Stone Hearted Empress

Chapter 12: years

His POV

IT HAS BEEN FIVE YEARS since I've meet her highness and now we already have two three years old toddlers running around the palace. At ngayon alam ko na kung bakit laging sinasabi sa amin ni mom na ang bilis naming lumaki dahil parang kailan lang ay sanggol palang ang mga batang naglalaro ngayon sa harapan ko tapos ngayon nga ay tatlong taong gulang na sila.

"Papa! Look oh!" Napatingin naman ako sa hawak ni Fhilicx at napangiwi ng isa iyong ibon na mukhang hinuli niya pa dahil takot na takot iyon habang nakakulong sa mga kamay ng anak ko. "Fhilicx, let the poor bird go." Utos ko pero sinimangutan niya lang ako at hindi nakinig, "let's kill this and eat it!!" Tili niya kaya bigla akong napabangon sa kinauupuan ko at pumunta sa kaniya para kuhain ang kaawa-awang ibon sa kamay ng anak.

~~~

NASA LIBRARY ako at maghahanap ng libro dahil gusto raw ng mga bata na basahan ko sila ng libro but I know they'll just want to look at the pics of the story books. I pick up three of it and quickly left. I open the door of the twins' room but I was startled when I saw my wife already reading a book for them.

"Ah, I didn't know you will be here empress." I said and walk towards them and sat next to Amelianna. Agad naman akong nilapitan ng dalawa at kinuha ang libro bago iyon buksan ay pinagtitignan ang mga larawan ng animals na naroon. "Lately the twins have been really interested with animal pictures." I uttered then look at the woman besides me who is watching the kids.

"Is that so." She only uttered then look at me straight into my eyes. I don't know if it's just me or her eyes seems duller than usual. I mean, back then when she looks at me her eyes are a bit brighter but now it looks dull.

"Mama! Look its a black bunny!" Parehas kaming napatingin kay Fhilicx ng sabihin niya iyon habang nakaturo sa isang itim na kuneho. "It looks like papa tho’." Phinicxxe said then look at me and back to the book again then at me. I sighed at that sentence of him while their mother laughed a little.

"Its nap time already, so you two better sleep okay?" Paalala ko sa dalawa at kinumutan na sila, they both nodded and I smiled when I saw Fhilicx yawned. "Have a sweet dreams my bunnies." I whispered then kissed their foreheads before leaving their room with the empress.

"Tulog na sila." I said and look at the woman beside me, she was looking at the closed door before turning her head at me. "Do you think that they will grow up nice?" Tanong niya sa akin na medyo ikinagulat ko pero sinagot ko rin naman agad.

"They will." I said reassuring her which made her smile a little. "That's good to hear." Bulong niya na hindi ko narinig bago tumalikod at naglakad na palayo sa akin. I don't know why but there is suddenly an unknown ache in my heart while looking at her walk away from me.

I touched my chest where my heart is and clench my clothes while pursing my lips into a thin line. I shouldn't be thinking this but why do I feel like this is the last time that I will see her walk away like that?

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HOLDING THE QUIL on my left hand I paused while looking at the paper I am holding. It is already late at night but I still have loads of paperwork to do and it is stressing the shit out of me. I blinked three times when my vision is getting quite blurry reason why I can't concentrate more.

*Knock knock*

Napatingin ako sa pintuan ng marinig ko na may kumatok roon bago ito bumukas at pumasok nga ang kamahalan. "You're still not done?" Tanong niya ng makita akong may hawak na papel at feather quil. "Yeah, I still have lots of it to sign and read." I said then look at the paper but all I can see is a blurry set of words.