Utopia: The Rise and Fall of Fahlynn

Chapter III

Sapphire

"They have a really nice rooftop garden, so you can sit and converse with all your little flower friends. Hey, you might get lucky and meet someone else that talks to plants," Jessi said teasing Sapphire. They looked out over the campus at all the activity going on. She couldn't believe so many witches lived in this part of Hamlet.

"You better study and behave yourself while I'm here, Justin Oni," Sapphire said smiling up at him and seeing that weak helpless look in his eyes again. She hated when he looked at her like that. That look is what got her in trouble in the first place and why she was sure Fahlynn would never want to be with her. As if the fact that her father killed his family wasn't enough to scare him away. Somehow she managed to get a Vampire Prince for an ex-boyfriend who happened to still be in love with her.

"I'll study and be a good little boy, promise," he smiled gently caressing the side of her face.

"That's all I ask," she said grabbing his hands and waving her fingers through his. When their eyes connected she tried hard to fight her tears.

He turned and looked out at the horizon "Do you ever wish things could be different. Like...you could be with... me?" he asked never really looking at her.

"I don't know," she sighed, "Sometimes you're really sweet, caring, and well...my friend. Then, there are those other times when you're cold and distant. Or, possessive and self-righteous,"-

"Me, self-righteous, me," he said as she shook her hand in agreement. "Come on," he said making her laugh.

Fahlynn

"Hey buddy, who do you belong to?" Fahlynn asked picking up a little, cream-colored ferret. "Bet your owner's on the roof," he said noticing the garden door was wide open and the hall was dead silent.

He started up the steep stairs to the rooftop garden, "Maybe whoever you belong to is still up here. They're probably going crazy looking for you." He said. Fahlynn couldn't figure why people kept ferrets as pets. Of course they were cute and playful, but their favorite game to play was hide-and-seek. It's in their nature to run off and start trouble, and he could tell this little guy was going to wreak some serious havoc on the school.

"I hope you don't start anymore trouble." He said walking through the green house to the balcony area.

"I do care about you Sappy; you're the most amazing person I've ever met. I wish I really took the time to appreciate you, and show you how much I love you." Fahlynn couldn't see the face of the person talking or who they were talking to. He decided to just wait a moment before going to look for the ferret's owner. "Sappy, just tell me the truth you had feelings for me didn't you?" he asked searching her eyes for truth, as if he needed too. Being a Vampire he had the ability to get the truth from her and always used it against her.

"Jessi, we were never meant to happen and when we did everything got really screwed up. Who knows what's going to happen now that we messed everything up"-

"I don't care about that I want to know if you have feeling for me," Jessi yelled with thunder and lightning in his voice.

"Jessi"-

"No, just tell me," he ordered.

When royalty gives you an order there was no way to refuse, especially if you were a part of their court. "I," Sapphire started.

Fahlynn just continued to watch them in silence. That had to be one cute girl, or an equally desperate guy. It sounded more like an even combination of the two, to Fahlynn. He still couldn't figure out who that guy was even though he looked a little familiar. He kind of looked like a vamp. Tall, tannish/pale, and blonde-he was everything any girl would wish for minus the attitude, but some chicks liked guys like that. However, it seemed like she wasn't falling for his vampire charm. Good for her, Fahlynn thought to himself.

"I'm growing old here," Jessi said holding her waist.

Sapphire froze under his gaze and she swallowed knowing there's no fury like an Oni scorn. "I don't love you," she softly whispered.

"You don't feel anything at all or you don't love me romantically." Jessi asked letting her go.

"Why do you have to know?" she asked frustrated now.

"Don't you see? If you love me Hildegard was wrong and you won't have to die," he said trying to reason with her.

"I don't, I don't feel anything," she cried.

"Even when I do this," he said pulling her by her waist then tilting his head down to kiss her.

Fahlynn caught a glance of the girl and it was like lighting striking him through the heart. She was beautiful. She had soft pink lips and even ebony skin. Then it happened he noticed that she was a vampire. It was too late anyhow, he already feel in love with her. And all in a second he felt the pull of the future on his mind. It felt like a vacuum was sucking out his brains through his ear.

