Moonlight Throne (Gazellian Series #6)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

-- HARI --

Pagpupulong at ikalawang grupo

The fire of the lamps was getting blurry as the flies continued to flutter around it without hesitation. We're in the royal table filled with councils, high vampires, my brothers and sister, some knights, representatives from recruited empires, and other vampires who were interested to hear the plan.  

It's Evan's turn to explain everything about the details of our every step once that the fire of war lighted up. I've been aware of this plan the moment, Leticia and my siblings' left the empire—na kahit hindi ako makinig sa mga sinasabi niya ay alam ko na ang bawat detalye nito.

I wonder why my eyes couldn't leave those stubborn flies that feasting around the fire that might kill them.

I could still remember when I was a kid, as my mother reads us our bedtime stories. Lily was peacefully sleeping in her arms as Zen and I were on our bed -- tucked with blankets.

As our mother speaks her lovely words, the blinking light of the bedside lamp caught my attention.

"They're weird, right, Dastan?" asked Zen, who happened to be distracted too.

The lamp was hot and too dangerous that it might kill them, pero bakit pinipilit pa rin nilang lumipad sa maaaring makasakit sa kanila? 

"Those flies are really weird, indeed." Dagdag ko.

Itinigil ni ina ang kanyang pagbabasa at marahan niyang hinaplos ang noo namin ni Zen.

"Dastan, Zen... may mga bagay na kahit alam mong masasaktan ka... mahihirapan at—" umiling si ina. "You are too young, my boys..."

"You'll take the risk. The light from the lamp is a temptation... the light is a temptation." Usal ko.

Mas dumiin ang titig sa akin ni ina. Yes, I was too young back then, pero maaga akong namulat sa lahat bilang panganay. No matter how father and mother tried to treat me normally when no one was watching to avoid the pressure on me, sarili ko na mismo ang nagkumbinsi sa akin na mas imulat ang aking mga mata sa katotohanan.

"Yes, Dastan... the light is a temptation."

Zen laughed. "I am not tempted. Ang init kaya niyan! If I become a fly, I will pick a safe place. I don't want to get burned."

"But there are things that we couldn't just leave behind our back, we couldn't just turn away because it burdens us—what if it is part of our path?"

"Hush..." ani ni ina.

Hinalikan niya ang noo namin ni Zen at isinarado na niya ang aklat na hawak niya. Hinipan na niya ang apoy sa lampara dahilan kung bakit hindi na namin nakita ni Zen ang mga nagliliparan.

"Enough for tonight, my boys."

"Can I have Lily tonight, mother?" tanong ni Zen.

"Yes, of course. She wants to sleep with her brothers."

"But I will sleep inside my room—" pagtutol ko.

"Kakapain ni Lily ang unan mo, Dastan. She will cry with me..." panunumbat sa akin ni Zen.

Sa tuwing binabasahan kami ng aklat ni ina, pumapayag na akong humiga muna sa kama ni Zen pero sa sandaling makatulog na sila ni Lily, lumilipat na rin ako sa kwarto ko.

But it seemed like the princess manipulated something in here as she sleeps innocently. "Very well."

Kapwa kami gumalaw ni Zen para magkaroon ng espasyo sa gitna. Mother laid Lily between Zen and I, kapwa kami tumagilid ni Zen upang mapagmasdan ang natutulog naming kapatid. And when she moved her little hands on her pillow, Zen and I will hold it together. She will squeeze our hands, and a small smile will appear in her lips with her closed eyes.