Chapter 13

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CHAPTER XIII : Midst of The Storm

HUMIKAB ako bago isinubo ang tinapay sa bibig ko. Pinanood ko lamang ang ginagawang barrier ni Portia at Mishka para sa magiging proteksyon namin habang nagpapahinga. Inabot na kami ng gabi ngunit kahit isang bakas na makakapagtunton sa'min mula sa kinaroroonan ni Lady Mirabelle ay wala kaming nahanap. I keep telling them maybe she flew to the other kingdom to hide, or maybe she's in a different empire. Pero lahat sila ay binibigyan lang ako ng iling. They said the curse it too strong, they concluded that Lady Mirabelle used her life to create it. She's tied in this place, she can't leave because if she tries, she'll disappear and the curse power will lessen.

"Then why can't we just kill her?" I asked Sage. Abala ito sa kinakain niyang tinapay.

"We can't."

"Bakit nga?"

"These people will die along with her."

"Then why did she put a curse in them if she doesn't want them to die with her?" Binigyan ako ni Sage ng hindi maipaliwanag na tingin.

"Why do you think we're here?" he asked. Ngumuso ako bago kumagat sa tinapay ko.

"To find a way to lift her curse—that doesn't answer my question!" I said and he gave me a shrug.

"Lady Mirabelle is a daughter of a witch, Lady Crimentelle. Their family is one of the most elegant and sophisticated people in this town," saad ni Sage kaya naman umayos ako ng upo upang mas mapakinggan ito ng mabuti.

"Lady Mirabelle fell in love with Duke Arturo. The heir of Debloid, the great enemy of lady Mirabelle's family." Tumaas ang kilay ko. It's like Romeo and Juliet.

"But Duke betrayed the Lady. He used her emotions to create a plan against her family. The duke successfully framed Lady Mirabelle's family. The residents burned them for using witchcraft,"

"Lady Mirabelle died?"

"No. She escapes, that's how she found out the Duke's unfairness. She met Morgana, the pregnant wife of the Duke,"

"Omygod what an asshole!"

"Your words," kunot ang noong paalala ni Sage. Ngumuso ako at umirap. He's such a conservative.

"So she cursed an entire town because she's heartbroken?"

"Yeah. She cursed everyone who will love, turn into stone," I gasp.

"What if I turned into stone because I'm in love with you?" Biro lamang 'yon ngunit agad akong nagsisi nang makita ang gulat na ekspresyon ni Sage sa'kin. Bahagya pang nakaawang ang labi nito na tila hindi makapaniwala sa iniusal ko. Peke akong umubo at tinapik ang balikat nito.

"I'm just kidding! Para ka namang sinaunang tao," muling biro ko bago tumayo at umakmang aalis na. Natigilan ako nang hilahin nito ang kamay ko at iniharap sa kan'ya. Oh God he's mad.

"Learn to filter your mouth. You should restrain yourself from blabbing nonsense things, it may put you in danger," aniya nang magkasalubong ang kilay. Wala naman akong nagawa kung hindi tumango na kunyari ay sumasang ayon sa kan'ya. Nagpakawala ito ng malalim na paghinga bago tumayo at iniwan ako.

—**—

KINABUKASAN ay nagwatak watak kami para mas makahanap ng iba pang detalye patungkol kay Lady Mirabelle. Narito ako ngayon sa lumang bahay ni Lady Mirabelle kasama si Portia at Edzel. Both of them are downstairs, while I decided to go upstairs, in Lady Mirabelle's bedroom. Halata ang karangyaan sa buhay ni Lady Mirabelle dahil sa ganda ng kan'yang kwarto. Kahit napupuno na ito ng lumot at tinutubuan na ng ilang damo ay kitang kita parin ang kagandahan nito. It's big and spacious. Kahit ang iilang damit at gamit ng dalaga ay naririto pa. It's like time stopped inside this room.

Samsara of the Divine PunishmentTahanan ng mga kuwento. Tumuklas ngayon