He could see himself walking through the forest with her. "I prejudged you like everyone else did and I'm sorry about that," He said staring into her eyes.

"It's okay," she said looking into his eyes then quickly glancing down at the cold, hard ground.

He picked up her chin and made her met his gaze. "I think I'm falling in love with you," he said then gently kissed her. For a good while she kissed him back then she abruptly pulled away. He just held either side of her face in his strong coarse hands and pulled her in for another kiss.

"Fahlynn you can't love me," she cried, "Imma vampire you're a wizard this story is never a happy one. We can't fall in love," she said with a fierce anger.

That was strange, Fahlynn thought realizing he had enough and headed back down the steps. He looked down at the little ferret that was now sound asleep in his arms. "We can come find her later," he said cradling the ferret inside his jacket.

"Hey, Fahlynn," Toby said once he came into view from the bottom of the stairs. "Harper and Shalimar were just looking for you," Toby said going down the hall.

"If you see them tell 'em I'm going to be in my room," Fahlynn yelled down the hall.

Fahlynn kicked his room door open the rest of the way and pulled out an old shoe box to lay the ferret in. "Golddean you better be nice to our guest," He said to his little sea monkey. Golddean made her way out of the tank she was swimming in and laid her slick, wet body next to Fahlynn. Golddean's golden fur was slick like an otter's, her purple eyes big and cat like. She had a hook on the top of her forehead like an angler fish. Golddean was just like every other sea monkey, but she was special to Fahlynn, like any child to a parent.

"Yo, Fah there's a meeting in the rec room at eight," Shalimar said poking his head into Fahlynn's room.

"Okay, I gotta talk to for a sec," Fahlynn said putting Golddean back in her tank and putting the lad on it.

"Watzup?" Shalimar asked sitting on the other end of the bed.

Sapphire

"We have to go meet my grandma, at the main building," Sapphire said filling the awkward silence that fell upon them. She didn't know what Jessi was expecting. She was fated to be with Fahlynn. No matter how much they wanted things to be different they weren't going to.

"I hope everything works out alright," Jessi said distant and cold yet again. Jessi didn't know how to react to this. Sapphire was perfect and she wanted to die for some i***t she didn't know.

"Why do you act like this every time you don't get your way? It's not fair Jessi," she yelled at him in an icy tone that would have shattered anyone else. She and Jessi were one in the same.

"Look, the only reason I came today was to insure your safety, because you're leaving the Vampire Border and there's no guarantee they'll keep you safe. Frankly, I wish my dad was here to do this," he yelled at her.

"No you don't and you know it. You told me to be honest and I was," she sighed then asked. "If I lied to you just to get out of coming here what would that say about me?"

"Excuse me for feeling a little hurt," Jessi said giving her a hug. "You did kind of just stomped all over my heart if you hadn't noticed."

"Don't do this to me. We both know you just have some sick twisted infatuation with me, and that's not love." Sapphire said trying to put a little space in-between them.

"I love you, I care about you, how can you say I"-

"You don't love me the way you're implying that's what I mean."

"Come on lets go," he said nearly ripping her arm off as he pulled her down the stairway in an angry fit.

Fahlynn

"So you just watched them make-out...What kind of freak are you?" Shalimar asked with a slight look of discuss on his face.

"I told you a lot more than that. Why focus on that?" Fahlynn asked. He was looking for answers to his many questions. Shalimar was supposed to help, not criticize him.

"That's just some freaky ass s**t," Shalimar smiled. He knew Fahlynn was going to like what he had to say, especially if this girl was the mystery vampire.

"Why the f**k did I do this to myself," Fahlynn sighed falling back on the bed. He thought this would be the one time in the world Shalimar helped him. Something was boiling inside of Fahlynn and he didn't know if it was a good or bad thing.

"What, you fall in love with a vamp. Obviously it's been done before, or she wouldn't even be going here." Shalimar said not seeing the urgency.

"What if she's not half vamp?" he asked rhetorically. And of course Shalimar answered him.

