The Song of Teardrops (Van Doren Series #3)

Chapter Four

Trigger Warning: Brutal

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No songs

After weeks of living with Lady Tauriel and Fatima, I've knew many things, yet seen so little still. Weeks turned into months and months turned into years, yet the questions I have grew more countless. I asked them questions everyday. But most of them were left unanswered.

Walang masyadong nagbago. Nasa pangangatawan pa rin ako ng isang bata at ganun rin kay Lady Tauriel at Fatima sa kanilang mga anyo. We don't age quickly which irritates me most of the time. We stayed in the cave as well. For a year, I've lived here. Enough for me to consider it as a home... Or at least the closest to one.

"It was like knowledge was already instill within us the moment we were born. Only in Valleyria we can see that sort of power. For it is the land of wisdom as they say, and we were the wisest of all creatures." Nagpatuloy si Lady Tauriel sa pagtuturo sa akin.

Sa mga araw na ito ay sinisimulan na niyang ituro sa akin ang iba't ibang mga nilalang sa Astraea at kung saan-saan makikita ang mga ito. I didn't pay much attention to all of them apart from where I came from. I wanted know more about us... About Valleyria... even if I only learned these from her stories.

"Do you believe that, Lady Tauriel?" I asked her.

She gave a shrug. "Hindi. Pero hindi ko maitatangging may angkin nga tayong kaalaman. When we were born, we already knew things before we even see them. We know what others are and it's easy for us to understand nature... But that doesn't mean we know everything. No one knows everything, little girl."

She continued combing her brown hair that had the color of every wood I see in the forest. She stop after a few minutes and put down her comb carved out from a golden shell. Sa tingin ko isa rin ito sa mga bagay na ninakaw nilang mga gamit sa bayan.

They steal everyday. Useful things. Food, books, clothes, and even jewelries.

"I'm done! Ano sa tingin mo?"

Umikot-ikot si Lady Tauriel sa harapan ko. Marangya ang kanyang kasuotan at maganda ang pagkakatali ng buhok. May mga alahas rin siya. She had an elegant attire. I'm not sure what to answer her. Higit naman siyang maganda kahit na hindi pa siya nagbihis ng ganito. At mas lalong mas maganda pa siya kaysa sa damit na suot-suot niya ngayon.

"You look beautiful, Lady Tauriel." I just answered instead.

We're going somewhere else today. She didn't told me where but I knew it's going to be far from here, and it will be more grand. Hindi naman siya nagbibihis ng ganito kung hindi. Maliban sa kanya ay nakakagulat na binihisan niya rin ako. It was my first time wearing a beautiful gown and a few jewelries, but I don't like it. It was difficult to wear and very uncomfortable. Kung ano man itong pupuntahan namin, masasabi kong mahalaga ito para sa kanilang dalawa ni Fatima. Masyado nila itong pinaghahandaan... at ganoon rin ng ilang mga matataas na mamayan rito sa Orioth.

"Halika ka na..."

Fatima grabbed my hand while Lady Tauriel went outside the cave. Kumunot ang noo ko nang masilayan ang isang lumang karwahe na puno ng iba pang mga makasakay na nilalang na naghihintay sa amin sa labas. Mabilis akong napahinto at kabadong napaangat ng tingin kay Fatima.

Ngumiti lang siya sa akin at bahagyang yumuko. "Huwag kang mag-alala... Nandito lang ang karwahe para sunduin tayo."

"Sunduin?"

Tumango siya. "Nagkaroon tayo ng pagkakataon na makapunta sa Axiom... Nanalo kami ni Lady Tauriel sa isang pasugalan sa bayan. Ito ang naging kapalit..."