MISSING ROYALTY

Chapter 14 : The Devil's Tale (Part II)

"My memories of my Mom was kind of blurry but I have a feeling those were happy memories."

Hinayaan ko siyang magsalita. I know he has burdens too and I know he has to let it out. Kaya hindi na ako nagsalita. I am just going listen.

"I don't even remember her smell. When I got my consciousness as a child, Dad went to Macedon para bisitahin kami. I didn't know him and he introduced himself as my father. That time, hindi ko alam that my mother is very scared. She's scared that my Dad would take me away from her. But Dad proved himself. He loved my mother. Nakikita ko 'yon. The way Mom smiles and the way Dad laughs I can see right away that they loved each other. Dad did not take me away as what my Mom feared. He stayed with us, until one day, Mom went home with a child in her arms. Kasing edad ko lang ito." Cross went for a pause as he tried to remember what happens next.

"I was two years old that time and the child Mom bought home was only one year old. Mom saw that child sleeping on the road and decided to adopt the him. Dad accepted the child. I did the same as I will be having a baby brother..." I bit my lip as I continued hearing his story.

"...And I didn't know that the moment Mom adopted that child, that was the start of our hellish life..."

"...one day, armed men infitrated our house and killed my Mom. I was four years old that time. I was about to get killed but my Mom took the bullet for me. Hindi ko alam kung anong nangyayari but I was crying. And that's when I knew that those armed men is after my brother. Turns out, that child was the son of a mafia leader. Dad fought to get my brother back ngunit nabaril din siya. He lived though. Mom was the only one who died." I heard him sighed.

"After that incident, Dad changed. He started to get aggressive. He became colder towards me. Hanggang sa nasanay na ako. He grieved because he lost my Mom he started to ignore me and expect the best from me. He was a perfectionist when it comes to the things I do. And I accepted it. He vowed to avenge my mother. He was sure he will be the one leading the Monarch but their father chose my uncle instead. Zyon's father."

"Hindi niya matanggap iyon. The Dark Monarch was the only means he could think of to avenge my mother and find the child who was the reason of my Mother's death. Until Dad played dirty. Inagaw niya ang Dark Monarch. Nabalitaan niyang ang mafia na kinabibilangan ng kinakapatid ko ay wala na. He received the news that another group destroyed the mafia. At nabalitaan din niyang ang batang hinahanap niya ay nasa poder ng grupong sumira sa mafia." Napatingin si Cross sa akin.

"You may not know but that group who destroyed the Mafia was your family. Particularly Pierce's and your grandpa's men. And the child my father is looking for in under their protection at sumali na rin sa grupo nila. Dad was furious. Nasira na ang mafia and that was his chance to kill the child ngunit kinuha iyon ng grupo ng kapatid at lolo mo. He decided to bring back the Monarch's old doings. Illegal doings to be exact. Ginawa niya iyon to get the Palace's attention. He even started the war in Macedon. It did get the Palace's attention but it did not satisfy him. It was not the kind of attention he wanted. He wanted to declare war against the palace. But the palace won't give it to him. That's how he remembered the thing that would surely make the Palace accept his declaration of war."

"The will." I answered and Cross nodded.

"He brought back the will na matagal nang kinalimutan. He did a background study on your family. Napag alaman niyang may isang kapatid kayong hindi nakatira sa palasyo and that's how he confirmed Samantha was a fifth born and the one who will serve as his key to avenge my Mom."

"And fate was on his favor nang malaman niyang lumapit pa mismo sa kanya ang hinahanap niya. Samantha ran away from home and started going to school. My Dad's school. I started following your sister as what my Dad told me. But your brother Pierce was following her too so I maintained a distance. I have a feeling though that he noticed my presence but chose to ignore it. That's the time I found out that she's living with my cousin, Zyon."

