35: Home 2

Nasa great hall sila Shin, Francis, Shelly at Feng habang pinag-uusapan nila ang susunod nilang gagawin upang mahanap si Emy. Pang-apat na araw na ngayon. And they were already feeling depressed because of it.

Hindi nila maisip kung ano ng nangyari kay Emy. Nanlulumo sila kapag naiisip nila na baka kung ano ng ginawa ng kidnapper niya sa kanya.

That day, biglang pumasok sa great hall ang isang tauhan nila saka ito taranta na lumapit sa kanila.

"Masters, Madams, si Miss Emy po, nasa labas..."

Wala ng isip isip pa ay nagmadali silang magpunta sa may labas ng compound nila. At doon nga nila nakita ang isang magarang carriage. Mula doon ay bumaba si Emy.

"Emy!" Hindi napigilan ni Feng ang mapatakbo sa dalaga ng tuluyan na itong makababa. Niyakap niya ang dalaga pero agad din niya itong binitawan as soon as she heard her groan.

Nanginginig ang kamay niya hinawakan ang pisngi nitong mamula mula pa at ang leeg nitong may dalawang benda.

"Oh my God..."

"I am okay, Aunty."

"No, you are not."

Kung gaanong parang pinipiga ang puso ni Feng dahil sa mga sugat ni Emy, ay ganoon din ang nararamdaman nila Francis, Shin at Shelly.

"Wala na po kayong dapat na ipag-alala, Madam, my Madam made sure that Miss is already healed. Although, may mga bakas pa siya ng nangyari sa kanya, but she is already out of danger." Sabi nung matandang babae na naunang bumaba kesa kay Emy.

"May I ask who is your Good Madam? Lubos kaming nagpapasalamat sa ginawa niya para sa aming si Emy. Nais namin siyang pasalamatan."

"My Madam is the fourth wife of the Emperor."

Nagkatinginan silang lahat dahil sa gulat.

Pinapasok nila ito sa bahay dahil nag-uumpisa na ring dumami ang mga nakikiusiyoso sa kanila.

Doon nila ipinagpatuloy ang pag-uusap.

"Nagkataon na nakasalubong ng Madam ko ang carriage na magdadala sana kay Miss Emy palabas ng city. Kakagaling lang niya noon sa pagbisita mula sa puntod ng kaibigan niya."

"Nalaman ba ni Madam Serafina kung anong dahilan at ilalabas nila ng city si Emy?" Tanong ni Francis.

Pero tumingin lang ang babae kay Emy.

"They want to sell me to the next city's brothel."

Napasinghap pareho sila Shelly at Feng. Naikuyom naman ni Shin ang kamao niya. Si Francis ay napamura.

Agad naman niyang narealize na may kaharap sila galing sa palasyo kaya agad siyang humingi ng paumanhin.

"I understand. My Madam was also angry when she heard about what had happened to Miss Emy. Kaya malamang ay mas doble ang nararamdaman ninyo bilang pamilya niya."

Inilabas niya mula sa bulsa ang mga gamot na ipinadala ni Serafina.

"Here are the ointment and medicine that were personally created by my Madam. Kailangang ipahid at inumin tatlong beses sa isang araw ang mga ito para gumaling ang mga sugat ni Miss Emy at mawala din agad ang mga bakas ng mga ito."

Feng accepted them gratefully.

"How can we repay Madam Serafina for saving our Emy?"

"You don't have to. My Madam likes Miss Emy so much. She just wants her to visit her sometime."

"Please tell her that I will do so." Nakangiting sabi ni Emy sa kanya.

Nagpaalam na ang natanda atsaka umalis na. Sila naman na naiwan doon ay napatingin kay Emy.

Hindi na napigilan nila Feng at Shelly na magtanong tungkol sa mga sugat ng dalaga.

"Marami itong ipinadalang gamot ni Madama Serafina. Just how much injury do you have?"

Alanganing sumagot si Emy.

Dumilim naman lalo ang expression ni Feng dahil doon. Unwillingness to tell may mean that her niece was severely injured.

"I want to see it all. Let's go to your room."

***

Halos napaupo ang dalawang babae ng makita nila ang mga sugat ni Emy.

