Chapter 60: Queen of the Water Kingdom

"Right away, Your Majesty."

Rosh stood up and vowed in front of his brother. Ilang beses ko man nasaksihan ang malapit nilang relasyon sa isa't isa, biruan at maging minsang sagutan, alam kong malaki pa rin ang respeto ni Rosh sa kanyang kapatid at sa titulong mayroon ito.

And then he glanced at me with that intrigued and challenging look.

Bigla ko tuloy naramdaman ang kaba sa dibdib ko. I had been aware how important for Le'Vamuievos their ceremonial dance. Kahit si Claret ay sinabi rin sa akin na mahalaga na mayroong nalalamang sayaw ang itinakdang babae.

It's a symbol that despite that the women from the mirror have been known as warriors, with powers, and overwhelming abilities— through our dances everyone could still look at us as maidens with grace, beauty, and femineity bestowed by a goddess.

Kaya mabuti na lang din at mabilis akong matuto. I couldn't just disappoint Tobias with this important dance. Iyon nga lang, mahirap mapantayan iyong sayaw ni Reyna Raeliana.

Ipinilig ko ang ulo ko. I shouldn't think about this right now. I have finally decided to perform.

Sumunod na rin sina Seth at Blair na kapwa na rin tumayo. Seth smiled widely and Blair was still emotionless, they vowed before they left the room. Claret looked supportive, she even nodded at me, even Zen had his short bow.

Hindi nagtagal ay kami na lang dalawa ni Tobias ang naroon sa loob ng silid. Agad akong humarap sa kanya at sinapo ang magkabilang pisngi niya.

I tiptoed and kissed his lips. "Don't worry. I'll not embarrass you, My king."

His brows creased. "It's not about that."

I shook my head. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Humiwalay na ako sa kanya, humakbang paatras habang nakasalikop ang mga kamay sa likuran at nanatiling nakangiti sa kanya. "What? Why?"

He extended his hand as he tried to reach me but I moved quickly to avoid him.

"I don't think it's good for us to share a bed before the big event. I am so excited about tomorrow. Don't miss me, okay?"

Nanatili lang siyang nakatindig sa posisyon niya habang tanaw ako. He looked confused and conflicted.

Before I finally left the room, I looked over my shoulder and winked at him, leaving him speechless.

***

I left the castle that night. Nag-iwan naman ako ng sulat kay Tobias na ipinabigay ko tagasunod ko. Kailangan ko lang bumaba sa Floating City dahil gusto kong makita kung paano ako mapapanuod ng mga nilalang ng Parsua Deltora.

As I rode on the wooden boat, accompanied by an old man and his seahorse maneuvering us through the water slide from the castle to weaponry, shops and the garden filled with pixies, a mixture of wind and sparkling waterdrops kissed my cheeks. My bushy hair flew wildly around me. I gathered it with one of my hands, but that didn't stop it from dancing in the breeze.

I couldn't help but look over my shoulder as I adoringly watched the beauty of the waterfalls of Deltora. The pixies had told me that Queen Raeliana once performed in front of it, captivating everyone with her talent. During her performance, no one even thought of her as the queen of the kingdom, but rather as a great dancer, mesmerizing everyone's eyes.

Hindi talaga pagtingin sa lugar ng Deltora ang higit kong dahilan kaya bigla akong umalis. Gusto kong huminga dahil kinakabahan talaga ako.

This is one of the days that I really wish that Tobias would not come for me for a while. Gusto ko munang kumalma nang saglit bago ko tuluyang harapin ang kahariang ito. Ngunit hindi na rin naman ako magugulat kung bigla na lang siya susulpot habang naglalakad ako. But I really told him that I needed a me time. Halos tatlong araw ko kaya siyang pinagbigyan!

Nagkibit balikat ako sa sarili kong iniisip. "Of course, you enjoyed it too, Kezalli."

I laughed alone. Kasalukuyan na akong naglalakad sa hilera ng napakaraming tindahan ng Deltora. Pinili ko na lang maglakad kaysa umupo sa bangka.

Natigil lang ako nang may makasalubong akong pamilyar na mukha na kalalabas lang doon sa tindahan na tanda kong dinaanan ulit ni Tobias noong isang araw dahil gusto na niyang ipasara.

"Seth?"

Kalalabas niya pa lang at agad siyang napalingon sa akin. His smile widened when he saw me. "Kezalli!"

Lakad takbo si Seth nang makarating siya sa harapan ko. I tilted my head and peeked behind him because it was obvious that he was trying to hide. "What is that?"

