"Be careful, Ma chérie... We don't want to offend any man-eating plants now, do we?" Macednus smiled charmingly.

Red Ridinghood can sense the danger behind it.

Wala sa sariling humigpit ang pagkakahawak niya sa tarot card. Kasabay nito, humigpit rin ang hawak ni Macednus sa kanyang kamay na para bang nararamdaman nito ang kanyang pag-aalinlangan.

From the corner of his eyes, he watched her in silence. After a few dreadful seconds, he finally spoke...

"Is something wrong, ma chérie? Why do you suddenly look so pale, hmm?"

'Geez. Kahit sino naman siguro, mamumutla kapag na-realize niyang naglalakad siya sa pasilyo kasama ang isang werewolf!' She rolled her eyes at the thought. In the end, she knew it won't do her any good if she voiced this out. Delikado na at baka hindi lang ang man-eating plants ang ma-offend niya mamaya.

"Nothing. Iniisip ko lang kung paano nabubuhay ang mga rosas sa lugar na ito. I doubt a castle full of werewolves is an ideal environment for innocent flowers."

With that Macednus chuckled and pulled her closer to him, "Oh! You'll be surprised, ma chérie. Roses can grow in the strangest places... You just need to know how to take care of them."

"And you're an expert?"

"I'm an expert in many 'leisure activities'..."

Isang makahulugang tingin ang iginawad nito sa kanya. He was trying to ease her nerves. In that moment, she realized how deceitful his charming smile can be.

Huli na ba para magsising ito ang napili niya?

Pero bago pa man siya makakapag-isip ng paraan para makaalis sa sitwasyong ito, napabalik na lang siya sa kasalukuyan nang iginiya siya ni Macednus sa labas ng kastilyo. The moment they crossed the century-old stone archway, she felt something shift in the air. Kamuntikan na siyang matumba sa hilo kung hindi lang siya agad naalalayan ni Macednus.

"Shhh... It's okay, ma chérie."

"Anong n-nangyayari? Para akong nahihilo..."

"Normal lang 'yan! Don't worry. It's just the side effects of Etteilla."

'Etteilla? H-Hindi ba 'yon ang chamber kung saan nila ako dinala noon? The one at the end of the tunnel.'

Naguguluhan man sa mga nangyayari, napilitan na lang tumango ni Red. The soft grass under her sandals (which magically appeared in her room the other night) was a bit reassuring.

Yes, this was a familiar feeling, indeed.

Bigla niyang naalala ang gabing hinatid siya rito ni Lycros. Dumaan rin sila sa isang archway na kagaya nito.

'Hindi kaya may mahika ang mga stone archways na dinadaanan namin?'

She made a mental note to herself to ask that later. Baka sakaling mabigyan siya ng kasagutan sa rason kung hanggang kailan siya balak ikulong dito. Kung isang kasalanan nga siguro ang pagiging "curious", aminado naman si Red na isa siyang makasalanan. But can you really blame her after being kidnapped by a pack of werewolves?

Kung ayaw nilang ibigay ang sagot sa kanyang mga tanong, then she'll have to find a way to get them herself.

Curiosity killed the cat but ignorance can poison a human.

They can't just keep her in the dark like this...

*
"We can't just keep her in the dark like this!"

Lycros didn't mean to shout---well, actually he did. Sa kahit anong sitwasyon naman, he would never miss out on an opportunity to yell at their so-called "alpha". Alam niyang nanganganib na naman siyang maparusahan nito at paglinisin ng servant's chamber, but who the fuck cares?

Importante ang usapan nila ngayon, at wala siyang planong manahimik na lang sa isang tabi. Err... just like what Nyctimus is doing right now. Pero palagi naman siyang tahimik, so that doesn't make any difference.

Huminga naman nang malalim si Acontes at sumandal sa kanyang upuan. His eyes were sharp and calculating, but he still managed to stay calm.

'Tsk! What an asshole,' the blonde thought.

"Wala ka sa posisyon para magbigay ng opinion, Lycros. Katulad ng ginawa natin sa ibang mga prinsesa, kailangan muna nating obserbahan ang kilos ni Princess Rieka. We need to be sure she's the one we've been looking for... We need to be sure she can help us break this curse." Acontes stated and eyed his brothers, as if daring them to disagree.

Kasalukuyan silang nasa kanyang solar. The brick fireplace crackled with embers. An eerie glow filled the antique space. Everything looked like it came out of those fairytale books set in the Medieval times. Ang "exception" na lang siguro rito ay ang pilak na patalim na nakasilid mula sa isang glass case.

