"Perhaps I mis-spoke.  No, your heart is not presently captive by the Queen of Hearts.  She's very much no longer here, and almost certainly deceased.  The current Queen is Queen of Roses, and while she doesn't collect hearts, I think she still has part of her predecessor's collection.  They couldn't all be returned, you understand."<br/><br/>She made for the door.<br/><br/>"I have to go.  But..."<br/><br/>She paused at the thresh-hold.<br/><br/>"The first step is to gather companions and set forth.  You'll need a bard, at the least.  And tell them that you thrashed your companion until she came.  She'll appreciate it."<br/><br/>Then Niassa was gone, leaving him underclad and mostly alone, given that the other cat-girl was snoozing peacefully.