"Perhaps Maestro Dravideo would only have you name some chords, young miss, seeing your condition."

Lady Lara sighed as she watched Rory push the door of the music room open. Tila ba wala siyang narinig sa alinmang pinagdadaldal ng kasama kanina pa. She was quite immersed in the thought of Prince Rohan figuring out her motive for marrying him.

"Or perhaps he would have you do nothing at all." Naalerto lamang siya sa nagtatakang boses ni Rory. Nakita niya ang pagsalungat ng mga kilay nito bago tuluyang binuksan ang pintuan. "Wala siya rito."

"Nandito ako."

Pawa silang napalingon sa dereksiyon ng natutuwang boses na 'yon. A few meters from them were two men hiding their hands inside the pockets of their elegant pants. Doon nadako ang tingin ng dalagita, sa mas matangkad na kasama ng maestro. And he didn't fail to meet her gaze.

"Is this her?" tanong nito kay Maestro Dravideo nang tuluyang makalapit.

"Yes." Maestro Dravideo chuckled, he seemed to have not gotten over whatever he and the other man were talking about earlier while walking. He then turned serious and cleared his throat. "Yes it is her, sire, the crown princess."

"Oh-oh!" The man raised both of his brows which told enough of his age. Whether they were plucked or fell off themselves, Lady Lara could see that he's nearing old age, though his physique disagreed. Lady Lara silently watched as he stretched his right arm toward her.

Although hesitant, she still took it, expecting a hand shake, only to be surprised when the man bent his knee, bowed his head, and kissed her knuckles. It lasted briefly as the young lady pulled her hand off his hold.

"Oh, pardon. I see you're not used," anito.

Lady Lara sighed, calming herself. "No, it's alright." She shook her head.

The man smiled before looking at Maestro Dravideo who was also surprised at what happened.

"Uh, Lady Lara, this is Marquess Elucio, the one I told you about," he said.

Her brows moved up a bit before she looked at Rory who smiled meekly at her. "M-Marquess Elucio?" baling niya sa nakangiting lalake. "Ang asawa ng dating empress?" she innocently asked.

Halos sabay ang pagtikhim ni Rory at Maestro Dravideo doon. Napangisi naman ang isa pang ginong.

He tilted his head in amusement before he nodded slowly. "However you acknowledge me, it's fine," he assured. "Now may we get inside? I wish to watch you play." His delighted voice was mimicked by his expression. Lady Lara couldn't help but realize that every male she encountered here in the palace seemed to have a competition in charm, regardless of their age.

She repeatedly blinked before looking down at her wounded arm coated with white cloth. "Uh, it's . . . it's just that . . ." she looked up and faintly smiled, "Of course, let's get inside," she proceeded to say.

Ngunit napansin agad iyon ng maestro. "W-What happened? What happened to you, young lady? Is that why you weren't here yesterday?" he voiced with concern.

"No, nothing serious really. Maestro, I wasn't here yesterday because I had to visit H-His Majesty, I'm . . ." she pursed her lips. "I'm sorry." Nilipat niya ang tingin kay Marquess Elucio. "I'll still play. I still can."

"No, don't force it," agap ng maestro. "Pumasok na muna tayo." Naglakad siya sa likuran ng kasama bago sumingit sa kinatatayuan ni Rory habang may binubulong. "The empress will surely charge me with fauly if something bad happened." Tinulak niya ang pintuan at naunang pumasok. Kinamay niya naman ang mga kasama habang nakatalikod. "I will just give you some demonstrations, young lady." His voice echoed inside the large room.

The session seemed to have drawn all the dramas inside her head. She was ironically intimidated by the humble, motivating expression of the new man, causing her to focus on Maestro Dravideo's fast speeches every time he paused from playing the violin.

Rory sat around, pinapanood ang bagay na wala sa interes niya. Magkatabi sila ni Marquess Elucio, sitting as the audience. She was subtly rubbing her neck with her palm when her company spoke.

"What happened to her arm?" tanong nito, tagos ang pagtataka.

Tumikhim si Rory bago ibinaba ang kamay. Nang lingunin niya ang ginong, nakatingin pa rin ito deretso kay Lady Lara na nakatuon naman kay Maestro Dravideo.

She hesitated to respond, remembering how the young lady told the story of how it happened. "L-Lady Kanye, sire," she finally answered.

His eyeballs slowly slid to look at her.

"I mean," bawi niya. "Lady Lara was approaching Lady Kanye when the latter suddenly moved and accidentally hit her to the ground."

Lalong kumunot ang noo ni Marquess Elucio. "Kanye . . ." His voice grew husky. "You mean my stepdaughter?"

"Y-Yes, sire," kinakabahang ani Rory.

She could hear the marquess inhale before nodding as though he understood something complicated. Hindi pa rin naaalis ang kunot sa noo niya pero nagawa na niyang ngumiti nang tipid kay Rory.

