Hopeful (My Sequel to Heartless) Unfinished

Chapter 3 - A Brilliant Ball

The dress Catherine had picked for that night was the most brilliant shade of scarlet, the most crimson rose would be put to shame. She made sure her attire was nothing less than stunning and that it would surpass the drapery of all others, as queens often do.  

Her husband wore a suit of red as well and his crown draped carelessly on his head.  He took Catherine's hands and placed a gentle kiss on each one while plastering a smile to his tired features. "My darling," he attempted to coo, a feat that was almost impossible due to his obnoxious childlike voice. "You look positively lovely! I will personally make sure everyone in the land recognizes and admires your beauty." He said looking at her with eyes that held the tiniest sliver of hope. Hope he had every day that she would return to the Cath he knew and used to love. 

Catherine inwardly rolled her eyes and offered a cold and strained smile, "Yes, you are so wonderful to me." She said flatly with a pat on his head. You could see the happiness in his expression from such a positive reaction. It may not have been a milestone, but it was something.

He let out an excited cry and kissed her cheek, Catherine, of course, having to bend down to receive it, before he hobbled out. She rolled her eyes and took out her special lipstick. 

Smiling had become such a strain on her face muscles and seemed more of a chore. She had found a vendor to make a lipstick that loosened the muscles and helped her smile more easily. Not like she would have any reason to, but nonetheless, she would put on a show with her pearly white teeth and plump red lips.

She sighed as Raven flew in through her window soundlessly, perching himself on her shoulder. Raven was a notorious riddle who often spoke through rhyme. For once, it seemed, this trait would be abandoned and regular speech would take its place as he attempted to speak with her about the accident, something he never thought he would speak about since it happened. But he had too. Even if Raven had become almost as dark and chaotic as Catherine was, he knew his friend deserved better. So he opened his beak.

"It's been ten years." He said simply. Cath glanced at him in the mirror, "Ah yes, 10 years since I slew the Jabberwock. How kind of you to remind me." She asked flatly, ignoring her old friend. 

Raven flew and landed on top of her mirror so he faced her and cocked his head to the side, something that unsettled her every time he did so. He often reminded her of the lyric that foreshadowed events based on have many magpies or crows there were. Raven was not a crow, but it reminded her of the poem still. How the first line states that the presence of one crow (or magpie) would bring about sorrow. Maybe Raven's presence predicted her fate all along. She turned away from him at the thought. 

"Don't tell me you've forgotten." He said.

Cath furrowed her brow, "How could I forget the day I saved the kingdom? It's only the most celebrated occasion in Hearts." She continued to apply her lipstick. She flinched as a black object was tossed into her lap, her lipstick veering off the path of her lips. She raised an eyebrow and looked down.

There in her lap was a black jokers hat that had no bells.

Catherine's chest began to throb dully like before. Scowling she looked up at Raven who had an unreadable expression, which unfortunately was the normal expression for a raven.

"How did you get this?" She demanded. 

Raven fluffed his feathers, "I have my ways." He said simply. 

Cath looked down at it, "Well, he's gone now, so it's no use keeping his accessories around." She said tossing it on the bed.

Raven gave another sigh, "How quick you are to forget the man you loved." He said in a pitying tone.

Her blood began to boil, he of all people should've known to never bring up this topic. She stood abruptly. "I love no one!" She snapped loudly, "He's gone! It's time to move on Raven! I have." She said turning away from him and marching down the hall to her party.

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The ballroom was a tizzy of activity. People were dancing, talking, and laughing, the average activities that happened at balls. The sight made Cath scowl with disgust nonetheless. Why are her subjects so happy when she was so obviously not? Everyone was being so selfish.

It was far too loud and much too crowded for her taste. She would much rather have a party that included just herself and a bottle of wine. She grabbed a glass of champagne - they weren't serving wine, yet another disappointment - from a passing waiter and downed it feeling the bubbles tickle her nose. She took a deep breath and made her way to her husband and children.

She wasn't surprised to hear that Diamond was already dancing with a few young gentlemen, one of which consisted of a toad with a face covered in warts. Cath had a hard time reading her daughter's expression, but tonight it seemed clear that Diamond was somewhat pleased with the situation in which she found herself. Cath rolled her eyes and faced her husband and son, "Has anyone interesting arrived yet?" She asked. 

The King bit his lip, "Well, not really, but I invited someone to be here tonight, so I'm sure they ought to be interesting." He said with a false cheeriness.

Cath rolled her eyes, "Well hopefully they will be someone of interest." She said downing another drink.

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Cath made her rounds with a forced optimism and stayed patient through her conversations. She didn't understand what was so stimulating about who was marrying who, who was having who's baby, who was wearing what. It's like balls repealed appealing conversation. But then again, the only conversation Catherine care about was a conversation that revolved around her. She couldn't care less about what anyone else was saying.

She was just about to break her act of smiling and pretending to care when she heard the trumpet sound and the White Rabbit announce the next guest.

Cath smirked, being late usually caused one to be gossiped about, and that's exactly what she felt like doing in order to lift her spirits. She tapped her finger against her champagne flute in intrigue. The thought was ruined by what the White Rabbit said and she felt all blood drain from her face.

The Rabbit cleared his throat, "Announcing Miss Alice and her escort, Sir Hatta."

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HATTA IS BACK BABY