Chapter 8: Surrender
"Welcome to Mudelior, My Queen."
I thought he'd quickly distance himself after those words, but he was still there, with his arms on my sides, and his eyes expecting a reply.
My brows arched. I tilted my head and smirked at him. "Aren't we trying to play the role of a broken-hearted king and a possessed queen? You're out of the script, Your Majesty."
He chuckled. He gently caressed the back of his hand on my cheek.
"You're so . . . beautiful," he whispered in his raspy voice.
Unti-unting nawala ang ngisi sa mga labi ko at ang tanging namayani lang ng mga oras na iyon ay ang titig namin sa isa't isa.
When I was outside that arena, as the wind blew, everything felt so cold— a night that I'd always expect in Mudelior. But right now, I could clearly sense everything, I felt as if I was burning, like a fire was hiding beneath the golden cage. I could hear the metallic marching of the knights and the cracking sounds of the burning torches. There were droplets of water from the dampened rocks falling on the ground. The shadows continued to flicker, weaving around different dances in the darkness of this narrow tunnel, and the way the torchlights were kissing his cheeks.
It was like everything slowed down with his warm body above me and his chest heaving— as if every breath he took was restrained.
King Kreios Sageton Doyle looked so ethereal with this mellowed expression.
I could hear the small movement of my hands against my golden chain.
He wasn't masked, not even smirking nor even challenging me. It was a kind of gaze that would make my heart tighten— leaving me breathless.
He didn't wait for my reply, instead, he gently touched his forehead with mine. My eyes were still open but his was closed. "I am sorry if I wasn't there for you . . ."
With those words, everything that had happened recently, from Atlas and Veda's appearance, the fight in the castle between Finn and Dastan, how Kalla transformed into a bird, portals suddenly appeared, and how we found Zen, the other princes from the prophecy and Claret in that tight situation, how Lily and I kneeled and begged to stop Dastan with his sword, and how Zen hugged Finn's body as the ice crawled around his body.
The golden chains around my wrist shattered, and Kreios allowed me to hug him. Kusa nang tumulo ang mga luha ko at hinayaan ko ang sarili kong humagulgol habang yakap siya. "W-wala man lang akong nagawa . . ."
Ramdam ko ang mas lalong pagbilis ng pagtakbo ng mga kawal nang marinig nilang umiyak na bigla ang kanilang reyna. "I am so hopeless. I didn't even help them, Kreios . . ."
"Hush now, love . . ." malambing na sabi niya.
Mas hinigpitan ko ang yakap sa kanya.
Parang hindi man lang kami nagpatayan kanina ni Kreios dahil inalalayan niya pa akong umupo at pinupunasan na niya ang mga luha ko.
Muli siyang lumingon sa unahan. "Hindi pa ba mapabibilis iyan?"
"Masusunod, Mahal na Hari!"
Marahas kong pinunasan ang mga luha ko at matalim kong tinitigan si Kreios. "Now what? Sa tingin mo ba ay tama na ikulong mo ako rito? My family needs me."
Kreios rolled his eyes. Sumandal na siyang muli sa kulungan niya. "I need you."
Hindi na ako nakasagot sa sinabi niya at sumandal na rin ako sa kulungan ko. Kasalukuyan na kaming magkaharapan habang nakatitig sa isa't isa.
He folded one leg while leaning one of his arms on its knee. "I know that you, coming here is against your will, Harper. But I'd do everything in my power to make you stay. Matagal na kitang pinagbibigyan sa lahat ng kagustuhan mo."
"Are you?"
He rolled his eyes again. "I am always up to your game, Gazellian. Kahit anong kagustuhan mo ay binibigay ko."
Hindi ko na siya sinagot at nag-iwas na ako ng tingin sa kanya. I shouldn't have let my emotions overwhelmed me. Iritable ko muling pinunasan ang pisngi ko.
Akala ko ay hindi na kami makararating pa sa sinasabing silid ni Kreios nang tumigil na ang mga kawal niya sa pagtakbo. Ibinaba nila ang kulungan namin at kasalukuyan na kaming nasa harapan ng isang malaking pintuan.
Unlike the first door which was made of wood, this time it was metal. On both sides of the metallic door hung lanterns and a knight with their armor. I thought Kreios would stand and give his order, but he merely looked over his soldier.
