Sleight of Heart

I.

Sophia Loren was alone in her room, gazing into the mirror. She had been adept at hiding her feelings for so long, but now, the mirror reflected a face far from emotionless. Her stoic facade had been torn down in the aftermath of the torrent of emotions that swept her when she met a particularly familiar man at Verde Antique. She noticed the incredible swiftness of his hands, the same ones she held ages ago, perfectly enshrouding the secrets of his trade, as well as the depth of his mysterious green eyes that freed the chains of her cautious heart; indeed, he was, unmistakably, the love of her life. She reached out for a tiny music box embellished with rhinestones and fake gold. As she lifted the lid of the music box, a familiar tune struck her− one that she knew by heart since she was still a young maiden.

“Turn a blind eye to the Pandora’s box you know, and stray from the path of the fallen…”

She had deliberately left that music box unopened for two decades or so. It was damaged, a dent marring its otherwise perfect appearance, but that important remnant was more than just an ornamental piece among the many others that adorned her lavishly bedecked room. It was brimming with memories, emotion and most importantly, passion− things which truly made her alive at one point in her life. Nonetheless, for many years, she chose to contain all her sentiments in that tiny box and leave it at just that. It was only at this moment that she attempted to approach the door and delve into the unknown, silently hoping that maybe, just maybe, the past and the present could converge in a fantasy world that she created for herself.

“A dangerous fate is what you desire, my lady. Be careful what you wish for.”

Her lament was suddenly disrupted by three distinct knocks on the door. “Open,” she weakly gave her assent. A large lady quickly rushed in, seemingly running out of breath. “Bonjour, Madamoiselle! Has it already come to your knowledge that our dear Valencia had eloped with Ricardo? Goodness gracious! How could our fine, well-mannered girl be deceived by this not-so-fine idiot!” The vivacity of the voice, even in the most unfortunate situations, immediately gave it away. It was Dolores, clad in her usual striped coat and elaborate headdress almost fit for a rooster. Sophia removed imaginary lint in her dress and cleared her throat. “Yes, Dolores, I heard it from Monsieur Castro. An inauspicious event, indeed.”

It might seem as though the tacky fashion of the stout servant is in striking contrast to the understated elegance of the young lady, who, even in this night of distress, looked absolutely prim and proper. Yet, Dolores was the closest thing to a friend to Sophia Loren, who, in painful confinement in a house she neither wanted nor enjoyed to be in, longed for company. Dolores cupped her mouth with hand and reached for the shoulder of the lady with the other, as she moved toward Sophia Loren. “Oh my, I am afraid my insolence has gotten too far tonight, my lady. I am inconsiderate and loud and everything you abhor, I am deeply sorry! You seem to be not too well, tonight. What is wrong? Should I get you a cup of tea? Wait a second, Madamoiselle”!

That night was a cold night. Dolores came back with two sheets of knitted blankets straight from the common closet and a cup of tea, as expected. “I’m afraid the baron won’t be here tonight. He had some things to attend to− ah, that busy man! But, don’t you worry, the man you long for shall be here tomorrow morning. And, by the way, I thought that you should know. The baron sent his regards to you before leaving.”

“The dawn and the light, setting the stage for what is right…”

With that, Sophia Loren slumped onto the spacious white bed. Dolores very well knew that the absence of the baron was not a major cause of worry for Sophia Loren, and Sophia Loren very well knew that Dolores knew this. Still, each maintained careful use of the language to avoid any awkward or embarrassing situation between them.

The baron was never really a real husband to Sophia Loren. He left the house when he felt like it and never allowed her into any part of his life. It was primarily a marriage on paper, except during those nights when the baron felt like releasing his passion. Sophia Loren was clearly dissatisfied, but that, she never let anyone know, not even her sole female friend in the house. But Dolores, secretly, knew her story.

Dolores left the room within a cunning smile. Once again, the image of the magician surfaced into Sophia Loren’s mind. Yes, he was a magician, a magician who revealed to her the magic of a thing called love. With all her might, she tried to shrug this feeling off and prepare for her nightly duties instead of letting this futile hope consume her thoughts. However, her bottled feelings, shaken by the chance encounter, shattered the walls of her resolve. Her eyes glistened with tears and she let out a sudden cry. She whimpered with pain and, finally, unable to bear it any longer, succumbed to the yearning and sorrow that threatened to overcome her very being, sobbing by the corner of the bed. It was only a matter of time before her body succumbed to physical and mental exhaustion and so, within a few moments, Sophia Loren fell in a deep slumber.

