Villainess Of Hearts

When the King of Hearts and Nicholas Hatter arrived at the Queen's chambers—she wasn't actually there. Instead, it was a group of soldiers along with the Lord Warth Duke. The men were stationed on the outside of the hallway and it was there that he took his time to appreciate the atmosphere, the painting was…?

Nicholas shook his head and quickly turned his gaze away from the painting hung on the wall. He instead paid attention to the double doors opening as he saw a body wrapped in a thick white blanket carried out.

Of course, there was no Queen here.

The Hatter had a few things to say—well, just one actually. Did the King of Hearts actually know where Her Majesty was in the first place? He felt like he had been duped. But he was gracious enough to not point out such a margin of error.

"Arrest him." The King of Heart's voice rang clearly in the hall.

"Wha—"

Thwack!

He felt himself hobble forward for a good minute, and his ears were ringing. Nicholas Hatter was gullible when things were actually important weren't they? And though he tried to flee despite being hit in the back of his head with a club of some sort—There were too many soldiers spread out for him to run away from and he was positively dizzy.

His vision was blurring.

And so he, the poor Hat Maker was apprehended by a number of the soldiers. "Bring him to the cell, he may be one of the assassins." The King said with his brows furrowed over and the Hatter couldn't even blame them. He should have realized that the King of Hearts wouldn't trust a stranger they met, especially one that came out of the walls. As Nicholas Hatter was captured and soon brought to some jail—of course, the Castle of Hearts had some prison containment—he had time to reflect.

Did he do the right thing?

Although he should be considering the safety of his own life right now and the possibility of torture haunted the back of his mind, something else still probed him. Nicholas Hatter turned to one of the Soldiers leading him to the jail cell. "Hey there, young man. What's your name?"

"Does it matter?" The soldier grunted at him.

Nicholas rolled his eyes, "Rude." His head was still stinging but at least he had his manners. The Hatter tried again, "Her Majesty of Hearts is alive isn't she?"

"So what if she is—you bastards like you make me sick!" The soldier pushed him forward and kicked his ankle with their boot. "It doesn't matter if the Queen of Hearts is a vicious woman, she's still our Queen and you and your other assassin friends won't lay a hand on her!"

"Shut your mouth, Ace!" One of the other soldiers said, at last, giving him the stink eye. "Can you quit giving information in an attempt to raise your position up?"

"You're just jealous, I'm trying to see if I can get information from this guy."

"You ruined your plan by saying that."

Nicholas Hatter ignored the throb of pain in his ankle and went along with the soldiers. He didn't exactly have a plan but the mere fact that even though the Queen of Hearts wasn't as well-loved by the people of the Hearts—the Castle had some people who still do their job and respect her nevertheless.

Even though he couldn't believe that he was thinking something like this either. The Hatter laughed and wished he could wipe an imaginary tear in his eye, he had gone from fearing the Queen to worrying about her state. His worries had weighed heavily on his shoulders that he had broken into the Castle to see her.

The Hatter glanced at the sullen and dreary walls around him.

He had ended up in a place further than he wished.

. . .

"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. Her gaze flitted to the Knight in front of her and he looked bothered.

Julius Ginellevé inclined his head, "Your Majesty, it is not wise to have me search for the King of Hearts, your safety is at risk. But if you insist—why not order the person on the couch?"

She was prepared for his argument that he needed to guard her. And though she was the one who had been attacked—it was her Knight who looked more bothered. "Gine—wait, what." She hadn't expected him to motion to Chesire, who indeed was conveniently on the couch.

The cat person was her subject as any other individual.

And yet could she even force, er, ask them to do her bidding? She doubted that even Alice herself could make requests, and even Catherine Duke hadn't attempted anything like it—despite the fact that her old acquaintance was quite charismatic herself. "I've already told you that he's a guest of mine, Gine." She clicked her tongue and eyed her Knight.

Somehow his suggestion seemed to have been borne out of spite for Chesire rather than an actual helpful one.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty." Julius Ginellevé knelt for a moment.

Rosalyn Lockhart sighed and rubbed her forehead, "You are testing my patience." Perhaps the only solution was for her to forgo any time of resting and get up and actually move. If her Knight hadn't been so adamant about her safety, he could have done it for her—but she understood his concerns so this was her only option left. Do it herself.

"Hmmm, you want me to look for the King of Hearts?" Chesire spoke up.

Her gaze flitted to him.

This cat person was yawning as he did so and covered his mouth with a hand, and then he rubbed his eye sleepily. "I think I can do it for you if you wish, Her Majesty." He looked sleepy and even tired for some reason. Perhaps it was a natural thing for them in being a cat?

Rosalyn Lockhart had no clue at all.

It made the Queen of Hearts wonder if their ability to disappear and reappear in addition to floating in the air was a magical ability that required a lot of energy to use? Rosalyn Lockhart steepled her fingers together and gazed at Chesire with an unsure expression—Gine had a good point with Chesire doing it for them. She didn't acknowledge the likelihood of Gine being attacked while he searched for the King, and she didn't need to worry about it.

But Chesire would fare much better in terms of speed?

Rosalyn Lockhart coughed and avoided the look from her Knight's face as she was aware that preferential treatment was happening as she told Chesire, "You are my guest and I do not wish to intrude upon your resting. I remember that you said that you don't dabble on politics—so I won't ask for anything."

Not ask for anything.

It was a preposterous statement to her. The Queen of Hearts never asked—she always demanded before and expected people to follow her whims. Her position and role ensured that people made it their best interest to pay heed to her desires.

To admit and say she wouldn't ask anything from him was—

Even the Chesire's eyes widened at her remark and the Queen of Hearts knew what she meant. She may have wished to befriend all the people that Alice had befriended before and planned to use them against her—the plan hadn't changed at all. But if the Chesire wished to remain neutral and never become her friend… well, Rosalyn Lockhart wouldn't begrudge it.

She understood the need for independence and freedom.

And this incident about making him look for the King of Hearts? It solidified and gave words to the decision that she didn't know she had about him. Her resolve was—

The Chesire spoke up and his voice was similar to a purr, "Your Majesty, all you're asking is for me to look for your King—I don't see how that's political at all." Despite the fact that he was clearly wrong, it was almost like him acting as her messenger. He was fine with her asking him for a favor.

This was as strange, even stranger than her own decision.

Chesire was telling her that it wasn't a bother at all for him to follow her? That he truly didn't mind moving with something that had no benefits to him? Rosalyn was sure that Alice had never made him do anything against his will—he had perhaps simply liked receiving head pats and conversing with Alice? The thought made her throat lurch but now he was offering to do more for her? Did he like her more than Alice?

Alice wasn't here right now, but that didn't matter to the Queen of Hearts in her measurement. Maybe it was some sense of self-gratification that settled in her chest. Rosalyn Lockhart would have puffed with pride at this very moment.

Maybe one could even say she was being a big-head.

Chesire had finally sat up from the couch and gave her an honest look, no mischievous grins or smiles but simply awaiting her to say yes? He was prim and proper, his hands folded on his lap as he tilted his head at her. His cat ears twitched, "What do you say, Your Majesty?"

If she had been with the Time Man, well, she would have gloated on the fact that she was making much more progress with Chesire than Alice herself had done. Rosalyn Lockhart would have to take his offer, didn't she? "Well if you insist—"

A sudden rap on her office's door ruined the moment.