Haow stared at the pitiful lady before him. It's time for him to deliver food and drinks to Emy. Pero hindi niya mapigilang makaramdam ng awa sa itsura ng dalaga.
It has been three days since he put that blindfold on her eyes. She had never removed that. Normally, if people are afraid, they will immediately open their eyes to escape the darkness.
But Emy is different.
She kept her blindfold and bore whatever she was seeing in the dark.
Minsan nga lang, the chief and him would hear her scream and cry kahit na nandoon na sila sa camping area na sinet up nila.
Anyway, wala namang mga wild animals ang susugod sa dalaga sa kinaroroonan nito. That was one of the things na sinigurado ng chief. But Haow was certain na may ginawa ang matanda upang mag-ingay ng ganoon si Emy.
"One has to understand in order to move forward. One has to be numbed inside in order to be merciless." Narinig niyang sabi ng Chief nung mismong unang beses na narinig nila ang sigaw ng dalaga.
Napailing na lang si Haow.
If others will see Emy now, malamang ay magagalit sila.
She would always face everyone gracefully and politely. Who would have thought he will see the girl like this?
Dirty and frightened.
She was shivering too habang nakaupo sa lupa at yakap yakap ang sarili niya.
As of now, mukhang hinang hina na siya. Whatever she had seen in the darkness seemed to exhaust her too much.
Ni hindi nga ito nagreact ng lapitan niya ito. She used to be too sensitive even at the smallest sound.
"Emy, I brought you food." He said quietly.
Then he crouched and fed Emy. He did have to do it otherwise she would not eat at all.
After feeding her ay tumayo na siya.
However, Emy suddenly spoke.
"Tell Master I am ready for next."
Her voice was hoarsed and tired and yet, there was new firmness in her words.
***
The Chief smiled as he heard Haow's news. Agad niyang pinasamahan si Emy sa kabilang tent wherein she got herself clean up and changed her clothes.
She didn't get enough rest ng bumalik ang chief to give her some gifts.
***
Hindi alam ni Emy kung pang-ilang beses na siyang sumuka.
It was a torture after the other.
Matapos siyang isalang ng chief to test her sanity, ngayon naman ay ang tibay ng sikmura niya.
He told her to examine the carcass of the animals na "regalo" niya daw sa kanya.
From rabbits to bigger animals.
Ilang araw na rin niyang ginagawa iyon. She keeps on vomitting too.
Hindi na niya alam kung gugustuhin pa ba niyang kumain eh. Lagi rin naman niyang inilalabas ang mga iyon once na kaharap na niya ang mga regalo ng chief sa kanya.
In fact, it was already the bile which she's throwing out now.
"Futile. Are you going to keep vomitting? Tanong sa kanya ni Chief.
Umiling siya in contrary to what her body wants to do.
"Then stop that now. You still have lots to do. Ni hindi mo pa nga nahahanap ang puso ang deer na yan eh."
***
When weekend came, Emy got sick. She lost weight too. Hindi alam tuloy ni Feng kung anong iisipin sa ginagawa niyang training with the chief.
Anyway, she stayed in her room, resting and sleeping.
Hindi niya akalain na magkakasakit siya from the training. And the chief told her that she should recuperate during weekend or else hindi nila agad maitutuloy ang training nila.
Kaya naman as much as she wants to do something else, she remained in bed and resting.
Just like now...
She was sleeping soundly. If she's not, she could have noticed that her windows suddenly swung open kasabay ng malakas na hangin.
A man closed it carefully. Then slowly approached Emy.
He was trained to see in the dark kaya naman hindi niya kailangan ng ilaw para mapagmasdan ng husto si Emy.
'She got thinner,' he thought.
Saka siya naupo sa tabi ng dalaga. He stared at her for a long time. Emy used to wake up with the slightest sound. But now, she remained sleeping soundly on her bed.
Napailing ang lalaki.
Then he reached her cheeks to caress it.
Agad na nangunot ang noo niya when he felt how warm her face. He touched her forehead and neck to check further her temperature.
"Emy, I've just left you for a few months and you get yourself sick like this." Sebastian clicked his tongue. Luckily, he always had a lot of kinds of medicine from his mother and they are quite more effective than the medicines here in Ming.
Tatayo na sana siya upang ikuha ng maiinom ang dalaga but a hand suddenly held his.
"Don't leave me."
Sebastian held his breath. Her voice was a bit hoarse and yet there was hardness in there too. It was not the same as before.
He looked at the lady beside him na nakahawak sa kamay niya. She's looking back at him, clearly seeing him despite the darkness.
Sebastian can't tell what more could have changed in this lady but surely, he had missed a lot for the few months na naging abala siya sa ibang bagay.
