PROPOSAL

"NO. I didn't say yes to you."

Naglalakad na sila palabas ng tindahan habang si Violet naman ay tinatawanan siya. "Wala ka nang magagawa. I already set you up," sagot nito habang may ngising tagumpay.

"Really, huh? So, did you plan our wedding all night? Even the venue? Ako na lang ba ang kulang?"

"Oo, ikaw na lang. Kaya sinundo na kita." She winked at him.

"How could you?" Palm on his chest, he acted as if he was shocked. Inalis niya ang pagkakahawak nito sa kaniyang braso at kunyaring galit na tiningnan ang babae. "Hindi mo puwedeng ipilit sa akin ang bagay na ayaw ko!"

Sinakyan naman ng babae ang pagkukunwari niya at tinaasan siya ng kilay. "Oh, believe me, I can, and I will. You can't say no to me, Lis. Wala akong pakialam sa nararamdaman mo. Kapag sinabi kong magpapakasal tayo, magpapakasal tayo! Understood?"

Isang maliit na tawa ang tumakas sa kaniyang bibig hanggang sa sinundan din ng babae. Nabalot ang kanilang pagitan ng maliliit nilang mga hagikhik. Hindi niya inakalang makakikilala siya ng makakasabay niya sa kalokohan. Nilingon niya ang gawi nito, 'di napansing napako na pala ang tingin niya sa mukha nito.

"Seriously, where are we going?"

"At my place. Aena Tower," sagot nito. May ngiti pa rin sa mga labi, ngunit sa pagkakataong ito, may nag-iba.

Pinagmasdan niyang magbago ang ekspresyon ni Violet. Ang kaninang magaan at inosenteng mukha ay naging madilim at seryoso. Tumigil ito sa paglalakad at mahigpit na hinawakan ang kaniyang kamay.

"Lis, please, marry me." Wala na ang mapaglaro nitong tingin. This time, her voice shed with plea.

"Why?"

"It's because of my father." Luminga-linga ito sa paligid at muling tiningnan siya. "Let's talk in private. Masiyadong maraming magician."

Hinila siya ng babae papalapit hanggang sa magkadikit na ang kanilang katawan. Bahagya siyang nagulat nang hawakan nito ang magkabila niyang pisngi.

"Are you going to kiss me?"

Pinisil nito ang kaniyang balat. "'Pag nalasing siguro ako, oo."

"You look drunk to me."

Violet closed her eyes, showing her long lashes. He wanted to touch it. When she opened them, her purple orbs glowed. She whispered inaudible phrases that made his vision spun. Pumikit siya upang tanggalin ang pagkahilo ngunit sa pagbukas ng kaniyang mga mata, nasa loob na sila ng isang kuwarto.

"Where are we?" he murmured. "How did you do that? Is that your spell?"

"It's from my mother. My attribute is quite useless."

Sumilay sa kaniyang paningin ang napakalaking glass window. Doon niya lang napagtanto na nasa itaas sila ng Aena Tower.

"This is my room."

Pinagmasdan ni Lis ang kabuohan ng kuwarto. Nagkalat sa sahig ang iba't ibang mga libro. Kung gaano ka-ube ang kulay ng mga mata nito ay ganoon din ang buong pader, pati na ang magulo nitong kama. Sumusuot ang liwanag sa kurtina na nakatakip sa glass window. Nasisilaw siya sa kintab ng mga bote ng pabangong nakaparada sa gilid nito.

"Your room looks like you." He glanced at the purple ceiling. "Chaotic."

Naglakad ito papalapit sa kama at umupo sa dulo. "I was locked up here since twelve."

"What?" Napalingon siya sa gawi nito.

"I'm 441 now, and I'm still stuck in here. I would probably be stuck here forever," sabi nito habang pinaglalaruan ang malambot nitong kamay.

"Who locked you up?"

"Father."

"Wait." Nagtungo siya kay Violet. "Aren't you supposed to be away from your parents now? I thought after 100 years you're free to do your own. And you just went out just now, how are you locked up?"

"Ganito kasi 'yon." Bumuntonghininga ang babae. "The reason why I got out today is because of the deal me and my father had. We agreed that I can roam around Faegika for two weeks after my birthday."

Naupo siya sa sahig, nakatingala sa babaeng nakaupo sa kama sa harapan niya. "How about the first question?"

"I'm not sure what to say. After my mother passed away, Father started to lock me up here. He said that I'll be safe if I stay here forever."

