Losing a Crown, Gaining a Treasure

Losing a Crown

Taehyung steps back from the canvas; head tilted as he studies the half-finished painting, he's working on.
Jimin looks up, watching him intently before speaking, "Do you need me to get you anything?"
Taehyung shakes his head, "No, I have all the supplies I need. At least for today."
"Are you sure? I haven't had any tasks all day, My Prince."
Taehyung shoots him a look, "Fine, come here and tell me what is missing from this if you want something to do." He and Jimin were the same age, and no matter how many times he has to tell the servant, Jimin consistently forgot to act as a friend instead of hiring help.
Jimin happily hops off the stool he has been sitting on for the last several hours while Taehyung had been painting.
He studies the canvas for a long moment, Taehyung watching him for a response.
"I really don't know; it's missing a lot of paint?" Jimin says hesitantly looking up at Taehyung.
Taehyung sighs, "Why do I even bother asking you? I need Namjoon or something."
Jimin shrugs and his training triggers him into a bow, an apology on his slips. Taehyung snorts and flicks the shorter man's forehead.
"You act like we aren't friends," Taehyung frowns at Jimin.
Suddenly they both turn as the door bursts open and Namjoon himself comes into the room, he fumbles with the door and turns to them, breathing heavily.
"Speak of the devil! Joonie-Hyung, can you give me your opinion on my painting?" Taehyung asks the older man with a smile on his face.
Namjoon nods and looks at the canvas as he catches his breath, "it's good, Taehyung, you just need to add more black into the background as you fill in the other colors."
Taehyung studies the half-finished canvas again and then nods, a grin spreading across his face.
"I have to talk to you about something Taehyung, your brother sent me over," Namjoon says quietly.
Taehyung whips around to Namjoon, worry blooming in his eyes. Seokjin and Taehyung had an agreement that they would always be honest and upfront with each other about things happening in the kingdom. A year ago, when their father passed away, Seokjin had promised that he would always tell Taehyung important things in person, not through advisors or letters. Namjoon wasn't exactly a servant but the fact that someone was sent in the first place was indicative of a potential issue.
"Is something wrong? Is he sick?" Taehyung drops his paintbrush and palate on the table next to him, already reaching for the ties of his apron. Jimin moves to help him take the cloth off as Namjoon begins to assure him.
"Jin is fine, but he's running around busy with some stuff," Namjoon pats Taehyung's hand to calm him, "We just received word that the tension in Artelia is at an all-time high, they are planning a journey here and the threat of war is only growing."
Taehyung studies Namjoon now, painting forgotten as Jimin cleans up the studio unprompted.
"What can I do?" Taehyung asks, ready to spring into motion at a moment's notice.
Namjoon smiles softly, "There isn't much you can do, Tae, Jin needs time to prepare for their arrival. Lay low. Maybe it would be a good idea to have a small bag packed in case we need to get you out of here quickly."
Taehyung frowns, "You can't expect me to run away if war breaks out!"
"Yes, we do expect that. We can't have everyone in the royal family in the danger zone, and you know your brother will be the last to leave his country behind. We just want you to be safe," Namjoon looks into Taehyung's eyes, imploring him to listen and understand.
Taehyung pouts like a toddler would and Namjoon can't help the chuckle that he lets out. Taehyung wasn't really that much younger than he was himself, but the boy was too endearing sometimes.
"Just think about it Taehyung, we can pray it doesn't come to that, but it may," He pats Taehyung's shoulders, "I need to go to your mother now, behave yourself."
Taehyung sighs and nods, knowing the last part of that came from both Namjoon and Seokjin. And Seokjin was the king now, he had to listen to his brother.
Namjoon quickly says something to Jimin and leaves the room, much more gracefully than he had entered it.
Jimin waits quietly near his stool, not sure what Taehyung's next move was going to be, maybe he shouldn't have put away the painting.
"Let's go to the gardens," Taehyung finally looks up. Jimin sighs, the look on Taehyung's face wasn't a good one. For the next few days, he was going to be moody. At least this time he had a very good reason to be unhappy.
Jimin opens the studio door and lets Taehyung walk through as they head through the large stone castle, down a few sets of stairs, across several large rooms, and down a long hallway to the small door in the rear of the castle that Taehyung liked to use over the larger entrance in the conservatory.
Jimin holds the heavy wooden door open and shuts it carefully after Taehyung passes through, almost running into the prince as he turns to follow him into the garden.
Jimin looks up where Taehyung is staring and sighs, Jungkook must be on weeding duty today, "Should we go back in, Prince?"
Taehyung doesn't respond for a long moment, "No, let's go," He takes a deep breath and walks down the path that he loves the most, despite it leading right past the man crouched in the daisy beds.
Jimin sighs and follows Taehyung at a respectful distance, knowing that other servants and workers would talk at the slightest divergence from palace decorum.
Jungkook bows as they walk by, shooting Jimin a small smile after Taehyung had passed him and Jimin nods slightly before hurrying after the prince.
"Taehyung, you really shouldn't just ignore him. You talk to every other servant," Jimin whispers.
Taehyung stops in the path as they cross into a small, wooded area, "I don't care what I should do."
Jimin sighs, now out of sight of any other servants or busybodies.
Taehyung frowns, "He obviously doesn't want me to speak to him, he requested a different job all on his own without telling me."
"I think you should just ask him why. It's been like two years now and neither of you are over it."
Taehyung turns and continues down the path, "No if he doesn't want to be near me, I won't force him."
Jimin rolls his eyes but follows his charge further into the grove of trees, "At least I got an easy position out of him switching."
Taehyung only seems to become moodier as he walks along, staring at the ground instead of up at the branches and flowers he normally enjoys so much.
Jimin resigns himself to a quiet afternoon and evening and closes his mouth, Taehyung needed to work himself out of his mood on his own.