CHAPTER 31.5
TrickedTHEY KNEW THAT IT’D be difficult to go past through all the traps that King Morfran prepared. Sure, there were no puzzles but the fact that each trap were intricately placed so that they won’t notice them immediately is uncanny. It’s unlikely that King Morfran would be this cautious to the point that everything was prepared with excellent precision. All traps were made to either decrease their numbers or kill Selene for good and fortunately, none of these traps had succeeded.“Walang susuko! Ito pa lamang ang simula at sigurado akong sinusubok lamang tayo ni Haring Morfran!” sigaw ni Merlin noong oras na tila ba pagod na pagod na silang magmatyag sa paligid at maging alerto.Hindi naman normal na agad mapagod sina Lucas pero sa mga oras na ito, parang isang malaking parusa na tignan ang buong paligid bago sila gumawa ng kilos. Not only that the traps are holding them bacCHAPTER 32.1 Fall and Make Up NOONG ORAS NA magising si Selene, awtomatikong rumehistro sa kanya ang pananakit ng ulo mula sa pagbagsak. Mahina siyang napamura dahil hindi niya inaasahang dahil kinabahan siya sa paglapit ni Lucas sa kanya kanina’y may mangyayari sa kanyang hindi maganda. Sa kasamaang palad, huli na noong napagtanto niyang nahulog siya sa patibong na sinet-up ni Haring Morfran at hindi siya agad na maililigtas. At first, she thought that she’s done for. She’ll fall to a place she’s unfamiliar of and she might meet her doom since she’ll be out here alone. Hindi niya lubos maisip kung anong posibleng gawin sa kanya ni Haring Morfran sa oras na malaman nitong nahulog siya sa patibong nito. Paano kung pahirapan pala siya at i-torture hanggang sa katawan mismo niya ang bumigay? It scares her to die miserably. But then, she has a vague recollection that someone jumped from the sam
CHAPTER 32.2Unanswered Questions NATATARANTANG PABALIK-BALIK ng lakad sina Sir Lyte at Sir Sephare magmula nang mawala’t mahulog sa dug trap sina Prinsesa Selene at Prinsipe Lucas samantalang si Merlin, pagod namang pinanonood ang mga ito. Halos sampung minuto na nang mawala sa mga paningin nila ang dalawa at kahit na lihim ding natataranta si Merlin lalo na’t alam niyang dalawa lamang ang mga ito sa kung saan tapos hindi nila alam kung sino ang posibleng makaharap ng mga ito, pinipilit niyang pakalmahin ang sarili. ‘They’re not weak. They can protect and defend themselves just fine.’ This was the thought that kept on spiraling inside his head. It’s like a broken tape, playing over and over in his mind. He kept on persuading himself that even though Princess Selene isn’t fully trained about using magic. Prince Lucas is also a skilled swordsman although he lacked experience, they would be ju
CHAPTER 32.3Three Doors HE SHOULDN’T HAVE opened the wardrobe in the first place. So that he’d still somehow be able to squeeze answers from Selene, of why she’s acting strange and has been desperately avoiding him like he’s a virus. Of why she has been eluding every question that he’d throw where she’s forced to answer what might be bothering her or what makes her uncomfortable around him. He shouldn’t have been curious of that wardrobe. Now, he can’t help it but to curse that motherfucking thing. “Nakalabas na tayo sa wakas!” masiglang anunsyo ni Selene noong oras na makalabas sila mula sa pasilyong dinaanan nila. “Ang dilim do’n. I can’t believe I have to waste five minutes of my mana just so we could get here without patting uncertain things. Pa’no kung ahas na pala ang nakapa natin?” Mabigat ang pagbuntong hininga ni Lucas at
CHAPTER 32.4 Head under Water “IN THE MIDST of the night when all rests and the wind blows as if on a conquest, the clock clangored and the owl hooted— then silence befell on the dark and empty hallways.” Naniningkit ang mga matang pinagmamasdan ni Lucas si Selene habang binabasa ang bugtong na natanggap nila pareho mula sa liham na natagpuan nila matapos nilang halukayin ang buong lugar. Lucas still feels exhausted from finding any clues which may lead them from getting out of this place but even though he tried to be patient and cooperative, everything about this entire place seemed to test him. Everything puts him on edge. Gusto niyang magwala pero ayaw niyang biglang mabawasan ang cool niya sa harap ni Selene o hindi naman kaya ay magbago ang tingin ng dalaga sa kanya. But yes, he’s slowly losing it. “I hate riddles,” he blurted out when they both fell in the hands of
