The Kingdom of Hearts

The sight was clearly something one wouldn't expect.

The soldiers on guard weren't sure if they had actually seen it or had been hallucinating—the Queen of Hearts went out of the castle's walls. Donning her usual bright red gown, Rosalyn Lockhart stepped into the outside world after such a long time.

"Huh, it's not so bad after all." The Queen of Hearts descended into their kingdom's main town. 

The sights were something she hadn't been used to, the hubbub of the town's people were a craze compared to the silence in the castle. Rosalyn Lockhart took in the atmosphere and bit back a smile, it was charming in its own quaint way—

The young woman found herself on the dusty road.

"What in the…?" She stared at a horse's behind. Had she really just hit herself against that? Her face scrunched up as she pulled herself up her feet. One of the townsmen looked at her with a raised brow. Couldn't they even recognize her? Such impudence! 

If Sir Julius Ginellevé had been here—

She huffed and looked away, dusting her gown, "Such disrespect, I would have his head if it were not my goal for today." Rosalyn went on her way to someplace else.

Her plan today was to make friends.

And not just any person were to be her friends, she wanted the people that Alice had befriended to be her friends first. Before that vixen could even arrive and even think of stealing them away and using them for her own means.

The only problem was that she was unfamiliar where they exactly resided.

Rosalyn Lockhart clutched her forehead for a moment. Perhaps she should have planned a bit more instead of just making her way out here?

On top of that, she hadn't exactly memorized who were the people who had betrayed her. Sure, she remembered her own husband, Catherine Duke who assisted and even took in the bitch and of course she couldn't exactly forget about the man who murdered her. Her very own knight.

Other than that though… The others were simply minute and background characters.

"Ah, there's certainly some twins I think, an annoying pair. Some guy who seemed to act like a demure mouse. Another that was jumpy and nervous...wait, that was that guy who was at His Majesty's side. And there were a bunch of lunatics too…" She mumbled to herself as she watched the people go by. One of them wore a fancy top hat. Another wore an odd flat cap. Some person walked by and wore a silly bowler hat. There was someone who sported a trilby.

A memory flashed in her mind.

A hat.

"No, not just a hat…people can't befriend hats." Rosalyn Lockhart propped a hand underneath her chin before she snapped her fingers. "Someone who made hats."

A young man stood in front of her and tipped his hat, "Uh excuse me, young lady." It was the one with the top hat. "I couldn't help but notice that you were looking at my hat. If you'd like to purchase something like this, I recommend you go to the Mad Hatter's Shop, although I can't imagine why someone like you—" 

"I don't wear hats. I wear crowns." She gave him a look and crossed her arms over her chest. Who were they to approach her?

The man simply rubbed a chin, "I'm not sure if there are actually any crowns there. And only Royalty can wear them, young lady."

"Are you people blind?!" Rosalyn Lockhart couldn't hide her vexation any further as she thumped a finger in the man's chest. "I am the Queen of Hearts! You people should be on your knees in my presence!"

Some people looked her way but then proceeded with their own business, going about cluelessly. Perhaps wondering who was the young woman that was shouting in the town's square.

They were the ones who needed to go away before she decided to get her Knight's sword.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, the man blinked but did a quick bow, "Ah, forgive me! People say that Her Majesty is always at the castle. And it is quite strange that you leave with no escorts? Or if you wished to elude your daily duties… wear a more appropriate attire?"

He motioned to her gown.

"It is none of your business." The Queen of Hearts huffed before pulling her hand away, "And who might this belligerent you be?" She hadn't been paying attention that well and it was just now that she noticed that this person wore different kinds of clothes than the rest of townsmen.

A smile formed on their face, "Dimitri of the Kingdom of Clovers, Your Majesty." He wore a crisp green shirt and neat trousers befitting one of the King's companions and servants. "I am one of the attendants of His Majesty."

"Ah… should you not be at the castle?" Suspicions instantly formed in Rosalyn Lockhart's mind. Why were they going around her kingdom? Spies? 

A small laugh escaped the man's lips, "I believe I have asked the question first to you, Your Majesty. But if I were to answer you, I was eager to look at the sights of your Kingdom. The Hatter's shop is one of the places that caught my eye, fine craftsmanship."

"...I see, well, welcome to the Kingdom of Hearts, Sir Dimitri. I hope you can enjoy the sights of the city whilst not neglecting your duties to your King." She remarked with her own soft laugh. She had to get going. "Very well then, I shall no longer intrude upon you, good day!"

The Queen of Hearts would then make her way to disappear in the crowd of people. She would look every now and then to ensure that she hadn't been followed. She frowned for a moment and shook her head, "I may be getting too paranoid. But I do have a good reason to be."

Taking a steadying breath, Rosalyn Lockhart would soon come across a certain Hatter's shop.