Excelium II: Hunting Season

Kabanata 14

Lahat ay tahimik lamang na pinagmamasdan ang dalaga. Nakatayo lamang ito doon habang nakaposas ang mga kamay ngunit hindi nila magawang kumilos na tila ba isang maling paggalaw lamang ay babagsak ka agad.

Ang tanging kalmado lamang sa kanila ay ang hari na komportableng nakaupo sa kaniyang upuan. Hindi niya nakikita ang dalaga dahil nasa likuran niya ito, na mas lalong nakakadagdag sa tensyon ng mga miyembro ng konseho. Gustuhin man nilang ilayo ang hari ay hindi nila magawa dahil sa panginginig at panlalambot na nararamdaman.

The king put his arms on the table and clasps his hands together. "I believe that you are here to talk with me?"

Zai walked to the king's side that made the others' breathing hitch. Ngunit natigil lamang ito noong narinig niya ang pagbangon ni Sinbad mula sa kaniyang likuran. Sinbad groaned as he feels the pain on his left cheek. He could feel that his jaw has received some damages.

He stood straight and wiped the blood off his lips, still has his back facing Zai. "All of these was planned huh. You invaded the palace by purposely getting yourself arrested. You knew that we'll take you to the underground dungeon without removing those shackles off of you. In order to break yourself free, you left a clone here inside the Westernia's walls before leaving. You made us think that you are truly escaping from us. You became a diversion for the clone to sneak in the palace and snatch the keys for the dungeon cells while the head of the security is out chasing a damn bait. For now, what you want is this right?" Sinbad showed the key for the shackles before facing her and glaring at her, "You won't succeed if you don't have this. What's your motive? What do you want from the palace?"

Zai looked directly at his eyes. Sinbad squinted his eyes at her, not losing in terms of intimidation. Zai opened her mouth and said what they came here for, "Food."

Natahimik ang buong silid dahil sa sinagot nito. Sinbad sighed and massaged the gap between his eyes, "I had enough for a single day. 'Wag ka ng dumagdag pa. No one would believe such a half-ass lie like that."

"It's not."

"If you really came here to just steal some foods, you would have done it in the market."

"No good. Those guys are working for a living. The palace has plenty of foods to spare so we'll be taking some of yours."

Akmang magsasalita ng muli si Sinbad ngunit tumigil ito noong itinaas ng hari ang kaniyang kamay na tila ba hudyat upang tumahimik na siya. Sinbad kept his mouth shut, just like what his father told him to do.

"Young lady, I assume that is not the only thing you came here for. Taking too much actions just to steal food from my house is quite unreasonable. Tell me what you really came here for."

Zai faced the king and her stoic expression remained, not even bothered by a king's overwhelming presence. "Yes. I came here to negotiate with you, your majesty."

"Negotiate?" seryoso pa rin ang ekspresyon ng hari habang nakatingin sa dalagang nakatitig lamang din ng direkta sa kaniyang mga mata.

Lalong naging seryoso ang mga mata ni Zai na nagbigay ng nakakakilabot na pakiramdam sa iba. She opened her mouth and declared, "I want an alliance."

Lahat ay nagulantang sa dineklara ng dalaga. One of the council members gritted his teeth and slammed his hand on the table after standing up aggressively. "Anong pinagsasasabi mo?! You have no rights to ask for an alliance nor negotiate with the king! A criminal like yourself doesn't even have the rights to step on the ground of our country!"

Lahat ay nagulat sa sinabi ng dalaga, maski si Sinbad na nanlalaki pa rin ang mga mata na nakatingin dito. Hindi talaga nila inakalang sasabihin iyon ng babae kaya hindi nila masisisi ang lalaki sa kaniyang reaksyon. "An alliance with a person who is branded as a criminal for treason won't do us any good! Your highness! Don't listen to that woman's useless demand and just order a death penalty against her! She must be beheaded at once!"