THIRD PERSON

Fifteen opened the door to the saintess' quarters, holding a jasmine tea and butter cookies tray. Inside the room was the princess of the Khehan Empire, Felecity Rhinedottir. Saglit niya itong tinapunan ng tingin na nakatanaw lang sa nakabukas na bintana. Amidst the coldness of the winter breeze, she was not affected. Her ash-white hair slowly drifted by the wind from the open window. Her sapphire blue eyes met hers. 

Kaagad na nag-iwas ng tingin si Fifteen. Dali dali nitong nilapag ang tray na dala sa mesa bago magtungo sa bintana upang isara ito. She then went back to the table and served the cookies and tea to Felecity. 

Habang maingat naman na nilalapag ni Fifteen ang mga tasa ng tsaa ay mataman lang nakatitig sa kanya si Felecity. "Excuse me, have we met somewhere?" Hindi niya napigilang itanong dito. 

Fifteen took the tray and placed it on her abdomen before bowing her head in front of the princess. "I believe this is our first meeting, Your Highness," magalang nitong sagot. 

Kapagkuwan ay titig na titig pa rin si Felecity sa kanya. She was only a servant but her beauty surpasses the noble ladies she knew. She has a coffee brown hair and purple eyes. Maputi ang balat nito at natural na mapupula ang mga labi. She felt like her face was familiar. Para bang nakita na niya ito kung saan at hindi niya lang alam kung kailan. She felt like she knew this maid servant before. 

"I thought you were someone I know," komento nito bago kumuha ng isang piraso ng cookie. Sumimsim ito ng tsaa bago muling tapunan ng tingin si Fifteen. 

"Will it take a while before her holiness returns?" tanong nito. 

"It may take a while, Your Highness. She went to the House of Orestilla to heal the count's illness," sagot nito. Nahuli naman ng paningin ni Fifteen ang pag ngisi ni Felecity kahit pa natatakpan ng tsaa ang bibig nito.

So she started whoring already? Felecity thought to herself. 

"I see. If that's the case, I will wait patiently for her." She smiled. And that's when Fifteen noticed that her smiles were fake. She finally understood why the saintess was so irritated by a mere mention of her name. 

"Is there anything else you'd like me to bring you, Your Highness?" tanong niya rito bago suklian ng ngiti. 

"How generous of you. There's no need to serve me. I'll be here to wait for her holiness' arrival." Hindi na umangal pa si Fifteen sa gusto nito at muling yumuko upang magbigay galang bago lumabas. 

Sa pagsara ni Fifteen ng pinto ay kaagad na sumilay ang kakaibang ngisi sa labi nito. Fifteen was carefully instructed by the saintess to take out important documents from her study table and hide it in the maid's quarters. Inutusan din siya nitong ilagay sa mesa ang mga mensaheng pinadala ng Archduke, pati na rin ang nirolyong painting na muntik na niya punitin noong nakaraan. 

Now she understands the reason behind it. The saintess already expected the princess' sudden visit, and she deliberately tries to let the princess know that the archduke is into her. Fifteen maybe just a mere maid, but she could grasp the situation by observing compared to others. 

The saintess did not explain anything to her. Wala rin siya sa posisyon para magtanong pero alam niya kung ano ang nangyayari. She may not know more details but she knew one thing since the beginning. The archduke and the saintess have a special relationship above everyone else. 

The princess was indeed a two-faced bitch, but the saintess was a devious one. 

And whatever her reason was for provoking the princess, she would still support it. Because the moment she saved her from being a sex slave in a knight camp, she vowed to be on her side and aid her in her future endeavors. She also believes that the saintess had a good heart and will never damn the innocent ones. She will remain loyal to her savor until death.

Sa pag-alis naman ni Fifteen ay kaagad na binagsak ni Felecity ang tasa na hawak niya. She crossed her legs and look around the saintess' room. Everything inside the room was neat and classy. The decorations from the wall, to her vanities, tables, and furniture were all vintage and sophisticated. Kung tutuusin ay mas maganda pa ang interior design ng kwarto nito kesa sa kwarto niya. 

She stood up to lock the door and went to the saintess' table. Dahil likas sa kanya ang pagiging pakialamera ay binuklat niya ang pahina ng mga aklat na nakalatag sa ibabaw ng mesa nito. Umismid siya nang makitang puro ito mga banal na kasulatan. It was a book of ancient and tribunal scriptures. Just plain and boring books. 

Akmang isasara na niya ito nang mahagip niyang may kapirasong papel na nakaipit dito. It was a small piece of creamed paper. She squinted her eyes when the handwriting seemed familiar to her. 

