20 years later...
"You know, the party is on the other side of the wall."
Haow told Emy habang nakatulala siya sa labas ng wall.
Emy just raised an eyebrow at him then put back the jade ring on her necklace.
"Come on. This celebration is for you. Why don't you grace your own party?"
"You know I hate parties."
"Pretend then."
Tapos ay kinuha ni Haow ang kamay niya saka siya hinigit pababa ng wall.
Today marks the twentieth year after they freed the Grey City from Xeno's manipulation.
Marami na rin ang nangyari. Twenty years is too long, after all. But the changes that happened are for the embetterment of the Grey people.
After na makatakas nila Serafina at Sebastian, Atticus strengthened the alliance between the Grey and his cities.
Emy and Haow prioritized restoring the city first. Not only physically but also internally.
The Prime Minister guided them well.
Matapos na maayos nila ang lahat, saka lang sila nagdecide na maglagay ng panibagong leader .
But they had troubled in choosing dahil walang may gustong maupo sa pinakamataas na estado sa Grey City.
Or probably, they all have one person in mind who should be sitting there pero she had already expressed her disagreement for the proclamation.
Wala talagang balak na maging Empress si Emy. For what purpose she will have that title?
Hindi naman niya kinalaban sila Xeno at Misa for that. She wanted peace and she had that ever since.
Peace of being alone...
She thinks that's enough for her.
Isa pa, she had experienced living as a leader once. Though hindi maikukumpara ang pagiging leader ng Black Council at pagiging Empress, she still thought life there is full of heartaches and betrayals.
Hindi pa ba sapat lahat ng dinanas niya noon? She once died because of power. And now, she had another lifetime of heartaches and betrayals because of it.
However, since wala din naman siyang pagkakaabalahan sa buong buhay niya, she pledged to help whoever will be the leader of Grey City. Her loyalty and her hand... They were already enough.
Kaya naman nagdecide si Haow to claim the Throne. After all, as Marco, siya naman talaga ang original na Crown Prince.
And his and her tandem are just exceptional.
That's two lifetimes of partnership could do for you.
They both advanced all the ministries of Grey City.
They also added a new ministry. Technology Ministry. Liu Fu became the minister for that. Katulong niya si Choi Kang sa pagpapatakbo noon. And one of the first projects they implemented was the addition of Technology subject in Grey Academy. Soon, naghahalinhinan sila Liu Fu at Choi Kang para magturo sa mga estudyante.
Si Franco naman ang pumalit bilang heneral kay Francis, since he and Feng decided to stay in Ming Province permanently.
But Emy knew. Those two had been going here and there mula sa Ming at sa pinakabagong probinsya ng Grey City— ang Hans Province.
Emy acquired this huge land noong mga panahong kinailangan niyang pumunta sa Royal City bago ang labanan sa pagitan ng Royal City at Grey City. Nagkataon na napadaan siya sa lugar na iyon habang papunta siya sa Ming Province. And since she discovered its rich resources, she got interested in it. Ginawan talaga niya ng paraan para mabili ang lugar na iyon.
Calix had to beg and show his charm para mapapayag ang matandang mag-asawa na naninirahan doon para ibenta sa kanya ang lugar na iyon.
Emy was impressed, of course.
The place was still unnamed when its first residents lived there. But soon, sila na mismo ang nagbigay ng pangalan dito as Hans Province, naming it from its owner.
Anyway, kung may mga nadagdag, may mga nabawas din sa Grey City.
From laws to establishments...
Aside from that, there were also a lot of deaths sa loob ng twenty years.
Even Feng and Francis had eventually left them.
It wasn't just them.
Serafina also died.
Emy never had a chance to talk to Serafina again.
Mainly because she swore not to meet anyone from them anymore. And she had kept her promise hanggang ngayon. No one from those people she let escape twenty years ago had met her.
Although, she and the old Empress had been corresponding with each other.
From time to time, she's giving her updates about the people there. Lalo na sa buhay ng anak niya.
Emy sighed as her mind drifted to her son. He just turned twenty three months ago. At kung may pinanghihinayangan man ng lubos si Emy, yun ay ang hindi pakikipagkita sa anak sa loob ng dalawampung taon.
He must have hated her now.
Wala din naman siyang mukhang maihaharap dito eh.
She let him grow up without her.
Isa pa, how can she face her son? She's a murderer. Out of whim, she killed a child na hindi pa man nailalabas sa sinapupunan ng kanyang ina.
How can she deserve to be a mother if she has taken that opportunity from someone else?
That's her biggest regret of her life.
"How can you face the Grey people like that, Emy? Uso ngumiti, you know." Lucy said when Haow and she met her among the crowds in the party.
She was with Lancelot, hers and Franco's son. Yep. Nagkatuluyan din ang dalawa.
Awa ng Diyos ay naumpog isang araw si Franco at niyayang magpakasal si Lucy. Iyan nga at may Lancelot na sila ngayon. He's 18 years old now. At gaya ng nanay niya, he's too childish for his age.
"Aunt Emy..." Lancelot immediately hooked his arms on hers.
Emy just gave him a side glance.
"Ano na namang kailangan mo, Lance?"
