Play The King: Act Two

CHAPTER XXI: At All Costs (Castiel)

I felt a pang of sandness as I watched one of the people whom I built this council with leave us. After today, the USC would not be the same again.

"Thank you, everyone." Val's eyes hopped around everyone in the office. She chewed her lower lip as she tried to hold back her tears. "I may no longer join you in your voyage, but I will be cheering for you from the docks."

"We wish you the best, Val," Priam replied with a smile. "Feel free to visit us here from time to time."

"Is that a sincere offer?" She snifled again before letting out a snortle. Kahit paano'y nagawa pa rin niyang ngumiti at matawa. This must be heart-breaking for her. "Kasi talagang pupunta ako at tatambay rito kapag vacant period."

Priam gave her a nod. "You're always welcome here, whether you're a USC officer or not."

"Aasahan ko 'yan, ha?" Her frown turned into a smile, much more relaxed this time. Muli niyang pinunasan ang mga namuong luha bago sumeryoso ang kaniyang mukha. "Anyway, I won't hold you up guys any longer. Baka may gagawin pa kayo."

"See you around, Val," sabi nina Tabitha at Rowan.

"Your presence will be sorely missed here," Priam added.

"Thank you, guys, for everything," Val told them before turning to me. "Cas, do you mind escorting me outside? For the last time?"

"My pleasure." My right hand motioned to the door. Sa huling pagkakataon, kumaway siya sa mga kasama namin at kumaway rin sila pabalik. Sabay na kaming lumabas ng office.

For the first few minutes of our slow walk down the hallway, the two of us remained dead silent. Only my cane striking against the floor created some noise. Parang pino-process pa namin ang nangyari kahit isang araw na ang lumipas matapos ang anunsyo niya. We held an emergency meeting yesterday to talk about her sudden resignation, but it did not sink in yet.

Now might be the time to ask what I had been dying to ask since the hearing.

"Do you resent me for what happened?" I broke the awkward silence between us. Kung may unresolved issues pa kami, dapat na naming pag-usapan ngayon. Baka mas tumindi pa ang resentment niya sa akin sakaling meron kapag hindi in-address. "If it weren't for my idea to coerce Chevy, hindi tayo malalagay sa ganitong posisyon at hindi ka rin mapupuwersang mag-resign."

"The coercion was your idea, but I was equally accountable too since I gave it a go signal." Val glanced at me over her shoulder. Namumugto pa rin ang mga mata niya. "You didn't ask me to take the blame. I chose to do it myself. Kaya huwag ka sanang ma-guilty."

"I can't help but wonder if you did it to impress Priam for the last time."

"Impress him?" The smile across her lips faded instantly. Bigla siyang huminto sa paglalakad kaya napahinto rin ako. May nasabi ba akong masama? Sumeryoso ang timpla ng mukha niya. "All I did was to protect him. And the council, too. You would have done the same, wouldn't you?"

I raised my head and stared at the ceiling as if the answer was written there. "I was willing to bite the bullet, but you did it instead. I also would have done what you did. For Priam. For the council."

"But," she took a pause, making me turn to her, "will you do it because Priam is your friend? Or because Priam is an important part of your grand plan?"

My gaze on her lingered for a few seconds. I did not expect her throwing that question. I did not even expect her to bring up that topic. Of course, Priam is my friend. And I would do what people were willing to do for their friends. I got his back. But at the same time, my revenge plan was close to my heart, too. It was my raison d'etre ever since the accident. It was keeping me alive, it was keeping me challenged. I would not stop until the day of those people's reckoning came.