"Safe from what?"

"Hindi ko alam. I asked him a lot of times, but he always divert the questions. Minsan napapaisip na nga lang ako na baka nagpapalusot lang siya at ayaw niya lang talaga akong makilala ng ibang tao." Malungkot ang mga mata nito. "I'm not a wanted child, after all. Mother and Father just accidentally had me. They married each other not for love but because he got her pregnant." She rolled her eyes in an attempt to cover up her hurt, but her trembling lips showed otherwise.

Him, on the other hand, didn't know what to react. They barely know each other, and it wasn't in his expectation it would get too private. He scratched his nape. "Is this okay for me to know? This . . . uhm . . . sounds so personal."

"It's fine. I don't care if I know you just by your name, I just want to escape here. I'm willing to be with you, so just get me out of here, Lis." Her delicate eyes crumbled in desperation. "Father will never let me out of here unless you'll marry me. If we're bounded by marriage, he will not be able to separate us, and he'll not be able to lock me up here anymore."

"How are you so sure?"

"It's according to the law."

"Your father already violated the tradition. What makes you think he'll not do it again?"

"Laws and traditions here are different. No one dares to break the law or else they will be sentenced to death, even the mayor himself."

"The mayor?" His eyebrow arched. Suddenly, a realization sprang into his head. "Is your father the mayor?"

She nodded. "Yes."

Natahimik naman siya. Muntik na niyang matampal ang noo. Ba't hindi niya kaagad naisip 'yon? One of the Flora told her that Mayor Cortez lived in the Aena Tower. It was also her daughter's guard that bought all the flowers in their shop, and he didn't even remember it.

He was too distracted by her.

"Where's your father?"

"He's in the council."

Napasingkit naman ang kaniyang mata at napaisip, pero naputol iyon nang bigla itong lumapit sa kaniya. Halos magdikit na ang tungki ng kanilang ilong. Ramdam din niya ang hininga nito. Hinawakan nito ang kaniyang kamay at tinitigan siya nang maigi. Nanunubig ang gilid ng mga mata nito. "I don't have much time, Lis. My birthday passed more than a week ago, so I only got a few days out. The guards will be back soon, too. I don't want to wait another year. I'm so sick of it. I want to go out. I don't want to stay here anymore. Please, Lis, marry me."

"You wanted me to marry you not because you like me but because you wanted to get out of here?" he asked her, smiling—well, more like grinning. He squinted his eyes. "Miss Violet, you're using me, aren't you?"

"No. I'm not." Bahagya itong lumayo. "I like you, really."

He chuckled. "Is that what you always say to your victims?"

"I'm serious!" She glared at him. "Totoo ang sinasabi ko. Una pa lang kitang nakita, nahulog na ako sa 'yo."

"Is it possible?" Napaisip siya, nasa baba ang isang kamay.

"Of course. And for your information, I don't ask any random magician I see every time I go out. You are the first." Binitiwan siya nito at dinuro. "I attempted to escape, but no matter how I tried to hide around Faegika, they still end up finding me. My last resort was to get married pero ayaw ko namang makasal sa taong hindi ko gusto. But then I saw you last night. You caught my attention. My feelings for you are sincere, okay?"

"Okay, okay, calm down," natatawa niyang sabi sa namumulang si Violet.

Pinagkrus lang nito ang mga braso habang nakanguso. "So? Papakasalan mo na ba ako?"

"No."

Bumagsak ang balikat nito sa kaniyang sagot. Ilang saglit pa, tuluyang naging butil ng luha ang nanunubig nitong mga mata.

"Wait," pigil niya pero huli na dahil nagsimula na itong umiyak.

"Bakit 'no'? Ayaw mo ba sa 'kin?" Niyugyog nito ang kaniyang balikat. "Magpapakabait naman ako, e! Promise! Puwede namang hiwalayan mo 'ko pagkatapos ng kasal pero mas maganda kung tayo pa rin sa huli kaya sige na, please!"

"I'm not done talking," saad niya pero mukhang hindi na nito narinig dahil sa pagngawa. Her cries were loud and messy. Tumutulo pa ang sipon nito sa ilong. Hinawakan niya ang magkabila nitong pisngi upang makuha ang atensiyon. "Violet, listen. I'm not going to marry you because I don't like you, but because I myself don't want to get married."

Natahimik ito sa pagngawa. "Huh?"