It was carefully displayed in the farthest corner, concealed to the eyes of any unexpected guests.

Unconsciously, Acontes touched the scar on his face...

"Gaano katagal pa ba bago natin malaman kung pasado ba sa 'test' si Miss Red?" Helisson broke the silence. Nakaupo siya sa katapat na sopa ng alpha, kanina pa tahimik na nakamasid sa bolang crystal na nakapatong sa center table. They watched the swirled images morph into a motion picture.

Nakita nilang inaalalayan pa rin ni Macednus ang prinsesa papunta sa hardin.

Ang hindi alam ni Red Ridinghood ay nakikita nilang lahat ang kanyang mga kilos.

"Days, weeks, months...or maybe even a century?
I think every princess is unique from the others
that's why every time, the test works differently."

Linus said while laying on the divan. Kanina pa nito kinakalikot ang bronze medallion sa kanyang leeg. His fingers lazily ran through the cold metal, but his mind was somewhere else. Hindi halata, pero kanina pa ito nakikinig sa usapan nila. Like the poet that he is, he prefers to choose his words carefully.

Isang maling salita at baka siya naman ang pagbuntungan ng galit ng kanilang panganay.

"That's exactly why we cannot interfere," pagsang-ayon ni Acontes. "Wala tayong kasiguraduhan kung kailan matatapos ang 'test' ng Etteilla sa prinsesa. Hindi natin alam kung kailan natin malalaman ang resulta nito. Time is the only entity that we can never control, even as supernatural beings." 

"Kaya ba okay lang sa inyo na walang kamalay-malay ang prinsesa sa mga nangyayari at mangyayari pa sa kanya? I really don't get the logic behind this. We're all just putting her in danger!"

"We're not... Not for now, at least. This is just how things work around here since you left the pack, Lycros."

Mahinang napamura ang werewolf at ginulo ang kanyang buhok. Was he pissed off? Hell yes! Pero sa kasamaang-palad, alam niyang wala rin siyang magagawa. Nakadepende na lang ang lahat sa tadhana.

"Saan ka pupunta?" Helisson asked him when he started walking out of the room.

"Aasarin ko na lang si Carteron.  Nakasalambitin pa rin siya sa labas, 'di ba? It's not every day we get to see that bastard suffer from his own tricks." He tried to laugh to lighten up the mood.

Kahit na sa kabila nito, hindi niya pa rin maiwasang mag-alala kay Red Ridinghood.

If it turns out that she isn't the one they're looking for, she just might end up like the other maidens they've brought here for the past century. Hindi alam ni Lycros kung anong eksaktong nangyari sa kanila, pero iisa lang ang nasisiguro niya: namatay ang mga babaeng iyon nang walang kamalay-malay.

Hindi nila alam ang bigat ng sitwasyon.

Hindi nila alam ang pinag-ugatan ng sumpa nilang magkakapatid.

They just... died.

A cruel and lonely death.

And Lycros know what loneliness feels. It's not something you can forget overnight.

*

Matapos banggitin kanina ni Macednus ang tungkol sa kanyang (dating) "carnivorous" roses, agad na nalaman ni Red Ridinghood na hindi isang ordinaryong hardin ang bubungad sa kanya.

Then again, was there anything normal inside this castle?

The moment she finally took in her surroundings, Red Ridinghood thought she was trapped in one of those surreal paintings they passed by earlier.

Ang "rose garden" ni Macednus ay isang malawak na lupaing pinupuno ng mga rosas na kasing-pula ng dugo. Nakakakorteng puso ang ilang sa mga ito. She was careful not to touch them because they seem to move on their own!

The rose bushes followed a spiral pattern on the land, leaving patches of vibrant green grass in between. Napaliligiran ang lupain ng mga patay na mga halaman at mga punong magkakabuhol ang mga sanga, mistulang isang bakod sa reyalidad. The dead tree branches blocked her view of the outside world, trapping her in red.

Red.

"This is my Garden of Broken Hearts, ma chérie... Everything you see is made out of the fragments of mortal heartbreaks and agony!"

"Heartbreaks and agony...?"

"Yup! Kinokolekta ko lang ang mga ito at binibigyan ng panibagong tahanan." Macednus crossed his arms over his bare chest, a proud look on his face. "Human hearts are so fragile, you know? Pero nakakatawang isipin na sa kabila nito, pinipili pa rin ng ibang saktan ang mga nagmamahal sa kanila. For selfish reasons, nonetheless. I sometimes wish they can see the permanent cracks they leave in the hearts of those who love them... Maybe then, they'll realize how much of a monster they are."

