I said after I feed him the strawberry shortcake since I hold his chin no'ng nagsasalita siya at agad na sinubo sa kaniya ang bite size ng cake gamit ang fork.
"!"
I was ready to be scolded by him but I didn't expect him to slowly chew the food in his mouth kaya napangiti ako since hindi niya maitatago na gusto niya din ang desserts from his reaction. I chuckled at what I discovered about him at napatawa ako no'ng maalala ko kanina ang kaniyang sinabi that he is not fond of sweets but look at him, Raniel looks like a child eating the cake I gave him without talking as he is eating now.
"I thought, you are not fond of sweets?"
I teased him as I take a scoop of the chocolate parfait, I smirks at him when he looks at me but he turns his face away from me as if he doesn't want to argue.
"Fine, I will not tease you since you will be paying for the bill so we should eat all these desserts,"
I said since I found a buddy who also loves sweets that I didn't think that he also has sweet tooth and I salute him for restraining himself earlier from the desserts. Allyssa is not really fond of sweets so I can't really order that many sweets when we go here although she is eating, she is only tasting it with one bite and that's all.
"Ahhh~ Thank you for the food, Sir Raniel! Sa mauulit,"
"There's no second time, Sir Davina. My wallet almost emptied,"
"Don't worry about small things, Sir Raniel since we both enjoy the food,"
Sabay akbay ko sa kaniya habang tinitignan ang kaniyang wallet na pumayat since it was full when he is paying the bill but after he paid for the food it become thinner. He forcefully removes my hand from his shoulders.
"I really swear that I will keep in mind that you are a monster eating sweets in disguise as a human being. My poor wallet..."
He said as he walks ahead of me after he put his wallet inside his pocket in the chest of his vest kaya napatawa nalang akong sumunod sa kaniya since I didn't think that he can make such a sad expression when he always looks uninterested in everything.
"Don't talk to me. Let's part away,"
I chuckled when he said that since he is really down with his wallet that was almost empty for paying for all the desserts that I ordered.
"Thank you, Raniel! See you tomorrow!"
I shouted as I parted ways from him since medyo malayo siya sa akin dahil tuloy lang ang kaniyang lakad kanina habang nakasunod ako pero huminto ako no'ng maghihiwalay na ang dadaanan namin since he is taking the right way while I am taking to the other side.
"He is not bad though. I didn't expect him to have so much money when I plan to pay half but I wanted to tease him for ordering many desserts, and I didn't think he will pay it,"
I uttered but I why do I feel bad habang naglalakad ako pauwi dahil ang tahimik ng paligid ko when it's not this quiet when I pass by here alone especially that it is not night time dahil hapon palang. I walk faster because I really feel bad about it although I am not afraid, it's just I don't really feel good about this.
"Davina, good to see you. I missed you so much,"
"...Lexin,"
I uttered when he appear from an alley in front of me which cause me a little surprised but I manage to control myself not to freak out in front of him.
"I know I did something bad to you the past few days. I am sorry about that so I just want to have a peaceful talk to sort things,"
"Why would I? There's nothing to talk with,"
"Don't be like that, Davina. I just want to apologize since I am going away here tonight so I just want to say goodbye,"
He smiled at me sincerely but I was still frowning at him if he was really sincere. I sighed when I see that he is really sincere while smiling at me without ill intention but I didn't let my guard down.
"Alright. I forgive you,"
I said as I walk passed to him but he gently hold my hand kaya napaharap ako sa kaniya at hindi ko inaasahan na makikita ko ang mukha niya nakangiti ng malademonyo as he put a handkerchief on my face. The smell of the handkerchief is too strong that it makes me dizzy even though I fight back but he is hugging me so tightly and I can't move.
"You should have obediently married me, Davina. Now, you're all mine~~"
I heard him say that before I totally lose consciousness.
~~~
"Allyssa, you're not with Davina?"
Davina's mom wondered why she doesn't see her daughter with Allyssa came home so late at night since nakaabang siya sa bintana habang hinihintay ang anak na umuwi. Allyssa looks wondering at Davina's mom dahil sa bungad na tanong nito sa kaniya.
"Miss Lyn, I am not with her today since I have a party with my squad so I told her to go home first but I saw her squad entering a pub next to the diner that we went to earlier and I think they are still there,"
"Is that so, thank you Allyssa. I was worried for nothing. You should go sleep and rest,"
"Don't worry too much, Miss Lyn. Davina is strong,"
"Yes,"
Miss Lyn said even though she feels heavy that her daughter is not yet home but she ignores that feeling while thinking that her daughter is safe, she didn't know that Davina was kidnapped by Lexin who is departing that night with her.
~~~
"Miss Lyn, Davina is safe. Maybe she was with one of her companions or she spend the night in the pub they went to. I will talk to her squad leader so rest for the meantime,"
Allyssa comforted Miss Lyn who stayed up until morning while waiting for Davina to come home pero wala siyang nahintay at sobra na ang kaniyang pag-aalala dito when Allyssa went to their house to fetch Davina.
"..."
Allyssa was worried that Miss Lyn is spaced out worrying for Davina as she escorted her to the bedroom para makapagpahinga siya dahil kita ang eyebags ne'to na hindi siya natulog kagabi when she taught she will go to sleep after their talk last night.
"I promise that I will be back with her so rest up, Miss Lyn,"
She said and left after Miss Lyn finally slept even though she is getting late for the final assessment of who will be going to the capital but she went to Davina's squad upon entering the training ground.