By fate, I found you. In a world entire of chaos and uncertainty, I stumbled upon the serendipity of your presence. You were the missing piece that completed my puzzle, the melody that harmonized with the rhythm of my heartbeat. You, with your gentle spirit and contagious laughter, breathed life into my existence. 

-V.R

Felecity's forehead knotted. She was correct. She had seen Vladimir's handwriting when she visited his office. Maliban sa sulat kamay nito ay naroon pa nakalagay ang initials ng pangalan niya. Other than that, no one can be as poetic as him. His choices of words matched the Archduke. 

She felt like someone punched her in the chest. Her heart was being crumpled and torn into pieces. Since when did he start sending messages to the saintess? When did that bitch start to seduce her fiancée? 

Umusbong ang galit sa kaibuturan niya nang makitang hindi lang isang mensahe ang ipinadala rito kun'di marami pa. Nagngingitngit man sa pagkamuhi ay binuklat niya pa rin ang kapirasong papel upang basahin ang mga ito kahit na halos punitin na niya dahil sa gigil. 

Together, we will weather the storms that may come, holding hands as we navigate the tempestuous seas of life. We will celebrate the triumphs, reveling the sheer ecstasy of shared victories. And in the quiet moments of solitude, I will be the calm of your chaos, the refuge in your vulnerability. 

-V.R

Ang tanging nararamdaman niya lang ngayon ay selos at inggit. No matter how she tried to deny it to herself, she knew that every fiber of her being was being usurped by jealousy. She felt envious and insecure. Only a few know the Archduke was passionate about writing poems and paintings. She dreamed of being the Archduke's muse, the subject of his verses and arts. All she ever wanted was to be loved and appreciated by the man she had admired since she was young. 

And yet that opportunistic hoe got everything she wanted?

Hindi na niya napigilan pa ang sarili niya at pinunit ang maliit na papel na hawak niya. Filled with anger, she opened the drawers underneath the table, thinking there was more. Halos ihagis na niya ang laman ng underdrawer para lang hukayin ang mga ito. Alas, she found two scrolls in a hidden compartment. It looks like a paper ripped out on the sketchbook with a thin red ribbon tied to it. 

Pagbukas niya ay nakagat niya ang labi niya sa pagpipigil sa sariling hindi sumigaw sa frustrasyon. The first scroll she opened was a painting of a blonde-haired woman sitting on the rock near the lagoon. If she pictured out the painting, it was in the pavilion garden in the palace. Kahit likod lang ng babae ang nakikita niya ay nakakasigurado siya kung sino iyon. When she read the short poem beside the painting, the expression on her face darkened. 

"You snaky two-faced whore!" Impit niyang hiyaw sa inis. Dahil sa sama ng loob niya ay hindi niya namalayan ang paglabas ng luha sa mga mata niya. She was furious. 

Nang mabasa niya ang nilalaman ng tula ay hindi niya alam kung ano ang iisipin niya. Reading between the lines of his poems, she can't figure out if something happened between them or not. Imbis magalit kay Dimir ay umigting lang ang panga niya nang maisip ang santang 'yon. 

Naturingang santa pero nang-aahas ng fiancée ng iba? She knew something was wrong the moment she met her. Tunay nga na sa kabila ng santa-santita niyang imahe sa harapan ng maraming tao ay isa pala siyang mang-aagaw na uhaw sa lalaki! 

Fueled by rage, she opened the last scroll. Bumilis ang tibok ng puso niya nang makita kung ano ang nakaguhit doon. It was a painting of the saintess and the Archduke kissing on the bed with their lower body covered with a blanket while their upper body was naked. It looks like a depiction of two lovers sharing a passionate night. 

In the abyss of intimacy, we strayed
The world around us fading, love displayed
Beneath the cold breeze, our soul did ignite
Two souls entwined, sharing a sacred night

Hindi na niya tinapos pa ang pagbabasa rito dahil baka sa inis niya ay magwala siya rito sa templo. She could burn the temple to satiate her anger at the state she was in right now. Her cover as the kind-hearted princess will be blown if she does that. Not only would her image as a patriotic and God-fearing princess be shaded, but the relationship between the temple and the empire would be in peril. 

"I will make you pay for this, Clea." Nanlilisik mata nitong banta habang nakatingin sa malaking portrait nito na nakasabit sa pader. She wanted to burn it into shreds. 

"Just you wait and I will make sure you regret coveting what's mine!" puno ng puot nitong bulyaw habang nakakuyom ang kamay. 

Sa kabilang banda ay nakatulalang nakatingin si Dimir sa hardin ng kanyang mansyon. The whole empire is supposed to be in winter tide, but Alcanta was in summer. Sa katunayan ay marami na ang dumarayo rito simula noong mabalitaan na iba ang panahon sa kanyang lugar. Others who finds winter a bother came and reside in Alcanta for shelter. 

