Chapter 7: Inside the cage

"Tonight, we'll be in the same position. You'll wear your crown, my love. JUST. THE. CROWN," he whispered which sent shivers down my spine.

The fire danced behind him, giving him that regal glow in his form. He looked strong, arrogant, and so big as if those hands with veins crawling on his skin would reach me and strangle my neck. He purposely bared his fangs to threaten me.

The chains around my legs and hands tightened. He ensured that we were in a position where I looked up at him and he looked down at me. I could see the gleaming crown on his head. The Kreios I met years ago who always wanted to hide behind the shadows were no longer in front of me, but what I could see right now was a king who knew that every flick of his finger was law and power.

I couldn't even stand in front of him with his golden leash around me. I could see the wicked grin and the triumph on his face as if everything between us would fall according to his plan.

That's what he thought. This was just my entrance— and we were just starting.

"Now I am possessed? Isn't your empire aware that we've been trying to get on each other's nerves for years? Or do they have the slightest idea that I've been trying to provoke you to be like this, Your Majesty?"

If this world had been aware of how King Thaddeus Leighton Gazellian sat on his throne and how he masterfully played his hands with his chess pieces as if he could see everything with a single glance, then they might have forgotten to see behind the shadows of the king. Those slender arms that would travel down from his neck to his shoulders, to his arms . . . and those whispers in his ears.

They might have failed to remember that my father had his queen. I would always adore my father— but I'd always take my mother's legacy.

Now, I could see my king grasping an admirable power.

Higit na nakipagtitigan sa akin si Kreios nang sabihin ko iyon ngunit nanatiling alerto ang lahat ng kanyang mga mandirigma.

When I noticed how his golden leash loosened a bit, I crawled slowly to him. He took a sharp intake and gulped but he never moved a bit.

Hinayaan ko ang sarili kong mabagal na gumapang hanggang sa tuluyan ko nang inihawak ang isang kamay ko sa rehas. Hanggang sa tuluyan na akong makatayo at higit na salubungin ang kanyang mga mata.

"I made you like this. You should be thankful . . ." malambing na sabi ko.

He smirked. "I chose to be a king. Not for you."

I smiled wickedly. I playfully acted as if I was about to fall off the floor, like a crazy possessed vampire, who didn't have control of her own body. One of my hands was tightly gripping the golden chain, while my body was already hanging and bending in a form like I had no bones.

I acted as if I was in the process of being possessed with my messy hair swaying with the wind. Pinagningas ko na ang mga mata ko, inilabas ang mga pangil at pinahaba ang aking mga kuko.

His men and warriors gasped when they witnessed how the queen was possessed, and I started to laugh sinisterly.

I allowed one of my legs to slip between the golden bars, and I purposely touched between his legs.

Bago ko pa tuluyang bawiin ang binti ko at mas idiniin ko pa iyon paitaas bago ako tumuwid sa aking pagkakatayo.

I exaggeratedly covered my mouth. "Oh, forgive me, Your Majesty," mas lumakas ang pagtawa ko sa gitna ng bulwagan.

"PROTECT THE KING!" Malakas na anunsyo ng heneral ni Kreios.

Ngayon ay pinalilibutan na muli ang aking kulungan at nakatutok sa akin ang kanilang iba't ibang klase ng armas.

Marahang itinaas ni Kreios ang isang kamay niya ngunit ang mga mata niya'y nanatili sa akin. Ilang beses humakbang paatras ang mga kawal niya.

Tumayo na ako nang maayos. Hinayaan kong magmukha akong baliw sa lahat tulad ng inanunsyo niya. Gusto kong makita ng lahat na ang tanging kayang gawin ng kanilang reyna'y akitin ang kanilang hari.

Of course, the king needed to look determined and unwavering to save his queen.

Kreios was no longer touching the cage, but he was still standing an inch before me. His hands were behind his back, his jaw clenched, veins prodding on his forehead and his eyes were still ablaze with crimson red.

