Hopeful (My Sequel to Heartless) Unfinished

Chapter 12- The Master Plan

The next morning, everyone sat at a large round table discussing their plans as breakfast was served by Mariah's Rabbits. Cath has slept well enough the night before, but a terrible feeling had settled in her gut the minute she had woken up.

The plan they came up with over brown bowls of what looked like oatmeal and tasted like  sausage was complicated, but who better to make a mad plan than an actual mad man, a queen, and their accomplices?  The first step of the plan would be the hardest; breaking Jest out of prison. They would need his help tracking down the Well girls and getting Cath's heart back. They had considered giving the one that was growing in Catherine that very moment, but it wasn't a complete heart yet and wouldn't get the job done.

Mariah sat in on the plan staring at Cath with her beady eyes and slithery gaze. She had decided last night that she did not like this woman, and that trusting her was a bad idea. Mariah said nothing as she drank her tea and listened to them talk, but when they all got up to make our way to the castle, she lowered herself into a deep bow and said in a voice that sounded more like a taunt than a show of respect, "Long live the Queen."

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The last thing Jest expected that morning was to see The Captain of the Guard coming to his cell and letting him out. He hummed the entire time he unlocked the door and gestured for Jest to come out with a wide smile. 

"You've been summoned, Jester." He said in a deep voice.

It had been a long time since Jest had been summoned to see the queen, and each time was worse than being in prison. She was very demanding.
The Captian pushed the doors open with a triumphant smile and escorted him to the front of the Queen's throne. The queen stared at Jest with her icy gaze and snapped at the Captain. 

"Leave us." She said simply. The Duke blushed and nodded before leaving. The guards took that as a cue to give them some space. This was the part Jest hated most. The queen stood from her throne and walked slowly over to Jest like a predator stalking its prey. She lifted her hand to caress his cheek, "How come you've been in that cell for a decade and yet not a hint of stubble has appeared on your cheek?" She asked. 

Jest knew it was a rhetorical question and responded by clenching his jaw. The queen smirked and slapped him gently. Jest knew what she was playing at, the queen made it no secret that she was attracted to him.

The queen was stunning, that was no question. She had long silver hair always styled to perfection with a white diamond crown on her head and her gown made of literal starlight.
Jest hated the woman in front of him more than anything on this side of the looking glass. She smirked as if reading his thoughts and trailed her hand to his shoulder, "I'm afraid I've been rather bored. War gets so tiring after a while. I wish those stupid Black kingdom bafoons would just give up." She said rolling her eyes. "Do you think you could do something about that? Do a trick to cure my boredom?" She said trailing her hand down his chest. Jest clenched his fist, "Yes your majesty." He said. He backed away and grabbed the hat off a guard. He put it on his head and sighed, "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" He flipped the hate off and pulled a deck of cards from it. The queen smirked, "You seem to recite that riddle a lot, my dear joker." She said, "But yet, you never really seem to know the answer." She said raising an eyebrow. Jest nodded and sighed, "That's because there is no answer your majesty." He said. "No answer? Why Jest, I'm afraid that's nonsense." 

Jest clenched his jaw again, "Indeed your majesty." He said tightly. 

She sighed, "Fine, since you're so ignorant, you'll apologize through solitary confinement, maybe a little alone time will help you find the answer you're looking for." She said flicking her finger to the guard next to her, "Take him to the Special Chamber." She said with a smirk. Jest blanched as he was led away. 

He had only been to the 'Special Chamber' once, and out of all the most horrible places in the world, Jest had never encountered anything so horrific. 

Ever since the attacks started with the biologically changed Black soldiers, the Chemists that work under the queen's thumb have been trying to figure out an antidote for the modifications and use it in battle so they could gain the upper hand.

And the only way to find out was to get their hands on the changing liquid itself, so the 'Special Chamber' was full of cannibalistic Black soldiers.

And Jest had to spend his whole night in a room filled with them.

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