"Sir, where is Davina?"
Allyssa went straight to Grayle the squad leader of Davina so he looked at me in confusion as he looks at Raniel na napatingin pabalik sa kaniya dahil naramdaman niyang tumingin si Grayle sa kaniya.
"Raniel, come here,"
"..."
Raniel silently approaches them and looked at Allyssa who is familiar and it was Davina's friend. Allyssa was frowning why the squad leader called 'Raniel' without answering her question.
"He is the one you should ask since he was with her yesterday,"
"Where is she?! She didn't come home last night!"
"Woah, Raniel I didn't think that you are that kind of gu--"
"We parted after we ate at the bakery and that's not even night. Although I don't have any alibi to prove my statement, however, I don't really know where she is or where did she go after we parted,"
Raniel interrupts Grayle's statement as he looks at Allyssa seriously that he is not lying while Grayle looks at him.
"I think he is not lying, Miss. I don't mean to support him but he rarely talks long and he is not the type of person who will let his companion get in danger since they are lo--"
"That's enough, Sir Grayle. Miss, you may not believe me but I don't have had any hatred for Sir Davina since she was one of the best here. I will help you look for her if that is the only way to prove myself that I am telling the truth,"
Raniel said to Allyssa with a serious tone which makes Grayle whistle since it is the first time that he saw him talk so long and bothered when he heard Allyssa's question.
"Then, you are ready to give up the final assessment just to find her,"
"..."
Grayle watches Raniel's reaction since he didn't respond immediately to her statement but Raniel opens his mouth a few seconds before answering her which Grayle expects that he would answer after the assessment since he remembers what he answered and that he will do everything to pass the assessment during the interview on the 2nd day of the training but he was shocked by Raniel's respond.
"...well, it will be boring if she's not around so let's go look for her,"
He said to Allyssa so she smiled at his response while Grayle was too stunned to react immediately kaya hindi niya napigilang umalis ang dalawa after nilang magpaalam sa kaniya na hindi manlang hinintay ang kaniyang sagot.
"My golden chicks were gone~"
Napaupong ani niya habang nakatingin sa direksiyon kung saan sila dumaan sina Raniel at Allyssa since he was confident that Raniel will be his ace even though he is regretting that he can't have Davina no'ng wala pa siya since Raniel already have been register to the assessment but he didn't think that even Raniel is gone too.
~~~
"So, this where you two parted?"
"Yes, she goes this way,"
Raniel said to her when they arrive at the place where they parted after the bakery that they went to. They checked the place and there is no suspicion as they ask the people na nakastandby sa paligid at nagtitinda.
"We didn't know since yesterday we are not here since a man came here and give us money as long as we go home, and we think that it is noble,"
One of the vendors answered Raniel's question after asking if they saw a woman around 5 pm yesterday, although it is not the exact time where they parted ways.
"... it feels like she was kidnapped,"
"I think so, too. Take a look at this,"
Allyssa said as he shows the lace which she recognized from Davina's clothes or the hem of her clothes in the wrists at doon din naalala ni Raniel na may asul na laso na desinsyo ang damit niya na polo.
"... we have one suspect for this kidnapping. It's her lover,"
"She does have a lover?!"
Hindi makapaniwalang ani ni Raniel kay Allyssa dahil hindi niya inaasahan na may kasintahan si Davina kaya tinignan siya ni Allyssa na medyo nagulat sa inakto niya.
"Yes, but she denied that they are lovers but that's not important now since we need to go see that person,"
She said as they went to his place.
~~~
"Good morning, my love. You, hungry?"
Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Lexin na nasa harap ko na nakatayo at ako ay nakaupo sa isang upuan at nakatali ang mga kamay ko sa likod at nakatakip ang bibig ko ng tela.
"Don't look at me like that. You will not be in that situation if you obediently married me but you embarrassed me. Do you know how much humiliation I've experienced? No, of course!"
He said as he approaches me and tilt my chin to look up at him but I still glared at him. He just looks at me smiling as if it doesn't bother him that I am glaring at him so hard.
"You are making me fall in love with you again if you look at me like that,"
"..."
"but that love is already gone since you will be going just a tool for me to my goal to gain a noble status,"
He said na nakatayo na since he bow a little when he tilted my face but I am somewhat puzzled by his statement. However, I didn't think hard about it since I was looking for a way to escape from this small, old house na may isang bintana lang at isang pintuan sa kaniyang likuran.
"Isn't she the best good?"
"Yes, she will be the best product that I will be selling at the auction,"
Napatingin naman ako sa side ko dahil hindi ko inaasahan na may tao pala sa likod ko na naglakad papalabas kaya sinundan ko ng tingin pero nakatalikod ito kaya hindi ko makita ang kaniyang mukha but he is wearing some decent clothes.
"Then, when can I get my payment for thi--Ack!"
Nagulat ako dahil nakahandusay na si Lexin na wala ng buhay since his head is cut off and some blood splattered on my face as he swayed his sword to remove the blood before he put it back on the scabbard in his waist.
"You, ain't gonna cry? Your lover just died in front of you,"
He said but I was too shocked about this situation as I feel so dizzy by looking at the lifeless body of Lexin bathed with his own blood in front of me.
"A~ she fainted. She wants to become a knight but she fainted after witnessing something like this. Well, it doesn't matter since she will become a slave,"