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ELIORA

EVER SINCE ANNALYN told me about her "fixed marriage" with Prince Nolan Edmund, I've been feeling anxious on what she's going to do to stop her marriage. Because I'm scared that she will endanger herself on the process and that's the last thing I want to happen to her.

It's been a couple of days since the last time she visited me, which raised my worry for her even more. I'm not even sure what she intends to do to stop her marriage. Or if she can even stop her marriage without defying our parents' order. That's why I advised her to talk to Olwen first and tell him the truth. Because he deserves to know the truth. At the very least, they can agree on what they should and should not do to overcome this problem.

I was relentlessly walking back and forth inside my room when Manang Imelda entered after knocking on the door.

"Ayos ka lang ba talaga, Eliora? Napansin ko at kanina ka pa hindi mapakali. Halos hindi mo rin ginalaw 'yong pagkain mo kanina," nag-aalalang tanong ni Manang.

"Ayos lang ho ako." Bahagya ko siyang nginitian. "Si Annalyn po? May balita na po ba kayo sakaniya?"

Malungkot na umiling si Manang bago ako nilapitan para yakapin.

"H'wag kang mag-alala at sigurado akong maayos lang ang lagay ng kapatid mo." Manang said, trying to make me feel better, and I just kept my mouth shut, not saying why I'm really worried about Annalyn.

Pagkatapos namin kumain kanina ay nagpaalam para umalis si Manang Imelda para pumunta sa bayan at nagbaka-sakaling makita rin niya si Annalyn, dahil nabanggit ko sakanila na nag-aalala ako at hindi pa siya dumadalaw ulit dito, pero mukhang nabigo rin si Manang na makita si Annalyn.

"Gusto mo bang puntahan ko si Princess Annalyn sa Royal Castle?"

"H'wag na po, Nay!" agad na sagot ko.

"Sigurado ka?"

"Opo. Hihintayin ko nalang siya mamayang gabi at baka pumunta na siya dito." Sabi ko. Ayaw ko nang madamay pa sila Manang dito.

"Nabalitaan ko pala kanina mula sa bayan ang tungkol sa kasal ni Princess Annalyn at Prince Nolan Edmund." Manang Imelda smiled at me. "Alam mo na ba ang tungkol doon, Nak?"

I nodded and smiled bitterly. "Opo, nabanggit na sa'kin ni Annalyn ang tungkol doon."

Mabuti nalang at hindi na nagtanong pa si Manang tungkol sa kasal ni Annalyn, dahil hindi ko rin alam kung anong isasagot ko. Ang hirap nang nakakulong lang ako dito at walang magawa kahit na gusto kong tulungan ang kakambal ko, dahil alam kong hindi kayang suwayin ni Annalyn ang magulang namin.

Magkaibang-magkaiba kami ng ugali ni Annalyn kahit na kambal kami. Mas masunurin at mabait siyang anak kumpara sa'kin. Mas pinipili niyang gawin ang kagustuhan ng iba kaysa sa pansarili niya. Hindi mo rin siya maririnig na nagrereklamo sa mga gustong ipagawa sakaniya ng magulang namin dahil mas pipiliin nalang niyang sumunod sa mga utos nila kaysa makipagtalo. Kaya rin siguro mas pabor sakaniya ang magulang namin, dahil hindi gaya ko, mas ginagawa ko kung ano ang gusto kong gawin. Mas kaya nilang kontrolin si Annalyn kumpara sa'kin.

Kaya mas mabuti na rin siguro na itinago nalang ako ng pamilya ko dito dahil kahit papaano, mas malaya akong gawin ang gusto ko dito sa tower. Iniisip ko palang na pati pananamit at pagkilos ko ay binabantayan nila, baka mas gugustuhin ko nalang talaga na magtago sakanila. Hindi ko kayang gawin ang ginagawa ni Annalyn. Hindi ko kayang magtiis nang ganoon kagaya niya.

Kahit na hindi ako nakatira sa Royal Castle at hindi ako nakakagala nang malaya sa Alcadia, marami pa rin akong ibang bagay na kayang gawin, gaya nang pagpipinta, pag-akyat sa mga matataas na puno at pag-hunting ng iba't ibang hayop sa kagubatan sa likod ng tower.

Hindi man ako nakakasalamuha ng ibang tao, ang mahalaga ay malaya kong gawin ang gusto ko. Basta ang mahalaga ay maingat ako at wala ni isang tao ang pwedeng makakita sa'kin, dahil alam kong hindi lang ang magulang at pangalan ng pamilya ko ang maaapektuhan kapag may nakaalam na iba tungkol sa pagkatao ko, pati na rin si Annalyn.

And she has enough on her plate already. I don't want to give her another problem to worry about.

##

The night came, and Annalyn still hadn't come. My heart swelled with grief and worry. My heart was racing, and I couldn't help myself from worrying about her. I doubt I'll be able to sleep in this state. I couldn't explain the feeling that I'm feeling right now. Maybe this is a twin thing...? Because I have a gut feeling that Annalyn needs my help right now and that I should come and see her.

But how?

How can I see her without anyone seeing me?

Nagawa ko nang tumakas noon dahil sa kagusuthan kong mapanood ang parada noong mag-celebrate ng fiesta ang bayan ng Alcadia. Wala namang nakakita sa'kin noon at ligtas din akong nakabalik sa tower, kaya lang ay sobrang nag-alala si Manang Imelda at Manong Ronald sa'kin. Kahit hindi man nila aminin sa'kin noon, alam kong nagalit at na-disappoint sila sa ginawa ko.