CHAPTER 32.5Escaping a Violent Demise WHEN LUCAS REGAINED composure, the room where they were was already filled with water and they’re already trapped with no place to escape. But he didn’t want to lose hope, there could still be a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, he wanted to grasp upon the idea that the deities hasn’t turned a blind eye on them. They will be saved. But fúck this entire situation. Lucas turned to Selene and his grasp on her wrist tightened as he pulled her closer to him. When she told him that she doesn’t know how to swim, who would’ve thought that it wasn’t a lie? Mahinang napamura si Lucas dahil mukhang magpa-panic si Selene anumang oras lalo na’t hindi nila alam kung paano sila makakatagal sa ilalim ng lupa. He still doesn’t know if they could be killed if they’re drowned but he didn’t want to die, and if they
CHAPTER 33.1 Outrunning Danger "ANONG GINAGAWA NIYONG dalawa rito sa gitna ng pasilyo? Nasa'n sina Merlin, Mahal na Prinsipe?" nagtataka't naguguluhang tanong ni Chief Knight Lyte habang pinagmamasdan silang dalawa. Dumating pa sa puntong minata sila nito mula ulo hanggang paa dahil napansing nagpapatuyo sila pareho. "At anong nangyari sa inyo? Ba't basang-basa kayo noong dumating ako rito? Sa'n kayo galing?" Matamang pinagmamasdan ni Lucas si Chief Knight Lyte at isinasaayos niya sa isipan ang sasabihin dito. He pressed his lips together before he looked away and squinted his eyes at the nearest wall. Pakiramdam niya, madidismaya ito sa kanilang dalawa dahil ang bilis nilang nahulog sa patibong kanina't ibinalik sila rito ng trapping pit na kinahulugan nila ni Selene. "It's a long story," Lucas began. Pagkasabi niya noon, saktong inagawan siya ni Selene ng mikropono sa pananalita. "Marami pong patibong sa p
CHAPTER 33.2 Of New Hopes NOONG MAKAPAGHANDA NA ulit sina Selene at Lucas, ibinalik nila ang atensyon sa kailangan nilang gawin. Kasama na nila si Chief Knight Lyte pero dahil mayroon silang grupong aksidenteng naiwan at naabandona kanina, kailangan nilang humabol sa mga ito sa lalong madaling panahon lalo na’t wala silang komunikasyon sa isa’t isa, hindi nila alam kung anong nangyayari sa mga ito. “Gaano katagal kayong nawalay sa kanila?” pag-uusisa ni Chief Knight Lyte habang nilalandas nila ang pasilyong dinaanan nina Merlin. Nagkibit balikat si Lucas. “Hindi namin alam. Pagkatapos naming mahulog ni Selene, pareho kaming nawalan ng malay pero kung ang bibilangin lang ay iyong oras na hinanap namin ang daan pabalik... Approximately four hours?” “Three to four hours,” pagtatama ng dalaga sa kanya. Noong marinig ni Lucas ang sagot nito, mabilis niyang iminuwest
CHAPTER 33.3What’s Beyond Darkness AS THEY WERE on their way to continue searching for Merlin and their other knights, all of them stopped when they felt rumbling under the floor. The earth beneath them was shaking, grumbling, it was as though the imprisoned god suddenly decided to throw a fit and they feel that something’s approaching them. Nagkatinginan sina Lucas, Selene, at Chief Knight Lyte. Mayroon siyang pakiramdam na hindi patungo sa kanila ang nararamdaman na panganib pero malakas din ang pakiramdam ni Selene na iyon ang makakatulong sa kanila na maituro ang kinaroroonan ng mga nawawala nilang kasama. But then, these rumbling noises bring her war flashbacks. Naaalala niya iyong nangyari sa kanila ni Lucas at kung gaano sila kadesperadong mabuhay na dalawa’t nauwi sa paghahalikan sa ilalim ng tubig! Though, yes. It’s for exchanging oxygen, but still... “Princess Selene, focus.” Natigilan siya nang marinig ang maawtoridad at striktang boses ni Chief Knight Lyte. Napatikhi
