thank you, Mr. Dear. Hello to you too." she nodded. "May I say, you have a certain...glow about you." she leaned back with a teasing smile. "Like you are in a really good mood."

"Oh I can't hide anythin' from you milady." he scratched the back of his neck with a bashful chuckle. "Yes I am indeed. The reason for which I wanted to share with you, as I told you in my letter."

"I remember, yes. Well then please, do tell. And spare the juicy details for after the hunt, to keep me on the edge of my seat."

They shared a laugh then moved to a different spot, to have a bit of privacy.

"So," he leaned a bit closer. "at the ball, the King of Diamonds came to me, said he had an important mission for me. He then asked me to fetch him this new butterfly he's been hearin' about- after the Shuffling of course."

"Of course." she nodded.

"And, and then he talked about this new specimen, describing it in precise detail so that I may easily identify it in the wild. And then the conversation changed to more insects he would also like."

"...Oh." she said, trying not to sound too disappointed. "So you just...talked about bugs?"

"Well, he did mostly. I dunno anything about that stuff." he waved a hand. "I don't even like insects all that much."

"Oh! Well then, that must've been a bore to you..."

"Oh not at all! I love listening to him talk- I mean!" he blushed, suddenly tense. "Wh-WHen someone rambles about their interest, they have a certain spark in their eyes! And it's just lovely to see!"

She chuckled. She noted that his southern accent would become heavier whenever he panicked.

"I understand now. It's good to know that you have a mission from a King waiting for you after the Shuffling."

He tilted his head, a bit perplexed.

"Most people would say it's a lotta pressure."

"Why? If anything, it's an honor. A mission given by the King personally nonetheless."

"...You're quite patriotic, huh Lady (L/n)?"

She chuckled, not sure how to respond to that.

"So you'll participate in the hunt I see."

"Yes. I want to catch a rabbit to give to my mama back home. She's always wanted to have one as a pet."

"Awww, how lovely!"

"Will you participate perhaps?"

"Oh I'm more of an observer when it comes to animals." she waved a hand. "Countess Gwendolyn didn't even join us, as a vegetarian she is strongly against hunting. The Marquis, Lord Arnold will participate however, along with Lady Catherine's fiancé."

"Ah, well, may the best man win. I hope I'll run into them during the event."

"Maybe you will." she smiled. "Oh, and I must tell you about what happened to me at the ball."

"Why yes! I almost forgot!" he suddenly leaned closer. "Spare no detail milady!"

She did. Every sentence of hers were punctuated by Mr. Dear's comments, his tone and expression changing almost every time, for this was a real rollercoaster of emotion to him.

Finally. The participants of the hunt gathered in front of the trees, standing in a line, geared up and read to go. The King of Hearts called upon his servants to bring him a giant hourglass. The sand was on the top half, yet wouldn't budge. 

"Now. May the Hunt begin! And may the best one win!" 

After saying this, someone played a loud melody on the trumpet and the king lightly hit the hourglass. As if he turned on the gravity within the glass case, the sand started to go down. Arnold was one of the firsts to run into the forest. Others – like Mr. Dear – calmly walked in. Surely, every contestant left, under the applause of the audience. Then the guests turned to their tea party. There were a variety of snacks and Barnaby and his mates provided entertainment. (Y/n) wanted to talk to him, but he was busy at the moment. The two of them did curtsied once they locked eyes. Walking around, looking at the different stands, she noticed that one of the guests was setting his own. And it was already the most popular one yet.

"Come on people of the Shuffling!" he exclaimed towards the passersby. "Which one will be the winner of the Hunt? How many will perish at the bite of one of those creatures? Anything could happen! Place your bets!"

"A betting stand...?" she mumbled, her eyebrows furrowed. "Not a fan."

Curious, she leaned to the side to see how many bets were placed. Her eyes widened. So many already... And the scenarios they came up with kept getting more and more outrageous. It made her more unsettled.

"Lady (Y/n)!"

She turned over to see the young Duchess Molly, rushing towards her.

"Miss Molly." she smiled and curtsied.

As if this gesture reminded her that that was what she was supposed to do. She abruptly stopped and curtsied back.

"I hope you've been doing well." (Y/n) said.

She could feel the looks people were giving them. Well, her mostly. She was talking to a Duchess from the court of Hearts after all... But she ignored them.

"Very well, thank you." she nodded. "I saw Mr. Dear went hunting."

"He sure did. We wish him good luck."

"We do, we do! Father went too. And I'm already bored, do you wanna play?"

(Y/n) took a look around, she spotted Lady Catherine. Without her dear fiancé, she was afraid she'd be all by herself, but she was chatting with other people. From what she heard, she's joined a group of spouse. She was glad.

"I would be more than happy to Miss Molly." she smiled.

The child's face lit up. She grabbed the woman's hand and pulled her with her.

"Come! Let's go get matching cupcakes!"

There was a stand where one could customize their cupcake, which would then be made right in front of them by a chef. (Y/n) gasped in delight at all the delicious possibilities in front of her. Sadly for her, she wasn't the one calling the shots around here.

"Make them look like lemons!"

"Very well, your Ladyship. What flavor-"

"Lemon!"

"Okay, but which part-"

"Lemon!"

"Oh dear..." (Y/n) whispered, braising herself for what's to come.

Once the pair had their snacks, Molly led them to a picnic area she's set – she had her maids to it and took all the credit – with a large cloth on the grass, a trail with a tea set and comfy cushions to sit on. Once they were settled, (Y/n) stared at her cupcake. Lemon flavored, with yellow lemon frosting, yellow lemon sprinkles, and on the top of it all, a small green biscuit, lime flavored. She glanced at the child in front of her and her face dropped when she saw young Miss Molly devouring it like a hungry animal. Not a flinch out of her, not a twist in the features of her face. That scared (Y/n) a bit.

"You're not eating?" Molly looked at her.

"I'm...not hungry just yet. I'm mostly thirsty actually." 

She took the tea pot, but Molly stopped her and had a maid to it for her instead.

"A true lady shouldn't have to do that kind of tedious stuff. That's what father says." she smiled with a huff.

"Ah, thank you."

'But I don't believe your father would include me in this...'

The two friends then engaged in some light-hearted small talk. (Y/n) spoke about the parties she attended the other day, and Molly complained about the other kids she was forced to spend time with during dinner. It would seem she had a hard time connecting with her peers.

"Kids my age are just the worst!" she huffed.

"My, that is a bold statement Miss Molly." she chuckled. 

"But it's true! All they want to talk about are horses and hair."

"While you want to talk about...?"

"Ducks and vegetables!"

"Right..." she nodded, suppressing another chuckle, she didn't want her to think she was being mocked.

"Did you know some ducks are used for pest control?! I read that in a book once then took Clarabelle to our vegetable patch. She's had a real feast!"

"I did know that, we also use runner ducks for our gardens."

Molly gasped loudly, her eyes sparkling.

"How many ducks do you have?!"

"Um... In my estate, six or seven."

"Can we arrange a play date between them and Clarabelle?! She doesn't have that many duck friends!"

She chuckled at the girl's enthusiasm, though she knew the Duke would never accept such a thing.

"You know what, let's put a pin on that, and we'll talk about this after the Shuffling. Okay?"

"Okay!" she nodded.

"So, have you tried sharing your knowledge with the other children?"

"They're too busy playing horses..." she mumbled, looking down.

"You should at least try. Maybe they'll take an interest in your passion if you just share it. I believe it's a great way to make friends."

The young girl looked at her for a moment.

"Would you like to hear more about ducks and vegetables?"

"Sure." she chuckled.

Miss Molly then proceeded to list her top ten favorite ducks. And went on a rant about how pumpkins were actually fruits, and so weren't her favourite vegetables.

As she took a few sips of her tea, Molly turned her attention to the band playing as background music. They didn't have any singer and she didn't like that. Not only that, but they stopped playing at some point to take a break.

"I wanna sing."

"Oh." (Y/n) blinked twice, surprised. "Alright then."

"Do you sing?"

"You want me to sing with you?"

"Yes. It sounds much better this way."

"Um...Over there?" she gestured towards the band.

"Nah."

"Okay." she exhaled, relieved.

"Do you know the song of the willow maiden?"

"I do, yes."

"Do you know the harmonies?" she asked more excitedly. "I love them! They're so pretty!"

"Alright, as long as you take the lead."

She nodded. The two of them set their tea aside and faced each-other. (Y/n) began to snap her fingers to create a rhythm and they started to sing. It would seem Molly's eccentricity made (Y/n) forget about all the eyes that were on her. For some, this was getting boring and so they turned away, but others kept watching, some of which were by the betting stand.

"Five gold pieces the Lady of Spades is using the young Duchess." one lady tossed some coins to the stand owner.

"Ooo! A most interesting development!" the man noted this bet in his journal.

"I raise that bet to ten gold pieces!" a man handed that exact amount of coins. "No way a Spades doesn't have such intentions when spending time someone of such status. She must be trying to crawl her way up."

"Up and out of the Dark Forest."

"Must be hard, the Dark Forest is pretty deep." another person said.

They laughed. More people joined in on it.

"Oh. What's this?"

Everyone became tense and looked over to see the King of Hearts, his jester by his side.

"Y-Your Highness!" they all bowed.

"Barnaby." he said, though his eyes were fixed on the stand owner. "I believe we've talked about the Baron's stand, didn't we?"

"You sure did, my king." he nodded.

"And what did we agree on again?" he tilted his head, pretending to think.

"That betting and such activities weren't fitting the spirit of the Shuffling."

"I remember, your Highness." the baron nodded, a few drops of sweat on his forehead. "But I can't help it, if this is what the people want."

Wally glanced over at the chest that has been filled up with money.

"I understand." he sighed. "Who am I to go against the will of the people? You may partake in your bets. Outside of official royal events." he looked into the man's eyes. "Am I clear?"

"As clear as cave water your Highness!" he quickly bowed.

"Now go one and give everyone their money back." he waved a hand. "And please," he smiled. "keep a watch on these gambling tendencies you have. What would your wife think?"

"She divorced him, my King." a woman said.

"Oh my. I'm sorry, I didn't know that." he lied, covering his mouth to hide a smile.

"It's alright..." the Baron looked down, his face paler, and began to take down his stand with a defeated look.

Satisfied, Wally walked away, with Barnaby not far behind.

"Have someone keep an eye on him, will you?" he quietly told him.

"Got'cha." Barnaby gave him a thumb up.

Now the two friends could finally resume their conversation. But then their attention was caught by Lady (L/n) and Duchess Molly. A young woman and a child, two friends, singing a song together. A song about a hunter who fell in love with a woman living on the branches of a willow tree, who confessed his love and proposed to her, but she rejected him, saying she simply couldn't leave her willow. The hunter then took an axe and took down her ancient tree. He then took her out of the forest and she collapsed, lifeless, turning into a beautiful flower after leaving the land of her birth.

Once thing Barnaby noticed was that, at some point during the song, the look in the Lady of Spades' eyes changed. She didn't look away, but her eyes grew distant, like she was lost in thoughts. He would see that look in Wally's eyes sometimes. He glanced at his best friend, who was still looking at the duo. Finally, the song ended.

"Wow, I love that song!" Molly clapped, along with her maids. "So pretty!"

"It does sound beautiful." (Y/n) nodded. "But, it does tell a tragic story."

"Really?" she tilted her head.

'Did she not hear the words she was singing?'

"The hunter wanted to marry the maiden so badly, he didn't listen to her. And in the end, she died."

Molly though about it for a moment.

"I thought she was cursed to stay in the tree. He just wanted to save her."

"Oh, that is an interesting interpretation." she nodded. "But she's the maiden of the willow, the willow is her home. Yet the hunter chopped it down, despite her cries. And besides, he could've still loved her, even if he couldn't take her home with him."

"Huh..." her eyes wandered. "I never thought about it that way. He must've really loved her a lot."

"He must've..."

Meanwhile, the two best friends faced each-other again. Barnaby told him of what he noticed. This, plus what happened at the tea party yesterday, made Wally all the more intrigued.

"Could the rumor be true...?" he wondered.

"She don't seem like the type to like rumors." he shook his head. "Pretty sure she'd disagree with it."

A moment passed. Wally's gaze turned to the Lady of Spades once again.

"Let's say she was the 'real new ruler of Spades'." Barnaby continued. "What then? Will you blow her cover, or play along?"

Wally didn't have an answer. Recalling their interactions during the night of the ball, she seemed like such a simple person. And she still seemed that way as he looked at her from afar. But that was it. It would seem she only looked that way from afar. The closer he looked, the more questions he had. It left him curious, but mostly wary. He still didn't know much about her. A small frown formed on his face as he began to make his way towards her.

"Wallyyyyy!"

Said man yelped when his other best friend Julie, the Queen of Clubs, suddenly wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind.

"Woah, what happened to your reflexes?" she smirked. "Are you getting sloppy?" she gasped. "Am I getting better than you?!"

"Hello again Julie." he opened his arms to make her let go of him. "Is there anything you need?" he faced her as he dusted off his shoulders.

"I'm boooored!" she whined. "Why can't we participate in the hunt again?"

"Well, you can. I can't however, since I'm the master of ceremony. Some would say it wouldn't be fair."

"But I don't wanna do it by myself! My sisters aren't participating and neither is Frank!"

"Believe me, I would if I could." he sighed. "And come one now Julie. You only have..." he leaned to the side to look at the giant hourglass. "Four hours to wait until the hunt is over."

The Queen of Clubs let out another whined. Wally was used to it.

"You can just leave if you want." he suggested, not in a mean way of course which she understood.

"Why, when there's all these cool animals in there?!" she pointed at the forest. "But you said we can't participate."

"As I said, you yourself can-"

"We can't!"

He chuckled.

"Since we can't, mmh..." she narrowed her eyes, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. "An excuse to go in the forest..." 

She thought long and hard about it, and Wally patiently waited. 

"Ah!"

"Ah."

"I know!" she huffed. "Why don't you help me with my magic?"

"Your magic? Julie, you are one of the most talented magic-users I know."

"Oh come oooon, please spar with me. Pretty please with a cherry on top?" she leaned closer to him, her hands joined together while giving him puppy dog eyes. "And also, with you being so busy the past months preparing the Shuffling, you haven't worked out at all!"

"You have a point there..." he thought for a moment before nodding with a smile. "Alright then. As long as we don't interfere with the hunt, I shall allow it."

Julie jumped up and down, her loud squeal catching the attention of the people nearby, including Lady (Y/n). She watched as the Queen of Clubs pushed the King of Hearts towards the forest.

"Come on! Let's go!" she rolled up her sleeves.

"Hold on, we have to get a bell first."

"Right! Let's hurry!"

The two of them rushed away. (Y/n) smiled. They seemed like good friends.

"You're still not hungry Lady (Y/n)?" she turned back to Molly. "You haven't touched your cupcake."

"Truthfully Miss Molly..." she picked it up. "I can't eat this."

"Why?" her eyebrows furrowed.

"It reminds me too much of Lady Clarabelle. I'd feel terrible if I were to eat it."

"Oh! I can see the resemblance." she giggled. "I can eat it for you if you want."

'Even after what I said?!'

"Be my guest."

She gave it to her and Molly ate it without bother. It made (Y/n) unsettled a little bit.

"That's right, you haven't brought her today, have you?"

"Mh-hmm." she shook her head before swallowing her bite. "I was too scared she'd be hurt by hunte-" she suddenly gasped, a horrified expression on her face.

"What's wrong Miss Molly?" (Y/n) asked, concerned.

"Her lover." she harshly whispered to her. "What if someone hunts him down?"

"But the river was all the way over there." she pointed to the direction opposite to the forest.

"But it goes through the forest too! Oh no, what do we do?!"

"If only we've realized this sooner." (Y/n) frowned. "We could've asked Mr. Dear to protect him. We can only wish he's had the same realization as us."

"Oh can't we just go ourselves?" she looked at her with a pleading look. "Go to the river, make sure he's not there, or protect him if need be?"

"Go in the forest?!" she harshly whispered. 

"Right, we can't ask anyone to escort us, or they'll know about Clarabelle's lover." her eyes grew tear. "What do we do? Her love's gonna die, and she'll be devastated."

(Y/n) thought hard and fast about this, her lips pursued. She took a quick look around before sighing.

"Okay. We'll go."

"Really?"

"Worry not Miss Molly. I know my way around wilderness, I've encountered my fair share of bears and creatures, I'll make sure that we avoid any danger."

Molly sniffed. After they made up an excuse to leave their picnic area, the two of them went to where contestants would take their bells. There were all inside a bag, and they were able to easily snatch one for each of them.

"Now, we just need to create a distraction so that we may leave, unnoticed..." 

(Y/n) looked around and spotted Lady Catherine.

'Can't believe I'm using it for this but...'

She waved to get her attention. Once they've locked eye contact, she began to make signs with both her hands. Lady Catherine's eyes widened in surprise, but then nodded with an expression of focus. She stood up then pretended to collapse, creating a panic.

"And they called me crazy for coming up with this code!" (Y/n) smirked. "Come on now, quickly."

She took the child's hand, and into the forest the went.

Eddie has been following that rabbit for a while now. Each time he would step closer, it would move away.

"Is this thing broken or what?" he looked at the bell around his wrist.

Finally, the rabbit was busy munching on some flower.

"Oh, this is it Eddie." he whispered to himself. "This is the perfect opportunity to strike."

Clenching the net he was holding, he took a deep breath.

"For mama!!!" he jumped out of the bush he was hiding behind and blindly threw the net.

The rabbit ran away, but the net did catch something, or someone. Eddie looked over to see-

"M-My King!" he panicked.

The King of Diamond was crouching on the ground, writing in his journal when he was caught. Now he was giving his captor a blank frown. Eddie quickly rushed over to set him free.

"I am so very terribly sorry I was so focused on that gosh darn bunny I didn't know you were there I-"

"It's fine, Mr. Dear."

He helped him stand up.

"What uh... Wh-What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was observing a beautiful specimen of tree lobster." he said as he dusted off his clothes. "But it flew away about ten seconds ago."

"I... I'm so sorry." he looked down.

Frank noticed the look of regret on his face.

"Ten seconds before you came out yelling." he said. "I was in the middle of being disappointed. And now you've surprised me so much that I have forgotten all about it."

Eddie face lit up a little bit in relief. Frank looked away with a huff.

"Hold on. It's dangerous to be here your Majesty!" he exclaimed. "What if you get attacked by creatures?"

Frank chuckled and gave him a smug look.

"Mr. Dear. I know how many animals have been released for this hunt, and I know how big this forest is. I've calculated the statistics, I know my chances and I am not worried."

"Now I may not know much about statistictises."

"Statistics."

"What I do know, is that there's dangerous animals in this forest, and you are in that exact forest." he stood straight with a fist on his heart. "Please, allow me to stay by your side to protect you until you're in a safe place."

"I appreciate it Mr. Dear, but aren't you also participating in the hunt? If you go back empty handed, you can't enter the forest again."

"In this moment, my King, you are my priority."

"Ah-" he pursued his lips with a deep frown.

There was a moment of silence. Eddie wasn't looking at the king, rather fixing the trees ahead, stuck in this pose like a soldier in attention. But if he did, he would've seen the king's blush.

"Very well." the king turned away. "But first, I want you to catch that rabbit. I lost my tree lobster and I refuse to return empty handed."

"Ah! Very well your Highness!" he picked up his net.

"Which way did it go?" he faced him.

There was a moment of silence, during which they just looked at each-other, as if frozen in place...

"S-Surely we'll find it- Or even another, better bunny!" Eddie exclaimed, his smile not leaving his face. "This way, my King, stay close!"

With big, almost rigid steps, Eddie walked to a random direction. While Frank calmly followed him, his journal still open and ready to take notes on anything he'd find interesting.

The odd pair walked around the forest for a good while, they've run into their fair share of forest animals, but nothing too dangerous, and nothing like what they've been looking for. Frank has asked why he was so focused on catching a rabbit and Eddie explained it was for his mother. Frank thought it was very sweet.

"Your stats were right, my King." Eddie said at some point. 

"Of course they were."

"Are you getting tired maybe? I know we've been walking for a while."

"Actually, yes. If we could just take a quick break." he sat on a rock. "I did not put on the right shoes for this. I didn't think I'd stay here this long."

"I-I'm sorry for taking so long!" Eddie bowed.

"It isn't your fault, Mr. Dear. This is the exact same route I would've taken to go back," he lied. "so it wouldn't have made much difference."

"I see." he exhaled, relieved.

While the King of Diamonds was cleaning his pretty boots, Eddie kept an eye out, staying aware of his surroundings. His gaze fell upon a small patch of flower and it gave him an idea.

"Oh! A solution just popped up in my noggin'!" he began to gather scraps of wood.

"What is it?"

"I'll set up a trap!"

Having gather enough material, Eddie crafted a trap in lightning speed, the kind of cage that closed once the animal went inside.

"Wow." Frank looked at the finished product. "And you did that under five minutes."

"I come from a long family of craftmen, my King." he nodded with a big smile.

"Well that is very impressive."

Eddie's heart skipped a beat for getting praises from his king. After placing the trap, with a bunch of flowers inside, the two men hid behind a tree.

"Now, we just have to wait. Once the bunny gets in and starts eating the flower, the trap will close on 'em and I'll feel a pull to this rope I'm holding!"

Frank nodded. The two of them stared at the trap, waiting for a bunny to come by. But nothing came, and for yet another long while, the two of them stared in silence. At some point, the king sat on the ground, his back resting on the tree trunk. Eddie couldn't help but believe he did so in disappointment. 

"I'm apologize if you're bored my King." he sat by his side. "I didn't want to tire you more than I already have with all this walking."

"What? I'm not bored at all." he shook his head. "Staying in this one spot, I can observe nature more closely."

"Really? Haven't you seen everything at some point if you never move?"

"Not at all, Mr. Dear." he waved a finger. "On the contrary, I can see any changes that happens from where I'm sitting."

"But what if nothing changes?"

"Nature is always changing. You just have to look closely."

"Wow! Do you see anything right now?"

The King then went on to ramble about the grass, the tree bark, the swarms of bugs flying by. Eddie listened to him intently, with a big smile on his face.

"You're very knowledgeable, my King." Eddie smiled. "More so than I am."

"Nonsense, Mr. Dear. You've travelled the whole world."

"And yet there are still a lot I don't know." he chuckled, his eyebrows furrowed. "You're twice the man than I am."

"Oh please." he rolled his eyes. "If anyone asked me to make a trap from scratch, I wouldn't know what to do. Yet here you've done it in record time. Everyone has something they're good at. Just because you're not good at the same things as others doesn't make you worse than them as a person."

Eddie smiled at him with furrowed eyebrows, his heart warmer.

"And you're very wise too." he said.

"And you still lack self-confidence it seems." he huffed, looking away. "We'll have to work on that."

Eddie bashfully chuckled, scratching the back of his neck.

"Say...How long are you willing to wait exactly?" Frank asked. "The hunt won't go on forever, you know."

"Well we still have..." he looked at his watch. "A couple of hours or so. Maybe when an hour passes by, if nothing shows up, we'll just move on and..."

His voice trailed off when he saw the look on the king's face, his eyes wide open. Eddie followed his gaze and saw that he had raised the hand that was holding the rope, and so, upon pulling it, it was revealed that it wasn't attached to anything. He's forgotten to attach it to his trap.

"Oh..." he gasped. "That means maybe it's been activated already!"

Quickly, the two men peeked out to see...

"There you go." Molly said as she opened the cage and shook it a bit for the bunny to escape. "Go on! Be captured by someone who deserves you!"

"I'm not against hunting. But abandoning an animal in a cage in the middle of nature is just cruel." (Y/n) shook her head.

Frank let out a whine.

"L-Lady (L/n)?!" Eddie rushed up to them. "Miss Molly?!"

"Oh! Mr. Dear," (Y/n) smiled at him. "you won't believe what we just found!"

"What in tarnation are you two doin' here?!"

"We're on a very special secret rescue mission!" Molly exclaimed.

"A mission?" Frank walked up to them with a raised eyebrow.

The two ladies gasped upon seeing him. One being a lot louder than the other.

"Y-Your Highness!" (Y/n) bowed while Molly waved at him.

"The young Duchess of Hearts and the Lady of Spades... I did caught wind of your odd pair. Well, odd trio really."

(Y/n) and Eddie bashfully chuckled.

"Nothing gets past you, my King."  the latter of which said.

"Now pray tell, what is this important mission?"

"Right, a mission so important that you've stepped into danger!" the two men faced the two ladies.

"W-well, you know, Miss Molly can be rather hyperbolic with her words!" (Y/n) waved a hand. "She simply wanted to go to the river to... Look at the swans." she looked into Eddie's eyes.

"The swans?" he frowned. "Why would she want that-" he stopped himself, his eyes wide open as he put the pieces together.

She made the tiniest nod to him. 

"Indeed," Frank looked at Molly. "are you that excited to look at swans that you can't wait a few hours?"

"Can you keep a secret Diamond King?"

He glanced at the other two adults.

"Should we discuss this somewhere more private?" he quietly asked her.

"Nah, they know about it."

To (Y/n) and Eddie's shock, the young girl then proceeded to explain everything that has happened between the three of them. How they met, how they found Clarabelle, and how they discovered her affair with that wild swan. To their surprise also, the King of Diamonds nodded along with the upmost serious of expression.

"I see. I understand now." he said when she was finished. "You're right, there is a risk that that swan could be targeted."

"Exactly!" she nodded.

"Mmh..." he thought for a moment before facing Eddie. "Mr. Dear, can your mother's future pet wait?"

"O-Of course my King!" he nodded. "I can just buy her one at a shelter somewhere!"

"Wonderful, then all four of us shall go to the river!" he raised a finger to the sky. "This rescue mission is now a protection mission!"

'All four of us he says!!!' (Y/n) pursued her lips, her heart beating fast.

If she had a silver coin for each time she found herself walking by the side of a king, she'd have two silver coins. Which, in the Spades' current economic state, would be very valuable for the common people!

"A-Alright!" she nodded, trying to not sound nervous. "Now, which way to the river?"

There was a moment of silence, during which they all just looked at each-other, as if frozen in place... The King frowned.

"Wasn't it where you were going?!"

"W-well I don't... I don't know this forest. We were just going forward." her eyes darted around, her face red. "I thought maybe you would have more experience. Since you've been here before..."

"As if I've been frolicking about in my free time!"

She looked down, feeling so stupid.

"Now now." Eddie went to stand between them. "His Majesty the King doesn't mean any harm by it, milady, please don't feel bad." he leaned closer to her to whisper. "He's just stern by nature."

It didn't really made her feel better. But she nodded.

"He's right, arguing won't get us anywhere." the king sighed. "There must be some indicators of nearby water somewhere... But what?" he thought, but seemed to be at an impasse.

"Ah! I think I know!" (Y/n) exclaimed. "First, let's all be quiet and listen closely. We may hear the sound of running water, even if it's far away."

The group stood motionless for a while, (Y/n) and Eddie even closed their eyes to listen better. There were some noise that could be what they were looking for, but the animal and occasional shouts from the other contestants made it impossible for them to identify where it was coming from.

"Okay." she exhaled, opening her eyes again. "That didn't work."

While humming in thoughts, she looked around. Finally, she let out an 'ah' and crunched down, patting the ground.

"Very dry. That's good." she stood back up. "That means that most animal tracks we'll spot would eventually lead to water. Or even swarms of insects I believe."

The king's eyes went big when he heard this.

"We did see a swarms of water nymphs going that way!" he pointed to a direction.

"We did?" Eddie tilted his head.

"Yes! Didn't you see them when I showed them to you?"

Truth be told, it wasn't th insects he was looking at.

"Oh! Well I shall take your word for it." he smiled.

"Ah-ha! Fantastic job my King!" (Y/n) went to that direction. "And remember, water runs downhill, so we must find our way to low grounds by following ditches, gullies and other sort of things like that."

The group followed her. She was determined to make up for her incompetence by using her expertise.

"You sure know your way around wilderness, Lady (L/n)." the King of Diamonds said.

"Thank you, your Highness." she bowed her head to him. "You are too kind."

"Being from the Spades Kingdom, have you perhaps tried venturing into the Dark Forest?"

(Y/n) burst out laughing. Which surprised everyone in her group.

"No one goes into the Dark Forest." she smiled. "Unless of course they have a death wish."

"Isn't the Dark Forest the whole Kingdom of Spades?" Molly tilted her head.

(Y/n) chuckled, though both her and Eddie knew this wasn't a thing one should say. She brushed it off as childish ignorance. However she would be less forgiving to the people who have told her that.

"No, not at all. You see Miss Molly," the two of them began walking side by side and Molly took her hand to hold. "magic can come from within a person, but it sometimes comes from nature as well, right? For example the Kingdom of Clubs have their underground caves full of magic crystals and rivers."

Molly nodded.

"Well, the Dark Forest is one of those places. Except it is much, much bigger, and denser in magic. So much so that we have yet to find a way to control its magic and utilise it for people's usage. If one was to wander through it, there is no telling what could happen to them. The trees are very tall and dense, so very little sunlight can go through. It is so dark in fact, that no one can see what's inside it past the first dozen meters."

"Some have theorized that the Dark Forest is the source of all magic." the king added.

"That's right, but no one knows if that's really true. A lot of people throughout history have tried to walk into it, some have come back within the first few minutes because they were too scared, a small percentage came back different – though they're suspected to be faking it – and most of them simply never came back."

"I-I don't think we should talk about this type of scary sort of stuff." Eddie said, his face pale and his voice trembling. "Especially to, to a young child such as Miss Molly."

"No, keep going!" said child tugged on the lady's hand. "What's in the Dark Forest!"

"No one knows." she shrugged. "Some say 'just a bunch of scary man-eating creatures', others say 'a portal to a world of fairies-"

"Fairies?!"

"And I say we shouldn't risk to try and find out for ourselves." she patted her head.

Molly sadly looked down.

"Some communities of the Spades Kingdom praise the Dark Forest, saying it's a whole sentient entity." Frank spoke, making (Y/n) look at him. "A lot of people agree that the Dark Forest is evil. Do you believe that to be true? What's your stand on the matter?"

She smiled.

"I believe that the Dark Forest is a part of nature, just like any thing, just like any one. I believe that whatever is in there, it is content with staying there and we should respect that."

Molly seemed to still be disappointed by the lack of fairies in that explanation. (Y/n) noticed the look on her face.

"You know," she looked back at her. "we have woods in my estate, I would go there almost ever day. And if you venture far enough, you could come across the Dark Forest, marked out by a line of white mushrooms unlike any you've ever seen, going as far as the eye can see."

This picked the girl's interest.

"Have you ever crossed the line?"

"Never. I knew better than to do that." she leaned a bit closer. "But one day, a few years ago, I tried something."

This picked the king's interest as well, although he didn't want to look too interested.

"I brought an apple with me, and I carefully placed it on the mushroom line. I heard noises and said that this was a gift from me, in case someone in there was hungry. Then I went to pick some berries for dinner. And when I came back to check..." she paused for dramatic effect. "The apple was on the other side of the line, with a piece of it missing, like something, or someone, took a bite of it. I looked into the forest, asking if anyone was there, and I heard those same noises from before."

Both Molly and the king gasped and they stopped.

"And when I came back the next day, it was gone."

"Lady (L/n)!" the King of Diamond was suddenly up in her face, making her flinch and lean back. "Is that true?! Did that really happen?!"

"Uh!" she glanced at Molly. "Y-Yes!

"Oh. My. Stars!" he beamed, intensely shaking his hands in excitement. "Do you realize the breakthrough this could be?!" he quickly took out his journal and opened it to another section. "Tell me everything! Spare no detail whatsoever! What did the bite mark look like? How big was it? Would you say its owner's teeth were sharp or flat?"

"H-How about we focus on finding the river first?" she said.

"We shall discuss this later!" he pointed at her before closing his journal.

Molly giggled, happy with the story she's been told, and skipped ahead as the group began walking again.

"Your Highness." (Y/n) whispered. "Your Highness?"

"Mmh?"

"It didn't... It didn't actually happen." she whispered into his ear. "I embellished the story for Miss Molly."

"Oh. I see..." he looked visibly disappointed.

"I'm sorry for getting your hopes up."

"So the apple was unchanged. Or did you not even bring one with you?"

"Well, no, I did bring an apple. I didn't hear any noise however and I didn't even say anything, I was too nervous." she shrugged. "And well... The apple was just gone when I first came back."

"So it was eaten?" he raised a side of his eyebrow.

"If we're being realistic here, it's most probably just a forest animal who ate it."

"Not the breakthrough I was hoping for... This is just another circumstantial anecdote."

(Y/n) looked down, feeling bad for disappointing him yet again. But then she watched as he took reopened his journal and took notes of it.

"I thought you said..."

"When we know nothing, any information is valuable, Lady (L/n)." he said. "If we get more account similar to yours, it could become a big deal."

"I didn't think you were interested in the Dark Forest."

"What do you take me for? The Dark Forest in a very intriguing mystery of nature."

"I-I just though, you know, since you have so many things to take care of in your kingdom..."

"Science and business are two very different things, Lady (L/n)." he raised an index. "And besides, one must learn to make time for their interests, lest they crumble under the pressure. Remember that, will you?"

She blinked twice.

'Was this...a piece of advice?'

She smiled.

"I will, your Highness." she nodded. "Thank you."

The new quartet walked for a while, sometimes hiding from a bear of a boar or even other contestants, but it was overall a nice stroll through the forest. As it turned out, Molly and Frank enjoyed sharing any fun facts they've learned, and everyone got to learn something. Though there were sometimes contradicting informations that lead to some silly argument about the different types of berries and what constituted a berry.

"A strawberry is not a berry! It's a multiple fruit which consists of many tiny individual fruits!"

"It's got berry in the name!" Molly's voice went a pitch higher.

Eddie didn't like all this yelling but (Y/n) assured him that they were just very passionate about the subject. At least she believed so.

"What about raspberries?" (Y/n) asked.

"Those aren't berries either. They grow from flowers."

"What?!" the two ladies exclaimed.

"At this point, my King, what is a berry?" Eddie asked.

"Bananas, pumpkins, avocados and cucumbers are."

"None of them have berry in the name!" Molly exclaimed. "This is why I prefer vegetables!"

"You're blowing our minds, your Majesty!" (Y/n) laughed.

After Frank gave a lesson on fruits that Molly wasn't a big fan of. The group kept marching on, this time it was Eddie's turn to talk about one of his many travels. At some point Lady (Y/n) spotted a leaf falling from a tree and instinctively caught it mid-fall.

"Thank you!"

"What's that?" Eddie looked at her.

"Oh! N-Nothing." she just realized what she said and became bashful.

"Did you just thank a tree?" Frank asked.

"Oh it's just a kids thing in the Spades Kingdom." she chuckled. "When a leaf falls despite it not being fall season, it's said in folklore that it's a gift from the tree. So you must say thank you, and then you go home and you put it in your leaf book."

"Leaf book?!" he exclaimed with big eyes.

"Oh yeah." Eddie nodded. "I see a lotta kids with those whenever I travel to the the Spades Kingdom. Even acquired one of my own."

"You have a leaf book?!" he looked at him. "And you didn't tell me?!"

"I-I'm sorry my King!"

"It's just something for children, your Highness." (Y/n) explaned, trying not to laugh. "A fun collection thing that everyone has."

"You mean to tell me that most children in the Spades Kingdom dabble in botany from a young age?!"

"Um, I suppose so? When you put it like that-"

"Do you have one?" both him and Molly asked.

The look of interest on both their faces made her laugh.

"Of course I do, but I haven't updated it in literal decades."

"Please have your people send it over so that I may take a look at it!" Frank pleaded, although he still had his signature frown on his face. "We – and by we I mean I – have been looking for ways to make the youth more interested in such subject. Yours too, Mr. Dear!" he pointed at the man. "With how much you've travelled, you must have a wide variety of leaves, and I must see them!"

"V-Very well my King!" he nodded.

"Can I make a vegetable book?" Molly asked.

"Oh that is a brilliant idea Molly!" Frank nodded. 

"I'm pretty sure you can make a book about anything." (Y/n) chuckled.

"Bug Book..." he mumbled to himself, looking at the cover of his journal, then nodded. "I like the sound of it."

"Lady (L/n)?"

"Yes Mr. Dear?"

"When filling up my leaf book, I would take the leaves myself... Is that rude?"

"A little bit, you're taking from the tree."

"Doesn't everybody take fruits from trees?"

"It's different though. Fruits are like baby teeth, once they're ripe, you can take them out no problem. Leaves are like... They're like hair. You wouldn't want someone to rip off your hair."

"I-I see..."

"By that logic," Frank said. "then the trees turn bald every year."

That mental image made both Molly and Eddie giggle.

"Okay. They're... Antlers, they're like antlers." (Y/n) shrugged.

"That's more like it. Please be careful to use the appropriate terms next time. Less kind people would call you silly otherwise."

"Thank you, your Majesty." she smiled, containing a chuckle.

"Well here we are." Frank placed his hands on his hips as the group stood by the river. "Thanks to the expertise of Lady (L/n)."

"Oh, I don't deserve your praises my King!" she bowed, her cheeks redder.

"No need to bow all the time. You're nobility too, aren't you?"

"Nothing like you, your Highness."

"Do you see swans anywhere?" Molly asked.

"I don't see any animal to be honest." Eddie looked around.

The young girl suggested going on his shoulders again. He agreed and picked her up.

"Can you see anything?" Frank asked.

"No..."

"That does beg the question..." (Y/n) said, looking at either side of the river. "The swan we're looking for has a pretty distinct black pattern on his plumage but... If we don't find him, how would we know if that means that he's safe or not?"

"We could only wish to not find him on the big table then." Frank said.

"M-My King!" Eddie exclaimed. "Please do not speak such sad things into existence!" 

He gestured up to Molly, who looked devastated at such a prospect, clenching a handful of Eddie's hair (it hurt, but he kept it in).

"Ah! I-I didn't mean it like that! That doesn't mean he'll be killed!" he waved his hands, shaking his head. "Maybe he was just caught, that would domesticate him and you can keep him as a pet with Clarabelle-"

The conversation was cut short by Lady (Y/n)'s gasp.

"Look!" she pointed. "There he is!"

The rest of the group quickly looked over to see a flock of swans running then flying away, all the while quacking loudly.

"They're flying to safety!" Molly beamed.

"They seemed to be in a real rush." Eddie said. "Maybe they spotted a hunter."

Both (Y/n) and Frank had a bad feeling about this. They couldn't help but think that there wasn't any other animal because they ran away too. They looked to the direction the swans were running away from. Frank gasped.

"Guys." (Y/n) said.

Eddie and Molly followed their gaze and he became paler. They couldn't tell what was in the water, but they could see a large dorsal fin peeking out of the water and rapidly swimming towards them. From its size, and the distance between them, the animal it belonged to must be massive.

"This is not native to this region." Frank said.

"We have to go." Eddie said. "Hang on tight Miss Molly!"

"What's that?" she asked, oblivious to the approaching danger.

As if the animal could hear her, it reached them and jumped out of the water. A giant creature that looked like the combination of a giant great white shark and a giant coconut crab. The group screamed and ran away right before the creature could crash onto them. It let out a piercing shriek before going after them. However, it only managed to take a few steps with its ten legs before a whole tree flew out of nowhere and knocked it across its face. The wood broke into pieces and the sound made the quartet stop and look back. They watched as the creature fell down, motionless, out cold. For a moment, they stood there in shocking disbelief.

"I think you hit something.

"Oh, did I?"

"Those voices..." Frank mumbled.

"Holy Molly Wally!" Julie rushed over to look at the giant crab shark. "If you'd thrown that tree a bit more to the left, you could've killed that poor thing!"

"Well, if you hadn't dodged it and took it like a warrior, none of it would've happened." Wally glanced to the side.

"What the heck man?!"

"King of Hearts! Queen of Clubs!"

The two of them looked over. Wally met the eyes of the Lady of Spades, who was rushing up to them along with a few others. He was surprised. What was she doing here?

"You two!" he was snapped out of his thoughts when he realized that one of these people was Frank. "This day just keeps getting better and better!" he shook his hand with a hand on his forehead, sighing.

Julie gasped in delight.

"Frankyyyyy!" she jumped to give him a hug. "All three of us, reunited at last!"

"Now's not the time for hugs Julie! Especially since we saw each-other like three hours ago!"

"But it's always so nice to see you!"

"Quite a ragtag group you have, dear friend." Wally smiled. "Mr. Dear." he nodded. "Miss Molly." he curtsied. "Lady (L/n)." he curtsied as well.

"M-My King!" she bowed while the other two curtsied. "You saved us! I can't thank you enough!"

"...Yes." he nodded. "You're very welcome." 

Julie sent him a knowing glance, but didn't say anything.

"What are you doing here? All four of you?" Julie asked after Frank pushed her off of him.

"An incredible series of circumstances." he sighed. "Although, as for the reason why we've grouped up, Molly should tell the story."

Said child cleared her throat and once again told the tale of Clarabelle and her lover. Wally laughed when she was done.

"You don't have to worry Molly." he said. "The arrows we provide for this hunt and specifically made to be non-lethal. Every blade is coated with an anesthetic, that way the animal is out cold and the hunter won't try to 'finish it off'."

This news made the quartet let out a sigh of relief.

"So in the end, we were worried for nothing." Frank said.

"Oh but we had fun, didn't we?" Molly smiled.

"I didn't say we didn't." he huffed.

That made (Y/n) smile.

"And the swan flew out of the forest." she said. "So now we can go back with our hearts at ease."

"Hurraaaay!" she lifted her hands.

They high-fived. She did the same with Eddie.

"Alright!" (Y/n) turned to Wally and Julie. "How do we get back, your Highnesses?"

There was a moment of silence, during which they all just looked at each-other, as if frozen in place...

Frank rubbed his face with a deep groan.

Chapter Text

"And the swan flew out of the forest." (Y/n) said. "So now we can go back with our hearts at ease!"

"Hurraaaay!" Molly lifted her hands.

They high-fived. She did the same with Eddie.

"Alright!" (Y/n) turned to Wally and Julie. "How do we get back, your Highnesses?"

There was a moment of silence, during which they all just looked at each-other, as if frozen in place...

Frank rubbed his face with a deep groan.

"M-My King...?" (Y/n)'s eyebrows furrowed.

Wally didn't respond, him and Julie glanced at each-other.

"You still don't know your own forest?!" Frank exclaimed.

"Wait. This isn't the first time this happened?"

"Ohohoho you have no idea!"

"I rarely venture in there. And it is very vast." Wally scratched his cheek with his index.

"Don't worry people!" Julie puffed up her chest. "We'll just have to retrace our steps!"

"You remember which route we took?" Wally asked. "We were both pretty absorbed in our sparing session."

"Of course I do! Onward!" she pointed to a direction and began walking.

"Wh-What about the...?" Eddie pointed to the unconscious giant crab shark. "Do we just...?"

"Not to worry Mr. Dear." Wally smiled. "Once the hunt is over, my people will pick up every creature we brought here and bring them back to the zoo. Since we've planted tracking spells on them."

"Okay..." he nodded before following the group.

Julie glanced at the famous merchant before moving to be closer to Frank

"Oh Fraaaanky." she whispered with a smirk.

"Don't."

"We can split up if you want. Us four, and you two."

"Stop it." he pressed.

"I do hope things between you two go well, Frank." Wally smiled. "Promise me we'll get invited to the wedding."

Frank groaned and picked up the pace. Julie giggled and Wall chuckled. Meanwhile, the other half of the group was wondering what they were talking about.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Wally asked at some point.

"Of course I do!" Julie said, leading the way and not looking back at them.

"Julie. We're going in circles." Frank said.

"No we're not!"

"I do believe we've passed by that tree already..." Eddie pointed.

"Well we've passed by a lot of trees, Mr. Dear." (Y/n) said, not wanting the Queen to be alone in this argument. "We are in a forest."

This made Wally and Molly chuckle.

"Yeah! She's right!" Julie nodded.

"Don't take her side!" Frank pointed at the lady. "You know it too!"

He stopped and so did the rest of the group.

"Guys. I'm going to say out loud what everyone is thinking."

Julie gasped loudly

"You're a telepath Frank?!"

"R-Really?!" Eddie exclaimed with big eyes, genuinely believing this. "That's amazing!"

"Our dear friend the King is so full of surprises." Wally smiled, slowly shaking his head.

"Stop messing around!" Frank shouted, his head spinning around like a globe.

It surprised (Y/n). She did hear that the King of Diamonds could do that whenever he was overwhelmed, but to see it with her own eyes... She couldn't help but feel bad – if she'd just remembered the way back, this wouldn't have happened – but, with his fellow King and Queen and Miss Molly laughing at his reaction, she supposed this was fine. 

Frank eventually calmed down, his head back in place, and cleared his throat. His cheeks dusted with pink, he was embarrassed to have lost his temper in front of...others.

"It begins with an L." he paused, looking at the group.

None of them seemed to pick up on where he was going with this.

"You know, the L word?"

"Lesbian?" "Love?" "Lice?" "L-Leprosy?!" Julie, (Y/n), Molly and Eddie said at the same time, some more confused or panicked than others.

But right after this, them and Wally burst out laughing. Except for Eddie, who was just embarrassed to have gotten it wrong.

"Lost guys!" Frank glared. "We're lost!"

But the group was still laughing.

"Love?" Wally looked at (Y/n).

"It's the first thing that came to my mind! Leprosy?!" she turned to Eddie.

"W-Well who knows?! It could happen!" he blushed.

They laughed some more, with (Y/n) hitting Eddie lightly on the arm, before collectively sighing at the same time.

"His HIghness is right however." (Y/n) said. "I don't recognize these parts at all."

"I apologize, Molly." Wally nodded to her. "I'm afraid we'll stay here for quite a while."

"I never wanna leave!"

Julie wheezed. Frank sighed.

"As soon as I saw these two, I knew this would happen." he huffed, a more determined expression on his face. "Luckily, I've come prepared this time!"

"Could this be related to this new thing you're wearing there?" Wally gestured to the belt his friend has been wearing this whole time, with many pouches attached to it. "Very dapper."

"What is it?" Molly asked.

"This, my friends, is my Belt of Many Things." he proudly presented it. "To help us survive in this wilderness for however-long we'll stay here."

"So what are all these for? What about that one?" Wally pointed at one of the pouches.

"Don't touch it." he quickly said before explaining. "That's a dental healthcare kit."

"Dental?" (Y/n)'s eyes widened.

"Do you have any idea how important taking care of your teeth is?" he frowned. "One bad teeth can be an open door for a lot of bacteria."

"Wow! You're prepared for anything, my King!" Eddie smiled, impressed.

"And what's this?" Julie reached for another pouch.

"Don't touch it!" he took a step back. "You can simply ask!" he huffed. "It's a shoe polishing kit."

"What?!" Julie, Wally and (Y/n) exclaimed in disbelief.

"I don't want my shoes to get dirty!"

"Well thank goodness!" Julie joined her hands together. "If we ever starve, we could eat Frank's wax polish."

This made Wally and (Y/n) laugh, while Frank glared at him. This was especially funny to Wally, since he knew she could be very much serious about doing such a thing.

"I don't wanna eat wax." Molly pouted.

"Your Highness, I apologize if I may be brutally honest but..." (Y/n)'s eyebrows furrowed. "These things will become the least of our problems if we can't find the basic necessities to live."

"Are you saying having decent footwear isn't important?" he frowned. "Would you rather walk around barefoot lady? Don't come crying to me when you get blisters!"

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean-"

"She is right, Frank." Wally said. "Please don't be too harsh on her. Let's all work together to find our way back."

"Yeah! Don't worry Franky!" Julie wrapped an arm around him. "We'll make sure to not eat your shoe kit!"

Frank groaned then looked at Eddie and (Y/n).

"Mr. Dear, Lady (Y/n), any suggestions?"

"Um..." the two of them looked at each-other.

They thought for a moment. Meanwhile, Wally and Julie were confused as to why (Y/n) was included in this question. Was she also an outdoors person, despite being a noble and a lady, they wondered.

"If we're talking food," she finally said. "I could spot some edible berries and flowers."

"Right!" Eddie nodded. "And if you have some floss in that dental kit, my King, I could use it for fishing!"

The rest of the group let out an impressed 'ooooh'. 

"Ah! But of course!" she suddenly exclaimed, startling everyone. "Silly me, how could I've forgotten?!" she lightly hit her own forehead before looking at Eddie. "The river!"

"What about it?"

"We could just follow the river!" she turned to Wally. "It crosses the entire estate, does it not?"

"Oh, that's right." Wally blinked twice before looking around. "However, we've come a long way now..."

"I wouldn't worry about that." Frank said. "Lady (L/n) was able to get us to the river with her knowledge."

"Y-Yes, that's right I did!" she nodded.

She then tried the same things she did the first time. Thankfully for them, they were in a relatively silent part of the forest, so once they've stopped and listened closely, they could hear the sound of running water in the distance. It sounded far away, but they could tell where it was coming from and so they followed it. As they walked, Julie and Molly were having a rather loud conversation, with the occasional comment from Frank and/or Eddie. Meanwhile, Lady (Y/n) was leading the group, and she felt on a mission!

'I have to make sure everyone comes back safely!' she told herself. 'I must focus and spot as much landmarks as possible!'

"Where's your ring?"

She almost gasped and looked at the King of Hearts, who was now walking beside her. How long has he been there? 

"E-Excuse me?"

"Your ring. I see you don't have it."

"Oh. Right..." she looked at her hand. "It's very fragile now. I don't want to risk breaking it."

He noticed a certain sadness in her eyes.

"It's alright though." she smiled at him. "I'll have someone repair it as soon as I get home."

She faced forward and picked up the pace a little bit. He stared at the back of her head.

"...Lady (L/n-"

Said lady suddenly gasped and stopped.

"Halt!"

He bumped into her, whoever was behind him bumped into him, so on and so forth. She looked back and saw the King's face close to hers. She blushed. and stepped away.

"I-I-I am so sorry!"

"What is it Lady (L/n)?" Eddie asked in a panic. "Some other scary creature?!"

"No but, definitely something unusual." she looked forward.

The group all looked over to see some a thick red line on the ground, with thin gold symbols on it.

"What is this?" Frank frowned.

(Y/n) carefully went up to it and crouched down to take a closer look. And Julie did the same, although less carefully. The two of them had a similar expression of focus on their face upon discovering something strange and new. (Y/n) patted the ground close to the line.

"It's like it's part of the earth itself. What is this?"

"It's gotta be some kind of magic circle, I recognize it." Julie nodded to herself.

"Circle...?" (Y/n) looked from side to side. "But it just goes on without an end in sight."

"Must be one big circle then!"

"Ah. I know what that is."

Everyone turned over to Wally.

"It's a barrier." he smiled. "To make sure the creatures don't get too far. It'll make it easier to catch them once the hunt is over."

"Couldn't you have said that sooner?" Frank sighed.

He just chuckled.

"We must be pretty far away from the premises then." Eddie said.

"Well, the water sounds to be on the other side." (Y/n) looked beyond the line before looking back at Wally. "Is it safe to cross it, my King?"

"I wouldn't try and do that if I were you."

"Why? What would happen if we do?" Molly tilted her head.

"I don't know, that's the thing."

(Y/n) quickly stood up and took a few steps back, tense. It made him chuckle.

"Then we could simply follow the line until we get to the river, then we follow the river." Frank suggested.

"Great idea, your Highness!" she smiled.

As they started walking along the line, Molly would often look at it and try to get closer. Each time she was a little too close, someone would gently move her away.

"Here." (Y/n) at some point held her hand, putting herself in between her and it.

Molly pouted with a huff. But when she looked back up, she noticed that (Y/n) also kept glancing at the line, with less interests and most unease.

"Are you scared?"

"Huh?!" she looked at her with big eyes, then at the rest of the group.

To her horror, she was now the center of attention.

"N-Not scared! I'm not scared!" she intensely shook her head. "It's just that I've never seen a magic circle before... The size of it, the amount of magic it must've taken to make it... You have to admit, it is intimidating."

The four nobles didn't seem that impressed by it.

"Oooor maybe it's just me- It's probably just me." she nodded, avoiding eye contact. "I know nothing of magic and such."

"Aren't you a witch?"

Everyone looked at Molly, then back at her. She pursued her lips and slowly inhaled, doing her best not to frown.

"I'm not a witch, no." she exhaled.

"Aren't all Spades people witches?"

"M-Miss Molly." Eddie interjected. "Calling anyone a witch is very rude."

"Why?"

"A witch is someone who uses some bad bad magic."

"Dark ancient magic, to be exact." Frank added.

"Isn't that what they use though?"

"Wha- Why makes you think that?" (Y/n) asked, containing her frustration.

"My dad said they do a bunch of scary stuff bach there."

'I bet he didn't even set foot on Spades grounds ever in his life!'

"Like how they kill birds and hang their skeletons on creepy arches."

"That...Is true." Eddie said. "I walked under one of these arches and people started yellin' at me. Got spooked out of my boots and ran away."

(Y/n) let out a scoff.

"Okay first of all, we don't kill the birds." she let go of Molly's hand to move her owns, as if to illustrate her words. "And also, traditions from all cultures can seem weird."

"Some more than other." Frank mumbled.

"So as you know, there are cultural and spiritual meanings behind these things. For example, the birds?" she gestured to Eddie. "Those are harpish ravens, they're native to the Spades Kingdom, and they're believed to be messengers between us and nature spirits. So when we see a dead one, we can't just leave it to rot on the ground. That is a... A blasphemousamount of disrespect!"

Frank and Julie glanced at each-other as they realized that they've made her go into a tantrum. They knew this kind of situation all too well, they've been the one talking many times. And so they've come to the same conclusion.

'She must be very passionate about this.'

"And so," she kept going. "we take it, give its meat to other animals – that way we give to nature and it continues the cycle of life – clean the skeleton and hang it on an arch. That way the spirits know that the place is friendly and that they're respected and welcomed. And by the way, arches are not for people, they're for spirits to pass through and give blessings during festivals and other celebrations!"

The group was listening intently. And she hasn't realized that they've stopped walking.

"But yeah." she huffed. "And when we see a new harpish raven, it's believed that the spirits have found a new messenger to replace the one that died, so when that happens we take the skeleton down."

"How do you know which one's new and which one's old though?" Eddie asked.

"We mark them of course. Take a bit of paint and put a dot on them."

"That's ornithology. Julie." Frank whispered to her with a sense of urgency. "They using ornithologist and botanist methods and they don't even realize it. I'm losing it Julie."

"Ssssh I wanna learn."

"Can I hang bird skeletons?" Molly asked, pointing at herself.

"Only harpish ravens, and do it somewhere where spirits can see it. And again, don't kill the birds."

Wally thought for a moment.

"So, that one time when someone from the Spades Kingdom left a dead harpish raven on my doorstep...?"

(Y/n) gasped, horrified.

"My King! You've been cursed!"

"Ah, so that's what that was." he chuckled and started walking again.

"Th-That is no laughing matter!" she followed him, along with the rest of the group. "That's terrible!"

"Worry not, it's been dealt with ages ago."

"I hope so! I very much hope so!"

"Lady (L/N)..." Eddie said, looking down. "I'm sorry for making assumptions. I didn't know."

"It's alright Mr. Dear." she patted his shoulder. "Just... Maybe ask why people are yelling at you next time, instead of running away." she chuckled.

He chuckled too, rubbing the back of his neck.

"And what do you do with the bones?" Julie asked.

"Oh that depends. Some grind them into powder to use on the fields to help the crops grow faster. They say it's the last of the bird's spiritual essence helping nature."

"That is- That's agriculture." Frank said between his teeth, shaking his fingers, but not wanting to be rude and brush off her beliefs.

She heard him and smiled, her eyebrows furrowed.

"I know." she nodded. "I know."

He sighed, relieved.

"Others toss the bones into the Dark Forest, since it's believed that that's where the bird truly originates from.

"Oh that's why!" Julie and Wally looked at each-other with big eyes.

"That's why there were all those bones!" Julie added.

"What are you- Have you been there?!" (Y/n)'s eyes widened.

"A long time ago." Wally nodded. "We were but children on vacation back then."

"I dared him to go past the mushroom line and bring one of those bird skulls back." Julie smirked. "He was such a scaredy cat!" she giggled.

"Well, what child wasn't?"

"I wasn't." "I'm not!" everyone and Molly said, the young child looking rather offended.

(Y/n) kept quiet, but the look on her face said the same thing as well. Wally cleared his throat and shall act like this moment didn't happen.

"I eventually gave in. I crossed the line, took two and a half steps, then my mother ran over and pulled me out by my collar." he looked at Julie with a smile. "And then she scolded us."

"I've never seen her this mad before." she smiled, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Well I'm glad she did. Brought you out of there I mean!" (Y/n) quickly clarified. "If anyone had seen you with that skull... I don't even want to imagine."

"Which actually brings me to the most important question!" Julie smiled at her. "Have you ever entered the Dark Forest?!"

"No one goes into the Dark Forest Julie." Frank rolled his eyes. "Unless you have little consideration for your well-being."

(Y/n) blinked twice. He used her words just then. She wasn't sure what that meant, but she smiled.

"Ow man!" Julie's shoulders dropped. "So you don't know what's in there?"

"Fairies!" Molly exclaimed.

"We don't know that for sure." (Y/n) shook her head.

"Tell them about the apple!" she tugged on her dress.

"The apple?" both Wally and Julie asked with a raised eyebrow.

She then told them about the story of her little experiment. Although this time, she didn't have the opportunity to discreetly give them the real version of events. So now Julie was excitedly squealing with Molly while Wally seemed simply speechless. (Y/n) looked over to Frank with furrowed eyebrows. He shook his head and shrugged.

Finally, our group has reached the river, and they've decided to take this opportunity to take a well-deserved break. Frank had an empty flask in his belt and used it to fill it up with water.

"But hold on." he raised a finger just as Molly reached to drink from it. "We must filter the water so as to not drink any nasty bacteria."

She groaned. Meanwhile, (Y/n) pressed her back on a tree trunk, enjoying the shade the tree was providing. She shook her feet one by one.

"If I've known I'd be here for a while, I would've wore my boots." she said to herself.

"You're an outdoors person, aren't you?"

She suppressed a yelp of surprise and turned to the King of Hearts. She would've never expected him to pay attention to her, considering the circumstances. And now that she was looking around, everyone was in the shade with her, expect for Frank and Molly who were by the river.

"Y-Yes. I think..." she nodded.

"You should do what I do." Julie joined the conversation. "Behold!"

She stood in front of the group and raised her dress just enough to show the boots she was wearing underneath. 

"Ooooh, very clever your Majesty!" Eddie smiled.

(Y/n) was shocked. This was some serious secret to give, wasn't it? If the rest of the nobility was to find this out...

'Why would she tell me that?'

"Okay guys." Frank returned. "Who's thirsty?"

"I'm fine." she shook her head. "You all can have it."

"Wrong answer! Staying hydrated is important, doesn't matter if you're thirsty or not!" he handed the flask to her, almost pushing it against her chest.

"A-Alright alright!" she quickly took it. "I'm sorry!"

Wally and Julie laughed. At her? That's what she thought.

The flask of water was passed by the group. Then, Julie spotted something.

"Hey guys." she looked at the group. "As someone who lives in caves, I'm a bit rusty when it comes to forest animals, so please jug my memory. What does a rabbit look like?"

They gave her a confused look before Frank gave a description.

"Well, they're small, have long ears. They're fluffy, and they have a nose in the shape of a triangle."

"Okay." she turned around and pointed. "So that's definitely a bear."

"A bear?!"

They followed her gaze. A bit father away was indeed a grizzly bear, drinking from the river. Sadly, Frank's shout caught its attention and it was now slowly walking towards them. Wally thought nothing of it and was prepared to take care of this. But just as he was about to take a step, Lady (L/n) walked passed him.

"Mr. Dear, please pick up Molly."

Said man had already gone to stand in front of the child, and didn't hesitate to pick her up.

"Now everyone," she stood in front of the group, between them and the bear. "stay calm, don't shout."

"Y-You've encountered bears before?" Frank sweated.

"Plenty." she faced it. "This one doesn't seem aggressive so far."

"So far? That is not comforting!" he whispered harshly.

"Hello." she slowly waved her arms. "We are not food- We have to make him understand." she quickly glanced back at them. "See? We're talking, we're wearing things, standing on two legs. Not food."

The bear stopped, but only to stand on his hind legs, then kept going. The group took a step back, all except Wally.

"Oh dear..." (Y/n) said.

"What is happening?" Frank asked in panic. "Is it gonna attack us?"

"No, but... That is a curious chap."

"Maybe he just wants a hug." Molly suggested.

"What now?" Eddie asked.

"We have to make ourselves as big as possible."

"Ooo! Fun!" Julie exclaimed.

