LUNA: The Witching Hour

54: Blood

When I woke, I woke up to the sound of someone's hum. A blow of notes that didn't bring any comfort to my side, a melody that resonated a strange feeling that caused the blood in my veins to go cold. It was peculiar and creepy. And it was produced by a little girl stitching in what seemed like a flag of sigil beside my bed. Sigil of Amadeus. A skull with a dagger piercing it from above. Grey on purple. 

I blinked back up. To the girl humming, and remembered when was the first and last time I saw her. 

She was the same girl who escorted me to my chambers at the palace of Amadeus. 

I found myself holding my breath in front of her. Aware that I was inside a tent--- a war tent. I was on a bed that didn't do anything to be comfortable no matter how much you changed your position. It was hard underneath me as if this bed was literally made of stone and the only courtesy they managed to give me was to put a cover over it. No pillows. No blanket. Just this rock-like bed. 

As though the girl only had noticed my awakening, she stopped doing everything she was doing in a second. The humming halted and so did the stitching. Her hands frozen in the act. 

I shifted my body and confirmed to myself the manacles clamped over my wrists and ankles, limiting my reach and movements, attached to either edge of the bed. At least they were long enough to hold out and seize the little girl by her neck to strangle her if she had the urge to do anything wrong to me. 

"You have risen" Even her voice sounded dead and cold. She gracefully dropped her hands onto her lap. Tumayo siya kaya agad akong nagsalita. 

"You're the girl---" hindi na niya ako pinatapos. Kumulo dugo ko wala sa oras. 

"Wrong" Dahan dahan niyang nilapag ang kagamitan sakanyang upuan, "That girl is my twin sister. She's working under the Emperor while I was offered to the Sin of Greed. I am a soul eater but I've been with the Sin of Greed half of my life" There was nothing in her eyes nor in her voice that would have shown her concern to her twin. Rather, she answered me like it was nothing of secret, as though it didn't bother her that they were apart from each other. 

But she was though. If it wasn't for the flag she was stitching earlier, I wouldn't have guessed that she was missing her home kingdom. I chose to point that out, just to annoy her. "It seems like you've been longing to go back" 

"Sin of Greed is home," She said monotonously and blinked. 

Tinuro ko ang bandila, "Huli ka na" 

She didn't say anything. I took that chance. 

"Look, how about I offer you something? Ang kailangan mo lang gawin ay tanggalin 'tong kadena sa mga kamay't paa ko at sisiguraduhin kong makakabalik ka sa kaharian mo" Pahayag ko sakanya na hindi nagbibiro. I showed her my chained wrists and ankles. Compromises, deals, bargains, offers were Midnight's field of expertise. He knew more of this and was certainly better than most. I wasn't taught how to do it but I'd risk it. "Anong ginagawa sayo nung Scorch na 'yon? If you're worried about the punishments he has waiting for you, don't be. I'll protect you. And when I say that, I am not the kind to run away from responsibilities I promised to someone" 

I hoped I was persuasive enough. Though, my mind was already working to think of another plan if I wouldn't be able to persuade her to my side. I already had the hunch she wouldn't. This was plain stupid but I wouldn't know until I at least tried. 

Matagal tagal 'rin akong tinitigan ng bata. Hindi ko alam kung pinag iisipan niya ang sinabi ko ng mabuti o dahil nabobo-bohan lang siya saakin. 

A moment later, all she did was turn her back and leave me unanswered in my tent. Umalis siya ng ganon ganon lang. Na para bang hindi niya narinig ang sinabi ko. But I've gotten the chance to peek outside when she parted the flaps of the tent.