Chapter 19: Mansion
I heard a faint voice calling my name from behind the cold, iron bars. Startled, I turned around and saw a man peering at me through the shadows. Sa una ay nakangiti pa siya, pero matapos ang ilang segundo ay naglaho rin 'yon.
"I thought you were Lord Oscar," he said in a low and hopeless voice. "May bagong bihag na naman ba?"
Despite the relief I felt upon realizing he didn't recognize me, I couldn't shake off the anticipation in his voice as he called my name. The eagerness in his voice made me wonder what he wanted from me.
"Just accept it at this point," I heard another voice from a different cell. "Inabando na tayo ni Lord Oscar. Hindi na tayo babalikan no'n!"
"No." Madiin na umiling ang lalaki bago napayuko. Humigpit ang pagkakahawak niya sa bakal. "I still believe that he will come back to save us."
"Save us?" Humalakhak ang lalaki sa kabilang selda. "Siguro ay kung si Lord Brixton baka may pag-asa pa. Oscar Cardinal has always been known to be the weakest among them all. He cannot save anything."
"But he's our leader—"
"Give it up. He doesn't care about us."
"Baka may rason kaya bigla siyang nawala."
I didn't notice I was already tearing up until I felt the tear on my cheek. Suminghap ako at tumalikod na sa kanila. For some reason, that hurt me more.
"Sino ba talaga ang kinakampihan mo?" dinig kong tanong ng lalaki. "Hindi ba nakulong ka rin naman dito dahil kay Lord Oscar? Umasa ka rin naman na babalik siya!"
"That's right," he sighed, his voice heavy with disappointment. "And I regret it now. I regret joining the resistance to oppose the current administration for Lord Oscar. He failed me."
Hindi na rin ako nagtagal sa loob dahil wala roon ang hinahanap ko. Dirediretso lang akong lumabas at nilagpasan ang mga kawal.
"Hoy! Saan ka pupunta?" tanong ng kasama kong nagbabantay.
Wala akong planong humarap kung hindi lang may humawak sa braso ko. Natigilan ako sa paglalakad. Nanatili akong nakatalikod at pilit na pinapakalma ang sarili.
"It's okay. It's me."
Humarap ako kay Chris. Seryoso ang mukha niya kaya hindi ko alam kung may maganda ba siyang balita. Sinenyasan niya akong sumunod sa kanya na ginawa ko naman.
"Wala siya sa kulungan," sabi ko habang nakabuntot pa rin sa kanya. "Did you find anything?"
He still failed to give me an update. Mabilis ang paglalakad namin at kung magpapatuloy kami ay baka may makahalata na sa amin.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Let's abort this mission for now."
Natigilan ako sa paglalakad. Gano'n din siya. Saka siya humarap sa akin.
"What do you mean abort this mission?" kunot-noo kong tanong habang madiin na nakatingin sa kanya. "Kung wala ring nangyari sa paghahanap mo, wala pang isang oras. We still have time."
"I will explain everything to you once we get out of this place," he said, still not answering any of my questions. "Bilin din ito ni Brienne na naghihintay na sa labas."
"Give me more minute—"
"We already found him, Oscar."
Sa halip na matuwa ay mas lalo akong naguluhan. If they really found him, why were they acting that it was some bad news?
"Where's he?" I asked.
Tila nayamot pa siya sa tanong ko.
"You cannot save him anymore—"
