5: Chess Pieces 1

"Did you rest well?" Auntie Feng asked Emy as soon as she went out of her courtyard.

Oo, hindi lang basta kwarto ang ibinigay sa kanya ng mag-asawang Francis at Feng. Traditional-style residence ang meron ang pamilya nila. Kaya naman bawat isa sa kanila ay may kanya kanyang courtyard.

At dahil doon na din naman titira si Emy, ibinigay na nila sa kanya ang isa sa mga courtyard na naroon.

Malaki rin ang residence area ng pamilya nila Francis. Bukod sa Great Hall kung saan nila tinatanggap ang mga bisita nila, may limang courtyard ang naroroon. Ang pinakamalaki doon ay ang tinutulugan ng mag-asawang Francis at Feng. Kalapit noon ay ang kay Franco. Sumunod naman ay ang kay Emy. Yung nalalabing dalawa ay ang nagsisilbing guest room nila.

Mayroon din silang malaking field kung saan nagpapractice ang army ni Francis ng swordfighting. May apat pang malalaking kwarto doon. Isang martial arts hall, storage room at dalawang sleeping quaters ng army at maidservants.

"Opo, Auntie."

"That's good. Maagang umalis ang Uncle Shin at Uncle Francis mo. Si Franco naman ay tulog pa. May plano ka bang gawin ngayong araw?"

"Aayusin ko po muna ang mga gamit ko tapos ay maglalakad lakad sa labas. Gusto ko pong maging pamilyar dito sa Grey City."

Lie Feng nodded. "That's good. Luckily itong residence natin ay nasa Central Area ng buong Grey City. Napapagitnaan tayo ng lahat. Sa Left Area naroroon ang mga market, shopping centers at kainan. Sa Right Area naman ay ang Royal Palace."

Emy knew those information from her previous life. In fact, she used to live sa Right Area. Bukod sa Royal Palace, doon din nakatira ang mga mayayaman na tao sa Grey City. Most of them are officials, merchants at ang iba pang malalapit sa pamilya ng Royal Family.

Her father was the Prime Minister. Malapit na magkaibigan ang Emperor at ang Papa niya. Anyone could say that her father was the most important confidante of the Emperor. After all, they grew up together.

She was also familiar sa Left Area ng Grey City. She had several businesses there na siya mismo ang nagpatayo at nagpalago. But she doubt it if she could take them back as Emy. Well, not all of them at least. Some of them could be retrieved. Especially those that could help her move around the Grey City anonimously.

But before she did that, she needed some of her people at her side first.

***

Auntie Feng and some maids helped her unpack her things. Kumpara sa laki ng kwartong ibinigay nila sa kanya, nagmistulang iilan lamang ang kanyang mga gamit. Mostly were dresses and books. Iilan lang ang mga alahas niya dahil sa wari niya ay hindi rin naman ganoon kaluho si Emy base na rin sa diary nito at mga kwento sa kanya nila Shantal.

Matapos nilang maayos ang mga gamit niya ay naglunch muna sila na sabay sabay bago naghanda upang maglakad lakad sa labas.

Gaya ng sabi ni Franco kahapon, sinamahan niya si Samantha. Nagsama din siya ng ilang mga guwardiya.

"Saan mo unang gustong magpunta?"

"Gusto ko lang munang maglakad lakad sa market."

"Okay."

Habang naglalakad sila ay sinasabi sa kanya ni Franco ang mga dapat niyang malaman sa mga nadadaanan nila. Emy just listened quietly. Alam na din naman niya ang mga iyon pero bilang Emy kailangan niyang magpanggap na interesado siya.

Then she suddenly decided to ask Franco a question.

"Franco, kahapon, pinatigil kami doon sa may gate. Sabi ni Uncle Shin hindi naman daw dati ganoon kahigpit dito sa Grey City. He said there must be something that had happened back then kaya naghigpit sila."

Franco was obviously surprised at the question pero he shrugged and started telling story.

"Yep. Four months ago, there was a huge explosion na nangyari sa Grey Academy. There was an important event back then and it took several lives of the students there. It turned out that an enemy was able to infiltrate the Grey City and set explosives in the school grounds."

Natahimik si Emy because of it. So iyon pala ang pinalabas nilang lahat sa nangyari noon.

They told everyone that it was an enemy's assassination. How convenient! It was easy to blame others. But how oblivious these people that the real enemies were just within the City.

Hindi alam ni Franco kung natakot ba niya si Emy dahil sa ikinuwento niya. She suddenly stopped talking at mukhang malalim ang iniisip niya. He shouldn't have told her about the assassination. Baka mamaya nang dahil sa kanya ay magyaya ng bumalik sa Royal City si Emy.

Napakamot na lang sa ulo niya si Franco habang nag-iisip ng magandang pangcomfort sa pinsan niya.

"Slaves! Slaves! Buy our slaves at low price."

Busy pa rin sa pag-iisip ang magpinsan ng madaanan nila ang mga nagtitinda ng mga slaves. Napakunot ang noo ni Franco. He didn't like these kinds of people. What kind of animal would sell his or her kinds like a livestock?

"We also have young maidens here. They are at your disposal. Dadalhin namin sila sa brothel but if we have agreed on decent price then you can have them."

Naikuyom ni Franco ang kanyang mga kamao. His sense of justice couldn't take this kind of nonsense. He was about to tell them to stop whatever they were doing when Emy spoke suddenly.

"I'd like to buy the two maidens." She said firmly.

"Emy..."

"Rather than be brought to a brothel, I'd rather have them as my maidservants, Franco." She told him quietly.

He was stunned for a moment. Being surrounded by tough army of his father, he didn't know how to handle Emy's pitiful look. Her watery big doe eyes were pleading him.

"I don't know if Mama will agree. We have enough maidservants in the house."

