E P I L O G U E

AELARI'S POV

Nagising ako sa mararahang haplos sa pisngi ko. I slowly opened my eyes and a smile curved my lips when I saw Bryson looking at me. This is one of my favorite things in the morning. To wake up and see him beside me in our new home. Pangalawa ay maamoy ang breakfast na niluluto ni Braylene siyempre.

"What's for breakfast?" I murmured.

"Breakfast o ako?"

Lumawak ang ngiti ko sa naging tanong niya. Kumilos ako para lalong sumiksik sa kaniya pero nagbaba ako ng tingin nang maramdaman kong may humarang sa amin. Not "that" but... that.

"I look like a whale."

"A gorgeous one."

Naningkit ang mga mata ko sa naging sagot niya at nakita kong na-realize niya rin iyon dahil alanganing ngumiti siya. "So you're confirming that I look like a whale?"

Imbis na sagutin ako ay muli lang niyang hinaplos ang pisngi ko. Nang hindi pa nakuntento ay bumaba ang kamay niya hanggang sa maabot niya ang malaki ko na ngayon na tiyan. I'm eight months pregnant with our baby. A baby that appears to inherit his giant genes because I'm big as a house.

"You're my beautiful angel," Bryson said.

He knows very well how to get out in a situation where I always end up crying in frustration. I am a crier but I'm not a confrontational person. But pregnancy do a lot of things to a person. Mabuti na lang talaga at mahaba ang pasensya ng asawa ko dahil hindi niya ako pinapatulan.

"So... breakfast?" I asked again.

"Braylene's already cooking." Nakangiting hinaplos niya ang tiyan ko, "Is my little Stephen Henry, hungry?"

When we found out the gender, I didn't need to tell Bryson what I wanted as a name for the baby. Siya na mismo kasi ang nag suggest no'n. We'll name it after my brother and father if it's a boy and if it's a girl it will be after our mothers.

"He's always hungry," I said.

Ngiti lang ang naging sagot niya. Itinukod ko ang siko ko sa kama at ipinatong ko roon ang ulo ko para magawa ko siyang pagmasdan. Hindi siya nakapantulog at mukhang kanina pa siya gising. It's Sunday so we're both home.

I don't usually go to the office. Tatlong araw sa isang linggo ay naroon ako. But I'm used to working at home for years and I still need the time to be alone. Bukod pa roon ay mula nang magbuntis ako ay mas madali para sa akin na magtrabaho sa bahay.

"Ang aga mo naman atang nakaayos. Kanina ka pa gising?" tanong ko.

"I didn't sleep here."

Napakunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. I was feeling a bit under the weather yesterday but I'm not contagious. Just pregnant. "Am I that intolerable last night?"

"Not really. Ella prefer me not to cut in on her fun so I slept on the guest room. Kasama niya si Braylene."

Lumalim ang gatla ko sa noo sa sinabi niya. Before we got married a year ago, Ella only came out once. It was during the last court hearing against Alderidge that I was asked to attend to. I was fine but still it's not me that they needed to speak out. Alam ko na ang mga nangyari dahil sa tulong ng mga kuwento ni Bryson but it doesn't mean that I know the things that only Ella remembers.

"Bakit?"

"Gusto lang daw niyang kumain ng ice cream. Nag-uwi ng mint chocolate chip si Braylene. Maybe that triggered it."

"She was triggered... by an ice cream?"

Nagkibit-balikat si Bryson, "Paborito niya eh."

I don't know what's Ilaria's favorite... but she was a child so probably chocolate. I like cookies and cream the most and ube. Ella loves mint chocolate chip.

Having Ella is something that I'm slowly accepting. Matagal ko ng alam ang tungkol sa kaniya but I never truly accepted her. It was hard to specially with how I was raised to fear her existence. To loathe that I was different.

But with Bryson... I learned how to look at it in a different way. I am different and nothing will change that. DID is not a horror movie or a story from a make-believe picture book. I won't turn into a monster... but I also don't have an ordinary life where in a snap, a fairy godmother will cure me from everything.

