Captivating Vampires Eyes

Kabanata 15.2

Lu has blue color in his right eye and white color in his left eye that made him unique.

Napatingin ako sa lalaking nasa kanan ko kanina nang mag-step forward siya at may inabot sa akin na agad ko namang tinanggap.

"This is my gift to you, young lady," he said.

He doesn't have any expression to his face but he's not cold either.

I smiled at him. "Thank you so much."

"Jino Montevas," pagpapakilala niya.

Montevas... they're the one who handles the Yellow Knight Tiger in south.

His pupil and the color of his eyes symbolize that he has the power of the tiger beast... those golden eyes and pupil like tiger.

"Isn't his eyes amazing?" ani ng nasa tabi niya at sa tingin ko ay iyon ang kaniyang Daddy.

Nginitian ko naman silang dalawa. "Instead of amazing..." All of them stared at me and waited me to continue. His Dad's smile slowly fades away.

"It's actually beautiful," I said while staring at Jino's eyes.

His eyes widen as if he's shock, but his expression suddenly changed when his Dad stared at him.

"O-Oh? Is that so? Then, thank you for your compliment to my son, young lady," he said.

Nginitian ko naman siya ng pilit.

I felt that something's off here. I mean, Jino doesn't talk that much, not only that, but he seems uncomfortable too. I can see it through his eyes. He clearly dislikes this kind of things.

"May I excuse myself along with Jino?" tanong ko sa kanila.

"Go ahead. Enjoy the party," Mom said.

Mabilis ko namang hinila ang kamay ni Jino at kinawayan silang lahat bago kami umakyat sa second floor ng hall na kung saan ay may balcony at doon kami nagpunta.

Walang masyadong nilalang na nagtitipon dito sa balcony dahil lahat sila ay busy makipagsayawan sa ibaba.

I chuckled when I heard his deep sighed. That made him looked at me.

After knowing that he's finally okay, I let go of his hand.

"You dislike parties?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Crowd."

"You dislike crowd..." paninigurado ko dahil hindi ko naintindihan ang sinabi niya.

Tumango naman siya bilang paglilinaw. Napatango-tango na lang din ako dahil naintindihan ko na rin sa wakas kung bakit ganoon ang ekspresiyon niya kanina.

Silence ate us after that. I just stared at the big fountain below. Sa ibaba kasi ng balcony ay makikita ang garden na kung saan ay may malaking fountain.

I can see the moon's reflection in the fountain that made me smiled.

Napatingin ako kay Jino nang bumuntong hininga ulit siya.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"I'm sorry... I didn't talk that much. I'm really uninteresting and boring person," he said with a serious face.

I looked at him with confused expression. "What?" I asked and then shrugged. "Then, I must be a boring person too."

For the second time, his eyes widen and his golden eyes shined.

I giggled. "It's really relaxing to be with you. You know what? Whether you talk or not, it's fine. You can express yourself in different method like, dancing, singing, painting, and more!"

He smiled that made me stunned. I smiled back to him when I recover my consciousness.

"Heh! Bakit ngayon ka lang ngumiti sa akin ng ganiyan? Bakit hindi mo ako nginitian kanina habang binabati mo ako?" nagtatampong tanong ko na may halong biro.

He smiled shyly. "It's actually my first time smiling to others."

"R-Really?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko.

He nodded. "Happy birthday," he greeted me again and smiled.

I'm about to worry about him not smiling to other species but I guess I should worry less. This mage in front of me is not expressionless... he just doesn't know how to express his feelings.

I smiled to him.

"Let's go back now?" he asked.

"Will you be okay?" I asked too.

He nodded as if he was rest assuring me.

While walking in the hallway, he started to open another topic.

"I heard you wanted to be a knight?" he asked.

I hummed. "Yes."

"Is that so?" He stopped from walking and looked at me, so do I. "I'll wait for you, then. We will see each other in the academy again, and make sure that if we meet again, I'll be able to call you “Knightess Rei”."

Ramdam ko na biglang nagningning ang mata ko dahil sa kaniyang sinabi.

"I'll make sure of that, Knight Jino!" nakangiting sabi ko.

Humagikgik naman siya pagkatapos ko iyon sabihin. Marahil ay nahiya siya kaya sinabayan ko na lang din siya sa paghagikgik.

Pagbaba namin sa hall ay mabilis na nalipat sa amin ang paningin ng lahat. Agad din naman akong napatingin kay Jino ng may pag-aalala sa mga mata.

He looked at me and nodded. As if he was saying that he's fine.

Mabilis akong humiwalay sa kaniya para makatakas siya sa paningin ng ibang nilalang at nagtagumpay naman ang plano ko. Nakita ko pa siya na pumunta sa pinakasulok ng hall na kinahagikgik ko na lang.

Habang pinagmamasdan pa rin si Jino ay mabilis akong napatingin sa likuran ko. Naramdaman ko kasi na may matatapon na bagay, mabuti na lang at mabilis ang reflex ko kaya agad din akong nakaiwas.

Kung hindi ko naiwasan ang juice na matatapon sana sa akin ay baka magmukha akong basang sisiw.

