Villainess Of Hearts

In the office of Her Majesty of Hearts, the Queen was seated all alone without the presence of the Knight and the Cat. And she appreciated that a lot. She needed to have enough time to do this without anybody bothering her—without showing the disgusting amount of weakness. Rosalyn Lockhart had her hands around her head as she took the moment to compose herself. She sucked in a deep breath and let it out shakily. Her shoulders shook as she did and she ground her teeth. 

Inhale. Exhale. One, Two, Three. Breath. 

Her fingernails dug deeper into her scalp as she squeezed her eyes and tried again to calm herself. Everything was dark and black. The Queen of Hearts parted her lips and whispered a rhyme, "Humpty dumpty sat on the wall…"

"Humpty dumpty had a great fall."

Knock Knock

She ignored the sounds and continued the verse, "All the king's horses and all the king's men," The Queen of Hearts heard a voice calling out for her as Rosalyn truly finished the rhyme. "They couldn't put him together again… they couldn't put them together again." She exhaled one last time and opened her eyes.

The Queen of Hearts was back.

Or rather she was back to the state where she had summoned the strength to put up with all the nonsense she was once again in. 

The words that she could hear but had deliberately ignored were now starting to become comprehensible and it was clear who was now speaking up. "Your Majesty, if you do not reply, I'm afraid I may be forced to open—"

"Please enter, Sir Ginellevé." Rosalyn Lockhart looked back up and then leaned back against her chair. The upholstery enabled her to relax and soothe her muscles, even if temporarily. She heard the door swing open as the sight of her Knight came in, no armor, simply his clothes underneath it and the sword sheathed at his sword.

The expression on her Knight's face melted into ease as he shut the door—right at the face of Chesire who had been about to walk in.

It may have been a little evil of her to find it silly, but the cat person reappeared back into the room with ease. Chesire shot a look at Julius that almost neared rage and at a comical way even, his ear twitched and she found it adorable.

"Your Majesty, if you are feeling unwell then wouldn't it be better to let the ba—His Majesty of Hearts handle it along with the Prime Minister?" Julius Ginellevé suggested with a smile. It was a smile that told her that he'd very much like to at least slap the back of the King's head.

Chesire for that matter didn't offer any words and reappeared on the couch and rested on it. He looked positively worn out for some reason.

Rosalyn Lockhart gazed back at her Knight and wished she could agree with them but she shook her head, "I've already made too many excuses during this week about my health, it wouldn't do me any good to use it again. Besides, you and I know Mister Rosswall, it's much better if I handle it instead of a complete stranger."

The look on her Knight's face was pure displeasure but he nodded, "Very well, Your Majesty. I will do my best to assist you."

"Hmm, I'd much like that." She rested a hand on her cheek and managed a smile. Her thoughts flickered back to the scene in her room—and she let her hand fall away. She chose to focus on the face of the Knight before her as she spoke to her or rather to the both of them, "I've already asked Lord Warth Duke to investigate the body in the room earlier, I left Catherine with the other Kings and you've made the Prime Minister look after the Joker."

Julius Ginellevé inclined his head.

"The Royal Kitchen is already preparing for dinner and all that's left is to honor it for the Joker and the success of the meeting… and of course, we still need to find the King of Hearts." Rosalyn already knew where Alexander Hartsmichdt was—but she needed someone to drag them out.

. . .

A certain Hatter delved into the forest outside of the town and repeated the directions that he and the Knight once traversed to—he had a good memory and he did make a point to recall it, for specific purposes. And it was certainly much better than approaching the Castle of Hearts and declaring that he wanted to meet with the Queen.

Her Majesty of Hearts hadn't done it before, he wouldn't do it now.

"It's a little odd to admit that I would have preferred if that killer Knight was here with me," The Hatter raised his top hat and glanced around the forest. The rumors of something dangerous dwelling here still couldn't be erased from his mind, but the Hatter continued along until he reached the familiar tall walls of the Castle of Hearts.

"It's too high to scramble upwards and there's no watchtower still…" Nicholas Hatter tilted his head and thought about his chances of climbing up the walls but he didn't like them at all. But now he was finally here, the man approached the exact place where the Knight had stopped and— "He said something to open the walls here." The Castle itself has been around for so long that it must have been a passed down secret. He racked his brain to remember and then snapped his fingers, "Aha! It went about something like this—"

Something rumbled aloud for a good moment until the walls of the Castle of Hearts parted and revealed its secret entrance.

Mallory had thought it silly but lipreading was useful—and it wasn't because he liked staring at lips. "Although, if one were to ask me about the reddest of lips then it's certainly—" Nicholas Hatter coughed and stopped himself from actually finishing his words aloud. And yet his mind knew who he was referring to as he felt his cheeks heat up for a moment.

He slapped a hand over his forehead, "Now's not the time, Nicholas." The Hatter soon entered the passageway and snapped his fingers to close it—and then it was dark.

"I forgot to bring a match!" And alas, it was impossible for him to have exceptional night vision. He had troubles the first time he had been here and now he understood the predicament that he was in, "It's impossible for me to remember the route here through spatial memory alone—the Knight had been a good glow-in-the dark person."

He chuckled about it now and yet it still made him queasy.

"Magic." It was almost heresy to say it now. "No, not just magic—natural aptitude for magic." Magic was still around no doubt and yet as far as he learned, the ability for it was dwindling rapidly. He muttered to himself, "The Kingdom of Diamonds is wealthy due to their resources of gems that act as an amplifier for magic, I should have bought one of the glowing crystals when their caravan visited." Mallory had insisted on buying it before but it was expensive.

But there was no time to chide himself.

He began to move and talk aloud, "But how exactly did the Knight see through the walls in the first place?" He asked himself as he paced around the corridor. "No bother, I'm quite sure I can reach a good place." When he decided himself at a considerable distance, he approached the wall and stretched his hand out to test if he could peek out—Nicholas Hatter once again felt a propulsion that pushed him to pass through the walls.

He landed on another side and nearly stumbled to the carpet.

Nicholas caught himself this time and laughed, "Hah! Not this time, it isn't too hard to—" He looked up and met a particular person. 

Blonde hair and blue eyes.

Their expression was shocked to the core.

They were frozen still in the hallway. 

The Hatter wished he had been a Clover-born at the moment. He seemed to have terrible luck regarding his entrance as he remembered meeting four Queens at once. Although it was the Knight that pushed him back then. Nicholas Hatter straightened up and lifted his top hat at once and did his best to offer them a grin, "A-Ah! His Majesty of Hearts, a good evening to you." He had the urge to add 'Do you like my presentation?' but he stopped himself.

He didn't need to put himself in the King's bad side.

Although they were probably upset—

Nicholas Hatter was pushed back to the wall and deliberately choked, "Who are you and how did you get here?" The King of Hearts narrowed their eyes at him. The look of surprise quickly switched to utmost determination and a look that could strike one to fear. 

Unfortunately, he had gotten on the bad side of the King. And… man, this King was more quick to apprehend him than the Queen's own Knight. Then again, this wasn't as bad as getting beheaded. He choked for a moment, "H-Hard to talk, Y-Your Majesty."

"Are you one of the assassins?"

"M-Misunderstanding." Nicholas wished he could wave his hat—wait, he could. He tried to raise his arm and felt a knee strike his palm. His hand went numb for a bit. At least they didn't crush it.. The Hatter could already imagine why the King of Hearts was the victor of the Card Trial, they didn't struggle around apprehending any attackers they met.