Daughter Of Dusk And Dawn

18.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

EVERYTHING had gone wrong.

This was supposed to be the night where the Paresian crown shows the world how powerful they could be. This was supposed to be the night where they show the world that despite the rising, shaken, they were not. This was supposed to be the night were the Briars shows their unwavering strength. Yet the carefully laid out plan the king and the council devised had been tarnished in seconds by the rebels. Just seconds!

"The rebels are getting bolder."

Naalala ko ang sabi sa akin ni lord Keiv noong huling umatake ang mga rebelde---noong tinangka at nag-tagumpay silang itakas ang isa sa kanilang mga pinuno, si Fra Pavel, mula sa kulungan ng palasyo. I clearly understand what he meant by that now.

At that time, I thought what they did that was brave. I actually, deep down, applauded them. It was no easy task---trying to break out a well-known fugitive under the very nose of the captain of the guards was a suicide. Yet despite their seemingly suicidal plan, they were able to pull it off. Seamlessly, to top all that.

But now that I think about it, that was just child's play. What they did today, ruining the chance of the Briars to show their strength... was a testament. We are stronger than you give us credit for.

And the whole world will know. Tomorrow, the news will spread. Everyone would talk about it. Now, it doesn't matter if the crown named its heir. The highlight of the event would be the rebels having infiltrated the palace itself! Oh, a grand spectacle it would be. For the next few days, citizens would have something to concerns themselves about other than their starving stomachs.

Another point goes to the rebels.

This would make them stronger. This would make them get more followers. Not only inside the country, other kings from neighboring lands who didn't sympathized with the current king would make use of this opportunity to depose him.

Pinutol ng isang boses ang aking paggu-guni-guni. "Ayos ka lang ba, Lady Adelaine?" tanong sa akin ni Ser Samuel. Kasalukuyan naming binabagtas ang mga bulwagan ng palasyo patungo sa aking silid. Siya ang inatasan ni Lord Keiv na ihatid ako sa aking silid.

Nginitian ko siya. "Huwag kang mag-alala, Samuel. Ayos lang ako."

Muling namutawi sa aking isipan ang naganap. Kung pa-paanong nagulantang ang lahat sa naging takbo ng gabi--imbes kasi na ang sigil ng mga Briars, ang sigil ng mga Everards ang bumunyag na nakatago sa likuran ng mga kurtina.

Naalala ko kung pa-paanong sumigaw ang prinsipe. Hindi pa tuluyang napagta-tanto ng lahat kung papaano tatanggapin ang mga kaganapan, nang kami ay gulatin ng hindi matawarang sigaw ng prinsipe.

"ANO PANG GINAGAWA NIYO! IBABA NIYO 'YAN! TANGGALIN NIYO 'YAN!"

I could still hear his bone-chilling scream, vivid as the skies, ringing in ears. I knew that scream. It was of failure, anger, disappointment.

A shiver went down my body. Goddess, I couldn't take it off my head. I could only imagine how he must feel though. It was supposed to be his special day after all. It could've been...everything could've been well. Only if the rebels didn't do him so bad.

After the crown prince's, now named future king, monstrous screams, everybody scrambled to pull the sigil down. Then they burned it afterwards. Speechless, everybody waited what would happen next. They tore the fabric down, then the prince himself, using his fire abilities, set the sigil on fire. Honesty, he didn't need to use his ability. His blazing glares were enough to set that fabric on fire.

I didn't want to admit it, but I felt bad for him. Insane. I know.

After that, the Prince and Guards had deemed it necessary to end the night. They sent everybody home. They suspected that that might not be their only plan, they feared there might be another surprised attack. "It isn't safe"---Those were the prince's exact words.