LUNA: The Witching Hour

34: 1st Night

Nasa kalagitnaan pa ako ng pagliligo, naamoy ko na kaagad ang mabangong luto ni Midnight. Napamura pa ako wala sa oras ng tumunog bigla ang aking tyan. Sinyales na nagugutom na talaga ako. Mas nilubog ko ang sarili sa bathtub hanggang bunganga at inis na pinaglaruan ang tubig, pinipilit na hindi pansinin ang mabangong aroma mula sa kusina.

Cooked food wasn't supposed to be my kind of taste, I had hated the way it tasted during my time in Lapetus's palace. No matter how high quality it was, Cayden had failed over and over again to impress me with human dishes. But ever since my time in Severus's palace, there weren't any moments where I found myself hating their cooked food. To my own surprise, I had only realized just now that everything I was eating back at the palace was suspiciously good.

It never really occurred to me that I was eating normally until now.

Nanatili muna ako sa bathtub ng mga ilang minuto bago ako tuluyan umahon at nagpunas. Mukhang hindi na ako nakatiis pa at amoy na amoy ko parin ang luto ni Midnight hanggang ngayon. A lump of meat I figured Nym and Pandora kept in store in my kitchen which Midnight had cooked together in what I believed were spices and butter. Wait, I have butter? Kumunot noo ko sa naamoy. The smell of it was oddly good and satisfying and seductive my stomach seemed to like the idea of feasting on it too. I could hear the sizzles of the meat from the fire, calling out for me like a wolf's howl.

As silent as I was in knotting the ties of the robe around my waist, I was mentally having a hard time keeping my hunger in check. It was actually nice to know that my appetite had finally made its comeback but I would've wished I hadn't realized it now, for it meant that it was only because of Midnight's cooking I got my appetite back. An insult to my pride, of someone who had announced her loathness to a demon like His Majesty.

Pumasok ako sa kwarto ko at nakita kaagad doon ang aking mga gamit. Since gabi naman na 'din at mukhang wala na kaming gagawin ni Midnight pa kundi pag-usapan ang mga importanteng bagay ay pinili ko na lamang magsuot kaagad ng nightgown.

The black nightwear was short and laced, could pass for a sheer garment but it was too lacey, with delicate swirls and flowers for embroidery. It was thin, normal for any garments that were meant to be worn in bed in the first place, its straps were thin too, also embroidered with petals, attached to a deep neckline that if I'd lean too much something might peek out. Hinayaan ko lang na nakalugay ang aking mahabang itim na buhok at pinatuyo muna ito bago ako tuluyang lumabas sa kwarto.

I was already halfway to the kitchen when suddenly, I remembered doing something more important and immediately marched my way back to the room to arrange everything in place. I put all my clothes in a chest I owned but didn't use and also organized His Majesty's clothes in my own closet. Expecting my other sheets were already washed by Pandora and Nym, I pulled them out from another chest and quickly replaced the ones my bed and pillows were now wearing. Sniffing everything first to confirm if they were really clean and newly washed. Satisfied at the end with the results. Pandora and Nym really did keep this house neat and attended.

Tinignan ko pa kung may alikabok ang kwarto at baka kung ano nanaman masabi ng Midnight na 'yon. I could picture him sleeping outside in the forest as if he were a normal warrior open to any danger, trained to survive the most treacherous of places. But I couldn't get myself to imagine him sleeping in a creaked bed, clustered in a small room with the presence of thin sheets and a few pillows. It was like seeing a sword that was meant to slash bodies be used to cut ingredients in cooking.

He looked too regal and dangerous for this kind of poor house setup.

Nailing na lamang ako sa mga naiiisip ko. Plano ko sanang kumuha ng kahit isang unan man lang, pero naisip ko na baka hindi komportable si Midnight na matulog na isang unan lang ang gamit. Hindi na lang ako kumuha. May unan naman na 'rin 'yung couch, 'yun na lang gagamitin ko.