Lobby of Literature...a book lover's heaven.

Matagal-tagal na rin mula nang makapasok siya sa isang silid-aklatan. With all the bustle inside the palace because of that disastrous Princess Enlightenment ceremony, hindi na muling nabisita ni Red ang archives ng kanilang palasyo.

Kaya nang magmulat ng mga mata si Red Ridinghood, aminado siyang tumalon sa saya kanyang puso nang makita ang hinahanap niya kaninang "library".

It was breathtaking.

No.

Red Ridinghood doesn't think any word would be enough to describe this place.

Dahil ang mga pader hanggang sa kisame ng maliit na silid na ito ay binuo ng pinagpatong-patong na mga libro. She was being surrounded by literature! Leather bound encyclopedias, paperbacks novels, travelers' journals, biographies of dead kings and queens, poetry books that dated back since the 1800's---everything was carefully placed to enclose them in a circular dome. Nagmistula silang nasa isang igloo, ngunit imbes na yelo, mga libro ang pumapalibot sa kanila.

'Linus wasn't kidding when he said this place is book worms' heaven.'

With a smile, she glanced at the fireplace on one side of the room. Pinupuno ng liwanag at init ng apoy ang maliit na espasyo. Thankfully, the fireplace was built to avoid accidentally burning these precious books, with a brick chimney extending upwards.

Sa tabi ng fireplace na ito, mayroon isang lumang leather couch at maliit na lamesita. She even saw a pair of reading glasses!

'Nagsasalamin pala si Linus?'

Nang dumako naman ang mga mata ni Red sa sahig (dahil natatakot siyang baka mga libro rin pala ang tinatapakan niya), nakahinga siya nang maluwag nang makitang yari ito sa kahoy. The dark wood was polished to perfection, not a speck of dirt can be seen. Hindi tulad ng ibang mga silid sa kastilyo, walang carpet dito. Probably because of Linus' weakness. Pero ang nakapukaw sa kanyang atensyon ay ang mga nakasulat sa sahig...

It looks like it was written in black ink...

"The reddest rose bloomed in the absence of light,
with a---"

"You don't need to read that, love.
Just my habit and obsession for words galore!
And since I don't have a clean sheet of paper here,
when I'm bored, I write poetry on the floor."

Nagpakurap-kurap si Red sa sinabi ni Linus. Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, para siyang nahihiya sa natuklasan ng prinsesa. He must feel a bit awkward now that someone else was reading his poetry. Some writers are just odd creatures who prefer to write when no one is looking. Some even prefer to not introduce themselves, at all. Tumango na lang ang dalaga, "Fine. But I really think you should---!"

Hindi ulit natapos ni Red ang kanyang sasabihin nang naramdaman niya ang pagtakip ng kamay ni Linus sa kanyang bibig.

She was about to scream, but he silenced her with his hushed tone...

"Forgive me, I forgot to tell you something ...
There's a 'Rhyming Rule' here in my magical lobby,
and if the guardians don't hear you rhyme
this entire place will collapse and cause your tragedy."

Kanina kailangan niyang humakbang sa even numbered steps, ngayon kailangan naman niyang magsalita ng may rhymes?

Inis na tinanggal ni Red ang kamay nito sa kanya.

"Bakit ba kasi gumagawa ka ng ganyang mga batas?"

Biglang yumanig ang paligid. Para bang anumang oras ay guguho na ang kisame ng mga libro sa ibabaw ng prinsesa. Mukhang totoo nga ang Rhyming Rule dito. In her panic, she quickly added, "Umm... A-Alam mo naman kasing hindi lahat ay mahilig sa prutas!"

Batas. Prutas.

Good job.

Wait, did her impromptu poem even made sense?

'Ano naman ang kinalaman ng prutas sa mga batas? Ugh. Hindi ka pala pwedeng maging makata, Red.'

Anyway, what's important is that the mini-earthquake stopped. Para bang kumalma ang Lobby of Literature nang marinig na magka-rhyme ang sinabi niya. She sighed in relief, even though Linus was forcing himself not to laugh at her lame attempt at poetry.

"Hey! What's so funny,
you freakin' basta---I mean...uhh, bunny?"

Funny. Bunny.

