Ang Kwento Nating Dalawa

Kabanata 26 - Ang Pagbisita ni Lira sa Sapiro

"Magbigay pugay sa reyna ng Lireo!" 

Arven, Sapiro's new mashna, said as Lira entered the kingdom of her father and her ilos. 

The Sapiryans all bowed down as a gesture of respect as Lira, the daughter of their king and queen, walked towards her parents with a smile on her face.

"Avisala eshma sa inyong magandang pagbati." Lira said. "Ngunit, maaari niyo ba kaming iwan ng aking mga magulang?" 

"Masusunod, mahal na reyna." Arven complied, and so did the Sapiryans and the Lirean soldiers who had accompanied their queen to the kingdom of Sapiro.

As soon as Lira felt that she was alone with her parents, she hugged them almost immediately, her longing for them simply undeniable. 

"Nay, tay, kamusta na po kayo? Grabe, miss na miss ko na ho kayo." She said, as she savored every bit of this moment. It wasn't everyday that she could be with her parents, after all. 

"Maayos naman ang aming kalagayan, anak." Ybrahim assured his daughter as soon as they had broken off their warm embrace. "Kamusta ang Lireo? Ginagabayan ka ba ng mabuti ng iyong ashti Pirena?" 

Lira nodded in reply. 

"Kahit po nakakapagod maging reyna ng Lireo dahil sa dami dami ng responsibilidad, at least tinutulungan ako ni ashti Pirena." She said. "Talagang nag-goodbye na siya sa pagiging kontrabida niya." She added.

Amihan laughed warmly, as she caressed her daughter's face.

"Masaya ako't tuluyan ng tinalikuran ng iyong ashti ang pagiging masama, anak." She said. "Kamusta si Mira? Ang huling balita ko sa kanya ay ipinagkaloob na daw ni Pirena ang brilyante ng apoy sa kanya. May katotohanan ba ang balitang ito?" 

"Opo, inay. Nasa mga kamay na ni Mira ang brilyante ng apoy." Lira affirmed. "Gusto kasi ni ashti Pirena na siya ang mamuno sa Hathoria, kung kaya't binigay niya ito sa kanya." 

Ybrahim and Amihan exchanged a look of alarm as they heard this, for Pirena's plan of reviving Hathoria under the reign of her daughter, Mira, wasn't good news to them. 

The king and queen of Sapiro were convinced that Pirena had turned her back against all evil, but she and Mira had Hathorian blood running through their veins. That very fact was enough for the both of them to have doubts as to the true agenda of reviving the kingdom that had greatly opposed peace in the world of Encantadia.

"Lira, anak, alam kong malaki ang tiwala mo sa iyong ashti at kay Mira, pero nais ko sanang bantayan mo ng mabuti ang kanilang mga kilos sapagkat.. hindi tayo nakasisiguro na maganda ang kahahantungan ng kanilang planong buhayin muli ang Hathoria." Amihan said.

"Tama ang iyong ina, Lira. Bilang reyna ng Lireo at ng buong Encantadia, kailangan mong siguraduhin na mananatili ang kapayapaang ating pinaglaban." Ybrahim added. "Wag mong hayaan na muling malagay sa panganib ang kapakanan ng buong Encantadia dahil masyado kang nagtiwala sa iyong mga kadugo."

Lira knew that her parents were right. As the new queen of Lireo and the entire Encantadia, she needed to use more of her head, than her heart. She needed to be objective on all the matters concerning the world she truly belonged to, and she needed to be the first to protect it, if ever new problems would arise.

"Wag kayong mag-alala, nay, tay. Hindi ako papayag na magkagulo ulit dito sa Encantadia." Lira said, her tone full of assurance. "Magiging mabuting reyna ako at talagang uunahin ko ang kapakanan ng ating mundo."

Ybrahim and Amihan couldn't help but sigh in relief as they heard those words escape their daughter's mouth. They were proud parents, indeed.