Tama ba ang pagkakatanda ko na iyon ang tindahan na ayaw ni Tobias?

"If I am not mistaken, Tobias is trying to abolish that store."

Seth awkwardly scratched his cheek. Umikot siya nang silipin ko at maglakad ako patungo sa likuran niya. Nakailang beses kaming umikot-ikot dalawa hanggang sa tumigil na siya.

He laughed. "It's just a document. Proof of shipment. I asked the owner if the packages had been shipped. My brothers are not responding to my letters. Don't tell this to Rosh or Tobias, alright?"

I grinned and nodded. "Your secret is safe. Pero ano ba iyan?"

"Secret."

Ngumuso ako at iniba ko na lang ang usapan. "You said your brothers are not sending you letters?"

"Yes. They're weird. Mabilis naman silang sumagot sa liham ko."

"Baka busy lang. Marami ba kayong magkakapatid?"

"Yes.Thirteen."

Nanlalaki ang mga mata kong napalingon sa kanya. "Thirteen! Ang sipag naman ng parents mo!"

He laughed. "Well, they are not expecting a thirteenth prince, and then I happened." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh, ikaw pa pala ang bunso. Menopausal baby ka?"

Kumunot ang noo niya. "What's that?"

Nagsimula na kaming maglakad ni Seth nang sabay. Si Claret ang nagsabi sa akin na siya na ang prinsipe na susunod, ibig sabihin niyon ay darating na ang babaeng itinakda sa kanya.

Umiling ako sa kanya. "Wala siguro no'n dito sa mundo ninyo."

"Sometimes I really can't understand some human words. Kahit sina Claret at Naha ay hindi ko rin minsan maintindihan. I am actually asking a book of manual for human wordings from Casper, ang mahal niya naman sumingil. He's asking a land in Avalon, my brothers would kill me if I gave him one," nakangiwing sabi ni Seth.

Natawa ako sa sinabi niya.

Sometimes it's nice to simply talk with these princes as if we were normal living creatures in this world— those without these responsibilities as one of those in the prophecy.

"Casper? I think I heard his name before."

"He is Zen's youngest brother, from Sartorias."

"Oh . . ."

Bigla kong naalala iyong sinabi sa akin ng mga pixies. They told me about Pryor who got tricked by a certain prince from Sartorias. Nagdiwang pa iyong mga pixies na naisahan ang prinsipe ng kanilang kaharian.

"By the way, why are you alone? Alam ba ito ni Tobias?"

I nodded. "Nagpaalam naman ako sa kanya. Pero hindi na ako magtataka kung bigla na lang siyang magpapakita. It's just that it's hard not to notice his long hair, kaya kahit nakamaskara siya ay agad siyang nakikilala ng mga nilalang dito."

Tumawa rin si Seth. Nagpatuloy kami sa paglalakad hanggang sa makilala rin namin iyong panibagong lalaki na nakatindig sa harapan ng isang tindahan ng pagkain.

It could be very hot meat on a stick. Blair's mask was partly above his forehead as he silently blew repeatedly it to make it cold.

"Blair!" tawag ni Seth.

Agad ibinaba ni Blair ang maskara niya bago siya lumingon sa amin. He motioned the meat on the stick in his hand. "It's delicious. Come, it's my treat."

Sumunod kami ni Seth sa kanya at itinuro rin namin sa nagtitinda ang gusto namin. Seth took two and he tasted it alternately. Gumaya na rin si Blair pero ang bagal niyang kumain dahil hinihipan niya pa talaga.

"Come on, Blair! It's not that hot."

"No, it's hot."

Napuno ng tawanan ang pagitan namin tatlo. Halos lahat yata ng may pagkain na tindahan ay tinitigilan namin tatlo habang walang tigil si Seth sa pagkukuwento ng paglalakbay nila.

Kasalukuyan nang kausap ni Seth iyong isang tindero sa sunod na tindahan nang lumapit sa akin si Blair at inalok ako ng inumin. It's a wooden mug with colored drink. "It's sweet."

"Thank you!"

He nodded.

Habang umiinom ako ramdam ko na may gusto siyang sabihin pero nahihiya lang yata siya. "Blair?"

"Y-yes . . ."

I laughed. "Sabihin mo na. It's okay."

"Good luck tomorrow," he said now with his mask on.

