Don't worry, angels. You'll see more of Kezalli and Tobias's getting to know each other before . . . well. Haha!

Chapter 36: Sleigh

"Are you telling me that I never had an experience to look around your kingdom?" I asked.

Hindi ko mapigil ang sarili ko na luminga-linga sa paligid dahil sa paghanga. I'd been exposed to social media in the human world. I'd seen different beautiful pictures of places around the world, but never in my imagination that I'd know a place better than those in the picture. Lalo na't ngayon na nakikita na ng mismong aking mga mata.

"I'm sorry."

Tobias and I were no longer holding each other's hands. Hinayaan niya na lang akong masayang maglakad sa gusto kong lapitan habang nakasunod lang siya sa akin. He had that usual fine movement of what they called as a king. Akala ko noong una ay ganoon lang siya kumilos dahil nag-aalangan siyang lumapit sa akin ngunit habang nagtatagal ay higit kong naiintindihan na ganoon talaga siya gumalaw. He always had his hands behind his back, his posture was perfect, and even the way he took his every step. Napakapino ni Tobias kumilos na buong akala ko ay sa mga telebisyon ko lang makikita.

As we left the mask shop, I couldn't help but become increasingly fascinated with the rows of establishments—or shops—as we continued to walk. The shops were of similar sizes, and their windows featured two distinct designs. One was the clear mirror window, a casement type that offered a clear glimpse of the shop's interior. The other was a divided or cut-up window, which views the shop from the outside into smaller panes, adding curiosity to the passersby. The shops might have been painted in different colors, but the schemes were harmonious, creating an overall pleasing visual in the street.

As we walked further I could smell the fresh scent of the brewed coffee from a coffee shop, there were gentlemen reading books, and fancy-looking women with their gloves and fans. We passed by a pastries shop, a flower shop, a vase shop, a bookstore, a dress shop, an antique shop, jewelry, swords, and other expensive-looking shops that I never even thought of getting inside when I was in the human world.

The road was cobblestoned, some of the other creatures were also wearing masks, and others were in pairs like us, women with parasols and servants behind them, kids were running around, and shop owners brightly inviting us.

"Isn't this a little bit modern?" I asked.

"In terms of tourist destinations, Deltora is the pride of Parsua. It's just that we are not rich in natural resources, we can also cater the modernization and improvement, unlike the other kingdoms. Are you familiar with trains?"

I blinked. "May train kayo?"

"Rosh is in the process of developing a train in this kingdom after his mission in Fevia Attero."

"Oh . . . Fevia Attero?"

"It's also a world like Nemetio Spiran."

Muli akong lumingon sa paligid. "Pero sa lugar na ito lang, hindi ba? Kanina sa ibaba ay parang hindi naman ganito."

Tobias nodded. "This ground is just the modernized. The highest ground is still our traditional castle, and I am not planning to change it. The weaponry and our knights' ground should be the same. Rosh and I decided to take it slow on this ground."

Ako naman ang tumango sa kanya. "How about the last ground of this waterfall?"

He smiled a little. "The garden will remain the same. I brought you to this place because this is the only place that is close to the human world. Once we leave this ground, or this waterfall, you'll see the daily lives of the creatures in this world."

"Iyon ba iyong may lumulutang na mga kabahayan sa ibaba? Those with beautiful flowers and boat with decorations?"

He nodded.

"This place is for the aristrocrats, right? Hindi ito nararating ng mga normal na nilalang na walang kapangyarihan mula sa ibaba." Sabi ko habang pinagmamasdan ang mga nilalang na nakasasalubong namin.

"You're quick to notice."

"Hindi rin naman nalalayo ang mundong ito sa mundo ng mga tao, Tobias. May mga mayayaman at mahihirap din rito. Hindi ba?"

Muli siyang tumango.

Kahit hindi pa man kami nakararating ni Tobias sa ibaba, nasisigurado ko na higit na marami ang nilalang na naroon. Sa lugar na ito ay tahimik lamang, bagaman magaganda ang lahat ng nakikita ko, sa katulad ko na hindi naman ipinanganak na may mataas na estado, nasisiguro ko na higit akong masisiyahan sa ibaba.

"I am starting to think how can they possibly go here. May kapangyarihan din ba sila katulad ng sa 'yo?"

"We have the basic transportation in here if you want to reach this point. Either you'll ride a Hontza, a huge bird, or a seahorse sleigh."

"Huh?"

