The Dissolving Flower

Kabanata 2

DRAGON STONE

THE guard of third degree bowed when he saw him. He opened the door slightly and whispered something to the man on the other side. He informed everyone that he, their master, had arrived.

"Smile, master. Your face is getting pale," saad ng guwardiya nang makalapit siya.

Narinig niya na mula sa loob ang announcer. Matapos itong magsalita ay tinulak na nito pabukas ang pinto.

The sound of the creaking door made him stand straight. Composing himself, he stepped on the red carpet. He took a minute to glance at the guests and absorbed all their gasping smiles. They then, in unison, performed the Mythrian greeting. They raised their right hand and placed their index and middle finger on their chest. Their left hand remained on their side, showing their palm as respect to the next chief.

"Greetings, master."

Everyone in this house called him master.

He tilted his head, in return, enough to show their lineage's power and superiority.

Nagsimula na siyang maglakad papunta sa entablado. Males clothed themselves with robes of different designs. There was plain, some were full of embroideries, and some looked simple. The ladies, on the other hand, covered themselves with dresses, and as expected, most of them used pastel colors. It had been a trend for a while in Mythria after the daughter of the Pegasus Lineage designed a dress with pastel colors at last year's banquet.

Hindi lang ang mga dumalo ang nakakuha sa atensyon niya, pati na ang mga kolorete na nakakabit sa ceiling, poste, at sa mga bintana. Plants crowned with different flowers were placed in every corner of the room. And among the voices, it wasn't the people that were the loudest, but the Flora. They were just a portion that he could interact with. There were more in his district, and more that he would soon discover.

The greetings and compliments he received from the Flora boosted his confidence. He couldn't help but chuckle about how they couldn't stop fluttering his hair, saying that he was one of them, and that he should have been like them. But of course, not everyone was nice and there would always be an antagonist of the story.

Napatigil siya sa paglalakad at sinulyapan niya ang puting daisy na nanlait sa kaniyang mukha. How could they!

Hindi na lang niya iyon pinansin at nagpatuloy na. Just like what the guard told him, he smiled as he greeted everyone. Medyo nanginginig na nga ang labi niya, kaya 'di siya sigurado kung hindi ba pilit ang ngiti niya.

Everyone looked exquisite. Kumalma na rin siya nang magsimula na niyang yakapin ang ambiance ng kuwarto. Tinungo niya ang entablado kung saan nakaupo ang Chieftess. Sa tabi nito ay may upuan na bakante. Ang upuan ng chief, kung saan siya uupo mamaya.

"Greetings to the Mythria's guardian and Chieftess." He bowed his head and gestured his hand as the others did for him a while ago.

Nang maramdaman niya ang kamay nitong nakapatong sa kaniyang ulo, doon niya lang inangat ang tingin. Napunta ang kaniyang mga mata sa malaking pader na nasa likuran ng ina at kung saan din naroroon ang simbolo ng Mythria. Kaparehas ito ng family crest nila.

It was a dragon embracing a tree. And what tree could that be? He didn't know.

Nginitian niya ang ina pati na rin ang mga nakahilera sa entablado na mga kumakatawan sa iba't ibang lineage. He saw Aster besides his mother, representing the Wild Dragon Lineage.

He was also surprised when the queen of Mermaids came. Tinungo niya ang direksyon nito.

"Nativia, my queen. It's good to see you again." He kissed the back of her hand. Beside her was the king of Mermans. Pinagmasdan niya ang dalawa. Malayo yata ang mga ito sa isa't isa? Kadalasan kasi palaging nagdadaldalan ang dalawa pero sa pagkakataong ito, parang hindi sila magkakilala.