The Court of Hearts

The Jack - 1/2

Sit down, get some popcorn, and buckle up for the ride. 

It is a nice, sunny day. Two children are sitting in the Royal garden, their backs against the cool wall, letting the sun warm their faces. Early spring, the garden in full bloom.

"Krissie?" the boy asks. "Do you think I'll be a good King?" The other opens her eyes, as blue as the sky, and replies. "If you're compassionate and selfless to your people, I don't see why not."

"Really?" the boy bounces.

"Really. That's all there is," she shrugs. "Here," she starts collecting the dandelions growing here despite the gardeners' effort to kill them. She makes a dandelion crown, the boy bows his head, and she asks him "Prince Mathias, do you promise to be fair, to take care of all your people, to put the kingdom's needs above your own?"

"I do," the boy says determinedly.

"Then I hereby crown you the King of Hearts!" the girl wearing the red hood exclaims as she places the crown upon his head, and smiles the proudest of smiles. The boy can't see it, though, as he's adjusting the crown, head still bowed, the sun shining on his face and warming him.

Years later, as the real crown is being placed upon his head, both the warmth and the girl are missing.

<3

The beautifully decorated room was overridden by chaos as people backed away from where the- the thing, the monster! sat on the floor, hands raised in a vain try to protect himself against the sword, which was coming closer... closer...

Amongst the crowd of people, a teenage boy struggled against his captor's hold as he yelled one single name before there was a hand covering his mouth.

"Krist-lmmmfwhmm!"

Focus on that boy.

Hi, my name is Andrias and you're probably wondering how did I get into this mess. Well, that's a long story. Take a seat and open your mind.

<3

Shall we play a game of cards?

Rich Diamonds. Lucky Clubs. Mighty Spades. Beautiful Hearts.

These are the Four kingdoms ruling over the world. Each of them has a King, each King has a Queen, and they have a Jack, serving them whenever they may go. These three are called a Court and they're the ones ruling over a kingdom. That's the only way to achieve balance. But balance... doesen't necesserily mean peace, now, does it?

<3

"ANDRIAS!! MOVE YOUR LAZY ARSE AND GET OVER HERE!!!"

The ten-year-old sighed at the sound of his mother's voice. She doesen't yell at his precious siblingslike this, it's only him who's treated almost like a slave in this household. He didn't want to move from his spot, observing the ever-moving ocean, waves crashing onto a beach below him. He likes it. He likes to imagine the lands far away, the lands of the Four kingdoms, the ones he's only heard about in fairytales and old stories. The vast forests of Clubs, golden fields of Diamonds, crystal clear lakes of Spades and colourful gardens of Hearts. Here, on this archipelago, was none of that. Only dangerous cliffs, bright green grass, waterfalls on another island the head of the family took them for a very short vacation once, and wild ocean beneath. The scenery was nice, but Andrias was bored out of his mind. He's already seen everything on these islands, and he liked it, but he wanted to see what's beyond. What's out there. What more does the world have to offer other than this small fishing village.