Rakta tugged at the collar of his uniform, before reaching down to his sides for the seventh time to check the revolvers that rested there. The knife he had in his boot scratched at his ankle, reminding him of its presence and the presence of its brothers lining the inside of his jacket.

He didn't touch them. Touching them would tip anyone else off that he was carrying more than the guns.

Queen Mielas sat easily on her throne, shoulders back, chin held high. Next to her, Avinos stood resplendent in a shimmering red dress, a choker of rubies set around her elegant throat. Rakta was to the Queen's left, waiting impatiently. He held his silence, more than aware that it was his duty to be nothing more than an intimidating presence.

Avinos caught his gaze. "Rakta shouldn't be up. He's still healing."

The Queen shushed her. "Rakta should be here. His responsibilities lies with me. They lie with you as well, my daughter. There is nowhere else he should be."

Avinos' mouth pressed into a thin line, but she didn't say anything. She cast an apologetic look at Rakta who barely avoided rolling his eyes at her. Instead, he smiled, nodding to show that he agreed with the Queen. His ribs were hardly worth noticing at this point, nothing more than an ache.

Avinos did roll her eyes at him, making him smile.

The expression disappeared as a trumpet sounded and the Nine at the door announced, "Her Majesty, Queen of Hearts, Mavros Heart!"

Rakta inhaled slowly, eyes trained on the door as it opened, allowing the Heart Queen entrance.

There was a brief pause, then the Heart swept into the room, her white dress glowing in the sunlight that poured through the massive windows that lined the hall. Rubies woven into the fabric glittered in intricate patterns around her waist and at the hem of her skirt. A line of pearls wrapped around her throat, strands of white silk festooned with dark red garnets trailing from it, weaving into the low neckline of her gown.

Her bare arms were dusted with glittering powder, her red hair wound into an impressive knot at the top of her head. A diadem made of rose gold adorned her brow, a large ruby fashioned in the shape of a heart set into the middle.

Rakta could appreciate none of the opulent display, his attention focused solely on the person who trailed along after the Heart Queen like a bloody shadow. He had never met another Ace before, but the Ace of Hearts was far from what he had been expecting.

Whereas Rakta had the perfect stillness of a tiger about to spring drilled into him, this Ace was a mess of hectic movement. He was never still, whether it was a subtle tapping of his fingers, the way he shifted back and forth on his feet or in the way his eyes darted around the room, cataloging everything with transient interest.

His messy hair was tied back in a haphazard way that left strands hanging around his face, framing sharp cheekbones and a rather cruel jaw, doing nothing to take away from his hungry eyes. Those eyes were still looking about the room, though the other Ace was very obviously bored by what he saw.

That changed when his gaze found Avinos. Rakta stiffened as the other Ace focused on the princess, his body coming to attention like a dog that had finally found an interesting scent. Rakta snarled quietly as the Heart's eyes traced over the princess, lingering on the necklace wrapped around her throat.

After a moment longer, the Ace's attention turned to Rakta who he looked at curiously before losing interest once more, his fingers beating a tattoo against the guns at his sides. They were pretty things, the grips carved elaborately and the metal lovingly engraved. The Heart trailed his fingers over them, glancing at Rakta before looking away again.

Rakta, watching the princess from the corner of his eye, thought he saw her shiver before his attention was once again pulled to these interlopers.

"My condolences, Mavros, for your loss," Mielas said, her voice soft yet somehow carrying effortlessly around the room.

The Heart hesitated for a moment before nodding her head. "Thank you, Mielas," she said, her voice surprisingly high. Almost girlish. "The loss of my dear father was rather...untimely."

Rakta, who was still watching the Heart's Ace, narrowed his eyes when the young man cast a startled look at his Queen before looking down, a vicious sort of smile crossing his lips for the space of a heartbeat.

Queen Mielas frowned. "I find that the death of a family member never occurs at an opportune moment."

Mavros bowed her head once more, a moment of silence ensuing before she looked up again, her eyes shiny. "Losing my father has been hard. Harder than I imagined, but it matters not. I am Queen now and want to serve my people as best I can. Unfortunately, royalty cannot mourn as others do."

Rakta wondered if this woman even knew what the meaning of the word was. His own grief when his mother died had all but destroyed him, but Mavros hardly looked like a grieving daughter. From the corner of his eye, he saw Avinos frown and wondered if she was thinking the same thing he was, since she herself had lost her father at a young age.

Mielas, however, just nodded gracefully. "I'm sure King Quinn had much to say to you on the various treaties currently observed in Wonderland?"

"I have yet to visit the High King in his eastern castle," Mavros said, lips turned up in a sly smile. "You are the first monarch I have presented myself to, Mielas."

A heavy silence settled over the hall. Even Rakta managed to tear his gaze away from the Heart's Ace to look at the Heart Queen at this news.

Mielas straightened, leaning forward slightly as she looked at the younger Queen. "Indeed?" 

The word was simple, but hung heavy with a meaning Rakta could not decipher.

Mavros, however, seemed to have no problems translating the Diamond Queen's meaning as she bowed her head once more. "I had thought it better to come to you first, Mielas. You were my father's closest ally, much closer than the so-called High King of Wonderland."

"He is called High King because that is what he is," Mielas replied, her words measured, "and because he has earned it. No one can argue that Quinn has ruled fairly over Wonderland in the years since he took the title from the Club King, Trenton."

Mavros tilted her head to the side, a strange, hungry expression slithering across her lovely features. "Club High King. Spade High King. Really, Mielas, is there a difference between the Black Decks? It's been much too long since the Red Decks controlled Wonderland."

