THIRTY-SECOND
Icarus
"Halika na, dali!" bulong ko kay Blobby para hindi magising yung mga nilalang dito.
Take note: sina Blobby at Zeke lang ang tao sa bahay na 'to kaya hindi ko alam kung saan ica-classify yung dalawa.
Lumabas naman na kami ng kwarto niya nang dahan-dahan at bumaba. Nabitawan ko ang mga bag namin nang biglang bumukas yung ilaw.
"Saan kayo pupunta?" nakacrossed arms na tanong ni Soul Keeper.
"Dadalhin ko lang sa beach si Blobby." sagot ko.
"Alam ko! Kaya nga nakaimpake na rin ako!" ngiting-ngiting singit ni Zeke na may dala-dalang backpack at nakapuwesto malapit sa switch ng ilaw.
"Sasama ako, wala akong tiwala sayo. Baka kung anong gawin mo sa kapatid ko." usual emotionless na sabi ni Soul Keeper at binuhat yung bag niyang nakaready na rin. Bigla naman akong may naalala.
"Saan kayo pupunta?" tanong ni Elijah.
"Sa dalampasigan lang po at manghuhuli ng isda dahil 'yun po ang gusto ng prinsesa." sagot ko.
"Sasama ako. Baka kung anong mangyari sa kapatid ko habang nangingisda kayo."
"Ano, tara na?" sabi ni Harris. Napailing-iling nalang ako.
"O-Oo na."
Mga panira ng out of town date, tsk.
"Yeheeey!!!" sabi ni Zeke. Bigla naman nang nawala si Harris at sumunod naman si Soul Keeper.
"T-Teka, magteteleport din kayo?" tanong ni Zeke.
"Oo, magdrive ka nalang." sabi ko sa kaniya at hinila na si Blobby at napunta na kami sa hotel. Nakita naman namin sina Harris at Soul Keeper sa main desk.
"Fully booked na raw." sabi ni Harris.
"Oh 'yun naman pala eh, umuwi na kayo." sabi ko at sinamaan naman ako ng tingin ni Soul Keeper.
"Buti nalang pala nagpabook tayo nang maaga." ngiting-ngiting sabi ni Blobby sa akin kaya pinandilatan ko siya.
"Anong room number niyo?" tanong ni Soul Keeper.
"1813 at 18—"
"Ssshhh!" saway ko sana pero huli na ang lahat. Nginitian ako ni Soul Keeper at nagwave bago mawala. Ganun din naman si Harris. Mukhang inaantok pa o inaantok na yung mga staffs kaya siguro hindi nila napansin yung biglang pagkawala nung dalawa, kaka 3:28am palang kasi. Pumasok kami sa elevator ni Blobby nang may maalala ako.
"Sa 1812 ka nalang, kami na sa 1813." sabi ko sa kaniya at hinatid sa kwarto niya na katapat lang naman ng kwartong tutuluyan ko. Nasabi nga pala kasi niya yung 1813 kaya malamang doon pumunta sina Soul Keeper at Harris. Bago ako umalis sandali, nagpaalam ako kay Blobby at sinabing doon na muna siya sa kabila kung gusto niya para may kausap siya.
Pumunta ako sa library kung saan nagalit sa amin yung librarian dati. Sarado pero pumasok ako sa loob at hinanap yung librong binabasa ni Skye noong araw na 'yun. Sandali akong naglakad-lakad habang iniiscan nang mabuti ang mga libro sa mga shelves nang makita ko na yung hinahanap ko.
The Forgotten Tale.
Binuksan ko 'to at nagsimulang magbasa.
A young prince was sent to a foreign land far from his kingdom to meet other royal representatives from other lands and the prince happened to be named Eli. Princes and Princesses come each year to meet and be taught how to handle their people. Prince Eli was known to have his distance from other people until he met Princess Vana.
