The past beats inside me like a second heart

She let out a small sigh as it seemed they had somehow managed to find common ground. She nodded slowly as she asked if she wanted to hold onto it. “At least my crystal, what you do with yours should be up to you like it is my right to hold onto my own memories and decided whether I want the memories back or not,” she said with a small if not pained smile. She took a step closer to him and reached out her hand with the palm facing up. “You are free to go, I just want what is mine” she whispered, almost begging him to make the right choice. Even if she wasn’t going to stop him if he tried to run away once more. Because when it came down to it, she would find him again. No man could hide when she had the connection to nature that she did. The matter of choice was just, did Francis want to do the easy thing and just hand it over or would he run away, like he seemed to be the man that most often did.

Well of course she would have the right to hold onto her own crystal, and on some level he did believe it. But he trusted it just as much as he trusted all kind of magic. Not one single bit. Francis walked over and handed her the crystal that wasn't really there. He knew she was powerful enough to see through the crystal not being real, but his illusions powerful too, so he handed it over with hesitation before turning around and make his leave. Francis knew she would find him, but he seemly hoped that a part of her would let him figure out what the crystal were made of, if it was legit or not. And there were only a handful of people whom Francis really trusted, Juniper, she should be on the list but she wasn't yet. And he wanted to study the crystals himself, so that was what he was going to do.
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out