'Sige, Red. Pinapahiya mo na lang ang sarili mo, eh.' Nasapo na lang niya ang kanyang noo. Dahil dito, tuluyan nang humagalpak nang tawa ang kasama niyang werewolf.

"HAHAHAHA! Oh! S-Sorry, my darling.
I just find your rhymes quiet...charming?"

Red Ridinghood's amber eyes glared at him.

"And you're becoming quite irritating.
Laugh at me again, Linus,
and I might just slap you without a warning."

Nice.

Agad namang umayos si Linus at tumikhim. Maya-maya pa, huminga siya nang malalim at inakbayan ang nakasimangot pa ring prinsesa.

"My apologies, my lovely princess.
Allow me to make it up to you!
Let me introduce you to the four guardians,
that I bet some you already knew."

Just like that, Red Ridinghood felt like she was being watched again. Pero hindi ito masamang pakiramdam. Nang inilibot niya ang kanyang mga maya sa kabilang bahagi ng lobby, noon lang niya napansin ang apat na bust sculptures sa kanyang likuran. They were placed on top individual pillars made from stacks of books. Napanganga na lang siya nang makitang gumagalaw rin ang mga ito!

"Alas! Thou has finally noticed our ghastly presence,
and remembered to introduce us to her royal pleasance."

A male statue spoke in a British accent. His intellectual eyes watched them over a pointed nose. Tuluyan nang napanganga ang dalaga nang mapagtanto kung sino ito. Aliw namang iginiya ni Linus si Red papalapit sa kausap nitong statue.

"Why do you seem so surprised,
didn't you recognize the Bard of Avon?
He may be a little intimidating,
but rest assured, he's harmless, hon."

She wanted to slap him. Seriously. 'SINO BANG HINDI MAKAKAKILALA KAY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE?!'

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He's known as the world's greatest dramatist, England's national poet, and the "Bard of Avon" or simply "The Bard". Who on earth wouldn't know his famous "Romeo and Juliet"? This guy's a legend!

Kung wala nga lang sanang "Rhyming Rule" sa Lobby of Literature, baka kanina pa nasigaw sa saya ang dalaga. Tinitigan niyang maigi ang nagsasalitang statue ni William Shakespeare---THE William Shakespeare---at sinubukang sundutin ang pisngi nito.

Kalmadong nagsalita ang estatwa.

"'Tis with great pleasure to meet you, Your Highness!
However, I am yet to humbly apologize
for your hand I can neither shake nor kiss."

Considering that the bust sculpture only included Shakespeare's head and upper torso, agad namang naunawaan ni Red ang sitwasyon. 'Wala nga pala siyang katawan!' Pero hindi pa man nakakabawi ang dalaga sa katotohanang may nagsasalitang Shakespeare statue sa Lobby of Literature, bigla namang nagsalita ang baritonong boses sa kanyang gilid.

"Isa yatang himala na ika'y nakapaghatid ng mayuming binibini dito, hijo.
Lalo pa't hindi mo naman ugaling manuyo ng mga babae at makihalubilo."

Red spun around and found three other bust sculptures. The man who spoke had laurel leaves adorning his head. Hindi tulad ni Shakespeare na nakasuot ng medieval clothes na may high collar, ang lalaking ito ay nakasuot ng barong Tagalog.

"Nandito rin si Franciso Balagtas?!
Nakakagulat naman---"

Ano bang pwedeng i-rhyme sa Balagtas?

"---sayang wala siyang manggas?"

Natigilan ang estatwa ng kilalang makata, para bang natameme ito sa kanyang tula. Samantala, pinipigilan na namang humagalpak nang tawa ni Linus. Great. Now she's embarrassing herself in front of a well-known Filipino poet.

'Red, tama na.'

Si Francisco Balagtas y de la Cruz o kilala rin bilang "Francisco Baltazar" ay isang tanyag na makata noong panahon ng pananakop ng Espanya sa Pilipinas. Ilan sa kanyang mga likha ay ang Orosman at Zafira, La india elegante y el negrito amante, at ang kanyang obra maestrang "Florante at Laura."

Kasabay nito, tinula ni Linus ang isang parte nito...

