Into The Land Never Told (Aqaven Series #1)

16 Vail's Past

He instructed me to lay my feet on top of his legs para umano maayos niya ang ginagawa niya. Hindi na ako nagreklamo pa at hinayaan ito. Seryoso siya sa ginagawa niyang paglilinis habang ako naman ay hindi mapigilang mapatitig sa mukha niya.

I haven't stared at him this close and this long before pero bakit pakiramdam ko nakita ko na ang mga mata niya noon? His monolid brown eyes screams familiarity.

"Seriously?!" Sabay kaming napalingon ni Vail sa pintong malakas na bumukas. Muntikan na niyang itulak ang mga binti ko ngunit mabuti na lang at hindi niya itinuloy. Talagang tatamaan si Vail sa'kin pag itinuloy niya.

In which I highly doubt I would.

Cordelia stormed in the room towards our direction. Nakapamewang siyang nakatayo sa harap namin. Vail didn't mind her and continued to clean my wounds. Ako naman ay tila kinakabahan sa inaasta ni Cordelia.

"Lia, listen. It's not what you think."

I was thinking she was jealous.

"Oh, I know, don't worry. He hates you 'till death," kaswal na saad nito na para bang wala si Vail dito. Ibinaling niya ang tingin sa kasama ko at doon nagreklamo.

"Vail naman! Kung alam mong pupunta tayo ng Agoza noong nakaraang linggo pa..." Hinawakan niya ang sariling asul na buhok nito. Mukhang nanghihinayang siya sa kulay ng kaniyang buhok. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Hindi pa ako sigurado kung matutuloy that's why I didn't say anything." Dahan-dahang ibinaba ni Vail ang mga paa ko bago tumayo at tumingin sa'kin. "I'm helping you to heal para hindi ka maging pabigat bukas. Kung hindi ka pa makagalaw ng maayos then stay here for a while. I've got some important things to do. I remind you to not touch or peak on any of the canvas. Understood?"

Para akong batang iiwan sa bahay ng magulang at tumango-tango lang. He seems satisfied kung kaya't naglakad na siya palabas.

"Cordelia, let's go may gagawin pa tayo."

"Sure thing, anywhere," sagot ni Cordelia na kapansin-pansin ang paghanga kay Vail. Sure though he is serving looks but to me? Himala ngayon at bumait-bait siya sa akin. I just hate his guts, that's all.

Nang makaalis sila ay inilibot ko ang mga mata ko sa silid at mula sa malalaking bintana ay natatanaw ko na ang paglubog ng araw. Tumayo ako at lumapit dito.

The fresh cold wind welcomed my skin. It didn't hurt that much kung kaya't dahan-dahan kong isinandal ang mga braso sa bintana.

Mula sa kinaroroonan ko tanaw ko ang ibang guardians na patungo na ngayon sa back exit ng palasyo. Saan na naman kaya sila pupunta? I sighed and just stared outside and enjoy the scenery of the nature and people happily working below.

Ilang oras na akong nanatili sa silid ni Vail pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin sila nakakabalik. Madilim na sa labas kung kaya't umalis na ako sa may bintana. The room was din kung kaya't hindi ko sinasadyang may masagi na canvas. Yung canvas na malapit sa kama. The canvas I'm curious about.

Lagot talaga ako nito pag may nangyaring masama sa painting niya.

Nagmamadali ko itong kinuha sa sahig at inaayos sa stand nito. I found the painting on its full glory. Nahulog ang pangtakip nito pero bago ko pa man takpan ulit ang painting ay hindi ko maiwasang hindi mapatitig sa rito. Kakaiba ang kulay nito. The color palette used were dark colors, almost hues of blue and black, and a slight red in which I think were only use as a color of the blood.

I could tell that the painting had a dark meaning on it.

The setting was probably night time. A woman and probably her husband lying on the shore looking dead, with blood and water mixed all over their body. The woman was pushing a boy away from her.

Ang nakakuha sa atensyon ko ay ang batang lalaking sa tingin ko ay nasa walong taong gulang at ang karga nito sa likod na mas bata pa sa kaniya.

Hindi ko alam kung babae o lalaki ba ang karga niya dahil silhouette lang nila ang nakikita ko.