Napatingin ako sa mage noble na may hawak ng baso at sinadya na ihulog ito na dahilan para gumawa ito ng ingay at mabasag. Sa amin tuloy nalipat ang paningin ng lahat.

"Oops! Sorry! My hands slipped," she sarcastically said.

She hides her half face using fan again.

"Princess Ivoree..." I murmured.

Ano bang ginawa ko sa iyo at tila ang laki-laki ng galit mo sa akin?

"It's good that you have fast reflexes too. At least, you won't fell behind when the Black Knight Horse was mentioned. It was really ashamed being a weak and slow while you're in the house of full of knights," she said.

Lahat ay narinig ang kaniyang sinabi dahil nang mabasag ang baso ay natigil ang tugtog at napunta sa amin ang spotlight.

Kaya halos karamihan ay natawa at sumang-ayon sa kaniyang sinabi.

Tinaas ko ang kanang kamay ko bilang senyas na tumigil sila sa paglalakad nang makita na palapit ang apat na lalaki sa akin... Jino, Yuri, Lu, at si...?

Kumuha ako ng isang baso ng juice sa tabi ko na lamesa at binuhos iyon sa kaniya. Agresibo pa ang pagbuhos ko sa kaniya, mabuti na lang at hindi ko rin kasama na natapon ang baso, dahil kung natapon ko iyon ay tiyak wala na ngayon ang pinagmamayabang niyang magandang mukha.

"Hala! Sorry, ha? Batas kasi 'tong kamay ko, e’. Bigla-bigla na lang kumikilos," sarkastikong saad ko rin sa kaniya at nginitian siya.

Narinig ko naman ang pagsinghap ng lahat at ang pagsama ng tingin niya sa akin.

"I'm really sorry talaga. Mas mabilis pa kasi kumilos ang kamay ko kaysa sa iyo kaya hindi ka tuloy nakailag. Sorry talaga." Yumuko pa ako at umiling-iling bilang pag-acting.

I smirked as satisfaction.

Nang iangat ko ang ulo ko at tinignan siya ay para siyang bulkan na handang sumabog sa galit.

"Princess Ivoree, you may change your clothes now and I hope you will ENJOY the rest of the party tonight," I said.

Tatalikod na sana ako sa kaniya ngunit mabilis din akong napaharap nang may naalala.

"Ah! You're a princess, right? So, I won't need to lend my clothes to you since a PRINCESS have a tons of fancy dress, and compared to mine, it's nothing," I sarcastically said.

"You—!"

Nagulat ako dahil nang subukan ng prinsesa na gumamit ng kapangyarihan sa akin ay mabilis na napunta ang apat na lalaki sa harapan ko at pinaurong ako.

Pinalibutan pa nila akong apat habang ang mga kamay ay nasa harapan nila na tila ba senyas ng paglaban.

"How dare y'all?! Are y'all planning to draw your swords to me?" Princess Ivoree shouted.

"Well, we won't think twice to do that as your wish if you dare to use your power again against my little sister," Yuri angrily said.

"Huh!" Nagpapadiyak na saad nito. "Planning to do that to your future master?!"

"Master?" sabay-sabay na sabi nilang apat at sarkastiko silang humagikgik.

"I think you need to learn again by how knights serve the kingdom, PRINCESS," sabi ng lalaki na hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin alam ang pangalan.

The only thing I knew to him is that he belongs in Tuazon family... the one who handles the White Knight Cat in west.

"The audacity!" the princess shouted.

"The AUDACITY to think that knights like us will serve you in the future? Think again, princess," Lu spoke firmly.

Jino stared at her coldly and said, "we are trained to serve the imperial family. Did you belong in the imperial family? No."

"What's happening here?" Lu's Dad asked.

Wala pala sila rito sa hall kanina...? I wonder where did they went.

"Nothing, Dad! It's just that we saw a talking and wet trash that belongs in trash can!" Lu said.

Hindi ko alam gagawin ko dahil sa gulat nang sabihin iyon ni Lu.

"The disrespect?! Y'all should have a punishment! Execution, now!" sigaw ng prinsesa sa mga knights niya na kanina pa nasa likuran nito.

Hindi naman gumalaw ang knights na tila ba napako ang paa nila sa sahig. Dahil doon ay tumalikod ang prinsesa at sinampal ang isa sa mga knights.

"Now na!" sigaw pa nito.

Sa sobrang tahimik ng hall ay nage-echo na ang kaniyang boses.

"How dare you? You dare to punish the imperial family with an execution?!" Mom shouted.

Now, they're in front of us in just a blinked of eyes.

Ang apat na lalaki ay mabilis na humilera sa akin. Hinawakan ni Yuri ang likuran ko bilang pagsuporta sa akin. Kanina pa kasi nanlalambot ang tuhod ko dahil sa presensya nilang apat, dumagdag pa ang presensya ng mga magulang namin.

Ang prinsesa na kanina ay sinisigaw-sigawan lang kami ay halos hindi na makapagsalita ngayon dahil sa takot.

"How did you came in here?! Who invited you here?" nanggagalait na tanong ni Dad.

