The Hero in Her Eyes

“Why did he want it that much?”

    With a frown, the king rolls the purple gem between his fingers. That is, until he catches sight of us.

“Father? What are you doing here?”

    Keeping Pecce’s heart in his grasp, he takes a few steps towards us.

“He doesn’t suspect that I’m not him. I can take advantage of it…”

    Disengaging from the jester’s support, I walk in his direction.

“Did the ruckus wake you up?” Arragiel Od Mithril asks.

“Indeed. I’ve been wondering what was going on.”

“A foolish militiaman. He got the terrible idea to attempt to rob me off this heart.” He mid-closed his eyes. “As if it wasn’t enough that the Militia decided to keep part of Razzel’s heart without my approval.”

    Now mere steps away from him, I lean in closer still at his words, gripping the king’s shoulders.

“Are you feeling alright?”

    I lean back my head…

“Don’t you worry. He didn’t even managed to-”

    …and throw it forward with all my might, pouring all my pent-up rancour into a holy headbutt.

    Taken aback, my father doesn’t have time to react and can only wince before falling with a thud to the floor, scattering part his treasures.

    As he drops the amethyst heart in the process, I quickly catch it before it touches ground.

“Somnare.” I say, not risking that he stands up. “Hahh. This time you won’t able to complain that my heart isn’t strong enough.”

    It takes me all my will to resist the urge to kick him.

“Are you okay?” The jester joins me. “You’re bleeding.”

    I reach out my arm to my forehead, wiping any trickle of blood away.

“Nothing that matters.”

    Staring at the amethyst heart in my grasp, I feel the excitation bubbling. Apprehension as well.

“With a mithril heart, I sure have enough magic in me to do this. It won’t shatter.” My grip on Pecce’s heart tightens a bit. “But… Am I really able to do this? What if I fail? If I can’t bring her back?”

“Fwiiih!”

    A sudden chirping catches my attention. The cottony add-on on the edge of Yaël’s cape splits off, shortening to reshape into a fluffy cloud.

“Fufu! Glad to see that you’re alright.”

“Fwih! Fwih fwih, fwih!” He floats until me, cuddling against my beard.

“You’ve got it here quite the peculiar pet.” The jester comments.

    I can’t help but chuckle.

“I get it, I get it. You’re telling me to stop doubting and hurry to revive her, right?”

“Fwihh!”

“Do you really plan to attempt such a thing? That would be quite the forbidden spell.”

“I’m fully aware of it. And I don’t give a shit.” I pause. “I owe this girl more than my life.”

“Well, in that case let me be your accomplice.” The jester turns his back to me, stepping closer to the door. “I’ll make sure nobody interrupts you.”

“I hate it when you’re acting like a smooth talker.”

    With a smirk, the jester refocuses ahead of him.

“Alright…”

    I take a deep breath-in, needing to calm my racing heart.

“It’s time.”

    Glancing all around, I find a red, richly adorned cushion I take to place Pecce’s heart on. Placing it on the ground before me.

    A few steps back, I stop and reach out my hands before me. Joining them in prayer like Pecce once did.

“Ol flescere I bolk id ineo formere ad ul corcoreo. Reperit memorea ud sin.”

“Let flesh and bones reshape around your heart. Retrieve these memories which belong to you.”

    Carefully uttering the words of magic coming to my mind, I focus on her image as I remember it. As I saw her for the first time in the crystal forest. Not focusing on anything but Peccelotte, I feel the air shift. A draught of air circles the amethyst heart, intensifying and forcing me to take a step back while the purple gem lifts from the cushion. It keeps floating metres above. A tad bit lower. A tad bit higher.

    Until it begins to glow. Rosy specks appear over the heart. Soon, they grow larger, longer, clinging to the gem while they shape into tubes oriented into different directions. Resembling veins.

“Dereo yabel te vat lucea ud cariel lim id uri.”

“I want to see again the light you carry along with you.”

    Flesh keeps taking more space, shaping into innards, smaller veins. Behind the gem, a white stick shapes. Excrescences forms, regulars, on its sides. They extend, incurve, shaping into ribs. White tubes incurve and grow into many ramifications, like so many branches ending up wrapped in flesh. Lungs soon embrace the gem. Flesh covers the bones as the regrowth expands with the amethyst heart for centre. Limbs shape in turn, reforming into arms, legs. Hands and feet. On top of the newly shaped head, beetroot-red hair regrows into two long, familiar and curly ponytails.

    Her face resembles exactly the one I know.

    Over her body, ribbons of white-and-purple fabric mend together to recreate the dress she once wore.

    I hardly contain the urge to scream, but I know I have to remain focused until the very end.

“Braffle.”

“Breathe.”

    Her eyes until now closed open on two magnificent amethysts.

   Slowly, her body now perfectly reshaped lowers, loses height. Until she steps onto the red cushion beneath.

“Peccelotte…”

    Approaching her, hesitant, I feel my eyes fill with tears the moment I see her move. Joining her hands before her dress. Her lips incurving into a soft smile.

    I fall to my old knees, reaching out my arms towards her.

“Sorry… I’m sorry…. I’m so so sorry.” I burst into tears. “Sorry…. Sorry…. So very sorry. I’m so so sorry.”

“Razzel.”

“I wanted to say it so many times, but it was too late. I’m so sorry for all I did to you.” I swallow part of the salty drops as I spit out words kept in for too long. “I’m so sorry that you believed I was someone I’m not. I’m sorry, so sorry for I didn’t even try to save you back then. It was but an accident. It wasn’t even on purpose. And I’m sorry for that. I’m so sorry. I’m s-”

“Razzel.”

    This time, she reaches out her arms to cup my wrinkled face. A gentle gaze settles into mine.

“I’m here. I’m alive. And this is thanks to you. Whatever your sins, I’ll always forgive you. I will, because you are my hero. You’re not a bad person, you’re someone who fought and keep fighting for what you believe in. You already saved me once, and you decided to save me second time.”

“But the first time…”

“It counts. For me, it counts. And that’s enough.”

“Fwiiiih!” Fufu joyfully chirps as he begins spiralling all around us.

   She’s back.

“I’m happy to see you again, Pecce.”

“Me too. Wait… I already told you not to shorten my name like this!” She frowns, embarrassed.

    She’s really really back.

    Back in the world she left, one that needs to change. My only regret is that I brought her back in a kingdom that  isn’t good enough for her. But I won’t cease here just because she returned. She changed me and I’ll change this place.

“Pecce.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll make of Juweld a land where anyone knows that their life is precious.”

    Over her face, a beautiful smile blooms, her amethyst irises trembling.

“I want to see a place like that.”

    Until then, I’ll stay with her.

“Because a hero is someone who will stand by your side and take the taint for you.”