Heart of Nature - Winx Club
Times had changed since their first meeting. Oh how times had changed.
Lynphea was no longer the beautiful paradise of his childhood. It was dying around him, every day a little more. The forests were withering, the plains had long since turned barren. The rivers and streams, the lakes and lochs and ponds were drying up, if they hadn't already.
His home was dying.
And now, here they were deep in the hidden caves under the Black Willow, where the Heart of Lynphea, the heart of Nature itself was found. But the heart was dying just as Lynphea was.
Flora had not told him all of her plan, he knew that, but he trusted her and so he went along with it anyway…
They hadn't expected for the Queen to show up with her guards. Hadn't expected to learn she had been stealing the power and very essence of the Heart to augment her own magic. Flora couldn't believe her ears. How could anyone, let alone the queen of Lynphea do something like that? The entire planet was dying because of her!
When she stood in her Highness's way, the royal sent her guards against the fairy and the specialist. But there were too many of them. Why the queen had brought so many guards was a mystery, but not one Flora had the leisure to wonder about right now.
Finally driving the guards away from herself long enough to get an overview over the battlefield, she saw Helia fall, saw the Heart flicker and fade… And made her choice.
When Helia woke, mere moments after falling, the guards were down or tied up in thorned vines. Looking around for Flora he at first thought her vanished. She was not. She was standing in the Heart's place, glowing, her wings gone and clothes changed to something unfamiliar. Garbed in a gown of rose petals with wide, flowing sleeves, her hair flying around her as if carried by an unfathomable wind, her eyes unseeing and glowing. This was not Flora. This was the Heart of Lynphea. It was easy to understand what had happened. With the Heart dying, Flora had given herself to the Heart to save Lynphea. Someone who didn't know her like he did might be confused or surprised at the selfless decision but Helia's only thought was that he should have known it would end like this.
The Heart spoke to the Queen and her guards then.
"You. You have taken from us. You take and you take and it is never enough. Your greed knows no bounds, your hunger for more killed what you were supposed to protect. You treat nature as if you own it, as if you can do with it as you wish without repercussions. We have allowed this to go on long enough. No more. No more will we give to your greed. No more will you take from this world. No more will you rule. No more will you command magic. Your reign ends here. Your magic ends tonight. You are no longer of Lynphea, Lynphea renounces you!"
There was almost no inflection to her words.
The Heart raised Flora's arms and a light surrounded the Queen. When it was gone, her Highness's fairy form was gone and though Helia had no command over magic, he could sense it would never return. The Heart had taken the queen's magic from her. For a fracture of a moment he felt pity for his once childhood friend but her actions had been abominable and beyond forgiveness.
"Leave Lynphea and never return. You are not welcome here" the Heart commanded and the queen hurried to follow the order, taking her guards with her.
Now only Helia remained in the Heart's presence. He should go, he knew that. Flora was gone. But he could not bring himself to leave. The Heart's attention turned to him.
"Fear not. There is no pain. No suffering anymore. We are... at peace. We are healed."
Silent tears fell from his eyes. Knowing his beloved was not suffering was a small comfort.
"The fairy's love for you is like nature. It is always with you no matter where you wander. On all paths and in all seasons, nature remains constant. It is unending. The love for you that burns in this body is what gave the strength that saved us. Without it, the body would not have been strong enough to hold us, even weakened. We would not have become strong without the strong mind and iron will and burning love."
Hearing the Heart speak about Flora's love was tearing at his own heart. To know that she had loved him so fully, so truly when now she was gone…
"She is not gone. We are here. We are strong. We are… whole"
Agony. Even if she was comfortable, knowing Flora lingered on, forever out of his grasp, lost within her own body and the Heart was nothing short of agony.
The Heart reached out with a hand and warmth surrounded him, like a hug, like a kiss.
"We feel as we always have. As we always will. Our feelings will never change. The seasons of life may change but love is constant. We are eternal and so is our love."
Helia was so confused. The Heart, it seemed, had taken on Flora's feelings and he really didn't know what to think about that. If he understood it right, Flora was part of the Heart now and loved him yet.
"But now, you must return. Your people will need you and you will lead them well."
Helia could only stare at the Heart. The Heart wanted him to become King? But how could he rule Lynphea, take care of all his people when he was not sure he could take care of himself in the wake of all that had happened? It was Flora who deserved to rule Lynphea. Flora, who was so kind and gentle and giving. Who knew exactly how to help anyone… Who was now part of the Heart of Lynphea.
"You need not shoulder this burden on your own. We will offer guidance if you ask for it. You are not alone."
Even knowing he could come here and ask guidance did little to convince him of his capabilities. But he didn't have much of a choice.
The Heart's hands rose. Much like the now former queen, he was enveloped in soft light. Only when it dimmed, he was not stripped of all he had been. His torn uniform was replaced by simple but formal clothes, his hair now crowned with a golden circlet.
"We know the King you will be, the ruler your child will be. Lynphea will be in good hands. And we can rest."
Helia couldn't stop the brief flash of agony from showing on his face when the Heart told him he would have at least one child. He had only ever loved one woman. Never before had he felt any inclination or interest in another person and he doubted he ever again would. But he would do what he must, for the good of Lynphea. He could do no less. But he would not ever forget.
The Heart smiled at him in a strange blend of gentle benevolence and sweetest love.
"You are not alone. We will be with you. As long as your love endures. But we must rest. Lynphea must heal."
The glow faded from Flora's eyes, the rose petal gown faded into her fairy form, her wings shimmering back into existence. Her eyes fluttered close and she fell.
Helia, though shocked, moved quickly, catching his beloved in his arms right as her fairy transformation fell in a shimmer of sparkles.
It took only a few moments for Flora to open her eyes again. There was no glow to them except the love and live that had always been there, for as long as he knew her. She seemed weak but otherwise fine.
"Flora?" Helia hesitantly asked.
She nodded and smiled. "We… I am fine."
Hearing her words, so emotive and filled to the brim with feeling after the near emotionless voice of the Heart, Helia's arms tightened around her slightly, pulling her a bit closer against his body.
"How…?" He stopped, unsure what exactly was happening.
"The Heart had no personality to speak of. It was self-aware, I think? ... It's so confusing." Flora's voice was halting, hesitating. As if she was looking for the answers as she spoke. "Whatever the Heart was before, now we are one. I can not really say we're I end and the Heart begins. But the sheer power of it, right now it's like it's… asleep. It feels a bit like my fairy magic does when I am not transformed."
Helia leaned in to rest his forehead against hers and she closed her eyes with a smile.
"I love you" His voice was barely a whisper, carrying all his heart in those three little words. Flora smiled and closed her eyes.
"And I love you."