Villainess of Hearts

Chapter Nine: Offering of Hearts

Darkness swirled around her, a comfortable weight that made her want to drift down into the bottom of the lake. Little bubbles escaped from her mouth and soon lifted up towards the light—

Something bright dove towards her. A halo of light that rushed towards her before she closed her eyes and everything went black after that.

Consciousness returned to her in a flash.

Rosalyn Lockhart had been comfortable until she felt herself rouse, something warm that melted with her mouth—her eyes snapped open. Red met blue and Alexander was quick to pull away from her.

"You're awake." A relieved sigh escaped the King of Heart's lips as he gazed at her. He was entirely drenched from head to toe, the man's shirt clung to his torso. He pulled himself up from his feet and sighed once more.

She blinked, feeling a bit hazy and weak all at the same time but she was quick to wipe her mouth. Once again she stared at the man that stood before her, he was completely soaked and when she looked down at herself—the case was the same.

"Ah, that was quite a fright!" Someone behind them remarked.

"Her Majesty was a little too playful to notice that she had been at the ledge of the gazebo. Ah, at least she is fine."

Another simply let out a laugh, "His Majesty, King Alexander really does show himself as a competent one to have survived the Card Trial! To know of such methods to wake Her Majesty, surely an amusing sight."

She paid no heed to them, staring at her hands and feeling something missing. Rosalyn Lockhart wanted to find utter relief in her chest for being safe and alive... but there wasn't anything like that. If anything, she could only find some hint of dismay and disappointment in her chest that she had even been saved.

Moreso that it had to be this man.

"Rosa—Your Majesty, Queen of Hearts." Another man knelt in front of her, in a similar case to the King and herself, Knight Julius Ginellevé was drenched, his white hair was damp on his forehead. He resembled a white cat that had taken a bath.

She bit back a murmur down her throat. Even he had tried his best to save her and yet here she was, unsatisfied for some reason.

His purple eyes looked at her with terrible pain, it was enough to pull her away from her musings. "I'm glad you are alright, Your Majesty. If you would allow me, I shall escort you to your quarters. You will get sick if you stay in the same garments."

That sounded good honestly. She was still a little disoriented as she reached her head. She had been holding onto something. "His Majesty's gift!"

The King of Diamonds was quick to shake his head, "Do not fret yourself over such a small bauble, it is incomparable to your own safety and precious life, Your Majesty."

"Well then, I suppose I must thank you for your kind words—I fear that I may truly need to depart from this meeting abruptly once more." Rosalyn Lockhart tried to get up and was quickly assisted by sir Julius who stood at her right side. "I shall surely make up for—"

"Would it be alright if I were to temporarily put a hold to this tour of the castle? My Prime Minister, Blyke Edelweiss will be here any moment now and can take over for me once he arrives." Alexander Hartschmidt flashed a sheepish smile at his fellow Rulers, and even bowed slightly as he did.

The King of Spades was the first to speak, "It appears that it can't be helped. We shall wait for him here then—though I don't get why a Prime Minister is supposed to be late. You ought to fire him."

"Indeed, quite a strange matter. The man must be quite lucky as if he had been bestowed by two rabbit foot charms to have a kind King." The King of Clovers soon responded with a shrug and a smile.