Found within secrets

Chapter 4

"Uhuh, coughs, so?"

Both of them look at each other and then back at the emperor.

"Pray, whose grand idea was it to set traps of fireworks in the damn kitchen?"

Both of them dramatically and hastily point fingers at each other.

"What the...! It wasn't me; it was her doing!"

"Hey, don't bullshit me. You thought you could get out of this one."

"You're acting like this whole thing was entirely my doing."

"Yeah, you're right. Sometimes I close my eyes so you might seem less dumb, but for once, I don't have to."

"Why do you always manage to insult me?" (The emperor is eating popcorn at this point, lol.)

"Son, I have to admit, your mother and I should have switched positions because how could you come clean so easily?"

"My father did not just say that." Poor guy looks mortified by what his father just said.

Anyway, this is fun. Augustus's father feels like my favorite uncle, even though we both always get scolded by him. Leonardo and I had to spend the rest of our day cleaning the kitchen. Why did we take the whole day? Well, we certainly did not have duels with the brooms, and of course, dancing like morons was something we certainly did not do. At the end of the day, we were kicked out and given some desserts for our cough hard cough work.

Leonardo's POV:

"What a long day, was it not, Parsha?" Look at her, looking all so serious.

"Damn, is there a fly somewhere? I swear I just heard it buzz." Gosh, her and her insults. She seriously needs to go hit her head real hard because not even a doctor can fix that pretty little head of hers.

"Look, that cloud looks like you, Parsha."

"It looks like a monkey."

"Exactly." I can't help but smirk when she gives me that look of annoyance. Her beautiful, silky dark chocolate hair complements her dark, crystal-like blue eyes. Pfft, and that one stripe of white hair from the top-front that flows down to her hips, joining her brown locks, really keeps catching my eye.

"Leonardo..." For some reason, my heart just sank when she said my name. What do I do? She is looking at me. I'm nervous. Do I say yes? Do I joke? Do I run around? Oh my, the sound of my name leaving her lips makes my mouth go dry and my feet itchy. Okay, let's just say yes.

"Look who finally grew balls to say my name, hehe." Why am I so dumb?

"I have balls. They're inside of me." What the actual F did she just say?

"You're weird. Do you know that?"

"Leonardo." Why do I want to avoid what she's about to utter? Why is she laying down on the grass? Should I perhaps join her?

"Have you ever felt like you are stuck in a dream?" What an odd question.

"If I was stuck in a dream, I would wish to never leave it." Because you are here right next to me.

"I don't. Rather, to be more precise, sometimes I wish for death because just what if, what if what I'm looking for lies beyond the very existence of life." Tell me, Mariana, why do you have such thoughts? It hurts my heart to think you wish for death.

"What is it that you seek, Parsha?"

"Freedom." Right, I forgot. If there is one thing about Mariana, it is that in everything she does, she wishes to feel just a little sense of freedom. Her life...

"My very life feels like a prison, Leonardo." I have no words for you.

"The only time I feel a little sense of freedom is when I am with you, for I don't have to pretend. I don't need to hide, nor do I have to lie, manipulate, or keep silent." Do you even really trust me, Parsha?

"Leonardo, you are the very sun I need. Since this sunflower only follows the sun, don't ever be the reason why I'd be the first sunflower with thorns."I will never be the reason for your thorns, but perhaps you will be the reason that this sun bleeds.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?"

"Indeed I do. Shall we head in, Augustus?"

Dinner was absolute as always. It was worth the time having dinner with her, Father, and Mother, but our conversation still weighs on my heart. I do not understand why she carries so much sorrow. She is intelligent, quick-witted, and strong-willed, so why does she still feel the need to protect herself when I am clearly right here, ready to slay whatever wants to bring harm to her? Sighs Mariana, my Mariana, why do you lock yourself up, even from me? Do you really hate the idea of marriage with me so much? Do you even trust me, Mariana? How I wish I knew what was going on in that head of yours. For now, I'll let you be, but remember one thing, Parsha: you are not my moon, but you are my sunflower, the very flower that belongs to the sun. You are my soulmate; you just don't know it yet.

Mariana's POV:

Sigh What a long day. I've missed my bed so much. I wonder, did I accidentally scare him off with our conversation? It looked like he wanted to avoid whatever I was about to utter. But I trust him more than anyone and felt I could share it with him. Besides, he is my only friend and the only one who has never judged me. How come he looked at me with such eyes? His soft, ocean-green eyes stared at me with so much... sadness.

Knock, knock.

"Come on in... Oh, it is you."