Chapter 39: Gossip and Readings

The fairies' laughter echoed in the night as they danced, now with a basket of petals of flowers showering down around us.

I lowered myself and slowly distanced my lips from his, still with his hands cupping my cheeks. I couldn't help but smile. My hands were no longer tightly gripping the boat. I sat properly in my position, yet with a still tilted head, meeting his green eyes.

I couldn't breathe well, everything was in a blur around us, and all I could feel right now was the hammering of my chest. It was as if I was in a trance— not because of how magical the place was, but because I was captured by those emerald eyes; pulling me closer, whispering that I should ask more, telling me that I could melt, and I'd enjoy it.

Suddenly my eyes wandered from his lips that I had been kissed— looking soft and moistened as if it was inviting me again. My fingertips felt like they were burning and were asking to run down from his jaw, the visible veins on his neck, and ruin all the remaining buttons on his clothes.

And I blinked— my face flushed with embarrassment in my own thoughts. I pulled away and lowered my head. My hands balled on my tightly pressed thighs.

"D-did you hear it, Your Majesty?" I stuttered.

He'd seen it. I knew that he could see through me even in a split second I was in the midst of my reality and imagination that I was devouring him.

What was wrong with me? Saglit lang kami nagdikit ay ganoon na lang ang epekto sa niya sa akin. It was as if I was drugged to fantasized him, and I'd gone mad if I haven't kissed those lips.

I was no longer looking at him, but I felt how Tobias tilted his body behind me just to gently peek at me.

"Why did you pull away, love?" he said, almost in a whisper, brushing his lips to my ear. I almost shivered.

I tightly closed my eyes to calm myself. I quickly glanced at him. "Y-you'll be in the morning news."

Do they have that in this world?

His brows arched. "That I was kissing some woman under the lover's bridge?"

I nodded. "You can't just tell them that you were with your queen without a proper introduction . . ."

Hindi ko rin maipapangako sa kanya na matapos ang gabing ito ay handa na akong humarap sa kabuuan ng kahariang ito. Dahil wala pa akong karapatang gawin iyon.

Tobias gently held my chin to meet my eyes again. "Do you think that I'm going to force you for an introduction if you're not ready? I will not force you to do something that you're not comfortable with."

Nanatili lang akong nakatitig sa kanya hanggang sa bitawan niya ako. "I can just tell these silly pixies that it was their imagination."

Tobias didn't wait for my reply. He looked in front of us, still with the pixies playing together, chanting about how they saw the king under the bridge with a woman.

Since our boat was no longer moving and we were still under the bridge, covered with shadows, with the simple wave of Tobias's hand, I saw another moving vine— water vines from the water. It was like the tentacles of a hidden octopus that emerged from the water.

Hindi na natuloy pa ng maliliit na diwata ang kanilang paglalaro sa hangin nang ang tubig na ginawa ni Tobias ay isa-isa silang hinuli. I saw five pixies playing around above the water who suddenly screamed, but their mouths were suddenly gagged with water. Sa isang iglap ay nasa harapan na naming ang maliliit na diwata na kapwa mga nakagapos, pumipiglas at may takip ang bibig.

Muling tinanggal ni Tobias ang kanyang maskara. "Yes, I am the king. I will not appreciate a gossip that will circulate in this kingdom about me and a woman under a bridge. Are we clear?"

Tobias allowed one of the pixies to talk. "Are we clear?" ulit niya.

"But this is cheating King Tobias! The Queen has arrived, why are you still—" sabay-sabay lumingon sa akin ang limang diwata na naniningkit ang mga mata sa kabila ng kanilang pagkakagapos.

"King Tobias never visits the floating city and then . . ."

Sabay-sabay suminghap ang maliliit na diwata at kapwa sila lumingon sa akin.

"He's in love with someone else! Not the queen! Where does this woman come from?"

"I heard the queen was still sleeping!"

Napuno nang sunod-sunod na usapan ng mga diwata ang anino ng tulay na iyon habang tahimik lang kaming nakikinig sa kanila ni Tobias. Now I realized that these little pixies are huge fans of kingdom's gossips.