"You're the one that falls in love with her, not me," Shalimar said.

"Why the hell do I tell you s**t. It's not like you even try to f*****g help," Fahlynn said.

"Is she hot?" Shalimar asked.

Fahlynn sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. "Yeah," he said picturing her precious face once again. He glanced at Shalimar who was giving him a face, which meant he wanted details. "She has long black hair with blue high lights. The sexiest lips you will ever see in your entire life. They're not too thick or thin. When she smiles her nose wrinkles like she's a little bunny. And her laugh" he chuckled, "Is so contagious it's loud and annoying. Her hips man they just hypnotize you when she...." Fahlynn just stopped.

"Why did you stop once you start saying something I care about?" Shalimar asked.

"I shouldn't know all this stuff about her. She hardly smiled in my vision and I only saw her face. This really can't be happening," Fahlynn said wondering if he had finally gone mad after years of dealing with Shalimar and Harper.

"What if she's the one, your Cupido, your Eros," Shalimar asked with a serious face.

Fahlynn thought about it. From what he knew about supernatural love what he felt fit the description. He knew her inside and out without even talking to her. He had this longing achy feeling in the pit of his stomach that twisted in knots when he thought of her. And he also really wanted to see her again. He couldn't feel like this, not for her. "I don't know her and I don't want to get to know her. After I give her this ferret back I'm never going to see her again," Fahlynn said with a shrug.

"Let me get this straight. You're just going to avoid her, even though you feel like this?" Shalimar asked. Fahlynn shrugged causing Shalimar to laugh at how naive and childish he was being.

"I have to. She's a vamp the gods only know what she's doing here," Fahlynn shrugged putting on his hoodie.

"Fahlynn, when you make this kind of connection with a person there's no running away from it. It's like the fates are always trying to fuse you two together the more you fight it," Shalimar said.

"Now you're some kind of love expert?" Fahlynn asked.

"Yes, yes I am."

Sapphire

"Hey Gran, you've finished signing papers already?" Sapphire said walking up behind her grandmother and giving her a hug.

"Yes I did. And what happened to Jestin?" Gran asked.

"Gran, you know Jessi. That's just him doing what he does best. He's just trying to work everyone's nerves" Sapphire said trying to reassure here grandma.

"I hope you truly enjoy this," Gran said holding Sapphire tight.

"Gran," Sapphire said looking up at her grandma, "I love you and I"-

"Sweetness I'm your grandma. I would have taken care of you if your momma was here or not," she said pushing her away and looking her straight in her eyes. "Sapphire you don't have to thank anyone for loving you. All you have to do is love them back." She said bestowing her profound wisdom on Sapphire once again.

"I do love you Gran, more than I've ever loved anyone in my whole life." She cried squeezing her grandmother. Her tears trickled down her check, and it was so cold she was sure they'd turn to icicles.

"Stop crying before you get me started," Gran said making them both laugh. "You've got to be on your best behavior here because the Union will be quick to have you thrown out."

"Yes Gran...I'll miss you, and Allen," she said with a laugh.

"I'm sure your poor uncle will miss you too"-

"And Gran can you keep an eye on Demetri who knows what Allen and Jessi have planned."

"I will, but you'll be back before you know it," Gran said hugging her, "Well visit when we can so stop worrying." She said calming Sapphire.

"I know," she said on a light sigh, "It's just, we've never been so far apart for so long," She shrugged picking at her fingers.

"If you don't calm down you won't have any fingers to pick," her Gran said making her laugh.

"I will." She said putting her hands in her pocket.

"Everything will be okay," Her Gran said hugging her as tight as she could.

Fahlynn

"Where'd you get this cutie from?" Lotus asked taking the ferret out of the box and gently stroking it.

"I found him in the hall before the meeting and I'm waiting for his owner," Fahlynn said then yawned.

"How long have you been out here?" Lotus asked pushing him over and setting on the bench.

"A few hours," He said then led his head on her shoulder.

"Do you know her name? Maybe she's in her room unpacking or something," She asked but he just sat there for a moment just being still.