"Without being loud, please."

"Yeah Julie shut up." Frank said, more panicked with each step the bear took.

"There's six of us, this should be easy-"

"I can handle this." Wally walked past her and towards the bear.

"M-my King! Be careful, please!" she harshly whispered.

He smiled at her before facing the animal. With his back turned to the group, they couldn't see the look on his face. He walked up to it and just stood there, his hands behind his back. Now that they were face to face, one could easily tell that the animal was twice the size of the King. Suddenly, the ground beneath him cracked and a gust of wind came out of nowhere, like it was coming from him. Any magic-user, like Julie, could sense the incredible amount of mana emanating from him, like an aura of raw power. His big red cape started to float, like opened wings. Startled, the bear fell back on his four legs and stepped back. It looked scared. A moment passed before it went away in a rush. (Y/n) exhaled, only now did she realize that she's been holding her breath.

"Wow…" she whispered.

Wally's cape floated down, going back to normal before he turned around with a smile.

"There." he walked back to the group.

He looked at (Y/n) and couldn't help but chuckle at her dumbfounded face. This snapped her out of her thoughts and she looked away, blushing from embarrassment.

"Th-That was incredible my King!" Eddie exclaimed, putting Molly down.

"So...No hugs?" the little girl looked down, disappointed.

"As much as it pains me to say this, Miss Molly," (Y/n) looked at her and shook her head. "bears are not for hugging."

This made Wally chuckle again.

"I bet you did your scaaaary face!" Julie told him while making a devious face.

"I have a scary face?" he pointed at himself.

"You do." Frank nodded. "That and a staring problem, we've told you this many times."

"Oh." he chuckled.

After this thrilling encounter, the group followed the river's current. There were a couple of more run-ins with other animals, some scarier than others, but it was dealt with safely every time. They even encountered a team of a couple of hunters. Which was unfortunate and our ragtag group would've rather keeping their situation a secret, but at this point, they were all too tired to try and hide. The only person who still looked dashingly perfect was the King of Hearts.

"Y-Your Highnesses!" the contestants bowed. "What are you...?" they looked at the other members of the group.

"Don't worry about us." Julie shook her head and waved her hand. "We're just leaving."

"Do carry on." Wally nodded. "And remember to have fun."

"O-Okay...?" they watched as the group walked away.

(Y/n) was trying to make herself as small as possible when it happened. When she glanced back and saw that they were still looking, she couldn't help but think that the addition of herself within this group was what made it so strange to people.

"Lady (L/n)?"

She looked over at Eddie.

"What are you doing, all the way back there all of a sudden?"

Once again, she was the center of attention.

"W-Well, I uh, it's just-"

She heard something. Something that made her expression fall. It was a bird song. Three notes.

"Lady (L/n)?"

She heard it again, she turned towards the direction it came from.

"What's wrong?" he asked again, him and everyone getting concerned.

"...Excuse me a moment." and with that, she ran away, back into the forest.

Eddie was the first one to go after her, calling out to her, and the others followed. Wally however was the first one who caught up to her, and even went ahead, understanding what she was after. But (Y/n) was solely focused on finding that bird. The King stopped by a tree.

"There."

She stopped by his side and followed his gaze. On a tree branch, singing the same pretty melody, was a small black and grey bird, with patches of yellow on its legs. Wally looked at (Y/n) and was surprised. It was like she was witnessing a miracle. In this moment, the rest of the group has caught up to them.

"The bird of my childhood." she said under her breath, her eyes glassy.

"Probably, they are native to the Spades Kingdom." Frank said, panting, using his handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his forehead. "But these birds have no special characteristics, besides the fact that they sing in duo."

(Y/n) shook her head, not looking away.

"Back home, they're extinct."

They all looked at her with big eyes.

"No one in the Spades Kingdom has heard this bird song in decades."

"They've been in my family's zoo for generations." Wally said.

"You have more than one?!" she looked at him.

He simply nodded. She looked back at the bird.

"It sounds pretty." Molly said.

"You should hear it in the early morning." she smiled faintly. "Its melody echoes throughout the fields like a beautiful ghost."

For a moment, the rest of the group just marveled at the animal and its song. What was just an ordinary bird only five minutes ago, now became much more important, much more meaningful. Suddenly, an arrow was launched and almost hit the bird right in the heart. (Y/n) let out a horrified gasp but was relieved to watch the bird fly away. Someone somewhere let out a 'dammit I missed', but the group's focus was on the animal.

"...I'm catching that bird." she ran after it.

"We're catching that bird!" Frank followed her. "It is now a protected species!"

One by one once again, the rest of the group joined, with Wally being the last this time. But once again, he was the first to catch up.

The young Marquis of Spades has successfully defeated many giant creatures, yet here he was, walking through the forest empty-handed. He hasn't stopped frowning since his last conversation with (Y/n), before the hunt started.

"We need you to catch something small, and inoffensive." she quietly told him. "Like a rabbit."

"So you want us to lose." he nodded, speaking in a dry tone. "Amazing. Can't wait."

"We don't need this win. Not for a hunt. Imagine the scary Spades people coming back with a giant creature under their arm, it would only give them more material to work with and we do not want that."

He huffed. As she expected, the idea alone hurt his pride.

"Just this once, let's lay low. The people will think you have a soft side if you make them think it was your plan, they'll like it."

"Nothing soft about me."

She sighed. 

"Now's not the time to be a tough guy, Arnold. Please."

He folded his arms.

"Fine."

"Thank you." she exhaled. "And we'll put in a good word for you while you're gone. See? Everyone's doing their part here." she smiled.

Thinking about it again, Arnold huffed.

"A rabbit... Where am I supposed to find a fuckin' rabbit?" he mumbled to himself while looking through some buches. "They're so stupid and small." he groaned, not finding anything, and kept walking. "At least I can kick as much creatures' ass as I want, makes me do some sport..."

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.

For a while now, he's been feeling watched. Although he didn't hear anything, no rustling, no footsteps, he had the strange feeling that he was being followed. Enough was enough for Arnold. He stood straight and looked around.

"You've been following me long enough for your intensions to be known as unfriendly. For if one was stalking another without meaning any harm, surely they would have announced their presence a long time ago. So?"

There was a moment of silence. Arnold's eyes kept looking around, trying to spot anything that would be out of the ordinary.

"Alright, the polite way didn't work. So let me put it this way. I don't like cowards!" he slowly stepped back. "So you either show your face or I'll hunt you instea-!"

He caught his foot on the root of a tree and almost fell. Almost. But that didn't stop him from feeling a burning feeling of embarrassment in his chest. He was ready to put that feeling outward in the form of rage when he heard something behind him. A chuckle. He turned around and saw someone in the distance. Well, he didn't see them, but he could see the vegetation move in their path. The person who chuckled must've been hiding behind it. Arnold didn't hesitate to go after them in a rush, his target moving faster than him. He heard another chuckle and was getting more and more frustrated by this person. And because of it, he didn't realize that that chuckle sounded exactly the same as the first one he heard.

Finally, he saw them, and he stopped. Far away, he could make out a tall silhouette. Maybe they were far away, maybe it was because they were in a darker part of the forest, maybe his vision wasn't the best. Whatever it was, that person looked blurry. And he couldn't tell if they were facing him or not. He frowned, he wanted to go up to them and ask them what the hell their problem was.

But for some reason, that person was making his stomach twist.

He approached, with slow steps, not leaving them out of his sight. None of them said anything. Arnold was looking for eyes to look at. And as he came closer, he started to make out two red dots.

There was a rustling, rapidly coming closer.

"There it is!"

Suddenly, like a fast carriage on the road, Arnold watched as (Y/n) passed by him in a sprint. And she wasn't alone, with her was the King of Diamonds, The Queen of Clubs, the King of Hearts, a small red-haired child and some guy. They were too focused on whatever they were chasing to even see him. Arnold only had the time to take a step back before the group was already gone.

"Don't let it get away!"

Arnold watched them leave with a dumbfounded look on his face, completely confused. Was that really (Y/n)?!

'What the hell is she doing here with-?!'

He suddenly remembered what he was doing and looked forward again. There was no one, not even a shadow, not even a movement. And now that he looked around, the forest wasn't that dark. Not anymore at least...

For whatever reason, this left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Finally, the bird landed on the high branch of a tree. The group stopped, everyone was out of breath, some more than others, with Frank leaning on Julie's shoulder.

"Okay..." (Y/n) nodded then looked at Eddie. "Mr. Dear, may we use your net?"

"Of... Of course." he nodded and prepared it. "Gosh I haven't ran this much since the family reunion's yearly potato sack race." 

"...I'm too tired to ask."

"I have an idea." Julie said. "I'll use my magic to lure it towards us, then you catch it with the net."

"That's a great idea your Highness."

She concentrated, narrowing her eyes – one more than the other – and sticking out her tongue. Slowly, a vine grew out of the ground and creeped up the tree without the bird noticing. Once it could reach it, it pushed it off the branch and it let out a loud startled noise.

"Julie!" Frank and (Y/n) exclaimed. 

"What?" she shrugged.

"To lure something does not mean to shove it around!" Frank glared.

"Well it worked didn't it? Look, it's coming right for us."

The two of them turned around and let out cries of surprise and panic when the bird flew towards them. Prepared, Eddie threw the net right on it, but he couldn't catch it again, so now the bird was flying around with a net on itself. It bothered it greatly and in its panic, it would bump into trees and rocks. The group did their best to catch it but to no avail. Meanwhile, Molly started laughing at the chaos before her.

"How can such a tiny bird be so fast?!" Julie exclaimed, getting frustrated.

"I believe that is pretty self explanatory." Wally smiled.

"We have to catch it before it hurts itself!" (Y/n) said.

"Ah! I know!" Eddie said, catching everyone's attention while he looked at Frank. "It sings in duo, right? Maybe if we sing its call..."

"Oh that is a great plan Mr. Dear!" he nodded.

"Lady (L/n), go on!"

"That is a good idea, Mr. Dear." she said as her, Julie and Wally kept going after it. "One problem however," she looked at him with furrowed eyebrow. "I don't know it!"

"What do you mean you don't know it?!" 

"I've only ever heard the first part in my entire life!" she gestured towards the bird.

Frank suddenly stood to his full height, which took Eddie by surprise. He cleared his throat, did some quick vocal warm-ups, took a few deep breaths then put his hands to his mouth in order to mimic the bird's voice. He then sang a melody, longer than the first one but which would pair together perfectly. The bird once again bumped into a tree trunk and finally fell on the ground, exhausted but not less frightened, they could see it shaking. Trusting Eddie and Frank's plan, the others didn't try to catch it right away and decided to wait a moment. Frank kept going, leaving long pauses to give the animal a chance to respond, especially since the bird was supposed to start first. This went on for a couple of times. When the bird finally started to sing with him, the group watched in awe as Frank carefully approached it, still singing.

"There there." he quietly told it as he removed the net.

The small animal looked more relaxed at this point. They sang one last time as Frank gently picked it up and caressed its back.

"Wow..." Eddie let out in a whisper with a smile.

Frank went up to (Y/n) and gestured that she could take it. She pursued her lips and shook her head.

"This is still a hunting game, your Highness. You've caught it fair and square. Congratulations." she nodded. "I'm sure that, in your care, it shall stay healthy and live a long serene life."

He frowned, just as he was to say something, they heard the sound of trumpets.

"Ah." Wally said. "The game is over."

"And we caught it just in time!" Eddie beamed.

"Hurraaaay!" Julie and Molly cheered, their hands in the air as they jumped around.

"We just have to follow the trumpet now." (Y/n) began to walk away before Frank could say anything.

But on the way back, he exchanged a few words with Wally without anyone knowing.

Saying that the rabbit Arnold caught was his new pet wasn't a part of (Y/n)'s plan. He just said it without thinking when he came back and people kept asking what he'll do with it. He did indeed receive many compliments regarding his "new pet". He hated to say those words, and the fact that he now had to commit to this – at least until the end of the Shuffling – only bothered him more. He looked around, it was only him and Lady Catherine so far.

"Where is she?" he asked between his teeth.

"I told you, I don't know." she rolled her eyes. "But wherever she went, and for whatever reason, it must've been very important."

"What makes you say that?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Last time I saw her, she was using her secret emergency code to ask me to create a distraction."

"She actually got to use that?!" he sighed, being the one who had called her insane for coming up with it. "She'll definitely rub it in my face later."

Catherine chuckled, but as Arnold's gaze wandered, he frowned.

'She asks for a distraction, next thing we know she's running around with the two kings and queen.' he thought. 'Just what is she planning?'

The part that most upset him however was the fact that she didn't tell them about it. She'd always tell them about her plans.

"Anyway! What name will you give it Arnold?" she asked as she patted the rabbit's head.

"I don't care."

"Well you must name it if it's going to be your darling lil pet." she gave him a teasing smile.

He clicked his tongue and looked at the pale pink, almost white rabbit. Its all black eyes looked up at him, its cute triangle nose slightly going up and down which each breath.

"Blizzard."

"That's not a name."

"That's his name."

"You don't even know if it's a boy or a girl."

"Well good thing Blizzard's a gender-neutral name then!" he glared at her.

"Okay okay, geez." she raised her hands then sighed.

She looked over to the side and gasped in delight.

"Brahms my love!" she waved and rushed over to her fiancé, who just came back with the team he's formed during the game.

"Catherine!" Arnold called out.

Great. Now he was alone. He hated that. He looked around, people were coming back left and right, reuniting with their group and putting their captured prises on the big table. It would seem that no one has managed to catch a creature.

'I could've done it!' he couldn't help but think, unknowingly clenching the rabbit in his arms. 'Look at them fawning over a bear when I could've brought a dragon and five other like it with me! They would've known what I'm truly capable of! I would've destroyed the competition if it wasn't for this stupid-!'

He shook his head. He refused to think of her like this.

"Where are you...?" he whispered to himself as he looked around again.

He heard gasps and followed everyone's gaze. Stepping out of the forest were none others than the three Kings and Queen – with the King of Diamonds holding some average bird – accompanied by the famous Dear Merchant, the young Duchess of Hearts Molly, and some noblewoman from the Kingdom of Spades, known mostly as Brave-Bloody-Bare-Hands, who curtsied to them, saying goodbye before rushing away. She quickly spotted Arnold and joined him.

"Awww hello you." she said in a high pitched, sweeter tone when she saw the rabbit, and caressed its head. "Great job Arnold."

"Where were you?" 

"What's its name?"

"Blizzard. Answer me!"

"I will, I will." she rubbed her forehead. "Just not right now, I'm...really tired."

'In all sense of the word.' she thought.

He huffed. He shall let it go for now. He noticed a lot of eyes on them and he couldn't tell which one of them people were fixing their cold judging gaze on. (Y/n) ignored them however. The two of them didn't talk much while waiting for everyone to come back. But Arnold found comfort in the fact that him and (Y/n) were the victims of glances, snickers and even secret bets. At least, he wasn't alone. At least, they would have this to share in commun. It brought him hope.

Finally, the King of Hearts stood by the big table as everyone gathered in front of it. He faced the crowd.

"First and foremost, congratulations to every one who participated in today's game." he clapped, along with everyone. "I do hope everyone enjoyed themselves, despite the challenges you may have faced." he waited for the cheers to die down before continuing. "After carefully inspecting each animal you've caught, I have made a decision. But before I announce our lucky winner... There is something I must address."

Just then, something about him changed. Despite him still smiling, he looked less bright.

"One of the, few rules we gave you before the game was to only use the weapons provided to you." he took out something from his pocket, an arrow fit for a crossbow that looked nothing like the ones that were given out. "And yet, when I ventured into the forest, I found this. It nearly killed a bird."

(Y/n)'s eyes widened, she was so focused on the bird that she didn't pay attention to it. 

"Now, I shall give its owner a chance to give themselves up before I find out for myself." 

He glanced around. There was a long moment of silence, long enough to make anyone uncomfortable. A lot of people looked at Arnold and (Y/n).

"Come on!" the young marquis exclaimed. "Don't be a coward in addition to be a cheater!"

This made some people laugh. After another while, the King smiled.

"To be completely honest, I already know who this belongs to. Forgive me for taking much of your time, I simply wanted to be fair." he turned his head to look at a specific someone in the crowd. "I recognized your voice, Duke Lawrence of the Mao Provinces."

A man in his sixties gasped as everyone suddenly looked at him.

"Do you have anything to say?" Wally tilted his head. "Before I disqualify you."

"I-I didn't..." the man looked around in a panic.

Seeing that no support will be provided for him by his peers, he sighed and frowned.

"While I was in there your Highness, I've realized something. You've altered these weapons to make sure we wouldn't kill these animals!" he pointed at him. "And as a hunter at heart, I find this insulting to the highest degree! I knew something was fishy when you said we could catch them and do whatever we want with them! In my days, we'd simply kill and eat our trophies, or hang them on our walls, simple as that! You're telling me we can keep any wild thing as pets? That's just ridiculous!"

"Any animal can become a pet, with the right amount of love and care." the Duke of Hearts sternly said, giving him a piercing stare.

"You are a fool then. A wild animal is a wild animal and nothing can change its very natur-!"

"That is enough Duke." Wally's words quickly shut him up. "I'm sorry to hear that your views of things haven't quite caught up with the present days just yet." he gave him an apologetic look. "However, I would advise you to blame your poor aim instead of me."

People laughed. This humiliation was a clear sign of defeat for the Duke, who groaned and left, pushing away the people standing in his way. The animal he caught was then taken back to the forest. (Y/n) was shocked.

'Alternating the weapons was a secret? And yet he told us...? Well, he mostly told Molly but...' the thought that she now shared another secret with him made her heart skip a beat.

"What's wrong?" Arnold quietly asked, seeing the look on her face.

"...Nothing." she lightly shook her head.

He frowned, but didn't push it.

"Now that this is out of the way," Wally faced the crowd again. "I shall announce the winner."

He made a pause, for dramatic effect. A couple of his servants played the drums, for enhanced dramatic effect.

"The winner of the hunt is..." he raised a hand towards the winner. "Frank Frankly, King of Diamonds."

"Huh?!" (Y/n) let out.

Despite what she knew, she surely didn't expect that. Under the applause of everyone, Frank walked up to Wally. When people saw the animal he was holding, they became confused, asking each-other if that was really all that he caught. 

"I know, it is no crab shark." Wally nodded. "However, I've always valued quality over quantity. New information have taught me that this species of bird is almost extinct. And was even completely gone from its native land."

Gasps echoed throughout the audience. The bird chirped, its song made (Y/n)'s fellow people of Spades gasp once again, overcome with emotion.

"With that in mind, this otherwise simple animal has become the most valuable being in this entire forest. Perhaps even this entire Kingdom." he chuckled. "And his Majesty has caught it using only his almost endless knowledge. Congratulations, dear friend." he clapped, along with everyone.

"Thank you. Thank you." Frank cleared his throat. "As the new owner of this beautiful specimen, my first decision as to what to do with it – I shall announce it here and now – is to give it away."

Gasps again, a lot louder this time, followed by intrigued mutters.

"As an endangered species, it would be only right to return it to its native land." 

'No way this is happening.' (Y/n) thought.

"Lady (L/n)?" he faced her.

With all eyes now on her, she stepped over to be in front of him.

"If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have known of the treasure that was right under our nose for decades. May these birds thrive and live a safe and healthy life under your Kingdom's care." he bowed his head.

"And, I shall announce this as well." Wally said. "My zoo owns ten more of these birds. I shall send them to the castle of Spades as soon as the Shuffling comes to an end." he smiled. "To make sure such a beautiful animal does not disappear from the face of this earth. We leave them in your care." he bowed his head.

Frank handed it to her, but (Y/n) was busy trying not to cry. As everyone applauded, she put both her hands on her chest, where her heart would be, and deeply bowed, bending her entire upper body. It was a gestured that only Arnold, Catherine and her fiancé recognized. In the Spades Kingdom, this gesture signified the deepest thanks one could give. It showed that they were thanking someone with their whole heart.

"Thank you." she said with a quivering voice before standing back up and smiling at them, her eyes filled with tears but she managed to keep them in. "Thank you so much."

Wally's smile became softer.

After this, the party kept going. (Y/n) would be surrounded by people for most of it, asking questions about the bird, herself, etc... For once, she detected no sarcasm, no subtle mean comments, nothing regarding previous events, just genuine interest about her as a person. She was pleasantly surprised, and with the incredible joy she was experiencing thank to the two kings, she didn't question any of it. The bird was put in a cage – though she would've rather to just keep holding it – and Frank taught her how to mimic its song.

"So what will you do with all the birds you'll be acquiring?" he asked at some point.

"We shall free them out into the wild."

"Excuse me?!" he leaned closer with big eyes.

"Huh?" she blinked twice, confused and panicked to have made him angry.

"You're not going to work on preserving its species?!"

"W-well, what can we do?" she shrugged.

"Keep them in a safe environment, make them breed- I don't know!"

Her face twisted a bit at those suggestions.

"I-I know this may sound reckless." she said. "I don't mean to brush aside your kindness, not at all. It's just..." she looked at the bird. "We, the people of Spades, believe in nature, we believe in them. The safest place they could be in is their home."

"So you're saying you're planning to put them back in their natural habitat, and then whatever happens happens."

"But..." she gently held the cage closer to her, speaking in a softer tone. "I pray they'll survive this time. I pray with all my heart."

He sighed.

"Will you at least let me teach you some ornithologist practices?" he asked. "Surely your people's beliefs are not against helping nature once in a while."

"We are a part of nature ourselves, your Highness" she smiled. "I'd love to, thank you very much."

Frank's reward, along with the animal he caught, was the key to a safe that, of course, contained a whole bunch of money! He also gave that prize away, since he had enough of that already.

"Here." he handed the key.

"Wh-wh-wh-what?!" Eddie stepped back, shocked.

When the King of Diamonds asked him if they could speak in private, he surely didn't expect that. Although he couldn't tell if whatever he was feeling in this moment was relief, or disappointment.

"I-I can't, my King!" he shook his head. "I simply just can't!"

"With this, you can surely buy a bunny for your mother. You could even buy the whole shelter if you want." he smiled.

"This is too much! Too much for a small man like myself! Why even- I don't deserve it!"

"Don't be ridiculous Mr. Dear." he huffed. "I wouldn't have been able to even reach that bird if it wasn't for your net. And we've teamed up the second you caught me with it."

"I- Once again, I'm so sorry about that!" he bowed. "But if that's the case, then Lady (L/n), and Young Miss Molly, and-"

"They don't count." he sternly said. "They were collaborators, you were my partner. Take the key." he handed it to him again.

Eddie's heart skipped a beat and he froze as they looked into each-other's eyes. 

'As teammates in a game Eddie.' he quickly told himself. 'As teammates in a game, don't get any ideas.'

With slightly red cheeks, he took it, his fingers brushing against his.

"Thank you, my King. I shall keep it as safe as I keep my heart."

Frank smiled.

"I'd expect nothing less from you." he began to walk back to the party. "Always putting so much care into the silliest things."

"What?! Wh-What do you mean your Highness?!" he rushed to follow him.

He just laughed.

Chapter Text

Somewhere in the King of Hearts' estate, an outdoors theater stage was being constructed and everything was going smoothly. From a window of the castle's third floor, a young woman was watching, still in her nightgown for it was still early morning. A beautiful robe embedded in shimmering crystals in the shape of stars, its light fabric easily floating in the wind, magically altered to make chime noises as it does. The lady had a grave expression on her face.

"In this regal palace, my presence reigns supreme." she spoke, even though she was alone. "A paragon of popularity. Behold." she turned around and began to move about her chamber with elegance, almost dancing. "Every step, every word, a calculated dance on the edge of destiny. As time passes and stakes rise, a wrong move threatens to dethrone me. But with poise and mystique, I navigate this intricate world of power and desire, captivating all who reside within these noble walls. But to thine own self be true- Oh wait." she abruptly stopped with a frown. "That's already taken."

With a hand to her chin, she walked to her desk, on which were piles of scattered papers and writing materials. She made a few changes to what she's most recently wrote.

"Oh but it's such a good line..." she hummed, thinking. "Maybe if I change the wording, no one will be the wiser." she smirked.

Someone knocked at her door. She stood straight, putting back her serious and poised expression.

"Enter." she spoke loud and clear.

"Hey Sally?" her butler and friend of many years opened the door. "Please don't tell me you'll skip breakfast again. The Hearts people will start to get offended if you keep declining-"

"Non-sense Jeremiah!" she waved a hand in a dismissive manner. "After all, I have been personally invited by his Majesty the King. For he entrusts me and my genius creative spirit to put up simply the best play in history. For a grand event such as the Shuffling, of course he would only ask the best of the best, and he would never let anyone question my creative process. Especially since I am from the prestigious Court of Stars, originated from the infinite beauty of space!" she stroke a pose, pointing up at the sky.

"Creative process? Malnourishment. Great."

"Thankfully however, I have been on a roll ever since I have awoken from my slumber! And I do feel like eating after coming up with such a fresh original monologue!"

She took a few papers with her to read over breakfast.

"Come along now, Jeremiah!"

"Okay, once and for all, why are you calling me that, and why do I have to dress like a dude?"

"Why for the thrill of it, my good friend!" she wrapped an arm around them and pulled them closer with an excited spark in her eyes. "This is the Shuffling. Everyone must have secrets to keep."

Indeed, everyone in the Shuffling has secrets, some deeper than others. Being from the Court of Stars came with an unshakable prestige, even for their servants. Living in space and being literal celestial bodies was a big deal, especially to the people of Earth. So no matter your status, you will be treated like nobility by them. Which was very convenient for Lady Starlet.

For you see, Sally Starlet wasn't actually of noble birth. Her and her friend were servants at the castle of their kingdom. When their King received the invitation for the Shuffling, he dismissed it, for he had "more important things to do". As Sally went to throw the letter away, as she was ordered to, she read it "by accident".

One thing your realm is known for is its ability to make an audience bear witness to breath-taking sights. I myself was simply blown away by a play one of your people put up last Shuffling. As a humble request, and an opportunity for our kingdoms to collaborate once more, I would like that same person – whoever it may be – to come back and put on another play to be performed on the fourth and final week of this event. As an act of trust, they may have complete creative control over production.

Sally didn't have to read any further. She's made up her mind and simple could not pass on this golden opportunity. With the help of her friend, they've intercepted their King's letter declining the invitation, and forged their own. In this new response, they told the King of Hearts that the King of the Court of Stars was feeling unwell and so wouldn't be able to attend the Shuffling and that the playwright who put on the play he loved so much all these years ago has retired– which was actually true – however, they would instead send their successor, a young and brilliant prodigy, who already captured the hearts of many.

Sally, thanks to her connections with the palace's servants, put together an entire fancy wardrobe then disguised her and her friend. She also gave themselves a detailed backstory.

"Why am I the butler?" Jeremiah, now known as such, pointed at their new outfit.

"Because any decent noble has a right hand man!" she smiled.

The two of them arrived fashionably late, but were still greeted by the King of Hearts despite that.

"It is an honor to meet you, Lady Starlet." he took her hand and bowed. "I would've never imagined such a talented playwright to be so young. You look to be around my age."

"King of Hearts, you must know to never ask a Lady for her age." she laughed.

He laughed too and apologized. When going over his plan for the play, he did remind her that he would have the final say over the script once she was finished with it, and would make changes if he judged necessary. Which, he assured her, will not happen if she is as talented as he was told.

Things went smoothly from this day on, for one can never have any problems with anyone if they never go out. Indeed, Lady Sally has been locking herself up in her quarters, working on her script. Despite the fact that she started writing five months ago and has finished long before the day she arrived, she's been rereading and re-working it nonstop. She didn't feel like it was quite right yet. It wasn't perfect. But it must be, if she was to surpass whoever put on last year's play. If not, then her cover would be blown, and instead of sending praises, the King of Hearts would instead report her mediocrity to her court and she'd be in big trouble. But most importantly, she would fail as a playwright, and that would be simply devastating!

"Have you ever thought of getting a second opinion?" Jeremiah asked, sensing her growing anxiety despite her perfect facade of confidence.

"I have you for that, dear friend."

"I mean someone other than me. The story takes place on Earth, yet you rarely even go there."

She scoffed with a smile.

"I go there whenever I have vacations."

"You go to the beach, and you stay there all day. That doesn't count."

"But I love the beach! We don't have any in space!"

Jeremiah sighed.

"If you ask like a servant or something, work some of your acting magic, they won't question anything."

"Aha! A beta reader! Great idea Jeremiah!" she pointed at them before leaving in a rush to change.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the castle, Lady (Y/n) was walking back to the Spades quarters, a couple of books on magic with her. She had some free time this morning so she wanted to study a bit in the library, then decided it would be best to do so in private. She walked with quick steps, hiding the  covers from view. Lady Sally spotted her in the corridors.

'Bingo!' she thought. 'Doesn't look too important based on that dress. And little to no jewels?! Jackpot!'

She cleared her throat and went up to her.

"Excuse me."

(Y/n) looked at her and froze into place, startled.

'The playwright...' she thought, then gasped. 'Someone from the Court of Stars!'

"Y-Your Brightness!" she quickly bowed. "Good day to you!"

'Your Brightness? I like her already!' Sally tilted her chin upward.

"You seem to me like the kind of person who understands art."

"N-Not really-"

"Well rejoice!" she stroke a pose, pointing at her. "For I have chosen you to be my test subject for my script!"

"What?!" she pointed at herself, flustered. "M-Me?! I couldn't possibly-"

"Non-sense!" she waved a hand dramatically. "I must make sure that my play is absolutely perfect, I wouldn't be worthy of the title of playwright if I refused to get any second opinion!"

"I-It's an honor, Madam!"

"That's the spirit!" she huffed. "Come along!"

Sally lead the lady to her quarters and offered her some tea while she read. (Y/n) was beyond nervous and refused to reply to the Lady with anything but a nod and a 'yes Madam!' or 'I wholeheartedly agree Madam!'. Jeremiah could see Sally's ego growing twice its size each time the lady would speak to her. When she started reading the script, she'd keep glancing at her, like she was scared to read wrong. It was pretty funny to watch for Sally. A little concerning, for Jeremiah.

Yet, as the lady kept reading, she looked less and less at her. Eventually, she was solely focused on reading. But Sally wasn't seeing the expression of awe and woe that she's been thriving to get out of her audience. In fact, the lady wasn't showing any emotion at all. Was the script that bad? There was no way! Now it was Sally's turn to be nervous.

Finally, after what felt like hours, (Y/n) closed the script and put it on the table.

"You truly have a way with words, my Lady." she smiled. "I'm sure the people of the Shuffling will be in awe upon witnessing your art."

But Sally didn't buy any of it. As a professional actor, she recognized a fake smile when she saw one.

"Would you care to elaborate?"

"I-"

"And please, do not hold back." she leaned back on her couch, crossing her legs (she was wearing trousers). "In this moment, forget all titles. Think of me as – oh I don't know – a simple maid for example." 

Jeremiah rolled their eyes. (Y/n) looked down, fixing the script, her smile nowhere to be found now.

"The story is engaging, the romance is lovely, the balance between comedy and tragedy is simply perfect."

With each comment, Sally's smile grew bigger.

"The characters are believable, all except for the villain, which leads me to my one and only question." she looked at her. "Why is my culture being painted in such a manner?"

Sally's expression fell. 

'Shoot! She's from the Spades Kingdom?! But she's so polite!'

She glanced at Jeremiah, he looked back at her and shrugged with an expression that said 'you brought this on yourself'. She looked back at the lady, who hasn't said anything and just waited for her to explain herself. Sally couldn't tell if she was angry or sad, but she was clearly upset, and that made her feel a great sense of guilt.

"W-Well, you see..." she cleared her throat, still keeping her confident facade. "I didn't write it."

"Who did?"

"I don't know. I was..." she spoke slower so as to give herself time to think. "planning on recycling an old play we had in our catalogue. To modernize it a bit you see."

She could feel Jeremiah's judging stare on her, but paid them no mind, for she was used to it.

"I haven't made any changes to it just yet." she continued. "I wanted to get the opinion of people from Earth, since this is the story of its people."

"I see... Of course." (Y/n) nodded, relieved. "You couldn't have written something like this."

'I'm sorryyyy!!!' she pleaded in her head. 'The skies may strike me with all their might to atone for my ignorance!'

"To be completely honest," Sally said, her voice sounding more natural than before. "I've been so busy in the realm of space with my newfound success and responsibilities within the show business, since I'm so famous and all. I haven't had a lot of opportunities to get to know the many cultures of Earth. Especially the one from the Spades Kingdom, since the previous King was... What's a word for it...?"

"Protective." (Y/n) nodded. "Very much so indeed." she glanced to the side. "It's been the heart of a lot of conflicts in the past."

"Right?" she leaned forward. "Like, can we agree that he was one scary dude?"

'For being one hell of an actress,' Jeremiah thought. 'you sure are quick to break character.'

"I suppose so. If you only see him once." she smiled, her eyebrows furrowed.

Sally smiled, glad that the lady looked more comfortable now. All thanks to her wits and charms and approachableness.

"Now!" she clapped her hands together. "Let's start again from the beginning shall we? I am Lady Sally Starlet, official royal playwright of the Court of Stars." she bowed her head, a hand over her heart.

"It is truly an honor to be in your presence Madam." the lady bowed her head. "My name is (Y/n) (L/n), of the court of Spades. I'm of not much importance however compared to my peers-"

"That does not concern me in, the, least, Lady (L/n)!"

This made (Y/n)'s heart skip a beat. That was a first for her.

"Now please," Lady Starlet grabbed a new piece of paper and a quill to take notes. "proceed."

"Well... I know it doesn't explicitly say that the characters are from the Four Kingdoms, but they clearly are. And there are a lot of elements from Spades culture regarding the villain."

"I completely understand." she began to write that down. "I shall change that aspect of his completely."

"Oh I actually don't mind it at all."

"What?!" both her and Jeremiah exclaimed, confused.

"Yes, I like the villain!" she beamed. "He's really cool, I dare say he's my favorite part in this story."

"Aha! See!" Sally pointed at her friend. "I told you!" she leaned towards (Y/n). "I've been told repeatedly that he was 'too silly'." she made air quotes.

"Well then. I'm sorry." Jeremiah rolled their eyes and looked away. "After all, who am I to, y'know, express my opinion? I'm just a butler after all."

"Aww come on! Now you're sulking!" she laughed.

(Y/n) was pleasantly surprised to see such complicity between servant and employer. She believed it said a lot about Lady Starlet's character.

"But yes, the villain being from the Spades Kingdom is fine in my opinion." she continued. "What I find problematic however, is the fact that all these traditional practices are being demonized. It's actually a big problem nowadays..." she glanced to the side with a pained look on her face. "We have to make our own children books, lest these poor kids see themselves being portrayed like...well, like this." she gestured towards the script.

"My, that's... Terrible." Sally said with a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright, we're working on it." she smiled, her eyebrows furrowed. "We have some contacts with famous publishing companies to sell Spades literature worldwide."

'So far, they've all rejected us...'

Sally put a hand over her own mouth, thinking for a moment.

"...How about this?" she eventually said with a determined look. "You tell me about some famous stories of Spades literature, and I shall write in cameos and references to them. I shall pick people's interest!"

(Y/n)'s eyes widened, putting both hands over her now warmer heart.

"You are too kind, your Brightness." she bowed her head. "But-"

"But I can't play favorites, so I must know more about the other three kingdoms as well." she nodded to herself. "And – paradoxically enough – I don't care much for reading plain old books. I find it boring!"

(Y/n) tilted her head.

"I... I'm sorry to hear that Madam."

Uh-ho, it would seem that the lady of Spades hasn't picked up on Sally's subtle offer to offer her to teach her.

"I believe I should be going now."

"Are you... are you sure?"

"Yes. I do hope you find a solution to your problem." she stood up. "If you would excuse me-"

"Wait!" she reached out to her, her confident facade gone. "Can you..." she sighed. "Will you please teach me about Earth cultures?"

"Wha... Me?" she pointed at herself.

"Yes. Please I..." she closed her hand into a fist. "I want this to be perfect." she then gave her a pleading look.

(Y/n) looked at her with big eyes. Someone from the Court of Stars, asking her for help! 

"I would love to." she beamed and sat back down, happy to finally share with someone what she's been studying for so long during her time working as High Council member.

"Ah! Wonderful!" she raised her hands in the air. "Marvelous! Amazing! I feel inspired already! I knew I would be speaking to the right person as soon as I saw you! My space guts are never wrong!"

"O-Oh!" she said, flustered, though a bit weirded out by the term 'space guts'.

And so, Lady (Y/n) kept giving her feedback, thinking she'd leave her reading for later tonight. Sally listened closely, taking a lot of notes.

"My one big problem is..." (Y/n) flipped through the script's pages, searching for a specific moment in the story. "The villain's dance scene. First of all, here it's called the Devil's Dance."

"Isn't that what it's called though?"

"It's what other people, outside of Spades grounds, call it."

"But if it's the other characters naming it, then it makes sense, does it not?"

"Sure, but it's never corrected."

"Okay, okay..." she nodded, making a note of that. "What's it called then?"

(Y/n) then said a name in a language Sally didn't understand. She had to ask how it was spelled. But since the lettering itself is very different, (Y/n) wrote it down for her, along with a phonetic translation of the word. Sally took a moment to look at the old language of Spades. It looked like a collection of branches. One would think it was morbid, creepy even, but the way Lady (L/n) wrote it was ever so meticulous. These branches, put together for them to hold meaning only to the people of Spades... It reminded Sally of the language of the stars. Like a long lost cousin. She didn't see any of the people from other kingdoms use their old languages. From what she understood, they were dead and replaced by simple English. She has then deduced that the Spades Kingdom and its people held their traditions close to their hearts.

"And also, you don't dance alone." (Y/n) said. "That's a bit silly, and really sad. It was used in ancient days before performing magic rituals, apparently it helps with your flow of mana." she shrugged. "But now, we practice it during celebrations and festivals. It looks 'scary' to others because it's not a waltz or anything like that. You don't dance with a partner, everybody dances together. It's also accompanied by songs that we all sing together, and the person who has the strongest voice leads the song."

'And I don't wanna brag,' she thought. 'but I am usually the one who leads.'

"Because its origin has something to do with the flow of mana, the dancers use their entire body, and put a lot of energy into their moves. That's what made it scary to foreigners..." she looked down. "Some believe that our traditional songs, in our old traditional language, are some kind of dark magic chants."

Sally pondered over this.

"...What if the villain does dance alone?"

(Y/n) gave her a weird look. Has she been speaking for nothing?

"No but like, to show that something's wrong? Maybe he used to dance with his loved ones but then... stuff happened, and now he's like this."

(Y/n) gasped.

"Ooooh. Oh that would be tragic."

"Yes! What if- What if him and the protagonist used to-" she gasped. "What if they were brothers?"

(Y/n) gasped again, louder this time, covering her mouth.

"Like they were both princes, but the protagonist was jealous and so neglected him in his time of need?!"

"But then the protagonist would be the one at fault."

"Exactly." she smirked. "But it's not revealed until the end of act two."

(Y/n) leaned back, holding her head in her hands. At the end of the day, Lady Starlet has come up with an entirely new play.

As much fun as (Y/n) had with Lady Starlet, giving her a quick recapitulative lesson about the Four Kingdoms as a whole and as individuals, as well as getting exclusive first accept to the script as it was  being written, she had to excuse herself. She was running out of time on today's schedule. 

On top of the invitations she's previously accepted after the ball, now was a bunch more that she's received after the hunt. Just because she was seen in the presence of all three royals for a brief second. From the servant's morning report, it would seem that the rumor of her being the 'real new Ruler of Spades' became a tad more prominent. This bothered her and Arnold greatly, only these two though.

Despite the ever so present insensitivity of others, the tea parties and other gatherings Lady (Y/n) attended today were significantly more pleasant. There were a lot less sarcastic comments and ignorant assumptions, though those were still very much present. She did also run into the Duchess of Tarock again and she stayed polite, for she was still hoping that they could talk business without any bias. But the Duchess, once again, didn't seem interested in that topic, or in talking to her in general, always giving out short answers in a dry tone. To (Y/n), this said a lot about the Duchess' professionalism. 

"Let me make one thing very clear." she said at some point. "I do not appreciate it when little ladies like yourself push me and can't take a hint. I am not interested in being friendly with you."

'Who said anything about being friends?!' she gave her a tight smile.

She simply apologized for overstepping her boundaries, wished her a good day and moved on.

In all her planning, (Y/n) did leave some free time at some point in the day. She was hoping she could talk to Arnold. She's checked his schedule this morning and saw that he'd be free around this time. Ever since the hunt, they didn't have a lot of time to talk, and she wanted to spend time with him.

As she came back from a birdwatching session, with some people from the Clubs Kingdom, and approached the Spades quarters, she stopped in her tracks when she saw someone standing by the door. A tall caterpillar man. Judging by his clothes, he was a servant of some kind. He seemed to be waiting for something, looking around and fidgeting his four arms in boredom. She frowned, confused, then walked up to him.

"Do you need anything sir?"

He looked at her and breathed a sigh, his shoulders relaxing.

"Good day, fair Lady." he bowed. "You must be Lady (L/n), correct?"

"Yes...?"

He laughed.

"Please don't look so confused. I come here under request from my King."

"Your king, you say..."

"Oh. That's right." he bowed again. "My name is Howdy Pillar. I'm a blacksmith here in the castle."

"Oh! It's nice to meet you." she bowed back. "I'm (Y/n) (L/n)."

"I know, Madam. I called you earlier."

"W-Well," she looked away, embarrassed. "I wasn't sure you knew my first name, that's all." 

"Am I allow me to call you by your first name then?" he raised an eyebrow.

She inhaled through her teeth. It made him laugh. He had been told by his friend Barnaby that she was on the more casual side. Must be the low status, he thought.

"So...wait." she said. "The King of Hearts sent you?"

"Why yes!" he nodded. "From what he told me, you have a broken ring?"

Her eyes widened, her heart made a small jump from shock.

'Why?' was all she could ask herself. 'Why would he do that? I said I'd take care of it.'

"Y-Yes I do." she nodded. "Have you come to repair it?"

"Well I'll certainly do my best. My best being perfection." he smiled and winked.

'It must be no big deal for him.' she kept thinking about the king. 'Or else, why would he bother? Maybe because he wants to be a good host. Yes, that must be it. Simple as that.'

"Milady?" he tilted his head.

"Ah! Yes!" she exclaimed, snapped out of her thoughts. "J-Just a moment!"

She stepped in the Spades quarters and rushed to her room, taking the ring on her nightstand and leaving.

"Bye."

She gasped and stopped. Arnold was laying on the couch, reading a book. His new pet rabbit was laying on his stomach.

"Arnold." she exhaled. "I'm sorry, I didn't notice you."

"Someone's at the door for you," he said, not looking up. "told him to wait outside."

"...He can wait." she walked to him.

She leaned over the back of the couch to look down at him, her eyebrows furrowed.

"I can ask him to come back tomorrow." she spoke in a softer voice.

He glanced away, not wanting to look her in the eyes. For a split second, he looked hurt.

"Nah." he moved the book closer, hiding his face from her. "He was sent for you, by the King of Hearts, you shouldn't keep him waiting."

She pursued her lips, understanding that he wasn't in the mood to talk. With a sigh, she left. Once he heard the door close, Arnold let the book fall flat on his chest with a sigh. Hanging his head back, he stared up at the ceiling with tight lips. A moment of silence passed before he heard the noise of shredding paper. He looked down and saw Blizzard munching on the pages of his book.

"Hey!" he yanked it away. "You dumbass! Paper isn't edible!"

"Here Mr. Pillar." she handed it to him with both her hands. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Howdy took notice of how carefully she handled it. He smiled and took it with the same amount of care.

"No problem milady. This should take me..." he took a close look at it. "at most, an hour. And it'll be as good as new."

"An hour?!"

"Is that too long? I can be quicker if you want."

"There is no way something of such precision can be done this quickly!"

He laughed.

"Do you want to see?"

She hesitated. It was true that she was uncomfortable not knowing where her family ring was going. He chuckled.

"You don't have to think so hard about this, I was just kiddin-"

"No no it's..." she glanced back at the door. "It's fine. Let's go."

Howdy blinked twice, surprised. He then led her to his workshop in the backyards of the castle. It was pretty big, which made sense to her if he was a royal blacksmith. There were swords, knives and spears displayed on one wall and a lot of tools on another. Howdy put on a pair of goggles with a bunch of lenses on top of each-other to look at the ring more closely.

"First, I have to know what kind of metal this is..."

He looked at it for a long moment.

"Is that... Osmium?!"

"Uh... I don't know." she shrugged. "I trust your expert knowledge however."

"Well that's unexpected." he exhaled as he raised the goggles to his forehead. 

"How so?"

"Oh I mean... It's a rare metal is all. You'd think this belongs to a king or something."

(Y/n) pursued her lips, hoping he didn't mean anything by this.

"I should have some with me somewhere..." 

He began to rummage through cupboards and drawers. Finally, he found a cube of the same bluish metal and raised it with a loud 'aha!'. She couldn't help but be excited as well. However, she became concerned when he began to gather the tools he needed.

"Have you ever worked on jewellery before?" she asked.

"It's not really something people ask me to work on, to be honest." he said. "But his Majesty trusts me and I shall not disappoint him."

She gulped when she saw him taking out a big hammer. 

"You know, that ring is veeeery precious to me." she said in a higher pitched voice. "It's very oooold, kind of the only family heirloom we haaaave. Been in my family for generatioooons."

He laughed.

"Worry not milady." he smiled. "I also come from a long family, so I understand how valuable things like this can be."

"Oh!" she said, her cheeks dusted with pink as she realized how silly she made herself sound. "Good, good..."

"First thing first, I should remove the gem. I don't want to risk damaging it." he looked at it. "I've never seen such a black gem before."

Because the ring was very old, the gem was tightly stuck there. Despite that, Howdy was able to take it out without problem. Looking at it, he let out an 'oh!' and burst out laughing.

"What is it?" (Y/n) asked.

"Milady, it would seem I have more work to do than I expected. Your gemstone needs a good washing."

He raised it for her to see. She also let out an 'oh!' as she saw that the underside of the stone was of a whole different color.

"I never knew it was blue!"

"Now I see why I couldn't tell what kind of gemstone it was." he chuckled. "But it is an unusually dark blue sapphire. How beautiful! I'll take care of it later." he set it aside and set his gaze on the ring itself. "Mmh, I was indeed told that it was too big for you." he looked at her. "Would you like me to make it so it fits your finger?"

"You... You would do that?"

"Of course."

She hesitated. What if someone else wears it in the future? Would they have to change the size also? Why can't rings come in a one-size-fits-all?

"Wait, can magic make it so a ring could fit any finger?" she asked.

"Mmh... It could. Sadly I'm not as polished with magic as my family." he made a face that said 'get it?'.

She blinked twice.

"Get it? Polished? 'Cause I'm a blacksmith?"

"Oh!" she burst out laughing. "I'm sorry! Apparently, I'm not really good when it comes to jokes."

"It's alright." he smiled. "I'm not as good as Barnaby when it comes to telling them."

"You know Barnaby?"

"Why yes, we're good friends, he always uses me as test subject for his jokes, and I'm always up for a laugh." he raised an eyebrow. "Real question is: You know Barnaby?"

"Yes," she nodded. "we had a chance to talk at a tea party."

"Do you know about...?"

"...About what?"

"Nothing." he quickly looked back at the ring, clearing his throat.

She frowned in her confusion.

'Sorry bud. Almost blew your cover there.'

"So, milady! About making the ring custom...?"

"Oh. Uh..."

"You know, you're reeeeally lucky I'm doing this for free. I'm a businessman through and through. Not a lot of people get that opportunity. Not even the King." he raised an eyebrow with a grin.

Truth be told, it was the King of Hearts who paid for it beforehand. A bag of gold to follow any request the Lady would have for her ring.

"Y-yes please!" 

"Wonderful! If you may excuse me..."

He took out a thin rubber ring from a drawer and went up to her, extending a hand. She put her hand in his, palm up. Gently, he turned it around and raised it.

"Which finger?"

She wiggled her ring finger, it made giggle before he put the ring on her finger. A moment passed and she gasped when the ring began to shake and shrink in size, only stopping once it fitted her perfectly. Not too tight, not too loose. Finally, a number appeared on it in glowing pink. Howdy took the ring off to look at it.

"Ooo, a nice well-rounded six and a half."

'But then it's not rounded is it?' she squinted her eyes, smiling.

She watched as Mr. Pillar started to melt the metal cube, heat up the ring, cut the damaged part, resize it with a hammer. Despite his four big hands, his speed and the big tools he was using, his moves were very precise. She could see the years of experience through his work and couldn't help but be in admiration. While he was carefully fusing the liquid metal to the ring, which seemed to be the most time-consuming step in the process, (Y/n) took one more look around and noticed something new. She approached a wall where a few small paintings were. There were all of caterpillar people. The biggest one, where they were all together, featured Howdy. They were all smiling, they looked pretty close.

"Your family I presume." she leaned a bit closer to it.

Pausing in his work, he leaned back to look at her, moving the goggles he was wearing up to his forehead again. 

"Yes." he beamed, putting them back on and going back to work. "All my siblings and my parents."

"Your siblings?!" she looked at him with big eyes, then back at the painting. "There's so many of them, I could've swore some of them were your cousins."

"Oh trust me, if I wanted to put my entire family, this entire wall would be covered in paintings." he chuckled.

"Wow..." she turned towards him. "You have one big family, Mr. Pillar."

"That I do. A long line of blacksmiths too."

"Oh! Do they also work at the palace?"

"No actually, they're all still at the family workshop."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I remember when I heard that the King of Hearts was looking for a royal blacksmith. I jumped at the opportunity and came running!" he looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. "As it turned out, that was just a rumor, and I gave everyone at the castle a good fright."

"Oh no!" she laughed imagining this tall imposing caterpillar man running to the castle, demanding to see the King.

"But the King liked my enthusiasm and he let me stay anyway." he smiled before going back to work.

"So you live here now?"

"Pretty much, yes."

"Do you get to see your family often?"

"Not as often as I'd hope, we're all just busy with work. Especially them, weirdly enough." he let out a 'heh'. 

There was a moment of silence, he glanced at her and saw the sad look on her face.

"I don't mind." he said. "If I know they're healthy and happy, and they know I'm healthy and happy, then I'm satisfied."

(Y/n) pondered over this for a moment.

"Must be nice."

"What is?"

"To have so many siblings."

"How so?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Well, if you were an only child, then only you would've taken over your family business after your parents were gone. You don't have to carry the burden of being the future of the family by yourself, you can share it, you can rely on each-other." she smiled, but it faltered a little bit. "Having siblings, I think, makes things lighter..." realizing that her mind was beginning to wander, she quickly came back to reality. "I'm just happy that you were able to do the things you wanted to do, for the sake your own personal career, and without worrying about what might happen if you were to leave."

At this point, Howdy has stopped working to really listen to her. He puffed a chuckle when she was done.

"Not really the thing people say when talking about siblings."

She tilted her head.

"You do raise an interesting point though." he stared into space. "Would I have decided differently if I was an only child? Mmmh..."

He held his chin, thinking for a moment, long enough to make her feel awkward.

"Nope!" he finally spoke. "I would've still ran to the castle!" he laughed.

"Really?" she blinked, surprised. 

"I think so. Whatever burden someone is holding, I believe it shouldn't stop them from following their own personal calling. Everyone should just do what makes them happy."

"Blacksmithing makes you happy?"

"Of course!" he beamed. "Nothing brings me more joy!"

(Y/n) smiled. Mr. Pillar sure was a jolly man. But she didn't believe what he said when he answered his own question. To her, being the sole future of a family was something he couldn't understand. It was then that she understood that they really were from two different worlds. She felt that way with a lot of people. The person she had the most in commun with was Arnold. She'd sometimes wander if he was aware of that as well. However, his own burdens created a big gap between them, although she was doing her best to bridge it so that she could help him reach his full potential...

"Aaaaand voila!"

Howdy's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. He walked up to her, holding the ring in his hand.

"May I?"

She raised her hand for him.

"You might be surprised again to find that it isn't just a ring." he said as he gently took it and slid the ring on her finger.

Indeed, she gasped when she saw it. The rectangular gemstone, all cleaned up and polished, now revealed its dark blue color, not only that, but now one could clearly see the crest engraved on it. It wasn't just a ring, it was a wax stamp.

"Makes one wonder what you previously used for your letters." he said in a joking manner.

"In the past, we didn't usually send letters." she said, almost absentmindedly, not looking away from the ring. "Not a lot of opportunities for that... Of course, that had changed recently."

Despite that, she's only been using her Kingdom's crest. She didn't know her family even had one. She brought the ring closer to her face to see it better. A spade, framed with tuberoses, with a donkey at the center of it. 

"A donkey?" she asked no one in particular, feeling a twist in her heart.

"Don't be so sad, Lady (L/n)." Howdy tilted his head, smiling with furrowed eyebrows. "Donkeys can be symbols of peace and humility."

'Of service and suffering as well.' she thought.

"How fitting..." she mumbled with a bittersweet smile.

"Are you satisfied with it?"

"Huh? Y-Yes! Very much so!" she looked back at him and curtsied. "Thank you so much Mr. Pillar! I'm sorry you had more work to do than expected."

"Not at all, Madam." he waved a hand. "I'm sorry you had to spend some time in this dirty place."

"Dirty? Oh come on now." she looked around. "This is lovely! Obviously I don't know much about blacksmithing, but I can tell by the way you work that it was perfect for you. Your workplace should be comfortable for you."

"Still, I wasn't much of a host, I didn't offer you any tea. I don't get a lot of visitors, you see." he scratched the back of his neck with an apologetic smile. "Especially not a Lady such as yourself."

"You flatter me Mr. Pillar. I promise you I'm not worth it." she smiled. "Again, thank you very much. If a metal thing of mine gets broken, I'll be sure to get back to you." 

"Ohohohoho!" he waved a finger, a pair of arms folded, and his fourth hand on his hip. "Careful now my Lady, next time will not be free of charges."

"I understand that." she nodded.

"Well then, it shall be a pleasure doing business with you." he bowed his head. "If something of yours gets broken, knockin' on wood."

In their shared superstitiousness, the two of them knocked on the nearest wooden furniture at the same time. They both laughed.

Unfortunately, (Y/n) had lost track of time and was running late to her next gathering of the day. Having learned from the Duchess of Tarock, she tried to not talk business so much. She began taking a more casual approach to conversations, talking about the weather, complimenting the outfits of others, 'how do you like the Shuffling so far?' type of questions. It was indeed much easier this way. She felt a bit less awkward. That didn't mean she would've not rather talking about more important things. 

Once she was back in her quarters, she collapsed on her bed and let out a long sigh.

'Who would've thought that being casual would be even more exhausting?'

She stared up at the ceiling.

"...That was week one." she whispered. 

She reviewed what had happened during this week. It  surely wasn't uneventful. So far, it went according to plan. Although there were some other developments outside of her control... So far, she could only hope that it won't affect her or the Spades' plan in any way.

'I was right.' she thought. 'Ten days were not enough at all. I'm glad.'

She closed her eyes and ended up taking a nap.

"Your Majesty." Lady Starlet bowed deeply, standing in front of the King's desk. "I have here the finalized script for the play of the Shuffling. Finalized, ready, perfect, and most importantly, culturally correct!"

Wally lightly clapped his hands.

"How exciting." he smiled. 

She placed the script on his desk and slid it over to him. He took it and quickly flipped through it.

"I cannot wait to read it, Lady Starlet. If it is written by a playwright such as yourself, then I'm sure I won't need to make any changes whatsoever."

"Your words are unlike any other, King of Hearts." she bowed, a hand over her heart. "But I must point out that I wasn't alone in the writing process. If I may refer you to page one..."

He opened at the said page. His smile faltered. Credited as a consultant...

"Lady (L/n)...?" he read.

"Yes! She was a very helpful presence. I dare say the play would've been very different if it wasn't for her insight- Not saying it would be bad or anything. I just mean that-"

"Thank you, Lady Starlet." he put the script down and smiled, intertwining his fingers together. "I shall read it with the upmost focus. You will receive a letter with my feedback shortly after."

Sally blinked twice. That smile was fake, she knew it. She cleared her throat.

"Very well your Highness. Good day to you." she made a bow as dramatic as ever.

Wally waited for her to leave. As soon as he heard the door closing, he leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on the script. 

"Her again..." he whispered.

He wasn't sure what to think about this yet. He believed he needed to think this over, so as to act accordingly.

"...I'll talk to the others about this."

He could already hear Julie's voice saying this was fate. He sighed, smiling and shaking his head as he grabbed the script to read it.

By the end, it brought a tear to his eyes. The plot twist at the end of act two was indeed very powerful. This activated Sally's sixth sense and she suddenly felt very proud of herself.

For the last two days of the week, there were no official events, to really give everyone a chance to relax and recuperate from all the parties going on during the week. Naturally, these two days were filled with the most and wildest parties of the week. The High Council of Spades has agreed to be most careful during these times, under (Y/n)'s advice. But even she could tell that her friends wouldn't be following that advice. They'd go out early and come home late drunk (except Arnold). (Y/n) actually stayed in for the last day of the week, for she wanted to focus on her work. For letters inviting her on that day, she lied and said she was feeling light-headed. 

"Wasn't it you who said that one should know when to find time for themselves?" Catherine asked before leaving for a party.

"I have time for myself, this is just what I choose to do with my free time." she said, not looking up from her papers.

The Baroness rolled her eyes before hopping to join her darling fiancé. Arnold came up to her desk and put Blizzard on top of it, making her lean back with a gasp.

"What are you-"

"Take care of that for me."

"Arnold!"

He ignored her and left with quick steps. She sighed and looked at the pale pink rabbit, who was looking up at her, moving its cute lil nose up and down.

"You are really cute." she gently moved it to the side. "But I have work to do- Hey!" she exclaimed when it began to chew on her papers. "Did Arnold teach you how to do this?!"

Said young man burst into cackles when she told him about it later on. Speaking of whom, (Y/n) had finally explained to him what happened in the forest. He was quite baffled by the series of events that led to her being part of such a group.

"I actually saw you with them in the forest."

"Really?!"

"Yeah, you guys ran passed me."

"Oww, you should've said something!" she nudged him. "I would've felt more at ease if you were there with me."

He pursued his lips at that comment she casually said before speaking.

"Well you all seemed really set of catching that bird. You were out of sight before I could say anything." he huffed. "Which actually leads me to my question..."

She leaned a bit closer, tilting her head.

"The two Kings giving the birds back, was that planned?" 

She leaned back. She didn't expect him to assume something like that.

"Did you guys actually agreed on this while you were all in the forest?"

"N-No..." she shook her head. "I was as shocked as you were. Couldn't you tell?"

He looked into her eyes for a moment. Finally, he hummed.

"Alright." he stood up from the couch and walked away. "By the way, can we put the bird back in its cage?" he pointed at the bird from the hunt, now flying around the living room.

"I don't like keeping animals in cages."

"Well can we at least move it somewhere else? It's scaring the rabbit."

"The rabbit has a name you know?"

"Don't care."

"You named it!"

"Oh, did I?" he looked back at her, tapping his chin with the tip of his finger.

She laughed.

To kick off the second week of the Shuffling, the next official event was relatively tame. It would seem that the King of Hearts has accounted for all the hangovers that would be resulting from all the parties yesterday and the day before that. The grand gardens were beautifully decorated to have one giant tea party. With a lot of tables for any group of any kind and any size. There was also the maze nearby, an occasion for more private groups to form. The High Council of course took a seat at their own table and (Y/n) had fun teasing her friends about their hangover.

"Have you tried this tea, Lady Catherine?" she asked in a loud voice. "It is delectable!"

"Lady (Y/n) please..." she rubbed her temples.

She laughed. Eventually however, people began to pass on notes to others, inviting them either to their table, or to make a whole new group of their own. Soon enough, they were a lot of people switching places.

'Well this is fun.' (Y/n) thought with a smile.

Lady Gwendolyn had receive a note and has excused herself to join her book club. They looked more wasted than any other group here.

"What the hell do they do at that book club?" Arnold leaned over to whisper to (Y/n).

"Getting drunk on engaging stories?"

The way these words naturally came out of her mouth made him laugh. Then, a butler from the court of Hearts came over.

"Lady (L/n), of the court of Spades, this is for you." he bowed and handed a note to her.

"Oh! Thank you!" she bowed her head and took it.

She waited for him to leave before reading the note.

Lady (L/n), I would like to invite you to enjoy tea within a small group of good friends. If you do so accept, please refer to the itinerary below. And please, keep our location a secret. Hopeful to see you there.

She blinked twice and turned the paper over to check if the sender had signed it on the backside. There was no signature, only a stamp of the Kingdom of Hearts' seal. She showed Arnold, hiding the itinerary with her hand.