"But I heard from Prince Rosh that King Tobias is crazy in love with his queen!"

"Yes, I even asked from his butterflies!"

"But who is she?"

"Of course, the king needs an heir! He needs blood from a woman! She's probably a noblewoman—" nagsisimula nang tumikhim si Tobias.

"A noble woman?!" sabay-sabay muli sila.

Hindi matigil ang mga bibig ng diwata ngunit doon pa lang tuluyang naagaw ang atensyon ko.

"Is she Princess Harper? The princess from Sartorias—"

Inuubo na si Tobias. "E-enough!"

"I heard the King Tobias courted Princess Harper!"

"I've seen them flirting in the gardens!"

"T-they kissed?"

"They kissed?!" Nanlalaki na ang mga mata nila sa isa't isa.

Biglang sumikip ang dibdib ko sa naririnig ko.

"Is that her?"

"Her hair is different from the princess—" tumindig na si Tobias sa bangka at hindi na muli nakapagsalita ang maliliit na diwata.

With the water tentacles, even with his hands clasped behind his back, he pulled the pixies closer. "I will implement the next law of this kingdom strictly starting tomorrow. All the sources of gossip will be beheaded."

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi ni Tobias, tumayo na ako at lumapit sa kanya. "Release them."

"K-Kezalli . . ."

Sumunod sa akin si Tobias at pinakawalan niya ang limang diwata, at kapwa na nakaawang ang kanilang mga labi habang nakatitig sa akin. Nanlalaki ang mga mata at napatakip na sa kanilang bibig ang ilan sa kanila.

"Prince Rosh mentioned that the queen's name is Kezalli . . ."

"Y-You mentioned Princess Harper!"

"Oh no . . ."

Tumalim ang titig ni Tobias sa limang diwata, agad nanginig sa takot ang lima bago lumipad nang napakabilis at sumukbo muli sa tubig.

Hindi na ako nagsalita pa at bumalik na ako sa kinauupuan ko kanina. Tumitig lang sa akin si Tobias bago siya nag-aalangang umupo sa harapan ko.

He no longer used a saddle, instead, he allowed his power to push our wooden boat forward.

"K-Kezalli, let me explain."

I quickly shook my head. "You don't need. What are we? I am not even sure if we are really a couple. I am just a lost girl without her memories."

And probably a very naïve one for thinking that I was the protagonist of this magical world. Masyado agad akong nagpadala sa mga salita niya na hindi ko man lang naisip na marahil ay sanay na siya roon.

He sighed. "Harper is a friend . . ."

I nodded. "Fine."

"We never kissed." Umiiling na sabi niya.

"Bumalik na tayo."

"Those pixies are known for gossips, Kezalli."

He frustratingly massaged his temple. "I should have known the moment they emerged from the water. I thought about their little dance to entertain you, but I forgot how they run their mouths . . ."

"Am I aware of her? Kilala ko ba si Harper bago mabura ang alaala ko? Are you sure that I am your queen and not a princess from a neighboring kingdom?"

Akma nang hahawakan ni Tobias ang kamay ko nang umiwas ako. "Don't touch me."

Nag-iwas na ako ng tingin kay Tobias at tumanaw na lang ako sa gilid ng daan. I hated myself for quickly believing in him— maybe because of his words, or maybe his handsome face.

Sino ba naman ang hindi aasa sa mga salita at kilos niya? Paano kung hindi naman talaga ako ang nasa posisyon? Paano kung ako na lang ang pinili dahil wala na siyang pagpipilian?

What happened to her and that woman Harper? Hindi ko nakakalimutan ang ilang kuwento nila ni Rosh sa akin. They couldn't ask for help from Sartorias, does it mean that Tobias lost his connection with the princess? And now that I am here with him, he needed to have me— to sire an heir?

"Bumalik na tayo," ulit ko.

"Harper is a dear friend, Kezalli. But the woman that I love—"

Matalim akong tumitig sa kanya. "Stop it. Let's return to the castle, please. This is a mistake."

I hated myself when a stubborn tear fell down my cheek. How I hated being deceived, played . . .

Marahas kong pinunasan ang luha ko gamit ang braso ko at sinundan ko iyon ng pagpunas ng labi ko. "This is wrong."

