The Golden Year and the Sorceress

by Isabella Hardiman

  "No." I can hardly breathe.

  "There's no pulse." Cam argues.

  "NO." I repeat.

  "He is dead." Cam stated with a pace of remorse.

  But he cannot die. He cannot. He is the future of Rumore, he is the prince. He is Leonardo. He always comes out alive, he is a survivor like me.

  I freeze now. Tears begin to come from my eyes and I desperately place my face to his chest in hope of hearing his weak heartbeat. I waited for the light thud. Any thud. But there was none. I bury my face in his chest. It feels like I am suffocating and I have a lump in my throat.

  "Leonardo..." I whisper. "Leo... Do not do this. Come on you arrogant jerk wake up. Do not- don't leave me. ``I love you." I let the tears and I feel my entire chest expand and I feel my chest release a great amount of pressure. I had said the word out loud. It was like a brick had replaced my heart. "I love you."

  "Leila," Cam whispers.

  "No, I won't leave him." I growl. I cling to the body that had once been the Da Angelo Prince. I said so many things that I did not mean. And now he was gone and I could never fix things.

  "Leila." Cam said in astonishment. I do not care. I will not leave Leonardo. "No Leila, you are glowing."

  I opened my tear filled eyes and stared at my hands. Gold magic pours from my fingertips. My skin is shimmering like diamonds. I am shining like a beacon. All sudden my light begins to transfer onto Leonardo's chest.

  His entire body begins to shine and a magic unlike something that I have ever seen began to take over. Then in one brisk second, all the light began to disappear and retreat to my fingertips.

  And the room was just as it had been before with no other light. Empty, hollow, grey. An egg shell of what it had once been. There was a crack of thunder from overhead. Rain began to hammer down. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Cam shouted. "BLIMEY, I MEAN I THOUGHT THIS WAS THE END. I THOUGHT THE GRAND WIZARD WAS CALLING ME FROM THE BEYOND. ALL I NEEDED WAS THAT CREEPY VOICE FROM CAMPFIRE STORIES TO DEMAND 'Walk into the bright light.'"

  "Cam. Be quiet." I cut him off.

  "I MEAN CAN'T YOU GIVE ME A HEADS UP NEXT TIME YOU-"

  "Cam shut up." Thud. Thud. Thud. I look down at Leonardo and I really concentrate. But concrete. Fear begins to overrun me. Is that-that a heartbeat? Cam hears it too and leans into Leonardo's chest. I cannot even watch.

  All the sudden, Leonardo bolts upwards and they head but.

  "OW!" Cam cries out.

  "Were you trying to kiss me?" Leonardo looks at Cam.

  "What?! NO!"

  "I knew you wanted to kiss me! Sorry, but you're not my type. I always knew you had a thing for me." He pauses. "I don't blame you, I mean look at me." Cam rolls his eyes as a response.

  I lunge myself at Leonardo. He tightens his grip around me. When I try to pull away, he will not let me. "Leonardo-i can't breathe." I complain.

  "Just one more minute." Leonardo holds me close and when we finally break apart I cannot help but stare into his deep stunning eyes, the same eyes I thought I would never see again.

  "I thought I would never see you again." I whispered, a tear running down my cheek.

  Leonardo ran his hand through his hair. "I also had my doubts." He mutters. His large hand grips around my smaller one. Cam coughs awkwardly to remind us that he is still here. Leonardo flashes him an irritated look.

  "How did I survive anyway? Where is Eris?" Leonardo looks around dazed. My entire body stills. Leonardo could not find out my secret. He would think I was a monster, he would banish me.

  "Leonardo---i,"

  "It was me." Cam interrupts. "I had a few enchanted objects from the Fae queen and that's how you came back to life." Cam shrugs.