"I just know what she looks like," he said glaring at the dorm building.

"Well, what does she look like?" Lotus asked laughing at how strange he was acting.

"She's tall, Black hair with blue highlights," he let out a sigh of frustration, "She just looks like a Vampire okay," He said.

"She looked like a Vamp," Lotus said then nervously laughed.

"You laughed," Fahlynn said sitting up and looking at her for the first time since she got there.

"I was laughing at how weird you're being. Since you read that article you've been acting creepy," She said laughing again.

"You're lying. You only laugh like that when you're hiding something. So, the question is what,"- just when he was about to ask her what was she hiding he got the sudden urge to turn around. He saw Sapphire standing right across the field freezing cold in the brisk fall breeze. That Jessi guy was with her which made Fahlynn increasingly jealous. He couldn't quite put his finger on why, but something about watching Jessi hold Sapphire made his blood boil.

"Are you okay, what's going on?" Lotus asked looking from Fahlynn to the pair across the lawn.

"Hunh, nothing," Fahlynn said looking down at the ferret.

"Well aren't you going to give her the ferret back?" Lotus asked.

"Um, yeah come on," he said walking over to Sapphire.

"Hi, I'm Lotus, and this is my cousin Fahlynn. Does this ferret belong to you?" she asked taking the ferret out the box.

"Thank you, yes," She said taking him from Lotus and putting him in her jacket to keep warm.

"I thought Skimpier was in the carrier already?" Gran asked her.

"Well Gran I couldn't split them up, or choose who to take. They're twins separating them is just cruel," Sapphire said making her Gran laugh.

"Take this and I'll take that and I'll take them," Gran said giving Sapphire a Phoenix egg.

"But Gran it takes forever for them to hatch," Sapphire moaned.

"Next time you'll take one or none then," her grandmother said. "I left a gift for you in the room. I hope you have fun and I'll call you every day," she said and hugged her.

"Okay Gran I love you."

"I know me too." her Gran said allowing her to say good-bye to Jessi.

"I'll see you soon," Jessi said smiling at her.

"Bye," she said giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"I love you, and I'll miss you," He whispered staring at Fahlynn over her shoulder as he hugged her.

"Me too, bye." She said waving as they left.

"Is this your first time in Hamlet?" Lotus asked her.

"Umm, yeah my Gran is a healer in Summerland. She's going back for a little while then she's moving here," Sapphire said starring at Fahlynn who was starring at her.

"So was that your boyfriend he's pretty cute," Lotus said and Fahlynn glared at her. "Or not," she said looking at him like he was crazy.

Sapphire shook her head no, "Did you say your name was Lotus?" She asked.

"Yes I'm Lotus Sycamore." she smiled at her.

"Oh, I'm your roommate Sapphire my sister's up stirs already." she said shaking Lotus' hand.

"Oh, this is my cousin Fahlynn," Lotus said. Then, she kicked Fahlynn in the back of his leg. He reluctantly put his hand out to shake Sapphire's.

When their hands met all he wanted to do was pull her closer and kiss her. He knew she wouldn't have mind if he did. The longer they stood next to each other the more he thought about it. She was so beautiful. She couldn't be what he thought she was. Well, he knew what she was and he had to deal with it.

"I should go unpack, bye," She said practically running away from Fahlynn.

"She really likes you," Lotus teased smiling like a Chester cat.

"I don't care she's a vampire and I'm going to stay away from her. Watch your back," Fahlynn said walking back to his room.

Sapphire

"Hey it took you long enough to get here," Solé said waiting by the door.

"I'm sorry I got side tracked," she said then laughed to herself.

"Hey Sapphire," Lotus called after her.

"Hi, Lotus this is my sister Solé, Solé this is Lotus our roommate and she's Fahlynn's cousin," she said.

"She's really pretty so Fahlynn must be cute," Solé smiled as they entered the lovely apartment.

"We could redecorate if you two don't like it," Lotus offered.

"No, I love it, it's beautiful," she said looking at the cream and brown living and dinning area.

"So, did you met him?" Solé asked sitting at the kitchen counter with Lotus.