"Will you be going?" Arnold asked.

"I'm not sure... I don't like it when I don't know who I'm talking to."

"Whoever it is, they got a poor handwriting." he snickered. "Oh! Maybe it's that kid that likes you!"

"Nah, there would be a lot more errors if it was her." 

'Someone from the Hearts Kingdom...'

Her mind wandered and she grew hopeful. She quickly brushed those thoughts away.

'No way. Him? There's no way!'

"Well, if it's nothing serious, I'll try to quickly come back." she smiled and stood up.

They waved at each-other as she left. She carefully read the instruction and walked into the maze. Arnold wasn't that worried, but then he noticed that with each step she took, the other guests were growing silent, looking at her. And when she was out of sight, they began to whisper amongst each-other.

"What's up with them?"

"Really?" Catherine asked. "Who do you think would have a private meeting in an open tea party? The maze may be open to everyone, but really, not everybody uses it."

Arnold frowned and looked towards the direction of the maze.He hoped (Y/n) would be back quick.

This would be the last time he saw her until the very end of the event.

"Then turn left and..." she read out loud as she followed the instructions. 

"Good afternoon, Lady (L/n)."

She became tense and looked over to see the King of Hearts, sitting at a small table in the middle of a clearing at the center of the maze. Like a secret tea room.

"My King! Hello!" she quickly bowed. "I'm sorry, I, I must've taken a wrong turn somewhere..." she turned away and quickly reread the note.

He laughed.

"I know I don't have the best handwriting, but you did read correctly."

"Huh?" she slowly looked back at him. "This was from you?"

"Is that so hard to believe?" he tilted his head with a raised eyebrow before gesturing to the chair across from his. "Please, have a seat. The others should be arriving shortly."

He took a sip of his tea, closing his eyes. (Y/n) took this opportunity to intensely fan herself with her hands and take deep breaths. She stopped as soon as he looked back at her. Once she took her seat, he gestured for a maid to serve his guest some tea, and she did before going back to stand by the hedge wall with the other servants. As this happened, (Y/n) looked around and her eyes went big. There was only one table, four chairs. She was scared to know what that entailed.

"I see Howdy has done a wonderful work with your ring."

"Ah! Y-Yes!" she nodded, instinctively raising her hand to show it to him. "He was really nice."

He leaned a bit closer to see.

"A donkey? How charming."

'Shoot! That's right it is a stupid donkey!'

"Right!" she put her hand back down. "I wasn't even aware that our family had a crest like this. We don't even own any donkeys!"

He chuckled at how nervous she was.

"Would you like some cake?"

She inhaled.

"Yes please." she exhaled, then saw that there was a variety of choices displayed on a little trolley beside the table. "A-Any of these is fine-"

"What is this?!"

She flinched and the two of them looked over to see the King of Diamonds walking over to them with heavy steps.

"Frank, my friend." Wally smiled. "You, late? Now that's a first."

"I am right on time I'll have you know." he sat down with a huff and another maid immediately served him some tea, just the way he liked it. "What is a first is the fact that you're here early!"

"I've been here the whole time." he beamed. "I didn't want you to wait for us alone again."

"Oh wow." he rolled his eyes. "Where was that attitude for the past twenty years or so?"

Wally just laughed. Frank turned to (Y/n), but she quickly looked down. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, a loud groan was heard. The two childhood friends knew exactly who this was.

"Guuuuuuys!" Julie came over, dragging her feet. "You won't believe the day I've had today!"

"I'm sure you'll tell us all about it." Wally smiled.

She fell back on her seat with a huff and began to talk about the "crazy-exhausting-annoying-but-funny-in-retrospect" day she just had. But (Y/n) wasn't listening, she kept looking down, holding her hands together and squeezing them.

This couldn't be right, she thought, this had to be some kind of mistake. 

During their time in the forest together, one thing was clear to her: the two Kings and Queen were very close. Watching them interact with each-other, one could just feel the years of friendship they've shared. And she only saw a glimpse of it: the result of trials and tribulations, getting to know each-other as they grew older, arguing and making up, becoming royals one by one, balancing business and friendship, supporting each-other in times of need for they knew of the burdens and difficulties of leading an entire kingdom. Surely, their bond was unlike any other.

And here she was now. She felt like a mouse surrounded by lions, afraid that they'll notice her anytime soon. 

For as much as she felt honored to be here in the presence of royalty, this was all too sudden for her. She wasn't given any time to prepare, mentally and emotionally. If she was, she would've come up with an entire list of potential subjects they could be talking about. She would've practice talking more...

The King of Hearts invited her, but the other two didn't seem surprised at all to see her here. Did they know about this beforehand? They agreed to invite her? That also didn't sound right. Especially for the King of Diamonds. Despite his very generous moments, (Y/n) didn't feel like he appreciated her enough to be close on a personal level. Not like this for sure...

This led her to a conclusion, and she felt a twist in her stomach. Being invited to a secluded secondary location, four chairs only, each of them from one of the Four Kingdoms. This wasn't a tea party. This was a meeting, between representatives.

'No no no no! This isn't what I planned! This isn't what I wanted!'

Even if it was, she simply had to clear up any misunderstanding.

"Your Highnesses."

The three royals looked at her.

"I... I truly apologize if I sound rude, but..." she finally looked at them, not hiding her confusion. "What am I doing here?"

There was a moment of silence. Julie looked at Frank and Wally. Frank frowned, confused himself by her question. And Wally just stared at her, his expression unchanged.

"I-I know there's a rumor that says I'm the 'Ruler of Spades', but I can assure you I'm not." she continued. "I am but a simple noble of no consequences. I am of the lowest class of nobility. The only merit my family holds is that we are the oldest line in the kingdom. Yes, I am now a member of the High Council, but as we all know, that is purely coincidental." she paused. "You have nothing special to gain in associating yourself with me."

"What are you talking about?" Frank sent her a weird look. "We get you."

This did not make her feel better. She was reminded of the first tea parties she went to, being laughed at and mocked for the crimes of being herself.

"Oh..." she looked down. "I see."

"Lady (L/n)." Wally's voice made her look up. "Friendship transcends such things."

"Friendship?" 

"Yeah!" Julie beamed. "Me? I just wanna get to know you! We barely talked during the Hunt, and you left us so suddenlyyyy!" she whined, leaning to the side and almost twisting her neck.

"I didn't want to be a bother."

"A bother?!" Frank exclaimed. "After you helped us out of that forest?!"

"W-Well, surely you could've gone out by yourselves eventually."

Frank let out a baffling noise and threw his hands in the air.

"Can't you believe it?!" he turned to Wally.

Said man chuckled.

"Is it so hard to believe that we simply want to be friends with you?" he asked, tilting his head.

Her eyes grew bigger, her face became redder because of her fast beating heart.

"I'm not used to it." she said under her breath.

Julie giggled.

"Owww poor thing!" she leaned over to ruffle her hair. "Here, have a cake!"

She pushed the trolley towards her. (Y/n) hesitated for a moment, then picked the cutest one and placed it on her plate.

"So... Would you mind starting from the beginning, your Highness?" she bashfully asked. "I'm afraid I was too deep in thoughts to pay attention."

Julie and Wally's face lit up while Frank nodded to himself, the three of them were happy that she decided to stay.

"No problem!" she suddenly stood up and ran to the direction she came from, turning around a corner and disappearing from view.

(Y/n) was confused for a moment, even looking at the two men who seemed to know what was going on. Then Julie came back, dragging her feet.

"Guuuuuuys! You won't believe the day I've had today!"

(Y/n) burst out laughing, her reaction made Wally chuckle.

"Pssst, Wally." Julie whispered to him. "That's your cue."

"Ah. Sorry." he looked at her. "I'm sure you'll tell us all about it."

"My gosh!" she fell back in her seat with a huff. "I've had such a crazy exhausting annoying but funny in retrospect morning! First of all, I get up and the worms are here, in my room! And I'm like 'Who opened the window?!'"

'I will surely need some context for this...' (Y/n) thought.

But she didn't want to interrupt, and besides, this probably wouldn't be as funny as it was right now.

"Worms are attracted to strawberries." Frank leaned over to her. "Her hair naturally smells like strawberry."

Nevermind, this was just as funny! She laughed.

"Oh no!" she covered her mouth. "Who opened the window?!"

"That's what I was determined to find out!" Julie pointed at her with a smirk. "So I go up to my sisters, and-"

As she listened to the Queen's story, (Y/n) mindlessly cut a piece of her cake and ate it. Her mind went blank.

'This is crazy good!!!'

Meanwhile, Wally was nodding along to his friend's story and glanced over at Lady (L/n), who seemed to be melting from the inside after tasting her cake. She nodded to herself with a shaking fist before immediately going back to listening to Julie, like a flip switched back on. He couldn't help but puff out a chuckle, which he tried to hide with the back of his hand.

[If you're curious, the font for the old Spades language would be "Edhiron Asdhúriel". And so the dance’s name would look like this 🥰

Chapter Text

"Oh my gosh!" (Y/n) exclaimed after Julie's big reveal. "It was them the whole time?!"

"The whole time!" she intensely nodded.

"I hope you got back at them for such a stunt." Frank huffed. "It's only fair."

"Oh I got a few pranks up my sleeve." she giggled with a smirk. "I've been waiting for an opportunity to use them!"

"Remind me to never get on your bad side, Julie." Wally chuckled.

There was a pause in their conversation. Lady (Y/n) has been so captivated by the Queen's tale that she has forgotten all about her anxiousness, for at least a little while. For as soon as silence settled...

'Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh! I am sitting at the same table as the three royals!!!' she gripped her cup, trying to stop her hands from shaking. 'Nobody has been talking for so long!' it's been a few seconds. 'It's very probably because I'm here, I made it so awkward for them! I'm sorry!!!'

"By the way, Frank." Wally looked at his friend. "Have you decided on what talent you will be presenting at the talent show?"

"Yes. I have decided to not participate."

"Ah? Why is that?"

"Because knowledge isn't a talent. Simple as that."

"Oh but no one is as knowledgeable as you, your Highness." (Y/n) said. "I heard your personal library is so large, it has its own building!"

"Well I can't really pick it off the ground and bring it here, now can I?"

"R-right, I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, Franky was just joking!" Julie giggled, patting her friend's shoulder and shaking it.

'He was?'

"He is not the best at conveying emotions I'm afraid." Wally chuckled.

"Excuse me?!" Frank sat up straight. "Says the one who literally cannot frown."

"That's not true."

"Try it now!" Julie pointed.

"I can't."

"Why not?" Frank folded his arms.

"I have nothing to frown about."

"Quick, someone say something mean!" Julie waved her hands in excitement.

"I-I could never!" (Y/n) shook her head.

"Just think of something that really ticks you off!" she turned back to Wally. "Like whenever your servants put the sugar in your coffee!" 

"I do hate it when that happens..."

"You don't like sugar in your coffee?" (Y/n) tilted her head.

"On the contrary. It's just that he prefers to put in the sugar cubes himself." Frank said. "Said it's part of his process."

"Oh!" she puffed a chuckle.

"But why would I frown, in such joyful moments?" Wally smiled, opening his arms.

"Oh come on," Frank rolled his eyes. "you're telling us you can't frown on command?" he turned towards (Y/n). "(L/n), frown."

She did so immediately. It made Julie giggle.

"See?" he turned back to him. "Frowning is easy."

"Maybe for you, but not for me." he said, adding another sugar cube to his tea.

'He has a sweet tooth.' (Y/n) noted.

"And what about you Julie?" he asked. "What sportive prowess will you showcase this time?"

'She plays sports?!' (Y/n) thought. 'Actually...I shouldn't be surprised.'

"Actually, I don't wanna do it."

"Pardon?"

"Yeah! I wanna see everyone else for once, I can't do that if I participate."

"I see, understandable." he nodded. "Lady (L/n)?"

Said lady became tense.

"Oh yeah!" Julie looked at her. "What's your talent?"

"Assuming that I have one..." she mumbled under her breath before clearing her throat. "Um, well, what I have is more of a fun quirk than anything. And I also want to see everyone else's talent. So..."

"...So I'm the only one at this table who will participate?" Wally asked?

"I-I'm sor-"

"Of course you are." Frank shrugged. "Only His Highness is ever so willing to show off his painting skills."

"Show off?" he placed a hand over his heart. "You're hurting me, Frank. The talent show isn't a competition, therefore I can allow myself to participate."

"Oh don't act like you didn't put on a talent show just so you would have an excuse to paint!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Here, have some more sugar." he slid the small bowl towards him. "It'll make you sweeter."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" he frowned while Julie giggled.

"You paint, your Majesty?" (Y/n) asked.

"Why yes," he nodded. "ever since I was a boy. I find it very calming."

She gasped.

"Have I perhaps walked by one of your creations when I walked through the halls of the castle?" she leaned a bit closer.

"Maybe." he chuckled. "I do tend to hide them in plain sight. Only a select few however."

"That's true!" Julie smiled. "When we were kids, he would stick up his drawings on top of the other paintings!"

That made the two women laugh.

"He thought nobody would notice!"

"I only did that a few times..." he mumbled.

"But yes, um..." (Y/n) tried to keep the subject going. "I know my Lord, the Marquis of Spades will participate however."

"Oh, cool!" Julie nodded. "How old is he again?"

"Seventeen." Wally answered for her.

"And what does he do?"

"Oh I don't want to ruin the surprise-"

"No I mean in general."

(Y/n) blinked twice. She didn't expect that question, and she felt a certain shift in atmosphere, but this was an opportunity to vouch for Arnold.

"Well, as the Head of the High Council, he has a lot of responsibilities and-"

"Oh! I thought you were head of the council!" she pointed.

"I..." she shook her head. "I'm really not."

"I dunno, you just have the..." she gestured towards her, up and down. "You just have the aura of a leader!"

Now, Lady (Y/n) was aware that, within the council, she was indeed the most active member, and that the others did regard her as such. But that wasn't how she wanted others to perceive her, for she didn't plan on staying in this position forever. She knew her fellow council members struggled to work, but as soon as they were ready, as soon as the Spades Kingdom was in a better situation, she will step away from the council, and she will go home...

"I'm just doing my best to keep up with the others, my Queen. If anything, I'm mostly there for emotional support." she chuckled.

"Emotional support?"

"Yes. Our current situation happened very suddenly, none of us expected it. And for some, it was too much to bear. Thankfully, I managed to cheer them up." she beamed.

"Oooooh I get that, it's the same with my sisters and me! So you're like the mom of the group!"

"I-" she stopped herself and stared into space, as if she's never thought about it that way.

Julie bursted out laughing and (Y/n) eventually chuckled, along with Wally.

"I suppose I am, yes." she nodded.

In her laughter, Julie bumped the table and, while Wally has lifted both his and (Y/n)'s teacup just in time like he knew that would happen, Frank's however was knocked over, and while he tried to catch it so as to not get tea on his lap, it got on his chest and face instead.

"Oopsie!" Julie covered her mouth.

"Oh no!" (Y/n) quickly took a napkin. "Here, let me-"

"It's alright." Wally said, putting her teacup back on its little plate.

With a gesture of his hand, a couple of maids walk over with a change of clothes and a screen to hide Frank while he changed. Meanwhile, the King of Diamonds loosened his collar, fuming.

"What the hell?!" he yelled at Wally. "Why didn't you save my tea too?!"

"I couldn't let anything happen to our guest, the Lady of Spades." he gestured towards her. 

"You have two hands!"

"This is my favorite teacup." he raised it. "I wouldn't bear it if it was to break. You understand, don't you off friend?" he tilted his head with an innocent look.

Frank groaned as his head started to spin around. It took (Y/n) by surprise once again, but she noticed something that really shook her. A thick scar on the side of his neck.

"I'm sorry Frankyyyy!" Julie said, joining her hands together. "It's all my fault!"

"It’s fine Julie." he sighed and stood up to go change. "I should’ve been more prepared."

(Y/n) watched him leave, still looking at the scar. Wally noticed her staring and smiled.

"Frank?" he called out. "Would you mind if our guest knows about your scar?"

She became tense. She really didn't like being put on the spot.

"Not at all." Frank responded from behind the screen. "It's from a failed assassination."

"What?!" she became paler.

"Yes. From my own people too."

"Oh no... I'm so sorry. It must've been really scary."

There was a pause. The three royals didn't expect such an observation. Everyone knew things like this were commun for people in power, therefore people assumed that they were used to it.

"It would've been scarier if they succeeded." Frank spoke again as he walked back to the table with a new shirt and coat on. "They tried to throw a poorly executed yet powerful spell at me while the three of us were sharing a carriage during a parade."

"I sensed dark magic nearby and pushed him out of the way." Wally said.

"You did?!" she looked at him with big eyes.

"Yes. Although it still hit him. I'm sorry about that." he bowed his head to Frank. "I feel bad about it to this day."

"Oh don't even with that again. You saved my life." he frowned. "And I shall be forever grateful."

Wally smiled softly.

"It was so cool!" Julie exclaimed. "And I caught the bastards with my magic!"

"Haven't you heard about it?" Frank asked. "It was all over the news."

"I uh..." (Y/n) glanced to the side. "I wasn't really keeping up with anything outside of my home in the past."

"Well, they were caught, judged, and executed."

"Oh my..."

"Don't feel bad for them." Wally smiled. "Trust me, they do not deserve such kindness."

She gulped.

"Being royalty sure isn't easy..."

Julie and Wally laughed.

"That is an understatement, (L/n)." Frank said. "...That does bring up a question that has been on a lot of people's mind, and I'll admit, I am curious as well."

"What is it?"

"Who will replace the late King of Spades? Or, with the High Council, will there even be a replacement?"

(Y/n) pursued her lips and looked to the side, looking for the right words to say. The three royals patiently waited, their smiles gone.

"Well... Without a proper heir to the throne, the second choice would be the Marquis. But he's...not quite ready for such a role yet. I'm pretty sure none of us are. I do believe that my Kingdom needs a ruler, but as of now, we just need to focus on making sure that our home is in a more stable situation. There is just so much going on right now. We still have the economic crisis, we haven't had a sunny day in a while, the local religions are at each-other's throats more than usual, because of our limited budget we missed a few festivals and so many birthdays, and of course the culture thing outside of-!" she cut herself and held the bridge of her nose with a groan.

The three royals were taken aback, both by her frustration and by her words. (Y/n) loudly exhaled as she looked back at them.

"But yes!" she exhaled. "There is just no way only one of us can take care of all of that. At least I believe so." she paused. "Of course, once everything is settled – at least a good part of it – we will then discuss who shall be the new Ruler of Spades." she nodded.

The three friends looked at each-other with big eyes.

"Would a bunch of money help?" Julie asked.

Now it was (Y/n)'s turn to be shocked, while Wally and Frank seemed to have expected her to ask such a thing. (Y/n) opened her mouth but for a moment, she said nothing, hesitating. Of course, her first reflex was to politely decline, but...

"Yes." her shoulders dropped and she nodded. "Yes it would, greatly.

"Now now Julie." Wally finished his tea. "Tea time is not a time for business dealings."

"Right right right." Julie nodded and gobbled her cake in one go.

'Right.' (Y/n) thought as she took a sip of her tea. 'Now's not the time for joking around. I almost got my hopes up.'

"I am curious about one thing..." Wally leaned back in his seat, resting his cheek on the palm of his hand. "You say you're waiting for your kingdom to be in a better position. But I am curious about what your overall goal is."

She looked at him, slowly drinking.

"'You' as in the High Council of course." he clarified. "What do you want the Spades Kingdom to be in, let's say, ten years?"

"...So it's not okay to discuss business, but it's fine talking politics?" she smiled as she put her cup down.

He just chuckled. 

"In ten years..." her gaze wandered. "I haven't thought that far ahead in a long time."

She thought for a moment. Once again, the three royals patiently waited. Frank glanced at Wally, who was still starring at Lady (Y/n).

"In ten years," she looked back at him. "people who come to our land- any of the four kingdoms really." she gestured towards the three of them. "Should feel welcomed and accepted. And if they need help, all four kingdoms should have the ressources to provide it."

Julie and Wally smiled, Frank nodded.

"That is very vague lady." the latter of whom said.

"I-I'm sorry!" she blushed. "Well of course I want my people to be happy and for our kingdom to flourish in many ways-"

"It's alright (L/n)!" Julie patted her arm. "Vague answers for vague questions!" she chuckled.

"I like asking vague questions." Wally smiled, still looking at (Y/n). "The way they are interpreted can tell a lot about a person."

His stare made her nervous and she avoided eye contact.

Julie suddenly felt inspired to ask more vague questions about more simple subjects. Such as 'what's your favorite color' but in a vague way. She had an electric aura about her that made (Y/n) follow her in all her silly bits, thoughts and ideas. At some point, a butler came in with a bunch of notes, he seemed exhausted but relieved to have finally found the center of the maze.

"Ow, can we get him some water?" (Y/n) asked.

Wally gestured for a maid to do just that.

"Th...Thank you, Milady." the butler bowed.

After drinking a glass of water to refresh himself up, he cleared his throat, stood tall, and walked up to their table where he handed out the notes to each royal. Each one of them declined, saying they intended to stay here for the entirety of the event.

"Enjoying friendly company. Surely they'll understand." Wally smiled, his chin on the back on his closed hand.

"Of course, your Highness." the butler then turned towards lady (Y/n). "And these are for you, Milady."

"Huh?! Me?" she pointed at herself.

"You sure have a hard time believing that people are interested in you, (L/n)." Frank said.

"True." Julie nodded. "Like, I said you have the aura of a leader when push comes to shove, but other than that, you're really lacking in self-confidence."

"Wha- I- Well..."

'Why am I suddenly being called out?!'

"Well it's just that, it's my first being in the presence of...such a crowd. I've never really left my kingdom- Even my hometown before the King's passing."

"Ah. So like a 'big fish in a small pond, moving to a bigger pond with bigger fishes' situation." Frank pointed.

"More like a... A moderately average-sized fish, in a smaller than average pond, then moves to an ocean and-"

"See that's the problem right there!" Julie pointed at her and shifted in her seat to face her. "You need to be more assertive! Be more confident, be more sassy! Tell people what you think, take what you want! Tell them what you need and if they won't give it to you, make it your own!"

(Y/n) blinked twice, leaning back as the Queen grew more passionate with every word.

"You sure can be scary sometimes, Julie." Wally chuckled.

"Look who's talking!" she glared at him with a huff.

"And then you wonder why you're still single." Frank shook his head. "You're always so dramatic. We told you the majority of people don't like that."

"That just means that only a select few can handle all this!" she rapidly gestured to herself up and down.

"I think it's great that you can so freely be yourself, your Highness." (Y/n) smiled. "If it were anyone else, people would say that their behavior wouldn't be fitting of a lady. Yet when people talk about you, I only hear about how perfect you are."

Julie's smile softened.

"When I first became queen, I tried to be everyone's definition of perfect... It just didn't feel right." she shook her head. "I later found out that to be perfect, you have to feel perfect about yourself. It's about finding the right fit, the most natural fit. Be happy and be kind and you will glow as bright as the Sun!"

"I'm sure the caves of the Clubs Kingdom aren't as bright then, without their Sun."

"Oh my, (L/n)!" she covered her mouth and lightly hit her arm. "Where did that come from?!"

"Huh?" she blinked twice, confused. "I was just making a reference to-"

"I know I know!" she giggled. "You're really sweet!"

She smiled. Wally chuckled.

"So, Milady," the butler spoke. "about the notes...?"

"Ah! Yes, um... Please tell them that I'll have to politely decline."

"Very well." he bowed before walking to a trashcan that a maid presented to him.

"Oh. I didn't even get to read them." she realized.

"Doesn't matter, does it?" Julie shrugged. "You declined anyway."

"Still, I don't know who sent them..." she looked at the piles of notes that were for the four of them before turning back with a shrug. "I suppose you're right."

If she had kept looking for just a few more seconds, she would've seen Arnold's name on one of these as it was dropped into the can. She had a lovely time with the three royals and they kept chatting about various things, even after the event officially ended. Once (Y/n) came back, everyone had left and moved on with their day.

She was satisfied, the Shuffling's tea party was a great success.

The next morning, the members of the High Council of Spades were going through their letters. Lady (Y/n) seemed to have received a lot more of them than before.

'It's like they know who invited me! Even though we were in the center of the maze.'

Everyone was still rather fatigued from yesterday, laying back in their seat and flipping through their letters with slow and heavy movements. Arnold let out a big yawn. With the bags under his eyes, it would seem he hasn't slept well. 

"Would you like to borrow some makeup to mask them?" Gwendolyn asked.

"No! It makes it look like I worked all night!"

"Ooooh, clever." (Y/n) nodded.

She flipped to another letter and as she saw who it was from by looking at the seal, her expression slowly fell. As if she was struck by lightning and was suddenly full of energy, she suddenly stood up and shouted something in the old language of Spade, scaring everyone.

"Lady (Y/n)! Language!" Catherine exclaimed while Arnold laughed in his shock.

"What in the world?!" she dropped all of the other letters and began to pace around the room, holding the one she had with both hands. "No way! No way! There is no way!"

"What is it? Who is it from?"

"Hold on!" she opened it and began to read it.

Gwendolyn grabbed the envelop as it was being tossed and looked at the seal.

"Is that the royal seal from the Kingdom of Clubs?!"

"What?!" the other two members exclaimed. "(Y/n), what does it say?!"

"Hold on!"

"Just tell us!" Catherine tried to look over her shoulder.

"Just hold on I tell you!" she faced her, hiding the letter from view. "Because if this is about what I think this is about, then this is huge!"

"So we have to share with you every word of the letters we get," Arnold folded his arms. "but the moment we ask you to share, suddenly-"

"She is not listening right now." Gwendolyn shook her head.

He scoffed and had to wait with everyone while (Y/n) carefully read her letter. The handwriting was very cute and round, with little flowers drawings. Not to frame the words, for some sometimes overlapped them. Like the writer randomly decided to put one here and there while writing and eventually had to write over them.

HEY (L/N)! Remember at the tea party when you listed all those things your Kingdom was going through and I asked if money would help and you said 'Oh yeah big times'? Well I'm still up to give you that! Don't worry about me I got a bunch of it! We don't even use that kind of currency in the Clubs Kingdom it's mostly for outside stuff. Just give me an estimate whenever you want and I'll send it over as soon as the Shuffling ends! Your – I hope – friend, Julie Joyful. P.S.: WE SHOULD TOTALLY HANG OUT MORE!

(Y/n) jumped up and down, frantically waving her hands.

"Okay so!" she turned to her fellow council members. "Basically, at the tea party, the people who invited me were the three royals-"

Catherine squealed loudly.

"I told you!" she shook Arnold, who then pushed her away. "Lady (Y/n) is climbing up the ranks!"

"I am doing no such thing." she shook her head. "It's not like I would've invited myself at such a table- It doesn't matter!" she shook her head again. 

She then told them all about the discussion her and the three royals had regarding the Kingdom of Spades, while leaving out everything else. They were shocked.

"So we can ask for however much money we want?!" Arnold smirked with a spark in his eyes.

"However much money we need, Arnold." she frowned. "We're not going to rob the Clubs."

"Gosh, you're no fun." he huffed. "We would need a raise with all the work we're doing."

"This is basically charity money, it's not for us." Gwendolyn shook her head. "It's for the kingdom."

"That means...we'll have to do some math." (Y/n) began to think. "Round the numbers, consider our current budget, how much our fundraisers made in the past months- We simply cannot raise the taxes, the people simply can't afford it and some already hate us enough as it is. And-"

"God dammit..." Arnold said under his breath with a deep frown.

"Lady (Y/n), you might now want to get all worked up so soon." Catherine said as she went through the letters (Y/n) had casted aside. "Because you have just tossed away a letter from the Majesty the King of Diamonds!" she raised the letter.

"What?!" her, Arnold and Gwendolyn exclaimed.

(Y/n) rushed over and grabbed it from her. Unlike any other letters, its sender wrote on the envelope who wrote it.

"He wrote his full name too, so he must've wrote it personally!" Catherine gasped in excitement. "Just like the Queen I bet!"

"I cannot believe it..." she laughed in astonishment.

'I feel like I'm dreaming...and I don't know if I even want to wake up!'

She quickly opened it. The handwriting was the complete opposite of Julie's: thin, clean, in italic.

Dear Lady (L/n), I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing this to you with the intention of keeping up my end of the verbal deal we've made after the hunt. Please join me in the library this afternoon before tea time for a lesson of ornithology. I find that having a snack makes any learning experience more enjoyable. Kind regards, Frank Frankly, King of Diamonds.

(Y/n) simply let out a bewildered shout.

"What does it say?!" Catherine asked.

"Ah. Eh. Uh." she waved the letter. "Aaaah!"

"Just give it!" Arnold tried to snatch it away from her but she suddenly walked towards the piles of letters.

"Is there one from the King of Hearts?!"

"No... I didn't find one from him. Went through the whole pile." Catherine looked down at it. 

"Oh..." (Y/n) cleared her throat and nodded, her cheeks redder. "Right, yes, of course not."

Catherine and Gwendolyn sent each-other a knowing glance while Arnold huffed.

"Well!" she said, louder than she wanted to be. "I gotta get ready and do some math. Gotta go get ready for that. Bye!" she quickly gathered her letters and fled to her room.

Now that she was alone, her excitement changed into nervous panic.

'I will be alone with a king. Again!' she held her head and paced around her room. 'But this is different, he'll be teaching me! I have to make sure I stay focused and learn good!' she sighed. 'King Frank is the more stern of the three... Probably one of the most stern man I've met. I can't say I'm not nervous...'

She took a long breath and sat at her desk.

'Well in the meantime, I'll have to read the rest of the letters and write back to them all. Which will probably take me all morning, again...'

As she did just that, she came across yet another letter that made her pause everything. She read it intently, then gasped.

"Oh my gosh. This is perfect!" she looked up with a smile. "A complete win-win for everyone! I must meet with him first."

"I do apologize m'lady, I must've misheard ya there. Must be the wax in my ears. You want me to what?!"

"Mr. Dear, pleeeease!" she joined her hands together. "For the sake of our friendship!"

"But... But the King asked you for such an audience." his eyes darted around. "It would be rude of me to go with you."

"I would feel much more at ease if I was in the company of a friend however. Besides," she leaned closer, speaking more quietly despite the two of them being in a secluded part of the Eastern gardens. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind. And it would give you the opportunity to see him again."

Eddie's face became all red. 

"Wh-What? Whaaaat?" he looked away twiddling his thumbs. "What do you mean m'lady?! Ahaha! It's not like I have any particular interest in- Not that I wouldn't be honored to!"

"Pleeeease?"

His head wavered back and forth in hesitation while (Y/n) gave him puppy dog eyes. Finally, he sighed.

"Alright m'lady." he huffed, puffing up his chest. "If my presence brings you any comfort, I shall join you!"

Her face lit up and she lightly clapped her hands.

"Thank you a thousands Mr. Dear! May your fishes be dumb as rocks!"

"Excuse me?"

"Oh. That's a Spades saying." she explained as they walked back to the castle. "When fishermen can't catch anything, they say it's because the fishes are getting smarter. So when we say that to someone, it means that you wish for them to get a lot of food and other good things."

"Aaaah, I see!" he nodded, smiling. "And here I was wondering how you knew I had pet fishes at home."

"You have pet fishes?"

"I don't, that's why I was so confused. I thought I missed somethin'!"

She burst out laughing.

Frank was certainly surprised to see Eddie there. He had already acquired the entire library to himself and set up the table, snacks and board for this lesson, and as soon as he heard the Lady's voice, he was ready to start right away, but he froze when he saw Mr. Dear with her. Eddie also seem to have frozen up when their eyes met.

"I was wondering if it would be okay for Mr. Dear to tag along." she gestured towards him. "We already had plans to meet up again, and I thought that – being a traveler – he would greatly benefit from your knowledge."

'Which isn't technically a lie.'

Besides, she had a feeling that, no matter how good she was at lying, Frank would be too busy looking at Eddie's eyes. Said man nervously chuckled.

"I-I do apologize for comin' in unannounced, my King." he bowed. "I would completely understand if you don't-"

"I set up this table for two people."

Both (Y/n) and Eddie suddenly looked defeated, she looked at him with a pained look.

"I understand..." Eddie nodded, speaking in a low tone.

"I guess I'll have to just stand then."

Both (Y/n) and Eddie's faces lit up.

"N-No, my King! It's alright, I'll stand! I'm used to it!"

"Or we could just get another chair." (Y/n) shrugged. "I'll go find one." she began to walk backwards. "Oh, but tell me, your Highness, how long do you think this lesson will be?"

"A couple of hours at most."

"Then I will need a very comfortable chair, not just any chair." she stared at Eddie. "It might take me a while to find one."

He didn't seem to understand what she was implying.

"Completely understandable." Frank nodded. "I myself took a long time to find these two." he patted one of the chairs at the table. "I found them on the second floor."

"Thank you so very much your Highness." she curtsied. "I shall leave you two be for now."

It was then that Eddie finally realized that he would be alone with the King.

"L-Lady (L/n)!"

She was already gone. She chuckled to herself as she took her time to walk up the circular stairs to the library's second floor. She could still see them from the balcony. They seemed to be having a pleasant conversation, although Eddie was clearly nervous. She chuckled again and started looking for a chair similar to the ones Frank got. Again, talking her time. She let out a small 'ah' when she found it. Just as she was about to lift it up, she flinched when she heard a loud thud. She turned around to see a book on the floor. She went to it and crouched to pick it up. Just then, in her peripheral vision, she saw a silhouette of someone turning around a corner and going to another aisle.

"Excuse me?" she called out and followed whoever that was. "You dropped this..." her voice trailed off.

There was no one. She looks around, frowning, even looked through the books on the shelves to see if there was anyone in the other aisles.  But she saw no one.

"Huh..." she said and went to put the book back on the shelf.

"Are you alright (L/n)?" she heard Frank call out for her.

"Ah!" she rushed to the balcony. "I'm okay, thank you for your concern. It's just that someone dropped a book and..."

"Someone?" he raised half of his eyebrow. "Could've swore I booked the entire library for this lesson."

"Ahahahahaha! Booked!" Eddie loudly said. "Hilarious your Majesty!"

"No. 'To book' is an actual verb, Mr. Dear."

"Oh... Pfff. I knew that." he looked away, patting the outer sides of his thighs.

He glanced back and saw that Frank was still looking at him. He quickly looked up at the balcony. 

"M'lady! Do you need any help?!"

"I'm okay!" she waved a hand, dragging the chair with the other, making a loud creaking noise that echoed throughout the library and made the two men wince. 

(Y/n) did her best to keep up with Frank's teachings. As it turned out, he tended to speak faster once he entered a monologue, and she didn't want to ask him to speak slower for her so as to not thrown him off his rhythm. Eddie was very much used to it, he just became completely lost by minute five and he began to make bird origamis. It was when Frank asked if she had any questions that (Y/n) could go back to anything she missed or didn't understand. The lecture then turned more conversational, which was a lot easier for her to learn this way. Frank even took Eddie's origami and placed them on various maps as a visual explanation of certain ornithologist methods. 

By the end, (Y/n) leaned back in her very comfortable chair and looked at the piles of paper full of notes she's made.

"My my." Eddie leaned over to try to read. "Those are some real chicken scratches right there." he chuckled.

"It's my system." she said. "But I agree that it would be difficult for people to read back. I'll rewrite it more properly."

"We could do it right now." he beamed. "Put it all neatly in a binder!"

"A binder?! I love binders!" Frank exclaimed. "All of the useful information you need on any subject, neatly packed and organized in one place."

"And you get to customize it however you want." Eddie added. "Thankfully for us, I always carry some paper-crafting supplies with me at all times." he said as he took out a bunch of colorful papers, tapes and pencils from multiple pockets of his.

"...Why?" (Y/n) asked.

"You never know." he shrugged with a smile.

It took them another few hours to make this binder. In the end, they have made – 'with their powers combined' so said (Y/n) – what all three of them considered a masterpiece. Lady (Y/n) promised herself that she would cherish it.

The next official event of the Shuffling was the talent show. Which, unlike any other talent shows, wasn't a competition taking place on a stage with four mean judges. It was actually taking place throughout the estate and was more similar to a convention. Each participants would have their own space to showcase their talent, like a panel. And, if their talent allowed it, some passersby could even try it out. For example, a lot of people chose to showcase their cooking or baking abilities, all these people were then sharing the kitchens. Of course, the food was offered to anyone who desired it, and if someone asked, one could even give them a quick lesson.

Arnold was doing archery and sword fighting, all blindfolded. People could throw him an apple and he would slice it clean. The one time he missed it, he ended up catching it in his mouth. Everybody cheered when that happened. (Y/n) felt very proud.

'He's having so much fun!' she thought, watching him take his blindfold off and bowing to the crowd before eating the rest of the apple. 'I'm so happy for him!'

"Wow! The Marquis' pretty cool!" Molly, who tagged along, said in awe while holding Clarabelle in her arms.

"One thing to know about Arnold is that he's not all bark and no bite." she smiled.

The young man noticed her and the two of them waved at each-other. Her and Molly walked around the gardens to see all the outdoor talents people had. It was mostly sports, some animal handling, magic tricks, etc... They saw Queen Julie going from sport to sport, destroying anyone that played against her.

'Oh, so she just didn't want to be tied down by one sport.' (Y/n) chuckled.

"That could be me!" Molly pointed at a stand where someone was displaying their giant pumpkins, which they claimed they grew naturally without any magic. 

"You have your own personal vegetable garden, Miss Molly?"

"Of course I do!" she huffed. "But kids can't participate!"

"Next Shuffling will be the one, don't worry." she smiled.

"What's your talent Lady (L/n)?"

"Oh it's not really a talent..."

"What is it? What is it?" she jumped lightly.

She looked around and leaned closer, Molly leaned too.

"I can make flower crowns fast."

The young girl gasped.

"That's so cool! Show me!"

"I don't think I can..."

"There's gotta be a flower craft spot somewhere?"

"I really don't believe so." she shook her head with a smile. "It is considered a bit childish. I don't think many people would consider it a-"

"Here's one right there!" she pointed.

She looked over with big eyes. There was indeed a stand full of various flowers, although it was mostly for flower arrangements. Molly let go of Clarabelle to grab her hand, while the duck quacked and made her way to the pretty flowers.

"Come on!" she dragged her with them.

(Y/n) was hesitant, but knew she didn't have much of a choice.

"Alright. Um..."

While Clarabelle shoved her head into flowers, (Y/n) took an assortments of them plus a few blades of grass. Then, she started braided them together. The beginning process was rather slow, but it did catch the attention of the people around her. They whispered to each-other, asking what she thought she was doing. Then, once she's build some momentum, she suddenly went really fast, and within minutes, she's crafted a small flower crown. An 'oooo' resonated through the crowd and they clapped. (Y/n) chuckled and bowed, her cheeks dusted with pink.

"Here you go Miss Molly." she handed it to her.

"Woooow." she looked at her in awe. "Here Clarabelle, there are your colors!"

She put it on the duck's head, but it was too big and so fell down her neck. It was a flower necklace now!

"Awww!" (Y/n) let out, along with other people.

"Do one for me now!" she pointed at herself.

"Can I have one too?" someone asked.

"Pardon?" (Y/n) looked at them, surprised.

"Oh I would love to have one with petunias!" more people chimed in.

"Could I have a necklace to match my dress?"

"Can I have a ring? The one my husband gave me sucks!"

"Oh my..." she said under her breath.

Soon enough, this flower arrangement panel turned more into Lady (L/n)'s flower crafting stand. It was nice to make people happy, but she didn't like to do it because people asked her to. Flower-crown-making should come naturally, she thought, when you're out with some friends in a meadow and you want to make a memento of the lovely time you spent together. 

'At this rate, I won't get to see all of the talent show.' 

She quickly thought of a plan.

"Look!" she pointed. "A butterfly landed on Lady Clarabelle's beak!"

"What?!" everyone looked over.

Although that was a lie, a butterfly was indeed trying to land on her flower necklace, but Clarabelle was trying to eat it.

"Clarabelle no!" Molly rushed over to it. "Think of your diet!"

The crowd laughed and turned back to Lady (L/n), but she was gone, hiding behind a pillar.

"I'm sorry Miss Molly." she whispered. "I do hope you enjoy the rest of the day without me."

And so, Lady (Y/n) walked through the talent show, now by herself. She stopped by a blacksmithing panel to say hi to Mr. Pillar.

"You're not participating?" she asked.

"Naaah." he shook his head, his two pair of arms folded. "Just lending my equipment and keeping an eye out in case someone gets a bit too ambitious." 

"Don't you want to participate though?"

"I do." he sighed. "But I am just a servant, these kind of events aren't for people like me."

"Oh, I see..." she nodded. "But you are the royal blacksmith, surely such a prestige could give you permission to perform your craft."

"I think it's so as to not discourage the others." he leaned over and whispered to her.

They both chuckled.

After a while, Lady (Y/n) entered the castle. Each large room were dedicated to a talent. Music, dancing, singing, board games, puppetry. There was a stand up comedy one, with Barnaby as a mediator. She wanted to chat with him, but didn't want to enter the room. She didn't want to risk making a fool of herself again. They did wave at each-other though. There was also a room where people would recite their favorite soliloquy, showcasing their acting abilities. She found Lady Starlet there and watched a couple of performance.

"I was thinking this could be a great opportunity to scout some hidden gems." Sally whispered to her.

"Oh, good idea." she nodded. "And may I say, that monologue of yours was captivating."

"Why thank you." she nodded with a hand over her heart. "I couldn't find a place for it in the play and I simply couldn't bear to keep it in the drafts."

"That would be a shame yes. Although... One of those lines sounded strangely familiar-"

"No it didn't!" she exclaimed, a drop of cold sweat on her forehead.

"Oh."

Lady (Y/n) had a lot of fun. The hallways were filled with music, singing and laughter. The entire castle was full of life and it brought her a sense of joy. She found Eddie in an arts and crafts panel, he taught her how to make origami butterflies. King Frank joined them at some point, he turned out to be particularly good at making paper airplanes. She left after he went on a tangent about the knowledge of aerodynamics needed for such a craft.

Every door to a panel was left open, so (Y/n) – eating a pastry she got from the people in the kitchens – walked through the hallways, peeking inside each room. She didn't expect to see such a variety of talents. Maybe she could've participated after all...

Walking by a door bigger than the others, she stopped in her tracks. The room was large, the ceiling was high, paintings all over the walls, with blank canvases by the floor. Painting easels everywhere, surrounding a pedestal on top of which was one singular red apple. Not only was there a lot of painters, but there was also a lot of people watching, a bigger crowd than any other panel had, whispering and giggling. And (Y/n) instantly knew why. Despite the many painters, she spotted the King of Hearts right away, for it was him that everyone was watching, even the painters would look at him once in a while. But he, however, was solely focused on his craft.

Seeing such a sight, from afar, with the rays of sunlight coming through the tall windows, (Y/n) couldn't help but let out a quiet 'wow'. It was already like looking at a painting to her, she was afraid to ruin this beautiful illusion by stepping in. And besides, there were too many people there already. She sighed through her nose and walked away.

But she did want to see the other paintings however. So she decided to go back once the event was over, once everyone will have left. She felt proud of having made the entire round of the talent show, and she did brag about it to her fellow council members. Arnold didn't believe her and he was right, she did lie. There was one panel left.

'I just spoke from a future-me perspective.' she thought as she made her way to the art studio.

The doors were still open, but everything was much more silent now. She passed by servants who were tidying everything up and would say a quick hello to them, which caught them off guard, surprised that their presence was being acknowledged. There was no servant going in nor out of the art studio, she thought maybe they were already done with it. She suddenly stopped at the doorway.

Without the easels and the crowd, the room looked much bigger than before. The setting sunlight made everything look orange and the silence made it seem like time had stopped. But it wasn't the sight of the room that made her halt. For there was one easel left. Despite not having a model anymore, the King of Hearts was still painting. It was like he never moved from his stool once.

The one thing that came to (Y/n)'s mind in this moment, was that it was the first time she saw him without a cape.

Her heart jumped when he glanced at her and their eyes met. He smiled.

"Ah. Lady (L/n)." he said as he tapped his brush on his palette to add a bit more paint. "I see you finally decided to join us. I do apologize, but the panel has been closed for a while now." he said with an apologetic smile.

"Oh n-no! It's not that!" she shook her head, her face red. "I just wanted to look at the paintings now that everyone was gone. But I see you're here, so I won't bother you any more than I am." she bowed.

He chuckled.

"Not at all, do as you please." he said as he kept painting. "These doors are open for a reason."

"Thank you, my King." she curtsied.

She walked passed him and glanced over to see what he was painting: the walls, with all the shades of orange. She thought that if she licked it, it would taste like orange too. She looked at the wall behind him, framed paintings all over it, even up to the ceiling. They were all of various things, some with a very different art style.

"You painted all of these?"

"Most of them." he said without looking away. "Some are by good friends of mine, some by other artists who I've commissioned. I let them paint whatever they want and I put it up there. I like looking at different art styles, it helps me recognize what makes mine unique. And besides, it's just nice to have art of your friends."

"...That must be Queen Julie." she pointed up at the most colorful and messy one with a smile. "King Frank..." she leaned towards the cleanest and most detailed butterfly sketch she's ever seen.

She stopped in front of a painting which only had three dots, red, blue and yellow, with a bigger red dot under them.

"Um... Barnaby?"

"My, you really have a keen eye, Lady (L/n)." he looked back at her.

"It just... It feels like him." she took a step back to look at them all. "They're all so beautiful."

"Do you have an interest in painting by any chance?" he put his palette aside and turned towards her.

"Not particularly. My father did, however, and I would watch him paint."

"Oh really?" he hopped off the stool and walked to stand by her side. "What kind of painter was he?"

"He used the same paint as you I think, only he used a knife."

"I'm sorry." he blinked twice. "A knife?"

"Yes, knife painting." she looked at him and saw the look on his face. "You've never heard of it?"

"No, but I'm intrigued. Could you show me?"

"Show you?"

He nodded. There was now a glimmer in his eyes that she simply couldn't say no to.

"S-Sure..." she looked around. "I would need a knife."

"We could get one at the knife-swallowing panel."

"I would have to politely disagree. For hygiene sake."

"Then to the kitchens at once!" he raised an index before walking away. 

She followed him in a rush. Despite simply power walking, he was still very fast. They walked passed the servants in the hallways, who were even more surprised to see who the lady from earlier was now with. Her and the King secretly borrowed a couple of knives – of different shapes and sizes – from the kitchens and quickly went back to the art studio. 

"I would like to preface this by saying that I have never painted before." she said, a new palette in her hand after the King set up a new canvas for her. "But I will do my best to show you." she cleared her throat. "So, most of the time, the paint is displayed flat on the palette. And with the knife, you cut across and take a small chunk." she did just that and raised the blade for him to see. "So now you have this small roll of pain along the blade."

"I see..." he leaned closer to look.

"And so," she faced the blank canvas. "of course you don't cut the canvas, you just...gently drag it...along the canvas." she said under her breath as she did so, trying to focus on what her hands were doing and explaining it at the same time. "It allows for very thin lines. My father would mostly paint nature landscapes so... Oh! And if you drag it across like a shaving razor." she took a bit more paint and did just that. "The line becomes super thick, and if you're gentle with it and allow the knife to make little bumps on the canvas, it creates a cool looking effect- I remember my father would do this when painting snow-covered surfaces!"

"Ah, clever." he slowly nodded.

"And, and!" she quickly looked around. "If you take a regular big brush." 

"Here." he handed one to her as if he had it this whole time.

"Thank you." she took it. "So imagine you're painting a lake or a body of water. You would make the edges with the thin lines. Then, to recreate the reflection of the water, you take the brush... And push the paint down to do a nice gradient effect." 

She tried to do that, but she must've put too much paint already and too much pressure, for it came out wrong.

"Oh no- Uh, no, not like that." she panicked.

She tried to save it, but it just made it worse. She kept stammering, it made Wally chuckle and that made her blush in shame.

"W-Well, that's how my father did it." she faced him. "Obviously it would look a lot more elegant than this mess." she gestured toward her canvas.

"For a complete beginner to know such techniques, it's already very impressive." he smiled.

"...You flatter me, my King."

"I don't mean to."

"And yet, I feel flattered."

"Then, shall I say 'thank you' or 'you're welcome'?" he tilted his head. 

She blushed again, pursuing her lips, not knowing what to say to that. He chuckled again.

"Would you like to try again?" he asked. "I'll join you this time, we're both beginners in this painting method."

She hesitated, looking at the strange painting tool in her hand.

"Alright." she smiled.

The King's face lit up and went to set up another easel. While he did that, unbeknown to Lady (Y/n), he passed by the doors and closed them. He gave her a few tips before starting, such as to start with a sketch using a pencil.

"Ah! Pencil! That I can do!"

"So you do draw."

"Well I haven't done it in a long time. I would sometimes try and sketch the landscape while my father was painting..." she took a pencil and stared at the blank canvas.

The King noticed her stare.

"Don't think about it too much," he said as he prepared his palette. "just start drawing, the rest shall come to you."

"It's not that I don't know what to paint." she said without looking away. "I'm just trying to figure out how to fit everything into this tiny space..." 

He watched as she pressed a closed fist on her mouth and squinted her eyes, humming while thinking. Suddenly, she gasped, surprising him. She then took the canvas and rotated it to be more panoramic.

"Perfect!" she beamed.

He let out a 'heh' and started painting. They were facing each-other and so couldn't see what the other was painting. Sometimes, (Y/n) would glance at him, seeing his expression. It was different than when he healed her hands, for using magic came naturally to him. When he painted, he was focused, a small frown on his face, contrasting his faint smile.

She realized she's been staring and quickly went back to sketching. This painting session was quiet, with only the sounds of pencil, knife and brush going across their canvas echoing through the large room. They didn't talk either, the two of them were trying something new and didn't want to mess it up. At some point, Wally glanced at her. Her tongue was sticking out from between her teeth, she would frequently lean back and every time she did, her expression would range from one of cringe to one of delight. He contained a chuckle and put the finishing touches.

"There." he leaned back. "I'm done."

"What?!" (Y/n) leaned to the side to look at him. "I just started painting!"

"You just finished the sketch?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed with furrowed eyebrows. "But I get the feeling that you are also very fast!"

"I admit, I could've spent more time on it. I might work on it again some time." he put his painting tools aside. "Would you like to see?"

"Oh yes, please."

He picked up his canvas and rotated it with a smile. (Y/n)'s jaw dropped, the look on her face made him chuckle. It was a painting of a mountain, with an entire city on it, in a perfect fusion of rural and urban. It would seem that he used regular brushes to make the sky and background, which, contrasting the sharpness of the knife lines, created a blurry effect and made it all the more realistic.

"It's beautiful!" she said, then looked back at her painting. "...I don't even want to finish mine now."

"Oh don't be like that. Do finish it, I'll wait." he put the canvas back on the easel and hoped down his stool. "In the meantime, I'll look for a spot on my wall."

"For your painting?"

"For your painting."

"Mine?!" she pointed at herself.

"Of course." he smiled, walking up to her. "You're the one who introduced me to an entire new painting method, I must honor you and your-" he stopped when he saw what she did.

Just lines. Horizontal lines. (Y/n), her face red, wanted to throw that canvas away.

"Ah." the King spoke before she could. "These are the Rook plains, are they not?"

She blinked twice, surprised.

"Yes, actually." she nodded.

"I recognize it. The Spades Kingdom is known for its plains and prairies."

"Right, we don't have a lot of mountains there." she smiled.

"You simply must finish it. At least the line art."

"My King," she sighed. "I'm really not-"

"Wally."

"Excuse me?" her eyes widened.

"My name is Wally." he smiled. "Please refer to me as such."

"Is it... Is it short for something?"

"No. Simply just Wally."

There was a short moment of silence.

"Baha-!!!" she slapped a hand over her mouth.

He was taken aback. She would've laughed so loudly if she hadn't stopped herself.

"A bit silly, I suppose..." he glanced to the side.

"N-No no no no no!" she quickly shook her head and hands. "It's not that at all! It's a wonderful name! I just... I know someone with a similar name, and I call him Wally."

"Oh. I see." he smiled. "You must be really close, if you're giving him a nickname."

"Yes... Yes we are." she nodded.

"Strange, you don't strike me as the type to give nicknames to people."

"There are always exceptions."

"Mmh..." he cleared his throat. "Anyway, you really should finish this painting."

"We've been at it for a while now, I really don't want to waste any more time on this."

"Waste?" he raised an eyebrow. "What would your father say if he heard you right now?"

This made something click in her mind. She looked back at the unfinished cluster of lines and pursued her lips. Without a word, she kept painting, and Wally watched. Anytime she'd stop herself because she messed up, he would chime in and give her a solution, without taking away from her art style. In the end, the painting was nothing but horizontal lines, but the different pressure put into each strokes created different shades of the same color. And so, if one would take a step back, they could clearly see a scenery from the Spades Kingdom.

"See? That's not so bad at all." Wally smiled. "It's very lovely even."

"Yeah." she nodded. "It's just like how he used to..."

Hearing a quiver in her voice, he looked over to see her eyes filling with tears. She turned away, hiding her face.

"Oh boy." she said to herself.

"Oh no, are you okay?"

"I'm alright, thank you." she waved a hand. "I just didn't expect it to...hit me this hard." 

He smiled softly and gently patted her back. He felt her tense up under his touch. She cleared her throat, sniffed a couple out times and turned back to the painting, blinking a lot.

"I agree." she said. "It turned out a lot better thanks to your advice."

"You can keep it if you want."

"Huh? Oh, no no no. I wouldn't even have made it if it wasn't for you, my King."

"I told you, call me Wally."

She turned to him.

"It's only the two of us here." he looked her in the eyes. "There's no need for formalities."

"...Okay." she said under her breath. "W-Wally, you can have my painting."

He smiled.

"I guess I have no choice then. I promise you I will take the upmost care of it." he picked it up. "I shall hang it in the morning." 

"In the morning...?"

She looked around. The Sun had set and the Moon has risen, the studio was now lit by chandeliers and candles scattered around the room. (Y/n) let out a cry of shock that made Wally almost drop the painting.

"It's so late! How come I didn't notice?! Oh my gosh my King I am so sorry to have taken so much of your time," she bowed deeply as she made her way out with backward steps. "you must be so tired I will leave you be now if you'll excuse me!" 

She opened the door but turned to face him one last time. She hesitated, then curtsied.

"Thank you very much, I've had a lovely time." she said before leaving in a rush.

Wally stood there for a moment, processing what just happened. Eventually, he laughed. She called him 'my King' again.

"I guess it'll take her some time to get used to it." he said to himself, gently placing her and his knife paintings in a corner somewhere, side by side.

Chapter Text

Lady (Y/n) slowly opened the door to the Spades quarters. It was dark, quiet and empty. She lit up a candle and took careful steps so as to not wake up anyone. She heard a groan and froze, spinning around to look at the couch. She relaxed when she saw Arnold, sleeping on it, his pet rabbit asleep on his chest. She felt a sense of guilt. Was he waiting for her? 

'He probably wanted to catch me by surprise, but ended up falling asleep.'

She brought the candle a little bit closer to see his face. He was frowning, his face twitching from time to time. He must be having a nightmare. She wondered if she should wake him up. Suddenly, she heard a squack and turned over to see the bird from the hunt flying towards her. 

"Shshshshsh!" she harshly whispered, quickly putting the candle on the table and catching it, then covering its beak. "It's me! It's me!"

Arnold groaned again. She froze and watched as he wiggled in his sleep. He turned to his side, making Blizzard fall on the floor. It shook the small animal awake and it looked around in panic.

"Ow no, you poor thing." (Y/n) crouched. "Are you okay?"

Blizzard simply looked back up at Arnold, then went to hop on the couch opposite of him. (Y/n) couldn't help but chuckle.

After making sure the bird knew she wasn't an intruder, she let it go and went to the kitchen. The servants must've made her something, she thought, if she missed dinner, there should still be a place setting at the table. She walked in the dining room and saw that there actually were two place settings at the table.

"No way." she looked back. "Arnold...?"

She pursued her lips, feeling her guilt growing stronger. She didn't even want to eat anymore, not when he didn't. She went back to him and sat on the couch opposite of him, mindlessly petting the bunny next to her.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered. "This really isn't how I planned it... How we planned it."

'But the progress we've made is so incredible though!'

This situation left her a bit conflicted. Nobody – not even the council – knew this, but (Y/n) has been Arnold's confidant for a while, turning to her whenever something was bothering him. But they've both been so busy lately and their schedule simply didn't allow them to spend a lot of time with each-other. It worried her. How was he holding up with everything? Was he doing well on his own? Was he doing well without her?

She shook her head. This was Arnold after all. Even if he was doing well, she knew it wouldn't mean anything regarding his mental or emotional state. She wanted to check on him, just to check if he was okay. But she still didn't want to wake him up, he looked more peaceful in his sleep now.

She thought for a moment and went to her room. Wrote a couple of sentences on a small note that she then placed on the coffee table, where the young man could easily find it upon waking up. She covered him in a blanket and ran a hand through his hair.

"Goodnight." she whispered, then went to Blizzard and gave it a big smooch, waking it up. "Goodnight cutie patootie."

The rabbit watched her leave with a yawn that made it yawn too. It scratched the back of its ear then spotted the paper note in the moonlight. It hopped on the table and sniffed the paper. Just as it was about to eat it, something happen and it ran away in fear.

A breeze blew. A breeze that came from nowhere, for all the windows were closed, and not even the Marquis' hair moved along with it. Like an invisible hand, it swatted away the note and gently pulled it under a chest of drawers. Never to be found, and never to be read.

The next morning, the servants woke up before their employers and found the bird scratching a set of drawers. They thought maybe it was hungry and it made it cranky. Indeed, it stopped when they gave it a good meal. The members of the High Council of Spades woke up shortly after that.

"Where were you last night?" was the first Arnold asked (Y/n).

She glanced at the others. She wouldn't have a problem telling him the truth, but with Catherine and Gwendolyn... She knew it would start something that she didn't want to happen.

"I was with Mr. Dear." she said. "We bumped into each-other and hanged out."

"Until this late?" he frowned.

"Who are you, her father?" Gwendolyn rolled her eyes. "She can and should allow herself to have some leisure time with her friend."

"He needed help regarding some business matter, and I helped him." (Y/n) said.

She felt really bad about using Eddie as an excuse. She hoped this won't come back to haunt her. She shall apologize to him when they'll meet later that day. For indeed, they've agreed to meet this afternoon. Everything before that however...she had her work cut out for her.

The invitations she's received have been growing in numbers, and the people who wrote to her have been higher and higher on the hierarchy. (Though of course nothing could beat a letter from a King and one from a Queen!) And so because of that, she had to cancel some plans she's made for today in the past. For meeting with a Duke would be much more efficient than meeting with a Baron.

Once again, she took a more casual approach to conversations, but talking in that manner to people she didn't know that well made her feel uneasy. But if they then felt more comfortable around her, then to her it was worth it. And they did. In fact, people were now very nice to her, treating her with – shockingly enough – respect! Like she was an actual person! What a nice change of pace, she thought.

At some point, during a brunch party in the Southern gardens, she ran into the Count that Arnold almost killed. She saluted him with a bow, he looked embarrassed by it.

"Lady (L/n)..." he looked down. "I just want to take this opportunity to apologize for my transgression." he bowed his head.

In this moment, she viewed him as nothing more than a kid. She smiled.

"It's alright, my Lord. It's all in the past now." she said, offering a hand for him to shake. "Let us move forward together, in the hopes for our lands' to be on good terms and to remain that way forever." 

"R-Right!" he nodded and reached for her hand.

"Honeybear?"

The two of them looked over to see the young Count's mother. She sent (Y/n) a cold glance before smiling brightly at her son.

"Come over here, you haven't said hello to your aunt!"

"My aunt...? Mother-"

"Come oooon." she gestured him to come closer.

He let out an uncomfortable hum. It was clear he didn't like his aunt. (Y/n) and him said goodbye and he left, walking passed his mother, who was still looking at her. (Y/n) curtsied and waited for her to move on before walking away.

'Offended for her son, when he was part of the blame and later acted with maturity...' she shook her head with a sigh.

By some coincidence, her and the Countess eventually ended up in the same conversation circle. (Y/n) wouldn't talk unless spoken to, since literally every guest here was of a higher rank than her. The Countess however, was the complete opposite: she would put herself in the center of every subject and take this opportunity to show her flamboyantness. (Y/n) wondered if she should judge her for it. After all, if she had all these expensive things, would she show them off too...? She didn't think so. But she didn't want to be categorical about hypotheticals like this.

"For the Shuffling, I have bought the softest gloves from the Mao Provinces." she raised a hand to show the group.

