Shipwrecked Hearts

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"Well, all I did all day was count the trillions of moneys." He said exasperatedly. I just laughed at him because of the weird face he was making, "I'm serious, y'know." He sighed. "Hindi pa nga ako nakakahalati sa pagbibilang." I gulped when he spoke in my mother tongue. Damn foreign accent!

Tumigil kaming dalawa sa harap ng malaking pinto. It must be the hall of the palace, I've never been here before. Well, I've never been anywhere here, maybe I'll explore the whole place and the town some times. That'd be a great idea. This is my new home now, after all. Therefore, I must familiarize its structure and the people.

May dalawang gward'ya ang nagbukas ng magkabilang dulo ng pinto, ngumiti ako sa kanila at saka kami pumasok. We were greeted by a lively hall piled with people in their own tuxedos and dresses. There were musicians at the center and dancers. I can hear the flute and tambourine, along with the stringed instruments, the dancers where dancing with the rhythm.

The interior of the place was so medieval, from the thick pillars that snaked their way towards the parabola ceiling that was painted with angels and gods. I reckon that it is at least thirty meters high. That's really high. The windows were all huge with yellow, blue, and red glasses. Everything was so grand.

Naglakad kami ni Maximo patungo sa harap. There were two chairs there. Umupo kami roon. Pinagmasdan ko lamang ang mga tao sa paligid. "The royalties have arrived. Ladies and gents, for a moment, let us all stop to acclaim them." Meliodas' voice echoed, the musicians and dancers stopped along with the laughter of all inside the hall, they all faced me and Maximo. I can still never get used to the attention. "Everyone, let's all say thank you to you two! Repeat after me! Thank you to you two!"

"Thank you to you two!" They shouted.

"Now, Maximo, we'd like to hear it come out of your mouth." Meliodas looked at Maximo.

"Now let the feast officially begin!" Maximo shouted, and the doors opened. May mga taong pumasok dala-dala ang mga pagkain. Ramdam ko ang paglalaway ko. Oh, my gosh! Food! Kasabay ng pagdating nila ay ang pagtuloy ng tugtog ng musika at kantahan. Ang mga babae ay sumayaw. I can hear the clashing of their golden bracelets and all that.

"What do you want?" Maximo asked me. "Well, besides me, what do you want?" He repeated with a smirk.

"Don't worry, I can serve myself." I countered with a victorious smile, tumayo ako mula sa aking inuupuan. "Plus, if I am to rule with you, I should know who the people by talking to them, right?"

"Right." He signaled me to go to the people. "I'll be here watching." He grinned, may isang lalaking lumapit sa kan'yang at nagbigay ng grape wine. "Thank you." Maximo said and took a sip. "Ah, freshly brewed."

I went down from the throne, naglakad ako papunta sa mga hilera ng pagkain kung saan may mga nagkumpol-kumpol na mga tao, nakikiusyo silang lahat sa isa't isa. Nang napansin nila ang presensiya ko ay agad silang tumigil. "Please, don't let my presence spoil the fun." Ngumiti ako sa kanila.

"That's right." Meliodas said out of nowhere. He had a handful of foods on his both hands and he was eating them greedily.

Yumuko ang mga tao. Lumapit naman sa akin ang aking crew—Nick and Charles, may mga iba ring hindi pa nagpapakilala ang nagpakilala sa wakas. Their name was Jupiter, Carlos, Arthur, and too many to mention. We all took our time talking to each other while eating simultaneously.

Hanggang ngayon ay ramdam ko pa rin ang tingin ni Maximo sa akin mula sa kan'yang kinauupuan. I looked at him and saw a lot of girls flocking below him, as if wanting to take his attention. He just smiles at them nicely then lock his gaze at me.

I looked down when somebody tugged the fabric of my gown, nakita ko naman si Mermaid. "Hey, Mermaid." I smiled and knelt down to face her, "there's a chocolate stain here." Sabi ko sabay turo sa gilid ng kan'yang labi.

Pinunasan naman niya ito at saka dinilaan ang daliri, "ang sarap!" Mermaid's eyes twinkled, "Ate Kira, ang ganda mo ngayon!"

