LUNA: The Rebellion

9: Demon Festival

I stroked the skirt of my dress down with both of my hands, feeling so many things all at once but being nervous wasn't one of them. Ilang oras din akong inayusan ni Feline at ng iilang mga shadow demons. Sa banyo pa lang, tatlong oras na kaagad ang naubos ko. They bathed me in milk, honey, and rose petals, scrubbed my whole body as though I was covered in mud, massaged my head, feet, and hands for some reason, and made me stay in the tub for too long.

After what seemed to be an eternity and with a little bit of threatening from me, I was able to get out of the tub just to proceed to the makeover session. Feline never looked so bright and gullible as she was while dressing me up like a doll, she kept on talking and talking and talking. Asking me this and that. She really took the time doing things on my face and hair that I miraculously managed to shut my mouth despite wanting to complain about the numbness of my butt from sitting too long in front of the vanity mirror.

Kahit sa pag susuot ng dress, umabot pa kami ng syam syam bago nila tantanan ng tuluyan ang damit.

The end results were more astonishing than the prediction I'd made up in my head. I never would have thought white would suit me as well as the color black would have been. With my hair loosely waved like a calm sea on a normal sunny day, my make-up was heavy with pink and glitters. For some uncanny reason, my dress looked better now than the last time I tried it.

When I looked intimidating, powerful, fearless, and more seductive in black, white brought out a different personality from me. Maybe it was because of the color of my hair. I looked... dreamy. It was as though I was the purest thing in this world. Very feminine, and yet my face was of that an icy storm in the middle of the darkest time of the night.

In front of the body mirror, Feline and the others stood around me with beating hearts for eyes. I stared at my reflection, still a little bit amazed that I actually decided to wear white out of all the colors I could have used to avoid wearing the same shades with the King of the Demons and the Princess of Ramuel. Seeing them match would have its own effect on me but it would change nothing still. The best I could do would be to wear a front I've been taught to put up since the day I was born into this shameless world.

Even from above the city, I could hear the various noises the demons were making below. An eerie yet classic melody that came from string and wind instruments, giggles of the demon children, the laughs of the adults, the splash of water, the hiss of fire— everything felt so alive down there.

Hinayaan ko ang sarili na pakinggan ang mga ingay na nanggagaling sa ilalim ng palasyo na ito. Kesa sa bigyan tugon ko ang mga puri na binibigay nila Feline saakin, mas pinili kong pakinggan ang nangyayare sa ibaba at labas.

The palace gates were now open for the public. Maingay na 'rin sa labas, so I assumed the quadrangle was now packed with demons waiting for their king to show up and declare the start of the Demon Festival. Wala akong ka alam-alam kung anong mangyayare sa opening ngayon at wala 'rin namang sinasabi si Midnight tungkol dito. We were just told where to stand and where to sit, nothing more.

We should be starting by now.

As if the Triple Goddess and the Goddess of the Moon have heard my thoughts, a shadow demon knocked on my door and requested for me to join the others at the throne room.

I thought I'd heard Feline squealed a little, too excited to witness the reactions of the others at my appearance for tonight. Lumapit siya saakin na sobrang lawak ng ngisi. "Shall we, Your Majesty?"

Pinasadahan ko uli ng tingin ang repleksyon sa salamin bago ako tumango. "Hindi mo kailangan dumikit buong gabi saakin, Feline. Go have your fun" I reminded her. Halata kasing walang planong umalis sa tabi ko. Might as well tell her that she was free to do anything for the whole night.