Villainess Of Hearts

Could he even muster enough of a fighting spirit? The Queen of Hearts had an impregnable defense—and no amount of sincerity would help him get through it, even now. Alexander watched the woman in front of him sip and eat her tarts, posture straight and her gaze only on her snacks. He should have been more aware of it at the start, but there really were times where things broken couldn't be repaired.

People who were hurt couldn't find it in their hearts to forgive.

And what had happened in the past were meant to stay as they were.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, and fought the urge to sigh and bit back a self-deprecating chuckle. "I really am pathetic…" The world bore down its weight on him and he was buckling too quickly, far too quickly than he would like. 

"What was that, Your Majesty?" Her gaze finally settled on him, giving him the attention he so longed. Ruby red eyes glittered and one of her brows were raised, an idle smile on her lips. She probably had heard him say that he was pathetic and wanted to hear it once again—and preferably on repeat?

The King of Hearts placed his teacup down on its saucer and smiled back, "I believe you were right, there are things that I also need to look into, Her Majesty. I'm afraid that I must be leaving so soon."

"It is a shame, Your Majesty." She pursed her lips, her gaze never flinching away from his.

Weren't those the words that he wanted to hear from her? Even if their circumstances had led to their current places by accident—it didn't mean that they were always meant to be against each other at all. Even if he was never meant to be King and she was never meant to be Queen?

… Alexander honestly had no idea about that.

That was another one of his mistakes, or rather there were too many things that he had to learn when he first ascended the throne and in between their awkward and stiff meetings—he didn't end up learning anything more beyond what was necessary for his position as the King.

Another slight cough escaped from the Queen of Heart's lips, "Are you not leaving yet, Your Majesty?"

She really was pushing for him to leave now, didn't she? That was not a problem, the King of Hearts pulled himself up to his feet and bowed, extending his hand to the Queen, "I hope to see you for dinner, Your Majesty." Ever since the incident with the Hatter… and even with the King of Spades, she evaded dinner—or perhaps ate in her room.

He didn't think that she was the type to eat a lot, but he was actually wrong about that. 

And though his hand only met the empty air, though her hand would never touch his… once he heard her words of confirmation. That was enough.

It might just be the beginning of a chance.

.

.

.

The door shut behind the King of Hearts after he left, and the Queen of Hearts stared at the door before shaking her head. She had finally agreed to come to dinner to keep up with appearances, and him asking it made no such difference. But now that the King and her Knight were gone, the Queen of Hearts approached her desk. it was also finally time to finish her letter.

… her dearest brother. 

Dearest brother of mine,

I've written this letter today to inform you that the Lockhart House shall be working with the Kingdom of Spades—

Scratch. Crumple. Throw. 

The Queen of Hearts swallowed for a moment, and even her tea and tarts were unable to rid of the lurch in her throat. It only made her stomach become a place of turmoil, she tightened her grip around the quill in her hand and soon found her fingers soiled with the ink. She clicked her tongue and wiped her hand on the parchment, finger stains pressing itself to the document.

Another one.

No, it wasn't good enough either.

The Queen of Hearts squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. A letter after… a year or so? She really didn't know what to say when it was supposed to be easy informing him of the Lockhart involvement in sword production. That was easy.

And yet it was him she was addressing.

"Ah!" She rested her forehead on her table. Why was she doing this instead of other duties? She needed to let them know ahead of time. Rosalyn Lockhart doubted their ability to keep the gates shut—it was she, the Queen after all, but then again, it was him. And with her brother, anything was possible for them.

It might have been half an hour or it could have been a couple of hours when her Knight returned, and only to find her in the same position. Maybe she deserved the rest—no, she didn't. But as her Knight gazed up on her with a worried expression, she narrowed her eyes at him. "What is with that look, Gine? If I can recall, I am not the one who's been interrogated by Lord Duke, that was you and so you don't have anything else to feel sorry about."

"...returning there. I have promised to stay by your side, but is there really a need to go there? Julius Ginellevé never sounded adamant before except now.

The Queen of Hearts pursed her lips, "Of course there is a need to go there—the trade agreement with the King of Spades happened because of my promise to do that."

"And not because of them harboring any affections for you?"

"That is…" Rosalyn Lockhart had never given any thought to it. 

Clang!

It dropped on the surface of the table—a glint of silver that made her recoil back in her seat. And it was the dagger given by the King of Spades, she hadn't even thought of retrieving it—but as she looked at the face of her Knight, the dark gaze on the weapon. It didn't come across the Knight's mind either that she hadn't done this.

They were upset about this.

The Queen of Hearts clicked her tongue but made no move for the Knight. She fought the shudder that ran down her spine and gazed at him with a disapproving look, "Who admires and begins to fancy me is something out of my control, Gine. You must be quite aware of that. This childish behavior of yours is unacceptable."

A silence emerged between them.

And it was deafening. Only the sound of her heartbeats drumming loudly in her chest was audible to her. Blood pumped and filled her eardrums. Her Knight remained silent, unflinchingly so as if he stood frozen in spot, until he moved towards the dagger and flung it away from her.

It dropped to the floor.

The dagger was soon replaced by him, Julius Ginellevé occupying its former place as he leaned forward. He sat atop its wooden surface and bent towards her—he caught her chin in between his fingertips. A second passed between them, looking at each other for but a moment, until he closed the distance. 

The Knight fervently snatching a kiss on her lips.

And it was chaste, hungry, pure and impure all at the same time. He dipped his head lower towards her, until he pushed himself back and gave her a look. "It's true that it cannot be helped whenever someone desires you, Your Majesty—but who do you give your heart to? That choice belongs to you alone."

Rosalyn Lockhart blinked and touched her lips, never exactly brushing it back and perhaps even longing for a deeper one, but she cleared her throat. Passions aside, she needed to think more clearly. She gave him a small glare, "It doesn't seem like you've given me much of a choice—pushing yourself on me, how truly childish."

"Do not tell me that you didn't like it, Your Majesty?" Julius Ginellevé tilted his head at her, the man still seated atop her office desk. His methods of seduction, at times, were unconventional like this one.

The Queen of Hearts could imagine a Marchioness trying to seduce her Marquess away from his office work by clearing the parchments on his desk away—but this time, it was Ginellevé who did it and that made it strange. At least in her mind's eye.

She coughed and shook her head, "You cannot equate our compatibility here for that. At least, I know quite lacklustre marriages where both the man and woman still love each other, even if the time in their bedroom is less than satisfying..."

"You discuss this with other people?" Her Knight made no move to get out of her table. "I had no idea, Your Majesty." He looked comfortable draping himself across the table for some reason, somehow it gave off the look that told her that he was willing to be dined upon if she was desiring of it.

And yet he also had time to make polite conversation.

She frowned and looked away, "I heard it from Lady Catherine Duke, rumors and such from other Nobility. A rather blase relationship in bed did not equate to diluted love between the Lord and Lady of Lorie House."

"Are you sure that it was not Lady Duke talking about her relationship with Lord Duke?"

The Queen of Hearts tried not to choke— "I didn't ask for this image!"

A small chuckle escaped the Knight's lips and he shook his head, "Indeed you did not. Forgive me, Your Majesty."

"You apologize for this and not for the kiss…?"

He gave her a nod, "Yes. I do not regret what I do, but what about you, Your Majesty? Do you… regret this?"