The Royal Enchantment {ON HOLD}

Chapter Six

Confounded, Isabela and the rest of her family glanced from their Abuela to the boy with straight, long hair that went down to his shoulders. His breathing hitched as his eyes darted from one person to the next until his eyes settled on the girl in the multi-coloured dress.

"Javi...? I-Is this true?" Isabela muttered frailly, as if she were on the brink of tears.

His chest heaved quickly until his breathing settled except his heart. In shame, he bowed his head. Even being blind, he couldn't bring himself to look in her direction for how reprehensible the controversy was. Javier pulled himself back up to his feet and took a sharp inhale before he faced the Madrigal's with his confession. 

"I was... young, foolish, brash, so self-absorbed with my mission I gave no regard to the gravity of its consequences. I purged an entire village all because they - your people now - lived opposite the idealism of corrupt soldiers lead so horribly astray from fighting for our people instead of fighting themselves. Many had managed to flee the arson of their homes where my brothers and I managed to spot the fleeing villagers. We mounted our horses and pursued them with murderous intent and lust. When we caught up to them, only one remained behind in an attempt to pacify our bloodlust. But his pleas fell on deaf ears. We would not heed his call for mercy as our brutality had long stenched our sense of morality." Javier explained as tears began to form in his eyes. 

Everyone bit the insides of their cheeks or their bottom lips in anticipation of his story-telling which seemed to have had a long effect on the immortal Colombian. It broke everyone's heart, inclusively Abuela Alma who had harboured such a grudge against him for many years that hearing him speak now after so long brought conflict in her harshness towards him. 

"I... I took up my sword and killed the man in front of me; his cries fell silent in exchange for that of his wife's. And then... a miracle happened. My brothers and I were pushed away by a monumental force as a shift in the plates of the Earth created mountains, closing off the way back to the village. Come morning, I awoke to find no sense of sight and my mind felt on the brink of insanity... until I heard my brothers call out to me. Through them, they assisted me in living seventy years in complete isolation from civilisation. And as it so happened, I came to recall the night before - the curse your Abuela bestowed unto me. I have lived for many years, almost alone, with the extend of my crimes now restoring my morality and the horror it brought with it. I... am, sorry, for what I have done, Alma. I am... s-s-sorry. For everything. I wish I could take it all back, I really do. But I know what I say now will not change what I have done, nor will it bring your husband back. But all I ask... All I ask of you is to forgive me. Please..." 

The older woman's hardened expression softened. After so many years hating and cursing the man responsible for all of her grief stood right before her, begging for forgiveness. It all didn't make sense to her. It all seemed wrong. She was so troubled that the weary faces of her family all shared the one as she had come to as well. 

What came as a shock was when the daughters of Alma stepped forward and stood a full metre apart. They stood rigidly before they made a combined effort to hug him. Shocked by this, the two women accepted his apology all the while Alma was left to make her decision: to hate him or to forgive him. 

Stepping forward, Alma addressed Javier. "That night, when you burnt down my village... I thought there was nothing more I could lose. When I watched you emerge from the darkness, I thought it was the end for everything and everyone I held dear. But that miracle... it changed everything. For so long, I thought I could hold my hate for you. When I see you with Isabela, I could see myself and my Pedro in you." 

Javier pursed his lips and bowed his head when suddenly Alma threw herself at him and hugged him. The sudden embrace created something new. A light glowed in between them, the tingling sensation ran through Javier's entire body. Shock and bewilderment became Javier's emotions as he found himself no longer staring endlessly into a cloud. Instead, he found himself underneath the clouds looking directly at everything. 

"Javi?" Isabela sang out. 

Craning his head around, Javier observed everything in sight before his eyes settled on Isabela. 

"Oh, Dios mío. Eres más hermosa de lo que imaginaba (Oh my God. You're more beautiful than I imagined)." Javier sighed with a delightful smile. 

Isabela's face heated up as a blush brightened her cheeks. He exchanged places with Alma so that he was now standing right in front of the messily dressed girl. They stared deeply into each other's eyes with a sense of longing and affection all the while her entire family watched on - even Mirabel who had stuck around to witness the previous confrontation. 

"Isabela... for so long I have yearned to see. And one day, I stumble into you." Javier began, his voice trailed off as he started to get emotional. 

"You mean you stumbled over a basket," she interrupted with a giggle. 

He simply rolled his eyes and continued talking. 

"From that day forward, you opened my eyes - you helped me see. Metaphorically, I mean. Even blinded, I could see that you were truly a beautiful señorita with such an incredible personality and with amazing devotion and faith. But whenever you were around Mariano, I could feel our discomfort. I could feel your pain. And leading up to this day, I have seen you for who you truly are, Isabela. You are more than just a friend to me. You are more than just a Madrigal. Isabela... I hope that as of this moment you have waited as long as I have to say these few words: I... I-I-I love you, Isabela." 

Her chocolate coloured eyes widened at his confession. A smile broke on her face, reaching from ear to ear as she fought back a squeal before she threw herself at him and pressed her lips against his. Almost instantly did Javier drive back into the kiss. They smooched for a few seconds before they pulled away and wrapped their arms around each other as the family applauded them for finding true love, something Alma had come to respect. 

The sounds of receding footsteps drew the family's attention to Mirabel whom Alma decided to pursue by herself. After delaying her fleeing the family, Mirabel sought isolation in order to sort out her feelings towards everything after all the excitement died down within her. By some instinct, Alma happened to know where her granddaughter was going.