Villainess Of Hearts

A servant of the Queen always rose before her mistress, and Mary Ann, she woke up at dawn to begin her day. She began to make the dough and prepared the freshest batch of roseberries, the oven was piping hot as she added an extra log of oakenwood. If there was any secret ingredient that she would have professed, it would be using that specific kind of tree as tinder.

It added a woody aroma to the usually sweet and overbearing scent of the berries.

The young woman made sure not to touch her hair or her face, even while measuring each ingredient carefully in their individual cups. Sugar in one cup, a dollop or two of butter—actually a lot of butter from the nicest cows. If the animals were happy, their produce were happy. Some pinch of salt or so. A hefty amount of milk.

She narrowed her eyes for a moment at the contents of the jug.

"Where's all the milk? Did the milk boy forget to come here?" A frown curled on her lips.

Mary Ann would end up visiting the pantry to look for more stock. She was only glad that this happened while it was still early and she could do it all before the request was made. There was no need to wait for an order from her mistress, the young servant had already become attuned to the Queen's desires. She had tarts everyday. Tarts for breakfast, tarts for snacks and even for dinner. 

She held the two jugs of milk in her arms and sighed in relief. "Time to go back." And so she did, walking through the corridors of the castle. And save for the occasional soldier on patrol or early servants already going about with their duties, the Castle of Hearts stayed quiet and peaceful.

"Ah, up so early to make tarts again?" One of the soldiers called out to her with a grin.

The man proceeded to get elbowed by his companion as she scurried along past them. She gave them a small greeting before she left. Even between soldiers and servants, there was a hierarchy. She still wasn't used to them talking to her when most of the soldiers looked down on servants. Frightened as she could be, Mary Ann was not blind enough to notice the kindness bestowed upon her.

And it had changed her fortune to some extent.

The Queen's personality was… her character was, er. She had no words to describe the Queen. Mary Ann did not spend too much of her time thinking upon it, similar to how a mouse would not wonder about a lion's way of living. What mattered to her was getting through her day's work and living day to day. But the Queen of Hearts recent change in the couple of days was too large that almost everyone talked of it.

She could hear the gossip from other maids and servants.

And to some extent, even she was the subject with how the Queen treated her kindly. Mary Ann was fortunate in this regard, but even then, the rumors and ill-gossip continued to spread. She didn't take it too kindly but she could do nothing. When would the clumsy Mary Ann upset the Queen and find her head off? It was amazing that they could speak so much now, when all of them were frightened before.

But that wasn't even half of it.

No matter how much the Castle of Hearts had tried to hide it, it wasn't easy to keep the word from spreading of the attempted assassination of the Queen. Mary Ann couldn't imagine anyone trying to lay a hand on the Queen. But it prompted the Nobility to action. All of the servants were subject to be interrogated by the Lord Duke and his assigned men, which also changed the atmosphere in the most recent days. 

Nerve Wracking. 

Tense.

Hostility.

Was there a traitor in the midst of all her fellow servants? That was the question and she couldn't even fathom it. Who would dare go against the King and Queen of Hearts? It was a frightening time, Mary Ann reached her kitchen and proceeded to focus back on her work. She hadn't been interrogated yet, but she knew where her loyalty lay.

.

.

.

"Mary Ann."

Nobody called her by name, the young woman looked up to see the Queen of Hearts stroll down into the kitchen. Bestowing her with their regal presence. It had been so long since she met Her Majesty face to face, Mary Ann quickly bowed down in greeting. She couldn't look the Royal in the eyes. "Y-Your Majesty!" She stammered as her heart pounded. 

For the past few days, it was Julius Ginellevé who came here.

And the man's presence made her frightened and uncertain, but this time it was the Queen herself. Well, the Knight had finished visiting earlier but now the Queen came here as well. She didn't think that there would come a day that she would be relieved to see the Queen of Hearts' presence in her kitchen. Mary Ann wiped her hands on the back of her dress, trying to make her presence clean enough for the Ruler of the Kingdom.

"I can see that you've already prepared my morning tea refreshments," The Queen of Hearts said. Her voice was rich but clear. "I must ask that you prepare more confectionery than the ones you've already made, I have two additional guests coming along for a tea party this late morning." 

Mary Ann regularly made enough tarts and tea for two people, the Queen often shared them with her, or her Knight and even Lady Duke who still resided in the Castle. But her words made her look up, and she wished that she hadn't. There was a thoughtful look on the Queen's face when she nibbled on the bite-sized tart.

It wasn't breakfast yet but she wanted her desserts.

She swallowed for a moment, "Are there any specific requests, Your Majesty?"

The Queen of Hearts pushed the rest of her tarts in between her lips and chewed. The Queen eyed her, "Hmm?"

Mary Ann involuntarily flinched and averted her gaze back down.

"If you have enough time, would it be possible for you to make something akin to carrot cake and cheesecake?"