This chapter is dedicated to @Debby Labitad.

---

For several years, Red Ridinghood had only seen the world through glass and paper.

Kung hindi niya tahimik na inoobersabahan ang kanilang kaharian sa likod ng isang bintana, inaaral naman niya ito sa mga aklat ng kanilang palasyo. Indeed, there is a thin line between "knowledge" and "experience".

A thin, but significant boundary that makes all the difference.

Dahil kahit gaano ka ka-"talino" sa mga kaalamang nangyayari sa totoong mundo, balewala ang lahat kung hindi mo mararanasan mismo. For example, you can theorize climbing a mountain will be exhausting. But first-hand experience will make you realize how "exhausting" it really is.

"T-This is crazy..." Hinihingal na sabi ng prinsesa nang sa wakas makarating na sila sa tuktok nito.

Red sat down on a slab of rock, sweat dripping down her face. Sa kanyang tabi, mahinang natawa si Llycros. Para bang hindi siya apektado ng ilang minuto nilang pag-akyat kanina. 

'Probably his wolf stamina,' she concluded.

"Pero sulit naman, 'di ba? Look at this view!"

Her tired amber eyes drifted to what he was talking about.

Para bang napawi ang pagod ng dalaga nang masilayan ang tanawin sa kanilang harapan.

Ang akala ng prinsesa, isang kathang-isip lang ang tanawing ito. Despite their short journey, they were high enough to see the tree tops and landscape below. Like a muted gray oil painting bathed in the afterglow of the  sunlight, Red Ridinghood saw the forest below in detail. Tila nababalutan ng hamog ang kagubatan. Nakapukaw sa kanyang atensyon ang imahe ng kastilyo ng Big Bad Werewolves.

A large gray structure adorned with hundreds of arched stone windows, several turrets and towers looming over it. Natanaw rin ng dalaga ang isang bahagi nitong nababalutan ng kulay itim na mga puno. Their coal-black branches twisted like a wire mesh, forming a dome.

Hindi na niya kailangang tanungin kay Lycros kung ano ang nasa loob ‘non.

A red beauty surrounded by thorns.

‘Ang Garden of Broken Hearts.’

Bigla na naman niyang naalala ang huling pag-uusap nila ni Macednus noong isang gabi. She might not admit it, but his bitter-sweet smile and his broken voice still haunted her…

“I accidentally stumbled upon this place when I was looking for a place to sleep.”

Napabalik na lang sa kasalukuyan si Red nang narinig niyang sumipol si Lycros. He had a distant look in his green eyes as he stared at something up ahead. “Dito ako napadpad noong unang gabi kong lumayas sa kastilyo. Of course, I never really got the chance to appreciate the view until morning, when the rain finally stopped.”

Inilibot ni Red ang kanyang paningin sa paligid, as if trying to imagine the events that transpired based from Lycros’ story. Pero kahit anong gawin ng prinsesa, para bang nahihirapan pa rin siyang isipin kung paano ito nakatulog dito. She suddenly felt pity for him.

But at the same time, she knew better than to say it out loud.

Wala na rin naman siyang magagawa. Napabuntong-hininga na lang ang dalaga.

“I think it’s funny.”

“Hmm?” Lycros turned to her, waiting for her to elaborate.

Kinuha ni Red Ridinghood ang Tarot card sa bulsa ng kanyang bestida at inilahad ito sa taong-lobo.

“These Tarot cards…maybe it’s just too much of a coincidence, pero pakiramdam ko minsan hindi lang nito nirerepresenta ang bawat isa sa inyo. It’s like your cards are predicting certain parts of your life…”

Isang makahulugang ngiti ang sumilay sa mga labi ni Lycros.

“Paano mo naman nasabi, kitten?”

She sighed. Ano ba ‘tong iniisip niya? Damn. Dapat pala hindi na lang siya nagsalita. Hindi rin naman ito makakatulong sa mga plano niya.

But despite the many reasons to just shut her mouth and pretend she didn’t say anything, namalayan na lang si Red na tuloy-tuloy na pala siyang nagsasalita.