Hindi naman inaasahan ng dalaga na paghuhubarin siya ni Feng. Hindi na niya tuloy naitago sa mga ito ang mga sugat niya. Mabuti na lang din at magaling na peklat niya noon mula sa pana. Kung hindi ay baka malaman pa ng mga ito na nagbubuwis buhay siya kahit pa noon.

"I can't believe this. Mukhang mali na dito ka namin pinatira." Sabi ni Feng. Hinawakan naman ni Shelly ang kamay nito.

"It is not your fault, Feng."

"Yes, Aunty. At saka kahit nasaan man ako, bad people is everywhere. If they want to cause me harm, it doesn't matter where I am."

Natahimik na lang si Feng. But her eyes said everything about her feelings.

Emy walked towards her and gave her a hug.

"Aunty, please don't send me away."

Feng tapped her head then carefully looked at her again.

"Let me attend on your wounds now."

Emy sighed. Shelly just nodded at her saka nginitian siya.

"Alright, Aunty."

***

"Ma, is it true? Is Emy already home?" Bungad tanong ni Shantal kay Shelly when she went back to the great hall. Nadoon rin sila Shin at Francis, at maging si Franco.

"Yes, sweetie."

"How was her injuries?" Tanong ni Shin.

"Emy is injured?" Franco asked sharply saka ito tumayo para puntahan sana ang dalaga sa kwarto pero nahawakan agad siya ni Francis.

"Sit down, dolt."

"Pa, titignan ko lang si Emy."

"Your mother is currently tending her wounds."

"How bad is it?"

Napailing muna si Shelly bago nagsalita. "Emy has deeper wounds. Knife wounds, she said. On both of her arms, chest and two on her necks. May malaking pasa din siya sa may bewang niya at puro gasgas ang tuhod at mga binti niya. Her cheeks are better now but we can only guess that it was swollen before."

Shantal gasped. Hindi niya inaasahan na ganoon katindi ang sinapit ng pinsan niya.

"Can we see her, Ma?"

"Not now, sweetie. We have better let her rest first."

"And to top that all, gusto pa siyang ibenta ng mga dumukot sa kanya sa isang brothel sa kabilang bayan." Shin said na parehas na ikinagulat nila Franco at Shantal.

"Pa, are we just going to let them go?" Tiim-bagang na tanong ni Franco sa ama niya.

"Of course not. Unfortunately, nakatakas na ang mga ito kahapon when Madam Serafina saved your cousin from them."

"Then how can we seek justice for her? They might have even done more abusive deeds to her."

Shantal understood what Franco wanted to say at agad siyang nakaramdam ng panghihina. Those injuries and wounds that Emy received coukd still be treated but if they had abused her...

"Fortunately, no. Emy was not touched by those people except from her wounds." Sabi ni Shelly.

"Are you sure?" Paninigurado ni Shin.

"Ilang beses naming tinanong si Emy. And kahit gaano man kalakas ang isang babae, I could tell you na kung totoo man that she was sexually abused then she could not deny that easily."

Napatango na lang sila Francis at Shin. They could trust woman's instinct sa mga ganitong bagay.

"Francis, console Feng, though. She's very much brokenhearted ng makita ang mga sugat ni Emy. Emy was trying to make her feel better pero alam mo naman si Feng."

"I understand."

***

Nakatulog agad si Emy matapos siyang gamutin ni Feng. She was very touched at the woman's concern. Halos tunay na anak na ang trato nito sa kanya.

If the real Emy was the one who experienced it, alam niyang maaappreciate din ng dalaga ito. They were after all the same in that aspect. Both of them grew up without a mother.

Emy woke up in the middle of the night nang maramdaman niyang may humahaplos sa pisngi niya.

"Is it you, your higness?" She asked hoarsely. It was very dark and she could only make out the shadow of that person na nakaupo sa gilidan ng kama niya.

Napangiti naman ng bahagya si Sebastian. "Yes, it's me." He answered in a low voice.

"Turn on the lamp."

"No need. I just drop by to check on you. Go on and continue resting."

Natahimik si Emy. Bakit parang ayaw niya na umalis ang binata?

"How about Cherry and Kelly?"

"We will talk about them tomorrow. For now, rest."

She nodded saka nahiga na ulit. Sebastian stayed there until Emy had finally fallen asleep again.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead. Then, umalis na siya.

***