Melodies of the Waves (Delaney Series #4)

Chapter 6: Anchor

Anchor

Robin's POV

"Cigarette again, Robin?"

I didn't mind my brother Tobias who sat next to me, we were in the river that I made inside the gates of the palace.

There were flowers surrounding the river, thanks to Lady Adelaide for making it more beautiful.

"Something bothering you, Princess?"

And again, I didn't answer. "What is it? Do you want to tell me?"

Opening up was never easy for me. I can take everything up, as long as it never drowns me.

"Do you need us, Robin?"

"I can handle it."

"Hmm..." he nodded slowly and shifted his gaze to the waters. "The water is vast... forever expanding."

When he realized that I will not talk, he patted my head and combed my hair. "Rhiannon, if it's drowning you, no matter how big the waves are, you know that we're coming to get you."

Slowly, I nodded and looked at my brother who was smiling at me.

"You know, Princess, I never really got the chance to tell you that you make me proud," he suddenly said.

I studied his face, he was staring at the sun and I just knew that he was playing with the light because I could see from here, how the rays of the sun danced in his command.

"You never needed us growing up, you were content with just watching us from afar, tinutulungan ka namin na mag ensayo ngunit hanggang doon nalang yun. You managed to learn everything on your own," his eyes sparkled when the sun beat. "As much as I'm proud of you, I can't help but regret not teaching you about a lot of things."

Because they didn't have to, knowing that they're watching me do things on my own made me happy because I thought... They were there to support me.

They believe in my strength, they believe that I could do it on my own, and even if they didn't really spoon-fed me all the things I know now, I'm happy because they were there.

"You didn't have to," I answered shortly and shifted my gaze back to the river.

"You grew up to be so cold, I can't help but think that you are like that because we never really paid attention to you because we thought you preferred being alone."

I do... I prefer being alone. "You never neglected me," I informed him.

They thought that I don't know how they sneak in to my room with the Empress just to see if I'm sleeping already.

Leon would always hide in the shadows when our mother sends me out just to see if I'm doing well and to make sure that no harm will come to me. The Empress, as much as she knows how I hated to talk, she would always talk to me even if she knows that I won't answer, she would shower me with words like I love you, and I'm proud of you.

Tobias, he read me bedtime stories and I pretended not to be interested in it, I would often tell him to not read me to sleep but he always insisted, saying that if he reads me books at night, I would wake up smarter.

And Magnus, my twin who never really leaves me behind. He would annoy me until I tell him to just leave me alone but of course, being Magnus, he wouldn't, and I know that's how he shows me love. He even sacrificed his own power once when  we were attacked.

Blair, our youngest, would come to my room and tells me he forgot why he came but in reality, he just wanted to check up on me.

So I never really hated my siblings because they were there.

A cold, stoic person like me can't believe that I'm surrounded by so much warmth and love.

"Hindi ba kami nagkulang sayo, Robin?"

"You didn't," I took my cigarette back to my mouth and inhaled it. I watch as the smoke rises, filling my senses with its scent. "You gave me a harp when you realized that I loved playing instruments," I reminded him. "You asked the greatest musician of Wistervale to teach me..."

He laughed heartily, making the sun shine again. He was happy so the surroundings was brighter.

"But you told me to take him back from where he came from because you know everything," he chuckled.

I stayed silent, guilty because he was right. "Still."

"Kuya," I called. "Will you always have my back?"

"You should ask yourself about that," he didn't answer my question. "Will kuya be there if it gets messy?"

He will.

They will be there. I have to believe in that.

They're my family. My anchor.

"Hmm..." I nodded. "I'm kind of sleepy," tinapon ko ang sigarilyo ko at sumandal ako sa balikat niya.

"You're always sleepy," he held my head to make me comfortable in his shoulders. "Sleep well, Rhiannon."

He let me sleep while sitting, with my head on his shoulder.

"Luh bakit dyan natutulog yan?" I heard my twin arrived.

"Don't wake her up," Tobias warned.

"Sino ba ang nagsabi na gigisingin ko?"

I heard footsteps. "This is unfair, why is she sleeping on your shoulder? She's my sister too."

I almost wanted to shake my head because of Leon.

"I can take her to her chambers," said Blair.

When the air shifted, I knew who came last. "Why is my sister sleeping outside?"

I was never alone, and I am not meant to be alone because I have them.

My siblings are my anchor.

I was never the favorite but they didn't have to pick me as their favorite too. I am content with whatever they're showing me and that is enough for me to believe that I have them... always.

They would stop even the biggest wave if they saw me struggling to get out of the ocean. They will turn the whole Wistervale upside down for me.

The ocean is vast... but I will never be seen alone because I am with them.

I heard the water splashing all of them, including the Empress. "Hindi naman siguro tulog yang maldita na yan!" narinig ko ang reklamo ni Magnus. "Hindi nalang matulog dyan! Mamamasa pa!"

"You think we should throw her in the river?" Blair asked. "Make her pay for what she did?"

The Empress giggled. "Hayaan niyo na, she's just being silly," she said, letting me do things to them because it's a rare occurrence.

"It's because we're too noisy, you know how much she hates it when we're too loud," Leon added.

"Wag na nating kulitin yan," Magnus sighed.

I felt them sitting next to Tobias and I.

"I will be the one to carry her to her room," Leon said.

"Kambal mo? Diba hindi? Ako nalang, Kuya!"

"I can do it too," dagdag ni Blair. "I can carry her to her room."

"Why don't we just enjoy the atmosphere, my loves?" The Empress cut them off. "Let Robin sleep and let us enjoy this moment."

"Tama nga naman, bakit ngayon mo lang sinabi yan, Ate?"