Kaswal na itinuro ni Tobias iyong tubig na bumabagsak sa paligid ng lugar na iyon. Doon ko lang higit na napansin na tila may maliit na kanal na malapit doon, hanggang sa may tumigil na sasakyan. Yes, it looked like a sleigh but being pulled by a huge seahorse.

"Wow . . ."

Doon bumaba ang mga nilalang na nakasakay doon na may hawak na mga payong.

"Hanggang itaas iyong kanal na iyan? Just like a slide in a swimming pool? Ganoon?"

Tobias tilted his head as if he couldn't understand. "Hmm . . . it's a long single canal, Kezalli. Yes, it's connected from the castle above to the weaponry to this ground for tourists to the garden until to the bottom— the floating city."

"Wow, sosyal naman ng Deltora . . . parang pinag-isipan talaga."

"Our mother designed it, but Rosh developed this more. He's keen on details. Gusto niya ay lahat maganda at perpekto sa kanyang mga mata. Though he's always asking for my opinion, who cares about my opinion, Rosh has always been the best eye for beauty."

Hindi ko na maiwasang humanga sa mga naririnig mula kay Tobias.

"Would you like to get inside? How about jewelry?"

Umangat ang kilay ko sa sinabi niya. "Hmm . . ."

"How about a branch of a jewelry shop?"

Natigilan si Tobias sa sinabi ko hanggang sa mapatulala na ako nang bigla siyang tumawa. All I did right at that moment was watch him— because I never thought that he could get even handsomer.

"How I miss that kind of remark . . . but if you're willing to compete with Naha and Evan in that kind of business, that would be a problem for us. Unless I secretly cut his tree."

Hindi ko naintindihan ang sinabi ni Tobias. Nauna na siyang maglakad sa akin patungo sa bilihan ng mga alahas at ang tanging ginawa ko na lang ay sumunod sa kanya.

"Who is Naha and Evan?"

"Naha is also a Le'Vamuievos, a cousin. She is engaging in the jewelry business with her mate."

The door chimed when Tobias opened it. Pinauna na niya akong pumasok habang hawak niya ang pinto, hindi katulad ng naunang tindahan na pinasukan namin na gulat na gulat, ngayon ay kaswal na ang pagtanggap nito sa amin.

"Show the lady your most beautiful stone."

"Right away," sagot ng may-ari na may pagyuko sa amin ni Tobias.

Habang hinihintay namin iyon ay kapwa na kami nakayuko sa kahon na gawa sa salamin kung saan naroon na iyong ibang mga bato.

"Are they successful?" Tanong ko.

"Yes. It's easy to have that kind of business if you're just picking up the jewels from the tree."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi ni Tobias. "How is that possible? Totoo? Tunay na mga bato ang naroon?"

Tobias nodded. "Rosh and I had been planning to replicate or steal that tree for years, to be honest. Iyon lang ang bagay na lamang sa amin ang Sartorias, and maybe Dastan's tree, it brigtens like a sun."

I blinked. "What?"

"Each kingdom of Parsua has its own pride— if Deltora has the beauty, art, music, portals, talents, and even beautiful women, Sartorias have the symbolic trees."

Habang nakikinig ako sa kuwento ni Tobias tungkol sa Deltora at Sartorias, hindi ko mapigilan higit na humanga sa ganda ng mundong ito.

"Nakarating na ba ako sa Sartorias?"

Nagsisi ako na itinanong ko ang bagay na iyon dahil natigilan si Tobias. I was about to change the topic when the owner of the store returned with another box on his hand. Ipinatong niya iyon sa harap namin ni Tobias at dahan-dahan niya iyong binuksan.

"This is our new collection—according to our supplier, this has been handpicked by King Tobias for his queen. Dalawa lang ang mayroon nito sa kahariang ito, ang reyna at ang bibili ng mga alahas na ito sa aking tindahan."

I tried to suppress my laughter.

"Really?" sagot ni Tobias.

Saglit naningkit ang mga mata sa akin ng lalaki nang mapansin niya ang pilit kong pagpipigil ng pagtawa.

"What do you want?" Tanong sa akin ni Tobias.

"This can be too expensive considering that it has been handpicked by a king," sagot ko.

"Just pick or I can just get all of these—" agad kong nakita ang pagliliwanag ng mukha ng lalaki, ngunit agad rin iyong nawala nang hawakan ko ang braso ni Tobias at umiling ako sa kanya.

"B-but I like something unique, na kahit ang reyna ay wala."

"My lady, that is something absurd to ask—" he was cut off when Tobias raised his hand in dismissal.

"You heard the lady. We'll find a shop with jewelry that has not been handpicked by the king."

