Paper Crown

Special Chapter:

"She, who felt peace by dying is such a beautiful angel with a fractured wings.."
-Dina

Special Chapter:

=3rd POV=

Walong taong gulang si Eiffer ng matuto itong tumayo sa sarili nitong mga paa dulot na rin ng karahasan ng buhay sa kanya. She was four when her mother died because of an illness and six when men wearing black outfits forcefully took her father out of their house. Nalaman niyang marami itong pinagkakautangan at dahil na rin sa hirap ng buhay ay hindi na niya ito nababayaran. Pagkatapos ng isang araw ay nakita na lang niyang patay na ito habang bugbog sarado na nakalutang sa ilog ng Sereya. Tinangka siyang kunin ng mga taong pinagkakautangan ng kanyang ama upang ibenta pero sa kabutihang palad ay nakatakas ito.

She wandered from streets to streets looking for food and shelter hanggang sa napadpad ito sa isang eskinita kung saam siga ang naghahari-harian dito.

"Hoy! Sino ka?! Bakit nandito ka sa teritoryo namin?!" ang matinis na boses ng batang babae na mukhang hindi marunong magsuklay ang siyang gumulat kay Eiffer dahilan para matigil ito sa pagkalkal ng pagkain sa basurahan. Along with the girl were four other girls who are also in the same situation as they are. They wore raggy and baggy clothes with dirt on their faces and body.

Eiffer was scared to speak so she remained silent and that angered the girl more.

"Turuan niyo ng leksyon yan."

And for the first time, Eiffer had experienced the feeling of being beaten up. All of the four girls including the so-called leader was beating Eiffer to death when someone came in.

.. And that was Aitama. Aitama have a big built despite of being a twelve year old kid. He easily scared off the girls with just a single stare and took pity to the girl who was on the ground. Eiffer passed out in a fetus position while trying to protect her head.

Maingat niyang inangat ang batang babae at dinala niya sa kanyang sariling puwesto. Nasa madilim silang eskinita at tanging karton lang ang higaan nila. Umaalingasaw din ang di kaaya-ayang amoy mula sa kanilang kapaligiran. Gustuhin man niyang dalhin ito sa mas ligtas at maayos na lugar ay di niya magawa dahil ito lang ang alam niyang pinakaligtas na puwesto sa ngayon.

Lumipas ang mga nakaraang buwan, naging matalik na magkaibigan ang dalawa. Tinuring nilang kakampi ang isa't-isa. Tinuruan ni Aitama na maging wais at matinik sa lansangan si Eiffer. Tinuruan niya itong magnakaw at manloko ng tao na kalaunan ay naging hanap-buhay din nilang dalawa.

And on a fine day, they targeted a woman who wears different kind of accessories and a designer clothes. Nakita nila itong nahihirapan na maghanap ng karwaheng maaaring masakyan. Eiffer offered to help her out but the woman refused. Ilang sandali pa ay sumuko na lamang ang babae at tuluyan ng humingi ng tulong sa kanya. Dinala niya ang babae sa unahang parte ng pamilihan ng Ruhan kung nasaan ang mga karwahe.

Eiffer was talking to the woman cheerfully while swiftly stealing her accessories. Nang makasakay na ang babae sa karwahe ay mayuming niyuko niya ang kanyang ulo kasabay ng pamamaalam niya dito. She was about to go to Aitama when a knight suddenly hold the back of her t-shirt and raised her mid-air. Ginapangan ng kaba si Eiffer ng biglang kapkapan ng kawal ang bulsa niya at mula doon ay nakuha nito ang isang gintong pulseras at perlas na kuwintas. Walang sabi-sabing kinaladkad niya ang siyam na taong si Eiffer habang patuloy itong nagpupumiglas habang hinahanap at sinisigaw ang pangalan ni Aitama.