“The Hanged Man shows how Carteron likes to hang himself upside-down, kung hindi ako nagkakamali, naging hobby na lang niya ito, hindi ba? Siguro naman noong mga tao pa kayo, hindi niya pa ito ginagawa… I think that card represents the first time hung himself, and how he felt ‘enlightened’ by doing so. The Lovers… I think Macednus fell in love before. This card represents the time he fell in love with someone. Maaaring nasawi siya noon sa pag-ibig, na naging dahilan para mabuo ang Garden of Broken Hearts. Sa kaso naman ni Linus, The Chariot…represents ‘balance’, right? It represents his state every time he’s inside his Lobby of Literature. Nakakaramdam lang siya ng balanse sa buhay niya tuwing tumutula siya, dahil mas nagagawa niyang i-express ang sarili niya…iyon ang rason kung bakit may ‘Rhyming Rule’, every time he forgets to rhyme, the balance shifts out of his favor and the books around him become unstable. Ang card naman ni Helisson ay ang ‘The Hierophant’… Nabanggit niya sa’kin na isa siyang village teacher noon, bago kayo isinumpa. So, that card represents the time he was still a teacher—someone who guides and gives advice to other people.” Mahabanng litanya ni Red Ridinghood.

At first everything seems chaotic and it doesn’t make sense, but upon analyzing the cards with their respective representations, she can finally see the hidden connections carefully tied with invisible strings.

Dahil dito, lalong lumawak ang ngiti ni Lycros, “And what about mine?”

Muling tinitigan ni Red ang barahang hawak niya. It’s really simple, actually…

“The Fool represents the time you became a lone wolf. Ipinapakita ng barahang ito ang araw na lumayas ka sa puder ng mga kapatid mo… you became reckless and care-free, ever since you were forced to be independent.”

Napalunok si Red Ridinghood sa kanyang naiisip. Sa hindi malamang dahilan, bumigat ang kanyang pakiramdam. Sumasakit ang kanyang ulo. And it’s even a miracle she was able to memorize the meanings of the Tarot cards. ‘It’s a shame I won’t be able to know what cards represent Nyctimus and Acontes. Pero kung tama ang hinala ko, nasa ‘Major Arcana’ rin ang mga baraha nila,’ she thought.

Red Ridinghood was pulled back to reality when she heard Lycros’ slow clapping.

There was a proud look on his face. “Good job, kitten! Though, you should’ve realized that sooner.”

“What do you mean? Tarot cards are used for cartomancy, right?”

“Carta nanny what?”

“Oh. ‘Cartomancy’ is just a fancy word for fortune-telling or divination using cards,” Red Ridinghood clarified. Kung anu-ano tuloy ang napupulot niyang mga salita sa mga librong nababasa niya noon.

Umaliwalas naman ang mukha ni Lycros. “Yeah! Something like that. But not in a general way… Katulad ng alam mo, ginagamit ang mga Tarot cards para hulaan ang kalagayan at kapalaran ng sinumang gustong magpahula. There are some ‘gifted’ people who specialize in this. Yung mga ipinanganak na biniyayaan ng guiding spirits ng kapangyarihan para basahin ang kapalaran ng iba… pero sa kasamaaang-palad, mangilan-ngilan na lang sila sa Eastwood. In fact, most ‘fortune-tellers’ within your kingdom are just deceitful shitheads who are just taking advantage of the situation. Anyway, our case is…different.”

“Bakit naman?”

“I shouldn’t be telling you this, kitten. Baka tuluyan na ako ni alpha. And I don’t wanna get on his bad side, because he might kick me out of the pack, again.” Ninenerbyos itong natawa.

Pero nang makita ni Lycros na seryoso pa rin ang ekspresyon ni Red Ridinghood, napabuntong-hininga na lang ito.

Kapag nalaman talaga ito ni Acontes, baka hindi lang gulpi ang abutin niya rito. But then again, the crystal ball in the alpha’s solar only keeps track of Red “within” the castle grounds.

This place isn't part of the castle...

So, it wouldn’t hurt to tell her a few secrets, right?

Bahala na.

