Actually I planned to post this by tomorrow na lang kasabay ng next chapter, but I want you to read this already! Huhu! I enjoyed writing this chapter. Sana kayo rin! huhu

You can listen to the guqin above while reading Kezalli's entrance. 

Chapter 61 Entrance

Since the first day I arrived in this kingdom and met these pixies, I always found them playful, carefree, and silly. They always think about dresses, talk of love, dances, music, sweet scents, and even parties— these creatures were made to see colors in life like petals of flowers in the wind.

I always loved their innocence and giggles every time I visited this garden, but right at this moment, I couldn't help but feel gratitude when these pixies paused for a moment to admire me and show their respect. As if they forgot to play, laugh, and dance in the air as they stopped and bowed their heads in front of me.

"T-thank you . . ."

When I said those two words, they all smiled at me. Muli silang lumipad sa akin at ilang beses pinaikot sa harap ng salamin. "She is so pretty!"

Hindi rin nagtagal ay nakuntento na sila sa ayos ko at ibinalik na nila ako sa aking tamang laki. I was expecting that we'd be going to the castle alone, but I was surprised by the sudden appearance of the black cat.

Prince Pryor Dracov Le'Vamuievos transformed himself in his original form. I heard how the pixies yelped painfully as if all of them were choked by an invisible hand. Nag-aalala akong lumingon sa mga pixies na ngayon ay wala na sa tabi ko kundi nasa likuran ko.

I unknowingly held one of my arms as if that move would protect these pixies from this huge, big black bully cat. I tilted my head up and looked him in his eyes. "What do you want, Pryor?"

I usually found Pryor wearing the knight's uniform, with a black top, and brown pants as if he was one of them and he was always in training, but this time, aside from his looks, he was utterly and unfathomably radiating as a full-blooded Le'Vamueivos. With a finely styled hair, as if he was Rosh, and a blue royal suit with gems and medallions, a sword tied on his waist, gloves, and a white cloak hanging on one of his shoulders.

And for the first time, I saw him not with his furrowed brows while looking at me, but a smirk— or was that a fucking grin? This idiot was capable of other emotions toward me aside from hatred?

I blinked as if that would quickly brush up my illusions. Siguro ay sa kaba ko ay ganito na ang nakikita ko sa kanya.

"I came here to pick you up. Tobias and Rosh are busy, and as the remaining prince of this kingdom, I must get the queen from nowhere. Come now, Queen Kezalli."

Mas lalong umawang ang bibig ko nang ilahad niya ang kamay niya sa akin. Marahas hinawakan ng mga pixies ang balikat ko para pigilan ako.

"You're not planning to kill me?"

Pryor rolled his eyes. "Maybe before? But now that you're not a headache for my brother, maybe I can be a little bit forgetful."

I gasped and took a step back. "Then I am not forgetful!"

"I don't care. Now come before I lose my patience and forget the formalities."

Iling nang iling ang mga pixies sa tagiliran ko. Halinhinan tuloy ang tingin ko sa kanila at kay Pryor na unti-unti na rin kumukunot ang noo.

"Kezalli, you can't be late, everyone is waiting for you. Allow me to do this job."

Huminga ako nang malalim, pinagmasdan ang kamay niyang may guwantes at unti-unti kong inangat ang akin.

Pryor crossed the distance between us, took my hand, and pulled me closer. Umangat ang kilay niya sa akin nang tumingala ako sa kanya. "Maganda ka naman pala kapag naayusan. Seems like the pixies' powers can be useful sometimes."

Si Pryor mismo ang siyang nagkawit ng kamay ko sa braso niya bago kami sabay na naglakad palabas ng hardin na iyon.

One of the pixies whispered to me, "Don't trust him! He tried to hit us with a spatula! King Tobias and Prince Pryor are bad brothers!"

"S-spatula?" natigilan ako sa paglalakad at napalingon ako sa mga pixies na nakasunod sa amin.

Nanliliit ang mga mata kong lumingon kay Pryor na hindi nakatingin sa akin. "You try torture my pixies?!"

