I looked at Volkan's back as he ran away towards his mistress and leaving me behind.
Gusto ko mang isigaw ang pangalan niya at magpakaawang dito lang siya dahil natatakot ako pero walang lumabas sa bibig ko na salita upang pigilan siya.
What am I even thinking about? competing with his mistress and declaring that I have won... I am indeed pathetic for lowering myself.
"Wake up, Tristesse, he will never look at your way." I said to myself to wake me up for dreaming what's unthinkable.
Naglakad ako at nanginginig kong kinuha ang espada na nakalapag sa sahig at wala sa sariling natawa.
This marriage is already drowning but I'm still keeping up with the ferocious waves, trying to save myself.
Pero hindi ko namamalayang nalunod na pala ako sa sariling tubig ko.
"Let's go," I ordered my knights and commanded them to fled the commotion.
Nanginginig pa rin ang mga kamay ko kaya tinanong ako nito. "Your Majesty, are you scared?"
I flinched and it hit me hard.
"N-no, I'm not." trying to sound myself brave but I cracked up.
Agad kaming bumaba at dumaan sa likuran kung saan malayo sa gulo. I wanted to stop to treat the injured civilians pero pinigilan ako ng dalawang kasama ko.
Maraming bumabagabag ngayon sa isipan ko at napahinto kami kung saan nakalagay ang mga kabayo namin pero agad ding nagulat sa nakita.
"The horses are gone! Stay alert and protect the Empress!"
Paano nila nalaman na rito namin nilalagay ang mga kabayo for emergencies like this? that's one thing for sure, there's a traitor residing in our Empire.
Lumabas ang mga bandido at pinalibutan kaming tatlo. Marami sila at dalawa lang ang bantay ko rito.
"Just give us the Empress and we will spare your lives." I was taken aback by what he said.
Based on how he dressed, he's one of the bandits. He's also a potential leader dahil sumusunod sa kanya ang iba.
"What do you want from me?" matapang na tanong ko at tinignan siya sa mga mata niya.
"We need to—" pero hindi niya na natapos ito nang may palaso ang muntikang tumama sa ulo ko.
I froze saka ako dahan dahang napatingin sa palaso sa gilid at agad na humapdi ang pisngi ko nang madaplisan ito.
This is clearly an assassination attempt and I'm being targeted!
Pero bago pa man ulit makapagsalita ang bandido kanina ay agad na sumugod ang dalawang bantay ko.
Mabilis naman silang nasugatan at agad na humandusay sa lupa, nagawa pa nilang magsalita at pinatakbo ako.
I was about to refuse pero nagsalita ulit sila.
"E-Empress, If you die here, no one can save the Empire and the Empire will fall into chaos. If we survive and you died, we will be also beheaded by the Emperor, so please runaway and save your life."
So I turned my back as I gritted my teeth and clenched my fist saka ako tumakbo.
Nararamdaman kong pumapatak ang dugo na galing sa sugat na natamo ng pisngi ko.
Wala akong magawa upang isalba ang mga tao ko. I'm so weak that I couldn't hold a sword without trembling. I hate wars and I also hate the smell of blood pero tanging ito lang ang naaamoy ko kahit saan man ako magtungo. My dress was messed up and worn out with blood stained na galing kay Volkan.
Tumakbo lang ako nang tumakbo kaya 'di ko namalayang may malaking ugat pala ng puno ang nakaharang kaya napatid ako at agad na bumagsak sa lupa.
I shrieked from the pain nang makitang natusok ang binti ko ng kahoy.
I automatically covered my mouth when I heard a rustling sound. How did they got here so fast?
I'm screwed! And I'm already exhausted! I can't even continue running because of my injuries! This is where I'm going to die. I'm gonna die!
Napasinghap ako nang biglang gumaan ang pakiramdam ko, na para bang umaangat ako at binibuhat sa ere.
When I decided to look up, I was stunned when I saw Eero staring at me.
