Chapter 11: Clockwork
The hands on the grandfather clock moved slower than real time, at least in Sophie's head. The ticks hit harder each time, cracking her heart a bit further as the strength she once had gradually diminished.
Sophie turned to the mirror before her, trembling at her reflection. It wasn't the bags under her eyes from lack of sleep or the unkempt mess of hair that frightened her, but the chaste, extravagant wedding dress that Suliman displayed.
"My, my, won't you look beautiful in this?" Suliman said. Sophie frowned at her taunting behavior. She had awoken to a loud crowd of hairstylists, makeup artists, tailors, and of course Suliman's henchman allowing them entrance. She ordered the professionals to prepare Sophie with haste. She wanted this wedding finalized before anyone had the chance to stop it.
Suliman held Sophie's chin, staring down at her. "You will be a perfect bride."
Sophie shoved her arm away and walked toward the glass doors. Her heart raced after hearing the word 'bride', pounding against her ribcage with great force. She hardly envisioned a wedding with Howl – now she was living one with Justin.
"You'll have to accept it by now, dear." Suliman walked toward Sophie and rested her hands on her shoulders. "The clock's ticking and it doesn't seem to be in your favor."
Sophie lowered her shoulders to break away from Suliman's touch. She wouldn't allow her to mess with her mind. "I've already agreed to this marriage. I've given up my life to do your bidding. Why must you continue to taunt me?"
Suliman wore a crooked smile and cupped Sophie's cheek with one hand. "I just enjoy winning, that's all."
Sophie let out a long exhale. She knew exactly what she was getting into. She knew that Howl's safety was the most important – the constant jabs from Suliman weren't making the situation any better, though.
Suliman spoke to the group of people chatting behind her. "You all have until midday to make her beautiful." She turned back, lowering her chin as her eyes stayed locked on Sophie's. "Transform her into the girl everyone either wishes to be, or wishes to have."
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On the first floor of the Palace, three young women worked in the bustling kitchen. They stood in a row along the counter, each with a fat piece of dough in their grips. While the chefs prepared the menu for the upcoming royal wedding feast, these women pounded their hands into the firm dough, kneading constantly until it kept its shape.
All three were more than aware of the truth behind this wedding. It paid to be the maids of Kingsbury's Royal Palace, as they were like spies for the mainstream gossip.
"Poor girl." One of them said, "I wouldn't know what I would do if Madame Suliman set me up like that."
"Don't say her name!" Another whispered. "She has eyes and ears all over this place. Do you want to get in trouble?"
"No, but it's the truth. She's so brave to go through with it for the man she really loves."
The two women looked over to the third, who quietly smashed the dough against the counter with fuming vigor. She kept her concentration on work rather than their small talk, especially if they were going to talk about this ridiculous wedding.
"Gwenda, are you okay?" The woman looked up at the sound of her name, her coworkers staring at her with worry. "You look a little out of it."
"Oh, I'm fine, Beth." Gwenda said, returning to the dough. "Don't worry about me."
"Are you sure?" Beth placed one hand on the counter and the other on Gwenda's shoulder. "We know you had feelings for the Prince. Is that what's making you upset?"
Gwenda clenched her jaw; those memories were not so far in the past. Nevertheless, she masked her sadness with a casual, sarcastic comment - same as she always did. "Could you even call it feelings? It's not like I was in love."
They were not easily fooled. For months, they had watched how Gwenda always attended to Prince Justin, doing whatever he requested in the hopes that he would notice her. Even though Justin made her his personal servant and quite often used her feelings for his own entertainment, it was highly unlikely that someone of his stature would date - let alone wed - a lowly servant.
"Gwenda–"
"I don't, Mari." Gwenda forced the ends of her mouth upward, hoping her friends would stop questioning her if she brushed it off as nothing. "It was an immature, silly crush. I didn't expect anything to happen. Honest."
Gwenda sprinkled more flour over the dough and continued working, though Beth and Mari were certain something was troubling their friend. They watched as she beat the dough, using more of her fist than her palm.
The chamberlain, Miss Dafina, propelled the kitchen door open, startling the three girls. They dropped the pieces of dough on the counter and bowed their heads, acknowledging her presence. Miss Dafina waltzed through the kitchen, her hands firm on her hips and her chin held high in the air.