This time I allowed one of my hands to reach him, the tip of my fingers playfully caressed his stomach to his chest until I found his neck. "If you're going to make me kneel, I'll kneel. If you're going to put the crown to my head, I'll bow. I'll be obedient."

Mas lalong naalarma ang mga kawal ni Kreios na muli na namang lumapit.

"I said move away!" Sigaw niya.

Nang sabihin niya iyon marahas kong hinila si Kreios dahilan kung bakit lumapat ang pisngi niya sa kulungan ko. I intentionally licked his lips. "Now, how are you going to save your possessed queen, my love?"

He took a deep intake. When he held the golden bars again, my eyes widened when he lifted them abruptly without even an effort. He took a step backward. He placed one of his hands on his waist and met my eyes. He slowly licked his lips before he looked around authoritatively. "Bring the cage to my room!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Ang malaking kulungan ko ay unti-unti nang nilapitan ng sampung kawal at sabay-sabay nila iyong binuhat. Ramdam ko ang paghihirap nila para buhatin iyon, ngunit nang si Kreios ang gumawa niyon kanina ay hindi man lang siya kumurap.

Tinalikuran na ako ni Kreios at siya ang nanguna sa paglalakad. We were escorted by knights, his general, the priestesses, and even some councils. There were torches around my golden cage. I felt like a sinful criminal with all these security around me.

"Hmm . . ."

Nanatili akong nakatayo habang naglalakad-lakad sa kulungan ko.

The fast matching of their feet echoed with my every heartbeat, the crackling frames of the torches made dancing shadows, and even the metallic sound of the chains of my hands and knights' armor and weapons made me feel like I was the greatest sinner of the empire.

Ngunit hindi nga ba? I threatened the life of their king.

I wickedly smiled.

If he thought that the idea of closing all the borders and communications of his empire from other empires would make me feel weak, he was wrong, because I'd enjoy all this liberty.

Ngayong wala na ako sa mata ng Parsua at ng mga kapatid ko, magagawa ko ang lahat ng gusto ko na kailanman ay hindi ko nagawa noon. I acted like the soft and fragile princess that my siblings wanted me to be, but now that fate gave me an empire and a king that would be on my grasp, I'd make him create an empire fitted for me.

Akala ko ay sa loob ng palasyo kami magtutungo dahil sa anunsyo ni Kreios na sa silid niya daw ako dadalhin, ngunit nagtungo ang lahat sa likuran ng palasyo. The King must have a different room when he's going to have an investigation into his criminals.

The huge wooden door at the back of his castle was about to open. His hands were on his waist again while he was tapping one of his feet.

"Come on, my queen needs assistance!" Iritableng sabi niya habang binubuksan ang malaking pintuan.

Dalawang kawal iyong nasa harapan at pilit nilang binubuhat iyong malaking bakal na nagsasara sa pintuan.

Since Kreios looked frustrated enough, how about I made another scene?

Kung kanina ay nagagawa kong umupo at pakiramdaman ang nangyayari, ngayon ay hinayaan kong bumagsak ang buong katawan ko. Hindi naman ako naghintay nang matagal dahil may nakapansin na agad sa akin.

"T-The Queen . . ."

"Your Majesty! The Queen—"

"What now—" Kreios gasped. "H-Harper! Get down the cage!"

Ramdam ko nang ibinababa ng mga kawal ni Kreios ang kulungan ko habang nakahiga ako at may nakapikit na mga mata, naririnig ko rin ang pagmamadali niyang buksan ang aking kulungan.

Mabibigat ang hakbang ni Kreios nang sandaling tuluyan na siyang makapasok sa kulungan ko.

"Healers!" He shouted.

Alam kong tuluyan na siyang nakapasok at mabibilis ang hakbang niya, at nang ramdam kong lumuhod na siya at yumakap na ang mga braso niya sa akin, saka ako nagmulat ng aking mga mata.

