Dedicated to: Renzel  (Thank you so much for attending our TOS meet and greet event! )

Chapter 37: The Answer

Nakasimangot na si Kreios habang nakahigang hubad sa lupa na ang tanging latag lamang ay ang kapiraso niyang kasuotan. One of his elbows was leaning on the ground, his cheek on the back of his hand as he watched me picking up the pieces of my clothes on the ground.

Hindi ko na pinansin ang pagtawag niya sa pangalan ko, ang kunot niyang noo at ang nanghahaba niyang nguso habang nagsisimula na akong magdamit.

"Just like that? After you used my body, huh?" reklamo ni Kreios.

Nang matapos kong ilaso ang kasuotan ko ay ako naman ngayon ang nakakunot ang noo na lumingon sa kanya.

"I am just reminding you that we're in the middle of our mission, Your Majesty."

His mouth parted as if I was the one who was being ridiculous right now.

"C-Coming from you? After what we've done? Y-You— at least you have to cuddle with me! Y-You heartless woman!"

I rolled my eyes. "Stop being childish. Get dressed. We need to talk."

Bumangon na si Kreios ngunit hindi man lang ito nabahala sa kahubaran niya sa harapan ko. Mariin akong napapikit. "Kreios... pick up your clothes! We need to talk properly!"

Dahil pansin niya na talagang naiirita na ako ay nakanguso siyang nagbihis sa harapan ko. Nagdadabog siya dahil eksaherado niya nang iwinawasiwas sa hangin iyong kasuotan niya.

Kapag higit pa akong nairita sa kanya ay tuluyan ko nang sisirain iyang kasuotan niya at mahirapan siyang maghanap ng damit bago mag-umaga.

"Saan mo pala iniwanan si Livius?"

"Delilah's with him," matabang niyang sagot.

"Are you sure that—" he cut me off.

Siya naman ngayon ang umikot ang mga mata. "He can't escape, alright? What do you want to talk about? I sensed your uneasiness that's why I came here."

"Have you talked with Delilah?"

Tumango si Kreios.

"She mentioned my father and probably his traces in this place. Since we're trying to find the water that might help Finn, and the connection between the Holy Land, this Entertainment District, and the Fountain of Youth in Asta Wellingzon, I was thinking of someone who could possibly experience..." I purposely hung my words.

Pansin ko na naging seryoso na ang ekspresyon ni Kreios.

"You mean Rosh?"

Mabilis niyang sagot na mukhang hindi na nag-isip. Kahit sino naman ay agad ring mapapangalanan ang nilalang na sinasabi ko.

I nodded at him.

"You want him to join this journey? You want me to ask his help?" mabibigat ang bitaw ng mga salita niya.

Napabuntonghininga na ako. "I am aware of how creatures around Rosh... my brothers, the Viardellons, or anyone hated the idea of asking help from him."

"Hated?"

Mariin akong pumikit. "Not actually hated... well to be fair, everyone hated to admit that in every journey we needed his participation. He's like the living version of my father. It's like Rosh has been tied in every conflict in this world. I might have a conclusion about him but that's for him to discover, but that's not the point here."

"So, why do we need him? Sa tingin mo ba ay hindi abala iyong si Rosh? Ang huling natatandaan ko ay nagkakagulo pa sa Deltora. And did Rosh ever reach the Holy Land?"

I bit my lower lip.

The Entertainment District wasn't new to Rosh—he had been to Asta Wellingzon before. I wasn't sure about the Holy Land, but if he had managed to enter the enchanted cave with Father, what were the odds he could lead us to the Holy Land as well?

"S-Should we go there first? To Deltora?" nag-aalangang tanong ko.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Kreios. "Harper, we're in the middle of our mission just like what you've told me. Alam mong hindi na tayo maaaring bumalik. Tres and Juniper finally had it under control. We couldn't just sacrifice everyone's effort to leave Mudelior."

Hindi ako nakapagsalita sa sinabi ni Kreios dahil iyon din ang siyang tumatakbo sa isip ko.

