Elemental Guardians

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟚

A LARIC

I heave a deep sigh while gazing at the golden mask that Rave always used to wear whenever he is in the public. Dumalo kasi kami rito sa banquet pagkatapos ng ceremony. Father wants to have a banquet with the people in the Kingdom to celebrate Ayesha's victory.

While they were all laughing and celebrating, I am here sitting like a statue, not moving an inch for 5 hours. Today, we exchanged masks. Suot niya ang porcelain mask ko at suot ko naman ang golden mask ko.

This golden mask represents the Prince of Lemore while the white porcelain mask represents the right hand of the King. The air elemental guardian, Rave Leo.

Napabuntong—hininga ako dahil sa sekreto kong ito. I'm not used to lying and manipulating people just because of my curse.

I wasn't even wear a glove because wearing one during the ceremony would be humiliating for Ayesha. Ibig sabihin 'non ay hindi ko siya tanggap bilang isang Elemental Guardian.

She even accidentally touched my hand... I even flinched. I wonder why? Baka natatakot lang ako na makilala niya ako sa likod ng gintong maskarang ito.

It's almost midnight kaya malapit na akong bumalik sa orihinal na katawan ko. I must get out of this place first.

Pumunta ako sa Cladonia river, just a few meters away from the village at dito na tumatambay. I removed my mask off at humigop ng sariwang hangin.

May narinig akong babaeng parang dumuwal sa hindi kalayuan ng puwesto ko kaya napalingon agad ako nito! She might see my outfit—

"It's her..." I whispered under my breathe because it's her! The deaf girl whom I admired!

But why is she vomiting? Is she pregnant?

Napansin kong papatumba ito dahil hilong—hilo na ito at sumusuka parin kaya napatakbo akong lumapit sa kaniya sa sinalo!

"Mi lady? What the hell are you doing here in the woods?!" I cannot help but to worry to this lady! What the hell is she doing?! And she reeks of alcohol...

She's drunk.

She started to do her sign language using her fingers to communicate with me, "who are you? The King gave me 2 shots of glass and I ended up like this." Dumuwal ulit ito kaya dali—dali ko namang inalis ang nakaharang nitong mga mapuputong buhok nito sa mukha niya.

I gripped her hair gently at tinapik ang likod nito. Father knows who this lady is? Why didn't he tell me?

Sumenyas uli ito ng pagsasalamat kaya tumango nalang ako. She suddenly passed out kaya sinalo ko ulit ito!

I will scold father for giving an innocent girl an alcohol!

Pinapahiga ko ito sa lap ko at pinunasan ang mga mapupulang mga labi nito ng panyo ko. She looks really, really familiar but I can't say who she resembles with.

I want to caress her hair but I just kept it to myself. She's probably one of my father's concubines. Who else could she be when father gave her 2 glasses of alcohol?

I buried my face with my palm and laughed.

Tragic.

"Mmnn. A— Al..." Napatingin ako sa babaeng ito dahil... Nagsasakita ito kahit tulog. Is she trying to speak?

"Al... Al..." She is trying to speak!

I unconsciously caressed her hair while smiling, looking at her sleeping so soundly on my thighs.

As the clock tower rang, my body produced mist and it slowly turned back the way I originally looked like. I became taller, mascular and my eye color turned red.