Chapter 24: The Masks

I took a deep breath. I looked up at the ceiling, closed my eyes, and tried everything to calm myself. I counted from one to ten, yet my hands were still tightly balled as my mind rattled like crazy.

I already had an idea that the Viardellon would appear, and this was actually Kreios's plan—his trap. He used Juniper to lure the Viardellons and danced with our farce.

Inaasahan ko na hindi magiging maganda ang unang pagpasok nila rito at magiging pagsubok pa kung paano namin sila makukumbinsi na makinig sa plano namin, pero hindi ko akalain na itatali nila si Kreios. Worst, they drugged him and turned him into this mess!

They just ruined our next plan!

I couldn't even take a step closer at Kreios. I had this urge to attack the Viardellons for messing up his face and attack Kreios at the same time for letting these brothers tie him like that.

Hindi man lang ba siya lumaban? Alam kong kaya niyang pagsabay-sabayin ang apat na ito!

I frustratingly ran my fingers through my hair with one of my hands on my waist. I knew that everyone was watching me.

This was Kreios's plan and with his situation, I am fucking on my own now!

I glanced at my mate again. He was tied up, his head tilting from side to side with a constant grin and laughter, even whistling. Then he stopped and looked above him as if he had spotted a firefly and was trying to catch its attention by blowing on it.

"Y-You drugged him!"

Marahas kong itunuro si Kreios. Tamad siyang nilingon ni Tres na nakapamaywang. Naroon na rin sa tabi niya ang mga kapatid niya na sina Dos, Sais at Quatro na kapwa nakakrus ang mga braso at nakangisi.

They seemed to be enjoying this— not Kreios being tied but Tres wearing a traditional wedding suit.

Though these brothers weren't fond of attending banquets, as a princess of Sartorias, I had to at least acknowledge them. I used to see them unexpectedly when Seth requested errands for them—but this time, I knew it wasn't because of Seth. Kreios and I had lured them into this trap.

I told myself that as long as Juniper's mate wasn't Uno, everything would be alright, there would be a possible problem, but I knew that we could handle it.

Muli akong mariing napapikit nang tumama ang mga mata ko kay Tres.Why did I forget about this fucking Viardellon? If Deltora had Rosh, who commanded both the military and political voice of Deltora, Viardellon had Tres. I even heard Evan and Casper say it was better to coordinate with Uno and Seth, not Tres.

"We did not drug him, Princess—" Cuatro was cut off again.

"She is my Queen. Call her Queen," Kreios insisted even with his head banging.

"Forgive his rudeness, Queen Harper, but Cuatro's telling you the truth. We did not drug the king. We merely played a few cards games." Inilahad ni Sais ang kamay niya at itinuro niya ang isang lamesa na may mga baraha at alak.

"The loser will drink the wine," dagdag ni Dos.

"There's a drug!"

Malalaki ang hakbang ko patungo sa bote at inamoy ko iyon. Napailing na lang ako at inilayo iyon sa akin.

"It has a silver. He'll get drunk, of course." Malamig na sagot ni Tres.

Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko at marahas kong hinarap si Tres. Natagpuan ko na lang ang dalawang kamay kong mariing nakahawak sa kasuotan niya sa tapat ng kanyang dibdib at bahagya ko siyang inangat.

My fangs bared and my eyes blazed with hatred. "I will kill you!"

Sabay-sabay sumipol sila Quatro, Sais at Dos.

"That's my wife. Oh god, I am falling in love, isn't she powerful?" Kreios said proudly and then laughed again.

Quatro, Sais, and Dos nodded together, arms crossed with prodded lips.

Bumuntonghininga si Tres, hinayaan niya pa rin na bahagya siyang nakaangat habang marahan niya tinatanggal ang nasa ulo niya na siyang nagtatakip din sa kanyang mukha.

"You will ruin my wedding suit, Queen Harper."

"Y-You ruined our plan!"

"That's why I am here to listen. We are willing to obey everything except letting that idiot..." saglit siyang lumingon kay Kreios na nanliliit ang mga mata.

"Stand on a wedding aisle waiting for your writer, fake or not. Not gonna happen."

"Kreios has to do it! We need to—" he cut me off.

"She is mine."

Nanghihina akong pinakawakan si Tres. Inayos niya ang nagusot niyang kasuotan, naupo at pinagkrus ang mga hita.

