THE ORIGINALS: BLOODLINE

⚜XXII. With you⚜

*Thalia Morgenstien above*

Thalia Morgenstien

Maaga akong nagising at naghanda. I'm sure he'll be out again today. I want to come.

Pagkababa ko ay naabutan ko si papa.

"Papa, can I talk to you for a moment?", I asked.

"Sure, hija", sabi nito sa akin. "What is it?".

"Uhm, don't be surprise, Pa. But I already found my mate", sabi ko. "Right? We have that? You and mama".

Nanlaki ang mga mata ng aking ama. Johnson, being Johnson. He's not always ready for the revelations of my life.

"What? Who and when?", tanong nito sa akin.

"You won't get mad at me if I tell you?", tanong ko. My eyes narrowed to him, tinantaya ang kanyang ekspresyon.

"I won't. That's your mate. I can't do anything about it", sabi niya.

"But you'll do something about it if you can?", mas lalong naningkit ang aking mga mata.

"My daughter is really grown up. Of course, I will do something if your mate hurts or reject you. That's the only thing I can do as a father to protect you. But if you're mate will value you like a diamond, I won't be against it. So who is it?", he asked.

"Uhmm......", I trailed off. Napalingon ako sa kanan ko. I saw Cecilion walking down the stairs but he's eyes are not on us. "Uncle's brother, Papa", mahinang sagot ko.

"Who? Nathaniel or Cecilion?", malakas na sabi niya kaya napalingon muli ako sa kay Cecilion na nakababa na. He's eyes are now at us.

In a speed of a second. He is already beside me.

"I-It's him, Papa", sagot ko.

Tiningala niya si Cecilion.

"Oh! I didn't actually expected it. Your mate is your uncle's half brother", sabi ni papa.

I suddenly got nervous. I can feel tension between the two, but when Papa smile, I feel relieved.

"My daughter is still young, Cecilion. I know vampires never age a bit but we're on the same age probably", Papa laugh. Bumaba ang tingin nito sa akin. "I'm not against it, hija. I'm just relieved that your mate is someone we know", he cares my cheek.

"Thank you, Johnson", sabi ni Cecilion.

Papa nodded and pat his shoulder. "Don't screw it up. You might be very much stronger than me but I'll make sure you'll suffer the consequences if you hurt her", sabi ni Papa.

"Papa", kaagad akong umalma.

"I won't. You have my word on that I will never hurt Thalia", bumaba ang tingin ni Cecilion sa akin. Napangiti ako.

Papa nodded again. "I'll hold on to your words. I know you as a man of honor", sabi nito.

They both have agreement to that with my involvement.

"I should be going. I have a lot of things to do", sabi ni Cecilion sa kay Papa bago bumaba ang tingin sa akin. He said goodbye.

"I'll come with you", sabi ko at hinabol siya dahil napakabilis ng kanyang galaw papunta sa pintuan. "Papa, can I come with him?", paalam ko.

Papa nodded and said his words that I will take care of myself too and not just rely on Cecilion.

"You shouldn't be with me right now", sabi niya sa akin ng nakaalis na kami. We are just walking. Wala kaming karwahe.

"Why? And you're back to your cold voice again", ngumuso ako.

"This is dangerous", sabi niya sa akin.

"But I'm with you anyway. I know you won't let something bad happen to me. You made a promise to Papa. Your word", sabi ko at kumapit sa kanyang braso.

I may be fifteen but I'm already tall enough like those girls older than me.

Naramdaman kong nagulat siya. I touch his skin and it's very cold like ice. Napatingala ako sa kanya at ngumiti.

"Now I know why you're so cold", sabi ko.

I intertwined my fingers to his. The heat from my skin against his coldness is a different kind of feeling. It soothes me, made me relax and feel at peace.

Hindi ko alam kung saan kami patungo ngunit ng pumasok kami sa malaking gate ay kaagad akong may napagtanto. Is this their old mansion?

Cecilion Vetrova Lorenzittee

What's in her mind? What gotten to her mind that she told her father that I'm her mate? And she come with me?

I'm not against it but, really? This early? I'm still not ready to face Johnson. And he pointed out that we're on the same age if I'm not a vampire. Imagine the gap between us.

But I can't help it. She's acting very sweet towards me. Hold my arms, intertwined our fingers. All that sweet thing. It makes me forget how miserable I am now.

Pumasok kami sa gate ng aming dating mansion. It's far from where we live at present but I just want to come here.

The house looks old. The white walls roasted to black. Hindi masyadong nasira ang bahay. It's just a normal fire that burned the place, not with the presence of magic.

I kick the door open. Thalia almost jump in fear but I tightened my hold to her hands.

Don't be scared now. You're pretty confident to come with me because you know I won't let anything bad happen to you and now you'll be frighten with just how I open the door?

Pumasok ako sa loob. The old furnitures all burned down. The stairs are destroyed. Gusto kong pumunta sa ikalawang palapag ngunit sira na ang hagdanan.

I pull Thalia close to me. Her breath hitched with her body is pressed against mine. I jump from the ground floor to the second. Kita ko ang gulat sa kanyang mga mata.

"You could have just leave me there", sabay turo niya sa baba.

"Yeah so your father will kill me", sabi ko.

Marami pa siyang sinabi ngunit hindi na ako nakinig. My eyes and attention is all on the room, my parents room.

The fire ate the whole wall. The flakes of concretes fall into the ground, the dust, the ceiling became powder and all the furniture there.

I thought there's still a body here ngunit wala na. The town officials probably offer a funeral for the former Bulgarian Army ruler. A funeral for the famous Vlad the Impaler.