Chapter 43

Key

I couldn't explain this overwhelming feeling. From our carriage slow entrance inside the empire, greetings from the wonderful symbolisms of Gazellians, the warm welcome from Prince Zen and his daughter, the sincere smile from the goddess from the mirror, their warm eyes, Queen Talisha's presence that made my heart leap with heated my tears, and lastly the greatness of their King.

It was not about Evan's request, but it was all about the King's highly deserve respect that my own head bowed for him. My knees were shaking, my heart continued to hammer rapidly on my chest, my hands clasped together, and my lips were damn trembling.

I couldn't even look on his shadows!

Another batch of tears filled my eyes, the realization dawned upon me. This was not longer my world, a world that didn't even cross my mind on my years of noises, lights and parties, I was a wild woman who cared less other than my family but having this kind of family with their warmest welcome--Insecurities started to hover all over me. Did I deserve this?

I made Evan's goals slow, I was his failure, I was his threat for his promises and he even sacrificed his own safeness for me who did naught but her bad blood!

Tama ba itong ginawa ni Evan? I will bring chaos this his family!

"Put me down, my king. I should bow my head too!" I heard Divina's voice. Prince Zen cursed in his breath that moment he saw his daughter on the King's arms.

The Gazellians straightened themselves, tanging si Reyna Talisha lamang ang hindi yumuko sa kanyang anak.

"Divina, come here." Ibinaba ni Haring Dastan si Divina. He gave her a small smile before his eyes bore on my mine.

"I think you startled her, she looked uncomfortable." Kumento nang hari habang marahan na itong humahakbang patungo sa akin.

"It's not us, my king. It is your presence," Harper answered. Most the royalties inside nodded in agreement.

"This scene, he's not even handsome.." Rosh murmured from the corner of the room, and immediately sent both of his hands on air when the Gazellians, except Dastan sneered on him.

"Oh, Prince Rosh! You're still here!" regret registered on Prince Rosh's face when Divina started to walk closer to him.

Tuluyan nang nawala ang atensyon ko sa lahat nang nakapaligid sa amin nang sandaling tuluyan nang makalapit sa akin ang tinitingalang hari ng lahat. The room went utterly silent and all I could was his powerful presence, just like Evan's amazing stories about him.

"Even the most influential royalties would never dare disregard my king's presence, and I am very much willing to have their head on air when they tried to. They should bow to my king, they should respect my brother. Ah, how I missed his damn rolling eyes."

"M-My king-" I stuttered, when I tried to give him another bow, he immediately caught my right hand. Just like Prince Zen, he brought the back of my hand on his lips with his slight bent body while his other hand on his back.

"A pleasure to meet my brother's unlucky mate, Dastan-" his siblings interjected him.

"King," King Dastan cleared his throat.

"King Dastan Lancelot Gazellian, King of Parsua Sartorias. My apologies for my brothers and sister's behavior." No words came out from my mouth, and all I could I was to just stare at him. Utterly amazed!

Evan is deliciously hot! Rosh is a charming prince! Prince Zen is radiating handsome! But King Dastan, h-he's more than oppa!

I heard chuckles, a second later.

"I remember this similar scene, Lily." Caleb muttered with grin on his face.

"Very clear," Lily seconded.

"Why the hell are you blushing, Claret?" I heard Prince Zen's voice with irritation.

"Because Evan's mate is giving us the same scene happened long years ago, parehong-pareho sila ni Claret nang una nilang nakita si kamahalan!" Caleb blurted out with laughter.

"Lesser your charm, my king. Evan will not appreciate it." Casper said formally.

"As well as the sulking Rosh hiding somewhere, being chased by Divina. He thinks he's the prettiest." Dagdag ni Lily.

"What? Hindi ba at siya ang kailangang kausapin ni kamahalan? Zen your daughter! Go get her."

"Our daughter, Claret." Pagtatama ng prinsipe ng mga nyebe. "And please do not forget that you were the who approved Divina's crazy admiration toward Rosh."

The sound of laughter rang inside the room. But the Queen gave her whisper to her son, Dastan.

"We better settle this on table, son. I'll tell Adam to dismiss the twins, and of course that little Divina. She is really like her father when he was younger."

"Yes," saglit sumulyap sa akin si Haring Dastan bago nito binigyan ng atensyon ang lahat ng mga bampira. He announced that we need to proceed to their royal table for the urgent meeting.

Not a moment later, Prince Zen and Prince Rosh joined the table. Prince Zen with brows crossed, and Prince Rosh with exasperated look.

"That's my little niece for you, the father and the best friend, both messed." They both darted their look on Caleb, murderous.

