Into the Realm of Fiction (Published under PaperInk Imprints)

Kabanata 5

“YOPHIEL—no. Blank, you are Blank Herana, aren’t you?”

Hindi niya magawang buksan ang kaniyang mga mata. May tinig sa kaniyang tainga subalit hindi niya ito kilala.

“I will wake up soon,” said the voice which confused her. Anong ibig nitong sabihin?

“Yophiel, anak.” A warmth touched her hand. Naging dahilan din iyon upang mawala ang boses na bumubulong sa kaniya at mapalitan ito ng tinig ng kaniyang ama.

Dahan-dahan niyang minulat ang mga mata. Sumalubong sa kaniyang tingin ang isang chandelier. Nasa loob siya ng kaniyang kuwarto.

Napalingon siya sa kaliwang bahagi at nakita ang ama.

“Yophiel, salamat naman at gising ka na.” Namumuo ang luha sa gilid ng mga mata nito. Bakas sa mukha ang takot. She might have reminded him how the duchess died in the past.

She gave him an reassuring smile. “I’m sorry, Papa.”

Kahit na mabigat pa ang kaniyang pakiramdam, sinubukan niyang bumangon. Tinulungan siya ng ama na makasandal sa headboard. Inabutan din siya ng tubig ng kaniyang lady in waiting na nasa kaliwang bahagi ng kama.

“Salamat,” saad niya at ibibigay na sana ang baso ng tubig kay Miss Ella ngunit natigilan siya.

Napako ang kaniyang tingin sa lalaking nakatayo sa likuran ng ama. His red orbs matched the dark red suit he was wearing. May kahabaan ang puting buhok ng lalaki ngunit hindi umaabot sa balikat. Kapansin-pansin din ang moreno nitong balat na nakadagdag ng kakisigang taglay.

Kumabog nang mabilis ang kaniyang dibdib dahil sa kaba. Nakakatakot ang mga titig nito. Salubong ang mga kilay nitong pinagmamasdan siya.

“Anong ginagawa niya rito?”

“Uhm . . . Papa, bakit nandito si Sir Eziyah?” bulong niya sa ama.

“Oh, you know him already?” gulat na tanong ng duke. “Well, I suppose you have met him a few times in the mansion. Anyway, Sir Eziyah wants to see you because he got worried about you earlier.”

Worried? Mukha bang worried ang mukhang ‘yan? Parang lalapain na nga ako nang buhay,  e!

Kabado naman siyang ngumiti. “Bakit naman siya mag-aalala sa akin, hindi naman kami close,” bulong niya at dahil nasa tabi lang niya ang ama ay narinig siya nito.

Natawa ang ama. “Of course, he will be worried. You are the heir of the ducal family after all. All of the maids, knights, and the people are concerned about you.”

Naglakad si Eziyah palapit sa kanila.

“I’m glad that you seems fine, my lady.” Inabot nito ang kaniyang kamay at hinalikan ang likod ng palad. Akala niya’y bibitawan na siya kaagad ng lalaki subalit hinigpitan nito ang pagkakahawak.

“I’m sure that the lady learned her lesson earlier. You are lucky that none of the guests were harmed because of his grace . . . .” He paused. He wasn’t smiling. His face wasn’t showing any sign of emotion. “Except for one.”

Napakunot ang kaniyang noo. He was talking about Lady Gisela.

Pilit niyang inaalis ang kamay nitong nakahawak subalit ayaw siya nitong bitawan. Pahigpit nang pahigpit ang hawak nito at nasasaktan na siya.

“You better be careful in unleashing your magic next time,” dagdag pa nito.

Nainis naman siya sa sinabi ng lalaki. Was he threatening her?

Tinigil niya ang paghila sa kamay at sinalubong din ang mapula nitong mga mata. Kung akala nito’y matatakot siya, nagkakamali ito. Hindi siya pinalaki ng ama niya na manahimik lang at hayaan ang ibang tapakan siya.

She was Yophiel Aurelia Demancrius, the daughter of the most powerful magician and the heir of the Chloronosos dukedom. Why would she tremble in the sight of a man who was just under the supervision of his father?

