A Shade of Midnight

FOURTEEN

The day came when we have to meet with the three queens at last. I didn't have any training yesterday para sa araw na ito kaya naman nang magising ako kinaumagahan ay agad akong nagbihis. Tinanong ko si Aliana kung ano ang susuotin ko para sa meeting na ito and she told me to look as sinfully regal as much as possible.

So I wore white chiffon and silk, cut in typical North Court fashion to reveal my skin, the gold accents on the dress glittered under the buttery sunlight that came pouring on my window. Nang makalabas ako ay naroon na ang iba maliban kay Azrael. Like Raven said, Az has another task to do at walang nakakaalam noon kundi sina Raven at Azrael lang. Mor was wearing a black dress accented with gold too. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail. I couldn't see any weapons strapped around her waist but I knew that they were just concealed. Near the fireplace, Raven stood clad in his usual black, with the wolf brooch on his chest, his face a calm mask. Only the dark crown on his head shaped like raven's feathers was different. It was identical to the golden diadem that sat atop my head. Bryen was frowning at the clock atop the white mantel his arms crossed with his fingers tapping on his biceps. He was wearing his regal suit with a brooch on his chest. They all looked regal indeed. Saka ko naman napansin na wala si Mel.

"Where's Mel?" tanong ko sa kanila. Raven looked at me at hindi tumakas sa paningin ko kung paano niya ako tingnan mula ulo hanggang paa. And then he looked at my face as if telling me he likes what I am wearing. I fought the heat that threatened to creep on my cheeks.

Raven walked towards me. "She didn't want to come. Mel and the queens didn't have a good history so I let her stay. It's for the best."

Hindi na ako nagtanong kung bakit nakabubuti iyon dahil alam ko na ang magiging sagot.

"Leave your weapons," Raven said kaya naman napatingin kaming lahat sa kanya.

"The queens demanded we bring no weapons into their territory."

Narinig ko namang napamura nang mahina si Al at saka walang sabi-sabing kinuha ang isang kutsilyong nakatago sa loob ng kanyang damit. It clang as she threw it on the glass table. Ganoon din ang ginawa ko. Bryen didn't bring any weapons which is understandable. I wonder if the queens knew that these people are weapons themselves.

The territory of the three queens was just miles away from where the Alvaros clan is. It's hard for the car to get in and so, Raven made a demand that they go there by chopper. Thankfully, the queens agreed.

Hindi masyadong matagal ang naging biyahe namin papunta sa destinasyon namin. Unlike the Alvaros clan, the territory of the free people were more modernized. Kaya naman hindi kami nahirapan kung saan ilalanding ang helicopter.

The moment we came out of the chopper, people stared. Unlike the Alvaros clan, the people were wearing conservative clothes and for a moment, I felt like my dress was too revealing. Ngunit nang tingnan ko si Aliana sa tabi ko ay taas noo itong nakatingin sa harapan. I did the same.

The people gave us curious looks. Some were discreet and some were openly gaping at them. Hindi niya rin masisisi ang mga ito. The people I am with are ethereally beautiful. Kahit sinong makakita sa kanila ay mapapatingin.

Most of the houses were made of wood and painted with colors such as the lightest blue, or yellow, or orange. Each of the houses has balconies where they grow their plants—mostly flowers. All of the houses have them and it was like a requirement for every household to have flowers on their balconies.

"These people don't follow anyone except for their queens. They don't know any High Lords and they are called free people because they are not bound by any laws."

Napatingin naman ako kay Al. "So that means..."

"Yes and no. Every wrong thing is legal here but the people are free to choose whether to live peacefully or not. They have a great sense of discipline which is why I think, it is one of the reasons why Raven wanted to have an alliance with them."

I looked at the free people looking in our direction. Wala akong makitang bahid ng karahasan sa kanila. Just pure curiousness.

We walked down the cobblestoned path and the free people gave way. Nang tingnan ko ang hangganan ng daanan namin ay doon ko nakita ang isang matayog na palasyo. A place fit for three queens indeed.

We continued walking hanggang sa makarating kami sa harapan nito. The sentries opened the gate at agad naman kaming pumasok. And when we did, saka namin nakita ang isang babae sa ibaba ng hagdan. Nang makarating kami sa harapan ng babae ay tiningnan niya kami isa-isa saka ito yumuko.

"Greetings, High Lord."

Raven didn't answer and the lady went on, "This way, please."

Napatingin naman ako kay Raven. There was nothing on his face but pure calmness, his favorite mask, no doubt. The mask of a cruel High Lord everybody sees him as.

We climbed up a set of stairs hanggang sa makarating kami sa dulo. Another door greeted us at binuksan iyon ng babae.

"The queens are waiting in the throne room," sabi ng babae at saka tumabi. We walked inside and that's when I noticed the carpeted floor and the marble columns. At the far end is a dais and on top of the dais are three thrones. Seated atop them are the three queens.