"So what about it?" Walang pakialam niyang bulalas habang inaayos ang specs sa mata niya. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbow as he tried to focus on the piled documents on his study table. 

"People of the empire have been bad-mouthing you for rebellion ever since the Lily of the Valley emerged in Alcanta." Problemadong wika ni Errol habang dala-dala ang kapirasong papel na nagsisilbing newspaper ng imperyo. 

"Look at this article, it says the hero of Khehan Empire who fought for peace will now become an enemy that would overthrow the current emperor." Binuklat ni Errol ang dyaryo sa harap ng binata at ipinakita rito ang artikulo na tinutukoy niya. Halos ingudngod na niya ito sa mukha ni Dimir pero hindi niya pa rin ito pinag-aksayahan ng oras para tingnan.

"Or this one that says the fall of the Household of Rognvaldur is near!" Tila ba maaaning na si Errol kakapaliwanag dito kung bakit dapat mabahala siya sa mga kumakalat na balita at haka haka patungkol sa mga kaganapan sa paligid niya. 

"Who wrote that bullshit?" Bumagsak na lang ang balikat ni Errol dahil sa naging sagot ng amo niya. Looking at the Archduke's reaction, not even a single knot on his forehead nor the slightest rising of his eyebrows was seen.

He simply doesn't care about everything they say. Kung titingnan ay walang epekto sa kanya ang balitang narinig. Maaliwalas ang mukha nito at walang problema. He never look at peace like this as before. 

"Sue the newspaper establishment that released that statement. Media should be presented with facts, not with opinions and nonsensical legends and myths," utos nito bago ilipat sa bagong pahina ang field report na binabasa nito. 

"Sue them? That appears as if we are guilty," anang ni Errol habang palipat-lipat ang tingin sa dyaryo at sa amo nitong sumisimsim ng kape. 

"We are clearing my name against their slander. If it reached the Emperor's ears, he would be wary of me again," maikli nitong sagot.

The House of Rognvaldur has gained wealth, power, and military support from the people in the empire, especially in the Eastern and Western borders. Alcanta can stand on its own without the help of the Emperor. Royalties hated it if there is someone and something in their Empire they couldn't control. That includes him as the Archduke of Alcanta who refuses to bow down and take orders from the Emperor. 

Even when he was engaged with the princess of the empire, the emperor could still not get his hands on him. This is why nobilities hated him because he was powerful that his arrogance and disregard displeases them. Hell, he cares anyway. He doesn't live to please them. 

"The Siren Daily is making a mass release of newspapers particularly about the Lily of the Valley and the strange phenomenon happening in our weather," payak na pagsasalaysay ni Errol. Dahil nawalan na siya ng pag-asa upang kumbinsihin siyang magkaroon ng pake sa balita ay pabagsak na lang itong umupo sa sofa habang hilot-hilot ang sentido. 

Dimir just shakes his head in disappointment. Media these days are fake news peddlers. They do everything for fame. Even more disappointing are people who believe everything without doing fact-checks. 

The phenomenon in which the weather in Alcanta became summer despite other sides of the empire suffering in winter appears as if the Gods blessed his land. The land was only blessed because the holy saintess' fruitful juices of essence scattered in Alcanta by drifting in the air. That's how the winter season took a massive change and became summer. 

 As for the emergence of the flower that was wiped out in the empire, he had no idea about it. However, his instincts tell him it has something to do with the saintess. He got a clue that his mana colliding with hers gave birth to a poisonous flower on the land. As for the reason why out of all flowers it was the Lily of the Valley was because the saintess have a vengeful and rebellious nature. But of course, he was not sure of that. 

Meanwhile, in the House of Orestilla, Clea stood in front of the old patriarch who tried to molest her. He was lying on the ground with blood all over his clothes. It wasn't his blood that was splattered on the floor or the bed sheets. It was Clea's blood. 

Her ridiculed laugh echoed in the four corners of the count's room. Binalot ng takot ang pagkatao ng konde dahil tila ba hibang na ang santang kaharap niya. The head priest did not tell him that the saintess was sick in the head. She was a deranged woman who didn't deserve her title as the innocent and pure prophet of the empire! She was a crazy psychotic bitch!

"You're making such a lovely expression, Count Orestilla," mapanguyam niyang panunudyo rito habang pinapanood ang konde na pilit na lumalayo sa kanya. A while ago he looks like a predator luring his prey, no he looks like a pitiful animal who can't do anything. 

