Xiomara

Napahawak na lang ako sa ulo ko nang makaramdam ng pagkirot nito. Flashbacks started surging in my mind of what happened in the execution stage. My desperation to save Alec drove me to unleash the power and manifestation of Dashrath. 

Pinakiramdaman ko muna ang sarili ko. I used to feel frail and exhausted even though I'm not doing much. At my current condition, my body felt light and somehow energized. Maybe it was due to the reopening of my blocked spiritual veins. 

Everything went out of hand. Maraming maaaring hindi maganap dahil sa pagbalik ng kapangyarihan ko. Kahit kalahati lang ang nagbalik ay sapat na iyon upang yanigin ang buong Westeria. This overwhelming power will grow and everyone will become wary of it. 

Nanunot sa ilong ko ang amoy ng bulaklak kaya iminulat ko ang mata ko. My eyes landed on the burning incense on the left side of my bed. I'm guessing it was an incense of a lavender flower which gives a calming effect to anyone who inhales it. Inilibot ko ang paningin ko and that's when I realize this wasn't my room at all. 

The room was full of torches on the arched posts and scarlet candle lights on the table and floor. The walls were filled of paintings and portraits of the rising sun in different angle. The ceilings were a depiction of the moon engulfing the sun, people who are painted in white and those in the shadows. 

This looks like the villain's room as I described in the—

"I guess I have to take you with me, sweetheart." 

My lips parted when I suddenly remembered someone whispering those words to me. If I remembered it correctly, Alexius managed to appear just like what the novel says, but he barely made it. He was late!

Dumako ang paningin ko sa bintana. It was dark and I can see the twinned moon from the window. Napahinga ako nang malalim. Talagang dinala niya ako rito. The land of Zahartha with everlasting nights. 

I was about to stood up when I saw a small papyrus paper folded in the table. Walang pagaalinlangan ko itong kinuha at binuksan upang basahin. 

Stay in bed and don't go elsewhere. Save your breath and don't try to escape. Be obedient and you will be rewarded. 

Love from your villain

Be obedient and you will be rewarded? Anong klaseng reward ba tinutukoy niya? 

Napairap ako sa kawalan. I stood up and immediately walk out of the room. Ang unang sumagi kaagad sa isip ko ay si Alec. Remembering how much he suffered for me, I clenched my fist.  I can only be relieved if he's doing fine. And if I remembered it correctly, he was taken with me. I just need to find him.

Paglabas ko ng kwarto ay walang kahit anino ng mga tao ang nasa corridor. There are no guards or maids, just torchlights on the wall. Hindi na ako nagtaka. In the Zaharthan palace, there are no needs for guards because whoever tried to trespass will end up dead. 

Habang naglalakad ako ay saka ko lang napansin ang suot ko. A black hanfu. The cross collar had a golden outer lining and the sash was embroidered using a golden thread shaped like a snow flake. The sleeve aren't lose, and the thin robe was made of silk. 

Nagkibitbalikat na lang ako. I was okay with the clothing, it was comfortable and I was able to move freely lalo na't hindi gaano kabigat ang tela na gamit dito. Kapagkuwan ay bigla akong napahawak sa buhok ko nang maramdaman kong medyo mabigat ang ulo ko. 

My hair was tied into a low bun. There are two strands of hair dangling in front of my face. Nagtaka naman ako nang may makapa akong bakal na nakausli sa buhok ko. When I took it from my hair it turns out it was just an antique golden hairpin that looks like a dragon or was it a snake?

Binalik ko na lang ito sa buhok ko at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad. There are lots of rooms in every corridor but all of them are locked. Kahit isa sa mga pinto ay hindi ko kayang buksan. 

My eyes landed on the terrace where the moonlight shined brightly. It was as if it was inviting me to stand in that spotlight. Mesmerized by the beauty of the twinned moon, I unconsciously walked towards the  terrace. 

Pagdating ko roon ay kaagad kong naipikit ang mga mata ko nang humampas sa katawan ko ang malamig na simoy ng hangin. I felt how it touched my face and hugged the warmth of my body. 

Minulat ko ang mga mata ko't kaagad na naagaw ng pansin ko ang bundok sa kalayuan. Even if it was dark, I don't really need to see for myself what lies beneath those mountains. 

Zahartha is cursed, it was lifeless and barren. The whole land is made of desert and no plants and animals could even survive—a complete wasteland. This is also the place where criminals from Westeria ang thrown out to starve and die. 

"Silence!" Napadungaw ako nang marinig ang maawtoridad na boses na iyon. 

When I look down I saw a man kneeling on the ground. May kaharap itong lalaki na kasalukuyang nakakrus ang braso at mukhang nawawalan na ito ng pasensya. He was wearing a thick black cloak and a black garment like those with high status. If I'm not mistaken, he must be the proud king.

"Off with his head! Off with his head!" Sigawan ng ilang kawal na nanonood. 

Napangiwi naman ako. I had no idea what's going on but I think someone's about to get executed. Napailing na lang ako. I was nearly executed in Westeria and now here I am watching someone who is about to get the same fate as me. 

"You hear that vermin?" Mapaglaro nitong anas habang nakatingin dito. 

"You can only be saved if you give every man in front of you a head." Napanganga naman ako. Nakita ko ang pagkagulat sa mata ng lalaking nakaluhod at ang pagtutol sa kaniyang mga mata. 

Is he serious?!

"P-patayin niyo na lang ako, k-kamahalan!" A ridiculed laugh echoed in the silent night. Tila ba nahihibang ito sa naging reaksyon sa harapan niya. 

