Chapter 23: Favor
I looked around the charred remnants of the forest. Naapula na ang apoy ngunit nag-iwan ito ng malaking marka. Hindi lang sa kagutaban, pati sa pinaglalaban namin.
Owen was more than just a member of us. Hindi namin maaaring ipagsawalang bahala ang pagkawala niya. Even I was enraged by his tragic fate. All he wanted was a clan he could home.
We failed him.
I had to do something. At isang bagay lang naman ang dapat naming gawin. Ang pag-atake ay mababayaran lamang nang pagbalik nito. That's what troubles me right now. I don't think we are prepared enough for that.
"The burial was done," napalingon ako kay Chris. He was standing a few meters away from me. His eyes were blazed red, and I could feel an intense aura enveloping him. "We need to prepare now."
Malinaw sa akin ang gusto niyang mangyari kaya hindi ako nakapagsalita. Mas matagal ang pinagsamahan nila ni Owen kaya alam kong siya ang labis na naapektuhan sa pagkawala niya. Ngunit kung emosyon ang pairaralin ay walang mangyayari.
"Hindi lilipas ang gabing ito nang hindi natin siya naipaghihiganti," madiin niyang sambit. "We already failed him—"
"We did fail him," I cut him out. "And I will not let another failure consume us by hastily attacking tonight. Alam mong hindi pa tayo handa, Chris."
Gaya ng inaasahan ay hindi niya nagustuhan ang sinabi ko. "Hahayaan mo lang na lumipas ito?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya.
"That's all we can do right now," I swallowed. It hurt me to say that. But I had to admit the truth. "Itutuloy natin ang plano na palakasin ang puwersa natin."
Napangiwi ako nung dumapo sa aking mukha ang kamao niya. Sa sobrang lakas no'n ay napaatras ako. Umamba ulit siya ng suntok ngunit napigilan ko agad 'yon gamit ang kamay ko.
"This is a trap, Chris. Ito ang gusto nilang mangyari. Ang sumugod tayo nang hindi handa!"
His veins slowly snaked their way across his neck up to the temple of his head. I was struggling to halt his fist as I didn't want to fight him back.
"Your enemies killed him," he said. "He is an innocent young man who only wanted a room for himself. But you came and ruined everything!"
Nakawala siya sa pagkakahawak ko kaya dumapo ulit sa mukha ko ang kanyang kamao. Hindi lang dalawa o tatlo. Hanggang sa hindi na ako nakapag timpi at pinatulan ko na rin siya. We were both bleeding but we didn't stop fighting.
"You and your family are a curse!" he screamed.
"At matagal ko nang tinanggap iyon!"
"Enough!"
May malakas na pwersang tumulak sa amin kaya nagkahiwalay kami. Sabay kaming tumalsik palayo sa isa't isa. Sinubukan pa akong balikan ni Chris ngunit muli siyang hinatak ni Brienne.
"Alam kong pare-pareho tayong nasasaktan, pero walang mangyayari kung magsisisihan tayo!" sigaw ni Brienne. "And I don't think Owen will be happy to see you two fighting."
"No." Chris chuckled. "There's no happiness if there's no peace. There will be no peace until Cardinals are all gone. Tayo ang nagdurusa sa mga ginagawa nila!"
"Iyan lang ba ang kaya mong gawin? Ang sisihin ang iba?" tanong ko. "Na ibaling sa iba ang kabiguan na nararamdaman mo. Does blaming it to others make you at ease?"
"Does it hurt, Lord Oscar? To know that your family is the root of all this?" he smirked. "Yet, in the end, we are still willing to help you."
"I'm done blaming myself," I smiled. Pinahid ko ang dugo sa aking pisngi. "Let me remind you for the last time. You are not helping me solely to reclaim my throne. You are helping me because I'm the only one who can put an end to this."