"These are lovely, Countess!" a Marquise exclaimed. "And those diamond bracelets!"

"Ah yes. Those are my summer diamonds!"

"Summer diamonds?" (Y/n) let out, confused.

Everyone looked at her, and she realized that she hasn't talked once in this conversation. The Countess didn't seem interested in acknowledging her question however, so for one long second, no one was talking and she felt awkward and out of place again.

"Yeah!" a familiar voice came from beside her, she looked up and saw Barnaby. "'Cause some are diamonds, summer not!"

Everyone burst out laughing, even the Countess. (Y/n) however felt bad for her.

'That's a mean assumption to make...'

Barnaby noticed the look on her face, so while no one was looking, he gently turned her away and explained the joke quietly in her ear.

"Ah!" her face lit up. "That's really clever!"

"I think a laughter would be a more appropriate response." he tilted his head with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, I'm sorry. If you say it again, I'm sure I'll laugh this time."

"It won't really count though."

"Say another one then." she nudged him lightly.

It was at that moment, as the two of them walked side by side, that Barnaby could confirm that he's successfully taken Lady (L/n) away from the group. And she herself didn't even notice. 

"Alright." he thought for a moment. "What is Wally short for?"

"The King? He told me it wasn't-"

"'Cause he got little legs."

"Ah!" she burst out laughing, which caught the attention of the people nearby.

One of these people being...

"Well I'll be damned." Barnaby tapped her shoulder and discreetly pointed. "Look who decided to come mingle with the lil folks."

(Y/n) looked over and gasped in horror when she saw the King of Hearts entering the garden in the distance, accompanied by Frank and Julie. He was looking right at them!

"Oh no!" she harshly whispered, turning away from him, her face red. "Did he hear us?!"

"Naaah, even if he did, he wouldn't have mind."

She watched as the two friends waved at each-other, smiling. 

"You two are really close, huh?" she asked.

"Yeah. Basically grew up together."

"Really?" she blinked twice, surprised.

"Yep, my mom was transferred here from the Clubs Kingdom. I just had to join her since I'm such a good son."

"How old were you?"

"Like two?"

"You kind of had no choice then." 

"Then how come she always says I'm the greatest boy ever?"

The two of them chuckled.

"Anyway." he exhaled. "You're still nervous around the three of them?"

"Huh?"

"You shouldn't be. You guys are friends now, aren't you?"

"H-How do you know about...?"

"The tea party? Wally told me."

"...You seem to be less of a jester and more of a confidant, Barnaby."

"Jester, confidant, trapeze extraordinaire, tie dye enthusiast. I am very talented, thank you very much." he curtsied.

"What in the world is tie dye...?" she mumbled.

"And look at me." he opened his arms. "Being close friend with my King, calling him by his first name and making jokes at his expense with the upmost comfort."

"Well that's easy for you to do, your role of jester gives you a pass. And you grew up together too!" she looked down. "I'm just a simple noble lady..."

"A very nice noble Lady. Nice enough for them to want to be friends with you." he nodded towards the three royals.

"We've only met a week ago."

"During our first encounter, you opened up to me. And you're doing it now too." he gestured back and forth between the two of them. "You do know this is only the second time we've ever talked."

Her eyes widened. Only the second time? 

"When there's a good chemistry between people, things happen naturally." he said. "You just have to let it happen. Unless you don't want to be friends with them and you wanna keep things professional." he raised his hands with a shrug. "Which would be fair and understandable."

"It's not that I don't want to..." she glanced to the side, nervously fidgeting with her fingers. "I just don't know if I can."

"What does that mean?"

She pursued her lips. She herself wasn't sure how to explain it.

"I don't know if I'm...good, at this..."

Barnaby sighed through his nose and noticed something behind her.

"Well m'lady," he smiled. "there's only one way to find out."

"What do you mea-"

"Lady (L/n)?"

"Eeeeee!" she flinched.

Both Barnaby and Wally laughed at her strange surprised yelp. She covered her red face in shame.

"M-My King!" she finally looked at him, trying to calm her fast beating heart. "You scared me."

"I apologize. Next time, I shall announce my presence once I'm three steps away."

"Yes please." she nodded. "Do give me some time to prepare myself."

"Barnaby." he nodded to him.

"My King." he nodded back. "You're just in time!"

"In time for what?"

"Nothing!" (Y/n) said before Barnaby could explain anything. "What is it, my King?"

"Yes, would you mind if I steal you away from this conversation? I assure you it won't take long."

"Eh I was about to leave anyway." Barnaby stepped back. "I gotta get outta here and look for other opportunities to use my incredibly comedic timing. I'll leave you two to it. M'lady." he bowed to her. "I'll see you later, my King."

The three of them waved. Now alone, Wally gestured her to follow him. Feelings eyes on her (more than usual), she walked with him.

"You see," he said. "Frank, Julie, and I need a fourth opinion on something."

"Well I'll certainly do my best."

He led her to a spot where Frank and Julie were looking at a bunch of artworks of a variety of mediums displayed before them. Passersby would compliment them on this and Frank would say a quick 'thank you' without even looking at whoever was addressing them. Since he wasn't open to converse, not a lot of people came over to talk to neither him nor Julie.

"There she iiiiis." Wally said.

"Ah!" Julie spun around with a bright smile. "(L/n)! There you are!"

"There I am." she chuckled.

"(L/n), good, come over here." Frank gestured her to come closer.

"Way to break the chain Frank." Julie gave him a side eye.

"What is all of this?" (Y/n) asked as she stood in front of the artworks with the three royals. "It's beautiful!"

"A prince from the Escoba Kingdom just gave these to us." Frank explained.

"And now we're splitting them between us, taking turns to pick one." Julie added. "There's only one painting left, but Frank refuses to take it, even though it's his turn!" 

"I am not taking that thing!"

"And I'm here because...?"

"Well Wally said you have a keen eye for that stuff." she pointed at her friend. "That time when you painted together?"

"Oh you..." (Y/n) turned to him. "You told them about that."

"Yes." he nodded.

She kept staring at him in silence. He tilted his head, as if to ask 'is there something wrong with that?'. She sighed through her nose and turned away.

'Well now I feel stupid for keeping it a secret.' she thought, her cheeks dusted with pink.

She cleared her throat.

"And so?"

"So?" Frank rolled his eyes. "Look at this and tell us you think it's good." he pointed. "I dare you."

"The Escobar Kingdom is undergoing an artistic renaissance right now. It can't be that ba-" she looked over and closed her mouth tightly shut.

Set on a tall easel was a small painting of three knights without helmets, each on different plains of the image (foreground, middle ground and background). However, there were no scenery painted, and the anatomy of these characters was a bit...wonky. Not only that, but the style with which the painter made this was very realistic. So it looked like three monsters, of three different sizes, side by side, disguised as humans stuck in a white void. (Y/n) folded her arms and cover her mouth with one hand, processing what she was looking at and how it made her feel. A long moment passed.

"I'm sorry..." she finally looked at the three royals. "I am no artist, and I truly hope whoever made this painting isn't here to hear this..." she hesitated to say it, her eyebrows furrowed. "This is the worst painting I've ever seen in my entire life." she wheezed.

"Right?!" Frank gestured towards her. "It's not coming home with me!"

"Oh come on Frank!" Julie whined. "It's the newest art mouvement at Escoba, this is hot stuff!"

"I don't care! It's ugly!"

"Maybe it's on purpose...?" (Y/n) suggested.

"Why in the world would you make something ugly on purpose?"

Wally thought for a moment, fixing the painting.

"I think I understand what the artist wanted to show." he stepped closer to stand beside it, to make a small presentation. "Maybe this is a commentary of the almost alien nature of being a royal knight. Because, clearly this isn't human. See how the smallest one is leaning to the side?" he pointed, making the other three lean closer. "It, its very essence, is being absorbed by the one next to it. And the absence of background actually reflects their own perception of the world around them: complete focus on their duty and the people who share that same role, those same responsibilities. But you see, the fact that they are so neutral to what's happening here, shows that such things can deprive one of what one once was."

"...You're right." Frank nodded then took the painting under his arm. "This is coming with me, this is absolutely amazing."

"Wait no!" Julie exclaimed. "Now I want it!"

"You said yourself that it was my turn."

"Yeah but then my pile would be one short! We gotta make it equal!"

"The number of artwork we've received was an even number, Julie. This was bound to happen." he shrugged.

"This only happened because you lost at rock-paper-scissors!"

"This only happened because you insisted on playing rock-paper-scissors until you won!"

Wally laughed, watching his two best friends arguing. He felt eyes on him and looked to the side. Lady (Y/n) was giving him a weird look, her eyes squinting a little bit. Like he was suspecting him of something.

"Is there something on my face?" he placed a hand on his cheek.

"No, it's just..." she smiled. "You have a way with words, your Highness."

He smiled back.

"I only used my artistic expertise to express what I saw, that's all."

"What you saw," she leaned closer, speaking more quickly. "or what you wanted us to see?"

They looked into each-other's eyes for a short moment. Wally chuckled.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Lady (L/n)."

"...I'm not sure either." she leaned back with a smile. "Would you like the painting, perhaps?" she raised an eyebrow. "Since you seemed to have such a connection with it."

"A connection is a strong word for it, don't you think?" his eyebrows furrowed. "Besides, I can accept the fact that it is Frank's."

"Ha! See?" Frank pointed at him while still looking at Julie. "Even Wally can accept it."

"Let's take turns!"

"You don't take turns with art!"

"Actually, that's not such a bad idea."

The three royals looked over at (Y/n), who began thinking out loud to herself.

"The frequent trading of artworks... Maybe once per season maybe. And if made public, it could raise the people's interest in others' culture! That's amazing!" she turned to Wally. "Oh please my King, excuse me so that I may think upon this project further!"

He couldn't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm. But as she stared at him with stars in her eyes. He became confused that she still hasn't moved. Then he realized, she's made a request, not a declaration. Frank understood right away however.

"You're excused." he said.

"Thank you." she curtsied before leaving.

Wally watched her leave. She walked with quick steps, and once she passed the garden's entrance, she lifted her dress a little bit to run. He chuckled.

"What's up Wally?" Julie asked.

"She's a strange woman."

"I hope you don't mean that negatively." Frank gave him a side eye.

"I would never." he turned to the artworks. "Now what do we do with these?"

Julie and Frank sent each-other a look.

"Lady (Y/n)?"

"Ah! Catherine!" she looked back at her with a big smile. "Hi!"

"What are you doing here? Weren't you at a brunch party?"

"I was, but I had to excuse myself. I had this great idea for cultural international trading!"

"I can see that..." she looked at the mess (Y/n)'s made on her desk.

"And I was just drafting a pitch to add to my future binder-" she gasped. "Oh no, what time is it?" she suddenly stood up. "I have to meet up with Eddie! I have to change first- Shoot!" she tumbled and almost fell on her way to her wardrobe.

"Ooo, first name." she mumbled before stepping into the room. "I can help you with your hair if you want."

"Oh that would be great, thank you." she took out a dress and laid it on her bed. "But don't you have something planned?"

"I do have a rendez vous with my dear Brahms, but don't worry, he knows I'm always late."

"Are you sure?" she asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"It's fiiiine!"

After a quick change, the two ladies exited the Spades quarters together. As it turned out, they were going to the same direction. They walked through the gardens, arms in arm.

"So why are you meeting with the Dear Merchant?"

"Well, after my ornithology lesson with him and the King of Diamonds, I expressed my interest to try crafting pretty looking binders. And Mr. Dear offered to give me some spare arts and crafts material he has."

"Ooo! How lovely!" she smiled. "It would be a good change for you. Not to be mean or anything, but your paperwork is very...violent looking." she laughed.

"Hey! That's not fair, you know I write fast."

"Have your parents never made you take some calligraphy classes?"

"No... I never had a lot of opportunities to write in the first place before."

"How can that be?" she sent her a confused look. 

"Well I spend most of my time outside. And I didn't know anyone who wouldn't be accessible by simply walking."

"Unbelievable." she sighed. 

"I told you we were quite secluded." she chuckled.

"I didn't think it was to this degree."

There was a pause in the conversation. (Y/n) noticed that they still haven't parted ways.

"Where are you meeting Brahms, Catherine?"

"At the river!" she beamed. "I wanted to go feed the birds there."

"Oh, but there are birds by the coops, why bother to go to the river?"

"For the swans, Lady (Y/n), the swans of course! Besides, I refuse to even look at dirty chicken coops." she tilted her head forward. "If I want a healthy baby, it is said that I should be looking at only pretty things."

"A baby?! Catherine, you guys aren't even married yet."

"But we will be, once we go back home after the Shuffling!"

"That's true. Still, to have a baby this soon..." her face twisted a little bit. 

It made Catherine laugh.

"Oww," she patted her shoulder. "you'll understand when you have a fiancé."

She pursued her lips.

"Ah!" Catherine suddenly turned away. "The stables! I can't look!"

"How are the stables on the list of things you can't look at?" she looked at it as they walked passed it.

"It's dirty in there!"

They heard giggles coming from inside, it sounded like a man and a woman. (Y/n) blushed, her eyes big.

"Wait." Catherine said. "Are they...?"

"Yeah I don't wanna look either." she turned her head too.

"Ow but now I want to! Just to see who it is!"

"A shame, truly." 

"Oh (Y/n) please, could you tell who it is?"

"I’m not going to look in there!" she whispered harshly.

"Well don’t look in there, that’d be weird."

"Then why are you asking me to-"

"Just look over there, and if you see someone, tell me who it is."

"Fine, I’ll do it." she huffed. "But only for you."

"You are a good woman and a great friend." she patted her arm. 

(Y/n) slowly turned her head. Luckily for her, it would seem that whoever was in there have finished whatever they were doing. A woman stepped out.

"I see... Oh, it's Grand Knight Mavis."

"Ooo, I know her. She teamed up with Brahms during the hunt. My gosh, I can't wait to tell him about this. And who's with her? Who's with her?" she tugged on her arm.

Catherine was in between (Y/n) and the stables, so she could see the look on her face as her expression fell, her face got paler.

"Lady (Y/n)?"

She kept staring with big eyes.

"Who is it?" Catherine frowned.

(Y/n) opened her mouth, but didn't say anything. Catherine turned around to see her dear fiancé stepping out of the stable and giggling with that woman while she seemed to be encouraging him to not leave yet and get back inside.

"Catherine I-" (Y/n) started to say.

But just then, Lady Catherine went to the stables with quick steps. Panicking, Lady (Y/n) followed her.

"Brahms Howard Meredis!"

Said man looked over and cowered in fear, looking like a child who got busted stealing from the kitchen. Grand Knight Mavis took a big step away from him. But once Catherine reached them, she smacked the woman across the face. 

"You!" Catherine shouted. "And you!" she looked at Brahms, raising a fist. "You..."

Her hands shook. She began to cry. With a frustrated groan, she ran away.

"Catherine!" "Cathy!" both (Y/n) and Brahms called out for her.

They both started to go after her but (Y/n) faced him with a dark glare that no one has ever seen before from her.

"Don't!" she sternly exclaimed, pointing at him, making him stop instantly. "Later." she said between her teeth before going after Catherine.

Lady (Y/n) had lost sight of Lady Catherine and was panicking as she looked for her, disregarding anyone she passed by that then looked at her weird. She breathed a long sigh of relief once she found her, sitting under a tree, hiding from everyone, her knees close to her chest and hiding her face in her arms. The relief she felt quickly changed to heartbreak seeing her like this.

"Ow Catherine..." she sat beside her. "I'm so sorry."

"I..." she sniffed, her voice shaking. "I know our engagement was arranged, but...I loved him. And I thought... I thought he at least liked me." she sobbed. "I thought things were fine."

(Y/n) wrapped an arm around her, patting her shoulders. She didn't know what to say to comfort her...

"I'm such a fool."

"No! No you're not." 

"I suppose that, having a mistress isn't uncommon."

"That doesn't make it okay... Especially if it results in heartbreak-"

"How would you know?! You've been sheltered almost your whole life, you've never even been courted before!"

Her sudden outburst made her flinch, but she wasn't upset by it.

"You're right... I don't know."

They sat there in silence for a while. Catherine kept crying and (Y/n) felt horrible about not finding the words to cheer her up. 

"Do you want to go see Mr. Dear with me?" she offered. "I don't believe staying in your corner would help..."

She sniffed and nodded. Arm in arm once again, the two ladies went to the meeting spot, where Eddie has been waiting for a while now and had begun to be worried. When he finally spotted his friend in the distance, his face lit up and he waved.

"Lady (L/n), good day to you!" he walked over to her.

"I confess that, this day could be better." she said with a bittersweet smile.

"What do you mean? I see you brought your friend, Lady Catherine, righ-?" he looked at said lady and panicked. "Oh my goodness m'lady! What's wrong?"

Catherine opened her mouth to explain, but like a wave of emotion coming back, her crying grew more intense.

"Oh my goodness!" he quickly stood by her side and held her other arm. "Come, let's find a nice comfortable spot to sit in."

The three of them found a bench in a secluded area and sat down, with Catherine in the middle. Eddie took off his hat and looked at her, concerned.

"What's wrong, m'lady? What's gotten you so distraught?"

With her not being in a position to speak, (Y/n) explained everything that happened. Eddie nodded along, but when she told him what they saw-

"He what?!" 

"Oh my." she leaned back, shocked to see him angry.

Eddie stood up and put his hat back on before stomping away.

"Where are you going?"

"Gettin' my crossbow! I'm goin' hog huntin'!" he exclaimed, his southern accent thicker now.

"Woah- No no no!" (Y/n) went after him. "Eddie please stop! This will only make things worse!"

"He ain't gonna escape this!"

"Please!" she stood in front of him, making him stop. "If you get involved, this will turn into a bigger scandal than it already is."

"Are you...protecting him?" he slowly asked, shocked.

"N-No! I'm protecting Catherine!" she gestured towards her. "Just please sit back on the bench."

He huffed, but the two of them went back. This time, Lady (Y/n) stayed standing. 

"Being a Grand Knight is the highest and more respectable rank a knight can have. Mavis is from the Court of Hearts too... And Catherine slapped her- I'm not saying you have any blame in this!" she quickly clarified. "I'm just saying that, if Mavis decides to let people know about this, she can easily twist the events and paint you as a villain. People will believe her."

"I admit that I've acted without thinking..." Catherine looked down. "I'm sorry."

"N-no, Catherine. You're not... I-" she sighed. "You're heartbroken, and here I am talking about work and the impact this will have to our courts. I'm sorry."

"No. You're right, this is important too." she forced out a chuckle. "This wasn't the best timing for these sorts of things."

(Y/n) felt a twist in her chest. Maybe she should just stop talking...

"Hey now, m'lady." Eddie leaned closer to her. "It's alright to be angry after someone you trusted betrayed you. It's completely understandable." he paused. "You must've really loved him."

She nodded.

"The worse part is...I still do." she let out a small laughed and looked at him. "Is that normal?"

"Well...how long have you loved him?"

"Years. Before we were even engaged."

"Ow darling..." he placed a hand on her back, making small circles. "Then it's completely normal. But I can you with certainty: he does not deserve it. If he wasn't happy with you, he could've just talked to you about it like a real man. Instead of going behind your back like a coward!" he huffed, getting worked up just thinking about it.

"You're right..." she nodded, a frown appearing on her face. "You're right! I always tell him when something is bothering me."

Eddie scoffed.

"Typical! And Mavis, she must've known about your engagement. That viper! And they're both knights too! Don't they know of the code of chivalry?!"

Watching and listening to them venting, (Y/n) noticed that Catherine had stopped crying, and so has concluded that Mr. Dear was indeed very emotionally intelligent.

'No wonder he has so many friends.'

"Oh when we go back home I swear I'll..." Catherine stopped herself and looked down.

"What's wrong, Lady Catherine?" Eddie tilted his head.

"I can't call off our engagement, it'd create a scandal back home."

"Ah... Well, that all depends on you."

"I... I don't want to stay with him. But..."

"I've been single most of my life. I can tell you, it's not that bad."

"You are a man though. You live by completely different rules."

"...Lady (L/n)," said lady was caught by surprised at the sudden mention of her name. "you're not engaged, right? How is it?"

"Uh... It's not, that bad?" she spoke slowly with a shrug, not knowing what to say. 

"There, and look at Queen Julie too, for example." he added. 

"Well she's a queen, and (L/n)s are a peculiar bunch."

(Y/n) couldn't disagree with that.

"What excuse would I have?" Catherine looked down.

"That you were unfortunate enough to be with a joke of a man who betrayed you!" Eddie slapped his knee.  "Listen to me, you are a very kind and elegant woman. I'm sure that bachelors would line up at your doorstep if the opportunity presented itself."

She smiled, but it soon faded.

"What if I...don't want to remarry though. What do I do then?"

"Well, what do you wanna do?"

This seem to light a spark in her. 

"...As soon as I was of age, my entire life has been circling around the idea of marriage and starting a family. Yes, I wanted to have a happy married life. But was that really all I wanted...?"

"Mmh." he took her hand and patted the back of it. "Only you can answer these question Lady Catherine."

There was a moment of silence. Catherine looked up at (Y/n).

"As someone from the Spades Kingdom attending the Shuffling, what can I do right now?"

"...Nothing. It's our words against their, and yes there are three of us and two of them. But Mavis is a Grand Knight of Hearts. Even if others saw us, the only concrete thing there was to see was you slapping her." she paused, not liking any of the words she was saying. "The only thing we can do is...act like nothing happened. At least until the Shuffling is over. Once we go back home, I promise you, if you call off your engagement, you will be supported in your decision."

She nodded, her gaze wandering.

"I see... Thank you, both of you."

'I haven't helped much...' (Y/n) pursued her lips.

"Cathy!"

Everyone looked over to see Brahms walking over to them.

"Uh-ho." (Y/n) said as Eddie stood up and placed himself in front of Catherine.

"Now you listen here partner!" he pointed. "You gotta lotta nerve for comin' back here when-!"

"Thank you Mr. Dear." Catherine stood up and walked passed him "I shall take care of him."

Eddie and (Y/n) exchanged a concerned look as Lady Catherine came face to face with her fiancé. He smiled, hopeful. A moment passed. Catherine took a long look around to make sure no one was around to hear them. Then finally...

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

(Y/n) covered her mouth, both her and Eddie shocked, along with Brahms.

"Cathy I-"

"Do not call me that! You've lost every right to call me that!"

"Catherine calm down, please."

"I gave you my whole heart, and you do this?! In the situation we're in right now?! Not only are you a terrible husband but you're also completely ignorant of the long-term consequences of your actions!"

Eddie and (Y/n) nodded along.

"I'm not your husband yet, Catherine. You've always talked like we were already married, from the moment we got engaged! I felt pressured, I gave so many signs!"

(Y/n) glanced at Eddie and shook her head.

"I had dreams before this you know? I wanted to focus on my career, travel the world and-"

"Well did it ever occur to you that I had dreams too?!" she hit her own chest. "You could still be a knight, but I would be doomed to be your wife and nothing else! I was completely fine with that because I thought you were worth it! I thought you were a good man with an honest heart-"

"I am! Catherine, I'm so sorry!" tears began to fill his eyes. "I-I was confused, so many things are happening I... I was scared!" he opened his arms and walked closer to her. "Catherine I love y-"

She smacked him across the face. Eddie and (Y/n) did their best to stay quiet.

"You listen to me. I don't care what you do behind my back- You could've had a mistress if it made you happy even! But don't you dare look me in the eyes and say that you love me!" she shook her head, her eyes filled with tears as well. "If you've really loved me, you wouldn't have kept any secrets from me... And you wouldn't have broken my heart." her voice quivered.

Not wanting to cry again – not in front of him – Catherine looked up, blinking fast, and turned away from him. A moment passed, she cleared her throat.

"Once we're back home, I'm breaking off our engagement. For now, we have to keep up appearances. But, and I'm sorry Lady (Y/n)," she looked at her. "I will not be able to look at this man in the eyes anymore."

"...Understandable." she nodded.

Catherine nodded back and began to walk away.

"Wait, Catherine!"

"What is it Brahms?" she looked at him, speaking in a monotonous tone that shocked both him and (Y/n).

And it would've shocked the whole Spades kingdom too. Lady Catherine was an emotional woman, every time she spoke, she did so with an open heart. Seeing her like this, Brahms was at a loss for word. His fiancé waited a few seconds, then turned away again, leaving. She passed by Eddie and (Y/n), who looked at each-other and gave one last nasty look to Brahms before catching up to Catherine.

"That was incredible m'lady!" Eddie exclaimed once they were far enough. "You really showed him what for!"

"Are you okay?" (Y/n) asked, still concerned.

Catherine just sniffed.

"...Can I still tag along with you for the rest of the day?" she asked.

"W-Well... I don't know about certain gatherings." she mumbled. "But right now, me and Eddie are actually going to meet up with Miss Molly!"

"Ooo, the young Duchess? I hope she won't mind."

"Not at all," Eddie smiled. "I assume you, she's a real sweetheart."

Indeed, Molly didn't mind at all. A friend of (Y/n) was a friend of hers as well. With an unfortunate coincidence however, the young girl decided that today would be a great day to chaperon a secret rendez vous between Clarabelle and her...swan lover, with whom she was...having an affair with... While the bird couple was frolicking in the river, the group was sitting by the river bank. (Y/n) kept checking on Catherine to make sure she was okay, but she looked completely fine. She even found the bird couple cute. There was one moment however when she looked distant.

"...What is the swan's name?" 

"Huh, I don't know." Molly thought for a moment. "He looks like a Philip to me though."

"Do you think Philip has a swan lover too?"

"No actually. Swan mate for life!" she beamed.

"How nice..." she smiled faintly.

(Y/n) looked at Catherine, concerned. She could only pray that she finds happiness again.

The day went on without any more hitch, but Lady (Y/n) was still bothered by what happened. Brahms has been taken care of, but Mavis... She didn't know much about her personality and so didn't know what course of action the lady knight will take. Will she keep her mouth shut? Will she tell everyone? Just a few people? Who? (Y/n) didn't know and it bothered her. At parties, she brought up Mavis in conversations to see what people thought of her and she heard nothing but good things: Kind, intelligent, virtuous. It took everything in (Y/n) to not roll her eyes and to keep smiling.

When she came back to the Spades quarters, she sat at her desk, but couldn't get back to work. Her mind was raising. The feeling of not liking someone when you've never spoken even once was new to her. But she didn't like Grand Knight Mavis, for she had the upper hand and (Y/n) didn't know what she'll do next. She was posing a threat to Catherine, to the Spades, and to the plan.

(Y/n) held the bridge of her nose and sighed. Something needed to be done about this. That woman can't go on, be a home wrecker, all without consequences. But really, what could be done...?

She looked over at the piles of paper on her desk. A moment passed before she put everything aside and grabbed a new sheet to write on.

"Knock knock." 

Wally looked up from his desk to see Barnanby standing in the doorway. He smiled, he knew this routine.

"Who's there?"

"Nobel."

"Nobel who?"

"No, there's no bell, that's why I knocked."

"Oh. I can install a bell if you want."

"Wally no, that was the joke."

"Oh!" he laughed.

Barnaby sighed with a smile. It would seem that, despite knowing the gist, his best friend still hasn't gotten the hang of it just yet.

"Speaking of which, someone gave me a letter for ya." he walked up to him.

"Someone gave it to you? To give to me?" Wally pondered over this, looking back down at his own paperwork. "Well that's peculiar."

"It's from the Lady of Spades, Brave-Bloody-Bare-Hands herself."

The king suddenly looked at him with big eyes.

"Lady (L/n)?"

"The very same."

"If she gave it to you... She must not want people to know of this correspondance."

"I'll say. A simple lady reaching out to a king? That is completely unheard of."

"Give it to me." he reached with both hands, opening and closing them again and again.

Barnaby chuckled and gave the letter to him. Wally pushed everything aside for him to properly open and read it. For a moment, he stared at her family crest on the wax sealing the letter. She's used her ring!

"I'll leave you to it, I feel like I shouldn't be here when you read it." Barnaby stepped back and left the room.

Wally didn't look at him leave, but he did wait until he heard the door close before opening the letter. Unknowingly, he was smiling, excited to read a letter from her, a new friend. He wondered what she wanted to tell him. His mind began to fill itself with questions and his heart beat faster because of it.

Which was why it felt like a real punch in the guts when he read:

To His Majesty the King of the Kingdom of Hearts, Wally Darling.

She told him about a scandalous event involving a knight of each of their court. But that wasn't what shocked him.

(Y/n)'s tone, the way she addressed him... It was cold, emotionlessly polite, professional. He didn't like that. He didn't like that at all. He couldn't even imagine the look on her face if they were speaking face-to-face.

I trust you will deal with the situation accordingly, regarding Grand Knight Mavis. As shall we, regarding Captain Brahms H. Meredis. I bid you a good day and wish you nothing but the best. With my deepest respect, kind regards, Lady (Y/n) (L/n).

Wally took a deep breath, casting aside the immediate thought that she must hate him now. After all, this was a serious situation and she had to let him know, since it involved a Grand Knight of his own court. If anything, he appreciated this and the fact that she went to Barnaby so as to keep it secret.

Still, he refused to read it again. The very first letter he received from a new friend being about such an ugly thing... It made him sick to his stomach.

He called a servant and asked them to go fetch Grand Knight Mavis. His serious expression made them go faster.

In his mind, Wally made a note: to make sure Lady (Y/n) would never have to speak to him this way ever again. For that would be very bad, for business... And for the relationship between their kingdoms.

And besides, he thought, anyone would like anyone better if that person was smiling and friendly and happy...

When meeting with her King, Grand Knight Mavis was fearing for her life. She will not be sleeping well tonight. Neither will her lover, who shall sleep on the floor for the rest of the Shuffling.

Chapter Text

That evening, while the High Council of Spades was dining, everyone could tell that something happened to Lady (Y/n) and Lady Catherine. Something was simply off about them, they weren't as enthusiastic as they usually were. The young Marquis was of course the one who confronted them about it.

"Alright," he put his silverware down. "what happened between you two? You've been quiet as hell."

(Y/n) looked at Catherine, who kept eating, unbothered.

"Nothing." she simply said.

"Right." (Y/n) then nodded with a smile. "We're just a bit tired after today."

"Oh yeah. Who did you hang out with this time?" he went back to cutting his steak. "The three royals again?"

"How did you know?" she blinked twice, surprised.

"Wait, really?!" both Catherine and Gwendolyn exclaimed while everyone looked at her with big eyes.

"Yes, but I don't think anyone was expecting them to come to the brunch."

"It was at the brunch? And you didn't tell me?!" Catherine leaned a bit closer.

"W-well, I wanted to. But then...you know..."

The lady let out a small 'oh' and stopped asking questions. Arnold had no idea what they were talking about and he didn't like that!

"We've exchanged a few words and they've asked me for a fourth opinion on something." (Y/n) continued.

"On what?"

"A painting."

He scoffed.

"You don't even paint!"

"That's...true, I suppose." she chuckled, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Arnold." Gwendolyn rolled her eyes. "One's opinion doesn't have to be professional to be valuable. If anything, having an outsider's point of view is just as important."

"Yeah Arnold, stop being jealous." Catherine gave him a nasty look. "You're not much of a painter either."

"Catherine!" (Y/n) said.

It would seem that the Baroness still had some pent up anger regarding what happened today. Arnold scoffed again.

"Alright. Whatever." he put his napkin on the table and stood up. "I'm not hungry anymore. I'm gonna go hang out with my friends."

"You have friends?" (Y/n) asked, surprised once again and genuinely happy for him.

But Arnold did not look happy. He looked offended, hurt even. But he quickly went back to his default mood: angry.

"Yes!" he pressed before leaving, slamming the door shut behind him.

A minute or so later did (Y/n) realize what she just asked.

"Oh no, that must've sounded so rude!" she exclaimed. "I feel terrible!"

"Don't worry too much, Lady (Y/n)." Gwendolyn shook her head. "He'll come back and be his usual grumpy arrogant self."

"Right." Catherine nodded. "Especially with the next  official event tomorrow."

"Perhaps..." (Y/n) sighed.

The next official event was a fencing competition. The majority of the ballroom was cut into sections for each match that will be going on. As the master of ceremony, Wally couldn't participate, but as a fan of fencing, he offered friendly sparring sessions on the side. He also politely declined Julie when she asked to fight him.

"Whyyyy?!" she whined.

"First of all, you used the term 'fighting', which is concerning."

"But you also say-!"

"We're at an official event of the Shuffling, Julie." he leaned a bit closer to whisper. "We have to...dial it down."

She softly gasped.

"What happened to you...?" she slowly shook her head with a sad look. "My best friend."

"Don't you think I would've participated in this if I could've?"

"You're the king, man!" she harshly whispered. "You can do whatever you want!" 

"I'm the King of Hearts, host of the Shuffling. This is different."

"Pffffff!" she folded her arms.

"Oh don't sulk now." he smiled.

"I can't wait for the Shuffling to be over so you can be fun again."

Wally wanted to apologize, but she spoke again.

"And Frank doesn't do sports. Why can't the universe line up circumstances to fit my needs? Like it did during the hunt?" she whined again, then loudly gasped. "(L/n)! Maybe she'll participate!"

"Lady (L/n)? She doesn't seem like the type to..." he tilted his head upon thinking about it further. "But she could surprise us once again."

"Oooooh where is she where is she where is she?" using a vine to elevate herself, Julie looked around the venue, shielding her eyes from the Sun that wasn't there because they were indoors.

Finally, she gasped as she spotted the Lady of Spades. She was with her peers across the room.

"There! (L/n)! Heeeeey!" she widely waved her arms.

Said lady flinched and turned over. Everyone stopped and looked at the Queen, then at the Lady. (Y/n) glanced around and gave a small wave with an awkward smile.

"Come over here! Come on come on!"

Immediately, (Y/n) walked over to them with quick steps. By the time she reached the two royals, people have gone back to their business.

"My Queen." she curtsied to her, then turned to Wally, a bit more hesitant. "...M-My King."

Wally curtsied back. Julie looked at her dress.

"Oww..." her shoulders dropped. "You're not participating either?"

"I'm not. The only blade I've ever used is a butter knife." she chuckled. "I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"Not at all." Wally shook his head. "If you want, you could learn the basis." he gestured towards his own personal station of the venue.

"Oh! U-Um..." her eyes darted around. "I'm sure it would be very fun and I would be honored to be under your tutorage, your Highness. However, as you can see... I'm not really dressed for any kind of sports at the moment." she awkwardly chuckled, opening her eyes a little bit.

"Oh, right. Apologies." he nodded.

"It's coo- Fine. It's fine. Thank you for the offer." she nodded.

"Who from your group is participating then?" Julie asked.

"Only My Lord, the Marquis."

"Don't you also have that captain man?"

"He is...not feeling well, from what I heard." she cleared her throat.

"Oh, is he sick?"

"I am not certain. But that is what Lady Catherine told me. I am not one to ask questions on such personal matters, you see."

"Why do you talk like that?" her face twisted.

"Mmh? Like what, your Highness?"

"Please stop." she looked scared. "You talk like Frank when I first met him and it's creating a weird image in my mind."

While Wally contained a laugh, (Y/n) blinked twice. She hasn't even realized she had changed her way of speaking. If Arnold was there right now, he would say 'Right?! I hate it too!'.

"I...I'm sor-" 

Just then, a loud bell rang. The competition was starting soon.

"Ah! I must go back to my Lord's side now." she curtsied. "Good day to you. I wish you good luck my Queen." she smiled before rushing back to her group. 

"Bu-byyyyye!" Julie waved until the Lady was out of sight, then she turned to Wally. "What did you do?"

"Pardon?"

"She was so nervous- Well, she's nervous all the time-"

'That might be because she's nervous around us.'

"-But she was especially nervous when talking to you specifically."

"To be completely honest:" he looked to the direction she left to. "I'm confused myself."

It did confuse him. After the letter she sent him, why should she be nervous? Maybe he should've written a letter back after all? But he didn't want to match her tone. If the two of them must have a correspondence, he didn't want it to be like that.

"Oooo," Julie leaned closer with a smirk, nudging him again and again. "maybe she's got a lil crush on youuuu."

"I do not believe that is the case." he shook his head. "You should save that subject for Frank."

"What about him?"

"Do you see the Dear Merchant anywhere?"

Julie looked around. Indeed, he wasn't there.

"Neither of them are here." Wally said.

"Right...?"

"Maybe they are not here...together."

That made Julie gasped and squeal.

Truth be told, that didn't mean anything. Eddie wasn't much of a fighter either and has dedicated the rest of the day to write letters to his family and friends – as a traveler, he had a lot of friends around the world – while Frank was simply reviewing the newest entomology book to see if it was accurate. As he does. Wally knew this, but at this moment, he needed to distract Julie, pushing her attention away from him and that poor Lady, and towards some other romance story that actually existed.

Meanwhile, Lady (Y/n) could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She's been so afraid to talk to the King of Hearts again ever since she gave that letter to Barnaby. For right after that, she realized the manner in which she wrote to him.

'I was so cold and dry, and I didn't get an answer this morning! I was so scared he'd taken offense to it!' she sighed. 'But he looked fine, acting like nothing happened...' she looked down. 'Actually, I don't know how to feel about that. Did he even read it?'

The thought of it made her sad, small. It made sense to her though. It was really foolish to address a King via his jester, a small lady like her... When she had decided to write that letter, she'd thought maybe, if what Wally said was true: if they were friends...

She sighed again. Now she was really sad. Her very first letter addressed to a friend, written in such a manner...

She shook her head. No, she thought, it had to be done! She refused to regret writing it.

Still, if only she could know if he read it... Maybe she'll find an opportunity to just ask him. Oh, but would that be just as preposterous?

'All that thinking, just for a letter.' she sighed.

"You sure are sighing a lot today, Lady (Y/n)." Gwendolyn said.

"Am I? I'm sorry."

"Is it because of Arnold?" Catherine asked.

It was true that, ever since this morning, Arnold has been solely focused on today's competition, training before the Sun even rose in the sky. Probably because it would be his opportunity to truly shine above all others. She wasn't sure if he was still mad at her for what she said last night. Still, if he took this event seriously, that could only be a good thing. And she shall cheer for him as best as she could.

"It's not that. It's just..."

"...The Queen seems to like you."

"She is a very friendly person indeed."

"Lady-" she sighed. "You need to loosen up."

"Excuse me?" she blinked twice, surprised.

"You said yourself that the Shuffling was essentially for networking. You have the opportunity to make friends here, you should just enjoy yourself. You shouldn't pressure yourself all the time with business."

"S-Sure but, I'm actually more comfortable talking business."

"How's that possible?" she gave her a weird look.

"Because!" she harshly whispered. "In a business meeting, the two parties have a good reason to talk, it's mutually beneficial. They have prepared documents and arguments. In a social setting?! One can simply just walk out if they're not interested, and that's terrifying!"

"No one just walks out on someone. That's not polite."

"Need to remind you that I'm a noble of the lowest rank ever? They can do it to me without any repercussions!"

Catherine sighed. After wishing Arnold good luck – to which he just responded with a nod – the three ladies took a seat on the bleachers in the back of the venue. (Y/n) took a look around, see who was competing.

"I don't see Grand Knight Mavis anywhere." she told Catherine.

"Oh haven't you heard?" someone from the other side of her leaned closer.

"Ah!" she let out in surprise.

"She resigned from her position as knight and went back to her hometown."

"What?" both her and Catherine said, the latter of which leaned forward, so much so that she was pressing on Lady (Y/n)'s shoulders, lowering down her upper body.

(Y/n) didn't say anything, for she was too shocked by the news.

"Right!" someone from the row behind them leaned over to join the conversation. "She said she had a revelation and decided that that life wasn't for her anymore."

"But there's no way that's true." a third person joined. "She was always so...confident, in her career."

At this moment, (Y/n)'s gaze wandered, her eyes wide open in realization. The King did read it. She accused one of his best knights of something terrible without any proof, so he must've made his own investigation on the matter. Either way, he took her words seriously and he did something about it. Inarguably the most powerful man in the land, trusting someone like her... She looked at him, who was still with Julie, cheering on others from his personal station. As if he could sense whenever he had eyes on him, he looked at her and she quickly looked away. She could feel her heart beating like a drum. 

"Yeah... Some might even say cocky."

'Wait, what?' she looked back at the ladies.

"Don't get me wrong, Mavis was a wonderful person. But sometimes, whenever the attention wasn't on her, she would..."

"Command it instead?"

"Yes, exactly."

"I love her- We all do, obviously. I'm just saying that there is no way she resigned of her own free will. I'm just saying. 'Cause she sure loved being Grand Knight."

"Right. And of course we wish her the best, and that she feels better. But honestly? She was becoming too much for a knight of the court of Hearts."

"A Grand Knight nonetheless."

"Yeah honestly, I never really understood that."

"Yeah, I don't you about you girls. But when I think 'Grand Knight', Mavis just isn't the first person that comes to my mind."

While Catherine relished in this conversation, nodding along with a pleasant smile, (Y/n) did her best not to frown. Weren't these the same people that praised Mavis just yesterday? Maybe, because she was a Grand Knight, they couldn't bring themselves to say their real opinions of her...?

'There's no use in thinking about it, now that she's gone.' she mentally shook her head. 'For now, let's just focus on today's event!'

Unsurprisingly for the people of Spades, Arnold won match after match with little to no effort during the first rounds. Although multiple duels would happen at the same time, he would catch the eyes of the audience a little bit more every time he claimed a victory.

"The Marquis of Spades is a talented one!" (Y/n) heard someone say after his fifth victory. "Like he was born with a sword in his hand!"

"He is the best swordsman of all of the Spades Kingdom!" she beamed.

"Tell us, Lady (Y/n), has the young man ever underwent military training?"

'People are interested in him!!!' she felt her eyes getting glassy, if Arnold could heard this!

"Actually, not that I've heard of. I believe it is all simply just sword training. His mentors did take notice of his natural aptitude very early on."

"How fascinating! And he's only seventeen?!"

She nodded. Lady Catherine and Lady Gwendolyn have never seen her this proud before.

Meanwhile, Julie, being the all-time sports champion, had to wait for her worthy challenger to climb their way to the top. Then, she shall be the last obstacle standing between them and the prize: the golden coveted cup of the fencing master! A couple of hours into the competition, she had her eyes on the young Marquis in particular.

"Wow, he's really good." she said, nodding to herself. "Makes me wanna fight him!" she shook her hands in excitement.

"He undeniably have a talent for fighting, yes." Wally said.

If Julie wasn't so focused on her future opponent, she would've noticed the venom in his voice. He believed what he said, he did think that the Marquis of Spades was good at fighting. But this was a fencing competition. A graceful dance between two people, where every move one makes is quick and precise. Wally saw none of that when he looked at Arnold. And he knew other skilled fencers would see it too. His approach was rash, violent, and Wally even noticed how he would purposefully not take advantage of an easy opening just so the duel would go on longer. And the way he would relish in his victory, in the applause of the audience. How Wally wished that he could participate now.

'How grotesque.' he thought, his grip on the handle of his sword getting tighter.

He remembered something he said, about him and the Marquis being of a similar situation. He now stood corrected. They were nothing alike.

And now that he thought about it: This was the head of the High Council? This child would be the new Ruler of Spades? That upset Wally, to say the least. He knew he wasn't the best at those things, but he thought this had to be a joke.

Through the cheers after yet another victory, a particular voice made him look over the bleachers. Lady (Y/n) had stood up from her seat to applaud the Marquis, along with other people in the audience.

He remembered the look on her face whenever she would talk about him. She would say nothing but good things. Wally reviewed everything that happened concerning that young man, and was nothing but bad things. He heard the reports his servants gave to him after the hunt: eleven out of fifteen mystic beasts defeated in a similar manner, none of them were sent back. And, looking at the Marquis at work, he had a feeling who did it. His behavior didn't match (Y/n)'s words at all. Either she was blind, or he duped her. Such a kind-hearted woman...

"Aaah! It's my turn it's my turn!" Julie suddenly shook him. "Finally finally finally!"

"Julie, please." Wally said, still being violently shaken.

"Oopsie, sorry!" she stopped and dusted off his pompadour, even though it was still so perfect-looking. "Cheer me on, okay?!"

"Like you even need to ask." he smiled.

"Yeah but Frank's not here right now, so you have to cheer for two!" 

He chuckled and wished her good luck. Julie put on her helmet and, with a determined huff, she went to stand on the ring, the last active one in the venue. The two opponents faced each-other.

"Arnold, right?" 

"Queen of Clubs." he nodded. "I only have one request." he got in position. "Don't hold back."

She smirked and did the same.

"Arnold is in the finale..." (Y/n) said to herself, her hands over her heart. "And he's facing the Queen of Clubs. Oh, if his mother could see this!"

"I think she already is." Gwendolyn whispered to Catherine, making the two of them snicker.

Naturally, the crowd was very excited for such a duel between two very capable swordsmen. As soon as the bell rang, Arnold charged at her but she swiftly dodged just in time. Now that she was up close, Julie could see everything that Wally has been seeing. The easy thing to do would be to match her opponent's energy, but she wanted to honor her friend's favorite sport. It wouldn't be easy for someone like her, but lucky for her, she's been observing Arnold for a while now and had an idea on how he fought. That way she could take advantage of his weaknesses. Which was very annoying to Arnold.

"You gotta wait a bit, before dodging." 

"Huh?" 

She attacked, he quickly dodged.

"'Cause I see you move too early there, so I can just-" she suddenly changed her angle of attack and hit him on his side.

One point for her. They were neck and neck. 

"This isn't a lesson, Joyful." he glared. "This is a duel."

"Ooooo! No one's ever called me by my last name before!" she smiled widely.

"In both sports and fights, there are no such things as titles."

She giggled. It irked him.

The match continued. Despite Arnold being cheered for during the entirety of this competition, Queen Julie was an obvious favorite to everyone. Even (Y/n) cheered on both sides. She couldn't tell who was winning and who was losing, but Arnold seemed to get more and more frustrated while Julie just giggled most of the time, but she could tell she was also taking this seriously. 

Arnold has never had a fight go on for this long. The rumors were right, he thought, the Queen of Clubs was really strong. He would be happy about that, under other circumstances, finally having a worthy opponent. But in the situation he was in, he knew he had to win this duel, so the fact that it was dragging on was getting to him.

The Queen made yet another joke and giggled. It was then that he noticed that she'd put a hand over her stomach whenever she did that. He could use this, he just needed to wait for an opportunity.

Or he could try and make a joke.

'I think I'd rather die.' he immediately thought.

Finally, a opportunity presented itself. He took it and may have been a bit too enthusiastic about it. For he knocked the air out of her and sent her flying, making her collide against a wall. Gasps echoed throughout the venue and the crowd fell silent. Even Arnold was shocked by how hard he hit her. Wally was really to grab his own sword and avenge his best friend. Julie couched a few times and hoped on her feet, raising her fists in the air and let out a loud 'Wooooow!'. The crowd then exploded with cheers. Taking off his helmet and letting in drop on the floor, Arnold laughed with open lungs and opened his arms. But then he realized that no one was looking at him. They were all looking at the Queen, thanking her for such a show, saying that she did amazing and that they were happy that she was okay.

'Surely she isn't-'

He looked over to (Y/n) and his heart sunk. She was also looking at the Queen, relieved. He scoffed.

"Are you serious?!" he exclaimed, not looking away from her, though from the audience's perspective, he was looking at everyone. "You're praising her?! Why?! Because she's a Queen?!"

"Oh no." (Y/n) mumbled as she sunk into her seat. "No no no no no no no."

"Well I just beat her!" he pointed at himself. "The most capable athlete in the land, a Queen! I just beat her! You think anyone in the world can do that?!"

"Wow, you are a sore loser!" Julie laughed as she took off her helmet, not taking offence by this.

He sent her a dark glare. His pitch black eyes sent a shiver down her spine. Not because he himself scared her, but because, for a split second, this glare reminded her of someone else.

"You wouldn't be laughing if this was a real fight." he quietly said before facing the crowd again. "The answer is no! If there's a real royal here it's me-!"

"My Lord, please!"

Everyone looked over to see Lady (Y/n), who stood up from her seat.

"I humbly beg of you!" she said with a pleading look. "Please calm down!"

As if brought back to reality, Arnold looked around him. He saw the King of Hearts, closer to him than before, a glove in his hand, glaring at him along with the Queen of Clubs. He looked back at the audience, the people who applauded him not even an hour ago, now looking at him like a hot-tempered child. Again. He looked back at her...

With a frustrated groan, he threw his sword on the ground and rushed out of the room. (Y/n) wanted to call out for him, but he was already gone.

"Excuse me a moment-"

"Are you really going after him?" Catherine whispered.

"I think he needs it right now." she whispered back. "Please excuse me."

On her way out, her eyes met the two royals'. She nodded her head with an apologetic look. Julie waved a hand, as if to say that it was okay. Once she left, the after-party of the competition started. Everyone moved to another venue and were offered snack and refreshments. With the winner of the competition absent, Lady Catherine and Lady Gwendolyn gladly accepted the coveted cup.

"Has Lady (L/n) returned yet?" people would ask them.

"Not yet, no."

"Do you think she went to talk to the Marquis?" someone asked at some point.

"Uh..." they looked at each-other.

They knew that (Y/n) wouldn't want others to know she was having a one-on-one with Arnold. But if people were to find that out themselves...

"I'm not sure." Gwendolyn responded.

'Playing dumb, great move Gwen!' Catherine nodded.

"Aww, she wants to calm him down!" a Baroness exclaimed. "How motherly of her!"

"That is very noble, but uh..." a Duke shook his head and eventually sighed. "I just think she could do more important things with her time."

"He just really wants to talk to her is all!" his sister laughed.

Catherine and Gwendolyn glanced at each-other again, with bigger eyes this time. They were so happy that Lady (Y/n) was finally getting the attention they felt she deserved.

Lady (Y/n) walked through the corridors with quick steps, checking every room she passed by. She wanted to call out for him, but she didn't want people to hear her call him by his first name...again. 

She breathed a sigh of relief when she found him. He was in an empty salon room, standing by a tall window with his elbow on the windowsill, leaning onto it, a hand on his forehead. In the silence, she could hear him whisper to himself. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but she could tell it was in the old language of Spades. She stepped into the room and closed the door behind her.

"Arnold?"

He spun around to face her, his eyes wide open. He saw the concern in her eyes and frowned.

"Don't look at me like that."

"I just want to talk to you."

"You don't have to!" he turned away. "I know I messed up again, I know! It's just...It's so frustrating." he ran a hand through his hair. "Everyone here just treats me like a child, even when I do good!"

She pursued her lips. Unable to tell if that was true or not. He let out a 'heh'.

"But you wouldn't know that, since you're never there." he looked back at her. "You're always mingling with the higher-ups."

"That isn't my fault." she calmly said. "You know I can't refuse these invitations."

"...Right." he nodded, his nose turned up. 

"What you said back there..."

"It was true!" he exclaimed. "That was so...two-faced of them! Acting like I wasn't even there!"

"The Queen is the Queen. People will indeed favor her no matter wha-"

"But I'm the future King."

(Y/n) sighed, her shoulders dropping.

"Arnold..." she exhaled.

"They all know this. You know this. You're the one who told me I was the logical next in line to the throne. You promised-"

"I know. I know! I know..." she stepped closer. "But I told you, one does not go from a Marquis to a King just because no one is standing in his way. You need the approval of everyone."

"Of them?!" he gestured towards the door. "As if they were even worthy of their own title, they are deemed so just because they were born lucky!"

"Not them specifically- Of course the opinion of the people back home is more important. Just-" she stood in front of him and joined her hands together as she inhaled. "Just picture this for me." she exhaled. "We come back from the Shuffling, triumphant, with partnerships, business dealings- All of the tools we need to help our Kingdom flourish! And all the credit would go to you."

He frowned.

"Would the others even agree to that?"

"I'll take care of Catherine and Gwendolyn when the time comes." she said without hesitation. "Arnold listen, I know that... With the turn the course of my stay here has taken, we cannot spend a lot of time together. But I can assure you that everything I do, I do it for the benefit of our home, and for you."

She hesitated for a moment, then took his hand in a loose grip. He looked down and she tilted her head so he would see her smile.

"I promised, remember?" she said under her breath.

"...Yeah." he squeezed her hand, speaking just as quietly.

After that they didn't say anything, nor did they move. As if the simple act of holding hands was sacred. For someone like Arnold, (Y/n) knew it probably was. And she would only let go if he wanted. They stayed like this for a while. She wanted to be patient, but knew that, the longer they were absent, the more questions people will ask. She cleared her throat.

"You should go back and apologize, to the Queen at least."

"...You're not coming?"

"We can't go back together, I'm sorry. We need people to think that you came to apologize on your own accord. That way, they'll think you're mature."

"Great..." he mumbled.

"Hey." she tapped the underline of his chin with the side of her index. "Chin up. I'll come back just a short while after you."

He straightened his posture, it made her smile. He took a deep breath and let go of her hand as he walked out of the room. Now alone, she let out a heavy sigh. She was glad that they've finally talked one-on-one, but on the other hand, there was more she would've liked to say. Maybe this was the first step of a process. Maybe there shall be more opportunities later on.

That thought made her feel better and she left the room as well. Except she made a big detour so as to enter the after-party from the opposite side of Arnold's.

"(L/n)! Heeeey!" 

She looked over at saw Julie, standing with Wally.

"Ah, your Highnesses." she rushed up to them and bowed. "I want to deeply apologize for the scene my Lord has caused."

"It's alright." she waved a hand. "The competitive spirit can overtake anyone and make them act a lil too crazy sometimes."

"I do hope you forgive him."

"Of course, I don't mind."

"Though it would have been easier to do that if he apologized." Wally glanced to the side.

"What?" (Y/n) frowned. "He didn't?"

They both shook their head. She blinked twice, bewildered.

"Has he not come back yet? Where is he now?"

"Right over there with the old folks." she pointed.

(Y/n) looked over to see Arnold in a group of men, most of them old. She recognized Duke Lawrence from the Mao Provinces, along with the friend of Arnold's late uncle. They were laughing, and he was laughing alongside them while holding the coveted cup in his arms. Were they the friends he talked about yesterday? Nevertheless, she scoffed without thinking.

"I can assure you, your Highnesses," she turned back to the two royals, a hand over her heart. "he is deeply sorry about this. Please have mercy on him."

Julie told her it was okay and quickly changed the subject.

"Say, do you have any idea why Mr. Dear isn't here right now?" she asked.

"Um..." she tilted her head, thinking. "I believe he wanted to write some letters."

"Oh is that what he told you?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"I can't tell youuuu!" she covered her mouth, containing her excitement. "'Cause I don't know if you know!"

"Know what? Nothing serious I hope." she furrowed her eyebrows

"Depends on who you ask." Wally chuckled.

"Well now I'm concerned, please tell me!" she leaned closer, a bit panicked now.

"I caaaan't!" Julie quickly waved a hand. "Not without Frank's approval!"

"The King of Diamonds?"

'Eddie, and the King? What could possibly-?' and just like that, she's made the connection, her eyes widened but it soon turned into a knowing smile.

"Well," she leaned back. "whatever is going on, I wish that things go well for Mr. Dear."

"And I wish the best for Frank."

The nodded at each-other for a moment.

"Whatever is going on." (Y/n) raised her hands.

"Whatever is going on indeed!" Julie did the same. "What is going on? I dunno! Can one not just wish the best for their best friend?"

(Y/n) laughed, which made the two royals laugh as well. The three of them had a lovely time. She didn't even realize how long they've been talking until the event ended.

"I shall go back to my quarters now."

"Oh? No dinner plans?" Julie asked.

"An official event, to me, is enough to fill my entire schedule for the day, to be perfectly honest."

That made Wally chuckle. Lucky her, he thought.

"Well why don't you join me?" she enthusiastically asked. "I'd love to introduce you to my sisters!"

(Y/n)'s expression fell into one of shock.

"Oh, I would be honored your Highness, but uh..." she looked back, spotting her peers.

"Come on now, Julie." Wally placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "The event is over, the Sun is setting, everyone should go back to their nest."

(Y/n) glanced at him. Was he being considerate, or did he not want her at the Queen's table? 

"Ow, alright." Julie said. "But we gotta eat together at some point!" she pointed at her.

"I'll...I'll make sure to keep my schedule open for you." she curtsied.

They bid each-other goodnight and she left. Her smile fell once she did. Throughout the event, she was still bothered by what happened with Arnold. She wanted to confront him about it, but when she looked for him, he was gone. She rejoined Lady Catherine and Lady Gwendolyn to go back to the Spades' quarters.

"He left with these men." Catherine rolled her eyes when she asked them if they've seen the young man. "He'll probably come back in the middle of the night again."

"Did he really not apologize to Queen Julie?"

"I don't know. But, well, why would the royals lie about that?"

"We didn't even see him come in." Gwendolyn added. "We were both in the middle of a conversation. Out of nowhere Arnold comes in, takes the cup from us, telling us it belongs to him then goes back to his lil friends."

(Y/n) looked down with a frown. Has he not listened to anything she said?

"I can't believe you ended up apologizing on his behalf." Catherine shook her head and folded her arms. "I get that he's young and hot-tempered, but he needs to learn how to take responsibility."

(Y/n) didn't say anything. Thinking she'll talk to him the next morning.

Lady (Y/n) was awoken by the bird from the hunt singing in her bedroom. She groaned and opened one eye to see it on top on the backrest of her desk chair. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, her hair a mess. As much as she enjoyed the lovely song of the bird from her childhood, it was still dark outside, with the sky on the horizon only starting to be lighter. 

"Come on sweetheart." she stood up and walked over to the bird with wobbly steps.

The bird sung again, but she froze when she heard a response, completing the duet. With big eyes, she looked over to her window. The curtains were closed, but in the faint lights on the setting Moon and the rising Sun she could see a small shadow. Slowly, so as to not scare it away, (Y/n) walked closer while the bird flew to get closer to the window as well. She drew back the curtain and saw a second bird, much like the one in her room right now, standing on the windowsill. She softly gasped and stayed motionless, in case it flew away. The two birds sang together a couple of times and the one from outside eventually tapped on the glass with its beak.

"Hello you." she spoke softly as she carefully opened the window. "What are you doing here?"

The two birds inspected each-other close and it was then that she noticed that this new bird had a harness, and attached to it was a letter.

"Oh, is that for me?" she gently took it.

The two birds hopped into the room and (Y/n) closed the window again, since it was still cold outside. She looked at the envelop.

To (Y/n) (L/n)

"Huh." she turned it and saw no seal of any kind, it was simply folded shut. "Not even using 'Lady'? I can't tell if this is done with disrespect or..." her voice trailed off and she yawned. "I'll read it." she put it on her bedside table. "Just five more minutes." then let herself fall back on her bed, face first.

Without looking, she pulled a cord that was attached to the wall. Somewhere in the quarters, a small bell rang. A short while later, a maid knocked on her bedroom door and walked in.

"You rang, my Lady?"

"Mmh? Yes." she raised her head, though her eyes were still closed, speaking in a mumbly voice. "I'm sorry, I know it's late, early? Sure." she gestured to the two birds. "Could you get them a treat please?"

"Right away, my Lady." the maid curtsied and took the two birds out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Around an hour and a half later, the Moon had been drown out by the Sunlight that now lit up Lady (Y/n)'s  bedroom. And she naturally woke up with a stretch.

"Alright!" she sat up. "That's better."

She stood up and checked the calendar she's made herself. 

"Tatatatata," she hovered an index around to find today's date and eventually tapped it. "the second weekend of the Shuffling." she lightly clapped her hands. "This is when business happens!"

She then reminded herself to not be too loud, the others must still be sleeping. It was still quite early in the morning. As she put on her robe over her nightgown, she called a maid and asked for a cup of coffee.

"Letters have arrived for you and the rest of the High Council."

"Already? My goodness, they're arriving earlier and earlier."

"I've heard they write them before bed, that way they can be sent first thing in the morning."

"Huh. Maybe the others should do that too. Ah, speaking of which." she glanced at her. "Has... Has the Marquis come back?"

"He did, my Lady. In the middle of the night. He..." her gaze wandered.

"...What?" she tilted her head with a small frown. "Is he okay?"

"Yes! He is. He was just...really tired, that's all."

"I see... Could you add some vitamines to his breakfast when he wakes up?"

"It shall be done, my Lady." she bowed. "As for the letters, I must warn you: there are more addressed to you than last time, and I can assure you that you will receive more throughout the morning."

'Because this time, I've had an entire conversation with the King and Queen in front of everyone!' she pursued her lips.

"I see..." she exhaled. "I should start reading them right away then. Get a head start. With a nice cup of good ol' strong bitter coffee." she nodded to herself just thinking about it. "And please tell me when the Marquis wakes up."