Inangat niya ang isang kamay niya at sabay-sabay yumuko ang mga kawal na agad nakuha ang ipinag-uutos niya.
Kasalukuyan na nilang binubuksan ang malaking pintuan. Ibang-iba talaga si Kreios kina Dastan at Tobias. Those kings had always been timid, reserved, and very king-like. Yes, Kreios already had that radiance of a king, but there was still that care-free demeanor in him.
"Hindi ka ba lalabas?"
"Is this cage exclusive for you?" Tanong niya.
Kung nasa Sartorias siguro kami ay magtataka na ang mga makakakita sa amin. Who would have imagined that they would see the king and queen of the empire inside a golden cage?
Nang sandaling tuluyan na kaming mapasok sa silid ni Kreios sa ilalim ng palasyo, ibang-iba ito sa silid ng mga haring nakita ko. It was a circular room, it didn't have a window, and the walls made of stones around it were carved intricately with different shapes and even mystical creatures. There were dim laps, a hearth, a huge wooden round glowing clock, a wooden cabinet, and an old wooden piano with wooden pipes attached to it. There was a huge bed with silky blue sheets and a gray fury carpet.
Akala ko ay tatayo na si Kreios at lalabas na sa kulungan ngunit nanatili pa rin siyang nakaupo at nakatitig sa akin. Hindi na niya kailangan pa magsalita dahil pagkatapos kaming ibaba ng mga kawal niya at mga tagasunod ay sabay-sabay na ang mga itong yumuko sa paligid namin. Sa isang iglap ay agad nawala ang mga ito at ang tanging naroon na lang sa silid na iyon ay kaming dalawa ni Kreios.
Namayani ang katahimikan sa pagitan namin at nanatili kaming magkatitigan.
"Is this another game for you, Gazellian? The one who would move first is the loser?"
Huminga ako nang malalim. Sumandal akong muli sa rehas at ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata. I asked him to be a king, and now that he claimed it and he's about to give me a throne and a crown— was this the path that my mother wanted me to take?
Nang sandaling unt-unti akong nagmulat ng aking mga mata'y naroon pa rin si Kreios at nakatitig sa akin.
"Aren't you going to give my crown tonight, King Kreios?"
"For someone who was captured, Gazellian . . . you really have that arrogance."
"Why? I made you like this. You are a king now because you want me."
He huffed. "Maybe it was? But now it's different, my love, if you're thinking about trying to live like your mother where she had that invisible leash on your father, it's different."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya. Ako naman ngayon ang hindi nakapagpigil at mabilis kong tinawid ang distansya sa pagitan namin. I was kneeling between his legs with my hands on the golden bars, my eyes were looking down at him while his head was tilted up, laces of my hair were on his cheek.
"H-how did you—"
He grinned. "You might have forgotten, Gazellian, that I've been sitting on my throne for years. Sa tingin mo ba'y ang tanging iniisip ko lang sa trono ay ikaw?"
Kasabay ng pagkawala ng ngisi niya ay ang muling pagkakaroon ko ng cadena sa aking mga kamay. Bigla akong inilipad nito malayo sa kanya. Tumayo na si Kreios at pinagpagan niya ang kanyang sarili.
"Kung sa tingin mo ay madali mo akong malilinlang, Gazellian, nagkakamali ka. You will stay inside this cage as long as you have that will to run away from me."
"W-what?!"
He looked over his shoulder for the last time and left me inside the golden cage. Naglakad na siya sa lamesa niya at kinuha niya iyong isang aklat.
Tumayo na ako sa kulungan ko at hinabol siya. Mariin ang hawak ko sa rehas habang nanliliit ang mga mata ko sa kanya.
"Aren't you going to give my crown, Kreios? Where is that arrogant king who would want me to wear just the—" He cut me off.
Agad siyang nakabalik sa harapan ko habang nakabukas ang aklat sa isang kamay niya. "Do you think I didn't know your plan, my love?"
Muli kaming nagkatitigan dalawa hanggang sa unti-unti nang pumasok sa isipan ko ang iniiwasan niya. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko at tumawa ako nang malakas sa harapan niya.
"You're afraid . . . that you'd lose your control. Na mabaliw ka sa akin at hindi na tumakbo nang maayos ang isipan mo. That I'll prove to you tonight that I made you a king, that this empire and you are mine."