Gamit ang mga kamay ay pinahid niya ang mga luha nito. "I don't want to get married. I'm not meant for that. There are other things I wanted to do; more things that I wanted to reach. I can't tie myself with someone."

"Paano na ako?" pahikbi-hikbi nitong tanong. "Paano na ako, Lis?"

"Stop crying, Violet," malumanay niyang tawag sa pangalan. Pinahid niya ang tumutulo nitong sipon gamit ang kaniyang sleeve. "What a mess you are." Inalis niya ang ilang hibla ng buhok na dumikit sa mukha ng babae. He waited for her to hush before continuing. "I understand that this tower is too small for you, but don't you think your father is right? You will not have to deal with any problems if you stay here. Why do you want to go out so bad?"

"Kung ikaw ba nasa posisyon ko, gusto mo bang makulong dito?"

"Hindi."

"Exactly! Ayoko na rito. I want to go out! I want to be like other magicians. I want to live a normal life. I want to have freedom. Masama ba 'yon?" She sobbed.

He let out a smile. "No. Freedom is supposed to be given, not asked, so it's not something bad." He just wanted to make sure she was sure about what she wanted. Sure enough that she wouldn't back down about what he was going to propose.

And judging from her response, she was more than prepared.

"Please, Lis. Kaya kong gawin lahat basta ilabas mo lang ako rito!"

"Okay, Violet. Here's my proposal."

Lumiwanag kaagad ang mukha nito. "So, you're gonna marry—"

"No." Lumuwak ang ngiti sa kaniyang labi habang naiisip ang plano niya. "Come with me. To H-district."

"To what?" Ilang segundo itong natahimik bago humiyaw at inalis ang kaniyang mga palad na nakahawak. Hindi makapaniwalang tiningnan siya nito nang mapagtanto kung ano ang magiging kapalit ng kaniyang sinabi. "A-are we going to break the treaty?"

"Yes." He scratched his ear when her squeal vibrated.

"Bakit tayo pupunta ng H-district?"

"I'll tell you when you have given me your answer. We will be leaving tomorrow night. I'll come back here to know your answer. Deal?"

"Wait. What do you mean 'we'? May kasama tayong iba?"

Lis nodded. "Remember the two magicians you saw in the shop? They're going with me."

Nagtaka siya dahil sumimangot ito. "Akala ko naman tayo lang dalawa."

"Are you disappointed?" He said, chuckling.

"Oo."

Napailing na lang siya. He patted her head, still looking at her with fascination. "Then, I'll get going."

Tatayo na sana siya pero hinawakan nito ang kaniyang braso.

"Yes?"

"Can you at least give me a clue of why we need to go to H-district?"

Muli siyang umupo at hinarap ang babae. "Let's just say I needed to fulfill a deal. There's this woman who stole something that's mine because she believed it would heal her condition."

Kumunot ang noo ni Violet. "Bakit parang narinig ko na 'yan?" Napaisip naman ito at ilang sandali pa ay bigla itong pumalakpak na para bang may nabuong ideya. "It's quite like the Heart of the Dissolving Flower, though you're not an S-gene. Ano bang kinuha sa 'yo?"

Napataas ang dalawa niyang kilay, interesado sa mga sinabi nito. That was what Aryl told him too. What was this Heart of the Dissolving Flower?

"I'll tell you about that soon, but first, can you tell me about the Heart of a Flower or something?"

"You don't know that? Kahit ako nga na nakakulong dito alam 'yan, e. Saang lupalop ka ba sa Faegika nakatira ba't 'di mo alam 'yon?" napapailing nitong sabi. "Anyway, the Heart of the Dissolving Flower comes from a dragon. It was a very long time ago when a dragon visited Faegika and gave his heart to a magician who was dying. After that, the magician miraculously survived."

"What kind of dragon?"

"I don't know. It wasn't stated." Tumayo ito, lumapit sa mga nakakalat na libro at para bang may hinahanap. "Oh, here it is." Inabot nito sa kaniya ang libro na may kulay berde na pabalat. "It's Faegika's history. The Heart of the Dissolving Flower is also there."

Kinuha niya ito at pinagmasdan. "Can I borrow this?"

"Pakasalan mo muna ako."

Mabilis naman na napaangat ang tingin niya sa nakangising si Violet. He wasn't really surprised. Napailing na lang siya habang 'di mapigilang mapangiti.

Silly woman.