“Mukhang may hindi ka yata nauunawaan sa nangyari kanina, Sir Eziyah.” Hinawakan niya rin ang palad nito at nag-akmang pantayan ang higpit ng pagkakahawak. “Hindi mabuti ang naging kalagayan ko kanina at hindi ko rin makontrol nang maayos ang aking kapangyarihan. Sa tingin mo ba, magwawala ako nang walang dahilan para lang manakit ng isang tao?”

Hindi naman sumagot ang lalaki kaya nagpatuloy siya.

“Learned my lesson? Who are you to assume that I haven’t been taught of the value and harm of magic it may be brought to the people? I was trained by my father. Are you implying that the duke’s teaching wasn’t sufficient enough to teach me that simple lesson?”

Napakurap naman si Eziyah dahil sa kaniyang sinabi. Nanatili namang tahimik ang duke sa kaniyang tabi pero alam niyang hinihintay rin nito ang isasagot ni Eziyah.

Akala mo, ah! Akala mo titiklop ako sa ‘yo. Pwe! Para sabihin ko sa ‘yo, kahit naawa ako sa kinahinatnan mo sa kuwento, nabubuwisit pa rin ako sa karakter mo. Masiyadong pa-cool. Kunyari cold! Pwe!

“N-no, my lady. The duke’s teaching is more than exquisite for I am, also, one of his students. I would not be like this today if it weren’t for his grace, the duke,” sagot nito at napaiwas sa kaniya ng tingin.

As Eziyah continued to speak, she formed a tiny needle-like shape from the wind between their hands. Tinusok niya ang palad ni Eziyah dahilan para mapaigtad ang lalaki at mapabitaw sa kaniya.

Pinaulanan siya nito ng masamang tingin pero ngumiti lang siya.

“If I may add, Sir Eziyah. I have always been careful in using my magic. Dapat ang mga tao ang maging maingat sa paligid ko at hindi ako. I am Yophiel Aurelia Demancrius. The people below me should pave the way for me and not the other way around. Malinaw ba?”

If she could translate what she really meant on her words, she wanted Eziyah to realize that he, too, was one of her people. And he didn’t have the right to speak about those things to her nor threatened her.

No way she would let anyone trample her.

“As clear as crystal, my lady.” Yumuko ito bilang paggalang sa kaniya at bumalik na sa puwesto nito kanina. Pansin pa niya ang pagkuyom ng mga kamao nito bago tumalikod.

Kakausapin na niya sana si Miss Ella dahil gusto niyang kumain pero bigla na lang nagbukas ang pintuan. Iniluwa roon ang mukha ng prinsipe. Halata sa mukha nito na hindi ito natutuwa at wala ito sa mood.

Galit din ba ito sa kaniya?

Pero nagbago naman kaagad ang ekspresyon nito nang makita siya. Napahinga ito nang maluwag at para bang nagpapasalamat na gising na siya.

Binati muna nito ang duke bago lumapit sa kaniya at hinalikan ang likod ng kaniyang palad.

“How are you, my lady? You still look pale.” Hindi pa siya nakasasagot ay napunta na agad ang tingin nito sa kaniyang ama. “Why did Yophiel’s magic go berserk earlier, teacher?”

Bumuntonghininga naman ang kaniyang ama. Sinundan niya ang tingin nito at nakatingin pala ito sa kaliwa niyang braso na may cursed mark.

“I am not certain, but this birthmark she had kept on glowing earlier.” Turo nito sa itim na marka na hugis dragon. Mahaba ang katawan nito na parang ahas at mabalahibo. “Mukhang ito ang naging dahilan. Akala ko isa lang itong normal na birthmark pero mukhang nagkakamali ako.”

“I see,” sagot ni Prinsipe Adelio.

Nagtaka si Yophiel dahil nababagabag ang mukha ng prinsipe. May bahid din ng inis dahil hindi nito magawang pigilan ang pag-igting ng panga.

“What is bothering you, Prince Adelio?” tanong ng kaniyang ama na nahalata rin ang ekspresyon ng prinsipe.

He brushed her golden hair—a sign of annoyance—before he answered. “My father wants Lady Yophiel to apologize to Lady Gisela.”