Binuhat niya ako sa braso niya, when he held me in his arms, the tears that I'm keeping up finally give in.
"You're late... where have you been, Eero?"
He held me tightly before he uttered softly. "I'm sorry,"
"But you don't have to worry, anymore, because you're safe now... you're with me."
Nang kumalma at tumahan na ako ay agad siyang lumuhod sa harapan ko at ginamot ang mga sugat ko.
His face darkened looking at my wounds.
Bago pa man ako makapagsalita ay dumating na ang mga kawal niya.
"Your Majesty! I think there is a fire broke out near the borders. Should we take a look?"
Nilampasan niya ito at kinuha ang isang bote ng tubig sa likuran nito na ikinanlaki ng mga mata niya lalo na nang ibigay ni Eero sa 'kin ito.
"Here, drink this," agad niyang ibinigay sa 'kin ang tubig.
Malugod ko namang tinanggap ito dahil nauuhaw na talaga ako kanina pa.
Nagkatinginan naman kami ng kawal niya dahil baka nauuhaw din siya pero ngumiti lang ito sa 'kin.
Dumating pa ang iba nitong kawal na galing sa matataas na ranggo at kasama naman nila ang dalawa kong bantay kanina.
Nang makita kong maayos sila ay agad akong nakahinga nang maluwag.
They gave me a comforting smile para hindi na ako mag-alala pa at mabahala sa kanila. I'm relieved pero hindi din ito nagtagal nang maalala ko si Volkan.
"V-Volkan... Volkan is still there!" akmang tatayo sana ako nang pigilan ako ni Eero.
"Can you please once be selfish? think about yourself."
Nairita naman ako sa sinabi niya. "This is not the time for thinking about myself, my people is still there waiting—"
"Send an army and stop this ridiculous fight." Eero turned to his trusted aid, Falcon.
"What about you, Your Majesty?" tanong naman nito kay Eero.
"I'm going to take the Empress back to the Imperial Palace, solo." nag-iba naman ang kanyang mukha at inismiran ito.
"Wow, hokage moves." bulong pa nito pero narinig ko pa rin kaya nagtataka ko siyang tinignan.
Eero cleared his throat because of the awkwardness of the situation. "Alis na!"
Agad silang sumakay sa kanya-kanya nilang kabayo at umalis na kasama ang bantay ko kanina kaya naiwan kaming dalawa.
"Dapat na sumama nalang tayo sa kanila dahil mas kailangan tayo roon. And Volkan is also there and he's injured! He lost many of bloods and I—"
Hindi ko pa man natatapos ito ay bigla nalang niya akong binuhat at pinasakay sa kabayo niya na walang kahirap hirap kaya napakapit ako sa kanya nang muntikan akong mahulog.
"Pwede bang magsabi ka naman kung kailan mo ako bubuhatin? paano kung mahulog ako!?" iritadong pagkasabi ko.
He leaned over. "I told you..."
"I'm going to catch you everytime you fall."
Hindi ko napigilang hindi matawa. "Even in this dangerous situation, I'm impressed that you could still cracked a joke."
"Are you not even afraid that there's an arrow flying towards your head?" pananakot ko pa.
He just shrugged his shoulders. "Not even in the slightest."
I'm very intrigued kaya naman ay mas lumapit pa ako sa kanya.
"Then what do you fear the most? failure? lost of power? or death?"
But what he replied caught me off guard. "Forgotten,"
"Being forgotten by the one I love... is my greatest fear in the world."
Sumakay siya sa kabayo niya kaya napalunok nalang ako nang maramdaman ko ang mainit niyang hininga na dumadampi sa balat ko.
"So If you want to die, don't die in front of me."
I was stunned when he suddenly spoke out that broke my reverie.
And the next thing that came out of his mouth rendered me speechless.
"... Because I hate it."
. . .
Volkan or Eero?
HericaGlam