"Zyon's Mom was the one who took care of me nang mamatay si Mama and when Dad started to ignore me. Kapag malaman ni Dad that Samantha was living with Zyon and his Mom, mapapahamak sila. That's why I lied to my Dad. I told him Samantha's brother was following her too kaya hindi ako makalapit but I had a feeling hindi siya naniniwala sa kasinungalingan ko."

"He started making a move and that was when he infiltrated the palace. I did not expect him to do that. He still asked me to follow Samantha around that's why pumasok ako sa school but hindi niya alam that I know he ordered men to follow me too. That's why I have to be hostile to your sister."

"Ang totoong pakay niya sa pamilya mo is not mainly the throne. He attempted to hit two birds with one stone. He originally plans to avenge my Mom by killing the child who was under your brother's group. And then get the throne by using your sister. He has enough power to do that. Pinadala niya ako dito because he had a feeling I'll betray him when time comes. Ang hindi niya alam, I already betrayed him the moment he started to think of avenging my Mom. I told Zyon's father all of Dad's plans at naintindihan niya ang nais kong iparating. The moment Dad was about to start the ceremony of him getting the throne, your family's men massacred all of my Dad's men. So Dad went to someone he could trust. Vladimir. Zyon's brother and my cousin. Ang hindi alam ni Dad, Vladimir will betray him too. I asked Vladimir to do that. But my Dad was tough and he resorted to blackmailing every person he knew para sumali sa bubuuin niyang grupo and he succeeded. But hindi nagtagal iyon. He died by the hands of my uncle. And he died because of me. I was the reason Mom and Dad died."

Hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin ko. I was never good with giving pieces of advice. And this moment proves it. I am just speechless.

"Cross.." hindi ko alam na may bahid nang konsensya ang boses ko.

"Silly. What are you thinking?" I heard him chuckled.

"It's not your fault your Mom and Dad died. They chose it. Your Mom chose to protect you. And your Dad chose that path too. Hindi dahil sa'yo. 'Wag ka namang masyadong assuming, Cross." I felt him looked at me kaya napatingin na rin ako sa kanya.

"Are you really comforting me?"

"You don't seem to like being comforted." I heard him chuckled kaya napatawa na rin ako.

After that short laugh, silence covered us. Hindi ko rin alam kung gaano na kami katagal nakababad sa tubig. At parang nakalimutan ko na rin ang takot ko sa tubig, particularly the water creatures.

"Uhm--"

"So, tell me about yours."

"Ha?" Nakita ko siyang umayos ng posisyon at tila handa nang makinig. Napabuntong hininga nalang ako. I guess I have no choice.

"Alam mo naman sigurong may kakambal ako. When we reach the age of five, we were already exposed to how the Palace works. Tutorials of all sorts. Ares was the crown prince but he was trained to become a soldier first with my other brothers, when they reached the age. He has his adviser with him all the time. Me on the other hand was given tight lessons. I was forced to do things I don't like."

"Like stitching." He added kaya napatawa ako.

"Yes. My twin, Ares, will be the future king so he have to follow strict orders from his adviser. Me? I love sneajing out at night, or feigning illness so I'd stay in the kitchen and watch my favorite chef cook. Lima kaming magkakapatid. Me, Ares, Exene, Pierce and Sam. Yun na. Alam ko namang alam mo na ang storya ng pamilya ko. Sinabi mo na kanina hindi ba? That you did a background check sa pamilya ko."

"True."

"I think kailangan na nating umuwi." Akmang tatayo na ako nang hawakan niya ang pulsohan ko dahilan para mapaupo ulit ako.

I saw him smirked na noo'y kinaiinisan ko ngunit ngayo'y parang humihigit na sa hininga ko.

"Let's stay a little bit longer."

"Aba Cross! Kung balak mong magkasakit, ikaw nalang! Mandadamay ka pa. Mamaya magkasakit ako tapos todo utos ka pa naman. Ayokong magtrabaho nang masama ang pakiramdam, sinasabi ko sa'yo --"

"Aalagaan mo naman ako." Ilang beses akong napalunok when he stared at me with intensity.

