The King's Queen

Ikalabing-pitong Yugto

"Come here buddy!"

Agad na lumingon ako sa kinaroroonan ni Duke, matapos niyang tawagin si Kiro. Humalakhak si Kiro at mabilis na lumapit sa kaniya. He was all smiles when he reached Duke who happily carried him.

Masayang nakatitig lang ako sa kanila habang hinihintay ang sundo namin. Nakaupo ako sa isa sa mga bench habang nasa aking kandungan ang panyo ni Kiro.

Ilang mga sasakyan na rin ang nagdaan subalit hindi pa rin dumarating ang sundo namin.

"What's wrong?" tanong ko kay Duke nang mapansin tumigil sila sa paglalaro.

Bahagyang umigting ang mga panga niya dahilan upang humikbi si Kiro. His facial expression dimmed.

Nang makita ko ang dahilan ng kaniyang galit ay agad na dumagundong ang kakaibang kaba sa dibdib ko.

No not today please.

Subalit naroon sila matiim ding nakatingin sa amin.

Bumaling ang paningin ko kay Duke nang maramdaman ang palad niyang dumantay sa aking baywang.

"Duke," mahinang usal ko. Hindi ko na makontrol ang pangangatal ng aking mga kamay. I feel like I'm about to lose my sanity because of too much nervousness. I hugged Kiro tighter as if I'm holding on for our dear lives.

Duke lowered his head and whispered to my ears. "I got you. I got this. Everything will be alright, do not be afraid Mika."

I just nodded and closed my eyes when I felt him kissed the top of my head.

Kinuha niya si Kiro at hinalikan din ang pisngi nito dahilan para tumigil ito sa pag-iyak at ngumiti na sa amin.

"Don't worry buddy, superman is here," he said and that made Kiro giggled.

"Yey! Superman! Dada Superman!" Kiro yelled joyfully. Itinaas pa niya ang kanang kamay na parang lumilipad.

Pareho kaming natawa ni Duke sa ginawa ng anak ko. Muli niya akong hinigit sa kaniya at humalik sa sentido ko. I blushed. Gustong-gusto ko talaga ang sweetness niya.

A fake cough made us look forward as the two men already approached us. 

"It has been a while Duke. And as cheesy as it sounds, I have to admit that I missed you," tiim-bagang wika ni Knight habang matutulis na tingin ang ibinabato niya sa akin.

Prince, standing comfortably right beside him is just smiling. Na parang walang naganap sa pagitan naming lahat.

"You look lovely, Mika," he said, still with the smile not leaving his face.

I studied them quickly. Parehas silang tumangkad at mas lalong lumaki ang kanilang pangangatawan. They are both wearing black suits that made them look professional. Knight had grown neat stubble on his face. They both look manly but in different ways.

I just looked at them, lost my words and not knowing what to say. The only thing that I feel is the loud thumping of my heart.

Hinila ako ni Duke at itinago sa likod niya. "Stop stressing her!" sigawniya sa mga ito. 

Alam kong batid rin ni Duke ang takotnanararamdam ko habang hawak ko si Kiro. Kaya hindi na ako nagulat nang kunin niya sa akin ang nagmamasid na bata at ihilig ito sa balikat niya.

Lalong kumunot ang noo ni Knight na matamang nakatingin sa anak ko. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin mahanap ang mga salitang dapat sabihin.

"Hey Kiddo, you look like your father," Prince blurted suddenly.

It made me stiffened. I felt like I was losing air. Like I was about to pass out.

"Prince, please let us be." Sa wakas ay nagawa ko maiusal. Nanginginig ang mga kamay humawak sa kamay ni Duke.

I saw Prince's expression softened. I saw sadness and longing.  I saw pain and misery.

He smiled. For a moment, I saw my friend. The friend who protected me before. But it was just a brief moment. It was gone when I blinked my eyes.

Nagbalik siya sa pagiging sakastikong ngiti. It was as if he was mocking me. And it hurts.

"Let's go Knight!" Iyon lang ang sinabi niya bago tumalikod na. Nauna na siyang maglakad palayo.

"I'm sure you are ready to face him since you came back to his territory. I won't say I did not miss you because that would be a lie." Knight walked away after saying those things.

"They were my friends after all." Duke said while his thumb stroked my knuckles.

Yes, they were his friends and they went here to warn us. It may not be in a touching, mushy way. But I know they went here in the airport to warn us.

"Thank you, Duke." I said all of a sudden which made his eyebrows knotted with confusion.

"For what?" He asked. Binitiwan niya ang kamay ko nang bahagyang gumalaw si Kiro sa kaniyang balikat. Hinaplos niya ang likod nito. Nakatulog na pala ang makulit.

"For protecting us." Tumingkayad ako palapit sa kaniya at humalik sa pisngi niya.

Napahalakhak pa siya sa ginawa ko pero hindi nakaligtas sa aking mga mata ang pamumula ng mukha niya.

The big man just blushed.

Inunat niya ang braso niya at umakbay sa akin. "If I will get that every time I shield you from trouble, I would gladly take a bullet for you."

Pinalo ko ang dibdib niya. "Don't talk about death like that!" sita ko sa kaniya.

Naramdam ko ang paghalik niya sa buhok ko. "Mmm... sorry," he said softly.

"Mamaya na 'yan, mga pabebe!" Napasimangot na lang ako nang marinig ang sigaw ni Kuya. I still don't know where he learned that word. It's annoying, because ever since he knew that word, he kept on using it.

"Hindi ako pabebe, maganda ako, e," I answered playfully and stuck my tongue out.

"Alam ko! Kapatid kasi kita."

That made us all laughed.

He went here ahead of us. Inayos niya ang tutuluyan namin at lahat ng kakailanganin namin kaya halos wala na kaming poproblemahin ng anak ko.

Kinuha ko si Kiro at nagpatiuna nang sumakay sa sasakyang dala ni Kuya. Hiniga ko siya sa tabi ko at inunan ang kaniyang ulo aking kandungan.

Pinanood ko lang silang ilagay ang mga gamit namin sa sasakyan.

Napahinga ako nang malalim. I know, now that we are btrathing the same air, hindi malayong magkita kaming muli. At hindi ko rin habangbuhay na maitatago si Kiro sa kaniya.

King... sana nalimutan mo na ako. I totally wish that you don't remember me anymore.