For the Love of a Duck
Chapter of Swan
Act 7- Human Again
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Fakir's face was serious, as he walked into the house and quickly set about attending to Ahiru's injured wing.
He said nothing, and Ahiru was really beginning to worry more and more about what it is he had to say to her.
Once he was satisfied that her wing was properly taken care of, he carried her up to where the waylaid parchment waited for its writer to return.
"Ahiru," Fakir began, setting her down gently onto the floor, "I started this story because… well, I thought that- we…we deserved a happy ending too."
"Quack quack? (Happy ending?)" She questioned, not quite sure where he was going with it.
Continuing as he slowly ran his fingers over the words on the page, he started to explain, "I wrote a spell upon us, and well… if we can break it, you can be a girl again Ahiru."
Her eyes widened, "Fakir…you did that for me?"
"I didn't want to tell you at first…I was afraid of what the spell might cause so that's why I talked to Aotoa to see if there was anyway to safely destroy the story. But…there's not. A story without an ending is a tragedy, so I have to write an ending for it."
Slowly she walked forward towards him.
"It won't be easy, and there's still a small chance that something might go wrong but…but I can't leave the story without an ending."
"Qua…"
"Ahiru, I…I need you to listen to me closely. I'm going to start writing this ending and…I want you to be completely honest with me. Speak from your heart and…and we might get our wish."
She nodded in agreement, still uncertain as to what the spell was about. But- if it meant she could be a girl again….
Picking up the quill shakily, Fakir put it to the parchment and began to write.
He'd almost lost her. A moment late or a slight delay could have meant he'd lost her forever. And that thought was enough for the knight to realize that it was time for him to tell her how he felt for her.
Writing out the words he knew he couldn't bring himself to say, he began to tell her.
"Ahiru…ever since the story has ended, I've stayed beside you. I promised you that and I will never take it back."
The small duck's eyes lit up at that, and he could tell in her heart that she was deeply touched.
"I…"
He reached into his jacket's pocket and brought out the pendant on its gold chain.
"It's…it's for you…"
Murmuring the words under his breath, he wasn't sure at first she heard him.
Then he felt a slight tug on the chain and looked down at her.
"Quack, quack quack."
It was as if the small duck had thanked him, her eyes brimming with tears of happiness at his kind gesture.
Reaching down, he secured the pendant about her neck.
"Quack quack…"
"…the one you had before, I know." He finished the sentence for her. Somehow knowing that she was commenting on the similarities between the two jewels.
The two paused a moment, each just looking into one another's eyes.
But the knight knew that this was only the beginning of the way to break the spell.
"I made you that promise, but…I can tell that neither of us is completely happy with this. We worked together- side by side to end the story of the Prince and the Raven…but now…now you've returned to being a duck and well…I just don't think it's fair."
She continued to look on expectantly.
"And so, I wanted to change that. I wanted to bring you back as a girl…Ahiru. Sure you might have been clumsy and you were always doing stupid things but…I've realized that…I…"
The knight gripped the quill firmly in his hands, and slowly wrote out four words.
"Ahiru, I love you."
His face flushed red as the power of the story caused him to speak the words aloud, and his hand trembled, hoping with all his heart that this tale could be saved from a tragic ending.
"Qua…quack… (Fa…Fakir…)" Her face flushed lightly at the words.
Slowly, he brought himself to look upon her, his hand writing of its own accord.
The duck's blue eyes widened in shock, and the knight could feel a pang of worry coursing through his veins. Her prolonged silence only made his heart sink further.
Closing his eyes, he was just about to mutter an apology when he felt a nudge at his side.
Glancing down, the knight blinked- not quite certain what it could be that the duck had to say.
Touching the pendant with her wing, Ahiru smiled up at him. And to the knight's surprise, the duck moved her small yellow wings into familiar a ballet pose.
The pose of love.
"Ahiru…" The name escaped his lips before he even knew it and the quill dropped from his hand.
"Fakir…" The duck thought to herself, as tears of happiness welled in her eyes.
And taking up his quill once again, the knight boldly wrote out the ending to the story.
Reaching down as best he could while writing, the knight gently caressed the side of Ahiru's head.
"Really?" He questioned.
The duck nodded, and then…her pendant began to glow with a warm red light.
Squinting through the light, and hoping that it was enough to break the curse, the knight wrote out the words he wished the most would come true.
Consuming the room for a moment, the glow subsided leaving no longer a duck and a writer- but a beautiful girl and her knight. Her form as a human- had been restored, much like it had been before. A beautiful gown, fit for a princess appeared on her out of thin air.
"Fakir…I'm…" A human girl's voice began to speak.
"Just a moment. I have to end this story…" His rushed voice replied before daring to look up.
The curse had been broken by the love the two shared…
Fakir frowned as a blush crept onto his face again at those words.
And now, just like the spell the duck had been under before- Ahiru was not only a duck, but a duck who could turn into a girl with the magic in her pendant. The pendant that was given to her as a gift from her knight, and held the hope and love of the two in it…
He cleared his throat as he once again found his quill making note of their feelings.
And with that love- they would continue to live together freely.
The knight who was a writer and the duck who was a girl.
And they would live happily ever after.
The End.
With those two words finally leaving the quill, Fakir slowly sat it down.
"Now…I just have to see if…if she's…"
"Fakir?" The soft voice once again asked.
