Her Knight Till Night

Chapter 12

__Quiceleth's POV__

NAGLIBOT-LIBOT kami ni Archiel sa kabuuan ng kanyang bahay. Ang laki ng loob niyon, kaso lang nga wala pa ito sa kalingkingan sa laki at lawak ng kingdom namin sa England. The design are different than those of styles back at our society. I know that ‘ours’ were still outdated compared to this place, but I can say that this house were a little ‘ancient’ since I saw the gigantiic chandelier placed at the ceiling, the framed pictures of renaissance and medieval art like Monalisa, and also the antiques which I recognised belonged to the possession of countless antiques collectors that I have read in books.

“Feel at home, M-miss Quiceleth,”

Nilingon ko si Archiel na nakangiti at pakamot-kamot ang ulo habang dala sa isang kamay ang hawak na tasa na naglalaman ng isang kulay lupa na likido.

“Ano iyang nasa tasa?”

“Hah?”

Tumingin siya sa hawak na tasa saka sa aking mukha na parang hindi makapaniwala sa tinanong ko.

“Chocolate milk, hindi ka pa nakakatikim nito?”

Umiling ako ngunit inabot ko nalang iyon at mukhang masarap naman ang kanyang amoy. Since siya ang nagbigay ay kampante akong walang nakalagay na lason dito. Back at our kingdom, my father were strict when it comes to the food I eat and the water I drink.

I am a royalty, even more dangerous a princess, and since our system has divisions, the lower class are angry at aristocrats. My father was afraid that some of our servants maybe one of lower class who will try to poison the food and drink they will serve so he will let the servants taste my meal first before he allows to let me eat them.

“Ano? Masarap?”

Nang gumuhit sa aking bibig ang kakaiba ngunit masarap at matamis na lasa nito ay parang nabuhay ang aking dugo. Sa tuwa ko ay sunod-sunod ko na iyong nilagok.

“Careful!” Paalala niya habang nakamasid sa aking iniinom ang chocolate milk.

Nang maubos na iyon ay tinignan ko siya na nakaangat ang magkabilang kilay.

“Can I have more?” Tanong ko.

Napangiti siya saka tumango-tango. Tatayo na sana siya nang biglang bumukas muli ang pintuan at iniluwa n’on ang isang magandang babae. Maiksi lang ang buhok nito ngunit bumagay ito sa ginang, nakasuot siya ng pampaganda sa mukha ngunit pansin ko na light lamang iyon.

Ngunit ang kulay ng pintura nito sa labi ay dark red. Ito ang nakakaagaw ng pansin.

“Is she your guest, Archiel?”

“Mom?!” Gulat na tawag ni Archiel sa babaeng kararating. “Bakit kayo nandito?!”

Archiel’s mom smiled sweetly as she set her on me. Her smile were warm as if it doesn’t hold any grudges. A radiant smile you would want to see everyday, your mother’s smile.

“Mom, she’s Quiceleth, bago lang siya dito sa lugar natin,”

Pagpapakilala sa akin ni Archiel.

“A-ah, h-hello po—“ Hindi ko natuloy ang aking sasabihin dahil bigla na lamang ako nilapitan ng nanay ni Archiel at hinawakan ako sa magkabilang pisngi.

She looked into my eyes as if she is attracted at it. Her stare at my eyes didn’t left me as if she found a sparkling thing.

“I like your eyes, Quiceleth,” Hinaplos niya ang gilid ng aking mga mata. “They are the ones I call…rare…”

“A-ano po?”

Her long red fingernails skimmed the side of it as if she wants to trace something underneath my eyes.

“Goldish, with a sparkle of brown and gray…these eyes, belonged to a royalty,” Nanlaki ang mata ko, hindi dahil sa kanyang sinabi, kundi dahil sa mata niya na pamilyar sa akin ngayong natitigan ko.

Those colors were familiar but the way it looked at me are different. It remind me of someone else.

“Mom?!”

Natulala na yata ako sa pagtitig sa mata niya at nakalimutan kong nandito nga pala si Archiel. Aalis na sana ako mula sa pagkakahawak niya nang diniinan niya pa ang pagkakahawak sa panga ko at sa gilid ng aking mata na ikinapitlag ko.

“T-tama na po, masakit…” Napaigik ako nang maramdaman ko na ang kuko niya na dumidiin sa aking balat.

“I want those…”

Bigla ay parang nawala ang magaan na loob ko sa kanya kanina at napalitan iyon ng takot.