She thought she saw pain in his expression. Pero agad din itong naglaho.

'Garden of Broken Hearts?'

They were standing in the middle of a bloody abstract!

Nang tumingala ang dalaga, doon niya lang napansin ang kulay kahel na kalangitan at ang rose petals na nakalutang sa ere. Yes, broken heart-shaped red rose petals were suspended in the air around them. Para bang lumulutang sa tubig ang mga ito. Lumalangoy papalayo sa tuwing susubukan niyang hawakan.

'What on earth is this place...?'

Sa kanyang tabi, naramdaman niyang nakatitig sa kanya si Macednus. Tila ba pinag-aaralan nito ang kanyang ekspresyon. She suddenly felt self-conscious.

"Narasan mo na bang magmahal, ma chérie?"

Hindi na niya kailangang isipin pa ang sagot sa tanong na 'yon. She quickly shook her head, "Hindi pa."

Macednus hummed, as if deep in thought, before he replied, "The Lovers. Just like the 'The Hanged Man' that card is a part of the Major Arcana, too. Nakaguhit sa barahang 'yan ang imahe ng isang hubo't hubad na babae at lalaki, at ang nasa gitna nila ay ang anghel na si Raphael."

I stared at the tarot card in my hands.

"Raphael is the angel of healing, right?"

Macednus nodded. "The angel of both emotional and physical healing, to be exact. Ang scenery ay maihahalintulad sa Garden of Eden. You know, Adam and Eve? Pansinin mong nakatalikod ang babae sa punong may ahas---she's choosing to turn away from sin. The man, however, has his back turned against twelve flames---he's choosing to turn away from the heated 'passion' of the flesh. Sa madaling salita, pareho nilang tinatalikuran ang tukso...

Sinisimbolo ng The Lovers ang pagbasbas ng kalangitan sa pagsasama ng dalawang nagmamahalan. Their naked forms indicate a love beyond material things. They aren't bound to the earthly needs of mankind. A rare and unconditional kind of love... A love as beautiful as the red roses in this garden."

"But this is your 'Garden of Broken Hearts'." I pointed out. "Hindi ba't nabuo ang hardin na ito sa mga pusong nasawi sa pag-ibig?"

"Yup... But most of the times, love is a choice. You choose to act upon your emotions, turn away from temptation, and commit. Madalas ang maling 'choices' lang din natin ang dahilan kung bakit tayo nasasaktan. Pero kung naisasabuhay sana ng lahat ng mga tao ang pag-iibigang ipinapakita sa The Lovers, maybe this garden wouldn't feel so broken sometimes."

That made her think about it. Kahit na wala pang karanasan sa isang "relasyon" si Red, she can imagine how painful it is to lose a chance at true love. Not that she cares, though. Mas marami pa siyang kailangang problemahin kaysa sa pag-ibig. 'Who knew Macednus can be such a love expert?' She thought in amusement.

When her eyes finally met his, lalo lang lumawak ang ngiti ng taong-lobo. His topless body still exposed to her.

"See anything you like, ma chérie?"

Iniba na lang niya ang usapan.

"Ngayon alam ko na kung bakit hindi ka nauubusan ng mga rosas. You have an unlimited supply!"

The werewolf chuckled and reached behind her. Maya-maya pa, inilahad nito ang isang pulang rosas sa kanya. Nang tanggapin naman ito ni Red, she winced in pain when a thorn pricked her finger. A drop of red blood stained the ground below her.

"Be careful of the thorns, ma chérie... Roses can be deceitful little devils, too. Hindi lahat ng magagandang bulaklak ay dapat mong pagkatiwalaan," he said.

That made her pause.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

Sinimulan nang pagtuunan ng pansin ni Macednus ang ilang kalapit na rosas. He inspected them like a prized possession, his eyes became a shade darker. "Roses are lovely. But just like roses, humans others take advantage of their appearance to trick the misfortunate souls. At dahil tanga ang karamihan ng mga mortal, madali silang nahuhulog sa patibong ng mga ito. They only realize they've been fooled when it's too late. That's why they suffer from a broken heart."

Lumingon ito sa kanya. Isang malungkot na ngiti sa kanyang mga labi.

"Tsaka lang naalala ng mga tao na may tinik rin ang mga rosas kapag nasaktan na sila ng mga ito."

---

Like time suspended,
    a wound unmended—
    you and I.

    We had no ending,
    no said good-bye.

    For all my life,
    I'll wonder why.

---"Closure", Lang Leav