The Princess Bride (Published)

Chapter 25: The Protector

"Gab, I told you it's just an old-wives tale. Kaya ayaw kong sabihin sa'yo, eh, because I know you'd worry."

"Pero, paano kung totoo ang propesiya? Paano kung ang rason kung bakit wala pang kahit sino mang nakakita rito ay dahil ngayong henerasyong ito lang ako ipinanganak?"

Mikael hugged his wife. "Shh...hindi totoo ang propesiya at imposibleng ikaw ang hiyas."

"Paano nga kung—"

"Hindi ikaw ang hiyas. At kung ikaw man 'yun ay itataya ko ang buhay ko na mali kung ano man ang nakasulat sa librong pinagbabasehan ng propesiyang 'yun."

"Pero, Mikael—"

"Besides, Gab, you turned into a Sehrli. Imposibleng naging gan'un ang anyo mo kung ang tanging layunin mo ay ubusin ang lahi namin."

Her worry somehow eased.

"Hindi ba? You turned into one of us and I don't think you did so to turn against us."

"Sana nga..."

"'Yun ang totoo so stop worrying about it, okay? Tama na ang pag-iisip ng kung anu-ano. Nasa tabi mo palagi ang asawa mo kaya h'wag kang mag-alala."

She nodded.

"Bakit nagluluha 'yang mga mata mo?"

"Hindi ko alam pero sobra akong inaantok..." she replied trying to stifle a yawn. "Ayoko nang matulog dahil kagigising ko lang at gusto ko sanang mag-usap pa tayo...pero...inaantok pa talaga ako..." Her eyes slowly fluttered close.

"Gab...? Don't tell me natutulog ka na. Hindi ka ba kakain?"

She shook her head.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded before she opened her eyes to look at her husband. "Pero, may gusto akong itanong, Mikael..."

"Ano 'yun?"

"'Yung pagbabagong-anyo ko, paano nangyari 'yun? Meron na bang gan'un na ang isang tao ay biglang naging Sehrli?"

"Wala sa pagkakaalam ko. Pero, maaring dahil matagal akong nanirahan malayo sa kaharian ay baka may mga kaganapan akong hindi alam. H'wag kang mag-alala, maghahanap ako ng kasagutan..." he trailed off realizing that his wife had already fallen asleep.

He stayed wide awake because he wanted to watch her sleep. He wanted to see if there'd be more changes in her. But, hours passed and she remained peacefully sleeping so he let his mind wander back to what had happened to him earlier.

Ano 'yung dugong nakita ko? Ano 'yung sugat? This almost feels like that horror movie I watched years ago when I was in Europe. That movie about haunting ang possessions...

He gazed at his wife's face. "You blacked out, too, just like what always happens to me when I summon my beast..."

Mudafieci, anong ibig sabihin kaya n'un? he quietly asked himself remembering the word that had been tattooed on his nape.

He looked at his wife again. He couldn't understand why he felt that what had happened to him earlier and Gabrielle's transformation were connected.

"Saan ba ako pwedeng maghanap ng kahit babasahin tungkol dito?"

He stood up, pulled a dressing robe from the closet, then walked back to the bed. He knew that he wouldn't be able to feel at ease unless he somehow would do something but he couldn't just leave Gabrielle, too.

Mikael was careful not to wake the young woman up as he maneuvered the robe around her.

"Mikael...?"

"Sorry, nagising ba kita?"