She stopped in front of the counter, observing each of the girls. Mari cleared her throat before speaking. "Good morning, Miss Dafina. How may we assist you?"
The chamberlain narrowed her eyes on Mari. "We are understaffed upstairs in the dressing room for the Prince's bride. We require one other to be the bride's personal attendant. You will attend to her every need until the wedding is complete. Any takers?"
"I will." Beth and Mari turned to Gwenda, whose eyes stared directly at Miss Dafina. The chamberlain smiled and waved the girl over, Gwenda immediately leaving her post to follow her superior.
"Very well then." Miss Dafina said. "Follow me to her chambers."
Gwenda took one look behind her and waved goodbye to her friends. Both were shocked at her abrupt decision, but Gwenda wasn't. She had more reasons than a petty crush on the Prince to end this wedding. And if she had any chance of stopping it, she needed to be as close to the source as possible.
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A dark-feathered raven perched himself on the height of the Palace gate. He cawed loudly, shocking a couple of the guards near him. The raven watched as they struggled to catch their breath, much to his own enjoyment. Howl enjoyed messing with people, especially those involved with the royal family.
Howl flew toward the grand entrance, passing row after row of guards, each standing in the same position wearing the same uniform with the same blank visage. Suliman knew how to secure this place, but she couldn't keep Howl from breaking and entering. He was more determined than Suliman was clever.
He noticed a balcony with its doors open wide and flew toward it. It was strangely effortless to waltz right into Suliman's precious Palace. Once inside, Howl perched on the fireplace mantel, his claws scratching the smooth wood. He was alone, though there was distinct evidence that someone lived here. An unmade bed, a chandelier light still glowing, and a fire crackling underneath, the molten ashes hanging on to their last specks of life.
As Howl was about to return to his original form, he heard footsteps walking through the hallway. When the doors opened, Howl instead transformed into a fly. His small, buzzing body flew around the room in a dizzy state of mind.
Howl wished he had thought of a better insect than one that sees hundreds of copies of one image, but he didn't want Justin to question why a random insect appeared in his room out of thin air.
Howl flew around the room until the fireplace mantel was somewhat in sight again. He landed on the dark wood and searched for the blonde-haired Prince. He walked toward the bed and sat at the edge, a peculiar smile fixed on his face. He adjusted the cufflinks on his arms while also balancing his cane against one leg. His black and white traditional tuxedo was different from the obscene yellow he normally wore, which utterly confused Howl.
"Well, well, well." Justin whispered quietly, barely audible to Howl's petite size. "After all... time... finally won... heart..."
Howl flew off the mantel and landed next to Justin's feet, hoping to hear him more clearly. Rather, Justin stood up and walked toward the fireplace, adding another log to keep the small fire burning. He breathed a sigh of relief, his posture as straight as the cane he held as his crutch. Howl couldn't see if Justin was mumbling under his breath, and he certainly couldn't hear from where he rested.
Howl flew to the side of Justin's face, catching one small phrase. "Valiant effort, Howl."
In a flash, Howl flew out of the room and into the main hallway, transforming immediately into his human form. He breathed heavily and leaned against the wall, his hands resting on his knees. He didn't understand what Justin meant by 'valiant effort' or the words he had spoken before, but he was more than certain it had something to do with Sophie.
Howl predicted that Justin was working with Suliman, and maybe that was what he meant. Maybe Justin helped Suliman kidnap Sophie; maybe that was his reason for the multiple proposes. Even Lettie could have been in on this extreme plot, all so Suliman could get her hands on the person Howl cared deepest about.
Howl growled and gritted his teeth. He refused to let Suliman win; he wouldn't let her take the love of his life like she was some kind of pawn in her twisted games. If she wanted a rematch with him, all she had to do was ask.
Howl ran through the halls like a lightning strike, zooming past clueless employees and guards. His speed was so blistering that their only concern was how a strong breeze gusted through the halls. Every second he wasted was another Sophie spent tortured by Suliman's control. Howl couldn't lose Sophie; he let her go once before, and he wasn't going to stop searching for her until she accepted his apology for that.