Agad siyang ngumuso.
"Hala... Kapag lalapitan kita, dapat may kailangan ako?"
He received a knock on his head from behind. It was Franco.
"Nope, nilalapitan mo lang talaga ang Aunty mo kapag may kailangan ka. Hay nako, Lancelot, tigilan mo yang kakauto mo sa Aunty mo. Kung ano ano na naman ang hihingiin mo jan."
"Na ibinibigay naman ni Aunty willingly. Wag ka ng kumontra, Papa. Wala namang iispoil na iba si Aunty kundi ako no."
"And me." Singit ni Diadem. Mataray pa ang pagkakatingin niya kay Lancelot. But when she looked at Emy, agad itong ngumiti at yumakap sa kanya.
"Ano ba, Ate Diadem? I was here first."
"Jusko po, eto na naman sila." Reklamo ni Lucy na napapailing pa.
Namana ba naman ng dalawa ang laging bangayan nila ni Diana noon. Edi ngayon ay silang dalawa ang namomroblema kapag nagsasabong ang dalawa, which happened everytime kapag magkikita kita silang lahat.
"Diadem, umasal ka nga ng naaayon. Ang laki laki mo na eh." Saway ni Diana sa anak. Agad namang ngumuso ang dalaga.
Napailing na lang si Emy while didn't even bother to hide her smile.
These two are the only happiness of her life sa loob ng twenty years.
It was unfortunate na hindi nagkaanak si Haow. She could afford another kiddo to spoil.
"Diadem, Lance, tell me what you want then."
Franco, Lucy and Diana groaned at her. Kaya din nahihirapan silang mapasunod ang dalawang bata ay dahil sa kanya. She gave whatever they wanted.
Bakit ba? She's too rich to keep it to herself. And although she's providing for her son secretly, gusto din naman niya ng may naglalambing sa kanya para magpabili ng ganito at ganyan na hindi niya magawa para sa sariling anak. She could only have that happiness sa mga pamangkin niya.
Lancelot touched his nose, one of his mannerism kapag nag-iisip, saka ngumiti kay Emy.
"Aunt, can you go hunting with me again? Papa is not as good as you. The last time we went in the forest, wala kaming nahuli masyado."
"Aba't..."
Babatukan sana ulit ni Franco ang anak pero nagtago ito sa likuran ni Emy. Natawa lang naman si Lucy at Emy.
She heard the story from Lucy. Nagplano nga ng hunting si Franco but he was obviously not that good in that. Even Lucy was almost disappointed.
Almost, kasi daw whatever happened she still loves him.
When Lucy told them that, parehas na lang napaikot ng mga mata niya sila Emy at Diana.
Well, at least may isa sa kanila ang sinwerte naman sa pag-ibig, di ba.
"I will check my schedule, Lance, and see where I can put hunting in there."
"Great! I will look forward to it." He kissed her cheeks and then nagpaalam na. He went away and met his friends. Hula niya ay ipinagyayabang na naman siya ng binata sa mga ito. Panay turo niya sa direksyon niya eh.
Napailing na lang si Emy. Well, she gained a kiss. How can she disappoint a cute guy like that?
Sunod naman niyang tiningnan si Diadem. Diadem hooked her arms on hers too.
"What about you, sweetie?"
"Aunty..."
"Ummn?"
"Actually, wala naman akong request sayo."
"Then why it feels like you do?"
"I just... I just have something to tell you."
"And that is?"
Diadem leaned down to whisper.
Natigilan si Emy. Then she looked from Diadem to Diana, and back again.
"Sweetie... Are you sure about this? Ang bata mo pa."
Diadem rolled her eyes.
"Parehas lang kayo ni Mama, Aunty. Twenty one na ako. That's not a kid anymore."
"But for us, it is still a kid."
Diadem sighed and then smiled at her.
"Aunty naman eh..."
Emy smiled at her. Then she looked at Diana again. There's a pleading in her eyes. She probably wanted Emy to change her daughter's mind. Minsan din kasi ay masyadong impulsive si Diadem and made decisions ng basta basta.
But Diana is not that kind of parent na lahat ay ibibigay sa anak. She has restrictions. Kaya naman minsan, they ended up clashing with each other.
"Think about it some more, sweetie. Wala sa Royal City ang mama mo. Wala doon sila Aunt Lucy and Uncle Franco. Wala si Uncle Haow. At mas lalong wala ako doon.
"You will be totally alone there. At kahit pa dalawang taon na lang ng Level Three ang aaralin mo doon, it is still too far from us.
"Do you think kaya mong mag-isa ng ganun katagal?"
"That's why I am gonna try. Kundi kaya, edi uuwi ako dito.
"Besides, kaya nga kayo ang pangalawang sinabihan ko eh. Because I know you have relatives in there.
"I won't be totally alone if you will introduce me to your nieces and nephews there."
Emy sighed.
"Convince your mother first. Kapag umoo siya, then ako pa mismo ang mag-aayos ng matitirhan at enrollment mo doon."
"Really?"
Emy nodded.
Diadem was suddenly thinking. And then she looked at her mother.
At least, hindi siya masisisi masyado ni Diana sa huli.
***