"Mom."
Tawag pansin ko sa aking ina na ngayon ay abala sa kanyang binabasang libro. Nag-angat ito ng tingin sa akin at ngumiti. She closes the book she's holding and motioned me to come closer to her.
"What is it, my Queen?" she asked as she held my hand.
"We're going to Plysia," Anunsyo ko dito. Kita ko ang pagtataka sa mga mata niya. Tila ba'y hindi niya makuha kung ano ang dahilan kung bakit kailangan kong lumabas ng palasyo.
"I need to see for myself the current situation of the village, mom," I said then sighed. Sa totoo lang ay naiinis pa ako ngayon dahil wala man lang nagsabi saakin ng totoong estado ng Plysia. All I know was they're just having a trouble of choosing their next leader. But the truth is someone's ruling the whole village! And they have the guts of killing someone who opposes their will!
"Shanaya," naging alerto ako nong tawagin ako ng aking ina sa pangalan ko. She merely called me by my name. "You know already what to do," she said and pointed on my chest part. "Just follow what your heart desires. Follow it and you'll be fine."
Tumango ako rito bilang pagsang-ayon sa sinabi niya.
"Just always take care of yourself, my Queen," seryosong sambit niya. "In this world, you need to defeat them before they defeat and bring you down."
Kahit naguguluhan ay tumango nalang ako. My mom's right at wala sa plano ko ang magpatalo. Not in a million chance.
"Are we all set?"
Tanong ko sa mga kasama ko.
Pagkatapos naming mag-usap ng aking ina ay dumeretso na ako sa mga magiging kasama ko patungong Plysia.
Simon and Ara are with me. Hindi ko na pinasama si Lorenzo. The palace needs him. Kailangang may maiwan na malakas sa palasyo. My mom's here. She may strong but she needs someone to protect her too. Hindi namin alam kong anong maaaring mangyari pagkaalis namin dito. My mom's need to safe hanggang makabalik kami galing Plysia.
Lumapit si Ara saakin at may ibinulong.
"Queen, are you really sure about this?" she asked me. "Mukhang hindi mapagkakatiwalaan ang Kate na yan," dagdag pa niya na siya nagpabaling sa akin sa pwesto ni Kate. She's wearing a serious face. I can't read what's on her mind right now. I looked at Ara and tap her shoulder.
"Don't worry too much, Ara. Kate seems like a harmless one. Everything will be fine." I assured her.
Nagsimula na kaming maglakbay patungong Plysia. We use the palace horses. May iilan akong kawal na isinama. Ara and Simon is enough for me. Pero mapalit si Lorenzo at pinasama pa niya ang iilang kawal na meron siya.
Ilang oras ang ginugol namin para makarating sa Plysia. I never thought na malayo pala ito sa palasyo. Minutes passed when Simon suddenly speak.
"We'll be there any minute," he announced. Napatango ako at inihanda na ang sarili sa maaring maabutan sa Plysia.
Katahimikan.
Natigil ang mga kabayong sinasakyan namin. Maging ako ay natigilan.
I alerted myself. Lumapit si Ara saakin at ilang mga kawal. Tila ba ay handa silang protektahan ako sa kung ano mang pwedeng mangyari.
"Relax."
Napabaling ako kay Kate nong magsalita ito.
"The power you just felt earlier was mine," she acknowledge us. "That was my signal to my fellow co-villages."
"And what makes you think that we'll believe in your words?" seryosong tanong ni Ara dito.
"I just want them to know that the Queen is with us. Cause if I don't do that, they'll die without knowing that she..." Kate paused and looked at me. "..the Queen did her best to help us. To help her people."
"Let's move in," napalingon ako kay Simon nong magsalita ito. Humigpit ang hawak ko sa lubid at pinatakbong muli ang kabayong sinsakyan ko. Hindi na umalis sa tabi ko si Ara. Same as the guards.
And minutes after, nasa bukana na kami ng Plysia.
Nasa unahan namin si Simon. Siya ang unang bumaba sa kabayong sinasakyan niya. He looked around. Ganoon din naman ako. Pinakiramdaman ko ang buong paligid. I closed my eyes. I tried to reached every thought of the people here. But all I can get was their fears.
