Third Person

Xiomara kept her head low as she sat on the cold floor. Her wrist was still tied up in the air with a chain. Ang nagkalat na dayami lang sa loob ng tore ang nagsisilbing higaan niya sa malamig na sahig. Being locked up inside one of the tallest towers in the palace, she felt like that one Disney Princess. What's her name again? 

"It's cuffing season, and all the girls are leaving to get a big boy . . ." Xiomara pursed her dried lips and rolled her eyes. "I need a big boy, give me a big boy." She continued to sing. Kapagkuwan ay parang baliw ito na natawa.

This is not the cuffing season I want! Nasaan na ang big boy ko? 

Kung ilang araw na siyang nakakulong dito ay hindi niya alam. She's been stuck for maybe three days or so? Talagang pinanindigan ng haring iyon na ikulong siya upang hindi na makagala at makapanggulo. That's what she thought. 

But the real reason why she was locked up in the tower was to keep her away from the king. She has been steering emotions in his heart, giving him profound feelings he hasn't felt for thousands of years after sealing it. Simply put, mere thought of her was enough to question his sanity. 

"Why?" The king clutched the cup of booze in his hands. "Why do you drive me insane to the point I want more?" He wanted to laugh at himself. He had no control over his mind now—nor his heart. He had become a complete mess. 

"Mother. . ." Masuyo niyang hinawakan ang pangalan ng kaniyang ina na nakaukit sa lapida. "Father. . ." His fingertips touched the cold memorial of his father. He just wanted to go back as child with no burden and responsibilities. 

He was in the Hidden Chamber of Granite Crypt, a burial sanctuary where his family and friends rested. It has been three days since he isolated himself to mourn for their death anniversary. He hasn't eaten anything since then. All he has with him is a few pots of liquor and an awfully colored dream catcher he doesn't have the heart to throw away. It has been accompanying him to sleep on this restless night. 

"Your Majesty, I am here to bring you fo—" His gaze flew at the woman who just entered the hidden chamber. Matalim ang mga mata niyang nakatitig dito kaya napakurap-kurap ang dilag. 

"Did I ask for your assistance, Talia?" Kaagad itong napayuko. He didn't. But she was concerned about his health. 

"Now, leave." Wala itong nagawa kun'di ang umalis gaya ng naging utos nito. 

Talia was one of his trusted servants. He saved her when he first escaped the seal. He found her in the dungeon, where she was about to get violated by knights. From then on, she swore to offer her life and become useful to him. Even though he only treated her as a tool, she treated her like a family, an older brother she never had but wanted to have. 

Everyone in the king's eyes was only chess pieces who were given a role for his revenge. As for her, she was like his knight. She was the one who created the internal conflicts between the Archons of Westeria. She screwed up the Flamma Archon's caravan of weapons and armories and blamed it on the Fulgur Archon. She also pretended to be a low-class geisha to sleep with one of the Fulgur Archon's generals to obtain information about Ravenburgh. She killed thousands of his war horses to cause distrust among them. 

As a woman with beauty and wits to lure them into her trap, she would be on par with Reed as a battle tactician. 

"Saskia?" Talia knocked on the mechanical door. A wheel-shaped door automatically opened upon hearing her voice. 

Pagpasok niya sa loob ay kaagad siya napangiwi dahil iba't ibang nagliliwag na likido ang bumungad sa kanya. There were human-sized capsules, different sizes of vials, and experimental bottles on the the table. Bukod doon ay may mga nakasabit ding mga mechanical dolls sa pader. Other's still have incomplete mechanical parts, but some were already perfected to the point of having painted skin of a human being. 

"Oh, Tali? Is there anything you need?" A woman with with a messy bun hair popped out of nowhere. May hawak itong clipboard at kasalukuyan nitong inaayos ang salamin niya habang nakatingin sa bagong dating na dalaga. 

"What?" Kumunot ang noo nito dahil sa hindi pagsagot sa kanya. "If you're gonna sulk in my lab, leave. I have more things to do!" Pagtataboy pa nito sa kanya. 

