Chapter 7
-- HARI --
Pagpupulong at ikalawang grupo
The fire of the lamps was getting blurry as the flies continued to flutter around it without hesitation. We're in the royal table filled with councils, high vampires, my brothers and sister, some knights, representatives from recruited empires, and other vampires who were interested to hear the plan.
It's Evan's turn to explain everything about the details of our every step once that the fire of war lighted up. I've been aware of this plan the moment, Leticia and my siblings' left the empire—na kahit hindi ako makinig sa mga sinasabi niya ay alam ko na ang bawat detalye nito.
I wonder why my eyes couldn't leave those stubborn flies that feasting around the fire that might kill them.
I could still remember when I was a kid, as my mother reads us our bedtime stories. Lily was peacefully sleeping in her arms as Zen and I were on our bed -- tucked with blankets.
As our mother speaks her lovely words, the blinking light of the bedside lamp caught my attention.
"They're weird, right, Dastan?" asked Zen, who happened to be distracted too.
The lamp was hot and too dangerous that it might kill them, pero bakit pinipilit pa rin nilang lumipad sa maaaring makasakit sa kanila?
"Those flies are really weird, indeed." Dagdag ko.
Itinigil ni ina ang kanyang pagbabasa at marahan niyang hinaplos ang noo namin ni Zen.
"Dastan, Zen... may mga bagay na kahit alam mong masasaktan ka... mahihirapan at—" umiling si ina. "You are too young, my boys..."
"You'll take the risk. The light from the lamp is a temptation... the light is a temptation." Usal ko.
Mas dumiin ang titig sa akin ni ina. Yes, I was too young back then, pero maaga akong namulat sa lahat bilang panganay. No matter how father and mother tried to treat me normally when no one was watching to avoid the pressure on me, sarili ko na mismo ang nagkumbinsi sa akin na mas imulat ang aking mga mata sa katotohanan.
"Yes, Dastan... the light is a temptation."
Zen laughed. "I am not tempted. Ang init kaya niyan! If I become a fly, I will pick a safe place. I don't want to get burned."
"But there are things that we couldn't just leave behind our back, we couldn't just turn away because it burdens us—what if it is part of our path?"
"Hush..." ani ni ina.
Hinalikan niya ang noo namin ni Zen at isinarado na niya ang aklat na hawak niya. Hinipan na niya ang apoy sa lampara dahilan kung bakit hindi na namin nakita ni Zen ang mga nagliliparan.
"Enough for tonight, my boys."
"Can I have Lily tonight, mother?" tanong ni Zen.
"Yes, of course. She wants to sleep with her brothers."
"But I will sleep inside my room—" pagtutol ko.
"Kakapain ni Lily ang unan mo, Dastan. She will cry with me..." panunumbat sa akin ni Zen.
Sa tuwing binabasahan kami ng aklat ni ina, pumapayag na akong humiga muna sa kama ni Zen pero sa sandaling makatulog na sila ni Lily, lumilipat na rin ako sa kwarto ko.
But it seemed like the princess manipulated something in here as she sleeps innocently. "Very well."
Kapwa kami gumalaw ni Zen para magkaroon ng espasyo sa gitna. Mother laid Lily between Zen and I, kapwa kami tumagilid ni Zen upang mapagmasdan ang natutulog naming kapatid. And when she moved her little hands on her pillow, Zen and I will hold it together. She will squeeze our hands, and a small smile will appear in her lips with her closed eyes.
"Good night, Lily..."
It was odd that our Mother made us sleep at night, which was rare for vampires. When I asked her about it, she said that it's fine since we were still young.
Hindi kami iniwan ni ina sa silid ni Zen habang hindi niya nasisiguro na natutulog na kami. She even laid beside Zen habang tinatapik niya ito para tuluyang makatulog.
"Can't sleep, Dastan?"
"A bit..."
Sa huli ay sa akin na rin tumabi si ina. I tried to tell her that it was okay, but she insisted. She tried to soothe my thoughts away by her soft humming and patting, and slowly. My eyelids started to get heavy.
You couldn't just fight the power of a humming mother, plus, she's a Queen. "Will you cross the temptation and risk your life to get burned... my son..." bulong niya sa akin habang unti-unting hinihila ang buong presensiya ko patungo sa malalim na pagkakatulog.
