"P-Patay na ang iyong ama! Kamahalan, kailangan mo nang bumalik sa palasyo... pinatay nila si King Ronan!"

Nakatitig lang siya kanilang royal adviser, umaasang nagsisinungaling lang ito. 

Somehow, she knew he was telling the truth.

Sa kabila ng mga katanungang gumugulo sa kanya dahil sa biglaang pagpunta ni Elpidio rito, hindi maiwasang balikan ni Red Ridinghood ang imahe ng duguang koronang nakita niya sa kanyang panaginip. Back then, she brushed this off as a figment of her anxiety...

Now, she understands that it was actually a premonition.

Red released a shaky breath, in an attempt to calm herself down.

"---ilang araw nang nalalagay sa alanganin ang palasyo, kamahalan! The werewolves slaughtered all the horses in the royal stables, all except the one I managed to take away from a guard. Lumalala na rin ang kakapusan sa pagkain at wala nang nagtatangkang makipagkalakalan... t-this is a nightmare!" Elpidio sobbed, clinging onto her arms before he was pulled away by Helisson.

"I think he's a bit traumatized. I'll see what I can do."

Hindi na nakaimik si Red nang hinatid na niya ito sa infirmary. Indeed, Elpidio looks far from the arrogant bastard she had to deal with growing up. Nanginginig pa rin ang katawan nito, na para bang inaalala ang kanyang naging karanasan.

Her mind drifted somewhere else, until she finally managed to break the silence that hang over the ancient walls of Eteilla.

"Kailangan kong bumalik doon."

Sa kabila ng mahina niyang boses, kapansin-pansing lalong binalutan ng tensyon ang silid. Hindi na siya nag-abala pang hintayin ang sasabihin ng magkakapatid at mabilis siyang naglakad papalabas ng chamber.

Before she could even make it through the tunnel, Lycros immediately held her arm and pulled her back.

"Bitiwan mo 'ko, Lycros."

"Hindi natin alam kung totoo ba ang sinabi niya o hindi..."

"Elpidio may be a royal pain in the neck sometimes, but he would never lie about this," she countered. It was absurd, but it's true. Dahil sa kabila ng pagiging kontrabida nito sa buhay ng prinsesa, Red also knew he's not the kind of monster to lie about the king. In an odd sense, Elpidio was almost as dedicated to his job as General Simon was.

"Nasa panganib ang kaharian namin. I need to go." She said with conviction and pried her arm from his hold. "Responsibilidad ko 'to bilang tagapagmana!"

Napasimangot na lang ito.

"So, you're just gonna go back? Hindi mo ba naisip na baka ito mismo ang gustong mangyari ng mga kalaban?"

Amber eyes bravely met his. "Then I'm going to give them what they fucking want. Kung inaakala nilang makokontrol nila ako, they're dead wrong... those devils are messing with the wrong princess."

Nang lingunin naman niya ang iba pang werewolves, kapansin-pansing nakatitig lang ang mga ito sa kanila. Sandali silang nakatinginan. Kalaunan, humakbang papalapit si Macednus. "Naiintindihan ka namin, ma cherié. Pero---"

"If you're trying to stop me, you're wasting your time. You know how stubborn I am."

Sa kanyang gulat, mahinang natawa ang Big Bad Werewolves. 'Tsk! Ano bang problema nila?'

Isang nakakalokong ngiti ang sumilay sa mga labi ni Carteron.

"Nah. We were actually gonna tell you that you shouldn't go without us, Your Highness! Do ya really think we'll let you have all the 'fun'? HAHAHA!"

Linus, Macednus, Nyctimus, and Lycros nodded in agreement. Wala nang nagtangkang pumigil sa kanya. Napangiti na lang si Red Ridinghood. Sa huli, wala nang nagawa ang chosen maiden kung hindi ibulsa ang hawak niyang Tarot cards at manguna sa paglalakad.

The princess pulled down her blood red cloak, the fire from Eteilla flickered, casting an ethereal outline on her before she vanished into the shadows of the cold tunnel.

*

"Papunta na sila rito."

Agad na naagaw ang atensyon ng musikero nang marinig ang mga salitang 'yon. Nilingon niya ang kanyang kasamang prenteng nakaupo sa trono ng hari. Kalmado pa rin ito sa kabila ng kaguluhang nangyayari sa kaharian. For a moment, he ignored the screams and the burning houses below and asked...

"Paano mo naman nalaman?"

Maya-maya pa, mula sa mga anino, hinagis nito ang isang Tarot card sa kanyang direksyon.

The Pied Piper stared at it for a moment too long.

THE EMPRESS.

"The cards told me so."

The new king's voice echoed in the empty throne room.

Indeed, the musician didn't need to be a genius to know what-or rather who-this card represents. Piper couldn't help but smirk. Tiyak na matutuwa si Miss Evelyn sa kanila. Sa wakas ay maisasakatuparan na ang matagal na nilang pinaplano.

Finally.

*

Kanina niya pa pinipigilan ang kanyang mga emosyon. Alam niyang hindi ito ang tamang oras para magluksa sa pagkamatay ng kanyang ama, pero habang papalapit sila nang papalapit sa kaharian, the weight in her chest was slowly becoming unbearable.

Hindi pa nakatulong ang sinabi sa kanya kanina ni Helisson nang bumalik ito galing sa infirmary.

Until now, she's having a hard time believing that one little fact that can possibly change everything...

'Kung totoo man 'yon o hindi, hindi nito mababago ang tungkulin mo. Everyone's in danger, Red. Just focus on what you need to do! Damn it...' She mentally chastised herself before taking in a deep breath and clearing her thoughts.

The cold night breeze swept past her, red locks dancing in the still forest.