"You're confused, Harper. Let's stay for another day in this place. We'll find out something right away."

Lumapit na sa akin si Kreios at humalik siya sa aking noo. Hinatid niya na ako sa bahay ng aliw at doon ako muling dumaan sa bintana. Hindi agad ako umalis sa may bintana hangga't hindi nawawala ang anino ni Kreios sa kagubatan at nang sandaling masigurado ko na wala na siya, akma na sana akong magsasarado ng bintana nang tila mas lumakas ang hangin. Nakarinig ako nang malakas na pagaspas ng pakpak, halos isampa ko nang muli ang kalahati ng katawan ko sa bintana upang hanapin kung saan nanggaling ang ingay na iyon, ngunit ang tanging naramdaman ko na lang ay ang magaang hagpos sa aking pisngi.

Marahan akong napahawak sa pisngi ko habang dahan-dahang sumunod ang mga mata ko sa bagay na humagpos sa pisngi ko.

The white feather slowly danced in the air until it finally fell to the floor. I stared at it for a moment before picking it up, realizing it might belong to the creature I encountered years ago...

A white feather.

Muli akong napatingin sa labas ng bintana, sa kalangitan kung saan naghalo na ang mga ulap at buwan. What could be the meaning of this feather? Why was an angel here in Mudelior?

I shook my head and kept the white feather inside my pocket. Nang bumalik ako sa aking higaan ay pinilit ko na lang ang sarili kong ipikit ang mga mata at saglit na makatulog.

I was hoping that the moment I woke up, it would be another day of pretending to be a woman servant, but when I opened my eyes, I was welcomed by an unfamiliar place.

***

There was clear water, morning sunlight, the sound of waves, and sudden footprints forming in the sand before the water washed them away. A woman stood barefoot, her hair fluttering, dressed in white, as the wind danced around her, and seagulls cried in the distance. The surroundings felt dim yet warm... as if I were truly there—not just a stranger watching the scenes of the past.

But what I noticed was her folded white wings behind her back, and the man walking beside her, his hands clasped behind.

"Father..."

I might have mistaken him for my twin if I wasn't just aware that I was in a different timeline, for Casper and Father in his youth were strikingly similar—it's just that Father smiles more than Casper.

Kaya hindi na ako magtataka kung bakit higit na popular sa kababaihan si ama, hindi lang dahil sa kanyang titulo bilang magaling na hari kundi sa angkin nitong kakisigan. He was like Casper but with his leadership and flowery words. If Casper was already popular even with his aloof personality, what more of my father who had the same face as him with qualities that every woman would admire.

And the fact that Father and King Raheem had the same era?

Napailing na lang ako at sumabay ako sa paglalakad ng dalawa.

As a princess of Sartorias who had witnessed different enchantments in this world, spells, and even powers, to see some glimpses of the past was not new to me. Noon pa man ay nangyayari na rin ito.

The white feather that I kept tucked inside my pocket had remnants of the memories of the past—of that particular woman who purposely offered her feather. It wasn't new to my knowledge how angels and demons could share their memories through their feathers.

"Don't you think I'll believe that you chose us just because you wanted to create your own version of the high thrones?" tumigil ang anghel sa paglalakad at tumanaw siya sa karagatan, ipinikit niya ang kanyang mga mata at lumanghap ng sariwang hangin.

Tumigil din si ama at humarap sa karagatan, ngunit saglit lang iyon dahil nakangiti siyang lumingon sa nakapikit na babae.

"Isn't that my proposal, Harper?"

"You picked women warriors to be your instruments— even your lover," Father cut him off.

"Danna isn't an instrument. You are not an instrument, Harper. Not even Ressa and the rest of the women. If this new world continues, I can be your instrument. I'd die protecting every one of you."

Pagak na tumawa ang anghel sa sinabi ni ama. "I don't know why every one of us is blindly trusting you. I don't know the power of your words that all of us risked everything to support you, but once your mate showed herself—" Father cut her off again.

