Daughter Of Dusk And Dawn

78.

It didn't take long before the coronation was announced. It had only been a day after the late king and queens funeral. It was to take place a week from now.

Sapat iyon upang kahit papaano ay mabigyang kulay ang madilim na mga nakaraang araw ng kapitolyo. Gayunpaman, nandoon pa rin ang tensyon sa Kadhaven. It was as though we all walk on ice, and we had to carefully thread less the ice break, or we all  get pulled down its dark and cold depths. 

The banners were raised. The walls were manned twice, the castle more so. Kung inaakala ko na mahigpit na ang seguridad nang nakaraan, mas naging mahigpit sila  ngayon. 

I had not seen the prince since the incident. Malabo, with what happened, he was surrounded with guards day and night. Batid kong si Keiv mismo ang nakaatas sa prinsipe, kasama na si Ser Samuel at anim pang ibang mga guwardiya. 

Muli, ang palasyo ay nabalot ng ingay. Mga nagmamadaling tagasilbi-- labas pasok sa palasyo sa paghahanda sa paparating na okasyon. It couldn't be delayed was what they all whispered of, and in a way it was true. Gestalt would have to be crowned the soonest. His father's death put him and the entire country in a very fragile position. Their enemies might strike while the iron is hot.  

Nakulong ako sa aking silid. Paminsan-minsan ay binibisita ako ni Cheena at Arianne dala ang mga pagkain o kaya naman ay inumin. Napansin ko ang pagi-iba ng dalawa, lalo na si Arianne na tila pagod na pagod. Their shoulders were tensed, and although they graced me with pleasant smiles, I would often catch them stealing worried glances with each other. Nang tanungin ko kung ayos lang sila, o kung may problema, kibit balikat lang ang mga ito at itinanggi ito. Gayunpaman, batid kong may sikreto ang dalawa. Cheena and Arianne were close. I am pretty sure whatever it was Arianne got herself into, Cheena knew of it. But again it was not my business.  Sa aking munimuni, isa lang ang napagtanto ko, kasapi sa rebelyon ang dalawa. Or symphatizers, at least. Hindi nakapagtataka. From what it looked like, the two was enslaved when their country was conquered by the late king. 

"May alam ba kayo sa nangyari noong nakaraan?" wala sa sariling tanong ko. 

Fear flashed on both their eyes. Gayunpaman, mabilis na umiling ang dalawa. 

"Tungkol saan? Lady Adelaine?" tanong ni Cheena, hindi makatingin sa akin at pinu-punasan ang lamesa. She already wiped it earlier. 

I turned to Arianne instead. She had a distant look. "Tungkol ba sa pagkamatay ng hari at reyna?"

Tumango ako kay Arianne. 

Umiling siya. "Paano mo naman natanong, Lady Adelaine?" she asked, curiously. 

I blinked and shrugged. "Wala lang, baka may narinig kayong mga bulungan. Mga impormasyon mula sa mga ibang mga tagasilbi."

Sabay na umiling ang dalawa. "Wala masyado, Lady. Puros mga haka-haka lang din ang saad nila. Gayunpaman, halos lahat ay iniisip na marahil ang mga rebelde ang may gawa ng atake. Lalo pa at mayroong kaparehong atake ilang linggo lang nakapalipas sa mismong syudad, hindi nalalayo ang nangyari sa hari at reyna," paliwanag ni Arianne. 

She did not break eye contact. 

Tama siya. The last attack on the city, lord Areling blamed the rebels. Claimed it was a move from the rebels. Natural na sila ang unang mapagbibintangan.

"Ano sa tingin mo?" tanong ko. "Ang mga rebelde ba ang may gawa?" 

I knew the answer, it was not the rebels. But I wanted to know something.

Cheena and Arianne shook their heads at the same time. "Hindi gagawin ng mga rebelde ang atakeng ito, Lady Adelaine. Sa tingin ko may ibang bagay ang may gawa nito. Hindi ko lang batid kung ano, at kung ano ang pakay nito."