Chapter 51: Just Another Day in Deltora

Hindi ko na alam kung gaano na katagal ang pagtitig ko sa kasalukuyang sitwasyon ng Parsua Deltora.

Ang tanging nagawa ko na lang matapos ang anunsyo ni Tobias ay pagmasdan kung paano magdiwang ang napakaraming nilalang na naririto dahil lang sa sinabing iyon ni Tobias.

I never thought there would be a time that I'd witness creatures seeing a huge significance in my existence— their queen.

"A queen . . ." usal ko.

"Seems like we're going to have an early celebration," Tobias whispered.

He smiled at me when I looked at him.

Hindi na ako muling nakapagsalita pa at muli akong tumanaw sa kabuuan ng Parsua Deltora. Hindi magkamayaw ang kanilang pagsasaya sa mga oras na ito na halos hindi na ako makapaniwala.

How could these creatures celebrate like this without even knowing my identity? Ganoon na lang ba kadali sa kanila ang magtiwala sa akin dahil lang sa anunsyo ng kanilang hari?

Habang kung anu-ano ang pumapasok sa isipan ko ay marahang hinawakan ni Tobias ang kamay ko. "I am here."

I gave him a small smile.

Suddenly the whole kingdom was illuminated not just by the green showers brought by my power, but also by torches from different creatures of the empire. There were floating lanterns and dancing waters filled with more colors as the pixies flew around it.

I could also hear musical instruments and sweet singing. Hanggang sa makarinig na rin ako ng sunod-sunod na pagtambol. Nang sandaling tumingala si Tobias ay sinundan ko ang tanaw niya. I could see the Parsua Deltora's flag swaying with the wind— a symbol of lyre and crawling vines around it.

Bigla akong nakaramdam ng lamig habang habol ko nang tanaw ang bandila ng Deltora— ang kaharian na siyang paglilingkuran ko.

Alam kong hindi na biro ang responsibilidad na ngayon ay tatanggapin ko.

"What if I failed as your kingdom's queen? What if I disappoint them just like how I disappointed you?"

Hindi ko na napigilan pa na magtanong sa kanya. I might have recovered some of my memories, but I still couldn't just convince myself that I could fully embrace this position.

Ilang beses na akong napapakurap dahil hindi pa rin tumitigil ang ulan. Halos nanlalabo na ang mga mata ko sa tubig.

Tobias was no longer holding me, but he was still beside me. Since he noticed that I was still struggling with the continuous raindrops, he leaned closer, bent a little, gently placed his palm near my forehead to cover my eyes from the rain, and tilted his head sideways as if he were peeking at my face. His other hand was behind his back.

It was a very minimal gesture, but it felt like he put so much on it that it made me think on how I could properly breathe again.

I almost stepped back as he blinked innocently with his emerald eyes—Tobias still drenched, with small, beaded drops of water on his thick eyelashes, on the tips of his nose, and every droplet as if there were alive—emphasizing every detail of his face.

"No one is a perfect queen, Kezalli. You can fail. You can disappoint anyone."

"But—" he cut me off and gently shook his head.

He smiled a little. "That's how you will grow. Failure. Disappointment. But this time, you can have all of that with me."

I bit my lower lip and looked away. It felt like my chest was about to explode. How could he easily say those words with those gorgeous eyes and perfect face?

I prodded my lips. "I can't agree with you. I think there's someone who fits the definition of perfect."

His brows creased. He straightened himself. "If this is one of Rosh's usual nonsense—" This time it was me who cut him off.

I rolled my eyes. "It's you. You are so perfect."

Nanliit ang mga mata ko sa kanya. Maybe Tobias is not really aware of his face?

Saan ka hahanap ng yuyuko lang? Ikikiling lang nang kaunti ang ulo at mag-aangat ng kamay at maglalagay sa noo guwapo na? Mapa-wet o dry si Tobias, guwapo.

Umangat ang isang kilay ni Tobias sa sinabi ko. Hindi ko na rin alam kung binabasa niya na naman ang isip ko.

I don't care if he'll read it now.

Agad kong ipinilig ang ulo ko at sabay kong hinawakan ang isang kamay niya.