CelebrationNANG dumating ang araw ng debut ni Selene, marami ang um-attend. Mula kina Reyna Sara at Prinsipe Eustace, sina Haring Alexander at Prinsipe Lucas, pati na rin ang ngayo’y si Haring Zeno.Nagtataka nga si Selene dahil nagkaroon ito ng lakas ng loob na um-attend sa debut ball niya pero ayos lang dahil personal itong humingi ng tawad sa kanya para sa nagawa ng ama nito. The thing was, King Zeno kept mum about his father’s greed until he lost ‘someone’. Palagay niya, si Sir Clyde iyon dahil kalat na kalat ang tsismis.But as long as he apologized, she’s good with it.“Are you good?”Natigilan si Selene nang marinig ang boses ni Merlin. Nang lumingon siya, ‘tsaka niya natagpuan ang mahiko na naglalakad patungo sa kanya. May ngiti sa mga labi nito pero hindi rin naman maikakailang nag-aalala ito.“Nakita mo ba si Lucas?” tanong niya.Ipinilig ng mahiko ang ulo. “Ah... Kailangan mo ba talaga siyang kausapin tungkol doon ngayon?”“Yes. I promised him, remember?”Humigop nang mala
CHAPTER 43.5Troublesome PreparationsLAST WEEK, inanunsyo ni Merlin sa publiko na dalawang buwan mula ngayon ay magaganap ang debut ni Selene sa High Society at sa parehong araw ay kokoronahan ang dalaga bilang ang Crown Princess ng kaharian ng Izquierdo. Nakakagulat dahil mukhang marami ang naghihintay sa kanya at ang selebrasyong inanunsyo ng mahiko ang nagtulak sa lahat na mag-throw ng festival para sa darating na debut niya’t koronasyon.But announcing an important thing comes with a huge responsibility: she and Merlin will be busy planning her debut out and the entire preparation.Mayroon naman silang mga katulong. Tulad na lamang ng pamilyang Valderas na bukod sa pagtuturo sa kanya ng etiquette ay tinuturuan din siya kung paano ba siya magbi-behave habang nagaganap ang selebrasyon. She was also taught how to dance and after thirty minutes, she realized that that was not her strongest asset. Kaya extra-ng atensyon ang ibinubuhos sa kanya dahil bilang Prinsesa ng kaharian, kailan
CHAPTER 43.4Debut PreparationBAGAMAT HINDI INTERESADO si Selene na magpakilala sa lahat lalo na’t noong una ay wala naman talaga siyang plano na mag-ascend sa trono at pamahalaan ang buong kaharian ng Izquierdo, ngayong nagbago ang desisyon ni Selene sa buhay ay hindi na maiiwasan ang pag-de-debut at pagpapakilala sa publiko.“I don’t like the idea of pleasing the noble faction,” was what she told Merlin while they were busy discussing her debut which will happen within two months. “Kung pupwede lang natin silang i-out ay iyon ang iri-request ko sa ‘yo.”Napailing-iling si Merlin sa sinabi niya ngunit mayroong naglalarong ngiti sa mga labi nito. “Alam kong sasabihin mo ‘yan at pinag-iisipan ko na ring i-filter ang mga imbitasyon pero sinabihan akong ‘di pwede. We’re not persuading them that you’re much worthy than the previous royalties that they wanted to pursue. You just needed to let the entire Kingdom know that you’re no fiction.”“Do they still think that I’m fake?”“Some of th
CHAPTER 43.3BusyIT WAS ONLY a week after when Selene received a letter from Lucas. Ang sabi sa liham na natanggap niya, nakauwi raw ito ng ligtas sa kaharian nito ngunit kasabay naman noon ay ang tambak-tambak na gawain at mga dokumento. Natatawa si Selene dahil kalahati yata ng nilalaman ng sulat nito ay puro rants at reklamo tungkol sa trabaho nitong kailangang tapusin sa lalong madaling panahon, pero naaawa rin siya sa binata dahil ang dami nitong dinanas at hindi man lang nito masulit ang bakasyon nito.Then again... His duties would not be this delayed if Morfran Demelza didn’t interfere with their homecoming and abducted the Prince of Vintress Kingdom.Mabuti na lang talaga at mabilis ding naresolba ang problema at wala ring masamang nangyari kay Lucas dahil kung hindi, patuloy niyang pahihirapan si Morfran Demelza. But then recently, she has been receiving reports that Luan Demelza had frequently visited the front gates of Izquierdo Kingdom and demanded to talk to her. There
CHAPTER 43.2Nonsensical“MERLIN, ALAM MO ba kung anong dahilan kung ba’t nadi-delay ang pagdating ng sulat ko patungo sa kaharian ng Westmount and vice-versa? Natatakot kasi akong baka may bumubukas pa ng liham ko para sa mga kaibigan ko,” tanong ni Selene kay Merlin noong nasa hapagkainan silang dalawa.Parehong ginabi sina Merlin at Selene sa pagtatapos ng mga gawain nila. Merlin had finished his duties and approved some projects to further improve Izquierdo Kingdom’s situation such as budgeting and passing a law beneficial for everyone. Meanwhile, the reason why Selene had finished her duties as soon as the sun had finally set and the nightsky had dominated across the atmosphere was because she enjoyed reading the comparison between the eras of both Demelza family and Griego family. Gumawa pa siya noon ng maiksing summary ng mga nabasa niya.And while it’s true that her parents weren’t perfect as King and Queen, one of the sole reasons was because their deaths didn’t happen until