"Please, Franco. I receive money from my father's business so I can provide their salary. But I need you to back me up kanila Auntie and Uncle..."

Again, napakamot na lang sa ulo niya si Franco. So hindi naman pala kailangan ni Emy ng pera nila eh. But being her backup against his parents?

Napatango na lang si Franco. Then Emy happily negotiated with the seller.

What was there to backup? His parents liked Emy so much. And he liked her too. She was like a younger sister he never had. Kung siya nga ay gustong protektahan at ispoil si Emy, sila Francis at Feng pa kaya?

Napailing na lang si Franco. Nakakaisang araw pa lang si Emy sa Grey City pero they were already a fool for her.

"A thousand coins for each is too much for the two of them. You are selling them as slaves not as jewelry. 800 coins for both of them is my price."

"Young lady, you can't just simply haggle like that in this market. Even the brothel will pay more than your 800 coins."

"Are you sure?" Emy even crossed her arms.

Unlike her pleading look earlier, she lookek not that interested habang nakikipagtalo sa seller. Franco watched Emy curiously.

"Y-yes."

"Fine! Bring them there instead. You obviously starved the two ladies. Do you really think the brothel will give you higher than I offer? They need to clean up and feed the girls bago pa nila mapagtrabaho sila. Otherwise, no gentlemen will pay for them."

Franco coughed as he heard Emy. Some ladies will not say those words nonchalantly. But Emy just said it like she knew exactly how a brothel would treat these ladies.

The seller was thinking about Emy's word. In truth, nanggaling na siya sa mga brothel para ibenta ang dalawang babaeng ito. Pero naliitan siya sa mga presyo nila kaya nagbakasakali siya dito sa market.

He saw Emy na palakad na sana paalis pero pinigilan niya ito.

Well, he'd rather have that 800 coins than nothing.

***

After na bilhin ni Emy ang dalawang babae, nag-aya na agad siyang umuwi.

Namangha na lang si Franco habang pinapanood niya si Emy na nagmamadaling umuwi na animo ay excited siyang magbukas ng kanyang mga bagong gamit.

"Were you both beaten?" Tanong ni Emy sa dalawang babae.

Alanganing tumango ang mga babae.

"Let's go home quickly para magamot kayo agad. You should eat more sa mga susunod na araw. I don't want to be judged by others for maltreating my maids."

"We are under your mercy, young lady."

"Don't call me that. It sounds rather weird. Just call me Miss or S--- I mean Emy."

For a moment, in Lia's eyes, she saw Samantha in front of her and not Emy. Her previous Miss said the same thing too before. She hated being called as young lady and prefered to be called as Miss.

Unlike Veronica na naabutan na ganoon ang tawag kay Samantha ng lahat ng maidservant, for Lia, that made her Miss unique among others.

Kaya naman it brought sadness to her heart when she reminded of her Miss.

Hindi naman nakaligtas sa paningin ni Emy ang lungkot ni Lia. But she made no comment about it. She couldn't just tell them that she was Samantha in Emy's body. Who would believe that freakish event?

Nagmadali na lang siyang umuwi para na rin magamot ang mga sugat nila Lia at Veronica.

***

"What are your names?" Interrogate ni Lie Feng sa dalawang dalaga na kasama nila Emy at Franco pag-uwi.

Hindi niya inaasahang sa pag-uwi nila ay hindi mga damit o alahas ang dala nila, instead they brought home maidservants.

Balak din naman talaga niyang ikuha ng maidservants si Emy. Dalaga ito at kailangan ng palaging makakasama maliban sa mga gwardiya. Pero kailangan muna niyang makilala ng lubos ang dalawang ito.

Si Franco naman ay napakunot ang noo. Oo nga. Masyadong mabilis ang mga pangyayari kanina at hindi na niya naisipan pang tanungin ang dalawa tungkol sa kanilang mga sarili. At ganun din si Emy.

When she brought them, it was like she knew them already. She asked them if they were beaten and about their health pero she never asked about their personal details.

"Ako po si Lia at siya naman po si Veronica."

"Where are you both came from?"

Lia was suddenly quiet. Hindi niya alam kung sasabihin ba niya kung saan sila nanggaling o hindi.

"Galing po kami sa tahanan ng Prime Minister." It was Veronica who answered.

For a moment, Feng was stunned.

"Do you dare to lie to us?" Tanong ni Francis ng may pananakot.

Agad namang nanlaki ang mga mata nila Veronica at Lia.

"H-hindi po."

"Then how come na nasa market kayo at ibinebenta bilang slave?"

Veronica started to tear up. While Lia had no choice but to tell their story.

"Isa sa mga namatay sa pagsabog noon sa Grey Academy ang Miss namin. Dahil na rin wala na kaming mapagsisilbihan, pinabalik na kaming dalawa ni Veronica sa aming tahanan. Dahil mahirap lamang ang aming pamilya, ibinenta kami ng aming mga magulang sa pinagbilihan sa amin ni Miss."

"I see..."

Di gaya kanina, wala na ang pananakot sa mukha nila Feng at Francis.

"Malaki pong pasasalamat namin kay Miss. Kung hindi niya po kami binili, baka sa brothel na po kami dalhin nung merchant na yun. Kaya naman po makakaasa kayong pagsisilbihan namin siyang dalawa." Sabi ni Veronica habang natulo pa rin ang luha.

"May kaalaman din po kaming dalawa sa martial arts dahil tinuruan kami ng dati naming Miss. Hindi nga lang po kami ganoon kagaling pero handa kaming ipagtanggol si Miss kung nasa panganib siya."

Maybe Veronica was just afraid kaya naparami ang mga sinasabi niya. But because of that too, mas napanatag na rin ang loob nila Feng sa kanilang dalawa.

***