The Cursed One

18 | Prince's Champion

She has thought about it. She has thought about the offer. Halos hindi na siya makatulog buong gabi dahil sa naiisip niya. 

Kapag pumayag siya sa alok ng prinsipe, tutuparin nito ang kahit anong kahilingan niya. Tutulungan din siya nitong makontrol ang pwersa sa kanya at kung gugustuhin niya, pwede niya itong ibigay sa prinsipe. And the prince will seal that power in a book where it belongs. 

If she becomes strong enough, she will be able to control her power and would surely win the competition without question. 

Miraculously, she woke up early the next morning. Nate proceeded immediately to combat training and even as her mind wasn't really into it, she was strangely keeping up with him. Or perhaps Nate was going easy on her, hindi niya alam. She kept throwing punches and kicks and they're becoming less and less lousy. But she never really landed a hit on Nate. Nasasangga nito ang bawat atake niya. Nagiging kabisado na rin niya ang galaw ng lalaki. She learned to read his movements and watch for any opening for her to strike her blow. 

Nang matapos sila ay napahiga siya sa sahig at humihingal. Sweat trickled down her forehead to the floor. She stared at the plain ceiling while Nate was fixing the weapons. Blood rushing through her, she swallowed hard. 

"I'm going to the palace," she said. Naramdaman naman niyang tumigil si Nate sa ginagawa nito. Bumangon siya mula sa sahig at naupo. She faced Nate who turned to look at her. There was no surprise on his face. Nakataas lang ang isang kilay nito na para bang sinasabi ng lalaki na wala na siyang kinalaman. Alam niya iyon but she figured she should at least tell him. 

"I heard from Emil about the Prince coming here," he said. Tumango naman siya. "You're chosen to be Prince Reagan's champion." Another nod. 

"Sa tingin ko ay may iba ka pang dahilan kung bakit ka pumayag sa alok na iyon." 

She nodded again. "He will help me become stronger and control my power. And if I don't want it anymore, he's the one who could take the power from me if I control it enough to give it willingly." 

Nate nodded approvingly. "And in exchange, you will not be only fighting for the Prince's throne but you will fighting for your life as well." 

"Alam ko," sagot niya. 

"And you still want to do it?" 

Natahimik naman siya. Pinag-isipan niyang mabuti iyon kagabi. And she has come up with an answer. Nate took her silence as a yes. 

"I see," he said. Narinig naman niya ang mga yabag ng paa nito na naglalakad papalapit sa kanya. He crouched in front of her. Bago pa man siya makapagtanong kung anong ginagawa ng lalaki, his hand was already squeezing her shoulder slightly. 

"Alam kong may kakayahan kang gawin ang nais mong gawin. Tanging masasabi ko lang ay mag-iingat ka. Do not trust anyone fully. Even the Prince Reagan." His voice was laced with enough warning. At alam niyang hindi siya dapat magtiwala ng lubos sa kahit na sino sa palasyo. not even the Prince himself. Even as he showed her kindness before, she won't be trusting him fully. Maraming taon na ang nakalipas. Marami na ang nagbago. 

Nate stood and looked at her before he offered his hand. Kinuha niya ang kamay nito at tinulungan siya nitong makatayo. 

"Good luck," Nate said and she smiled. 

They spent the rest of the afternoon training. Unlike yesterday, she felt more focused today. Malamang ay dahil iyon sa malaking desisyon na gagawin niya mamayang gabi. 

By the time Nate let her go from training, Eula, Bran, and Jack came to see her on the training room. 

"We heard you're leaving," Eula said cooly and scanning her from head to toe. Na para bang may mahahanap siyang sagot sa katawan niya. Tumango siya sa gawi ng babae. 

"Where are you off to?" tanong naman ni Jack. She smiled at them. 

"As much as I want to tell you guys, it's something I can't tell you now. Malalaman niyo rin, pero hindi pa ngayon. I'm forbidden to say anything." 

Kumunot naman ang noo ni Bran. "Is it some secret mission from the Mistress?" 

Tumaas ang kilay niya. "The Mistress gives special missions?" 

"So it's not a mission then," Jack confirmed. 

Nginitian niya lang ang tatlo. "You three are the closest ones I have to friends. Kayo lang ang unang lumapit sa akin at magpakilala. Kaya naman nagpapasalamat ako sa inyo. Hopefully, we're going to see each other soon." 

"Are you leaving for good?" tanong naman ni Jack. Napaisip naman siya sa tanong ng lalaki. Then she smiled. 

"Hopefully not." 

*** 

It was seven o'clock, just as she finished her dinner when Emil appeared in front of her.  

"Will you stop doing that?" sabi niya sa lalaki habang hawak ang dibdib. 

Emil didn't respond to that but he said, "The Mistress wants to see you." 

Nang marinig niya iyon ay labis naman siyang knabahan. There could only be one reason why the Mistress wants to see her. And she is sure as hell that it has something to do with what she was planning to do tonight. 

Hindi na siya nagtanong kay Emil kung para saan at sumama lang siya dito. The moment they appeared inside the chamber of the Mistress, she already had her head down on the floor. 

Narinig niya ang paggalaw nito sa kama. The rustling of the bedsheets and the cold and light sound of feet on the floor tells her enough that the Mistress is walking toward her. 

She bowed her head even lower. 

Nang tumigil ito sa harapan niya ay saka naman niya tiningnan ang babae. 

"Narinig ko ang balak mong gawin," sabi nito. She was about to say something when the Mistress continued, "Do you think you can do this, Mirabella?" 

She pursed her lips and nodded. "I have to do it." 

The Mistress tilted her head as though she's waiting for her to say more. Mirabella swallowed hard. 

