Villainess Of Hearts

With one hand on the sheet that lay on her shoulder and her other hand gripping the bloodied dagger—Rosalyn Lockhart could do nothing but venture forward didn't she? Glancing wildly around her room provided her that she was alone with this corpse and so she moved to the doors. 

Until she paused. 

Falling chandeliers appeared in her mind's eye as she abandoned her first plan and dropped her dagger as she saw the steel axe that was on her bed. Seizing it up with her hand and ignoring the sear of pain when she squeezed the makeshift gauze on her shoulder, the Queen of Hearts was quick to move as she swung the axe clumsily through her windows.

Crash!

The shattered glass windows fell to her swing and she wouldn't be caught dead in her room. No kind of person would make an attempt on her life by only doing it all by themself and so she hauled herself up and through her window. Whether it was exhilaration or some other strength she didn't know she held within her—the Queen of Hearts landed on the grass with a soft thud.

The area she had found herself was in one of the portions of the gardens of the Castle of Hearts. It was supposed to give her a nice scenery but now all she wished was that she could have landed at the soldiers' barracks. If she had done so, then she wouldn't be afraid of someone attacking her in the garden. 

In the distance was a labyrinth for her to hide in… and to bleed herself to death? There was no time for weakness as she gritted her teeth and looked around. She could go through the garden and make her way to one of the available entrances to the castle. And hope that there was no assassin lying in wait for her? Where was Ginellevé when one needed him?

Rosalyn Lockhart continued with her course of actions—she would live.

.

.

.

"Your Majesty!" A voice called out to her as she stumbled through the gardens.

In the edges of her vision, darkness began to creep and enshroud her sight but she would not fall in this hour. 'But for now, rise up and steel your nerves.' The Time Man's words seemed to resound in the back of her mind as she saw the rose bushes and the tall green hedges in front of her. In the distance was the Gazebo of Dreams and the lake she had fallen in and it seemed to have people within it but it was too far off to see. But that wasn't her destination, all it took was a little more through the hedge canopy and the flowers in her garden before she'd reach the entrance.

And yet she heard the words of someone calling her.

As for who it was, she couldn't tell. Blood pounded in her ears. Her grip tightened over the axe's handle and when she raised her head, all she met was the gazes of three different women. Two Queens and a former Queen candidate. Rosalyn Lockhart wasn't sure what to do now, the axe was heavy in her hand. "Wh-Which one of you was in charge of this treachery?"

They were too stunned to answer and she staggered towards them.

Whether it was them or someone else—she swung the axe and felt someone grab her hand and squeeze it. Hard. Hard enough to hurt but the axe quickly fell from her hands as she saw the Queen of Spades disarm her and moved back. Olivia Deuce's brows were knotted over as she gripped the axe with much more ease than her. On her right was the Queen of Diamonds, Jeanne la Monique had pulled out a crystal from her pocket? It was a shimmering blue crystal that resembled the one that the King of Diamonds had given her—

"Heal. Mend. Rejuvenate." 

Magic condensed in the crystal—one of the things that the Diamond Kingdom could boast of. She watched a sparkle and gleam erupt from the blue gem as its lights danced around her shoulder. It was a cold sensation as if a cool breeze had blown past her on a beautiful morning.

Rosalyn Lockhart stumbled and she fell backwards, only to be caught by someone. When she glanced back, she was met with a flash of pink and the concerned eyes of Catherine Duke on her, "W-What happened, Rosalyn?"

There was no time for honorifics and such things.

"I think we should head back to the Castle of Hearts." Olivia Deuce chewed on her lip, at this moment, she held the steel axe gingerly in her hands.

Jeanne la Monique clicked her tongue, "At least let her recover for a bit."

When the Queen of Hearts raised her hand from her wounded shoulder—it was as if there was no injury at all. Her skin looked as good as new. And it was new, not reversed, unlike the Time Man's own skills. She sighed and met the gazes of the two other Queens on her, instead of complaining, they were only looking at her.

Those expressions on their faces, she didn't like it.

"I have been attacked in my personal chambers." She stiffly answered. And though she might have gone around and become suspicious of the delegates from the other Kingdoms, there was no use pointing fingers. She eyed the two Queens and realized that there should have been three as she frowned, "Where is the Queen of Clovers? Is she not with you? This is a dangerous time."

Perhaps this situation was also dangerous for them.

Well, probably not for the Queen of Spades, Olivia Deuce had a frightening expression on her face. Rosalyn Lockhart could only wonder if people looked at her and saw the same thing. Until the Queen of Spades exchanged a look with the Queen of Diamonds as if there was a secret message passed between them—of course, there was something! She heard Catherine Duke cleared her throat as the woman helped her become steady on her feet.

"Ahah… about that, Your Majesty of Hearts." It was Catherine Duke who winced. It was as if this woman was the one who was pained about this matter more than her. If the Lady had her fan, she would have covered her face as she gave a weak laugh. "I mean, why don't we find some soldiers first or my husband at least? Let's reconvene, I'm sure that the Queen of Clovers is safe, after all, she is—"

"Strong on her own."

"With the King of Hearts." 

Olivia Deuce and Jeanne la Monique answered in unison. The Queen of Spades gave a look at the Queen of Diamonds as Jeanne la Monique gave a shrug in reply—as if to say, 'I wasn't lying.' Somehow the Queen of Diamonds who used her crystal to heal her wounds was also the one who happened to tell her the blunt truth.

It wasn't as if Rosalyn hated such a thing.

She didn't need to overreact at such a thing. Although if there was anything that irked her about this… 

"The two of them are quite good friends, I'm sure that the Queen of Hearts has seen it during the Card Trials. It's no surprise when the Joker came here—it may have triggered some terrible memories." Olivia Deuce was quick to say as she planted the steel axe on the ground. 

As if such a thing would bury the hatchet.

Jeanne la Monique blew a raspberry at the other Queen's words, "Is that how you saw it, Deuce? Because I want you to clean your spectacles." Even if the Queen of Diamonds acted as if she was a polished jewel, she was more akin to an uncut diamond. Quite rough with the way she acted and not afraid to bump shoulders with even the Queen of Spades who had more military power.

And yet she didn't care about that, there was something more substantial.

"Did this King leave the other Kings at the Royal Conference Hall unattended?!" The Queen of Hearts moved back from the hand that Catherine had laid on her shoulder. At a time like this?! She couldn't believe how the man could leave all for the sake of a woman. It was irritating! She began to stomp back way to the entrance to the Castle of Hearts on her own. It wasn't because she was mad at him chasing after a woman, not at all—but he had his responsibilities to take care of!

If she hadn't fainted at all… she would have missed the opportunity to talk with the Time Man, but she would have been able to continue to host and converse with the Joker. At the end of the day, that was much more important than anything else. The Queens could influence the Kings and exert their power but at the end of the day, the Kings were still held in more esteem.

"Please move more slowly, Queen of Hearts!" Catherine Duke called after her.

There was no moment to lose, Rosalyn Lockhart started back to the entrance and quickly stumbled into someone else.