Bigla akong natigilan sa sinabi niya. Tobias could feel the pressure of my performance tomorrow, Rosh was challenging me, and Claret might have that usual supportive smile, but I never thought that I'd first hear this word from Blair—to someone I couldn't remember if I had a proper conversation with him.

Tipid akong ngumiti at kusang umangat ang kamao ko at marahan kong sinuntok ang braso niya. "Thank you!"

Nagulat ako nang humarap siya sa akin, saglit pa akong napaatras nang mag-angat din siya ng kamao, ngunit nang tumama iyon sa akin parang tapik lang, mas mahina pa sa akin. "You're welcome."

I awkwardly faced the vendor who was watching us. Now I realize that Blair's really someone who doesn't know how to socialize. "Is that how humans say their thank you?"

Agad akong umiling. "No! Don't do it with your mate, okay?"

I could see how his eyes blinked behind that mask. And then he nodded.

That night, Tobias didn't appear, but I felt his presence. I spent the whole night with Blair and Seth as if they were my friends in college and we were enjoying a school festival.

Hanggang sa ihatid na nila ako sa hardin ng mga maliliit na diwata. Umiikot ang paningin ng dalawang prinsipe habang naglalakad sila at kasunod ko.

"See? This is the pride of Deltora, the garden hidden behind the waterfall, filled with pixies!"

Dahil siguro may halong alak na iyong ininom namin ramdam ko ang matinding saya.

I was jumping happily, skipping each stone with my hands behind my back. When I looked over my shoulder, I smiled at them. "Come, let me introduce you to my friends! They love handsome princes, except Pryor!"

I giggled as I sauntered down the aisle, flanked by clusters of different flowers on each side. Then I swirled with my arms wide open, the wind fluttering all the loose petals. The familiar glitters of the pixies' dust filled the air, mingling with the alluring scent of the garden evening.

Since my dress was too long for my movements, I gathered it in my hands as I continued swirling, even dancing, when the pixies accompanied me. My eyes were closed the entire time, lost in the joy of the moment. When I remembered I wasn't alone, I slowly opened my eyes to see Seth and Blair no longer wearing their masks. Their lips were half-open, and their eyes were full of fascination.

"A fairy . . ."

"You're beautiful . . ."

But the pixies didn't let the princes stay in the garden and pushed them away. All I did was laugh and wave them goodbye. "See you tomorrow morning!"

***

I woke up early for the preparation. The pixies were all armored to dress me with their expert skills. Inasahan ko pa nga na magkakagulo sila sa isusuot ko pero maging ako ay nagulat sa hinanda nilang kasuotan sa akin.

I remembered how I stopped in awe when looking at it in front of me. No wonder Rosh gave them the power to dress him up.

"This is how the Queen of the Sunken City centuries of years ago dressed!"

Unlike the usual style of my hair filled with flowers, they placed a head accessory encircling my head with a small band of gold and three emeralds as its stone, there were two small braids on each side of my head mingling with two dangling chain-like strings connected with the headband— to emphasize the movement of my head.

Since this wasn't a full dress with my stomach exposed and my back completely bared. My upper chest was covered by a very thin mesh, like a casual scarf hanging on the neck to shoulder blades, with both small golden bands on my upper arms, the thin mesh with a cut in the middle almost covered nothing, continued to reach my skin until half of my arms and ends with another spiral gold bracelets.

"Look at your back, Queen Kezalli!"

Inalalayan nila ako sa harap ng salamin at hinawi nila ang buhok ko para makita ko ang nasa likuran.

My exposed back was not as bare as I imagined, since the place where my spinal column was had a trail of glittering small green gems as if it was part of my skin— like it was a fish's fin. When I looked in front of the mirror, my lower part had a long skirt with few layers, a skirt with accessories, mesh, and other designs that would emphasize my every movement. My footwear was also made of gold and emerald, with spiral laces hugging my legs. But what I noticed more was some painted curve lines—like water vines on my stomach and shoulder blades.

Mas lumapit ako sa salamin at kusang umangat ang mga kamay ko para hawakan ang mukha ko. I couldn't help but gasp with my sudden changes. Yes, I still could recognize myself but the way these pixies delicately dressed me with details was really fascinating. 

Because under the side of my eyes were thin curved lines— made of dots or shards of emeralds as if I had a fin.

"Now, you really look like the Queen of the Water Kingdom!"

When one of the pixies announced it, the mischievous, silly, noisy, and playful pixies all around me stopped at the moment, and as I looked in front of them, slowly . . .

Everyone bowed to me.