Chapter 36

Necklace and fears

"I'm sorry, Evan. Hindi na kita iiwan pa mahal na prinsipe." I cupped his face to meet his gaze. But I was answered by his infamous speculative eyes, like he was looking for something that he wanted to know without even breathing a single word.

I anticipated for his words, waited for his questions and few hints of everything that he had been hiding from me, but Evan Lancelot Gazellian wouldn't be considered as one of the wisest existing vampires if an ex human girl would predict and trap him through his words.

Hindi ko makakalimutan ang reaksyon niya nang sandaling agawin ako ng mga larawan mula sa kanya. It was the very first time that I've witnessed him with fears in his eyes.

Ano ang bagay na matinding kinatatakutan ni Evan sa loob ng mga larawan?

"You've returned," he whispered as his thumb caressed my cheeks. I closed my eyes leaned my face more on his hand to feel more of his touch. "What happened to you?" I asked with pain on my throat.

"It's been four years, Naha." My chest tightened and my tears started to flow.

Nagsimula na akong malito, the painting mentioned me about Evan and his continued plan. But what the hell is this? It was the same Evan I left when they abducted me!

Ano na ang nangyari sa mga plano niya? The underworld that he created, the rebellion that he was plotting to raise, the deceiving image that he casted for years and his promises that he has been trying to fulfill.

I've ruined everything.

"Evan..hon.." nagsimulang umangat ang aking mga kamay para isa-isahing tanggalin ang aking kasuotan halos mangatal ang aking mga daliri sa pagmamadali. He needs to drink my blood.

"D-Drink from—" I was preparing for his fangs to devour on me, but it was his lips who have its first feast for the long years of my absence. My back landed on the cold floor, my hairs spread like a blood flowing in canal of sands and our hands intertwined as our bodies made a lustful rub igniting our years of longing passion.

His lips covered mine with hunger and aggressiveness, but when I was about to give in and close my eyes, an exaggerated cough interrupted us. Natigil ang kanyang mga halik at kapwa kami lumingon sa prinsipeng kasalukuyang magkadaop ang mga kamay mula sa kanyang likuran habang tahimik na nakatitig sa isang painting.

"Mukhang kaiba ang naririnig kong balita tungkol sa'yong dibdibang pag-aaral, ikalimang prinsipe ng Sartorias." I saw how Evan gaped in surprise when he recognized the prince.

"What are you doing here, Rosh?"

"Your sister, Lily sent me here." Tipid na sagot nito.

Inalalayan ko si Evan sa pagtayo habang nakangiwing nakatitig sa amin si Rosh. "Magkapatid nga kayo ni Zen."

"Paano ka nakarating dito? Ang mga bampirang walang kakayahang mag-isip ay hindi nararapat sa loob ng lugar na ito." Nagsimula na kaming maglakad ni Evan at sumunod sa amin si Rosh.

"Sa tingin mo ba ay may maganda nang itinakbo ang 'yong pag-iisip sa nakalipas ng siyam na taon, Prinsipe ng Sartorias?"

"You talked like you knew something, Rosh." Evan laughed with a mock.

"Ah, I knew everything Gazellian."

Bago pa kami makarating sa underworld, nakailang batuhan pa ng mga salita si Evan at Rosh. At wala kahit isa sa kanila ang gustong magpatalo. Simula nang pumasok ako sa unibersidad, wala pang bampira ang kayang tumagal sa pakikipagsagutan kay Evan sa loob ng mahabang minute, pero ngayon ay nakikilala ko na ang bampirang maaaring sumagot kay Evan sa kanyang bawat salita.

"I am not here for you, Gazellian. I am here before Lily, Kalla and Claret did ambush me. They asked me to help your mate who was trapped inside the painting."

Nang sandaling makapasok kaming muli sa underworld, agad ang mga itong yumuko para bigyang galang si Evan. Inasahan ko na ang malaking pagbabago dahil sa apat na taong pananatili ni Evan sa harap ng painting, pero habang pinagmamasdan ko ang buong lugar hindi man lang ako makakita ng bago.

It was the same underworld four years ago. Sino ang namahala dito sa loob ng apat na taon habang hinihintay ako ni Evan?