Napuno muli ng saglit na tawanan ang buong lamesa, magsasalita pa sana si Caleb nang isang tikhim mula kay kamahalan ang nagpatahimik sa lahat.

"Would you like to offer us a drink? Actually, we travelled far from Deltora to your empire." Tumayo si Kalla at Claret.

"Of course, we're both willing to serve you, Prince Rosh." Sagot ni Kalla.

"Where's the servants?" nagtatakang tanong ni Rosh.

"We dismissed them to avoid the spill of information, your urgent appearance with Evan's mate requires privacy." Rosh gently nodded.

Iniwan kami ni Kalla at Claret para maghanda ng inumin at isa lang ang ibig sabihin nito, nag-iisa ako kasama ng mga Gazellian. And of course, I'm with Rosh.

"First, we are confused Rosh. How the hell did you-"

"Three women from your empire ambushed my decent vacation." He sneered on Lily. Tumaas lamang ang kilay ng prinsesa.

"I am one of those ambushers brothers, Harper and mother."

"Why didn't you tell us? Why him?" Finn growled.

"Says the vampire who ran away from the university. Hindi man lang pumasok sa isip kong lumapit sa'yo, Finn. To ask an insane brother to knock off another insane brother is not wise at all." Umawang ang bibig ni Finn sa sinabi ni Lily.

"Burned and toasted." Caleb commented.

"Then you could have asked me or Dastan! Why Rosh?"

"Says the vampire who couldn't stay away from his wife for more than an hour, yes, you're perfectly fit to knock Evan to his senses, pero baka tuluyan mo ang kapatid natin. Useless help."

"Another toasted idiot." Caleb said with his grin. Kanina pa itong nakatatanggap nang nakamamatay na titig sa kanyang mga kapatid.

"You couldn't expect me to ask the King! He will definitely raise a damn war, katulad nang ginawa niya noon sa akin! While Casper, I'm afraid he'll take Evan's side, the traitor."

"Probably," sagot ni Casper.

"Then what about me?" tanong ni Caleb.

"Of course, you're an idiot! Why would I ask you?"

"He's not even in the options, eh?" sagot ni Finn.

"I already expected that." Zen added.

"What the hell? Evan is also my brother! Of course, I am willing to help him. Lily!" Caleb snapped.

Muli pa sanang magtatalo ang magkakapatid nang muling tumikhim ang si Haring Dastan at pinagpatuloy ni Lily ang pagpapaliwanag.

"Kalla, Claret and I, forced Rosh to enter the university. Because Cora, for all we know is a daughter of a goddess, a friend of Kalla and a fellow enchantress like Claret, had her vision. Kaunti lang ang naipakita sa amin ni Cora dahil may kung anong humaharang sa kanya sa unibersidad, but we found out that Evan locked his own mate inside a prison cell."

Napatayo si Zen, Finn, Casper at Caleb sa sinabi ni Lily. Habang ako ay pilit itinungo ang sarili na may mga kamay na nakakuyom sa aking kasuotan.

"He did? For what?"

"I will definitely kill the woman if Evan prisoned her because she was caught having an affair, but it was the other way around." Sa pagkakataong ito ay si Reyna Talisha ang napatayo.

"Evan got an affair?"

"N-No! Nagkakamali po kayo, it was a mistake. H-He did it for me-" tumayo na rin si Haring Dastan para alalayan ang kanyang ina.

"An affair for you? What the hell is happening with Evan?!" tanong ng prinsepe ng mga nyebe.

"My Queen, your highness, please calm down. It was just an act, Evan made it appear like an affair to hide his deeper secret. He's keeping Naha's identity for her safeness." Paliwanag ni Rosh.

"What is the connection of her identity to Evan's farce affair? Oh! I'm really sorry, hija." Hindi na nagpaalalay kay Haring Dastan ang reyna at lumapit ito sa akin. Tumabi ito sa akin at marahan niyang hinawakan ang kamay ko.

She probably remembered her past, I could see in her eyes the genuine concern. But you experienced much pain, my Queen..

"He prisoned his own mate to distance her from everyone, even with her own sister. Evan let his own mate thought that he's keeping both of his mistress and his own mate. Hinayaan niyang masaktan si Naha habang iniisip na may iba siyang babae, he tainted Naha's trust for him to cover up his real reason. Hindi niya gustong mag-isip pa ng ibang dahilan si Naha, but that didn't end up that way. Because his sister, Kalla and Claret barged into my empire, forced me to enter a painting which was a path to the university, met these alive paintings with some ideas of Evan's plans and then we went outside, I interrupted in the scene." Mahabang paliwanag ni Rosh.