We stopped at the bottom of the dais and looked at them. The queens were a mixture of age and temperament. Sa gitna ay isang reyna na tila pinakamatanda sa tatlo. She was wearing an embroidered wool dress of the deepest red. She was brown-skinned, her eye sharp and cold. Despite the wrinkles carefully concealed, she could sense that the Queen in the middle is the eldest and the sharpest.

The other two looked like they were my age. Ngunit hindi kagaya sa unang reyna, they look kind enough. One is sweet-faced, one looked innocent. Both were smiling—one out of pure delight, and the other out of pure sarcasm. They wore green and blue gowns respectively. The youngest of the two queens, the one who was smiling at us was black-haired, and perhaps the most beautiful among the three. Her curly hair was as golden as Al's, her eyes the color of the lushest forest, and her brown freckled skin seemed dusted with gold.

And the sarcastic-looking Queen looked the most cunning. His eyes were careful, scanning, calculating as if anytime, she had to be ready for any sort of attack.

Nanatili kaming nakatayo habang ang mga kawal nila ay nakatingin sa amin na para bang sinusuri nila pati an gaming kaluluwa.

The throne room was enormous enough. The oldest Queen nodded at the guards and they all peeled off to stand by the walls, the doors.

Raven stepped forward. Napasinghap ang tatlong reyna na para bang hinahanda ang sarili nila. Even in the territory of the free people, Raven is feared. Their guards casually—foolishly—rested a hand on the hilt of their swords. At kung ikukumpara ko iyon sa mga sandata ng Valyria, they looked clunky and large. And I think it was foolish of them to do it. Holding their swords as if they have a chance against the Valyrian warriors.

But Raven didn't seem to mind and bowed his head slightly and said to the queens, "We are grateful for having us here." He lifted a brow. "There is no need to fear us. Just as you requested, we didn't bring any weapons with us and we did that in pure trust that none of your men would attack us here in your humble territory." Because then that would be a waste. Raven seemed to say. Ngunit nang mapatingin ako sa mga reyna ay tila nakuha nila ang gustong sabihin ni Raven.

The older queen with the bluest eyes said, "Of course." Then she surveyed me. "You are the most popular savior of this continent now an emissary of the North."

My back stiffened. "Yes," I said. "I am Delta."

She then glanced at Raven. "And you are the High Lord who wrote us the surprising proposal."

"I am," Raven said, slightly nodding. Then he gestured to Al and Bryen. "This is my cousin, Aliana, and also my third in command. This is Bryen, the general of my armies."

Al stalked forward, her gown floating on the gentle wind. The beautiful queen sized Al up with every step, every breath. Na para bang tinuturing nitong kakompetensiya si Al when it comes to beauty, power and dominance.

The sarcastic queen looked at Al. "The Aliana of the North," she said. Raven and Bryen didn't look surprised. Ngunit alam ko kung bakit ganoon ang tawag nila kay Aliana.

The queens paused as if in awe and fear. Aliana bowed. "It's a pleasure that you granted us an audience with this meeting."

The older queen glanced at me and then at the crown on top of my head.

"She is an emissary and yet she wears a crown. Is that a Northern tradition?"

"No," Raven said smoothly. "But she certainly looks good enough wearing a crown that I can't resist."

The golden haired queen's smile turned cold. "A woman from a neighboring continent, a once bride to be of another High Lord...and who is now standing beside another High Lord. Interesting."

I kept my shoulders back, chin high. Sa pagsasanay ko kay Bryen, he had been teaching me how to feel out an opponent. But I remained my mouth shut as this is an opportunity we don't want to miss.

"We shall grant you only an hour of our time. Make it count," the oldest queen said and then with their maidens, they were escorted down the dais. Naglakad ang mga ito papunta sa isang sitting room at doon kami naupo. The moment we were seated, Raven looked at me. Napalunok ako at saka tumingin sa tatlong reyna sa harapan namin.

"War is coming. We are here to warn you and to ask you to fight with us against the looming threat."

"We know war is coming," the oldest said. "We have been preparing for it right after Meredith made all the High Lords wrapped around her fingers.

I have seen the streets of this territory. Ngunit wala akong nakitang kahit anong preparasyon na ginagawa nila. Unlike the Alvaros tribe who has been training warriors and making weapons, these queens have not made their people prepare.

"I have seen no preparations," said Bryen.

The sarcastic-looking queen waved her hand. "This land we are on doesn't compare to the ones we really have."

Napakunot ang noo ko. Nagpatuloy ito sa pagsasalita. "I'm saying that this is just a slip of land compared to the vastness of our territory. Should the war come, these people will fight while we save the rest of our territory."

Sinasabi ba niyang gagawin niyang pain ang lupaing ito para isalba ang kabuuan nitong teritoryo?

