Villainess Of Hearts

The tea party was… it wasn't easy to describe if it was a success or a failure. And that was something that she disliked the most. Uncertainties? She didn't need any of that. She wished for a more solid response, but she could only do so much. Even her position did not ensure that everything would be handed to her on a silver platter.

At least that was how she was seeing the situation right now.

The Queen of Hearts had managed to convince Mallory to stay until tea time was over, and one can consider that as a win. A small win in her part. Mostly because Harold was enticed by the carrot cake—

And perhaps Mallory also seemed to be enjoying herself with the cheesecake.

However, it did not feel like she was strengthening her bonds with them. The Queen of Hearts stifled a snort. What a weird term to use, even for her. Rosalyn Lockhart pushed a tart into her mouth and sipped her tea, as a 'guest' of the Prime Minister, it was only fair that he did all the work of hosting them. But even the man wasn't doing that well with interacting with his so-called third-cousin.

Blyke Edelweiss drank his carrot juice and glanced at the man beside him, "I haven't been able to visit the Edelweiss House in quite awhile,how about you?"

"I...I moved here." Harold placed the fork into his mouth. He chewed the cake quietly, not explaining it any further. Weren't the two of them supposed to know each other, even to some minor extent?

The Prime Minister wrinkled his nose, "I see. You haven't been back ever since?"

"It's not a topic to be discussed in front of the meal." Mallory placed her fork down and offered a smile at the man. And her smile was cold and unyielding.

Blyke Edelweiss dabbed his mouth with a napkin, and chuckled weakly. "I'm afraid that's the case it seems. Well, even if we're distant cousins, feel free to lean on me from time to time."

"Really?" Harold looked up from his cake. "Are you sure, Blyke?"

"...I am."

"Ah, I was afraid that you cut ties with the family long ago." Harold said and chuckled. He continued to eat his cake with more gusto this time.

One of the Prime Minister's eyes twitched, "I don't know from wherever you've heard that from. It must be a baseless rumor of some sort, I am mostly occupied with my work here and cannot visit. But I do send gifts to everyone."

"Really?" Harold tilted his head. 

"Yes, really."

"My mother must have hid mine in a burrow hole then or something." Harold looked a little upset and glum. "I didn't receive anything at all."

"Your mother...Aunt Helia?" Blyke Edelweiss asked. The man blinked and nodded, "Probably, that might have been the… case. An unfortunate thing."

The Queen of Hearts decided to listen in and say nothing. Perhaps it was truly hard to expect the most from one's blood relatives, and the thought made the tea in her mouth sour up. It was a bitter drink to swallow. This interaction reminded her of the duties that she needed to perform—the letter she had to make.

But once again the conversation drew to silence. 

In a normal tea party, the conversation would be quickly filled in by someone. Awkward silences were the bane of social interactions, but in this situation, with two commoners—it truly was hard to have an actual conversation if the other individual refused to say anything else. Did they have some sort of grudge towards her?

Had Rosalyn Lockhart apologized for the incident with Nicholas Hatter getting imprisoned?

She had done it, inviting the three of them to breakfast—but did they hold grudges? The Queen of Hearts eyed Mallory, the only person she was referring to. Harold was too simple to read and understand, but compared to this woman, there was some trouble. Perhaps it was because of the angry look she always had on her face.

"Nicholas collapsed yesterday."

"Pardon?"

"I'm not good with speaking, Y'er Majesty—but I think it's fair that ye know that Nicholas passed out yesterday due to overworking. Isn't that right, Harold?" 

"Y-yeah, I came there to have tea with him but I saw him on the floor." Harold added with a frown on his face. "He's working too hard as always."

The Queen of Hearts listened and paid attention. The image of a man who had carried her in his arms throughout the town had fallen over due to fatigue? It was almost impossible to imagine and place the two images side by side together. 

Nicholas Hatter already appeared to her as a man that didn't fall over.

A man who kept pushing forward.

Her brows furrowed together, she folded her hands together underneath the table. Someone like him wouldn't fall too easily, but yet he did. The man who had smiled at her after being placed in the dungeon, had grown ill?

Rosalyn Lockhart's lips thinned before she looked back at the woman across from her, "Is he alright now? Does he need any kind of medicine? I didn't think that he would become fatigued that he'd lose consciousness." She hadn't wished to disturb him but the man wasn't capable of taking care of himself? What a foolish man, that one was. She sighed and glanced at her left. "Prime Minister Edelweiss, do look into the apothecaries nearby. Or the Royal Doctor? Can they drop by?"

"Your Majesty—"

"I didn't say anything for that Y'er Majesty! He's fine now." Mallory waved a hand at her. The woman's brows were furrowed together, "There is no need to do much for us, we're already indebted to Y'er Majesty."

"Nonsense." Rosalyn Lockhart said. But the woman was right—she didn't need to do this much. But this was simply her way of gaining more favor from them, all three of them needed to be indebted to her. They should feel gratitude for all the effort that she was giving them, she needed them on her side.

It was better that they were hers than that Alice's.

And so this was the only natural course of action. The Queen of Hearts placed her hands on the table and stood up, she looked down at the three still seated down. "It may seem like he had recovered—but it's always better for him to rest. Tell me, where does he live?" Rosalyn Lockhart pursed her lips, "He's not still at his shop is he?"

"...He's probably still there, Y-Your Majesty..." Harold said.

Rosalyn Lockhart's gaze flickered towards the man in disbelief. This was the first time that Harold addressed her in person, not hiding behind the back of Mallory. Would it be fair to say that she had indeed gained some progress today?

No.

Now wasn't the time to think about that when there were other things that held more importance. Nicholas was sick, and she would insist that the man took a break. Even if that meant that she might have to converse with the Kingdom of Clovers to stay awhile longer in the Castle of Hearts. 

But that was a fair price, wasn't it?