Villainess Of Hearts

The Queen of Hearts stared at the dark red liquid in her teacup, a small image of her reflected in them. Swirling and never at peace. "Perhaps it isn't the tarts or this tea that are the problem… and so it would be me."

She sighed inwardly.

"I am the one at fault?"

The only thing in common with all of her problems was the fact that she was the reason behind them, and based on her previous interactions with the Time Man, all ended up unsatisfying to her. Or rather life taking dissatisfaction with her and putting her into her place.

It was an ironic thing to think about.

What if life continued to repair itself by throwing her out of the picture? There was someone in charge of Time, then there was someone in charge of Life, Death and other concepts. And each of them would have an idea on how things ought to be. Perhaps Death would have already been searching for her?

Life wished her away. Fate decided that this was not in his plans—but Time continued to turn back for her. Strange thoughts to be had at this particular time. She didn't even realize it was where her mind's direction took her to—always back to the moment where she sat with the hooded man and had tea with him.

How exactly did she convince him in the first place?

What had she paid before to make him reconsider everything? Surely she was the only one given the chance. The man had said that there far too many if she requested Gine to follow suit. Normally her memory was poor in regards to these things, but such things seemed to retain itself in her mind.

Their importance was no doubt present.

And yet her thoughts had drifted elsewhere—she was supposed to be sad and upset. But even the Queen had grown weary and tired of such things. What was left for her right now was to seize things and make it hers. Then she would be finally happy and content.

Perhaps that was the thing that she was looking for?

But instead she focused on gathering Alice's former allies, and even just five of them were a handful. The Hatter. Mallory. Harold. Cheshire… and no doubt the King himself. Even if she couldn't remember everything, she could remember at least their contributions to a distant past where Alice had won and she had lost.

"I've always considered befriending her allies, but what if I were to befriend—" Any chance to seclude herself for more introspection would be placed in a pause. She was once again interrupted by a knock. The sound of it made her nearly drop her tea. Who was it this time? She raised her head and granted entry regardless.

The door swung open and someone stepped in.

A white-haired man quickly walked in, but he was far too short to be her Knight. He was too meek to be him, too soft and everything that Gine was not. Instead, a pale-faced Blyke Edelweiss came and bowed to her, "Your Majesty, my apologies for coming but I would like to invite you to head to the Royal Dining Room. Dinnertime is nearly upon us."

The tea in her cup had grown cold, the red liquid coming to a pause at last.

She studied his face, the nervous expression on it and sighed inwardly. "What happened this time? I would like to think that His Majesty Alexander can handle the affairs tonight." The Queen of Hearts understood that she should have been there with the King, but other matters took precedence—she had made them more important than dealing with the Nobility that would only lick her shoes if it'd bring them any more favor.

Trying to find a way to turn back time into her favor, dealing with a Hatter and such things. Those were the things that she had placed much more importance—only she could do them. But the King of Hearts could do her job if necessary. Was her assumption that the King had wanted her to rest and focus on her Knight simply a figment of her mind after all?

"Nothing particularly, Your Majesty but your presence would be more beneficial there than here." the Prime Minister said.

"And who has decided that was the case?"

His expression panicked for a moment, but he kept to his position. For once, the man was unwilling to budge. "Your Majesty, it would provide a more good image if the King and Queen were together." And then he became slightly uncomfortable, his foot tapped on the ground like a rabbit thumping their foot. "I know it isn't that much of a problem with you—but one of the Heads of the House has brought their daughters and these women are freely flirting with His Majesty at the lack of your presence."

This was what this man had come running here for? She had expected some kind of emergency, something life-threatening or one that put their Kingdom and safety at risk but not this. Women flocking around the King made sense and did not make sense at all. It was enough to make her laugh. "Are you serious?"

Her reaction made the man stare for a second.

Until he caught himself and looked at her slightly aghast, "They're disrespecting the King and Queen of the Kingdom of Hearts, Your Majesty. Even when the King of Hearts refused their advances, they were too insistent. I'm afraid that they're still at it even when I had left. Something like this would—"

"Put questions in regards to the King and mine's relationship." She said. The Queen of Hearts needed no confirmation, because it was this so.

A Queen ought to guard 'her man' jealously or something else vindictive. Rosalyn Lockhart was familiar with that, probably had been like that in her foolishness—and yet she could recall that Kings in history were still able to take concubines. A company of women that the King would have and proudly displayed the beauties of the Kingdom. "Ah, they desire for the King's Harem to be reestablished?"

"Your Majesty, there's no such—"

"If you try to disagree with me then I'm better off staying here." It hadn't been exactly outlawed, but it was much more aspiredfor the King and Queen to be together in passion and love. However, it didn't mean that the King would not take any liking to other women in the distant past—and of those women, some would insist on getting something in return.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty."

It was strange to see the Prime Minister in such a state of unease like this, but perhaps it showed that he was related to Harold indeed. The two of them could act similarly to jumpy rabbits at times, energetic but nervous. It was a surprise that neither had exactly done anything more outrageous.

When the Queen looked behind her—she would notice that it was already six-thirty in the evening. And it was strange, as if time moved far faster than she realized. Or she was too stuck in her thoughts to fully feel the passing of the hours. "Very well, I will attend this dinner and this situation. I assume that you are referring to the maidens at the Eris House?"

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty."

"Amusing." The Queen pulled herself up to her feet, and stepped out of the room. The Prime Minister was in tow and tried to give her more details, but the contents of the family heirloom stuck in her mind. "I would have thought that something was going with the House of Lorie and Eris. Perhaps they truly did see an opportunity since they haven't seen me in awhile."

"Pardon, Your Majesty?"

"Nothing." This kind of situation had never risen at all in her memories—but the King had been willing to exile a Queen before for someone named Alice. What were the chances that he'd do the same for concubines? She had never once paid attention to his promises of faithfulness, or rather a chance of them to start over again.

But to hear that he rejected advances from the Eris House was enough to make her blink.

The man knew she wasn't around—he could have enjoyed an evening full of attention from young and beautiful women. Surely someone like him still had urges like any other man, did he not? The thought of it was enough to make a harried cough escape her throat. For her to suddenly think about such things were rather improper.

And she tried to focus on something else—

Alexander Hartsmichdt had looked terrified back then when she had mocked him about making a child. It was kind of ridiculous that such thoughts were coming to her mind right now—but it was probably all due to these women surrounding him. She sighed and shook her head, "Without me, I'm afraid that he might end up a sheep among a pack of wolves."

"Not necessarily, Your Majesty." the Prime Minister willing to speak up for once.

"And yet you ask me to come here." she retorted back at the man.. "Announce my presence and let us be done with this now."