"Dravideo," pagtawag nito habang tumatayo. Naalerto naman agad si Rory. "Since I cannot see her play, I better leave early."

Ibinaba ng maestro ang  violin saka nilapitan ang marquess. "Then I, I'll see you out, sire. I'm really sorry for the inconvenience."

The marquess exhaled, producing a sound. "It's not an inconvenience." He ticked his lip. "You better dismiss the young lady too. Perhaps she needs rest."

Nang marinig iyon ng dalagita, mabagal itong lumapit sa dalawa. "I have already rested . . . sire."

Nilingon naman siya ng ginong at nginitian. "Good then, but I really have to go." He got past all of them and approached the door. Sinundan naman siya ng tingin ni Lady Lara.

"Why do you want to see me play though?"

Her voice seemed to have enough force to pull the man's feet backward. He slowly turned at her direction.

"Maestro said you have declined from making music," she confidently added to which Maestro Dravideo gasped. Pero hindi niya ito nilingon, nakatitig lamang siya sa marquess.

"Should I explain something here?" natatawang tanong ng marquess at tuluyan na siyang nilapitan.

"Why . . . do you want to watch me play?" She repeated, slower this time, and squinted her eyes.

Rory seemed to have felt the tension first. Napatabi siya sa dalagita.

"Wait, why do you sound—" Marquess Elucio stopped only to chuckle. "Ah, Duchess Liria! Did you come alive?" He jested to which Lady Lara was moved. "You really sounded like your mother when she gets suspicious. Wait, oh, I, I beg your pardon." He blinked a lot, fixing his expression. "My condolences, young lady."

Lady Lara gulped, staring intently at him.

"I . . . I wanted to see you play because I knew you by name. Dear me, I should've introduced myself to you at the debutante ball. I came there."

"My debutante ball?"

"Yeah, whom else?" He sounded amused again. "Here, uhm, pardon me if I sort of scared you. It's just that I know your parents. So it piqued my curiosity when Dravideo mentioned you to me. Who would have thought after all these years, the Duke of Charlotte finally allowed his child to go out?"

Lady Lara was taken aback.

"And you were even chosen as the crown princess. It's—It's such a good news I wouldn't want to miss."

There was silence as Lady Lara resumed staring at him and his happy face until he straightened his posture and put his hands underneath his pockets. "So, uh, I guess we're done? I really need to go." He tilted his shoulders to show the door. And then he released one of his hands and raised it to tap the young lady's shoulder. "Again, my condolences for your loss and my congratulations because His Highness has chosen you."

After those words, he left Lady Lara standing there biting the insides of her lips and furrowing her eyebrows.

"Right, you may go now."

Tsaka pa siya agad napalingon sa boses ng maestro para lang makitang si Rory pala ang kinakausap nito. Napalunok siya, hindi malaman ang gagawin. Para bang binuhusan ng hiya pero ayaw niyang sisihin ang sarili. I was right to ask that. She convinced herself. He's a stranger anyway, I needed to know his intentions. Kulang na lang ay iboses niya iyon sa dalawang kaharap.

Binawi niya ang pagtitig nang makatagpo nito ang nag-aalalang mata ni Rory. Wala rin siyang ibang magawa nang mapansin ang pananahimik ng maestro habang nilalapitan ulit ang piano at kinukumpini kahit wala namang nangyari rito. Sinalubong niya na lamang ulit ang tingin ni Rory saka ito pilit na nginitian at tinanguan, hudyat na handa na siyang umalis.

Matapos masarhan nang maigi ng kasama ang pintuan, napasinghap si Lady Lara nang biglaan ang pagharap nito sa kaniya.

"Natakot ako kanina, Lady Lara." Rory sounded so real, also gritting her teeth and widening her eyes.

Lara tilted her head. "Why?" kalmado niyang tanong.

"Eh 'yong tanong niyo." Napakamot siya sa leeg. "I felt the tension," pag-amin nito.

Nag-iwas ng tingin ang dalagita saka nagsimulang maglakad habang nasa likod ang mga kamay. "I felt it too," aniya nang maramdaman ang pagsunod ng kasama.

"But why so, young miss? B-Bakit niyo naman nagawang itanong 'yon? Alam niyo namang—"

"Hindi ko alam," paglakas ng boses niya. Nakatabi na si Rory ngunit napaatras rin nang kunti. The young lady sighed as she looked at her. "Hindi ko alam na gano'n pala kakilala ang mga magulang ko."

Kumunot ang noo ni Rory.

"Our place is a province, Rory," seryoso niyang dagdag. "When I traveled from there, I noticed how long it took to get here." I even slept in the prince's house in Charlotte. Hindi na niya sinabi 'yon. "So I thought Charlotte was not that attached to the capital. So I didn't initially think my parents were that known. I didn't think it was the reason the marquess had to see me."

