Villainess Of Hearts

Rosalyn Lockhart jerked back a moment, her eyes widening for a moment until she looked back at him and nodded stiffly. "Yes, I am fine, Your Majesty. This is nothing to be concerned about and I shall get going if you could leave from that door."

She continued to address him as a King and she continued to play the role of a Queen.

Alexander didn't know what to do, what he should do—and yet the answers were there. Continuing on with their charades as King and Queen, of a contracted husband and wife, that was supposed to be the right thing to do. And yet he wanted to do the opposite. She didn't look okay—she wasn't alright. It might be better to let her go and yet the words left his mouth, "I do not think you are fine, Rosalyn."

"You cannot expect to be always happy and chipper now do you, Your Majesty?"

She didn't look like she wanted to chew off his head at the moment, only a resigned look on her face. Was it too much that he continued to push with this? Alexander could only manage a weak smile, "It's fine if you're not okay, please don't push yourself. The role that weighs on your shoulder is heavy. The weight of a crown is something I can't carry from time to time and yet you try to do it all."

"Who else would carry this responsibility if not me?" She frowned at him. "This may not have been originally intended for me, but I will carry the role of a Queen with me. It has begun even before the crown was placed on my head. It is not a crown that symbolizes the King or Queen but what responsibilities and duties that one performs."

Alexander held out a hand to her, "If you could let me in, no, if you could even let me just know what troubles—I can do it with you. I can be good with you—good in helping you and carrying it with you."

She looked at his hand and then right back at his face, a sardonic smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Haven't I already said to prove it? What you're doing right now is preventing me from leaving when I've told you that I'm fine. A King wouldn't insist on troubling the Queen about to head back to rest. You can prove that you're interested in helping me some other time than right now."

"And yet you still close off your heart from me—you aren't exactly giving me much of a chance to be more than just a King." Alexander rubbed his eye. He knew that he should listen to her, and yet he didn't want to let her go with such a face. "I want to be there for you, not just as a King—even as a friend. Someone who you can talk to. Someone who you can trust about these things that are troubling you."

"I'm a little full on friends at the moment."

"Then why is there still such a sorrowful look on your eyes?" he asked. "You're keeping it to yourself and I don't think someone should carry it all by themselves when there is someone who's willing to lend an ear."

"It's amazing how this conversation could almost happen twice."

"Huh?" He blinked.

"Someone has already tried—and I even told them of what has happened in the past." Rosalyn Lockhart managed a weak laugh. "It has only made me more miserable, I am better off sleeping than discussing this and simply feel terrible. I am not someone who feels comforted by sharing my troubles when I could be spending my time on more productive activities. I can do them if I try and I do not need help from anyone."

She was like a coiled spring about to burst—and the stupidity of his actions began to make itself more obvious. This wasn't the best of plans to have right now, if one could even call it a plan at all, but that sadness in her eyes was enough to make him speak up. And he wasn't much of a King right now, now he was just Alex. Less of a King and more of a man—of a boy trying to be a fully grown up one.

It was amazing that she could do this—how much pressure was placed on her shoulders? "Hah, Rosalyn—you've never ever been more than a Queen, haven't you?"

Her eyes sharpened on him, "What are you trying to say, Your Majesty? Are you mocking our roles?"

Maybe it wasn't just her who wasn't feeling alright, maybe he was also hoping for relief and comfort. He didn't have anyone to approach—he couldn't just tell this to the Prime Minister, the closest one he had as a friend. But even then, the man wouldn't fully understand it. Alexander ran his hair through his fingers and let out a weary sigh, "Can't we just be ordinary people."

"No. I am afraid not." It came from her lips as an instant reply. Her posture straightened and she looked back at him with those red-eyes, finally an edge in her tone. "We're not ordinary, I am the Queen and you are a King—hasn't that come across your thickheaded skull throughout the years?"

"Fine, I am a King and you are a Queen, but that doesn't mean we're special." This is where the conflict starts—a difference in thoughts, ideals and philosophies. Alexander knew that this was the cue for it to start.

"What?"

"Maybe it makes you feel different, special—like we're wiser than anybody else. You were originally a Noble, someone raised to think that you're better than other people. That it's only right that the people residing here give tribute to someone fit to rule the land." Alexander felt the words come out like a bullet. "That you can choose who lives or dies—but we're just like anybody else. We're people too, just like anybody else. Being a Queen is that what all you want to do?"

She gazed at him confused, startled and even uncomprehending. "What are you saying…? Why do you have such ideas like that? Are you insane? What is this nonsense you're saying."

He had come off too strong—too much really. And yet he focused on the last part and managed a weak smile, "Your Majesty of Hearts, the Queen and Ruler of the Kingdom of Hearts… that's not what you are, Rosalyn. You're more than just a Queen, more than just someone expected to rule over a Kingdom and proclaim ordinances and all of that. It's not simply you making taxes, cutting ribbons or throwing rice at inaugurations… what I mean, is that you're more than this."

The look on her face didn't exactly change—and he was almost afraid that she would break out into laughter or hysteria. And she did laugh, a choked one, some tears sprang up at the corner of her eyes and she looked at him. "Am I hearing you correctly? Our role comes above all—when you become King, there is no more you, no more Alexander. Your life is meant for the people and running the Kingdom. It is something of bloodline, pride and honor and you tell me that is not the case?"

"Please take a deep breath." He didn't stop from holding out a hand to her, "I'm not saying—well, I guess it sounds like that. But what about the Queen who loves eating tarts and drinking her tea? Isn't that more than just your role as a Queen?" He managed a weak smile, "What about the person who loves to run off with her Knight and the one who befriended one of the people… a Hatter in town? Will you call that a Queen? I do not think those are stately duties or affairs, Your Majesty."

"T-That's… well that's—" She stammered for a moment, a flush in her face and even across her neck. "I have a reason for them… but that doesn't stop me from being a Queen."

"I'm not saying that it's wrong for you to do them." Alexander reassured her—although the part about her Knight was like stabbing himself with his own foot. He tentatively reached out to her, but stopped. "I think that it's fine that you're doing them, Your Majesty and I think that it's even better if you allow yourself to be yourself for once."

"To be myself?" There was an unsure look in her eyes.

He gave a small encouraging nod, "Yes—you, Rosalyn. Not the Lady of the Lockhart House, not the Queen of the Hearts Kingdom but you and you alone. What does Rosalyn like? What are the things that trouble you? If you were not the Queen—"

"I am the Queen." the strength in her voice returned, and it came back with reproach. Her red eyes glaring down at him like he had said that the Diamonds Kingdom was better than Hearts Kingdom or something along those lines.

"I didn't say that you aren't the Queen, but you're more than just a Queen, Rosalyn."

He wasn't even sure what had happened now—their conversation now, but he did think that it was going in a direction that the two of them had never gone on before. It wasn't only about her, but it was also about him, just him reaching out to her. Not that of a King to Queen, but of one person to another. Very ordinary people, just like anybody else.

Was something like that really too terrifying to think about?

It wasn't hard for him, but it was for her.