10: Chess Pieces 6

It was a normal day for the people inside the Purple Boutique. It was neither hectic nor boring.

Sakto lang. After all, sa mahal ng mga damit na gawa nila, iilan lang ang mga customers nila.

But it didn't mean wala silang pera.

They had several staffs na pinapasweldo but it was not like they were limited to the work within the Boutique.

Ganun ang inabutan nila Emy when they entered the boutique.

Agad naman silang sinalubong ng isang babae.

"Welcome! Anong maipaglilingkod ko sa iyo, Young Miss?"

Iniikot muna ni Emy ang kanyang paningin bago tumingin sa sumalubong sa kanya na babae.

"I'd like to speak to your manager."

Nabigla ang babae maging sila Grace at Anika.

"Err..."

"I specifically come here today for your manager. Please call him."

Him. The woman noticed the pronoun she used. Could it be that she knew Mr. Bao personally?

"Please have a seat, Young Miss. I'll be back."

Emy nodded and watched the woman walked towards the door behind the counter.

Mabilis lang din ay lumabas mula doon ang isa pang babae. The woman was more sophisticated looking than the first one. But she was not the one whom Samantha wanted to see.

"Young miss, I heard you are looking for our manager. Unfortunately, he's not here at the moment."

Nilapitan siya ni Samantha. Agad na nawala ang mga ngiti ng babae as she was surprised by her.

"Please tell Calix that Q wants to see him. You are already the second person I have met. Please don't disappoint me further."

For a very slight moment, the woman's eyes widened. Pero mabilis lang ay nakabawi na din agad ito. She smiled saka inimbitahan si Samantha sa pinakaloob ng boutique.

"You don't have to follow me, Grace and Anika." She told her maidservants when they followed behind her.

Both hesitated but seeing that seriousness of their Miss, they decided to simply go back to the waiting area.

***

"Miss Q, I am Harley Park, assistant manager of Mr. Bao."

"Nice to finally meet you, Miss Park."

Harley just nodded. Tapos ay nagpatuloy na siya sa paglalakad. Dinala niya sa isang private room si Emy at doon pinaghintay kay Mr. Bao.

***

"Calix, may naghihintay sa iyo sa baba. Siya daw si Miss Q." Balita ni Harley sa kanyang boss.

Kasalukuyang kasama nito ang Fifth Prince at may pinag-uusapan silang mahalaga. Ayaw niya sanang istorbohin ang mga ito pero the lady downstairs gave her a fright.

"Miss Q?" Sabay na tanong sa kanya ng dalawang binata. Then nagkatinginan sila.

"Go downstairs." Utos ni Sebastian kay Calix na tumango lang. Saka tumayo at pinuntahan na ang bisita niya.

Months ago, sure siya kung sino ba si Q. Hindi nga nagpapakita ang babae sa kanya pero minsan na niyang pinasundan ang maidservant nito na nagdadala ng sulat sa kanya at napag-alaman niya na kay Samantha ito nagtatrabaho.

But now, he didn't know what he would think about this situation. This lady who was claiming to be Q was very unexpected. Nasabihan na siya ni Sebastian tungkol dito. But he was still unsure how to confront this unknown lady.

Inabutan niyang nakatayo sa harapan ng malaking painting ang babae.

He faked a cough at doon lang humarap sa kanya ang dalaga.

"I finally meet you personally, Calix."

That's how Q addressed him. Kahit pa noong unang beses pa lamang siya nitong sinulatan, hindi naging pormal sa kanya ang dalaga.

"Harley said you want to see me."

"You seem dissatisfied, though."

Hindi inaasahan ni Calix ang pagiging prangka ng dalaga.

"I know this is sudden but I have decided to be more hands-on with my businesses starting from now. Lalong lalo na dito sa boutique."

Calix remained silent. But a thousand thoughts flooded his mind.

"But of course, I want to make sure that even though I haven't been contacting everyone for months, their loyalty will still remain in my mercy."

Q's gaze was piercing. Kahit hindi siya tumingin dito, ramdam niya na pinagkakatitigan siya ng dalaga.

Napangiti lang sa sarili niya si Calix. He was supposed to be loyal to her. He intended to do so. Malaki ang utang na loob niya sa dalaga. Bukod pa doon, his master, before dying, told him to serve Q with all of his life.

But he never expected that he would encounter the Fifth Prince noong mga panahong nakafocus ang trabaho niya kaya kay Q sa pagtulong kay Marco upang maging Crown Prince.

That time, he was almost dead. But the Fifth Prince saved him.

So hindi ngayon alam ni Calix kung kanino sa dalawa ibibigay ang buo niyang loyalty. Would he give it to that person who saved him from being slaved and who was adored by his master? Or to that person who saved him from death?

It was indeed hard for him. However, he didn't trust the lady in front of him.

"Of course, I understand what you mean. And I can assure you, that everyone in this boutique are solely loyal to Q."

Emy smirked at what he said. She was not an idiot. Alam niya ang ibig ipahiwatig ni Calix. He was not gonna believe she was Q not unless she had proven herself.

"That's good to know. However, if you are going to ask me for a proof if I am Q, then it will be hard."

Calix smirked at her.

"It will be hard but not impossible."

Nawala ang mga ngiti ng binata. Then he waited for her to continue.

"I can tell you the names of the people that worked under Q but that won't be enough. Anyone who will commit in observing the boutique can easily answer that.

"I can provide you the codes for the vaults that Q owns but the thing is several people that work under her know about that too since they put money in there for Q to get.

