Villainess Of Hearts

Rosalyn Lockhart should have known that befriending someone wasn't the easiest of tasks. Who was she to think that her relationship with Nicholas was better than her relationship with his two other friends? Better than his relationship with his friends? What difference was it—

"Your Majesty," Nicholas said.

But even he had no words to say, because he had feared her. There was no doubt about it. It was from his question, posture and even mannerisms. And that stung, she didn't knew it was possible to feel this way about someone she had hardly known. 

The Queen of Hearts looked at Nicholas.

She was feared. And yet she wanted to be liked… by him? By his friends? By anyone she had met? That was folly, no doubt. But her heart longed for that. She didn't know it, but now it was clear in the broad light of rejection.

She wanted to be liked, loved and adored?

Did she not already have that? Gine adored her. What a foolish girl she still was. Rosalyn Lockhart turned away from him, her gaze on the outside of his shop. She didn't want to look at him. Her throat felt tight, she needed air. "It has come to mind that I have other monumental tasks I need to do back at the Castle, I shall leave now."

And so she took her first steps to leave—

"Please don't go right away, Your Majesty." Only to have him reach for her. 

He held her hand. With a warm, strong and callused hand, he held her and stopped her from taking another step away. She froze at the contact as something ran up her arm, she glanced back at him in surprise. Her lips parted slightly at the warmth. Rosalyn stared at this man—he had grabbed her, out of nowhere, indiscriminately and out of rank.

Yes.

But he still did it.

So she wouldn't leave. He did it because he wanted to.

Nicholas then pulled his hand away and bowed his head, "My apologies, I shouldn't have grabbed you out of nowhere, Your Majesty."

Please don't cut off my hand.

She could still imagine those words as an afterthought, but his hand made in contact with her and she didn't think that he would have such rough hands. And yet this was an artisan, a craftsman. That should have been easy thing to surmise. She needed to say something intelligible now, Rosalyn cleared her throat. "It was a sudden and involuntary action, I am willing to turn a blind eye to it."

She was supposed to leave, but here she was again. Distracted.

Even by the slighest touch and actions.

A weak smile crossed on Nicholas lips. He sighed in relief and nodded, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I didn't think it was fair to turn you away when you came all the way here for my sake."

So it was manners that made him want her to stay? Simple hospitality? Did her rank afford her this preferential treatment?

She shook her head, "I came here on my own volition, despite your friends discouraging me to do so." She probably didn't need to say it, but she did. She couldn't forget that slight.

Nicholas blinked. 

So he was taken aback by this? The man would end up walking back to his workstation, he checked the basket she left him. He spoke slowly and carefully, "Mallory has her own opinions of things, I hope she hasn't displeased, Her Majesty. I assure you that it's all done with best intentions."

She didn't specify her, but Nicholas knew.

Regardless, the vehement disagreement was done because the woman thought it was the most right thing to do and say? Rosalyn Lockhart did not wish to be a pushover. She did not wish to bend her will to these people because she wanted to be accepted and loved by them. And yet, "It was a trifle thing, I was not bothered. I still do what I want regardless of what other people say, Nicholas."

He looked relieved.

His shoulders relaxed, tension leaving his body. At least she thought so. Until he turned to her, a sheepish smile on his face. "Has Her Majesty eaten yet? There's enough food for the both of us, if that's alright with you, Your Majesty."

It was lunch time.

...although she had eaten tarts during tea time. She did get famished and tired travelling through the forest to see him. She was sure that the food came from the Royal Kitchen so there wasn't anything wrong with it. Rosalyn nodded, "Very well."

The man offered her a seat, and she took it.

It was a strange thing to do, perhaps she should have been the one serving him, but he was already taking the food out. Her thoughts lingered to her Knight, he was the one who prepared it, but would he be alright waiting for her? Surely, he wouldn't mind, right?

