The King's Court

XX

Sumilay ang ngiti sa labi ko nang marinig ko ang mga katagang iyon. The words I've been wanting to hear. The assurance I craved.

It's crazy how mere words could hold so much power. Who knew that the word 'stay' could make me feel the kind of happiness that could last for eternity?

Nikolas claimed my lips soon after. Unlike the kiss we shared earlier, this one was longer and more passionate. His lips danced with mine in a rhythm only we know.

Once upon a time, the kiss felt uncertain. The first time we did so in a room that was foreign. Once upon a time, it screamed all the wrong things. It screamed all the warnings. It was basically almost forbidden. I was a servant with a dark secret. He was the Prince. The budding feelings we had that time were just that: budding.

But now, his lips felt perfect on mine. He is a King with bigger responsibilities. And I am Evelyn Diaze. The rawest that I am. No secrets, no lies.

The kiss felt free like how a prisoner would feel after being freed from his shackles. And I savored it. We savored the kiss. Nikolas kissed me like it was his last time and I answered with the same intensity.

By the time we decided to pull apart, our breaths mixed. Pareho kaming humihingal. A smile curved his mouth and it tempted me to kiss him again pero pinigilan ko na ang sarili ko.

"When we are done...When we finish what we have to do, we would go back," sabi ko sa kanya. He closed his eyes as if he did not like being reminded of that dreadful fact.

"I know and I don't want to think about it," he said and I smiled at him.

"It can't be helped," I said. "We were made to meet. We literally lived in different universes and we still met each other. That counts for something."

"There has to be a way," he said and I nodded. At that moment, I knew it was close to impossible. Picturing me and him together wasn't clear but at that moment, it was something that gave us hope for the future to come, whatever that may be. Whatever waits for us. It's nice thinking about the future together. It's nice thinking it was possible.

Saglit kaming natahimik. We both savored the companionable silence as we stood there, wrapped in each other's arms. He was gentle enough not to disturb my wound.

Ramdam ko ang marahan na paghaplos niya sa aking likuran as his chin rested on top of my head. For a moment, it was peaceful. For a moment, it felt like no war was looming and that everything was fine. It felt like it was just us. 

Then he said, "I did not open the letter."

I pulled away and looked at him. Surprise was probably written on my face. His face was outlined by the little light trying to come into my barely open windows. He looked good. Sinfully good. People shouldn't be allowed to look that good and yet this man—

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, and I blinked.

"I'm looking at you like how I would normally look at another person who just told me something surprising."

"No, you're looking at me like I did something downright unbelievable."

You are unbelievably good-looking it's heartbreaking. But I was not going to say that. 

"It is downright unbelievable. You sent the letter? Without opening it?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko. After all, he made sense when he said he needed to check it first to know if I said something safe or something that could harm this kingdom. I know for myself I did not write anything weird  on it. 

Hinaplos niya ang mukha ko and it took everything in me not to cave into his touch.

"Like you said, I have to trust my Emissary. That's what I am doing. I am putting my trust in you."

I swallowed. It wasn't just his trust. He placed the fate of this kingdom on that single letter. THe letter that I wrote for the infamous Queen of Solaris that could attack our lands should we make a mistake. Suddenly, I felt a huge wave of pressure. But at the same time, I was satisfied. 

I gave him a smile.

"Let's hope for the best," I said. 

He was about to say something nang biglang may marinig kaming nagkagulo sa labas. We could hear the footsteps of people outside my chamber and then we heard the next chamber--Nikolas' chamber--opened followed by Roylan's voice. Kasabay noon ang pagbukas ng kwarto ko at pumasok doon ang isang guard.

He found me and Nikolas hugging each other but did not pay attention. Whatever was causing this chaos was more important than seeing their King in a woman's chamber unchaperoned. 

"The King's here!" said the guard at sa isang iglap, guards swarmed inside. Roylan followed and they all gave way for their Captain. Nagtataka naman kaming napatingin kay Roylan. 

He bowed slightly and gave me a short glance.

"What on earth is going on Roylan?" tanong ni Nikolas sa lalaki.

"Your Majesty, we found a dead body in the armory. The guards have already dispersed all throughout the castle to secure the premises. The culprit could still be inside," Roylan said. The fact that he reported such intense news with little to no changes in his facial expression was beyond me. Nahigit ko ang hininga ko nang marinig ang balita. 

A dead body? Inside the castle?

I felt Nikolas stiffen beside me. "Whose body?"

I could see that Roylan was hesitating for a moment before he finally said, "Council Myer." 

Tila nanlamig ang buong katawan ko sa narinig. It was the old man that was against me being a part of the King's Court. He was the one who strongly disagreed with the King when Nikolas announced my alliance. 

I heard him mutter a curse. "Find Leon and tell him to meet me at the armory." Agad na tumango si Roylan and relayed the orders to the other guards. 

Hinarap naman niya ako pagkatapos. "Stay here. I will have Mark and Arleigh come with you here with guards stationed at your door. Please don't get out unless we sort this out." 

If he was panicking, he did not show it. If he was frightened, I can't see it. At that moment, I realized being a king is so much more than just ruling a country. They needed to master the art of masking how they felt too. They have to appear tough even in situations like this. 

I reached out to touch his hand and gave it a little squeeze. 

"We will figure this out," I said and he smiled before he gave me a short nod, his face filled with urgency.

He faced Roylan. "Roy, tell one of the guards to get Mark and Arleigh here. And have three guards stationed in front of their chamber. You are coming with me." 

Nikolas gave me one last look before he took off, leaving me in the chamber with fear and doubt. 

A dead body inside the castle. 

My hands fidgeted as I paced back and forth. A dead body just in time for when I came back and lived in the castle again. Such coincidence. 

It was as if it was made to look like I caused it. 

Pero baka paranoid lang ako. Baka nagkataon lang. 

But then again, this palace had Morgana and Evelyn before. Other than them, there was Eulalie Wood and others I don't know about. This castle was infiltrated before and who's to say it couldn't happen again? The gnawing feeling kept on digging a hole down my thoughts, getting deeper as seconds passed.

I muttered a silent curse as I sat on my bed. This situation could possibly make things worse than they already are. 

~