"Saskia, his majesty—" Binaba nito ang hawak na clipboard sabay tanggal ng salamin. "Is he sick?" Kaagad niyang tanong na ikinailing ni Talia. 

"Was about to get sick. Tatlong araw na siyang hindi kumakain." Saskia did not mind what she heard and checked her tools for making another mechanical doll. 

"What's new, Tali? His majesty is a depressed piece of shit!" Namulagat naman ang mata ni Talia sa gulat dahil sa naging turan nito. 

"Hey! What if he hears you?!" Rumolyo ang mga mata nito. "He can't let go of the past, that's why he's like that. But it was true, he's depressed and beyond saving. He drowned himself to insanity that he can no longer pull himself up." Sagot nito habang maingat na sinasalin ang kulay asul na likido galing sa glass tube palipat sa isang conical flask. 

"He sees people as tools based on their skills, not because of compassion and kindness." Even Talia could not refute her words because they were true. 

"As for me, I thanked him for saving my life and offered myself to work for him. I only did so to have unlimited funds for my projects and experiments. I lived comfortably, and my skills were appreciated, so I can't ask for more. I can continue my passion, and he can use my talent for his gain." She added, twirling the flask in her hand. 

Saskia serves as the king's rook in a chess game. Her ability to create mechanical puppets and her intelligence to create new substances serve as the foundation of the fortress of Zahartha. She was like a double-edged sword that could help with the defense of their homeland and could attack offensively with a specific plan. She was the person who asked for the petal of the Glaze Lily flower and the one who cured the Terra Archon to obtain relics from their clan. 

"Besides, aren't we people of Zahartha? We are originally his subject, and it's only natural to side with his majesty. We cannot judge him because we knew nothing about his past grievances." Pagpapatuloy pa ng dalaga. Saglit itong tumigil sa pagsasalita upang titigan ang likido na hawak niya.

"He lived more than we did and witnessed the deaths of our ancestors. Revenge was not on my vocabulary, but as someone who suffered in the hands of Westeria, I must avenge myself—especially to that abusive queen." Hatred flashed in her eyes when she mentioned the queen. 

Back then, when the king who was nothing but a kid is still sealed, the young queen forcefully took talented children of her age from Zahartha and brainwashed them to work for her. For hundred years it was normalized, and unfortunately, Talia and Saskia were one of those children. Takot ang mga itong magkaroon ng talentadong mamamayan ang Zahartha sa pag-iisip na kahit wala ang hari ng mga ito ay magtatangka silang umaklas laban sa kanila. 

It just so happened that the day when the king managed to escape his seal, he found her inside a laboratory where she was treated like a lab rat. "Is that the essence of the Glaze Lily?" Pag-iiwas ng usapan ni Talia nang mapansing kanina pa titig nang titig si Saskia sa hawak nitong conical flask. 

"Yes, isn't it fascinating?" Iniwagayway niya ito sa ere. "Who would've thought that small alterations of its components could make a person lose all his mana permanently?" Kumunot nang bahagya ang noo ni Talia nang makita ang nananabik na ngisi sa labi ni Saskia. 

She looks like an evil scientist who discovered something that could end the world. Well, she did. 

"And unexpectedly, my first ever successful doll, which was nothing but wires and mechanical parts, suddenly developed its own human body and consciousness." Sinundan ni Talia ang dalaga patungo sa isang silid kung saan may nakaratay na binata. 

"Is he that—?" Natulala na lang si Talia nang makita ang reaksyon ni Saskia na kasalukuyang nakatitig sa binata. She looks at him dreamily, as if he was a fine masterpiece she created.

"I thought he was a failed subject. That's why you disposed him?" Imbis sumagot sa tanong ni Talia ay nanatili lang nakaktitig sa binata si Saskia. 

"Infused with his majesty's arcane magic, he created another life with my help. Isn't that nerve-wracking?" If others could hear Saskia's words and the way she spoke, they would probably view her as a psychopathic maniac who was so immense with her experiment that she had gone mad. 

