"I am from Charlotte."

"Oh, yes, young miss. We are aware of that. Why?"

Lady Lara blinked while staring at herself in the mirror. She shook her head and took a glimpse at Rory's reflection. God, why did I say it out loud?

"N-Nothing. I mean, Charlotte, uhm, has this custom of . . ." she thought of a way to stop Rory's surprise upon her sudden statement. ". . . n-not braiding the hair at all."

"Po?"

"Yes. Mas nasanay ako—kaming nakalugay lang." Pinilit siyang ngumiti nang malawak.

"Oh, alright." Binitawan ni Rory ang buhok niya.

"Uhm, so, you don't have anything to do with me at this moment. I," she bit her lip, "want some time to be alone . . . here."

"Ah, yes of course, young miss. Pardon me for bothering you. Babalik na lang po ako rito kapag kailangan niyo na ako." Rory smiled and calmly walked away.

Nang makalabas na ang babae ay saka bumuntong hininga si Lara at inisip ulit ang kanina pang pumupuno sa utak niya.

"The kingdom could only survive if ruled by a woman from its most prosperous land, upon which the province of Charlotte was known to be."

I am from Charlotte. Could that mean . . . the empress is still up for the plan?

Ah, no. Make up your mind, Lara. You're taking it too far. Sabi nga'y ang prinsipe ang pumili sa'yo 'di ba?

She looked at herself in the mirror again and smiled a little to ease down. And then she stood up and went to her bed but before she could even touch the sheet, someone knocked on the door. Napakunot noo siya, hindi inasahang babalik agad si Rory.

But it wasn't her that she saw when she opened the door.

"So fine." Pagkatapos tingnan ng prinsipe ang malaya niyang buhok ay tinitigan nito ang mukha niya.

She bowed down, almost showing the back of her neck to Prince Rohan. "Good morning, Your Highness."

"May I touch your hand?" agad na tanong ng prinsipe nang magtagpo ulit ang mga mata nila. Lara slowly looked at her hand and lifted it up. His Highness didn't spend more seconds and took it. He gently pulled her out of the room. Lady Lara kept on staring at her thin slippers as they walked down the stairs. "How did your day go yesterday?"

Saka lamang nag-angat ng tingin ang dalagita. "Her Majesty let me ride on a horse's back. I mean, I was at her back."

"Hm? You did horseback riding? Sweet."

Lady Lara smiled as they finally stepped on the floor below.

"I was meeting someone in the building near the arena. I should've tried to visit my horse so I could see you there."

"Arena?" Lady Lara looked up at him.

"Yeah." Prince Rohan smilingly nodded. "I mean, I wasn't exactly where you were but I was in a building close to it."

Building? I didn't see any building there. Oh except that house for those horses.

"W-Wala po akong nakitang ibang building roon," nalilitong ani Lara. "Ah, perhaps Your Highness was on the other side of the beach."

Nakita niyang matigilan ang prinsipe. "Beach. Did I hear it right?"

"Y-Yes."

Prince Rohan played with his lips while thinking, and then he subtly sighed. "I see. Y-You don't quite know how to call things . . . no, nevermind." He shook his head and smiled. "But you had your debutante ball, right? You said you met Kanye there?"

Lady Lara was getting confused when she nodded.

"Okay." His Highness slowly and repeatedly  nodded. "So, uh, tell me you're not too surprised, and . . . you don't feel alienated, something like that."

"I-I, what do you mean by that, Your Highness?"

Prince Rohan cleared his throat. "Asia," he looked deep into the young lady's eyes, "you can always tell me if you're getting uncomfortable with the unfamiliarity, or anything that you're not used to experiencing . . . here. Uh," he scratched his nose, "beach. It's not a beach. We don't have beaches here. The palace is exactly at the center and in the middle of the empire. It's . . . not an island so, where you went yesterday wasn't a beach. It's an arena where you run horses."

Lady Lara continued to be confused but before she could say another thing, the prince reached for her shoulder and took her to another hall. The ceiling was full of white decors when they got there. Under it was a circular table for two.

"I'm very glad to finally have someone to join me for meal." Dahan-dahan siyang binitawan ng prinsipe upang humila ng upuan para sa kaniya. After she appreciated the gesture, she took the seat.

Sasabihin niya sanang tapos na siyang kumain pero napagtanto niyang ayaw niyang sirain ang magandang ekspresiyon sa mukha ng prinsipe.

His Highness took the seat across her and chuckled. "I don't have a deity to pray to. Do you have any?"

Lady Lara looked at the food and shook her head.

The prince chuckled again and it was a nice view for Lara. "Who would bless our marriage then?"

"Her Majesty? I don't know." Lady Lara chuckled too.

"Most probably." Prince Rohan shrugged as he lifted his spoon. "Come on, let's eat."

Tipid na ngumiti si Lara at sinimulan na ring kumain, dahan-dahan lamang dahil may laman naman na ang sikmura niya.

But just when they had emptied their plates, a commotion from a little distance bothered Lara. She looked into the direction of His Highness's guards. They suddenly straightened up their postures before someone from them had the courage to advance his steps and approached his highness who was also waiting on them to explain the cause behind their loud whispers.

"Your Highness," the armored man called in an urgent voice. "Someone's waiting for you outside."

