I would like to change the ending on the book Heartless. I cried when Jest died and reading how lost Catherine was, begging for time it gave me an idea. I hope you enjoy my Happily even after for them.
Catherine
She would spare the Jabberwock this time, if only Jest would live.
She would let the beast have Mary Ann, if only Jest would live.
She would listen to Hatta's warnings. She would turn away from Mary Ann's cries and escape into the Looking Glass. This time she would not look back, if only Jest would live.
She would do anything. Marry any king. Wear any crown. Give her heart to anyone who asked for it. She would serve Time himself if he would bring Jest back to her.
There was an ache in her gut and something...or someone seemed to almost accept that bargain. Cath felt like she was going to die where she sat, begging by the windowsill. Her cries turned into screams of pain as everything around her swirled and spiraled, molding into a black and white spiral like one a hypnotist would use. She felt a pull to it, and despite her aching stomach, she crawled to it and nearly threw up as she became the spiraling background. Another scream and she was suddenly standing in the Crossroads. She coughed and fell to the ground, a worried hand touched her shoulder and tears ran down her cheeks. She knew instantly where she was and who was touching her arm.
"Cath? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Jest was asking her as she started to laugh from sudden deliriousness. She felt slightly dizzy but it was nothing compared to how much her heart leaped when she looked up to see Jest staring down at her.
She sucked in a breath almost terrified it was a dream. Catherine reached her hand up to touch his face before pinching her arm with her nails, "Ow!" She squeaked and determined it was real. She rubbed her now sore arm and reached for Jest sobbing into his chest, "It worked! He listened! I can't believe it."
He pulled her away slightly, "Cath, what are you talking about? What happened?" His face was a mirror of worry and confusion.
"I saw it, Jest, I made a mistake. I went through the door and you...You were gone. It was my fault, Peter killed you. I was so helpless!" She had crumpled into a ball and Jest and Hatta exchanged looks that she couldn't comprehend, "I begged and something sparked inside me. I couldn't bare to live without you. Peter Peter and Lady Peter can have Mary Ann for all I care. I can't lose you again." By now Cath had latched onto him and it was obvious she wasn't planning on letting go any time soon. There was a long silence and Catherine realized that they probably thought she had gone mad. She could only imagine what would be going on within their heads and with a start remembered Raven was there. He had swooped down and was now on her head looking at her upside down as if examining if I was a seed that had been dropped as a child.
It was another long moment of silence before Jest had found words, "I am not going to begin to comprehend what just happened. All that matters is you're mostly okay? Right? You are mostly okay?" He was cradling her and she didn't want to move but she knew that she had to. They had to make it to Chess and end a war.
Reluctantly she rolled onto her stomach, out of his grasp, and stood. She jolted to find Raven still sitting upon her head, "Do you understand me?" She asked him, her eyes full of hope and longing.
He cawed, "Open a book and you will find, People and places of every kind; Open a book and you can be, anything you want to be; Open a book and you can share, wondrous words you find in there. I won't try to understand you, Lady Pinkerton, but I do believe you to tell the truth. While most people are an open book you seem to be quite closed up tight." And with that he flapped his wings and nestled on Jest's shoulder leaving a very confused Cath in his wake.
She looked at Jest, who shrugged, then at Hatta, who raised an eyebrow. Neither of them offered any explanation. She flinched upon remembering what was to come next, "Oh no." She whimpered and they had a mere moment to look at her before a gut-wrenching scream cut through the silence.
A tear slipped down her cheek as she realized she had taken a step toward the gate and said, "What was that?"
Hatta answered as she remembered him answering, "That, is your reason to stay."
She felt conflicted. When she said it in her head, it seemed easier to abandon Mary Ann. Of course, being faced with the decision now, her heart broke and a chuckled erupted from her throat as she recalled the riddle Hatta had once told her, "When pleased, I beat like a drum. When sad, I break like glass. Once stolen, I can never be taken back. What am I?" Her eyes were on Hatta and she saw him soften.