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Sophie lay on the bed, staring at the bright chandelier above. She kept shaking her head, thinking there was something she had missed. She stayed hopeful on the idea that there was a way out of this where Howl could be safe and she could avoid this marriage, but her mind only wrapped around what Suliman would do if she broke their contract.
Sophie sighed and dropped a pillow over her face. Suliman was always two steps ahead of her, ahead of anyone she faced. She called the bright, novice magicians to be apprentices, all the while knowing she would use their magic in the future for evil and war; she pretended to be her sister knowing Sophie would tell Lettie anything; she even knew that Sophie was in love with Howl before she could admit it.
Sophie sat up and rested the pillow in her lap. The last time she saw Howl, she yelled at him and stormed out. She barely gave him any time to explain his reasons. Though at the time she was too infuriated to care, Sophie wished she had listened to him.
Most of the time, Howl knew what was best. He was her protector, as she was his. They worked together and in the end, things worked out. Things always worked out. Now that she had gone solo, she worried that this was something not even Howl could fix.
Sophie heard a light knock on the door and darted her eyes to the entrance. The two guards posted outside opened the doors and someone entered. She was a young woman, possibly a little older than Sophie, who strangely reminded her of Lettie.
The woman's blonde hair, while restricted to a heavy, single braid, reached down to the middle of her back. It was only the hair and the eyes, Sophie thought, that matched her preppy sister. This woman's head was bowed down as she walked in, yet Sophie still had to crane her neck up in order to look at her. She was unusually tall.
"Hello." The woman whispered. "I am to be your personal attendant. My job is to aid you throughout the day until the wedding proceeds to make you feel more comfortable."
Sophie blinked rapidly, a mixture of confusion and caution curdling inside of her. She didn't think Suliman would be so kind as to send over a personal assistant. The other stylists and artists who were designated to beautify her appearance left moments after Suliman to retrieve their supplies, which finally gave her some time alone.
However, she wondered if this woman could help her in more ways than just making her feel comfortable.
"Oh, well thank you." Sophie said as the guards began closing the doors. "There's nothing I really need at the moment, but I–"
Before Sophie could finish, the woman shushed her. "I'm not here to help you get married. Not to that lowlife."
Sophie took a step back as she processed the different personas of this woman. When she first entered, she was quiet and had a proper, timid demeanor. Once those doors were shut to Suliman's guards, the woman had completely transformed into a more confident - and slightly frightening - person.
The woman sighed. "I'm sorry to be so harsh."
Sophie shook her head. "No, don't be. Justin is probably as worse as they come. I wish I had realized that sooner."
The woman chuckled. "You and me both, trust me." She walked toward the glass door and stared out. "It's funny. You can stare out these windows and see from the Palace grounds to the Wastes, yet everyone who comes here is stuck for life."
Sophie gulped. "May I ask who you are and why you're helping me?"
"Gwendolyn. But I prefer Gwenda." She turned on her heels and crossed her arms. "And Justin deserves to be punished."
Sophie widened her eyes, yet she couldn't help but smile at the same time. She feared she was the only one trapped in the Palace and the only one with a vendetta against Prince Justin. It was nice knowing she wasn't alone in her thoughts.
Sophie sat on the edge of the bed. "So, what do you have against him?"
Gwenda took a few steps toward the fireplace, her index finger tapping the wooden mantle at the speed of a racing heartbeat. She bobbed her head to the side, biting down on her lower lip. She contemplated whether or not she should tell Sophie everything or just the obvious.
Gwenda planted her feet on the plush carpet - no turning back now. "Well, my history with the Prince is a bit complicated, but that's more because... um, well, I knew Lettie."
Sophie's face dropped. "What? You knew my sister? When did you... how did you know who I was?"
"We were close. Lettie was my best friend, actually. She talked about you all the time." Gwenda said with a smile. "I worked at the bakery until I came here about six months ago. She would visit me quite often, and honestly I wish she hadn't. If I had stayed at the bakery, she never would have met Justin and none of this would have happened."
"Wait..." Sophie said, "So she actually had a relationship with Justin?"
Gwenda nodded. Sophie folded her hands in her lap and slumped her head. Lettie really was in love with Justin, or at least had feelings for him. Her sister was growing up, learning to love and not knowing the difference between true love and someone taking advantage of her.
And her own sister failed to guide her.
