Villainess Of Hearts

Her conversation with her Knight was cut abruptly by a knock on the door, "Your Majesty of Hearts?" It was the sound of a servant's voice, they did not dare enter at all. "The King of Hearts and the guests are all in the Royal Dining Hall. They are awaiting your presence, Your Majesty."

And so that was the end of it.

Rosalyn Lockhart felt a tug on her lips and sent a look at Julius Ginellevé. She didn't like the fact that a servant happened to knock at this very moment—was it paranoia getting to her? She had a feeling that this servant had been eavesdropping on them. Had heard every little word that she and her Knight had exchanged. Or perhaps she was wrong.

She hoped she was wrong.

The Knight made his way to the door and pulled it open, and it revealed a humble servant at the door. The man trembled and shook, bowing immediately at the sight, "A-Ah, greetings to Knight Ginellevé. I was unaware that you were there, Sir."

Rosalyn Lockhart's lips twitched for a moment.

The urge to have this servant murdered at once did not strike her as something wrong—repercussions aside, it was probably something she could handle. Someone like them would come from a small family and even then she could spin tales as for the reason for the man's death.

An assassin had returned and scorned the Queen by killing her servant.

Such plausibility was not beyond her if she had the man killed now, no one had to know. The other servants would have to keep their mouths shut if they knew of it, because the normal means was not acceptable to her. The King of Hearts would inevitably revoke her own orders if done through a proper trial, she stepped towards the door. 

The Queen of Hearts eyed them. "...Thank you for informing me. What is your name?"

"T-Trey, Your Majesty!" The man nearly buckled to his knees.

She tilted her head at him, his face was not bad for a mere servant. His hair was shielding his eyes but other than that, they had remarkable features. Perhaps they were blessed by the Spring? Someone like them could have probably been a good gift to present to another influential lady in the Kingdom of Hearts. 

And yet what if they were a spy?

"...Your Majesty?" Her Knight glanced back at her. Even without giving an answer in regards to his intense fealty towards her—he was willing to swing his blade and end the man.

If she wished.

Rosalyn Lockhart eyed the trembling man and balled her hands into fists. Was she losing her edge already? The mere sight of them shaking was enough to make them as an eyesore. The Queen of Hearts moved past them—making the man stumble as she moved past him and entered the hallway.

"There is no time for this, Sir Ginellevé. I will be going to the Royal Dining Hall as I've promised, escort me there." Without waiting for any other response, the woman began to walk away and head to the venue.

She had spared the man.

Unknowingly to him, his life had been weighed on a scale and—he escaped by a hairbreadth. A sliver of safety. This man, she had already forgotten his name, reminded her somewhat of Mary Ann with all of their shaking and trembling, they were like a leaf that had been torn asunder by the wind.

. . .

In the Royal Dining Hall, a certain number of people were present to dine with one another this evening. Rich velvet drapes were pulled back and allowed the moon's light to dip inside the place, the soft sound of violins accompanied the entire hall. The undoubtable presence of the King of Hearts was there, he was seated on the right side of the exquisite banquet table with the Clovers on the left—honestly it was a replay of the time when all the four Suits were gathered together.

And that meant that the Joker took the center place of it all.

Yes. he was still here, thank you very much. Rosswall, more known as the Joker sat and sipped his wine as the air within the dining hall remained… well, it had actually changed. Now that the Kingdom of Diamonds and Spades were gone, he had expected it to quiet down but the change was too apparent. 

Initially it had been tense, the King of Hearts ended up conversing more with Delegate Dimitri and the Prime Minister to even have noise while they ate dinner for the last few days. But now? It changed. The King of Hearts and King of Clovers looked at each other with some semblance of amicable ties.

How peculiar.

Actually, if there was anything that came to his attention, it would be the Queen of Clovers. Yes the little bird who often stayed quiet, well, she was still quiet but there was a somber look on her face—what had exactly happened to her? Not even the presence of two Kings were able to squash it down.

...how ungrateful.

But he was simply being silly, the only one brave enough to ignore dining customs was the Queen of Hearts herself—although it wasn't mentioned aloud. Nobody would dare point it out after the scandalous slapping at the Trial Room, and yet here he was. The Joker sighed loudly and clunked his glass into the table, "Ah, how much vexation does the Queen of Hearts have with her King? It's been five days since the Trial with the King of Spades—she still refuses to dine with us?"

Prime Minister Blyke Edelweiss nearly dropped his goblet.

He caught it in time and looked around the table, the King and Queen of Clovers were both silent. And even the King of Hearts was red-faced in embarrassment and shame, but it was the Joker who said it and he had the capacity to 'correct' and 'point out' the errors in the Kingdoms whenever he pleased.

And this guy took the opportunity to its full limits!

"...The Queen of Hearts, she's resting perhaps, Joker?" The soft voice of Neo Anasthasia chimed in. She bit her lip, as if wishing to say something else but decided to not say anything else and glanced down at their meal.

The Joker blinked and rested a hand on his cheek, "Ah, it's been awhile since I've been graced with your voice, little bird—hmm, Your Majesty of Clovers." He couldn't be bothered with the narrowed eye look that Ivan Nordskov gave him, but he forgone with the nickname and inclined his head.

After the incident in the labyrinth gardens of the Kingdom, he was afraid that she would be too afraid to speak up, but she did. And that was peculiar in itself, even if the Queen refused to not say another word. Still, what inspired this quiet woman to speak up? The Joker glanced back at the King of Hearts.

What excuse was he going to say now?

"I would like to think that she has a reason to come here now." Alexander Hartsmichdt finally answered and sighed. His gaze scanned around the room, "That is the reason why I ask for all of you to wait awhile longer if possible. I've already asked a servant to ask her to come here."

"And what if she refuses?"

The King of Hearts picked up his wine glasses, twirling it around in his fingertips and looked back at him. "If she does, then it cannot be helped—but she had told me that she would come here and the Queen of Hearts does not back out from her words."

Joker raised a brow. The King and Queen had finally conversed… And from the look on the King's face, he had some belief that she would come here? When did the world flip over? He wasn't informed that the Changing of Seasons came around this time. What was the reason for the sudden change of heart?

Did the two of them finally see past each other's differences?

He'd only be inclined to believe it once he actually sees the woman's presence—the double doors swung open and there she arrived. The Queen of Hearts truly came. Accompanied by her Knight, but here she was.

.

.

.

"Thank you for waiting for me." Rosalyn Lockhart fought the urge to frown when she curtsied and greeted the other people in the hall along with her Knight. Everyone's eyes were on her—and though they only numbered five, the Delegate was not around, she still didn't exactly relish their unwavering gazes. She glanced behind her, at her Knight, the man who could not dine with them.

Even if he had been knighted, his own background did not see him fit to be with them.

Status and position dictated one's place in society, and even the most skillful and talented were still under the orders of a King and Queen. No matter how incompetent one might be. "I will be waiting outside, Your Majesty." Julius Ginellevé gave a graceful bow and then began his way out of the Royal Dining Hall, dutiful as always.

A bitter smile curled on her lips.

"Wait a moment, hey you—Knighty-Knight!" The Joker's voice rang clear within the room. Her Knight stopped in his tracks. The man on the center of the table, glanced at the others seated with him and chuckled, "What if he joins us for this evening dinner? We are missing Delegate Nordskov tonight. He'll make a fine replacement."

Rosalyn Lockhart paused and fought the urge to blink. What exactly was going through the Joker's mind to even make a suggestion like this one?