Ha, I usually show up as the Queen of Swords (switch between her and the Queen of Pentacles) and she's definitely one of the most misunderstood suits in the entire deck. Many people I come by are so quick to write her off as a cold and brutal woman without taking the time to understand her reasoning and position.
SAME. I switch between her and other court cards but it depends on the areas in my life. I don't think anyone is one particular court card.
The Queen of Swords at her worst (which everyone seems to assume is the position and mindset she is) is cold, cruel and bitter. She's angry and tactical and does not care at all about how you feel and will do whatever she can in order to get results. She can also reflect a widow, someone who's dealt with a great deal of loss in her life which is the root of her coldness. She used to be warmer but could have been used, abused or abandoned and has since been forced to learn how to survive on her own. Trust is a thing she likely struggles with as the only person she likely trusts is herself, lending her to have a very hard time being vulnerable and open to other people. She exists and interacts with the world from the mindset of preconceived loss. She knows it will come and has to come, so her intentions are to find a way to minimize it (for her).
This makes a lot of sense, especially if she's been through adversity and hardships. A lot of that (the abused part anyways) sounds like me. I have a VERY hard time being vulnerable and trusting others. I'm not cold; I'm actually very warm and friendly. But I'm a bit distant because I'm always trying to figure people out to see if they will betray me or if they'll help me. Doesn't make me sound too good, does it? ^__^;;
Queen of Swords at her best, however, is absolutely amazing! She is clear headed, objective and empathetic. She's self-sacrificing and hardworking. She understands the trials and tribulations you've been through to be the person that you are and recognizes that. She eagerly acknowledges hard work and provides support for people who are open and willing to help themselves. She is still guarded but within reason. She knows that she can't lend her trust out to anyone and everyone but receiving her trust is a big deal. She still interacts with the world knowing that loss is inevitable but her methods of dealing with loss is proactive rather than reactive as she can be at her worst. She's the kind of friend who will give you the best advice in the world, providing you with new perspectives and different methods of dealing with any problem that you're dealing with. She's still not as openly warm and inviting as, say, the Queen of Wands, but she still goes through the process of showing she cares by being mindful in her words and actions.
This is also me, especially now that I'm about to start my career as a counselor. I am willing to help others if they help themselves. I don't have the time to help others if they just keep digging themselves into a deeper and deeper hole. Harsh, I know, but I have to meet you halfway and you have to do the same for me. I'm a mix of the Queen of Swords and King of Cups as a counselor. I don't take people who I really care for for granted, because I know they'll come a day when they're not physically here. So I tend to tell them that I appreciate them or I'm grateful they're in my life (which I truly am if I believe I can trust you and you've shown me that you truly care for me and have stuck around with me at my worst).
Queen of Swords in the outcome of a love reading for yourself looking for love may be saying that it's necessary to take some time to understand what it is that you want out of love. This is a Queen who doesn't eagerly and actively jump into love and relationships. She's slow to move, putting an emphasis on communication and understanding. She wants things to work and while she can go overboard in the ways in which she may vet prospects, she asks you to not be naive in how you approach love. Do not assume that you will receive if you are not putting yourself out there, do not ask more from people than what you're willing to provide. She may also be asking you to take a look at your past relationships and see if you have any patterns that need to be broken (as she is PROACTIVE in trying to prevent heart break or at least minimize it's effects if it's inevitable) and be open and willing to take ownership over your flaws and wounds.
I actually do the opposite, which I know is bad and I've learned I shouldn't do this. But I used to give and give to the people I liked, hoping they would stay. But that never worked. So I've learned that if people want to stay, they will, and I shouldn't have to give an arm and a leg for someone to stay. They either like me or they don't. I've also already looked at my past relationships (platonic because I've only had one pseudo romantic relationship) and noticed that they were codependent and with people who were literally emotionally unavailable. I realized I had to deal with my own issues. Hence, why I've been in therapy for almost 3 years. I have to fix my own issues.
Depending on other cards in the spread, she could be an actual person you meet who could be, depending on the other cards, either the Pleasant Queen of Swords (a conversationalist) or the Not-so-Pleasant Queen of Swords (a bitter defensive being). Either way, at her core, despite putting her mind first, still has a heart and it's likely the most fragile of all the queens. Trust is the biggest thing for her - she wants to be able to trust her heart in your hands and that is something she'll only do if you make the effort to prove yourself worthy of said trust.
Trust is the biggest thing for me too because I've had people use me a lot and lie. So that's super important. This was very helpful! Thanks a lot!