Sinalubong kami ng isang matandang bampira at hinatid kami nito sa isang silid na may naghihintay na hindi kahabaang lamesa. Evan sat on the edge of the table, ganito rin si Rosh habang nasa gitnang upuan ako.

Two vampires served as chalice and bloods, gusto ko man magmumula sa akin ang dugong iinumin ni Evan, pinili ko munang ipagpaliban ito dahil alam kong may importante silang pag-uusapan ni Rosh.

"I heard everything from your mate, do you think your plan is suicide?

"Gazellian's plans are always suicide, Rosh." Hindi sumagot si Rosh at sumipsip muna ito ng dugo.

"Kung sabagay, Gazellian is the family of suicidal."

"I couldn't argue with that."

"By the way, I shouldn't forget about this first. You have a message from your dearest sister, Lily." Muntik nang maibuga ni Evan ang dugong iniinom niya nang marinig niya ang pangalan ng kanyang kapatid.

"Don't mention it, Rosh." Pansin ko na saglit na sumulyap sa akin si Evan.

Tumaas ang kilay ni Rosh nang napansin niyang bahagyang nataranta si Evan.

"Hon, I think you need to rest. You can wait inside our room, kailangan lang namin mag-usap ni Rosh." Narinig kong tumawa si Prinsipe Rosh.

"Ano daw ang sinasabi mong hindi mababaliw sa babae? Isa ka daw malaking gago." Napapikit na si Evan at marahan niyang minasahe ang kanyang noo na parang may bigla itong naalala sa mga sinabi ni Rosh.

"Did you vow something like that before, Evan?" tanong ko.

"W-What? No, hindi ko alam ang sinasabi niya. Rosh! What are you talking about? Huwag mong idadamay sa mga sinasabi mo si Lily. She is not like that."

"She is not like that? Are you mocking your own sister? Kilala nating lahat si Lily, that blunt princess. She even told me that I should find a sofa or any kind of chair to throw on your face." Umawang ang bibig ko sa sinabi ni Rosh.

Bigla kong naalala ang ipinakita sa akin ng mga larawan sa malaking plato. It was really requested by his own sister.

"Now back with the question, what was really your plan, Evan? Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, ilang buwan na lang ay katapusan na ng isang daang taong pag-aaral sa bawat bampirang nagnanais maging konseho. We're both aware that you are planning for a mass execution. But seeing your underworld right now, feeling the presence of your vampires, no one is capable enough to handle a single counsel. Nababaliw ka na." Naningkit ang mga mata ni Evan sa sinabi ni Rosh.

Buong akala ko ay sasagot na ito sa prinsipe, pero sa akin lumingon si Evan.

"Ano pa ang mga sinabi sa inyo ng mga larawan, paano kayo nakasisiguro na sa atin ang panig nila at hindi sa unibersidad na ito?"

"They told me everything, Evan! Everything that you refused to tell me. Sa tingin mo ba ay sino ang paniniwalaan ko? Ang mga nilalang na may mga bagay at sitwasyong ipinaliliwanag sa akin o ang lalaking mahal ko na hanggang ngayon ay wala pa rin balak ibahagi sa akin ang lahat?"

Prince Rosh is now starting to tap his fingers.

"Tell us everything Evan, and we will help." Seryosong sabi nito.

"Don't you ever interfere here, Le'Vamuievos. Nasa teritoryo kita." Matigas na babala ni Evan.

Prince Rosh crossed his legs, settled one of his elbows on his arms rest and leaned his face on it with a grin.

"Eh? You don't threaten me Gazellian. I could drag your mate inside the painting and save her away from your selfish drowning mind." Naalarma na ako nang ilang beses nagpatay-buhay ang mga ilaw dahil sa kuryenteng naapektuhan mula sa kakayahan ni Evan. While Prince Rosh is now holding his famous rose.

"Tell me Rosh, why are you here? Hindi ako naniniwalang magtutungo ka dito para lamang sa tatlong babae mula sa Sartorias. There is only one vampire I knew that would be willing to do everything just to answer his mere curiosity, even if it cost his own life. What now this time, Le'Vamuievos?" hindi na tumigil sa iisang direksyon ang aking mga mata dahil sa palitan ng kanilang mga salita.

Isang malakas na halakhak ang isinagot sa amin ni Rosh, bago ito tumayo dala ang kanyang kopita.

