Hiraya (HEST #1)

Kabanata 37

Antagonist's Tale XXXVII: Greece & Physical needs

Good and Bad ending

One doesn't usually know what they'll get. Because we can only see a painting in its middle. A captured moment. A certain angle. Never the entire picture.

Ngunit alam ko na ang patutunguhan ng lahat ng ito. Alam ko na ang wakas para sa aming dalawa ni Seraphiel. Alam ko na kung ano ang sasalubong sa akin sa dulo ng bukiran.

What will welcome me at the end of the field isn't highways with cars, nor a hidden castle.

We're walking down the lane that will separate us. Our epilogue is already written. Permanence is no longer a bargain on the table.

For I am an antagonist. And even a fool knows that villains never get their happy endings.

Tatlong buwan. Labing-dalawang linggo. Siyamnapu't dalawang araw.

Iyon ang haba ng aming oras. That's the days of our honeymoon. That's the count of days to capture the truth from the flesh of my prey.

I have three months for hunting.

When we were young, we spent two summers travelling countries all over Asia. Our names were scattered across those lands. Ngayon, sa labing dalawang linggo ay tutungo kami sa labing dalawang bansa sa Europa. For our honeymoon, Seraphiel chose to spend it away from those marked countries.

Aking hinila ang manipis na tali, ang braso ay diretsong nakatutok sa aking tatamaan. The strings of the bow outlined the curve of my finger. Aking tinaas ang ulo, bago marahang binaba.

My eyes glinted, eyes like a hawk staring at the target, and then I released the arrow.

In full speed, the arrow ricochet towards the center of the target. Nagpapaikot ito sa ere habang diretsong nakamata sa tatamaan. At doon, mariin na sumuntok ito sa papel at sa kahoy.

Bull's eye.

Marahang pumalakpak ang mga tauhan at ang mga ginang na aking kasama.

Ngumiti ako sa kanila bago kumuha muli ng pana sa aking likuran at linagay sa bow.

My brown leather gloves welcomed the stretch of the string. My back is straight as I aim in a perfect stance. Ang aking tiyan ay mahigpit na balot ng kayumangging corset. The floor length cream sparked with gold lesage embroidery dress danced a little with the blow of the wind. My coffee brown hair was braided into a crown with gold accessories to accentuate them. The braid was tuck neatly in a bun above my neck.

Hindi kalayuan aming narinig ang mga putok ng baril.

Kasabay no'n ay aking pinakawalan ang pana at mabilis muli itong naglakbay sa era at tumama sa gitna.

Our first stop for our three months honeymoon is Athens, Greece.

Anim na araw kami nakatakda dito bago sa pang-siyam ay lilipad muli. Ito ang pang-apat na araw namin.

At sa apat na araw na iyon ay wala kaming ginawa kung hindi ang libutin ang mga lugar at makisalamuha sa aming mga kakilala.

Seraphiel would hardly look at me. Or talk to me beyond senseless tales. Or touch me more than public affection.

That wouldn't help me at all. Because I have to have sex with him.

Akin nang pinag-isipan kung ano ang kahinaan ng mga lalaki. At sa buong buhay ko ay dalawa lamang ang iyon: their ego and their libido.