Heartless

Cath continues to defend Jest after the King leaves, and her parents reprimand her; the Marquess orders Cath to accept the King’s marriage proposal and threatens to disown Cath if she shames the family any further. Cath ends her friendship with Mary Ann and blames her for the outcome of the night’s events. Mary Ann tries to defend herself; she tells Cath she thought she saw something back at the theater, but Cath orders her to leave before Mary Ann can finish. The next morning, Cath awakes and finds that she’s dreamed into existence a new kind of plant, but instead of lemons, this one blossoms with red, bleeding hearts. Cath prepares for the masquerade, wearing an exquisite white-and-burgundy-striped dress; when the accompanying diamond-and-ruby-encrusted crown is placed on Cath’s brow, Cath is surprised to find herself imagining her future as a queen—the only solace left to her now that she has lost all her other dreams.

Cath commits to her role as Queen at the masquerade. She begins by stuffing her rosebud-embroidered handkerchief into the White Rabbit’s mouth when he tries to announce her with her parents and suggests that a separate announcement for her entrance is more appropriate as the future Queen of