"Very well." the maid bowed and left the room.

She grabbed a hairbrush and began to brush her bed hair. As she did, she finally noticed that the bird with the harness was on top of her nightstand, standing on the letter. It was looking around, like it didn't notice her either.

"Oh  that's right." she said, getting its attention. "I almost forgot about this one. Thank you."

The bird stepped aside for her to take it. She sat at her desk and began reading. Her expression fell, her eyes went big, her face got redder. Once she was done, she suddenly slammed the letter face down on the desk and she stared into space, with her other hand covering her mouth. She looked at the letter again, then at the envelop, inspecting the handwriting, before once again slamming the two objects on the desk.

'He made an effort to write more properly.' she thought, her heart beating faster.

Her cheek was dusted with pink, but she quickly became paler. 'First thing in the morning' the letter said.

'I was asleep for an hour and a half!!!' she screamed on the inside.

She skipped the breakfast and the coffee – the adrenaline rush she was experiencing in this moment made up for it greatly! – and quickly dressed up to leave. She passed by a still half-asleep Lady Gwendolyn.

"Lady (Y/n)? Where are you-"

"No time to talk I am catastrophically late!" she left in a rush.

"Oops." Wally said to himself, sitting at his office chair. "It would seem I did it again."

He could hear Barnaby's voice, telling him: 'You know not everyone has your sleeping habits right? I bet'cha she's still sleepin' right now.'

"I suppose I got a little too excited." he intertwined his fingers and tapped the tips of his thumbs together. "Oh well, I'll just have to wait for her the-"

He heard a knock at the door.

"Enter."

He flinched  – almost unnoticeably so – when the door slammed open. There stood Lady (Y/n), out of breath. She quickly realized what she's done.

"I-I'm so sorry!" she cleared her throat and stood tall. "You wanted to see me, your Majesty?"

Wally took a moment to reply. Despite his letter, he actually didn't expect her to come here so soon, right as the Sun rose. He smiled.

"Yes. Please come in."

She did so, closing the door behind her. She went to stand in front of his desk.

"I wanted to bring your bird back but-"

"The bird? But it's yours- Well, the Spades Kingdom's, after the Shuffling ends, remember?"

"R-Right! I just thought... It was the polite thing to do, you see?"

He chuckled, but as she tucked a strand on hair behind her ear, he saw the red scratch marks on her hands and forearms and his expression fell.

"Your arms."

"Huh?" she looked at them. "Oh my, that got really red." she said to herself before smiling at him. "It's alright. It's just that... The bird really didn't want to leave its peer. It was my fault to try and grab it, really." she awkwardly chuckled.

As she spoke, he stood up and went up to her.

"May I?" 

Without waiting for an answer, he gently took her hands in his. Her heart jumped and she became tense. But she quickly calmed down when her small wounds glowed a familiar pinkish light, slowly healing and disappearing. Once it was over, she looked at the King with big eyes. He smiled widely.

"I've been visiting Miss Partridge for some quick lessons."

"Oh! That's great!" she smiled back. "Thank you, my King." she curtsied.

"No need to thank me. Now." 

He took a step to the side and gestured towards the desk. The two of them took a seat, across from each-other. In the short moment during which the King had his back turned to her, (Y/n) looked down and caressed the back of her hand, where a scratch previously was.

"I would like to apologize for asking you to meet me so early. I tend to want to deal with important matters as soon as possible, and I am quite an early morning person."

"No i-it's completely fine, my King." she shook her head. "I'm an early person myself- Well, I thought I was, and then I've arrived late, I deeply apologize for making you wait." she bowed.

"You didn't make me wait at all, I've had other matters to attend to in the meantime." he lied.

She sighed through her nose, relieved.

"So... You speak of 'important matters', what could possibly be something that you must discuss with me of all people?"

He smiled and readjusted himself in his seat.

"The second week of the Shuffling approaches its end, and throughout these two weeks, I have kept an eye on each of the members the High Council of Spades during each of their public appearances."

(Y/n) discreetly gulped.

"I have had several discussion with my two dear friends, and we have come to an agreement."

"...An agreement on what?"

He looked at her for a moment. He brought his hands up and rested his chin on his intertwined fingers.

"Do you remember when we spoke of art and you had an idea for an cross-continental cultural trading system?"

"Yes."

"Well, I am interested in such a project. And I would like to hear about what you came up with after you've left the brunch." he smiled. "In fact, if the High Council of Spades has any more projects or programs. I would love to hear them as well. I'm sure the Head of the Council should be the one addressed to for such matters. But after what happened, today specifically," he mumbled that part. "I think we can both agree that he isn't...mature enough, to speak of these things. And I personally, would rather hear it from you, for you seem very knowledgable. And if I must hear a business proposal, I would much prefer to hear it from someone I trust."

Just then, Wally saw something that caught him off guard. A bright spark appeared in the Lady of Spades' eyes, her cheeks dusted with pink. He recognized it, Frank and Sally would make a similar expression when someone asked them a question on their favorite subject.

Except, he didn't find it as cute then as he did in that moment...

(Y/n) covered her mouth so as to not squeal.

"Just a moment please." she stood up, knocking over her chair but she grabbed it just in time and put it back in place. "I will be right back." she then began to slowly step backwards. "Please don't go anywhere!" she pointed at him. "It will just be a minute. I'll be back before you know it." she opened the door then turned back to him, still pointing. "Don't move! It'll be quick!"

He shrugged and placed his joined hands back on the desk.

"I won't lift a finger."

(Y/n) nodded, looked out the hallway, then back at him.

"It'll just be a moment." she said.

A second passed and she suddenly sprinted away. Wally kept his words: he did not move a muscle. Not a finger, not a blink, he fixed one point and never looked away (where he last saw her face), one wouldn't even be able to tell if he was even breathing. With the door still opened, the people passing by would flinch and yelp when they made eyes contact with him. They'd apologize, then quickly go on their way. At some point, Barnaby stopped by and leaned on the doorway.

"Eyes up here buddy." he pointed at his own eyes.

"I know."

"Did you send that letter to (L/n) too early?" he snickered. "I told you do be patient."

"I suppose I got a little too excited."

"Are you still waiting for her?"

"Not 'still', but I am waiting for her."

Barnaby raised an eyebrow, not understanding what he meant. 

"Whatever you say, bud." he shrugged and left.

Wally waited some more. Finally, he heard fast footsteps coming closer, along with something wooden and heavy being dragged across the floor. Unbeknown to him, his face lit up when (Y/n) came back, she was holding a big piles of documents and dumped them on his desk with a huff. Upon seeing them, he let out a small surprised laugh.

"Sorry, I'll clean that up!" she said. "Just a moment!"

She quickly went back out into the corridors to come back into the office, dragging a black board with her.

"Do you need help?" he stood up.

"I'm okaaaay, please stay seated."

He reluctantly did as told. She placed the board in front of his desk, rearranged her documents so they were not scattered across the desk, then grabbed the long ruler she put in her pocket. She dusted off her dress and took a deep breath. Then she huffed, with a determined smile. She has been waiting for this exact moment for a year!

"Now! By way of explaining this program I came up with, I shall first need to talk about a little thing called..." she rotated the board, revealing a map of the land with a bunch of color coordinated arrows then slammed the end of the ruler in the middle of it. "The Land of the Four Kingdoms!"

Wally lightly clapped his hands, ready to listen and pay attention (try to anyway). He didn't know how long this meeting will end up taking, but as he listened to this young woman talking, speaking on and on about things she is passionate about, that clearly mattered to her, he didn't really care. 

Chapter Text

Until now, Lady (Y/n) wasn't sure what to feel about the King of Hearts.

When they met after the sword incident, she believed he was simply being a gentleman and a good host. But with how often he would chuckle at her words, she suspected him to also thought of her as 'entertaining', like most of the nobility did at the time. During the hunt, the met again, but it was because circumstances brought them together, it wasn't because either of them wanted to. His and Frank's declaration after that did shock her, but she didn't know whose idea it actually was. Every time they were talking – alone, or within a group – there was always some doubt in her mind about his intensions and the way he regarded her.

However, right now, she didn't really care.

Ever since she became a member of the High Council of Spades, she has been doing research on potential government/social/economic/etc programs, only a handful of people knew about them and only a couple of them would keep up with her rambling (at least within the first hour). The King of Hearts was different however, never averting his gaze, nodding along, even asking questions from time to time, so she knew he was indeed paying attention. She kept going from pitch to pitch. And for the first time in two years, the passing of time felt pleasant, since she couldn't feel it anymore.

There was a knock at the door.

"Lady (L/n)?"

"(L/n)?! (L/n)'s in there?!"

Said lady looked back to see the King of Diamonds and the Queen of Clubs, looking at her with big eyes.

"Frank, Julie." Wally leaned to the side since the black board blocked his view of the doorway. "Good morning."

"It's past lunchtime."

"What?!" (Y/n) exclaimed. "Oh no! I'm so sorry for taking so much of your time, my King!" she bowed to Wally, blushing. "I shall leave you to your meeting."

"Well that's the thing." Frank folded his arms as him and Julie walked in. "Today's meeting was supposed to include you."

"Huh?" she looked at him with big eyes.

"But his Majesty Mr. Insomniac over here." he glared at Wally, who just kept smiling. "Seems to be too impatient to follow an agreed upon schedule!"

Wally just kept smiling, carefree.

"All three of you...?" (Y/n) pointed at them, then at herself. "A meeting with me?"

"Yeah!" Julie enthusiastically nodded. "The weekend is where business happens! And I wanna know in which order that art passing thing is gonna be!"

"You have... More than one business plan with you." Frank flipped through the documents on the desk.

"Um... I don't mind starting from the beginning but..." (Y/n) looked at Wally.

"You can just move on to your next proposition." he gestured her to go ahead. 

"Hey! What about us?!" Julie whined.

"I can see you already went halfway too!" Frank gestured to the two piles of documents.

"I don't want Lady (L/n) to repeat herself." he leaned back in his seat with an 'innocent' smile.

Frank huffed, frowning.

"Either way, we should all go get lunch before starting this meeting." he said.

"But, didn't you say it was past lunchtime?" (Y/n) asked.

"We were waiting for Wally." Julie said. "But he never showed up, that's why we came here."

"Awww." she let out and quickly regretted it.

But Julie giggled.

"Yeaaaah we're best frieeeends!" she shook her hands.

"You will join us, I hope." Wally said as he stood up.

"O-Oh, it's okay." she shook her head. "I had a big breakfast, I'm not that hung-"

Her stomach rumbled. As Julie laughed and Wally chuckled, she covered her red face with her hands. Frank sighed.

"Come on guys." he said and walked out, the others following him.

(Y/n) stayed at the back of the group, still embarrassed. As they walked through the castle, she could feel people's stare on her back.

"(Y/n)!" Julie suddenly linked her arm with hers.

"Aaah!" she let out, surprised.

"We're finally having lunch together!" she beamed, leaning towards her. "Happened way sooner than expected! Isn't it cool?"

"Y-Yeah. It is." she leaned back.

"Julie." Frank spoke. "Remember what we said about personal space?"

"Right!" she stood straight. "Sorry (Y/n)." she smiled, her eyebrows furrowed.

"I-It's alright." she nodded.

She heard Wally chuckle beside her and she realized. The four of them were walking side by side. Everyone could see them. And it made her conflicted.

She trusted that the three royals wanted to be friends with her. The thing was however that, with her being from the Spades Kingdom, from an outside point of view, it could only be seen as four representatives of the Four Kingdoms. Even she had a hard time not regarding the situation as such.

She wanted to relax. She wanted to have fun. But being with people of such titles and responsibilities, it was very difficult. Especially when she had responsibilities of her own in this moment. She was this close to her goal – her Kingdom's goal – she must make a good impression on them. After all, if they didn't want to be friends with her, would they have even bothered to hear her out? 

That question made her stomach twist.

"What do you wanna eat?" Julie asked.

"Um, anything is fine. Thank you."

"Oh come oooon!" she tugged on her arm. "Surely there must be some Spades dish from home that you really like?"

(Y/n) hesitated for a moment before saying a name in the old language of Spades. The three royals looked at her, surprised to hear this language coming from her.

"What did you say?" Frank asked.

"It's a vegetable and meat stew." she smiled. "It's very popular back at home."

"I've never heard of it before..." Wally tilted his head, searching hard in his memory.

"That may be because it's popular in the way that... The majority of the population eats it."

"Ooooh!" Julie nodded. "A peasant dish!"

"Yes... That's right." she nodded too, ignoring the sting in her heart from that comment. "It's very good and easy to make."

"If you remember the recipe, you can ask my cooks to make it for you." Wally offered.

"It's okay, thank you." she shook her head. "I'm in the Hearts Kingdom, I want to enjoy its culture."

That made him smile. He ordered the same thing for him and her, and the four of them sat at a long table in a dining room. Wally and (Y/n) were given a mixed salad, which on this sunny day would refresh them greatly. Not to mention it was delicious, and (Y/n) didn't miss to give out her compliments to the chef. Frank and Julie had two very different meals, each of the dishes from their own kingdoms. Frank had a dish of rice and green beans, with herbs and small blocks of bacon and cheese mixed with it. Julie had a big bowl of soup. (Y/n) wasn't sure what was inside but she could smell the spices from across the table, and felt hot just from the smell. Which only made it more shocking to her when the Queen started chugging the soup like she found water in a desert.

"So (Y/n)!" she looked at her. "What's up with you?"

"Uh... I'm having lunch...?" she said, confused. "A bit late for that I suppose but-"

"Nooooo I mean tell us a bit more about yourself!"

"Oh, another series of questions." she readjusted herself in her seat. "Will they be as vague as last time?"

"Not this time!"

"...If it is not too much to ask, could they be not as one-sided either?"

Julie gasped.

"You wanna know about me?" she placed a hand on her chest, touched.

"W-Well, of course."

'That, and also, that way it won't feel like an interrogation...'

And just like that, the two women began to ask questions for them to answer both. Once the subject of their shared interest came up: exploring the outdoors – Julie with the Enchanted Forest above her kingdom; (Y/n) with the woods near her house – the conversation then turned into them sharing their excitement over such an unconventional hobby. 

Meanwhile, Frank as been quiet, pensive.

"I apologize, I know one shouldn't talk of such things at the table but..." he finally spoke, looking at (Y/n). "How long have these projects been on the back burner? As far as I've heard, no new program have been applied to the Spades Kingdom."

(Y/n) glanced to the side.

"The... There was a lack of funds and sometimes resources- Most of the ones I've brought are for the long run, it would take time to get results. Um... And we just couldn't afford that."

In that moment, an obvious question rose: Why didn't the High Council simply contacted the other three kingdoms before? If it was for a business meeting, it would be safe to ask. But the question was never spoken, for all four of them had an answer. (Y/n) had hers, the three royals had theirs.

"What did you do instead then?" Frank spoke again.

"Well," she exhaled, her gaze wandering. "after the Grand Departure, the High Council has agreed that, for the time being, it would be best to go the opposite approach: Quick solutions for a limited amount of time. Which allowed some sort of stability, but of course it was anything but perfect." she gulped. "I suggested we take example from... His Majesty the King of Hearts."

Julie and Wally gasped.

"Me?" said man pointed at himself, surprised.

She nodded, her cheeks dusted with pink.

"I've read of your management tactics and tried to apply them to my small region, as a test. I'm not as experienced as you however..." she looked down.

"Well it's only because the books give me all the credits." he smiled with furrowed eyebrows. "I've had a lot of advisors and friends helping me."

"Not only that, but of course the Kingdom of Hearts and the Kingdom of Spades are completely different." Frank added. "The Sun and Moon comparison is there for a reason you know. Their resources, economy, geography, the very rules are different."

"Right, I see that now." (Y/n) nodded. "I've never left home before, you see."

"Not to worry." Wally smiled. "Today, we shall help you."

(Y/n)'s heart jumped. She unknowingly placed both of her hands over her heart, looking at them with big glassy eyes.

"Right." Julie nodded. "If you've worked this hard, pumping out ideas all this time without being able to make them a reality. Then of course we'll help!" she sniffed, acting emotional. "You're like the new guy, and we're about to put you under our experienced wing."

"I uh..." she cleared her throat. "To be clear," she raised her hands. "this isn't just my doing, it's the High Council's. If anything, I am simply just a relayer of information here."

"You're too modest." Wally bluntly said. "You know too much about these projects to not have come up with them yourself."

"That's... Not all of them are from me." she looked down. "The other members of the Council had brilliant ideas as well, and we worked together on them."

"Whoever came up with these, you'll be the one telling us about them." Frank gave her a stern look. "And just so you know, just because we're friends, that doesn't mean we won't tell you our honest opinion. If we think your plan is bad, we'll say it."

"Right!" Julie nodded.

To Wally's surprise, this seem to make Lady (Y/n) very happy, her face lit up.

"I hope you will." she smiled with a nod. "I'm sorry." she cleared her throat. "Could you excuse me? I'd like to review some documents before we get to the meeting."

This time, Wally learned his lesson.

"You are excused." he nodded.

"Thank you, my King." she bowed her head and stood up. "And thank you for the meal, it was truly delicious."

"I'm glad." he smiled.

"See ya later (Y/n)!" Julie waved.

(Y/n) waved back and left the room. When she closed the door behind her however, she took a moment to just stand there. She clenched her shaky fists, trying to contain herself. But she started to jump up and down, giggling.

"Let's goooo!" she did her best not to shout before running back to the King's office.

The three royals all chuckled when the heard her behind the closed door. But after that, they looked at each-other with a more serious expression. Except for Wally, who kept eating normally.

"So. We're really doing this?" Frank asked, his arms folded.

"I want to. She's cool! If she says her people are cool and in need of help then I trust her." Julie said.

"But, are we doing it for her people, or for-"

"In the end, does that really matter?"

The two of them looked at Wally.

"In this line of work, actions are more important that intensions."

"...And behind closed doors, it's the opposite, right?" Frank said.

The two kings looked at each-other. And for once, Julie looked uncomfortable.

"Guys, come on." she said. "I don't wanna talk about that. We have a new friend! And she'll share a bunch of ideas with us!"

"I agree." Wally smiled. "Let's focus on the now."

While (Y/n) was readjusting the color coordinated arrows on her map, Barnaby came by.

"Knock knock."

"Oh! Hello Barnaby." she smiled at him.

"Well, someone is jolly today." he leaned on the doorway.

"I have- Well, I am experiencing the opportunity of a lifetime here!" she said, shaking her hands in excitement.

"Yeah?" he raised an eyebrow.

"The three royals have allowed a meeting with me! Where I could pitch them all my ideas!" she squealed. "I can hardly contain myself!"

"I see, so that's why they asked me to fetch you."

"Ah-" she froze. "What?"

"Yep. I'll be escorting you to the meeting room my Lady." he bowed dramatically.

"So you knew why I was happy!" she pointed an accusatory finger at him.

"Well who knows," he shrugged with a carefree smile. "maybe you've received better news in the meantime."

"No news could be better than this!" she quickly gathered her documents. "Could you help me with the board please?"

"Sure thing." he effortlessly picked it up and the two of them walked out of the room.

"I thought it would happen in the office."

"Meetings are for meeting rooms, milady, it's in the name." he chuckled.

"I suppose so..." she thought for a moment. "It's a big room, right?"

He nodded with a hum.

"How... How many people will be there?"

"Not a lot. Just the three royals and Wally's trusted royal advisor."

"The royal advisor? I don't think I've ever seen them."

"Yeah, they're a sneaky lad."

She gulped and clutched the documents in her hands.

"You're suddenly so nervous!" Barnaby laughed.

"I'm just... I hope I can make a good impression on them." 

"Oh don't you worry. I'm sure you already have." he smiled.

The two of them entered a large room with an even longer table in the middle of it, towards one end were seated the three royals. (Y/n) glanced around. There was nobody else here.

"I brought the Lady for ya, my King." Barnaby said.

"Thank you Barnaby." Wally nodded.

"Thanks Barns!" Julie beamed.

The dog man helped (Y/n) set up the board at the end of the table in front of the small audience. After that, she wanted to thank him, but then watched as he went to stand by Wally's side. She stared at him for a moment while he gave her a big grin.

"Oh you really are sneaky!" she pointed at him, making him and Julie burst out laughing. "You are a sneaky fellow! You're the royal advisor?!"

"I'm sorry I kept it a secret from you." he said, wiping away a tear.

"I'm sorry I treated you like a mere jester!"

"I don't mind at all. Royal advisor's a boring title anyway." he shrugged. "'sides, the only people who are supposed to take me seriously are in this very room."

(Y/n) slowly shook her head, smiling.

"I knew there was more to you that meets the eyes."

"Funny you say that, those were my thoughts exactly." he smiled and winked.

"Now, Lady (L/n)?" Wally spoke, gesturing her to go ahead. "Please proceed."

"R-Right!" she nodded and took a deep breath. "So I have here with me potential partnership deals and projects for a variety of combinations of the Four Kingdoms, which one would you like to hear firs-"

"Me!" Julie immediately raised her hand, shaking it around. "Me me me me me me!"

"Very well! Um..." she quickly flipped through her documents, looking for one in particular. "Aha!" she took it out and held it to read her notes. "So! What separates the Clubs and Spades Kingdoms is the Zandari Mountain, right? Within the territory of the Kingdom of Clubs." she pointed at it on the map with her ruler, the Zandari Mountain was the biggest one of all. "However – and please correct me if I'm wrong – with the Kingdom of Clubs being underground, there is little to no habitations on the surface."

"That's right!" Julie nodded. "Just a few towns, one city and mostly the Enchanted Forest."

"And!" she took out another paper. "I have here a map of the cave systems of the Kingdom of Clubs. If we refer to both..." she put one on top of the other. "There are no caves underneath the mountain."

"Okay, so?" Frank asked.

"So! The last recorded expedition to the mountain predates the Eclipse!" she gestured towards it. "This could be a hidden treasure of resources!"

"So you're suggesting to launch another expedition...?" Wally asked, leaning back in his chair.

"The Zandari Mountain isn't a friendly place. You can hardly find any horizontal lines." Barnaby said. "That's why no settlements were settled up there."

"Why going necessarily up there?" she asked.

That questions made her audience's eyes go big.

"If there were caves in that mountain, we would know about it." Julie pointed at herself with her thumb, puffing up her chest. "We know caves."

"Why would we have to find caves, when we could make our own?" (Y/n) then pinned a messy sketch up on the board.

On it was the mountain with a tunnel going through it, along with infrastructures to hold it together. Once again, her audience was shocked.

"Your plan is to make a cave through the Zandari Mountain?!" Frank looked at Wally. "Have all her previous ideas been this unorthodox?!" 

"It does bring up a good question." Barnaby said. "Isn't drilling a whole through an ancient mountain...against your people's beliefs?"

(Y/n) sighed through her nose. She expected such a question, but not from them.

"It is true. I am myself a firm believer in the spirits of nature," she placed a hand over her heart. "and I have been raised to respect nature and everything it can hold. Just like any child of the Kingdom of Spades. However, in my heart of heart, I am most importantly a woman of the people." she nodded. "If it is for the sake of their benefit, safety and happiness, then I am willing to suffer the backlash I shall undoubtedly receive with this project. But I will say that... If some good comes out of it, then I'm sure the spirits wouldn't mind." she smiled. "And besides, even if we don't find anything of 'value', then this could still be a way to link the Spades and Clubs Kingdoms. It would make travelling between the two greatly easier."

"I do like that!" Julie pointed. "An easier access to both our Kingdoms, let's do that! And if, along the way, we find some neat stuff in there, like I dunno some new magic crystals, we flip a coin and see who keeps it! All in favor say aye! Aye!" she raised her hand.

"This isn't that kind of meeting Julie," Frank said. "we're just brainstorming right no-"

"Nope! We're doing this!"

"Your enthusiasm makes me overjoyed, your Highness." (Y/n) smiled with furrowed eyebrows. "But I have other ideas I would like to pitch."

"Oh! Okay okay! Go on then!"

"Well before I move on, I do have a question: Does your kingdom have a mining system or...?"

"Nope! All of our caves have been untouched since the dawn of time."

"Really?" she blinked twice. 

"We have plenty of space so we never needed to expand. With most of the population eventually leaving to live in the Sun and whatnot. If anything, some of our caves are empty." she laughed.

"I see..." (Y/n) looked down, frowning while thinking.

"Why? Will that be a problem?!" she panicked. 

"No no no! Not a problem at all!" she quickly shook her head. "It will just be...Less easy."

"Doesn't the Spades Kingdom have its own mines and its own mining system?" Frank tilted his head.

"Yes... That brings me to a good news and a bad news."

Julie gasped while Wally let out a little 'ooo'.

"A good-news-bad-news declaration upon her very first pitch meeting?!" Julie audibly sighed. "Oh! They grow up so fast."

"Can we get the good news first?" Wally asked. "Those are our favorites."

(Y/n) inhaled through her teeth.

"Sadly, the good news doesn't make a lot of sense without the context the bad news brings."

"Well try it anyway!" Frank said. "Surely we can pick up what you mean later on."

"O-Okay..." she said while Barnaby contained a laugh.

She flipped through her documents and took out a sketch portrait of a man that she then pinned on the board.

"This man," she pointed at him with her ruler. "is Leopold Casterham."

"Is he our target?" Julie smirked.

Frank glanced at her, not liking her choice of words.

"Yes." she nodded with a smile, making Frank look at her with big eyes. "I've been trying to have an audience with him, but I could never find any way to contact him. Then I heard yesterday that he is attending a dinner party tonight. Which would be a golden opportunity."

"I know of Casterham." Wally said, a hand to his chin. "I didn't formally invite him, he was brought here by his business partners and friends."

"Right." she nodded. "He has no more noble title but he is still a business man. He still has ownership of all of his assets, so all of the money still goes to him." she paused. "Including all of the mines of the Kingdom of Spades and their related businesses."

"What?!" Frank and Julie exclaimed.

"How can that be?" the King of Diamonds asked.

"Because, before he left during the Grand Departure, he was formerly known as Lord Leopold Casterham, Viscount of Spades." she paused. "He took all of his documents with him when he left to assure his financial security."

"Oh. The nerve of that man!" he huffed. 

"He is making the most of his situation. He still seem to be appreciated by his peers...despite his utter brass-necked cowardice." she glanced down and to the side. 

Julie gasped.

"Ohmygosh. Did (Y/n) just say something bad about someone?" she covered her mouth with the tips of her fingers and giggled.

"I have little sympathy for people who run away from responsibilities." she bluntly said. 

"...Is that all?" Wally asked.

"Ah." she cleared her throat. "That is all the information I could gather, yes."

He started to clap.

"You did iiiit," he cheered, though his tone was the same as usual. "you went backwards!"

Julie and Barnaby quickly joined him in the cheering, even Frank clapped as well. Flustered, (Y/n) thanked them and curtsied.

"And so." she said. "If I can get in that dinner party with-"

"'I'?" Julie's eyebrows furrowed. "Wouldn't it be better if we worked together?"

"Ah- Y-Yes of course. I just wasn't sure if you..."

"(Y/n)." Frank leaned over a bit. "We will get those mines back to your kingdom. Casterham will have no choice but to accept an audience with us."

"Yeah!" Julie exclaimed. "We'll make him wish he stayed home!"

Barnaby and Wally chuckled.

"I know this is a project between just the Clubs and Spades Kingdoms." the latter one said. "But if I can be of help, I will gladly lend it."

"...Thank you, your Majesties." she bowed to them.

"Now." Frank readjusted himself in his seat. "If we are done with this matter, I would like it to be my kingdom's turn now." he leaned over with interest. "What do you have for me?"

Her face lit up and she began to rapidly flip through her documents yet again. Once again, she went from pitch to pitch, and indeed Frank, Julie and Barnaby were honest in their opinion (Wally didn't say much though, only compliments). At some point, Frank disagreed on a point she made and stood up with her so he could rearrange the papers pinned on the board so that she could see his point of view on the matter. The two of them went into a heated debate, which for Julie was a joy to watch.

"Look at them bantering." she whispered to Wally. "They're frieeeends."

Such a sight made the two of them smile. Throughout the afternoon, multiple partnerships and business deals were approved, put aside to be discussed further later on another day. For now, our "team friendship-business" – as Julie called themselves – focused on tonight's dinner party. As royals, the three of them could easily go in uninvited without consequences, but Wally had to pull a few strings for (Y/n) to get an invitation. He said it was no bother.

The guests were shocked to see all three royals attending the dinner party, its host was overjoyed and didn't dare to ask any questions. The three of them and (Y/n) each came in at different times so as to not appear suspicious. And they then all acted surprised that they were coincidentally attending the same party. 

"Okay. To recap," (Y/n) quietly told them. "after dinner, we corner him and convince him to give the mines to the Council of Spades."

"Shall we leave you to take care of that?" Wally asked.

"No." she quickly said. "Just one of you would hold more authority over him than me, I remind you."

"What do you mean? He's not a noble anymore. You outrank him now." Frank said.

"Just trust me. Has any of you seen him yet?"

"Not yet, but I'm on the lookout." Julie said, who has been looking behind her friends instead of at them this whole time.

"Surely, we'll see him when dinner comes." Wally smiled. "For now, we can just enjoy the fact that we're at a party together."

Julie gasped, finally looking directly at Wally.

"You're right Wally!" she jumped up and down. "Okay guys, let's have fun!"

Julie then made them – along with anyone who was willing – play some fun games of her own concoction. Some were too much for (Y/n) to go through, so she had to excuse herself at some point. She went to get herself a drink and saw all of the bottles of alcohol there was in stock.

'It is the week-end after all.' she took a sip of her water. 'But I'm pretty sure that with the three royals here, they won't go all out now. If they're smart that is.'

While Julie kept having fun with her unlimited energy, Lady (Y/n) and the other two kings partook in conversations. One they had with a group of nobles where they talked about an up-and-coming trumpet player. Not knowing much about the subject of art outside of her own culture's, (Y/n) kept quiet.

"They have gotten quite popular lately." someone commented.

"Ah. I know of them." Wally pointed out. "I was their first patron."

"Oh really? That's wonderful, your Highness!" a Duchess said. "I'm sure they owe their success to you."

"Could you imagine if they haven't gotten the King's attention?" a Count asked. "What if that musician was born in the..." he glanced at (Y/n) (she pretending to not have noticed). "The Forgotten Islands, for example."

(Y/n) did her best not to roll her eyes while the nobles said that he made a good point.

"That is true." a Baroness said. "They were very lucky to be born in the greatest kingdom of the four."

"...I think a more interesting question would be:" (Y/n) spoke. "How many greatly talented musicians are born in the Forgotten Islands?"

Everyone's eyes went big, an 'ooo' echoed through the group. Even Frank had to think about that for a second. But the conversation quickly went back on topic.

"Were you there during that concert that was arguably the turning point in their career?" a Lady asked Wally.

"No. But I funded it."

"Oh you should've been there! It was truly beautiful!" she thought for a moment. "This one trumpet song they did really wowed the crowd. What was its name...?"

"...Trumpets can't sing."

"Oh yes they can." a Lord nodded, thinking he was joking.

"No they cannot." Frank shook his head. "To sing is to make musical noises with your voice."

"Right." Wally nodded, along with (Y/n). "Trumpets don't have that."

This made the other nobles shift awkwardly.

"If you've heard a trumpet song, then you must've found a talking trumpet."

"That is true." (Y/n) nodded. "In which case, what are we doing here when there is a talking trumpet on the loose?"

The whole group laughed. (Y/n) was glad the three royals were here with her. Things were easier with them indeed.

"(Y/n) (Y/n) (Y/n) (Y/n) (Y/n)!" Julie harshly whispered as she shook her shoulder.

"What is it Julie?" Wally asked.

"Locked on target." she discreetly pointed.

All four of them looked over to see Casterham on the other side of the room. He has just left a conversation and was now on his way to get himself a drink. (Y/n) gasped softly.

"That is him."

"Great. Imma go get him!"

"Julie don't- and she's gone." Frank sighed.

"I guess the plan is going quicker than expected." Wally chuckled.

"Oh boy." (Y/n) mumbled.

"Let's go quickly before she makes a scene." Frank said as the three of them quickly followed the Queen.

Julie sneaked up from behind the former Viscount. She tapped him on the left shoulder then stood on his right side as he looked over, but saw no one. She snickered.

"Heeeeey!"

The man jumped with a yelp.

"Casterham, right?" she pointed at him.

"Y-Your Highness!" he quickly bowed. "I am honored to be known by you!"

"Of course I know who you are. You're the one standing in the way of the tunnel of friendship!"

"Excuse me?" he gave her a confused look.

"You'll have to pardon my friend, Mr. Casterham." Frank said as him, Wally and (Y/n) joined them, the latter of which was making herself small. "She is quick to get to the point with no care for context."

"King of Diamonds, King of Hearts!" he cleared his throat and stood to attention. "To... To what point are you referring to?"

"You still own the mines of the Spades Kingdom, correct?"

"That is correct, yes." he nodded, smiling.

"Well, we have this project to mine a cave through the Zandari Mountain, creating an easy access between the Kingdom of Spades and the Kingdom of Clubs. We need the help of the miners of Spades for that."

Casterham's eyes widened in delight.

"I would be more than happy to partner with you for such a project."

"Ah." Wally said. "But this would be a partnership between the two kingdoms. And you don't even live there anymore." he tilted his head.

"Despite resigning from Spades nobility, I indeed still own the mining business there."

"But the High Council made that proposal to us."

"They pitched you a mining project without even owning the mining?" he puffed a smile. "You'll have to admit that this is funny in the silliest way possible."

"Why even keep a business you can't properly manage anymore?" Frank asked, folding his arms. "You've fled the Spades Kingdom."

"I have invested a lot into these businesses and intend to keep them."

(Y/n) couldn't help but scoff.

"How can you say that?!"

He looked at her, confused. He glanced at the three royals, then back at her.

"I'm sorry, who are you?"

"This is Lady (Y/n) (L/n), member of the High Council of Spades." Frank sternly said.

"Yeah!" Julie glared. "And you will show her some respect."

Casterham's eyes widened.

"(L/n)... Really...?" he looked back at her, still in disbelief.

(Y/n) gulped. Don't let him go there, she thought.

"You left your mines knowing your poor employees would have to keep working to make a living. Meanwhile, most of the money they would get out of it would still go in your pockets since your name is still on the property acts." she pointed at him. "You don’t even wear the colors of your birth land and you think you can still own its oldest resources?"

"Honestly?" Julie said, still glaring at the man. "The fact that a mine – a place that harvests the Earth's resources – is privately owned sickens me. And you own all of them? While living in an entirely different land?"

Casterham gulped, getting nervous. It was then that he realized that the four of them have subtly escorted him to a corner of the room, out of earshot.

"Monopolies can never be a good thing." Frank shook his head. "How did this even happen?"

"I have an idea." (Y/n) said. "He didn't own all of them before, then after the Great Departure, he owned them all. Maybe there's another reason why he can't go back to the Spades Kingdom: because he knows what would happen if he did."

"Wha-What are you accusing me of exactly?!" he glared at her. "To steal?!"

"It would take a quick investigation to find that out." Wally said, his eyes never leaving him. "But that doesn't need to happen."

"Yeah." Julie said, leaning a bit closer. "Just give the mines back to the Kingdom they belong in and we'll bid you adieu."

He became paler and raised his hands in a useless act of self-defense.

"L-Look I-" he stuttered. "The mines aren't just mine anymore, they haven't been for a while."

"What?" (Y/n) frowned.

"I-I've given half of them to my friends, as payment for living with them after I left."

"Oh my stars." she sighed and held the bridge of her nose.

"That won't be a problem." Wally smiled. "Let's just all meet together and you will give out the property acts. I'm sure tomorrow will be fine, won't it?"

"T-Tomorrow?! I-" he sighed, looking down, and nodded. "I'll talk to them, your Highness."

"Wonderful." he patted his shoulder. "I'll have my people send you a time and place."

And with that, the three royals walked away. (Y/n) curtsied.

"Have a good evening, si-"

"You have a lot of nerve. I hope you're happy with yourself."

The two of them looked at each-other with cold gazes. With pursued lips, (Y/n) quickly joined the three royals before he could say any more. Once the four of them were far enough from him, she exhaled heavily with a hand over her heart.

"That was scary." she said under her breath.

"We did so well (Y/n)!" Julie wrapped an arm around her shoulders and shook her. "We're locked in!"

"We may have utilized the intimidation factor a bit too much..." Frank mumbled. "But that man really irritated me."

"'Uh I'm sorry who are you'?" Julie mimicked the man's voice but made it more ridiculous. "Can you believe that?"

"The disrespect." he shook his head.

"That's okay." (Y/n) said. "To be fair, I've never seen him before either." she chuckled.

"Oooooh snap!" Julie laughed too.

"I'm glad it was quickly settled." Wally smiled.

"Well it's not over yet." (Y/n) said. "Now we have to meet up tomorrow with him and his friends."

"It's basically done though." Julie waved a hand. "As if anyone could say no to team friendship-business!"

"I'm still against that name." Frank sighed. "It could be more sophisticated."

"Like what?" Wally asked.

"Like... The team-of-friends-who-make-business-decisions-together."

"Gazoontight!" Julie told him. 

"Bless you." (Y/n) told her.

"That's what I said."

"No you didn't." Frank shook his head while (Y/n) gave her a look that said 'are you sure about that?'.

"Oh come on, yes I did!" she whined, her hands on her hips.

"Were you speaking the old language of Clubs perhaps?" (Y/n) scratched her head.

"The old language of Clubs mostly consists of mouth noises." Frank pointed out.

"...As do most languages." she puffed out a laugh.

"I meant it as onomatopoeias."

"Oh, I see." she nodded.

"Mh-hmm!" Julie nodded. "'Cause back then there were no lights, so they used echolocation to spot others."

"Oh wow, and it developed into a language? That's so interesting!"

"Yepyepyepyep!" she nodded, puffing up her chest. "Then they found a way out of the caves and into the forest and the rest is history!"

Wally smiled. He was glad that Lady (Y/n) and his best friends were getting along. Things were going smoothly. This was perfect.

But he should know that perfect never lasts...

During dinner, (Y/n) had a feeling that something would be going wrong. Was it maybe because the guests were seated by order of rank? Was it because she was now of her own, with her new friends on the opposite side of the long table? The answer was yes. Her shields were now gone and she was back to being an easy target for ridicule.

These ladies a few seats ahead of her were being really quiet amongst themselves, glancing at her and giving each-other a look that only friends could understand.

'Would we have that kind of look?' she wondered. 'Would we be able to understand each-other just by a glance...? That sounds nice.'

She's ignored them all this time, she was used to it by now, but now she began to be lost in thoughts. One of the ladies cleared her throat.

"Lady (L/n), please satisfy our curiosity." she said. "The court of Spades is such a mystery to us all."

"I shall do my best to enlighten you, my Lady." she smiled politely.

"Is it hard for the high council to fill the shoes of the late king?"

"Our King had a lot of work, as any one in charge of a kingdom would be. In his passing, he left it all to us. It is no small feat and my deepest respect goes out to anyone who has as much responsibilities to carry." she looked over at the three royals and bowed her head.

All three smiled at her.

"Oh, but such a big and sudden change for you, who has such a low rank, it must not be easy... Tell me, who do you think killed the King of Spades?"

The background noise of clicking silverware against plates stopped. Only the crackling of the fire in the large fireplace could be heard now. Casterham glanced at Lady (Y/n), and in this moment, he was glad to not be Spades nobility anymore, lest he would have to answer as well.

"I'm just asking since maybe you would like to know who is responsible for turning your life upside down." the lady added with a 'concerned' look.

The three royals looked at (Y/n), worried. It was as if she was frozen into place. After a moment, she put down her fork.

"I'm sure the King could tell who killed him." she spoke, showing no expression on her face nor in her voice. "I'm sure a majority of people that died could tell you the reason for their death. But if the Council says that life simply caught up to him, then I believe life simply caught up to him."

Wally felt a chill. The way she spoke reminded him of the first letter she ever wrote to him. Now everyone at this table was experiencing it.

"And if it was life that got to him, then it was life that got my parents just a few days ago. And so it was life that got the King's father, and his father before him, and so on and so forth." she was clearly trying not to shout. "Life comes for every one of us for it does not care for ranks or titles. And if one thinks they are safe, they are not, and life will come for them when they least expect it."

She took a moment to catch her breath. Nobody talked, but most averted their eyes. She continued.

"And when that happens, and those who are left must pick up the pieces, then it is simply foolish to try and point fingers at others. How is your ex-husband, by the way?" she tilted her head. "Is it true that he left you all of his gambling debts? He said it was because of your heavy shopping spendings that he got into gambling, correct?"

The lady scoffed.

"How dare you ask such an intrusive question?!"

"Careful Elvira." one of the lady's friends spoke. "Brave-Bloody-Bare-Hands over here might grab the blade of a butter knife in your direction!"

Some people laughed. (Y/n) clenched her fists.

"I believe an apology is in order."

Everyone looked over to the King of Hearts.

"Thank you so much your Highne-"

"Apologize to Lady (L/n), please." he smiled. "For referring to an event that never occurred." despite his friendly tone, he sounded pushy, his piercing stare didn't help either. "Murder is a grave thing and should not be taken lightly."

(Y/n) was shocked, but she tried to not show it in front of the other guests, who themselves didn't hide their emotions as well as her.

"I...I apologize, Lady (L/n)." the lady bowed her head. "I shouldn't have asked such a question, even with harmless intensions."

"It's all right, my Lady." she bowed her head back. "I also apologize for bringing up a personal matter. I just hope that your curiosity is now satisfied."

"Quite..."

And just like that, dinner went on. But then, a short while after that, Leopold Casterham excused himself and left the dinner party in a rush. (Y/n) started to internally panic and she shared a glance with Julie, who was ready to stand up and go after him but Frank held her arm and gently put her back on her seat while Wally asked a servant to keep an eye on him. 

Being on the other side of the table, (Y/n) had no idea of what they were whispering about. Suddenly, she wasn't that hungry any more. She wasn't one for alcohol, but she would allowed herself one glass of wine. She took a sip then looked at her glass, surprised.

"...Huh?"

"Is something the matter, Lady (L/n)?" an old man seated across from her asked.

"Oh nothing." she smiled and put the glass down. "This wine just doesn't taste how I thought it would be- It's very good, please don't misunderstand." she raised her hands. "It's just very different. The wine we have back home is really strong."

"Ah yes." he nodded. "The wine of the Hearts Kingdom has a certain sweetness to it, doesn't it?"

"Oh, I knew I tasted an aftertaste of raspberries."

"I've had wine from the Spades Kingdom a few times. It really is for experienced drinkers. They say that if you can handle one glass of Spades wine, you can handle any alcohol." the two of them chuckled. "It's because the method used to make it hasn't changed at all ever since the invention of wine itself."

"That is true." she nodded. "It's all made by hand, I didn't realize that was the reason. Although, it might also be because the grapes and berries that grow there are very different as well. They're more sour than sweet."

"I'm curious." he leaned a bit closer, and she did the same. "Has the High Council ever considered upgrading its production of wine? You know, some wine businesses these days use machines and magic to make their products more quickly."

"Well..." she leaned back. "The subject did come up, and we are not against expanding our wine market past our own kingdom. But we agreed to not change the means of production. Just like the old language of Spades, we believe that wine-making is a practice that shouldn't be lost. Besides, making wine is a great bonding-experience." she smiled. "It's almost a tradition now for every family in the Spades Kingdom to make their own wine."

"Oh please never change it. I may have only had a few opportunities to drink it, and that was decades ago, but trust me when I say: your wine is special. I feel like I'm drinking a piece of nature itself."

She smiled softly, a hand over her heart.

"Your words are touching my heart, my good sir. I could have a bottle sent to you if you want."

"Really?!" his eyes widened.

"Of course. We didn't bring any with us, but just send me your name and in the morning I shall ask the High Council to send to you one of the bottle we keep in the castle'."

"Oh, my Lady. What a gift you are giving to this old soul."

"You're not old at all, sir." she tilted her head. "You've just lived a long time."

"You are too kind." he cleared his throat and straightened his old back. "My name is Owen Vin-Vandle. Apologies for not introducing myself earlier."

(Y/n) gasped loudly, catching the attention to some people at the table. One of them being...

"Worldwide famous renown chef, mister Vin-Vandle! It is an honor, sir!" she bowed her head.

"Oh my." he chuckled. "I'm surprised a young lady like you would know of me."

"My grandmother – may she rest in peace – loved your cuisine catalogue. Whatever new recipe you'd come up with, she would try it and make me her guinea pig."

They both laughed. Being on the other side of the table, Wally could hear what they were talking about. Still, he chuckled.

"What'cha laughing about, Wally?" Julie asked, her mouth full.

"Nothing." he went back to his food. 

She followed his previous line of sight and saw (Y/n), having a lively conversation with an old man. She looked back at her best friend, a big smile forming on her face with a raised eyebrow. But she didn't say anything, not now...

After that, the servant Wally sent out came back. (Y/n) had almost forgotten about that. They whispered something to Wally who then, with a satisfied smile, whispered something to his two best friends. They both seemed relieved and Julie made an okay sign to (Y/n), her tongue sticking out and winking. 

'Okay... That must mean something good.' she thought.

Although not knowing where the former Viscount was made her nervous, she continued her talk with her new acquaintance.

She would receive clarification after the dinner party. Her and the three royals had gathered for a quick debrief when Casterham walked up to them. He was holding some papers, shaking under his nervous grip.

"S-So. I've discussed with my friends and business partners." he said, avoiding eye contact. "As it turns out, they're very busy tomorrow and won't be able to book-"

"On a weekend day?" Frank raised an eyebrow.

"Can't make an exception for lil ol' us?" Julie blinked, her eyes sparkling and she pressed the tip of her finger on her cheek.

"I-I'm sure they would've, your Highnesses! But I thought it best – since I'm sure you yourselves have more important matters to attend to – to just bring the documents to you right now."

Lady (Y/n) could hardly hide her shock, her mouth agape and her eyes wide open. The three royals didn't react much to it however, they might've already known he would do that when the servant came back. He handed the documents to them, but none of the royals lifted a finger. A moment passed, long enough for him and (Y/n) to feel awkward. She hesitated, then took them herself.

"Thank you, sir." she quietly said with a small nod.

The three royals then smiled.

"Your consideration is appreciated, Mr. Casterham." Frank said. "I can say with certainly that your mines will now be in good hands."

"To thank you for your donation, we'll name a rock after you." Julie smiled and waved. "Goodniiiight!"

"I hope your sleep will be lighter now." Wally smiled before the four of them left the party.

(Y/n) kept looking at the property acts as they walked out of the party. Once they were in the castle's corridor. She yelled out in joy while still keeping her lips tightly shut, shaking her hands in excitement. Julie wrapped her arms around her, lifting her up with little to no difficulty, which made her yelp out in surprise.

"We did it! The tunnel of friendship is happening!"

"J-Julie please! Put me down!"

She gasped and did as told.

"And now she's calling me by my name! Ah!" she leaned against Frank. "I could cry."

"Oh my gosh!" she covered her mouth. "I-I'm so sorry your Highness! I didn't realize-"

"Noooo!" she whined, her fists in the air. "We were making so much progreeeess!"

"It's proper custom, it's understandable." Frank said. "As long as she is of lower rank, she has to call us that."

Julie sighed, her shoulders dropping.

"(Y/n) are you sure you don't want to be Queen of Spades?"

(Y/n) felt a shiver at the thought.

"I... I really don't. I like my life just the way that it is now."

Wally glanced at her. He was about to say something, but then Julie spoke.

"Oh well, okay then! We did it, tofwambedet did it!"

"What did you call me?" she frowned, shocked.

She giggled.

"No, silly! It's the anagram for team-of-friends-who-make-business-decisions-together!"

"T, O, F..." Frank mumbled while (Y/n) sighed, relieved. "You did put some extra vowels in there, but I suppose that checks out."

"When translating, you have to make creative decisions Frank."

"It's not as elegant when you don't say the full thing however."

"That probably means we should find a new name entirely then." Wally smiled.

"We can workshop it later." (Y/n) said. "Me, I'm just happy about this!" she raised the documents with a big smile and spun around. "We got our biggest source of resources back!" she then held them close to her chest. "I'm so happy! Oh when the others will hear of this!"

Julie giggled and joined her in her cheers, jumping and spinning around.

"Oh my gosh! And when you shut that lady up? That speech was so cool!"

"Oh." she scratched the back of her neck with a bashful smile. "Thank you."

"When they called you Brave-Bloody-Bare-Hands, I knew there were out of things to say!"

"I never liked that nickname." Frank shook his head. "Sounds too barbaric."

'I believe that's the point...' (Y/n) didn't dare to say.

"Too much of a mouthful too, try saying it ten times fast!"

"I will not."

"I'm not...very fond of nicknames either." (Y/n) smiled, her eyebrows furrowed. "Not when it comes to people I don't know. To me, it's something for very close friends to call each-other."

Julie's eyes went big. Wally and Frank recognized that look and the two of them mumbled an 'oh boy'. She placed her hands firmly on (Y/n)'s shoulders and looked at her in the eyes with an intense stare, face-to-face.

"(Y/n). Listen to me." 

Said lady nodded, scared.

"I have in my drawers a notebook filled with potential nicknames to give to all of my lady friends."

"Not the male ones?"

"I don't care for them."

Feeling bad for them, (Y/n) looked at her two best friends. They didn't seem offended. They knew she was just saying this in the moment.

"When you are ready, tell me right away and I will give you a selected list of possible bestie-nicknames to choose from. Okay?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Yeepeee!" she jumped up and down and went ahead of everyone.

"Did she scare you?" Frank quietly asked. "I'm sorry about that."

"N-no no." she shook her head. "If anything I'm... I'm looking forward to it." she chuckled and covered her mouth, her eyebrows furrowed.

That made Wally smile.

After a while, Julie and Frank had to go down a different corridor. The two pairs said goodnight to each-other and went their separate ways. 

"Since when do you have a nickname-notebook?" Frank asked her as they walked away. "Since when do you write in your notebooks?"

"I shall write in the one I will get myself first thing in the morning." she tapped the tips of her fingers together with a big smirk.

Frank sighed, shaking his head, smiling. He will help her pick out the best notebook possible.

Despite being alone with the King of Hearts yet again, (Y/n) was feeling less nervous than she did the first time this happened. She didn't know if it was because she was getting used to it – which she doubted – or if all the great things that happened today made her heart forget all about being nervous at all. Either way, the two of them had to separate soon after.

"I bid you goodnight, my Lady." he bowed, a hand over his heart.

"I hope you have a good night as well, my King." she bowed back.

"I must admit, I've had my expectations when I sent you that letter. I didn't expect to spend the whole day with you." he chuckled.

She gulped, blushing. Only now did she realize it: the whole entire day! In the personal and friendly presence of royalty!

"But you've exceeded all of them." he smiled. 

"Th-Thank you, your Highness." she curtsied. "It really... It really means a lot coming from you." she tucked her hair behind her ear, looking away, her cheeks still dusted with pink.

Wally looked at her for a moment before he spoke again.

"You said you don't want to become Queen, but you're really fit for the job." he tilted his head.

"Pardon?"

"You're very intelligent, you clearly enjoy kingdom-managing-"

"Y-You're flattering me again, my King. I-"

"-You know how to command a room if need be."

"Sure, but-"

"And everyone saw how brave you are."

Wally would've elaborated on all of those things, but he stopped when he saw what his words did to her. She looked down, trying to hide her frown, gripping the documents in her hands. She took a deep breath.

"My King." she looked at him, her eyebrows no furrowed. "I have nothing but the upmost respect for you, so I shall ask only you for this favor. If you would allow me..."

He nodded.

"Please, do not call me brave. I recent it."

He blinked twice, confused. He knew from Barnaby that she didn't like the nickname given to her, but he didn't know it was more than that.

"May I ask why?"

"It's..." she sighed. "My parents, they..."

"Your parents? Did they convince you of the contrary?"

"No..."

"Do you perhaps...blame yourself for-"

"No!" she gasped. "I'm sorry I raised my voice." she bowed her head. "It's just...it's complicated." she ran a hand through her hair. "It's a whole other can of worms, it would take too long to..." she sighed and looked down.

"...I have time."

She looked back at him with big eyes. He smiled and took a few step to a direction, different than the one he said he would go to.

"Can I show you something?"

(Y/n) opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She looked behind her, to the direction of the Spades quarters, then back at him, his face lighted by the rays of colorful moonlight going through the stained glass windows. She pursued her lips.

"Okay..."

He smiled. The walk was quiet and she felt awkward, fidgeting with the pages' corners. He led her up some stairs, then a few more...

"Are we going to the top of the tallest tower?"

"It's a surprise." he smiled.

She gave her a weird look which made him chuckle.

Finale, they've reached what may have been the top floor. The ceiling was much lower now, there were fewer simpler decorations. (Y/n) began to look around, even more confused. Finally, they stopped in front of a metal ladder that went up to a trap door on the ceiling. After putting the documents somewhere they knew they could find it. Wally asked (Y/n) to closer her eyes.

"The surprise will be much better if you do."

"Closing my eyes...as I go up there?" she pointed at the ladder.

"I'll go first to pull you up." he smiled.

Her face twisted in her uncertainty. Once again, her expressiveness made him chuckle.

"Lady (L/n)," he leaned a bit closer to speak more quietly. "trust me. It'll be neat."

She was taken aback for a moment. But then she realized something: he once said that he wanted her to call him by his first name, but she couldn't recall a time when he did the same for her... 

'Well maybe he's just a gentleman.' she thought.

"Alright," she nodded. "after you."

He pushed his cape out of the way of his arms and started to go up the ladder. Before he opened the trap door, he looked down at her.

"Close your eyes now."

She sighed and closed them. She heard him open the door and felt a gust of wind as he spoke again, telling her to go ahead. She grabbed the ladder and slowly climbed up, her long dress making it difficult for her. She gasped when she suddenly felt the King's hands on her wrists.

"I'll help you up now, alright?"

"Okay... Don't let go before I open my eyes please."

"I would never."

She let go of the ladder and he gently pulled her up with him. She felt a cold breeze on her face.

"Okay. Open your eyes now."

She did and gasped. The two of them were on the castle's roof, looking at the entirety of the estate, the forest, the city in the distance, the mountains on the horizon. And of course, the open night sky. They both took a moment, her to take in the scenery, him to look at her.

"Let's sit down." he finally said.

They sat next to each-other, he let go of her hands once they did.

"I like coming up here." he looked up. "When I look up, I can only see the sky. It makes me feel small."

She looked up too, indeed, they were at the highest point of the castle so their field of vision was nothing but stars. Except of course for the person sitting right next to them. (Y/n) looked back to the city. Despite it being night time, there were still plenty of lights there.

'The Kingdom of Hearts really is different.' she thought with a sigh.

"I come up here whenever I need space from things." he spoke again. "No one can hear you here. Except maybe the...spirits of the wind?"

"...Why did you take me up here?" she asked, looking at him.

"I know about mourning, Lady (L/n). I know it is easier to deal with it by sharing it with others who understand. And I brought you here because..." he looked at the horizon, his gaze growing distant. "My mother used to take me here to watch the fireworks on New Year's Eve."

(Y/n)'s eyes widened a little bit.

"That's...another reason why I like coming here." he smiled, but there was a bittersweetness to his eyes. "Whenever I miss her, I just..."

He raised a hand in between them, palm facing up. Small strings of colorful lights appeared, making small knots with each-other before breaking off, the knots turning into small orbs that then flew up and at a safe distance before exploding into small silent fireworks. (Y/n) gasped and looked in awe. Wally chuckled and brought his knees closer to his chest. The two of them enjoyed the small light show for a while. At some point, her smile faded and she looked down.

"The truth is... My parents didn't just die." her voice made him look at her. "They were killed."

His eyes widened, he felt a chill.

"I'm so sorry. Who could've done such a thing?"

"...I don't know." she shook her head. "But I have an idea as to why. And..." she sighed deeply. "Because of that, I feel like I'm not as sad as I should be. I love my parents, I love them with all of my heart. But every day I feel...frustrated, and bitter." she kept her eyes on the horizon. "Because I know that they...they didn't work hard, they chose the easy way out and they didn't think much about it." she shook her head with a small frown. "But I'm no better. And when they knew their time had come, they hid me away to protect me and they are dead and I'm still here."

In the light of the small fireworks, Wally could see the tears in her eyes she refused to let out. He felt his heart tightening. He couldn't find anything to say.

He promised her to never call her brave. She thanked him. Just then, the wind blew and she rubbed her arms.

"Are you cold?" he asked, ready to give her his cape.

"Not that much. But we should go back inside." she shifted, looked down, then back at him. "Could you...help me up please?"

"Ah. Of course." he stood up with no problem and offered her a hand.

She took it. As she stood up, a roof tile broke under her foot and she slipped with a loud gasp. Wally quickly grabbed her arms and pulled her close as she watched the roof tile fall off. A few seconds later, they heard it crash on the ground. In the silence, Wally could hear her quick breath and heartbeat.

"Are you okay?" he asked, quickly checking for injuries.

"Y-yes." she gulped. "I'm alright, I got more scared than hurt."

"Go on." he led her to the ladder.

She thanked him and carefully went down the ladder. As she did, Wally looked back to where the roof tile previously was, a grave expression on his face. This never happened before, and for whatever reason, this left a bitter taste in his mouth.

But he was used to it. He ignored it for now, thinking he could take care of that later.

The two of them went back down the castle floors, this time, he accompanied her back to her quarters.

"Oh and..." she said before she went inside. "Please, don't tell the others."

She looked embarrassed, that didn't sit right with him.

"I would never."

"Thank you." she smiled.

She thanked him for not telling others about a deeply personal side of herself. That didn't sit right with him either.

"No." he said, gently taking her hand in his and bowing. "Thank you for telling me. I'm honored."

Her heart skipped a beat. This felt different.

"Y-You're very welcome!" she said, louder than she wanted to be, as he let go of her hand and stood back up. "A-And also, I'm sure it was nothing for you with the amount of mana you have but..." she smiled softly. "I thought your fireworks were breath-taking."

Wally blinked twice, caught off guard. He smiled in a similar manner.

"The most powerful spells aren't always the most important."

(Y/n) tilted her head with a hum.

"What comforting wisdom to sleep on tonight. Have a good night, my King." she nodded.

"A good night to you too, my Lady." he nodded back. "I trust we'll see each-other tomorrow for another meeting?"

"Of course we will!" the spark in her eyes was back and she raised the documents in her hands. "Now that we have the mines, we can take on this project seriously!"

"I can hardly wait." he smiled, then bowed his head. "My Lady."

"My King." she bowed her head too before opening the door to the Spades quarters.

She cast him one last glance before closing the door behind her. Wally sighed through his nose before walking away.

The King of Hearts didn't sleep well that night. Well...worse than usual.

Today had been such a good day. Yet at the very end, those few things that happened weighted heavy on his heart. Lady (L/n) was still sad, he wasn't able to cheer her up... But from what she said, she's been like this ever since her parents' death. So...A whole year...

Although he could relate, to a certain degree, he realized that the two of them were still widely different. But he wanted to understand, he wanted to help her... 

The next morning, the three royals, Lady (Y/n) and Barnaby had another meeting. This time they focused on a business trading system between the Diamonds and the Spades Kingdoms. Frank had brought old documents from his Kingdom's royal archives (which yesterday he asked to be sent to him) which was a great help in figuring out the most efficient way to organize such a thing. According to Frank's research, the Diamonds' business had to stop trading with the Spades' because of 'a consistant inconsistency in shipments'.

"Basically the Spades would always give less products that they were ordered and paid to ship." Frank explained.

"Um... Well, it's weird that your reports say that." (Y/n) showed her own documents. "Because in the reports found in ourroyal archives, it is said that the Diamonds were consistently unreasonable with their requests, and would even sometimes change them after the shipment was made."

There was a moment of silence, the two of them looked at each-other with big eyes. Julie slowly inhaled through her teeth. 

"Well then." Frank sighed, tossing the reports back on the table. "The people who wrote these are very likely retired by now, so it would be useless to try and find out who lied."

"Lied?" (Y/n) frowned. "Maybe it was a simple misunderstanding."

"It might have been before my ruling, but I can assure you that the royalty of the Kingdom of Diamonds put particular efforts into their business branches. As simple a mistake as a misunderstanding would never happen."

"So you're saying we lied?!" her frown deepened.

"Not you. These guys." he gestured towards her papers.

"Guys, guys!" Barnaby waved his hands up and down. "Let's not fight someone else's battle."

"Barnaby's right." Wally nodded. "We are doing this so arguments like this don't happen."

"You two are so patriotic!" Julie chuckled.

"I wouldn't be a King if I wasn't." Frank cleared his throat.

"I apologize, your Highness." (Y/n) bowed her head.

