Prologue
It had been months since our battle with Atlas and Veda ended.
Should I really call it like that when I knew that everything was just the beginning of a bigger war?
I sighed. I looked outside of the window before I took a sip of my tea. The sky was cloudless. The birds were flying with the colorful pixies, leaving traces of their shimmers like pieces of jewelry drawn in the air. The gentle wind was kissing my cheeks as if this kingdom was in the middle of spring where everything was all about sweet scents of beautiful flowers.
From anyone's perspective, no one would expect that Sartorias just had its downfall, and until now I didn't know how our kingdom would recover.
I wiped the sudden tear on my cheek. How I wished I was powerful enough during that time and I had made a difference, but all I did was cry and beg that someone would try to save my own brother.
My life as a princess in this kingdom had always been a beautiful accessory, but I was never a weapon.
Napahawak ako sa aking leeg at muling tumulo ang luha ko.
Napayuko ako at marahas kong inihampas ang dalawang nakakuyom kong kamay sa maliit na lamesa. Narinig ko ang bahagyang paglutang at pagbagsak ng tasa at mga sulat na nagkalat doon.
I had been singing for Finn to keep his mind awake. I regularly visited Parsua Deltora to keep King Tobias's sane, but I noticed that there was something with my voice and power that I tried to hide from everyone. Akala ko ay magagawa ko iyong itago sa kanila ngunit agad akong napansin ni Lily. Siya pa ang nagsabi na kailangan ko nang pahinga. I insisted that I could still continue tending with Finn and King Tobias but told me that Queen Leticia and Claret would handle it for me.
Pinagpasyahan nina Haring Dastan at Reyna Leticia na huwag mag-anunsyo sa buong Nemetio Spiran ng tungkol kay Atlas, at karamihan din sa mga hari'y sumang-ayon doon, ngunit bigla na lang may naging misteryong manunulat ang isinilang sa kabuuan ng Nemetio Spiran na siyang naging dahilan ng ingay sa iba't ibang sulok ng bawat emperyo.
The mystery writer had been spreading news about the royalties and famous creatures in Nemetio Spiran. Madalas ay naroon sa balita si Rosh, ngunit ang siyang higit na usap-usapan ngayon ay ang pangalan ko at ni Kreios.
Marahas na nabuksan ang pinto ng aking silid, iniluwa niyon si Naha dala ang nakarolyong papel kung saan nakasulat ang na naman ang bagong balita mula sa misteryosong manunulat.
"Look!"
Marahas inihampas ni Naha ang hawak niya at ngayon ay mayroon pa iyong larawan ni Kreios at isang babaeng maharlika. Kreios was leaning on the woman as if he was whispering something interesting with her.
"If I were you, I would divorce him!" Iritableng sabi ni Naha.
Tinitigan ko lang ang larawan.
"Hindi ka ba naiinis?"
"The last issue was my picture in front of the gates of Parsua Deltora. I also had a picture sitting near Tobias's bed, and I also had a picture with him in the garden."
"But that was because you were trying to help Tobias! This idiot is not helping this woman just by whispering! Nanadya na siya Harper! He's flirting!"
Hindi rin nagtagal ay pumasok na rin sina Claret at Lily sa aking silid dala iyong kani-kanilang kopya. Inihampas din ni Lily sa lamesa iyong kopya niya habang si Claret ay nahihiyang sinalubong ang mga mata ko.
I knew it was partly my fault because I purposely annoyed him during the previous years, and I deserved this. But we had our exchange of letters, and I mentioned to him my situation.
Hindi niya kayang tanggapin na ang desisyon ko'y manatili muna rito habang kailangan ako ng pamilya ako. He was insisting that he already gave me enough time.
"I'm sorry about this, Harper . . ."
"No. It's okay."
"Bakit hindi mo puntahan ang isang iyan? He's trying to provoke you." Sabi ni Lily.
Hindi ko sila pinansin tatlo. Kinuha ko ang lahat ng sulat ni Kreios sa lamesa at isa-isa ko iyong sinunog at inihagis sa pugon ng aking silid.
"I am okay."
***
I was firm with my decision to ignore Kreios, but it seemed like he had a huge donation to this mysterious writer that he had been the topic of the Ancient Quillper.
I tore the latest issue of Ancient Quillper when I read Kreios's last interview about mates in this generation.
"Come on, we're not in ancient times. We're about to embrace the modern world— modern Nemetio Spiran. Wala na ako sa henerasyon na tila nais nang kitilin ang buhay sa sandaling mawalay lang sa kanilang itinakdang babae. I am a great king at hindi rin long-haired. Wala akong kahinaan. Mga long-haired lang yata ang may kahinaan."
"Oh . . . King Kreios, tila nakalimutan mo yatang si Haring Dastan ay . . ."
"Oh? Siya lang ba ang long-haired?"
Hindi ko na tinapos pang basahin ang naroon sa papel. He's a king of an empire. How could he spill those kinds of words? That idiot!