Sophie furrowed her brows. "That's how Suliman got to her. She had Justin pretend to love my sister so she could get to me and Howl."
Gwenda took a step back. "The wizard, Howl?" Sophie nodded. Gwenda sighed and shook her head. "Lettie never mentioned that."
Sophie lowered her gaze. "I never told her. I knew she would hate me for it."
"She's your sister; she could never hate you." Gwenda touched Sophie's shoulder, forcing her to look up. "I have a sister of my own, and no matter what I've done or she's done, we could never hate each other."
Sophie curled the side of her lip. "Do you still talk to your sister?"
"No." Gwenda said emotionlessly. "She met some wizard, like you did, and ran off with him. Just like that. I haven't seen either of them since."
Sophie nodded. Gwenda didn't seem willing to share more than that, so she immediately reverted back to helping Sophie escape.
"The last thing your sister told me was to keep you safe." Gwenda said. "Lettie knew more about the drama in this castle than I did. Somehow, she picked up on Suliman's schemes and how you were involved. When I found out that you were the bride in this wedding, I knew this is what Lettie meant."
Sophie's lips trembled at the thought. Even in death, Lettie was still looking out for her.
Gwenda walked and talked with the motions of her hands. "You're guarded on every side of the Palace. Suliman has her lackeys posted outside your doors, the windows, and every exit from here to the end of the royal city. The farthest you would get alone is barely the border between Kingsbury and Market Chipping."
"Is it even worth it if there's a greater chance I won't get out?" Sophie asked. "I'd rather let Suliman get her way and keep Howl safe. If I try leaving, she'll still force me to marry Justin and Howl will be punished severely."
"You won't be alone, though." Gwenda said. "Howl is a powerful wizard. Probably the most powerful in Ingary. He's the one wizard I can think of who has the ability and strength to defeat her."
"But if he finds out about this wedding-" Sophie stopped herself. She didn't want to think about Howl's reaction. The mere thought of Howl watching her when she has to say 'I do' to Justin would tear her apart, body and soul.
"You can't hide this from him forever." Gwenda said.
Sophie shook her head. "I can't tell him."
"Yes, you can."
"No..."
"Sophie, you don't have time to argue. You need to tell him before it's too late."
"I can't!"
"Why not?"
"Because I'm scared of him!" Sophie jolted up and stood with trembling fingers. Gwenda widened her eyes and backed away a few steps. Sophie shivered and rubbed her hands up and down her arms.
Gwenda cleared her throat. "You're scared of the man you love?"
Sophie tightened her eyes shut. "I am afraid of Howl. I'm afraid of what he'll say and how he'll react and what he'll think of me..." Sophie released the tension in her legs and curled up at the foot of the bed. Howl, though she loved him more than anyone, was unpredictable. And that frightened Sophie more than anything. "I'm afraid he'll become the monster he's worked so hard to push away."
Gwenda knelt down next to Sophie. "He's going to find out eventually. Wouldn't it be better if he knew beforehand and was able to stop the wedding?"
Sophie bit her lip and lowered her gaze. She didn't know how Howl would react if he knew the truth. His emotions ran in both directions nowadays. There was a possibility that he would see beyond her betrayal and save her, or he could be so heartbroken that Suliman would win her conquest. Either way, Howl would never trust her again.
Every time Howl left for his missions, not telling her where he was going or how long he would be away, it broke Sophie every time he said goodbye. Slowly, she started losing her trust in him. And now, she was doing exactly what he had done to her in the past.
At least he always came home in the end.
Gwenda bent down and balanced on the balls of her feet. She held Sophie's chin gently and smiled. "We'll get through this. Just let me tell Howl the truth so he can save you."
Sophie was scared; she was scared of Justin's marriage and Suliman's magic and Howl's temper. But most of all, she was scared of her own decisions. If she chose wrong, everyone would be hurt and Suliman would win.
But Howl could control himself at times – this would be a perfect opportunity for him to prove that.
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The Palace guards stood at every exit. Two or more at every door, entrance, and pathway. Kenta didn't have this much difficulty when he escaped, but apparently Sophie was more important to Suliman's plan.
