MISSING ROYALTY

Chapter 21 : Her Doubts

I did not have the chance to visit Cross again. Flux said Cross is alright. Nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang malaman kong ginagamot na rin ang mga sugat niya.

Napahiga ako sa kama because of exhaustion. I was out in the town center again with Kriven and he's back to normal. The look he gave me last day really frightened me. It was like he's not the same guy with the warm and kind smile. It was like he was not Kriven at all. He apologized for what he did to Cross. Sinabi rin niya sa akin that Cross fought ten of his men bago ito nahuli. I can't help but feel proud and worried at the same time. Ten men? Who in their right minds would fight ten men alone?

My hand slipped automatically under my pillow. It was like a habit I developed recently. Kinuha ko ang diary and opened it to the last page I read last night. After reading the passage, nalaman kong marami ang tumutol sa pagiibigan nina Lucas at Beatrixe. Beatrixe was just a guard and Lucas was the crown prince. He need to marry someone from the royalty to make alliance with other kingdoms but hindi niya inisip iyon. His father, King Silician III, did not mind. Masyado niyang mahal si Lucas kaya pinabayaan niya ito sa kanyang mga desisyon. Sicily that time was very strong. One of the strongest kingdom ever made.

Doon ako nagtaka. If Sicily is very strong that time, why on earth did history erased every trace of Sicily? Why is this Kingdom forgotten? If only I had a diary of Sicily himself. Something that tells what happened in the past na kinalimutang ilagay sa kahit anong libro.

"Wait." Napabangon ako bigla sa kama at dumapa sa ilalim. I pushed the wooden block in the floor at kinalkal ang mga libro doon. The texture of the pages of the book was the same as the diary itself. The same ancient, expensive paper. Nakita ko ang isang librong kulay itim. I swept the dust off it and the golden letters appeared.

"Sicily Kingdom, A History." I read aloud kasabay ng aking pagsinghap. There is a written history of Sicily?

"Oh God." Dahan dahan kong binuklat ang libro and started to read. Habang patagal nang patagal ang aking pagbabasa, my heart started to beat faster. It was just a couple hundred paged book kaya madali kong natapos.

Hindi ako makagalaw after what I've read. What the hell does that mean? Bakit iba ang sinabi niya sa'kin?

Oregon did helped his sons and daughters build a Kingdom of their own but Sicily was not given that chance not because he wanted to get the throne from his father. Hindi siya binigyan ng pagkakataon na gawin ang mga bagay kagaya nang sa mga kapatid niya. The people did not even know him. He was a shadow of his brothers and sisters. Sicily was an illegitimate child. Kingdom Oregon that time had a law that every illegitimate child that will cause disgrace to the royal family will be killed. The two strongest kingdom has that law.

But Oregon loved Sicily so much dahil anak niya rin ito. And Sicily's mother was King Oregon's one true love. King Oregon can't bear to think that Sicily will be killed because he's an illegitimate son kaya ang ginawa niya ay itinago niya ito. He sent Sicily to Macedon and supported him secretly. Sicily started to build the Kingdom of his own with the support of his father. Sicily then met someone and made her his Queen. They had a son named Silician and later became King kapalit ng kanyang ama.

But then a group of people calling themselves The Mafia started to colonize the Kingdom. They wanted to dethrone the King ngunit hindi sila nagwagi. Sicily was a very strong kingdom kahit wala itong alyansa. Natatakot si King Oregon sa kalagayan ng Sicily kaya inatasan niya lahat ng mga iskolar na huwag ilabas ang kahit anong bakas ng kaharian ng Sicily sa kahit anumang libro. Pinagbawal din niya ang pagtuturo sa kasaysayan tungkol sa Sicily. He was afraid that the Mafia will know that Sicily was an illegitimate child at makuha ng mga ito ang trono.

King Oregon then decided to make a group of people that would fight the Mafia. These people are people of Sicily and Oregon combined. They call themselves the Dark Monarch. However, gusto ni King Oregon na bumalik ang kasit sinong pamilya ni Sicily. Thus, they made the will where any fifth born of the Oregon royalty will be handed to the Monarch. Ibig sabihin, ang panglimang anak ay ipapakasal sa magiging tagapagmana ng Dark Monarch.

The book ended like that. Maraming nasagot na tanong sa isip ko. It all made sense. The will, the Monarch, everything. At bigla kong naalala ang kwento ni Cross sa'kin noon. The puzzles are starting to form piece by piece. Ang kailangan ko lang ay makita si Cross and talk to him about what he knew about the Mafia.

But first, I need to talk to Ares. Kailangan kong malaman kung may alam ba sila tungkol sa Sicily. At kailangan kong malaman kung bakit ayaw nila akong magtiwala kay Kriven. I have formed conclusions in my mind ngunit masyadong mahirap paniwalaan iyon. Besides, hindi kompleto ang nababasa ko. All I have left to r******w is Lucas' diary but it can wait. Kailangan ko munang pumunta kina Ares.

Agad akong nagbihis and went out of the castle. Dumidilim na ang paligid and I wore a black cloak to conceal myself. Hindi ko alam kung nasaan sina Ares but I knew they are following me. Kailangan ko lang pumunta sa isang tahimik na lugar and they will immediately appear right in front of me.

At tama nga ang hinala ko. Nang makarating ako sa isang abandonadong gusali, a bulk figure appeared in the dark. I clutched my cloak tightly and did not move.

"Tamina?" Nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang marinig ang boses ni Exene. Agad akong tumakbo ang pulled him into a tight hug.

"What the f**k are you doing going out at this hour?" Mura niya dahilan para hampasin ko siya sa balikat.

"For a Prince, you sure curse a lot. And in the name of Oregon Exene, it's still 7 o'clock."