“Mom! You’re hurting her!” Sigaw ni Archiel. “Mom—“

Nagulat ako nang bigla na lamang nawala ang kamay niyang nakahawak sa aking mukha sanhi para ako ay makawala. Then I felt someone pulled me away from her, until I felt someone caged me on his back. Nalaman ko nalang na nasa likod na pala ako ng isang taong nasa harapan ko.

When I looked up, I saw Monster’s face, glaring at Archiel’s mother. I want to talk but the look in Monster’s eyes made me stop.

They were piercing as if a monster ready to eat his prey alive.

Natakot ako bigla sa mga nangyayari kaya napaatras ako at hinanap si Archiel na nakatulala lang rin habang nakatingin kina Monster at sa nanay ni Archiel. Maging siya ay walang alam sa nagaganap. I stepped towards him and he attetentively grabbed my wrist and hid me on his back.

“Oh, hi there blue-eyed man!” Bati ng matandandang babae kay Monster ngunit tulad ng sa akin kanina ay nakapako ang tingin nito sa mga mata ni Monster. “Why, why, why? Archiel honey, why haven’t you told me that you have this…beautiful friends?”

Hindi ko alam kung bakit pakiramdam ko ay parang may kakaiba siyang pinapahiwatig sa pagbigkas niya ng ‘beautiful’. It made my hair crawl up, like a cold wind just passed through me. All I wanna do is get out of here, I hate this feeling, feeling of bing afraid of someone without a reason.

I don’t know why but everytime I met new people I can always sence their aura even if they are not showing what their true nature is.

Siguro ay nasanay na ako sa nangyari sa akin noong bata ako. I saw the smiles but I didn’t look what’s hidden behind.

“I don’t know who you are and what you are, but I swear, if you ever lay a finger at Quiceleth again, I will let you pay,” Monster said, matching the old lady’s grave aura.

“Clace! I won’t let you talk to my mother in that way!”

Hindi natinag si Monster at nakipagtitigan pa sa ginang. They remind me of two dragons about to roast each other to death.

Hanggang sa naisipan ko nalang na bumitaw kay Archiel. Saka ako humakbang palapit sa tabi ni Monster. With my trembling fingers I tugged at his shirt but he won’t mov even an inch, he won’t notice me.

“L-let’s get out…”

Bigla ay parang natigilan ito nang manginig ang boses ko. His face turned towards my direction to catch my now trembling lips.

“P-please…”

I know they are both scary, but somehow I feel like he is safer.

Hindi na siya nag-atubli pa at hinawakan ang aking kamay na nagpapitlag sa akin. Hinila na niya ako palayo sa babaeng iyon kahit tinatawag kami ni Archiel.

Nang makapunta na kami sa labas ay agad na pinasakay niya ako sa magic courser niya na nakaparada sa labas. Ngunit hindi pa siya pumasok d’on at sumandal lang siya sa gilid ng magic courser na parang may hinihintay pa sa labas.

Hanggang sa matanaw ko si Archiel na lumbas ng bahay.

Naaninag ko mula sa loob ang paguusap nilang dalawa. They seem to be arguing something, and basing from the expression that Archiel is making, he doesn’t like what Clacesier is saying. Hindi ko na natiis at pinilit na buksan ang pintuan hanggang sa napakamot nalang ako dahil naalala ko na hindi ko pala alam kung paano buksan yung pintuan nito.

Napasimangot ako at nangalumbaba nalang, naipatong ko iyon sa nakita kong patungan ng pintuan. I blinked twice when suddenly the door’s glassed window went down making it possible for me to hear outside.

“What the heck Clace! My mother is not a like you! Kakikilala mo palang siya tapos hinuhusgahan mo na siya?!” Natigilan ko ang mataas na tono ng boses ni Archiel.

“You know what I am Archiel. And I am never wrong when it comes in sensing other people if they are like me. They maybe good at hiding at other normal people, except people like me,” I heard Monster’s calm voice but there was a dangerous edge. “My instincts can’t be trusted sometimes but I was definitely sure of it!”

“Clace, I respect you because of what you did for me but if you disrespect my mother once again I will forget the good deed you did!”

“Wala ka bang utang na loob?” Monster snorted, “You noticed it too, Archiel. You denied it. Worst of all, you choosed to deny it when I am proving your assumptions—“

“My mother is not a criminal!”

Napahawak ako ng mahigpit sa matigas na bagay na pinagpatungan ko ng siko kanina.

Criminal? My father said that criminals are bad guys so I should stay away from them. They are the one’s who is killing other people, all of them are evil, they are labeled as the worlds one of the greatest killer, cause of death.

“This conversation isn’t going anywhere, Archiel. Quiceleth and I should leave,” Bigla na namang natahimik sa labas.

And when Archiel spoke, it was now calm and soft.

