Villainess Of Hearts

A sharp rap on the door intruded them, and before the Queen or King could even utter a word—the Knight of the Lockhart House came inside with a tray filled with Rosalyn's desired tarts along with a fresh pot of brewed tea. 

The man had come at the right time.

Without asking for any permission, perhaps. But Rosalyn Lockhart was more than happy to let this one slide if it meant that it disturbed the spot that the King had placed her in. "Ah, thank you for bringing me my tea and tarts, Gine. I have been famished already." She didn't exactly wish to say this but common courtesy made her look back at the King of Hearts, "Would you like to join me for tea, Your Majesty?"

"I...I'd like to, Queen Rosalyn." Alexander Hartsmichdt blinked, "Thank you for the invitation."

Perhaps those were words that she could have avoided to say, but they spilled out her mouth naturally all the same. Lessons ingrained between a young boy and even a much younger girl came to mind—memories and lectures that could have probably been for naught if it weren't for the fact that she was standing in the Castle of Hearts today.

The only good thing that would come out of this was the fact that Julius was still around.

Even the King of Hearts couldn't simply speak too much as he did prior, even if it was just her Knight. To some extent, her Knight was the perfect check for the King. Julius was somewhat able to keep Alexander in place for reasons beyond her—but then again, the King could also make the man go away as he did prior.

It all depended on how much willing they were to risk on this particular occasion.

But nonetheless, she would survive this small ordeal that she stupidly placed herself into as she watched the King of Hearts take a seat in front of her desk. One normally used for entertaining people who came to discuss business matters with her as compared to the sofa couches still available in the corner of the room.

"Your Majesty of Hearts, do you plan on eating on this desk used for your documents and such? Are you not afraid of your tea spilling or crumbs falling on important papers?" Alexander Hartsmichdt asked.

… She was already regretting her slip of the tongue.

Rosalyn Lockhart smiled plainly, "Your Majesty, you were the one who sat there—"

"Your Majesty, I have already placed your tray here. Shall I prepare your tea?" Julius Ginellevé carefully placed the tray on the low table in the middle of the couches. His back was turned from them in that he could not see that they were conversing—but she was positive that the man had simply interrupted them. 

The little things that she could do to spite the King seated across from her—the Queen of Hearts stood up from her chair and walked over to the couches without waiting for him. "Alright, Gine. Thank you." She already called her Knight by name, a reflection of their closeness.

Alexander Hartsmichdt could not make any complaints over this—first names could still be used with trusted friends. And this was the front that she had already delivered countless times when there was a snarky Noble who thought that they could humiliate or embarrass her during parties and gatherings in past times.

The King of Hearts soon followed and had the decency to sit across from her.

Rosalyn Lockhart eyed the man with not the friendliest smiles before accepting the tea from her Knight, before the Knight offered the same to the King. She inclined her head, "Please have your first sip, Your Majesty."

And so he did.

His face scrunched up in an instant. But he finished sipping his tea and placed it back into its saucer, "It seems your Knight has forgotten to place sugar or milk into it." The King addressed her, not even paying another glance at her Knight.

Rosalyn Lockhart pursed her lips and sniffed. She caught a whiff of the tea's sweetness in her own cup and gladly took a sip, "I have no idea on what you are referring to, Your Majesty. My tea tastes just fine—well made, with the right amount of sweetness."

"...Of course." Alexander Hartsmichdt took it into stride as he took two sugar cubes from its container and plunked it into his tea. He then took the small saucer containing milk and began to stir his tea.

There were things that they could argue about.

But slight inconveniences and misgivings, the King of Hearts always brushed it over. It made the Nobility look up at him as a dependable man, someone who could get past any hurdles without much complaint, along with several other praises. Rosalyn Lockhart only saw it as them being afraid to cause too much trouble.

Pathetic even in a sense.