Sinubukan kong matulog, pero binabagabag talaga ako ng isip ko. I really need to see Annalyn.

Therefore, without hesitation, I rose from my bed and carefully retrieved the makeshift rope made of sheets tied together—which I had previously used to sneak out of the tower. Because Manang Imelda and Manong Ronald's rooms are just below mine, I walked gently and silently. Although I'm certain they're already asleep, I still need to maintain silence.

I didn't waste any seconds as I carefully threw the rope out of my bedroom window and climbed down the tower. Hindi ako pwedeng dumaan sa pintuan sa main floor ng tower dahil naka-lock ito at may guard na nakabantay parati doon, kaya sa bintana ako dumadaan kung saan walang makakakita sa'kin, lalo pa't gabi at madilim na.

Nakasuot ako ng itim na leggings at hoodie, nagsuot rin ako ng mask para takpan ang kalahati ng mukha ko, kaya ang tanging makikita lang sa'kin ay ang mata ko. Sinigurado kong walang makakakilala sa'kin, at kahit na mayroon mang makakita sa'kin, mabilis akong tumakbo kaya matatakasan ko sila agad.

The town was filled with silence. It's dark and empty. But still, the beauty of Alcadia could not be hidden, not even in the dark. With the sound of my heart racing and my nervous breathing, carefully, I made my way to the royal castle, with the moon shining brightly and beautifully above me.

On my way, I spotted a few guards wandering around the castle, but I easily avoided them. I immediately went to the secret passage that only Annalyn and I knew about. Dito rin siya dumadaan kapag tumatakas siya para puntahan ako sa tower.

Ingat na ingat ako sa paglalakad dahil natatakot akong may makakita sa'kin. Mas maraming guards na ang dapat kong iwasan dahil nasa loob na ako ng gate ng royal castle.

Agad kong nakita ang bintana ng kuwarto ni Annalyn, pero nakapatay ang ilaw kaya hindi ko alam kung natutulog na ba siya. Sinubukan kong batuhin ng maliliit na bato ang kuwarto niya para gisingin siya, pero nakailang bato na ako ay wala pa rin.

Nagulat ako ng biglang bumukas 'yong ilaw sa kabilang kuwarto na katabi ni Annalyn. Agad nanlaki 'yong mata ko at mabilis akong nagtago sa malaking puno.

Sobrang lakas ng pintig ng puso ko. Sobrang delikado nang ginagawa ko, pero hindi ako uuwi hanggat hindi ko nakakausap si Annalyn.

Nang makita kong namatay na ang ilaw sa katabing kuwarto ay namulot ulit ako ng maliliit na bato. Kinakabahan ako, dahil baka biglang may guard na makakita sa'kin.

I sighed deeply, feeling upset that Annalyn wouldn't hear me throwing rocks at her bedroom window. With a heavy heart, I decided to just leave and wish for her to show up tomorrow when someone spoke behind me.

"Who are you?" My body froze.

It was a man.

His deep voice made my heart beats so fast it stole my breath. I swallowed, really hard.

"Who are you, and what are you doing at Princess Annalyn's window?" he asked, again. Nakatalikod pa rin ako sakaniya. Mabuti nalang at madilim sa puwesto namin kaya hindi niya makikita ang mukha ko.

I could not be caught. That's all I'm thinking about right now. Because whoever this guy is, I'm sure the news about me being Princess Annalyn's twin sister will spread like wildfire first thing tomorrow.

Tatakbo na sana ako paalis nang maramdaman ko 'yong paghawak niya sa pulso ko. Ni hindi ko namalayan na nakalapit na pala siya sa'kin.

"Alam mo ba ang kaparusahan kapag nalamang nagnanakaw ka?" sobrang lalim ng boses niya. Mabilis nagtaasan ang balahibo sa batok ko dahil sa lapit niya sa'kin.

"Hindi ako magnanakaw." I said before I could even stop myself from talking. I swallowed.

The man scoffed. I tried to pull away my hand from his grasp, but he was stronger than me.

"Let me go, if you don't want to get hurt." I warned, but he just laughed softly, as if he finds this amusing.

"Answer my question or I will call the guards." Mas humigpit ang pagkakahawak niya sa'kin, pero hindi sa puntong nasasaktan ako.

"Bitawan mo muna ako bago ko sagutin ang tanong mo."

"How can I be sure that you will not run off?"

"Bitaw. Kung gusto mo talagang sagutin ko ang tanong mo." Narinig ko siyang nagbuntong hininga bago dahan-dahang lumuwag ang pagkakahawak niya sa'kin.

I took a few steps forward, just to make sure I had enough space away from him. Of course, I will not tell him the truth, but it won't hurt to tell a lie to this strange man before I run off. Slowly, I turned around and face him. I narrowed my eyes, trying to see his face clearly, but the tree behind him, which covered the moonlight, made it more difficult.

"Anong gingawa niyo diyan?" Nagulat ako nang makita kong maglakad papalapit samin 'yong dalawang guard na nag-iikot kaya wala akong nagawa kung hindi ang tumakbo nalang nang mabilis para tumakas.

I heard the man chasing after me, with the guards trailing behind him. I ran as quickly as I could before hiding behind a large bush. They came to a halt when they couldn't find where I'd gone.

"Kami na po ang bahalang humanap sakaniya Prince Nolan Edmund," I heard one of the guards say, which made my eyes widen in shock.

That's Prince Nolan Edmund of Glandier?!

When I saw that the prince and his guards had left, I carefully made my way back to the tower, using the secret passage.

With my heart still thumping rapidly, I had no idea that this was just the beginning...

W H A T Y A S E Y