Villainess Of Hearts

A minor incident occurred in the Castle of Hearts that day, it was in the servant's kitchen area, a place where Rosalyn Lockhart once stumbled upon but was now her frequently visited place. Yes, a very minor event occurred. It was there that the Queen of Hearts saw her Knight stealing tarts—now she wanted a trial and she wanted his head!

Well, she could have gone that way, shouted and threw a fit at this very hour. He touched her tarts without permission and she wanted to get her way. She could still do it and see if her Knight would actually use his sword and cut his own head… but that meant sacrificing an important piece. There was also the tiny fact that Mary Ann was there and so it was essentially two pieces on her side that would be sequestered by her erupting.

"Shall I carry your afternoon refreshments to your desired room, Your Majesty?" Her Knight asked and finally lifted the tray.

She could feel his gaze on her even when she didn't look his way. 

Was it his guilt?

Her thoughts swirled around her head even as she glanced at the tray in his hands. The tarts and tea tantalizing calling for her in luscious comfort, she chewed on her bottom lip but ignored it. She needed to pay attention to a more vital task: her Knight. Confrontation was the only solution wasn't it? Only a direct attack was suitable when it came to a man like him, she turned her back and proceeded out of the kitchen, "Leave it there and come with me instead."

The sound of her footfalls descended as she reached the hallway and began to storm through it, never exactly waiting for him—he would catch up. 

That was the least he could do. 

Instead something else proceeded to pound in her ears—the sound of blood rushing through her head. She wasn't sure what she would say to him. Her earlier gripes with writing letters still made her thoughts feel hazy and even meandering. But she would demand for his whereabouts, yes that was the appropriate—

"Your Majesty are you alright?" 

She whirled back to see him emerge from the kitchen doors, nothing in his hands as she told him to do so. His forehead was creased slightly along with his scrunched up brows. He didn't necessarily take a step forward to her.

Where they going to have the conversation here?

A smile crossed her lips, "What do you think, Gine?"

"...No." His gaze softened lightly, he took his first steps towards her. "What is the problem, Your Majesty?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Yes, you." A frown curled on her lips as she eyed him from head to toe. The man continued to approach her and she took note of everything. Everything was in place from the single strand of his hair, his armor arrangement to even the particular shine of his boots—not one thing was out of order. Surely if the man was with Mary Ann, there should at least be some indicator, did it not?

"Will you please explain to me what the problem is, Rosa?"

He used her name.

Did he think that Mary Ann would not hear their conversation? Or perhaps it didn't bother him? Sometimes she felt she could read him like an open book but then came these times where he became an enigma. A mystery for her to unravel.

However, she refused to meet his gaze and looked elsewhere. How to phrase it? What were the right words to say, it was so difficult. Her lips felt like they were covered in molasses and thick honey, the effort to open her mouth and tell him— "You… you were in the kitchen." It absolutely made no sense, but she needed to let him know. She forced her gaze back at him and frowned, "I remember giving you orders to find the Prime Minister."

"And I did find him, Your Majesty." A similar frown curled on his lips. Almost mirroring her own reaction as he stopped in front of her. "Although I failed to ask what the main purpose of it was—I believe it had been related to the King of Hearts and reported as such to the Prime Minister."

"Where has he been?" 

"I found him bidding his guests a farewell at the gates, Your Majesty."

"His...guests?"

"The friends of the Hatter."

"Is that so? Then why did you not report back to me as soon as you finished with my order?" She narrowed her eyes at him, "It shouldn't have taken too long."

"My apologies, I… did not think that you would have any need for me, especially when I learned that you were in your office. I would have not wished to disturb you, Your Majesty."

She huffed, "That is true, but you've always been guarding me—are you no longer that concerned for my safety that you can easily decide not to return?"

"Your Majesty, we have other Soldiers who patrol the entire Castle and I can remember you leaving—ah, that is to say, is it not allowed for myself to tend to other matters and you wish for me to spend every moment of time with you, my Queen?"

Rosalyn Lockhart didn't want to listen, but she understood that she was being paranoid. Even too dependent on his presence to assure her that he wasn't doing anything that could betray her.

A resigned sigh escaped her lips.

She thought she trusted him wholeheartedly, but this was an example of her not believing anything at all with his lack of presence in what was simply an hour of so.

Her cheeks burned as she met his gaze. "No… you have the right to do as you wish, as a Knight, you have more privilege than other Soldiers, even moreso that you are my one Knight alone—but I am used to your presence." She clicked her tongue, "It vexes and annoys me when you are not around."

"Then you wish to say that you desire me, Your Majesty?" A sensual smile curled on his lips. "If that is your problem, I can easily solve it this very hour."

Her gaze narrowed at him, even as she pursed her lips, "That's not what I meant and you know it, Gine."