"It's all right (L/n)." he nodded. "If anything, this proves that one thing we should prioritize in this partnership is good communication. We don't want things to fall into discord, now do we?"

"Of course not." she shook her head. 

"I don't like that word!" Julie exclaimed. "Sounds too fun for what it actually is!"

"The only times I even say discord is when people ask me which cord I'll be using."

Everyone looked at Barnaby as the Queen started to giggle and Wally chuckled.

"Discord..." (Y/n) mumbled.

Then, she bursted out laughing, which only made Julie laugh harder, hitting the table multiple times. While Frank tried to get them back on topic, Wally glanced at Barnaby, he looked proud of himself for yet another successful joke.

It was then that something clicked in Wally's mind. Lady (L/n) would laugh sometimes and it was always a joy to see. But, replaying in his head the time they spent together, he realized that she's never laughed at something he said. He's never made her laugh...

He wasn't sure how to feel about that.

Maybe he'll ask Barnaby for help later.

[Fun fact! The dish Frank ate for lunch is actually a Brasilian dish called baião de dois. 

Also, I know it's spelled gesundheit, but y'know, Julie doesn't speak German, I don't think x) 

Also ALSO! Overwatch343434 on wattpad made this lovely fanart of MC 🥰]

Chapter Text

Earlier that morning, when everyone woke up, Lady (Y/n) presented the mines' property acts to her fellow councils members with the upmost of pride. They all rejoiced, as this Leopold Casterham has been the cause of a lot of distress amongst their meetings prior to the Shuffling. This was huge.

"Isn't this amazing Arnold?!" she looked at him.

The young man has been speechless after the collective 'what?!' that was let out when she told them the news. Catherine and Gwendoline didn't miss a chance to call him out on it. They said it was the first time they've seen him this flabbergasted before. Hearing (Y/n) calling his name snapped him out of his trance. She repeated the question.

"...Yeah."

"Be more enthusiastic will you?" Catherine gave his a light hit on the back. "This will surely create a huge domino effect back home, won't it Lady (L/n)?"

"I very much hope so!" the lady checked the time. "Oh, I have to go!"

"Already?" Gwendolyn looked at it as well.

"Yes!" she said with a bright smile. "We planned another meeting and I believe King Darling is a very early bird so he must already be there. Here." she gave the documents to Arnold. "Send them back to the castle." she winked. "Alright!" she quickly went to her room to get some documents. "You guys have a fun weekend!"

"The King's an early bird also?" she raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you two make a great pair."

"Huh?!" she looked at her with big eyes. "Me and-?! What? Why would you say that? Huh?"

"I meant as business partners."

"Oh! Oh..." she cleared her throat. "Right."

There was an awkward silence. Gwendolyn blinked twice, a bit disturbed along with the other, as they've never seen Lady (Y/n) act like this before. Catherine smirked.

"What did you think she meant?"

"Nothing! Gotta go!" and with that, she left.

The two ladies looked at each-other and giggled.

On the way to the meeting room, Lady (Y/n) came across Miss Partridge. 

"Oh my! Hello Miss Partridge!" she curtsied. "What a pleasant surprise to see you again."

"Good morning my Lady." she bowed. "You seem to be in a very good mood today. It is a delight to see."

"You're right, I am!" she beamed as they began walking together. "I'm off to a very important meeting."

"Oh." she chuckled. "If you hadn't told me, I would've assumed you were off to see some very good friends of yours."

"Oh! W-Well..." she scratched her head, bashfully looking to the side. "There might be a bit of truth to that as well. What about you? Where are you off to?"

"I was actually coming back from a task given to me by his Majesty the young King."

"I see... You were successful I hope."

"It was only for a checkup, and everything is in order."

She wanted to ask more questions, but then Poppy spoke again.

"If I may ask: have you had breakfast before leaving your quarters?"

"Oh, I didn't actually." she shook her head. "I only had time to have my coffee. But you see, this meeting is-"

She stopped herself when she sensed a familiar aura coming from the sorceress. Something changed about her, the look in her eyes was different. And (Y/n) recognized it: it would seem that Miss Partridge's motherly instinct has kicked in!

"I understand that this meeting is very important to you. But starting your day on an empty stomach is simply no good my Lady!" she picked up the pace. "Follow me, quickly!"

"O-Okay!" she agreed without thinking.

She led her to the kitchens and asked her to sit at the small table. To (Y/n)'s shock, there was already someone sitting there, but what shocked her was who that person was.

"M-My King!" she bowed.

"Lady (L/n). Good morning." Wally stood up and bowed as soon as he saw her. "Hello again, Miss Partridge." he smiled at her. "Is Lady (L/n) joining me for breakfast?"

"Your perceptiveness never ceases to amaze me." she smiled back.

While (Y/n) sat across from Wally, Poppy used her magic to change her sorceress robe into a simple dress with an apron and a cute headscarf. She asked her newest customer what she wanted for breakfast and (Y/n) was hesitant at first, but she ended up ordering something quick and simple. Now that Wally had someone else at the table, he waited for her to have her food for him to continued eating.

"Were you perhaps..." he leaned closer to whisper, making her lean closer as well. "on your way to the meeting when you've stumbled upon Miss Partridge."

"Y-" she frowned. "Yes, I was. Were you?"

He nodded. From the nonchalant look on his face, he seemed accustomed to this happening. She contained a laugh.

"I've always suspected her to have some kind of sixth sense." he said.

"Using magic gives you a sixth sense?" 

"Only to recognize other magic users. I've never seen one for breakfast-skippers..."

She contained another laugh, pursuing her lips and closing her eyes. Wally wondered if something was wrong. She spoke before he could ask.

"You skip breakfast, your Highness?"

"I don't."

"A single apple does not make a proper meal, young King." Miss Partridge said, her back to them as she cooked.

"Uh-ho." Wally said as him and (Y/n) looked at each-other with big eyes, like two children getting caught by their parents.

"I've told you many times." she added.

"What if I eat multiple apples?"

"Every meal should be well balanced, my King."

"...Apples and oranges."

"Young King." she looked back at him with a hand on her hips. "What would your mother say?"

He thought about that for a second.

"That I'm the world's most special boy." he smiled.

(Y/n) couldn't help but let out an 'awww'. That reaction made Wally glance away with a quiet chuckle. Poppy sighed and went back to cooking.

"Oh but there are so many things to do, Miss Partridge!" (Y/n) said. "One must start working right away!"

"I agree." Wally nodded. "That way, you have the rest of the day to relax."

'Oh, if only.' she smiled.

"I understand that." Poppy said. "But one's own health must be priority."

(Y/n) looked over at him. He looked as dashingly perfect as a painting, ever since the first time she saw him.

"I see no problem here." 

"Oh it never seems that way at first. But do trust this old lady bird here," she gestured towards herself. "in a few years, those health problems will hit you like a ton of bricks."

Wally rolled his eyes. He's heard this many times.

"You have health problems Miss Partridge?" she furrowed her eyebrows. "Ow, you should rest then."

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing, my Lady." she pointed at her with a wooden spoon with a smirk. "I already started cooking, there is no stopping me now!"

(Y/n) laughed and apologized.

"I'm curious, my King." she adjusted her seat to face him. "What kind of task have you given Miss Partridge so early in the morning?"

He glanced at the royal sorceress for a second before looking back at her with a smile.

"I asked her to check the shield spell around the castle."

"There's a shield spell around the castle?" she blinked twice, surprised. "The entire castle?"

"Why yes, doesn't yours have a security system?" he raised an eyebrow.

"We do, of course. But ours is widely different. Wouldn't a spell this big requiere a lot of magic?"

"It's for emergencies only."

"There's an emergency?!"

"No!" Poppy quickly knocked on a wooden cuboard, making (Y/n) do the same on the table which in turn made Wally do the same. "Goodness, it is in case of an emergancy."

"Oh I see. Good." she nodded, relieved.

"With the Shuffling, the most important people in the world all gathered in one place, one can never be too careful."

"Understandable yes... But my question still stands, is such a thing really posible?"

"It would take more than one mage to activate it, for sure." she nodded to herself. "And, if not regularly charged, it would only be up for a limited amount of time."

"...Magic is a lot more complicated than I though. You would think it would make things easier."

"No, it does." Wall smiled. "It's just tricky sometimes."

Just then, Miss Partridge served Lady (Y/n) her breakfast. She made what she ordered but also added a few more things to make it more balanced.

"Thank you very much, Miss Pastridge." (Y/n) bowed her head. "I believe this is the second time you've served me food. I'm not much of a cook, so I don't know how to make it up to you." she chuckled with an apologetic look.

"Make it up to me? My Lady, cooking brings me nothing but joy. If anything, I thank you for this opportunity." she bowed her head as well.

"Oh, well in that case: you're welcome." she smiled.

"Bon apétit, Lady (L/n)." Wally said before the two of them began eating.

(Y/n) had no idea what he just said, but she could figure it out using context clues. So she said the same saying but in the old Spades language. Hearing it made Miss Partridge look at her with a shocked expression.

"Pardon me, my Lady?"

"I'm assuming she just said it back." Wally said.

"Indeed, I did." she nodded.

Poppy discreetly took a deep breath, she was taken aback for a moment there.

"I'm curious," Wally spoke again. "you've spoken that language many times before. Are you fluent?"

"Of course." she said like it was obvious. "A vast majority of people in the Spades Kingdom is bilingual. For our oldest people, it is their first language."

'Although the newest generation is reluctant to learn it...'

"How fascinating..." Poppy said.

That made (Y/n) smile.

"What about the old Hearts language? Is it not used at all anymore?" she asked.

"For magic spells sure, but every book has been translated. Only magic users and linguistics study it these days."

"Oh... Dare I say, that's a bit sad." she looked at her. "Things like this shouldn't be lost."

"It isn't lost at all." Wall said, making her face him again. "If our people want to learn this dead language, they certainly can."

"Still, traditions shouldn't be forgotten."

"Just because traditions aren't applied anymore doesn't mean their roots are forgotten. That way, we can focus on what's ahead."

"Do you remember your roots?"

He looked up from his food and at her.

"...Everyday."

That made her smile and she went back to her food. At some point, she dropped her napkin and bent down to take it. Instinctively, Wally put his hand over the corner of the table in case she bumps her head on it. Poppy saw that and remembered a much younger him – a prince at the time – being sulky about those lessons on being a gentleman to a lady.

"What if I don't like her?" he said, swinging his feet in irritation, as the chair he was sitting on was too big for him.

"It doesn't matter." his mother, Queen Ambrosia, gave him a stern look. "You must be a gentleman to every guest that enters this home."

"But what if they're from-"

"No matter what." she pressed. "Guests are guests and you must be a good host. And besides..." she smiled and nudged him. "ladies love a gentleman." she winked.

"But I don't care."

"You will."

"No!" 

"I didn't care about gentlemen either... Until I met your father." she leaned in. "He was soooo romantic, I wanted to kiss him right away!"

"Eeeew! Mama!" he pushed her face away, sticking his tongue out. "I don't wanna hear it!"

She laughed and picked him up.

"And we danced and danced the night away!" she spun around with her son in her arms. "And we kissed under the moonlight!"

"I'm not listening!" he covered his ears. 

While this was happening, Poppy couldn't help but laugh, seeing her dear friend teasing her son. Who kept going about how he'll never be a gentleman. It all felt so long ago now, probably because it was. And now here was that young boy, a King, making sure a nice lady doesn't hurt herself during breakfast. He quickly retrieved his hand when she sat back up, so that she wouldn't notice what he did. Poppy smiled softly.

After breakfast, (Y/n) and Wally both gave their compliments to Poppy and wished her a good day. Then the two of them went to the meeting room where they were soon joined by Frank, Julie, then Barnaby. The five of them continued their meeting from yesterday. At some point, they spoke of the possibility for a free trade agreement between their four kingdoms, which got (Y/n)'s heart pumping but she kept her composure (not until such a thing is written and signed). But before they could even start with a draft, they needed to review the treaty the late King of Spades has been forced to sign after the Eclipse war – according to Lady (Y/n), to which the King of Hearts was quick to say 'allegedly' – to see if the terms listed in it would be a problem for international tradings. There was one particular one that (Y/n) wanted to address.

"It says here that we must surrender any warships to the Hearts Kingdom." she said. "Sadly, during the war, the late King has converted all of his commercial ships into warships, so our port and all of its related businesses crumbled and it has been abandoned ever since."

"You want the boats back?" Julie asked.

"It would be the easiest option."

"Sadly, there's nothing we can do about that." Frank shook his head. "These ships haven't been under government properties in years."

"They were all sold, and the money was given to cover the expenses of the damages left by the war." Wally explained.

(Y/n) pursued her lips. 

"Can't you buy them back?" Frank asked.

"Yeah! With all the money I'll give you!" Julie beamed.

"Your Highness, I told you I'd accept the money after the Shuffling." (Y/n) said, then thought out loud for a moment. "There's no point in having boats if we don't have a port. So we must work on this restoration project first-"

"I know a couple of people who could help with that." Wally smiled.

"Oh!" she was taken aback. "We were planning on taking care of this ourselves-"

"Nonsens!" Frank frowned. "This isn't just a restoration project, this is about preserving a historical place! I remember hearing that the port of Spades was the most frequented one in the land, in its prime!"

"That's true, it was!" she nodded.

"No offense to anyone, but when I'm reminded of the state it is in right now, it's breaking my heart." 

She chuckled.

"I'm happy I'm not the only one then, your Highness." she smiled and bowed her head to the three of them. "I would happily accept your help."

"Very well." Wally smiled then asked Barnaby to go fetch some of these people.

After a while, he came back with two men and their apprentice. (Y/n) stood up and curtsied while the three royals stayed put, Julie even told her in a whisper that there was no need for her to do that (the lady said she understood but shall continue to do so). The men gave her a weird look, wondering what the Lady of Spades was doing here (as only upperclass citizens, they weren't up to date with the gossip). 

"I have a very important assignment for your company." Wally said. "We ask that you go to the Spades Kingdom and help restore their port. Of course all of the living costs will be paid by the Hearts Kingdom and any material will be provided by the Spades Kingdom. As agreed." he looked at (Y/n) for confirmation.

She nodded, confirming. 

"Your offer is very generous, your Highness..." one of the men said. "Um, is this a renovation, or a restoration?"

"Restoration." (Y/n) and the three royals said at the same time.

"Um...It will take a long time."

"As I said, we'll cover the living expenses." Wally said.

"We'll make sure you're comfortable." (Y/n) added with a smile.

It took a bit of convincing, but they eventually agreed. Not like they couldn't, when the assignment came from their King.

"Amazing!" (Y/n) beamed, her fists tight so as to not shake her hands too much. "Now we can focus on getting the boats back!"

"The boats back? The Spades boats?" the other man asked.

"Yes!" she nodded. "We'll find them."

"You know about boats?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Um..." she frowned "I know about our boats."

"Do you even know how many-"

"One carrack, three barques, two schooners, one fluyt and four moderately sized ketches. Do you want their names too?"

"N-No. No thank you. We will be on our way now." the two men bowed.

"Excuse me." the apprentice stepped forward. "May I ask for the name of the carrack ship?"

"The Reaper."

"The Reaper?!" Julie exclaimed. "That's one spooky name!"

"No," she leaned towards her and spoke more quietly. "it's from 'you reap what you sow'. You know the one?"

"Ooooh yepyepyepyepyepyep." she nodded a bunch of times.

Meanwhile, the apprentice thought for a bit.

"Was it four-masted?"

(Y/n)'s eyes widened.

"Yes...?"

"Was it make from oak?"

"Made from oak wood, a statue of a mermaid on the front and sea serpents carved into the railings."

The apprentice's eyes widened in recognition, which made Lady (Y/n) squeal, which made Queen Julie squeal much louder while Frank had a look of shock on his face and Wally lightly clapped. 

"My grandfather passed me that boat when he passed away."

"Oh! Oh." (Y/n) shook her hands and cleared her throat to calm herself down. "May he rest in peace."

The young man nodded as a thank you.

"That ship is your personal property, young man, she is yours to do whatever you like." Wally said. "But we simply must ask you: would you be willing to part with this ship for her to go back to her country of origin?"

"I...Even if I wanted to, my King, I couldn't. You see, I sold that ship."

"Huh?!" (Y/n) and the three royals exclaimed.

"Times were tough you see, s-so I gave it away to the auction house in the nearby city."

(Y/n) let out a sad long sigh, her shoulders dropping.

"When was this?" Wally asked.

"Five days ago, your Highness."

"Very well." Frank exhaled. "Thank you for your time gentlemen, you may leave now."

They waited for them to leave before discussing this further. 

"Well, there's not a lot left for us to do." Wally stood up. "Let's go to the auction house."

"What?!" (Y/n) exclaimed.

"We're going to the city?!" Julie lit up as she hoped out of her chair. "Oh Frank this will be the perfect opportunity to go shopping!"

"How do we know it's still available?"

"Because they hold auctions once every weekend. So today is auction day." he smiled.

"Oh wow! What a fortunate coincidence!"

"We shall buy your boat back."

"And it's the carrack one too!" Frank exclaimed. "This will be a wonderful start!"

"Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh." Julie jumped up and down. "Are we going in disguises?"

"For the trip there at least."

"(Y/n)!" she grabbed her shoulder. "You're coming with me! In fact, no, you're all joining me on this!"

"On what?" (Y/n) asked, worried.

"A dress-up montage." she slowly nodded with a smile.

"A what?"

After a short trip in a small discreet carriage, the four of them went to the city. With soldiers looking over the area, they made their way through the busy streets. Being magic users, Wally and Julie could easily just alter their appearance. Frank and (Y/n) however had to wear capes with hoods to hide their identity.

"Why should I hide my face too?" she asked. "No one here knows who I am."

"That way, Frank doesn't get lonely of course!" Julie smiled.

"Don't use my name!" said man harshly whispered. "And I'm not feeling lonely, it would just be seen as strange that, in a group of four, only one person is hiding their face."

"...I'm pretty certain that anyone who hides their face is seen as strange." (Y/n) said.

That made Julie giggle as Frank rolled his eyes. Once they've entered the auction house, in the more upperclass part of the city, they've took off their disguises and the staff there immediately changed their attitude towards them, thinking they were 'regular people' at first. They were given a catalogue and a number each, then they went to take their seat in the main auction room.

"We should make this a game!" Julie said. "Let's all buy one item each. Just one!"

"Sure." Wally said as him and the other two began flipping through the catalogue of items.

"Nononono no. No no!" she snatched them all from their hands. "It's more fun when you don't know what you'll get!"

"Well I know what I'll get." (Y/n) said. "I'll get the carrack ship."

"Oh darn it!" she slapped her own forehead. 

"But I would've participated even if I didn't know!" she quickly said. "I've never been to an auction before, this is really pretty." she looked around.

'Everyone looks so fancy!'

"It's my first auction too!" Julie beamed. "I'm so glad this is both our first time!"

"I've organized auctions for charity, but I've never participated in any." Wally taped his lap in anticipation.

"I've been to a few, sometimes they sell rare specimens of insects." Frank said. "And I would buy one, if they had any right now, if I could just check..."

He tried reaching for the catalogues but Julie held them out of his reach, which resulted in a friendly squabble. After that, the auction started. The first item was presented and Julie raised her number plate right away, her three friends looked at her in shock.

"You're bidding already?" (Y/n) asked.

"Yes! We have to start at some point."

"On the very first item?" Frank raised an eyebrow. 

"When you cut a piece of roast meat, it's better to eat it warm, isn't it?" she said, not looking away.

"I don't believe this is comparable..." (Y/n) looked at the item presented.

An old carriage from the Kingdom of Diamonds, dating back from the reign of Frank's mother, so...very much outdated. And it did not look in the best of conditions.

"It's a carriage! I'm buying it!" she raised her number plate again.

"Two thousands!" the auctioneer pointed at her. "Two thousands, can I get two thousands one hundred?"

Julie raised her number plate.

"Two thousand one hundred! Thank you ma'am."

"And now you're bidding over yourself!" Frank harshly whispered.

"Yeah! Just to be sure." she raised her number plate again. "This is fun!"

"Going once...Going twice..." after a few more bids, the auctioneed started to count.

"Give it to me!"

He finally hit his gavel on the podium.

"Going to number 73 for five thousand gold pieces!"

Julie let out a victory squeal and raised her fists in the air as the other attendees clapped.

"You actually bought it?!" Frank looked at her with big eyes while Wally giggled.

"Yes! I'm the first one! Yippee!"

"Look at the back of it." (Y/n) whispered.

They looked over at the carriage that was now being rolled away. Julie and (Y/n) wheezed when they saw that the back side – that wasn't shown to the audience during the bidding process – was even more busted. Frank sighed and shook his head. More items went by, but the other three of the group haven't bid for anything just yet, despite Julie's encouragements. They actually had to prevent her from buying any more.

"This man is always bidding, but always taps out eventually." (Y/n) whispered to them, discreetly pointing at a man sitting towards the front row. "I feel bad for him..."

"No need to be, he might be a paid bidder." Frank said.

"A paid bidder?" she tilted her head.

"A bidder that's paid to pay?" Wally tilted his head as well. 

"Not to pay." Frank leaned a bit closer. "Sometimes, auction houses will place one of their own employees within the audience just so they could raise the price."

"Really?" (Y/n) blinked twice. "So they have no intension on actually buying?"

He nodded. She pondered over this as a new item was presented. At some point, she raised her number plate.

"Two hundred and fifty!" the auctioneer pointed at her.

"I bid!" she looked at her friends, covering her excited smile.

Wally puffed a chuckle as Julie congratulated her, sharing her enthusiasm. She was quickly outbid and the auction went on. Wally has been relaxed this entire time, but when a painting from a famous artist was presented, he suddenly sat up straight with a twinkle in his eyes. To (Y/n), it was as if a switch had been flipped in his head. Each time someone would outbid him, he would raise his number plates right away. At some point, he simply kept his number up, frequently waving his hand to remind the auctioneer he was still here.

"Wow Wally, you're being so intense right now." Julie giggled.

"I don't have any of his art at home." 

'He must really like art.' (Y/n) smiled. 

"Going once... Going twice... Sold! To number 17 for one million seven hundred thousand gold pieces!"

She has never seen the king this happy before, she couldn't help but smile as well. When the item was taken away, Wally stopped the staff and took the painting for himself.

"I'll send the money this afternoon."

"That...That isn't how it works sir. You're supposed to come back another day with the money, and-"

"One million, seven hundred thousand gold pieces. This afternoon."

"...Very well sir. Thank you."

Looking at him from afar, (Y/n) chuckled.

"Just like Julie, he was being too bid-happy." Frank shook his head. "We have to be more careful (Y/n)."

"I'll do my best."

"This is an auction. We must keep our head straight."

"Right."

As the two of them put on their serious face, Wally came back with the painting. He set it on his lap and admired it as he happily tapped his feet on the floor. (Y/n) contained a chuckle.

"Wally, please put that down." Frank said. "It's blocking our view."

"It is a lot larger than I thought it would be." (Y/n) said, as all four of them had the painting resting on their lap (it was one meter wide and two meters long).

"Next time, we'll sit in the front row." Julie said, unbothered.

"Also, my King... My legs hurt from the weight."

"Ah. I apologize." Wally quickly lifted the painting as if it was as light as a feather and went to give it to the guards that came with them, instructing them to send it to the castle at once.

"And now, for the next item." the auctioneer spoke. "This next item is a real historical artefact. Originating from the Spades Kingdom."

(Y/n) gasped. Julie and Frank pointed at her as if to say 'that's for you!'.

"A former commercial ship turned into a warship during the Eclipse. This beauty is a four-masted carrack boat, carved from the finest of oak and is in excellent conditions!" he gestured to a easel, showcasing a sketch of the boat, of which (Y/n) cared little about. "Of course, this sketch isn't the item. The ship is in our warehouse by the port. So, someone get me started. How about, let's say...one hundred gold pieces."

This struck a cord for Lady (Y/n). She raised her number plate.

"A hundred thousand!"

There were gasps in the audience. The three royals looked at her with big eyes, none of them expected that from her.

"One hundred thousand gold pieces for number 39! Someone really wants that boat!"

"Wow, (Y/n)!" Julie exclaimed, impressed.

"(Y/n), what did we say?" Frank whispered

"A hundred gold pieces, how dare you?" she ignored them as she mumbled under her breath, clicking her tongue with a deep frown.

Of course, the paid bidders raised the stakes a bit, but what made this difficult were the real ship collectors in the room. Eventually, the price had raised to almost a million. Now (Y/n) was getting nervous.

'One million gold pieces is a lot for us...' she clenched her fists while the collectors were outbidding each-other. 'It would take a terrible toll on our budget. Frank was right...I may have been too bid-happy.'

"Remember." Julie whispered to her. "I could get you the money right now if that helps."

(Y/n) pursued her lips.

"Nine hundred ninety-nine thousand. Going once... Going twice-"

As the auctioneer counted, she hesitated to raise her hand. She was already making up a list of alternative options in her head. Just then, a hand gently grabbed hers and raised her number plate for her.

"Two million."

Gasps and cried of surprise echoed throughout the room, everyone looked over to Wally.

"M-My King!" she looked at him, shocked.

"Consider this my contribution." he smiled. "Let's combine our funds to buy this boat."

Her eyes became glassy, as a wave of feelings hit her. Too shocked to say anything however, she just looked back at the auctioneer.

"Going once... Going twice..." he hit his gavel. "Sold to number 39 for two million gold pieces! Now the most expensive item of this auction today!"

The audience clapped. Lady (Y/n) covered her mouth and quickly went to the staff to get the property act and the provenance document confirming the legitimacy of the ship. Once back in her seat, she held them close to her chest.

"Could we make a detour to the warehouse after this?" she asked.

"Of course." Wally smiled.

"Obviously!" Julie added. "I wanna see that ship up close, I was so disappointed that they didn't bring it out like they did with my carriage."

"That is simply impossible Julie." Frank said. 

"Sure it isn't."

"Then pray tell, how could they have fit a carrack ship into this room? Do you even know how big these are?"

While their conversation and the auction continued, (Y/n) looked down.

"My King." she whispered to him, making him lean closer to her. "This is one of multiple times you've helped me. I'm afraid I don't know if your investments in us will bear much fruits." she gave him an apologetic look.

A short moment passed before he gave a response.

"Lady (L/n)," he said. "my goal is to make the Land of the Four Kingdoms a place of prosperity and stability. My dear friends feel the same way, and I know you feel the same way too. It all starts with us helping each-other."

She just looked at him, taking in his words. Her lack of response didn't bother him one bit, and he just looked at her as well. Julie slowly leaned forward to look at them both, for she was sitting besides (Y/n) who was sitting between her and Wally. She squinted her eyes really hard before leaning back, facing forward again. The auction went on smoothly, but as time passed. (Y/n), Wally and Julie glanced more and more at Frank, still hasn't bought anything.

"Frank, come on!" Julie nudged him. "You all have our thing, you have to buy something too!"

"I will. Eventually."

"You haven't even bid once." Wally said.

"Trust me my patience will be rewarded."

Still, he hasn't budged. Even when he was actually interested in the item. Like a beautiful custom made suit made by a famous designer.

"Come one Frank, buy it." Julie nudged him again.

"It's beautiful, you like the color, go on and bid." (Y/n) added.

"But it's not in my budget."

"You have a budget?" she tilted her head.

"One must always give themselves a limit when going to an auction." he glanced at both Wally and (Y/n).

Said lady scratched her head, a bit embarrassed. While the biddings were still going, Julie used her magic to write Frank's number on the back of her number plate and raised it.

"Five hundred thousand!"

"Did you just bid on that?" Frank looked at her.

"With your number!" (Y/n) laughed.

"Julie!"

Said woman cackled and his other two friends laughed. He was outbid and the suit was sold.

"Frank, I swear to you." (Y/n) said, growing tired for this auction has been going on for so long. "If you don't buy something..."

"There will be plenty more opportunities." he waved a hand up and down.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now coming to our last item!" their jaws dropped. "Our last item!"

Julie and (Y/n) wheezed and laughed. (Y/n) covered her face and hunched over to hide her laughter while Julie slapped her back repeatedly and Wally giggled. The last item was presented and the three of them went through another laughing fit. It was a giant carpet, even bigger than Wally's new painting, with a really strange pattern on it, some would say ugly but it was described as 'new age art'. (Y/n) glanced at Frank then quickly told Julie to look at his face. She did and wheezed again. He was flabbergasted.

"It's a lovely color." Wally said.

"I don't want it." he shook his head.

"You have to buy it." Julie said.

"I don't want it though. It won't match the feng chui."

"You've got no choice though." (Y/n) said, feeling bad for him. "This is the last one, you have to buy it now."

Frank lifted a defeated hand and he eventually bought it. 

"Hurray!" Julie clapped, along with the other two and the rest of the room.

"Worth every coin." Wally said.

"Congratulations Frank." (Y/n) patted his shoulder.

"I'm not taking that thing back." he said and addressed one of the guards. "Have my people send it to the castle and do notlet my mother see it!"

"This was fun guys!" Julie smiled as they prepared to leave. "We should do this again sometimes!"

"Only if we get to look at the catalogue!" he immediately exclaimed.

His three friends laughed.

After that, group friendship-business went to the warehouse by the port. The carrack boat was of course the biggest thing in there and Frank let out an impressed 'wow' when he saw it up close. 

"This is such a cool ship!" Julie ran around it.

"A shame it's been tampered with during the war." Wally shook his head.

He looked over to Lady (Y/n) and noticed the sad look in her eyes, despite her face not changing much. She kept her eyes on the mermaid statue at the front of the ship. Before a beautiful human-like top half was now a skeleton made of dark wood. The sea serpents look a lot more demonic as well and the ship has been painted in black instead of the sophisticated marine blue. She said nothing on the matter but she knew that these changes weren't made during the war. There were no records of such things, the late King only provided weapons to the ships before sending them out to battle. So this makeover must have been made after it was sold, probably to fit the vision of its previous owner. Maybe a warship from the Spades Kingdom wouldn't have sold as well if it looked like a regular ship, if it didn't look like a 'warship from theSpades Kingdom'. The fact that they were proven right simply broke her heart. Looking at what used to be such a majestically elegant boat... It was like looking at an old lion that, before full of pride in its youth, had been sold to a circus and now could barely meow. So thin, so slow... 

"With the Eclipse treaty still valid to this day," Wally spoke, making her look at him. "this ship still cannot go back to the Spades Kingdom. So," he smiled. "we have to work on a treaty that invalidates it. Perhaps even make new rules that benefits everyone." he smiled softened, seeing her glassy eyes. "Things will get better."

She pursued her lips and nodded, blinking rapidly as she faced the ship again and took a deep breath. Wally glanced down at her hand and unknowingly opened and closed his.

"Thank you, my King."

"Anytime, my Lady."

After this detour, the four of them went shopping, now (Y/n) could take a really good look around. She was in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the Kingdom of Hearts. She was simply mesmerized, everything was so modern! From the architecture to the clothes people were wearing, down to the public trashcans. She took a lot of notes in her head.

Julie went straight to a stationary store and looked for a journal with Frank's help.

"Ooo! How about this one!" she pulled a thick grimoire from one of the shelves.

"I don't think these are appropriate, Julie. And it's a little too cumbersome."

"It's as light as a feather!"

"It will still take a lot of space though."

"What will you write in it, your Hi- um, Julie- Uuuh Ah? Julia?" (Y/n) asked, glancing around after her little slip up, hoping no one heard her.

Julie chuckled, happy that being undercover in public forced her to get on a first-name basis with them. Although in her mind, she was simply more comfortable being around them by now.

"I'll write names!"

"Oh. I thought you already had a-"

"I'll write more names!"

"Ooooh I see." she nodded.

"In that case, maybe something small?" Wally suggested. "Most names are just one word, so you could just write one name per page. Like in this one maybe." he picked up a tiny notepad.

"Ah! That's true!" Frank pointed. "Notepads are easy to carry and quick to open, it's perfect for when you have an idea and you quickly want to write it down!"

'Huh. Maybe I should get one...' (Y/n) thought, but then shook her head. 'Actually, I think I've spent enough money for today... The whole month.'

And so, this short shopping session consisted of Frank advising Julie as she rushed ahead from shelf to shelf. Wally was looking at any book with pretty patterns on the cover, running his hand through it to memorize and paint it later on, and (Y/n) went to the shop owner to investigate.

"So how does your shipment plan works exactly? Do you deliver internationally?"

"Why do you ask? Are you looking to start a business of your own?"

"Uh, yes." 

"What kind of business?"

"Something...of a much larger scale..."

In the end however, she didn't realize how much fun she had until they all came back to the castle. They went about their business and she realized while passing by a mirror that she was still smiling. She chuckled.

"All of this happened in the spam of a morning." she said to herself and sighed.

Later this afternoon, Lady Starlet requested the presence of Lady (Y/n) for the rehearsals. She went to the stage that had finished being built. Seeing everyone work so hard on this production was really inspiring for her.

"I am a bit disappointed, as I wanted to keep the story a surprise for myself." she commented. "But it's alright."

"Not to worry, my Lady!" Sally waved a finger. "For I only ask of you to review a few lines from the characters. Lines that, without the intricacies brought by the context, reveal little to nothing about the plot! So rest assured!" she folded her arms with a confident smile.

"Oh, well then I'm glad. I'd be happy to help anyhow."

"Fantastic! Let us take our seats, in the front row!"

"Really?" she looked at the rows of empty seats. "We have all of this lovely space for ourselves though."

Sally gasped.

"You're right my Lady. it would be the perfect opportunity to test the acoustics! Do you hear that Gerebalt?!" she looked at one of the actors on stage. "Make good use of that diaphragm, child! We'll be at the last row!"

"Seriously?!"

"A true actor-" the O spoken like in 'door', which made (Y/n) chuckle. "-must bring out his A-game every, single, time! And we have the King with us today!"

"The King?!" she exclaimed.

"Hello." Wally waved, sitting in the front row, right beside them.

"Eeeeee!" she cried in surprise, which startled the others (except Wally). "M-My King! You've scared me!" she said, a hand over her fast beating heart.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to announce my presence, like I told you I would from now on, but this time it was you who came up to me."

"Ah. Well in that case, I apologize for not noticing you." she bowed her head.

"It's all right."

"I must say," Sally said. "his Majesty, King Darling, is the best audience I have ever had the pleasure to put on a play for! So quiet and such attention he gives!"

"Why thank you, Lady Starlet." he smiled and stood up from his seat. "Shall I join you and Lady (L/n) at the back row?"

"Why of course! Come this way!" Sally gestured them to follow her.

"May I ask, what are you doing here?" (Y/n) asked Wally.

"I've come to look over the production of course. I wanted to see if everything was going smoothly. I must admit that I was most surprised when I saw your name on the script."

"What? You put my name on the script, Lady Starlet?"

"Of course I did!" she faced her, moving her cape as she did so, for a little more pizazz. "I am never one to take credit for the work I didn't contribute!"

(Y/n) placed her hands over her heart. Truth was, she wanted to ask to be credited, but decided not to, thinking it would be too much to ask. The four of them (Jeremiah was there too, they were just very quiet in the presence of the King) sat at the very last row, with (Y/n) in between Sally and Wally. Now the actors looked so tiny, yet as Gerebalt was starting his soliloquy, they could hear him perfectly.

'Ah, he has an accent!' (Y/n) noted. 'That might be what I'm supposed to check.'

However, after a few minutes, she began to inspect the stage and the overall outdoor theater. Wally noticed her gaze wandering around, and tilted his head as if to ask what was wrong.

"I've never been in a theater before." she whispered to him.

"Really?" he blinked twice. "I've always thought every member of nobility went to see a play or an opera at least once in their lives." 

"Sadly, I've only ever read plays in their published book form." she sighed. "But from how I pictured them in my head as I read them, they sounded fantastic."

"Are there no theaters in the Spades Kingdom?"

"There are... Just not nearby my estate is all."

"And the thought of going never occurred to you?"

"Oh but my King, why would it? When I could read them."

"You know, it really isn't the same though."

"I suppose so... Have you ever went to the theater?"

"Yes. Me, Julie and Frank go there every month."

"Oh that's wonderful." she thought about that for a second. "Does that mean you plan on going during the Shuffling?"

Wally took a long look at the stage before looking back at her with a smile.

"Yes."

She also looked at the stage and realized her mistake.

"O-Oh! Right!" she blushed. "I... I didn't realize that..." she sighed. "I'm sorry for my absentmindedness."

"It's all right." he chuckled. "I like it."

"Huh?"

"If you want, you could join us next month."

She gasped as her eyes lit up, the King's previous statement now out of her head.

"Oh my gosh I would love to."

"Wonderful." he smiled excitedly. "Which one would you like to see?"

"Well, which ones will be in production next month?"

"It could be anything you'd like, I would just have to ask."

"Oh... But I'd like to see something new."

"I see... Well, what are the kind of plays that you like?"

"Well..."

Meanwhile, Sally was shifting uncomfortably in her seat. Jeremiah knew exactly what was happening.

"Jeremiah." she whispered. "My sixth sense of playwright is tingling my sides again."

"Uh-hu." they looked over at her, but then saw something that made their eyes grow big.

"This time it's something else... This time... Two people are bantering. Friendly with an undertone of romanticism."

"I think I know who you're referring to."

Before she could even ask, they turned her head to her left. Sally's eyes widened as she saw the King of Hearts and the Lady of Spades conversing in only whispers, for no one but each-other to hear, despite this space being so big and empty, despite them disregarding the few people that were there. Neither Sally nor Jeremiah had any idea what they were talking about, but they didn't need to. The words weren't important in this moment, the communication was. The act of sharing about oneself, going back and forth between talking and listening, never looking away if not only briefly. Their volume never went above a whisper. Sometimes there was a short pause where the two of them would just smile. These parts were the loudest.

Still bewildered by such a scene, Sally took out some paper and ink and began to take notes.

Chapter Text

The second week of the Shuffling ended. As Lady (Y/n) checked her calendar, a big smile formed on her face as she thought about the turn her very life has made during this week.

'And still two more to go. Plus a couple of days.'

"Alright!" she quickly left her room and got to what was now her morning routine.

Her morning routine being: drink her coffee, review her files and documents, read her letters... 

'I didn't read them yesterday.' she realized.

Instead of panicking, she let out a heavy sigh.

'Which means there should be double the amount today.' she felt tired just thinking about it. 'Maybe I could have someone sort them out for me, see which ones are from the most important people. And Eddie, Barnaby, Lady Starlet, and maybe Howdy too…’

With each name she listed, her heart jumped a little more. Whatever she was feeling right now could only be described as a pure sense of glee. Something she hasn’t felt in a long, long time… She giggled, then went to ask a maid to sort out her mail with her. It was a huge help. And now Lady (Y/n) added ‘tea time with a princess and her entourage’ to schedule for the day.

"A princess?!" Catherine clapped her hands when she told her fellow council members about it. "That is fantastic Lady (L/n)!"

"I'm so excited!" she shook her hands. "Very much nervous, but much more excited! That is new to me! Is that weird?"

"No." Gwendolyn smiled, shaking her head. "It’s not weird at all."

"It is a little weird," everyone turned towards Arnold. "that a princess would invite someone of such a low rank. I say there's something shady going on here."

"Arnold!" Catherine glared at him. "You apologize right no-!"

"It's all right." (Y/n) tapped her shoulder. "He has a point. it is strange when you look at it from afar... Maybe this whole Bloody-Bare-Hands thing is turning out to be a good thing after all." she smiled.

He scoffed with a smirk as he rolled his eyes. 

"I'm sure it is." he looked away. "For you."

(Y/n)'s expression saddened.

"...Are you mad at me?"

She was about to apologize when Catherine spoke again.

"Don't mind him, Lady (Y/n)." she said as she turned her away from him. "You must have a lot to do today, despite tonight's event. Are you on time?"

She checked the time and gasped.

"You're right, I have to go!" she rushed to her room to grab some things. "The birdwatching club invited me back! And this time, I'm pretty certain Frank will be there!"

Everyone's eyes became wide open.

"...’Frank’?"

"Alright, have a good day everyone!" she passed by them, waving. "I'll see you tonight at the ball!"

And with that, she was gone.

Frank had taken this opportunity to quiz (Y/n) about the ornithology lessons he gave her. Her knowledge impressed the other members of the club and they even invited her and Frank to formally join them. The two of them politely declined.

After this, Lady (Y/n) went to a few gatherings and had the most pleasant times. She felt really proud of herself for being now able to hold up on her own in large social settings. It really helped that the people she talked to were all really nice and interested in her as a person. Sometimes, she would run into familiar friendly faces, which would be such a delight everytime. For example, in the early afternoon, she ran into Miss Partridge again, talking to Chef Vin-Vandle about the latest cooking trend. (Y/n) didn't know much about the subject, but she was happy to listen.

"I just realized," she said at some point. "you don't usually show up to gatherings, do you Miss Partridge?"

"You're right." she smiled, bashful. "I am mostly in the comfort of my cottage."

"Your cottage?"

"Ah. Y-yes." she nodded. "I furnished my quarters so that they are identical to my cottage back at home in the Enchanted Forest."

"I see. You must really love your home then."

"It is the place where I feel the most comfortable. Um, to tell you the truth… I much prefer to stay in than go to big social gatherings."

She seemed embarrassed to admit it. (Y/n) was surprised. Poppy Partridge carried herself with such elegance, she didn’t expect her to be such an introvert.

"Oh! But then are you okay with being here?" she spoke more quietly so as not to call her out to everyone, there were indeed a lot of people around.

"Actually, as I told Mr. Vin-Vandle," she gestured towards him and he nodded. "when I heard he would be attending this tea party, I gathered myself and came here. For I deeply wanted to thank him for all of his hard work."

"Miss Partridge is a passionate cook, I can tell." Vin-Vandle chuckled. "I recognize a fellow lover of food when I see one. But I must say, I didn’t expect that a mage – especially one as powerful as her – would bother themselves with such tedious things."

"Tedious? Not at all, sir." she shook her head. "Cooking using magic, for me, lacks a certain touch of… je ne sais quoi."

(Y/n) squinted her eyes, but nodded along. Although she and herself knew that she had no idea what that meant. She felt a bit ashamed of this silent white lie.

"A dish made with magic follows a recipe to the letter and it does so perfectly." Poppy continued. "Strangely enough, I enjoy the small harmless mistakes in a dish. And besides, it is always more satisfying to make something yourself. Especially when cooking for others! Whenever someone enjoys my cooking, it brings a warm joy to this bird heart of mine."

"I could not agree more, Miss Partridge." Vin-Vandle nodded with a smile. "A shame that more and more restaurants use magic to make their dishes." he sighed.

"I think magic is a good tool to help with some steps of the cooking process," (Y/n) spoke. "but I agree that it shouldn’t be relied upon too much."

"A nice middle ground, my Lady." Miss Partridge nodded. 

The three of them continued their little debate, each of them bringing interesting points.

"How do restaurants work over in the Spades Kingdom these day, milady?" Vin-Vandle asked at some point. "I haven’t went there in decades."

"How come, sir?" she tilted her head. 

"Well you see, my catalogue is simply a collection of what I’ve discovered during my travels, so the research I do for it doesn’t really qualify as work. So you can understand how hard it is for me to travel to the Spades Kingdom, with the border laws and such."

He explained it all in a friendly smile and a lighthearted tone, but everyone here knew that the matter what anything but. A few decades ago, the late King had passed a few laws regarding the checks at the borders: no one is allowed in nor out of the Kingdom of Spades unless they have a valid work permit. This ended the chance of any touristic market and blocked access to any first-hand experience of Spades culture, which only further pushed the prejudices to some. Hearing Mr. Vin-Vandle now, (Y/n) felt a certain sense of shame. 

One would think that one of the first things to do after the King’s passing would be to open up the borders again. However, these laws meant that there were more guards put in customs. In a time during which the Kingdom's structure was shaky, it would be a golden opportunity for lands with ill intensions to strike. It could lead to something like the mass theft during the Great Departure, or something even worse. Once again, there needed to be stability within the Kingdom of Spades before opening the borders back up. Think of it like a restaurant under renovation!

'Most of the deal discussed in the meetings were business related, so it’s fine.' she thought. 'As for the tunnel of friendship...' she felt a tightness in her heart. 'I'm sorry Julie. But we may have gone ahead of ourselves. Unless it is used strictly for business-related travels at first… Oh well, we can worry about that later!’

She smiled, her eyebrows furrowed.

"I'm sorry to hear this, sir. Rest assured that we are working in collaboration with the other three Kingdoms to make sure that the borders open up again one day."

"That is good to hear." he smiled back.

"I'm curious, my Lady." Miss Partridge spoke. "Have you ever left your Kingdom? I've heard that these laws were a little looser concerning the people of Spades."

"Right... I myself have never left, however."

"Oh my." Vin-Vandle's eyes widened. "How old are you?"

"Um, I'm t-"

"Mister Vin-Vandle." Poppy put her hands on her hips. "You must know at your age never to ask a lady for hers."

"Oh you're right, Miss Partridge, you're right."

"It's okay." (Y/n) smiled. "I'm definitely at an age where I should have traveled at least once in my life."

The chef and the sorceress both laughed, but it was all in a sentiment of sympathy. They then told her about traveling, the places they went to-

"You travel, Miss Partridge?" both (Y/n) and Vin-Vandle asked, surprised, considering what she told them earlier.

"Within the Kingdom of Clubs, a magic user must undergo a pilgrimage through the Enchanted Forest to become a full-fledged sorcerer. An entire month, using nothing but magic."

"Wow…" (Y/n) let out. "That’s incredible!"

"And that is only for a level one sorceress. In order to go up in ranks, one must travel to various magical places throughout the land. Maybe even go out in search for a new one."

"What level are you?"

"Six."

"My stars!" Vin-Vandle exclaimed, his and (Y/n)’s expression of shock and awe made the sorceress laugh.

"So you’ve traveled six times?" the Lady of Spades asked.

"Only five, actually. My sixth level was given to me by his Majesty the King, for I have proven my worth as a sorceress."

"What did you do?"

"Oh it was so long ago… I believe I came up with a new, magically powered light system throughout some of the cities in the Kingdom."

"Wow… That’s incredible!"

"You flatter me, my Lady." she bowed her head.

The three of them continued their conversation. Which led them to the subject of tonight’s official event.

"I do hope that I won’t be too tired." (Y/n) sighed. "With the day I have planned ahead of me."

"You sure are a busy bee, my Lady." Vin-Vandle said. "And you’re telling me you are but a simple noble lady?"

"That is correct, sir." she smiled, her eyebrows furrowed. "My popularity does not match my actual title."

"How can that be? Does it have to do with that uselessly long nickname people give you?"

"It is too long, isn’t it?!" she exclaimed, happy to have found someone else who didn’t like it.

Her enthusiasm made Miss Partridge chuckle.

"Do you not know about it, Mister?" she asked him. "Everyone was talking about Lady (L/n)’s act of bravery during the first ball."

Her words made (Y/n) feel a tightness in her heart, but she didn’t let it show.

"Oh you know me, if it isn’t about food or traveling, I don’t want to hear it." the old man chuckled. "No offense, my Lady."

"I assure you, Sir, your words bring me more comfort than you think." 

"Well in that case, I am glad." he nodded. 

"Speaking of lighter matters," Poppy said. "what will you be wearing tonight, my Lady."

"Oh it will be very simple." she waved a hand. "Please don’t expect much. What about you?"

"I’m afraid I won’t be seeing you this evening. For I have reached my quota of hours outside of my chambers."

"Oww." she chuckled before turning to the old man. "And you, Sir?"

"I shall be going as my favorite character from my childhood: the Shrimp King."

Poppy squawked in delight.

"How marvelous! I should’ve known!"

"The Shrimp King?" (Y/n) tilted her head.

Both Poppy and Mr. Vin-Vandle gasped loudly in shock, which made her flinch. They then talked excessively about an old, very famous book series that were the childhood books of many. Lady (Y/n) had an overall lovely time.

As context clues hinted at earlier, the next official event of the Shuffling would be a costume party. In between two social gatherings, (Y/n) passed by the Spades quarters to make sure her costume was in proper shape. It mostly was, except her tiara seemed to have broken on the ride to the Hearts Kingdom. She gasped when she saw it and would’ve panicked if she hadn’t quickly thought of a solution. She took her small tiara and went to see Mr. Pillar. Who, surprisingly for her, was in the company of Barnaby.

"Why hi there, milady!" he tipped his hat to her and bowed. 

"Lovely to see you again, Lady (L/n)." Howdy bowed as well.

"Hello to you too, gentlemen." she curtsied. "I hope you two are doing well."

"Likewise, my Lady, likewise. Say, what are you here for? Surely to not simply visit this humble servant of yours."

"Don’t be too hard on yourself, Mr. Pillar. I’d be happy to visit if you’d invite me."

"Is that a promise, ma’am?" Barnaby raised an eyebrow then wrapped an arm around his friend. "’Cause this big fella right there makes a killer vienna coffee!"

"Not literal!" Howdy quickly clarified.

(Y/n) chuckled.

"Actually, I come here for your services…" she showed him the tiara. "I plan on wearing this tonight, but some of the pieces fell out during my journey here."

Howdy closely looked at it and she already felt embarrassed, she looked away.

"Seashells…" he mumbled.

"Yes. Made to look like jewels." she nodded, her cheeks dusted with pink. "I…I trust your discretion regarding this little secret."

"Well I must say, my Lady, that is a really clever trick!" he picked up all the pieces with his multiple hands. "I must say though, seashells are not the kind of material I’m most familiar with. This will be tricky…" he thought with a hum about the process he must go through for this task. "But it can be done and so it shall!" he finally snapped his fingers.

"Oh thank you so much, Mr. Pillar! And I-I didn’t forget about what you said last time!" she took out a pouch of coins. "Just name your price."

"Woahoho! Hey now, milady!" Barnaby stood by her side, waving his hands up and down. "Don’t open your wallet so quickly, when you could very well get a discount."

"A discount?"

"There is one thing that Howdy loves, it’s funny jokes."

"I am always open for a good laugh…" he said, nodding to himself. 

"But I… I don’t know any jokes." she whispered nervously to him.

"No worries." he patted her shoulder. "Leave it to this lil pup."

"Oh yeah? You got any more zingers for me Barns?" Howdy asked.

"I always do." he faced him and cleared his throat. "I went to a new restaurant on the Moon, but I’m never going back!"

"Ow, why is that?" (Y/n) tilted her head, genuinely curious.

"Glad you asked, milady. The food wasn’t bad, but the prices were outta this world, and the place had no atmosphere!"

Before Lady (Y/n) could even decipher the joke, Howdy burst out laughing, which made her flinch and laugh in surprise. 

"Ooo boy!" Howdy exhaled, wiping away a tear. "I can always count on you for these things."

"Does that mean I get a discount?" she asked with a smile.

"Mmh, give me a second to convert that into money…" he did some math under his breath. "I’d say this would be well over eighty percent off!"

"Wow!" she let out.

"Only eighty?" Barnaby sighed. "Man, I’m getting rusty."

"Thank you Barnaby, thank you!" (Y/n) lightly clapped her hands as they followed Howdy inside.

"A pleasure, milady." he tipped his hat to her.

The two of them sat by the table in the middle of the workshop to watch Howdy works. To pass the time, him and Barnaby presented to (Y/n) the various members of the Pillar family. Which actually reminded Howdy of some family gossip that he read about in their newest letters to him. He has been at it ever since, without a pause (except of course for Barnaby’s occasional comment).

"Then- You’re not gonna believe this- Outta the blue comes our sister Sue and her brother Drew, talking to my sister Dolly about gettin’ Henry on a trolley to see our aunt Molly."

As he was talking, Barnaby noticed Lady (Y/n) kept an eye on the family portraits, mouthing Howdy’s words with her eyes squinted. He figured that she was using the pictures as a point of reference so as to not get lost or confused. He contained a laugh and turned back to his friend.

"Wooly aunt Molly?"

"Wooly aunt Molly, Barn! On my father’s left side. My left not yours."

"Which one?" (Y/n) asked.

"Maybe…upper left-hand side!" he waved said hand.

"Right." she nodded before staring at the portraits again.

"And then! You wouldn’t believe what happened next!"

He continued for a while. Barnaby was used to his friend's rambles and had no problems keeping up with all these names, but he found the look on the Lady of Spades’ face rather amusing. At some point, she became completely lost.

"But wait. Who’s her brother?" she finally asked Howdy.

"…I am."

"Oh!"

The three of them laughed.

As a host and a king, Wally had to arrive just in time, which meant fashionably late. These days, there was a time called the 'prince hour', where members of royalty would show up to an event. Wally arrived with his two best friends, each in their own costumes. Julie was a mermaid of the caves, wearing a dress that was tight at the legs, but still stretchy enough for her to move about as much as she pleased. She also had crystals in her long, wavy (for now) hair. Frank was Sir Hankford Bufflez, a famous entomologist whose work he admired greatly. However, his costume consisted of a simple suit, a pair of glasses, as well as his hair being styled in a different way. So it was hard to tell if he was even wearing a costume...

"I told you it would've been cooler if you were a pirate." Julie mumbled as they entered the ballroom.

"I've had this prepared for weeks, Julie. If you hadn't told me this only an hour ago, I could have maybe make time to change."

"But it is such a stroke of genius! We could be matching right now! Don't you think so Wally?" 

She turned to her other best friend, his gaze wandered around the ballroom.

"Wally!"

"Ah." he looked at her. "Yes Julie?"

"Also, why didn't you also follow through with my memo?"

"Your memo?" he tilted his head.

"You could've been the parrot Wally! Everybody knows a pirate's not a pirate unless they have a parrot, or a small monkey."

"...I'm a bird, aren't I?" he waved his feather cape.

"No! You're still too prince-y looking." she huffed, looking away.

"You are more absent-minded than usual, Wally." Frank pointed out. "Are you looking for someone perhaps?"

That question made Julie quickly look back at Wally.

"I am. I'm wondering where Lady (L/n) is." he looked out into the crowd. "There are so many people here tonight. I wonder if we'll even get to see her."

"Yeah, me too." she sighed. "She looked embarrassed when I asked her about her costume yesterday."

"Even if we wanted to look for her..."

Before Frank could even explain his point, it would be in action mere seconds later, when the three royals became surrounded with people who wanted to converse with them, compliment them on their costumes, congratulate them on various thing they've done as royals. Basic subjects of conversations for the three of them, which they've learn to answer for with a polite and smiling dullness.

Eventually, the three friends were separated. Not wanting to be rude, Wally focused on whoever was talking. But he would sometimes look over at the costumes around him. They were all very pretty and loud-looking, each of them had a story to tell and even when two people had the same costume, they each had their own personality, so one could easily tell them apparts and neither party could complain. It really got his artistic heart pumping and he was happy that everything seemed to be going smoothly.

Sadly however, he still hasn’t encountered any familiar faces. As the master of ceremony, he must make a round of the entire ballroom to make sure everyone was having a good time. He hasn’t seen Julie nor Frank again after they separated. He would have the same first conversation upon meeting someone. He couldn’t blame these other people for bringing up safe subjects, however it was getting a little tedious to him.

Then, he saw her. In a sea of white and gold, there was a black dot in the corner of his vision. He looked over.

Lady (Y/n) (L/n) was in the middle of a conversation (he didn’t care with who at the moment) of which she didn’t participate in much. She was holding her own hand, giving it discreet caresses on its back with her thumb. She looked nervous. Embarrassed maybe? Her cheeks were dusted with pink. Or was it makeup? Either way, it looked lovely. From her profil, he could see her hair, tied up in a way that could show the back of her dark blue – almost black – dress. The front was normal, but it went down to the middle of her back, where two small black wings sprouted from her shoulder blades. 

One word she used to describe her costume was "simple". And indeed it was. A simple thin black gold necklace around her neck, matching black lace wrist cuffs, her earrings like small black dots on her earlobes. And her dress had no pattern, no ruffles, just a dark fabric. Such a thing was unheard of for nobility. Compared to everyone else’s costumes, hers was laughably simple. 

But Wally didn’t see it that way.

In the middle of all these brightly loud colors and big imposing costumes, her dark dress- her simplicity made her stand out. To the King of Hearts, a man who has lived his entire life in a world of extravagance and luxury, this simplicity was the most elegant thing he’s ever seen. The lack of pattern made her look out of this world, and with her noticeable awkwardness, it was as if a being from another world really came here and now felt out of place.

He was simply blown away. And for once, he didn’t know how he looked to others and he didn’t care that they’d see whatever look he had on his face.

Her gaze wandered.

Their eyes met.

Lady (Y/n) quickly looked back to whoever was talking again.

’Shoot! I looked away out of instinct!’ she thought. ‘I didn’t expect to see him so soon…’

She glanced back at the King. He was pretty far away so she couldn’t see well – especially with so many people around – but despite that, she could still see the upper half of his costume. A white feather cape, his red hair was decorated with golden strings, as if they were part of his hair, a white suit ornamented with light red jewels, the color of his Kingdom. (Y/n) took a moment to admire how beautiful this costume was. Then she looked at his face and realized he was looking at her. Their eyes met once again, and once again, she looked away.

‘A man of such fine taste, seeing something so simple. He must think it looks silly.’ 

Finally, she looked back at him. He was still looking at her, his eyes a bit wider open and his mouth agape. She gave him a shy smiled and a small wave. 

‘I know, I’m sorry! I didn’t think I’d stand out this much!’

Her wave seemed to bring him back to the present moment. He blinked as he inhaled, then smiled and waved back. With a more genuine smile, happy to have seen a familiar face, she went back to focus of her conversation.

"Lady (L/n)."

She flinched in surprise, successfully containing one of her weird yelps as she faced the King of Hearts as he made his way to her.

"Oh. Did I scare you still? I did announce my presence this time."

"Oh! Yes you did! It is very appreciated." she curtsied. "You only surprised me a little bit."

"Ah. I am making progress!" he happily smiled. "I’m glad."

They were now face to face. She didn’t want to look at him up and down so as to not risk being rude, but…

’He’s taller now.’

Indeed, there were now of similar height, with him maybe a couple of centimeters taller than her.

"…Good evening." she said, now realizing that she didn’t properly greet him yet. "My King." she curtsied.

"Good evening, my Lady." he curtsied back. "Or should I call you by the name of your character?"

"My character?" she blinked twice before understanding what he meant. "Oh! Well- no. It’s still just me, I mean… Just a moment." she took out a small tiara, a thin black circle tied to it by a metal string to that it stayed up, and she held it above her head. "I’m an angel." she smiled with furrowed eyebrows. "W-well, I’m supposed to be, anyway."

"…Why aren’t you wearing the tiara?" he tilted his head, 

"It…It keeps slipping off." she said a bit more quietly, blushing in embarrassment. "The second time it did, I gave up and I just took it off."

"Oh."

"It’s my fault really." she sighed. "It broke in my suitcase and I went to get it fixed by Mr. Pillar. Sadly, I as in a hurry and didn’t bother to even try it on before confirming his work."

"…May I?" he extended a hand.

Confused, she handed the tiara to him. He took out a hairpin from his pompadour and approached her.

"Just a moment." he said under his breath.

He placed the tiara on her head, then looked for a good spot to put his hairpin. He leaned a bit closer and (Y/n) held her breath, not knowing where to look.

"There." he finally took a step back. "Perfect."

She touched her tiara before smiling.

"Thank you so much, my King." she curtsied. "I’ll make sure to return this to you once the ball is over."

"No need to do that." he shook his head. "You need it more than I do."

"Alright then… May I ask, what are you dressed up as?"

"I’m the white swan." he opened his arms a little bit so she could see better. "From the ballet."

She looked at him up and down. She noticed his shoes had heels.

‘That explains it.’

"You look simply magnificent, your Highness." she smiled. "As if you came out of a fairy tale."

"Thank you. I could say the same thing about you."

"Oh, thank you! I'm not sure what fairy tale it could be though, angels don't really feature in them, I don't think."

That wasn't what he meant.

"How did you make the wings…?"

"Oh this?" she turned around to show him, though still looking back at him. "They are attached to straps that are of the same color as my skin tone. So from afar, they're almost invisible."

Upon closer inspection, Wally could indeed see the straps.

"How clever." he smiled in delight.

"It's all thanks to the royal seamstress' genius. It was all her idea." she smiled. "I really like it but I...I'm not used to have my back exposed like that." she scratched the back of her neck.

"I think your costume looks lovely."

In a short moment of silence between them, they heard the music change to another piece.

"Have you been there for long?" Wally asked.

"Around half-an-hour I'd say."

"Have you danced yet?"

"No... But that's okay, I like looking at everyone's costumes. They're all so pretty."

That made him smile.

"Would you like to dance?" he offered a hand.

(Y/n)'s eyes widened. In that moment, she realized that she hasn't danced once during this entire Shuffling.

