our memories...

Cesia's POV

"Hello, princess," bati ni Papa sa'kin nang salubungin ako sa gitna. Kasunod niyang inangat ang kanyang braso. "Let's not keep your prince waiting."

"Pa," natatawa kong sambit sabay hawak sa kanya.

Ipinatong niya ang kanyang palad sa kamay ko. "Abigail," bulong niya. "Masaya ka ba?"

"Papa." Nginitian ko siya. "Alam kong nasabi ko na sa'yo 'to... pero salamat," saad ko. "Kung hindi dahil sa'yo, hindi ako makakaramdam ng ganitong kaligayahan."

Marahan niyang pinisil ang kamay ko at tinapik-tapik ito. "I promised myself not to shed a tear while walking you down the aisle, Cesia. Huwag mo namang pahirapan ang tatay mo."

Niyakap ko ang braso niya at sumandal sa balikat niya. "Mahal na mahal kita."

'I love you both, my heart and my love.'

Umayos ako sa pagkakatayo pagkatapos marinig ang boses ni Aphrodite sa aking isipan. At mukhang hindi lang ako ang nakarinig nito dahil sabay kaming napatingin ni Papa sa goddess na kapupunas lang ng kanyang luha gamit ang puting panyo.

Mula kay Aphrodite, dahan-dahang bumaba ang aking tingin pagkatapos akong makarinig ng isang mahinang himig.

Nakakagaan sa loob ang kabagalan nito, at ramdam ko ang idinulot nitong kaginhawaan hindi lang sa akin, kundi sa'ming lahat.

Inangat ko ang aking ulo at sinalubong ang tingin ng lalaking nakatayo sa kabilang dulo ng pasilyo.

Mabagal niyang pinatakbo ang kanyang mga mata mula sa aking ulo, hanggang sa aking paa. Bahagyang bumukas ang kanyang bibig, bago muling nag-abot ang aming tingin.

"Son of Zeus..." bulong ko.

Nakita ko kung paano siya humugot ng malalim na hininga, saka bumulong pabalik.

"Daughter of Aphrodite."

Unti-unting lumiwanag ang aking mga mata nang mamuo ang isang malambot na ngiti sa kanyang labi.

Madahan akong napasinghap, kasabay yung iba.

Isang mahinang hatak ang gumising sa'kin mula sa pagkamangha. Nilingon ko si Papa na sinenyasan akong gumalaw.

Itinaas ko ang aking noo at hinanda ang sarili ko, nang bigla akong manghina pagkatapos masilayan ulit ang ngiti ni Trev na hindi pa rin nabubura hanggang ngayon.

Nanggigilid ang aking mga luha nang ngitian siya.

Sa mga sandaling ito, gusto kong tumakbo sa kanya, kagaya ng ginawa ko noon, sa ibang panahon...

Gusto kong salubungin niya ako ng isang mahigpit na yakap, na parang wala nang kinabukasan...

At sa aking unang hakbang papalapit sa kanya, kusang nagbago ang kulay ng aking mga mata.

Lumamig ang sahig nang lumitaw ang ulap sa aking paanan, at mabilis itong kumalat, hanggang sa tuluyan ko na nga kaming ipasok sa loob ng sarili kong domain, kung saan sunod-sunod na lumitaw ang aking mga ala-ala kasama siya.

Inilibot ko ang aking paningin, at naluha sa bawat sandaling nakausap ko siya, nahawakan, nangitian...

Noong hinawakan niya ang kamay ko, at dinala ako sa gitna ng unos, para ipakita sa'kin kung bakit hindi ako dapat matakot dito...

Noong pinangako niyang mabubuhay siya, at susunod lang siya sa'kin sa huntre's camp...

Noong nakiusap ako sa kanyang bitawan ako, pero hindi niya nagawa... dahil pinili niya akong iligtas, di bale na sa kahihinatnan...

Kumunot ang aking noo at taimtim na naiyak.

Dahil pinili niya ako...

Pinili niya akong buhatin sa tuwing nanghihina ako... 

Pinili niyang kunin ang kamay ko sa tuwing pakiramdam ko naiiwanan na ako...

At higit sa lahat, pinili niyang buksan ang puso niya sa'kin, kahit ang kapalit nito ay kahinaan...

Nanginginig ang magkabilang sulok ng aking labi nang ngitian ko si Trev na napatingin sa aming kapaligiran nang may kakaibang kinang sa mga mata.

Mula sa malayo, narinig ko ang tinig ng dalawang bata, na lingid sa kanilang kaalaman, ay mapapalapit pa pala sa isa't isa...

