Heartbound

Heart 40: Our Thrones

Habang nasa karwahe patungo sa Exether, iniisip ko na kung sino ang posibleng maging Hari. Walang pumapasok sa isip ko kaya lalo akong naintriga.

When we arrived, it's already dusk. Priestess Silva leads the way to the throne room. The silver double door is covered with vines, mosses and mud. Tila walang nag-aalaga sa palasyo ng Exether.

"What happened here? Wala bang naglilinis sa lugar na ito?" takang tanong ko.

"We're not allowed to enter this place, until our King returns," sagot ni Priestess Silvia. Hindi ko alam kung dapat ba akong magalit. Does that rule really exist on this kingdom? Pero isinantabi ko na muna ito. Maaari naman nila itong linisin dahil may bago na silang hari.

The door creaks open when the guard pushed it hard. Exether's throne room looks like a jungle now. With trees and vines all over the place. It amazes me how the flowers bloomed inside this hall as well. Magic is flowing throughout the room. I can sense it. And the main source of this magic came from the middle of this jungle, a baby crying and lying in the throne seat carelessly covered with a single purple silk cloth.

Kumunot ang noo ko sa Priestess. "A child? You want this child to be King?" naguguluhang tanong ko.

Tumango si Priestess Silvia. "He's no ordinary child. He's our king for years and even centuries."

Naguluhan ako at napaawang ang labi ko. Napansin ni Priestess Silvia ang pagtataka sa mukha ko.

"Look at him. Doesn't he resemble someone you know?" she urged.

May bumundol na kaba sa puso ko. Agad na lumapit ako sa batang umiiyak sa gitna ng trono. Pinagmasdan ko siyang mabuti. He stopped crying when he saw my face. He's intently looking at me, trying to figure out who I am. And then suddenly his mouth curves into a cute innocent smile and laughs. He raised his hands as if he was asking me to carry him, like a cute child he was.

"Damon..." I uttered with confusion. I offered my index finger to him and he held it tightly while laughing. My misty eyes stared at him. Nakagat ko ang labi ko upang pigilan ang pag-iyak.

"H-How?" nanginginig ang boses na tanong ko kay Priestess Silvia. I carry Damon in my arms and the cloth slides down on the throne. I sit on the throne while he's on my arms. Hindi pa ako nakakita ng elf na pedeng bumalik sa mundo nang walang ama't ina. He was born through magic.

"He's cursed. He's living in a cycle. If he dies in his lifetime, he'll come back as a child after a year of his death. Without any memories at all," sagot ni Priestess.

"What kind of curse is that? An endless suffering?" mariing tanong ko. Did the High Council cast this curse to Damon?

"He'll never die and will forever rule Exether. And he will never find his mate. Kahit makasalubong niya o makita ito, hindi niya mararamdaman ang bond nila. Their mate bonds are sealed by the High Council. He'll be forever tied with his throne alone."

"Maraming beses na itong nangyari sa kanya?" muling tanong ko.

Tumango siya. "Alam ito ng iyong ina at maging ang mga ninuno mo. They raised Damon behind the scenes and trained him in Elfania to be King. Now it's your turn."

"Did someone reveal this cruel truth to him?" tanong ko.

Malungkot na ngumiti si Priestess Silvia. "I tried many times but to no avail. No one will be able to speak of the truth about his curse. Exetherians know this truth as well but they can only just serve their king with tongues tied. Everyone who lives for centuries and witness him die and be reborn knows this but can't do anything. The curse prevented us to speak. It's futile. The ones who knows the truth are hurting for him as well. Such an overwhelming curse that no one knows how to break."