The Happy Couple (Tag: Alidia and Rahim) rated M

Cora bowed her head. "Thank you Baelfire...I learned it from the servants...you see I'm not like most women...I'm different...I like cooking and traveling..." she smiled. She poured his tea. "You need to teach me how to spin strings and such...and I'll teach you something you've never done before..." she giggled.

"Would you now?  I just might be persuaded to teach you how to spin.  Though I hope you'll have the patience for it." Baelfire said with a chuckle.  Suddenly, he felt curious about something.
"You had a life, Cora, before all...this.  What made you decide to come here with me when that plague started to spread?" he asked, just wanting to know.

Cora blushed. "When we met at the stream I felt safe around you though we had never met. I guess I trust you." Cora smiled and giggled. "how's the tea? I made it the way you like it..."

"I noticed that.  Thank you for remembering.  You did quite nicely." Baelfire said, raising his cup to her in congratulations.

Cora shyly smiled. "Thank you Baelfire..." she blushed. She moved closer to him as she opened the book.

Baelfire settled himself in.  He wanted to be comfortable as he listened to Cora read.  The moment was enough to put a smile on his face.

Cora began reading. She added voices to the characters to make Baelfire laugh. "Oh princess please kiss me in order to save me..." her voice sounding manly. "Oh but I can't cause you're a stranger..." she said girly. Then she paused as she looked at Baelfire. He was so handsome regardless what he looked like. "A kiss is all I ask my dearie..." she said not looking at the book.

Baelfire froze.  Hearing Cora use the term of endearment he saved for her made his heart skip a beat.  Not knowing what he was doing, but somehow feeling like it was right, he began to move closer to her.  Specifically, to her face.

Cora saw Baelfire moving in closer to her. She smiled as she caressed his cheek and pressed her lips with his. She felt completed with him. She pulled away for some air but quickly went back in for another kiss.

Meanwhile the cloaked figure smiled as she saw them kiss. "Prefect...tonight will do nicely...as if my name is Morgan..."

Baelfire felt his heart speed up when he and Cora kissed.  It felt so wonderful.  When she came back for a second kiss, he realized that he was in love with her.
All of a sudden, Baelfire felt something else.  That sense of cold inside him had completely disappeared.  The warmth that had been sparking inside him since Cora had come to stay with him suddenly filled his entire being.  It felt like...he had been wandering in a thick fog and was finally able to see again.
"Oh, my head.  What's happening?" he murmured, placing a hand to his forehead to see if he was getting sick.

Cora shook her head. "No please...Baelfire...please don't leave me...I love you..." Cora gasped. 'Did I just say that? It's true I do love him...' she carried Baelfire to his suite and on his bed. "please don't leave me..." she cried. Then she remember there was a healer in the town. "Stay here...I'm going to make sure you get better..." Cora ran out took the horse and rode to the 'healers' house. Morgan smiled as she saw Cora in her crystal ball. Cora knocked on the door. "Please Ms Morgan...help me...." unaware to Cora she was about to make a deal she couldn't refused.

Baelfire lay in bed, contemplating a number of things.  Cora said she loved him.  Was that why he was feeling like his true self again?  Was she...the one he needed?
Second, he wondered why he was feeling ill.  Was it just because he had to get used to his true nature all over again?  Maybe.
"Stay awake for her.  You've got to tell Cora you'll be alright." he told himself.  The thought of seeing her again helped him to keep sleep at bay.

Cora told Ms Morgan everything. "I see my child..." Morgan said. "Your payment for a cure is simple..." Cora sniffled cause she was crying. "Anything you name it...anything to make Baelfire good as new..." Morgan came face-to-face with Cora "I want your heart...a small token and it'd make him all better and you won't miss it at all." Cora thought of it. "Deal...and promise he will be healed and never harmed." Morgan nodded as she pulled out a contract. "sign..." Cora sighed. She screamed out in pain as she saw her heart in Morgans hands. Glowing. "ohh I almost forgot I'm in control of your heart so anything and I'll do this..." she squeezed Cora's heart. Cora groaned a yes. She rode back to cheek on Baelfire.

Baelfire slowly regained his strength.  It was enough for him to get up.  He stood at the window and watched for Cora.  Though he was confused as to why she had returned alone, he went down to meet her.

Without her heart Cora couldn't feel anything. She sniffled real quickly before seeing Baelfire. She smiled. "How are you feeling?"

Meanwhile Morgan was watching them. She held Cora's heart close. "the purest heart..." she laughed.

"I'm feeling fine, or at least I was after you brought me to my room to rest.  Now, I wonder if something is wrong." Baelfire answered.  He was no fool, something about this didn't feel right.
"Where is that healer you said you where going to get?" he asked, cautiously.

Cora began to say something but Morgan squeezed her heart. Cora quietly groaned. "The main focus is that you're better...now it looks like it's going to rain...let's go in..." she faked a smile.

Baelfire had seen the way she flinched.  He suddenly reached out and pulled her to him.  Once he had Cora close, he listened for her heart.  There was no sound at all.  He felt like a hole in the ground had opened up and swallowed him.
"What did you do?" he asked, his eyes beginning to brim with tears.

Cora couldn't fight it. "I went to Morgan...and I traded my heart...to mak..." she screamed and collapsed as Morgan squeezed her heart too hard that it shattered. Cora quickly opened her eyes. "I'm sorry..." and closed her eyes once more. Her winter rose necklace fell off her neck and landed on his feet.

As he watched her slowly fade away, Baelfire could think of only one thing he could do to save his beloved Cora.  He placed a magical aura around her to keep her from truly dying.  Then, he went to fetch a very special candle.  Half of it was white and the other half was black.
"I'll be back for you.  I won't let you die like this, not when I've just found you." he whispered to her.  Then, he quickly snuck to the cottage of the one he suspected was responsible.  A morbidly delightful feeling rushed through him when he found Morgan asleep.  He snuck into the house, lit both halves of the candle as he placed it over her heart and whispered Morgan's name before blowing out the flames.  The sudden light of something caught his eye and he found a heart being placed back together by magic.
"Oh Cora, you deserve better than me." he murmured sadly.  He gathered his beloved's heart and quickly left before anyone discovered him.

Cora began feeling a scent of guilt. "I love only you Baelfire...nobody else." she muttered.

Meanwhile Morgan looked where she placed Cora's shuttered heart. It was gone she was angry.

By the time Baelfire returned to his home, the magic aura was almost about to give up.  But he hurried and returned Cora's heart to her.  Now that her heart was whole, she should survive.
"I am sorry you had to experience that." he said, tears still running down his face.  He leaned down and kissed her once more. "But I will always fight for what I love." He couldn't recall if he had told her he loved her, but if he had, it couldn't hurt to say it again.

Cora's eyes brighten when her heart was back in and when Baelfire said he'd love her. She caressed his damp cheeks. "I am here dont cry. I love you too." She returned the kiss and it began to rain.

"Oh Cora." Baelfire couldn't think of anything else to say.  Gently, he picked her up and carried her inside.  He didn't want her getting sick, even though he himself felt terrible.  Still, knowing that she was okay made his heart soar.

Cora placed her head on his chest and heard his heart beating. She smiled. "Please dont leave me cause I dont wanna be alone without you near...I love you too much..."

Meanwhile:
Morgan sneered. "So the beast stole back her heart he'll get it....but first for her payment when she falls asleep..."