Her frilly pigtails were unmistakable, even when silhouetted by evening shadows. A blue butterfly flew above her like a guardian angel, which she noticed and tried clasping together in her hands. Henry is reading through his tomes under the spreading chestnut tree when he sees her twirling around to catch the insect. His normally low heartbeat fluttered like the butterfly Lissa now had in her hands. He adored every quirk and every smile. She rejuvenated him like a Fountain of Youth to see her during battle. No matter how hard the fighting became and no matter how many pleasurably fell before him, she was always there to save him when the pain became too much.

She opened her palms and made sure it wasn't hurt, then she locked eyes with Henry and ran towards him excitedly. "Henry! Oh Henry look at this cute little guy! I've never seen such a bright shade of- aaa... ahhh... achoo!" the butterfly jumped off of her fingers and hid in the branches of the tree. "Aww. Come back little guy, pleeeeeeae?" She jumped up at the branches but was obviously too short. Henry smiled and giggled, "Nya, I don't think he wants to come down right now, but if you want I know a great place to see butterflies." "Really?" Lissa turned happily, "That's awesome can you show me?" Henry paused and looked away: that was a lie trying to impress her. "Uhhhh... yeah sure, just ummm... give me until tomorrow?" "Sure!" Lissa replied, "I can't wait!"

Lissa pranced off to her tent as the sun began to set. Henry hurriedly picked up his books ready to put his last-minute plan into action. He stood up and leaned up against the tree one last time, looking for the butterfly. "Hey, you! Henry!" the voice is minute and prepubescent; clearly the young mage Ricken. His small feet stamped towards Henry kicking up dust. His face was in a red huff as he began to yell at him. "You stay away from her! I don't trust you with her and she's gullible and young and she matters very much to me! So just! Just stay away!" Ricken clenched his teeth and snarled like a puppy. Henry's heartbeat lowered again and he began to laugh. "Nyahahahaha! Aha, listen Ricken, I know how crushes work, I'm not as inhuman as you think I am..." Suddenly he grabs Ricken and grapples him against the tree. a quick magic word and Ricken was stuck to the trunk. "But I have a nice little word for you: don't get in between me and my special doves, you have a long life ahead of you remember?" Henry lifted the spell and allowed a frightened Ricken to move again. "Now how about I just hex you to forget all this? Hmmm?" "No! You can't." Ricken broke into a sprint and ran for Lissa's tent with only one goal in mind: warn her before it's too late. He threw the white curtain aside and froze in the doorway. Lissa was untying her boots when he rushed in. "Ricken? What do you need?" The Upcoming Mage stared blankly into Lissa's greyish eyes. "I... I don't know, I forgot." he scratched his head and yawned, "But suddenly I.. feel... so... tired. How about I just see you tomorrow?" Lissa smirks and covers her mouth, "Hehe, okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

Elsewhere Henry illuminated his tent with a tome and tore page after page from his studies. He pulled out a book from Chon'sin that had nothing to do with magic. Henry carefully folded the torn pages over and over. He studied the guide and followed it by the letter. Time ticked slowly by, and through many trial and error he finally finished the first artwork perfectly. He made an origami butterfly. "Well, now I just need about 34 more." He sighs and tears more pages out of his tomes. By the time morning came Henry was slumped over in his chair just getting to sleep. Lissa lets herself into his tent and gasps in surprise. His whole night had been spent folding pages into perfectly symmetrical butterflies. "Henry?" He turns and forces his eyes open, "Are these the butterflies you were talking about?" Henry rubbed his pupils and stretched. "Yeah, they are. Before you say anything though, watch this." He stands up and waves his hands like a puppeteer above the desk. Purple haze covered the desk and crackling noises came from the origami. When the purple clouds fell to the ground, the paper butterflies began to flap their wings. They flew into the air as if the real article. Lissa was stunned as they played above her head. "Awww! Oh Henry this is magnificent! It's so sweet." Henry smiles sleepily, "Y-you think so?" She jumps into his arms suddenly causing him to stumble. "Did you do all of this for me?" Lissa says blushing, Henry's heart flutters again. "I did. I worked all night for this, used all my favorite tomes too." From their backs they watch the origami dance. Lissa lays her head on Henry's shallow heartbeat and holds his hands. She blushes and tries to speak "I... I.." Henry was perplexed. Lissa covered her face and sat up, then took in a deep breath.

"I love you! This is so nice, you always would do anything for me, you're just the best person I know. I-is that awkward? It sounded way better in my head." Henry's heart did something he had never felt before; it beat to the same pace as hers, like a normal person. He held her close with his warming hands and laughed happily. This feeling, it ached and throbbed but at the same time felt painless and free. I was love. "I love you too. You're such sweet relief." Lissa looked him in the eye and smiled back, nuzzling her head closer to his shoulder. The Butterflies flipped and rolled in the air with happiness. Henry held her close and sleepily flickered his eyes. "You're my special dove Lissa, and you always will be. You're beautiful. Absolutely beautiful." "Awww, that's so poetic." "I want you forever." Lissa leans back, "I can imagine that nicely." They both laugh gleefully.

Henry lays a hand on her cheek and she holds his hand back. Henry leans in on her face and Lissa breaths heavier. She closes her eyes and waits for a kiss...

Henry cups his hand over her mouth and her nose. She opens her eyes and puts her hand on his wrist. She leans back on the ground and tries pulling his hand away but he refuses to. He just kept pushing on her. She panic and screamed into his palm, hoping to free herself with both hands. She kicks up and lurches back but was never able to regain her breath. She stops struggling, and her beautiful face becomes a lifeless stare. Henry leans down and runs his hand on her face. He tries to smile like he had done three times before, but he couldn't. "My special dove. I love you." He sat back into a fetal position and inched away from her lifeless form. The origami butterflies floated down to Lissa's body. They all fluttered and died when they landed on her young features now frozen forever. Henry burried his head into his knees and breathed heavily. "Bye bye Lissa. Nya hahaha... haha.. ha." He couldn't laugh. His feelings were too much, the pain was too much and Lissa wasn't there to save him anymore. The beat of his heart fell close to nothing. He covered his face with his hands and began to cry loudly. he cried until his cloak was wet with tears and his throat was sore from helpless screaming. He never felt so alone. "Lissa! I'm so sorry!" He yelled, pulling himself into a smaller ball.

"I'm sorry!"

When his tears ran dry he crawled along the floor to pick up a book off his table. He picked up Lissa and held her one last time. "I'm sorry it had to be this way..." Henry sniffs, "Goodbye." Then he stood up and began to chant the memory spell he used on Ricken.

He woke up the next morning to a strange body on the floor, there were bits of paper scattered on top of it. The Plegian pokes at the corpse. "Well, who are you supposed to be? Whoever you are you sure are beautiful. In fact, you'd make a perfect edition for my favorite ritual."

"Absolutely beautiful."