Hopeful (My Sequel to Heartless) Unfinished

Chapter 7- An Execution (Part 2)

Guys, you have no Idea how many times I had to go back to the book to check my facts. I accidentally opened to the page where IT happens and I died all over again. oops.

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Lady Peter stood next to Hatta with her shoulders squared and a dark look in her eye that made Cath shudder.

"What are you doing?"

It was more of a statement than a question, but the impact of it was the same. Cath couldn't help but stand there and gawk. She had killed the woman years ago on that night, how on earth could she be standing in front of her? "W-what are you doing..?" She searched for the words, her mouth and brain turning to putty at the same time. "How did you- How are you alive?" She asked, her eyes wide with astonishment. Lady Peter lifted her chin up, " That's not the important question, you need to come with us."

At that point, Cath took a look around, wondering where her guards were or why her people weren't reacting.

Everything around her was frozen in place, the people, the guards, the ax Raven was holding, everything was at a standstill.

She noticed the broken potion vial on the ground with a label depicting a snowflake and brought her gaze back to the 3 people standing in front of her. Hatta held no smile or look of amusement as he looked at her, and Alice stood with her arms crossed looking bored out of her mind.

That girl made her blood boil.

"I will go no where with you! You come to my kingdom, interrupt a public event," Hatta scoffed, "and now you demand I go with you willingly? Have you lost your mind?" Hatta flinched at that, but gave a shrug, "More or less." He responded.

Cath gawked at him, "No! Leave my kingdom at once!" Alice sighed and shook her head. Lady Peter cocked her head to the side, "Do you not wish to see Jest again?"

The breath left Catherine's body as she snarled "Don't you EVER say his name again! It's your fault he's dead!" It took all her strength not to cry.

Lady Peter groaned, "We don't have time for your dramatics. Look, Jest is in Chess, imprisoned for treason and for not following through with his assignment. If you want him back you have to come with us."

Cath felt the hollow throb in her chest again, strong and painful as it thumped against her ribs. "How," She chocked out, "How is he alive?" Lady Peter sighed, "It's a long story that I will tell you on the way to the Looking Glass."

Cath shook her head, "No, I refuse to go with you until you tell me." She raised an eyebrow and looked at her comrades. They both just shrugged. She sighed again, "Okay, okay, you may want to sit down." Cath didn't move an inch.

Lady Peter sighed again, "In Chess, there is a law that states that a man is not allowed to die unless his debt has been paid to the crown, there are some men who still have not paid theirs, thus Time keeps them living until they do. They become older and weaker and sickly so that they still suffer, but they are not to be relieved by death until they have repaid the debt, but that's not the point I guess."

Another sigh.

"I am originally from Chess, but because I was born neither to the former Red Kingdom, nor the White, I was to be banished and work of my birth debt by changing someone's life. I fulfilled my debt long ago by marrying my Peter." Her eyes welled with tears, but she shook her head and continued. "Jest on the other hand, was born a citizen and was assigned a Rook in his queen's army. When the King assigned him to take your heart, he made a pact with Time. A pact that stated that until he brings back your heart, he would be at the mercy of Time itself. Jest took this task and made his way out to retrieve it. He knew that if he never got your heart, he would be sentenced to a life much worse than death, so when he fell in love with you, I was beyond shocked to hear that he had changed his plans and would not give the king your heart at all. He sacrificed his health and well being for eternity just to spend your lifetime together, even though after you died, he would have to live forever watching loved ones come and go, just to be with you for a fraction of his sentence years. How romantic." Lady Peter sighed dramatically and stared dreamily at the sky for a minute before shaking her head, "Anyway, because of his pact with Time, Time would not allow him to die, and it certainly wouldn't let a measly ax stop him from repaying his death, so Time summoned his workers, those 3 girls from the well, to bring him and me back to Chess where he would spend his sentence, and where I would heal and recuperate.

Time may be evil at some points, but a lot of times, It can be merciful. So the girls brought him back to Chess where Time healed him, and he was imprisoned. As for the girls who took your heart, we don't know where they are, or what they want your heart for, but they are untraceable, and no matter how hard we try, they're always 3 steps ahead of us. That's why we need your help. If we can find them, and retrieve the heart from, we can give it to Jest, who will give it to the king, and he will be free, as well as the war will be over." Lady Peter looked at her comrades again, who gave another shrug and turned to watch Cath's reaction.

"Bu-but how are you alive?" She asked Lady Peter

"I don't know, perhaps time took pity on me, but nonetheless I'm here to try and fix everything." She said, tears forming in her eyes, "Don't think I don't live with the guilt of all the things I've done as a human and Jabberwock." She said 

Cath's eyes darkened, "It took you ten years to tell me this. Ten years to come here and tell me Jest was alive."

She looked Cath in the eye fiercely, "Would you have cared before your heart started to grow back? You're getting softer now Cathrine, you could've sentenced Alice to death but you didn't." She said pointing at Alice.

"Thank you for that, by the way." Alice interjected.

Cath knew Lady Peter was right. She would've killed her on the spot had she come to her sooner. But now she was growing a heart back and she had a chance at saving Jest. 

A lot of things had changed since that night. Almost everything about the old Catherine was gone, but there was something both Caths knew and loved. Years without a heart and he was still such a major character in her life. She began to grow a new heart all because of the Joker who showed up at a ball one night. So, sucking back her tears and gathering up her confidence, she stood a little taller and took a deep breath.

"Let's go."

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Y'all thought it was Jest wasn't it? Mwhahahahaaaaaaaaa

Also, I'm aware that in the book it's the White and Red Kingdoms, but I changed it on purpose and you'll find out why later on. Thanks for reading!