The Lady and Her Lord Duke

The Queen of Hearts quickly fixed her sleeve to conceal her dagger as the hues of pink shone across the corridor as someone approached them. This was the appearance of a certain young woman who cheerfully called her out by simply her name before realizing her station and fixing it at the last minute.

If she had been called by her name in front of another Royal—then she might have had to lacerated their tongue for it.

Rosalyn Lockhart tried to fight the urge to lay a hand on her forehead. It wasn't only His Majesty or the other Queen counterparts that brought her a headache, she had almost forgotten about this dear woman. But on the plus side, she had at least managed to evade the situation where she had to lie to the King of Spades or awkwardly tell the truth of her absence.

Catherine Duke curtsied in front of them, "My greetings to His Majesty of Spades and Her Majesty of Hearts. This servant of the Hearts greets you." 

The King of Spades rose a brow at her… friend's appearance, perhaps piqued and intrigued by the lovely young woman before offering them a smile.

Such a reaction by the King of Spades was enough to tug her own lips downwards, they were after all like all men who were fazed whenever a beauty approached them.

Alfred Villeuce inclined his head at Catherine, "A pleasure to meet you, Lady—"

"Lady Duke," A deep baritone voice answered the King with a respectful bow as the fearsome presence of Lord Warth Duke stepped into the corridor. "Greetings to the Royal Suits of Hearts and Spades."

This man was even scarier in appearance than her own Knight, their dark brown hair was rough and disheveled despite apparent applications of gels and perhaps magic to tame it. Their eyes were a vivid green that gauged both her and the King of Spades.

It was as if she had been a child caught in the act of sneaking desserts before her proper meal—that was the aura that this intimidating man gave her. And as she eyed Alfred Villeuce from the corner of her vision, even the man seemed a little surprised from the sheer magnitude of Catherine Duke's husband.

"Ah, my thanks for such greetings. The servants of the Queen are truly… interesting people." Alfred Villeuce admitted with a strained smile.

The Lord Warth Duke initiated a handshake with the King of Spades and was now crushing his hand with their strong grip.

She stifled back a laugh.

Her own Knight may have been the one who gained all the notoriety, especially with her beheading orders but they weren't the only one to be feared in the Kingdom. A reason why the formidable uprising of Alice had worked was gaining strong allies.

In the previous time when she had broken her ties with Catherine Duke—they found their joy and desire in companionship with Alice. And of course her husband supported them in the best way possible.

It was a memory that dampened her mood despite a somewhat enjoyable encounter with the King of Spades. Rosalyn Lockhart inwardly sighed, she didn't exactly want to be so blunt as to confront either Lady or Lord Duke and ask them 'Why are the two of you here?' for there was no doubt that they were summoned back by the King of Hearts.

"Her Majesty, did you miss me while I was gone?" Catherine Duke asked her with a sweet smile.

Somehow, their manner of questioning her were even more dulcet than that of Sir Julius Ginellevé at times. And Rosalyn Lockhart wasn't exactly comfortable with such affectionate words of theirs. Somehow, both Lord Warth and Alfred Villeuce gave her looks that were lit up in anticipation.

Or perhaps a threat from the former.

She cleared her throat and managed to return the woman's question and smile with her own, "Ah, Lady Duke—I am pleased to see you once again. It hadn't actually been that long since we last saw each other." 

"It felt like forever to me," Catherine Duke sighed and fanned her hand. "I do not understand why my husband needed me to come with him to survey other areas of the Kingdom and check on our territory. He's capable enough to do it by himself."

It was less than a week since she came here again. And Catherine Duke was the only one bold enough to speak such things—she was caring and often meant well though. 

Gentle qualities that made the Lord Warth Duke fall for her in the first place.

The exact opposite of who the Queen of Hearts was after all. Rosalyn Lockhart continued, "I wish you had been here earlier and there could have been the opportunity for you to tour the other Queens of our sights here in the Kingdom."

Her last statement was completely genuine. How much easier would her work have been if they had been present to tour the other Queens by herself while Rosalyn focused on her work—Catherine might be the closest she could get to a Lady in Waiting.

Well, if only she had the time to afford such a position. Unfortunately Lady Catherine Duke was more preoccupied with her bizarre spicy cuisine or her husband and nobody else was capable of accepting the role.

But she would get upset over it at a future time, but for now, she focused on the Lady before her.

It was with her words that Catherine Duke perked up and smiled as she curtsied, "Now that I am here, Your Majesty. Cease your worrying, the two of us shall present to the other Queens of the Suit that our Kingdom is the best."

A certain King of Spades would cough at the Lady's bold declaration but Rosalyn Lockhart paid no heed to it. She was too busy regretting for being too kind with her words—she didn't want to tour the other Queens again, her friend had taken her statement in the wrong way!

"I do not wish to interrupt the conversation between Her Majesty and my wife, but we must excuse ourselves to greet His Majesty and the other Royal Delegates." Lord Warth Duke finally spoke up.

It would be her chance for a bit of reprieve!