[Kuzco]: 212.Forgiveness

“What have you done?! WHAT HAPPENED TO MY DAUGHTER??”
“I…I…I…”
He stuttered weakly, his gaze full of sadness, remorse and death. My daughter’s husband was now her murderer. I clench my fists in and approach my loving young woman’s corpse, wishing to god he doesn’t get out of the way. But he evades me, the coward. That no good disgusting man…I lift her head to my shoulder and cry my heart out. I just couldn’t believe she was gone. I look at him with fiery eyes and clearly demand his leave.
“GO!” I shout, pointing to the door. Afraid and limping, he leaves my sight out the door, and runs away.
God damned idiot. He’ll taste the repercussions; he’ll suffer, I vow to that! But now I must attend to my daughter…my dear sweet innocent daughter.

It has been two days since then, the town is pretty pissed off about having a homicidal psychopath in its midst. I hear talks of townsman discussing his search and punishment; it seems as if he’s gone into hiding and the first to find him claims the right to torture.
But now, with a clear head and fresh mind, I wonder… he seemed paralysed, he seemed truly horrified when I last saw him. I wonder if he did it on purpose, if he was careless and carried malicious intent for my daughter but to hear her speak of him; I still remember she explaining to me with glowing marvelled eyes:

“He’s so kind and gentle. He complements me all the time; he’s a really good person
papi. I’m so lucky he loves me! I’m so sooo lucky…”

I still recall all the conversations she had with me about him. It didn’t fit. Now that I thought about it rationally, it didn’t fit. As the town’s wizard and the victim’s father, it’s up to me to decide if he should suffer or not. At least that’s how I see it…I jumped the gun; that was the truth. The whole towns’ on a head hunting rush, I have to find out the truth.

I finally catch up to him, almost scared him to death too appearing from a blast of smoke.
“Please please!” He pleads trying to run away. I lock the door with a flicker of my fingers and close the windows with a hand wave. “No, no!” He further pleads.

“Calm down.” I tell him. “I don’t want to hurt you, at least for now.”

“LIAR! You’re all after me! You all want to kill me.” His eyes desperately start leaking with mournful tears. “You want to make me pay! You want to make me pay for…for…”

“My daughter’s murder.” I finish the sentence, already excepting him to fall on his knees crying his heart out.

“I didn’t mean to do it…I swear, I swear. I loved her, I LOVE her even now. I didn’t want her dead GOD!”

I had to know the truth.
“Just tell me what happened James.”
He wipes his eyes and face, then looks up at me momentarily before staring at the ground as he explains:
“We had a fight…we were arguing really hard. I picked up a knife and tried to throw it but I couldn’t do it. I stopped my arm half across the throw but she still reacted, lost balance and fell backwards…hitting the back of her head. She died, just like that, she died and it’s not fair! It’s not fair!”

“So it WAS your fault!”

“I KNOW I know I know I know” He incessantly repeated, crying again in coughs and gasps. It was then I felt and knew he missed her more than me. He was sorrier than I was. He loved her more than I did. And for a father to admit such a thing…

“It’s your fault, but you can’t be blamed.” I admit.

He stopped crying, immediately calming down a bit. He gets up and asks me:

“You…you believe me?”

“I believe you.”

“Do you really? Do you understand? Do you…forgive? Me?”

“I forgive you.” I honestly tell him. I’m a rational man when my daughter’s not dead in my arms; I could see he did not disserve a killer’s pay. But then, as fate would have it, shouts from outside come out.

“JAMES! GET OUT OF THERE!”

He cowers, crouching and leaning against a wall whispering:

“Oh no oh no oh no. Please, they’ll do horrible things to me.”

I think for a few seconds and I notice that leaves him really nervous. This puts me in an awkward position. I sigh and involuntarily tell him.

“Grab my hand.”

“Thank you…so much. They don’t care about her! They only care about hurting me.”

“I know…hurry, before I change my mind.” I warn him grabbing his hand, saving his life.