"Ahiru…I…" He turned, an apology for failure dying on his lips as his eyes fell on the human girl before him, "You're…you're…."
She smiled brightly and nodded, "Thank you, Fakir."
Sighing in relief, Fakir slumped back in his chair.
"It…worked…you're…" He looked up to her, "You're a girl again, aren't you?"
Nodding once again on seeing that words failed her, she wiped the brimming tears from her eyes.
"Fakir. I…I couldn't say it before but…" A deep blush crossed her face, "Well, this time- I won't have to worry about disappearing right?"
She laughed nervously to herself as her hands absently fidgeted with the lace ruffles on the front of her yellow dress.
"Ahiru…"
He stood slowly, reaching out with hesitance that she might not really be there.
But the spell had indeed been broken, and his palm gently cupped her cheek to wipe the tears away.
"Idiot. Stop crying," He managed, his voice catching in his throat.
"Fakir… I…" She looked down, her arms mimicking the pose she had taken before, "I…"
His hand drifted up and he placed it over his heart, "I know."
In a flourish, she embraced him, her tears coming out freely now as she clung to him.
"I love you," She whispered against his chest.
"Ahiru…"
"I'm still here. I didn't disappear. And…and I'm a girl now. Not just a duck. A real girl. And I…I…"
"Hush," Fakir said with a smile, gently placing a finger over her lips to cease her excited rambles.
"Fakir?"
"If it worked right…it'll be just like it was before," He reached down and touched the pendant about her neck, trying to feign irritation, "So don't go losing this like last time, okay moron?"
She nodded hastily, "You'd just find it and take care of it again, wouldn't you Fakir?"
He blushed, and turned his head to the side, "Idiot."
"Um…err…I…Fakir…"
"What?"
"Are we sure that…that it'll be okay?" She said with hesitance, not wanting to doubt him, but not certain if they could completely rely on the story's power.
"There is…only one way to find out…" He explained solemnly, "You'd have to change back into a duck- then we'd have to see if with water you'd change back."
Ahiru bit her lip as she thought that over, "It might not work again but… I don't want to upset him later…I should just change back now and see if I can come back…but…what if I… what if this is my last chance with him as a human girl?"
Her face flushed a brighter red as she thought over what one thing she'd want to do for certain in case it was.
"We should test it," She said firmly, looking up and locking eyes with Fakir.
His face fell serious, "Are you…sure?"
Nodding, she walked forward and stood before him, "Yeah. But I…um…err…Fakir… just in case I…I..."
"This is so embarrassing! But if I don't I might never…But he'll just laugh at me and go, "You are such an idiot" or something. But he did say…say that…he…love- love- loved me…"
"Fakir, can you…can you…" She was stuttering now, her face bright red as she rushed out her request, "Canyoukissme?"
At first, his only response was a blush as red as hers, but then as he realized the possibility that it could be the last time he'd see her as a girl, Fakir took a deep breath and replied.
"You are such an idiot," He muttered with a shake of his head.
Hanging her head, Ahiru frowned. But then, she felt the gentle touch of his hand turning her face up to look at him.
"Fa…Fakir!"
"Hush," He said softly.
And then he leaned in, his lips pressing against hers.
For the few moments it lasted, the pendant shone a soft red glow- as if it was soaking in the feelings that it was empowered by.
The pulled apart moments later, blushes equally staining each of their faces.
"Okay…I just…"
"Like before…"
She reached up and unfastened the necklace- her hands gently placing it safely into Fakir's hands before the power of the spell returned her to her form as a duck.
"And now we…we just have to see if you'll change back…" Fakir said shakily, hoping that this was not in vain.
Lifting the duck quietly into his arms, he fastened the chain back around her neck and headed towards the bathroom.
No words, or quacks for that matter, were exchanged as he filled the tub with water. Once it was somewhat full, he turned his back and closed his eyes.
"Go on, try…"
She nodded, knowing that once she jumped in the water- they'd truly know their fates.
Her body hit the water and the room was lit with a red light as the jewel shone. The duck's body transforming quickly back into that of the human girl.
"Fakir I'm…I'm…It worked!"
She jumped out of the water and rushed over to embrace him.
Fakir turned to look at her, his face reddening as he noticed that like before- she transformed back without clothing.
Her arms were wrapped around him from behind, pinning his arms to his sides, so he casually cleared his throat.
"Ahiru…your clothes…"
"Ack! I'm so sorry Fakir! I forgot that I do that and I didn't mean to and I'm so sorry!" She rambled as she pulled on her clothes, and the young knight couldn't help but smile at hearing her voice giving her usual apologies.
"I guess I can write happy endings…" He muttered absently.
"Fakir," He could feel her hand hesitantly slipping into his, "Thank you. Really. This means- so much to me."
Turning his head to the side and deciding that holding back his blushing was a lost cause he shrugged, "Though I'm not sure what's more annoying- your quacking or your talking…"
"Fakir!" She protested, tugging at his arm, "That's mean!"
He turned and smiled at her, "Let's go tell Charon, then we can get a good nights sleep. You'll want to come to school with me tomorrow, right?"
Her smile brightened as she nodded enthusiastically.
"Of course!"
Looking back to her, he extended a hand- and this time, she was able to take it.
And hand in hand, they made their way downstairs.
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