"You were trained to be particular, Lucho," Prince Rohan said in a stern voice as he stood up.

The man glanced at Lara. "Duke Ryo brought men with him and is currently throwing a—"

The next thing Lady Lara knew was that His Highness didn't have the time to look at her. Leading the walk, he, along with his men, swiftly left Lara in her seat, appalled by the mention of her father.

THE BLINDING HEAT of the sun didn't seem to affect His Highness' vision as he confidently walked toward the group of knights who in first glance already screamed Charlotte's identity. They were  in the middle of the landscape which portion bearing trees now looked like they're destroyed by a tornado.

Kalmado lamang siyang umabante, hindi inaalala ang mga pares ng matang nakamasid sa kaniya, inaaantay siyang makalapit. At nangunguna sa mga ito ang may kasalungat na ekspresiyon.

Duke Ryo couldn't seem to hide the rage within him. He might have managed to stay on spot but his cool was hardly fighting.

"What a very bright day for a visit, Your Grace. Welcome to the imperial courts." Nauna pang bumati ang kamahalan sa kaniya, tinitingala siya na nakaupo sa kabayo.

"I don't have plans on entering the courts." The stern voice started to pick Prince Rohan's curiosity. "Much less on dismounting from my horse."

His Highness made a subtle step back but he immediately regained his posture. Warming his shoulders up, he put his hands behind him. "What plans do you have then . . . coming here?" he carefully asked.

"I'm taking my daughter."

It was a declaration even Prince Rohan couldn't tell if he expected it or if he was surprised. But he disregarded it.

"Of course, you can meet her. What rights do I have to prevent you from doing so? Lucho," he called one of his men while still looking at Duke Ryo's dead serious face, "Go back to Lady Lara and take her here. We don't have any choice because His Grace does not want to enter the palace."

The duke stayed quiet.

"I believe you're just stopping by since you're bringing your men with you," His Highness continued as he motioned to see the damaged plants. "Though this collateral damage was completely unnecessary to notify me of your presence, I would never want to punish animals." He turned his head to the horses. He completely forgot the last thing Duke Ryo stated, or so he just seemed to.

THE CAPTAIN of the guards didn't have to walk through the castle's core, he stopped to look at the young lady turning her head left and right, looking like she's lost in a forest. Nang magtagpo ang paningin nila ay tinanguan niya ito. Nalilito namang lumapit si Lady Lara, hindi malaman kung matutuwa ba siya dahil naabutan niya ang hinahabol. The man gestured for her to lead the way and she obliged, yet still looking back every now and then.

"Just go straight, mademoiselle," the man assured her.

She started to walk fast until the beam of sunlight welcomed her sight. She looked back again, and the man took it as a sign for him to lead the way instead. Tila bata namang napasunod si Lady Lara sa kaniya.

"The empress, at first, wanted to make it up to you, but she researched the records and found that the date must be patterned to the last royal wedding so—"

"When would you drop this bullshit act, Prince Rohan?!"

That familiar voice had taken Lady Lara aback. They were already three meters away from what seemed like an assembly of knights and guards. She cupped her left shoulder by her right hand, subconsciously calming herself. Her, turning eighteen, did not have to mean she was already equipped to face every tension especially when it was never introduced to her during the earlier years of her life. She couldn't be immune to it in just a matter of time.

She inhaled nervously as she looked at her father in a distance, looking furious.

"I . . . am not here . . . for a meeting." His Grace's voice would have echoed if it were a jungle. His eyes were as intense as his voice.

"D-Dad—"

"What's bullshit, Your Grace?"

Lady Lara's mouth remained open as she stopped before she could even speak. She slowly turned her head to see who owned that delighted voice.

She had to see the empress walk past her as if she was an ash in the air. Silence didn't reign, her majesty's voice did.

"Is it just a bullshit that you killed your wife for your sake?" It was a calm utterance, like a lawyer stating obvious facts. But like a sage chanting a divination, the empress suddenly raised her voice. "Your dukedom is all yours now because your only daughter is stepping on a higher rank than yours. Ngunit bakit narito ka at gustong bawiin ang natatanging tagapagmana sa trono ng Duchess Liria? Do not bullshit me, Your Grace!"

"Celesta, you are—"

"I let you loose because I still respect you, Uncle . . ."

Lady Lara's knees were as shaking as Empress Celesta's voice. They became too heavy for the young lady to make a step but she fought it. Gasping for breath, she stared into his father's eyes as she walked toward them. Her lips shivered she couldn't talk. Duke Ryo dismounted from his horse and hastily  attempted to touch her when Empress Celesta and Prince Rohan got in the way.

Napahawak sa dibdib ang dalagita, hindi na alam ang nangyayari.

"Y-You k-killed—You killed m—"

Before she could even finish her sentence her knees dropped to the ground, making her kneel. Prince Rohan caught her back.

Empress Celesta shook her head while looking at Duke Ryo, her eyes pooling with tears. Her voice continued to shiver.  "But no, you can't deceive anyone anymore now that I have all the—"

"Mother!"

Agad siyang napalingon sa prinsipe.

Lady Lara's body collapsed before she could even shut her eyes. And before she finally did, she saw how Empress Celesta got down and let her thumb make an invisible stroke on the young lady's wet cheeks. Lady Lara didn't fail to see how the corners of her Majesty's mouth curved upward.