CHAPTER FIFTEEN
DINALA niya ako sa balkonahe sa east wing ng palasyo. Grabe sobrang lawak talaga ng palasyong 'to. Habang naglalakad kami papunta rito, siguro natapos na namin ang pag-uusapan namin kung nagsimula na kaming mag-usap habang naglalakad.
"Ano po bang gusto ninyong pag-usapan?" Magalang kong tanong nang makaupo kami sa outdoor table ng balcony.
"Gusto sana kitang mas makilala pa. What is your name again?" She replied. What now? Noong huling pag-uusap namin ay halos gusto na niya akong gawing yelo at pagpira-pirasuhin.
"My name is Almaia Serano. Aia na lang po," magalang ko pa ring sagot kahit nagdududa.
"Aia. I want to apologise about what happened when we first met. Nadala lang ako ng galit ko noon. I wasn't thinking straight. You know, being a mother, I want what's best for my son. I already have everything planned for him at ayokong masira iyon," she graciously explained. Hindi pa naman ako nanay kaya hindi ko alam kung anong nararamdaman ng isang ina. Pero alam kong hindi niya dapat kino-kontrol ang buhay ng anak niya. She's being manipulative.
"I'm sorry for saying this but, you should stop manipulating his life," I bravely spoke. Wait, where am I getting all the guts to speak to the queen? The last time I check, I am still an introvert.
"What are you talking about?" She asked, brows meeting while confusion crept over her features. I can say that the prince only got a few of her side. Mas kamukha ni Prince Blaze ang tatay niya.
"What I am trying to say is that the prince should have a freedom. Not because you are his mother, you can control his whole life. You should give him the chance to make his own choices. He's now a grown up man and he knows what he is doing. You should never interfere with his decisions; only if he asks for your advice. Because if you keep putting him in a box, he would get suffocated and would eventually try to get out." Now, I think I would apply for being her majesty's adviser. Noong nakaraan, si Lady Flurry ang pinagsasabihan ko. And now, the queen herself!
"Do you think I'm going too far?" Nag-aalala niyang tanong. I slowly nodded at her. Her face clearly says that she's disappointed to herself. At least now she finally realised what's her mistakes.
"He feel suffocated by your grip. You need to let him breathe a little. Maybe that way, he won't need to sneak out of the palace just to escape," I sadly added. Siguro 'yon ang dahilan kung bakit siya laging tumatakas; kasi nasasakal na siya. Gusto niyang maranasan kung paano maging malaya kahit kaunting panahon lang. That sucks because I've been there, too. I felt that when I was living with my adoptive parents in Cambridge.
"Wait, what did you said? He's sneaking out of Nevada?" The queen quietly asked. Uh-oh! Nadulas ako! What should I do? Should I deny? Should I lie?
"No, I just used it figuratively," pagpapalusot ko. Napalunok ako nang manliit ang mga mata niyang nakatingin sa akin.
"You're lying, Aia. I can see it through your eyes." Lalo akong kinabahan sa sinabi niya. Dapat ko bang sabihin sa kaniya ang tungkol sa ginagawang pagtakas ni Prince Blaze? Pero paano kapag nagalit siya at ipasara ang lagusan? Mananagot ako nito sa amo ko eh.
"Tell me, Aia. I want to know my son's whereabouts," utos niya. Shocks! Fine. She deserve to know anyway. Mananagot ako kay Blaze nito eh.
"His highness would sneak from the palace to go to the marketplace," I confessed. Napakagat ako sa kuko ko dahil sa kaba. I barely do this because I learned that biting nails was caused by a fixation. But I'm doing it when I'm really really nervous.