Nanatiling nakatitig sa kanya ang mga Gazellian. "But what about her identity?" nagtatakang tanong ni Caleb.

Huminga ako nang malalim, ito marahil ang dahilan kung bakit hindi ako nagkaroon ng pagkakataong ipakilala ang sarili ko sa kanilang lahat. Nangangatal ang mga tuhod ko habang pilit tumatayo sa kanilang harapan.

"M-Mga mahal na prinsesa, prinsepe, mahal na reyna, Haring Dastan-" I gave them the short bow.

"S-Shalani Nahara Carvajal," mas dumiin ang titig nila sa akin, alam kong naghihintay pa sila sa mas mabigat na lalabas sa aking bibig.

"D-Dating nanirahan sa mundo ng mga tao, lumaking may pag-iisip ng isang tao ngunit purong dugong bampira. I am the last existing vampire, from the bloodline of the cruel king of the seven high thrones. The only born daughter in their bloodline." The Queen gasped with both of her hands on her mouth, eyes both filled with tears and tremor.

Tuluyan nang natulala ang magkakapatid na Gazellian. By the look in their faces, I already got it, they are one of those vampires who truly believed in the werewolf's trustworthy history.

Tama bang sabihing galing ito sa nakaraan sa pagitan ng alitan ng mga bampira at lobo? The history of the seven high thrones and the unlucky goddess was not all about the feud of the two creatures! Dahil parte lamang ang alitan sa pagitan ng lobo at bampira! It was bigger than that!

Hanggang sa makarinig din kami nang sunod-sunod na pagbagsak ng mga kopita. It was Kalla and Claret, awfully looking shocked. Yes, they knew about Pearl but only Rosh had the idea of everything about the happening inside the university.

"W-What? How?" hindi makapaniwalang sabi ni Caleb.

"That's the reason why, Evan was restraining you away from your identity because your bloodline was being chased!" marahan akong tumango sa sinabi ni Lily.

Bumalik na sa lamesa si Claret at Kalla, katulad din ng mga Gazellian ay hindi rin ang mga ito makapaniwala sa kanilang naririnig.

"But how did you find out that you are part of the bloodline? Paano nalaman ni Evan?"

"My sister, Pearl happened to know everything. But she refused to tell me everything, like Evan." Sa pagkakataong ito ay si Rosh naman ang tumango sa sinabi ko.

"We should ask Cora's presence, she'll help us." Tumango si Dastan sa sinabi ni Kalla.

"I'll join you, Kalla."

"No, you need to stay here Finn." Si Claret muli ang tumayo at sinamahan si Kalla. Saglit sa kanyang sumulyap ang prinsipe ng mga nyebe at tumango rin ito.

Rosh and I continued to answer their questions. Nagsisimula na akong kabahan kung dapat ko bang sabihin kung sino ang ama ko, Danna is a very sensitive topic for Gazellians, lalo na sa reyna.

Ikinuwento ko sa kanila sa pinakamadaling paraan ang buong pangyayari simula nang dalhin ako ni Pearl sa unibersidad, buhayin ni Evan ang natutulog kong bampira hanggang sa atakehin kami ng sunod-sunod na problema.

"We had the wedding and he gave me this," itinuro ko ang bato ko sa aking noo.

"Y-You what?" tanong ni Caleb.

"Wedding," ngiting sabi ko.

"Oh no way," Lily rolled her eyes. "Gazellian and his own way of rituals! What now this time?"

Narinig kong tumawa ang prinsipe ng mga nyebe. "Too lucky, my mate is not around."

"W-Why?" I asked in confusion. Sabay-sabay umiling ang mga Gazellian.

"Let's get back to her story," tipid na sabi ng hari. Tumango ang kanyang mga kapatid.

"We're all aware that there's someone who did escape from their bloodline, and until now he's unnamed and being hunted." Panimula ni Casper. "He was the one who brought you in human world?" tanong nito sa akin.

Umiling ako. "Pinalaki kami ni Pearl ng mga Middelei, they gave us the different a story. I've never met my father."

"So in other words, it was just Evan and your sister named Pearl probably had the idea about your father." Dagdag ni Harper.

"But why that damn Evan is hiding Naha away from her father!? We could have help each other." Gigil na sabi ng prinsipe ng mga nyebe.

"Help him?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko.

Are they going to present these words again after learning about my father's identity? If they discovered that my father was Danna's almost mate?