"Uhh, it is indeed nerve-wracking." Talia awkwardly agreed and attempted to change the subject again. "How should I convince the king to care for himself?" Talia was only worried about his health. 

What if he was in that state when Westeria decided to launch a surprise attack? They'll be at a disadvantage. 

"If you want to persuade his majesty, I know one person who might change his mind." Talia became more attentive. Ilang linggo siyang wala sa Zahartha kaya wala siya masyadong alam sa mga kaganapan dito.

But there's a person who could persuade him? How so? They can't even easily influence him to change his decisions. 

"The prisoner." Lalong lumukot ang mukha ni Talia sa narinig. "The one who was locked in the tower?" Tumango-tango si Saskia.

Talia crossed her arms and fell in deep thought. She was familiar with the prisoner. She was the Glacial Archon. Did perhaps the king took fancy of her? Kaya pala iba ang pagtrato rito kumpara sa normal na bihag. Yes, she was locked in the same tower where they used to torture spies from Westeria, but she still gets special treatment. Sa katunayan ay siya pa nga ang naghahatid ng pagkain nito sa pang araw-araw simula nang makabalik siya sa Zahartha. She even heard the king warning the knights not to lay a hand on her. 

Let's say the king is indeed drawn by her beauty, but what could she possibly do to change his mind? Talia thought to herself.

"Are you sure?" Saskia shrugged her shoulders. Tila ba wala itong pake kung maniniwala ito sa kanya o hindi. 

"Go see for yourself. I still have experiments to run, so I can't chat with you anymore. Toodaloo!" Pagtutulak niya rito paalis. 

Talia had no choice but to leave her laboratory. Naglakad siya sa may kadilimang pasilyo na daan patungong tore kung saan nakakulong ang babaeng sinasabi ni Saskia na maaaring makapagbago ng isip ng hari. When she arrived there, she saw the woman peacefully sleeping on the floor. Nakaupo ito habang natutulog at nakaangkla ang dalawang pulsuhan nito sa ere kung saan nakasabit ang posas. 

For a pampered woman like her to sleep comfortably in a place like this, it's unbelievable. 

Talia bent her left knee and was about to touch her shoulders to wake her up when she opened her eyes. Nahigit niya ang sariling hininga dahil sa pagkabigla. She heard that the weak Glacial Archon finally showed her true powers; she might have noticed her presence and alerted her. Her electric blue eyes met hers, and she felt shivers down her spine. It was intimidating. 

"Is it time for dinner already?" Lumamlam ang mata ng Arkon. Hinahanap ng kanyang mga mata ang tray ng pagkain na dala ni Talia sa pag-aakalang narito ito upang bigyan siya ng pagkain. 

"Uh, no. It's not time for dinner yet." Ngumuso ito kaya napakurap-kurap si Talia. A moment ago, her eyes were dilated as if she was ready to kill her. Now, her eyes look different. It looks gullible and kind. 

"Awe, how about snacks?" Umiling din siya kaya lalong nanguyamis ang mukha nito. Para itong gutom na bata na hindi nadalhan ng pasalubong ng kanyang ina.

How do I say this, she looks cute? Talia wanted to laugh. Kung hindi niya kilala ito ay hindi niya aakalaing isa itong Arkon dahil sa asta niya. 

"If you're not here to bring me food, then you're certainly not here for an idle chat." Tumango-tango si Talia. Umupo ito sa harapan ng Arkon bago ipagkrus ang binti. 

"I wanted to ask you a favor." Nang marinig ito ay napataas ang kilay ni Xiomara. Of course, who wouldn't? A Zaharthan wanted to ask a favor from an imprisoned Westerian. How is that feasible? 

"I am worried about his majesty. He hasn't eaten for days." Xiomara stared at her for seconds. The first day she saw her, she immediately knew who she was based on her physical features. 

A tanned-skinned woman with medium-length hair and green eyes. She named her Talia, the king's servant. She understood why she was worried about him; she treated the king like an older brother. 

"He was mourning for his family's death." Natitinigan ni Xiomara ang bakas ng lungkot sa boses nito kaya hindi niya rin maiwasang malungkot. 

