Villainess of Hearts

Chapter Twenty-Seven: A Queen's Duties

The scritching sounds of a quill enveloped the entire room as someone poured themselves over their paperwork. Rosalyn Lockhart was making correspondence with the other nobilities under her reign, truth be told—when she wasn't parading with her infamous beheading orders, the Queen of Hearts was stuck with doing the paperwork.

Rubbing her shoulders for a moment, she stared at the finished letter and then at the rest of the pile. "His Majesty, King Alexander is facilitating the trade deal agreements with the other Kingdoms?" She fought back a snigger as she looked at the rest of her work and each one was different from the rest and required different kinds of skills.

Managing the vassals. Overseeing the financial budgets and taxes.

Keeping track of their own businesses within their kingdom.

Ensuring the people weren't revolting. Taking care of those that were.

Trying to manage the peace within quarreling lords and ladies.

Rosalyn Lockhart had a lot on her plate, "Let the King play diplomat with his fellow Rulers." She muttered as she placed her quill down for the moment, she had been at it for at least half an hour already—so where was her plate of tarts and tea? That was her only consolation. She stretched her back for a moment and felt the delicious release of tension.

When she was alone in her office, she could complain and grumble to herself. If people already thought she was mad, then there wasn't much change if they saw you mumbling to yourself in the room. "Now where is that Julius?" She complained to herself as she glanced at her wall-clock. "How long are tarts being made again?"

It actually took a bit of time.

She sighed and patted her stomach, "Ugh... I suppose waiting has its benefits, still this will put on a delay with my orders with Gine."

The Queen of Hearts didn't just take over the lot of responsibilities of the King, she had her own agendas to take care of as well. And included among her top ranking agenda was to 'befriend' the Hatter and his little group of friends. She had to swoop them in and capture them like the little pawns they were before the bitch could make her move.

Once again another sigh escaped her lips.

"I have a lot of things to do... can't a Queen take a break around here?" She wondered if she had gotten the short end of the stick. But she had been eager to take up the role of the Queen when Alexander Hartsmichdt had won the Card Trial—it was an honor. But the detriments of that had been his lack of any inkling of knowledge in the royal affairs.

"If it weren't for his charisma and for the renown popularity he gained... the other nobles would have swallowed him alive." She muttered to herself. It wasn't a memory that she really liked reliving, the woman clasped her fingers together as she snapped her eyes shut. It had been the perfect time to gain more power for herself, the position of the Queen was simply waiting for her to be snatched.

A knock interrupted her line of thoughts.

"Who is it?" Her brows furrowed together as she stared at the door. If it wasn't her Knight with a plate of tarts, she may need to retract her statement about not beheading people. She had a headache right now and she for one could not give any concern on who could be preventing her from peace and her sugar.

"Y-Your Majesty! I-It's Mary Ann, I've brought your breakfast." A young woman's voice called from the other side.

The knot in her brows deepened, "You may come in...Mary Ann." It was unlikely, highly unlikely that Sir Julius Ginellevé had let the opportunity to serve and wait for her to someone else. But who knew? Maybe he had decided to prioritize her other order and delegated sending breakfast via the girl?

Her door creaked open as the spitting image of Alice walked into the room.

Rosalyn Lockhart tried to calm her nerves, even though she had already ensured that this wasn't Alice—record checking and background information too—she still felt unnerved by that pop of blonde with bright blue eyes.

And yet they were also the same one who made her tarts.

So she couldn't exactly just execute them for her peace of mind; Mary Ann also happened to give some useful nuggets of suggestion. The friend thing had made sense.

The Queen of Hearts rubbed her face and looked at her table filled with parchments, scrolls and other document tools for her to use. Rosalyn Lockhart wondered how satisfying it would be to sweep them off the table but instead chose to motion to one of the smaller spare tables that were available in the office. "You can leave my breakfast over at the table and then bring it closer, Mary Ann."

Once the young girl was done, Rosalyn Lockhart smiled. "Thank you, Mary Ann. Shall you eat a tart and share a cup of tea with me?"

"P-Pardon? I couldn't dare eatHer Majesty's meal!"

Her smile dropped slightly as she narrowed her eyes at Mary Ann, "I do insist, I'm taking a break and it would be quite lonely if I eat all by myself. It seems my Knight had left the duties of bringing my meal over to you so take a seat and join me."

The Queen of Hearts didn't usually have to repeat her orders twice.

Mary Ann fumbled and grabbed for her chair and took her seat--they looked so small in the chair as Rosalyn fought the urge to roll her eyes. Before she could even consider what she was doing, the Lockhart had already picked up the teapot and filled tea for two cups. "Here you go, you should at least be able to taste the fruit of your hard work."

The young woman shakily accepted the cup from her and held her head down, "T-Thank you, Your Majesty! This one does not deserve such kindness from the Queen of Hearts."

Well that much was obvious, kindness wasn't freely given like candy.

"It's a trifling thing though you should keep your lips sealed about this matter." Her gaze sharpened on the young woman. People hearing of a Queen serving tea to her servant? That was outrageous. Maybe nobody would believe her even if Mary Ann dared share it to anyone else so she was probably fussing over nothing. Her lips curled into a smile, "And finally a tart, please have one or two pieces of your baked goods."

"T-Thank you, Your Majesty of Hearts!" Mary Ann picked up a tart in one hand and held the teacup in the other.

Rosalyn Lockhart nodded, "Well, go on and take a bite and sip."

It was rude to eat before someone of higher rank, the most esteemed ones were given the opportunity to partake of their meal first but Mary Ann may have not known that or was willing to appease her by following her orders.

"How is it?" The Queen of Hearts smiled at her servant.

"I-It's good, Your Majesty! The tea is your preferred blend but I didn't know that I may have made the tarts a tad more sweet, I'll fix the recipe—"

"That's unnecessary." She dismissed the notion as quickly as the young woman brought it up. It didn't seem like that to her, the tarts were just right for her. And seeing how the young woman was convulsing or anything of sort it meant that her breakfast was safe then.

It relieved her a little.

At least the young woman hadn't had any notions of poisoning her—at least for the moment that was, Rosalyn Lockhart had to stay vigilant.