Villainess Of Hearts

The sun beat down harshly upon the land. A prickly wind blew and howled wildly across desert sands. Sandstorms and hurricanes swept and tore the people living in the entire area. Humble abodes rent asunder with the touch of the winds. Such events often made the mightiest of men to cower in their homes and wish not for the cruel gales to smite them.

And yet one person paid no mind to it.

Someone who relished dancing and spiraling with the most feverish of tempests. Yes, even when he received the direst of warnings and refusals from his most trusted of advisers. It was only through the shielding wards and incantations made around the sands that the large camp remained untouched.

The scent of blood hung thickly in the air.

While most of the tents were simple and made from materials inspired from nomadic tribes that also wandered the sands—there were those of luxury and materials that spoke of splendor even amidst the blows of the wind.

Inside the canopy of one of the largest tents, a man dropped his bloodied blade on the table in front of the tempting woman seated down on her upholstered furniture. Colorful rugs and ornaments hung across the tent along with other items that spoke of someone who had stayed here for a certain duration.

The man in question paid no heed to it. "I'm leaving."

A small laugh escaped the woman's lips, green eyes narrowing at blue ones. "Are you serious?"

"I'm not afraid of the Zephyrs Winds, I've survived them before—I didn't only survive, I travelled with the sands and its storms. And I've solved the problem haven't I?" He motioned to the bloody blade that stuck to the wooden low table.

"You've done the complete opposite of that!" She fumed at him, "Do you know what exactly you've done?"

The man ran his hair through his blond hair and found grains of sand mixed with it. He shrugged, "...solved the problem?"

"You killed the Ruler of the Oasa."

"Didn't Lucielle hear from our stationed overseers that the old git was invading our territory?" He sighed. "Isn't that the reason why we had to rush back here? That old bastard thought he could get to the capital while we were out for the Gathering of Suits. Sly one, I swear."

"We could have reached an agreement you prick! You should have spared him in the battle!"

The King of Spades, Alfred Villeuce clicked his tongue. "You weren't there when he tried to curse me. Of course I was going to kill him before I got struck with some foreign magic."

Queen Olivia Deuce pointed a finger at him. "Do you not know that the eldest daughter of the Ruler is betrothed to the First King of the Kingdom of Wata? The Kingdom of Wata who happened to have strong ties with the Sovereign of Gubti?"

"Where are those?" He turned to one of the maps stuck to the walls of the tent.

"They're the kingdoms inhabiting and guardians of the largest bodies of water across the lands, surely you know this at least?"

He rubbed his chin, "Well, I think I can recall that."

"And you think you can finally frolick away to get your swords?" Olivia Deuce faked a laugh. Her eyes crinkled in deluding delight. She wasn't simply upset—she was livid! Her blood was boiling.

"They're good swords."

"Yes, good swords for you to bloody again!"

"I make sure to wipe them…" Alfred Villeuce eyed the bloodied table and picked up the blade. "We can get a new table, it's too small anyway or throw it away, we don't need it anymore."

"Do you know what's going to happen next?"

The Queen was truly hounding on him. She knew better than him, didn't she? He flashed her a smile and waved his sword. "...I promised to be back in a month to the Hearts Kingdom, wouldn't my honor be shamed if I didn't return as I said? A warrior's word must be fulfilled."

Olivia Deuce took a sharp inhale and then clasped her hands together. May the fates will it that she had her patience today or she'd stab the man in the chest herself and then offer his heart as a gift of peace. She instead gave him a look and pointed to the cushion opposite of hers, "Sit down."

"Can we have some coconut drinks here?" Alfred Villeuce called out to one of the guards standing outside of the tent. He sheathed his blade and plopped down his seat.

Some might have gotten ashamed being berated word for word by a woman, but this was something that occurred so frequently that he had no doubt that the men sympathized more with him than sided with her.

She always gave him an earful.

"Alright, let's start envisioning what will happen—the First Princess of Oasa must have surely fled by now to her betrothed while you killed her father. If we try to enter their kingdom, there will be much dissent and revolts, even attempted assassinations in an attempt to free their kingdom."