"Abusado ka ah!" Narinig ko nalang ang pagtawa niya. I was thankful I recovered quickly from his sudden remark.

"I was still wondering what that paper meant."

I looked at him unbelievably.

"That was just nonsense. And Maurice wrote that. I was learning some Macedonian language. And get a grip off it, will you?"

"No, Muriel." He said and offered me his deadly smile.

And here he goes again. Calling me by my name. Hindi ko alam kung alam niya ang epekto ng pagtawag niya sa pangalan ko sa sistema ko. Does he know it makes my insides go wild?

"Ano --"

"Your brothers are watching right now, I know." Akmang ililibot ko ang paningin ko sa paligid when I felt both his hands on my cheeks. Nahigit ko ang hininga ko.

"I'll just ask Maurice what that meant." I heard him chuckled.

Napapikit ako nang mariin.

"Damn."

"I have a feeling it means good."

"No, just leave it, okay?"

"Why? What's in that paper? You seem anxious talking about it."

"I am not!"

"Alright." Nabigla naman ako nang hawakan niya ang pisngi ko and lead me to look at him.

"I will annoy your brothers."

"That's the last thing I will do."

"I can't believe you're too aggressive when you're drunk. That explains why your brothers are watching you every minute.."

"I can't believe you become talkative when you're wet." Nakita kong napataas ang kilay niya.

Sa kabilang dako...

"Pierce, what did she say?" Tanong ni Ares habang pinalo ang kaliwang braso dahil sa tatlong lamok na pumatong dito. Ngunit isa lang ang napatay niya.

"Wet?" Sagot naman ni Pierce habang halos idutdut na ang ulo niya palabas sa pinagtataguan nila para marinig ang pinag uusapan ng dalawang taong pinapanood nila.

"Anong wet? The f**k?" Mura ni Exene na nasa gilid lang at naghihintay sa report ni Pierce.

"Oh God." Napatingin ang dalawa kay Pierce.

"What happened?"

"Hindi ko masyadong marinig. Damn. Kung alam ko lang na trip pala ni Muriel magtampisaw ngayon sana waterproof bug ang ikinabit ko sa kanya."

"So what is it they're talking about?"

"I don't want to say it but I'll say it anyway. They seem to be having some kind of...session."

"Anong session?"

"Is it a talkimg session? Are they continuing what they're talkimg about earlier?"

Halos mabaliw na ang tatlong magkakapatid habang nakatingin sa isa nilang kapatid na may kasamang lalake. Naka posisyon silang tatlo sa anggulo na kung titingnan nila sina Cross at Muriel ay hindi kaaya ayang tingnan. Para itong naghahalikan kahit hindi naman. Idagdag pa ang narinig ni Pierce na salitang 'wet' ay halos mabaliw na si Ares at Exene dahil doon. Sadyang mga dirty minded ang mga ito.

"What the f**k are they doing? Why are their faces so near? Makakatikim sa'kin 'yang Cross na 'yan."

"Teka lang, Exene. Kumalma ka nga muna. Nasapak ka na ni Dad kahapon baka masapak ka ni Muriel ngayon. Just enjoy the show."

Sa kabilang dako...

"Ano namang naiisip mo?" I asked him dahilan para mapatawa siya.

"Nothing! Nothing." He said in between his laughters.

Hindi ko namalayang maggagabi na pala. I stared at the sky. Nagsisimula na itong magdilim. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ang gaan ng pakiramdam ko. Is it because of Cross opening ups something to me? But I smiled bitterly. Don't let your hopes too high, Muriel. I have now realized where should I position myself in his life. I swallowed a lump in my throat and now it was difficult to talk but I'm thankful he wasn't talking anymore.

Hindi ko napigilang tingnan siya. Nakatingin din siya sa langit.

Gumaan din kaya ang pakiramdam niya?

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