Black Calla Lily

01

"Lady Weilan of Vespertillo," sabi no'ng caballerong nasa tabi ng duke. May binabasa itong papel na naglalaman ng mga pangalan.

Nangangarag na tumayo si Weilan sa kanang bahagi ng platform. Nakita ko ang panginginig ng kamay niya habang mahigpit na hawak ang kulay rosas niyang espada. Halos masapo ng duke ang sariling noo dahil sa tinuran ng anak. Isang caballero ang tumapat sa pinsan ko. Napangisi ako nang mapansin ang namumuong luha sa mga mata niya.

We're in 20th century in which riffled-muskets, hand guns, aircrafts, infantry weapons, dumb boms, nuclear systems, and breech loaders were used in a modern war. I don't get it. Why do we have to hone ourselves holding the hilt of a rusty sword if we can use guns instead?

The sparring has commenced.

As expected, Weilan initiated the fight. She briskly aimed the tip of her sword to the opponent. What made it funny is that the cavalier effortlessly swayed her armament making it hover in the air. Laglag ang pangang pinagmasdan niya ang espada niyang gumawa ng show sa ere. Dumako ang mata ko sa duke. Napailing na lamang ako nang makita ang nag-aapoy nitong emosyon. Tingin ko'y anumang oras mula ngayon ay pwede siyang sumabog. Like a bomb, sis, like a bomb.

With that move, she was automatically defeated by a typical knight in the palace. Kaagad na nagtawag ang caballerong nasa tabi ng duke ng bagong maglalaban. Iniwasang tignan ng duke ang anak niya. Nanlulumo namang umupo si Weilan sa tabi ng kapatid niyang si Galdwin. Pinagtitinginan siya ng mga aristocrats na akala mo'y perpekto.

"Princess Iwa of Vespertillo," napatayo ako ng tuwid nang marinig ang pangalan ng kakambal ko. Chin up, chest out, and stomach in, she marched to the battlefield. Maginhawa ang mukha ng mga aristocrats habang nakatunghay sa harap. "Sir Ziro Dawson of Knighthood."

My sister seems to be dumbfounded when she heard the said name. Awtomatikong umangat ang kanang kilay ko. Something's fishy.

The fight is currently on track when I noticed my sister's weird movements. It's just a standard cavalier next to duke Ismail, what's wrong with that? They both commenced the battle. They showed us a ton of aerial tricks and stunts that made the battlefield more intimidating. "Woah," the peer of the realm uttered in unison.

Pinadausdos ni Iwa ang espada niya sa sahig na kinatatayuan ni Ziro. Tumalon naman ang caballero at nagpaikot-ikot sa ere kaya walang saysay ang atake ni Iwa. Ziro aimed the knife-edge at my sister's temple. Kaagad namang sinangga iyon ng espada ni Iwa. "What the—" my sister swung her armament making Ziro's sword fell on the ground. She hit the chest of the cavalier by the hilt of the sword. Ziro was currently lying on the floor while my sister is at the top of him; directing the blade part on his neck. Nanliit ang mga mata ko nang makita ang paggalaw ng mga bibig nila. They're talking.

Itinaas na no'ng caballerong nasa tabi ng duke ang kamay niya, indikasyon na tapos na ang laban. Ziro was defeated by Iwa. As expected. Pawisang umupo sa tabi ko si Iwa, what made me more curious is that she looks like a walking tomato—her face is fuming red. "Nakakapagod," sabi niya habang nakangiti. Pinagkunutan ko lang siya ng noo.

". . . Princess Mecca of Vespertillo."

"Oh, it's your turn!" aniya pa. Tumayo ako at saka nagmartsa patungo sa harap nang marinig ang pangalan ko. Halos mag-apoy ang pisngi ko dahil nag ch-cheer pa siya doon, hindi naman siya sumisigaw, pero nag f-fist pump siya. She's hilarious.

I rolled my eyes heavenward and faced my opponent. And guess what, this what I'm denoting, a real typical knight. I pulled my armament and changed my stance into a defensive one. He initiated the fight by doing some usual stunts and pointing his sword at me. I hopped at the concrete wall in the vicinity and kicked his abdomen. He end up coughing on the floor, but he seems determined to win the battle.

In your dreams, ha!

I briskly showered him with bombshell attacks. To be honest, he's swifter than me. He effortlessly guarded himself by just doing several aerial tricks.

