[color=ed1c24]”What will I do today?”[/color]  The Castle of Hearts was bustling,  as usual.  Her subjects flitted about her throne room with stack of paper that were undoubtable important,  as usual.  Her card soldiers kept vigil over her,  lining the wall behind her throne and surveying the skittering throng with soulless eyes,  as usual.  Some nameless performer played some nameless tune that,  while pretty,  was entirely too familiar,  as usual.

Scarlet suddenly drew herself to her feet,  causing her servants to pause in their tasks,  and the unfortunate musician to miss several notes.  She gazed at the poor man,  smiling sweetly.  [color=ed1c24]”You missed a few notes there.”[/color]  Her features turned icy as she turned to her soldiers.  [color=ed1c24]”Flog him.”[/color]

He protested meekly as two of her card constructs drug him out of the room.  [color=ed1c24]”Where’s Julius?  Bring him to me.”[/color]  She declared as she strode out of the room.

[i]’Wonderland’[/i] she scoffed internally.  In spite of its name the land held no wonder for Scarlet any longer.  Every day brought more of the same,  brightly colored,  drivel to her doorstep.  Her ‘Collection of Hearts’ was a small comfort,  a personal harem of adorable Alices to regale her with stories of their wondrous homeland.

Earth,  they called it,  or the ‘real world’.  They seemed overawed by the luxuries of her castle,  and the beautiful landscapes of her kingdom,  but Scarlet didn’t care about that.  She wanted to follow them home,  to see this ‘Earth’ for herself.  Witness their strange customs and  eat their strange foods.  To spread her influence across a new nation,  with new challenges,  and new enemies.

Speaking of enemies.  [color=ed1c24]”Julius?”[/color]  She called from her new perch on the railing of her balcony.  [color=ed1c24]”Are you here yet?  Or should I flog you too?”[/color]

A man’s voice came from behind her.  “Yes,  your majesty.  I arrived moments ago,  no need for flogging.”  She turned to face her General.  

Julius was a man carved from rose quartz,  black highlights running like veins through his stony complexion.  He bore a spear whose head was an inverted heart,  and was clad in gleaming black armor spotted here and there by red hearts.  He,  just like everything else,  had been around longer than she cared to remember.

[color=ed1c24]”Hasn’t it been awhile since we attacked Reggy?”[/color]  She asked,  her lips curling into a pout.  [color=ed1c24]”I’m bored,  and I’d hate it if he thought I was mad at him.”[/color]

“Aye,  it has been awhile.”  Julius had long ago learned not to discourage his Queen’s whimsical battles.  Card soldiers were easy to make anyway,  and she didn’t really care about victory so much as being entertained most of the time.  Other times she’d lead the charge,  and Julius was pretty sure this wasn’t one of those times.  “I’ll gather the soldiers and the men.  We’ll march out in a day or so.”

[color=ed1c24]”Do I really have to wait that long?”[/color]  The Queen’s voice was low and dangerous,  her eyes sparkling with what a more foolish man might have considered amusement.  [color=ed1c24]”Are you [i]trying[/i] to get flogged?[/color]

“Of course not your majesty.”  He quickly bowed.  “I’ll see to it that everything is ready as quickly as possible.”

[color=ed1c24]”See to it my palanquin is available and ready as well.”[/color]  She added before waving him off and forgetting he existed.

She cast her gaze out from the balcony over her lands.  [color=ed1c24]”Maybe I’ll snatch up a few Alices on the way.”[/color]  She sighed.  [color=ed1c24]”Maybe something cute will alleviate the dreadful banality that veils my thoughts.”[/color]