He gave him choices to decide whether he'll live or die, but the options he gave was much worse than the latter. Talagang mas pipiliin pa nitong mamatay na lang kesa danasin ang kawalanghiyaang pinapagawa nito. 

"You seek death? Death would be too easy for you." He snickered. 

"A rat like you sneaking around in a place where you shouldn't be deserved to get played at until you limp and die." Napasinghap naman ako. 

Hindi niya naman ako pinaparinggan 'di ba?

Mabilis akong umalis ng teresa nang makita kong gumalaw ang ulo niya upang lumingon sa gawi ko. Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko habang habol-habol ang hininga. I hope he didn't noticed me. 

Bumalik ako sa pasilyo na dinaanan ko kanina. Kailangan ko bumalik sa kwarto ko bago niya pa malamang lumabas ako. Who knows what kind of punishment he'll give me after disobeying him? 

Malalaking hakbang ang tinahak ko nang matanaw ko ang pinto ng kwarto ko. Just a few more steps and I can reach the knob of the door, but just as I was about to open it, someone from behind grabbed my waist and pushed me against the wall. 

Halos maduling ako nang makitang sobrang lapit ng mukha niya sa akin. His golden grey eyes bored into mine as if it was seeking for my attention. Dumako naman ang paningin ko sa suot niyang maskara patungo sa labi niyang animo'y nakangisi sa akin. 

"If you just kept on staring at my lips like that nothing will happen." Natauhan naman ako. Akmang itutulak ko siya nang hapitin niya lalo ang bewang ko— dahilan upang halos madikit ang tungki ng ilong ko sa maskara niya.

"Haven't I told you to be obedient and you will be rewarded?" Hindi ako nakapagsalita. I don't know why but his playful yet threatening voice suddenly sounded so pleasant in my ears. 

"I don't need your reward," pagmamatigas ko. His lips formed into a loop sided smirk. 

"I see," aniya sabay tango. 

"So, you want punishment?" Kaagad nagkasalubong ang kilay ko. Itatali niya ba ako para ikulong?

"Why? Are you going to tie me with ropes?" He tilted his head and stared at me, amused. 

"Ropes? There are only two possible ways I would need ropes for you, but I believe you should specify which way to avoid future misunderstandings." Sa hindi ko malamang dahilan ay biglang nag-init ang mukha ko dahil sa sinabi niya. 

With all the strength I have driven by embarrassment I was able to push him away from me. Umiwas kaagad ako ng tingin sa kanya. What am I even thinking?

"Where is my knight?" Umakto naman siyang parang nasasaktan. What's with him and his weird gesture? 

"I'm here but you're asking for another man?" Napairap naman ako. 

"Sana okay ka lang," naibulalas ko. 

Since when did I created his personality to be flirty?

He's supposed to be a serious and cunning villain. He was devious, a master of deception. He is cold and definitely not expressive. Where did my perfect villain go? 

"How amusing, aren't you even afraid of me?" Ako matatakot sa kanya? Sino ba siya? Panel namin sa defense? 

"You are alone with a man you don't know in a place you're not even familiar," he paused as he observe my reaction. "You think I won't do anything to you?" Napabuga ako nang malalim na hininga. 

If I was the original Xiomara, I would be scared. Fortunately, I am not that gullible and soft-hearted heroine so what's the point of being scared? Una sa lahat kilalang-kilala ko siya at ako ang higit na nakakaalam sa lugar na 'to. Even though this was my first time being here, I wrote every details and lore behind this cursed land. I know my way even in the hidden chamber of this palace. 

"You think I will let you do something to me?" I heard him clicking his tongue because of my response.

Tinitigan niya lang ako na para bang manghang-mangha sa naging sagot ko sa kanya. I scoffed in my mind. Was he expecting me to cower in fear? 

"Totally not what I was expecting from you," he commented as he took a step closer. 

He expected me to scream my lung out asking for help and beg him to let me go back in Westeria. I know what he's thinking. But at the situation right now, even if I wanted to go back I can't. 

"I was condemned as a murderer before I could even defend myself. Somehow I managed to get away, but in order to save my knight I have offended the queen. . ." I crossed my arms and raised my left foot backwards to lean my feet on the brick wall. 

"Then you happened to come along and took me away. Knowing your identity, you think I would be seen the same way as before when I go back?" Knowing how overly anxious the queen for the safety of her kingdom, she will never let me go. She would only accuse me of colluding with an evil man who's destiny would bring end to the world. 

"Point taken, but was your knight worth it?" may diin niyang tanong. I raised an eyebrow at him when the tone of his voice suddenly changed. 

Of course he was worth it. Even though he was an assassin sent to kill me, he had proven his loyalty. He was willing to take the fall for me even if it means dying. If it didn't move my heart, then I must be heartless person. 

"He is worth it." Taas noo kong sinalubong ang tingin niya habang nakakuyom ang kamay. 

"Where is he? If you hurt him I swear—" Nagulat na lang ako nang ihampas niya ang kaliwang palad niya sa pader kung saan ako nakasandal. He leaned closer with a glint of anger in his eyes. Wala sa sarili akong napalunok.

"Why do every time I'm with you, if you're not saving someone else's life, you're protecting them as if they're all that matters to you?" Sa hindi ko malamang dahilan ay bigla akong nakaramdam ng kaba dahil sa paraan ng pananalita niya. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit siya nagagalit. 

 "And why do I always end up saving you when I could just let you die?" He sounds frustrated but instead of taking his words to heart, I couldn't help but watch how his jaw clenches and how his pupil dilated as he shoot his death glares at me. 

How can a man be still this attractive when angry?

G O L U C K Y C H A R M