Avinos inhaled sharply and Rakta's hand slid to the pistol at his side. He struggled mightily to keep his astonishment at Mavros' blatant treason off his face. Looking back over, he saw the Heart's Ace look down at the hand Rakta had on a weapon before he shook his head minutely.

A small warning that only made Rakta curl his lip in disdain, baring his sharp teeth at the Heart who grinned, his eyes lighting up. Rakta took in a deep, calming breath as Mielas cleared her throat. 

"I think you and I had best speak privately about some of the more...delicate workings of Wonderland, Mavros," the Diamond Queen said. "Youth brings much to a throne, impetuousness being one of those things."

The Heart's Ace growled low in his throat, and Rakta took a step forward, placing himself firmly between his Queen and the sudden threat. A bloodthirsty smile played at the edges of the Heart's mouth as he finally gave Rakta his full attention.

With a grin that flashed his own sharp canines, he said, "I'm supposed to be friendly today."

"Tamsus!" Mavros snapped, making the Ace flinch, the movement so small it was hardly there at all. Rakta was certain he was the only one who had actually seen it.

Tamsus bowed his head, moving a step behind Mavros who turned smoothly to Mielas. "I apologize. Tamsus is a good Ace, but I'm afraid he is somewhat lacking in the finer aspects of civility."

Mielas took a long moment to watch Tamsus, who stared blankly back at her, not moving a muscle. Rakta wanted to shiver, practically feeling the pent up energy screaming through the other Ace's body.

With an internal sigh, Rakta was finally able to decide what, specifically, about the other Ace he disliked so much. Tamsus simply had too much energy. It made him erratic, twitchy and when it was tamped down, it flowed through the rest of the room, leaving an unpleasant tingling sensation across Rakta's skin.

Still studying Tamsus, Rakta frowned, wanting to shake his head.

No. That still wasn't the exact reason he didn't like the Heart's Ace.

His attention was dragged back when Mavros gestured around the room. "It is no secret how I feel, Mielas. Quinn has lorded over Wonderland for long enough. He has broken several treaties with my father—"

Rakta turned slightly to find Mielas frowning at that, but she didn't say anything, and he tuned back in to what Mavros was saying.

"—he'll eventually betray you as well, Mielas. That's what they do. He is not fit to rule. Nor is that brat of his."

There was another severe silence, everyone waiting for the Diamond Queen to answer. Rakta tensed when Mielas rose to her feet and moved swiftly to shadow her as she stepped from the dais, drawing nearer to Mavros. Placing her hands on the younger woman's shoulders, Mielas said, "Are you sure that your ire at Quinn is not caused by something else, Mavros?"

Mavros stiffened and Rakta saw Tamsus snarl softly.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Mavros replied, the words like shards of ice.

"Your brother—"

"That whelp is no brother of mine!" Mavros practically shrieked, yanking herself away from Mielas. Then, she took a deep breath, collecting herself. "My father's past...indiscretions have nothing to do with this. I am coming to you with an opportunity. Help me take back the throne of Wonderland!"

Now Mielas raised an eyebrow. "For you to rule as High Queen?"

Unabashed, Mavros said, "You and the Diamonds will be more than rewarded. Please, consider it at the very least, Mielas." She gave a wide, grand sort of smile. "Of course I'm not asking for an answer right this very moment. Please, take some time. Consider it."

Rakta forced himself not to react at Avinos' small gasp when Mielas nodded. "Of course I will consider this, my friend." Mielas smiled warmly, spreading her arms wide. "Now, please, allow me to have someone show you to your rooms. I trust you and your contingent—"

"It is only myself and Tamsus," Mavros interjected, bringing Mielas up short for half a second.

She recovered quickly and smiled once more. "Of course. I trust you and your Ace will accept the hospitality of the Diamonds for tonight at the very least?"

Mavros nodded and smiled, the beautiful expression like the beauty of a butterfly trapped in ice. "We would consider it an honor."

Mielas nodded, signaling for one of the servants to take Mavros to the guest quarters. As they were leaving, Mielas called, "We are more than happy to make accommodations for your Ace!"

Mavros turned slightly before glancing at Tamsus, who looked down and to the side, his fingers tapping at the top of his thigh. "No need for that, Mielas," she crooned with another, freezing smile on her face. She glanced at Rakta, who couldn't stop his eyes from narrowing. "I'm sure you can understand my desire to keep my Ace quite close."

Mielas raised an eyebrow before giving an elegant shrug. "But of course."

She returned to her throne as the Hearts left, the large doors leading to the throne room closing with an echoing boom behind them.

"Leave us!" Mielas ordered. "Not you, Rakta."

He froze mid-step, waiting as the courtiers and servants filtered quickly from the room. When they were alone, Mielas slumped down in her throne, her hand going up to cover her eyes.

"Mother?" Avinos asked, worry creasing her forehead.

"I'm fine, darling," Mielas said quietly. Looking up, she directed her gaze to Rakta. "Keep an eye on him. I do not want the Heart's Ace to wander freely about my home."

Rakta bowed, his hand fisting over his heart.

With another sigh, Mielas said, "Thank you, Rakta. You may go." Rakta shot a quick glance at Avinos, who looked like she would rather he stay. When he hesitated though, Mielas ordered, "Now. Rakta. Go."

The loyalty Oath that bound him forced Rakta to bow once more and leave the throne room without another glance back.

But just as the door began to close behind him, he could hear Avinos saying, "Mother, you can't possibly be serious about indulging her?"

"I will do what—"

The door shut fully, cutting off the Queen's answer. Rakta began to make his way outside, wondering what Mielas was going to say.

With a sigh, he started outside only to find someone blocking his path in the main hall.

"Hello," Tamsus Heart said, his head cocked curiously at Rakta.