Gloom of Luminescence

Prologue

A girl in her fancy beige dress greeted me. There were about ten other girls lined up behind her wearing the same dress but they were wearing a darker shade.

Yumukod ang mga ito sa aking direksiyon ngunit hindi ko na iyon nagawang pansinin. Binalingan ko ang babaeng nasa unahan.

"Bring me to my mother's room." utos ko dito kaya agad naman itong tumango, binalingan niya ang ibang maids at sinenyasan kaya agad itong tumalima at nagtungo sa kung saan. I was left with the woman in her beige dress. She looks young maybe in her late twenties.

She led me into the grand staircase.

"Where's Alexis?" tanong ko dito kaya agad naman itong bumaling sa akin at binigyan ako ng isang ngiti.

"She's in the throne room for a meeting with the officials." malumanay na sagot nito. Nagpatuloy ako kami sa paglalakad.

It's surprisingly taking too long to get into the room. We're walking past the carpeted hallways and hallways then climbing through the grand stairs.

Natigil lamang kami nang tumapat kami sa nag-iisang pinto matapos naming akyatin ang ilang mga hagdan. Tila nasa tuktok ang bahaging ito.

How come her room has to be in this part of the castle.

"Thank you. I can take care of myself from here." sabi ko dito at saka binuksan ang pinto. I felt bad for not being polite enough. I have more important things to deal with than being good with people.

Pinasok ko ang kwarto. The entry was an elegant double door made with rose gold with crystal motifs as details. There's also a huge portrait of a woman in her Victorian dress and an elegant crown sitting elegantly on her throne. I can clearly point out what we inherited from her. We have the same almond-shaped eyes and the same charcoal grey eyes, the same bee-stung lips with the perfect cupid's bow and arched brows. We're almost like triplets except that her hair is jet black in color and her small round face. She has thicker eyelashes and her skin is white as snow.

A california king bed is positioned in the middle of the room above the elevated podium. The bedsheets were champagne-colored silks. There's also a huge elegant cursive of the name Queen Meaghan Dale. There's an elegant chandelier hanging in the middle. There were elegant silk curtains hanging in the walls. But I have no time to admire everything.

Napabuntong hininga ako dahil hindi dahil sa pagkamangha kung hindi dahil sa kung ano mang maari kong madiskubre mula dito. Inuna kong ungkatin ang vanity table ngunit wala akong ibang nakita doon kung hindi mga magagara at iba't-ibang klase ng suklay at gamit sa pag-aayos. The usual stuff you can find to a vanity table.

If she's going to hide something. She wouldn't hide it in an obvious place.

Nabaling ang tingin ko sa makapal na kurtinang nakasabit sa pader. Hinawi ko iyon at bumungad sa akin ang isang pinto kaya agad ko iyong binuksan.

Bumungad agad sa akin ang hile-hilerang mga cabinet na naglalaman ng mga damit at sapatos. It's a walk-in closet.

Halos gusto ko nang sumuko dahil sa sobrang laki nito at sa dami nang mga lugar na kailangan kong paghanapan.

I searched every corner of the room. I didn't cared about the clothes being thrown anywhere in the room. I'm already suffocating inside the room but I couldn't stop, I shouldn't.

I am not trying to find something that could destroy the affection I have for my mother. I am here to prove myself that she's innocent. I want to prove my doubts wrongs. She's my mother after all.

Bali-baliktadin ko man ang mundo ina ko pa rin siya. Kahit halos hindi ko siya nakasama sa paglaki. I am connected to her, me, and my sister. We are connected to her. A mother's love can be long felt even after she's gone. If ever there was love.

I left the walk-in closet ignoring the all messed up room. I looked around the room and my eyes stopped at the huge portrait.

I walked in its direction. I have to step on the bed to reach it. I almost jumped when I heard knocks from the door. I held my chest and I felt my heart beating like crazy.

"Who is it?" tanong ko nang makabawi. Ipinagpatuloy ko ang tinatangkang paglapit doon.

"Your highness, Princess Alexis is asking for your presence. The assembly is beginning in thirty minutes." sagot nito mula sa labas. I thought the assembly is at dinner. Damn, I spend the whole day searching inside the room. I missed all the meals for today.

"Susunod ako." sagot ko at saka tumapak sa headboard ng kama at pilit na binalanse ang sarili doon.

I reached for the edge of the portrait and I successfully grabbed it. Sinubukan kong iangat iyon ngunit naramdaman ko agad ang bigat noon. Despite its weight, I tried my best to remove the portrait from the wall at dahan dahan iyong ibinaba.

I was surprised to see a dent in the wall which was where the portrait was hung. Napahawak ako doon para itulak iyon. Gaya iyon ng sekretong kwarto ni Thalia ngunit ito ay mas maliit na bersiyon. Sapat lang ang laki nito upang itago ang ilang mahahalagang bagay.

I'm hoping to find a pieces of jewelry, crowns, or treasures. I'm hoping not to see anything that could ruin the only thread connecting me to my roots. But unfortunately, something else was inside the secret space.

Gumuho ang lahat ng pag-asa ko nang makita ang punit na piraso ng papel. Nanginig ang kamay ko habang inaabot iyon. I shut my eyes closed as I felt tears flooding my vision. I punched the wall out of frustration. 

For the first time in my life, I felt so sorry for myself.