I smiled at her with my eyes closed. "I'll join the light, mother. I'll be the fire of the lamp... that lights everything."
Mas matagal at mainit na halik ang naramdaman ko sa aking noo. "That is my future king, my son. Good night, Dastan..."
**
As Evan continued with his words, I couldn't help but smile. Hindi ko akalain na sa kabila ng importanteng pagpupulong na ito'y nagawa ko pang maalala ang magaang pangyayaring iyon.
When my sibling and I were not worrying about thousands of lives, walang sumpa, sakripisyo at sakit na mararamdaman. The time when everything was just Lily's small hands gripping on us, mother's bed time stories and her kisses, Zen's innocence, the scent of the peaceful evening, and beautiful dreams...
Nang sandaling tuluyan nang nakalapit ang malilit na gamu-gamo sa liwanag at matupok iyon ng apoy... mas nagsiklab ang liwanag ng lampara at maging ng kabuuan ng lamesa.
It joined the light, the fire... na maglilinaw sa lahat.
Si Leticia ang liwanag at ako ang gamu-gamo. Isang klase ng liwanag at apoy... ang simbolismo ng isang diyosa, ngunit kaiba sa nakaraang nasaksihan ko, hindi iyon magdadala sa aking kamatayan na siyang sinapit ni Haring Clamberge III.
Because this journey... this fight... I'll be that fly that will join the fire. Kaming dalawa ni Leticia ang mas magpapaliwanag ng lahat at ng kabuuan ng emperyong ito.
"Do you want to add more, Your Majesty?"
Nawala ang pagtanaw ko sa nakaraan at sa lamparang ngayon ay may mas malaking apoy nang matuon sa akin ang atensyon ng lahat. Si Evan ay nakatayo sa harapan habang nakatitig sa akin.
Tipid kong tinapik ang aking daliri sa lamesa. "That's all. I don't have anything to add."
Yumuko sa akin si Evan. "You heard my king. That's all everyone. Would you like to ask some questions?"
"Who would lead the certain divisions? Tulad nga ng sinasabi n'yo nasa paglalakbay ang ilan sa mandirigmang nanguna noon sa digmaan. Even Prince Rosh who lead the largest battalion..."
Hindi ako nagsalita at mas sumandal ako sa aking upuan. I clasped my hands together and placed it on my crossed thighs. I will let Evan handle this meeting for now.
Pansin ko na nakapangalumbaba na si Finn habang nakaharap sa unahan, ngunit nasisiguro ko na lipad ang isip niya. While Casper and Lily were both proud of Evan in front of us.
"Would you like to agree, Prince Finn?" biglang sabi ni Evan.
Halos mapatalon si Finn sa kanyang upuan. Napamasahe ako sa aking noo. Idiots.
"Of course. That's a very good idea, dear brother. Indeed."
Evan smiled sarcastically. "Very well. I'll proceed."
Tumagal pa ng halos isang oras ang pagpupulong dahil sa pagdami ng katanungan ng mga bampirang nasa palibot ng lamesa. I didn't say a single word but I focused and take into account all their concerns.
Habang patuloy sa pagsasalita si Evan, hindi miminsan nagsasalita rin sina Lily at Casper para suportahan siya.
"Would you like to agree, Prince Finn?" pang-anim na ulit ni Evan sa tuwing hindi nakikinig si Finn.
Should I throttle their necks? Can't they stop teasing each other? They are still my idiot brothers.
Nakakrus na ang mga braso ko habang nakasandal ako sa aking upuan. I could feel Lily's glances at me. At nang sandaling nagtama ang aming mga mata, napansin ko na nagpipigil siya ng ngiti.
She exaggeratedly imitates the movement of my eyes when I'm starting to get annoyed with all of them.
"Siblings..."
"Why are you so afraid? Dahil lang ba wala ang apat na itinakdang prinsipe ay kinakabahan na kayo?" tanong ni Evan.
Mas lalong nabalot ng katahimikan ang kabuuan ng lamesa. Kilala ang apat na itinakdang prinsipe sa malakas at kakaibang kapangyarihan na siyang kanilang taglay. Malaki talagang dagok sa emperyo ang kanilang kawalan sa digmaan.
Hindi na ako nagtatakang ganito ang nararamdaman nila.
Pinili ko pa rin manatiling tahimik. I knew Evan too well, and his signature sharp and accurate eyes that glimmered everytime that he's about to drop a bomb—his powerful words.