"If you're insisting on this, Queen Harper, then we'll have no choice but to kidnap the consort. That'll be an even bigger problem for you—a kidnapped consort, no writer of the Ancient Quillper, and probably one of the biggest scandals. We won't hide it. We'll announce that we have the consort, and I, Tres Viardellon, took her to what was supposed to be her wedding ceremony."

Kung kanina ay pasipol-sipol lang iyong tatlo sa tabi ni Kreios, narinig ko ang biglang pagsinghap nila.

I knew that Uno wouldn't be happy with Tres's threat, but when I looked at Tres, I knew that he was serious. He was willing to take his brother's hatred for this.

Muli kong sinulyapan si Kreios pero mas lalo lang uminit ang ulo ko at napailing na ako. Huminga ako nang malalim at tuluyan nang bumaba ang balikat ko.

"Alright."

Umangat ang kilay ni Tres ngunit mas lamang ang ngisi niya. "But to make it difficult for you, Prince Tres Viardellon, Kreios and I already gave Juniper..."

"Juniper..." he uttered softly before he looked at me again. "That is her name?"

"Isn't she your mate? You should know."

"She's a human without any drop blood from this world, Queen Harper," and then he shook his head. "Alright, what is it again?"

"Juniper's aware that we lured you and your brothers here. Binigyan namin siya ni Kreios ng ideya na isa sa inyo ay interesado sa kanya. We even introduced to her the mate in this world, but she easily brushed it off. You could have threatened me into this, Tres... but Juniper's a tough human girl."

"A smart one..." dagdag ni Kreios.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I know. I don't think she'd be into this farce of a wedding if that wicked woman is not into something. What does she want this time? Did she ask a priestess who could cut our bond? Do I have to kill all the priestesses in this empire?"

This time I grinned at him. "That's between us only."

"So... the question is what's with this wedding?" pagsabat ni Sais.

I told them our mission— and it should be covered by our problematic marital problems. We explained to them that we were both willing to let Juniper lead this empire with their protection.

I didn't just tell them that tonight would be the start of our political drama.

"S-She agreed with this?" tanong ni Dos.

"Yes," Kreios said with a smile.

"She might look like a resigned human girl who wanted to conceal or distance herself, but behind it is a curious woman... a wicked one. The political game, the history, and everything new to her knowledge excites her... her appearance in this world is still a mystery—a pureblooded human means death in this world, but she's proving it wrong."

Walang nakapagsalita sa mga Viardellon sa sinabi ko at ang tanging ingay na namayani ay ang paggalaw-galaw ng upuan ni Kreios.

I looked at the hourglass on the bookshelves. Malapit nang magsimula ang seremonyas. Hindi ko tuluyang sinabi kay Tres ang mangyayari sa bulwagan. If he was going to take Kreios's place, he had to be genuine.

"Do not take it off." Sabi ko nang isinusuot na muli ni Kreios iyong belo niya na nagtatakip ng kanyang mukha.

"Do you know Mudelior's wedding ceremony? Did you ever attend one?"

"Not yet."

"May pinagkaiba ba bukod sa maraming kasuotan?" tanong ni Sais.

"You'll just have to wait for Juniper. She has to walk down the aisle with an offering. You will accept it, and you will bow at each other, and the priestess, a council from the vampire court, and the queen and a general on the side will witness the wedding as a blessing."

"And this gossip of your disapproval just like the recent issue in Ancient Quillper will spread after this wedding?" tanong ni Dos.

I nodded.

"A priestess? Is she going to utter a real wedding ceremonial blessing? How is it going to be convincing without those nobles not getting noticed?" tanong ni Tres.

"Goodness, brother. Just request the Queen to summon a real priestess who can officiate a wedding. Marry her. Pag-uwi natin sa Avalon kasal ka na. Ano ang sinasabi ni Uno na delegates delegates? Iyon nagpakasal na," nakangising sabi ni Dos.

"She's a human. She'll not notice if it is fake or not," dagdag ni Sais.

"A-Are you trying to trap my writer into—" pero natigil na ako sa sasabihin ko nang mapansin ko na tumatango na si Tres.

"To make it more convincing, Queen of Mudelior, you can summon a real ceremonial priestess."

Umawang ang bibig ko sa naririnig sa mga Viardellon. Bigla namang tumawa si Kreios na ngayon ay nakayuko na.

Huminga ako nang malalim. Kung hindi ko susundin ang gusto ng mga Viardellon ay kukunanin nila sa akin nang sapilitan si Juniper.

"Alright."