The man has been through worse ordeals than missing lunch's hour. And this was vital work—a necessary one. Rosalyn chewed on her bottom lip. But would it truly be alright to leave Gine alone? She glanced once behind over her shoulder to locate the man.

She found him in the streets of the town, and he was conversing with the Delegate of Clovers. She could tell from his clothes and hair.

The man didn't immediately return to the Castle of Hearts then, but that at least meant that her Knight had some company. He would be alright.

What did her Knight prepare?

The waft of a savory smell lingered in her nose, and though she preferred lighter and if not sweeter things to eat—her mouth still watered. Nicholas Hatter had taken out two plates and cutlery. Gine had chosen to bring the Hatter steak from the kitchen. 

It was no doubt an easy to choose dish.

"Your Majesty, shall I move your chair closer to the workstation?" Nicholas asked and winced. "There's not much of a table—"

She did it herself.

"Do not fret about it, a Queen is able to adjust to her circumstances." It wasn't because she was starving or anything like that. But she took her place next to the man still standing and preparing the meal. Rosalyn knew that it had nothing to do with Royal banquets and fancy dinner, but it did make her think of one thing.

The very same way that Nicholas interacted with his friends, a table filled with merriment and closeness. It was a far cry from all of the engagements she had in previous tables and meals, even her own one-on-one tea with Lady Catherine Duke didn't feel as intimate as this one.

Even if the man was still standing and taking out the rest of the things in the basket.

The Queen of Hearts could not help herself, she eyed him from the corner of her eyes even as she awaited him to be finished. Tall, well-built, handsome in his own way, it couldn't be denied.

Perhaps the reason why Alice used to have him at her side was because of this?

Rosalyn Lockhart realized her thoughts and averted her gaze. What was she thinking? He was a commoner. And yet her Knight was the same and that didn't stop her before did it? Still, now really wasn't the time to be admiring his physique. 

She wished to be his friend.

She didn't want to sleep with him.

Or did she? What a strange thought to have at this hour. It was lunch time and she should be eating and even drooling about the food and not a man. She was only thinking about him that way because she was hungry. Peculiar perhaps, but hunger did things to her mind. 

"Water, Your Majesty." Nicholas placed a glass down beside her plate. Completely unaware of the things that ran through her mind.

Still her Knight had packed quite a lot of things, didn't he? She wouldn't have insisted carrying the basket if she knew it contained all of this. That was the reason why it had felt heavy. There was even a plate of desserts!

Chocolate brownies this time, not tarts.

But that was still something she could look forward to. Her Knight had thought of almost everything didn't he? Nicholas finally settled across from her. Of course, no man could sit beside her except for the King and save for the time that the highest-ranking Noble, Royal or Prime Minister sat beside her. If Nicholas did it, it would be an atrocious act. 

He inclined his head, "Thank you for waiting, Your Majesty."

"It is not a problem." She smiled lightly. "Then let's eat."

And so the two of them did.

There weren't many words exchanged between them, and it probably would have been a complete change of atmosphere if they did. It wouldn't be appropriate to simply change it, however.

Rosalyn knew that there was tension.

It was an inescapable thing, all her previous actions would always affect her. Even if she might have decided to do this, her old actions affected her and cut out a path that she could take. In an interaction with other Nobles, if she ever did a mishap, they might try to change the subject instead of letting this atmosphere fester.

But she wished to be reminded.

Her reputation was a double-edged sword.

The Queen of Hearts took pride in her ruthlessness. She wouldn't be here today if she didn't do everything with zeal and energy, with harshness and cruelty. The role as a Queen was not simply sitting around and looking pretty as one other Queen might assume. 

Even the Queen of Diamonds, Jeanne la Monique assisted and even took over the business matters in their Kingdom.

And yet look at her now?

She was seated across a man that she wished would look at her in a manner similar to a cherished friend. No matter what she did, it would always affect how other people perceived her, and it didn't give her much freedom in her relationships either.

The Queen of Hearts was feared.

It was best to maintain it.