Integration doesn't always happen. It might never happen with Ella. But I'm okay with it now. Dahil alam kong kahit na anong mangyari ay hindi mawawala sa akin ang pamilya na mayroon na ako ngayon. Because now I know that I'm safe.

"Anong ginawa niya?" tanong ko.

"Kumain ng ice cream tapos naglaro ng VR game mo. Gusto nga niyang lumabas pero nakiusap ako na 'wag na. You're pregnant and it was also late." Hinawi niya ang magulo kong buhok at inipit iyon sa likod ng tenga ko. "Ang sabi niya kailangan pa raw ng improvement ng game mo. Bigyan mo naman daw ng magandang outfit iyong monster sa story since ginawa mo naman na siyang mukhang tao kesa noong una na mukha lang demonyo. She said she's not a monster but she's beautiful so make sure that she is one."

Natatawang sumiksik ako sa kaniya at nakangiting hinila niya ako para mapaunan ako sa dibdib niya. "Fine. I'll tell the team to fix it."

"Sabi niya rin na 'wag ka raw magtatangkang tawagin siya kapag manganganak ka na. Ikaw daw ang nagpabuntis kaya 'wag ka raw mandamay."

Nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya at pinaningkitan ko siya ng mga mata, "But you're coming with me right?"

"To the hospital? Of course, angel-"

"Sa delivery room."

Kaagad namutla si Bryson sa sinabi ko. He hates hospitals. Noong sinamahan niya ako para sa ultrasound ko lahat na lang inusisa niya para matiyak niyang hindi ako masasaktan. No'ng makakita nga siya ng injection parang mamamatay na siya.

"You want a baby girl too, right?" I asked.

"Yes-"

"Kapag hindi mo ako sinamahan wala ng kusunod."

Umawang ang bibig niya pero tinaasan ko lang siya ng kilay. Napapabuntong-hininga na dumukwang siya at hinalikan niya ako sa noo bago maingat na ibinaba niya ang ulo ko sa unan para makatayo na siya.

"Saan ka pupunta?"

"Kakain," sagot niya. "I need sustenance to prepare myself."

"It's a month away, Bryce."

He just gave me a look before he walked to the door. Binuksan niya iyon at natatawang sinundan ko siya ng tingin pero bago tuluyang makalabas ay huminto siya at lumingon sa akin, "May sinulat pala si Ella sa journal."

I tried to sit up but it was an impossibility. Nasa aktong gugulong na lang sana ako pero nakarinig ako ng mga yabag na palapit sa akin at sa isang iglap ay may tila bakal na mga kamay na itinayo ako. I looked up and I was greeted by Bryson's twinkling eyes again.

He kissed me again but this time it was on the lips. Saglit lang iyon at muli siyang tumalikod para lumabas na ng kuwarto. Hindi ko muna siya sinundan at sa halip ay lumapit ako sa vanity mirror. Sa ibaba ay naroon ang journal na binili ko para sa mga ganitong panahon.

It's a new rule for me and Ella. One that I never really tried before. It was my act of reaching out to her. A way for us to communicate.

Sinusulat ko roon ang mga importante na bagay na kailangan niyang malaman at kapag sa pagkakataon naman na siya ang may hawak ng switch, gusto ko rin na malaman kung anong nangyayari sa kaniya.

I opened the journal and I can't help but shake my head as I read her entries. Karamihan sa mga iyon ay tungkol lang sa request niya sa VR game ko at ang iba naman ay panenermon niya sa "pagpapabuntis" ko raw ng maaga.

Kailangan talaga pagkatapos ng honeymoon may product agad? Hindi ba pwedeng prototype muna? Like I don't know? Buy a puppy? Kapag 'yan ilalabas mo na huwag na huwag mo akong tatawagin. Don't scar me for life. Goodness. Marriages and babies. Why would anyone sign up for that?

Turns out Ella is not into marriages and babies. Good to hear. Baka hindi na humiwalay sa akin si Bryson para matiyak lang na hindi na siya makakalabas, kapag nagtangka si Ella na humanap ng sarili niyang significant other. I guess she's not that kind of alter. She only have one role which is to protect me. And to eat ice cream.