  "You used magical objects." Leonardo's tone turned serious. I gulped. Cam why did you do that? I stare at Cam but he does not look at me. "You broke the law but you saved the kingdom. You saved me. You saved all of us." He analysed the situation. "I should have you executed for the law. My father would." He pauses. "But I am not my father. I owe you a great debt, Cam." He looks at him with a grateful grin. "Beside you just used a few tricks, it's not like you are a sorcerer."

  I laugh awkwardly. "A sorcerer? Cam could not be one. He is as likely to be one as I am. And we all know that I am not. Me having magic that would be like cows flying. Do you think

  Has anyone ever tried that? Would they have wings?" Both Cam and Leonardo are staring at me confused. This is what happens when I get nervous. Leila, why can't you just shut your mouth?

  I turn to find Bayard awakening, followed by a moan from Josephine. "Thank you, Leonardo." Cam finally says.

  "Don't thank me yet, I owe you and I always pay my debts." Leonardo assured him. "But I want you to return with both Leila, Bayard, Josephine and I to the capital. I will find you a job..."

  "Really?" Cams eyes light up like a child on Christmas morning. How long had it been since he laid eyes on the capital? Or walked down Dawn Street? How many years has Cam been banished?

  "Of course."

  I turn to help Bayard and I can tell Leonardo is watching my every move. "Bayard." I whisper and hold him in my arms. His wing is broken and some feathers are slightly burnt. "Well, well. I told you you could do it." He coughs through heavy breaths, only loud enough for me to hear.

  "Yeah but it was harder than I expected." I huffed.

  "You are always complaining." Bayard chuckled.

  "Leonardo," I see Josephine embracing Leonardo. I see her holding him. I see her snuggling into him. And I am reminded that Leonardo is something I will always want but can never have. I force a smile.

  But that is okay. I suppose loving somebody is when you put them before yourself. Loving someone is letting them go and let them be happy, despite your own happiness. I turn away from them both.

  They look good together.

  "It's alright." Leonardo hushes her and I can hear her sobs. For once Josephine seems human. "Everything will be fine." He reassured her and held her in his arms. She was his and he was hers.

  A chill runs through me. Cam notices my look and heads to stand by me. "You shouldn't have done that. Leonardo could have-."

  "I had already been banished for burning a part of the city, I didn't have anything to lose." He shrugged. "Besides what would the world do without Leila of Bourdet?" He grinned widely, showing his teeth. "You should tell him how you feel.." Cam glanced at me.

  "It wouldn't change anything. He is a prince and I am a nobody."

  "You are the chosen one..." Cam interrupts. "Besides what stops you from being together?"

  "His fiancée, customs, society, court's, my caste and don't forget his father, the king." I drone on.

  "And?" Cam asks.

  "What do you mean 'and'...?"

  "If you love each other, the reasons or excuses don't matter." He pauses. "He loves you and you love him. What else matters? Cam finishes getting up and taking Bayyard out with one hand. "I think it's about time, we all get home." Cam announces. He takes out some blessed berries.

  "Blessed berries?" Josephine gasps. I was stunned to see such a rare substance. I had heard about them from black markets and gypsy merchants but never had I laid eyes on such a rare powerful berry. "Is it really over?"

  "I keep them for these kinds of times." He stops, and runs a hand through his hair. "Actually that was a lie, I have never and I mean ever been in a situation like this." He looks between all of us and we all laugh.

  "You can say that again." Josephine mutters.

  "Well, let us get out of here. Before anything stranger happens..," Cam throws the berries to the ground a puff of smoke appears followed by a mixture of orange and yellow. A portal. Home. Cam is the first to go through with Bayard. Josephine follows eagerly.

  Leaving me and Leonardo. I stand there for a few seconds before I head for the portal but Leonardo grabs my arm and stops me.

  "It is my fault." I blurt out.

  "What?"

  "Theo betrayed us and I was the one who brought hi
m along. I put all of us in danger. It is all my fault. You would have never got hurt if it weren't for me. Josephine either. Cam wouldn't be here. Bayard wouldn't have gotten hurt. I put everyone in danger. I bet you wish you had never met me." I say and it almost feels like it's not my voice. It sounds like a broken voice.