"Of course, Gazellians never agreed with their bloodline execution. Kailanman ay hindi nagpadala ng mga kawal ang emperyong ito para sa mga ekspidisyong humahabol sa kanilang lahi. We maybe always ready for war, but we spare the innocents. Bloodline is not a good reason at all!" sabi ni Lily.

"Evan has a deeper reason on why he would choose to hide you away from your own father, Naha." Mahinang sabi ng hari.

"Dahil kahit saang anggulo tayo tumingin, Naha's father could be our accomplice!" Caleb said.

"Evan's smart, hindi niya ilalayo si Naha kung alam niyang walang mangyayari. What if her father has something to do with Naha's safeness?" tanong ni Casper.

"A very good reason, I'll definitely do the same. But not in the prison, inside my room, of course." Sabat ng prinsipe ng mga nyebe.

"Her father wanted to hurt her?" tanong ng reyna.

Gazellian shrugged their shoulders. "That's why we need to find out." Tipid na sabi ni Haring Dastan.

Pansin ko na ilang beses sumulyap sa akin si Rosh, maybe he was assessing some of my explanations. I hope he should understand, I don't want to ruin everything by just telling them about my father's relation with their King's first love!

"But it is really interesting that Evan gave his full trust on you." Sumulyap ang hari kay Rosh.

"Because I acted in front of him like I was being manipulated. For all you know, I never let any Gazellians except of course to you, Queen Talisha, to grace me with superiority. I perfectly played with him, until I deceived him, ran away with his mate for of course to betray him and tell everyone the truth." Naalarma ang mga Gazellian sa sinabi ni Rosh.

"Is he well?" tanong ni Lily.

"Terribly no," muling suminghap ang reyna.

"I was instructed that I should keep my mouth shut, I agreed, and I showed him how I sympathized his plans, greatness and such, but it was actually foolish."

Silence lingered around the table as we waited for Rosh's statement.

"His plan is to crash the university down."

"It is his plan from the very start." Sagot ni Caleb.

"Without any kind of traces, including him."

Nakarinig ako nang sunod-sunod na mura mula sa magkakapatid na Gazellian. The only remained compose were the sisters, the king and the Queen.

"What the hell is wrong with him, Dastan?! I thought you've talked to him before you sent him away." Tanong ni Zen.

"Of course, I talked to him before they left. Kinausap ko rin si Finn bago sila umalis ni Evan, look what happened." Saglit inubo si Finn sa sinabi ni Haring Dastan.

"But I am not satisfied with the information, you are not telling us more. Prince Rosh, from Deltora." King Dastan said with his more intimidating tone.

Bago pa man may sabihin si Rosh ay kusa ko nang ibinuka ang bibig ko. "My father who happened to be the last vampire who did escape from that chain of deaths was also happened to be Danna's almost mate."

Muling natahimik ang mga Gazellian sa sinabi ko. "Maybe it was the very reason why Evan tried to hide me away from my own father and he never dared assume that he would go with your side."

"Because our dearest father snatched his beautiful mate away from him. Of course, he'll not help us." Zen said with bitterness.

"Zen Lancelot Gazellian!" mataas na boses ni Haring Dastan ang umalingawngaw sa buong lamesa.

"I'm sorry, my king..mother.."

Bumuntong hininga ang natititang Gazellian dahil sa nangyari. "But he's partly true, brothers." Si Lily lamang ang nagkaroon ng lakas ng loob magsalita matapos ang pagsigaw ng hari.

"Rosh, I don't have any patience right now."

"His urge to crash the university down was ignited by his own discovery. Of course, we all knew that Evan even gave Claret a letter before, when he found out the way to bring Zen back to his awful life. He deciphered a lot of mysteries inside the university and as a better prince I led him to believed that he was gaining my full support."

"Enough with your righteousness, Le'Vamuievos." King Dastan gritted his teeth.

"He discovered the way to free the goddess from the history who were historical dead by the eyes of the many, escaped by the eyes of some, but locked by the eyes of few."

"But she's all that, right?" tanong ni Casper.

"An answer coming from another smart, Gazellian. I have this inkling that you think better than Evan."

"Of course, Prince Rosh." Tipid na sagot ni Casper.

"Yes, she escaped and was locked by her own power but considered dead for her presence and her power was being captured and manipulated."

"Inside the university," sabi ni Zen.

"We all have that idea."

"And her key?" tanong ni Haring Dastan.

Ilang saglit natahimik si Rosh, bago nito ibinagsak ang mga salitang tuluyang nakapagpatigil sa sistema ko.

Gazellian eyes flew on me. Their faces unreadable.

"A dying tear from the last surviving reason of her tragedy."