Villainess Of Hearts

Luxury and despair wrought in fancy thick drapes and well-made furniture. It was a combination that a young Queen was familiar with, and the air was stale as she took in a deep breath. Spending her time in contemplation and frustration from the moment she returned, a self-deprecating smile formed on her lips. "How useless, how fake this is."

There was no use in dwelling in self-pity.

She grabbed ahold of her comforter and blankets and tossed them aside; the Queen pulled herself up to her feet. She was completely fine. The request may have been denied, but it changed nothing with her plans—she was out for revenge and survival.

To have some of her pawns crumble and get crushed was normal—they were all sacrifices to be made. Her Knight had served her well, and if he was too busy to recover overnight, then she would do well without him. Her brother was arriving in the castle? There was no problem with it.

How could she have made a senseless decision to go to the Time Man and plead for Gine to remember everything? The man was right, things could go wrong, and it was always better to rely on herself alone. It was much more safe and she could handle it by herself.

"It might have been more advantageous, but it doesn't mean that I'll lose if I lost the chance to cover his memory—what matters is that I know the possible outcomes. I can fight against them." She glanced towards the grandfather clock in her room, a frown temporarily marring her face. Rosalyn Lockhart carried herself out. "It's already lunch time—I cannot work with an empty stomach."

She would eat an appropriate meal and then—

A soldier was outside of her room, stationed just outside. He saluted the Queen, "Good afternoon, Your Majesty. I offer my greetings to the Queen of Hearts!"

Rosalyn Lockhart couldn't remember his name, but she also didn't expect that there would be a soldier around… but it made sense with her Knight out of commission. She eyed him, "Has the King of Hearts ordered you to watch over me?"

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty!" he said with a courteous bow. "The first of the many Nobility have arrived, and the King is entertaining them in the Royal Dining Hall—shall I escort you there, Your Majesty?"

The first answer didn't exactly surprise her, but she didn't think that he would make it known to her that he was watching over her. Somebody else might have felt trapped and caged by such actions—as if the man loomed over him. And yet perhaps that wasn't what the man had intentioned.

But there was no time to think about that.

The King would do fine in welcoming them, and she would rather not see another face at all. But there was someone else she had to worry about. She eyed the soldier with a sharp look, "What about the Joker—has he joined them in the salutations?" If it wasn't enough for him to bother with the grand scale of things by interacting and toying with the Kings and Queens of each Kingdom, would he try to undermine even the peerage?

"N-No, Your Majesty."

A stutter in the man's voice was enough reason to doubt him, but more so that he wouldn't look her in the eye. She gave him a wintry smile, "Are you certain or are you lying through your teeth? I will have your tongue chopped off if you lie."

"I-I'm not sure, Your Majesty!" his voice hitched. "We haven't seen him at all since yesterday!"

Her brows furrowed together, "Is that so?"

The soldier beside her looked like he wanted to break away. He involuntarily took a step back.

And yet her attention was not on him, but on the piece of information that she had received. Had he left on his own accord there? Rosalyn Lockhart didn't think that would be the case for someone like him. At least in the way that the man presented himself nowadays, he would not leave for nothing.

Her hands tightened together for one moment, but then she stomped away.

She threw one final look at the soldier, "You are dismissed for now—do not follow me if you wish to live." Lunch would have to be thrown aside for the office. The very moment she arrived and slammed the doors behind her, she made her way to her desk and took out her inherited book.

… inherited indeed.

Once she finished unlocking it, she flipped it open and tried to shake her mind off of things—including that of the Joker. He didn't matter in this particular situation unless he chose to interfere, and that for his alleviation of boredom. The Queen of Hearts could understand it, the sheer amount of pleasure it was to see people react in erratic ways while one maintained their temper and cool head.

Albeit, it often went the other way around for her.

The Queen of Hearts flipped all the way to the back of her notebook and consulted her informant's notes. It wasn't as if everything was committed to memory, and so she took details of other knowledge lifted from them—the secret trades, private rendezvous and also recent failures. All of which were good ways to keep them in measure.

And yet…

She hadn't exactly requested it, but from time to time, the informant would give updates on other notable events around the entire land. Circumstances in the Lord Duke's lands, rumors and gossip in the taverns and even premeditated them… and occasionally, news of how the Lockhart House was doing on the surface.

There was no sight of any news regarding it when it could have been useful when meeting with her brother. She ground her teeth but then exhaled. Now was not the time to panic or have uneasiness flood into her chest. The man would not be around—their lands were the farthest.

If anything, only two to three Houses might have arrived today.

She could wait until then. If there was anything that she might have dreaded, even slightly, it would be dealing with the return of Lady Catherine Duke. Who could fathom on how the woman would react? Surely she would jump straight into her husband's arms, but the woman still insists on meeting with her.

Rosalyn Lockhart could only hope that Gine would—

She closed the book and returned it to her drawer.

If her Knight didn't, then it would be fine, and she would ensure that nobody would notice. Yes, information about her Knight's state was better hidden than falling into wrong hands. If the King assumed she was resting, then she would take advantage of it.

A rapid knock erupted. "Y-Your Majesty!"

She spun to the source. It was the door, someone knocking on it with an urgent touch to her tone. Some vexation stirred up in her chest—did they think that they could rush a Queen and barge in for entry?

"Y-Your Majesty!" the voice came again. Much louder this time.

And she could finally recognize the speaker. It was… Mary Ann. The Queen of Hearts could recognize the voice, but not why the woman was here. Rosalyn Lockhart hadn't called for her at all. Had the woman come here on her own accord? She felt a wave of something go through her—and it wasn't annoyance.

It was something else entirely.

She couldn't put it to words, but it wasn't exactly terrible, nor was it a pleasurable feeling. The Queen only knew who it was and what was probably waiting for her, a tray filled with her lunch no doubt. Mary Ann had grown to be more assured and concerned with her duties and decided to bring the Queen her lunch.

But that didn't justify Rosalyn Lockhart to allow for the opening of the door.

There should be no favored treatments in the first place, as what the woman did was simply what her position demanded of her. If anything, she should be punished for coming without permission. The Queen of Hearts could not turn a blind eye to that—and this was why rumors had started to spiral around in the first place.

She had ignored it before, but she had ears.

The servants had begun to appear in her vision as of recent time—they no longer feared her as much as they did before, didn't they?

What a terrible thing to know.

Perhaps the reason why assassins had come for her life is because of this exact relationship between her and the cook. She had allowed a rumor to be spread that she had grown softer—and undoubtedly weaker because of it. Was that the truth?

No, she stabbed the assassin with her own hands. The Queen of Hearts could kill if the situation called for it, and yet people didn't think that way. She laughed, "It makes perfect sense. Why have I only thought of this right now? Such a terrible idea in the first place, it was better to remain as I was."

Her gaze flickered to her office's furniture and fixtures, vases, portraits and bookshelves. In the fireplace was a metal rod, what Gine used to move logs in the burning flame.

That would do perfectly fine, wouldn't it?

The Queen snatched it up in her hands and turned to the door.