The Vagabond Princess [Wainwright Series 1]

VAGABOND 17: Heart Beats

Credits to the original owner of the photo above. Photo is used for reference of the story.

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KHANARIE

"Hemington, anong ginagawa mo rito?" 

Pagkalabas ko sa aking kwarto, nang matapos akong mag-impake, bumungad sa aking harapan si Heming.

Lumingon-lingon muna ito sa paligid saka tinulak ako papasok sa aking kwarto. "I need to report something important," seryoso niyang tugon.

I lock my door and frown at him. "What is it? You sound so serious, Heming."

"Remember when you asked Prinston to chew off the assassins the night we were ambushed during our meeting with the leader of Prukkehiya?"

"Yes, naalala ko. May nakuha ba kayong importanteng impormasyon? Ano sabi nila?" He heaves a sigh and look hesitantly. "Heming, what is it?"

"You might not like this, Khanarie."

"I will be the judge of it after you tell me." Nagkibit-balikat ako at huminga nang malalim.

"Narie... Viera knows about the Unverferths."

I feel like my heart sunk. "V-Viera knows about them? What do you mean by my sister knows about them?"

"She has close contact in their inner circle. She infiltrated the Unverferths alone, Narie."

"How?!" I drop my arms on both sides and gloomed. My mouth hang agape as I try to process his words.

"May mga taong nakadiskubre sa totoong estado ng kapatid mo. Sinundan nila si Viera noong una kasi akala nila, isang simpleng mamamayan lang siya sa Prukkehiya. Malaya itong labas-pasok sa bayan. Pero nakaramdam sila ng ibang kutob dahil nakahagip din sila ng balita na may isang Unverferth na labas-pasok sa bayan ng Prukkehiya, gaya sa impormasyong nakuha nina Arizs at Paris."

"Would that mean..."

Tumango siya, "Si Viera iyon. Kaya noong andoon tayo ay inakala nilang kasama natin si Viera at handa nilang dakipin ang prinsesa upang patayin."

"And they failed because none of us knew about her personal plans," diretsong saad ko sa kaniya. "Are they still alive?"

"I eliminated them right after they told us everything..."

"Oh god..."

"Kaya naman sinuri ko ang mga lakad ni Viera at inalam sa sarili ko kung totoo nga ba ang mga sinabi nila." He paused for a few seconds and scratched the back of his head. "It turns out the assassin's words were true. Because I was able to slip in from the Unverferths' smaller base and saw her there. Conversing with the enemy's underlings like she was part of them."

"Shit... Viera," I curse.

"Narie, mabuti na lang at 'yong nahuli natin noon ay hindi pinagkalat ang totoong katauhan ni Viera. She is safe."

"Why is Viera there? With them?! I don't understand!" Napasuklay ako sa aking buhok at yumakap sa sarili. "Ako pa lang ba nasabihan mo?"

"Yes."

I curse to myself again and start beating my own wits.

What have become of my family? My sisters? I am so careless!

"May alam ka pa ba kung bakit niya ginagawa iyon?"

Umiling si Heming. "I have no idea why she is there, Narie. But as soon as I knew about her frequent works under the Unverferths' commands, I tried to convince her that the Unverferths are nothing but scums. People who she should not trust. Hindi ko naman hahayaan na mahulog ang kapatid mo sa patibong nila."