I slowly open my eyes.
Bumungad sa paningin ko ang iilang tao sa harapan namin. Five men are blocking us.
"Anong kailangan niyo?" seryosong tanong ng isa sa kanila. Kung titingnan ng mabuti, they looked like a normal citizen of this village. But I know better, they're not.
"Solomon."
Sambit ni Kate. Wala na ito sa kabayong sinasakyan niya. I didn't notice her! Her moves were light, hindi ko man lang napansin. Lalong humigpit ang hawak ko sa lubid. Inayos ko rin ang pagkakasuot ng hood na suot ko, hiding my whole face.
"Ikaw na naman?" inis na wika nong tinawag na Solomon ni Kate. "What is this? Hinahamon mo naman ba ang Zodx ngayon? Di ka na nadala!"
Hindi sumagot si Kate kaya naman ay lalong nainis iyong si Solomon. Itinaas niya ang kanyang espadang hawak at tinutukan niya si Kate sa leeg nito. She stay still. Naging alerto ang mga kawal na kasama namin. I stay silent. Pinagmasdan ko lamang ang mga nagaganap. Ara closes the space between us. Napatingin ang limang lalaki saamin. Ang iba ay mukhang nagulat noong makilala nila kung sino kami. I know right now, they already recognize us. The guards are wearing the royal uniforms that only guard palace are allowed to wear.
"They're from the palace," rinig kong sambit noong isa sabay atras. Solomon looked at us with his deadly expression.
"Ano? Pinadala kayo nang walang kwentang reyna?" he said with a smirk. Napataas ang isang kilay ko sa sinabi niya. He doesn't know me. Even what I look like, he doen't even know na nandito ako.
"Watch your word," ani Ara sa tabi ko.
"What? Nasa Plysia kayo. Nasa teritoryo namin kayo!" Solomon said then swayed his sword towards Kate. But before he finally hit her, Simon already blocked it.
"Wrong move," seryosong sambit nito sabay hampas nito ng esapad niya.
Napaatras naman si Solomon sa naging atake ni Simon. Nagtitigan ang dalawa at tila ba'y naghihintay lang sila na may isa sa kanilang unang umatake.
"Stop it, Simon," I finally spoken. He didn't move an inch. Nakatingin lang ito nang seryoso sa kaharap niya.
"Are you one of the men of the Zodx?" I asked at Solomon. He looked at me and didn't answered. Kaya naman ay itinaas ni Simon ang espada niya at itinutok dito.
"Answer when she's asking you, asshole," inis na asik ni Simon rito. Kung nakakamatay lang ang tingin ay malamang kanina pa nakahandusay ang dalawang ito sa uri ng tingin nila sa isa't-isa.
"Speak!" bulyaw muli ni Simon. He's losing it! Napatingin ako kay Ara. I saw how she rolled her eyes on Simon. She started walking towards Simon's direction. May pumalit na guard sa pwesto na iniwan ni Ara.
I watch as she tapped Simon's arm.
"Come, Simon. Shut it. Masyado mo itong tinatakot," natatawang ani nito. Iginaya niya pababa ang espadang nakatutok kay Solomon. She even smiled at him. And I know that smile. That creepy smile.
And with a blink of an eye.
Ang limang lalaki na kanina ay nakatayo sa harapan namin ay nakahandusay na sa sahig. Lifeless.
"Yan ang napapala ng mga taong minamaliit ang reyna namin," ani ni Ara sabay tingin saakin. She smiled at me tenderly. I just nodded at her as my response.
Minsan talaga ay mas nakakatakot si Ara kaysa kay Simon. Simon can control his shitness but not Ara. When she's mad, she can kill you in just a blink of an eye. Just like what happened to those five men.
I looked at them.
I'm expecting this thing to happen.
Zodx are not just simple Xiernian. They can kill without any valid reason. They took lives just to satisfy their obssession.
"Let's move in," ani Ara at nauna nang maglakad sa amin.
Kate looked at me. I can see how sorry she was for what just happened. I just nodded at her at nagsimula na ding maglakad.