Ngumisi ako at sumunod na ako kay Tobias, namumula na iyong mukha ng lalaki ngunit pilit pa rin siyang yumuko sa amin bilang pagmamaalam.

"We should have bought even a single ring," natatawang sabi ni Tobias.

"He's trying to fool us. When it comes to trading, I'll not let anyone manipulate me. I had been doing different transactions in my whole life."

"Hmm . . . where do you want to go next?"

"Gusto kong bumaba."

"The floating city?"

I nodded. "Paano mo naisip na higit kong matutuwa sa lugar na ito? This place screams wealth, Tobias. Lumaki ako sa ibaba— sa lugar na pakikipagsapalaran sa unang mulat pa lang ng iyong mga mata."

Lumingon siya sa akin. "At least, you managed to look around in this part."

"Of course."

Nagtungo na kami roon sa kanal kung saan ay may nakaabang na sa aming panibagong lalaki na siyang magmamaneho ng aming sasakyan.

"Saan ang tungo?"

"Sa ibaba."

"The garden?"

Ako na mismo ang umiling sa lalaki. "The city."

Inaalayayan ako ni Tobias sa pagsakay habang pinapanuod kami ng lalaki. "Mga turista ba kayo?"

"Yes! This is our first time."

Hindi na naman nagsalita pa si Tobias at hinayaan niya na akong makipag-usap sa lalaki. "Kung ganoon, maligayang paglalakbay sa pinakamagandang kaharian sa lahat! Parsua Deltora!"

"Thank you!"

Nang sandaling tumabi na sa akin si Tobias at ipagkrus na niya ang kanyang mga braso, agad nang umandar ang aming sasakyan.

When the man held the reign and whipped the huge seahorse, I heard the familiar squeal of the animal, and before I knew it, we were moving at an extreme speed. I suddenly felt like we were on a high-speed roller coaster as I laughed and shouted at the top of my lungs, wind and sprinkle of water were splashing my cheeks.

Kung kanina ay nakahawak pa ako habang sumisigaw ngayon ay nakataas na ang kamay ko habang sumisigaw at tumatawa sa pag-ikot at mabilis na pagbaba ng sleigh sa tubig. Everything felt like a blur, and all I could hear was the water and my laughter.

Habang tawa ako nang tawa si Tobias ay nakatitig lang sa akin na tila hindi nagugulat sa bilis ng pagbaba ng sinasakyan namin. Hinawakan ko ang dalawa niyang kamay at inangat ko rin iyon katulad ng sa akin. Dahil pansin ng lalaki na mukhang natutuwa ako, mas binilisan niya pa ang pagbulusok dahil kung bakit mas malakas na ang pagsigaw ko.

Akala ko ay nakataas pa ang kamay ni Tobias nang bumagal na ang pagbulusok ng sleigh ngunit natigilan ako nang makitang nakapatong na sa hawak ang noo niya. "T-Tobias? Nahihilo ka? Is this your first time?"

Pansin ko na tila nagulat ang lalaki sa unahan nang marinig ang pagtawag ko sa katabi ko. Of course, he's aware of the name of his king.

Nang makarating na kami sa pinaka-ibaba at makababa na ako sa sleigh ay naroon pa rin si Tobias at nakatuon ang noo ko sa hawakan namin. "G-gusto mo bang sumuka?"

He wearily tilted his head, now this temple pressing the handlebar, he looked at me with those mellowed green eyes. "Y-you're smiling . . . thank you."

My chest tightened. I sat, pressing one of my arms on my knees, leaning one of my elbows on it, while placing my chin on my palm. Our eyes met and smiled more at him. I shook my head. "Hmm . . . it's you that I should be more thankful, My King."

Tobias mask's fell off the sleigh, the driver gasped, Tobias straightened himself on the sleigh, and I grinned at the driver— together with Tobias we placed our forefinger in front of our lips.

"The king and queen used public transportation!"

"Is this your first time, Tobias?"

He nodded.

I gasped. "Nahilo ka talaga?!"

"Of course not."

He stood up and took a step away from the sleigh, but I quickly opened my arms when he was about to get off his balance.

Napayakap siya sa akin. I laughed. "Oh gosh!"

Agad humiwalay sa akin si Tobias at nauna siyang maglakad sa akin. "Wait!"

I looked over my shoulder. "We will send the payment!"

"The king needs another mask!" the driver shouted.

Inihagis niya sa akin ang panibagong maskara. The old one was a rabbit, now an orange cat. Hinabol ko si Tobias at inabot ko iyon sa kanya. "It was fun."

King Tobias suppressed his smile before he took the mask and wore it again.