"Hindi na ako nagugulat na mabilis mong nalaman ang pakay ko." Nanatili itong nakatalikod sa amin at ngayon naman ay nakatitig siya sa panibagong painting.

"You can deceive the different empires of Parsua, Rosh. But not the eyes of the Gazellian, hangal ka man sa mata ng nakararami, na siyang isa sa pinaka malaking kalinlangan sa ating emperyo, tandaan mong hinding-hindi nito malilinlang ang mata ng aking pamilya. What are you up to? Hindi mo ba alam na ang presensiya mo ay isang malaking kahadlangan sa aking mga plano."

"Hadlang nga ba ako? O may bagay kang itinatago na maaaring malaman ko at umabot sa babaeng umaasang babahagihan mo ng nalalaman mo?"

"You have nothing to do with me and Naha, Rosh." Madiing sabi ni Evan.

Nagkibit balikat si Prinsipe Rosh bago ito muling humarap sa amin.

"I was merely curious about the painter, Evan. Kalla told me that the painting was twenty four, dalawampu't tatlo ang nasa loob ng unibersidad na ito at ang ika dalawampu't apat ay nasa kaharian ng Deltora. But my curiosity turned deeper when the paintings told us that the stranger who brought them inside this university was your father. Isa lang ang ibig sabihin nito, your father gave us the painting, to my father, to my empire. What for? To help your mate against those paintings for the future? I was sure the moment I entered inside the painting, hindi nila sasaktan si Naha. They scared her, but they didn't really intend to hurt her, dahil kung masasama sila sinaktan rin nila si Kalla noon pa man." Huminga ako nang malalim sa mahabang sinabi ni Rosh.

Totoo ang sinabi niya, tinakot man ako ng mga larawan pero hindi ako nakaramdam sa kanila ng panganib. Pero katulad ni Evan ay masyado ring maingat ang mga ito, alam kong may hindi rin nila sinabi sa amin ni Rosh.

"Evan, they told me everything about Circa. She's one of them and she's helping you to communicate with them. I'm so sorry for doubting you, hon, but should you blame me? Sinadya mong ito ang paniwalaan ko. Rosh was right, you're hiding something bigger that you even risk your own image to hid it away from me. What was that liquid for, Evan? Bakit pilit mo itong ipinainom sa akin at hinayaan akong tingnan ito bilang likidong nakita ko sa nakaraan?" tuluyan nang natulala si Evan sa aming dalawa ni Rosh.

Prince Rosh and I never talked about our own opinion before we went out of the painting. Pero halos magtugma ang mga iniisip namin.

The painting, Evan's secret, King Thaddeus and his reason for bringing the painting inside the university, the connection with Rosh and the empire of Deltora and lastly the painter. They were connected, pero hindi ko alam kung papaano ito pagtutugma-tugmain!

The paintings and Evan, they are not cooperating! Alam kong hindi nila sinasabi ang lahat.

We should start from the possible beginning. Hindi kay Haring Thaddeus, sa mga painting at sa dahilan kung bakit may itinirang larawan sa Deltora, but it's all started with the painter!

The paintings were created for what? Why King Thaddeus brought them here? Who was the painter? Was it King Thaddeus, pero bakit niya pinalabas sa mga painting na hindi siya ang gumuhit sa kanila?

"Let me ask you something Evan, kilala mo ba ang maestrong totoong nagmamay-ari sa mga larawan ng unibersidad?" diretsong tanong ko kay Evan.

Posible namin malaman ang lahat kung uumpisahan namin sa bampirang gumuhit sa mga buhay na painting. Kung nagsasabi sila ng totoo at hindi nila nakikilala ang sariling lumikha sa kanila, papaano nila nakilala si Haring Thaddeus?

"Paano ko makikilala ang kanilang maestro? I didn't even know that my father brought those paintings here! They might be lying!"

"No, Evan, they are not lying about your father." Nangangatal ang mga kamay kong inilabas ang kwintas na ibinigay sa akin ni Haring Thaddeus.

"Your father gave me this, Prince Evan."

For the second time in the history, I saw fears in my mate's eyes. Napahawak ito sa lamesa bilang suporta habang nanlalaki ang mga mata nito sa kwintas na hawak ko.

"R-Remove that fucking necklace, Naha!"