HOW OUR PAGES PREVAILS '. ruler of fate series l fourth book

KABANATA 01

How Our Pages Prevails
written by : riyanisity

"Dear Azair," My lips smiled as I wrote his name on the first page of the book. After that, I dipped the tip of the glass pen in the black ink and bit my lip before continuing what I would like to say to him.

I'm finally here, just like I wanted and just like you would like me to do. I'm here on the other side of the world, while you are still there, hoping for my return. And I will... When the time comes, I will be back.

My head tilted. "You don't have to wait for me by then." I mumbled before continuing to the next paragraph. For the second time, I dipped the glass pen in the dent full of liquid paint and started writing for him again.

For the mean time, all I have: thoughts, love, and the bane of missing you and not being by your side would be in here. Once I take a leap in the sky, opposite direction of where I am heading right now, you will read every line I have in store for you for a while.

I nodded my head slowly. "Once I come home, then so is our love, which is freely moving along with the invisible wind and hiding on the harsh waves of the oceans." I said, assuring myself, before writing to him again.

I will give you this book as a sign of my undying yes, which you have been seeking from me for almost a decade of my disagreement. Once you take hold of this, that means I am either or both and will be forever bound to be with you by a church and the vows we will share together.

Dumiin ang dulo ng ballpen ko sa tuldok, bago ko 'yon itaas at ilapag sa lamesa. My eyes ran to the letter I wrote for him right before I flipped to the next page. So, now, for the third time, pleased and somehow despondent, I took the glass pen before dipping it in the ink again, as I started reminiscing about how we first met.

I started narrating the scenes in my head about what happened from the time he saw me when I didn't want to be seen by anybody — where I was shunning myself through the pit of nothing but a void full of darkness.

Kasabay ng pagbuo nila sa aking memorya na parang ako ay bumabalik sa nakaraan, kung saan ang oras ay pabaliktad, ang kamay ko ay kusang gumalaw para mamarkahan ang kwento naming dalawa. Sa wakas, nang bumalik na sa'kin ang lahat ng mga alaala — walang mintis o sobra pa man — ay kaagad kong sinulat ang bawat detalye sa gabing 'yon.

A huge sigh came out of my mouth before I opened our front door. Wanting to end this already, I headed straight to our dining area, where I saw them seated with another batch of food being served by our maids.

How foolish of them to put so many meals on our table just to waste them all. Gustong-gusto nilang makita ang yaman namin sa hapagkainan, pero kapag hindi naman naubos ay uutusan lang lahat ng tao rito para itapon sa basurahan. They couldn't give the remaining foods or even the left-overs to our maids and drivers instead of throwing it all out — that's how selfish they are.

"Really..? Aislinn?" My dad scoffed, seeing me. He shook his head and started cutting the steak on his plate. "You can't even come here at the exact time I told you to come? How could you even be late, when you don't even study medicine? You're not that busy."

I pursed my lips and didn't answer back. I sat next to my half brother, who was already smiling at me, "How's school?" mahinang tanong niya, pero hindi nakaligtas sa pandinig nilang dalawa 'yon.

My stepmother smiled sweetly at me, pretending to be good and precious, while my dad has his brow raised in spite. "You don't need to ask, Blaise. I'm sure it's easy for her." She reached for the glass of water, "Right, Aislinn?" nang-uuyam na tanong niya.

I nodded my head and started eating what Blaise put on my plate.

"Hmm..." She hummed and put the glass down. "See..? Honey?" Nakangiting bumaling siya kay Papa. "Aislinn is doing well in her school because her course is easy." She covered her mouth when a chuckle escaped from her lips. Tumingin ulit siya sa'kin. "I mean... Mananahi ka lang naman in the future, right? You just sew all day in school kasi... Uh..." Her eyes squinted. "Don't get me wrong, pero ano ulit ang inaaral mo?"