Hindi na ako nagulat nang muling nabuksan ang pinto ng aking silid. Sa pagkakataong ito ay namumula sa galit sina Naha, Claret, at Lily.
"Go there now!" Sabi ni Lily.
"Mudelior hired great performers from Parsua Deltora, sumabay ka na sa kanila," dagdag ni Naha.
"Ano ang gagawin ko roon?"
"Wala raw siyang kahinaan, hindi ba? Bigyan mo." Sabi ni Claret.
Naha, Lily and Claret arranged everything for me. Hindi ko na naintindihan ang buong pangyayari dahil natagpuan ko na lang ang sarili ko sa ekspedisyon ng mga manananghal mula sa Parsua Deltora.
Claret dressed me like a performer of Mudelior, a white silk fabric with jewelry and glitter around it. My stomach and half of my chest were exposed. She gave me golden bracelets that create sounds with my every movement. They even covered half of my face exposing just my eyes.
Umiling na ako sa kanila. "I don't know how to perform. I am a singer. Kreios will quickly recognize me . . ."
"You forgot that you were once my accomplice, Harper. Dati'y nagawa ninyo akong isang masahista. I can help you disguise as a dancer right now."
Queen Leticia giggled. Naha clapped excitedly while Lily looked proud. Tipid rin ngumiti sa akin sina Anna at Iris.
Nang buksan na ni Reyna Leticia ang lagusan, hindi pa man ako tuluyang handa ay naramdaman ko na ang pagtulak sa akin ni Lily.
I tried to look back, but all I witnessed was Lily's weak smile. She knew everyone of us, at kailanman ay hindi siya papayag na naiipit kaming mga kapatid niya sa isang sitwasyon kahit isakripisyo niya ang kanyang sarili kapakanan.
Gusto kong bumalik at tulungan siya bilang isa rin prinsesa ng Gazellian, ngunit pilit siyang ngumiti sa akin upang bigyan ako ng kasiyahan.
Nang sandaling tuluyan na akong tumawid sa lagusan, kasunod ng mga tagapagtanghal ng Parsua Deltora, agad kaming sinalubong ng malaking bulwagan ng Mudelior.
Unlike the huge dome of Parsua Sartorias for every event, the place in Mudelior was an open field. It didn't have extravagant decorations, like flowers and expensive statues, but it was filled with huge fires.
Nakapaligid na ang mga nilalang ng Mudelior habang hinihintay ang pagtatanghal namin. They were dressed in their traditional linen cloth, men and women with neutral colors.
Ngunit ang higit na nakaagaw ng pansin sa akin ay ang kanilang hari. Kaiba sa kanyang mga nasasakupan, hindi niya suot ang kanilang tradisyunal na kasuotan. He was wearing all black as if he was a human male with all his fitted clothes. Nakakrus ang kanyang mga hita habang napangalumbaba siya gamit ang isang kamay niya.
He looked bored.
Claret might have done something with my performer's dress that Kreios didn't recognize me.
The performers mentioned that I didn't need to dance with them, I just needed to walk straight until I reached the throne of the king. I needed to kneel before him and offer him sake from the kingdom of Parsua Deltora.
When I accepted the huge jar, I felt that it had something inside that I knew Naha prepared for me.
Nang nasimula na ang tambol, ang pagsiklab ng malakas na apoy at ang sabay-sabay na paggalaw ng mga mananayaw ay sinimulan ko na rin humakbang habang hawak ang malaking bangga.
Kreios was yawning. I even saw how his head banged as he tried to keep his eyes open. Habang nakikita ko siya lalong umiinit ang ulo ko sa lahat ng mga nabasa kong sinabi niya.
Nakarating na ako sa mataas na hagdanan patungo sa trono niya at hindi ko pa rin naaagaw ang atensyon ni Kreios. Ngunit nang umabot na ako sa baitang na tatlong hakbang na lang patungo sa kanya, higit akong yumuko at inangat ko ang banga sa harapan niya.
"This sake is a special gift from Parsua Deltora . . ."
"Psh. Nakahahaba ba iyan ng buhok?" he asked annoyingly.
Ngunit sa halip na sagutin ko ang nakangapangalumbabang hari at mukhang tamad na tamad sa pagdiriwang na iyon, agad kong binasag ang banga sa harapan niya.
If he was expecting liquor inside it, he was wrong. The jar was filled with sand and before he knew it, I was holding a dagger.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Kreios at napasandal na siya sa kinauupuan niya.
"A-assassin!" Sigaw niya.
But before he could even attack me or even his men, I was already pinning the king on his throne. One of my knees was on the seat, pushing slowly between his wide spread legs, my other hand was on the back of his neck, cupping him while my other hand had a dagger pointing at his throat. The king's head was tilted up as I met his eyes.
I allowed the thin fabric that covered my face to fall. The few strands of my hair brushed his cheeks.
I smirked at him. He gasped.
"Nasaan ang haring walang kahinaan? I have your throat now, Your Majesty."