Villainess Of Hearts

The coldness of the night was apparent in the breeze that blew frosty leaves in the garden, in the way that the flowers kept themselves together huddled in bushes and pots. One could tell it from one's chilly breath as they sighed, in the presence of its lone visitor in this hour. The man was alone and standing underneath one of the tallest trees shielded and separated from the rest of the world.

A temporary sanctuary.

Dark skies were brought into brilliance with shining but distant stars, lights that continued to stay out of one's reach even when one stretched out their fingers. One might say that if one arrived to the second star to the right then—

"Your Majesty of Hearts."

He hated being called by that title, but the one who spoke it made him pause. Could it be something akin to a dream or a figment of his own mind? Alexander glanced back over his shoulder and there she stood, the Queen of Hearts—Rosalyn Lockhart.

Her red eyes glittered like stars and even the moonlight seemed to bask its own light on her, the woman unaware that she was a sight to be beheld. There was a small frown on her lips even as she looked at him, but somehow, he couldn't feel the usual amount of contempt she held for him.

Alexander held a hand over his heart and inclined his heart, "My queen." She hated hearing him call her as such, but this time there was no rebuttal. When he looked at her again, the woman simply shook her head.

"This is no place for you, Your Majesty."

Her voice wasn't harsh nor unkind, and it made him blink. "Is that so?" He glanced around, finally noticing where exactly he had run off too. This wasn't exactly close to the Gazebo that he had made to be built nor was it the labyrinthine maze that haunted his dreams. "Ah, this is your garden—"

"It would do yourself no good to stay here when the temperature is freezing, Alexander," She told him and crossed her arms over her chest. The long sleeves of her gown didn't seem capable of hiding her hands shaking slightly even in her position. She was rubbing her arms unconsciously.

Perhaps it was her who was cold—not him.

But this gesture of hers was...it didn't exactly lift or remove the pain that was in his heart, and yet it was able to ease the ache in his chest. If only by making it a little bit more bearable. He tried for a smile, a weak one coming to his lips as he offered his hand, "I would like to say that it is the same for you, Your Majesty. Shall we return to the castle now?"

The doubtful look she gave him was precious, but even more so when she accepted his hand.

Perhaps she only did this because he looked pitiful, and he hoped that he didn't actually seem that way. It was better for one to look upset than fearful or even sad—it was a thing that he kept in mind before whenever she became upset. Somehow it didn't seem to apply to her alone.

He ran over his thumb over the back of her hand, taking note of its cold and somewhat clammy feeling. "You shouldn't have come here, Your Majesty."

"Are you telling me that I cannot go wherever I please?"

He winced and shook his head. "No, not exactly—"

"It is troublesome having you as my partner, you are by far the most pathetic man I have ever met," Rosalyn Lockhart stared straight ahead of them and never glanced his way, "But it would be even more troublesome if I suddenly became a widow, there would be many that would seek to replace you. Power-hungry men. Men vying to have me as their queen and seize the power for themselves? Bah. Our arrangement right now is the most favourable for me and the kingdom."

Alexander blinked and then stifled a chuckle.

"What is that stupid chuckle for?" She asked, the woman clicking her tongue. She tried to pull her hand away but it was all for show, eventually stopping after a few seconds. "But I suppose that is better to hear than having you wail like a baby."

He blinked and looked ahead, he honestly didn't think that the Queen would compare him to a baby, but he was wrong. He gave a resigned sigh at such a thought. Nevertheless, the night skies were now clearer, no longer hidden by the dense foliage of the trees. He wished for her to understand him, at least even on just this occasion. 

And how would he put it to words then? He could only start it by trying, even as he mulled it over and finally glanced at her, at the Queen of Hearts staring off into the distance. "It only refreshed me to hear that… I think. You are the same as ever."

"Unbelievable," She muttered and shook her head. "Everyone is saying that I have changed in character—even you had said it yourself. Do not take back your previous words."

He ran his free hand through his hair, remembering his own words. He had even lost his temper before… it was an embarrassing thing to remember. "Well, people do change as time goes on—but the core of your character is still very much the same. You care about yourself and the kingdom that you have grown up in. That is at least a little relieving and refreshing."

"What kind of person would not look after themself?" She scoffed. "And there is no reason for me to not care about the kingdom, it is the land of my birth and the hard work of my ancestors—"

Alexander blinked and managed a short laugh, "Ah, you sound like—"

"Sound like what?"

"Nothing. I admire that part of you." He smiled.

"Do not try to make me favor you with your flattery, I have already told you that it does not work."