He quivered his wings and jolted his tiny head in all directions, searching for a blind spot to sneak through. His guise was simple, but challenging for Suliman's guards to crack. His white-feathered figure blended in with the thousands of other doves that swarmed Ingary. Had he transformed into his full gryphon form, Suliman would recognize him instantly.
None of the other doves got as close to the Palace as Kenta was, however. They stayed at the edge of the Palace gates, not daring to go any farther. Kenta lifted his light body into the air and flew toward one of the high towers. When he grasped the flagpole, he could see all of Kingsbury and parts of the neighboring towns. Kingsbury was a large capital, buildings as tall as oak trees and spanning miles out, but none compared to the height and elegance of the Palace. Its outer beauty was nothing similar to the horrors inside.
In the tower parallel to Kenta's, a woman beat a rug on the side of the wall. He didn't notice any officials that could harm him or stop him from pursuing his mission, so he flew toward the open window. He perched on the shingles next to the window and waited for her to leave.
When the room was empty, Kenta transformed back to his human form. He stood up and brushed his legs clean, enjoying the feeling of standing straight up without feathers or wings. He enjoyed changing forms and deceiving those around him, but he preferred more eccentric creatures like his gryphon.
Kenta stood at the windowsill, searching for his duo in this escape mission. Howl disguised himself as a raven so Kenta would be able to spot him easily. So far, Kenta couldn't see anything flying around the Palace. The only forms of life were the stone cold guards posted throughout the general area.
Kenta knew Howl would be all right on his own. He had told him that Sophie was the main objective, and if he couldn't find Howl, he should search on his own. One thing Howl was highly concerned about was wasting time.
Kenta turned away from the window when he noticed a young woman running through the Palace Gardens. He immediately zipped his gaze to her as she sprinted. She was dressed in the typical fashion of a common Palace servant. She didn't seem to be on her way to work, but rather she ran in the opposite direction of the Palace.
Kenta squeezed his eyes shut and held the sides of his head as a memory flooded his mind. A girl with blonde hair running through a field of flowers, moving through the array of colors like rain falling over a rainbow. Her elegant hair waved back and forth, the wind lightly breezing against her. He couldn't see her face, just her vague shadow and her incessant laughter singing in his ears.
Kenta scrunched his face, the painful memory burning into his mind. He couldn't conceal the vision before him; he couldn't forget the love of his life.
Kenta collected himself and leaned against the windowsill. He searched for the girl with the blonde hair, but she had disappeared. Whether she was the girl he was looking for or someone who merely reminded him of her, he knew he must find this woman that stole his heart – whatever the cost.
Kenta pushed the thought out of his mind and focused on the current mission. Sophie was somewhere in the Palace, Calcifer had told them. He didn't say much about her reasons for being here, but Kenta was doing what Howl wanted - what he needed, really. He fully understood what it was like to be separated from the woman he loved, and he wouldn't let Howl go through that pain.
Kenta searched every room on the top floor, but each looked like they hadn't been used in years. If at a rare occasion someone walked by, he would jump into the nearest picture frame and take the place of the person or object exhibited. When the employee walked along, Kenta would smile eerily in the painting. He always saw himself as a master of disguise.
The top floor was a bust, so he worked his way down. It wasn't long before Kenta arrived on the main floor, a wide, elegant staircase leading from the second to the main floor. The grand entrance was completely guarded, so Kenta reverted to a mouse form.
He ran down the hall with his small, feeble body searching each side for even a sliver of a crack, but the Palace was very well-maintained. On one side of the walls, however, he caught a glimpse of a strange light coming through a vent. He was drawn to it, mesmerized by its power. He sniffed around and peeked in, looking up and down. It was a long way down, but that was no problem for a wizard like him.
Kenta dove into the light, taking the form of a dragonfly. His wings vibrated as he flew faster and faster downward, his eyes trying to capture everything in sight. The smooth, shiny metal was more advanced and far beyond what Kenta believed modern technology could produce. This advancement frightened him; the farther he went down, the more he feared he wouldn't come up.
Kenta cautiously followed the vent's pathway moving farther underground. The light grew brighter and stronger, nearly blinding his vision. He could barely see the end of the vent, but managed to slip in through the metal bars.
He returned to his human form, immediately shielding his eyes from the light in the center of the room. He heard a loud ringing noise and clasped his ears, the sound amplifying the longer he lingered around. He squinted his eyes to see what was before him, and the memories flooded in like a raging hurricane.