Umiling-iling ako, hindi makapaniwala sa lahat ng pinagdaraanan ko, kasama siya, at ang mga taong itinuring naming pamilya.

Walang tigil ang pagpatak ng aking mga luha nang sambitin ko ang pangalan niya.

"Sky."

Humikbi ako.

Ikaw... 

Ikaw ang kailangan ko.

our wish...

Trev's POV

"Trev." Her dad extended both his arms for an embrace. "There's only one of her in this universe..." He gave me a pat on the back and seized me by the shoulders. "Take care of her, son, unless you want me to turn you back into an infant."

I chuckled lightly and nodded my head. "I will." I promised. "Always."

He took a deep breath and looked at Cesia who was still silently crying. "Abigail..." He whispered, slowly reaching for her hand. 

A tear ran down his cheek as he kissed the back of his daughter's hand, with the stress of bidding goodbye. "Come back to me when things go wrong." He smiled at her. "You're still my daughter, after all."

Then, he gave her hand to me.

He looked at our hands intently, before letting it go and walking away.

Mula sa magkahawak naming mga kamay, inangat ko ang aking tingin kay Cesia na namimigat ang mga mata sa matinding saya.

"Hi," I said under my breath.

She tilted her head to the side and smiled. "Hi."

One by one, her memories started to fade around us. 

"We've come a long way, haven't we?"

Tumango siya.

I raised my hand and gently wiped the trail of tears on her cheek. "You've made everyone cry, daughter of Aphrodite."

She laughed shyly. "S-Sorry..." And she looked at our guests who struggled to collect themselves.

Napalingon din ako sa kanila, at kusang dumako ang aking mga mata kay Aphrodite na namamaga ang mga mata habang nakatuon sa'min.

The goddess slightly lowered her head. When she looked back at me, a warm smile lifted the corners of her mouth and her eyes burned of motherly warmth.

'Guard her heart, Trev.' The sincerity of her voice echoed inside my mind. 'Show us why you're the only one that deserves her.'

I gave her an assuring nod, before returning my gaze at her daughter, who was overwhelmed with emotions.

Letting out a grateful sigh, I pulled her closer to me, so I can land a comforting kiss on her forehead. 

Closing my eyes, I wished for this moment to last forever.

"Trev..." sambit niya nang bitawan ko siya. "Mahal kita."

Matagal-tagal akong napatitig sa kanya. "Mas mahal kita."

We gave each other our most genuine smiles, before turning together to face the goddess of marriage who wore her own wide grin.

"Welcome to all of you," Hera spoke with a light and airy voice, opposite to what we're used to. "Today, there will be no dearly beloved, no betrothed, and no ancient rhyme of the married..."

Her tone did not command, only asked, for the attention of everyone.

"Today, there are no dead languages to solemnize vows that are very much alive and will remain so for a lifetime..." Hera looked at us with great regards and as her voice softened, so did her eyes. 

"And today..." She almost whispered the last few words. "Promises become permanent and friends become family."

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, slowly taking in the weight of reality.

A part of me was afraid that when I open them, I'd wake from a dream.

But nonetheless, I did open them, because how would I ever feel love without conquering my own fear?

A tear managed to escaped from my eye when I realized that I wasn't dreaming.

Yumuko ako para maitago ito.

"We are here to celebrate love, the one above all..." 

Sinulyapan ko si Cesia mula sa sulok ng aking mga mata, at hindi ko naiwasang mapangiti.

Where were you when I first thought I will never have someone?

Marriage, was only a concept to me, where two people exchange their love and promises to each other, and where one can start a family.

I never thought it would become my reality.

I've never asked for it before, because I never cared.

But now, on this day, and in this lifetime, it is the only thing that matters.

To be able to hold her, kiss her... and call her mine.

My person... my home... my rest... my peace... my wife.

Mine.

our vows...

Cesia's POV

Napabuga ako ng hangin nang harapin si Trev. 

"Trev," sambit ko, hawak-hawak ang kamay niya. "Marami akong gustong ipangako sa'yo simula sa araw na'to. Pero gusto ko munang magpasalamat sa'yo, sa napakaraming beses na niligtas mo ang buhay ko..."

"Pinapangako kong maging isang mabuting asawa sa'yo," saad ko. "Mamahalin kita, sa libo-libong paraang alam ko..." 

Nginitian ko siya. "Susubukan kong lamangan ang pagmamahal mo sa'kin, at kailanma'y hinding-hindi ako mapapagod."

"Kasi mahal kita Trev..." Isang luha ang tumakbo sa pisngi ko kaya't natawa ako nang marahan. "At handa akong protektahan ka, at kung ano itong meron sa'tin."