He sighed and leaned towards Emy. Hanggang sa halos kakaunti na lang ang layo ng mga mukha nila sa isa't isa. He reached her cheeks again.
"What have they done to you?"
Emy shook her head which made his lips hooked up. It wouldn't be her kung sasabihin niya agad. He kissed her forehead bago umayos ng upo.
"I won't leave. Ikukuha lang kita ng maiinom so you can drink this medicine I have brought."
For a moment, walang ginawa si Emy. Then she slowly let his hand go.
Napailing na lang si Sebastian bago tumayo.
If this is the normal Emy, he won't be able to touch and kiss her like this easily. Parang gusto tuloy niyang mahiling na sana ay palagi na lang may sakit ang dalaga para ganito siya palagi kaamo.
'Now, now, Sebastian... You really do not want that, don't you?' He silently castigated himself.
Napangiti na lang siya habang pabalik sa kama ni Emy. He helped her sit and take the medicine.
Ibinalik niya din yung baso sa mesa at saka naupo ulit sa tabi ng dalaga. But she didn't go back to sleep. Instead, she remained sitting and when he finally sat beside her, she put her head on his shoulder.
For a moment, Sebastian is at war within his head. Is he going to make Emy lay on her bed again so she can continue resting? Or Is he going to pull her towards him?
Truth be told, alam niya kung anong gusto niya. He smirked at himself. He won't do it though. Hindi rin niya alam kung kelan pa siya naging mapagpigil but he knew that he would only be this selfless pagdating sa dalaga.
"Lay down, Emy."
He even held her shoulder. But the lady hugged his arms and shook her head habang nasa may balikat pa rin niya ito. Is she trying to make things difficult for him?
"Come on. You have to rest."
"You will leave me if I do."
His eyes widened for a moment. Saka niya naalala na may sakit ang dalaga and he should not be carried away.
He reached for her cheeks using his other hand. Then he raised his face to look at him. They are staring again at each other's eyes.
"I won't leave you."
She just stared him. For a long time, ganun lang ang itsura ng dalaga.
Napahinga na lang siya ng malalim.
"Fine. I'll lay down with you."
A small smile appeared on her face which caused Sebastian's chest ache for a moment.
Nahiga na ang dalaga using his arms as her pillow. Hindi tuloy alam ni Sebastian if he made a right decision. Wala talagang balak ang dalaga na paalisin siya.
Umayos na lang siya ng higa sa tabi ng dalaga. He thought of just waiting for her to sleep deeply bago umalis. But while she's not yet on that phase, he watched her habang nakasara ang mga mata nito.
Maya maya lang din ay mahimbing na siyang natutulog. Sebastian thought about leaving now bago pa magbago ang isip niya but Emy suddenly mumbled something.
At first, hindi niya agad iyon naintindihan. But the second time, it was loud and clear to him.
"Marco..."
Sebastian was stunned for a moment. Then a smirk appeared on his face. Why this lady? Siya ang kasama pero ibang lalaki ang hinahanap.
And who the hell is this Marco? Is he someone from Royal City? Or is it the Marco he knew?
Either of them, he won't let them have her.
Emy is his alone.
***
Anika, Lia and Veronica woke up early para asikasuhin ang may sakit nilang Miss.
She needed them.
Hindi nila inaasahan na ang isang training nito ay ikakasakit nito ng ganoon. They also noticed that she became thinner.
They opened the door of her room after knocking. Hindi na nila inaasahan ang pagsagot mula dito. She is probably sleeping soundly.
And that's exactly how she looked when they finally opened the door.
Agad na napasinghap sila Lia at Veronica and they immediately covered they mouth as not to wake any of those two na mahimbing na natutulog sa kama.
Anika was surprised too. But it just passed by on her face at saka niya mabilis na isinara ang pinto ng kwarto ng Miss niya.
Sebastian woke up at the sound.
"Did we wake your highness?" Tanong ni Anika. She couldn't suppress her smile.
Sebastian, however, had to wake up fully before he realize na nakatulog pala siya sa tabi ng dalaga and he is hugging her in her sleep.
He gently pulled his arms below her and carefully tucked in her again. Then he caressed her cheeks.
"Get well soon..." He whispered as he leaned down to kiss her forehead.
Then he stood up.
"Why don't you eat first, your highness?" Alok ni Anika habang nakaturo sa mga dala nila Lia at Veronica.
He took a bread at yun lang ang kinain. Saka siya may kinuha sa may bulsa niya ang gave it to Anika.
"Make her drink this instead. Mas effective yan kesa sa mga gamot dito sa Ming."
"Thank you, Your highness."
"Take care of her."
"We will."
With a last glance at Emy, lumabas na siya sa kwarto nito through her window again.
***