Villainess Of Hearts

The Queen of Heart's suspicions were correct, and she turned to the twin knights and was currently uncaring about everything else. Alice was her priority, she was the one who she wanted to know—because…

"Ah, forgive us for speaking out of turn, Your Majesty." Theodore bowed.

Thomas cleared his throat. "We know someone who looks like your servant, Your Majesty."

Rosalyn Lockhart blinked. She didn't expect to get an answer so quickly, but she glanced back at Mary Ann and motioned her to come forward. "Looks like my servant? Is the image as charming as if she and this friend of yours are twins?"

The sudden attention brought to Mary Ann and her sudden curiosity would incite some degree of suspicion, no doubt. The Queen of Hearts was not really known to show interest beyond that of her current enjoyments, but she simply kept up with this in order to uncover the truth.

Perhaps they'd simply consider this as amusement.

But would she really have paid attention to two knights blabbering if not to behead them for being so noisy? That would have been the most common stance of the other servants around the area who were trying to leave the hallway.

Theodore threw a sharp look at his brother, but then beheld the Queen once again. "Not—"

His brother beat him to it.

"Almost exactly the same, the um, eyes and hair color just a tiny bit off—but at first glance, we were fooled." Thomas decided it was better to let her know. Lord Reinhard Lockhart was the one who was with Alice, so the Queen herself would figure about it, eventually.

Besides that idea, he was impressed with her ability to identify him and his brother.

Both of them were, really. Theodore also shared the same sentiment at being recognized as distinctive from his brother… but he had been more keen to follow Lord Lockhart's request of silence and secrecy to the utmost of his ability.

It didn't matter if the two were siblings, siblings still held secrets from one another. Perhaps even those of the closest bonds.

"I wonder, what if she was a long-lost twin of my dear Mary Ann?" Rosalyn rubbed her chin.

She was more than willing to use her servant at this moment; it was already known that she held some esteem to her servant and favored her, so this could also be taken as mere boredom speculation for her.

Albeit, the crowd was already lessening, much to her mild dissatisfaction.

This time, Theodore gave a look at Thomas and beat him to an answer. "I am not so sure, Your Majesty. We haven't seen her in a while." This could have been very long or very short.

Technical truths could have been his expertise. At least at this very moment.

Rosalyn Lockhart narrowed her eyes at him, but nodded briefly. It had been difficult to find Alice amongst the crowds last night, or rather she had not cared about it and let the young woman slip away like a snake into the grass.

A snake in the grass.

The Queen of Hearts now knew the truth about this matter. Two siblings who had both arrived in her world at very different times, and even if Alexander and Alice both didn't exactly remember one another—the two still ended up finding each other.

Now she understood her exile.

If she had been aggravating a family member, even if Alexander couldn't fully remember it—the man would still do something to protect Alice. He had decided to keep the young woman at his side and had exiled her because of her lashing out at the woman.

Her stomach turned queasy, and she involuntarily recoiled at the thought that had pierced through her mind like a dart into the center of its piece. Had she really thought of that?

This kind of—

"Are you alright, Your Majesty?" Mary Ann wavered close to the Queen. She was ready to catch the Queen if she was about to faint, and the woman did look pale-faced right now. The young servant wanted to blame herself, it was because the Queen had not eaten yet, hadn't she? "I… I'll prepare your tarts and tea right away."

This young woman, cook and servant threw a look at the two Knights—silently making it clear that if anything were to happen to the Queen, it would be their fault and then she shot off towards the servant's kitchen to prepare the holy grail of all things sweet.

Tarts.

It was becoming a way of life.

Unfortunately, Mary Ann and even the two Knights were oblivious to the sudden realization that had dawned on the Queen of Hearts. Rosalyn Lockhart was still sure, definitely positive she needed to have Alice beheaded on her first day of return.