"Mabuti naman kung ganun, anak." Amihan smiled gently. "Pero dahil ikaw na ang reyna ng Lireo at nais kong magkaroon ka ng karagdagang kapangyarihan na magsisilbing proteksyon mo laban sa kahit na sinong nais manakit sa'yo, naniniwala akong.. ito na ang tamang panahon para ipasa ko sa'yo ang brilyante ng hangin." She added, opening her palm.

And just like that, the air gem shined brightly as it floated on top of Amihan's hand. It looked so beautiful that Lira couldn't help but gaze at it.

"Nay.. sigurado ba kayo na sa akin niyo ipapasa ang brilyante ng hangin? Hindi ba kayo natatakot na baka maagaw sa akin 'yan? At saka.. di ko pa alam kung paano 'yan gamitin." Lira said. 

"Anak, alam kong natatakot ka dahil sa bigat ng responsibilidad bilang tagapangalaga ng isang brilyante, pero nandito ako. Tuturuan kita kung paano ito gagamitin ng wasto." Amihan assured her fearful daughter. 

"Lira, sa'yo ko pinapasa ang brilyanteng ito, hindi dahil ikaw ang reyna ng Lireo, pero dahil naniniwala ako na maalagaan mo ito ng mabuti at gagamitin para sa kabutihan." Amihan said. 

"Nay," Lira replied, breathing heavily. "Pwede bang bigyan niyo ko ng konting panahon para pag-isipan ito ng mabuti? Kasi ngayon, parang hindi pa ako ready eh." She added honestly. "Babalik nalang ako dito sa Sapiro kung nakapag-decide na ako."

Lira kissed both her parents on the cheek.

"Mauuna na po ako, nay, tay. Mag-ingat po kayo." She said, and then she disappeared.

As Amihan closed her palm, she couldn't help but sigh in frustration. She couldn't understand why Lira was being a bit difficult when it came to the matter of passing on the air gem to her.

Ybrahim was quick to ease his queen's frustration by holding her hand and squeezing it gently.

"E correi, wag mo munang pilitin si Lira na pangalagaan ang brilyante ng hangin kung hindi pa siya handa." He said. "Hayaan nalang natin siyang magpasya kung ano ang nais niyang gawin patungkol dito." He added.

"Nasa wastong edad na rin ang ating anak at kailangan natin siyang hayaan na gumawa ng pasya para sa kanyang sarili."

"Alam ko 'yun, Ybrahim. Pero natatakot lang ako dahil nasa kamay na ni Mira ang brilyante ng apoy." Amihan said. "Kahit na alam kong mabait siya at maayos ang pagpapalaki ko sa kanya, may dugong Hathor na nanalaytay sa kanya at maaaring gamitin niya ang brilyanteng iyon para sa kasamaan." She added. "Kailangan kong protekahan si Lira, Ybrahim. Kailangan kong protektahan ang ating anak, kung kaya't hindi mo ko masisisi kung pilit kong pinapasa ang aking brilyante sa kanya."

"Ybrahim, tulad ng sinabi mo, wag nating hayaan na masira ang kapayapaan na ipinaglaban natin noon dahil masyado tayong nagtiwala sa ating mga kadugo." She said. "Oo, maaaring payapa ngayon ang Encantadia pero hanggang kailan? Kung walang masamang hangarin si Pirena at totoong nagbago na nga siya, marami pang mga Engkatado't Engkantada na posibleng maging bagong kaaway hindi lang ni Lira, pero nating lahat."

"Nag-aalala lang ako, Ybrahim, hindi lang bilang reyna ng Sapiro, pero bilang ina ni Lira. Sana maintindihan mo 'yun." 

As Amihan walked away from Ybrahim, he couldn't help but sigh. His queen was right. Encantadia wasn't going to remain peaceful forever, for evil was lurking everywhere, waiting for the right time to unleash its strong force. 

Ybrahim could only hope that his daughter, the queen of Lireo, would make the right choice.

"May tiwala ako sa'yo, anak." He uttered to the wind. "May tiwala ako sa'yo."