CHAPTER 43.1NOONG MALAMAN NI Selene na nakatanggap siya ng sulat mula sa kaharian ng Westmount, na siyang lugar na kinalakhan niya’t mayroon siyang koneksyon, hindi naiwasan ni Selene ang mapangiti. She remembered that she had just recently sent a letter to one of her friends – kaso hindi siya kaagad na nakatanggap ng sagot mula sa mga ito. The thought that she was waiting and a lot has already happened since then makes her feel relieved.Siguro matagal lang talagang dumating ang sulat dahil malayo ang ibiniyahe ng inutusan niyang magdala noon o mayroon ding naging conflict sa kaharian ng Westmount. That’s just her estimation, honestly. Ayaw mag-isip ni Selene nang kung anu-ano.After she thought of how long it took to receive a letter from her friends, Selene opened it. She was extra careful because the letter had a dried rose inside it, and she assumed that her friends sent her this to use as a bookmark, perhaps? And that’s what she’ll do if she ever starts reading another book.As
CHAPTER 42.5FamilyAFTER DISCUSSING MERLIN’S relationship with her parents and understanding that they had such a complicated and rough time hiding their romantic feelings toward each other, Selene remembered that one thing that Count Valderas told her about her mother’s roots.“Merlin, nabanggit pala sa ‘kin ni Konde Valderas na tagakaharian ng Vintress pala si Mama?” pag-uusisa niya habang nasa kalagitnaan sila ng paghahapunan.Matapos nilang mag-usap ni Merlin, nagpahinga sandali si Selene para balikan ang mga dokumentong iniwanan niya. Nawala na sa isipan niya si Lucas at ang pag-alis nito pero sa tuwing mababakante ang isip niya, ito ang una niyang hinahanap kaya minabuti ni Selene na abalahin ang sarili. Mahirap na, baka hindi pa niya maituon ang atensyon sa mga dapat niyang inaasikaso.Susulat din naman si Lucas. Magkakaroon din sila ng contact sa isa’t isa.Anyway, pagkatapos ng isang oras ay tinawag si Selene ng isa sa mga personal maids niya para maghapunan. Naghihintay na
CHAPTER 42.4Not An Ordinary RelationshipFROM THE WINDOW, Selene could witness the sun set and of how the beautiful orange hue was slowly turning into a dark bluish nightsky. Hindi alam ni Selene kung anong oras nang natapos ang klase niya pero base sa kalangitan ay mukhang late na niyang na-settle lahat. It must be because she enjoyed her previous classes or maybe... She was scared to find out the truth about Merlin’s relationship with her parents.Hindi napansin ni Selene na matamang pinagmamasdan pala siya ni Merlin. Napangiti ito noong mapansing parang kabado siya bagamat wala pa naman itong sinasabing katotohanan. But then again, she can’t help it! Anong mararamdaman niya sa oras na marinig niyang niloloko pala ng mahiko ang isa sa mga bayolohikal niyang magulang?“Did you seriously think that I’d have the courage to hurt King Arthur or Queen Erina?” naaaliw nitong tanong. Even amusement danced on his purple eyes which made Selene flinch and pause.Selene pressed her lips togeth
CHAPTER 42.3RelationshipDAHIL KAY MERLIN, maraming nalaman si Selene tungkol sa mga magulang niya na hindi nakalagay sa mga libro at dyaryo noon. Nalaman niya kung anong ugali ng mga magulang niya at kung anu-anong kaugalian ba iyong namana niya mula rito.It turned out that Selene looks like her father but mostly behaves like his mother. But the way she deals with things is very much like her father. So, baga sa percentage, mas dominant ang naiwan sa kanya ng tatay niya kaysa sa nanay niya. Bukod kasi sa mata at ugali, mas malapit daw siya sa tatay niya. Parang resulta raw si Selene ng halos perpektong scan pero nagkaiba raw sa kasarian.“Anong relasyon mo kina Mama?” pagtatanong niya sa mahiko kalaunan at para linawin ang tinutukoy ay itinuro niya ang litrato ng bayolohikal niyang ina, si Reyna Erina.Natigilan si Merlin noong marinig ang tanong niya at tila ba naubusan ito bigla ng mga salitang dapat isasagot sa kanya. But she’s curious. Gusto niyang malaman kung ano ba ang relas