Feint (Royal Society #3) COMPLETED

Chapter One

Chapter One

Embrace of Darkness

I shut my eyes close, refusing to see the scene in front of me. But it was just temporarily because I opened it upon hearing the panicked voices.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please calm down." They tried to hold my sister's arm to prevent her from falling but it looks like she wanted to follow Father's coffin.

I wanted to go to her but I can't. If I will, I have to leave Dan's side and she's seriously not in good condition right now. I am torn... 

"Go to Ate Hena." I looked at Dan and her face is stoic as she said that. She was just looking at Ate Hena's devastated situation. 

I grabbed her arm and faced her to me. "Are you sure?" 

Her emotionless face nodded at me before removing my hold. "I'm fine,"malamig niyang sabi. "Don't act like you're the older, we're twins. Nauna ka lang lumabas sa akin."

"Danae," I called but she ignored me and faced Father's coffin again.

Sighing, I left Danae. It's more like I wanted to leave her for her to breathe, even a little. Then I went to Ate Hena's side.

"Papa! No! You can't leave just like this! Paano na kami? Mama already left, pati ba naman ikaw? Just how we will live now?" She cried and tried to reach the coffin that was being placed in the tower of Imperial Tomb.

"Ate..." I called. "Stop acting like this. Papa won't come back even you cry a river."

"No... no..." She shook her head, refusing to accept the reality.

But she has to! No, she must overcome this! She is down, as well as Danae. How... how about me? I am the only sane between them, sane enough to act strong. But I'm reaching my limit. I also want to lean on someone because I'm also in pain.

This... this is just too sudden. We were just talking yesterday! We were even joking at each other, teasing Danae's future. We were... okay yesterday. How... how could he leave just like that?! How could he smile at us yesterday knowing it will be replaced by tears today? How could he tease us yesterday and let us mourn today?

Papa, you're so unfair!

 But I have to keep my shit together... no matter how difficult it is. "You're just making it worse for Danae, Ate Hena," I said, hoping that would snap her out of trance. 

And I was right. She stopped crying and looked behind me, to where Danae is. She was still standing where I left her... emotionless.  We have the same thing running in our mind, we're losing Danae.

Ate Hena rushed to Danae and shook her. It was a success because she looked at Ate Hena and spoke in quivering voice. "Ate..."

"Yes, I'm right here, Dan." She responded immediately.

"Why... why can't I feel anything?  You were both crying except me..."

"No, Danae. You're okay, hmm? Everything will be okay," she said before enveloping Danae in her arms.

I looked away because it pains me to see her like this. It was like we were back to square one, trying to break the ice around her. It was so difficult and only Papa managed to get inside. But he's gone and this was like a relapse on what happened to Mama. 

Danae is the most affected among us because she was the one who first saw Mama's cold body lying on the floor when she was four years old. It somewhat traumatized her but Papa was able to bring back the life in Danae's eyes.

Ate Hena guided her to Papa's coffin, hoping it would help Danae to let out her emotions. But as soon as we arrived, it only took a second before she fainted. I closed my eyes in despair, I don't know how to fix Danae.

It's frustrating because I am her twin, her other half, but I can't even help her. Seeing her back in her fragile state makes me want to blame Papa. He should not have left. He knew he was the only one keeping Danae at bay but he still left! 

I clenched my fist as I stared at Danae's pale face as she was checked by physicians. They rushed here upon the call of Ate Hena. And the reality sucked because they went here immediately because of Ate Hena, not because we were an Imperial Family.

Right. That would be gone as well lalo na wala na si Papa. This mansion... we have to evacuate as well. Thinking of that was like piercing my heart with thorn. 

I left the room and went to the library where Papa used to do his works. His smell is still in the room. I slowly glided my fingers to the books placed in the shelves. Danae was the one who arranged these by its author and title. Even by color if the author doesn't have another book in the shelf. 

She is that meticulous. Papa used to tease her because she likes to arrange the books but she never read any of them. She said it's boring and Papa got offended so he tried to read a book to her but she ran away. 

It was such a good memory. While I, on the other hand, prefers to read books. Kaya habang naghahabulan sila noon ay nagbabasa lang ako. It was a funny scene... and one of the most memorable.

I reached Papa's working table and saw his messy stuff. Papers were scattered all over the table and pens were placed on different sides of table kahit na meron namang pen holder sa harapan. He really is opposite of Danae.

As I read the papers which is mostly from the bureaus, my hand accidentally pushed something, causing it fall. 

It was a letter folded into three... and it has Papa's handwriting - neat and cursive.

"Papa..." I whispered before opening it with my shaking hands.

I wonder who got this letter? It will be either Sol because she was fixing my mess or Luna who went here because her sisters were both not in good shape. If this is Danae, then I want to tell you to stop crying. If this is Luna, then I want to tell you that thank you for being strong for your sisters.

I'm sorry for leaving you behind. But, I wanted to be with your mother now. I know my duty as your father doesn't end with ensuring Athena's future, pulling Sol out of her cave, and educating Luna. Hence, forgive me for being a lacking father. 

But no matter what happen, keep in mind that I will always love you with all my heart. Always, and don't ever forget that.

If you miss us, look up in the sky and let the darkness envelop you which will serve as our embrace.

I held the letter to my chest as I let my tears fall. Were you suffering alone throughout those years, Papa? Did you suffer silently for our welfare when all you want was to follow Mama? Were you living in pain in those years, Papa?

"Papa... Papa... Papa..."

My knees lost its ability to make me stand which resulted to my kneeling in the floor as I held Papa's letter to my chest. And upon seeing me like that, Ate Hena rushed and hugged me.

"I'm sorry for making you carry the burden, Luna," she whispered and caressed my hair. 

"Ate, it hurts. I want Papa back... I can't just let him leave without apologizing."

Because we were the only one holding him back from following Mama. He suffered alone and silently. He didn't lack anything! Because we are the lacking... not being able to notice how lonely he is without Mama.

"Shh. Papa knows for sure... he knows that. He is our mind-reader, right?" Ate Hena said as she wiped my tears.

"Luna... you know that I can't leave you behind as well as Danae now that Papa is gone, right? Kayo na lang ang pamilya ko and I can't afford to lose both of you as well."

"W-what are you trying to say, Ate Hena?"

She smiled at me. "I'm going to bring you to the East Palace."

***

Just a note: Athena and Luna's age gap is really, really long. It will be mentioned in the next chapters but consider this as a clarification :))