But things were different now…

She needed to get them back home. Alice and her… brother? The King of Hearts. Rosalyn Lockhart faltered at the sudden thought. A pang in her stomach. An uneasy flutter in her chest. She had been so determined at first when she talked with the Time Man.

… Now she was only a little hesitant.

When the King of Hearts was gone, she would be the only Queen of Hearts, wouldn't it? Rosalyn Lockhart's thoughts immediately drew to her brother. He could make a fine King and it wasn't that weird to have siblings ruling a kingdom together as the Spades Kingdom already previously told her.

Then again, she could also marry someone else.

Marry someone again to become King? Now wouldn't that make her the most sought after bachelorette—widow after that happened? The Queen of Hearts raised a hand to her forehead and heaved a sigh.

"Your Majesty, would you like to take a seat first?" Theodore worriedly asked. If anything happened to the Queen while she was in their protection, then the image of Sir Julius barraging them would occur.

"A glass of water, Your Majesty?" Thomas added along helpfully.

Was it really useful to have these two men with her now? In the bigger scope of things, they were now irrelevant to her… unless they could tell her how to find Alice. But what was the right thing to do?

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and stepped away. "Knight Theodore and Thomas, please escort me to the… Royal Dining Hall and then one of you return to fetch my breakfast from Mary Ann. I am to assume that most of the Nobility are to be present there."

It was so easy to talk aloud, and sometimes, the people did respond to her.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Well, she preferred talking to herself, mostly. But now her head was starting to clear up. While the idea of bringing both the King and his sister home was an option, as a true Queen, she couldn't rest at ease until the entire case on the attack was solved.

There. It was easy.

Delay the situation with Alexander and Alice when things were better. She was positive that the young woman would stay safe and fine—she always ended up better off than Rosalyn herself.

Yes, she would play a little nice for now.

While it may seem that she was someone who had everything in her hands—the Queen strolling down the hallways, which didn't feel as secure as a Castle was meant to be, not everything was at her beck and call.

But that was natural.

Enemies always continued to be around.

It hadn't always just been Alice, that she had to admit and acknowledge. The Queen of Hearts stepped inside the dining hall after the announcement, and her gaze swept across the Nobility. People, men and women, standing up and glorifying her with words.

"Good morning to Her Majesty of Hearts, Long live the Kingdom of Hearts!"

Even their greetings now were more warm and clamoring. They did not need to be geniuses to understand that the Queen of Hearts was out to find a person responsible for the attacks. A person to blame and quell the anger? No, she had full intentions of scouring for the culprit in the Castle of twists and truths.

Now which one of them was the mastermind to the infiltration? Who to trust and who to betray? Who had the most to gain? Which one had it all to lose and couldn't hesitate to attack her?

Unlike the King of Hearts, she would not wait for any investigations.

Rosalyn Lockhart would do it all by herself.

"Ah, you just made it in time for breakfast, Your Majesty." Someone else spoke in greeting, a teacup in their hand as the Joker took a sip. Oh yes, this man was still alive. Their presence had almost slipped Rosalyn's mind, but the man was seated in the center and forefront of the long table.

He hadn't been there when she looked moments ago.

Truly a number of different factors she needed to consider.

The Queen of Hearts furrowed her brows, but soon settled in her seat, accompanied by both Knights of the Lockhart House. Somewhat close to her position was the Lord of Lockhart House, his relation to her gave him the right to sit closer to the king's position.

He only nodded at her, not even batting an eye at his own Knights.

But he didn't share the same sentiment the Queen held for her Knight, than he had with his Order of Knights. Natural. If not only a little cold. She grabbed the edge of the table and looked around the Nobilities, already eating.

The King of Hearts was still not present in the dining hall. Probably resting?

It did not matter now.

She did not delay.

"Thank you to all of you coming here for breakfast, I won't have to ask twice. Which one amongst yourselves is the traitor? Traitors, most likely. Not that it really matters.. It'll be a swift death if you confess it now."