Villainess Of Hearts

Whether it was through sheer luck or not—the man caught her in his arms when she could have managed to stand on her own. The Queen of Hearts eyed the person before her with a small frown, "You should watch where you're going." 

And it truly was a man and not a King, it was simply Dimitri from the Kingdom of Clovers.

"Ah, Your Majesty. You must be careful as well." The Delegate inclined his head and then allowed her to pull back from him. There was a sheepish smile on his face and unlike their previous encounter where he had worn a top hat bought from the Hatter's, he didn't have anything on his head and that made his green hair shine under the sun.

Rosalyn Lockhart tried to move past him, but she had to ask, "Are the other Kings still waiting at the Royal Conference Hall?" This was someone who knew what was happening unlike her.

"Yes, I assume that they are still there if not for perhaps my bro—His Majesty of Clovers going for a short walk. He gets a tad restless. Especially with the fact that it was the Joker who had arrived. "The man smiled but to her, there was a hint of hurriedness in it. As if he was more concerned with getting away from her than actually conversing with her. 

She could only think of one reason.

"I see, my thanks for the information. Perhaps you are looking for the Queen of Clovers?" The Queen of Hearts tilted her head. The man's entire disposition was distraught which was unlike the King of Clovers who she encountered before.

The man's eyes widened and though she didn't care for his appearances before, his eyes matched his hair and it was similar to how leaves unfurled in her garden. He gave a quick nod, "My apologies for intruding on Her Majesty's business, but would it be possible that Her Majesty give me the location of where she is?"

It was amazing to her that the Queen of Clovers was well-loved even by the Delegates.

Rosalyn Lockhart tapped a finger underneath her chin, "I am not entirely sure, it's better you ask the other Queens—I did hear that she is with Alexander Hartsmichdt, that is to say, the King of Hearts. So if there are any concerns, one need not to worry too much." She would have told him that there was danger within the midst—but she didn't want to rely on him to escort her back to the Royal Conference Hall. But perhaps she has to say it regardless, "And yet Sir Dimitri please be careful as there has been an attempt on my life today, I'm not sure if they would also target other Royals."

The man blinked and then bowed, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. It is my relief to see that you are safe and well. Your Knight must have protected you well."

"No, I have dealt with the pest with myself." She remarked with a smile. She enjoyed the befuddled look on the man's face although that was until she clicked her tongue. She realized that she left her dagger.

Leaving it in lieu of the axe was a wrong decision and that had been regardless of whether or not it stained her sleeves with red. She gave one last look at the man and nodded, "Well then, I shall be off to meet with your superior." The Queen of Hearts walked, she could hear Catherine Duke's frantic steps and voice calling after her.

. . .

There were a lot of things going on in Catherine Duke's mind as she watched the Queen of Hearts, her old friend, Rosalyn Lockhart walk through the hallways with nothing but a steady pace. How could her friend be so brave? She glanced around furtively at their surroundings, her husband had taught her on how to fight but she was still uneasy about this matter. 

It was a preposterous idea that an assassin had come here.

And yet she had seen the Queen of Hearts arrive in the garden with those injuries and so one question flitted through her mind. Where was Julius in a time like this? Had something preoccupied him and made it impossible for him to watch over the Queen? It was a little frightening to imagine that in some parts of the Castle that there were already fights breaking out and the Queen's Knight was doing his best along with the soldiers to defend this place.

But who could have launched such an attack in the first place? Her hands shook as she clutched the edges of her gown and walked after her friend. And yet chief among those things happening was the lack of presence of the King of Hearts—and she was aware of where he was currently being occupied with. 

She hadn't paid much attention to the Card Trial where His Majesty Alexander and Her Majesty Neo were both participants, but it had been an accountable occasion where despite conflicting interests—he was of the Hearts and she was of the Clovers, the two were able to work together and succeed on the Trial against all odds. 

And that was how the two became Royals.

It was a wonderful story and yet she didn't know that their bond was that immensely close. She had been shocked to meet the Joker but the King of Hearts made his way to rescue his friend? Catherine Duke tried not to bite her lip as she watched the back of her friend. There was no sign of injuries on her now… but what if the scars were hidden in heart?

Catherine Duke tried to fight back the sting in her eyes, she couldn't do this kind of action right now. It would only upset the Queen and more so her husband—one of the servants finally opened the door and announced their presence.

They were here.

. . . 

Once she stepped into the Conference Hall with the Lady of Duke in tow, she was met with the presence of only one King and the delegates of each respective Kingdom. In this case, it was Lord Warth Duke and in the corner of her vision, Catherine rushed to the man's arms. Rosalyn Lockhart stiffly curtsied at the remaining King seated in the chair. "My greetings to you, His Majesty of Diamonds."

"Likewise, Queen of Hearts." Francis le Diamant stood for one moment and bowed before resuming back into his seat. The atmosphere in this meeting place had gone a bit dark, if only for the obvious displeasure on the King of Diamond's face. She had already been told by Dimitri from the Clover Kingdom that the King of Clovers must have taken on a short walk but she was still upset about what she was seeing right now. Only one remained and the others went for their own personal satisfaction. "It seems like we are the only ones here."

The number was far greater than two in reality but in the King's mind, perhaps she was the only one who he could talk to right now. 

And though she may have corrected him that the Lord Warth Duke was a man to be respected, it didn't look like it would be beneficial to change his mind. That would take too much time. Instead the Queen of Hearts went to her seat and plopped down in her seat, "My sincere apologies, there are no excuses but the Joker's arrival seems to have shocked the King of Hearts. As for the other Kings, I have no answer as to where they are right now." She could only eye the delegates left behind by them.

They cowered underneath her gaze.

Somehow they were rendered speechless to even give replies? It was a pitiful thing. But she was not concerned with them but only the King of Diamonds. Perhaps her perspective was almost the same with Francis le Diamant.

Rosalyn Lockhart continued, "You have my gratitude for staying and waiting here, Your Majesty. I must plead once again for your patience as the other Kings return, but once the other two arrive from Spades and Clovers—it is best that we finish the signing of these agreements, do you not agree?" The Queen of Hearts picked up the parchments carefully and studied them. 

She heard the man clear his throat and so she looked up to them. He gave her a nod, "It would be my pleasure to sign the contract in your presence, Your Majesty." The man even gave her a small smile at this point. And that was withstanding the fact that it was well known that the Queen of Hearts and Diamonds did not get along very well in their past encounters.

It was strange that the King of Diamonds was more at ease with her. 

But this was the Kingdom that held no winners from the Card Trials… and perhaps they did not wish for any representative of the Diamonds in the Card Trials to win. Essentially, it was the only method on what many Royals deem as commoners, peasants and people who were unknown to them to rise to the throne. It was a spectacle to watch them but not to see them win. Rosalyn Lockhart at least knew that much—it was why the Joker was immensely powerful.

The Card Trials he held could change the world that they lived in.

And thus it was natural to be resistant to such changes. Perhaps it was in this time that the phrase, 'An enemy of my enemy is a friend' was appropriate right now. Although one couldn't simply say that her relationship with the King of Diamonds was like that. That would be downplaying the Royal and Nobility intrigue. Rosalyn Lockhart looked down at the parchment once again. It was the King of Hearts who drafted it himself.

....She'd begrudgingly admit that it was something that he was quite good at.