Villainess Of Hearts

"No. I just find them interesting… as a person. What else could be possibly there in your lands, Lady Duke?" The Queen of Hearts asked.

Catherine Duke didn't know what to answer the Queen and she wasn't sure of the sudden interest either. The Chesire was often detached from most of their encounters, jovial and grinning but still distant… So what had caught the Queen's eye? The mere fact that they were not someone under her control perhaps? As for the Blue Forest and her own lands, she opted to smile sheepishly. "Not everything has been explored yet, Your Majesty. The majority of the Blue Forest is uncharted territory, quite similar to the forest just behind the castle."

"I had some thoughts of clearing it up, but the forest has always been there." Rosalyn Lockhart explained with a small smile.

Even though Catherine Duke did wish that her old friend would smile more often like she had done so in the past, seeing her do so was another experience. The Lady once again sipped her tea, "There must be some good luck associated with it, perhaps?"

"Luck? That's quite a Clover concept."

She coughed and waved a hand, "Though the Clover Kingdom is more known for their incredible luck, it doesn't mean that the Hearts people and others don't have the capacity for luck, Your Majesty." Catherine Duke already had troubles discussing luck with the Queen of Hearts before, in the last time that they had tea, she had to turn around her statement from saying that the Queen was lucky, to the King being lucky.

'I guess you are right, you are quite lucky after all… I mean, erm uh, it was all due to… Your husband is quite handsome. He's lucky to have you.'

That had been her statement before and though it was true that Alexander Hartsmichdt was lucky to have Rosalyn Lockhart as a Queen. (She didn't know how well the two of them would have gotten along if Catherine had won that time) But the idea of the current Queen as not being lucky couldn't be denied even if the current Queen herself didn't think of it that way.

Rosalyn Lockhart was incredibly lucky.

"I suppose, but one does not have much need for luck—what matters is the effort you've put into it. One's effort will always triumph luck, won't it?" The Queen of Hearts placed her teacup down into the table and she seemed troubled. The woman wanted to tell it to Catherine and yet there was a touch of doubt in her tone.

What could have possibly happened to the Queen that made her consider this a lot?

And yet, she needed to be honest. At least Catherine Duke wanted to say what was on her mind, "Your Majesty, you are still fortunate in a sense—what would have happened if you were not born of the Lockhart House for example? I feel that luck does determine things to some extent."

Rosalyn Lockhart remained silent.

Perhaps she had said too much? No, there was no perhaps—she knew that this wasn't something to be said in polite company, but when one was around Her Majesty… or at least, Rosalyn, a little honesty was something that surprised the woman.

More than often, most servants and nobles treated her with cloying and excessive fawning. Catherine Duke wanted to be the honest one, even if she sometimes fell back on her own apologies. Was she thinking too hard about this?

A loud sigh escaped Rosalyn Lockhart's lips, "Perhaps I am fortunate—but there are those who are always much luckier, don't you agree? And the only choice I have is to work harder than usual to even make the battleground a lot more fair." The Queen of Hearts pulled up to her feet and offered them a smile, "Thank you for the tea, Lady Duke. It seems that I have to return to my duties, however. I do hope that you have a nice stay for the duration—perhaps the Queen of Clovers would appreciate having your company. She is staying for another week or so."

. . .

The Joker was still around—as for the reason why. Even he wasn't quite sure. Perhaps it was just boredom, there wasn't much to do now that the Card Trials were over and the Four Suit Kingdoms were still happy to play peace with one another.

Well, it had only been possible due to his intervention through the past ages, but there was only so much that he could do to amuse himself nowadays. He sighed and clinked the cup of tea back into its saucer as they eyed the individual across from them, "It must be so useful being able to go wherever you wish, don't you think?"

"...er, I suppose." The person across from them twitched uncomfortably in their seat.

"Now, now—my role might seem amazing, wonderful and honorable—but ah, what have I heard from those people before. 'Everybody wants to be a cat' as their life is simply more pleasant and that applies to you as well, Mister Chesire."

The cat person didn't answer and they hadn't exactly touched their cup of milk either. If prompted to more trouble, it wouldn't take much time for them to start retreating and that much in of itself was some minor amusement. Even though he would have loved to tease the King of Hearts or visit the Queen of Clovers, he would give them some reprieve.

The Joker's eyes twitched for a moment, "I really don't appreciate silent guests—or perhaps, I don't enjoy being ignored."

A small cough would sound in the room.

"I have no understanding of what you were trying to say," The Chesire picked up the cup of milk that he had received and sniffed it. His face scrunched up lightly but he began to lick it, and then decided to drink it down.

The Joker blinked and then waved a hand, "Ah forget it, let us discuss some other matter that may have come to my attention. Assassins—you've dealt with them, haven't you?"

"I do not like dabbling in matters like this, Joker."

"So you say, but you've intervened haven't you?" The Joker sighed and rubbed his cheek with a spare hand. "I once offered to have you as my pet but you refused it, now you're lounging around here like it's your home."

"There is… food here. Lots of it."

"Huh, for someone of your composition and nature—it's not really that substantial for you."

Once again silence encompassed the room before the Chesire shook his head, "But the both of us are still here and enjoying milk and tea, it's still an activity that's satisfying."

A chuckle escaped the Joker's lips, "Ah, right that you are. You and Her Majesty may get along regarding this matter, perhaps?"

"Her Majesty? Did she mention me?"

"Oh, not really." The Joker noticed the guy's ears visibly flatten and bit back a laugh. A strange being like the Chesire was always interesting, and though try it as the cat person would like to stay neutral and separate from the world—it wasn't that hard for them to start liking a person.

Even if they were too reluctant to admit it.

. . .

Her Majesty Neo Anasthasia didn't have many responsibilities, much unlike other people that were part of the Royals and she hated it. She hated that she wasn't trusted that much to make decisions for herself, that she was coddled and treated more like a doll at times—although, she should have been more grateful.

The Queen of Clovers watched Delegate Dimitri moving here, there and everywhere. He did a lot of the responsibilities that were to be expected for a Queen while maintaining and helping his younger brother. A person like them was amazing in their way. Not too different from the Queen of Hearts.

She heard their opinions, of course.

Ivan and Dimitri Nordskov's thoughts on the other Kings and Queens.

"I do not wish to offend you, Your Majesty. But despite the warm reception of the King of Hearts—most of the responsibilities seem to be delegated to the Queen of Hearts." Dimitri Nordskov told her today with a sheepish smile. The Delegate had visited to check upon her in her current premises. She had asked him why the King of Clovers didn't much like the King of Hearts and that was the answer that the Delegate gave her. 

Neo folded her hands together, "Does it mean that he also thinks that I'm… useless?" It wasn't hard to come to that conclusion.

Dimitri was quick to wave his hand, "Not at all! The position bestowed to you is something that you have received somewhat recently and you still need to adjust, of course."

There clearly was some bias going on around here—but perhaps that was to be expected. Neo Anasthasia managed a smile and decided to shrug it off for now, "Thank you, Your High—er, Delegate Dimitri." Even she was having trouble getting used to the man's title. The man was supposed to be the original inheritor of the Throne but had given it up for his younger brother.

It was perhaps less of having her as the Queen and more of him wanting to give his brother the authority? 

"So, ah, where are you going today?"

"The town as usual—what's surprising to me is that you've decided to stay in your room, Your Majesty. Didn't my brother and your friend decide to meet together?"

That was the exact reason why Neo Anasthasia was staying here in the first place.. A tired smile curled on her lips as she scratched her cheek, "Ah, I believe that their meeting might go on more smoothly without my presence to disturb them."