Note: I have a note at the end. Please read it.
[ C H A P T E R 18 ]
LATISHA VALENTINE
"Mummy!"
Agad kong niyakap nang mahigpit si Annika matapos niyang tinakbo ang aming distansya. I missed this child so much, and I've been meaning to see her after I gain my consciousness, yet I was advised for a few days observation.
Kumalas siya ng yakap sa akin at hinawakan ang umbok sa aking tiyan, saka agad lumaki ang kanyang mga mata at napamaang ang kanyang mga labi. "Mum, bakit po ang dami niyong kinain?"
Napatawa ako sa tanong niya. "Kapatid mo 'yan."
Mas lumaki ang kanyang mga mata. "Kapatid ko?"
"Yes, your siblings," agad kong sagot.
She was stunned to speak again, still holding my tummy, looking through the chemise I'm wearing. Hindi pa kasi ako lumalabas sa kwarto kaya hindi rin ako nag-abala pang magbihis ng damit. It was also the Duke's order to lessen the layer of my clothes as he ordered new sets, hinihintay ko na lang ang mga ito.
"Bakit niyo po kinain ang kapatid ko?" inosenting tanong niya nang makabalik sa realidad ang kanyang utak, subalit parang hindi din nakabalik sa uri pa lang ng sinabi niya. Gusto kong sapuin ang aking noo, hindi ko alam kung pagpapaliwanag ba ako o hahayaan ko nalang ang iniisip niya.
"One day, you will understand how this works, okay?" tanging sabi ko na lamang at ngumiti sa kanya. "Right now, Mummy's carrying your siblings which makes you now a big girl." Napamaang siyang muli. She might not understand how this situation works but someday she will. "Annika," tawag ko sa kanyang pangalan. I held both of her hands and leveled my face to her height as I looked straight into her eyes. "Mummy has to apologize for her absence. Would you forgive me?"
"I now have siblings..." she mumbled. "Of course, Mummy's apologies are accepted, and I can't wait to meet my siblings, Mum!" Lumiwanag muli ang kanyang mukha at muli akong niyakap. Madali talagang kausap ang mga bata. Walang maraming tanong at sumusunod na lamang sa utos.
"Okay, right now why don't we talk about your coming birthday?" agad na pag-aya ko sa kanya sa topik na siyang dahilan kung bakit gusto ko siyang makausap.
"Really?" she said as her eyes glimmered with glee.
Hinawi ko ang nakausling hibla ng kaniyang buhok at ngumiti ulit sa kaniya. "Yes, kaya nga nandito si Mummy para asikasuhin 'yon hindi ba? Ano gusto mo ngayon? Gagawin ni Mummy lahat para sa 'yo."
Her birthday will be the first daylight after winter. It might be in less than a month, yet the preparations must be taken in action earlier than the date for my mind to settle in peace. I was advised to limit my mobilization and stress because I've been overusing my body for the last two months. I'm proud of my nuggets for enduring such fright.
Annika talked about the things she wanted for her birthday. I am amazed by how vocal she is now and confident about herself. Maybe her bond with Nethys made her growth raise without our guidance. Hindi ko pa nakakausap ang lalaking 'yon at alam kung kapag nag-usap kami, may nakaraan na mauungkat muli.
After my little chit chat with Annika, pinasundo ko siya kay Hana para sa pag-aaral. Umalis ako ng silid mag-isa dahil hindi dumating si Hana ulit. I wanted to explore the new renovation of the house dahil hindi ko naman nasaksihan 'yon. Kailangan din dapat may kasama ako, kaso kanina ko pa inutos ang presensya ni Hana subalit hindi pa siya dumating o sadyang naiinip lang talaga ako kakahintay.
Pansin ko kaagad ang pagbabago kahit sa hallway pa lang ng second floor. Even the flooring was changed into tiles, and the ceiling was arched to each side, bearing a black accent on its corner making the ceiling deep in perception.