“What? Come again?” Napakrus ang mga braso ng kaniyang ama. “The emperor wants my daughter to apologize to someone who is of lower nobility than her?”

The crown prince sighed. “Lady Gisela provided a new medicine for my father’s illness. Surprisingly, his health improved in such a short time that is why Father is protective of her for she is an asset. And she’s even the bearer of the rarest elemental magic in our continent, the more reason for Father to keep her.”

Tumayo ang kaniyang ama sa pagkakaupo. “So, she is the emperor’s favorite, huh?”

Tumango naman ang prinsipe. “Yes. Ayaw niyang may nangyayaring hindi maganda kay Lady Gisela kaya nang masaktan ito sa pagwawala ni Yophiel kanina . . .” Nilingon siya ng prinsipe. “Nagalit si Ama at gusto ka niyang humingi ng tawad sa harapan mismo ni Lady Gisela.”

Napakuyom naman ang kamao niya. Naalala niya ang nangyari kanina. Hindi dapat nasaktan si Lady Gisela kung hindi nito sinalubong mismo ang kaniyang spear. Bakit nga ba ginawa iyon ng babae?

“No! I will never let my daughter apologize to anyone. Not even to the emperor’s favorite,” matigas na sabi ng ama.

His father was known to be the most influential person in their continent despite being only a duke. And as a man who took pride in his honor and power, he would never allow himself nor any of his family member to bow down.

Bowing down meant a surrender of pride, and a surrendering of pride equated to humiliation and could be portrayed as a weakness. A weakness that could make their family’s influence vulnerable to the public.

But one apology wasn’t enough to stain the authority they had.

Sa katunayan, wala talagang paki ang kaniyang ama sa magiging imahe ng kanilang pamilya kapag nalaman ng publiko ang kaniyang gagawing paghingi ng tawad kung sakali man na pumayag siya. Ang iniisip lang nito ay siya, dahil ayaw nitong nakikitang yumuyuko ang anak sa kahit na sino.

He raised her not to bow, but to be bowed down by everyone.

“I have already told my father that the lady didn’t mean what she did, but he won’t listen to me. He won’t leave your place until he will see Yophiel.”

Yophiel gritted her teeth. For five years, she had been preventing herself from getting into the bad side of the female lead, but just because of her unusual bursting out of magic, everything became a mess.

She caused harm to the female lead and even made the emperor mad. It was the worst thing ever.

She sighed. “Okay. I will apologize.”

“What?!” mabilis na sigaw ng ama at ang prinsipe.

“Pero, anak, hindi mo kailangang humingi ng tawad.”

“It will not be good for the image of the ducal family as well, Lady Yophiel,” sabi ng prinsipe.

“But we can’t say no to the emperor’s order.” Umalis siya sa kama at saka tumayo. Inalalayan kaagad siya ng ama at ng prinsipe.

It was better for her to just apologize than to make the issue bigger. It would not benefit her in any way, and it would just cause a major hindrance for her plan to remain as an irrelevant person.

She needed to do this quick.

“Who cares about the emperor’s order? I won’t let you apologize to her,” bakas sa boses ng ama ang inis.

“It’s all right, Papa. Ayoko rin namang masira ang relasyon niyo ng emperor kaya mas mabuti pang gawin ko na lang ito.”

The emperor and the duke were on good terms, and she didn’t want to ruin that. It would just lead to something she wanted to prevent from happening.

The revolt.

“And if I may speak, Your Grace. Even if the lady didn’t purposely hurt Lady Gisela, it won’t change the fact that she was harmed by the lady’s magic,” singit ni Eziyah.

Gusto niyang sakalin ang lalaki at kalbuhin dahil sumingit pa talaga ito. Halatang gustong-gusto rin nitong makita siyang humingi ng tawad.

“Sir Eziyah is right, Papa,” sagot na lang niya. “Though Lady Gisela should have run towards the exit and not to my direction,” pagpaparinig niya at makahulugang tinignan si Eziyah. “But anyway, I will accept this as my fault.”

Hindi naman sumagot si Eziyah.

“Are you sure about this, Yophiel?” nag-aalalang tanong ng ama.

“I will be fine, Papa.”