[✔︎] 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 ✫ DESCENDANTS TWO ⁴

➽ 3. Tainting the Flowerbed

The card workers rejoice in victory at seeing the paint dry so quickly. They went on with their work cleaning her mother's "castle." It wasn't really a castle. It was just an apartment over their shop but her mother insisted they call it a castle. That the living room was her throne room.

It was sad really seeing her regale the tale of her last glory and realizing how far she'd fallen. She had a kingdom bowing at her mercy. She showed no mercy. It had all been ruined when little Alice Kingsley fell down a rabbit hole and gained the trust of the people of Wonderland. If it hadn't been for her, her mother always said, she wouldn't be in this mess. She wouldn't be so far from who she was, a shadow of her former self.

Their victory didn't last long. Quinn sat at the cash register again, admitting that if nobody showed up, they never would. They didn't have any appointments or anything.

Her mother hollered from the garden.

"Who's been painting my roses red
Who dares to taint with vulgar paint. The royal flower bed. For painting my roses red. Someone will lose his head!" The Queen of Hearts seethed.

"Mother." Quinn said. "It's alright. We'll find the culprits. Just come down-."

"Calm down?" Her mother fumed. "You want me to calm down?! After someone has tainted my flowerbed. The royal flowerbed. I specifically asked for red flowers. Not white flowers painted red."

"Mother they never will learn from their mistakes." Quinn reasoned. "No matter the amount of heads you Cause to roll, they'll make this mistake over and over. It's in their nature-."

"In their nature!" The Queen of Hearts said. "In their nature? Nobody dares ruin the royal flowerbed. Nobody dares cross the Queen of Hearts."

"Mother think over this-." Quinn said as her mother shook her head.

"I have thought over this Quinn." The Queen of Hearts said. "I've thought long and hard. They will never learn their lesson if you keep holding me back. They just need to see some heads roll. Then they'll never make the mistake. Call them in."

Spade, Ace, Club, and Diamond scurried into the room, looking at the Queen with remorse in their eyes.

"Oh no, your majesty, please, it's all his fault." Spade said pointing to Club.

"Not me, Your Grace." Club said. "The Ace! The Ace!"

"You." Ace said pointing to Diamond.

"No, Two. The Deuce, you say
Not me, the Tres." Spade said.

"That's enough, off with their heads!" The Queen of Hearts said. "They're going to lose their heads. For painting the roses red. It serves them right. They planted white. And roses should be red, oh. They're going to lose their heads!"

Murmurs were heard among the card people, who were listening to her rage go on, all too afraid to protest against their Queen.

"Silence!" The Queen of Hearts said. "Everyone out. I need to clear my head or it's off with your head."

"Mommy don't you think you're being a little too.."

"A little to what Quinn?" Her mother asked. "I've done nothing wrong. I'm just setting order into my kingdom."

Her mother was truly delusional. Her mother was losing her mind. She had no kingdom, she no longer had a kingdom but she still wanted to relieve her glory days. The days when she had people who feared her, an entire kingdom at her feet.

It'd worked the first couple of years she'd been on the Isle. She lost the election for leader to Maleficent which had left her seething but she'd kept it to herself. But she kept it to herself, not like the Evil Queen who had let her jealousy banish her and her daughter after a certain sox year old birthday party. Maybe it wouldn't have had such an impact on her if Mal and her mother were the only ones not invited.

Even Uma was invited though back then she and Mal were friends. The Shrimpy incident hadn't occurred until they were ten. That's when their rivalry began. At first, Quinn had sided with the VKs but then they'd chosen good, she'd decided to remain neutral. No side deserved her to be on them.

"I think your being a little too extreme?" Quinn said. "No that's not the word I'm looking for."

"I understand Quinn. I really do." Her mother took her hand in hers. "But I'm doing all of this for you. We will get off this Isle and get revenge on Alice and the Mad Hatter and anyone who dared get me sent here."

"Okay." Quinn said, as her mother stroked her hair.

"We'll be free." Her mother said. "In due time my dear."

Quinn pulled away from the embrace as she headed to her room. She shut the door and flopped onto the rickety old bed.

She still was hung up on the way her mother had said Mad Hatter like she still cared about him but was too stubborn to admit it. Quinn wondered if Maddie still thought of her. If her father still thought of her.

Did he love her? Did he care for her?

She'd never met him and she probably never would. But she'd seen how he treated Maddie better than her mother had ever treated her. She told herself that was how he'd treat her too. He loved her as much as he loved Maddie.

He loved her as much as he loved Maddie....or perhaps he loved Maddie more. He'd taken her. Quinn was still here. Maybe it was dumb to think he'd ever thought of her. Maybe it was dumb to think he'd ever care for her.

She didn't need anyone. She was her own person. She could survive on her own. But still a little part of her wanted to know what it was like to be loved, to have a parent who cared for her and didn't use her to employ evil plans. It was a stupid wish, one she thought would never come true. Maybe if she'd been paying attention she would've seen the star that shot through the sky or perhaps she wouldn't have. It was much too cloudy for her to anyway.