Napailing-iling ako at agad na tinakpan ang canvas. I should stop staring on this painting. Baka mahuli pa ako ni Vail. I might hear him bicker again if he's not on the mood.

Hindi na masyadong masakit ang katawan ko kaya nagmamadali akong lumabas kung saan nakita ko si Denzel na papasok sa silid niya na tila kinakabahan at nagmamadali. Magtatanong pa sana ako pero agad na niyang naisara ang pinto.

What's with him?

The next day I woke up early expecting that we will be heading to Agoza, only to know that we will only travel at night. Great. Nobody told me last night for a fact that they weren't even there during dinner. So paano ko malalaman?

I opened my room's windows. The weather is getting colder than it used to be. Probably because winter is fast approaching. Mabuti nalang at nakarating na kagabi ang mga bago kong mga damit. Most are for winter.

Nagtungo ako sa dining area only to see Vail and Fabian taking a sip of their morning coffee. For some odd reasons I hid behind the slightly opened door.

"Wala na ang barko na nasa karagatan ng Aqaven," rinig kong usal ni Vail. "It went missing last week. Hindi na ito natanaw ng watcher only a few minutes after she last check the location. Do you think there's something going on about that ship?"

"Regardless if I think there's something in it or not, you'll still take the action." Fabian took a sip from his coffee. "I heard you're being quite a little nicer to Eira."

Napantig ang tainga ko sa narinig ko. What about me?

"Alam mo kung anong araw kahapon. I should be..." Napansin ko ang paghina sa boses ni Vail. "I should be a little nicer."

"Your parents will always be proud of you pero kailangan mong palayain ang galit diyan na nasa puso mo Vail. Eira has nothing to do with this mess." Fabian sighed before he decided to stood up as if he was leaving. "You were both victims, Vail."

"I'll try." The way his voice soften means there's so much more they were hiding from me. Nakaramdam ako bigla ng awa sa inaasta niya. As if he was longing for someone.

However, we're victims of what exactly? Do we, by chance have met before?

"Lumabas ka na diyan. You're not good at eavesdropping, brat." Kung kanina naaawa ako, ngayon binabawi ko na. Again with his bickering. Bawat galaw ko na lang may masasabi siyang hindi maganda. Why was he even nice yesterday?

"I'll leave you too. I still have duties. See you two later." Hindi ko alam pero tila nang-aasar ang boses ni Fabian nang umalis. I can't just leave the dining area. Nagugutom na rin ako.

"Anong ginagawa mo rito?" tanong ni Vail na bakas ang pagkamuhi sa presensya ko. "Spying? Eavesdropping"

"For goodness sake this is the dining area. Nagugutom ako sa'n ba ako dapat magpunta? Sa banyo?" I scoffed and head immedietely to the table, way far from him.

Kasabay ng pag upo ko ay ang pagpasok ng isan maid na may dalang pagkain galing kusina. Sa kusina ako unang nagdesisyon na kumain pero ang sabi sa dining area nalang daw and that's why I'm here. I'm still uncomfortable with them serving me but it's their duty.

Tumayo si Vail sa kalagitnaan ng pagkain ko. I tried my best not to give him attention and not minding him at all but at the back of my head I know I can't deny that I'm scared of how he was staring at me. Kung nakamamatay pa ang mga titig ay ilang beses na siguro akong namatay.

He walked to the direction behind me and I thought he would only pass my back but suddenly I could feel his presence behind me. I could feel his hesitation dahil hindi siya umimik nang ilang segundo bago ako tinapik.

"You better not peer on me and my past. Wala kang makukuha sa'kin."

"I wasn't expecting anything anyway," sagot ko naman sa sinabi niya na siyang nagpatahimik sa kaniya. "But if it involves me and my identity, I had every right to know."

Tuluyan na siyang umalis matapos ko iyong sabihin. I sighed as I was about to finish my meal. Hindi ko alam kung bakit tila magkarugtong ang mga nakaraan namin. I was mentioned being in his past pero wala akong matandaan na katiting na nagkita na kami dati.

Whatever it is his past, I know it wasn't good for him, for me and for everyone.