The two were friends until the prince confessed his love for the princess and the other accepted it. They were happy for a while until they had to part ways and go back to their respective kingdoms. They exchanged letters and gifts and stayed connected until the prince decided to end the relationship between them.
The prince was crowned king at a young age of 15 when his parents died in a battle with the kingdom of Princess Vana. The newly crowned King Eli handled his kingdom so well that he surpassed the greatness of leadership of all his ancestors. But one thing he's handling wasn't as good as his kingdom and that was his feelings. King Eli convinced himself that what he had with the princess was just a mere feeling that will eventually fade away.
Years passed and the king was stressed more than ever. He was handling his kingdom and his sister's suitors. The princess, which was the only sibling of King Eli was known as the most beautiful lady across the vast sea and kings and princes from different lands come to ask for her hand.
Every time King Eli rejects kings who asks for his sister's hand, he feared that one might declare war with his kingdom.
One day, his fear came to reality. King Eli fought in a battle and won but lost a lot of his people. Because of that lost, King Eli's kingdom became weaker and decided to wed his sister for alliance.
As soon as his father died and was crowned king, King Theo traveled to King Eli's kingdom to ask for the princess' hand. King Theo was almost the same age as King Eli and King Eli was convinced that since the king's age was close enough to the princess' they'll have a good relationship.
King Theo was one of the kings who were close enough to the princess' age and has a powerful kingdom under his leadership. He promised to take good care of the princess and to make her his queen right at their wedding.
King Eli was convinced and accepted King Theo as his soon-to-be brother-in-law and ally.
As soon as the news that the princess was getting married spread across different lands, one of King Eli's closest knights who was named John approached him and asked for the princess' hand. The king rejected him for he didn't want his sister to be married to a mere knight.
Knight John introduced himself as a prince, the crown prince of the kingdom where Princess Vana lives. King Eli thought that he could use his sister and Prince John's wedding as an excuse to see Princess Vana so he asked Prince John to wait for 3 days.
King Eli asked King Theo to cancel the wedding but King Theo became furious and told him he would declare war between their kingdoms if he calls off the wedding.
Thinking about his people, King Eli told King Theo that the wedding shall take place. King Theo ordered death to anyone who will ask for the princess' hand knowing she's already engaged to him.
King Eli threw away his greed to see the princess one last time for his people. He kept his loneliness and grieve inside and tried to bury his avid to see the princess along with his feelings for the safety and peace of his kingdom.
Sinara ko na rin ang libro at pinasok sa loob ng coat ko. Nag-ipit ako ng pera kung saan ko kinuha yung libro at bumalik na sa hotel. Pagbalik ko, nakarating na si Zeke at magkakasama silang apat sa 1813.
"Doon na muna tayo sa beach." aya ko at nagsitayuan naman sila.
"Maglakad naman kayo please, samahan niyo ako o kaya isama niyo ako magteleport." sabi ni Zeke.
"Hindi ka namin puwedeng isama." sagot ni Soul Keeper.
"Bakit sila!" Turo ni Zeke sa amin ni Blobby.
"Connected sila kaya nila nagagawa 'yun." sagot ni Harris pero sinamahan na naming mag-elevator si Zeke at naglakad papuntang beach. Umupo kami sa buhangin at hinintay ang sunrise bago umakyat ulit.
Pagkabalik namin sa hotel room namin, nakatulog na agad si Blobby kaya pinagmasdan ko siyang matulog. Mahimbing siyang natutulog kahit pa hindi pa siya nakakapagpalit ng damit at suot pa rin ang sapatos niya kaya naman tinanggal ko ang sapatos niya at inayos siya sa kama bago siya kumutan.
Bago lumabas nang tuluyan sa kwarto niya, tumambay ako sandali sa may pinto malayo sa kaniya atsaka siya pinagmasdan. Gusto ko nang sanayin ang sarili kong tumingin nalang mula sa malayo.
Buo na ang desisyon ko, kailangan ko siyang layuan.
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