"Yeah," Sapphire said softly and blushed.

Lotus and Solé glanced at each other for a second, "So you do like him?" Lotus asked with a smile in her voice.

"I don't know it's hard to explain. It feels like I love him but I shouldn't," she sighed "This doesn't really make sense does it?"

"I have a cupere too his name is Shalimar his family is full of prophets, anyway when it first happened he had a girlfriend he really thought he loved and my dad didn't like him at all. We tried avoiding each other but the harder we tried the more we kept bumping into each other. If this is meant to be fate will draw you two together," Lotus said.

"The Cupido is a two part spell with a spiritual bounding the Cupido and the physical desire the Eros right?" Solé asked.

"Yeah the Eros isn't really that strong until you both kiss then it's really hard to avoid each other and all you do is thinking about the person constantly. It's really annoying at first if you try to fight it." Lotus said.

"It feels a little...I dunno fake" Sapphire said.

"Fahlynn can be stubborn as a mule, but under all that is a really great person," Lotus said, "You're feelings are probably obscure because his are too. He just needs to get to know you."

"I know about his parents and what Normid did to your family and I understand why he feels the way he does about vampires"-

"He shouldn't be like that towards you. He really likes you, he's just too afraid to. Even though, you were a baby and had nothing to do with the war. After all, Normid was a full wizard not an ounce of vampire in him," Lotus said trying to comfort Sapphire.

"You don't have to justify anything the vampires did they knew the kind of man Normid was. He's cruel and heartless. There's only one thing in the world that man loves and it's power." Sapphire said slumming over to the couch and plopping down on it.

"Sapphire, you're not the one that decided to hide him. Their failures don't define you. What you are, and what you're known for is what you make it, no one else," Lotus said sitting next to Sapphire and giving her a hug.

"Thanks Lotus, Fahlynn's really lucky to have someone like you in his life," she said squeezing Lotus.

"He's gonna be really lucky when he gets a hold of you," Lotus said with a hopeful smile.

Fahlynn

"I don't get this we talked for like a second and I don't want anything to do with her you're wrong about this Mar we're not soul mates," Fahlynn said getting a beer from the fridge. "I'm not in love with her she's a vamp, it's all aesthetics."

"If you don't want her I'll take her off your hands," Harper said taking a swig of bourbon.

"Shut up Harper he's just in denial," Shalimar said then he looked over at Fahlynn, "Look Fah, after a while you won't feel like you have to avoid her. No one has ever stopped loving their cupere that's why it means to desire. You'll always want her."

That wasn't an option for Fahlynn. He was still filled with hatred for vampire, they allowed Normid to hide in their village after he killed Fahlynn's parents. No one has seen Normid since that day. Fahlynn always hoped he was dead, but something told him that wasn't true.

"She's not my cupere I don't want her," Fahlynn said trying to convince himself that was the truth. He couldn't want her. If Sapphire was his cupere he'd love her forever no matter how much he didn't want to. They'd be bound to love each other. It started with a longing here, a kiss there, and then it's like you're one with the other person. Their needs are your needs, and their wants become your wants. The only thing that matters to cuperes was the needs of the person they loved. Cupido is a type of magic that's created without the two people knowing. Their spirits just connect on a cosmic level and develop an unbreakable bound. In Utopia Love Magic was banned because of its power and Cupido was the purest form of Love Magic that's uncontrollable. It's unvarnished and ever flowing like a steady river feed by an underground oasis. Now Fahlynn and Sapphire were sure to drown in it, or each other.

"Fahlynn if you feel like this just imagine how she feels," Harper said trying to help.

"She doesn't want to be with me," Fahlynn yelled. He remembered the look in her eyes right before she ran away from him. The fact that they felt so strongly about each other terrified her.

"You don't sound too happy about that,"-

"Yeah and you did say you were about to punch her boyfriend."-

"He's not her boyfriend," Fahlynn yelled. He knew why that made him so mad, but he wasn't going to admit it to himself anytime soon.

"Yeah man, you got it bad," Shalimar said laughing with Harper.