'All those dance lessons from Catherine and Gwendolyn... It'd be a shame to not put them to use. But...'

"Have you danced yet, my King?"

"I have not."

"In that case, shouldn't you keep the first dance for someone more important?"

He tilted his head, he didn't move his hand and kept it raised.

"The first dance of a King – especially the master of ceremony – is very important. I understand that dancing with a friend can be much preferable, but-"

"This Shuffling will mark the beginning of a new solidarity between our kingdoms." he smiled. "I believe this dance will be plenty appropriate."

Not wanting to argue, she took his hand.

"I must warn you, I haven't gotten the chance to practice much." she quietly told him as they made their way to the dance floor.

"Not to worry. I'll lead."

Once they've arrived, they faced each-other. She placed a hand on his shoulder, he put one around her waist and they held their partner’s other hand. Then they joined the dancing circle. As expected, all eyes were on them. It made (Y/n) uncomfortable, and it showed in her expression.

"Are you alright?" Wally asked. 

"I-I am..." she gave him a polite smile. "There are just...a lot of eyes on us. I'm still not used to it."

He let out a small 'oh'. He himself was so used to being the center of attention that he's simply grew accustomed to it and so acted accordingly. It was second nature to him at this point. But he remembered that he wasn't always like this.

'What would mother do whenever I'd get nervous...?'

"Ah. I just realized." he smiled. "We're matching. We both have feathers."

"...Oh! Why yes you're right!" she exclaimed. "Although, I would say that we are complete opposite instead."

"In art, complementary colors are often the best match for each-other."

"Oh. How... How nice." she smiled.

'He is an artist after all.'

"You know, some would say that this is the work of fate." he shook his head, rolling his eyes with a smile.

"Do you not believe in fate, my King?" she tilted her head.

"I am more of a firm believer of hard work. If fate did exist, then I would like to have a chat with whoever is in charge of it." he chuckled.

"Oh my..." she wasn't sure what to say to that.

"What about you?"

"I do believe in fate." she honestly said. "But I don't think it works the way people tend to believe it does. Of course, hard work is very important. I just believe that sometimes, some forces outside of our control can give us a little push forward, but it would never push you all the way."

"...Would you say that fate pushed us to dance together then?" he tilted his head with a smile.

She blushed.

"W-Well, no. You're the one who asked me to dance. It wasn't because I had feathers too, was it?"

He laughed.

"You're right, I did most of the work."

(Y/n) took a deep breath to calm her fast beating heart.

"In that case, I'm glad that I changed costume after all." he said.

"Huh?" she gave him a confused look. "What do you mean, my King?"

Wally glanced around before leaning ever so slightly towards her, which for Lady (Y/n) made a whole lot of difference. Her heart skipped a beat.

"This is a secret that I shall trust you with." he whispered.

She nodded.

"This costume I am wearing isn't actually the one I initially picked."

"Really?" her eyes widened.

He nodded.

"My stylists refused to let me wear it, and I sadly had to trust their expert advice." he sighed, a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"What was the costume?"

"I wanted to dress up as my very good friend, Barnaby."

(Y/n)'s mind went blank for a moment. An image of Wally appeared, he was wearing a large dog suit, covering his entire body except his face and his red pompadour. On top of the suit was Barnaby's clothes which would probably still be too big for him, and a small hat on the head of his suit.

Suddenly, she burst out laughing and had to lean back, covering her mouth. It surprised Wally. Her laughter echoed throughout the ballroom, throughout the dancefloor, in his ears and in his chest.

He made her laugh. He didn't tell a joke, but she laughed. He said something ridiculous and true, and in exchange, her laughter. 

Her lovely lively laughter.

It made people turn to look at them (whoever wasn't looking already), one of those people being...

Julie was having fun talking to anyone who also dressed up as a mermaid, inviting them to stay with her for the rest of the evening since her pirate story couldn't happen after all. She recognized her friend's laugh, though this time it sounded a lot happier. She looked over to see her dear newest friend (Y/n), dancing with a mesmerized Wally. 

"Oh... Oh I knew it!" she said to herself before speaking to her group. "I'm sorry guys, but the mermaid gang must go on without me! Bu-bye!" she waved without looking at them, then quickly left.

"Wait, boss!" her gang members called out for her. "You're the one with the map to the secret treasure! Or was it the dragon? We're unsure of the scenario you've given us, your Highness!"

But she was already gone. 

"Haha I-" (Y/n) cleared her throat. "I assure you my King that I am not laughing at you."

"I wouldn't have minded." Wally said without thinking.

He said it as the Lady was still trying to calm herself down from all this laughing, so she didn’t hear what he said.

"It's just," she wiped away a tear. "it is very unusual for a King to wear such a cute costume."

"Oh my... Now I don't know if this change was a good idea after all." he looked down at his suit. "Fate, or cute? Such are the dilemmas of life I suppose."

"Oh that cannot be the most dire challenges you face." she smiled with a raised eyebrow. "You rule over the Kingdom ofHearts."

"That is true. But sometimes, the simpler matters can be just as difficult."

"What kind of matters?" 

As she asked that question, Wally slowly spun her around, their held hands above her head.

"My coffee already having sugar in it. Falling asleep. Artist block..."

The two of them became face to face again. Having someone look up at him while waltzing for once felt different to him.

"Relationships." he said, once again without thinking.

"Ah, I understand." she nodded, looking down. "I’m having similar problems…"

Uh-ho. She looked sad. He gently tilted her chin up.

"I apologize, I shouldn’t talk about these things during such a happy event." he smiled. "Let us dance and simply enjoy the music."

"…I’d like that." she softly smiled and nodded.

As the two of them kept dancing, Julie tried making her way through the crowd, sometimes going on her tippy toes to observe her two friends. But sometimes, a bunch of big head pieces and hats would block her view. 

"Darn." she snapped her fingers.

"What else, what else?" 

That voice made her look over. A bit farther away was someone from the Court of Stars, dressed like a pirate with a long beard and an eyepatch, quickly taking notes. On her shoulders was seated another star person, dressed as a red parrot.

"This is ridiculous." the parrot person said, clearing not liking their situation.

"The higher you are, the better you can see, Jememiah." 

"You're the one who wants to see. Why am I up there?"

"Have you ever seen a pirate perched on the shoulder on their pet parrot? Don't be silly now." Sally glanced up at them before going back to her writing. "Now tell me what they're doing, and really go in on the details."

Jeremiah sighed.

"Excuse me." Julie walked up to them.

"You are excused." Sally said, without looking up.

"You're the royal playwright right?"

"I would be more than happy to give you an autograph at the end of this wonderful evening, my lady."

"Oh, neat! Why are you here tonight? What'cha doing? You're usually absent from the events."

"Why yes, my work does aquire full concentration. And things such as the flow of writing cannot be controlled, it must come naturally from the muses. Cruel mistresses of the arts yet vital beauties of life itself! Therefore I stay in my chambers for hours upon hours, writing, rewriting, tossing and turning. Tonight is different indeed however! If you must know, my lady, I have stumbled upon the purest form of inspiration any playwright- Any artist-" really pressing on the Ts. "-could only wish to find. This Shuffling's play shall be great, but my next one shall be phenomenal!"

"Is that inspiration perhaps…" she slowly leaned closer with a smirk. "Young love?"

"Young love!" she raised her hands dramatically in the air, almost making Jeremiah fall over. "Such simple words for such a deep abundance of feelings! Haha indeed! And I simply must write down every glance, every micro-expression, every twitch of a hand that is burning to hold the other's! It is gold I tell you!"

"Between who and who?"

"Oh I'm afraid that I cannot relay such information." she waved a hand. "You must understand that, like a journalist, a playwright never reveals their sources-"

"They laughed!" Jeremiah cut her off.

"Oh!" she reasied her quill. "Quickly, talk!"

"The Lady bumped into someone, the King took the blame and apologized. She got embarrassed and he laughed, then she laughed with him but she's still blushing."

"Yes... Yes!" she said with a big smile.

"Lady and King?!" Julie's eyes widened in excitement. "It is Wally and (Y/n)! Let me see let me see!"

She snatched the papers from Sally to read them. Sally was motionless for a moment, her hands positioned as if she was still holding her notes.

"Um..." she scoffed. "Excuse me. I'll have you know that such an impulsive act is quite rude, you're lucky that I..." she finally looked at the person she's been talking to, and her expression fell.

"Oh wow! You wrote a lot!" she smiled at her. "Your handwriting's very pretty too!"

"...You can have it."

"Mmh? Oh no, I just want to read it when you're done."

"I am done. You can keep it."

"Really?!"

"Yes." she nodded.

"Are you sure?" she looked at the last sentence that wasn't even finished.

"I am as certain as I am of anything."

"Awesome! Thanks!" she beamed before leaving. "Have a good evening!"

Sally watched her until she was out of sight.

"Hey, are you listening?" Jeremiah looked down.

She opened her arms, making them fall over, then she grabbed them by the collar.

"Jeremiah my for-now-feathered friend! Who was that?!"

"What is wrong with you?! I could've broken my back!"

"Who was this ethereal, fascinatingly radient maiden, with the crystals in her long hair shining like tiny stars?"

"Wait, where are your notes?"

"I don't need them anymore, Jeremiah." she let them go and turned to the direction Julie left, a hand over her heart. "For I have found a truer form of inspiration. Endless, abundant and personal."

"So I looked like an idiot, sitting on our shoulders for nothing. Again." they sighed. "What even is this new inspiration...?"

They looked upon the face of their friend. It was as if they could see the little hearts around her star-shaped head.

"Sally...? Are you-?!"

"I must find some other paper right away!" she rushed away. "I shall lock myself in my chambers once more! I must channel this longing into my writing! My heart is humming a name I don't even know! Oh! Already a good line! Quickly!"

"Oh, mother of all stars and space." they mumbled, dragging their feet as they followed her. "Protect the poor soul that my friend has set her eyes on."

Frank Frankly discovered that not a lot of people recognized the person he was dressed up as, expect of course those who dabbled in entomology. What was a tad frustrating to him was how people would act as if they did. As someone who knew a lot about various subjects, he knew a look of recognision when he saw one. And he saw very few tonight. Out of the three royals, he was the one who would first be tired of such events. His hair started to bother him, it wasn't styled the way it usually was.

"Maybe you shoulld've wore a wig then." Molly suggested (she was dressed as Clarabelle: a full yellow duck costume covering her entire body except her face).

"I'm pretty sure that would be worse." he sighed.

He's met a few friends throughout the evening. He chatted with Wally and (Y/n) who were taking a break from dancing and taking a drink. She was curious about his costume and asked some questions, which Frank appreciated. At some point, the music changed.

"Ah. It's my favorite." Wally's face lit up and he turned to (Y/n), offering her his arm. "Shall we go back?"

"If it is our favorite, then we simply must." she smiled, taking it.

The three of them said goodbye and the two dance partners went back to the dancefloor. Watching them leave, Frank squinted his eyes.

"...Huh."

"M-My King!"

He looked over to see Mr. Dear. It would seem that the man has simply stumble upon him while walking through the crowd.

"Mr. Dear." he turned towards him, his hands behind his back. "Good evening."

"A-A lovely evening indeed!" he bowed. 

Frank looked up and down at his costume. Those were very normal clothes, with a satchel bag and a cap.

"Who are you dressed up as?"

"Oh! Y-you recognize my costume!" he pointed at himself.

"I'm not. That's why I'm asking."

"I-I know but, you recognize it as a costume!" he beamed. "Oh you have no idea how much of a relief that is!"

Behind his back, Frank was fiddling with his fingers. Whatever he was feeling at this moment wasn't shown on his face, except maybe his cheeks being a bit redder. But Eddie believed it was just part of his makeup.

"Of course I recognize it." Frank smiled. "You don't usually wear these clothes, and besides, I am dressed as a person too." he gestured towards his costume with pride.

"Yes I can tell! I've never seen you with glasses before! You look very handsome!"

Frank just stared at him for a moment.

"I-I mean!" Eddie blushed. "Whoever you're disguised as must be very handsome! N-Not that you're bad looking, not at all! You're dashing!"

Frank cleared his throat. He needed to put a stop to this before this gets worse for the both of them.

"I did use as reference a flattering picture of him at the beginning of his career. I am dressed as Sir Hankford Bufflez."

"Oh! The bug scientist!"

"An entomologist! Wait." he leaned back with a surprised frown. "You know about him?"

"Yes, I've read a bit of-" he cut himself off, closing his lips tight shut.

Frank raised an eyebrow. Seeing the look on Eddie's face, he couldn't help but smile too.

"Mr. Dear?" he leaned a bit closer. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Eddie shook his head with a hum.

"Oh really?" he leaned back. "Are you sure it has nothing to do with a certain book from that same man that I've once ordered from you?"

Eddie seemed to be internally struggling for a moment before he let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders dropping.

"You are too clever for me, your Highness." he shook his head. "I must confess to my offense."

"Offense, you say?"

"Yes..." he said with a defeated look. "When you ordered me to go fetch you this limited edition book from this sir Byewffle-"

"Bufflez."

"Yes, quite!" he cleared his throat. "You seemed to eager to have it, on my way to give it to you. My curiosity got the best of me and I read a few pages... Then a few more. I didn't know he was also a traveler. A-And he gives such good advice on what to do if you stumble upon some dangerous critters."

"...Am I to understand that you became a fan of him, Mr. Dear?"

"Why yes, but... I shouldn't have even touched your package. That is highly immoral and agaisnt any postal policy." he looked down. "I deeply apologize for my transgression."

"...Why yes, it is highly unforgivable." he folded his arms. "I'm afraid I'll have to send you out in exile."

"Exile?!" he exclaimed. "Isn't that a bit...?" he sighed. "I understand, my King."

"Do you really think I'm being serious?" he tilted his head, smiling with a raised eyebrow.

"I-I..." he scratched his head, blushing.

"Mr. Dear, why would I get rid of the one person – who isn't a fellow entomologist – who knows of Bufflez's work?"

"So... You're not mad that I opened your book before you did?" he looked at him, his head tilted down while fiddling nervously with his fingers.

"It wasn't even mine yet at the time," he shrugged. "I haven't paid you the other half. And, if that led you to enjoy that book, than I shan't complain." he shook his head.

Eddie breathed a sigh of relief.

"But enough about my costume. What about yours?" Frank took a step back to better look at his outfit.

"Oh." he automatically opened his arms for him to get a good look. "I'm afraid not a lot of people have recognize it either." he chuckled. "I'm Postman Pat!"

"Postman Pat..." he tapped his chin. "I don't believe I recall who that is."

"You wouldn't be the only one. He's a character from a children book series. It's pretty old, but that was the only thing we had back at home."

"A book series featuring a postman..." he mumbled to himself, thinking.

"He's not everone's favorite, but he's certainly mine." he smiled. "People tend to like the Shrimp King more."

"Oh! Yes I do recall a character of that name." he pointed at him. "My mother really likes this Shrimp King as well. She was a big fan of this series when she was young."

"She did?!" he blinked twice, pleasantly surprised. "Did she ever read it to you as a child?"

"I cannot say that she had, no."

"Oh well you just have to read the- Wait, hold on!" he laughed, embarrassed. "They're books for children, you'll probably find them silly."

"Just because a piece of entertainment is for a young audience, it doesn't make it silly." he smiled. "Come along," he walked passed him. "let's see if there are some of those books in the royal library. My mother and the late queen Ambrosia were good friends, so they might have similar interests."

"Oh, now?"

"Yes." he stopped and turned to face him. "Unless of course you don't want to-"

"I-I do!" he exclaimed, louder than expected. "It's just... This is a ball, and an official Shuffling event, shoudln't we dance at least once?"

Frank blinked twice.

"...That is one strange way of asking someone to dance, Mr. Dear." he smiled. "Nevertheless, I accept." he raised a hand for him to take.

"Ah-!"

When Eddie said 'we', he actually meant it as the two of them individually. Still, it wasn't like he would pass out such an opportunity, especially if the King of Diamonds accepted. He gulped and took his hand before leading him to the dancefloor. He surely was nervous, but he was still rather light on his feet so it didn't take away from his dancing skill, so Frank didn't mind at all. 

During this dance – lively music accompaning the sound of chatter and laughter – Eddie still couldn't bring himself to look at the King in the eyes. He would try, but eventually, it would be too much for him and he'd look elsewhere. Once, he looked away yet again and spotted his good friend Lady (Y/n), who seemed to be leaving the dancefloor. She spotted him as well. Her face lit up and she waved at him. He returned the greeting in the form of a nod. Seeing a friend made him feel better. He gasped when he saw that she was in the company of the King of Hearts himself. Frank followed his gaze and saw his two friends.

"Ah, yes." he nodded. "It seems there's been some development, though I am unsure of the direction these two are taking."

"Well, whatever it is, I hope things turn out well for the both of ‘em."

"Me too, Mr. Dear. Me too."

"I'm impressed." Wally told (Y/n) as they watched the two men dance. "Frank doesn't usually dance with anyone, except with Julie of course." 

"Would you say that these two are close then?"

"All I can say for certain is that I've never seen Frank smile like this."

(Y/n) looked over to her friend Eddie, he now had a expression of bliss on his face. That made her smile.

"Well then, I hope they become close. They both are lovely people. And I would love for two friends of mine to be on good terms."

"Agreed." Wally nodded before walking away with her. "Now, do not hesitate to lean on me."

"My King, although I deeply appreciate your concerns, I assure you I am perfectly fine. My foot just slipped, it happens when one doesn't usually wear heels..." she just realized what she just admitted (wearing heels was a must for a lady) and panicked. "Well, I-I mean-!"

"It's all right, my Lady. I don't usually wear heels either." he smiled.

"I would've never guessed." she glanced down at his feet. "You always carry yourself with such ease."

"One always should, if they must represent their Kingdom. Ah." he spotted a free table. "Please, take a seat."

"My King, my ankle does sting a bit, but it is nothing to be concerned of." she took a seat on a chair and tapped her foot on the floor. "See?"

"But, my Lady, if one can cast a healing spell, shouldn't the people around them make the most of it and use such convenience to heal any injury, big or small?"

"But if the injury isn't bothering, then why bother?"

He chuckled at her choice of words.

"And besides," he continued. "wouldn't it be better to heal it now instead of taking the risk of it getting worse later on?"

"I...I suppose you have a point. But-"

As she spoke, Wally got on one knee. And when he gently lifted her feet, her voice was caught in her throat. He lifted the edge of her long dress just enough to see her ankle and conjured a healing spell. The stinging sensation was gone, but in this moment that was the least of Lady (Y/n)'s problems. Her heart was pounding in her chest. 

A King, the King of Hearts, was kneeling at her feet!

"There." he swiftly stood back up. "Isn't that much better?"

She just looked at him with big eyes.

"Oh my. Are you alright?" he leaned closer with a concerned look. "You're all red. Are you hurt somewhere else?" 

He raised a hand towards her face. (Y/n) stood up before he could touch her again.

"I’m alright!" she fanned herself with her hand. "It's just... All that dancing left me a bit tired!" she giggled. "I'll be all better with some refreshments!"

"Ah, good." his shoulders relaxed. 

"Have a good rest of your evening, my King!"

"Pardon?"

"Mmh? Well... I'm sure you can find someone who has more energy than me. And who wouldn't stumble upon their own feet." she chuckled.

"Oh." he nodded, his gaze wandering for a moment before looking back at her. "No thank you."

"Huh?"

"I mean that I should take a break too." he smiled. "I'm also fatigued and quite famished as well. I trust that after a well-deserved rest, we shall go back to dancing."

"You... You still want to dance with me?" she slowly asked.

"Naturally." he smiled softly. "I've never had this pleasant of a time in a while."

As he ordered some drinks to a passing servant, Lady (Y/n) once again felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She took a deep breath to try and calm it.

As nervous as moments like these would make her feel, the rest of the night was a pure delight. She didn't dance with anybody else. Her and the King danced to almost every music piece that played, talked about various subjects – each only about personal matters and interests – and laughed a lot. It had come to a point where she had forgotten where she was and who the two of them were, their titles, their very purpose. At that point, they were just two people, dancing the night away.

On her way back to her quarters, she was still swaying to the rhythm of a music she was happily humming the tune of. She took off her costume, prepared herself for bed, then with a spin she let herself fall back on her bed.

'That was so much fun!' she thought with a big gleeful smile and a giggle.

She replayed the events of the ball in her head. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel the spinning sensation from the countless waltz she danced. The King of Hearts has been such a nice company throughout the evening. She was glad that she could now openly laugh with him. When, prior to tonight, she would be too scared to be seen as rude. She lifted a hand to look at the back of it, remembering the moment they parted ways. She had to leave early and he had to stay late.

"I bid you goodnight, White Swan." she bowed to him. "I had a wonderful evening, all thanks to you."

He laughed and took her hand.

"The pleasure has been all mine, Lady Angel." he bowed and kissed the back of her hand.

Her heart skipped a beat. And she felt it skip a beat again upon remembering. A soft smile formed on her face.

Then it fell and she frowned.

'Hold on...'

A moment passed, in the silence of her dark room, illuminated only by the faint moonlight. Then, she quickly got under her covered and laid on her side.

'That's just because I spent the entire evening with him. And I'm still feeling the rush of the party.' she rationally thought. 'My head will certainly clear up in the morning and I will be able to focus on work.' she shut her eyes closed.

Morning came, the King of Hearts hasn't stopped clouding her mind, and she was not able to focus on work. Nevertheless, she went to her first meeting of the day, which was with Mr. Dear. He once told her that he didn’t have any servants – he may have been a famous traveler but he was still a commoner – and so would cook all of his meals. Lady (Y/n) said that she would love to try his cooking and so he invited her to have brunch with him in his own quarters. He was given a small cottage in the North part of the estate.

"Eddie!" she exclaimed as she stepped in.

"Woah!" he jumped in surprised as he was putting the dishes on the table. "L-Lady (L/n), good morning."

"This morning is indeed good, but that isn’t what I want us to focus on at this moment." she smiled widely and took a seat at the table. "Did you enjoy yourself last night?"

"Indeed I did." he said, filling their cups with tea before sitting across from her. "My costume was recognized by a lot of people, mostly of an older generation but they were all so nice." he smiled.

"I do hope you were in good company." she added some spices to her tea and slowly stirred it. "I saw you dance with King Frankly, you both looked dashing with your matching ordinary-looking costumes!"

"Oh!" he blushed. "Th-Thank you- Well I wouldn’t know about us matching but I uh…"

"Did you not think so?" she tilted her head with a grin. "You did seem to be having a lot of fun with him. I’ve never seen you this happy before."

"I-I did, but that had nothing to do with- Not saying that his Majesty is not a delight to be with!"

"A delight you say?" she leaned back. "Oh I am so happy for you, dear friend!

"Wh-What are you saying, milady?"

"You don’t have to deny it." she took a sip of her tea.

"I-I-I don’t know what you’re saying!" his eyes darted around.

"Hey listen!" she put her cup down and pointed at him. "I would know about falling in love at the ball last night!"

Silence filled the room. The two friends looked at each-other with big eyes. (Y/n)’s face became redder as she realized that she spoke too much in her enthusiasm.

"What?" Eddie broke the silence.

"What?"

"Did you say ‘falling in love’?" he pointed at her.

"You did!" she pointed at him.

"But you said-"

"I didn’t say anything! You’re the one who-"

"You’re the one who said it!"

"But you’re the one who-"

"Who’d you fall in love with?!" he leaned closer.

She opened her mouth, but then pursued her lips as she fiddled with her finger.

"The King of Hearts." she mumbled.

Eddie nodded and leaned back with a defeated look.

"The King of Diamonds."

"The King of Hearts." she nodded, her expression twisting into one of distress.

"The King of Diamonds!" he did the same.

"I don’t know how it happened! He’s just so beautiful!" 

"He’s so elegant and-"

"-So nice and charming! I’ve never met anyone who-"

"And he’s so intelligent too! I just-"

"And when he smiles, it’s like-"

"He’s such a gentleman!"

The two of them kept pouring their heart out for a while, speaking at the same time in a lovestruck panic, with Lady (Y/n) intensely shaking her hands.

"And I don’t know what to do!!!" they both finally said at the same time.

They sat back on their chairs, taking a moment to catch their breath. Eddie chuckled and rubbed his face.

"We are… Just two smitten dummies, aren’t we?" he ran a hand through his hair, laughing.

She exhaled a smile.

"We are." she placed her elbows on the table and covered her face. "Falling for a King… What are we thinking?"

"The heart doesn’t let you pick who to love, milady. It just loves." he took a sip of his tea. "If it makes you feel any better, you have more of a chance than I do."

"What are you saying?" she removed her hands to look at him. 

"Yes. You are a noble."

"Oh that doesn’t mean anything! You and Frank have known each-other a lot longer than just two weeks-"

"Yet, I still can’t bring myself to call him by his first name." he smiled.

She let out a little ‘ah’. She didn’t even realize that she called the king Frank, it came so naturally. That realization made her really happy.

"Well that's just because you have that much respect for him!"

"But you forget one key problem here: him and I are from two different worlds. He’s a king, and I’m just a commoner."

"You are the legendary Dear Merchant! You have just as much prestige as any noble here! There’s a reason why you were invited to the Shuffling. If you were a noble, you would be of a much higher title than me for sure."

"Oh come on now." he waved a hand. "You’re flatterin’ me!"

"Me? I am at the complete opposite of the hierarchy."

"So you won’t be confessing your feelings?"

She laughed at such a suggesstion.

"If that information hadn’t slipped out, I wouldn’t have even told you."

"Oh but (Y/n), you must at least let them be known."

"Eddie." she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "You don’t understand the position I’m in. These past two weeks, the time I’ve spent here, have been… the happiest moments of my entire life." she paused. "And I can’t bring myself to ruin it all by asking for more…" she shook her head, getting emotional. "I simply refuse to. And even if I wanted to…" her gaze grew distant. "The King of Hearts is one of the most majestic and wonderful person I have ever met. He’s like… It’s cheesy to use such cliché imagery but," she looked back at him with a pained smile. "he’s like the Sun. And I…just can’t be with someone like that. I’m just not made for that." she shrugged, shaking her head.

Eddie sighed, a sad look of sympathy on his face.

"Oh don’t be sad for me." she smiled. "I now known how love feels, and it feels amazing!" she tapped his arm. "I can just bask in this feeling, it’s not necessarily a bad thing."

She began serving herself some food.

"Now I know that you probably won't confess your feelings either," she said. "but I can tell you with certainty: your feelings are mutual."

He puffed a chuckle.

"I highly doubt it." he shook his head as he served himself food as well.

"Maybe someday, you'll see how close the two of you have grown, and there will be no denying it for anyone."

An image popped up in Eddie's mind. Him and Frank, sitting on the floor of the library, making themselves a little corner with pillows, blankets and candles. Eddie read him some of his favorite short stories from the books of his childhood. And at some point, Frank read some of his favorite short stories. They read to each-other, drew what they believed some of the characters would look like, talked about what they read. And eventually they fell silent, enjoying looking at the stars from the glass ceiling, and the two of them fell asleep.

Remembering this made Eddie's heart skip a beat.

One of the first things Julie did today was to go see Wally. He was in his office with Barnaby. She slammed the door open.

"You're in love!" she pointed at him with a big smile.

"Hello Julie." Wally greeted her before expressing his confusion. "What?"

"Youuuuu." still pointing, wiggling her finger, she walked over to him. "You are in love!"

Barnaby discreetly and quickly went to close the door so that no one would hear this conversation. He closed it by pressing his back on it.

"I was wondering when someone would bring that up." he said to himself under his breath, leaning on the door. "Of course it'd be her Majesty the Queen."

"Me?" Wally pointed at himself.

"Mh-hmm!" she nodded. "You're in love with-" she tried to contain herself but... "You're in love with (Y/n)!" she quickly said before squealing loudly, jumping up and down.

"Lady (L/n)?" he tilted his head. "Julie, what are you talking about? Lady (L/n) is just a good friend."

"Lies!" she pointed at him again. "Your brain is lying to you! Let your heart speak!"

"I...I don't understand." he blinked a few times, squinting his eyes.

He was genuinely confused. 

"Hey Wally." Barnaby spoke. "What do you like about the Lady of Spades?"

"Oh, what's not to like?" he leaned back a little bit, speaking in the most casual manner they’ve ever seen. "She's very kind, very intelligent. She is a charming woman. And when she laughs..." he sighed, his gaze wandering for a moment before smiling to his friends. "I'm really glad to have her as a friend."

Julie sent a look to Barnaby that said 'Are you hearing this?!' while gesturing to her best friend.

"Yeah." the dog person leaned closer to whisper. "Remember all these times we had to point out to him that someone was flirting with him? At first I thought this was a self-conscious thing, but I came to realize that he simply can't pick up on these social cues. Not when it comes to love."

"And I guess that implies to his own feelings as well." Julie sighed.

"What are you guys talking about?" Wally asked.

"Nothin' buddy." Barnaby waved. "You go back to your paperwork."

"Okay." and he did.

Julie sighed again. She tried a few more times to make him realize his own feelings, but had to give up at some point, since he had to leave to take care of some business.

After brunch, Lady (Y/n) went back to the castle and into a bathroom to splash some water on her face. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. Still feeling her face warm, she fanned herself with her hand.

"Maybe I should’ve brought a fan with me." she whispered to herself. "Hopefully my face won’t get all red everytime we speak to each-other."

The events of last night replayed in her mind and she covered her face, groaning.

"But if he pulls any more moves like this, I won’t know what to-!"

She gasped and flinched when she suddenly heard a loud noise. Sounded like metal and rock grinding against each-other, and it echoed all around her, as if the walls themselves made this noise. It went on for a few seconds, but to (Y/n) it felt longer than that. She sighed in relief when it finally stopped. She cleared her throat and checked herself in the mirror one more time, touching up her hair and dress.

"Okay." she exhaled and went for the door. "Back to work."

She grabbed the handle and opened the door. Well, tried to.

"Huh?" she frowned.

She pulled on the handle a few more times, the door wouldn’t move. Her heart sunk. She tried again and again, using her whole body weight at some point. Even knocking her body against it. She thought of jumping out the window, but she was too high up, she wouldn’t survive if she did.

"H-Hey!" she banged her fist on the door. "Is someone there! Open the door please!"

She kicked, banged, screamed. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she felt her stomach twisting.

"Please! Help!"

She didn’t stop hitting the door once. Each time, she grew more and more desperate as she felt like her lungs were weakening.

"Please, let me out! Let me out!"

Just then, the door opened. She gasped and looked up to see…

"L-Lady (L/n)?!"

"Howdy!"

A wave of relief washed over her and her legs gave up on her. Thankfully, the royal blacksmith caught her before she could even hit the floor.

"Woawoawoah there. I’ve got you." he looked at her face which was stained with tears. "What happened? I heard you screaming, I thought you were gonna get killed!" he quickly looked inside the bathroom to check if anyone else was inside.

"I-I-" she took a deep breath as Howdy led her away from the room. "Someone locked me in, Mr. Pillar. I don’t know who or why but…"

"Lock you in?" he gave her a confused look. "My Lady… The door wasn’t locked. I simply opened it."

"…What?" she slowly asked, looking back at the door with big eyes. "But it wouldn’t budge, I swear it."

"I-It might have just been jammed or somethin’!" he said. "This castle is very old, and not everything in it was renovated. Of course, me with my four arms, that was no problem!" he flexed his arms in an exaggerated way to lighten up the mood.

But Lady (Y/n) was still shaken by this experience.

"Thank you, Mr. Pillar." she took a step back and took another deep breath.

"Are you okay…?" he asked, concerned. "It looks like you’ve been crying a lot in there. Have you been stuck for long?"

"I don’t believe so." she took out a handkerchief to wipe the tears away. "It’s just… I hate being locked in a room, any room."

"I see." he nodded, then spoke again with a determined look on his face. "I just can’t bring myself to leave you like this, Madam. Please allow me to walk you to the kitchen and get you a drink of anything you’d like."

She sniffed and smiled. 

"You’re very kind, Mr. Pillar. Please, lead the way."

She gestured for him to go ahead, and he did, with her not far behind. To get her mind off of what happened, he began to talk about his own day, what he did yesterday during the ball and where he was going before he heard her. 

But (Y/n) looked back at the door as they walked, her lips pursued and with a worried frown…

Suddenly, she heard the noise again, it made her and Howdy stop in their tracks. Once again, echoing all around them, and once again it lasted for just a few seconds.

"Huh." Howdy folded one pair of arms and placed his other two hands on his hips. "Strange noise that was."

"I heard this sound in the bathroom as well!"

"It might be the plumbing." he said. "My family home has a similar problem: every time someone uses any kind of faucet, the pipes would make this loud noise. Sounded like there was a monster in ‘em, it would scare the neighbors!" he laughed.

The two of them continued walking as Howdy went on about some other family business that happened with Bailey, Henry, Dolly and Chuck, also with the littlest sister Lilly. And this time, (Y/n) could keep up with the story! She was extra focused this time, to get her mind off of what happened.

She just wanted to forget and move on.

Chapter Text

For today, the members of the High Council of Spades had synchronized their schedule so that they would spend some time together after lunch. They were all sitting at the table, waiting while doing their own activities: Gwendolyn was reading a book while Arnold and Catherine were each writing a letter. Lady (Y/n) still hasn't come back from her brunch. Suddenly, the low echoing noise was heard for the second time. It took Arnold by surprise and he spilled a drop of ink onto the paper. He slammed his fists on the table – startling the two ladies, the two birds and Blizzard – and shouted insults in the old Spades language.

"Hey! Language!" Catherine glared at him. "Calm down will you? You can just start over."

"Don't you tell me to calm down!" he glared back before looking around. "What is wrong with this castle?! I thought it was supposed to be 'the greatest piece of modern architecture of all time'!" he said that part in a silly voice.

"Maybe it's because so many people are using the water at the same time." Gwendolyn looked up. "Maybe the plumbing isn't used to it."

"And they couldn't have made sure it was optimal for, you know, the most important event of the land?!" the young Marquis ran a hand through his hair. "Doesn't he care about his guests?!"

"What is wrong with you today?" Catherine asked. "Did you wake up with a harpish-raven in your bed?"

He glared at her once more. Harpish-ravens usually stayed away from people, so asking such a question basically meant 'such an incredibly rare thing must have happened for you to act like this.' He leaned back in his chair with a huff, folding his arms.

"You're not gonna try again with your letter?" Catherine leaned over to see the damage...

But Arnold picked up the letter and crumbled it into a ball before she could read any of it. She just knew that he hadn't written much.

"Screw it." he tossed it behind him. "Wasn't that important anyway."

She rolled her eyes and sighed. A while passed, very slowly so for Arnold. He kept looking at the time, tapping the table, bouncing his heel so much it made the table shake. It bothered Catherine and just as she was about to tell him to knock it off, the door opened.

"Hey guys." (Y/n) walked in.

"Where were you?!" Arnold stood up. "It's an hour after lunchtime, what kinda brunch did you have exactly?"

"Oh, yes. On my way back there's been some...complications." she glanced to the side.

He raised his eyebrows.

"What happened?"

"I don't really...want to talk about it." she held her arm.

The young man's scoff made her look back at him.

"Oh let me guess," he smirked, frowning. "you were having too much fun. With who this time? A Queen? A Prince?"

"What? No. What are you-?"

"The King of Hearts maybe?" he leaned closer.

She blinked twice, confused.

"Why are you so mad? I thought..." she glanced at the two ladies.

He let out a frustrated sigh.

"You're getting distracted." he pointed at her. "We're here for a more than important mission, you're the one who kept reminding us of that for months, and yet you're the one who is fooling around all the time!"

"Me?!" she pointed at herself, shocked.

"Arnold." Catherine put her quill down.

"Do you think no one saw you and the King dancing together almost the entire ball? You kept giggling like an idiot!"

She blushed, frowning.

"We're here for business (Y/n), you're forgetting that. Stop messing around-"

"I'm not!" she suddenly exclaimed. "I'm...I'm making friends, Arnold. For the first time in my life-"

"The first time?! Are you guys hearing this?" he turned to the two ladies. "I guess the year we spent working together didn't mean shit compared to the two weeks she spent in the presence of royalty! Seriously, why am I the only one mad about this?!"

"Seriously, stop." Gwendolyn put down her book.

"Arnold. Please be honest for a second." (Y/n) spoke, getting worked up. "If you – if any of you – had met me prior to the King's death, to the Great Departure, would you have even bothered to even look at my direction?!"

"No, because I've never seen you in my life before!"

"Would you have been curious then? Not about my title nor my family, but about me?"

Silence. 

"And if I hadn't helped the council, made up this whole plan. If I hadn't worked that hard, would you have then? Would you?"

Silence again. Every one of her fellow council members avoided eye contact with her. And she knew the others back at home would have the same reaction.

"I've...met people, who like me for me. I'm having fun. I know it's hard to understand when you've been in this situation almost your entire life but..." she sighed though her nose, pursuing her lips and closing her eyes, before looking back at him with an almost pleading look. "Could you let me have this?" she said it as less of a question and more of a demand.

Her and Arnold looked into each-other's eyes for a moment. He didn't like that look in her eyes. He slowly shook his head and spoke:

"This isn't fair." 

"...I disagree. I believe I'm finally being given a break." she walked passed him. "I have to go now, lest I'll be late for my next meetup."

"You're getting distracted (Y/n)." he turned to face her. "If you don't focus on what's important now, you'll soon regret it."

"Getting distracted? But my Lord," she looked back at him, unable to hide her frown despite her neutral tone. "isn't that the whole point of having fun?" she paused. "I have fun with my friends, you have fun with yours, alright?"

He frowned as she grabbed a few of her things before leaving. He clicked his tongue, his fists clenched.

Lady (Y/n) met up with Miss Molly and Queen Julie to chaperon Lady Clarabelle and her lover Philip. While the first two ladies were having a light-hearted friendly chat, Julie kept commenting on the cuteness of the waterfowl couple before them.

"Aaah." she audibly sighed. "Isn't it soooo romantic ladies? Young love?"

"Yeah!" Molly enthusiastically nodded.

"I'm not sure of their age nor of how long they've been seing each-other, but it is very nice to see." (Y/n) beamed.

"Two beings from two opposite worlds, finding their way to each-other despite it all? Doesn't that sound..." she slowly leaned closer to (Y/n). "Familiar?"

(Y/n) thought for a moment.

"I do remember Lady Gwendolyn telling me about a book with a similar scenario!" she said. "I haven't gotten around to read it, but it sounded great!"

Julie sighed, hanging her head back.

'She's just as dense!'

Molly then stepped into the conversation to completely change the subject. Tomorrow will be the next official event of the Shuffling: the chariot race. She was curious as to who will be their court's champion. This seem to have given Julie an idea. She loudly gasped.

"Would you ladies like to go check out the race tracks?" 

The two ladies' eyes went wide.

"Isn't it forbidden for others to see them before the race?" (Y/n) asked.

"Sure. For others." she smirked. "But we are unlike any other!" she stood up and puffed up her chest.

"Let's go let's go let's go-" Molly quickly stood up as well and jumped up and down. "Let's go let's go let's go-"

"Let's go let's go let's go let's go let's go-" Julie joined her. "Let's go let's go let's-"

The two of them suddenly stopped and looked at Lady (Y/n), who suddenly felt threatened, in the most friendly way possible. She nervously chuckled.

"I supposed we won't get in trouble if the Queen of Clubs is with us." she smiled and stood up. "It is about time we bring Lady Clarabelle back to her quarters anyway."

"Wait." Molly's expression fell. "She's not coming?"

"Well, your father will be back shortly, won't he?"

"Nooooo!" she whined and tugged on the lady's dress. "It'll be fine!"

"Worry not Molly!" Julie exclaimed. "I've got the perfect plan..." she slowly nodded as she turned over to a patch of flowers.

Next thing (Y/n) knew, the three of them were standing outside the window to the duchy of Heart's quarters, looking at 'Clarabelle' who was 'sleeping' in her little bed. It was a bunch of sticks, grass and yellow flower made to look like a yellow duck. The result of Lady (Y/n)'s floral craftsmanship.

"Yes... Yes! My plan is perfect!" Julie smirked. 

"Father won't notice a thing!" Molly exclaimed, Clarabelle in her arms.

"Ooo boy! Is that even the real Clarabelle that's here with us?"

The two of them laughed in victory while Lady (Y/n) lowly chuckled. Her hands hurt from having to make this so fast. Multiple tries had to be done.

"Congratulations, your Highness." she smiled.

Julie giggled with a smug look.

"Come along now, it's time to explore!" she turned around and pointed forward.

Julie led her little trio to the South side of the estate, which had been closed off ever since the announcement of the Shuffling. According to her, that part used to be the outdoor training grounds, but they changed it just for this event.

"Me, Frank and Wally would train there all the time when we were kids! They'd help me perfect my plant magic by trying a bunch of stuff! Like that one time we made a pool and I'd build a diving board higher and higher and Wally's mom at some point came running but then out of nowhere we-"

Julie then went from anecdote to anecdote about her childhood with her two best friends, as the three ladies walked through the outdoors to the race tracks. (Y/n) let out a sad 'aww' when she heard that Wally cried when his mom scolded him.

"Did he really?"

"Yeah, he'd cry all the time!" Julie giggled.

"It's hard to picture him crying." she thought for a moment. "Now that I think about it, I haven't seen him emoting a lot, other than a smile...and when he talks about art too."

"What are you saying? Wally is one of the most emotional person I know!"

(Y/n) blinked twice with a small frown. 'Emotional' wasn't exactly the word she'd use to describe the King of Hearts.

"I guess you just need to know him longer." Julie sighed, then thought of something and leaned closer to her with a raised eyebrow. "Or maybe... You never see him not smiling because he always smiles when you're here?"

"Oh he's not smiling all the time either." she chuckled. 

"He sure was smiling a lot at the ball last night."

"Oh!" she hadn't expect the costume ball to come up again. "Why yes, I did too, it was a lot of fun!" she paused. "Actually, speaking of which, may I ask you something?"

"Anything. What?"

"Well, during the ball, I noticed you were reading something. I was surprised because prior to this, I had heard about your mission of finding your fellow mermaids. What was it that got your attention away from your own game?"

"Oh yes, that! You see (Y/n), I ran into the royal playwright from the Court of Stars."

"Lady Starlet was at the costume ball?!"

"Yup yup yup!" she nodded a bunch. "And she said she was taking inspiration from- Mmmmmh..."

"Mmh?" she tilted her head.

"I remember she said she didn't want to reveal her sources. So maybe I shouldn't say it either." she waved a hand, shaking her head. "She was just nice enough to let me read her drafts."

"I see, what an honor! So you've met Lady Starlet, how was she?"

"Very passionate. She sure had a lot of vocabulary! And then she didn't all of a sudden." her gaze wandered as she thought about a possible reason as to why. "Maybe she got flustered over the fact that she's been talking to a Queen this whole time!" she flipped her hair with her hand.

"Flustered..." (Y/n) thought about it. "But she didn't seem to have a problem talking to his Majesty the King of Hearts."

"He's not here, you know. You can call him Wally."

"Huh?! I-I couldn't possibly do that!" she shook her head, blushing. "I respect him far too much for that!"

"Don't you wanna be friends with him?"

"I do... These two things aren't mutually exclusive." she looked away. 

Julie narrowed her eyes. She recalled what (Y/n) said during the tea party, about how she admired Wally's tactics on kingdom management.

'My guts are telling me it's something more than that! But do I wanna press her on it? I don't want to risk upsetting her, she's a new friend!'

The subject was dropped, and when (Y/n) and Molly began talking, not looking at Julie, the young queen picked out a branch from a nearby trees and chewed on it out of frustration. She quickly tossed it away when her two friends looked back at her, and just gave them a wide smile.

The three of them let out a loud long 'Wow' when they arrived at the training grounds. It would seem that, not only have they been turned into proper race tracks, but they've gone a step further. The race course wasn't just going around the perimeter, there were extra turns, with the biggest ones being elevated at a certain angle. The workers were putting the finishing touches on one side of the tracks, so the three ladies tried to go explore the other side. They were still stopped by some guards, but Julie took care of the situation.

"Just...Please be careful, your Highness."

"Oh please!" she walked passed them, waving a hand. "We're the carefullest!"

The first thing the ladies did was to take a stroll on the tracks. 

"There's a sense of mysticism to this..." (Y/n) smiled, looking around. "Being alone in a space that is supposed to be full of people..."

"I think it's cool too!" Molly nodded. "We're the first ones here! Before anyone else!"

'I'm pretty sure the King would have made frequent visits to the construction site but...nevermind.' she sighed through her nose, smiling.

When they've reached the biggest turn of the race course, that was when they went off the tracks and just looked up at it. To Lady (Y/n), it was so steep it resembled more a climbing wall than a race track. Julie had the idea to try and go up to the top of it. It was easy enough at the beginning, but with each step, it would get a lot more difficult. (Y/n) managed to reach the middle and Julie used her magic to sit at the top. Molly stayed at the bottom while Clarabelle would keep trying to go up but kept sliding off every time. From the young girl's perspective, they looked like there were trying to get out of a giant bowl.

"Okay." (Y/n) stopped, her hands firmly on the floor/wall. "I can't go any higher than this."

"Ow, really?" Julie swung her feet back and forth. "A shame, the view from up here is beautiful!"

"This is probably the steepest surface I have ever been on. The Kingdom of Spades is a very horizontal land, you know. Despite a few hills..."

"That is very steep." Julie looked at where she was sitting. "I'd say it's almost a right angle at the top."

"How are the chariots supposed to stay on there?!"

"If they're fast enough, they'll stay on. Don't worry!" she smiled.

"...Can they have a bit of practice first?"

"I don't believe so."

"...Do you think we could make some modifications to our chariots?"

"Not if it's to swap it for a spider-croc."

They laughed.

"If they go too fast," Molly spoke. "they'll go over the edge?"

"Yup, and beyond that..." Julie looked down, then back at them. "It's oblivion."

"Nonsens, the trees will stop them, won't they?" (Y/n) gestured to the trees surrounding the tracks.

"I don't believe that'll be enough." she hopped and slid down to the bottom. "Let's continue!"

The three ladies eventually walked around the entire race course. After that, Molly wanted to play some games and Julie immediately came up with one that coincidentally required a duck! Molly gasped when she heard that and lifted Clarabelle in the air. (Y/n) was of course invited to join them, but the small woods surrounding two thirds of the tracks allured more to her explorer spirit. Thankfully, her friend were offended by this – even asked her to tell them if she saw anything interesting – and they went on with their game while she went to the nearby woods.

"Man." she sighed. "Without the time limit and the wild animals and the dangerous mystical beasts, this is a lot more pleasant." she chuckled. "This feels a lot more like home! Although..." she looked up at the sunny sky. "This place sure is brighter."

She'd often stop to get a closer look at flowers, mushrooms, insects, tree barks, etc... At some point, she heard some birds and she followed their song. Then she froze.

A few steps ahead, there was a thick red line on the ground, with golden symbols on it drawn with a thin line. She recognized it and looked behind her. She could see the royal castle of Hearts peaking through the trees' foliage.

"But we are nowhere near the hunting grounds..." she mumbled, looking back at the line. "Why is it here then?"

Just then, a mouse ran by, passed her, and through the red line. (Y/n) gasped, but quickly relaxed when nothing happened. Intrigued, she walked closer and crouched right in front of it. She made a quick back and forth movement with her hand – like one would do to check if a surface was hot – then passed her whole arm through. Nothing happened, nor did she feel anything either.

"...Huh."

She frowned, thinking... 

"Oh!" she clapped her hands in a 'eureka' moment. "The shield spell that's not activated! That must be it."

She took a moment to enjoy the satisfaction of a mystery being solved.

"If it's here, then I must be at the edge of the estate. I should get back then." she looked around. "But...maybe I'll make a small detour." she smiled. "I don't have to take the exact same route on my wayt back."

Humming a little tune, she walked another lap around the tracks, and she enjoyed every step of it. But when she approached the edge of the woods – she started to hear Molly and Julie playing – she saw someone. They were hiding behind a bush, spying on the Queen and the young Duchess. 

On any other occasion, Lady (Y/n) wouldn't know what to do, since she's never been in a situation like this. But that wasn't the case, instead she was simply confused. For she recognized that star-shaped head.

"Lady Starlet?"

Said lady quickly turned her head to look at her with big eyes. But she said nothing.

"What are you doing here?" 

No response. 

"...Lady Starle- Oh gosh!" she flinched when Sally suddenly ran up to her.

She grabbed her shoulders and made her crouch with her. 

"Lady-"

"Ssssssh!" she placed a finger on her mouth.

(Y/n) frowned and waited for Sally to remove her finger. 

"Madam, I respectfully demand an explanation." she whispered. "Why in the world are you spying on the Queen of Clubs and the Duchess of Hearts?"

"Fair Lady of Spades I assure you, my intensions are pure and harmless."

"I want to believe you, truly I do. But that does not answer my question however."

Sally quickly looked around before gesturing her to follow her. The two of them went to hide behind the bush, moving in a duck walk since neither of them wanted to stain their clothes (they did anyway). (Y/n) noticed some papers on the ground.

"I shall keep it short and concise for you, my Lady." Sally faced her. "I have found a muse."

"A muse? That's great- I... I think?" she tilted her head.

She wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not, considering the grave expression on Sally's face.

"It is good! It is every artists' dream!" she was clearly trying to keep her voice down, her fists clenched. "I saw her at the ball and suddenly my heart wasn't mine anymore!"

"You mean, last night?"

She nodded.

'Wow... Costume parties really are something.'

"This person, this being- This...This out of this world creature." Sally's eyes wandered. "Beautiful, bewitching, pulchritudinous!"

"Gasoontight."

"Thank you." she quickly said before continuing. "It just so happens that I came across her once again today, as the three of you made your way here. So I decided to take notes on my feelings as I look upon her beautiful golden hair." she picked up the papers and started writing again. "Suddenly...my heart...wasn't mine....anymore..."

"Golden hair...?" she looked over at her two friends having fun.

A moment passed and she suddenly gasped, startling Sally.

"You mean Julie?! You fell in love with Ju-Mphmmhm!"

Sally quickly covered her mouth with her hands.

"Keep your voice down, I beg of you!" she harshly whispered. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she tried to say, but her words were muffled.

Sally removed her hands and went back to writing.

'What is it about royalty that makes them so irresistible?!' (Y/n) thought with furrowed eyebrows.

She felt a sting in her heart at that thought.

"How did this happen?" she asked.

Lady Starlet then told her about what happened last night.

"You...You spoke for a whole minute?"

"An entire minute!"

(Y/n)'s face twisted a little bit.

"Can you...Can you really fall in love this quickly? Is it really love then?"

"Of course it is, my Lady! Infatuation is a valid form of love, as long as it is pure and true!"

"But...You don't know her, you didn't even know she was a queen!"

"Simply goes to show that I'm not shallow." she smiled.

"Still...If you want any chance to be with her, you should at least talk to her."

Sally gasped.

"I cannot! I shan't!" she stroke a pose, with the back of her hand on her forehead. "Such is the burden of an artist!" once again popping the Ts.

"A burden?!" she exclaimed with a concerned look.

"Indeed. My heart would explode into a million poems if I talked to her for too long. Yet I feel a deep longing to get to know her, everything about her." she let out a long sigh. "We can never speak to our heart's new owner, yet we cannot bear to not see them at least once a day."

(Y/n) looked down, thinking about what she just said.

"That sounds...painful."

"It is the sweetest pain of all." she smiled at her. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"But... Won't your heart grow tired if you always just look at her from afar?"

"Never! She is the love of my life, a being of enchanting radiance who has captured my heart and soul. The purest manifestation of the ocean breeze at sunset. Enlivening nourishment for my entire being. Heavenly poetry to my ears!" she leaned towards her. "What's her name?"

(Y/n) couldn't help but chuckle.

"Julie Joyful."

"Julie Joyful..." she leaned back with a blissful smile. "Oh, what a gift you've given me on this day, Lady (L/n)!" she held her friend's hands. "Two words, enough to nourish my soul for the next millennia!"

"...You are a really dramatic person, Sally Starlet." she chuckled.

Sally just flipped the hair she didn't have.

"So...Will you ever talk to her?"

"I cannot! I must remain unseen!" she looked at Julie. "At least for as long as my inspiration skyrockets just by looking at her!"

At this very moment, Julie laughed, and Sally sighed with a lovestruck smile.

"...I'm afraid it is a near impossible task." (Y/n) said. "Your head..." she squinted her eyes. "It's um...glowing."

Indeed, the star that was Sally's head began to glow a bright light. She yelped and covered it with her cape. In her embarrassment, it glowed even brighter.

"Oh no, it's getting worse!" (Y/n) whispered, panicked. "Is there any way to stop it?"

"Yes! I just need a moment."

"Well you must hurry, we'll be spotted if this keep getting brighter."

"It is easier said than done, my Lady, I cannot exactly control it. Do you know any soliloquy?"

"Excuse me?"

"To help me get my mind off of things. Oh, but do I even want to?" she looked up at the sky with furrowed eyebrows. "If I must suffer, mind as well be by her hands. Her soft, delicate-but-deadly hands- Oh!" her head got brighter and she looked down again. "That was a beautiful line right there!"

'I was fine when I first saw her at the ball.' she thought. 'But the more I thought about her, the brighter I got!'

"Hey (Y/n)!"

Both (Y/n) and Sally jumped back with a yelp of shock to see Julie standing on the other side of the bush. Seeing her love so close and so suddenly, Sally's head glowed even brighter and her cape slipped off. It blinded (Y/n) and she cried in pain as she fell on her back, covering her eyes.

"Oh my stars! (Y/n), are you okay?!"

"Yes! I'm f-fine." she waved a hand, though she kept her eyes tightly shut. "It's not sunny everyday in the Kingdom of Spades. I have sensible eyes is what I mean."

"I am so deeply sorry my Lady!" Sally exclaimed, helping her to her feet. "I shall accept whatever punishment you will give me!"

"That won't be necessary." she rubbed her eyes and blinked a bunch of time for them to readjust to the lightning (thankfully, in her shook, Sally's head came back to normal). "You have no control over it, correct? Then you're not at fault here."

"Oh, your kindness knows no bound!"

"What were you two doing behind that bush?" Julie asked. "Were you playing a game without telling me?!" she gasped. "Is that why you decided to not play with us (Y/n)?! I sense betrayal! Tell me, is my spiritual nose correct?!"

"I swear it on every star in the universe including myself, my Queen," Sally said with a grave expression, though still illustrating her words with dramatic movements. "that no one would choose of their own accord to go behind your back and make a fool out of you, lest they are the scum of the Earth and every other celestial bodies!"

"Not at all, your Highness." (Y/n) smiled. "I stumbled upon Lady Starlet coincidentally."

"Then why were you two hiding?"

"Well..."

The two ladies exchanged a look.

"You see, your Majesty, Queen of Clubs, Enchanted Caves and the Likes," Sally spoke. "I was merely on a walk, in search for inspiration, when I was blessed by your royal presence within my gaze. I didn't see it fit for you to see me however, a sorry but humble servant like myself. So I hid. And that is when the Lady of Spades herself joined me for a friendly chat."

"You guys are friends?"

"I like to think we're good acquaintances, yes." (Y/n) nodded with a smile.

"That we are!" Sally pointed at her in a dramatic fashion. "Which is why it pains me to take my leave so soon!"

"Really?" she asked, surprised and disappointed.

"Oww, are you sure?" Julie asked. "You could join us in our game of-"

"Oh I'm afraid I have to go urgently, lest my mind will forget its bread and butter! May the Sun never leave your heart my Queen! Good life to you!"

And with that, Lady Starlet fled the scene. (Y/n) sure hoped that she doesn't forget all the lines she came up with, though it was a shame that she didn't take this opportunity to talk to Julie. Meanwhile, Julie believed that what she said was bogus and that Sally was simply too intimidated by her. For once, Lady taking-things-at-face-value-(Y/n) was correct. Having Julie addressing her directly made Sally's brain come up with a good dozen of poems and play scenarios that she simply had to write down back in her office! Besides, writing and not paying attention to royalty is rude (She got in trouble so many times up in the Court of Stars).

After a few more games, it was time for Miss Molly to go back to her chambers. Unfortunately, her father has been back for a while. The three ladies walked in to see the Duke of Hearts seated on an armchair, his arms crossed. They thought they were in real trouble, but when he saw Julie, he got more scared than them. He suddenly jumped to his feet and bowed to her.

"Queen of Clubs! I...I didn't know you would also be spending time with my daughter today."

"Can we hang out more often?" Molly whispered to her.

"For sure! When?"

The three ladies then made plans for their next hangout. A tea party most probably. (Y/n) looked over at the Duke. He was still bowing, since Julie hasn't even spoken to him just yet. He seemed to be getting uncomfortable. She pursed her lips.

"Miss Molly." she crouched down and whispered something to her. "If you want, of course."

The child's face lit up.

"Father," she faced him. "would you like to join us?"

"Huh?" he looked at her, surprised.

"Would it be alright with you, Queen of Clubs?" she looked at Julie.

"Of course!" she beamed. "Everyone is welcome!"

The Duke seemed touched by this. It made (Y/n) smile.

After this, Lady (Y/n) came back to her quarters. She sat on the couch and let out a long sigh. One of the maids announced her that she was done sorting out her letters, and handed her a trail with the most 'important' ones on it.

"Ah. Thank you." she took them and began to read them one by one.

At the same time, Lady Gwendolyn came in and sat of the couch across from her.

"My Lady. About this morning..."

Suddenly, (Y/n)'s heart felt heavier. She put the letters aside.

"After you left, the Marquis had an argument with myself and Lady Catherine, then he left." she said. "I'm pretty sure he will come home late, again."

(Y/n) sighed, a saddened expression on her face.

"I want to apologize. But at the same time..."

"Apologize? He should be the one apologizing."

"He's young. Kids of that age lash out."

"He will be eighteen soon, an adult. He keeps being rude to the staff, the other nobles, everyone. How much longer will you keep coddling him?"

(Y/n) looked down, clenching her fists. Gwendolyn sighed.

"You were right. If you made friends, why not enjoy their company?" she leaned a bit closer. "You haven't lived much of your life, you must enjoy those present moments. And besides," she leaned back with a shrug. "these friends of yours are royalty. That's some good networking if you ask me."

It made her chuckle, but it soon faded.

"During the first week of the Shuffling," she said. "the Spades quarters used to be the one space where I'd be at peace... Things have changed since then."

The next morning, Lady (Y/n) was woken up by a tap on the window. It was a bird, much like the other two that now resided in the quarters, it also had a letter with it. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Does that mean... Could it be?" 

She took the letter and let the bird in. It started a friendly fight with the other two, but the lady was solely focused on the letter. It was indeed from the King of Heart himself.

To my dear (Y/n) (L/n).

She read this first line a few more times, her heart jumping every time. His dear?

"Oh stop it stop it!" she kicked her feet and shook her hands, containing a giggle.

She cleared her throat and read the rest of the letter. The King requested some of her time after the chariot race, for he had received the first report from the restorers – who have arrived and settled in the Spades Kingdom – and he wished to read it with her. 

I swear it on my heart that I haven't even opened the letter!

That made her chuckle.

I wish you the most lovely day, and hope you enjoy the events I've prepared for today. Excited to see you there, King Wally Darling, of the Kingdom of Hearts.

And at the bottom of the page was the small drawing of a small boat, made in red ink (the same used for the letter).

Lady (Y/n) sighed as she leaned back in the chair of her desk. She read it again and giggled, holding it close to her chest.

"Should I reply? We'll see each-other today." she turned to the three small black birds, now perched side by side on the footboard of her bed. "No, I should, you're right!" she quickly grabbed a pen and paper.

Your Majesty, King Darling. I would be delighted to review this report with you. I do hope the restorers have gotten their bearings, for it would be a wonderful first step to a fresh relationship between our two kingdoms.

"Shoot." she said under her breath. "I'm talking politics again..." she tapped the feather end of her quill on her chin. "Well, it is a political matter technically." 

Relieved at that thought, she kept writing.

I wish your champion good luck on the race, and may the best chariot rider wins! I also wish you a lovely day. Your humble servant, Lady (Y/n) (L/n), of the Kingdom of Spades.

She thought for a moment, her lips pursed. Then doodled a small chariot with a horse at the bottom of the page. She inhaled through her teeth at the result. Then, blushing, quickly wrote one last little message.

(I did my best, I apologize it is nothing compared to yours. I just wanted to send a drawing back)

"Gah!" she quickly put her letter in an envelop and handed it to the new bird, while looking away from it, her face red. "Send this back to him at once! Before I change my mind and burn it!"

The bird just looked at her. All three of the birds just looked at her. 

"...How can you guys send me a letter, but never go back to-?!"

"My Lady?" a maid knocked on the door.