II.

Venice was an important center of trade and commerce in 16th century Italy; traditionally, merchants came together at this place twice a year to exchange luxurious cloths, handicrafts and several important goods. Little did she know that it was there that she would meet a young man who would change her life− Altheus, the son of one of the city’s prominent merchants.

Altheus was a shrewd and particularly clever gentleman for his age. While other teenage boys had been indulging themselves in racy comics and other inane diversions, he had been reading up on card tricks, optical illusions and other things often associated with magic. It would be safe to say that he has always been fascinated by the mysterious workings of the mind− the different ways through which men perceive reality. At an early age, he has set upon his heart a worthy, albeit seemingly unreachable, goal − to be the greatest magician the whole world had ever known.

However, Altheus’ ambition was quelled by the presence of his father. Like other parents at that time, he held the lock and key to Altheus’ future, keeping his son under the rule of an iron fist, always discussing his own plans for his son, but never allowing Altheus a say in the matter. It wasn’t long before he discovered Altheus’ secret passion, whence he set about doing all he could to deter his son from his ludicrous career choice. More than once, he attempted to throw away the improvised black cape of Altheus, as well as some of his other so-called ghastly things related to magic. Much to his dismay of his father, these things never failed to reappear in Altheus’ dresser, like magic.

With no clear end to the problem in sight, an idea suddenly struck Altheus’ father. Instead of taking his frustration out on his son, he thought that he would much rather take a different route. What better way to introduce his son to his future profession than to expose him to the field itself? And so, one day, he decided to take his son to the port with him as an apprentice.

Sophia Loren, on the other hand, was set to leave the country on that fated day. If it were not for her awfully preoccupied uncle who had some unfinished business to settle, she should have left the port at exactly four hours ago. As a girl who struggled in keeping herself on her toes since childhood, Sophia Loren decided to look around despite the clear instructions of his uncle to stay put while waiting at a brown bench where he left her. She walked around, seeing before her very eyes the majesty and sheer number of gigantic ships that she only knew about through her uncle’s stories before. As her eyes feasted on new and wonderful sights, she saw by the corner of her eye a boy about her age, shuffling an obviously worn-out deck of cards near a black post. She stared curiously at this boy, dignified with his bright-colored coat and long-tipped shoes. “What is this boy doing, sulking by the corner of a busy port?” she thought to herself. She got almost too carried away with her thought that her heart almost skipped a beat when something fascinating happened− the boy’s mysterious green eyes met her hazel eyes and a moment of understanding sparked in the hearts of these two young strangers.

“It is my sincerest hope that our deal be sealed as soon as possible."

“Rest assured, comrade, that minor inconveniences on your part shall not be in vain. I shall meet important contacts on the port today so I can obtain the products that you particularly specified. What do you say about meeting tomorrow for the final plan?”

“Your proposition seems to be pretty good. Drop by my abode tomorrow in Valle Verde, and let us finalize our plans once and for all.

The children of the two men were of course, Altheus and Sophia Loren. The boy and the girl met each other at the house of Sophia Loren the following day and a beautiful love blossomed out of nowhere, only to be destroyed by cruel fate. As a storm assaulted the mellow workings of two young hearts, so had robbers assaulted every chance of them being together. Sophia Loren and Altheus were separated and things were never the same again.

III.

The morning was bright and the lovely chirping sounds of birds greeted Sophia Loren as she raised both of her arms into the air to mark the start of the day. She quickly got up, straightened the creases of her clothes, and noticed that she was still wearing the same dress as when she attended the event at Verde Antique. Her false sense of serenity was once again betrayed as the previous night’s thoughts rushed into her mind.

She grabbed her tiny beige purse and her tiny, frail hands turned silently turned the knob in her wooden door. And just then, something peculiar and totally unconceivable happened. With her entire body electrified and her face frozen in time, her lovely brown eyes met the piercing gaze of a man.

“I believe you were expecting me.”

He was carrying a music box.