The Scepter of Marahuyo

Chapter 035

I frown. “You don’t trust me?”

“Hmmm,” he mutters. “Let me check if you really did not get injured.”

He pulls up my shirt, and I exclaim in surprise. I put my shirt down. “What are you doing?”

“I’m just checking.”

He kneels before me and is about to untie my pants when I hit him. “Stop that!”

He laughs and stands up. His hand brushes over my shoulder and starts removing my robe. I struggle. I know that checking for wounds is not really what he has in mind. My robe falls, but I keep it in place around my waist. Then, as if taking the opportunity, he leans over to kiss me. I cover his mouth.

He peers at me and grabs my hand. Then he starts to lick my palm.

“Wait,” I look around. “That’s dirty,” I say and try to pull back, thinking of how I handled my gunong earlier.

“No one’s around,” he says, and his arms wove around my body, imprisoning me in his arms. It’s moments like this that my resolve to enter the mess of a power struggle starts to melt.

Then he continues, from licking my palm to kissing my wrist and arms. My cheeks warm, and I push at his head to stop him. We stare at each other. I want him to continue, but at the same time, I don’t want to. I should have stopped him from the very start.

He senses my hesitance and stops. This young man has been so free with his touch and kisses that sometimes I think he has already given a label to our relationship.

He touches my lips with his thumb and makes a trail from my cheek down to my neck. His fingers are rough as a result of hard work as the main manager of Pablo’s inn. But it doesn’t matter. Rather, I want him to come closer. So I slip my hand inside his white shirt and touch his chest. I want to feel his warmth, too, like what he’s doing with his finger on my neck. So I did the same to his chest, down to his stomach.

He pulls back. “That’s unfair,” he breathes. His face is red, and I look at my hand underneath his shirt, showing a glimpse of well-defined abs.

I freeze. I feel like an older woman trying to take advantage of him. For anito’s sake, he’s just twenty years old!

I pull back, but he stops it. I look at his face. His eyes are closed. Then, he intertwined his fingers on mine. He guides my hand to his chest, where his heart is, and takes a deep breath as if he’s being pleased with just a simple touch.

He then opens his eyes, and breathless, he says, “I love you, Holly.”

His hold on my hand tightens, but his hand on my face is gentle as he caresses my jaw to my neck. My breathing hitches as if it’s matching the path of his fingers. When his hand goes behind my neck, he pulls me in. He’s a good three feet taller than me, so I tiptoe, withdraw my hand from his chest and wind my arms around his neck. I respond to his kisses. He tastes sweet. Then he lifts me to match his height.

“Damn, guys. Get a room.”

As if being woken from a nice slumber, I jump and pull away from Aaron. I fix my robe and my hair and brush my mouth with the back of my arm. I look at the owner of the voice and find Nico leaning over the door frame.

“Hi,” I say, and I feel my cheeks getting redder than ever. When Nico doesn’t respond and just studies me, I add, “How long have you been there?” I ask, embarrassed that he saw me doing that.

“Long enough to realize that I should stop you before it escalates.”

I bite my lower lip. I hope that that didn’t lessen the little respect I’ve earned from him.

He stretches his arm as if he’s been there watching for a long time and says, “We need help with the food preparation and we need Aaron for that. So can you loan him to us?”

“I’m not--”

“Because you seem like you don’t want to let him go,” Nico teases. “The way she smothers you like that, can you still breathe?”

Aaron approaches from behind and puts his arm around me. He kisses the side of my neck before saying, “What can I say, she’s too in love with me.”

“I see. When I was watching, I thought she’s choking you.”

“She likes rough play.”

Annoyed, I pinch Aaron’s arm. He lets go of me, laughing. “I will help,” I offer and enter the inn before any of the men can disagree.

****************

The feast is in full swing. It’s a celebration of remembering Master Orson’s death two years ago. Only a few people came--Master Deborah, Nico, and the researchers together with Denise. My friends from the Academy also traveled all the way to the outskirts. Olivia is also in the group with me, Aicelle and Cara as we talk about our week. There are also some of the farmers that Master Orson befriended before.

Ethan is sitting with Nico. I found out a year ago that the two are cousins, with only Ethan the only one in their clan with a blessing. The rest of his family are warriors, which explains his combat skills.

Senyor Pablo and Aaron are serving the farmers. They talk in quiet voices as if they are still at a funeral. They exchange pleasantries and gifts. The farmers bring vegetables from their farms while Aaron gives them a pack of food for their children waiting back home.

Master Deborah and the researchers are the most raucous in the group. Every one of them converses in a loud voice. There’s also already a pitcher of alcohol on their table despite the time. To say the least, Denise is the only quiet one in the group, but she seems to enjoy their company.

“It’s become noisier than last year,” Olivia whispers to me.

“It is,” I agree and eat the last bit of buko salad on my plate.

Ethan sits between Cara and me. “Who’s gonna join the Scepter selection?” he interrupts.

“Definitely not you,” Al answers, salty.

“They shouldn’t have withdrawn their initial plan of letting a male Scepter this time.”

He’s referring to the fact that the current Ruler is Lemuel, a male who studied politics in Caltra. Years ago, Master Orson pushed for a same-gender marriage between a Ruler and Scepter. The two are not expected to create heirs anyway. They don’t even need to share the same bed, but they won’t be condemned if they actually do. But when Master Orson died, the old rule returned. Thus, only female mages are allowed to participate in this selection, making all of Ethan’s preparation null and void.

“How I wish the Lemuel Ruler is a girl,” Ethan says and looks at Cara. Of course, they can still be lovers, but it means that Cara will share Ethan with another girl.

“It’s you who should worry,” Cara says. “I’m going to join the Scepter selection.” Ethan’s mouth opens. Cara shifts her attention to Ethan and says, “That means, you are to share me with this Lemuel guy.”

To be continued…