"Therefore, if I want to prove myself as Q, then I have to provide you information that only the two of us know..."

Emy looked directly at Calix' eyes.

"How about I tell you my very first command to you?" She offered with a smile, while her head was leaning sideways.

When Calix remained quiet, Emy continued.

"Calix, your first command is to continue living until I say otherwise. -Q."

Hindi na naitago pa ni Calix ang ngiti niyang mapait. Ayaw pa rin niyang tanggapin that this lady was Q. But he was already convinced.

Hindi niya inaasahan that she would use her very first command to him for proving herself. Her words back then was very important for him. He was ready to give up then after losing everything he had treasured.

But her words helped him. Hindi rin niya alam kung bakit.

Truth be told, hanggang ngayon, pinagkakatago tago pa rin niya ang sulat na iyon ng dalaga sa kanya.

***

Mahigit isang oras din na nandoon si Emy sa loob ng boutique. Grace and Anika were already starting to worry.

Nakailang tanong na nga sila doon sa babaeng nasa counter eh. Pero wala din itong alam sa nangyayari sa loob.

Nakahinga lang sila ng maluwang ng lumabas na muli si Emy kasunod yung babaeng nagpapasok sa kanya doon.

"Miss Hans, please feel free to come back. I'll make sure to give you the dress most suited you."

"Okay. I will." Emy told her with big smile.

She was done for the day on this boutique. Next stop would be meeting Lucy.

***

Lucy was irritated. Pinipilit na naman siya ng Papa niya na gumawa ng mga bagay na ayaw niya. Mabuti na lang talaga at nakaplano na itong paglabas niya.

Lately, she felt suffocated. Lalo na at magpapasukan na naman sa Academy. Nagpapatawag na nga ng meeting si Diana eh.

Tch...

As much as she didn't want to attend the council's matter, hindi pwede. It was the type of organization that once you were in, you could never go out.

Unless you die.

Naikuyom ni Lucy ang kanyang kamay. Naalala na naman niya sila Samantha. Her heart also felt like bursting. Bakit ba hindi pa siya napasama sa kanila noon sa explosions? They were her few friends. Pero sa isang iglap lang, nawala silang lahat.

Ang mas masakit pa doon, she had to face their killers.

Of course, it was hard for her. Kapag nakikita nga niya sa Diana, gusto niya itong sunggaban sa leeg. Makaganti man lang kahit para sa isang kaluluwang sapilitan niyang kinuha.

But the council was already suspicious of her. In fact, alam niyang pinapamanmanan na siya ng mga ito.

Well, dapat lang na maging anxious sila sa kanya. Makakita lang siya ng pagkakataon, ipaghihiganti niya ang mga kaibigan niya.

"A penny for your thought, Miss Sachel?"

Agad na napatingin sa gilidan niya si Lucy.

She entered a shop to look around pero masyado namang naging busy ang isip niya kaya hindi niya napansin na may nakalapit na pala sa kanya.

And it was Emy.

"Emy! Kanina ka pa ba jan?"

Umiling ang dalaga habang nakangiti.

"I've just arrived and then saw you immediately. Pero mukhang malalim ang iniisip mo."

"Yeah... I have a lot of things to think about." Then she looked at the lady in front of her. "Ikaw lang ba?"

Emy's smile was suddenly meaningful. "Yes. Franco is kinda busy today. Maaga palang umalis na sila ni Uncle Francis eh."

Bigla namang namula si Lucy ng banggitin ni Emy si Franco. "I... I don't..."

Emy chuckled softly. "How about going together, Lucy? I am not familiar in these shops and stores so I have no idea where to go the best. Ah... pero kung busy ka, okay lang din. I will just go around alone."

"No, no... Mabuti pa nga na maglakad lakad tayo ng magkasama. I need some good air and new ambiance of people. And so far, you are the most convenient for me to be with."

Nangunot ang noo ni Emy but Lucy didn't explain further. Instead, ikinawit niya ang braso niya sa dalaga saka niya ito hinigit sa kung saan saan.

***

Gabi na ng makauwi sila Emy. Hinatid sila ng carriage nila Lucy pauwi kaya naman hindi na masyadong nagtanong pa sila Feng kung saan nanggaling ang dalaga.

Isa pa, ngayon lang naman lumabas muli ito at ang tuwa na lang nila na may kaibigan na si Emy.

Pinanakitan naman ng mga paa si Emy. Hindi pa rin talaga nagbabago si Lucy. Hardcore pa rin ito kung magshopping. In fact, nakarami rin ito ng mga gamit na binili at idinamay pa niya si Emy.

"Miss, let me massage your feet and legs. Nagpahinga na agad sila Grace at Anika dahil sa pagod eh. So I thought you are probably tired too and needs some massage." Sabi ni Lia when she entered her room na may bitbit pang oil at towel.

Kasunod naman niya si Veronica na may dala namang tsaa at mga cookies.

"Thank you."

Naupo si Emy sa harap ng mesa niya. Sa harapan naman niya naupo si Lia para masahihin siya.

She felt relief when Lia started. She was really good at this. Palibhasa ay may alam din ang dalaga sa oriental medicine and reflexology kaya alam niya kung aling point ng katawan ang hinihilot para sa mga specific na sakit.

Dinama niya ang pagmamasahe ng maidservant niya habang pinagmamasdan ang kanyang chess board.

Napangiti siya when she moved her rook, bishop and knight one step each. Sooner or later, she would begin a chaos. At sisiguraduhin niyang hindi makakatakas ang mga taong may pagbabayaran sa kanya.

***