Villainess Of Hearts

This was a strange world—of peculiar and wonderful beings that she didn't think she'd ever see. But she couldn't exactly distract herself from what she had in mind… which she knew was important, but she couldn't exactly remember what it was. The young woman was sure that if she saw what it was or who it was, then she would remember what she was here for.

"So your name is Chesire?" she asked politely. 

The strange human-like person nodded, and its ear twitched slightly. "Yes, although it doesn't particularly matter. You can call a fish by any other name and it would still be the same, doesn't it?"

She wrinkled her nose slightly, "I think we heard variations of that word. But I..." She knew that she wasn't supposed to talk to strangers, even of someone who was half-cat and so she wavered. The woman wasn't supposed to be seen by anyone, and so she cleared her throat, "Are you from the castle, Mister Chesire?"

"No."

"Where are you from?"

"I came from outside, and before that, I was someplace else." he answered with a casual and laid back answer. He leaned back against the upholstery of the carriage like he belonged here, but there was a certain nonchalantly way to it that made it seem like it didn't really matter what was the answer.

A very strange creature, stranger than the people she had already met.

But there was something about him that made him seem like he knew what he was talking about—which was strange since he was half cat. But then cats were often intelligent creatures weren't they? The young woman pursed her lips, "If you are not from the Castle, then are you here for a visit?"

"I'm simply here because this was the place to be." he said.

"... I'll take that as a yes. I wanted to see the Castle myself, but I can't." She looked longingly out the closed window and sighed. She then turned back to him and explained the sensation in her chest, "I feel like I have to see it for myself, but I can't. But then again, someone like me doesn't fit there so I understand why I can't come along."

Chesire raised a brow and rested a hand underneath his chin, "Can you not or will you not visit the Castle? Those two things are very different things. It is like saying I cannot swim on land, but you won't swim even if you could."

"Only the first part made sense… but you see, Mister Chesire, I made a promise not to leave." A flash of guilt erupted in her chest and she gave him a sad smile. "And I'm not even supposed to talk with you."

A small harrumph escaped from the cat's lips, "Someone forbid you to talk with me?"

"Well, not you in particular—but everybody else not part of the Lord Lockhart's people." She bit on her lip and then gave him a look, "It is very nice to meet you, Chesire but I think you should leave." The cat man blinked and it looked stupefied for a moment that she felt very bad. But a promise was a promise and no self-respecting person would openly break it.

"I should probably leave, but it doesn't mean that I would." he said. A grin finally curled on his sleepy face. "I could, and I should… but would I? What do you think, Miss? I haven't even heard of your name."

She puffed her cheeks, and stuck out a tongue. "Well, it doesn't particularly matter now, does it? I could call you Charlie or Carl and you would respond, wouldn't you?"

"Ah, now you're starting to fit well here. It's almost like you belong." A small chuckle escaped from him.

The young woman blinked, "What… what do you mean?" Something sprang up in her chest, and it was an uncomfortable but also relieving feeling at the same time. Her assumptions about the cat man being special was correct if it could tell with a look?

"Why Miss… everybody here is mad, and so are you."

She blinked. "What?" This was the most nonsense that she had ever heard of since she arrived. "I'm not mad at all, you must have mistaken me for someone else."

"Everyone who comes here is mad—one way or another. Although I do admit that some are more madder than others."

. . .

Nicholas Hatter stumbled into the House of Mallory and quickly entered the place with a spare key he had in his suit coat. Once he stepped inside, he called out, "Mallory? Harold—are the two of you here?" He looked at the hallways and thought he saw a certain cloud of smoke come from one of the rooms.

Were the two cooking? It was a colored smoke for some reason and now that was just mad.

It gave him an involuntary shudder and it felt like he should know what it was. "Hello, are the two of you not worried about me like before?" he asked and stepped towards it. 

Somehow it was easy enough to make light jokes and statements like this one despite his racing heart and chest. And he soon tore the door open and stumbled into a sight—of nothing. There was nothing at all in particular and the red fog might have just been a trick of his mind, except there was another feeling emanating from him.

It was so familiar—

"Nicholas!" a voice suddenly cried out from behind him. Harold jumped into his arms at this particular moment and the two of them might have stumbled back if it weren't for his superior arm strength and balance. 

He held the man from toppling over. "What is it Harold?" he asked and slightly patted the guy's back and glanced at their sullen posture. "Is something wrong?"

"Mallory… she's gone!" 

Nicholas Hatter blinked and frowned, "Are you sure that she did not simply go out to the market to buy something? She usually leaves a note, doesn't she?" Was his friend in such a hurry that she forgot to even leave a sign to her beloved friend?

"I can't see it!"

"Maybe she left in a hurry, now's not the time to panic." Nicholas said and rubbed the man's shoulder. He had been hoping that he could talk this out with the woman and perhaps get his bearings once the three of them all had their cup of tea together, but it seemed like that would have to wait.

The Hatter only hoped that she was alright and would return soon.

. . .

"Old man." a certain voice greeted the Royal Doctor in the medical room of the Castle. He had come into the place without much of a trouble, it was easy when smoke clouded one's vision.

The old man was fussing over his parchments and recipes, but he also pinched his nose. "Will you try not to leave your fumes here? It is unpleasant to smell."

"Everybody keeps asking me to quit using my pipe—which is an unfortunate thing." Came a sigh from the man who pocketed his pipe and then leaned against the doorway. "It has been some time since I've managed to be here."

"Well, you are not particularly welcome, young man." Doctor Griphon said. 

He didn't even bother looking at him at all, which might have infuriated him if it weren't for the pleasant and hazy sensation that took over him. He only sighed and let out a ring of cloud out of his mouth, "You must say that I am your best student and the best herb gatherer—it is particularly difficult to procure them from the Blue Forest and other lands."

"That must be true, but if someone else were to see you, then I might be forced to deny your relation to me." A grimace finally appeared in his old wrinkled face.

A huff escaped from the gentleman and his fingers twitched to hold the comfortable pipe in his hands, but for now he fidgeted and shrugged. "I only come here to give you some news, I have actually been hired and accepted by a certain individual."

"Do they enjoy the same habits as you?"

"No. Far from it." he said. A laugh escaped his throat and he wiped a non-existent tear, "But I'm sure that if you're willing, my patron will be able to give you a better deal than what you are doing here."

"I have my own private room and medical place to brew potions and review them, I also have some people who deliver ingredients. What more can I ask for?" he said in a bored and lackluster tone.

One of his eyes twitched, but then he smiled. "Do you not wish to serve a true king? Someone of true descent to the Hearts Kingdom instead of a man plucked from nowhere at all?"

Silence befell the room.

But he had finally placed the offer for the old man. "You're an old man and yet you are treated here just like any man when you are someone in an esteemed position. What do you do now? Nurse injured soldiers or perfect pastry recipes? It's a little unbecoming from a well-respected Doctor that could produce so much more."

"Hah…" Royal Doctor Griphon raised a brow. "Well, my apologies if that doesn't seem alluring to an old man like me. I am content with my position and have no aspirations, and I am looking after a boy."

He should have expected this… he would have told it to his patron, but the man refused to listen to him at all. Now he was supposed to bring back bad news. Well, at least one bad news. The man known as the Caterpillar bounced back from the wall and then nodded, "Very well then, consider my visit as someone who came to purchase your wares then."

"Take what you will and then leave."