Kinagat ko ang aking pang-ibabang labi nang magsilabasan ang aking mga luha. "Handa akong maging sandalan mo, sa panahong kasingbigat ng mundo ang mga problema mo." Humikbi ako. "At araw-araw kitang pipiliin, kagaya ng pagpili mo sa'kin..."

Tuluyan na nga akong napayuko nang mamigat ang mga mata ko. "Son of Zeus..." Napalunok ako habang nakatuon sa magkahawak naming mga kamay. "Dito ka tumingin sa'kin..." Inangat ko ang aking tingin sa kanya. "Sa tuwing mapapalibutan ka ng gulo at malapit ka nang mabulag nito."

"Hawakan mo ang kamay ko..." Hinigpitan ko ang pagkakahawak sa kanya. "At dito ka kumapit sa akin, sa bawat sandaling lumuwag ang pagkakahawak mo sa realidad."

"Dahil simula ngayon," dugtong ko. "Iyong-iyo na ako, Trev..." 

Nakita ko kung paano lumiwanag ang kanyang mukha nang marinig ang huli kong sinabi.

Nginitian ko siya saka tumango.

Samantalang, nagpipigil naman ng ngiti si Hera nang lingunin si Trev.

"Cesia." Mabagal siyang umiling. "Words will never be enough to describe how deep I've fallen for you."

"No number can measure the sacrifices and risks I am willing to take for you..." aniya. "And no distance, nothing, can ever stop me from loving you."

Humugot siya ng hangin, ng lakas, bago muling nagsalita. 

"I vow to be a loving husband to a beautiful wife." Gumuhit ang isang ngiti sa labi niya. "I vow to keep you safe, my love, and protect the home we're bound to create."

"You have changed me, Cesia," sabi niya. "Because you loved me, in a way that I didn't know I've always wanted to be loved."

"I cannot promise a smooth journey." Bumuntong-hininga siya. "But what I can give you, is a shoulder to lean unto... a hand to hold... and the promise of a calm after every storm."

"I will look at you, when the world seems to blur, and I will reach for your hand, when I feel like I'm losing my grip of reality."

Napangiti ako pagkatapos niyang ulitin ang sinabi ko.

"And I, will continue to worship you, with everything I have and am..." Dagliang umangat-baba ang kanyang lalamunan. "For there is no doubt in my heart that it's you who I want to wake up to, and spend every lifetime with."

"Abigail Young... Cesia, of the Alpha Class and an Omega... daughter of Aphrodite... descendant of Mnemosyne..."

Nginitian niya ako.

"I am all yours, as you are mine."

our affirmation...

Trev's POV

Mnemosyne carried a cushion on her hands and resting on top, were two golden rings.

"Thank you, Mnemosyne," ani Hera nang kunin ang mga ito.

The titaness gave us a nod. 

"Today is for love." She said, and left with a satisfied smile.

Inabot ni Hera sa'kin ang isa sa mga singsing. Tinanggap ko ito at pagkatapos ay kinuha ang kamay ni Cesia.

"Cesia." I glanced at her before slowly slipping the ring on her finger. "I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and the promises I made to you today." I held her hand and lightly rubbed the ring with my thumb. "May this remind you of what I went through, and what I am willing to go through, to show my enduring love for you."

I followed the other ring with my gaze when she picked it up from Hera's palm and grabbed my hand.

"Trev..." The ring flickered with light when she wore it around my finger. "Let this ring be your anchor..." She looked at me. "-and a token of my unconditional love, for all you are and all you are not."

"Abigail Young and Sky Dios Austria, you have both accepted the vows of one another, and have promised each other, in front of your friends and family..."

I didn't take my eyes off of her while listening to Hera's remarks.

"And I, Hera, the goddess of marriage, protector of families and childbirth, hereby declare you husband and wife."

My eyes drifted down to her rose-tainted lips.

"You may now seal your promise with a kiss."

We looked at each other, before breaking into a smile, and finally leaned in closer until our lips gently touched each other's.

I asked for more warmth and comfort when my hand caressed her face and my arm slowly crawled around her waist, pulling her against me.

Seeing nothing but feeling everything, I tilted my head and deepened the already passionate kiss.

From a distance, I could hear claps and screams of joy, but at this moment, it was only me and her, surrounded by darkness that we slowly filled with love as the seconds passed.

She was the first to lean her head back and break the kiss.

Nakatuon pa rin ako sa mga labi niya nang ngitian niya ako. "Sky..."

Ginantihan ko siya ng mas malambot pang ngiti.

"Abigail," sambit ko. "My wife."