Suppression Of The Tamed

IX. Hideous Palace

"But...what about my grandmother? Will she be okay here?" I asked because this has been bothering me too.

Obviously, she will be alone if leave her here. So I'm worried.

"I'll assign a knight to guard her."

I was surprised because of what he said, nagtatanong lang naman ako kung magiging okay ba siya rito pero sinabi niya na agad na maglalagay siya ng kabalyero para kay lola? This is too much but if this is for my lola's safety then so be it.

Nang tumigil ang karwahe, sinubukan kong silipin kung nasa tapat na ba kami ng bahay kung nasaan kami naninirahan ni lola ngunit wala akong nakitang kahit isang bahay sa labas.

Nagtaka ako kung bakit pero nang napansin ko ang pamilyar na matandang babaeng naglalakad bitbit ang isang pamilyar na bag, nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa gulat, takot, at pag-aalala sa lola ko.

"Bababa ako." Paalam ko bago sinubukang buksan ang karwahe.

"Saglit lang." Aniya pero pinagsawalang bahala ko lang iyon.

Ang importante ngayon ay ang kalagayan ng lola ko.

The carriage is too high and there's no stepping stool when I get down so I almost stumble and lose my balance but that doesn't stop me from reaching for her.

"Lola!" Tawag ko sakanya nang lumapit ako.

Pagkaharap niya, kita ko kung gaano kapula ang kanyang mga mata at ang mas kumulubot niyang mukha dahil sa kanina pang pag-iyak. Tuloy-tuloy ang agos ng luha niya at tila ba walang anumang senyas ng pagtigil.

"Feronia! Apo ko!"

As soon as I was able to reach her, I hugged her weak body.

"Anong nangyari sa'yo? Okay ka lang ba? Tumakas ka ba sakanila?" Sunod-sunod niyang tanong sa biglaang pagdating ko.

"Ako dapat magtanong sa'yo niyan, La. Anong ginagawa mo rito?" Kinuha ko ang bitbit niyang bag.

"Kung dadalhin ka nila sa palasyo, ako na lang sana ang kukuha ng trabaho mo at itatakas kita roon." Iyak niya pang lalo. "Umalis na tayo rito, apo." Pagmakakaawa niya sa akin.

She tried to rest her head on my shoulders while hugging me tightly, I caressed her back gently stroking away all her fears.

"Hindi kayo makakaalis dito." Boses iyon ng prinsipeng papalapit sa amin.

Agad na kumalas si lola mula sa pagkakayakap sa akin at nanlaki ang mata ko sa biglaan niyang pagluhod.

"Lola!" I tried to stop her and lift her up pero tinabig niya lang ang mga kamay ko at niyuko pati ang kanyang ulo.

"Parang awa niyo na po, mahal na prinsipe." She tried to speak clearly but she can't stop her sobbing anymore unlike earlier.

"Lola, please stop." Lumuhod ako sa tabi niya para amuhin siya.

"You really can't go out here."

I raised my head when I saw him approach us closer, he even kneels down to level our faces.

He brought up his right hand and touched my grandmother's chin to lift up her bowing head.

"Once you step out of the border even with the Emperor's permission, you'll be welcomed by a shot in the head." He said with a warning tone but then followed by a smirk. "You won't even have the chance to find the border since Missarati is covered with magic...so that he can trap the people inside."

I don't have any understanding of what he's saying but, indeed, we can't even find the border. We once tried to escape this place but no matter how much we search for it, paulit-ulit lang kaming nababalik sa mga lugar kung saan na kami nanggaling.