"Is that a compliment?" I beamed.

"Oo naman po." Ngumiti siya, "hala, si Kuya Alexander, babaero!" Saad niya sabay turo sa kan'yang gawi. Tumingin ako roon at nakita ko na siyang nakikipag-usap sa mga babae na halata naman ang pagkakakilig.

"Nick," saad ko sa aking navigator.

"Yes, Kira?"

"Sino ang mga babaeng iyon?" Tanong ko at saka tinuro ang mga kausap ni Maximo.

"Ah," Nick said as if knowing them all, "the girl on the right who is wearing a blue dress is Natasha, she's the daughter of one of the pirate captains who swore allegiance to Maximo, then on her left is Marie, daughter of a trader at Jolly Roger, then that's Ella, then Mori, then Frances, and then that beautiful lady," Nick pointed the one with the closest distance to Maximo, na halos umupo na sa dapat upuan ko, "that's Minerva."

"And who is Minerva?"

"She's a bish!" Napatingin kaming dalawa ni Nick kay Mermaid nang sumabat siya, pinandilitan pa niya ng tingin si Minerva.

Nick just smiled sheepishly, "bata, that's bad."

"Hindi ako bata." Aniya sabay tago sa aking likod, I just patted her on her small head.

"So, who is she?" I pried.

"Well, let's just say she is the pirate council head's daughter. As you can see, she likes Maximo. She's supposed to be his queen but you know, there is this test for qualification and she failed. Well, Maximo never liked the idea of having her as a queen just because she comes from a family of power in the order."

"That means may nauna na palang dapat maging reyna pero hindi siya pasado?"

"Yup." Nick answered.

Why did Maximo hide such thing from me? I thought he never liked people hiding things from him, why was he doing it to me then? I just Shook the thought away, he isn't obliged to tell me. I mean, that matter is personal. It doesn't concern me. That's what I wanted to believe.

"Malandi iyan." Singit ni Mermaid.

"Bata, this is an adult talk." Nick said.

"Hindi bata ang pangalan ko, Mermaid po." Pagtatama naman ni Mermaid.

Umiling na lang si Nick bilang sagot. I excused myself and asked Nick to take care of Mermaid. Naglakad naman ako papunta kina Maximo. I faked a cough and the ladies stopped from swarming him. "Excuse me." I smiled at them, tumingin sa akin si Minerva, she gave me a once over. I gave her a once over, too. Okay. We're enemies now.

"Hi. Minerva, right?"

"Right." She gave me a sweet smile that looked like a grimace.

"Well, you're sitting on my chair."

Tumayo naman siya. "Sorry. Wala kasing nakaupo kanina."

"Just because nobody's seated there means it's not taken." I raised her an eyebrow, "got that?"

Yumuko siya at saka nagpaalam kay Maximo. Serves her right.

"Starfish, are you jealous?" Maximo smirked. "There's nothing to be jealous of, y'know—Well, there is. She's beautiful and she is supposed to be your queen. Pero hindi ako nagseselos."

"Ah, you knew that." Maximo sighed, "look, Starfish, Minerva is just a good friend of mine. There's nothing to be jealous of, okay? You're my queen, she's not. You're all I see. That's all that matters, right?" He held my hand, that's when I realized I was being too spiteful. I'm not usually like this. Why am I acting like this?

"I'm sorry."

"Nah, don't be. You're cute when you get jealous."

"Hindi ako nagseselos, okay?! Hindi ako nagseselos! Bakit ba pinagpipilitan mo na nagseselos ako, ha? Maximo!" Hindi ko napansin na napasigaw na pala ako, umalingawngaw ang boses ko sa hall dahilan upang tumigil ang lahat at tumingin sa aming gawi. Bigla akong pinagpawisan ng malamig, gusto kong lamunin na ako ngayon ng sahig dahil sa kahihiyan!

"Okay, hindi ka nagseselos." Maximo smirked. He looked at the guests, "oh please, don't mind me and my queen. Continue the feast." And the music resonated, and so was the vigor of the room again. Nilapit ni Maximo ang kan'yang labi sa aking tainga, "I smell a baby coming."