Redeemed - The Return of the Heart

Redeemed -  The Return of the Heart

“Celestina, we are going to return your heart.” Said Aurora.
Celestina blinked under her blindfold.
So this was it. They were just going to kill her, even though they had talked of a trial. Maybe there had one, since Rapunzel had met her and talked to her about what she had done. Celestina knew Maleficent was far to dangerous to be let out.
Part of her, the Maleficent part, wanted to rage and destroy, but oddly all she felt was relief.
“Ah, so the trial is over already. Good. So be it. Best to get on with my execution then. I am ready.” Celestina had died far too often to worry about the prospect of death.
“Um,” began Rapunzel. “We haven’t held the trial yet. Evidence suggests you have changed and that makes things… different.”
“Wait, what evidence? I am Maleficent, Mistress of All Evil! What possible evidence could you have that could show a change of heart?”
“You own heart.” Said Chedrick. “Your own heart shows us that you are not the same as you were.”
“How could it possibly…?” asked Celestina.
“See for yourself.” Said Aurora, lifting the blindfold.
Celestina blinked against the sudden brightness of the torches. She wanted to duck her head or cover her eyes but she was still held fast to the heavy wooden chair. She held her eyes closed for a moment feeling the irises react to the light. Slowly she blinked her eyes to get them used to the light. She could see she was in a windowless room, covered with heavy iron plates. There were a cot, table and chairs.
Before her was Aurora, Rapunzel, Chedrick, and a couple of those fez-topped flunkies from Corona Rapunzel always seemed to travel around with. For a peasant, Rapunzel had really latched onto the notion of an entourage.
“Celestina.” Said Chedrick. She knew him best by voice, that fight in hell had not given her much in the way of memories. He was a handsome lad.
“Look.” He held out the little clay jar with her heart and removed the lid.
There was her heart, beating as it should even though it was not in her body. But what they said was true there was light and darkness raging like a storm inside.
Aurora came close and knelt next to her. “Celestina, you need to make a choice, between the light or the dark. I know you are in great pain. I felt a little of it after your curse. I hurt so much, I just wanted it to stop but I had no way of doing that. I hurt myself and I know the temptation of hurting others to relieve that pain. You remember that don’t you, when we were together in your bedroom? Hurting others to protect myself would have made sense to justify myself, but it doesn’t work, not really. It feels good for a little while but then it all comes back.”
Celestina bit her lip, that was true, so true. Aurora hadn’t triggered the swapping spell but Maleficent still would have created a version of herself in Aurora, who would have gone on to wreak havoc on the world.
“And if I choose good. Everything will be sunshine and kittens?”
“No, it won’t.” Said Rapunzel, “Your debts are far too large for ordinary justice.”
Celestina raised an eyebrow.
“You are carrying your pain inside you. Even if we execute you, you will take that with you. Eugene learned there are things you take with you to the other side.”
Celestina took a breathe, “Does it matter then what I choose? Either way I’ll be in pain. Giving me my heart back will not bring back my parents or my kingdom or erase any of my evil deeds.”
“Yes. Either way, you will being facing lots of pain, but choosing light may allow you to find a way to a place were the pain no longer matters.”
“What? How?”
“You must remember that I used to have healing powers?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know how much pain I see everyday around me I can do nothing about now? But I found other ways to help.”
“Ah. So you think you can help me?”
Rapunzel came close and looked deeply into Celestina’s eyes, and Celestina felt a deep pull in that look. “I have no way of helping you, but I can help you find ways to help yourself, if you want.”
Celestina felt herself begin to shake. She knew what Rapunzel was saying was true. “You mean there is hope, really? Even for me?”
“There is always hope. Even for you.”
Celestina looked desperately to Aurora beside her.
“You can do it. It’ll be the most difficult thing ever but I know you can.” Said Aurora.
Tears welled up in Celestina’s eyes, people believed in her. “And if I can’t?”
“Then I will end it.” Said Aurora.
“You would love me that much?”
“Yes, I would.”
“Thank you.”
Chedrick looked away from the intimacy they were sharing.
“Aurora, I know my gift is making me love you, but that doesn’t matter since you love me back anyway. I don’t deserve it and I don’t deserve this chance, but for your sake I will try to chose the light. I will need so much help. I’m sorry.”
“You were right when you said we are not so different. I am hoping to have another to call  sister.”
“Really?” Asked Celestina desperately.
Aurora put a hand on Celestina’s cheek. “Yes, really.” Said Aurora.
Tears slid down Celestina’s face. “I’ll try. I’ll try.”
“I know you will. Chedrick, it’s time.”
Chedrick pulled himself together and gently dumped Celestina’s heart into his hand as she watched him with her full attention. As he brought it near he could feel a pull, it wanted to return to its place.
As it approached her chest she looked up to him.
“Ready?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Do it.”
“Okay.” He turned his hand and the heart slid from his hand and into her chest.
“Oh!” Celestina gasped.
“Oh, no. No. No! Take it out! Please! I beg you! Take it out!” Celestina struggled against her bonds.
The others looked at each other solemnly.
“We can’t.” Said Aurora. “You must bear your heart again.”
“I’m sorry. I’m Sorry! Please!” Then Celestina began to scream in earnest and everyone covered their ears and fled the room.
Outside in the corridor they met with Phillip, Eric, Ariel, Elsa and the three good fairies. They were all armed.
“You really meant that? You would love her as a sister after all she has done?” asked Ariel.
“She is forced to love my because of the magic. It is not something I will use to my own advantage without giving something back. I could ask people for their lives and they would gladly give them for me. If I did I would be more evil then she ever was. I cannot control that gift but I can control myself. I must.”
Ariel nodded, and Chedrick looked away and back toward the cell where the could hear the screaming continue.
“You said she would experience pain, did you know that would happen?” Chedrick asked Rapunzel.
“Trying to overcome yourself is very difficult, but no, I didn’t expect that from just returning her heart.”
“Oh. Since we have no idea how long this take. I’ll take the first watch. Go spent time with your families” Chedrick said, dragging a chair over to the cell door.