I started to pull him inside. "Sige na. Magpapalahi na ako! Dinadaan mo ako sa payuko-yuko mo, Tobias!"

Then he chuckled and let me pull him.

Kasalukuyan na kaming bumababa sa hagdan ni Tobias. Nanatili akong nasa unahan niya habang hinahayaan niya akong humila sa kanya.

He looked amused as I continued to pull him with our exchanging conversation.

He could have walked beside me, but I felt like Tobias was purposely walking slowly so I could pull him with effort. "Actually, it was on purpose."

My eyes widened and grinned. "You are really a flirt, Tobias!"

"It has been a secret for hundreds of years, love. I am just waiting for the right time."

Sa pagkakataong iyon ay ako naman ang nag-angat ng kilay. Dahil sa mga panahong wala pa akong naalala ay may mga narinig ako sa maliliit na diwata na hindi tugma sa mga sinasabi niya ngayon.

"I might have forgotten some of my memories, but I could still remember the fresh ones that we had, Tobias. I don't think you waited for hundreds of years. You had an ex-lover."

He laughed. "We're not going to have that conversation, Kezalli. Now that we're on our way to our room to have an heir."

I rolled my eyes. Tinalikuran ko na siya at akma na sana akong bibitaw sa kanyang kamay nang dumiin ang pagkakahawak ng kamay niya sa akin. "Harper is just dear friend, Kezalli."

And then I grinned. "Fine."

He sighed. Kung kanina ay gusto niya pang magpahila sa akin ay sumabay na siya sa pagbaba. Hindi na kami nag-usap pa ngunit ramdam ko ang ilang beses niyang pagsulyap sa akin.

Tumigil ako sa paglalakad, nagtataka rin siyang tumigil. Nang subukan kong hilahin ang kamay ko sa kanya ay yumuko siya at tumitig sa kamay naming magkahawak.

"Why?"

I blinked and grinned.

And before I could open my lips, Tobias was already inside my mind. All I felt was my back being pinned to the wall, one of his hands cupping my cheek as he claimed my lips with his kisses.

We were gasping for air when our lips parted. "Would you like me to block this way with surging water—"

I shook my head. "Not on the stairs, Your Majesty! Masakit sa likod!"

He chuckled. This time, he didn't wait for me to pull him. Instead, he suddenly carried me in a bridal position as he descended on the long stairs of the castle.

Hindi ako ibinaba ni Tobias hanggang sa tuluyan na kaming makarating sa pinakamalaking bulwagan ng kastilyo kung saan doon unang tinatanggap ang mga panauhin.

King Tobias Caesar Le'Vamuievos descended the longest stair of the castle with grace with his queen in his arms.

Hindi ko mapigilan ang pag-iinit ng pisngi ko habang nakatingala na sa amin ang napakaraming nilalang na naroon. Hindi ko rin magawang salubungin ang mga mata nina Claret, Rosh, Zen, Blair at Seth.

"Can you put me down, Tobias?"

"When we reach the last step."

"Is this necessary?"

"Hmm . . . yes, part of the tradition, love."

Wala akong nagawa kundi hayaan si Tobias buhatin ako hanggang sa makarating kami sa dulo. Nang ibaba na niya ako ay agad akong sinalubong nang mahigpit na yakap ni Claret.

I even saw the tears in her eyes. "I know that you can do it, Kezalli. You're a brave girl."

Blair nodded. Seth smiled wildly with a clap. Rosh arched his brows with his arms crossed, and Zen nodded as well.

"That's a powerful attack. Will Tobias survive after that attack?" Humahangang tanong ni Seth.

Sabay-sabay umiling sina Rosh, Zen, at Blair. Napayuko ako ngunit natawa lang si Claret. "That means you're a powerful one, Kezalli."

"I am still wondering why Kezalli took over my power on the kingdom's pixies. They are mine," nakangiwing sabi ni Rosh.

Zen smirked. "Those pixies' characters are fitted for you."

"Of course. Pixies are attracted to beautiful creatures. Who else would they admire?"

Akala ko ay makakarinig pa ako nang sunod-sunod na sagutan nina Zen at Rosh nang hilahin na ako ni Claret mula sa kanila. Tobias was hesitant to let me go, but his brother, and the other princes from the prophecy pulled him away from me.

