Hello, fellow HoND lovers!! Here's the next chapter to the story…

But first, I must explain something. Lots of people have been commenting about that the story is a bit rushed… okay, a lot rushed. But I am simply NO good at development; I'm still working on that. I just had a great idea for the ending, and wanted to get to it before I forgot it. Sorry, yall.

NOW HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER!!

2 weeks were gone in a flash. Between dreading my wedding, my secret rendezvous with Clopin, and listening to my parents drone on and on about being a good wife, time to think was limited. Before I knew it, the day before my wedding had arrived and I hadn't seen him all week. I was desperate for another glance at him.

Fortunately, my mother, Tessa, Madeline, and I were shopping again for last-minute wedding banquet things (wedding- ugh) since our servants were so busy. I looked around for a sign of him, and sure enough, there was the familiar puppetry cart in the distance. Getting an idea, I leaned down to the twins and whispered, "Girls – I really need you to do something for me. Go to Clopin's cart, act like you snuck away again, and please don't ask questions. Allright?"

They bobbed their heads in unison and ran off. Again, I told Mother I would look for them. She nodded absentmindedly and I hurried off. Once I reached the twins and Clopin, I took their hands and quickly whispered to him, "Meet me under the willow tree at midnight!"

He nodded and me and quickly returned to whatever story he was telling.

That night, at a quarter to midnight, I snuck out of my bedroom window and silently ran to the towering willow tree behind my home, barely able to see our pale-blue manor in the dark of night.

The willow tree that we have is absolutely massive. My great-grandfather, Jehan, planted it years ago in memory of his wife, Aurora. My mother likes to keep the branches close to the ground, making it seem, to me, like an impenetrable curtain of green leaves and brownish- yellow branches.

In this curtain I waited, and finally, a man squeezed through the branches and leaves and stood by me. He took my hands and I nearly gasped out in fear before I recognized him. I'd never seen him without his usual half-mask and jester clothing. Instead, he was sporting a faded dark-blue-purple outfit, identical to his other, but no bells, thank God. I was wondering how to get past that. Also, I couldn't help but notice he was now even more handsome than I had imagined was under that mask.

I squeezed his hands and said, my throat already choking up, "I… I had to see you one more time, before…" I couldn't finish it. Maybe it was my imagination, but I swear I saw Clopin's eyes fill with tears as he pulled me into a tight embrace.

Or it could have been my eyes watering as well.

He buried his gloved fingers in my brown hair as I leaned into his chest and lifted my head up to kiss him. I slid my hands up his chest and around his neck, pulling him closer and our lips met. His hands snaked around my waist, nearly drawing me into a dip.

I unwillingly pulled away and looked into his dark blue eyes. I felt a hot tear roll down my face. Somehow, Clopin smiled as he lifted his hand and tenderly brushed it away. That magical smile nearly broke my heart, as I knew I could never see it again. To save face, I turned away and strangled out of my throat, "Clopin… I'm sorry."

I then ran for the house, but before I could even reach the outside of the tree, I took one last look at him.

If the smile didn't break my heart, the broken gaze he gave me sure did. I couldn't stand it, so I had to look away while I said, "Good-bye, Clopin." I snuck back through the window, and sobbed the whole night about what I had done.

(Clopin was able to control himself for about 20 seconds, until he heard the lock on her window click shut. Then, he actually sunk to his knees and cried into his hands like no self-respecting, fully-grown man should ever do while someone can hear him.)

The both of them had no idea saying good-bye would be so hard.

But little did either of them know that things would change, thanks to a rash decision by Marie.

Ooh! Cliffie!!

Sorry this took so long. I started high school this year, and I started to think that the story sucks, so I had to convince myself to do it today. I'm sick away. (I threw up like, four times last night, but you don't need to know that, right?)

P.S. If you wanna know what Marie looks like, search Le Jour de Amore on youtube from HoND II, and near the second chorus, you'll briefly see Clopin dancing with a girl that has long brown hair and a yellow dress. Enjoy!