“Tell her I’m sorry about what my mother did earlier, and that to drop by anytime. My mother won’t be long here anyways, she will soon travel to other country for her business proposals or business tours.”

Napababa ang aking paningin. Pinindot muli ang bintana, tumaas iyon kaya hindi ko na maririnig ang pinag-uusapn nila sa labas. Nakita ko namang lumingon sa akin si Archie. Tumango saka kinawayan siya.

Si Monster naman ay nanatili muna sa labas ng kotse na parang may hinihintay pa, ngunit maya-maya ay nabagot na yata ito at naisipan nang pumunta sa loob nitong magic courser at may ginalaw ito mula sa set ng kakaiba niyang mga keys. Umandar na ang magic courser habang pinagmamasdan ko ang kamay niyang ginagalawa sa iba't ibang direksyon ang pabilog na bagay.

"A-ano..." Basag ko sa katahimikan, nakakabingi kasi, eh. "M-magsalita ka naman, hindi ako sanay na ganyan ka—"

He reached for something in front of us, and there he pressed a button and a sound suddenly came. I realized that it was music.

Natuwa ako, ngunit hindi ako kuntento kasi instrumental lang ang tumutugtog. Pumindot ako ng isang button at biglang napalitan ang musika.

Ikaw ang pag-ibig na binigay

Puso ay nalumbay

Nang kay tagal—

Nilipat ko na naman, hindi ko nagustuhan ang iba hanggang sa mapatigil ako sa isang kanta. It caught my attention so I just leave it.

"Really?" Biglang nagsalita si Monster na akala ko ay tatahimik lang. "Perfect by One Direction? You're a rare Royal Princess."

I kept on nodding my head with the beating of the song.

"Hey, do you want to experience some thing that you shouldn't do?"

Bigla akong napatingin sa kanya. He pulled a button or something then suddenly the roof of our car moved backwards until there is nothing left.

Then a strong wind touches my face and my body. All my hair went by the wind and I can't stop it from flying. The wind sting my eyes but I can't help but to let the breeze hurt my skin, it feels like flying.

Dahan-dahan akong tumayo at kumapit sa salamin sa harapan namin. Noong una ay nakikiramdam lang ako sa hangin hanggang sa sinubukan kong itaas ang isa kong kamay.

"Hey, Mons—Clace!" Tawag ko sa kanya habanh ninanamnam ang hangin na dumadampi sa aking balat. "It's fun out here! You should try it!" I screamed as I waved my hand against the air.

"Sure, go ahead!" He said while he was busy turning the wheels around.

"Join me!" Yaya ko saka hinihila siya sa kamay. I keep on jumping while pumping my hands on the air. "Ang saya dito!"

"I know," Walang gana na sabi nito ngunit nakita ko ang pagsupil ng ngiti nito sa labi, "Raise both of your arms on your side and close your eyes."

Napatingin ako sa kanya nang sabihin niya iyon, "Try it."

And I did. I raise both of my arms on either side and close my eyes.

"Clacesier, I'm flying!" I giggled as I welcomed each wind.

I heard him chuckled, "I know, Rose,"

If you like causing troubles in hotel rooms

If you like going places we can't even pronounce

And if you like to the things we shouldn't do

Baby I'm perfect for you...

Napangiti ako at sumigaw, "I AM FREE!" I kept on shouting and yes it feels good to be this free. After being kept inside the kingdom for twenty years, I felt so alive, have I gained the freedom am I longing for?

Back at our kingdom, I envy those kids which I always watch through my window, they look so happy and carefree while laughing with their friends. Friends...

I never know the real meaning of it, I never had one.

Napatingin ako bigla sa tinatahak na lugar namin napansin ko kasi na wala nang kabahayan. Puro kalsada na lamang at mayroon din kaming nakakasabay na tulad ng sinasakyan namin.

"Where are we going?"

"In a place where we can't pronounce,"

Cleverly said, I am enjoying this moment with him.

But the wonderful moment were suddenly cutted by a loud honking.

"Sh*t!" He belowed.

Naramdaman ko nalang ang bigalang pagwagayqay ng malakas ng kotseng sinasakyan namin. Buti na lamang ay nahila ako ni Monster papunta sa kanya.

Then hastily he moved the wheel around and around. The magic courser moved with the same direction as he moved the wheel. It was like the world were spinning and I don't know how to stop myself from bouncing beneath him. He moved his hand and I was surprised how he managed to stay me in place while holding my waist

The car abruptly stopped in a halt, it was a sudden move that I didn't notice that my head were pushed against his direction.

The car was now at rest but my heart were restless I stared at his eyes open wide when I realized that his lips were at mine.