"Maybe it's one of their gossips. What is a spatula?" he asked innocently. He even looked over his shoulder to see the pixies, probably to threaten them.

I sighed. How I wish that there would be a time in Pryor's life when he'd be stuck in any shapeshifted form and his mate would hit him with a spatula. Puwede rin naman na hindi na niya kailangan pa magpalit ng anyo, kahit sa pisngi na lang siya tamaan. I'd gladly give the woman a spatula from the human world.

Instead of a wooden boat, a floating carriage was waiting for us, not being carried by a Hontza but by a formed water below it.

My eyes squinted as I looked closer. I couldn't clearly see it yet with the waterfalls falling between us, but I knew how this carriage was fully decorated, unlike the usual carriage from the castle.

I couldn't help but smile. Tobias sent the carriage for me. There was an old man and his usual wooden boat, he left his boat, took his straw hat to his chest, and bowed in front of us. "We'll be taking the carriage."

The old man nodded, rode on his wooden boat, and went off the gardens as the waterslide pushed him to the foot of the gigantic waterfalls. And when he left, the water in front of us slowly parted, showing the beauty of the carriage.

I was in awe with the constant surprise of this event for me. Now the carriage was filled with colors of blue and gold linings and symbols, blue butterflies were flying around it, hanging crawling blue vines on its roof— like blue corals, and what fascinated me the most were horses with wings in a water form.

Hindi lang ako ang natigilan ng mga oras na iyon, dahil narinig ko rin ang sunod-sunod na singhapan ng mga pixies.

"Parsua Deltora is known as the kingdom of beauty, every detail of this Water Festival will scream how our family has been known for generations as having the blood of the most beautiful creatures in this world."

The carriage crossed the parted waterfalls and landed on the ground, Pryor took a few more steps in front of it, he stopped near the door, placed one of his hands behind his back, and offered his other hand again. "Your hand, Your Majesty."

For the first time, I've seen him as a real prince and not a villain. I took a deep breath and accepted his hand. He guided me inside the carriage before he followed me and sat across from me.

Pryor was looking outside the window. His legs were crossed, his elbow was leaning on the window frame, and his chin was resting on the back of his hand. "The ceremonial dance is very important for us, Le'Vamuievos, please, don't mess it up."

I didn't expect that I'd see a lot for the first time in Pryor that day, how his eyes would mellow and his voice as soft as if he wasn't the same prince who threatened my life. He had the same reaction as Rosh and Tobias about this dance.

Of course, this dance had their mother's memories, and they honored it. "I will."

He looked at me without moving his head, but just shifting his eyes. "Good."

After that, we were quiet until we arrived at the front of the castle. I thought I'd no longer see anyone since I knew that everyone was busy with the preparation, but after Pryor exited the carriage first with his hand waiting for me, I didn't expect them to wait for me.

Because it wasn't just Pryor who was outside of the carriage, but the princes of the prophecy, all of them were dressed in their royal suits with colors of black and blue, lined up, with Rosh and Zen on the right side, and Blair and Seth on the left side. The sudden trumpets echoed around the castle as Tobias stood at the end, in the middle of the aisle, with his hands clasped behind his back, and now with his freshly cut hair— a familiar style, giving me a sudden grin. Unlike his usual loosely traditional tunic with a loose knot, Tobias was wearing a royal suit, a mixture of gold and white, a dark green cloak behind him, fur casually draped on his shoulders, and a dark green sash with golden lining.

A crown on his head.

He looked dashingly beautiful with his suit— and fuckingly looking very young and hot! Someone who's savage on the battlefield and aggressive in bed.

I shook my head. I shouldn't think about our hot scenes right now— since I am about to offer a traditional dance.

Hinayaan kong alalayan ako ni Pryor sa bawat hakbang ko. Zen, Rosh, Seth, and Blair smiled at me as I took more steps toward Tobias, and when Pryor handed me to my king, Tobias took my hand, bent, and kissed the back of it. "Welcome back, My Queen."

He pulled me closer, and his gloved hand held my waist as he leaned closer to whisper.

"You look so beautiful that I want to skip this tradition and steal you away."

