Battlefront

19- To Blackbourne (1)

Alexandros Xanthos Blackbourne, a prince. Hindi nakakilos si Tiana sa narinig. Mas lalo siyang nanigas nang muling halikan ng babaeng bagong dating si Xandros but this time ay sa pisngi naman.

"Get a room. Geez," aniya saka nagtungo sa couch at kinuha ang duffel bag na bigay ni Deus.

"Oops. May kasama ka pala rito," anang babae saka humagikhik. Mabilis ang kilos na niyakap nito si Tiana at kung hindi siya mabilis ay baka nahalikan din siya nito sa mga labi.

"What the fudge?" gulat na react ni Tiana.

Humagikhik uli ang babae at napailing naman si Xandros.

"Tatiana, this is Lady Nemorah. Isa siya sa mga importanteng citizens ng Blackbourne. She was the friend who told me about my mother's death more than five hundred years ago," ani Xandros.

"Hi, dear. You are so stunning," ani Nemorah. "Pasensya ka na kung nagulat ka but I have this habit of kissing everyone I like."

Napangiwi si Tiana. Gross.

"Nemorah, this is Tatiana Bloodworth. My special friend," ani Xandros sabay kindat kay Tiana at tila naman kinilig si Nemorah.

"We haven't seen each other for over five hundred years but I still consider him my bestfriend. And now since you're his girl, you're my bestfriend too," at niyakap siya uli ng babae.

"Oh no. We are not a thing," ani Tiana kaya lumabi si Nemorah na parang disappointed pa.

"That's sad," maarteng sabi ni Nemorah saka poised na umupo sa couch. "I was kinda hoping that he has a girl now para may girl bff naman ako. And then we can do our hair, nails and makeup together. You know, girly stuff. Then talk about boys all day."

Lihim na kinilabutan si Tiana. Those things are not her style. She may wear makeup and dresses but not on a daily basis. Masyadong high maintenance ang gan'on. And most definitely not talk about boys all day. Kahit na noong baliw na baliw siya kay Erick when she was young, hindi niya shini-share kahit kanino ang feelings n'ya. So, no thanks.

Awkward na tumawa si Xandros. Napansin yata nito na tila kinikilabutan si Tiana sa mga pinagsasabi ni Nemorah.

"So, Nemorah, paano mo nalaman na nandito ako?"

Sumimangot ang babae. "On a not so easy way, my dear Prince. After I sent you that letter to your boarding school in Ribenly, hindi ko na alam kung saan ka nagpunta. Hindi na rin kita hinanap dahil naisip ko na mas safe ka kapag gan'on. Until fifty years ago. Hinalughog ko na yata ang lahat ng bundok sa buong mundo."

"But why?"

Exagerrated na bumuga ng hangin ang babae. "Your uncle started wasting the kingdom's wealth by building war ships and weapons fifty years ago."

"For what?"

"War, of course. Balak n'yang sakupin ang lahat ng continents sa buong mundo."

"That is going to be deadly."

"He spent most of out wealth for this madness. Ang totoo n'yan, our kingdom is struggling now."

"What? All my life naniwala akong ang Blackbourne ang pinakamayamang continent sa buong mundo," hindi makapaniwalang palatak ni Tiana.

"It used to be. Siempre hindi namin basta-basta na lang ina-announce that we are struggling, right?"

"But my greatgrandpa was there a few months ago. Ang sabi niya peaceful doon and the continent is really rich. Maybe you've heard of him. Orpheus Gerhardt," ani Tiana. But she remembered Orpheus saying that he didn't like the king.