Chains around his ankles and wrists; metal walls surrounding him on all sides; and a small window to the inside, letting in a bright light. That was his only source of light. He hadn't seen daylight for over a year. He was a prisoner somewhere underground, somewhere so dark that the only light came from a strange circular object in the center of the room.
Somewhere that Howl predicted was inside the Kingsbury Palace.
The metal cages hung from long chains and connected to the high ceiling, all circling the glowing orb in the middle of the room. A mindless creature trapped inside each and every cage, his or her magic being drained into the orb. He remembered; he remembered his prison sentence and the torture Suliman bestowed upon them.
He had found their friends; he found Suliman's heinous prison, where she forced them into a treacherous slavery. He couldn't just stand by and not do anything to help. But if he helped them right now, he would need to abandon his search for Sophie.
Kenta shook his head. Howl was dead set on finding her; and somehow, that confident girl was connected to all of this. Suliman wanted her, needed her for some sick, twisted plans. By saving Sophie, they could all work together to save their comrades.
As Kenta found the entrance to the prison, a swarm of guards rushed down the staircase and surrounded him.
"Surrender." One said. "We have orders to bring you to Madame Suliman, the King's Royal Sorceress."
Kenta smirked. "Make me."
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Suliman sat in her chair observing her crystal ball. She treasured this valuable item after her victorious triumph against a witch who stole her employee's names once they started working for her. She was a powerful match, but Suliman knew how to overcome her. It was a rare object to find, but Suliman was persistent and determined.
This orb was the only way for her to look into the future.
"Hmm, let's see how my dear old employees are doing." Suliman said to the ball. "How about the maid I sent to Sophie's room?"
The crystal ball clouded up in a violet color, and seconds later the young woman was in sight. She was running through Kingsbury, flagging down the trolley. Once she boarded, Suliman smiled.
"Off to find Howl, are you?" Suliman laughed quietly to herself. "I doubt he's home. I would actually wager that he's here in my Palace. Shall we take a look?"
The ball's violet cloud embodied the shape once more and vanished, showing a worn out wizard with whom Suliman was all too familiar.
Howl rested against the hallway walls, his hands gripping his knees as he breathed heavy puffs of air. He was close to Sophie's room, yet Suliman thought about that ahead of time. She encompassed Sophie's room with spell after spell, most of them forbidding a magical being from entering. Only employees were allowed in, and only they could see her doorway.
"Nice try, Howl." Suliman tapped her nails on the counter next to her. "If only you knew how close you were, and that your beloved is on her way to marry the man you loathe. You think you know everything, but there is so much Sophie hasn't told you."
Howl ran down the hall again, disappearing into the cloud as Kenta now appeared. Her guards were in the process of apprehending the wizard, clapping chains around his wrists that prevented him from using magic. She knew the orb of magic would draw him to his former prison; once again, she was always ahead of the game.
"Let go of me!" He shouted, trying to resist the chains.
"We're taking you to Suliman - maybe she can control you." One of her guards said, and they left the underground prison.
Suliman smiled. "Before I have a word with my former student and prisoner, let's see how our future bride-to-be is faring."
The cloud formed again and in place of Kenta, a beautiful woman in a long, white gown was in sight. Several employees worked on her hair and makeup, perfecting her look for this day. Suliman could see her eyes, tears held back as best as Sophie could.
"There you go, Miss Hatter. You're all done." One of the employees said. They all relished in her beauty, complimenting her and clapping at their success. Sophie faked a smile for them, but Suliman's was all too real.
The church clock tower struck, signaling the beginning of the hour. Its deep sounding chime rang twelve times, a sense of triumph filling inside the sorceress.
"Time wasn't on your side, my dear." Suliman said. "You're running out of it, and my victory is only minutes away."
So I called this Clockwork because of all the time references and how they're all on a tight schedule. A lot of jumping around and separate POVs, I know, but there were so many characters I needed to fit in this. I even had to cut some parts for the next chapter since it didn't really fit the time message. So much is going on, and they're all trapped! Ahh! And what's worse is Suliman knows where all of them are every second of the day. Hmmm, so much conflict... I love it!