Cath swore she saw Hatta smile before he responded, "A heart."
She nodded and Jest looked at the two of them with an expressed of utmost confusion, "What is going on?"
"Heartbreak is a part of life. I have felt it in my last run in with this life. It is only fair I feel it in my second chance. I know it is Mary Ann but I love you more than I love her, a lot more." She clasped her hands together against the front of her skirt to keep from bolting to the same fate they had the first time around. A bead of sweat dropped into her eye and she had to wipe it away, in the process looking at Hatta worried. All of her confidence about being able to stay put wavered and collapsed. He understood and briskly grasped onto her shoulders.
"Hold her back." He said and Jest delayed for a moment before wrapping his arms around her. At the same moment she lurched forward with a screech, "We have to get her to Chess. If she can't hear Mary Ann screaming, she should be able to function properly."
Jest looked at his friend while still pinning Catherine's back against his chest, "Why do you suddenly care about her?"
Hatta paused for a beat then continued to struggle with the bottle of Shrinking elixir, "I don't, well, I don't completely care about her. Jest, you are my friend, I care about you. If what she is saying is true," He sucked in a breath, "You are the martyr, which means you die. If she goes through that gate, you die and everything you believe about her goes poof! It would be gone and I would be mad. I'm not going to let any of that happen." He finally managed to get the elixir and had Raven and Jest hold her still before a drop dissolved on her tongue and one on Jest's. They shrank on the table with the Looking Glass and Hatta raised it to push the two in. Jest and Cath rolled before landing on the dirt. They both coughed and Jest tensed as though he expected her to launch back through the Looking Glass and doom them all. She didn't.
"Thank you." She breathed when Hatta and Raven stepped through with much more dignity than Jest and Cath had.
Hatta tipped his hat to her, "I would say anytime, but we won't have much time if we don't stop this war."
"Fair enough, so where are we going to st-" She trailed off after looking around her. As she had seen in the Looking Glass reflection, rolling yellow hills and emerald forests and snowy purple mountains. She realized that what she had landed on was dirt, yes, only it was stained white with speckles of black. Grass tickled her palms as she jerked away and stood. She examined the multicolored flowers that seemed to coddle her before she caught a sight of her own outfit. The white fabric of Cath's dress was sticky with mud and tree sap. She felt sweat and dirt matted to her face and covering her arms, a mix of white with her peachy skin.
Giggles erupted from deep within her and she almost fell down after having stood. Jest and Hatta glanced at each other than at her, "Milady?" Jest said standing and dusting himself off. He held his hand out to her, and she gladly accepted. Cath placed her hand lightly in his and she heard Hatta make a strangled noise and mocked gagging, which Raven copied.
"Where to start? Where to start?" She hummed and Hatta and Jest shrugged at each other, possibly thankful she was joyful, or maybe wondering if she had finally gone mad.
Raven flapped his wings and landed on her shoulder. She guessed that is he had an expression it would be a grin. He seemed to be enjoying this weird new her. Cath was sure she enjoyed the new her as well. "The game board, I suppose."
She creased her eyebrows at the bird perched on her shoulder, "The game board? And where to we find that?"
Cath felt Jest's fingers intertwine with her's as he leaned close to whisper into her ear, "My dear, you are standing on it. Or you are standing on the edge of it." She blinked before looking around again and seeing that they were, indeed, on the edge of a massive checkered board.
"Goodness me! This is crazy!" She exclaimed as she examined the spectacle in front of her. On either side was an army. One side dressed all in white, the other all in red. Behind each army stood a queen. The Red Queen was short and not the best being to look at. She had a head to big for her body and bushy red hair that was cut down the center partially and resembling a heart. Her eyes shone a bright red and a crown was melded so that it wrapped around the front of her hair, touching her forehead. The Red Queen wore a red embroidery vine Versailles royal dress, one that Cath imagined her mother would make her wear to one of the King's ridiculous parties, it was way too much and looked like if she tried to take one step she would trip or the weight of it would drag her down. She looked very pained and her expression sent a shiver down Catherine's spine. The White Queen was completely different. She was easy to look at, her beauty immense. She had snow white hair and pale skin with bright red lips and a perfectly normal sized head. Her dress was gorgeous, she recognized the dress instantly from all of her mother's yammering. The dress was a crystal beaded Embroidery trim chantilly lace on soft net morilee. It was meant for a bride to where to a wedding but the White Queen pulled it off as a casual wear dress. Wrapped around her forehead was a silver gleaming crown with a light blue gem in the center of it.