***

Buong akala namin ni Tobias nang gabing iyon ay higit na kaming magkakaroon ng oras sa isa't isa, ngunit tila hindi na kami binigyan pa ng pagkakataon.

In the end, with the approaching Water Festival, Tobias and I became busy with the kingdom's affairs. Lagi na siyang nasa labas kasama ni Rosh, habang ako naman ay kasama si Claret. She is telling me all the details that I needed to learn and those memories that I had yet to remember. Bukod rin sa mga detalye, kuwento, nakaraang ng Parsua, ay binibigyan na rin namin ng oras ang higit na pagtuklas tungkol sa kapangyarihan ko.

Sa gabi ay nararamdaman ko na lang ang yakap ni Tobias sa akin. All he could do was kiss my forehead as I succumbed further into the deep sleep. I knew that he could understand me since it took a lot of my power and energy while training with Claret. "I am sorry. I want to help you . . . I want to help you."

"It's fine. Sleep."

Sunod-sunod na ganoon ang gabi sa pagitan namin ni Tobias at kung sakaling nagkakasalubong kami sa araw, ang tanging nagagawa na lang namin ay ngumiti at tumango sa isa't isa.

I knew that it was frustrating for both of us, but the Water Festival is the most awaited event in Parsua Deltora, and the whole Nemetio Spiran is participating on it.

Just like now, Claret and I now outside the training grounds. Ilang araw na kaming nasa loob ng silid at nagbabasa ng kasaysayan ng Nemetio Spiran, ngayon naman ay napili niyang lumabas muna kami sa silid at maglakad-lakad.

She wanted to continue our conversation outside as we walked casually to let me breathe. Sa katunayan ay walang tigil sa paghingi ng paumanhin sa akin si Claret dahil hindi man lang daw ako nakapagpahinga pagkatapos ng lahat ng nangyari.

"But you can tell me if you want to rest, Kezalli. I can understand."

Umiling ako. "Gusto ko rin maging abala, Claret. Sa totoo lang ay higit ang inilagi ko sa loob ng silid dahil hindi pa bumabalik ang alaala ko noon. Kaya masaya akong nakalalabas."

Kasalukuyang nag-e-ensayo ang mga kawal habang kapwa walang saplot ang pang-itaas nilang katawan. They were drenched with their own sweat as their bodies glistened with the sunlight.

Bigla kong naalala iyong mga pinagkakaguluhan ng mga kababaihan noong nasa college ako. This was not a rare sight for a human girl like me. When I looked at Claret, she wasn't even surprised just like me.

Habang papalapit kami kung saan madadaanan namin ang hilera ng mga kawal, bigla kong natanawan sina Tobias, Zen at Rosh na papalapit sa grupo ng mga kawal.

The palace knights immediately lined up when Rosh called them, but what Claret and I noticed was Tobias and Zen's look at us. Parang hindi maipinta ang mukha ng dalawa. Kasalukuyan na silang nasa likuran ni Rosh habang ang atensyon ng dalawa ay nasa amin ni Claret.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Claret bago kami sabay na natawa. Bago pa namin higit na makasalubong ang dalawa ay kapwa na kami tumalikod at dumaan sa ibang direksyon.

"I suddenly felt like a college girl who was caught by a boyfriend peeking on a hot basketball team," natatawang sabi ni Claret.

I laughed. "Have you ever tried to imagine Zen if he's in the human world?"

Ngumisi si Claret. "He's probably a dentistry student. A dentist boyfriend in white? Lagi nakakunot ang noo dahil hindi ako masipag magpa-adjust ng ngipin."

"S-Seriously? Why a dentist?"

Claret shrugged. "The Gazellians usually visit the human world and all of them are in the medical field."

"Oh? Really?"

Claret nodded. "How about Tobias?"

I grinned. "An owner of a water district and an ambassador of the anti-dengue campaign, and a part-time model."

Muli kaming nagtawana ni Claret. "I can't wait to meet the other girls, Kezalli."

I sighed, and a memory of Astrid's smiling face flashed inside my mind with all her photos in every shelter that I had been to. "Me too."