Hindi niya alam kung saan siya dinala ng naturang kawal, ang alam lamang niya ay nasa isa silang madilim na eskinita. Walang tao at sila lamang ang nandoon. Eiffer was scared until the knight in front of her pulled her hand and harshly pinned her to the wall. He started to undress her and forced himself to the young girl who was terrified with what the knight is doing to her. And yes, she was raped when she was just nine and Aitama wasn't there to save her just like what he did a year ago instead someone came in to rescue her.

It was a stranger. But that stranger became her hero. He killed the knight right in front of her and she was never been traumatize before than that day. He reached out to her but she refused to recognize the presence of the stranger. Who would be if you were on her shoes?

But the stranger didn't mind and continue to approach the child. Hinawakan nito ang pisngi ng bata saka siya tiningnan ng diretso sa mga mata nito. Eiffer couldn't help but cry with the stranger's loving gaze. He's giving her a look her father never gave and that touched her heart.

Hinubad nito ang suot na roba saka ito ibinalot sa nanginginig na katawan ng bata. Kinarga niya ito palabas ng eskinita hanggang sa tuluyan nilang namataan ang pigura ni Aitama. Aitama who became restless ever since he can't find Eiffer anywhere rushed to the stranger who is now carrying the poor child. He was about to punch the guy when he notice how Eiffer seems to be comfortable with the stranger's arms. Agad niyang inabot si Eiffer pero ito pa mismo ang nagdalawang isip na humiwalay sa estranghero.

"A-anong pangalan mo?" Eiffer asked in a small voice. The stranger gave her a gentle smile before answering her.

"Just call me General, young child."

It was the General of the Anguis Ordo who was at that time is on the process of building the syndicate. Dahil sa ginawa nitong kabutihan kay Eiffer ay agad nito nakuha ang loob nito. He offered her the opportunity of being part of the syndicate and be his own disciple. Eiffer was nine and she was blinded by her anger to the world and with the snydicate's vision ti change the world in a way no one could imagine,  she agreed. At dahil sumang-ayon ito sa estranghero ay napilitan na ding sumama si Aitama.

Both of them went into hellish trainings together with the four other disciples under the care of the General. Eiffer would often cry in secret dahil sa pinagdadaanan niyang training pero kahit anong tago pa ang gawin niya ay napapansin pa rin ito ng Aitama. The two became closer than before until the both of them started to have romantic feelings with one another.

"Mahal kita, Eiffer. And I would always dream a peaceful life with you. Walang patayan at walang ilegal na ginagawa. Magtatanim lang tayo at maghihintay ng umaga na darating. Gusto mo rin yun diba?" the smile from Aitama's eyes never left his face while waiting for Eiffer's answer. The latter looked away while deeply thinking a lot of things.

"I also want that to happen, Aitama. Pero hindi pa ngayon. Hindi pa ngayon hangga't hindi pa nakukuha ni General ang nais niyang makamit sa mundong to." unti-unting nawala ang ngiti ni Aitama.

"Eiffer. Hindi mo ba nakikitang marami tayong nasasaktan na inosente sa ginagawa natin? Sa tingin mo ba ay makatarungan pa rin itong ginagawa natin?" Eiffer's eyes turned fiercer upon hearing what Aitama had said.

"Aitama, hindi mo ba narinig ang sinabi ni General? Kailangang may isakrapisyo tayo para makuha natin ang gusto nating buhay! Do you want other children to go through what we went to? We need to save them! And this is the only way I know how!"

Eiffer was beyond saving. Lunod na lunod siya sa naging adhikain ng sindikatong kinabibilangan na nagiging bulag na ito sa kaharasang kanilang ginagawa. And Aitama too. He wants to stop. He wants to stop hurting people but what can he do when the woman he only loves wants to stay?

Eiffer treats the General as her hero that she forgot that Aitama was the first one who saved her. Until Aitama died and permanently left her alone in this cruel world. And that's when she realized a few important things.. Did she ever thank Aitama for saving her before? Did she ever thank Aitama for being there always beside her? Did she ever appreciate Aitama before she lost him?

Regrets started to pour in until she finally gave up her life. And that's when she decided to offer her life to the hands of the person who took the life of the person she truly loves. For she felt peace by dying.

--
archangel_dina