Sa kabila ng pananakit ng kanyang ulo, wala sa sariling kinapa ng prinsesa ang mga barahang nakatago sa kanyang bulsa.

'Why do I have a feeling that they're up to something?'

Soon, Red Ridinghood and the pack of werewolves stopped in front of the palace gates. Agad siyang bumaba sa likod ni Lycros at naglakad papasok. Inaasahan niyang sasalubong sa kanya ang mga gwardyang dapat na nagbabantay rito. In a sense, they did "greet" her, but not in a way she expected them to.

Their bloody corpses laid on the ground.

Napapikit na lang si Red. Huli na ba para iligtas ang iba? Tangina. She wanted to drown herself in guilt. She wanted to question everything at this point. She---

"You shouldn't blame yourself, kitten. Ito mismo ang gusto nilang mangyari."

Lycros placed a firm hand on her shoulder. He already transformed back to his human form.

"Let's just get going."

Marahang tumango ang prinsesa. Hindi niya maalis ang kanyang paningin sa mga bangkay. A moment later, Red clenched her hands into fists. In her anger, she picked up one of the blood stained swords, and strode passed them. Agad naman siyang sinundan ng ibang werewolves.

Her amber eyes glared at the palace up ahead.

"I'll avenge these fallen men, even if I have to walk through hell."

Walang lingon siyang naglakad sa nakabibinging lansangan. Walang katao-tao sa parteng ito ng kanilang kaharian. Nonetheless, she can hear the cries of the villages and smell the smoke coming from the burning houses. Sa kanyang likuran, narinig niyang inutusan ni Lycros sina Macednus para sagipin ang sinumang nangangailangan.

Tuloy-tuloy lang sa paglalakad ang prinsesa, mahigpit ang hawak sa ninakaw niyang espada.

["You shouldn't blame yourself but you shouldn't be driven by anger, either."]

["I can handle this, Nyct."]

She traced the steps back to the palace with ease. At sa bawat hakbang niya papalapit sa lugar na nagsilbing tahanan sa kanya sa nakalipas na taon, tila ba lalong bumibigat ang kanyang pakiramdam. The migraines were starting to get worse.

Eteilla was warning her of something...it was strange.

When they arrived, the giant double doors burst open.

There was no doubt.

"Someone's already anticipating us," Carteron muttered as he sniffed the air. At bago pa man makapagkumento ang iba, lumabas mula sa mga anino ang dalawa sa undead werewolves. Nanindig ang kanyang mga balahibo nang matitigan ang kulay pula nilang mga mata.

The same shade of red that was similar to the gruesome blood stains on the floor they were standing on.

"Oh, how thoughtful of you to wait for us

in the dark like forbidden lovers!

I guess it's only fair to return the favor,

By sending you back to your graves, brothers..."

"WAIT!"

Linus was about to transform when Red Ridinghood stopped him. Sa kabila nang naguguluhan nilang mga ekspresyon, piniling lapitan ng prinsesa ang dalawang lobo. Pigil-hininga nilang hinintay ang kanilang gagawin. Pero katulad ng kanyang hinala, hindi sila umatake.

She stared at the soulless beasts intently.

"He sent you here to escort us, didn't he?"

Instead of answering, the two werewolves, who she later on realized were Eumon and Corethon, turned on their heels and started walking back into the hallway. Walang inaksayang oras ang prinsesa at sinundan ang mga ito. 'Mukhang nang-aasar talaga ang bagong hari. He knew the customary act of sending escorts to anyone with royal blood in order to properly meet the king,' isip-isip ng dalaga nang napagtanto niyang hinahatid siya sa throne room ng palasyo.

Bumilis ang pintig ng kanyang puso dala ng kaba.

Napadaing siya sa sakit nang maramdamang tila ba may bumibiyak sa kanyang ulo. Helisson immediately rushed to her side. "What's happening to you, Miss Red?"

"I-I don't know..." She sighed and forced herself to step into the throne room. "...but something's telling me we're about to find out."

At nang dumako ang kanyang mga mata sa binatang nakaupo sa trono ng kanyang ama, tumalim ang tingin ng prinsesa.

He was wearing the same old clothes, layered with her father's fur cape adorned with gold and diamonds. His other leg rested on one of the arm chairs of the throne that had been passed down to their family for several generations, acting as if he didn't give a damn about its history. Isang mapaglarong ngisi ang iginawad nito sa kanila habang pinaglalaruan ang gintong korona sa kanyang mga kamay.

She walked towards the devil with her chin held high.

"Nasaan ang hari?"

"You're already staring at him."

She gritted her teeth in frustration. "You know exactly what I fucking mean."

Nagkibit lang ito ng balikat at hinagis sa sahig ang korona. A loud clanking sound echoed, awfully similar to the one she heard in her nightmare. Sa kabila ng takot na naglalaro sa kanyang isip, pinilit pa rin niyang tingnan ito.

It felt like deja vu.

Red Ridinghood found herself staring at the blood-stained crown of King Ronan as reality slowly settled in.

'Mukhang hindi nagdedeliryo kanina si Elpidio,' she thought in misery. Such a fucking twist. But what can she expect in a fairytale as depressing as hers? Sa kanyang tabi, ramdam niyang nakatitig sa kanya ang magkakapatid. Huminga siya nang malalim. Ilang sandali pa, pagak siyang natawa...

Her laughter sounded so broken.

"Isang malaking kalokohan. Who would've thought a mere fortune-teller can be a king? But, of course, nobody in this palace will object...especially if they find out that you're my half-brother, Lancelot."

---

I do not want to look at them; their form saddens me,
and it saddens me to recall their first light.
I look ahead at my lit candles.

---"Candles", Constantine P. Cavafy