It was already time for their death anniversary. Why does time fly so fast? 

"I will bare all the consequences of my deed, but I would like to ask you to please console him." Walang pag-aalinlangang tumango ang Arkon. She is willing to do it as well. Kahit pa hindi ito sabihin sa kanya ni Talia ay gagawin niya iyon kung may pagkakataon lang siya. 

Walang sinayang na oras si Talia upang kalagan ang posas na nakatali sa pulsuhan at paa nito. Hindi pa man siya nabibigyan ng direksyon kung saan tutungo ay tumakbo na pababa ng hagdan ang Arkon.

Xiomara ran down the staircase barefooted. She didn't wait for directions because she knew where she was going. She went to the grand library and pulled a certain book the opened another passageway. Kumuha siya ng maliit na lampara upang magbigay liwanag sa kanya sa may kadilimang daanan. It was a good thing that the king unlocked the grand library. Siguro akala niya hindi na makakalabas ang Arkon sa tore kaya kampante siyang buksan ito. 

Malalaking hakbang siyang nagtungo sa may kakiputang lugar. The passageway is narrow, about half a meter. If she remembered it correctly, it will be a two hundred meter walk before she reached the end, subalit kahit isang ilaw ay walang nakasindi sa daan. 

Pagdating niya sa pinakadulo ay bumungad sa kanya ang nakakasilaw na liwanag. Ang kaninang sementong naapakan niya ay biglang naging lupa. The end of the passageway leaded her to another dimension. It was a graveyard of tombstones. Ang kalupaan ay puno ng mga naglagas na dahon ng aspen tree. 

An aspen tree is also called a 'watchful eye.' Xiomara could remember how she was fascinated with that tree because its natural bark markings looked like an eye. Ngayon pakiramdam niya ay nakatitig ang mga nakaimprintang mga mata na iyon sa kanya. It crept her out somehow.  

Kaagad niyang hinanap ang libingan kung nasaan ang ama at ina ng hari. Sa kabila ng takot na nararamdaman niya dahil sa aura ng lugar ay naglakas loob pa rin siyang maglakad sa gitna ng mga nagtumpukang lapida kahit pa nakayapak lang siya. 

And there, she saw the masked king. Nagkalat ang mga wooden gourd sa lapag kung saan amoy na amoy niya ang halinghing ng alak. He was lying on the ground with withered leaves around him. Nakadapa ito. His left hand held a liquor, and the other hand held a pink dream catcher. 

She smiled. Pakiramdam niya ay may kung anong humaplos sa puso niya. She thought he threw it again, just like what he always does. It turned out he kept it as a keepsake. 

Umupo siya sa tabi ng hari at maingat na ginagap ang ulo nito upang ihiga sa hita niya. Masuyo niyang sinuklay-suklay ang buhok nito habang nakatitig sa mapupulang labi ng hari. 

She did not bother to remove his mask; she knew he wouldn't like it. She just stayed there, caressing his hair lovingly, humming a random melody while reminiscing the days when she was still writing his character as a villain. She made him suffer the most because she loved him the most among her other characters.

Matapos ng ilang minuto ay bumigat ang talukap ng mga mata niya. Dahan-dahan ay nakakaramdam na rin siya ng antok, subalit napawi ang antok na iyon nang may humawak sa kamay niyang humapalos sa ulo ng hari. She looked down and saw him looking at her with a particular emotion. 

"These memories. . . these nightmares. . ." He sounded like he was pleading. Hurt and broken. "They drove me to insanity each night." Her eyes weakened. She held his hand tighter. 

"But you. . ." His other hand reaches out for her face, looking at her with tenderness in his golden grey eyes. "Your presence fades those insanities away." Xiomara was stunned even to speak. 

Seemingly effortlessly, the words that gushed out of his mouth were like a torrent of water. It was not in his character to talk about his feelings, but his gazes were already overflowing as if he had no control over them. 

Or was it because he was just drunk? 

G O L U C K Y C H A R M 
Nalilito na ba ang lahat? Samedt. So, what do you think about the update? Feel free to comment your theories!