"Well, that's not a problem to me—let them try to avenge their king." Alfred Villeuce shrugged. "They have the right to become upset."

"...do you know how much trouble that will be? Identifying rebels and those who wouldn't while also ensuring that the people's lives return to normal under a new order and monarch?"

"And that's what you and Lucielle are here for right?"

"Bloody—of course they also need to get used to having you as a King. You need to win them over or the kingdom will never be at peace. You need to gain their trust or at least let them think that you're going to do a better job than the last one."

"That's a lot of...work?"

Olivia gave him a pained smile. "Of course it is. And do you know what's going to happen when there's a lot of work?"

"It's going to be tiresome."

"It's going to take awhile and so we need you here." Olivia Deuce gave him a look, "You can't just run off on your steed and try to leave this to me. I will not allow it, I do not stand for it. If you try to run off and then return, I'll have you get kicked out of the lands and abandoned by the sands."

The King gulped for a moment.

He tried to search for words.

Until a man rushed into the tent without even asking for permission. Cyan Lucielle had sweat sheening on his forehead. "Your Majesty!"

"Where's the coconut?"

The Delegate blinked but then raised a letter, "I have a letter from the Princess from Oasa Kingdom."

Olivia Deuce raised her head, "What?"

"She has sent this to make concessions."

"Well, isn't that good." Alfred Villeuce grinned and gave a look at his Queen, "Surely the two of you can sort it out from one woman to another?"

The Queen of Spades clicked her tongue. It was already evident that the King knew no tact or had any talent for diplomacy, and so this rotten King would get what he wanted.

Did the luck of the King of Clover rub off on him or something?

And yet even she would have trouble trying to hold the man back now that he heard the news.

The King of Spades laughed, "Aha, ready my saddle and my items, I shall leave at once—"

"...er, the Princess is willing to allow the King of Spades to take over the Oasa Kingdom if he marries her and she becomes the Empress." The Delegate already closed the flaps of the tent for some privacy and looked at the King and Queen.

"That's good—huh?" The King of Spades blinked. "Empress?"

Olivia Deuce narrowed her eyes at the Delegate, "What nonsense are you speaking? The First Princess is betrothed to—"

"Her sister shall be marrying the King of Wata." Delegate Lucielle winced. "The King seemed to have preferred the younger one."

"Well, I understand his reasons." The King of Spades shrugged, "I haven't even met the First Princess yet—does she take after her father or mother? Because I'd have to turn it down if she looked like her father."

"Alfred!"

"Your Majesty!"

"I wasn't serious!" He laughed and tossed a look at his Queen.

She seemed exasperated.

The Queen of Spades surely knew that if he would concede to the request, he would have to relinquish her title. And besides the look of frustration on her face, she was taking it well. Far better than he thought she would be.

She sighed and gave a look at the Delegate, "Does the First Princess think she has the advantage here?"

"A coalition is highly likely to occur, hinted heavily in the letter."

"Great, just great." Olivia Deuce ran a hand over her face, "Do you now see that your actions have consequences, Your Majesty?"

"I think we could take on the coalition—the other two kingdoms are too far away to support directly with its men." Alfred Villeuce shrugged, "And even if they were to send men and women to fight, when they arrive at our lands, they would be too tired and useless."

...He had a point.

And yet there was still something that made things a tad more difficult. "You must understand that most of the bodies of water we consume are mostly outsourced from the kingdom of Gubti."

"We have our own bodies of water." He frowned.

"Too little, compared to the bountiful and rushing waters at Gubti and Oasa. The Wata Kingdom is the one who has multiple produces at sea."

"It's not like we're going to dehydrate quickly."

"...and how long do you think a battle like this would happen?"

"A week, maybe a month?"

"It could also become a battle of attrition."

"....then I would need my new swords for that wouldn't I?" He gave her a grin. "Surely, you don't expect me to marry a woman who I have never met, do you?"