Crown Series #1: Diadem

Chapter One

Why am I feeling so cold? Is this what you feel when you are dead already?

"Princess Lacy..." may tumatawag sa akin na siyang nagpakunot sa aking noo. Binalewala ko lamang iyon dahil baka nagkakamali lamang ako ng rinig.

"Lacy..."

"Princess..."

"Young..."

"...lady..."

No matter what I do to disregard those voices, there is only one thing I keep on hearing, and that is my name. Sinubukan kong buksan ang mga mata ko pero hindi ko magawa dahil pakiramdam ko sobrang bigat nito. I want to see who it was but as I kept on forcing my eyes to open, the more it becomes heavier and painful.

Tinangka ko namang ibuka ang bibig ko at sinubukan kong magsalita pero walang boses na lumabas roon. My mouth is dry and it's also painful, it felt like I came from a long journey. I am so thirsty.

"Lacy... wake..." I shook my head and tried to shake that voice out of my head.

"Lady... Lacy... wake up..." I tried to groan but there wasn't even a single sound that came out. Then I felt someone shake me up and slightly slap my cheeks.

"Lacy!" Napabangon naman ako sa gulat nang biglang may malakas na umalog sa dalawa kong balikat, na siyang dahilan ng aking pagkagising.

Wait... gising ako? Paano? Hindi ba namatay na ako? Bakit...?

"My lady!" sigaw ng mga taong nakapaligid sa akin. Bahagyang sumakit pa ang ulo ko at bangag pa sa nangyayari sa paligid ko. Lumapit naman sila sa akin kasabay ng paglibot ng aking mata sa silid kung nasaan ako.

As far as I can remember I already died... then how come I am still alive?

Tinignan ko naman isa-isa ang mga maid na nakapaligid sa akin at may nagtangkang lumapit sa akin pero kaagad ko siyang binulyawan na huwag lumapit sa akin, na siyang dahilan ng pagsakit ng aking ulo.

I looked at my trembling hands and they looked so delicate and young. I immediately jump out of the bed and shove all those maids to get out of my way. Kaagad akong naghanap ng salamin at nang makakita ako ng human-sized mirror kaagad kong tinignan ang sarili ko.

And to my horror, I look like a 15 year old, a young and delicate girl that I was before.

Sandali... 15 years old? Bumalik ba ako nang apat na taon? Bumalik ako sa aking kinse-anyos na katawan and go back 4 years before my death? Eh...!

"Lady Lucy? Is there something wrong?" a maid asked. I looked at who it was and tried to remember her face. It's...Aziz Schultz!

Kaagad kong hinawakan ang kaniyang kamay at nang maramdaman ko ang mainit niyang kamay. Kaagad na nangilid ang luha sa mga mata ko nang mapagtanto kong totoo nga siya. Ine-examine ko ang kaniyang katawan at inikot-ikot pa siya. Ipinagtaka naman niya ang aking ginagawa sa kaniya.

"Uhm... my lady?" Aziz asked. When I was about to ask her, the door slammed open and I saw my father who looks like rushed here to see me, at nakita ko rin ang butler na si Jerome na mukhang nagmadali rin papunta rito.

"Lacy..." my father said. At nagmamadaling pumunta sa kinaroroonan ko pero hindi niya ako hinawakan o kung ano, mayroong distansya pa rin sa aming dalawa.

"Father..." I was in awe when I saw my father. The blue eyed Marquez. Dumaan ang pag-aalala sa mga mata nito, but then again, I remembered the cold eyes that he had when he saw me being executed.

Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig ng napagtanto ko kung ano ang kaniyang ginawa noon. I felt shivers and looked at my father with fear in my eyes. My breath became rigid and my heart beat faster and faster. Naramdaman ko naman na may umalalay sa likod ko.