Villainess Of Hearts

Tick-Tock

Tick-Tock

Time was running far too slowly for the man seated across the Joker. Blyke Edelweiss felt the urge to tug out his pocket watch and check out what time it was already—because he was already spending an inordinate time that forced himself to try and laugh with the man. He couldn't believe it himself but this was all the things that he was doing for both the King of Hearts and the Queen of Hearts.

The idea of retiring never tasted so sweet right now though.

And yet the Prime Minister would do his best to do what was necessary, if only to do his duty. "Haha, it truly is a surprise to see you here, Mister—Joker?" He heard stories but meeting the actual person always made one nervous, he could hardly remember which stories were fact and which were fiction. 

"I insist that calling me Joker is alright, the name itself is already honorific." The man, if one could even call them as such waved a hand at them. The Joker was completely at ease with whatever was happening right now and they even seemed to have a twinkle in their eyes.

The Joker was completely aware of his discomfort and relished it. 

"O-Of course, Sir Joker. Er, Joker. Is the tea adequate? This is what Her Majesty of Hearts personally recommends, prepared by their favorite cook." Amidst being thrown out by the Joker in the first place when it was Her Majesty of Hearts who had entertained him first—the Prime Minister had used it as an excuse to visit this 'Mary Ann' and she had been more than willing to comply.

Blyke Edelweiss and the guest were no longer in the throne room. He wouldn't dare but this sitting room was more appropriate and it was where he and the King of Hearts often conversed together in private.

The Joker eyed the tea in front of him and took a sip, "I would have the thought that you were attempting to poison me but I'm aware that her Majesty has a sweet palette."

"I-Is that so?" Blyke Edelweiss tried to keep his expression from faltering. This man knew the Queen of Hearts? That didn't make any sense at all. The Joker had never been known to visit the lands of the Suits unless it was necessary but he also needed to assure them. "It's an outrageous idea to try and poison you, Joker. Er, Imperial Joker?"

The Joker's face didn't seem to change as he placed the teacup down. "It makes a lot of sense, White Rabbit."

Blyke Edelweiss blinked at the name but didn't say anything else.

"I'm not sure if you are completely aware of my role for the past centuries—you are aware that I hold the Card Trials but most are belligerent about it. And yet I don't only handle that, the previous King and Queen of Hearts were ousted and dare I say murdered. The original bloodline of Hearts almost wiped out on that occasion by Nobility wishing to ascend to power… you and the current court may have forgotten that."

"P-Pardon, Your… Joker?" Blyke narrowed his eyes at them.

What were they saying? 

A bloodless smile curled on the man's lips as he inclined his head. "If I do not conduct the Card Trial—war will break out and not only among the Kingdoms but even within the kingdoms themselves. The endless pursuit of power is not only evident in the Kingdom of Spades."

"Er…"

"Besides, haven't you seen that the introduction of new Kings and Queens in the different four Kingdoms are instrumental to advancements?" The Joker gave him a grin and there was a glint in their eyes, "Surely, someone like you knows of it, White Rabbit?"

The temperature around them seemed to have grown cold, far colder than Blyke Edelweiss wanted to as he dug his hand into his pocket and touched the old pocket watch. "I ask you to forgive me, but I do not understand it at all."

"You seem to forget a lot of things."

. . .

"…Knight Ginellevé, it seems you have apprehended the assassins? My word, you've done a quick work with it." The Queen of Hearts had made no such orders but she acted as if she had done so.

Pretenses.

Julius Ginellevé did not want to do any of that pretending—regardless of his actual skill in subterfuge. All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and hug her in his chest. She was alright and safe. And yet the one who was asking him to play along was the Queen of Hearts herself. She had her reputation and position on the line. He heard the words escape his lips before he could even consider it, "Of course, Your Majesty. I followed your orders as you said."

Once again he was placed at crossroads.

He was nothing but a pawn in this place and a humble Knight who obeyed his superior. But didn't that feel like what was actually happening right now? She had changed too much. He erased the thought as she continued. "Has there been any clues or insights on whomever made an order to assassinate me?" The Queen of Hearts asked despite the onlookers.

They were discussing this out in the open?

The Knight looked around at all the people in the room and he couldn't help but feel that perhaps out of all of them there was one actually behind the incident. It may have been a hunch but he trusted his instincts. Right now he wouldn't have revealed that they were clueless. But was this what Rosalyn Lockhart had in mind? If it was, then so be it. At least right now he would listen to her. He bowed and sheathed his sword, "They were all untraceable when I finished them off—no signs in their clothes, appearances and no torture amounted to anything."

A soft sigh escaped her lips.

It was as if she had lost some hope in this situation but far from it.

The Queen of Heart's gaze flitted around the room as troubled as she could be? He cared but he had seen that look as nothing but a ploy. Julius Ginellevé kept his composure as he tried to idly observe the people around him as well. It didn't take too long for him to understand her motivation. Which one of them would show signs of relief, guilt or something?

Would they even react at all?

All the people in the Royal Court were used to playing with this game with their emotions hidden behind a mask. Plastered smiles and petty words with no depth. It was hard to tell but one still had to try. It would look callous if none of them reacted amidst this conversation happening right now.

"I think what matters right now is that you're safe, don't you agree, Your Majesty?" The King of Diamonds spoke up as they tried to give the Queen of Hearts a smile. His brows furrowed together and the man was inching his way to the door—the King's gaze momentarily looked Julius Ginellevé's way and the look the man gave him was with repulse and loathing.

Was it them?

Julius Ginellevé checked on the Queen's reaction. Rosalyn Lockhart smiled back thinly, "Of course, I am safe for now."

For now.

Those words struck him deeply in the chest. Julius Ginellevé had noticed the blood on her gown and he could only wonder how the Queen of Hearts survived her ordeal when he wasn't around—who else had come to save the day? Even if he felt a stab of jealousy hit him, it was a mild thing when compared to the relief that flooded his chest and to the concern he felt now. The Queen of Hearts had always been willing to head without hesitation in the abyss with her stubbornness. 

"Your Majesty, can't we hope that this would be the only time that they'd attack you?"

It was the King of Spades who spoke up and it was much more suspicious than the King of Diamonds own answer. How about them? Even if the King of Spades was more willing to engage in head to head combat—it didn't mean that they were inept in terms of assassination. 

And yet their words were stupid.

Attack them only now? How much reassurance could the King of Spades offer that this attack would only happen once? If they gave suppositions then it was useless. Or they were the ones who perpetrated it? He didn't think that someone would make a slip-up like that. Julius Ginellevé was piecing it together in the back of his mind. Had the previous attempt on her life related to this one?

The snakes in the garden and the chandelier could all have been a terrible accident.

But when the Queen of Hearts travelled to the town, she had been nearly kidnapped there or something worse. But now what was left was for the Queen of Hearts to answer and for the final King to say their own words of sympathy?

Rosalyn Lockhart gave a look at the King of Spades, "Why would you say something like that?"

"No fool would repeat a plan that had already failed once.." The King of Spades smiled.