The stairs were changed into a U-shape design, with wooden railings, and a maroon colored carpet. Unang bumungad sa aking mata pagkababa ko ay ang malawak na living room. The flooring is now granite, the interior palette is bright brown, making it more pleasing to the eyes. The chandelier wasn't single, an array of flower design chandeliers hung from the far end until to my side. Our living room has a high ceiling, making the light cascade through every corner.
"Your grace!" Napako ang aking tingin sa kanan ng marinig ko ang sigaw ni Wince. "Anong ginagawa mo dito sa baba?! Sinabing magpahinga ka, ang kitid ng utak mo!"
Napakunot ang aking noo dahil sa sinabi niya. Mukha siyang nag-aalala na takot o parang may tinatago. Lumapit siya sa akin at akma na sana niya akong gagabayan pabalik sa dinaanan ko ng sipain ko ang isang binti niya.
"Umayos ka, parang nasasanay ka na sa uri ng pananalita mo sa 'kin. I am still the Duchess, and you may be a Cupid, yet it holds no significance to me," inis na sabi ko. He gesture his forefinger to hush me, that made my eyeballs roll. "Wow, ako lang ba nakakaalam?" Napangisi ako ng umiling siya. I tapped his shoulder and walked a step away. "Kung ibabalik mo ako sa silid, ipagsisigawan ko sa buong mansyon kung sino ka talaga. Ano deal?"
"Madame, maniniwala ba sila sa 'yo?" nakangisi niyang sabi. "Pero kidding aside, kanina ko pa hinahanap ang mga tao sa mansyon, bakit wala akong makita? Tapos, akala ko gumunaw na ang mundo pero nakita kita." Sumunod ang kanyang tawa at pagkamot sa leeg. "Hindi kita ibabalik sa kwarto mo, kasi kinikilabutan ako sa paligid."
"Matanda ka na kasi," saad ko.
Napangiwi si Wince sa sinabi ko. "Literal ba 'yan?"
I let out a snigger. "Tanungin mo ang sarili mo."
I momentarily stopped when I heard a faint sound of a familiar tune. Agad napako ang aking atensyon sa direksyon kung saan ko ito naririnig. "Can you hear that?"
I saw how Wince's eyebrows crossed as confusion and wonder struck his system. "The Zither, it must be his Highness—That's it! Kaya pala wala akong nakikitang tao kanina pa! That darn punk used his specialty!"
Napakunot ang aking noo. "Who?"
Sino ba tinutukoy niya? The more I let the tune be acknowledged by my ears, the more it sounds clearer and closer. Parang nasa paligid lamang siya at hindi ko lang nakikita.
"Shit," Wince murmured in silence.
Napakurap ako saglit subalit nanlaki agad ang aking mga mata nang biglang naglaho si Wince sa harapan ko. He vanished right in front of me when I turned to look at him.
"Wince!" I called out his name.
Umusbong ang kaba sa aking sistema ng lumakas ang tugtog na naririnig ko. It's not painful to the ears but it's making my anxiousness skyrocket. I looked around and I now understand why Wince said that the place is eerie, because it is.
"Your grace."
A soft tone of voice echoed in my ears. Dahan-dahan akong tumalikod para harapin kung kanino nanggaling ang hindi pamilyar na boses na 'yon. I was then welcomed by an extreme source of lights that made me shut my eyes by force.
Nang hindi ko na maramdaman ang sakit ng liwanag, bumukas muli ang aking mga mata. My mouth gape when the living room became vibrant, and a person in white clothes was sitting on the floor, facing a zither. He was the one who's playing the tune.
His long and straight white hair was gracefully moving together with the wind that just came out of nowhere. A gold brooch pinned some of his hair, and a thin fabric hid his whole face. His slender fingers stroke the strings perfectly and gracefully that made the tune pleasing to the ears. He looked like a faceless god.
"Who are you?" I asked.
The tune stopped when his fingers halted midair. Tinaas niya ang kanyang ulo pata tumingin sa akin subalit hindi ko makita kung ano ang nananalaytay sa kanyang mukha dahil sa telang nakatakip rito.
"I am a member of the Moonlight," he answered.
