LUNA: The Rebellion

45: Dragon Crown

Nakatanggap kaagad ako ng sulat sa umaga. Hindi pa ako nakakatulog ng maayos ay magkakaroon nanaman ako ng panibagong problema. I didn't even need to read the letter, I was certain it wasn't going to be some good news. It was already hard to expect if you've been experiencing dangerous things everyday. Ravi volunteered in doing the paperworks for today but I dismissed the help. Siya 'rin naman ang mamamahala kapag umalis na ako dito, kaya hangga't sa maari ay gusto ko munang magpahinga siya.

Nasa kandungan ko ang dragon na Arius habang binabasa ko ang sulat. Kagaya ko ay inaantok 'rin ito.

"Midnight said they're now marching up North and was ambushed by deserters" Sabi ko pagkatapos kong basahin ang sulat. Tiniklop ko uli ang papel at sinimulang haplusin ang ulo't katawan ni Arius. "They begged Midnight for mercy at the end. Our king was kind enough to let them join the army"

Arius lazily huffed, the heat under his belly burned a little hotter as though it thought the owner was about to breathe out fire. It was his way of conveying he did not agree with my statement.

Which part, my guess was the one where I said Midnight was kind.

I scratched Arius's scales, rougher than usual, "Lumipat ka dito sa balikat ko at maliligo na ako"

Tamad pa niyang binukas ang mga mata at nagawa pa nitong humikab.

"Paliguin na 'rin kaya kita"

Kesa sa sumagot siya ay tahimik siyang lumipat sa balikat ko at 'roon naghanap ng komportableng pwesto. He ended up curving around my nape like a necklace para makahiga siya ng maayos. Ang mga matatalim niyang kuko ay nakakapit ng mahigpit saakin ngunit hindi ganoon kadiin para saktan ako.

That was a yes, I think.

Pumasok ako sa banyo at binuksan ang tubig sa tub. Sunod kong ginawa ay naghubad ako ng damit sabay tiklop sa mga nito ng maayos. Pikit parin ang mga mata ni Arius nang ilagay ko ang aking damit sa counter ng sink.

Nang makasiguradong nasa tamang init na ang tubig ay roon lamang ako pumasok sa tub. Bahagyang gumalaw ang buntot ni Arius pagkatapos. I didn't mind it and cupped a handful of water with both of my hands and splashed it onto my face. Binasa ko na 'rin ang buhok ko at si Arius.

Ayokong mag tagal dito sa banyo kaya binilisan ko ang paglilinis sa sariling katawan. May mga dapat pa akong gawin agad agad at isa na roon ang pagbibisita saaking mga dragon sa ibaba—- sa syudad. Most especially, it was my responsibility to personally face the families of the warriors who decided to turn their backs on their queen to follow an uncrowned prince.

And I was getting impatient. Alam kong hindi madaling hanapin ang mga taong ayaw magpa hanap. Ngunit nangangati na ako dito.

Ravi hadn't had any news for me about Francis's whereabouts this morning and I was aching to find him. To have a talk with him. To finish what both he and I started. If he couldn't lend me warriors for this war, hindi ko siya pipilitin. But for him to orchestrate a plan to defeat me behind my back—- that I would no longer tolerate.

I got out of the bath and quickly changed into my clothes. Arius, on the other hand, he wriggled himself like a wet dog and flew out of the window for some reason.

Pinatawag ko kaagad si Ravi sa kwarto ko para tanungin sakanya kung may nakalap na ba silang impormasyon tungkol kay Francis.

"We are doing our best to find him immediately, Your Majesty. As of now, we are interrogating each warrior, at baka may alam sila kung saan namin pwedeng mahanap si Francis"

Was what Ravi had told me.

I was wearing a mask of warmness when I came down to the city. Trying to maintain a level of calmness as I greeted and visited my dragons. While others were happy about my visitation, others were curious about the situation outside of the borders of this kingdom. Tapon lang sila ng tapon ng mga katanungan. Ravi wasn't pleased with it either and was about to order the sentinels to hush them down when I interrupted and told him to let the townspeople be.