"The power...the Shadowburn is a dangerous power. Either I will get strong enough to wield it or be strong enough to give it to where it should belong."

"Sumasang-ayon ako sa iyo. The Shadowburn is indeed a dangerous power. You will have to be so strong so you could control it." 

She remembered the day when the Mistress sealed her power. She had talked with the magic inside her then. Habang pinipilit iotng labanan ng kapangyarihan ng Mistress, it still managed to manipulate her into fighting it. Naalala niya iyon. And she could remember very well how it thrashed for being sealed. Nanindig naman ang balahibo niya. 

Makakaya ba niyang kontrolin ang kapangyarihang iyon? 

"I understand, Mistress. I will do my best," she said and bowed her head slightly. The Mistress smiled and touched her arm. For a moment, she thought she was just wishing her good luck. But then she started to feel a warm sensation running through her veins. Nang tingnan niya ang kamay ng babae sa kanyang braso ay doon niya nakita ang kaunting liwanag na nagmumula sa palad nito. The warmth felt comfortable and it made her drowsy. Bago pa man siya makaramdam ng iba pang sensasyon ay binitiwan na ng babae ang braso niya. 

"That's for protection. You will be walking straight to the Palace with no one you know. That was also my blessing. You will do what you needed to do and it will serve you a lot. Starting today, you are now a Reaper. You will do the duties of a Reaper until the day you die. Good luck, Mirabella." 

Nanlaki naman ang mga mata niya sa sinabi ng babae. She looked at Emil, still wide-eyed, and he just nodded with a warm smile on his face. Nang tingnan niya ulit ang babae sa harapan niya ay agad siyang yumuko bilang pasasalamat. 

"Thank you, Mistress." 

The Mistress turned her back and walked to her bed. Bago pa man ito sumampa sa kama ay nagsalita ulit ito, "Huwag ka munang magpasalamat. I am basically sending you to your possible doom. Although I have high hopes you will emerge victorious." 

And then the Mistress climbed into her bed without another word. She looked at the bed and see nothing but pure darkness as it was surrounded by thick curtains. 

Naramdaman niya ang kamay ni Emil sa kanyang braso. 

"Let's go," saad nito. She gave one last look on the Mistress' bed before darkness consumed her surroundings and after a few seconds, she was back at the familiar interior of Emil's office. 

Ang buong akala niya ay mag-uusap pa sila doon ngunit laking gulat niya nang makita ang pamilyar na pigura na nakatayo sa harapan ng malaking bintana. 

The prince turned to greet Emil and her.

"Pleasant evening," he said. Then he let out a grin in his direction, taking in what she was wearing. She isn't of fawning over men but looking at the prince up close made her understand how some women would collapse just to get a glimpse of him.

His dark brown hair was a mess as though he didn't bother to fix it before coming here. His dark eyes were framed by those thick and curved lashes. And his mouth, grinning so wide, showing a perfect set of teeth—the prince is indeed a sight to behold.

Abala siya sa pagtingin dito kaya naman hindi na niya namalayan na nasa harapan na niya ito. Narinig naman niya ang pagtikhim bi Emil sa tabi niya at saka naman niya naalala na nababasa nga pala nito ang isipan niya. She cursed him inside her mind and made sure Emil would see it instantly.

"The other princes," she said, "have they chosen their champions already?"

Reagan's dark eyes stared at her for a few seconds before he answered, "Yes. I believe they have chosen their champions already. Although I haven't met them. Kaya naisipan kong gabi kita sunduin para hindi ka rin makita ng iba."

Napaisip naman siya kung gaano kalaki ang palasyo para hindi nila makita ang isa't-isa.

"Does that mean I get my own quarters?" tanong niya sa lalaki.

Tumango naman ito.

"Yes. Your quarters will be right next to mine so I can watch over you."

Tumango naman siya. She wanted to know what she's getting herself into so she asked, "Aside from the fact that I could possibly die from this competition, what else should I expect?"

The prince tilted his head. "Well, there are my brothers who will do every cunning method to sabotage each other. And of course, we're doing the same thing to them so I might give you tasks to complete."

She nodded. "As long as I don't need to kill them even before the competition started, I would be fine with that."

The prince let out a sensual laugh that skittered along her spine. She shook it away when she remembered Emil was still there.

"Ironic," the prince said, a faint smile curving his lips. "The death herself don't want to kill."

She pursed her lips. "I am not death. This power inside me is. And this isn't mine."

Reagan shrugged and turned to look at Emil.

Emil bowed his head slightly before he stared at the Prince straight in the eyes as he said, "I trust you would take care of my niece, your highness."

The prince looked at her and clasped her shoulder. "I will. After three months, she will become the strongest magician that ever lived."

Hearing it from his mouth sounded so fancy.

"Shall we, champion?" He slightly bent forward as he extended his hand. She could see the man likes dramatics. And left without a choice, she took the Prince's hand.

She gave one look at Emil and her uncle nodded slightly. Mirabella knows it's the closest thing her uncle could say goodbye or wish her luck.

Reagan led her through the wooden door and the moment he opened it, she was greeted by the oppulent columna and floors.

The prince closed the door behind her and she roamed her eyes around her. Nakakasilaw anh yaman sa lugar na iyon. Her thief instinct is tingling and if she hadn't known better, she would have infiltrated this palace a long time ago.

Sa lahat ng lugar sa Finnore, and palasyo na lang ang hindi pa napuntahan. Simply because she knows there is something about it. And when the prince confirmed that there are indeed unspeakable creatures trapped in books and are shelved eight under the castle, she knew she was right.

The prince looked at her and she was busy roaming her eyes around the place that she did not realize he had stopped walking.

She met the prince's eyes and then he gestured his arm to the surrounding before he said, "Welcome to the Palace."

* * *