"Come in." she exhaled.

"Oh my." she paused when she saw the birds. "A new addition I see. Is it bothering you?"

"...Do you know how to train birds?"

"I...I do not, I'm sorry."

"That's okay." she thought for a moment. "Do you think rabbits can be trained?"

"Rabbits? I...don't know."

(Y/n) let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders dropping. 

"Oh well." she said as she tossed her letter on her desk then fully faced the maid. "What is it?"

"Ah, yes." she walked up to her. "I was in the middle of sorting out your letters, but I am immediately handing this one to you, for it is a royal letter."

She quickly stood up and took the letter the maid was handing to her. It was from Julie, inviting her to a friendly meetup some time before the event. The details were a bit vague, but as long as she gave a time and location, it was enough for (Y/n). Her spirit was lifted up and she went to get breakfast.

Early in the afternoon, right after lunch, Lady (Y/n) went to a spot nearby the race course, where Julie and Frank were already there. There were also two chariots, each with a horse pulling it. She was confused and it showed on her face apparently.

"You see (Y/n)," Julie explained. "this isn't the first chariot race where a champion from each of our kingdoms participated in. It has been almost an annual thing for a few years now, that the three of us compare chariots before the race. And sometimes we bet on who will win!"

"Oh! I didn't take you guys for fans of that sort of things."

"I'm really not." Frank shrugged. "But it had become sort of a tradition now."

"I am!" Julie beamed. "And also, I can't believe I'm about to reveal it right now but neither of you guys have realized it yet! This," she gestured towards her chariot with big movements. "is a tinkered version of that carriage I've bought at the auction!"

"What?!" both (Y/n) and Frank exclaimed.

"Is that why it's so much bigger than necessary?!" he asked as the two of the began to closely inspect it.

"I would've never guessed it was the same!" (Y/n) exclaimed, turning to Julie. "That is quite the feat, to do that in just a few days."

Julie huffed and puffed up her chest with a smug look.

"Yes... Now that I'm looking at it closely." Frank leaned back. "I can tell whoever worked on this is in a rush."

"Hey now! What does that mean?!" Julie exclaimed, her eyebrows furrowed.

"No offence to your mechanic, Julie, but this vehicle clearly isn't made for chariot races. You can't just remove the top part of a carriage, put stronger wheels and expect it to work."

"Maybe you have a point, Frank, but you forget that a chariot is only just as good as the person who rides it!" she huffed. 

"But this is not a chariot!"

"Tell me (Y/n)," she looked at her. "don't you think with a skilled rider and a fast horse, my chariot has all the chances of winning today's race?"

"Your chariot? W-Well, I'll be honest, I know nothing of chariot racing or chariots in general..." she scratched her neck, glancing away.

"Well!" Frank huffed with a smug look. "Let me show you what peak chariot design looks like!" he took a few steps to the side and gestured towards his chariot.

(Y/n) just stared at it in silence. She tilted her head, looking perplexed.

"What?" Frank frowned, looking back and forth between them and the chariot.

"That is the weirdest chariot I have ever seen Frank!" Julie said in delight.

"That is not a compliment in this situation!"

"I will be honest, your Highness." (Y/n) spoke. "If I stumbled upon this, without any context, I would not have believed that it was a chariot. More like..." she leaned closer to it, thinking. "The contemporary interpretation of a chair."

The King scoffed.

"I'll have you ladies know that this," he gestured towards it again. "has been designed by the best chariot engineers in the Kingdom of Diamonds. And they came up with a chariot that excelled in aerodynamic and speed. This precious little thing right here," he patted it. "is light, simple and manageable. This chariot – plus the fastest horse in the Kingdom, plus the best chariot rider – garantes me an undeniable victory! Even on just the technicalities of it all!"

"For someone who claims to not be a fan," (Y/n) whispered to Julie. "he sure is enthusiastic about this."

"I can hear you."

She became flustered as Julie giggled. Frank huffed.

"Now." he walked up to them, folding his arms. "Can we turn our attention to the elephant that isn't in the room: His Majesty is late, again."

"He's coming as well?!" (Y/n) exclaimed in surprise.

"What kind of chariot do you guys think he'll brought?" Julie asked.

"Um..." she thought for a moment. "Probably something that favors speed as well."

"I think so too. Like Frank's, but a lot less funky-looking."

"Funky-looking? How dare you?" he huffed. "And anyway, I don't think it will be anything like that. I believe that his victory last year might have um... Gone to his head."

"Oh please!" Julie waved. "Wally is the most humble guy I know!"

In fact, the young queen couldn't have been more wrong. They heard a horse's night and looked over.

The three of them looked over and their expression fell in shock.

"No way!" Julie exclaimed.

"That is not him!" Frank shook his hand.

(Y/n) just covered her mouth which was stil agape.

Wally approached the scene on his chariot, although the horse itself was pulled by Barnaby who walked alongside it. (Wally knows how to ride a horse, but a chariot or a carriage are a completely different matter to him) The chariot was a bright red color, with a glossy paint bouncing off the sunlight. It would be almost blinding if one was to look at it form a certain angle. The wheels were made of metal chrome, covered in golden leaves. Even the horse was decorated in gold. Wally also had a pair of shaded glasses on. His three friends were absolutely speechless.

To bring a modern day perspective to this scene: Frank's chariot was the equivalent of those one-seat, rocket-like jet cars. Julie's was an old van from the seventies that had gone over a massive makeover, with a high-tech engine that was too big for the hood, so half of it was out in the open air along with a bunch of other machinery that's been painted with every color of the rainbow. And Wally's was a straight up lamborghini.

"He's gone completely mad." Frank said under his breath.

"Oh my." Wally said as he lifted his sunglasses up to his forehead. "Lady (L/n) is here too!"

Once they've reached them, he hopped off his chariot and the others could now see the suit he was wearing. It was a sports suit that matched his chariot. 

"Will he participate in the race?" (Y/n) whispered to Frank.

"No. No no no." he whispered back, the two of them leaning close to each-other with their hand raised to hide their faces. "He's just playing chariot rider."

(Y/n) remembered when he told her about his first costume idea.

'I think he just likes dressing up!' she realized, containing a laugh.

Wally thanked Barnaby for bringing his chariot here. 

"No prob Bob!" he said.

"My name is Wally." he tilted his head, concerned. "Don't you remember?"

Barnaby laughed.

"Oh yeah, right! Your Majesties." he bowed to three royals. "Milady." he tipped his hat towards (Y/n) (who curtsied back) before walking away.

"Wow!" Julie rushed up to him. "Wally, you should've told me you'd dress up! I would've matched my chariot too!"

"Hi Julie. I'm sorry, I wanted it to be a surprise." he smiled before joining Frank and (Y/n). "Hi Frank. Good day, Lady (L/n)." he curtsied.

"My King." she curtsied back. "What a beautiful chariot you've brought!"

"Thank you. Isn't it?" he turned towards it. "This is the best chariot in the land. I have personally commissioned a famous artist from the Escobar Kingdom to come up with a design.

"Oh it all makes sense now." (Y/n) quietly told Frank, which made him wheeze and laugh.

"And then I've commissioned the best chariot engineering company in the Hearts Kingdom. I've submitted the design and told them to make it ergonomic, resulting in this beautiful piece of art." he gestured towards it.

"It's certainly the most bright looking- it looks like you've put olive oil on it!" Frank said. "I'd be scared for the rider."

"That's because they've coated the paint with a sheen." he ran a hand thought the chariot's surface. "It makes the wood as smooth as porcelaine." 

"Which company made the engineering?"

"Euchre."

(Y/n) looked at Frank to see his reaction, since he knew more about chariots than she did. He looked rather impressed.

"I will admit, looking at it right now, it is impressive." he said. "But having Euchre put it together... (L/n), since you don't know I'll tell you." he looked at her. "During the golden age of chariot racing, Euchre was the place to be. Was." he looked back at Wally. "They are considered old-fashioned nowadays."

"Old-fashioned?" Wally placed a hand on his chest, surely to act offended although nothing about his monotone voice  nor his almost-constant smile would indicate such a thing. "It is still a true pillar of the industry."

"Reputation won't win the race however."

"That's right!" Julie exclaimed. "This big baby will!" she slapped her hand on her chariot.

"Oh my." Wally said, finally looking at the other chariots. 

"And might I say," she continued. "how nice it is to finally be the biggest statesman for once. With the grownup chariot!" she gestured towards her chariot.

"Grownup?! I would hardly call it that." Frank said.

"It's the oldest model here! It's a grownup!"

"Maybe she's referring to the size of it." Wally suggested.

"Won't the size be an inconvenience?" (Y/n) asked.

"It sure will be." Frank nodded. "You know (L/n), it goes without saying that in a race, a chariot should be small and light, so that its weights doesn't slow down the horse. Now." he went to his chariot and gently pulled the horse to be beside Julie's. "Let's compare sizes, shall we?"

Wally chuckled. Julie's chariot was almost double the size of Frank's.

"I understand that you like drama, Julie, but this is just silly."

"What is the difference, one meter?" Wally asked.

"One whole meter of space that you don't need." Frank nodded.

"It looks better that way!" Julie exclaimed. "Imagine if you will: you're a rider on the tracks, suddenly you see this," she gestured dramatically and frantically towards her chariot. "coming at you at top speed! This is what I want to happen during this race!"

"It won't even reach mine." he huffed. "Experts have spent years thinking of every little detail."

"But because of that, the design leaves much to be desired." Wally tilted his head.

"Who cares about that? This isn't a pageant!"

"Frank, you haven't even styled your horse." Julie looked at the animal with a certain pity, feeling bad for it.

"It doesn't matter! What matters is to win the race!"

"But...It does represent you Kingdom." (Y/n) spoke.

"Well then it shows that my Kingdom favors efficiency and innovation." he puffed up his chest.

"But isn't it better to have both the looks and the skills?" Wally said. "People don't want to look at a race chariot and see all the time and effort that was put into it. You want them to believe it was made out of dolphin-dragon skin."

"What?!" the other three looked at him with big eyes.

"Dolphin-dragons have a very tough, smooth and fireproof skin. And I like to think my chariot is made out of that."

"Well let's hope it's not too believable, or else you'll go to jail for skinning an almost extinct species." (Y/n) said, a bit disturbed.

"Also, can I just say, I like to think," Frank said, his fingertips on his chest. "that my chariot has an invisibility cloak and can levitate. But it doesn't, and it can't!" he exclaimed as Julie giggled and (Y/n) chuckled. "And your chariot isn't made out of dolphin-dragon skin!"

"Lady (L/n)." Wally turned to her. "It would seem we are in need of a fourth opinion once more."

"Yes." Frank exhaled. "We need an outsider's point of view."

"Which one's the best one?!" Julie asked, while pointing at herself.

(Y/n) thought for a moment, looking over all three chariots.

"That one." she pointed at the one in the middle, Julie's.

"Yes!!!" the queen threw her hands in the air. 

The young queen began to hop around, cheering on herself. Meanwhile, the two Kings looked baffled.

 "Why?" they asked at the same time.

"Girl friendship wins!!!" Julie shouted, still running around.

"Because I like it." (Y/n) smiled.

"That's it?!" Frank exclaimed.

"Yes. Don't misunderstand, these are brilliant!" she gestured towards their chariots. "They're beautiful and I'm sure they'll do great in the race. But I like this one." she gestured back to Julie's.

The two men just looked at her confused, they could not understand her choice.

"Let me put it to this way." she said. "You could find better dogs than my great dane. But I like my great dane. Yes, he's very loud, he scares people away, and I'm glad most of my wardrobe is dark or else you would see the dog fur all over my dresses. But he's amazing! And sometimes he tilts his head like this!" she tilted her head with a big smile. "If that chariot had a head, it would tilt it and you would get it."

Frank blinked twice while Wally laughed as her enthusiasm.

After settling this debate, it was time for the three royals to put in their bets.

"I thought bets weren't allowed." (Y/n) pointed out, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Don't worry (Y/n), we're not betting money on these!" Julie smiled. 

"I'll start: My champion will undoubtedly be in the top three at the very least." Wally said. "I bet it on my name."

"Ooo! You'll change your name?!"

"Yes. To Wallace." he said before whispering to (Y/n). "It's just long for Wally."

She puffed a chuckle.

The time for the event was approaching. Wally asked Frank to help get his chariot to the race course.

"M-My King, wait!" (Y/n) exclaimed.

He turned to her as she rushed over to him.

"I um, I was wondering how I would send it to you. I'm glad I was given this opportunity." she took out the letter she wrote this morning and handed it to him. "Here, my response to your letter."

"Ah." his face lit up and he took it. "Thank you. I shall read it as soon as I get back."

During their little exchange, Frank and Julie looked at each-other. He mouthed 'Did you know?' while discreetly pointing at (Y/n) and Wally. She intensely nodded.

"Oh boy..." he mumbled, feeling bad for the poor lady.

After they said goodbye, the group went their separate ways, with Frank pulling both his and Wally's horse. Once they were alone, Frank's expression became more serious.

"Wally?"

"Yes Frank?"

"Remember the conversation we had about actions and intensions?"

"Yes. And we agreed to focus on the present."

"About that... You know, whether it be business, friendly, political, romantic, honesty is key to any relationship. And by that logic, secrets can put a relationship at risk."

"...What are you suggesting exactly?"

The change in his voice made Frank stop and look back at him. Wally was staring at him with unblinking eyes, his monotone voice hid a hint of hostility and shock.

"Oh!" Frank shook his head. "No no no no! That is not what I meant to say! What I mean is..." he sighed. "Just... Whatever you choose to do with your relationship with (L/n)... Don't forget yourself."

These words made Wally's expression softer, sadder.

"I just don't want you getting hurt, or her." he added.

Wally looked down. He knew his friend was just worried for him, which was why he felt a tightness in his heart.

"...I'm reminded of who I am everyday."

Frank sighed again, feeling a sympathetic pain.

"I know."

Lady (Y/n) has never been to a chariot race, she's never even seen a chariot prior to the preparation of the Shuffling. And to be perfectly honest, hearing about what chariot race was, she didn't find it very interesting. But when the King of Hearts made his speech to announce the beginning of the event, he made it clear that this would be no ordinary race course. She didn't understand at first, looking at the course from the high bleachers, it all looked the same as yesterday. But when the bell rang, it all made sense. It would seem that there were obstacles – magical and non-magical – hidden throughout the race racks. Suddenly, chariot racing became much more engaging for everyone! Lady (Y/n) however became worried for the Spades champion.

'He wasn't prepare for that at all!' she thought, chewing on her bottom lip.

Despite that, the chariot rider was doing very well. Still, she couldn't help but worry. Then, suddenly, a small bird flew in front of her face. She yelped in surprised, then noticed that the bird was made of paper. She reached a hand for it to stand on. It did and bowed to her before turning back into a small folded note. Intrigued, she opened it.

Your drawing is lovely, don't worry. Thank you for the horse, I named him Holly.

Her heart skipped a beat. She looked behind her, at the top of the bleachers, where the Master of Ceremony and his entourage was seated, having the best view of the race. But the King of Hearts was looking right at her. 

Their eyes met. He smiled and raised a finger to his lips. She blushed and nodded before quickly turning back around. Blushing, she covered her smile with the note as her heart pounded in her chest.

"What are you so giddy about, Lady (Y/n)?" Gwendolyn asked. "What's in that note?"

"Nothing!" she quickly put it in her pocket.

"A secret admirer perhaps?" Catherine giggled. "

"Oh I don't believe it's much of a secret to her." 

The two ladies giggled.

"Stop it you two!" (Y/n) hushed them, flustered, as she lightly hit the both of them. "The race just started, let's focus on that instead!"

Arnold was the first to have noticed that bird. If it wasn't for her reaction, he would've grabbed it, thinking it was an attack of some kind. Looking at the three ladies giggling, he thought he would've rather it being an attack. He looked back, to see who (Y/n) was looking at.

The King of Hearts. Their eyes met. And at this moment, Arnold couldn't help but glare.

Could it be because of the history between their kingdoms? The centuries of rivalry, the numerous wars? Maybe. But even on a personal level... Everything about this man irritated him. But what ticked him off the most was this layer of perfection he always harbored. Arnold knew better than anyone that powerful people's hands were anything but clean, even when wearing the finest of gloves. 

But that wasn't just it either. At this moment, Arnold felt something. It wasn't just dislike, it wasn't hate either. It was something deeper than that. As if it was in his very nature to despise this man. 

A twisting feeling from deep within his guts... Rising up to burn his heart, and up again to tighten his throat.

Suddenly the audience boomed into applaud. One of the riders just dodged an obstacle by doing a fantastic stunt! It snapped him back to reality.

The young man faced the race course, breathing deeply to calm his fast-beating heart.

Wally had long stopped looking at the Marquis of Spades, he had just given him a quick glance. But for a while, he could feel the young man's stare on him. When he finally looked back at him, he had finally turned away.

Wally felt relieved, for Arnold that is.

That young man was starting to really irritate him.

Chapter Text

Throughout the race tracks were carefully placed sorcerers, using spells to create obstacles such as covering the ground in ice, making it move in waves and making pillars appearing and disappearing out of the ground. With each lap the riders made, they would become a little more intense. There was also a part of the tracks that passed through the woods, towards the end of the lap.

Naturally, the use of any magic was prohibited for the chariot riders, which wasn't such a problem to the High Council of Spades, since – ironically enough – the Kingdom of Spades has the lowest rate of magic-users in the Land of the Four Kingdoms. 

The Spades champion had a rough start. Yet with each lap, he slowly but surely made his way to the head of the race. Every Spades person in the audience was on the edge of their seat. Lady (Y/n), seated between Catherine and Gwendolyn, held their hand tightly. The riders were now on the last lap. The Diamonds and the Hearts were going back and forth between first and second place, while the Spades was close to third.

"Come on..." Gwendolyn said under her breath. "Top three."

"Bronze medal... Could it be?" Catherine looked at (Y/n), who was intensely staring at the race while chewing on her bottom lip.

The chariots passed through the patch of trees, out of view. Only a few seconds later, everybody gasped when the chariot harboring the colors of the Spades Kingdom came out first. The High Council members jumped out of their seats and simply (shamelessly, some might say) screamed, the volume of their four voices equaling the entire audience's. (Y/n) had to keep herself from crying victory in the old Spades language. The crowd gave shocked applaud after a moment.

But from the highest seat on the bleachers, Wally's eyes narrowed.

A short moment after, the chariot dashed through the finishing line, which was right in front of the bleachers, and the applauds suddenly stopped. (Y/n)'s heart dropped.

The chariot was empty. 

The people grew concerned as the other chariots arrived as well, the empty one had to be stopped since the horse kept running. The audience whispered amongst itself, confused. The King of Hearts stood up and said – shutting everyone up as soon as he spoke – that he shall personally look into this matter, along with his sorcerers. In the meantime, he invited everybody to move to the afterparty, nearby the race course. As everyone was leaving, (Y/n) sent him a worried look. He noticed her and nodded with a reassuring smile. She smiled back, though she did have a bad feeling about this. 

The guests moved to another outside area, with tables, food, music and decorations. A space made to celebrate the winners of today's race, today's event, as well as the Shuffling overall. But in this moment – although happy for those who have come second and third – all that everyone could express was worry, intrigue, they'd glance at the High Council members.

"What do you think happened?" someone once asked.

The four of them knew that it was a question of bad faith, which would lead to the assumption that it was the work of some 'dark Spades magic'. They have by now learned how to respond to such things, though Arnold of course was being the most aggressive about it. (Y/n) did ask them if they knew anything, but they were as clueless as everybody else.

Finally, Miss Partridge walked to the center of the area, so that everyone could see and hear her. Other sorcerers were behind her, along with the chariot rider of Spades. He was covered in dirt.

"Ladies, gentlemen, and other esteemed guests of the Shuffling," Poppy spoke. "I'm afraid that this mystery has the simplest and most unfortunate of answers." she gave the Council member as apologetic look.

(Y/n) didn't like the sound of that at all.

"We have found this gentleman at the edge of the woods." she continued. "He claimed to have fallen off his chariot. But as I inspected the said chariot I found this." she raised a wing, she was holding a crystal the size of a walnut. "Not only in the chariot but also on the horse's harness. There were also one just like this on the end of the tree patch. These are teleportation crystals."

There were shocked gasps in the audience. The chariot rider looked down in shame.

"It would seem that he had placed the third one during the race. Since no one can see in the patch of trees, he wanted to take advantage of that by teleporting from the entrance to the exit, turning the minute it would normally take into seconds and gaining precious time." she faced the rider. "One key detail that you missed, sir, was that just because you are on it, you are not part of the chariot. You should've had one on yourself as well."

"He cheated?" "He used magic!" "How reprehensible!" "I know he was too good to be true." the people in the crowd said.

"My work here is done. I shall now take my leave." Poppy bowed before walking away. "Have a good day."

(Y/n) was utterly horrified. This was the worse thing that could've happened today. Her mind began to race, but the stares people were giving her made it hard to focus. They've dodged a scandal with Brahms' affair. But this was for everyone to see, out in the open. Her sense of justice couldn't blame Miss Partridge for this. Still the repercussions will be disastrous, it will certainly ripple throughout the entire Shuffling. A splatter of black ink on a pure white sheet.

"Do you think they knew?" she heard someone whisper. "Did they plan this together? One of them must’ve charged that crystal, since the rider isn’t a magic-user."

This was bad. Really really bad. The progress they've made could very well be for naught if this keeps going in this direction.

"You failure of a man!"

She was snapped out of her thoughts. Arnold has walked up to the chariot rider and was holding him by the collar. He pulled him down so he would kneel before him.

"You know of the purpose of the Shuffling, you were bestowed the honor to come and participate at one of its events. The entire Kingdom would kill to be in your place. And you cheat?! Like a commun peasant?! Do you not realize the graveness of what you've done?!"

"M-My Lord!" he bowed, his forehead touching the grass. "I have no words to express my shame! I gave in to peer pressure!"

"Peer pressure?! Ha! A true Spades does not shake at such petty things! You could've been on the top three, won the bronze medal! But instead, you were greedy! And that greed brought you here now! At my feet, pleading for mercy!"

"I just... I didn't want to dissappoint you! I would rather die!"

"Well it's funny you say that..." he moved his cape to grab the handle of his sword. "'Cause you haven't just disappointed me, I am ashamed to have you as a subject."

The rider began to sob. (Y/n) quickly made her way to him but someone beat her to it.

"Marquis of Spades, please."

Arnold's eyes widened. The King of Hearts was now beside him, whether he got here by magic or sheer speed, nobody knew for certain. His hand was grabbing Arnold's wrist, preventing him from lifting the sword. Despite the calm smile on the King's face, Arnold did put up a silent fight, trying to move his hand. But it was no use.

"This is Spades' business, your Highness." he said, trying to sound calm.

"Ah, but this happened during the Shuffling. As the Master of Ceremony, it is I who should resolve the matter, as I said I shall do."

Wally finally let go of him and took a step back, his hands behind his back. Arnold faced him.

"You said you would find out what happened, and now we know what happened. Thank you very much, I shall take it from here."

"You?" he tilted his head, looking impressed. "How refreshing to see such autonomy from such a young man."

"Is that sarcasm?" his eyes narrowed.

"Oh I'm told I'm not so good at that sort of things." he said with furrowed brows. "Anyhow, if it makes you feel better, you could join me as I look for a suitable punishment, along with the new, true results of today's chariot race." he smiled, his eyes narrowed. "I would be happy to take you under my wing for today."

Some people in the crowd praised the King for his kindness. But Arnold could see it in his pitch black eyes: mockery. After all, to reach a hand down to somebody, they need to be beneath you. The young man has never felt more offended. He could feel his hand shaking, yearning to grab his sword again. But instead, he closed it into a tight fist.

"Heh." he forced a smile, glaring. "It's just like the King of Hearts to stick his nose into other people's business."

Wally's eyelid twitched.

"What do you know of your own business, young Marquis?"

"What did you just say to me?" he spoke in a graver voice, unable to hide his animosity anymore. "What are you insinuating exactly?!"

"Oh nothing harmful." he raised his hands. "It's okay to not be much of a businessman, I have quite some trouble myself. Except when I know a situation is out of my area of expertise, I know how to hand over the reigns to someone better qualified than me. Some might say, someone who's more worthy." he said that last sentence quietly. 

Arnold was hit with a sharp pain, non-physical, which was the worst kind. It only made this boiling feeling of rage twist his stomach more.

"Oh yeah? You wanna go there?! Listen here you little sh-"

"That is enough my Lord!"

The two men looked over to see (Y/n), walking up to them and facing Arnold, standing between him and the King. 

"One would think that two weeks into the Shuffling, you would learn how to keep your temper in check." she spoke again with a stern voice.

Arnold was taken aback. He looked at the King, then back at her.

"Are you serious?! You're taking his side?!" he gestured towards Wally.

"His Majesty is right, this concerns him as well. This happened on his estate. He's inviting you to deal with the matter together – which is an honor – and you're just acting so..." she took a quick moment to find the right word for it. "Rude!"

"A honor?! Please." he rolled his eyes. "You know he said it out of pity!"

"Well then if you don't want to build a good relationship with the King of Hearts, that is your prerogative."

"What are you saying right now-"

"I'm saying that if you don't want to act like a mature adult, fine!" 

Arnold's eyes widened, his expression fell. She huffed, calming herself down, that 'fine' was too loud for anyone's comfort.

"But in that case, my Lord, I shall respectfully ask you to step away and let the adults deal with this situation. Maybe Countess Gwendolyn could take care of this."

"Actually, I think I would rather take care of this with you."

She turned to the King, looking at him with big eyes.

"You seem to have a good head on your shoulders." he smiled.

She blushed. Arnold scoffed. He stepped closer to her and Wally quickly stood beside her, in case he does anything. He did stop and glare at him before looking back at her.

"You..." he scoffed again and leaned closer to her. "You are blind."

(Y/n) expression saddened. He looked so angry. He quickly turned around and walked away, in the direction of the castle. And just like that, the atmosphere became lighter. Wally looked at (Y/n) and saw the look on her face. If it wasn't for all these people here with them, he would've placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Lady (L/n)." his voice made her look at him. "Are you alright?"

"I, um..." she looked down and cleared her throat before nodding. "I am, yes. Thank you for asking." she faced him and bowed. "I am deeply sorry for causing such a scene. I am embarrassed beyond belief."

"Oh nonsens, you've managed to stop things from getting out of hand." he smiled before addressing the crowd. "I apologize, esteemed guests, you can all go back to your conversations, help yourselves to today's menu. The new results of the chariot race shall be announced shortly."

He snapped his fingers and a few guards came over. With just a wave, they escorted the chariot rider away.

"Shall we go?" he looked at (Y/n).

She hesitated for a moment. She looked back at Catherine and Gwendolyn. The two ladies frantically gestured her to go ahead, mouthing 'Go!!!' over and over. She sighed.

"Yes, let's go."

As the two of them left the area, walking side by side, she waited to be out of earshot to quietly speak to him.

"It shall go without saying that none of the members of the High Council of Spades knew about this."

"I trust your words." he nonchalantly said. "Such a cheap tactic isn't your style, I'm pretty sure." he paused. "I will have to expel this man from the Shuffling."

"Understandable." she bowed her head. "I will write a letter to the High Council member back home, so that he receives a deserved punishment."

"Something severe?"

"I'm...not sure. I've never punished anyone." she looked down, thinking. "It was during a very important event. But I don't believe corporal punishment should be a fair solution."

Fair. This word seemed to strike Wally.

"Maybe being banned from racing should be enough." she suggested.

Hearing no response, she looked at him.

"Don't you think so?"

"Ah." he blinked twice. "Yes, that would suffice."

After giving out the rider's punishment – who thanked Lady (Y/n) for her mercy, and apologized to the King of Hearts – the two of them discussed the results of the race. It was certainly obvious that the champion of Spades would be disregarded, but it would seem that his teleportation stunt has caught the other riders off their guards, so the riders of both the Diamonds and Hearts demanded a do-over. Wally then spoke of the complex technicalities of chariot racing, which made (Y/n) beyond confused, like when she was hearing about Howdy's family drama. Except this time, she had no point of reference to help her.

"My King," she said. "I'm afraid I going to have to leave this matter into your hands."

"No problem, my Lady."

"Before I leave, may I ask you for a favor?"

"Anything. What is it?"

"Does Miss Partridge still have the teleportation crystal?"

"Actually, she gave it to me." he took it out of his pocket. "Why?"

"May I have it?"

His smile faltered.

"I want to get to the bottom of this." she added.

"...Alright." he smiled and gave it to her.

Wally couldn't help but think of what she could mean by this. Of course, the worst scenario came to his mind, but he quickly brushed those thoughts away. Lady (Y/n) would never, he thought, she wasn't that type of person.

The atmosphere may have become lighter at the afterparty, but it only meant that the loud parts were now being said quietly. Sir Casterham once again felt relieved to not be part of the Spades Kingdom anymore. He didn't want to have anything to do with Spades affairs anymore.

"Mister Casterham."

He yelped and flinched, startled as he turned around to see the Lady of Spades.

"Y-you again..." he huffed, regaining his composure. "What do you want?"

"I have just gone through a short investigation. May I walk you through my process?"

"What are you talking about?" he frowned, though he could feel the sweat on the back of his neck.

"I've simply asked the chariot rider where he found these teleportation crystals. He said he bought them from you- And I know what you will say." she quickly spoke again, seing his offended expression. "You can very well deny these claims indeed. Do not worry however, my investigation wasn't that short. I thought – for the sake of clarity – that the Kingdom of Clubs is also known for its magical crystals, the rider may have gotten it from someone who lives there. However, I have recently learned that the Clubs Kingdom has no mining system. Therefore, if any crystal gets out of the cave walls, it would remain uncut. And this." she held up the crystal in her hand. "Is a cut, polished gem, it almost looks like a jewel. Although I suppose that, now that it's out of magic, it is just a jewel. Some people do use them as such-"

"That doesn't prove anything!" he whispered sharply, glancing around to make sure no one was looking. "Doesn't mean Isold him those crystals!"

"You're right, it doesn't. Your reputation for selling already magically-charged crystals should be a good hint however."

"Th-Those are just rumors. I debunked them a long time ago."

"I looked over the chariot of the champion of Spades and found that the crystals on both the horse’s harness and the chariot were…for lack of a better term, crudely attached to them. As if he did it just today or right before the race. Now don’t you think that, if he had bought those crystals back home, he would’ve put a little more effort into hiding them?" she tilted her head.

He gulped.

"Which would means that someone at the Shuffling sold them to him. Now, shall I remind you that the sell of already magically-charged crystal is an unregulated market, and therefore illegal?"

"Th-That still doesn’t mean I did it! Maybe someone from the Clubs Kingdom just cut their crystal so that people won’t trace it back to them! This is a setup!"

"I also had a talk with Miss Partridge earlier. I've asked her how one could spot the difference between a crystal from the Clubs Kingdom's Enchanted Caves, and a crystal from the Spades Kingdom's mines. Apparently, the ones from the Spades Kingdom are much darker in hues. You are the only other Spades person here, you are a magic-user, you have access to magic crystals, and..." she held the crystal near his chest. "It matches perfectly with the crystals on your suit."

He gulped again. She leaned a bit closer.

"You are lucky that I have told nobody about this." she quietly said, a cold expression on her face. "But I can very well change that."

"You-" he sighed through his nose, knowing he can't say anything in return. 

"I know you haven't stolen just the property acts. Go back to the Spades Kingdom, give back everything that you stole to the High Council, and learn how to face the consequences of your actions."

"Oh, blackmail? From such a kind-looking lady?" he raised an eyebrow with a sneer. "What would the King of Hearts say about this huh?"

"Would you like me to ask him?"

His smile quickly fell.

"I have no kindness for people like you, sir." she leaned back. "Please, be gone by tomorrow morning. I will write a letter to the High Council to alert them of your arrival. If I get a letter back, telling me you haven't arrived in the next three days, then I swear it to the spirits that haunt the Dark Forest, I will find you and I will drag you back."

Casterham's face grew pale, he felt a shiver. He simply nodded before quickly walking away. Now alone, (Y/n) let out a long sigh, a hand over her heart, her shoulders dropping.

"Scared myself there." she said to herself.

She was glad that she took out two birds with one stone there, and when she went back to the party, people were kind when talking to her. They trusted her when she said the rider was alone in his actions. They said that, if anything, it only made today more thrilling and interesting. It made her so relieved.

"You did the right thing, you know?" Gwendolyn told her when the two fo them had a moment alone. "With Arnold."

(Y/n)’s mood quickly went down just thinking about it.

"I just... I knew I had to put my foot down once and for all. He was this close to insult a king."

"The King of Hearts on top of that." she pointed. "Everybody's sweetheart."

"Exactly!" she sighed. "I thought I taught him better than that, during the year we’ve worked together."

"Some kids just don't want to listen." she slowly shook her head.

"It's just... Doesn't he understand the gravity of the situation we're in?"

"He's got anger issues and a big fragile ego. It's a completely destructive combination."

(Y/n) looked down, her lips pursed.

"But hey," Gwendolyn lightly patted her shoulder. "you finally told him what he needed to hear. Maybe, if it's from you, he'll finally calm down."

"I just don't want him to get into trouble."

She smiled tightly.

"Gosh, you really are a mom." she chuckled.

"Oh come on now!" (Y/n) exclaimed. "You know it makes me feel old when you say that!"

Gwendolyn just laughed.

A short while later, the King of Hearts came back with all of the other riders. He made an announcement, about the disqualified champion of Spades – he made it very clear that it was a decision agreed upon by him and the High Council of Spades – and he also announced the new results of the race.

"I have spoken with the referees," he said, standing beside the riders who stood side by side, nervous. "based on criteria other than overall speed, we have come to a conclusion. It would seem that the true, fair winner of the race is... The champion of Diamonds."

Said rider jumped and shouted in joy while the crowd and the other riders cheered for him. After announcing second and third place – the champion of Hearts and the champion of the Grand Duchy of Hachi – he picked up a big golden cup that was half his size and handed it to the winner. He took it by the handles and as soon as Wally let go of it, it immediately dropped on the ground. It took three more people to lift it up the ground.

"If you'd like," Wally took it from them with just one hand, like it was nothing. "I could have it sent to you."

The crowd laughed.

"I'll even add in a gift basket." he added. "For all of you."

The chariot riders all cheered and thanked him.

After that, (Y/n) joined the three royals up a small hill, where their chariots were, the same small hill they met up on before the race. Frank had he smuggest of look on his face.

"Do remind me, dear friends. Who won?"

"You." they all said, both (Y/n) and Wally speaking in a matter-of-fact tone while Julie mumbled, clearly grumpy about it.

"Who?" he leaned closer with a hand to his ear.

"You."

"Why yes, I did!" he said, his fingertips on his chest. "Which means I won the bets!"

"Fiiiine!" Julie hung her head back. "I'll give you my bug-shaped crystals."

Frank squealed in glee, shaking his hands.

"Finally! After so many years! And you, Wally!" he pointed at him (who then pointed at himself). "You must also live up to your end of the bargain!"

"Okay." he nodded. "The password is 'leave please'. Say these words and everyone in the library will leave without question and you will have the royal library to yourself."

"That's it? Such a simple password! Although I suppose it is effective."

"Will you have to change your name as well, your Highness?" (Y/n) asked Wally.

"Not really. I did come in second."

"It wouldn't have mattered," Julie said. "we'd still call you Wally. And everyone else calls you by your title, (Y/n) included."

The Lady just glanced to the side, her cheeks dusted with pink.

"It would make all the difference, Julie." he smiled. "I would have to sign my letters differently. But that doesn't matter, since it won't happen after all." he turned to (Y/n). "Lady (L/n). Shall we go read the report?"

"Oh!" she blinked twice. "With everything that happened, I almost forgot! Yes, let's go." she nodded.

They smiled at each-other and said goodbye to Frank and Julie before walking down the hill. Now alone, the two best friends looked at each-other.

"Okay." Frank broke the silence. "Can we talk about this?"

"Yes!" Julie intensely nodded. "Yes we can!"

"First of all, Wally?!" he leaned closer.

"Right?!" she leaned closer as well. "With the thousands of suitors he has, not doing anything for him, I was starting to wonder if he could even fall in love!"

"I supposed he finds (Y/n)'s humbleness and simplicity out of the ordinary. But really, that is not what we should be concerned about here."

"Oh." Julie became gloomier, understanding what he was referring to. "Come one Frank, our best friend is in love! Can't we just be happy for him? And (Y/n) as well?"

"We could be, if this entire thing isn't just a ticking time bomb!"

"We don't know that for sure..."

As they ushered to each-other, something happened. Back in the castle, there was the noise again, louder this time and it went on longer. Only the few who stayed in the castle were witness to it. A wind blew throughout the estate. It made Wally look over at where it came from, toward then castle. 

"My King?"

He looked back at (Y/n).

"Watch out!" Frank suddenly shouted.

Wally looked up the hill and immediately tackled Lady (Y/n) out of the way. Just then, Julie's big chariot rolled passed them at great speed. Frank and Julie breathed a sigh of relief. Laying on her back, (Y/n) looked up at Wally, who looked down at her with a grave concern.

"Are you alright?"

"What happened?!" she quickly sat up.

He stood up and offered her a hand.

"Maybe Julie's vintage vehicle finally gave in after such a race." he said as he helped her up. "The horse's harness must've come undone and simply rolled down the hill."

(Y/n) was taken aback by his pull, once again surprised by his strength.

"...Thank you." she exhaled.

"Of course." he smiled softly.

'Are we still holding hands?'

Before she could even check, there was a crashing noise. All four of them looked down the hill, towards the southern gardens. It would seem that the chariot-carriage has crashed against a very expensive looking statue of the late Queen Ambrosia. It tumbled and crashed on the ground, breaking into pieces. 

"Why didn't you stop it Julie?!" Frank exclaimed.

"My..." she sniffed, her eyes glassy. "My chariot."

It would seem she was too shocked to do anything. It all happened so fast.

"Poppy is going to kill us!" 

"Suggestions?" Wally spoke.

"...I'd say running away, obviously." Julie said.

"I would suggest that as well." Frank nodded.

"I say we run away too." Wally nodded.

"...How far should we run away?" (Y/n) looked back at her two friends on top of the hill.

"Quite a long way." Frank said.

She looked back at the statue. From where they were, they could see some guards were on their way to check out where the noise came from.

"And how soon?" she looked at them again.

"Now." the three royals said at the same time.

As soon as they said that, they ran away towards the same direction. This was when (Y/n) got confirmation that her and the King of Hearts were indeed still holding hand, for he squeezed it and pulled her with him as they ran away.

She remembered all the anecdotes Julie would tell about the shenanigans her and her two best friends would partake in when they were kids. Almost all of them ended with the three of them running away from trouble together.

When the statue broke, (Y/n) was scared. But now, her heart was beating fast out of thrill.

She let out a heartfelt laugh. Wally looked back at her, his heart skipping a beat. Julie laughed too.

"What are you two laughing about?!" Frank glared at them, at the back of the group by now.

Wally laughed too.

The group made a detour and eventually went back to the party.

"Is it really okay though?" (Y/n) asked Wally. "I mean, it's a statue of your mother."

"No worries, it was one of her least favorites." he waved. "They didn't get her nose right."

'What nose?' she pursed her lips, telling herself to not say that out loud.

"What nose?" Julie frowned, confused.

"Julie!" both (Y/n) and Frank exclaimed.

Julie teased (Y/n) about calling her by her first name again, which embarrassed her. Just like that, she successfully escaped scolding and patted herself on the back!

Eventually, a couple of guards came over to Wally, telling him the bad news that one of the statues of his mother has been broken.

"What?" he covered his mouth, acting surprised. "That is most terrible news."

"And um..." one of the guards leaned closer to whisper. "The thing that crashed into the statue was the chariot from the Clubs Kingdom."

Wally gasped softly.

"Julie? A saboteur?"

"...A what, your Highness?"

"I will go talk to her, I'm sure this was just an unfortunate accident." he smiled before dismissing the guards.

He then went to Julie to tell her. She wasn't that concerned about breaking the statue (they've broken plenty before, and they can always just get a new better one), but Poppy will sure hear about this...

"We promised we wouldn't play chariots anymore, she'll totally know now!" 

"Don't worry Julie. I will talk to her." he smiled. "I was about to go to her after this anyway."

This made her feel a lot better.

He then went back to Lady (L/n), she was in the middle of a conversation.

"May we now get to our other matter of the day?" he asked.

"Oh, yes of course."

"Other matter huh?" a Viscount raised an eyebrow.

"Oh my." the other people in the conversation gave themselves a knowing look. 

"May we know what it is?" a Princess asked, clearly with the goal to tease them about it.

She picked the wrong people to do that with.

"Of course, Princess!" (Y/n)'s face lit up, happy that someone of her status was interesting in their plans. "We have collaborated on a restauration project for the Old Port of Spades."

"Not only for the sake of preserving a historical landmark, but also in order to restore transcontinental market in the Spades Kingdom. For they have resources that would benefit the other three Kingdoms."

"But I know what you're think, what about the post-Eclipse treaty? Well, after much considerations, we've decided that a few points were to be corrected, such as-"

Lady (Y/n) then went on a passionate monologue about political economy and how it could impact the neighboring kingdoms in the span of the next ten years or so. The Princess now regretted asking. Wally would sometimes add in a few details, for he knew that people would pay attention if he was part of that monologue, but he would much rather just listen to her.

"Um." the Princess's brother, the Prince, spoke at some point. "That's great, lady (L/n). Anyway, King of Hearts."

As soon as (Y/n) stopped talking – her lips pursed and embarrassed to have talked their ears off – Wally slowly turned his head to stare at the person who has interrupted her.

"Have you heard of the new-"

"One second please." he held up a finger, shutting him up before looking back at (Y/n) with a more genuine smile. "You were saying?"

"Ah. Um..." she glanced at everyone else in the conversation, she felt awkward now.

"Go on. I'm sure the others want to hear all about it. Right?" he smiled at them.

"R-Right!" "I was fascinated!" "Do go on, Lady (L/n)!"

That made her face lit up. She continued until the end.

After the event, she's learned that Arnold has spent the rest of the day in his room.

At the end of the day, today's official event of the Shuffling was a big success. 

But let us go back in time for just a moment, when (Y/n) spoke to Mr. Casterham. Although she made sure no one could hear them, people surely could see them and they could see the man leaving right after talking to her. Two people in particular were interested by this development. Just a few moments after leaving the afterparty, Casterham was stopped by two women: the Duchess of Tarock, and the Count of Rummoli's mother.

"Ladies." he bowed to them, speaking quickly so as to quickly end this conversation and leave. "Can I be of any service?"

"It would seem that we have a commun...annoyance, for the same person." the Duchess smiled. "This little noble constantly forgets her place, doesn't she?"

"If you're looking for some kind of alliance, I'm sorry to tell you that I must leave the Hearts Kingdom right away."

"The Lady of Spades has disrespected all three of us." the Countess said. "And she's been nothing but rewarded so far, flaunting her royal company to the entire Shuffling. Nothing irritates me more than disrespect going unpunished."

"As a fellow Spades, you must know some kind of weakness of hers, somewhere we can hit right where it hurts." the Duchess smirked.

"What do you say? Do you still want to leave?"

"Hey now, I never said I wasn't interested."

He looked around, to make sure they were alone, before stepping closer to them. The two ladies didn't like the close proximity, but they bore with it for the sake of their plan.

"I do have to leave, but I shall leave you with a golden piece of information. The word going around about the (L/n) family."

The two ladies frowned, intrigued.

"Have you ladies ever heard of their name before?"

They shook their heads.

"Exactly." he smirked.

The next day, (Y/n) was getting herself ready for a friendly meetup with Julie and other noble ladies, when Catherine suddenly busted into her room.

"Lady (Y/n)!"

"Catherine!" she flinched, a hand over her heart. "Please knock next time, you've startled me."

"Sorry, sorry, but I had to come to you as soon as possible. We've received a letter from the Council members back home, to give us an update on how things were going. And they also have some news." her smiled widened. "I know this project means a lot to you, so I know you're going to want to read this." she handed her the letter. "It also came with this." she handed a file.

Intrigued, (Y/n) took the letter. At first, she didn't react much, but when she got to that part, her expression slowly changed as she sat up straight. Once she was done, she looked at Catherine with wide eyes and her mouth agape. Catherine nodded with a big smile.

"Oh my gosh." 

(Y/n) then quickly took the file and opened it, spreading the multiple papers throughout her desk and reading each of them with a silent intensity.

"No way!"

"This is good right?"

"Good?!" she leaned towards her, making her lean back. "This is..." she looked over at the papers in disbelief then cried victory in the old Spades language.

She then gathered all of them and put them back into the files before rushing passed Catherine. 

"I'll have to apologize to Julie, I won't be attending her picnic."

"What?! Is that really okay?!" Catherine followed her out of the room, but stopped in the living room area. "What will they say back there if you're absent from the Queen's picnic?"

"It'll be fine, don't worry. Julie is my friend." she looked back at her with a smile. "She'll support me, and no one can disagree with a Queen. Bye!"

And with that, she was off. Catherine sighed.

Wally didn't like working, despite being good at it, and despite being used to it. He would much rather do anything else. Which was why he'd keep a blank sheet of paper to doodle on whenever he wanted a break. When he heard a knock on his office's door, he quickly hid it under his paperwork.

"Come in." he spoke.

The door quickly opened.

"My King!"

Wally's face lit up. 

"Lady (L/n), what a pleasant surprise. Do come in."

She stepped in and closed the door behind her.

"May we confer? I will be sure to make it quick."

He was taken aback, but gladly moved his papers aside.

"Of course," he stood up. "my door is always open to you. What is the matter?"

"I have this project for which I have received some news, and I simply must pitch it to you."

He smiled. Work was always easier when he was with a friend. And with Lady (L/n), it was a pleasure. She was the only friend he had that actually enjoyed working in politics, like it was a hobby.

"I can only ask you for this. The technological advancements your Kingdom has made all thanks to you need no introduction. There is no denying that you are more experienced than me on the subject, I know this project will bear its fruits with your help and contribution."

Wally chuckled, hiding his big smile with the back of his hand.

"If you want me to say yes so badly, Lady (L/n), you need not flatter me this much. Although I appreciate it."

She blushed.

"Just tell me about this project of yours." he sat back on his chair.

"Very well!" she nodded, smiling. 

She walked up to his desk and placed down a map.

"Before getting to it, I must explain a bit of backstory. This is a map of the Kingdom of Spades. Do you see this river?"

She pointed at a blue line, Wally leaned closer and quickly noticed something strange. Rivers would go from one body of water to another, but this one started right in the middle of a plain. Not only that but it was going in a straight line. It was named the Dark River.

"A few centuries ago, there was a tornado, very violent that made a lot of damage. Some experts said it was a very rare kind. After it passed, people have found this giant uprooted tree in this very spot." she pointed at where the river started. "It wasn't like any tree they've ever seen." she leaned in closer. "That tree, came from the Dark Forest. The tornado was strong enough to uproot it and send it flying aaaall the way over there!"

"Oh my." he leaned over his desk, invested in this story. "It must've been a really powerful tornado."

"It must've been yes. The people quickly wrapped its roots in ropes and pulled it all back to the forest. And the trail it made turned into this river.

Wally checked the scales at the corner of the map, it was a very long way from the Dark River to the Dark Forest. Just how scared of that place are these people, he asked himself.

"Now of course, they couldn't fully put it back in the Dark Forest, so half of it goes over the mushroom line." she paused. "Which means that we have access to wood from the Dark Forest."

Wally froze. Where was she going with this?

"Ever since I became a member of the High Council, I have funded this research on magical items. To use one requires a magic-user to charge it with a spell, and because of that, it will only work for a limited time or for a one-time use. However!" she opened the file and pulled out some of the papers to place them in front of him. "This study shows that the magic would remain if the material used to make the item is filled with ancient magic! This is why potions from the Kingdom of Clubs are much more powerful! Because they are made from the waters of the Enchanted Caves!"

Her enthusiasm and the passion put into every word she spoke contrasted with Wally's grave expression. He pretended to read the study so he wouldn't have to look at her smile.

"This is..." she held her head. "Revolutionary! Just imagine, music boxes that don't need rewinding, candles that lit up as soon as they're placed onto a chandelier-" she gasped. "Horseless carriages? Oh my gosh!" she leaned closer to him, stars in her eyes. "Imagine everyone – not just magic-users – benefiting from magic, it would make life for everyone so much easier!"

"No."

There was a moment of silence. (Y/n) blinked, her expression frozen.

"E...Excuse me?"

Wally put down the research paper and joined his hands together, resting them on top of his desk.

"Experimenting with magic is something, but experimenting on ancient magic – primal magic – is an entirely other thing. Besides, isn't it against your culture to cut wood from the Dark Forest?"

"Well..." she leaned back. "It is very much frowned upon, by everyone including the Council. But as I said before, for the sake of the people, I'm willing to bear the backlash. A-And this will be very beneficial, if you just look at-"

"My Lady, I must tell you. I pains me to say this but... We have experimented in such things, we've tried to make magical items for non-magic users. And it was a complete failure."

(Y/n) tilted her head, curious that she's never read about this when she was studying his work. He didn't seem to like saying the word 'failure'.

"I... I understand what you're saying." she nodded. "Maybe, you just didn't have all the pieces of the puzzle. Maybe these research papers can provide some new intel or insight." she slid the papers halfway towards him. "I mean, we have wood from the oldest most magical place in the land!"

"Which should make you even more hesitant to go through with this little project."

She frowned, not liking his choice of words there.

"Who knows what the impact of exposure to such a material could be." he continued. "I don't believe it would be any good to have a piece of the Dark Forest in your home."

"We have studied and experimented on it for a year now, your Highness. I can assure you that it's safe."

"And this wood comes from a single tree, this limited resource is bound to run out eventually. Have you thought of what to do when that will happen?"

"Yes of course, I'm not saying we should cut down trees from the Dark Forest." she rolled her eyes. "But I am saying that this is a good start. We can use the wood to make prototypes then use them as blueprints for-"

"You want to...replicate ancient magic? Nature's magic?"

"...It wouldn't hurt to try." she shrugged.

His eyes grew a little bigger, but he relaxed soon after.

"Well, now I know for sure that you are not a magic-user. Such a thing is unheard of, for it is impossible. I can assure you, you are wasting your time."

A moment passed where they just looked at each-other. The King of Hearts, his eyes so warm and kind before, now cold and emotionless. She couldn't understand how such a switch in personality happened, nor could she find a logical reason for it.

"...What is your problem?"

"Excuse me?"

"Did you know that, because of the multiple setbacks from our late King, the commun people of the Spades Kingdom are significantly behind when it comes to technology?" she placed her hands on the desk and leaned closer to him, a stern look on her face. "They need to catch up if we want to open up the borders again. This is the best solution there is." she tapped her fingertips on the file. "For any land where a majority of the population aren't magic-users, this is a game changer!"

As she spoke, Wally clenched his intertwined hands, digging his fingernails into his skin, yet keeping the most neutral of expressions.

"Basing such a project on 'what if's is the work of amateurs. I'm sorry, but I canton support-"

"It's not a 'what if'! Yes these paper show small results but it is a first step to something greater! And even if it was just 'what if's, since when has aspirations stopped any ruler from achieving greatness?!"

"There's no need to raise your voice. I am simply being logical-"

"Are you?" she glared. "I have spoken of many other projects! Why is this the one thing that you so eagerly dismiss? Do you refuse to help the commun people?! Or do you despise the idea of letting others succeed where you yourself have failed?!"

Wally suddenly slammed his hands on the desk, creating a gust of wind that made all the paper fly away, and it made (Y/n) leaned back with a gasp. He stood up and stare at her. His pitch black eyes sent a shiver down her spine, and for a moment that felt a lot longer, she felt a lot smaller than him. She's never seen him like this before. Despite no change in expressions she could tell that he was angry. 

"I shall dismiss your disrespect as simple passion, for I can tell that this means a lot to you." he spoke, his voice as calm as ever. "However I will make the situation clear. You have asked for our Kingdoms to collaborate on this project, and I politely decline. For this project is doomed to fail."

(Y/n) looked down, taking in the moment. A moment where the past weeks didn't exist. A moment in which they were not friends, but representatives of their Kingdoms. Hearts and Spades, at odds once again...

"What if I can prove to you that it will work?"

"It won't."

She clenched her fists. He sounded so sure of himself. Wally took a deep breath, putting his hands behind his back. Then, using magic, he made all the papers fly back to the desk, neatly stacked on top of each-other.

"I'm sorry, Lady (L/n)."

"No, I'm sorry." she picked up the map and the papers, putting them back in the file. "I believed that, since the Kingdom of Hearts is a known pillar of innovation, its ruler would be the same. And I thought that, even with your previous experience, you would still be hopeful to try and make a change for the better." she bowed. "Thank you for your time your Highness. I wish you a good day."

And with that, she left, quietly closing the door behind her. Wally took a deep breath and sat back in his chair. He tapped the top of his desk with his index, resting his hand on the palm of his other hand, his gaze distant. He kept tapping until the desk broke.

He wasn't the only one lost in thoughts. Whenever (Y/n) was upset about something, she would go for a walk, either around the house, or outside in the woods near her estate. She mindlessly walked through the hallways and corridors of the castle with quick steps. She kept replaying what happened in her mind, and everytime she just grew more angry.

'A waste of time? What is his problem?!'

She groaned, frustrated. It echoed throughout the long empty hallway. The curtains moved lightly as she passed by.

'First Arnold, now him?! And even before that with Brahms! And even before that there was-'

"Urh! Men!" she let out, her voice echoing throughout the long empty hallway.

'And yes I am raising my voice! How else am I supposed to react when you're being so dismissive?!'

The sound of her footsteps echoed through the long empty hallway.

'I'm being disrespectful?! No you're disrespectful!'

She was so angry, so focused on her internal arguments, that she hasn't realized that she has been walking for a while, and every time she would turn a corner, it would be to the right. Which simply didn't make any sense. Not just considering the layout of the castle, but that would also mean that she had been walking around for a while now. Not only that, but there were no doors. The same decorative flowers every five meters or so. The same window with the same view. The same hallway, the same corner. And there was no one but her.

'I should've known that he has the ego of a Hearts!'

She closed her eyes and stopped herself in her tracks, raising her hands.

"No. Let's not..." she held the bridge of her nose. "Let's not do that."

'Engaging in stereotypes is just wrong.' 

She took a deep breath, hanging her head down, her sigh echoed throughout the long and empty hallway.

'Hold on.' she opened her eyes again. 'How long have I been walking?'

Just then she realized the path she'd taken. She looked up and caught a glimpse of this surreal place she was in. With no way in nor out. Suddenly the window beside her burst open with a powerful wind. The curtains covered her and she quickly closed the window again. She looked ahead of her again, her breath shallow. The hallway looked normal, the view outside looked normal, there were doors and different flowers, she was back in a normal hallway. Was what she saw even real?  

She took a deep breath again. She needed to get her head back on her shoulders. She went on, this time being aware of her surroundings.

When she was back in the Spades quarters, (Y/n) went to her room. She ran a hand through her hair then met the eyes of her reflection in the mirror. She stepped closer to it, looking into her own eyes with pursed lips.

"What have you been doing?" she slowly shook her head.

She looked over at her desk. Letters to friends, color-coordinated schedules for friendly meetups, small arts-n-crafts trinkets she's been practicing making.

'I need to focus. I need to remember who I am and why I'm here.'

She moved them all aside and put down the file in front of her as she sat at her desk. She pulled out her paperwork that she's put on the back burner these past few days, and she began writing some letters.

Lady (Y/n) spent the rest of the day working.

Chapter Text

When Wally's desk finally broke – split into half – he called Barnaby and asked to get someone to replace it with a new one. 

"A brand new desk shall be there in less than an hour, your Majesty!" one of the servants told him as they took the broken desk away.

Barnaby looked at Wally, he was unresponsive.

"No problem pals." he smiled at them, replying for him. "Take your time."

When they left, leaving the two of them alone, Barnaby sighed and lit up a pipe before sitting on the couch.

"What got you so angry bud?"

"Angry?" this snapped him back to reality and he smiled at his dog friend. "Oh Barnaby, I'm never angry."

"I can tell you are right now. You always get quiet when you're angry."

"I am not." 

Just as he pressed on the word, the floor beneath him cracked a little bit with a single loud noise. Barnaby glanced down at it, then back at Wally. He sighed and made a mental note to also ask for someone to fix the floorboards.

"Why don't you tell your best doggy buddy what happened?" he patted the spot on the couch next to him.

"Very well." 

He sat down and told him all about Lady (L/n)'s abrupt visit. Barnaby inhaled through his teeth.

"Seems you got yourself in a reaaaal tricky situation there." 

"Now she hates me..." Wally rested his head on his palms, his elbows on his knees.

"I don't think she hates you, bud."

"I yelled at her."

"No you didn't." he smiled with a raised eyebrow. "You may get angry, but you never yell."

"I might has well have." he sighed. "I couldn't find any good reason to decline her offer and I ended up being rude." he leaned back in his seat, rubbing his face. "What will she think of me now?"

"I think...She'll probably make you regret those words." he chuckled. "What if she actually succeeds huh?"

"Considering our situation, I don't want to risk finding out."

"So what, you're gonna stop her?"

Wally pursed his lips as he thought about Lady (L/n).

"Mmmmh!" he whined. "She sounded so happy and excited when she told me about this project. Why does she have to be so passionate when she talks? Why does she have to be so intelligent and charming? I couldn't find any flaw in her arguments." he folded his arms with a pout. "It pained me to say no to her."

Barnaby blinked, his eyes big, wondering if his best friend was aware of the words that came out of his mouth.

"Hey, who knows, maybe it will be different this time. They have the knowledge, we have the experience and the resources, maybe, combining our powers together, it could actually work."

Wally looked up at him, silent.

'Oooooh he's mad.'

"Eh but what do I know?" he shrugged leaning back in his seat. "I'm just a lil pup!"

"I don't like acting like a King when I'm with her."

"...Hate to break it to you Wally, but you are a King."

Wally looked down, fidgeting with the cufflinks on his sleeve. Barnaby could tell that he was still overwhelmed by his conversation with (Y/n). And that reality check he just gave him did not help.

"You wanna go to Howdy's and get a vienna coffee?"

Wally gasped and looked up at him again, this time with a spark in his eyes.

"Can we?"

Barnaby chuckled. As they left, there was the noise again, echoing throughout the castle from within its walls.

"Say, about that noise...?"

"I spoke to Poppy about it." Wally said, not looking at him. "Everything is under control. We just need to reassure the guests that no, the plumbing won't burst out of the walls."

Barnaby laughed.

"Who said that?!"

"Old Lady Marshine."

"Who invited her?!"

"I didn't."

The two best friends laughed.

Lady Catherine got back from a tea party. It was terrible. And it was for couples only so she had to pretend to still be with Brahms. To add on top of that, she must keep doing that until the end of the Shuffling. She couldn't just decline the invitation, since the people who invited them were of a high rank, and making connections with them would be very beneficial to Lady (Y/n)'s plan. So Catherine bore with it, and Brahms took full advantage of that, acting as affectionate as ever, knowing she would have to reciprocate, lest the scandal would have been known. However she made sure to share her real feeling with him via quiet whispers. And they've agreed that Brahms would leave early, before her, under the pretext to have something planned elsewhere and that he didn't want to be late.

Before he left, he kissed Catherine on the lips as a goodbye, unprompted. She wanted to slap the smile out of his face so badly, but they both knew she couldn't do anything. The feeling of disgust in her stomach never really left. She once pretended to drink some tea, but she really just dipped her lips in the liquid, thinking maybe that'll make her feel less dirty. It didn't.

When she went back to the Spades quarters, she really washed her face this time. Arnold hasn't left his room, his door was still locked shut, with the sound of footsteps on the other side.

'He's been in there ever since yesterday. What in the world is he doing- Actually I don't wanna know.' she sighed.

But then, she heard the sound of quill on paper. She walked up to Lady (Y/n)'s room and opened the door a little bit.

"Lady (Y/n)?"

Said lady was hunched over her desk, writing like she's been told she was going to die tomorrow. With pursed lips, Catherine closed the door again and went about her business.

She didn't have anything else planned for today. And she didn't really want to go outside at the moment. Catherine stayed in and tried to occupy herself as best as she could. A couple of hours passed, and she realized that something was wrong when, while reading, she realized that she's been going over the same paragraph three times now. She dropped the book on her lap and let out a sigh. After that tea party, she wanted to talk to a friend. 

She went back to Lady (Y/n)'s room. She hasn't moved from her chair.

"Um...Lady (Y/n)?" she stepped into the room.

(Y/n) didn't respond.

"Lady (Y/n)?" she called, louder this time.