"How . . ." Rory hesitated but continued, ". . . but y-your ladyship knew you were chosen because of your family's reputation," naguguluhang aniya.

"Ano?" Tumapang ang boses ni Lady Lara. Lalo niyang tinitigan si Rory. "I was chosen because of my . . .?" Her lips hang open.

Rory was alerted. Iginilid niya ang mukha at saka iniangat ang kamay para takpan ang labi. Siyempre ay hindi iyon nakatakas sa paningin ng dalagita.

Lady Lara grinned. Because all this time she knew it. Sinadya niya lang gamitin ito para ilihis ang usapan.

Who would've thought she was chosen to be the crown princess just because she herself was perfect for the role?

Walang silbi ang pagmumukmok at pagpapahinga niya sa kuwarto nitong mga nagdaang araw na wala ang empress kung hindi niya malalimang inisip ang mga posibilidad. The only business she had each day was the session with Maestro Dravideo and yesterday only became unique because of Prince Rohan knocking on her door.

She eventually figured out something.

Her being chosen was not a random circumstance.

"The empress is . . . very transformational."

No. She might not be transformational at everything. Lady Lara thought. Because she still had to consider political strings as a basis of her son's marriage. Classic, like in books. It has always been . . . a marriage of convenience.

"No offense taken, Rory," she said, concluding even her thoughts, making the other lady slowly look at her. She smiled. "I was never trained for this. So you're right, it was all about my family's reputation in the first place."

And I expected that would also be that marquess' answer to my question. I just wanted to make sure of it.

I just wanted to make sure the truth that mom . . . had a lot of eyes looking at her before she died.

I'm sure one of those eyes has the responsible hands for her death.

Stunned for the last time, Rory swallowed the lump in her throat before both of them awkwardly resumed walking. These certain palace corridors might have had enough of their talks everyday.

When they got back to Lady Lara's chambers, they saw Iya lying on the long couch, her face covered by her precious handkerchief. Walang pagdadalawang isip itong inalog ni Rory upang gumising at agad na pinagalitan habang niyayamot nito ang mga mata niya.

"So this is what you're doing when you're alone here?" Rory confronted, urging the lady to sit up.

Nanatili namang nakatayo si Lady Lara sa likuran ni Rory, pinapanood ito. Ngunit nang maupo si Iya ay agad nitong nasalubong ang tingin niya. Nag-iwas man agad ito ng tingin ay hindi nito magawang burahin kung ano ang nakita ni Lady Lara.

Mugtong mga mata. Although she hadn't even seen her own face crying before, hindi niya maitatangging galing sa pag-iyak si Iya.

Sinundan niya ito ng tingin habang tumatayo at agad na lumayo sa kanila, hindi man lang sumasagot sa sinasabi ni Rory.

"Prepare another dress for Lady Lara!" habol ni Rory rito. She caught her forehead when she turned at the young lady. "Pasensiya na po talaga. Alam niyo po, young miss," her voice became eager, "you can actually make some rules surrounding your chamber. Nang sa gano'y hindi na nagtatamad-tamaran si Iya." She spotted the crumpled pillows on the couches and proceed to arrange them while still talking. "Tingnan niyo, kaya pala hindi siya sumasama sa'tin kasi nag-aastang prinsesa siya rito."

"Umiiyak siya, Rory," imik ni Lady Lara. Natigilan naman ang kasama at pinagkunutan siya nang noo. "Umiiyak si Iya."

Palipat-lipat naman ang tingin ni Rory sa pintuan ng closet at sa kaharap na dalagita. Tuluyan niyang binitawan ang mga unan. She shut her lips before biting them.

Lady Lara tilted her head, asking what happened.

"Hayaan niyo na," hindi kalauna'y sambit ni Rory. "Ako na lang po ang maghahanda ng ipambibihis niyo."

"Something must have happened while we're away," Lara insisted even before Rory could move to leave. Nakita niya naman itong lumunok. "Bakit siya umiiyak?"

Rory repeatedly blinked. "Naku naman, young miss. 'Wag niyo na pong alalahanin 'yon. I'm certain if she really cried, it was just for a petty reason." She smiled, trying to assure the young lady.

"Petty?"

"Om-hm, she tears up easily. And that's no big deal," simpleng sagot ni Rory. "O siya, pagsisilbihan ko na po kayo."

Nang tuluyan nang umalis si Rory at pumasok sa pintuang pinasukan ni Iya, Lady Lara bumped into the couch, her mouth hanging open. "She tears up easily," she imitated Rory. Habang nakatingin sa kawalan, patuloy niyang kinakausap ang sarili. "Was it that easy to cry?"

She gently touched her eyes. "But why didn't I . . . why didn't I cry when I saw Mom's dead body?" And then she closed them, trying to feel a sensation.

But I was hurt back then. She thought. And I'm hurting until now. Was it not a good reason to cry again?

Or do I still need more reasons?