The nightmare began when Namjoon stormed into the clearing with tears and anger in his eyes.

"Do you love me?" he began, his voice cracking with a boiling fury Seokjin had never seen before.

"What do you mean? Of course I"--

Namjoon took out a crumpled, torn piece of parchment, soft with folds and wrinkles. Throwing it to the ground at Seokjin's feet, he began to bawl; all reason and good judgement had left him.

"Don't lie to me, snake!" he screamed, blood simmering in his veins. Taken aback by the insult, Seokjin's tears began to flow again, standing up and staring at this stranger he barely knew.

This has to be some sort of elaborate joke...this can't be Namjoon...

"Where is all this even coming from"-- the noble started, reaching down to pick up the letter. Namjoon suddenly grabbed his hand, staring at the man he once loved with hard, cruel eyes.

"The same person who says he loves me...betrayed me."

Seokjin's eyes widened in pure fear, still incessantly raining down his desert skin.

"Kim Seokjin..."

The words he dreaded were being spoken by the one person who had the power to brighten the sun and darken his heart.

"...if you value your honor, and your life..."

Yoongi had long inched away from Seokjin, fearing the king's wrath. Taehyung, Seonbi and Jimin, along with the injured guard, were already being rushed out by Hoseok, who knew what could happen if Namjoon lashed out. The royal's anger rarely heightened to this level, but when it did, it was as if he reached down and pulled hell from the ground to enclose all who stood in his way -- regardless of whether it was an unspeakable crime or a single word.

"...you will step down from your position as First Lord of the North..."

"Stop this! Namjoon, please! This isn't you!" Seokjin wailed, trying to pull his hand out of Namjoon's iron grip. "Namjoon, don't do this! Please!"

"...and you will leave here immediately..."

Seokjin lamented, suddenly realizing that the king of his life, his heart, his country and his thoughts was leaving him; that his whole world was crumbling to pieces.

He cried out to him one more time, hoping that somehow he could bring him back, yet knowing that he was already gone.

"I love you!"

"I no longer wish to see you."

Suddenly dejected and truly feeling the weight of his broken world and heart on his shoulders, Seokjin slumped back down on the ground, letting his hand fall to his lap as Namjoon dropped it. The king left the clearing as he came -- crying, angry, and unstable. Everyone else was at the palace by now, probably ashamed of Seokjin's "betrayal", he thought.

Seokjin barely knew what was going on.

He crawled weakly towards a cluster of trees, pulling his knees into his chest and letting out a small, strangled cry as he relived over and over in his mind the shattering of his heart. He rocked back and forth in one spot, inhaling a sharp breath of the cold evening air into his cold body.

If you no longer wish to see me...I no longer wish to live.

Jimin rushed to his offices, hurriedly shutting the door and lighting all the candles in the room. Falling quickly to his knees at the low desk in front of him, he read the letter that Namjoon had thrown at Seokjin. Steadying his beating heart, he examined the penmanship on the paper, knowing fully well that Seokjin would never think of doing such a thing to the one he loved so much.

Namjoon spoke about Seokjin to anyone and everyone willing to listen, describing him as a blessing sent from heaven to watch over him. He remembered every detail about him, from the way he dressed each day to the number of times he called his name. Seokjin was the reason why he banished Sura to the mountain castle. Seokjin was the reason why the Silcho were captured, and Taehyung, Seonbi and Eunri were safe. Seokjin was the reason why there was peace. He gave meaning to it.

Somehow, Namjoon had been led into a lie.

Jimin's mind suddenly went back to the old letters he used to relay with Sura. With frantic movements and a pounding heart, he searched for the letters in the place he hid them from prying eyes, pulling up a loose piece of wood and digging in the small hole he found some moons ago when he first got to the palace.

Almost ripping the paper in half, he took the letter and almost slammed it on the table, staring at the disturbing similarity between the incriminating calligraphy and Sura's handwriting.

He immediately grabbed both letters and ran out of his office, sprinting like a wild horse in a meadow down to the quiet palace hall, where yelling and crying were filling the thick, wooden walls.

"Do you truly believe he's done something so cruel to you?" Taehyung raged, defending his best friend.

"The evidence is clear! He's in love with someone else! And of all people, it's you!" he shouted back, fighting fire with fire.

Seonbi stepped up. "Lord Kim would never," she spat, riled with indignation. "How dare you accuse my husband? Or Lord Seokjin?"

Outside the palace hall, Jungkook paced around, shaking his head as he stared at the door. Jimin sprinted up to him, almost unable to stop himself from speeding into the door.

"It's crazy in there! They're all arguing and screaming at each other!" Jungkook said, grabbing Jimin's hand. "What's going on?"

"We've all been lied to," Jimin said, his voice coated with anger. "I'm going to settle this once and for all."