Instead of continuing this conversation, Father plastered his sweetest smile, bent his body, tilted his head playfully, and leaned his face closer to the angel.

"Aren't we here to breathe and not think about work? Don't stress yourself."

The angel took a step back and shook her head in defeat. "You truly know how to use your card, Thaddeus."

"What card?" he asked innocently.

"You don't play fair, Your Majesty."

"I never said I was fair to begin with."

The angel smirked.

Sa pagkakataong iyon ay nauna na si ama na naglakad at sumunod lang sa kanya ang babaeng anghel.

"If I ever have a daughter, I want her to sing like you— I want her voice to soothe like a lullaby to everyone."

Hindi ko alam kung dapat ko bang paniwalaan ang sinasabi ni ama sa mga oras na iyon. He could have been aware of his future children by this time, and he was just using his flowery words again to gain this woman's trust.

"Aren't you too cruel for your future wife? Naming your daughter from another woman."

"I don't think the future mother of my child would be that shallow."

Hindi agad sila nagsalita at nagpatuloy lang sila sa paglalakad. Pansin ko na ilang beses pa rin sumusulyap sa likuran ni ama ang anghel.

I knew that she was quick to pick up. Hindi rin ako naniniwala na mag-aaksaya si ama ng ganitong oras na walang nais malaman. Kahit noong bata pa lang ako ay saksi ako kung paano gamitin ni ama ang bawat oras niya. Kahit sabihin niya na maglalakad-lakad lang sila sa kagubatan ng mga kapatid kong lalaki, pagbalik nila'y madalas ng sugatan sina Dastan, Zen at Caleb.

"Aside from being a warrior, I knew that you're also interested in my knowledge about that place, right, Thaddeus?"

Tumigil na si ama sa paglalakad at humarap na siya sa anghel. "Where is it?"

The angel crossed her arms, raised her brows, and held her head high. "See? I also got my own card."

Bumuntonghininga si ama. "Tell me what you want."

"Sleep with me."

Nang sabihin iyon ng anghel, namayani ang katahimikan sa pagitan nila kasabay nang paghampas ng hangin. Kapwa tinangay niyon ang kanilang mga buhok habang mariin silang magkatitigan.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko, at hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili kong humakbang nang malalaki at pumagitan sa kanilang dalawa.

I knew that Mother was not around yet during this time and Father was still with Danna, but how could this angel—

"No!" sigaw ko.

"I know that he's handsome! Yes! But he's with Danna! Y-You! I was aware that you're into father but to see this?!"

Mararahas ang kumpas ng mga kamay ko na tila may magagawa iyon para marinig at mapansin ako ng dalawa. Agad akong lumingon kay ama. "Father! No! I will travel to another timeline, and I will tell this to mother!"

Napamasahe sa kanyang noo si ama. "I am with Danna."

"She is not even your mate. She is just your plaything. I can be your plaything too."

Halos sabunutan ko ang sarili ko nang lumapit na ang babae kay ama at hawakan nito ang dibdib nito at marahang hinahaplos.

"Really? In broad daylight?!"

Hahalik na sana ang anghel kay ama at tumingkayad na ito nang umiwas si ama, hinawakan ang mga kamay nito at ibinaba.

But what was more interesting was when Danna suddenly appeared behind them, I was expecting more drama between the three of them, but the one who looked awkward was the father. He was about to explain but Danna chose to ignore him. Naroon lang ang mga mata niya sa anghel.

Naglalakad na papalapit sa kanila si Danna habang nakakrus ang kanyang mga braso. "He will sleep with you. Tell me where the Holy Land is."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni ama at malakas na tumawa si Harper. "You are really an interesting pair."

Nawala ang pagkawili ko sa panunuod ng nakaraan nang marinig ko ang mga salitang iyon. I might have accepted Desmond a long time ago, but as someone who was fully devoted to my mother, I couldn't just openly accept that Father had a great partner before mother.

"The Holy Land will never be found, because it is the one that will find you."