"If you're unsure of the cause, then take a closer look at its effect."
A THROB in her head. Elle began massaging her temples to ease the pain. She hadn't properly slept last night thinking about the Lord Masek's condition. What could be the cause? Veronika, what's taking you so long?
"Thank you for still being here despite what happened. If Lady Sigertem does not wish to be married to you, I can talk to my father and have the Sages break the pact. Sebastian, you don't need to feel responsible for her anymore. Look at her. She's very successful and she can support herself."
Kung pwede lang sumulpot si Elle sa harapan ng dalawa at sumigaw ng isang napakalakas na 'yes, do it girl!' sa prinsesa ay ginawa na niya. Bakit parang siya pa itong may kasalanan na natali siya kay Sebastian eh kung tutuusin, ang lalaki naman 'daw' ang pumili sa kanya noon bilang future bride nito? She was just days old back in the day? Anong alam ng isang baby sa pag-aasawa?
Elle thought of showing herself but she changed her mind. She's heading to the dining hall but she accidentally saw Iulien and Sebastian on the hallway. Obviously, they're having a discussion about her.
"Kasalanan ko ba kasi na pangit ako noong kabataan ko? Kung gusto mo naman pala ng magandang aasawahin, edi iyong batang mga kaedad mo nalang sana noong araw ang pinagpilian mo para may idea ka kung lalaki ba silang maganda o hindi? Bakit ako na sanggol pa lang ang pinili mo?!" She nearly kicked the antique vase beside her.
According to Sergei Valyrius' story, Sebastian was having a hard time picking a bride. But when the boy saw a newborn baby being carried by its mother, he was bewitched. They were riding a carriage passing by the Central from a trip to Charlotte going home to Castle Valyrius that time. Sebastian went down the carriage and looked at the baby. Sergei, Dark and Vasile were dumbfounded when the seven-year-old boy declared the newborn child to be his chosen future bride. The Blue Moon Pact ceremony was held three nights after that day. That unfortunate baby happened to be Gabrielle.
She was five when Velkan Aleksandri took her back to him. But instead of happiness, the Lord Sebastian Valyrius was disappointed and upset seeing his precious, cute baby grew into a wild-looking girl with wide forehead and gigantic front teeth. Since then, he made it his everyday mission trying everything to get rid of her.
Bumalik nalang si Elle sa kwarto ng Lord Masek. Overhearing the conversation between those two just made her feel distressed. She found Horacio awake. "My Lord, how are you feeling?"
"D...Doctor..."
Elle leaned over to hear his soft voice. "Yes, My Lord?"
".... Nu vreau să mor..."
She felt a pang in her chest. Those were the exact words she kept uttering in her mind when she was suffering from a wicked fever back in her childhood. At a young age, she already knew what its like to hear the calls of death. Elle held the Lord's skinny hand. "My Lord, I will do everything to heal you. I promise." She smiled at him.
".... Nu vreau să mor..." (I don't want to die.)
Of course. This man was already planned to be the future King of this country. She will not fail him now.
Nadungaw ang dalaga sa bintana at sa kamalas-malasan ay makikita pa niya si Sebastian at ang Prinsesa na naglalakad sa hardin. Sinamantala ng mga ito ang makulimlim na araw para makalabas. Naroon pa si Vasile na sumusunod di kalayuan sa dalawa. If its not for the Lord Masek, she will really suspect that there's an unspoken romance between the Count and the Princess. Sebastian may not admit it but his mood looked lighter everytime he's with that woman.
Kunsabagay, kung si Elle din ang naging lalaki, matutuwa rin siya kung kasingganda at kasingbait ba naman ni Prinsesa Iulien ang kanyang makakasama.
__________
Two more days passed and finally, the knight she's been waiting for arrived bearing the results of the blood samples. "My Lady Millward sends her apologies for the delayed time. She also sends her sorry and compassion to your patient."
"What do you mean?" Mabilis pa sa alas kwatro ang pagbukas ni Elle sa papel na naglalaman ng resulta. Her fingers gripped the papers too tight that it was nearly torn. Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin niya sa papel at sa lalaki. "Oh, my Lord... what in the world have I gotten myself into?" Napasalampak siya ng upo sa sahig.
"My Lady?" the knight asked with concern.
She raised her head. Their eyes met. Bahagya pang nalula si Elle nang mapagtanto ang hitsura ng lalaki. He was good-looking. Bakit ngayon niya lang iyon napansin?
"My Lady? Is there something wrong?"
The doctor snapped back to reality. "There is no cure for him," she uttered hopelessly. Not even a ton of Mandrake could completely heal Horacio. "What should I do?" she asked the clueless knight.
"Nu vreau să mor."
The doctor composed herself and rose. She took a syringe and collected again another sample from the patient. This time, she took some saliva samples from him too. Wrapping all of it again, she carefully placed everything in a box. "Tell the Lady Millward to have them tested again and if granted a permission, I request dosage of the alternative medicine for the illness at hand."
"Of course, My Lady," the knight bowed and took a leave.
Naupo ang dalaga sa gilid ng kama. "My Lord, where and how did you contact such illness? If the King and the priests find out, you'll be stripped off your title and possibly your engagement to the Princess." Matiim siyang natitig sa mukha ng natutulog na lalaki.
"Engagement to what?"
Napalayo si Elle mula sa pasyente nang pumasok sa silid si Sebastian kasunod ang prinsesa. She nodded sideways, silently crampled the result's paper and slid it in her pocket. "Nothing, My Lord. I was just talking to the Lord Masek to stay strong and recover as fast so he and the princess could get married."
The two plastered a blank look. May mali ba sa sinabi niya?
"By the way, the guard from Lindonn came. What news did he bring forth?" asked the princess in a raised tone. Maging si Sebastian ay hinihintay rin ang kanyang kasagutan. Could it be that these two were thinking that the guard was sent by the Prince Evander Drucesco to check on her?
At ano naman ang pakialam nila kung sakaling ganoon man ang sitwasyon?
"He delivered the results of the blood samples that I took from the Lord Masek which I sent to Sayre to be tested." Di nakaligtas kay Elle ang pamumutla ng prinsesa.
"You...You had his blood tested? You said... Dengue, right? Why do you need to run further tests?" her voice quivered.
"Your Highness, it was only a hypothesis. As a doctor, I have to make sure that my diagnosis is right."
"So? What is it then?" asked Sebastian. Makapagtanong akala mo parang walang alitan na nangyari sa kanilang dalawa nitong nakaraang araw. Ang sarap ihagis sa labas ng araw.
Elle bit her lower lip. She's trapped. She had no choice now but to tell the truth. "It's an infection called Hepatitis B."
BINABASA MO ANG
CASTLE VALYRIUS
Fantasy(Sebastian and Gabrielle) Blue Moon Pact-a noble man will choose a woman of his own liking to become his future bride and they will be baptized under the Blue Moon. That happened to Gabrielle when she was just barely five-days old. She was betrothed...
