Heartless (by Marissa Meyer) Fanficiton

Chapter Two.

As they walked outside Catherine noticed how cold it was. She didn't say anything because she knew it would only lead to Jest insisting to back inside, and going back inside only meant doing anything she could to avoid the King.

She could see Jest smiling from the corner of her eye. The fact that he noticed she and still decided to go outside both caused her to be embarrassed and amused.

"Jest." Cath said once they entered the garden, away from any windows. "Aren't you going to help me look for the King?" She said joking. Jest tilted his head in question making the three bells of on his hat ring. "I mean where ever can he be?" Catherine asked excessively looking around the garden.

Jest ignored the fact that they knew the King was inside. "I do not know Lady Catherine." He said slowly walking to a bush on his heels lifting his hands in question, then running the rest of the way looking behind the bush. "He's not behind here."

Catherine laughed leading to a snort in the end. "Once at night." Said Jest. "Now if only I heard your laugh in the morning, then I would be satisfied."

"Oh what, are you saying having me as company is not enough?" Asked Cath.

The Joker rolled his eyes. "Just seeing you is enough, even when you are with the King, though I prefer seeing you without him."

"As I prefer" she started. "Seeing you without him."

"Exactly the reason why we're looking for him." Jest said. "Oh wait no." Jest put his finger on his chin and looking up at the night sky in thought. "The real reason we are looking for him out here is so we could be alone together."

"Stop flattering yourself Jest."

"You're right." Jest said his dimples disappearing. "Why waste time when we are so desperately looking for the King?"

Catherine started to walk back towards Jest. "Yes, so desperately looking for the King."

A shadow flew past Jest and landed by a nearby bush. "Are the two of you just forgetting. You saw the King not in this setting."

Jest turned towards Raven. "I haven't seen the King since the beginning of the ball. Have you seen him Lady Catherine."

She shook her head no. "I don't recall seeing him since the day he courted me."

"You're all the King talks about." Said Jest. "J-Joker, help me with this love poem. J-Joker when do you think Lady Pinkerton will feel good enough to go out with me. J-Joker how long till I see my bride to be?"

Cath's mood completely changed. "The King is already talking about marrying me?"

"Of course he is. You're the woman he wants to be his queen." He said.

"I'm going to say no." Said Catherine looking at Jest and Raven. "I can never marry the King. It would mean giving up on all my dreams, giving up on myself."

"I wish I could believe you."

"You can Jest." Cath said grabbing his hands. "I cannot, and will not marry the King."

"You already said we shouldn't be having anymore tea party nights, and look at where we are." He said interlocking their fingers. "Catherine the King would be good to you. As much as I wish you would say no to his marriage, and somehow, just somehow we could be together. He would be good to you."

Catherine wanted to go back home away from the ball, and away from Jest. "He might be good to me, but he wouldn't be good for me Jest. Being the queen would mean giving up on everything I want, and need."

"Don't do this Catherine." Jest said shaking his head. "Giving me false hope that we would be together. When we both know it's impossible."

Cath laughed. "Your speciality does happen to be making impossibilities possible."

"So it is." He said taking off his hat and putting it on her. "If only this hat were a crown."

"No." Cath said shaking her said. "It's great just the way it is."

He smiled softly. "You must be the fool."

"I am not a fool!" She said pushing Jest lightly. "I'm just the daughter of my parents."

"You are a fool, now let's get you back inside to your beau."

Cath stuck out her tongue. "I'd rather you didn't call him that."

Jest mimicked her. "I'd rather he wasn't that, but really Lady Catherine we should get back inside."

Cath took off the hat and placed it back on the head of its rightful owner. She looked up at Jest and kissed his cheek. "I know."

The kiss caught him by surprise making his cheeks turn pink, and dimples to reappear. "One impossibility just became possible."

Cath laughed so hard she snorted again. "Was it so impossible to think that I would kiss you on the cheek."

"Twice at night, and yes it was." He held her hand. "So impossible, I'm surprised it happened." The both of them starting to walk back to the ball. Once they were insight of the windows Cath let go of Jest's hand.

"Now it's my turn to ask you." She said. "When will I see you again?"

"In the ball I suppose." Jest Joked, sighing afterwards. "Do you want to see me again Catherine?"

"Of course."

He smiled. "Soon then, but only if you allow me to hear your laugh one last time before we walk in."

"Easy enough." Cath said. "Tell me a joke, Joker."

"You're going to say yes to the King when he asks for your hand in marriage."

Catherine laughed less about the actual sentence and more about the fact that it was the joke that Jest choose to tell. Towards the end of her laugh she snorted.

"Third time's a charm." Jest said pulling Cath behind a nearby bush, kissing her on the cheek. "Now back to the King." He said opening his fist a blizzard of papers falling all over Catherine like his first appearance in the castle, only this time they all had red hearts.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author's Note: I know it's short again, but I hope you guy's all like this Chapter. Also Happy New Years Eve!

12/31/16