9: Chess Pieces 5

Emy got awakened again by her nightmares. She grasped her chest and caught her breath.

She also felt hot tears on her face as she recalled the explosion that killed her loved ones.

Agad niya iyong pinunasan. There was no room for her weakness. Not specially now.

She stood from bed and lit up the lamp on her table.

After grabbing some water to drink, her eyes fell on her chess board.

That's right. She couldn't let weakness now. Everything was already in place. All she had to do was wait for the pieces to act willingly on their roles.

***

"Miss, you're up early." Bungad sa kanya ni Anika. Kasunod niya si Grace na may dalang tray ng pagkain.

"Or maybe, our Miss didn't sleep again." Grace said disapprovingly.

Naabutan na naman kasi siya ng dalawa sa harapan ng mesa at nagchchess.

She just smiled at them.

"Those two are out already?" Emy asked pertaining to Lia and Veronica.

"Yes, Miss." They answered pero hindi na rin sila nagtanong kung anong pinagagawa niya sa dalawa at palaging maagang naalis ang mga ito.

"Anyway, what are your plans today, Miss?" Tanong ni Grace. She wanted their Miss to consider going out the house once in a while. After the party, she just stayed inside the residence. Kung hindi nagbabasa ay nagpapractice naman ng swordfighting.

Grace and Anika were afraid that if this continued, baka pagdating ng pasukan ay mahirapang makipagkaibigan ang dalaga.

Emy knew exactly her maidservants' concern. So nginitian niya ulit ang dalawa.

"I plan to spar with Franco again."

"But, Miss..."

Tumayo na siya kaya natigilan ang dalawa.

"I expect that the two of you will do well in practicing too. Take advantage of the training. You will both need them in the nearest future."

Nagkatinginan na lang ang dalawa.

"Oh, and can you look for a way to stop nightmares?"

***

Gaya ng sabi ni Emy sa dalawang maidservants niya, all she planned for today was to spar with Franco.

And that's also all her plan for the whole vacation.

***

Days and weeks were quickly passed.

Gaya ng dati, if anyone would look for Franco and Emy, they would find them inside the dojo.

Even Franco was amazed by his cousin's tenaciousness.

Emy started weak. Noong mga unang araw, Franco had an easy time defeating her.

But as days passed by, he noticed that their sparring kept on consuming time. Hanggang sa hindi na niya alam kung anong oras silang inaabot sa isang sparring lang.

His cousin was starting to get intelligent with her attacks, that's why he was having a hard time to easily defeat her unlike before.

But that's not the most surprising yet for him...

Today, they were sparring like usual. Nakailan na din silang ulit. But the duration of each sparring just kept longer and longer.

Franco was thinking that this would be the last sparring for the two of them for today. He was also tired. Pero hindi ibig sabihin noon ay he would go easy to her now.

Hindi rin niya alam, but Emy provoked him to be serious everytime.

Both of them started seizing each other first habang hawak ang kanilang mga wooden swords.

Then they attacked each other again. Their swords kept on clashing with one another.

Kung totoong mga espada ang hawak nila, they would have created sparks.

Franco gritted his teeth. He was not holding back at all pero ganun din si Emy. Her attack was getting heavier.

Bukod pa doon, she was quick-witted and reacting swiftly with each of her attacks. Her movements were also getting minimal and precise.

At the moment, she was really giving Franco a hard time.

Even Francis and Feng na nanonood sa dalawa ay hindi mapigilang mamangha. Feng brought snacks for the two but since they were serious, pinanood na lang muna niya ang mga ito.

But the longer she watched, the more she was getting excited. Kaya naman ipinatawag niya si Francis upang samahan siya. At dalawa na sila ngayong nanonood sa kanila.

"Emy improved drastically." Sabi ni Francis.

"She's been practicing everyday with Franco. And you know you have a prideful son, he never holds back in attacking her."

"How can she learn if he does?"

Nagpatuloy sila sa panonood.

May pagkakataon na napapangiwi na lang sila kapag pinapalo ni Franco ng sword niya si Emy. Hindi naman porket pinahihirapan siya ng dalaga ay ibig sabihin hindi na siya nakakatama dito.

Hindi pa rin naman siya matamaan ni Emy pero hindi rin ibig sabihin na hindi siya iilang beses na kamuntikang tamaan nito. If his reflexes were not good, malamang, kanina pa siya nito natamaan.

"Come on, Emy. Kung totoong espada ang hawak natin, kanina ka pa sugatan. We've been doing this for weeks and yet hindi ka pa rin makatama sa akin?" He provoked her.

He really didn't hold back against Emy. Not even his mouth.

"You said you wanted to be strong, but what now? Are you even satisfied by this? What's the use of intelligence kung hindi mo naman natatamaan ang kalaban mo?"

Napangiwi ang mga maidservants ni Emy dahil sa panunukso ni Franco sa Miss nila. Kanina pa din sila tapos sa mga gawain nila kaya dito sila nagdiretso para kung sakali mang kailanganin sila ng Miss nila. But who would have thought they would see this kind of sparring?

Halos mamutla sila Grace at Anika kapag napapalo ni Franco si Emy. Whatever the circumstances, she was still a lady in their eyes.

Franco continued taunting Emy. He was quite enjoying it. Usually, laging impassive lang ang reaction nito sa kanya. But he could feel na nangigigil na ito sa kanya because the way she was attacking was getting more reckless. Those are priceless moments for him dahil kahit papaano, alam niyang hindi pa rin naman pala bato ang pinsan niya and she could still get caught out of her usual graceful demeanor.

He was surprised though ng biglang nagsmirk sa kanya si Emy.

Automatic na nangunot ang noo niya rito.

"Are you done taunting now, my dear cousin?"

This was the first time na nagsalita si Emy habang nakikipagsparring sa kanya.

And before he could even get over his surprised, Emy sneaked an attack towards him.

He was confused. That wasn't her usual attack. Bukod pa doon, she was suddenly very quick and hindi agad siya nakapagreact.

Narealize na lang niya that Emy stopped attacking when her wooden sword was already pointing on his throat.

Hindi napigilan ng mga nanonood sa kanila na mapapalakpak. They all rooted for Emy since she was the underdog.

***

The next day, nagulat na lang sila Grace at Anika when Emy told them na gusto niyang lumabas.

Of course, they were happy. Ilang weeks ding walang inatupag ang Miss nila kundi chess, libro at sparring kaya naman agad agad silang naghanda para sa paglabas ng kanilang Miss.

Wala sila Franco at Francis kaya nagpadala na lang ng ilang guards si Lie Feng sa kanila.

***

Emy had two purposes for going out today.

First was too visit her one of her businesses from her past life and second was to meet Lucy.

Lucy had no idea though that they would be meeting. Mamaya pang hapon ang paglabas niya kaya naman may oras pa si Emy para puntahan ang business niya.

When she said business, it was, of course, the Purple Boutique. It was quite famous sa magagandang designs nito. But only few could afford their prices. Mostly the rich and royalties.

But she was not going there as a customer today. Halos magtataon na din since she established this business, but none of the people of the boutique had seen the owner's face.

She was just glad na hindi niya naisipang gawin iyon noon. Otherwise, Emy would be in trouble.

"You have a great taste in fashion, Miss. I heard Purple Boutique is the best here in Grey." Masayang sabi ni Grace.

"You flatter me, Grace. I just heard about the Boutique from Aunt."

Sila Grace at Anika lang ang kasama ni Emy ngayon. As usual, Lia and Veronica had different orders to do.

***