Moonlight. 'Yon ba 'yong grupong kinababaliwan ni Wince dati? Is he truly that one person who plays the zither? The anonymous mask man?
"Anong ginagawa mo? Where is everybody?"
"Listen carefully, Latisha." His voice became serious and deep. He put both of his palms on each side of his knee, while his head didn't move from looking at me. "Your body is struck with a poison that comes from ancient times, and the antidote's existence is slim. I had come to help the Duke remove it without compromising the unborn children, but a debt must be paid."
Napaatras ako sa sinabi niya. "It's you..."
I felt my knee trembling in fear. The goddess of time told me someone saved us, but a consequence must be addressed. I cover my hanging mouth as fear showered in my face. I don't know what fuels me to still stand my ground even when I'm close to breaking.
"Anong gagawin mo sa 'kin? Are you going to take away my twins?!" saad ko.
He slowly shakes his head. "Not now. But, someday. I only need one of them."
Umiling ako. "Why does it have to be my child?"
"That child..." he paused, and it seems like he is hesitant to speak "... belongs to a Hashire."
"Hashire...?" pag-uulit ko. My mind began to recall where I heard that name, and when my recollection finished itself searching, I looked at him confused. "Hashire? The neighboring Kingdom of the Empire? The only land who didn't give up its rights to the Emperor and still instill firm opposition to surrender. Who the hell are you?!"
"I already told you," he replied. "But, if you think it's still confusing to understand, then I must elaborate. I am a Mage from Hashire, I have come here for leisure and travel, but I stumbled with the Duke during my expenditure. We are great allies even our Kingdom's are not, and I was then told that the Duchess is poisoned with unborn children. My expertise requires sacrifices, which the Duke also knew."
"He agreed to take one of his children?" hindi makapaniwala na sabi ko. Babagsak na sana ang mundo ko sa aking iniisip subalit hindi nangyari 'yon ng umiling siyang muli.
"He opposed," he answered quickly. "But, as I said. My power needs to be reciprocated. I need one of your children, the one who will inherit your recessive magic, and..." he paused again, this time, a long silence was the next thing I heard.
"And what? What else?!" I exclaimed.
"I cannot tell," he said. "I'm not allowed."
Mariin akong napapikit. "Hindi ko pa nahahawakan ang anak ko pero may umangkin na sa kanya?! You don't know how unfair that is!"
"It is already done, your grace. You will die with that poison and the children will be compromised. Aren't you grateful that I saved all your lives for an exchange of one?"
Napatawa ako ng mapakla. "You will never understand how mothers feel when their child is taken away from them. You will never know that because you can't bear them for nine months, you only mixed your genes and that's it! You never knew what we could feel! Damn you!"
I could feel my tears falling but my anger weighed much more than my pain. I felt like I had been stripped of my own decisions about the lives of my children. This is unfair, and I will never kneel down to it.
"Hindi ko ibibigay sa 'yo ang anak ko," mariin kong sabi. "As long as I am alive, I will not allow it."
"Time will come that you will, Latisha. You cannot hold time, nor can you predict the future."
After he said that, the eerie feeling vanished. Unti-unting dumilim ang paligid at sumama siya sa pagkawala ng lahat. I shut my eyes when my head began to spin and before I collapsed, a strong arm caught my body.
"Wife..."
Then his worried voice came right after.
Napadilat ako at napansin na nasa harapan ko silang lahat: Erwan, Sir Hasan, Logan, Laphel, Nethys, Cyan, Wince, and my husband. Napakurap ako dahil nasa harapan silang lahat na parang kanina pa sila dito sa...opisina.
When did I arrive here?
Nakita ko ang mahinang pag-iling ni Wince na parang may sinasabi ang pahiwatig niya. Hindi ako nagsalita nang hawakan ni Roshan ang kanan kong pisngi. I was welcomed by his amber orbs emitting a worried expression, and fear.
"W-what..." I can speak my mind.
