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"I need to save her!" Cath cried, pushing at Jest's firm arms that had encircled her.
"No, Cath. Remember, we need to go through the Looking Glass to Chess," Jest reminded, not letting her push past him.
"But… Mary Ann. You should wait here and I'll come back," she promised, trying to pry Jest's fingers off her arm.
"The prophecy, love," Hatta reminded.
"Murderer, martyr, monarch, mad. The thought to go back you wish you had not had," Raven added. Cath wasn't listening.
"Just go through and I'll come back and find you," Cath said desperately. Mary Ann screamed again. Jest flinched but didn't relinquish his hold.
"Cath, I can't let you go alone yet I wish to keep my head," Jest reasoned, pulling her back towards the table gently. "Come on."
"No. Please. I must help Mary Ann!"
"What has she done to help you?" Hatta asked, anger flaring behind his purple eyes. "She told your parents about what Jest had done and got herself caught in that mess. I don't want Jest to die and he will follow you if you go through."
"Go through the Looking Glass and I'll meet you on the other side!" Cath pleaded, her dress suddenly seeming stifling.
"I can't," Jest said softly and Cath melted, looking into his lemon-yellow eyes. Those eyes were asking her to stay with him. That needed her more than Mary Ann did and deserved. Cath looked back at the door once before sighing.
"Fine. I'll go to Chess. Though it does seem you want me to be heartless."
"Not heartless, love," Hatta said, handing her the bottle. "Safe and I want Jest to be happy." Cath turned towards Jest, her hands on the bottle, feeling bad for Mary Ann but Hatta's reasonings were correct. Mary Ann had betrayed her. As Mary Ann gave one last terrified scream, she swallowed a bit then handed it to Jest right before she shrunk down to the size of the mirror. That was now a sheet of glass. Big soft gloves picked her up and set her on the table, then two gigantic feet climbed up onto the table, what seemed like a mountain, and shrunk down to her size. She turned and saw the looming figure of Hatta, pressing the potion to his lips then becoming small like them. Lastly, Raven cawed then drank and shrunk. All four were on the table next to the Looking Glass.
"Ready?" Jest asked, offering her his arm. She smiled slightly and slid her fingers into the crook of his elbow. Hatta rolled his eyes and Raven cawed before soaring through. Jest smiled at Cath before, together, they went through the Looking Glass, Hatta stepping through behind them.
~Five minutes later~
Cath woke up on the ground, Jest leaning over her. His hat had bells on them and they were clinking cheerfully. A rose was tickling her nose like it had the first night she met Jest in the royal gardens. She sighed, contented.
"Wake up, sleepyhead, we're in Chess!" Jest cried, a smile stretching at his lips. Cath sat bolt upright, almost knocking into Jest who took a step back then righted her, helping her stand.
"We're in…" Cath trailed off, looking around her. A small "oh" escaped her lips as she took in the rolling yellow fields and lush green forests and sparkling purple mountains. Hatta was leaning contentedly against an emerald tree and Raven was perched in its branches. A boy no older than Jest was sitting at Hatta's feet. He sprang up when Jest turned to him.
The boy shared dark curly hair with Jest, though it was a bit longer and his eyes were more of a honey yellow than the bright lemon yellow eyes Jest had. He was shorter than Jest but he was just as lithe. On his head was a top hat adorned in joker's bells but the bells were silver and the hat was white.
"Cath, this is my brother. Jesse is his name." Jest turned towards Jesse. "This is the Lady Cath. Well, technically she is the Pawn Cath but let's not dwell on technicalities.
"You never mentioned you had a brother!" Cath said accusatorily.
"You never asked," Jest replied smoothly, a quick grin lighting up his features. Jesse stood and bowed.
"A pleasure," he said in a voice that was a bit deeper than Jest's and held more sorrow. But then again, Jest seemed as happy as could be so maybe it was just Cath's imagination.
"Nice to meet you," Cath replied, dipping into a curtsy.
"Ah, no need," Jesse said airily, waving off her curtsy. Cath was taken aback but this was a different land. Perhaps they had different customs.
"So, will you take me to the White Queen or to the other side of the chessboard?" Cath asked Jest, but Raven responded.
"First to the castle, with gowns of lace and tassel. Next to the chess board where the other side you will be led toward. Then, the castle again, this time in your reign."
"Very poetic," Cath admitted. "So, where's the castle?"
"This way." Jest took her hand and she gladly gave it to him, letting him lead the way towards the castle.
~Ten years later~
"Cath!" Jest shouted. "It's opening time and you need to get down here to start making those lemon-lime waffles! And we need to finish the cake!"
"Right!" Cath replied, scrambling to pull on a T-shirt and pants. She stopped in the washroom to quickly brush her hair then practically tripped down the stairs. Cath still felt a twinge of guilt about leaving Mary Ann behind all those years ago, but it had faded. On the stairs, she ran into Coco. Coco glanced up at her, her dark curls bouncing in their pigtails. Cath smiled and scooped her up, then said, "good morning, Coco. Are you ready for a fun day at the bakery?" Coco nodded enthusiastically and Cath held her on her hip the rest of the way down to the kitchen.
Jest was already there, with their oldest child, Graham, at his side. Ambrosia was at the counter, dangling her legs. Cath gave Jest a quick kiss before setting Coco down at the counter and helping him with the wedding cake. Today was Jesse and Hatta's wedding and they needed to finish up the cake. She looked up at their three children, eating waffles.
Graham, the oldest, was ten and he had Jest's messy black hair and his quick features. However, like Cath, he was good in the kitchen. Ambrosia, their middle child, was six and very serious and loved to bake though her creations often didn't turn out that great. She had Cath's wavy dark hair and Jest's lemon-yellow eyes. Lastly, there was Coco who at age three had dark hair and dark yet enthusiastic eyes and was a bundle of energy.
"Cath? Do you want to get this done on time?" Jest asked, snapping Cath back to the present.
"Oh, yes, of course." Cath turned back to the wedding cake.
~Later that day~
Cath clapped as Hatta and Jesse disappeared beneath a crowd of well-wishers. The reception hadn't even begun and they were being congratulated and hugged. Cath held onto Ambrosia's hand while Jest held Coco on his him. Graham stood silently between them in his light blue suit. Coco squealed and clapped along with Cath.
"Quite the day, isn't it?" Jest asked.
"Certainly is for my brother in law and my new brother in law in law," Cath replied, trying to puzzle out what Hatta was to her.
"Stuff and nonsense. They're your brothers," Jest stated, sending a warm tingly feeling up Cath's spine. As soon as the crowd dispersed a bit, Jest led her through with their kids.
"Well, well, well. Congratulations on being married," Jest said jovially. Jesse blushed and Hatta grinned, his plum top-hat a bit lopsided. He ruffled Graham's hair who stretched up and poked Hatta's hat.
"Thanks," Hatta replied, his grin rivaling that of the Cheshire cat's.
"I look forward to your cake," Jesse said, looking at Cath. "I know you made it extra-special."
"Of course," Cath replied. She set down Coco who wandered off with Ambrosia and Graham. Jest watched them as they walked down to the waterfront.
Cath continued idle chatter with Hatta and Jesse before Jest pointed out that the sun was setting and if they wanted to get sunset pictures, they should go now.
The four of them hurried down to the waterfront where Graham was amusing Coco and Ambrosia. As the camera-person took a picture, Cath felt the warm rays of the sun on her neck. Jest's arm was around her and their children were standing right in front of them, Hatta and Jesse right beside them. This was her family. This was her home. Here, in Chess.