"O, pagsintang labis ang kapangyarihan,
Sampung mag-aama'y iyong nasasaklaw
at kapag namasok sa puso ninuman,"

Nakatitig lang ito sa prinsesa. Light brown eyes speaking so many words and pouring so much emotion all at once.

"Hahamakin ang lahat, masunod ka lamang."

Nag-iwas ng tingin si Red. There, she locked eyes with a woman who had her hair in a bun. Ngumiti ang estatwa sa kanya at tumula...

"I see the faintest hues on your cheeks, dear!
Tell me, is falling in love something you need to fear?"

Instead of answering her question, Red chose to confirm her suspicions.

"Are you who I think you are,
a poet with a prized ...star?"

Cringe. That didn't make sense, either. Pero kung nawirduhan man sa kanya ang babae, hindi niya ito ipinahalata. And just like the poet that she is, instead of saying "yes" or "no", she recited the lines in one of her poems entitled "Aftermath"...

"I learnt to write to you in happier days,
And every letter was a piece I chipped
From off my heart, a fragment newly clipped
From the mosaic of life; its blues and grays,
Its throbbing reds, I gave to earn your praise."

Amy Lowell.

An American poet who won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1926. Kilala siya kanyang "romantic poetry" na madalas niyang hinahandog sa kanyang kasintahang si Ada Dywer Russell. In fact, Lowell's poems to her lover was sometimes considered by critics as the most explicit and elegant lesbian poetry.

Nang dumako naman ang mga mata ni Red sa huling estatwa, nakita niya ang isang matandang lalaking nakasuot ng traditional Japanese clothes.

"How admirable!
To see lightning and not think
life is fleeting."

The princess wasn't familiar with this poet. Nang mapansin ni Linus ang kanyang pagtataka, pasimple itong bumulong sa kanya.

"He's Matsuo Bashō, a master of haiku,
and a poet during the edo period in Japan.
He's a bit old, as you can see,
but he is a legend and a wise man."

Again, Red Ridinghood stared at the four "guardians" of this lobby. Sinong mag-aakalang binabantayan pala ng buhay na mga estatwa ng apat na tanyag na makata ang paraisong ito? It was unbelievable, and yet it she found herself smiling in this little alcove of books.

Noong mga sandaling 'yon, tuluyan nang nakaramdam ng kapayapaan ang dalaga Nagpatianod na lang siya kay Linus nang iginiya siya nito papunta sa upuang katapat ng fireplace.

"Come now, my darling...
I see your tired eyes, I know you want to rest;
So what better place to sleep
than in a place with the books you love the best?"

Hindi niya alam kung nagayuma na siya ng boses ni Linus o ng amoy ng parchment paper sa paligid. Nonetheless, she didn't complain when he pulled her next to him. Surprisingly, the chair was big enough for the both of them.

In a distance, she can hear the old Japanese poet's voice...

"In this world of ours,
We eat only to cast out,
Sleep only to wake,
And what comes after that
is simply to die at last."

Red Ridinghood yawned and rested her head on the werewolf's shoulder.

"Shouldn't he be speaking in Japanese?
But it seems like he talks in English with---"

"---ease?" Linus suggested the rhyme.

Yes, that sounded better.

Sasabihin na sana ni Red "with green peas", kaya mabuti na lang at naisalba siya ng makata. Mahina namang natawa si Linus at masuyong hinalikan ang kanyang noo. Magpoprotesta pa sana si Red kung hindi lang siya pagod (dahil sa pag-akyat ng nakakalokong hadgan) at kung hindi lang siya nahihirapang tumula.

"Master Matsuo learned to adapt,
with the help of the other guardians.
With no legs and no hands to grab a book,
statues can only teach each other what they can."

She nodded, too tired to reply.

Linus draped an arm around her shoulder and whispered sweet nothings.

"Hush, and enjoy the silence, my love...
Maybe I'll read you bedtime stories next time.
And I hope by then, you'll grace me again
with your silly little rhymes."

Princess Rieka Ridinghood didn't argue.

'Who would've thought there's an enchanted lobby inside a lion's mouth? This castle is crazy, indeed.'

---

Start of spring;
heart in bloom;
our whisperings
in sunlit rooms.

Summer was felt
a little more;
in autumn I
began to fall.

When winter came
with all its white,
you were mine
to kiss good night.

---"A Fairy Tale", Lang Leav