Cath gaped as she watched the Queens walked to join each other at the center of the game board, the armies behind them bristling with restrain. The two Queens stared for a long moment at each other. The Red Queen looked at the White Queen with loathing, while the White Queen gazed at the other with remorse and utter sadness. Finally the White Queen spoke, "It doesn't have to end like this. We can both go our seperate ways," The White Queen pleaded as though she did not wish to harm the Red Queen and Cath could see why they needed her help.
"Please, what you would give to take everything away from me. You took my looks, why not take my kingdom and dignity too!" The Red Queen spat making the White Queen flinch and sigh.
"What happened that night wasn't my fault." The White Queen let out almost a whimper-like sound and the Red Queen scoffed.
Cath looked up to Jest, he was already gazing down at her, "Are their names really the Red and White Queens?" She knew it was a stupid question as no one would name their children the Red Queen or the White Queen.
He shook his head, "The one dressed in white is Genevive. The Red Queen is Analiese."
"Charming," Her eyes returned to the two Queens before she asked her next question, "What is it with them? Why do they hate each other?"
He seemed to have to think about this for several minutes and eventually it was Hatta who responded, "They are sisters but I shall let Genevive tell you the story for herself. Let's just say that some event long ago occurred and now Analiese hates her older sister, while Genevive is constantly trying to make amends and protect her Queendom."
"We best get started then. Come on!" She was heading down the small hill and standing on the board moments later before they could stop her. Jest darted to her side, Raven landed on Jest's shoulder, and Hatta ran down to join Catherine on her other side. Jest and Hatta stood a few paces behind her and the three walked in unison with a the occasional caw from Raven. The queens turned to face the trio as they came to a stop. Cath's hair blew to the side like a beautiful wave of brown. She looked strong despite the fear coursing through her veins. "May I have a word with the White Queen." It should have been a question but it was clear she wasn't asking.
Genevive looked startled, "Of course, right this way dear. Can those three stay outside as we speak?" Her's was a question and Cath's form turned vulnerable, she had been hoping to have all three of them by her side. Finally, with a nod of her head Catherine followed Genevive. Jest, Hatta, and Raven followed until they reached the White Queen's palace. They waited outside and Cath almost didn't enter the beautiful building. It was large with many pointed roofs and a glistening coat. Several windows and balconies, and huge double doors. After a long delay she shared a look with Jest and he gave her a nod of encouragement. Catherine disappeared into the palace and saw white covering everything, she didn't have time to marvel at the beauty of the inside because Genevive had pulled her up a staircase, down a hall, and into a bedroom. The queen vanished into another connecting room which Cath guessed was a bathroom or closet. She drifted from place to place before with a wave of her hand Cath now stood before an outfit, "I am so terrible sorry but I thought you may want to change." Cath was examining the room. A large and very comfortable looking bed. A bedside table, a lamp, a rug, a single window. All of it was white with some silver.
"That you so much." Catherine breathed but her voice caught when she saw the outfit. A white flowy dress that wasn't showy in anyway and beside it a suit of armor. The armor was shaped for Catherine's form and she slid on the dress assuming that was to go on first. Over it she put on the armor and noticed an insignia on her stomach, a snowy owl spreading its wings. Though it didn't match, beside her now sat black boots with at least a one inch heel.
"I am so sorry for assuming, but you are here to help us right?" The Queen floated into the room again and Cath smiled at her.
