The Kingdom Of Gardiena

Chapter 16

Allison Ivory Perez

"So where do you want to go?" I asked Selena, Sebastian's mother. We are riding horses now, with some food in our basket and a blanket.

"Uhm can we go to the bakery in town? I just love the egg tarts there." We started heading to the town, she wasn't like any of the queens I knew. Like Ivory's grandmother, or the Queens from other kingdoms. I was comfortable being me around her. The real me. 

"Good morning! I would love to buy some egg tarts please." Sambit niya bago bumaba sa horse niya. "I'm sorry madam, but we're all out of egg tarts. Three guys bought all of it. There will be some fresh baked one tomorrow!" Saad nung baker na babae, nakita kong nag iba mood ni Selena. 

"Aw, okay thank you." Saad niya at tumingin na lang ng ibang tinapay. "I'll have the flan cake please, make it 2 slices." Saad ko naman at binigay na sakin nung baker. "I'll just have the lemon tarts, make it 5 please." Saad ni Selena at ngumiti. 

Pagkaabot samin nag thank you na kami at muli nang sumakay sa mga kabayo namin. Umalis na kaming town at dumeretso na sa may forest, at habang lumalalim kami sa forest, kumaonti ang mga puno, at makikita mo na ang view ng buong kingdom. May mga bulaklak din, flower field siya sa loob ng forest. 

"These are bluebells, they smell lovely, my mother used to bring me here when I was a little girl, and I used to bring April here too when she was little." Ngumiti siya, may nakita kaming part na walang flowers kaya dun kami nag lapag ng blanket.

"I was so little back then, a little commoner. I had the dream of being a captain like my friend, Ethan's mother." umupo siya at nilabas na ang mga pagkain, may tea pa at ilang cookies and baked goodies. 

"Robert didn't want Ethan, but I saw the good in him, I saw my friend in him. And I realized, he is perfect for Sebastian. At the time we only had Sebastian, I was pregnant with April. I saw them get to know each other. Ethan was the behaved one, and Sebastian was the devious one." Ngumiti siya at kumagat sa lemon tart na binili niya. Kumuha naman ako ng plato at nilagay yung flan cake ko dun.

"Now, they're partners in crime. I love the three of them. I always treated Ethan as my own, and Robert did too. He loved him so much. Even though Sebastian was the older one, Ethan stood as the older one defending them." Saad niya bago kumagat uli sa hawak niyang lemon tart. 

"How's your friend? I heard Ethan's father is in jail still?" Sambit ko bago kumain ng piece ng flan cake. 

"She died, she drowned and the only thing I could save of hers is your pearl bracelet. Which I know Ethan gave you. I gave it to him after he got his first ship when he was 19. Unfortunately, because of some bad guys, Ethan crashed his ship. And the only thing he got back from it is his anchor, which he then made a sword." Natawa naman siya at tumingin sakin. 

"The funniest thing is that he cried all day like a little baby, and when he got his anchor he insisted that he wanted it in their room. Robert got mad because it wouldn't fit through the door, so Sebastian suggested making it a sword so it would always be there with him." Natawa naman ako sa imaheng nakita ko sa isip ko, na nag pupumilit si Ethan ipasok ang napaka laking anchor sa kwarto nila. 

"How about you? did you get to be a captain?" I asked, kumagat uli ako ng flan cake. Narinig ko siyang nag buntong hininga. "No, Robert didn't let me. I got married about 30 years ago. Just like you, we met in the town. I was buying egg tarts, and then he said he will buy the remaining egg tarts. I got angry and stepped on his foot." Natawa siya at tinignan ang mga singsing sa kamay niya.

"It has been a great life, the life every mother wanted. A successful life, 3 kids, a loving husband, and a great foundation. There's only one thing missing," She paused, then looked at me. "Grandchildren." Nabilaukan ako sa cake na kinakain ko at naubo.

"Uhm I'm not ready for that." Saad ko na ikinatawa niya. "I know, every flower has time to bloom, you have all the time you need to bloom my darling." Ngumiti siya at hinawakan kamay ko. Everybody here in this world reminds me of my own mother. I never experienced a loving mother talking to me like this.

"What about King Robert, aren't you scared to lose him?" Tumingin siya sa buong kingdom, at kumagat uli ng egg tart. 

"Of course, every wife is scared to lose their husband. It's a bond, when you finally say yes in front of God and the whole kingdom, it's the time when you finally realize you need him every day and you can't leave him around just like that. When Robert got sick, I got worried. I didn't want to show anyone my emotions. This might be the last anniversary we will have so that's why I literally cried earlier." Saad niya at nakita kong pinahiran niya luha niya.

"Robert is everything to me and so are my children, that includes Ethan and soon, you." Ngumiti siya at hinawakan uli kamay ko.

"Thank you, I've never had a mother figure before so this will be exciting." Ngumiti ako at binigyan siya nung flan cake nung nakita kong inubos niya na agad mga tarts niya. 

"I hope Robert makes it to your wedding. We didn't want you to know because we were very worried, you were so busy so we didn't want to make you feel so troubled.  The doctor said he might not be able to make it for a few days. His illness is unknown, but it is attacking his lungs." Naramdaman ko ang pag lungkot niya, yumuko na lang din ako at sumandal dun sa puno na nasa likod ko.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine all right?" Ngumiti si Selena sakin at tumango, sumandal din siya sa may puno na nasa likod niya. 

"Being a Queen is exhausting. Especially if you're the Queen of the 'daunting kingdom'. People hated Mazayla, but since you defended this kingdom, people started loving it. But of course, there are still bad guys, I heard that Sebastian got stabbed, when April was 11 she almost got kidnapped, good thing Ethan was there. Then Ethan crashed because of bad guys. It's sad really, just because Robert showed his anger once, they started rumors about how he has been the worst king ever." Saad niya habang nakatingin siya sa kingdom, habang nakatingin siya dun onti onting nag paramdam ang sinag ng araw. Para kaming nasa isang fairytale, o movie. Totoo naman nasa isa kaming libro ngayon.

"I do hope he changes his mind about April. Tama ka, ready na siya maging isang Queen. She gave me a bouquet before she can even change her clothes, and Ethan said she gave out flowers to those kids in town. Sebastian said that she behaved in Gardiena, and has been a great help with the wedding preparations." Saad niya at ngumiti sa mga bulaklak.

"She's very mature for her age, she's been a great friend too. That's why I know, and believe in her. Actually, when King Robert belittle her last night she thought that her father was right and it was foolish of me to even suggest it. I told her that I saw great kindness in her heart and that she is and she can be a Queen. She just needs her father's approval, and yours."  Ngumiti naman ako, alam ko sa sarili ko na naiba ko ang isip nila, at ang isip ni April.

"I know, when we get back I will encourage her and her father. It's time I take a step." She smiled at me and nodded. 

"That's a Queen," I whispered.