Daughter Of Dusk And Dawn

66.

I am aware of the scrutinizing look the queen had been giving me. Mas lalo tuloy sumikip ang silid. Gayunpaman ay hindi ako nagtangkang salubungin ang kanyang mga tingin. There was something very unnerving and uncomfortable about her, the way she looked at everyone as though she did not trust a single soul.

She sat across the room, her chair grand albeit nothing like her throne. She had her ladies-in-waiting about her, hovering around like pet birds.  

"Do not mind her," the princess said. "She'd always been like that," she added dismissively as though that would make the  uncomfortable gazes the queen was throwing at me less unbearable.

I smiled weakly at her. Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin kaya't nanatili akong tahimik.

Princess Yvana seemed to not have seen that. Nagpatuloy ito sa pagdaraldal sa akin. "So you've been in the city circle?"

Tumango ako. Mukhang interesado ang prinsesa sa naganap sa gitna ng syudad.

"And how was it, how was the people?" nakataas-kilay niyang tanong.

Kumunot ang noo ko. How was the people? "Angry," I croaked. The images of the people flashed in my head, their gritted teeth and clenched fists as they urged for the execution of the Lirean slaves. 

"Hindo mo sila masisisi," Yvana said, more to herself. She sat beside me, fixing her skirts to her comfort. "These rebellion is getting out of hand. People are bound to be angry when the nation is threatened by a false prince. They are being robbed of justice."

Iniwas ko ang tingin ko sa prinsesa. Hindi ako tumugon. Pinaglaruan ko ang aking mga daliri. 

Yvana chuckled. Napukaw noon ang atensyon ko. Anong nakakatawa?

She looked at me with amusement. "You don't agree?" it was more of a statement than a question. 

Hindi na niya na kailangan ipaliwanag ang ibig sabihin noon. Robbed of justice. I don't think princess Yvana really knows how deep and complex the situation was. People were mad because of the lie Lord Areling created, and the rebels are determined to their cause. 

"Well, I supposed it doesn't matter. Not anymore, at least," she added dismissively, clearly not wanting to discuss the idea further.

Nakahinga ako nang maluwag sapagka't hindi ko na kailangang sagutin ang tanong na iyon. 

Hindi na nagsalita pa ang prinsesa. Nanatili itong nakaupo sa tabi ko, lunod sa isipan. Bumalik ako sa pagyuko, nilalaro ang mga sariling daliri. Pansin ko pa rin ang tingin ng reyna. 

I ignored her. 

I ignored everything.

***

WHEN prince Gestalt came back, Arianne and Cheena was not with him. Halos anim na oras na kaming nanatili sa silid. Tatlo silang pumasok, sa likuran nila ay naiwang ang grupo ng mga kawal. Isinara ang batong pinto. 

Kaagad na napatayo ang reya at prinsesa sa pagpasok ni haring Titus. Niyakap ng reyna ang hari. Nasa tabi niya si Lord Areling, na tulad ng dati ay may hindi mabasang ekspresyon sa mukha. Hindi ako nito tinapunan ng tingin. Bagkus ay alam nito ang presensya ko. 

Si prinsipe Gestalt ang huli kong nakita. Gulo na ang buhok nito at halatang natuyuan ng pawis. I looked at him baffled. He did not make his promise. He lied. 

Hindi ko ikakaila. I am disappointed. However, not that I expected that high of him anyways. I should have known better.