Raven drawled, "Surely the loss of even one innocent life would be horrible."

The eldest queen folded her hands neatly on her lap. "Yes. To lose one life is a horror. But this is war. There can never be no deaths. This tiny territory is what this kingdom is going to sacrifice should the war come. That being said, we wouldn't need your help or we would offer our help from and to anyone."

This was a bad idea. The queens never intended to form an alliance. Hindi rin nila kailangan ng tulong.

Silence covered us but it was Aliana who said, "There are families here. Your people are living peacefully thinking that they are under the protection of the strong queens."

"It is no easy choice—"

"It's the choice of cowards," cut Aliana, her voice cold.

The eldest queen looked at Al and then the rest of us. "I know why you are here. To form an alliance. To help the other tribes fight and have a chance at the coming enemy. Because among all the tribes that lived in the middle of Sandovia, the free people are the strongest. But I am going to tell you this now: we have no interest in sharing our weapons or any of our resources with the other tribes. If you want to protect these people, do it yourselves."

Silence.

"I understand that you are free people but with this coming war, you will realize that you need their help as much as they need yours, and then it would be too late."

The golden-haired queen touched her curly hair. "This is a threat of your own making. And we are all compromised—"

"None of us wanted this threat to happen," Raven countered calmly. "The enemy wants to take Sandovia not because one of us provoked them too. The enemy's greed is the cause of all this fuss. That's why I ask you to protect all that we need to protect. Together."

"Oh?" the eldest queen smirked. "The High Lord of the North Court asks us to join with him, save lives with him. To fight for peace. What about those lives you have taken during your existence? Those lives you took under Meredith's rule? The High Lord who walks in darkness, leaves darkness in his wake, and takes lives as he sees fit?" A laugh. "We have heard of you, High Lord. We have heard of what you can do. We have heard of what you have done. And then you speak for peace? For someone who kills people like it's a hobby, I did not think you even know that word."

Wrath seem to boil in my blood. Hindi ko napigilan ang pagkuyom ng kamao ko. Ngunit naramdaman ko ang kamay ni Raven sa akin sa ilalim ng mesa. Silently calming me down as if he had sensed my anger.

"We will not work with anyone and our people will fight for themselves," the eldest queen said as though it was the end of the discussion. Ngunit hindi ako papayag na uuwi kaming walang napala. Kailangan ko silang kumbisihin. I am the emissary of the North Court. Raven chose me to do this.

"Please," was all I said.

Silence again.

"One of the commanders of Liberia wrapped the High Lords around her fingers. None of them could do anything as Meridith had a complete hold over them. There was only one of her. Only one of her and yet with cunningness, she hostaged all the High Lords. Imagine what a whole army of them can do. Imagine what they will be capable of doing once they land on your soil. So please, help the other tribes."

The eldest queen looked at the golden-haired one and then said, "You are young, child. You still don't know a lot of things in this world—"

"Do not," Raven said with deadly quiet, "condescend to her." The eldest queen looked at Raven and had the sense to look scared. As she should.

Raven's eyes had a certain glint and his face as unforgiving as his as his voice as he went on, "Do not insult Delta for speaking with her heart. For being the voice of those tribes who are not even her people. She is someone from another continent and yet she has more compassion towards Sandovia than any of you have."

The sarcastic-looking queen doesn't look so smug anymore but she said, "Our decision is final. We will not offer assistance to the other tribes. And besides, I trust that the tribes, with your help, of course, can manage to shoo away any enemies that should come. And I believe they will shoo them away before the enemies get to us—"

"Enough." Tumayo si Aliana. Napatingin naman kaming lahat sa kanya.

Tiningnan ni Aliana ang bawat isa sa mga mga reynang nasa harapan namin.

"This will be the last time we will offer this alliance. This will be the last time that we ask you to fight the war alongside us. Should the war come, everyone in Sandovia will know that you have not lent a hand and did no such thing as receiving assistance from others. And then you will be left on your own. If you are so certain that you and your people can fight without any assistance, then let it be."

Bryen and Raven stood, straightening their coats. Tumayo na rin ako. I kept my back straight and my chin high.

"We wish you luck," Aliana said and then bowed slightly.

Naintindihan ko na kung bakit ayaw ni Mel na sumama at kung bakit sinabi niyang huwag nang magpunta rito. And then I realized I guess this is for the better good.

"Thank you for your time," Raven said and then bowed too. Bryen grinned at the queens and the guards instantly walked towards the queens' side.

Nang makalabas kami sa palasyo, naglakad kami sa kahabaan ng daan. The people still looked at us. Nang makarating kami sa kung nasaan ang chopper ay saka ako nakahinga.

My frustrations poured out at hindi ko itinago iyon. I was fuming. Before anyone could say anything, I beat them to it.

"I hope they burn in hell."

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