Villainess Of Hearts

A soft sigh escaped Rosalyn Lockhart's lips—the propelling force in her chest died down. The Queen of Hearts had already accomplished her task and so the anger and energy washed over her, and she finally realized the situation she was in. The cold air breezed over the uncovered legs of hers and she tried not to knock her knees together.

Everyone's eyes were on them.

And she was clad in her nightgown. Rosalyn Lockhart ground her teeth together but kept her silence. The King of Hearts gave her another one of his looks—the look that irked him. Compared to her outburst, the man was nothing but a cold cube of ice in a summer's day morning… and that meant that he was more refreshing and appealing to the eyes of everyone.

But she didn't regret this.

She wouldn't regret doing this. Her fingers flexed reflexively and she didn't feel a thing… they were numb. The Queen of Hearts was too fragile wasn't she Especially when compared to the King of Hearts, the slap had hurt her more than it probably did him. But that look in his blue eyes still made her heart well up. Her pulse was rushing. Her head was reeling. And her face felt as fervent as a flame.

The feeling in her chest.

It was loathing. Unadulterated loathing.

She couldn't stand his face, his words, and even his actions. Every trait that he had and everything little thing that he did. The Queen of Hearts turned away from him and began to step away. She hated him. 

"Uh, Your Majesty…?" The Joker's voice was sugary.

The Queen of Hearts halted in her steps. She had stepped in here without even giving any respect to the Joker and the people in her same station, and it really was a faux pas. Rosalyn Lockhart turned back slightly to address the man. "Yes, what is it? Joker?" She needed to keep her voice more regulated.

An amused smile formed on the man's face, "This Trial is related to you, or rather for the unfortunate incident yesterday—will you not be staying to watch or even give witness?"

She had almost forgotten about that.

Rosalyn Lockhart finally noticed the people seated on the defendant's table, it was the King and Queen of Spades along with their Delegate. The most peculiar axe was strewn atop the table—and she recognized it. She folded her hands together and glanced back at the Joker, "The weapon used by the assassin was an axe."

"Not a dagger from the Kingdom of Spades?" The Joker asked.

"No. I used that to defend myself."

He raised a brow, "And you have a dagger from the Kingdom of Spades?"

"It was a present from the King of Spades."

"Huh, that seems awfully convenient." The Joker chuckled.

Rosalyn Lockhart frowned and shook her head, "It may seem questionable, but the King of Diamonds gave me a necklace as a present… and don't you think that's more dubious?" She raised her brow. "On another occasion, if not for the fact that it could count a tribute gift, one would take that as a way of courting—"

"Excuse me?"

The Joker struck down the hammer, "His Majesty, Francis le Diamant, you're not given the permission to speak." A smile was on the man's face as they said it—they were enjoying the hammer, but he turned back to the Queen of Hearts. "But ah, yes. The gift of the King of Spades does not strike you as suspicious because they've given it to you as a tribute gift?"

"Yes," Rosalyn Lockhart crossed her arms over her chest. "Trying to connect a gift to murder—it sounds utterly stupendous. You're just creating some drama."

"But dear, it concerns your own life." The Joker tilted his head, ignoring her comment entirely. He gave her an admonishing look, "You shouldn't dismiss every notion. You should be warier really, Your Majesty."

"Aren't you supposed to be a Judge, Joker? Why are you convening with the Queen of Hearts." Olivia Deuce snapped from her chair. One of the woman's eyes was twitching. "It seems like the Trial is obviously biased even with you."

The Joker coughed lightly and straightened up in his seat, "It can't be helped, when the King of Hearts' own verdict is being contradicted by his Queen." The man glanced at Alexander Hartsmichdt before shrugging, "Would you rather have this Trial nullified?" 

"Well, of course." Olivia rolled her eyes. "That much is obvious. We don't have any agenda to take over this Kingdom—it makes much more sense for the Four Suit Kingdoms to conquer other Kingdoms but..." She trailed off and coughed lightly.

The idea of conquesting was also on her mind.