"I-I-It's the young lady who invited me!" she responded.

Nanlaki ang aking mga mata at umiling-iling bilang pagkontra sa kaniyang sinabi.

What the hell?! Bakit ko naman siya iimbitahin sa banquet? Kung simula pa lang ay alam ko na ang balak niyang manggulo lang.

"And you dare to lie?!" Nagsimulang lumabas ang mana presence ni Dad na ngayon ay pumapalibot sa kaniya kasabay ng kaniyang sigaw.

Pagdumikit ang kahit kaunting mana presence na visible sa mata ng lahat ay maaaring mamatay o sumabog ang prinsesa sa isang iglap.

"Dad!" sigaw ko sa kaniya.

Lahat sila ay napatingin sa akin.

I smiled at him. "Thank you..." I murmured, "for protecting me."

Mabilis naman na nawala ang tensyon sa paligid nang ngumiti si Dad, ganoon na rin ang iba sa akin.

Patakbo namang lumapit silang lahat at niyakap ako. The four boys and their parents hugged me so tight. As if they're saying that they're willing to protect me at all cost.

"Thank you so much for loving me," I murmured.

"You don't need to thank us. You deserve it," Mom said and kissed my forehead.

Nang matapos ang drama-han namin ay mabilis na napaalis ang prinsesa sa banquet hall.

"The party must go on!" the Duke shouted.

Bumalik naman ang lahat sa normal na para bang walang nangyaring delubyo, ngunit halata ko ang panginginig sa mga paa ng mga nilalang hanggang sa mawala ang mga magulang namin.

Pupunta raw kasi sila sa second floor at magpapalamig ng ulo. Dahil sa sinabi nila na 'yon ay pakiramdam ko tuloy na kung hindi ko naawat si Dad kanina ay tiyak wala ng buhay ang prinsesa.

"Ayos ka lang ba?" tanong sa 'kin ni Yuri at hinarap ako sa kaniya.

Tumango naman ako. "Ayos lang ako."

"Excuse my rudeness, young lady, but I just wanted to introduce myself first. It seems like I'm the only one who you still didn't know," aniya at kinamot-kamot pa ang ulo.

Natawa naman ako. "Go ahead."

"I'm Solon Tuazon," pagpapakilala nito.

"It's nice to meet you, Solon. You too, Lucius and Jino," nakangiting bati ko sa kanila.

Humarap naman ako kay Kuya at natawa na lang ako nang makita ang nakanguso nitong labi.

"It's nice to see you again, Yurian," natatawang wika ko.

Yayakapin na sana ako ni Kuya kaso natigilan siya nang magbago ang musika sa hall. Doon ko nakita na isa-isang nagsayawan ang magpa-partner... a ball dance.

"May I ask for your first dance?" Yurian kneeled.

I smiled and genuinely accepted his request.

After that, the three boys dance me too. Including my father and their fathers.

It's actually fun because I got to talk to each of them personally and all of them have different humors.

-

-

Time passed by and it's already 11:30 p.m. All of the mage nobles are already dancing with their partners as last dance, while me, keep refusing their invitation to dance with them.

It's because I keep waiting to that person... Ryker.

Napanguso na lang ako. "He said he will come..." I murmured.

The four boys are busy eating. They said that since, I keep refusing the mage noble invites, they're reassured that no one will have my last dance so, they just ate.

Natatawa na lang ako kapag na-iisip silang apat. They're the mood.

"Stop frowning."

Mabilis kong naiangat ang ulo ko nang marinig ang isang pamilyar na boses.

Nagningning ang mga mata ko nang makita ang mukha niya at makumpirma kung sino siya.

"You're late... Ryker," nakangusong ani ko.

He giggled. "That's because I wanted to greet you last minute before your birthday end."

Napa-roll eyes na lang ako. "Hmmp!"

"May I ask for your last dance, young lady?" He asked for my hand and I gave that to him. He kissed the back of my hand and then, helped me to stand up.

Nang tumayo ako ay agad na nalipat na naman sa amin ang atensyon ng lahat.

Dinala niya ako sa gitna ng lahat at doon tumutok ang spotlight sa aming dalawa.

Ang dalawang kamay ko ay nasa balikat niya habang ang dalawang kamay niya ay nasa baywang ko. We're staring at each other while smiling.

We were slowly dancing when he touched the necklace he gave.

"You really wore it," he said while smiling.

It's cute because his eyes are smiling too.

"Happy birthday," he greeted me.

"Tha—" Napatingin ako sa labas nang marinig na tumunog ang tower clock. That means, it's already 12 a.m.

Iling-iling na lang akong natawa habang siya ay nakangiti.

"You really greeted me exact 11:59 p.m., huh?"

"Unique, right?" anito.

Pareho na lang kaming natawa.

"By the way, this is my gift to you."

Napataas ako ng kilay ko nang tumigil kami sa pagsasayaw at dahil na rin sa kursyudad kung ano ang ibibigay niya.

Na-estatwa ako nang halikan niya ang noo ko ng wala man lang warning habang yakap-yakap niya ako.

"I'm glad you enjoyed the night, Yenny."