Hindi ako magiging hari ngayon kung ang mga kapatid ko na nakapalibot sa akin ngayon ay basta na lamang. If Leticia and I can symbolize the center of the light, my siblings, their power, love and affection for me are my rays... the rays of my light. Hindi ako lubos na magliliwanag sa kabuuan ng Nemetio Spiran kung wala sila. That's why when I was young, there's only one oath that I vowed the most before I let a crown touched my head.
It was always them before the empire... I am more than a brother than a king. Dahil hindi ako hari kung wala sila sa paligid ko. Panatang alam kong ikatutuwa ng aking mga magulang.
There will be no King Dastan Lancelot Gazellian without Zen, Lily, Finn, Evan, Caleb, Casper, and Harper... Desmond...
Ang kamay kong nakapatong sa lamesa'y kusang kumuyom habang nakatitig kay Evan. Sina Lily, Casper at Finn ay kapwa na rin nakatitig sa aming kapatid, maging ang lahat ng mga mata sa paligid ay hindi na mawala sa kanya.
Tipid na humakbang si Evan papalapit sa lamesa. He placed both of his palms on the table. His eyes scanned slowly in all of us, proud and confident.
"It seems like you forgot something... we maybe lack power and strength, but this empire still has the intelligence that other empires couldn't have..."
Nang sandaling ibaba ni Evan ang mga salitang iyon, kusang nagningas ang mga mata ko at maging ng mga kapatid ko. "We have the most destructive vampire of all..." dagdag niya.
Finn raised his head proudly. Hmm... not really. Still his power is not an option, but I'll let him be with his imagination.
"Hindi natin lubos na kailangan ang lakas kung higit na talino ang mamayani sa digmaan. Intelligence over power will always prevail." Dagdag ni Evan.
And that is my brother, Evan Lancelot Gazellian, who doesn't need a title to be a council to prove his mind's power.
Natapos ang pagpupulong, hindi man ako masyadong nagsalita ramdam ko ang matinding pagod. Hinintay kong makaalis ang lahat sa silid at ang tanging naiwan lang ay ang mga kapatid ko.
"Salamat." Tipid na sabi ko sa kanilang apat.
Ngunit bago ako umalis sa silid ay ipinakita sa akin ni Lily ang kabuuan ng mapa at ang mga palatandaan ng maaari naming pumuntahan sa susunod na mga araw.
We're all standing near the table with our eyes on the map. Naduon lamang ang atensyon nina Lily, Evan at Casper.
I don't know what happened to me, but my hands moved on its own and I patted their heads gently. "Thank you... thank you..." I whispered.
Hindi sila humarap sa akin tatlo, pero alam kong katulad ko'y nakangiti sila.
***
"Are you sure about this, Dastan?" nag-aalangang tanong ni Finn.
"Are you doubting your king, Finn?" sagot ko.
Tumuwid sa kanyang pagkakatayo si Finn at mas humarap siya sa estatwa ni ama.
"O-Of course not, Your Majesty! I look highly on you!"
"Good."
Kapwa kami nakasuot ng aming mga kasuotan sa paglalakbay. Si Casper ay dala ang kanyang paboritong espada, ganoon din si Lily na tila natutuwa pang muling lalabas sa palasyo o kung lalabas nga talaga kami... still a mystery.
Huminga ako nang malalim at humakbang ako ng mas malapit sa estatwa ni ama.
"It will only take just a few hours, right, Dastan?" tanong ni Casper.
"Yes."
"Then let's have our own journey."
"This is very nostalgic." Ani ni Lily.
"Yeah..." sabi ni Finn.
"I already talk with the Viardellon. Nakahanda sila kung anuman ang mangyari." Sabi ni Evan na handa na rin.
Sina Lily, Evan, at Finn ay kusa nang humakbang papalapit sa akin, sa harap ng estatwa ni ama, dahilan kung bakit nagkahile-hilera kami.
I could feel my siblings' surging power like mine.
I let the power flowed on hand until my own hand glowed from my inner light. Isa-isa kong sinalubong ang mga mata ng kapatid ko at kapwa sila tumango sa akin. I guess... I'll have my own journey, my Queen... my son.
Finn's voice overwhelmed our father's symbolic room. "Now, let's go, Team King Dastan!"