Mabilis kong hinila ang dalawang cadena sa aking mga kamay at marahas ko iyong ipinulupot sa leeg niya. Nagkagulong muli ang nasa paligid dahil nasa ganoong sitwasyon na naman ang kanilang hari.

"M-Mahal na Hari!"

"The King is being attacked!"

I thought I'd give him an embarrassing scene, but when his arms wrapped around my waist with a wicked glint of his eyes, the chains around his neck shattered.

My eyes widened with the golden sprinkle of dust between us.

Kusa na akong napahiga sa aking kulungan at marahas niyang ipiniit sa itaas ng ulo ko ang aking dalawang kamay.

Kreios grinned and tilted his head. "Bring us to our room! QUICK! My queen needs my keen investigation!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Halos tumakbo na ang mga kawal ni Kreios sa pagmamadali para lang dalhin kami sa silid niya na nakatago sa likuran ng kanilang kastilyo.

Ang nawalang cadena ay ngayon ay nakapulupot na sa mga hita ko para hindi na ako makagalaw pa. Mas lumawak ang ngisi niya sa akin kasabay nang lalong pagbilis ng pagtakbo ng kanyang mga kawal.

"Nakalimutan mo yata, mahal ko, na ako ang sinusunod ng kulungang ito. You can't harm me inside."

I smirked at him. "I was just trying to check if you'll be an easy victim if your attacker is a beautiful woman."

He huffed. Binitawan niya ang mga kamay kong ngayon ay may mga kadena.

He was now kneeling between my legs, one of his palms was on the floor of the cage, while the other one was on the tips of the few strands of my hair. He gently kissed it in front of my eyes.

"This is the longest journey I ever had, Harper. Hindi ko akalain na napakalayo pala ng silid ko sa likuran ng palasyo."

"You should have prepared somewhere nearer, Your Majesty, or you can ask your men to park it somewhere dark. We could still see each other, or maybe you're afraid to be alone with a possessed queen and you'll be an easy victim?"

Hindi na nawala ang ngisi niya habang nakatitig sa akin. Humiwalay na siya ngunit nanatili pa rin siyang nakaluhod sa pagitan ng mga hita ko.

He brushed his hair while staring down at me. "My darling love, if I'll be an easy victim that's because it's you. But don't humiliate me in front of our disciples, is that fine with you? We're about to reach our place."

Habang pilit kong tinatanggal ko sa cadena niya, pansin ko na nahihiya nang sumulyap sa amin ang mga kawal, maging ang mga babaylan.

Of course, how could you casually watch your king and queen inside a cage in this position?

"Wala na bang ibibilis ang paglalakad ninyo?" Tanong ni Kreios.

Nakapaywang pa ang isang kamay niya habang nakatanaw sa mga kawal na nasa unahan namin. Ngayon ay hirap na hirap na sila sa pagbuhat ng kulungan dahil lumiliit na ang daan. Dumistansya na si Kreios at naupo na siya habang nanatili pa rin akong nakahiga.

Sumandal na siya sa rehas ngunit ang kanyang mga mata'y nasa akin pa rin. Hinawakan niya ang ilang hibla ng buhok ko at marahan niya iyong nilalaro.

"I promise, I'll do my best to cure you. My beautiful, innocent, and sweet Princess Harper Esmeralda Gazellian is not like this. Someone who made you like this will pay."

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin sa kanya at tumanaw na lang ako sa bubong ng kulungan ko. I started laughing, but what made Kreios' knights scared was when Kreios laughed with me.

Tumawa kami nang tumawa ni Kreios. Ramdam kong mas bumilis na muli ang takbo ng mga kawal dahil kapwa natatakot na ang mga ito sa amin ni Kreios.

Hindi na rin niya napigilan at gumapang na siya sa akin habang nanatili akong nakagapos. Inilapit niya ang labi niya sa tainga ko. "Welcome to Mudelior, my queen."