Hearts heartbreak:The Crown's Bitter blood [1]

Prologue: my hearts story

In the heart of a sprawling, labyrinthine palace, atop a throne of glittering crimson and gold, sat the Queen of Hearts. Her regal visage was framed by voluminous, raven-black hair adorned with a delicate crown. Eyes as sharp and cold as rubies surveyed her court with an air of absolute authority. Her gown, a masterpiece of red silk and velvet, flowed around her like a river of blood, its hem adorned with intricate golden hearts. Her scepter, topped with a gleaming ruby heart, rested in her gloved hand, a symbol of her unyielding rule over Wonderland.

The queen's fingers tapped impatiently on the arm of her throne as she called out in a voice that echoed through the grand hall, "Card soldiers, attend me!"

In a hurried shuffle, the card soldiers, led by the Deuce and the Ace, entered the throne room and bowed deeply before their queen.

"Have you found Alice?" the Queen demanded, her voice dripping with venom. "She keeps vandalizing my kingdom, defiling my beautiful red Wonderland with that horrid blue!"

"No, Your Beautifulness," the Deuce stammered, fear evident in his voice.

The Queen's face flushed with a violent shade of red, veins pulsing with barely contained fury. "IF YOU DON'T FIND HER AND CATCH HER, IT WILL BE OFF WITH YOUR HEADS!" she screamed, her voice reverberating off the walls.

"Yes, Your Highness," the Deuce and Ace responded in unison, their voices trembling.

"NOW!" she yelled, and they bolted from the room, their footsteps echoing in their haste.

As the room fell silent, a grin began to materialize in the air before her, followed by a pair of gleaming eyes. The rest of the Cheshire Cat's body soon followed, lounging in mid-air as if gravity were merely a suggestion.

"I'm not in the mood, Cat," the Queen said through gritted teeth.

"Answer me one question and I'll leave," the Cheshire Cat purred, his smile never wavering.

"Fine," the Queen snapped, her patience wearing thin.

"Why did you become the way you are—strict... mad?" the Cat asked, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.

The Queen's expression softened ever so slightly, a shadow of a memory crossing her face. "It started the day before I turned sixteen," she said, her voice quieter, tinged with an old sorrow.

And so, the tale begins...