Vow Of Silence

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

1st PERSON: Pelomina Lorenzo-Capiz

I felt so heavy. So helplessly heavy and low. It reminded me of those days I spent in school during P.E when I had to look at my classmates with envy for doing our exercises with ease, being able to lift and carry themselves easily. They looked so strong and the strength that they demonstrated made me realize how visible the contrast was once I entered the equation.

But it was not only at those times, it also reminded me of the day we had our I.D pictures taken, and while my photo came out average, it was borderline unattractive. The other girls looked like models. It was disheartening… it was…

“... Mina?... Pelomina?” I recognized the voice to be Yulsey’s. He sounded dejected. Why? Did something bad happen?

I squinted my eyes open. The room was well illuminated but it just seem too bright for someone who just woke up. I could see Yulsey’s face and he does not look happy. In fact, he didn’t just seem dejected; he was downright depressed.

“Y-Yulsey?... What’s wrong?” I asked, pushing against the cushion of the bed I laid on to sit up. Wait, a bed? Since when did I get on a bed? Where was I before this, again? Weren’t we supposed to be in a castle? I was here with Lykus and—

‘...ah..’

‘That’ happened. The memories flooded my head like a nightmare, which explains why I felt heavy.

“Pelomina, are you alright?” he asked, I looked around the room and it seems like I'm still in the castle. How much time has passed? I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose, trying to get my senses awake since even after sitting up, I felt numb. I groaned, dragging my hands across my face.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. Why would this happen? I thought Lykus loved Pelomina? He truly loved her. She’s beautiful, kind, and adored by everyone… This doesn’t make sense. If I look like how I actually do, then maybe that would give him the urge to cheat, but why cheat on such a beautiful and loving woman?

Is it… Is it because it’s me? Did he notice that she’s not as smart, nor as kind, or as loving as before? Did he notice that I’m not acting like the normal Pelomina?

It can’t be, because if so… then I just ruined their marriage. I do plan to leave him, but I didn’t want it to end like this… not like this, this is too crude—this is wrong!

“Shh~ shh,” Yulsey cooed as he nestled me in his arms. The shoulder he lent me started getting damp, and it took a while for me to notice that they were my own tears. I’m too overwhelmed with guilt, conscience, anger… and numbness. My emotions didn’t make sense, much like Lykus’s actions, and for how long I clung to Yulsey as I bawled my eyes out, I couldn’t tell.

All I know is, by the time it was over, my eyes stung. It seems that we’re pretty detached from the rest of the castle because it remained only two of us remaining in this bed-chamber. This must be his personal quarters. A few minutes after I calmed down, he left to fetch tea, something to soothe my feelings, he says.

That tea must’ve been imbued with magic then, because I doubt any tea would soothe my feelings right now. With a sniff, I looked around the room, closely this time. It’s rather casual, elegant yes, but not too overly decorated with all kinds of precious minerals, moreover, it shows evidence that Yulsey is a workaholic because he has a desk, littered with papers and books, on the side of his room.

The fireplace crackle in the silence as I planned my next move, the first step would be to get off this bed and—

‘What was that?...’ I heard a muted crinkle from the floor. A pouch seems to have fallen from the bed—Ah! The one from the queen.

‘Leave, Pelomina, I’m telling you to leave, run…’ Those were the words she said to me as she handed me this bag. I sat on the edge of the bed and reached for the pouch, untying to knot to see the contents.

Treasure. It was nothing short of a pirate’s loot, gold, gems, rubies, diamonds—the queen gave me money…

‘Run… run away…’ That’s it. Run away, that was the plan from the start anyways. He gave me more of a reason to do so, and the quicker I get out of here, whatever or wherever ‘here’ is, the better.

The door creaked open and in came Yulsey, carrying a tray of teacups and a small pot with a biscuit. He paused to look at me before setting the tea down on his desk at the far side of the room, “Pelomina, I saw that pouch earlier, and… I just need to know, what are you planning to do?” he asked,

Crouching in front of me, “Why would you carry something like this—with this amount, rather…” he followed.

That’s it, I could ask for help, he can help me. In this world, Yulsey is my best friend, and I don’t know how that relationship goes in this world, but I need to trust him.

“Yulsey… help me run away,” I whispered to him. He just stared at me for a couple of seconds before standing up and scoffing, bewildered.

He sucked in deep breaths, pressing his palms to one another as he brought them to his face, closing his eyes with a sigh as he started pacing in circles, “Mina, you’ve got to be kidding me—you? Run away? Even if you do, if Lykus decides to search for you, he will find you—”

“That's why I need your help, Yulsey…” I cut off, standing up myself to hold on to his arm, “Tell me where to go,” I finished, looking directly into his eyes.

He shook his head, “Then I’ll tell you to stay, Pelo… with your health, and the dangers that await you–out there?!” he exclaimed, peeling my hand off his arm and scoffing, “I’d rather you hide here for the rest of your life,” he argued, just distraught.

I shook my head at him, now grabbing both his arms, forcing him to only focus on me, “Then what do you suppose I do? I’m going to run away to escape all of this, and you suggest locking me up in here?” I pressed. He looked away as he exhaled through his nose.

“I do not intend to lock you up, in fact, the castle is so wide you wouldn't even—”

“I can’t Yulsey, I don’t know the first thing about acting like a noble, they’ll chew me up and spit me out, in fact, this is the first time I’ve been here, look what happened,” I cut off again, I know he’ll help me. But I can’t let him think there are other options than running away. It’s for the better.

He still shook his head, “No, who knows what could happen to you out there, Pelo—Better yet, where would you even go?!” he refused, scuffling out of my grasp as he massaged his temples,

‘Come on…’

I huffed and spun him to face me again, “Yulsey… if you lock me up here, I will promise you that I will find and do all I can to escape, and in my failed attempts, I will get better, eventually, I’ll leave the palace without you knowing where I’m headed, but if you help me now, you’ll know where I’ll go, where I could possibly end up, so Yulsey…” I trailed off, holding both his hands in mine,

“Maybe I could end up in a small humble village up in the mountains, a chance at a normal and peaceful life… help me,” I croaked,

He looked away and clenched his jaw, shutting his eyes tightly as he tilted his head, his face contorted into a frown before looking at me with a deep sigh.

“... I’ll make preparations, the best I could do is tomorrow night,”

I sighed, “oh… thank you so much, Yulsey,” I said as I pulled him in a hug, and as we held each other in that comfortable silence, I remembered Lykus.

“Yulsey…”

“Yes?” he answered,

“Where’s Lykus… right now?” I asked,

He pulled away from the hug and clicked his tongue before pouring both of us a drink, “That man… is now speaking with the court,” he replied with utmost contempt as he handed me my cup.

“The court?”

“Yes, to explain himself,” Yulsey followed,

“Huh… and Lady Marianne?” I asked again. This time, although he still had the look of contempt on his face, he cleared his throat and looked at his tea instead,

“It’s… It’s best if we don’t discuss it further, as you said, if you’re truly going to leave and runaway you’ll be leading a new life altogether—”

“Yulsey… What happened to Marianne Heilman?” I asked again,

He gulped and looked away, “She’s… under observation, seeing as they were found to be in that… ‘situation’ the court will see if…” he trailed off. It’s as if he mumbled his last words.

“Yusley, what was that last part?”

“They’re going to see if she by….”

“What?”

“They’re going to see if she’s carrying a child,”

Once those words were said, it gave me all the more reason to be more firm in my resolve. All it took was a depressing occurrence for me to finally take the first step. This time, I’ll focus on getting back to my real home, no matter how long it takes.