Muli kong sinulyapan ang orasang buhangin.

"How about us?" tanong ni Sais.

"You have to get dressed. Uno sent you as delegates, right? But you have to wear the traditional clothing of Mudelior since you'd be attending a wedding."

Bago ko tawagin si Milton ay tinanggal ko muna ang tali sa katawan ni Kreios. Ilang beses ko pang tinapik ang pisngi niya, namumungay ang mga mata niya at nakangisi sa akin. "You're so beautiful, My Queen..."

"I hate you."

He chuckled. "I love you too."

Hindi rin nagtagal ay dumating na nga si Milton. Hindi naman siya nagtanong nang makita niya ang mga Viardellon o maging si Kreios na nasa ganoong sitwasyon. Minsan naiisip ko kung totoo ba ang sinabi ni Kreios na tapat lang ito sa trono. Milton's literally our best accomplice.

Nanatili akong nakaharap kay Kreios habang nagbibihis ang mga Viardellon. Kinuha ko na rin ang kasuotan na para kay Kreios na katulad ng sa mga Viardellon.

"What the hell? Why is it so many layers?"

"Now I felt like wearing the clothing from the human world."

"Where should I tie this?"

"Why is the color not... matching? This feels weird."

Puro reklamo ang naririnig ko sa likuran ko habang hirap na hirap magbihis ang mga Viardellon. Tinulungan ko na rin magbihis si Kreios na patawa-tawa pa rin.

Kaunti na lang masasampal ko na siya.

Nakarinig din ako ng ilang mura kaya nang humarap ako, higit akong na-eskandalo.

Sa sobrang dami siguro ng itinatali at isinasampay na kasuotan ng Mudelior, ang naalala na lang nina Dos, Sais, at Quatro ay kung paano iyon isinuot ni Kreios. Because they just placed a sash from one of their shoulders until it reached the side of their waist. They were almost naked just like how Kreios looked in his royal painting.

Bigla kong narinig ang boses ni Juniper nang una kong makita ang larawan ni Kreios. "Minsan na nga sumunod sa dress code, mali pa."

They were wearing a mixture of black and white tunic— with diamond stones. Ipinamigay ko na rin sa kanila iyong maaari nilang itakip sa kanilang mukha.

"Why do you have to wear this?"

"Kaya kayo pareho-pareho ng kasuotan ay dahil kasama si Kreios. He'll blend as one of you."

Dos, Quatro, and Sais wore the thick mesh mask that covered half of their face and would only reveal their similar amber eyes.

Natigilan ako nang sabay-sabay iyon isuot ng mga Viardellon at ang tanging nakikita ng aking mga mata'y ang parehong kulay ng kanilang mga mata, hindi ko man nakikita ang kanilang mga labi, alam kong kapwa sila nakangiti sa akin.

They knew how their eyes beautifully looked together.

"Harper..." tawag ni Kreios.

Napalingon ako sa kanya at bumalik ako para alalayan siya. "How are you feeling?"

He gently caressed my cheeks before he gave me that foolish smile. Lumingon na ako kay Milton.

"Milton, bring the king to the waiting room," I said.

Humakbang na si Tres at sumunod kay Milton.

He bowed. "This way, Your Majesty."

Nang maiwan kami pansin ko na nahihirapan pa maglakad si Kreios pero nagawa niyang sumiksik sa gitna ng mga Viardellon. "Am I one of the delegates now?"

"Wear your mask too."

Lumapit na ako kay Kreios at inilagay ang maskara sa kanya. Unlike the three Viardellon beside him with amber-colored eyes— like autumn, Kreios had a black eye— as dark as the midnight sky.

"We should go."

The Viardellon happily exited the room, excited for their brother's sudden wedding.

Ilililis ko sana ang kasuotan ko para painumin sa palapulsuhan ko si Kreios para mawala ang pagkahilo niya pero nang lumingon ako sa kanya ay naglalakad na siya patungo sa akin. .

This time he wasn't walking as if he were drugged, but as the typical arrogant Kreios, who seemed to care for no one but me. He took my hand, pressed a kiss to the back of it even with the veil, and then winked at me.

"Let's go, my Queen."

My eyes widened. "Y-You..."

He playfully placed one of his forefingers in front of his lips between the masks. "Shh..."

I wiped the red paint from my lips, tiptoed, and kissed him between his masks. "I hate you."

He grinned, his eyes narrowing with a smile. "You will never be on your own, Harper Esmeralda. Always remember."