Pinagpatuloy ko ang pagbabasa. More ranting, more request, and more of her complaining about the written journal because she said we could just have a video journal. Which I'm taking into consideration. When I reached the end of her letter, I stopped for a minute and for some reason, I read the last passages again and again as if I'm memorizing it. Because for once... the only thing that I'm feeling for Ella is warmth.

Bryson told me that it's a he and you will name him after our father and brother. It's a great name at least and it will probably make up for the years of endless crying, poopy diapers, and baby vomit. Pasalamat ka na lang at hindi naman habambuhay iyon. Someday he'll grow up into an amazing person because he's name after the two greatest men that he won't be able to meet but will always live through him.

Anyway, don't be scared too much. One day you will need to let him be his own person and it could be frightening but it's normal.

I'll protect him just like I will always protect you.

I pulled out the chair and sat on it for a moment while I read Ella's journal entry again. If life wasn't difficult and if it took us into a direction that is just happy... I would have my family with me. Si daddy, mommy, si Kuya Stephen. If life was different, Bryson would have his mother still.

But we had a different life. It wasn't easy, it wasn't full of smiles. And yet Bryson and I found each other and through him he gave me more than I could ever asked for. Our lives may not be perfect but finally I can say that we are happy. Through loses and wins, through pain and acceptance, through fear and love.

I'm not cursed and I don't have a monster living inside me. Behind the cursed ruins, there's no Diablo trying to be free. What's in there is a gallant knight... a female warrior, that chose to stay to do one thing and that is to protect.

There was once three kingdoms; Alexandrite, Painite, and Larimar. Realms that prosper through their knowledge, kindness, and power. They work together as a whole. Alexandrite handles the strategic approach to keep the realms bountiful, Painite keeps the balance of peace and justice, and Larimar provides protection.

The realms live hand in hand for thousand of years but the King of Larimar wishes to change things. Because of his greed, a curse was cast to Alexandrite, it's people not having a choice but to flee. On that one fated night, Diablo was released upon the last heir of the kingdom and for years she shall carry the curse that was awaken through the deaths of her family.

That night was the fall of Alexandrite. The once bright kingdom became spiritless and dull, the land was stripped away with everything. Their greatness became just a memory and people avoid their realm because of fear of the darkness lurking around the cursed ruins of Alexandrite.

But sometimes you can hear the whisper of stories... that if you're brave enough to go behind the cursed ruins, you'll find the princess still waiting there to be freed from the demon living inside her.

No one tried. No one succeeded. The princess was left alone with the demon. She has the curse but she also have more. The lives of her love ones were taken but their love remain. And for years the darkness and the light from that love fought as she stay there sleeping. Until one day... a prince that is brave enough went inside the old castle. He didn't try to fight the demon that is taunting him but instead he whispered something to the princess.

"Accept her and your light will shine brighter than the dark."

You see... Diablo wasn't just an ordinary monster. She was in did a curse but she was once a creation of light too. Choices that she made turn her into what she became, betrayal from those she trust turned her into what she was now... she became a sword for greed, envy, and wickedness by people who bear ill will. But becoming one with the princess changed something in her... through the faint touch of the love that stayed from the lives that has been taken... from the whisper of the brave hero... their story changes.

And there behind the cursed ruins, when the princess finally opened her eyes, she will not be alone. Not everyone deserted her because one remain. A friend... her protector. They were brought together by the dark but they will stay together seeing the light in the end.

Free from the curse... and the ruins shall be rebuild.

"Angel?"

Nakangiting tumayo ako at nilapitan ko si Bryson na binalikan ako. Imbis na lumabas ng kuwarto ay yumakap lang ako sa kaniya habang nakatayo kami roon. Nagtataka man ay naramdaman ko na pumalibot din sa akin ang mga braso niya.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded my head and then I raise my hand to touch his cheek, "I love you Bryson Castellan."

His eyes gave me the twinkle that I will always look forward to. I look at him and I see nothing but light. But now I know that it's not coming from him too. Inside me I have one too. One that has a name and will always be with me.

"I love you more, Aelari Castellan."

END