Villainess Of Hearts

There were certain things that Rosalyn Lockhart understood: She was in another world. She was in the past. Those things might have rendered someone else speechless or at least shocked them, but she was already following the young man back home.

She would grasp the situation in a while, but for now, she needed to determine the things that she could and couldn't do. There was probably something wrong with explaining the full situation and yet if there was anything more suspicious than anything—it was this Alexander accepting her proposal of her being lost and taking her home.

"What if I'm some crazy woman who could kill you, wouldn't that endanger you?" She asked.

Alexander looked back and grinned, "I trust my instincts that you're a good person. And also because I can defend myself."

His arrogance was the same now as it was before. She'd like to think that it was arrogant for him to assume that she was good, but she would let him be. The Queen of Hearts only sighed and crossed her arms, "Well, it brings me nothing to argue with you..."

And so the two of them would head together to his home.

—

He could have sweated on the spot with the way his mother was giving him pointed looks. "This is uh… my friend Rosalyn, she's a senior from the drama club and didn't exactly have anywhere else to stay because her roommate locked her out of their shared flat. Her roommate decided to run away with her boyfriend to New Chinatown, and because Rosalyn was expecting her roommate to be there—she left the keys."

"That is unfortunate," His mother said. "However, I didn't know you were involved with the drama club, Alex."

She was picking out each and every word, didn't she?

"Hahaha," He rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't know either, but you know your son has such a handsome face—they needed to recruit me. I couldn't say no when they were fawning over me."

"My apologies for the situation that your son has brought you, but I currently lack proper accommodations. I would appreciate it greatly if you could spare me a room for tonight… Madam." She curtsied in front of his mother.

The way she acted was regal and even poised.

His mother wouldn't get strange ideas, could she? Well, she could.

"Let Alex's friend stay over, nothing wrong with that." His father reclined over their couch, watching some show on their television. He often let his wife take over the matters, except for now?

Alexander didn't even know his father was listening in.

He was almost glad.

Then he spoke and almost ruined it. "Back in their age, didn't we stay over at your friend Mellissa's—"

"Alright," His mother shot his father a look and then addressed Rosalyn, "She can stay… you can stay, dear. But ah, we don't exactly have a guest room. Would you mind if you stay with Alex's younger sister?"

Alexander scratched his head. "I mean, the brat can stay with me." He would have offered to bunk with his sister's room, but it would be even weirder if Rosalyn stayed in his room, didn't it? What if she snooped around his room?

There wasn't exactly anything embarrassing in his room, but his mother would take it the wrong way again.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, definitely!" he said.

"Well, I don't want to stay with him," His sister's voice echoed in the living room. She finally walked out of her bedroom and gave him a look, "His room is really smelly."

Alexander's face heated up, "Oi, that's exaggerating things, Allie."

"Is not," She stuck out a tongue at him.

Somehow she wasn't afraid to say whatever she wanted, even with complete strangers around. Did she have no shame? Was she intentionally embarrassing him? He wouldn't be surprised if she did—this was her he was talking about.

"Hah, please excuse their squabbles, Rosalyn." His mother smiled at his guest, "You don't have anything to change to, do you, dear? I'll lend you some clothes, that'd be an uncomfortable gown to sleep in."

—

The Queen of Hearts had stepped into enemy's territory, she had plunged into it with no idea of what had happened at first. Rosalyn Lockhart didn't think she would meet Alexander in his youth prior to him arriving to the Kingdom of Hearts, meet his parents and also meet his younger sister.

A family portrait hung on the girl's dresser, and when she stared at it—she was about ninety-five percent sure that this was Alice. There was always a margin of error, but the reality of things now settled it for her.

"Alice… Allie." Her imagination of the demure woman that arrived and stole the hearts of the people in her kingdom evaporated at once. The child—and Rosalyn thought of both Alexander and her as children—was outspoken. Had she changed when she grew a bit older? The woman grasped the house dress Alexander's mother had given her and plopped onto Allie's bed.

It was a comfortable one; the fabric was soft and in a soft blue color.

This was a signature color of Alice.

However, it had to do.

"And his name is Alexander… had this not ever crossed my mind before?" Rosalyn Lockhart wasn't sure how to feel about this situation. This wasn't a cathartic feeling, but neither was it numbness that surrounded her—perhaps it was more akin to drinking a bitter tea and forcing it down her throat.

She sighed and thought it over.

The Queen of Hearts wanted Alice dead and her older brother, who happened to be the King—he would protect his sister and cast her out. She didn't like his decision at all, and he made no mention of it? Rosalyn Lockhart couldn't exactly remember precisely.

"Haaaah!" She tossed herself backwards onto the bed and let out a frustrated sigh. "Stupid, stupid—how stupid are you, Rosalyn?" It made sense that he would do it and yet she had also gone her way into thinking that the woman had seduced everyone, including the King of Hearts.

It wasn't enough, never enough to make the anger of getting thrown out cease… but she now had a more vivid and clear picture. Did that change things? "Yes, it probably does. I suppose the solution is to reunite the two together and then send the King of Heart's back to his world, that is to say if he hadn't returned now."

Her thoughts drifted to the man that had nearly kissed her, and she suffered even more burning in her face. "This is ridiculous." The slight tinge of hurt that the Queen acknowledged for having the man chase after another woman didn't exactly ease, and it had instead turned to shame.

What was she getting so jealous over for a woman that was his sister?

The Queen of Hearts pressed a hand over her chest and took a deep breath. She gulped some air and then sighed. "Before I consider the things I can do to return them back to their world, foremost I need to return to my world. The question is how?"

Rosalyn Lockhart clutched at the long buttoned up dress. She would change her clothes first. She stared out the window and gazed at the full moon, thankful that the house had a second floor… the Queen of Hearts had an inkling of what or who might help her return home, but she did not know how great the connection was between this world, hers, and his.

Did she need to destroy a clock here?

Well, it wasn't hers… or she could pretend she knocked it over by accident? What a shameful thing to pretend that she was a klutz. The Queen of Hearts stripped first and began to change her clothes until she received a knock.

"Come in?" The Queen of Hearts began to button up her dress.

"A-Ah—" Alexander covered his face with a small bag, "I'm sorry!"

She gave him a look and brushed her hair back. A tiny scoff escaped her lips, "I'm all dressed, there's nothing to see. What do you have for me, boy?"

"Geez, you really act like some royalty," he said and lowered the bag from his face. His face had a tinged of red, "I brought you some toiletries so you can freshen up before you sleep."

Rosalyn Lockhart sniffed but nodded, "Thank you. I'll… look over your words this time. I do owe you my current accommodations, thus I sincerely offer my gratitude. Please thank your… sister and family for allowing me to stay. Even I was worried if I would sleep outdoors with the way you spoke to your mother." That was a lie—she might have… done something? Demanded? The Queen of Hearts wouldn't stay outside at all and would have thought of something.

Alexander's face grew even redder, "I'm sorry! I had to think of something on the spot!"

"You could have thought of it while we were heading back here, but I suppose that I'll have to cease distressing you." She drew closer to him and held out her hands, "Give me this bag of… toiletries."

Their hands brushed together as he gave it, and he apologized again. This side of him… it was slightly cute. She chuckled and beckoned him closer, "Thank you." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and then stifled another one at his tomato-like face. "What are you blushing there for?"

"Do you do that… to everyone you thank?" he asked.

"Perhaps? I am not so sure myself… perhaps I just felt like it." She thought of Gine and felt a little somber over it. The Queen of Hearts shook her head and looked at him, "Is there anything wrong with doing what I want? Did that kiss hurt you in any way?"

"No, but you could give me the wrong idea!"