And yet they were still able to bare their teeth if they wanted to. The King of Hearts, Alexander Hartsmichdt finally glanced at Julius Ginellevé and offered the man a small smile. "By the way, Knight Ginellevé—I think that the Lord Duke is requesting your presence."

"Pardon, Your Majesty?" The Knight blinked.

"Yes, I believe it is in concern of the assassins found in the Castle." The King of Hearts nodded and had a grave look on his face. "You killed most of them, but I believe that they would like to question you about what exactly happened during that time."

"They did not have time to say anything—"

"You mustn't keep the Lord Duke waiting, Knight Ginellevé. It's imperative that you head there quickly." Alexander Hartsmichdt picked up a tart and took a bite. "This is after all concerned with the Queen of Hearts' own sake. Do not slow down and go ahead."

"I-I will take my leave then, King and Queen of Hearts." Julius Ginellevé's eye twitched as he stiffly bowed and then took his leave. The doors clicked shut after him.

It happened all too quickly that Rosalyn Lockhart couldn't have even squeezed a word in and she glared at the man eating her tarts. "I have reason to believe that His Majesty of Hearts was lying about this matter. The Lord Duke's investigation is still underway and the one he is probably interviewing—"

"He will still need to interrogate your Knight, better it be now than any other time."

The King of Hearts was not above using this kind of word play. The Queen of Hearts frowned and instead opted to reach for a tart and eat it, she only gave him a nod. After she ate the tart, she would sip some of her tea and swallowed it. Then she took up another one and did the same. Even if it might have been bad manners, she had other things to do.The faster she could eat and finish all the tarts—the faster that this man could leave and then she could get back to her work.

"Your Majesty of Hearts, please think about me as well. Isn't it a little too gluttonous if you have all the tarts for yourself?" The King of Hearts coughed slightly.

She gave him a smile and wiped the corner of her lips, "Your Majesty—I do not have much time to spend with you, I have a lot of work that needs to be finished and I'd like to think that you have as well." King Alexander playing hand at diplomacy? Better he talk with them, well, not exactly better if he messed up their relationship with another Kingdom, but at least she wouldn't have to deal with him. "Please do not let me hinder you from doing them."

There were a few times when they were completely open with one another. But most often, they still kept their pretenses up when possible… and perhaps, the King of Hearts was right. She was building walls around her but they were built for a good reason. She knew what was supposed to happen—the most likely outcome if she were to be specific. 

"Are you alright, Your Majesty?" He leaned in with his brows furrowed.

Her train of thoughts dispelled, she shirked away from him and folded her hands together. "Of course I am, Your Majesty." It was somewhat inevitable that she dazed out when she thought of the past, but it was troublesome that it had to happen when he was around. She didn't like being this vulnerable.

"... You looked upset." He murmured and then waved a hand, "Not your regular, I wish to behead everyone that spites me, but upset when you're sad."

Rosalyn Lockhart stared at him. She couldn't even muster the same anger as she often did in the past—perhaps it really was tiring to get too mad all the time. Or his presence sucked out her energy, but regardless, the King's words did not warrant him a reply. She instead took a sip of her tea and took note of its sweet flavor, the tang of something zesty—did Mary Ann add a sprite of lemon now?

"Sorry I said too much, haven't I?" Alexander Hartsmichdt coughed, "I wanted to light up the mood, but I only made you shut up even further."

The Queen of Hearts sighed and placed her teacup down on the table, "I do not really think that we're this close to poke fun and needle with each other, Your Majesty." His speech mannerisms were still odd at times, he managed to carry himself in polite company but there were truly times where he reverted back to this buffoonish manner.

She could only imagine whoever had raised this man.

No manners. No posture. And he had sometimes even gone around with no shirt in the past—! Rosalyn Lockhart recomposed herself and picked up a tart and took a bite.

The King of Hearts straightened up in his seat, "And that is because you have never given me the chance to do so, Your Majesty.." He was now back to his formal side, and she didn't like it either.