She chuckled, "It's okay. I am here to help, Jest and Hatta said something about the queening? They thought that if I could be queen I could defeat your sister and then relinquish the crown and leave you as the one and only queen." Cath let out a full on laugh, "Impossibly crazy, right?"
She expected Genevive to laugh with her but instead the queen raised an eyebrow, "I've sometime come to believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast. This isn't one of them."
"Jest was right. I'm not the only one who believes in that. I say that all the time!" Cath was both confused and overjoyed at the same time, "How is it that despite not having met you before we both believe in the exact same thing?"
Genevive thought for a moment, "How have all of the Hatters gone mad? It runs in the family. Let me tell you a little story. Once upon a time, there was a girl and she loved to bake. She made all sorts of wondrous things like tarts and cakes and macarons. One day her and her younger sister were baking in the kitchen together when they started to argue. Their argues turned into yelling and hitting. The youngest child, having hated violence, entered and tried to break the two siblings apart. They turned their anger on her and shoved her as hard as they could. The youngest sister flew across the room due to her petite form. She hit her head hard and started to bleed. She was knocked unconscious and the two siblings that had been fighting ran over to her. They screamed and their parents burst in and ran to her pushing the two away from the girl's weakened body. They whisked her away and took her to a healer but no longer did the parents trust the two siblings to be near her. They erased her memories and replaced them before sending her to a kingdom by the name of Hearts. Ever since that night they two siblings blamed each other and the younger one's head grew too much with hatred. The older one wanted to make peace after years of war but it was helpless, her sister would never forgive either of them for nearly killing their little sister. A sweet little girl named Catherine. They weren't even allowed to see her after having matured immensely. Both waited for a day they could see her and yet they fought because they had nothing else to do."
Catherine was shocked into silence. She was rarely ever speechless but she had no idea what to say and was happy when Genevive added another comment, "We love you but I fear her hatred has grown enough to make her overlook the bond of blood. I am so happy to see you have Jest."
Her hand reached for Cath but she flinched when Genevive's fingers touched the part on the back of her head. For as long as she could remember she had had an injury on her head. It didn't hurt so she almost forgot it was there but Genevive touching it reminded her it was there and sent a jolt of pain through her. "So, was it just the three of us? How old was I? How much older are you guys than me?" Cath asked when she had found her voice and was now standing to face Genevive.
"Slow down. We don't have much time. We did have an older brother, and you had...Well, you have a best friend. He still lives on my side of Chess. You were merely six. I am five years older and Analiese is three years older." Genevive had started moving towards the door and down the hall again. Cath would have looked at the surrounding white hall but her mind caught on a best friend.
"Who is he? Where is he? Can I speak with him? When can I see him? How is he? What is his name?" Cath fired questions but let out a disappointed noise when they reached the front door.
"Dear sister, I promise you I will explain everything at a later time but for now you must hurry and stop Analiese. You will have Jest and Hatta and Raven to defend you." She reached to open the door but Cath stopped her and shook her head rapidly.
"I want Jest out of harms way. I felt the pain of losing him and I will not feel that again."
"Catherine, while I understand, that is entirely his choice and I am willing to bet he won't let you run off to your possible death without him."
Cath sighed and drooped she wanted to fight back, "Do I at least get a weapon?"
"Darling, your best weapon is your brain but yes, here." Genevive reached behind her and turned to press a bow into her hands. It was made of pure silver and the edges away from Cath's hands were sharpened. There was a handle that wasn't sharpened and she placed her hand there. It gleamed and she nodded at Genevive, who also handed her a quiver. The quiver was stocked with steel tipped arrows and Cath slung it onto her back. She looked like a true warrior with the bow comfortable in her hands and the quiver on her back. She returned outside to see Jest and Hatta with a weaker looking armor and swords. Raven cawed and she noticed he too had a small suit of armor on.
"Okay, let's end this war." Cath looked determined and was glad when it masked her concern and uncertainty, "After all, we are a bit late for tea aren't we?"