"It's still dark!"

"Alright. Alright. Hindi ko na uulitin. Where's Ares and Pierce?" Tanong ko. Exene cambe quite protective. Maybe because of the fact that he was not able to spend time with us. He lived outside the palace starting from a very young age. I can't blame him.

"Come." he pulled me into a corner. We walked into the shadows to avoid meeting people and after a while, huminto kami sa isang kubo na sira sira. But when I looked closer, hindi naman masyadong sira. Matitirhan pa. Napatingin ako kay Exene and he continued walking papasok sa kubo.

Nadatnan namin sina Ares, Pierce at Cross na nakapalibot sa isang maliit na mesa at nakatingin sa isang malapad na papel. Hindi nila napansin ang pagdating namin because they were too immersed in whatever they were talking about. They were exchanging ideas and once in a while, napapamura si Ares and I never heard him curse. I can't help but wonder kung ano ang pinag uusapan nila.

I cleared my throat hoping to get my attention ngunit wala pa rin. I heard Exene laughed silently dahilan para hampasin ko siya sa balikat. Pinandilatan ko siya ng mata ang I returned my gaze to the three men. I cleared my throat again, this time, louder and it got their attention.

"Muriel?" Halos sabay na napatayo sina Ares at Pierce.

"En, what the devil's name is the meaning of this? I thought I told you to follow her and not lead her here." Naningkit ang mga mata ni Ares na nakatingin kay Exene. Bago pa man makasagot si Exene ay pumagitna na ako sa kanila.

"It was my fault okay? Sinadya kong lumabas ng ganitong oras para lumabas si Exene. I know you have me followed. I have something to ask. And I have something you might want to know." Kinuha ko ang librong binasa ko kanina at ibinigay iyon kay Ares.

Nakita ko siyang binasa ang title ng libro and his eyebrows furrowed.

"Murie, I have stayed in the library all my life and I never heard of a published book about Sicily." 

"Hindi naman talaga napublish 'yan, Ares. Bago pa man iyan mapublish, King Oregon the First forbid any traces of Sicily in any history books. I was guessing Sicily was a scholar to hide his identity as the King's illegitimate son. Hindi siya magkakaroon ng kopya ng librong iyang kung hindk siya isang scholar." Tumango tango si Ares as if digesting all I said. I am guessing sa pananatili nila rito, they already know Sicily.

"King Oregon was the one who formed the Monarch, Ares. He formed it to fight the Mafia na handang patayin ang buong angkan ni Sicily makuha lang ang trono." Ares placed both his hands on my shoulder and looked into my eyes.

"I have to read this first, Muriel. For now, go back to the palace." Tanging tango lang ang sinagot ko ngunit bago pa ako makaalis ay humarap muna ako sa kanila.

"Cross was captured. He's in the chamber in front of the Curtizan's room."

"That was part of the plan, Muriel."

"He got wounded, for god's sake!"

"That's part of the plan too."

"By getting him killed? He fought ten men alone for goddamn's sake!"

"He volunteered. He said he wanted to see you." Bigla akong natahimik nang magsalita si Zyon. Ang mga nais kong sabihin ay biglang nawala. I can't seem to remember na dapat ay galit ako.

"Oh." Was all I could mutter. I shifted uncomfortably on my feet that I looked like an idiot. Ares is looking questioningly at me na parang nalilito kung bakit biglang nawala ng galit ko. Pierce on the other hand is grinning at my direction. I cleared my throat.

"Right. Goodnight, then." I said at nagmadaling lumabas. I am sure I am as red as a tomato. Naramdaman ko namang sumunod si Exene.

Nakarating ako sa palasyo with Exene following me. With one last look I bade him goodbye and he just nodded.

Isinuot ko ang hood ng cloak sa ulo ko and continued walking inside the palace. For more than a week of staying here, kabisado ko na ang mga pasilyong hindi masyadong dinadaanan ng tao.

I climbed the stairs without making a sound hanggang sa makarating ako sa harap ng kwarto ko. I sighed in relief at akmang pipihitin ko na ang door knob nang may magsalita sa likuran ko. I jumped to my feet at agad humarap sa pinanggalingan ng boses.

"K-Kriven." I cursed myself silently for stuttering.

He's in the other side of the hallway at hindi ko maaninag ang pigura niya dahil madilim sa parteng iyon. I heard slow footsteps, patunay na naglalakad siya papalapit sa'kin. My heart started racing. Nang makalapit siya sa'kin I clearly saw his face dahil sa dalawang torch na nasa magkabilang gilid ng pinto ng kwarto ko.

The first thing that greeted me was his smile. Binitawan ko ang door knob at humarap sa kanya.

"Kanina ka pa ba diyan? I'm sorry. I just wanted to get some fresh air." I lied. Damn why am I feeling bad?

"It's alright. I understand. It must be suffocating inside your room." His stare suddenly became cold and I almost lost balance when his piercing eyes looked at me.

"But next time, tell me." He said as if threatening me. Napakuyom ako sa aking kamao as I looked at him straight in the eye. In a flash, bumalik ang masigla at ang mabait niyang ngiti.

Kinuha niya ang isang kamay ko and looked intently at me. He bowed down and kissed the back of it without breaking eye contact. I slightly hitched my breath as I felt his lips against the back of my hand. It was cold.

Umayos siya ng tayo and still not letting go of my hand.

"Good night, Muriel." He muttered and walked away. I realized I was not breathing habang kausap siya as I exhaled sharply.

I entered my room with a feeling of anxiety. There's something different about him.

I guess I should follow what Ares and Flux said. Do not trust anyone in this place lalong lalo na ang Curtizan.

I laid down my bed with the diary on my lap. Tonight's another adventure to Lucas' world. I sighed and opened the first page of the diary.

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