“Naging daan ang mga barahang ‘yan para isumpa kami,” Lycros began. “That witch…sent us our respective Tarot cards. Nang hawakan namin ang mga ito, doon na nagsimula ang kalbaryo naming magkakapatid. It was the night of the full moon when that happened and I-I can’t really recall what happened after we transformed into wolves, kitten. H-Hindi namin alam kung paano kontrolin. Wala pa kaming kamalayan noon. Kinabukasan, nagising na lang kaming hubo’t hubad at naliligo sa dugo ng mga taong pinatay namin. We…”

Napalunok si Lycros at mapait na ngumiti sa prinsesa. Nahihirapan siyang balikan ang alaalang ito. Indeed, not all memories can be chained to the darkest parts of the castle.

“W-We slaughtered everyone in our village.”

Amber eyes widened in surprise.

“A-Ano…?”

Dumapo ang mga mata ng werewolf sa barahang hawak ng prinsesa.

“You know what’s worse? Katabi pa namin ang mga Tarot cards namin noong bumalik kami sa pagiging tao. Imagine waking up to the object that cursed you… Tsk! That fucking witch really loved playing mind games with us. Anyway, our eldest brother suggested we keep the cards, kahit pa gustong-gusto na naming punitin at sunugin ang mga ito. Hindi namin maintindihan noon ang kahulugan ng mga baraha namin, not until we realized it was predicting our lives.”

Hindi nakaimik ang prinsesa. The Fool’s card suddenly felt heavier than it should be.

Lycros forced as smile. “Tama ang lahat ng sinabi mo, kitten. Dati, hindi ko talaga maunawaan kung anong ibig sabihin ng barahang hawak mo ngayon. I thought it was just describing me as an adventurous person… but one event led to another. The next thing I knew, I was leaving the pack. Literal palang aalis ako at magiging lone wolf. Literal palang maglalakbay ako mag-isa. That card predicted what was going to happen to me and I fucking hate it. Kung sabagay, hindi naman ito ang unang pagkakataong may nawala sa’ming magkakapatid.”

Red Ridinghood snapped her head to look at him. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “May nawala na noon sa inyo?”

Lycros nodded and pointed to the Tarot card she was holding.

“If you haven’t noticed yet, all our cards belong to the Major Arcana suite of a standard Tarot deck, kitten. Do you know what is considered the 'perfect number' in your Scriptures?"

"Twelve?"

"Bingo! Mula noon, ang number 12 na ang sumisimbolo sa pagiging buo o perpekto. Helisson calls it a divine rule or something. In the tarot, the Major Arcana has 22 cards... but the witch gave us the first 12 cards in the deck. I guess it wasn’t a coincidence that the witch specifically chose that for us. It's meant to signify our completion as brothers."

“Wait! A-Ang ibig mong sabihin…”

She suddenly remembered that wooden door the black butterfly led her to the other night. Noon pa lang may maliit na parte sa kanyang nagtataka sa disenyo nito at sa bilang ng mga lobong nakaukit doon. But hearing the truth still surprised her…

“Yup. Originally, there were twelve of us.”

Twelve.

“But I only know seven of you… nasaan na ang iba ninyong mga kapatid?”

Doon na dumilim ang ekspresyon ni Lycros. “It’s not my story to tell, kitten. Ang ‘alpha’ lang ang may karapatang magsabi nito sa’yo at ang tungkol sa kalakip na ‘consequences’ ng sumpa namin."

"But what about---"

"Come on, we should head back before the others start looking for us.” And just like that, the blonde werewolf turned on his heel and walked away.

But his words still bothered her. There was something about the way he spat the title “alpha” that sparked a memory in her. Tuluyan nang nanlamig ang katawan ng prinsesa nang maalala ang nakita niya noon sa Chamber of Chained Memories.

Acontes’ words rang in her ears…

“From now on, I’ll be the alpha of this pack.”

Napalunok na lang si Red. Mukhang may ideya na siya kung anong ginawa nito sa kanyang mga kapatid.

But it doesn’t matter anymore.

Because tonight is the night of the full moon…

The night of her planned escape.

---

I have come, alas, to the great circle of shadow,
to the short day and to the whitening hills,
when the colour is all lost from the grass,
though my desire will not lose its green,
so rooted is it in this hardest stone,
that speaks and feels as though it were a woman.

---"Sestina", Dante Alighieri