I smiled at him. "Puwede naman."

He laughed. "Don't make me try something that will make the next generations raise their brows after reading the history book."

"Like?"

He laughed again. He was about to answer when Rosh exaggeratedly coughed. "Shall we proceed? Would you like some help with the preparations, Kezalli?"

Umiling ako sa kanya. "Me and my pixies can manage."

Ramdam ko ang pisil ni Tobias sa kamay ko. "I'll be alright."

"Should we proceed to our places then?" tanong ni Seth.

I nodded. "Galingan ninyo pumalakpak, ah?"

Since I had grown close with Seth and Blair after that short date with them, they grinned at me and nodded in unison. Sabay pa nga silang pumalakpak nang mabagal na tila nag-practice.

Sa huli ay kami lang ni Tobias ang naiwan sa harap ng palasyo. "Go. You can also sit on your throne. I'll see you in a bit."

Tobias did not reply. Both of his hands tenderly cupped my face before he planted a soft kiss on my lips. "I love you so much."

My heart ached and felt the sudden guilt for not telling him a portion of my plan, but I knew he'd understand it. This plan isn't just for us, but for the future of the next goddesses of the mirror— for the future of this world.

"There's a time in my life that I gave up with these words, Tobias, but you made me believe that love can still be felt by this shattered heart—" I took both of his hands and brought them to my chest. "I am grateful that I get to experience it with you, love. Thank you."

Tumingkayad ako at humalik ako sa pisngi niya. "Cheer for me."

When I said those words, the pixies suddenly appeared between us. And in front of Tobias' eyes, just like those aggressive bees that were suddenly bothered in their beehive, they covered my body— as if I was attacked, and before Tobias tried to reach me, I vanished leaving me the dust of glitters from the pixies' wings.

***

"I know you can do it!"

The pixies cheered as I positioned myself on my dance floor. They told me that Queen Raeliana used to float in the air, while everyone was either on the boat or on the ground. She was technically dancing with water as her power.

"Yes, I can do this."

I nodded at them.

I knew that Tobias and the rest of the royalties were riding on a boat, and the citizens were all scattered around the Floating City with their eyes for the first ceremonial dance of the queen, on the first day of the Water Festival.

They were all looking up, expecting the queen would appear on top of the waterfall.

But as a water maiden. I shouldn't appear in front of them as if the wind had blown me to perform, but rather a nymph, a fairy, or should I say a performer forgetting her title.

Right at that moment, I might have the title of the queen, but I knew that this kingdom was waiting for a water maiden— a performer with her ceremonial dance.

The pixies held their hands together and created a circle around my dance floor, and when they finally turned into a blur as they spun around, I slowly closed my eyes as my place started to move.

"Now!" they announced.

Ngumiti na ako at nanatiling nakapikit ang mga mata ko. Huminga ako nang malalim kasabay nang paggalaw ng posisyon ko.

And before I knew it, my huge circular-shaped cage made of corals and vines emerged not behind the waterfalls, but from the lowest flowing water of the kingdom— the connection between the waterfalls and the Floating City.

Everyone gasped as the queen showed herself nearer to the public— I was in the middle of the cage with green leaves falling inside. I was slumped, facing behind them, showing the green gems tracing my back— as if it were fins.

The vine-like circular cage moved forward with water touching it and flowing down, tracing its frame.

One of my hands was pressed on the floor, my eyes were closed, and when I slowly turned my head, barely touching my chin to my left shoulder, showing the half side of my face, the golden accessories hanging on half of my face chimed accompanied by a combination of flute, wooden drums, and series of guqin.

The water was tracing the form of the magical cage as it moved up, the green leaves were falling, my eyes were still closed, and the music from the traditional instruments continued to linger, but as I slowly opened my eyes, lifting one of my hands, fingers playing with the wind, I caught a single leaf.

I tilted my head up and kissed it gently, and when I threw it again, it shattered above us . . .

Giving everyone rain— a blessing of prosperity and abundance.

A tear slipped down my cheek, and a small smile crept onto my lips as the whole of Parsua Deltora welcomed me . . .

With a powerful scream.