  "Leila..." Leonardo attempts to interrupt.

  "Leonardo, you are a prince." I stare at him. "You can't put yourself at risk for me or anyone." I stare at him, I am trembling. "You will be king someday and you have to be there." I insist. "Sure sometimes you drive me insane. In Fact you make me want to bury my head under a massive mass of snow just so I do not hear your annoying voice. Sometimes your arrogance makes me want to tear my hair out." But I still love you. I am still deeply in love with you and I always will be. "You are spoiled rotten." Despite that you are also incredibly charming. "You have terrible taste in food. I mean it's bad." My world goes spinning whenever I hear your voice. "You are annoying, irritable..."

  "Is this going anywhere?" Leonardo stops me.

  "You are all Rumore can hope for...you need to be king. You need to survive. You cannot keep recklessly risking yourself for others. You have your flaws but someday you will be a great king." I say. He looked at me in shock. I was even surprised that I gave him a compliment. I immediately became nervous from his shock and attempted to take it all back. "Even though you drive me absolutely insane when you start ordering me around, I mean one day I am going to grab you by your hair and drag you all the way to.." Before I could say another word, his arms were around me and pulled me into him.

  His hard muscles hit me like a train. The closeness of our bodies made me break into a cold sweat. His hard muscles pressed against me. His eyes investigated mine and it felt like I had kissed him a thousand times over. It was something about him that takes me all the way to heaven and back. I did not want him to stop holding me, the feeling of his body against me made me feel like I was a million meters off the ground.

  I could tell myself that this does not mean a thing. I could pretend not to care, but I do. I push it down and act as if nothing hurts me. Right next mission: hunt down Cupid for getting me in this mess. Cupid really screwed up this time. Leonardo pushed back a strand of hair on my face and brushed the dirt from my face.

  The thing about love is that it is the sweetest type of pain, because it feels like you are walking on air and the blood in your veins are burning all at the same time. It traps you in and you cannot hope to escape. He pulled me closer to his chest.

  Brain repeated: Stop. We must stop this. But my heart screamed: just let go. Yes. Let go.

  "Leonardo we-". Before I could finish. His lips were against mine. His lips felt so soft and I felt like I was higher than the tallest mountain. His hands trailed down my torso and pulled me closer and closer. His hands were on my hips but his lips did not leave mine.

  His kisses became hungrier. And now I can feel his heart pounding against my chest. My hand travels into his hair and I kiss him back. This is going to be a chaos. I kissed him back harder. The next thing I knew his lips were travelling on my neck and his hands memorizing every curve on my body. His hot, heavy breaths send heat through my body. His lips found mine and he was so tall I stepped on my tiptoes to kiss him. I wobbled but he held me in place. Why am I clumsy at the worst times?

  The heat raised when his hand pressed against my behind. Then his kiss deepened and I went into a sync that sent my whole body into a shock. Our lips moved against one another perfectly in time. Kiss me. Kiss me. Kiss me.

  But then I think of Theo and I push Leonardo away. No more chances. "We can't do this. I can't fool myself and pretend this is ever going to work." Theo used to be my life and soul and he betrayed me. What happened to him? I thought I knew Theo. No more chances at love, I only ever get hurt. If I cannot even keep a relationship with someone of my own status, I did not stand a chance with a noble, let alone prince. "You're a prince, an engaged future king.."

