Bloodjewels are Forever (short story)
Title: Bloodjewels are Forever
Author: Yukito
A multitude of gemstones were tumbled over the fluffy duvet of his bed like a shimmering field of stars. Gentle firelight warmed the heart of each stone, sparking multi-toned reflections across Yukito's fingers as they lightly skipped over the smooth surface of each one. He paused now and then, closing his eyes and grasping loosely at particular pieces before letting them slip and fall to rest amid their coveted brethren.
"I adore gems."
Gaze critically skipping across the field laid before him, Yukito draw a piece of iolite from his pocket. His examination was cursory, at best, before he shook his head and put it away. Instead, retrieved a maroon bloodjewel with a lustrous black sheen. Very slowly, he stroked the curves and contours of the polished gem, staring deep into its heart as he held it up to the light.
"I will not forget the day that I first saw the woman named Vlashandra standing by Lake Eonake..."
Lost in his thoughts, his recollections, he turned the gem over repeatedly so that he could memorize every aspect of it. He took his time in leisurely strolling through his recollections, waking back and meticulously thinking things over if he stumbled in his recall. As he considered, he cheesily smiled and gazed through the jewel as he glanced toward the fireplace, almost mesmerized at the way it mimicked the rapid flutter of a heartbeat.
"Thud. Thud. Thud. She managed to mimic the regenerative properties inherent in the blood of a troll. Something that we, as empaths can do by rote, she accomplished on a large scale by what I am told is flow. This seems significant because..."
Barely aware of it, he smiled fondly at his gemstone as if it were the height of perfection, the nearly black lustrous maroon bloodjewel resting in the palm of his cupped hand. Yukito spread his fingers and tilted the gem back and forth, hefting it up and down to memorize its feel. There would be no other like this one. Not for him.
"Earth gave way to Regeneration, which gave way to Body. There were three accepted donors for Earth, six for Regeneration, and I can only assume one for body. An obsidian dagger was used during the first phase of the ritual of Earth and in several other instances, which suggests..."
After a long time of staring and admiring his bloodjewel and making contented noises over its perfection, Yukito let it fall to the billowy surface of his fluffy duvet. There it lay twinkling amid the luminous constellation of his treasures, each point of vibrant color filling him with delighted resolve. Even if they were lost to him, he'd remember their shine; and when he touched them, his memories were so much brighter.
"I really do adore gems."
"Diamonds Are Forever" - Shirley Bassey