Nang sandaling iikot na sana ang bangka namin ni Tobias, halos mapamura ako nang mapansin na mas madami na ang bangka na nakasunod sa amin.

I was sure that it would take more hours for us to return to the castle. "Bumaba na lang muna tayo."

Tumango sa akin si Tobias at itinabi niya na ang bangka. Nauna na siyang bumaba at nang akma niya akong aalalayan ay hindi ko iyon tinanggap.

The floating city could be strolled by anyone not just by wooden boat, but also by foot. Tobias and I walked through the moss streets with a series of open shops as well.

"I can share all my memories with Harper. You can get inside my mind again."

Hindi ako sumagot sa kanya at nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad. Paano ko paniniwalaan na totoo lahat ang ipinakikita niya sa akin?

I should have reminded myself not to believe in everything I hear in this world. Dapat wala akong paniwalaan mula sa isa sa kanila. I only need to endure this for two months. Tama na ang malaking kalokohan na ito.

Lumingon na ako kay Tobias na nasa likuran ko pa rin. He was hesitant to talk to me again.

"Can you buy me flowers?"

Itinuro ko iyong malayong tindahan mula sa amin. I knew that he could read through me that I wanted to distance myself from him. He nodded.

"Wait for me."

Ako naman ang tumango sa kanya. Hindi ko na siya hinabol ng tanaw at nagtungo ako roon sa tindahan na may nagtitinda ng mansanas.

"Can I have one? That nobleman is with me. He'll pay later when he comes back." Ngumiti sa akin ang matandang nagtitinda at binigyan niya ako ng dalawang pulang mansanas.

Tobias was walking slowly when I looked at him. I sighed and looked around again. Until I noticed a small table near the apple shop. There was a woman in purple cloak sitting across it with cards on her desk.

Mayroon din palang ganito sa mundong ito.

I sat in front of her and smiled a little while my hands were clasped together, leaning my chin as I looked over the cards. Because I used to be a fake fortune teller in the human world, and I really earned a lot from it.

Mga uto-uto talaga ang mga nakakasalamuha ko, or maybe there was power with my convincing words. I laughed with my own thoughts.

"Mahuhulaan mo ba ang sitwasyon ko? Ibibigay ko sa 'yo ang isa sa mansanas ko." I challenged the fortune teller.

The purple-cloaked woman nodded. She took her cards, started shuffling it, and laid them on her table.

I couldn't understand the words and the drawings on her cards that why I waited for her readings.

"Isa kang manlalakbay."

Ngumisi ako. "Yes."

"Manlalakbay nga ba o isang bihag na pinaniniwala sa isang kasinungalingan?

Natulala ako sa sinabi niya. "Hindi ka mula sa mundong ito."

I gasped, my eyes widened, and I took a glance at Tobias. He was in front of the flower shop. "W-what else?"

"At hinihiling ng iyong puso na ika'y magbalik sa mundong alam mong naghihintay sa 'yo."

Nagsimula nang mangatal ang buong katawan ko. "H-how tell me . . ."

"Sa salamin."

"Salamin?"

"Maaari kang tumawid sa salamin at basagin iyon sa sandaling ika'y makabalik. Ngunit magagawa mo lang iyon sa sandaling malayo ang hadlang sa lugar kung saan ka nakapiit . . ."

Sa palasyo . . .

"Kailangang iligaw ang hadlang sa pusod ng kagubatang walang elemento ng tubig nang sa gayon ay maging ang kapangyarihan nito'y hindi makahabol sa salamin at ika'y gawing alipin—" hindi pa man natatapos ang sinasabi ng manghuhula ay biglang sumakit ang ulo ko.

A memory flashed inside my mind— it was myself in a mirror, I was begging for help as I struggled away from the mirror, but there were familiar tentacles of water tying around my body pulling me inside.

I blinked, other tears fell on my cheek, and the woman disappeared together with her cards. Nagulat na lang ako nang maramdaman ang kamay ni Tobias sa balikat ko.

My chest tightened as I looked at him. Because that memory was clear— Tobias forced me inside this world.