Iritableng sinarado ni Kreios ang librong hawak niya at bigla niyang inilabas ang mga pangil at nagniningas niyang mga mata. "Aren't you the Gazellian here, darling love? Ang balita ko'y ang lahi ninyo ang nawawala sa katinuan makatikim lang . . ."
"Try me. Get rid of this cage, Kreios."
Ngumisi si Kreios at umiling sa akin. "No. Tatakasan mo lang ako."
Tinalikuran na niya akong muli at tumungo siya sa kanyang aklat. Mariin akong napapikit at napasigaw na ako. Tumalikod na rin ako at halos sabunutan ko ang sarili ko.
"It's okay, Gazellian, you can scream here, act like a brat, crazy, you can unmask, dahil ako lang ang nakakakilala sa 'yo. You're my evil princess . . . more like a witch."
Naupo na si Kreios sa dulo ng kanyang kama, pinagkrus niya ang kanyang mga hita habang naroon ang mga mata niya sa aklat na hawak niya.
"You're treating me like a prisoner, Kreios. If Dastan hears anything about this—" He cut me off again.
"How? I closed all the communications and borders of this empire. You are mine. Queen. Prisoner or whatever you call yourself."
Huminga ako nang malalim. "Hanggang kailan ako mananatili rito sa kulungang ito, Kreios?"
"If you stop acting so arrogant and when you realized that what I have right now is not because of you. You will witness all my daily activities. You'll listen to all my political meetings, you'll start reading the history of this empire, the powers that we have, the creatures living here, and even the legends and even deciphering the secrets of the abandoned places in Mudelior."
Napatitig ako sa kanya sa mga sinabi niyang iyon. Hindi ko akalain na darating ang araw na maririnig ko ang mga salitang iyon sa kanya.
"Aren't you aware that I am used to all of those, Kreios?"
"But you were a princess, now, you're a queen."
"With these chains?" Inangat ko ang mga kamay ko.
"You have to convince me first that you will not run away from me."
"With all the securities and borders? Sa tingin mo ay makakaalis ako?"
"I know that you're worried about your family, Harper, but you are also destined to a bigger responsibity— and that's with me. Matagal na kitang pinagbibigyan."
"That's why you forced me."
"I didn't force you. Kusa kang nagtungo sa emperyong ito, Gazellian."
"Because you were trying to create a scene in the whole empire! Alam mong mabigat na ang problemang kinahaharap ng Sartorias, nagawa mo pang gumawa ng eskandalo. Gusto mong pinag-uusapan tayo ng mundong ito!"
He chuckled. "What do you mean? The latest news about us? I got it from the human world. It feels like we're the famous celebrity couple in Nemetio Spiran that even the commoners were aware of our love . . ."
Pinaalala na niya lang naman sa akin na kahit ang mga tagasunod sa palasyo ay alam na itinakda kami sa isa't isa ngunit siya ay nakikipagkita sa ibang mga prinsesa habang ako naman ay nanggagamot lang kay Tobias. Kaya kami ang pinag-uusapan ng iba't ibang nilalang sa Nemetio Spiran dahil kami na ba raw ang simula ng pagkasira ng mga nilalang na itinakda sa isa't isa.
"You're an idiot."
"Oh, I forgot! I'll have another interview for the next issue, Harper. I should tell this writer that our meeting was so blissful that my queen couldn't come out of her room. Para naman hindi magtaka ang mga kapatid mo," nakangiwi pa siya nang sabihin iyon.
Tumayo na siya at inilapag niya sa kama ang kanyang libro.
Hindi na ako nagsalita pa at sinundan ko lang siya ng titig, ngunit bago pa man siya makarating sa pintuan ay pinahaba ko ang aking kuko at sinugatan ko ang aking sariling braso. Inilabas ko iyon sa aking rehas at hinayaan kong unti-unting pumatak ang aking dugo sa sahig.
Instead of the door, I heard the creaking sound of the metal bars tearing apart. Naglabasan ang mga ugat ni Kreios sa kanyang mga kamay, braso at maging sa kanyang noo nang saglit niyang pinaghiwalay ang dalawang rehas habang ang mga mata'y nakatuon sa akin. Sa isang iglap ay hinila na niya ang buong katawan ko mula sa kulungan habang hawak ang aking kamay.
His eyes were burning red, and his tongue was tracing the blood on my wrist. "Fuck the cage. I surrender."