Villainess Of Hearts

"I am here on a mission, but if I were to ever get a chance to seek your help—perhaps there is a chance for me to acquire it. The Kingdom of Hearts is in grave danger." Blake Landrigan said. He straightened up his back to look the cat person in the eye.

It was impossible to get a neutral cat to pay attention, but what if the entire world he lived in was at risk?

Even this kind of creature-person would help, wouldn't he?

Chesire was Chesire… even if the world around him started to change. He stared at the green haired man that smelled like smoke and wrinkled his nose. "I do not like dabbling in things such as this one. You can leave and I'll not say a word."

"I was just hoping for directions—surely a person of your stature has already explored and seen the entire place of the Castle of Hearts. I am searching for someone important and directions would be helpful."

"If you move this way, then you go that way. But if you move that way—well, you'll end up somewhere that's for sure." Chesire gave him one of his grins. He hadn't lost the ability to smile simply because Lord Warth Duke got attacked.

The man was like a wild boar, that Lord just survived whatever happened to him.

Blake Landrigan rubbed his face. He did not want to stoop to this kind of conversation, but he asked. "I am looking for the Queen's chamber—"

A clawed hand found itself in the Informant's throat. His back hit against the wall and it hurt, his gaze immediately met cat's eyes slitted and a grin that was more unnerving than annoying.

"My, my—I did not expect that you are a pervert."

His eyes widened. "Why are you reacting like this? You are a neutral—"

"Doesn't mean that I'd allow a man to question something strange and disgusting like that."

"Who do you think I am? I'm here to warn the Queen—mphf!"

Chesire's hand covered Blake Landrigan's mouth and the cat pressed himself closer and whispered in his ear. "Don't breathe."

Stricken to surprise, he nodded and did just that. He felt like nothing happened, but then a group of maids walked in the hallway and chattered amongst themselves happily. It was as if he and the Chesire—couldn't be seen. Blake Landrigan's eyes widened.

This was the power of the so-called Chesire who could turn invisible!

"I—well, certainly we wouldn't be seen as suspects. Only a Noble and someone of a higher power and status could start some kind of attack like that, you know?"

"But I've readied my alibi just in case—it's the Joker we're talking about."

"He seems kind of hot—"

"What the heck are you saying? He looks horrendous to me. I get chills."

"As long as I get paid, I don't care about anything else."

"I want to look for new work, it's too dangerous here."

"You just can't leave."

"I have a contract."

The Informant listened with full attention and enraptured himself with their words. Choice of words, intonation, body language and micro-gestures, each one of them were relaxed and happy despite the situation on hand.

It was very suspicious.

And yet the Chesire only looked idly at them as if he didn't care. But this pussycat surely cared about something—someone if he had attempted to choke Blake at his mere suggestion of finding the Queen's chambers.

Granted, it wasn't his first choice—but the fact that nobody else would dare go to that place meant it was the perfect place to find the Queen of Hearts and talk with her in private. Blake Landrigan didn't need to worry about anything else, except for being stabbed by her Knight.

And yet that was a risk he had been willing to take.

Blake Landrigan was confident in his wits, if not his body, to at least allow him to dodge and then inform that he was the long-awaited and trusted Informant she had after all these years.  This was why he was risking his neck for this, because he understood that underneath all the layers of so-called rumors and harshness of the Queen…

She was still looking out for the Kingdom of Hearts and was just.

A stern and set ruler was better than one that was too easy to manipulate.

Then again—some were too strict and set in their ways that they wouldn't stop at all to get what they wanted. Friends, Allies and Blood be damned. It was everyone for their own selves, if something or someone no longer had any purpose then they were dispatched.

He had lived far too long to be caught dead this time.

Even while he felt light-headed at the lack of air, but once the maid servants were gone, the Chesire released him and allowed him to breathe in some air. He gasped and clutched his chest.

Chesire rolled his eyes at the theatrics. "It shouldn't have been that bad."

"Unfortunately, not all of us are superior humans with wondrous physiques that help them perform spectacular feats." Blake Landrigan coughed. "But I take it that you won't kill me."

"Who are you?" Chesire raised a brow. "Are you a friend of the Queen of Hearts?"

Blake Landrigan wanted to ask the same, but instead dipped a bit and raised his head. "A loyal servant of the Queen. I am the Informant of Secret Information beholden only to the Queen of Hearts."

"Oh."

"Is that all you can really muster?" Blake Landrigan said aghast. Shook his head. "But I take it that you will help me?"

"Who is this enemy that you are speaking of."

"I… do not trust myself to say the name once and live long after uttering as an aftermath." Blake Landrigan steeled his gaze on the cat. "I forbid myself to say anything until I were to see the Queen of Hearts and personally inform her of this matter."

"That makes it hard to trust you—and you don't smell good."

"Give me a break, I had my face near up a horse's rear for a good part of my journey here thanks to a certain King and I would like to live my life in peace," he said.

The Chesire narrowed his eyes but nodded. "Alright, if you can tell who the one is at fault for this situation then I will owe you a great debt of gratitude. And it is not often that you can obtain something of that worth."

Blake Landrigan half-smiled. "Naturally, I'll do my best to keep it up. You have my thanks, although embarrassing it maybe… If you could give me some help to arrive there without being seen then it would be of the most help."

"You can't hold your breath until we arrive there, so take my hand.' Chesrie's nail retracted back and grew closer to a person's normal length ones. "It is a bit of an unknown fact, but if you are of strong will as you appear to be—then we'll get you there in one piece."

"Wait, what are you saying—"

Chesire grabbed his hand and then went poof. He didn't release a cloud of smoke, no, far from it. Instead the two blinked out and disappeared from existence. 

Which was for good timing.

For else they would have been caught and all would be for naught.

Two familiar brothers walked through the hallway and conversed with one another. Somehow this time their conversation was about a certain person they never thought to be possible.

"I can't believe we actually survived dealing with you-know-who," Thomas said.

"You made things worse, and it was barely salvageable if it weren't for me."

"I know. But maybe things wouldn't have been so bad if we didn't have the party and reunion with Sir Gine while he had been around. It was a little unnecessary and even gaudy—at least if I were to put it with the Knight Orders that I have read about before."

Theodore stayed silent, taken aback  by their brother's insight. Thomas was well-read despite what he… what they looked like. It was terrible to insult one's brother when he looked exactly the same as he did.

At least until he spoke something idiotic yet again.

"Whatever the case, there's not much to do and I wish I could visit Al—"

"Allen? Yeah he's a good eye." Theodore glared at his twin to shut him up. Even if he did not understand how things functioned. He was interested in keeping the Lord's orders. No other person needed to learn their relationship with one another.

The two brothers were still loyal to Ki—Lord Lockhart. 

Thomas shook his head and sighed. "I wonder when we'll get the chance to visit the good place. I've been missing the hot stone bath. It always relieves my pressure, if anything that's the only reason why I want to work for Lord Lockhart."

"That's ridiculous. The pay is good and that's all that matters."

"Well, it also helps when your superior is good to you. I wonder if that is the case with Sir Gine?" Thomas grinned. It could have a man slightly envious that the Knight worked with the Queen and just the Queen.

Theodore rolled his eyes. "Do you want to ask him yourself?"

—-

Author's Note: I suppose if I wanted to write a pure romance story, then perhaps we could have wrapped it up easily in less than a hundred chapters. And yet here we are…  if a reader happens to read until this part, hello! I'm glad if the story of the Queen of Hearts and the twists and turns of her tale captured your attention. Thank you for the support~