"Anong nangyari sa 'yo, Madame? Bigla mo na lang binuksan 'yong pintuan tapos napatulala ka d'yan ng ilang segundo bago bumagsak katawan mo. Buti na lang mabilis si mister," pang-aasar ni Cyan kahit nakikita naman sa mukha niya ang takot at pangamba.
They all looked like I heard something I should not be hearing, when in fact wala naman akong ideya kung ano ang pinasok ko. Are they having a meeting and I suddenly barged in? May kinalaman ba ako sa pulong?
"I was looking for Hana," I mumbled unconsciously.
Walang nagsalita at napaigtad ako nang binuhat ako ng Duke at umalis siya ng opisina saka nilandas ang pasilyo pabalik sa kwarto ko. He wasn't even speaking but I felt his movements were fast and his heartbeat skyrocketed.
"I told you, I need to know you plan," mariin na sabi ko. Nakatingin lamang ako sa kanyang mukha at kahit tahimik ito, hindi naman siya mukhang galit. "Roshan, kung ibabalik mo ako sa loob, sa bintana ako lalabas."
He halted. He took a deep sigh and turned his head to my side so that our eyes met. "We are preparing for the Duchy's defense. Your clan had been invading towns after towns in the last three weeks. The Capital got wind of the news and wished to take the Duchess in exchange for the suppression. I can't do that, wife. I can't let you be taken away and be blamed for your Clan's rebellion."
Ramdam ko ang takot sa boses niya. Agad kong sinapo ang kanyang pisngi at agad siyang napapikit para kumalma. "I know, I know you're doing your best. But, didn't I tell you to speak with his Majesty? Madadaan sa usapan ang problema, Roshan. Let them hear your side, and let them judge right after. Kaysa naman kumilos sila dahil hindi nila alam. Mas maigi alam nila, para maiwasan——"
"This problem will only be solved if they stop pushing you," he cut me off. "I tried sending a letter anonymously, but a reply hasn't returned. It only means two things: It didn't reach him or he doesn't agree."
"Pansin mo, pamilyar 'yong sinabi mo. Have I heard this before?" takang tanong ko sa kanya.
"Wife, don't joke around," he instantly replied.
I let out a smile. "Masyado kang seryoso."
"What else can I do? You're bearing my child and we have a conflict at hand. I should have waited to fuck you after all these settled, right now we're full."
Napataas ang kilay ko. "You are disowning us?"
"No, of course not!" he defended.
Napangisi ako. "Joke 'yon." Mukhang hindi din siya kumbinsido kaya napabuntong hininga na lamang ako. "Don't worry, your grace. Let me handle the plan, while you commence the action. Isa pa, why don't you tell them about my pregnancy? I'm sure, the Emperor will very much order a suspension. He can't let his grandchildren be compromised, right?"
"But, it only makes your pregnancy journey risky." Another trail of fear envelops his voice. "I want this pregnancy to be circulating only in the mansion, wife. I don't want any outsider until you give birth."
"Is it because when your mistress' pregnancy with Annika was reported throughout the Empire, it made her life taken?" biglaan kong nasabi.
His eyebrows loosen. "It was...but I don't want to repeat that mistake. That's why this needs to be intimate for now, wife. Would you do that?"
Of course, I can't do that. I planned to conceive so that I could be saved from all these troubles.
"Roshan..." I paused when I saw fear sprung in his amber orbs. I sighed. "Okay, I will..."
for now.
*~*~*~*
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Note: Please pay attention to what Prince Raphael Cygnus Hashire (Ha-shay-re) said or much better you start taking notes because I have no plans at revising the ending of this story. This is the reason kung bakit ang bagal kong mag-update kasi I was reconsidering a different ending, but sa huli, I decided to go for what I initially planned. Tapos na po ang happy hours, seryoso na po ako ngayon. Also, I brought back the trilogy. May kailangan akong i-elaborate sa kwento kaya hindi sakto na dalawang libro lang. In terms of chapters, this one will end with 45 chapters. Thank you for waiting, and see you soon.
P.S. The MWF update is back. See you on Wednesday, Rebels.