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The Best way out is always through - Robert Frost

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"I..." Jake's voice trailed off, could he say he was at the king's ball, if he did, would Hordy believe him, the chances were slim, and if by chance he did, aside from being arrested for treason for lying to the king (which really should be the most important thing here yet somehow) Elena would find out who he was, or wasn't and hate him...even if there was a slim chance now, it would go to nothing. He couldn't tell...although it was all for the sake of a hope, a hopeless hope mind you...yet hope. It was something he wanted, something that he would risk everything for. He never shared his feelings or complained because he didn't want to cause problems, he'd just go along with it, but this time, he wouldn't just accept anything, he wanted this hope, and even if it meant losing this job, he'd risk it. "I can't say, Mr. Hordy," Jake said in a voice a bit braver, "But I'm truly sorry I didn't come in today."

Mr. Hordy was clearly not use to Jake refusing him anything and without adue he blew up at him calling him ungrateful and pretty much firing him. Jake nodded, and left without arguing back, what he had learnt wasn't necessarily that you always had to fight up about everything, Jake contemplated, just when you had an issue, when you had something to say, you needed to say it, go with your feelings and say it, and Jake had said everything he wanted to, to James Hordy already.

He opened the door of the mill and found Puss lying lazily on the ground. He sighed, he should tell Puss the latest development, as much as he wouldn't want to say it, he knew the cat was smart, if anyone could solve this, it would be Puss In Boots.

"Hey, Puss....," he said, Puss looked up at him curiously, " I lost my job," he finished, Puss looked back down at the ground. He sat silently beside him. "What's the plan now?" Jake questioned, hoping Puss had some kind of answer, if they needed money from here out, Jake was spent literally, their reserves wouldn't last til the next rent due day, unless he got another job, it may be harder and likely wouldn't pay as good. Inspite of everything, he had decided to trust Puss, puss did come through before, but this was different, this situation was getting dire...all he had now was a cat, a dirty fancy outfit, and a grand lie in the form of the Marquis of Carabas...There was silence. Jake exhaled again, even if this was the end, it was a good run, afterall he got to see her again, he even almost kissed her, the thought brought a lazy smile to his face, he didn't get to have his future with his princess, but for a few brief hours he had the dream...that was also something to add to what he had now.

"Master, stop looking at me with those pitiful eyes," Puss snapped him out of his thoughts, "the future is yet to come, don't give up here." Puss stood up from where he laid, "Jake, you've lost your job, but you've still got me, if you're willing to listen to everything I say, without argument...I will have you achieve your heart's desire, are we clear?" he stated, determination clear on his face. It had been a while since Jake saw him so serious, was Puss about to do something big? Something that required his utmost faith and trust? Jake stared wordless into the yellow eyes of the two foot feline in boots.

What can a cat do? Can I seriously trust him with, really, my life, Jake pondered, his eyes scanned Puss completely, Puss wasn't just another cat...he was a cat wearing boots, he had a job to do, and he was going to get it done...he was Puss In Boots. Jake exhaled and smiled down at the arrogant cat in boots.

"Okay, Sir Puss In Boots, what will you have me do."

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Elena found herself staring out the window again for what may have been the hundredth time that day, usually she was interested in the court proceedings but recently her mind was on one thing...or rather person...another person came up and started stating their issue to her father, and Father listened patiently, yet all she could think about was, how this young man that was speaking was so different from him, the Marquis of Carabas. This man wasn't tall, he wasn't muscular, his black hair didn't spread out messily, and he didn't have an adorable talking cat by his side, she went on pointlessly, but yet he was here, and the Marquis hadn't shown up in almost two weeks. He had legitimately seemed interested in her, he even noticed when she was feeling pressured by her mother, who was constantly trying to hook her up, and he stopped her. Although her mother was a lot more blunt with the Marquis than with most of her other suitors, especially after that, she was pretty sure, her mother had set him aside as her favorite choice, as did her father...if she was honest so did she...but he never asked her himself.

A light blush tinted her face as she recalled they almost kissed, she had never kissed a guy, for her to be so entranced that she almost kissed him that was unheard of, she was a princess! but the truth was there had never been someone she wanted to kiss, but him. His dark green eyes seemed to glow in the night, and they said so much about him, she had always been good at reading people, there were times when he gave a fake tight smile, as if he were hiding something, but then he would wow her with an amazingly genuine smile...or a look that would melt her insides, and make her forget who she was and everything else. She had felt a kind of pull when she saw the servant boy all those weeks ago, but because he was a servant, she knew she had to stifle the thoughts, but having met him, the servant boy's expression which entranced for a mere 2 seconds kept coming back to her. That look of...awe, peace...it was hard to place, but he looked as if he'd found gold or something, and that look made her want to meet him again, make her want to talk to him, even if everyone else thought perhaps he was below her station, his expression made her feel like he was experiencing more in life than hundred of suitors she'd met supposedly at her level, that's what she had been thinking for the few weeks after she met the boy, and now after meeting Marquis she's finally found an exception except...he's clearly not interested enough to come visit me again, even Puss in Boots hasn't come as often.

She sighed, he's only come once since then, and he left pretty abruptly, her mind wandered back to the night, 'I promise, I'll bring him back to you,' was Puss being serious? Can she trust him that she'll see the Marquis again? She closed her eyes and prayed a silent prayer, Please, let Puss find a way, she cooed silently. Her eyes opened again, and she noticed the weird looks of her parents, they were worried about her also, she knew they liked the Marquis, but if he didn't come back and make a proposition, they would choose someone else if she wouldn't, she sighed again, she had to get married soon, she was 18, and as princess of a castle, and she couldn't take over, her husband had to, that meant she needed to have one within the year.

Marquis of Carabas...do you really not care about me? she wondered.

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Happiness is not the absence of problems, it's the willingness to deal with them- Steve Maraboli