A butterfly moth landed on her fingers. Tinitigan niya ito saglit. Half of the butterfly moth's wings were clear white, like a crystal, shimmered with silver glitters. The other half of the wing was pitch black, symbolizing the darkness of the night. Binalik ng dalaga ang atensyon niya sa konde. 

"I thought you were sick as if you're about to die, you got a lot of energy to try to escape," dagdag niya habang paunti-unting lumalapit dito na pinipilit buksan ang pinto. 

"Aren't you glad to see my body like this?" Clea raised the edge of her long white dress only to reveal her flawless skin full of long cuts and bruises. Blood was dripping from her legs down the floor. 

"You—!" Clea acted as if she was hurt. Inangat nito ang hawak na matulis na bloke ng yelo. The ice was shaped like a knife. Walang pag-aalinlangan nitong sinaksak ang sarili sa harapan ng konde. It was a minor stab wound that didn't run deep on her flesh, but enough to make her bleed. 

"Isa kang baliw!" aligagang sigaw ng matanda. Instead of feeling pain from the stab she inflicted to herself, she laughed. 

"Why are you so afraid? You won't touch me now that I'm damaged?" She continued to walk towards him. Bitbit pa rin nito ang isang matulis na yelo. May sugat ito sa magkabilang binti. Puno ng galos ang braso nito at may saksak  sa dibdib. She all did that to herself. 

"Look at me, Count Orestilla. Isn't this what the women you forced and raped look like?" Umiling ang matanda. 

"You hurt them until they can no longer move from the pain. That way you can do whatever you want with their bodies, right?" Malawak itong nakangisi sa kanya. 

Clea ripped the sleeves of her white dress, revealing her shoulders and collarbone. Hindi ito nakuntento at pinagpupunit rin ang dulo ng damit niya hanggang abot tuhod niya na lang ang haba nito. 

"Look at me, you disgusting prick!" Pinagdilatan niya ito ng mata. Nagulat ang konde nang makita na umaanhag ng kulay itim na enerhiya ang katawan nito. 

How can she emit a dark aura when she supposed to have a holy mana?

"Y-you are one of the fallens?!" Imbis sumagot ay ngisi lang ginanti ng dalaga. He looks so shock by seeing her emitting a dark energies on her body.

"That can't be! The temple needs to know that the saintess has become a Fallen Seraphim! You need to be executed to—" His statement was cut off when she started screaming at the top of her lungs. Sigaw na paniguradong dinig na dinig sa buong kabahayan. 

Her hair was a mess, and the sharp, icy dagger she used to stab herself melted. The evidence to prove his innocence vanished. Naiwan lang ang dalagang puno ng dugo ang katawan at punit-punit ang kasuotan. Her tears started streaming down her face. 

"Help! Help! The count is trying to rape me!" Lumakas lalo ang boses nito. She cried hard and slapped herself, leaving a red, uneven blush on her cheeks. 

"Please, help me! Ahh!" Habang nagsisigaw ito upang humingi ng tulong ay nakangisi ito sa konde. Her actions creeped him out. 

How can she—how can she go that far? What is she trying to do?

Inangat ng  dilag ang kaliwang kamay niya kung saan may umaanhag dito kulay itim na enerhiya. She motioned her hands to shove the count away from the door. Tumalsik ang matanda patungo sa kama nitong puno rin ng dugo. 

Clea went towards the door and banged her hands repeatedly as if she was desperately asking for help. "Please! Help me—" Alas! The doors opened! 

Pagbukas na pagbukas ng pinto ay umaktong natumba ang santa. She fell on a man's strong arms who caught her. Umangat ang tingin niya at sa kabila ng panlalabo ng mga mata niya sa mga pekeng luha ay nakikilala niya kung sino ito. A tall man with with a dark auburn hair and hypnotizing blue eyes. 

"You are—" Hindi na naituloy ng binata ang sasabihin niya nang makita ang sitwasyon ng babaeng kaharap. 

His eyes scanned her from head to toe and his jaw clenched. Tinapunan niya ng masamang tingin ang ama niyang hindi alam kung ano ang gagawin. He just sat on the corner of the bed, horrified. 

"S-save me, Levine." Those were the last words he heard before the woman lost consciousness in his arms. Niyapos niya ang katawan nitong lupaypay. 

Walang oras itong sinayang at kinarga ang babae sa kanyang mga bisig habang nagtatakbo sa pasilyo ng kanilang masyon. While the young man was nearly lost thinking that her life was in danger, the woman kept her face hidden in his chest—smirking at her deceitful act. 

She's Clea Vaisravana, a half-saint containing the power of dark and holy mana—the root cause of the chaos that will occur in the empire.

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