Light and Darkness

Can I have my heart back now?

Esmeralda had to manage without her heart for three days. It wasn't a problem for her health, but she felt a bit offended by the fact that Regina had taken it in the first place. But she had managed not to throw anyone at a wall only because of Anastasia's cooking...But that would change when the girls got a couple of visitors.

It wasn't actually that late, but it sure seemed like it. The sun had set hours ago, but it was only 6.30 PM. Anastasia was in the kitchen preparing dinner and Esmeralda was sulking in an armchair in the living room when the doorbell rang.

"You're answering it!" Anastasia shouted from the kitchen.

"Why do I have to?!"

"Because, the last three days I've been cooking for you to keep you from falling into a complete state of eternal grumpy cat and now it's your turn. So get get your ass to the door!"

Esmeralda grunted as she got up and went to open the door. She was a bit surprised to find the Evil Queen and Rumpelstiltskin standing at the door, she tried to shut it in their faces but they were already coming inside.

"Um, Anastasia? You might want to come in here."

Esmeralda heard a sigh from the kitchen and went to meet whoever had turned up on their doorstep. When she saw who it was she was both relieved and pissed off. 

"You better be here to apologize to Esmeralda, and hopefully give her heart back so that she'll stop feeling sorry for herself. If not you can just walk right back out through that door." 

Anastasia then noticed the way Rumpelstiltskin was looking at her and suddenly she felt very uncomfortable. The look he gave her was a bit like disbelief and joy, but also guilt and surprise. Finally Regina broke the silence.

"We want answers. If we get them you get your heart back. Do we have a deal?"

Anastasia accepted the deal and Esmeralda suggested that they move the conversation to the living room. Seeing as Anastasia was still very uncomfortable she was the first one to go into the living room.

When they got there Esmeralda turned to face them.

"Fine" she snapped. "What do you want to know?!"

Regina seemed to be considering throwing a fireball at her for being so rude, but she decided against it. Instead she took out a small box and opened it. Inside it lay the glowing heart of Esmeralda. Esmeralda's first instinct was to grab it, but she didn't. 

"We want to know if you knew that your heart was like this."

Anastasia and Esmeralda made a silent decision to tell their guests the truth.

"Yes, yes I did."

"And how did you know this?"

"I was told."

"And did whoever told you this also tell you that there is another? Not exactly like yours, in fact, your exact opposite."

Esmeralda was quiet for a minute, thinking about what she was going to answer.

"Yes."

Regina looked at her. Trying to see what she was hiding and then she opened her mouth to ask something else, but this time Rumpelstiltskin was the one to ask a question.

"Did he also tell you who this other heart belonged to?" 

This time Esmeralda didn't miss a beat.

"No"

You could see in Rumpelsiltskin's eyes that he did not believe her, Anastasia had a bad feeling and went into defense.

"I don't believe you." Rumpelstiltskin said and before things escalated Anastasia took matters into her own hands.

"It's mine, I have the second heart." She reached into her own chest and ripped out her own heart to show them. And, sure enough, her heart was as dark as a shadow.

Rumpelstilskin seemed to calm down and everybody relaxed. Regina was the one to continue the awkward conversation.

"And how exactly did you find out about your hearts?" 

Anastasia and Esmeralda exchanged looks. Anastasia quickly spoke.

"You're telling it."

Esmeralda looked outraged.

"Why do I have to tell it?" 

"Because you're the better storyteller."

Esmeralda sighed, sat down on the couch and began her story.

About six months earlier the Pantalucci sisters had a visitor. He came late one night and knocked on their door. He had dark skin, short hair and wore a midnight blue robe. He introduced himself as Merlin. 

Since they were nice people they let him in and said that they would hear him out. What he told them came as a shock, had he not been able to prove it they wouldn't have believed him.

"2000 years ago there was a seer who predicted that, in thousands of years, two children would be born within the same year. These two children would be born from separate bloodlines, but grow up as siblings and they would be both friends and enemies. They would be more powerful than any one person. 

 It was also propheciesed that their hearts would be opposites, more powerful than a normal heart. One would shine like a star and one would be dark as a shadow. And there would be one more advantage, they would be immortal to all but the hand of the other."

The girls had been listening  to Merlin with great concentration, but now they were getting confused. Esmeralda was the first one to express their confusion.

"What does that mean?"

Merlin smiled mischievously.

"It means that you can't die unless the other one kills you. To clarify, the only person who can kill you is Anastasia and the only one who can kill Anastasia is you. And you can't be forced to do it, you have to consciously squeeze the other persons heart. No one else can do it."

Anastasia broke the silence that was growing.

"Prove it."