"Damn it," I whispered. I can feel sweats gushing down the side of my temple. The earsplitting sound of our colliding swords pestered my ears. I swung my sword and a tiny cut flashed under his eyes, I grin.

"Ah!" pero sabi nga nila, digital na ang karma ngayon. He just planted a huge cut on my arm making me screech in pain. If I was in a movie, my nose was probably edited with fire. I took out my whole strength in the battle. I feel furious!

Hindi huminto sa pagbabanggaan ang mga espada namin. Considering the way he wounded me a while ago, he's indeed a skilled knight, but bearing in mind that I'm a child with breed and great genes . . . he's just a rat compare to a lion.

He tilted his head when I'm about to swung the sword at the top of his skull. He held my wrist and pulled me towards him. Mahigpit ang hawak niya sa palapulsuhan ko kaya walang ano-ano ay nabitawan ko sa pangalawang pagkakataon ang armamento ko. Para akong nakikipag laban sa robot, walang emosyon ang mukha at consistent ang mga galaw. . . parang pinractice.

Since I don't have a chance to pick my sword in distant, I just picked what's nearest. I pulled my dagger that's currently located on my leg strap. I was about to slightly slit his neck, when I unexpectedly see nothing but his blur face. Pumikit ako ng mariin, umaasang magiging klaro ang paningin ko kapag ginawa ko iyon.

Bakit ngayon pa?

Napahawak ako sa'king sintido. Awtomatikong humakbang paatras ang paa ko nang marinig ang pagkalansing ng espada no'ng caballero. A loud thud has filled the four edge of the stadium when I dazedly fell on the ground.

Narinig ko ang paglangitngit ng malaking pinto, indikasyon na may pumasok sa stadium, kasabay ng pagtuturo ng caballero sa mukha ko gamit ang tulis ng espada niya. What made me dumbfounded is that instead of hearing the voice of the cavalier, I heard a loud bang from a particular part of the stadium.

Sa wakas ay naging klaro na ang paningin ko. Kaagad kong nilingon ang pinanggalingan ng malakas na bagsak. Halos matigilan ako nang makita ang pinakare-respeto kong tao sa bukana ng stadium, it's the ruler of Vespertillo, my father. Although anger wasn't evident in his face, I know that he's fuming mad. The aura inside the arena became dim and intimidating. Obviously, it's because of his presence.

"Duke Ismail. . ." his voice too, undeniably gloomy and dull. "End this gathering. . . now."

"Yes, your majesty."

"And the two of you. . ." tinignan niya kaming dalawa ng kakambal ko. "Come with me," nanlulumo akong tumayo. I just can't believe that he enter the arena while I'm in that situation. I lose the simple battle! Malaking kahihiyan iyon. Hindi lang sa'kin, pati na rin sa parte niya.

"Are you okay? I saw what happened," tanong sa'kin ni Iwa pagkalapit ko sa kaniya. Kinuha ko ang cloak kong nakapatong sa upuan ko kanina at saka ito isinuot upang hindi makita ang malaking sugat na natamo ko kanina. Hindi ko siya pinansin sa halip ay paspasan kong sinundan si papa. I swiftly felt her presence chasing after me. "Mecca! Mecca!" she called. "May masakit ba sa'yo? May sakit ka ba?" I didn't tell them about my condition. The more they know that I'm weak, the more they'll take advantage of it. "Mecca, please," nagdere-deretso lamang ako sa paglalakad at saka inilabas na lamang sa kabilang tainga ang sinasabi niya. "Oh my God, Mecca! You're bleeding!" binawi ko sa kaniya ang braso ko. She's irritating! Dumako ang mata ko sa sahig at nakitang tumutulo dito ang dugo ko.

"Stop it, Iwa. I'm tired, can't you see? " dinuro ko siya. "So please shut the hell up!"

"You're bleeding! Gusto mong manahimik ako kahit nagkakaganyan ka na?"

Laglag panga ko siyang tinignan. "Defender of the poor," mahina akong humalakhak. "Pinanagutan mo talaga 'yang title mo na 'yan e 'no?"

"W-What?"

I tsked. "Stop the drama, Iwa. We're twins. Alam ko kung kailan ka nagpapanggap at kung kailan hindi. Huwag mo 'kong pinapaandaran ha? Naiirita ako sa'yo," I was about to take a step when she held my wounded arm making me shrieked. "Nananadya ka ba ha?!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! May sugat ka pala d'yan, nakalimutan ko," kaagad niyang binitawan ang braso ko. "Please listen to me, Mecca. Kahit ngayon lang."