Rosalyn Lockhart stayed silent and considered the Joker's words. She had meant what she said, the idea of the King of Spades as the one in charge of the attempted assassination seemed unrealistic. But the Joker's own words were enough to get her thinking and yet he was mad in his own way.

The Queen of Hearts spoke up, "Well, I think…" She wanted to get out of the courtroom and see Nicholas already. "You can end the Trial now, but continue with the investigation. I would like to rule out His Majesty Alfred Villeuce…" She noticed the man's expression perk up. "But if everyone is still suspicious of him then an interrogation is still in order. Now if you'll excuse me." 

Rosalyn Lockhart proceeded to head out of the room.

She noticed that Julius Ginellevé was standing at the corner and gave him a look, the man was quick to follow her. And for now, she didn't care about the other people's glances as she exited. Her Knight was right behind her and that was all she needed. His footsteps were quiet but he still reassured her with his presence.

"Your Majesty?" He called out to her.

Rosalyn Lockhart had no need for any interruptions now and so she walked. Her head spun slightly but she ignored it in favour of heading to her destination until she stopped. Now it was idiotic to ask but she glanced at Julius, "...where's the cell?"

"You do not need to go there, Your Majesty." Her Knight pointed out with a frown. "...that place is infested with a lot of horrible things." He didn't need to expand on it.

"And he made Nicholas stay there," Rosalyn Lockhart couldn't help but smile in utter disbelief. "Can you imagine it, Gine? What he'd done?" The littlest thing the King did was enough to give her a headache. The smile fell off as she gave him a look, "I have to see him, what the King did was unacceptable… and wouldn't such a thing tarnish the Royal Heart reputation? I have to make up for it. So lead the way."

"...I can understand his reason for doing so."

The Queen of Hearts stared at her Knight, "Are you taking his side now, Gine?"

"No, but I get why he did it, that's all." Julius Ginellevé didn't back down at this moment. His amethyst eyes didn't waver. The man should have grovelled and assured her that he was on her side, but he was beginning to go against her. No. That was a lie. He would never go against her—he was just contradicting her thoughts. Which she normally appreciated—her own insights could have some blind spots, but she didn't need any corrections now.

She balled her hands into two fists and felt the anger plume in her stomach, but she squashed it down and raised her chin higher. "Believe what you will, but as your Queen—I am ordering you to lead me into the cell, Gine."

This was a test.

...How much loyalty would he prove? He wasn't doing it without any question any longer.

Her chest pounded hard.

A few seconds passed before the man walked past her. And she stared at his back turned to her, her pulse rushing with the sound of blood drumming in her ears. He was walking away, wasn't he? 

He finally looked over his shoulder, his brows were knitted together, "This way, Your Majesty."

"...Thank you." With her Knight's help, the man soon led her towards the cell area. A place which she often forgot actually existed there—it was much more convenient to dispose of enemies after all. It was less troubling than letting them live or leaving them to rot in a cell.

'But you do intend to make her suffer once she arrives, don't you?'

The words of the Time Man resounded in her head so audibly that she glanced around the corridor to see if he had actually been present at all. But he wasn't. Rosalyn Lockhart had already made her answer back then, but now, it planted a little seed of hesitation in her chest. One of the reasons—the only reason she befriended the Hatter and Chesire was because of her.

Somehow, it went against her principles of finishing off her enemies.

Making a former enemy as a friend… was it truly possible? Before she could ponder about it any further, she heard the sound of someone's voice. "Y-Your Majesty!" It was Nicholas's voice, the man stepped outside of the room that led to the cell. Of course, she had been delayed and so the man was already free from his cell.

The Hatter made his way to her and tipped his hat, "Thank you for saving me."

Rosalyn Lockhart tried to muster a smile, but she couldn't. It felt forced as she turned up the corner of her lips—this was the man who became Alice's closest and cherished friend. Would it truly be possible for him to betray the girl? He liked her now and called her a friend… but was that even enough?

What if she still needed to destroy him in the end?