  I was breathed through my nose. "Leila, be silent for once..." He heaved a heavy breath. Trust me I was not planning to talk. I am completely speechless. "Don't you understand? You are the most important thing to me, in this whole world." I hear his words but I can't make a sound. I can't move. "You don't understand." He runs a hand through his hair. "It's not just because you're beautiful. I mean the day met you sure, I thought to myself 'damn she is an angel'. Regardless of your goddess-like features, it's because you are irritably stubborn. As stubborn as a goat." He sighs. Thanks? "It's because of your smile and your soft spot, it's because you would risk everything to save someone." He pauses. "I love the way you are clumsy, I love the way you think far too much." He looks at me. "I get lost in your eyes, they go from sky-blue to a silver-grey..." He pauses. "I love that you fight for what you believe. I love that you don't hold back. I love the Leila, that has a laugh like a four-year old, that smiles like a Cheshire Cat when you make her laugh, I love the Leila that sleeps with a dagger in her boot because she fears the dark and I love the Leila that stares at the world around her as if it's heaven." He pauses. "I tried to let my feelings go. But I just can't. I can't stop thinking about you. Because you aren't just everything I want, but you're everything I need. I can't imagine life without you.." He admits.

  He wants me. But it is complicated. "We can't have a future together." I look away from him but he brings me to face him.

  "Why? Because of my father? Because of Josephine?" He looks at me.

  "Yes. The law-"

  "To hell with the law! I am in love with you and I am not going to pretend I am not. It is not a crush. It is not flirtatious. I am undeniably In love and I am not letting it go. Because there is something about you that makes me feel like I can't live without you. Unless, you don't feel anything for me I will not let this go. My entire life there was something missing. It was like a piece. A piece that changes everything. I thought that love was a fantasy. I thought people just 'get along' or 'are good matches'. But there is so much more than that. Leila, I thought I was missing a star but it turns out I was missing the whole damn sky. Because when I am with you I am not in heaven. I am so much further. And the thought of life without you isn't like hitting the ground 10,000 miles per hour. It's like being thrown down into the flames of hell." He pauses and watches as he stiffens. "I need to know how you feel about me? If you don't feel anything for me then I shall never mention it again, I shall never bother you... but i have to know."

  "What kind of question is that?"

  "It's an easy question, Leila." He sighs, emotionally drained.

  "No, I don't like you." I watch as his expression fills with hurt. "That's the problem, I was stupid and careless. And I screwed up, I went and I fell in love with you, Leonardo." I feel exposed. I feel completely exposed.

  He had me pinned against him in seconds. Our lips found each other and that familiar feeling of ecstasy filled me. I could kiss those lips for eternity. "You have no idea how long I have waited to hear that." He panted. I cannot stop thinking about his lips and it takes all of me to stay in control.

  "But this doesn't change anything." I push his hand off me and step back. He stared at me wide eyed. We are far too sober for mistakes like this.

  "This changes everything." He shakes his head, confused.

  "No, it doesn't." I stopped him and I must put my hand against his chest to stop him from getting any closer. "I am still a," a sorcerer. "Peasant." I finish my sentences bitterly.

  "I don't care where you come from." He snaps, clearly surprised by my comment..

  "Leonardo, you are engaged. You are the future king and you must marry another princess. A noble girl at the least." I roll my eyes. "We can never be together."

  "No, I refuse to believe that." His eyes darken.

  "In best case, I become your mistress. I watch whilst you have a family with Josephine?" I say as I realize the gravity of this situation.

  "No." He tries to stop but I refuse to stop. I really stare at him, I cannot st
and how much I love him.

  "There are laws, the Kingdom, customs, people, rules...they all stop us from being together. Even as much I love you and even as much as I need you, we can never be together, Leonardo. Why can't you see that?"

  "Because I refuse to believe that I can't be with the one person I love. I do not love anyone like you and I refuse to let you go. I refuse to give up. Because nobody in this world makes me feel the way you do. I am not giving up on that. I am not giving up on us."

  "But that doesn't-"

  "I don't care." He cuts me off. " I don't care that you have no title, lands, riches...because you have my heart and I don't want it back." He says with not an ounce of doubt.

  "Leo-"

  "Leila, I know that I can never ask you to wait for me but I will someday be king and then nothing else will matter. If you wait for me, then we can be together. Nothing would stop us."