"I'm tired, Iwa."

"Five minutes lang, please! I'll just mend your wound," aniya habang nakataas ang limang daliri. Hindi ko pa rin siya nilingon. "Three minutes?" I ignored her presence. "Two minutes? Mecca!"

"Ayaw ko nga, 'di ba?! Maluwag ba ang turnilyo mo sa ulo o sadyang hindi ka lang makaintindi?"

"Makinig ka naman sa'kin."

My grip tightened. Umamba akong sasapakin siya. "Do you want me to slit your neck to death?"

"Do it after I treat your injury," at talagang!

"Act your age," pareho naming natutop ang bibig nang marinig ang maotoridad na boses ng ama namin. Nakayuko akong naglakad ulit. Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Iwa.

It took us minutes before we reached his gloomy place. "Leave us," he ordered the cavaliers.

"Yes, your majesty," nang marinig ko ang paglangitngit ng pinto ay mas lalo akong nasakal sa aura ng silid. Malawak ang opisina niya, ngunit para akong sardinas na isiniksik sa loob ng lata.

"I'll go straight to the point," paninimula niya habang inaayos ang bat figure na nakapatong sa mesa niya. "Iwa, you'll go with the duke for the upcoming feud. The war will happen three months from now. The voyage to the boundary of Vespertillo and Arietes realm will take a month if you came per batch for they might suspect us if you came in union," we're the third generation of Vespertillian royalties. In history, the ruler of Vespertillo always does the first move and so my father. Vespertillo Realm always initiates the war, but never won. My father would attack people without a declaration of war. It's his strategy. Gusto niyang gumawa ng pangalan sa kasaysayan bilang kauna-unahang hari ng Vespertillo na napanalo ang digmaan laban sa Arietes. I guess, that's the only purpose or reason why he did that. Impractical, right?

"What does it mean, your. . . highness?" Iwa asked, tila nag-aalangan pang magsalita.

Matalim ang mga matang humarap sa kaniya ang hari. "Statue of Arash. . ." umangat ang kanang kilay ko. What about it? "The archer is located at where?" I was about to speak when he suddenly placed his index finger on my lips. "I'm not talking to you. Answer me, Iwa."

"In. . . Sa'dabad C-Complex at Tehran. . . your majesty," sagot ni Iwa na mukhang nagtataka rin kung bakit biglang nagtanong ng ganoon ang hari.

"What is the origin of Grasobern Card game?"

"G-Germany," alanganing pagsagot niyang muli.

"Shakkar River is tributary of which river in India?"

"Narmada River at Madhya Pradesh, your m-majesty."

"Comet hyakutake was discovered in 1996 by Yuji Hyakutake. By which device discovered the comet hyukutake?"

"Your majesty why are you asking me such questions all of a sudden--?"

"JUST ANSWER ME!"

Mumuntik na akong mapapikit sa biglang pagsigaw ng hari. Bumuntong hininga sa huling pagkakataon si Iwa. "Binoculars," she's fuming red. "Yuji Hyukutake discovered the comet hyukutake using binoculars."

"Those are the hardest questions to be answered by a typical person. You managed to answer them, yes," he voiced. "You manage to answer them and yet you cannot understand a simple statement with less numbers of jargon words?!" I tried to hold my laugh.

"Sorry. . . your majesty. I was just shocked by your decision. . . your m-majesty."

"What about me, your majesty?" I uttered while smiling. "I can foresee that my job is something huge."

His brows furrowed. "You will go there," he didn't specifically said which "there" but I already know what he meant by that.

My jaw dropped. "What?!" nakita ko sa gilid ng mga mata ko ang paglingon ni Iwa sa'kin. "I'll not go with them?!" I asked referring to Iwa and duke Ismail.

"Why? You can't even defend yourself from a typical knight. How will you fight in a war?" my father seriously said.

Nalaglag ang balikat ko. "F-Father. . ."

"You're weak, Mecca."

Para akong pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa. "Give me a chance, your highness. I'll prove myself. I promise!"

"That's enough, Mecca."

"Your highness, please!"

"You will leave tomorrow night with the other cavaliers," tumayo ako at saka umakmang hahawakan ang kamay niya. "You may go," the knights from the outside accompanied us. I badly want to kneel in front of him and ask for another chance, but my sister is here. Parang isinuko ko na rin ang pride ko kung gagawin ko 'yon.

Iyon na lang ang meron ako. Pride.