Princess of Hearts

Chapter One - The Heart Shop

The sound of little ticks filled my empty shop. The noise of the heart clocks seemed to be the only thing ever making noise anymore. Lately the customers have been rolling to a stop, I guess that's a good thing. Not for me of course, but this means there has been less broken hearts In need of healing.

Tapping a pencil on the bright wooden counter of my work bench, I stared at the door.

"Open... Now!" Nothing.

"Now!" Still nothing.

"How about now?" Nope.

Heaving a heavy sigh, I gave up. I might as well close shop. It would be a waste to wait inside all day while the sun still shines. Reaching behind my head I pulled the strings of the stained apron I wore. The mess of fabric was my favourite item of clothing. Not that I had much. I lived in this shop, barely scraping by with what I received from the Wonderland'ers who were in need of a heart master. I used my wonderful magic to fix their broken hearts and make new ones for the ones which were beyond repair.

I was standing on my tippy toes trying to reach the hook above my head to put my apron on, when I heard the familiar ding! of the front door.

I peered from around the front counter to see who had walked in. It was a pretty lady. She stood tall, her posture tight. Her arms hung in front of her, slightly bent at the elbows, slender hands clasped into a firm grib. Her skin was as white as fresh milk, seeming as smooth as butter. The light blond hair upon her head was twisted into an uncomfortably tight bun, not a single strand loose or out of place.

She dressed in maid's uniform. The White Kingdoms servants uniform. The women's dress was made of ice blue silk ending just above her knee's. A pristine white apron with frills along the edges was worn in an eerily neat fashion. Her essence screamed orderly and well kept... Well I guess you had to be if you worked of the White Queen.

"Good morning!..."

"It is a very un-good morning! Very far from being a good morning, it's a terrible morning. Terrible morning to you...." The women said, her uptight nature slowly diminishing to that of a flustered woman.

"Terrible morning... to you then, may I ask why it tis a terrible morning?" I asked.

"It just is! A terrible day to be happy! A terrible day to live! A terrible day to love..." With her last words the White Kingdom maid broke into tears, her slender hands covered her face and the sound of sobs filled the shop. The sound of the clocks no longer alone.

"To love... Miss by any chance, and if it's not to... Forward" I walked closer, hurried footsteps to the women who was slowly sinking to the floor in sadness. "Has your heart been broken?"

The maid kept sobbing, her cries now loud and wailing. The proper young lady that had stood in front of me moments before was no where to be seen.

"Shhh..."

"I heard you... You can fix my heart." The broken women said as she sat on my shops wooden floor. "The other maids have s-spoken of you" sliding her hands from her face, she grasped my own hands tightly, like she was hanging on for dear life. Her cheeks bright red, contrasting against her pale skin. Her eyes wide and watery, her lashes sticking together in damp clumps from her tears. "But your a c-child! How can a child know how to h-heal a broken heart! W-when you have never felt true love!" She hiccuped. I rose a slender eyebrow.

'A child?' I glance to the side. A kneeling girl next to a sobbing maid met my view. The mirror reflected back a thin girl, her pink hair tied back into a messy pony tail. Frizzed hair poked out in different places, her pale skin looked dirty from her days in the shop. Her heart shaped face small, almost... Cute. Her eyes wide and bright. Long lashes made her look innocent and naive. A frown formed on the girls bow shaped lips.