The small river's current made several attempts to wash the young lady's muddy, bare feet. Crossing this body of water at midnight, she paid no mind to the struggle of reaching the other side. She held her skirt up to her chest but forgot to do the same with her long hair, which swept through the water, trailing behind her.

When she finally reached the bank, she sighed in relief, even savoring the remnants of her physical exhaustion. Letting go of her skirt, she walked closer to the reason for her crossing. A young man was leaning his head against a rock, his eyes shut, his hands limp against the ground, and his legs perfectly still. This vision before her was clearer than daylight, especially as she reached out to touch his cheek, intending to warm it.

It was the calmest wake-up; Lara felt the comforting warmth pressed gently against her left cheek. A soft smile graced her lips before she fully opened her eyes, expecting to see her mother smiling back at her. But what she saw was far from what she had supposed-though it might be just as delightful.

His Highness, who leaned so close, beamed at her, his eyes alight with joy as he confirmed she was truly awake.

"My Gem!" he uttered with so much enthusiasm, defying his masculinity and unintentionally announcing Lara's awakened state to the other man standing nearby, who began tapping his elegant shoes on the floor as soon as she tried to sit up.

"Leave her to me, will you?" Lord Celesto said gently, resting a fist on His Highness' shoulder.

The prince's smile shifted-first to a grin, then a smirk, and finally fading altogether as his gaze dropped to Celesto's hand on his shoulder.

"Am I to obey you?" Prince Rohan asked in a warning tone.

"It's not an order, mister. It's simply advice," Lord Celesto replied coolly. "From your lover's physician." He smiled, ensuring the jab landed.

His Highness could do nothing but rise, throwing a glare in Celesto's direction. "Don't call me mister," he muttered. "As I won't yet call you a physician."

Ngayong bahagyang pantay na ang mga mata nila, lalo lamang naging matukso ang ekspresyon ni Lord Celesto. "In fact, I am a physician. I am being trained in the art of healing. Now, if you'd excuse me, let me do my duty." Tilting his shoulders, he stepped closer to Lara, who sat like a disheveled doll, her eyes unfocused, her lips slightly parted, her innocence accentuated by her dazed state. Patuloy itong nakatitig sa kaniya, natatanga.

Prince Rohan pursed his lips slightly, his frustration apparent. He cast Lara a final glance before stepping back. "I'm not leaving. I'll be just right there, Asia," he said, balancing firmness with concern. With each step he took toward the exit, he looked back, hesitant to lose sight of her. Celesto couldn't suppress an amused smile as the prince slowly closed the door, leaving it slightly ajar as if afraid to fully let her out of view.

"Celesto . . ." The young lady's faint voice drew the lord's attention back to her. Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, nakita niya ang lalakeng maiging ngumiti sa kaniya. It was a smile of greeting, at its finest.

"Kamusta na ang pakiramdam mo?" he asked, his tone soft but steady.

Lara's eyes darted around again before momentarily lowering. "You . . ." she looked up at the man, ". . . said you are my physician. Ikaw dapat ang nakaka-alam kung ano ang nararamdaman ko. A-Ano 'to, C-Celesto? Ikatlong pagkakataon na 'to na nawalan ako ng malay. A-Anong nangyari? D-Dalawang araw na naman ba akong nakahiga rito at w-walang bihis? Dalawang araw mo na naman ba akong b-binantayan-ha-"

"Isa."

Lara gulped hard, suddenly realizing how close her face was to the young lord's. Hindi niya napansin kung paano'ng nakaupo na ang lalaki sa kama niya. "I-Isa?" she stammered, inching away.

Celesto shifted slightly, his posture relaxing, though his gaze remained fixed on her. "Isang linggo," he calmly declared.

Both Lara's eyes and mouth went round. "D-Don't . . . lie!"

"Du-downt . . ." the young lord began to mimic. But when he noticed Lara glaring at his lips, he shifted back to his normal tone. ". . . panic." He sighed. "That court trial must have really taken a toll on you." He glanced to the side, his brows drawing together. In that brief moment his gaze shifted away from Lara, it was as if he was letting her recall everything that had happened.

But instead, it felt as if she had relived the memory over and over in her sleep, still so sharp in her mind that it drew yet another question for Celesto.

"What happened next? I mean, how did it end? I don't think it was cut off just because I passed out-did it end well? Did Mum get her justice? Has Dad been... proven innocent?"

"What?" Dagliang napalingon sa kaniya ang lalake, bakas ang pagtataka at inis sa kaniyang mukha. "I don't even know what it's all about. Don't bombard me with those questions-"

"But you're the one who brought it up! Why are you-"

"Because I'm supposed to tell you that stress made you that way," Celesto widened his eyes, leaning closer to Lara once more and tilting his head to the right. "And to assess what else. Don't you get it?"

"Stress what?" Lara blinked repeatedly, fighting the urge to just stare at the lord's handsome face, which looked adorable even when he pursed his lips. She cleared her throat deliberately, recalling something. "T-Temper, Celesto."

That caught him. It caught him hard, enough to stare at Lara for longer.

"Kuhang-kuha ba?" Lara asked with a laugh. She then leaned back against the headboard, tilting her head to stare at the ceiling before letting out a deep sigh. "Ba't mo ba pinaalis ang prinsipe?" she asked, her voice softening as she continued to gaze up. "Wala ka rin namang ginawa kundi lalo lang akong gisingin." She gulped. "Gusto ko siyang makausap, Celesto." Finally, she turned to look at him again, forcing a smile. "Puwede ba 'yon? I-I promise, after that, ako na mismo ang maghahanap sa'yo para ilarawan ang lahat ng nararamdaman ko." She nodded slightly. "Magiging mabuting pasiyente ako. You need me to be, right?"

Celesto squinted, amused. "You need him that much?"

"Huh?"

Celesto sighed and looked toward the door. "Do you think your husband's still right there?"

"Husband, what-"

Celesto turned back to her, serious. "Do you think he's still right there?" he repeated, this time more firmly.

Napatingin na lang rin si Lara sa pintuan. She hesitated before nodding. "I think so. I mean, he said so."

When she looked back at Celesto, he was still staring at her, that slight smile lingering on his face. "Let's see," he said as he stood and turned away. "If he's still there, then what else could I do but let you both talk?" he rambled while walking toward the door. "But if he's not-" he stopped at the knob and glanced back at her, "you gotta stay with me for half an hour more. Then I'll leave to get or even cook whatever you want to eat. How does that sound?" He smiled.

Lara kept her nonchalance. "That sounds mad."

"No, that sounds like your husband's promise to stay." He gave a firm nod. "Let's see who keeps promises better, alright?"

Lara scoffed. Ano bang ginagawa ng taong 'to? Napaka-Ugh! "Stop staring at me, can you?!" She rolled her eyes. "Just go!"

"Yes, Your Highness." Celesto gave her a playful bow. As he shut the door, a more playful smile crept across his unfairly dashing face.

Inside the room, Lara sighed-not in relief at being alone with her thoughts, but in realization that being awake made her aware of the pain once more.

"I saw her, out by the orchard of oranges at the back of the manor, speaking with the man. Hindi lamang iyon isang pag-uusap. Nagyakap sila at . . . naghalikan."

It felt like her face was being squeezed as she closed her eyes, trying to silence Mr. Tides' voice in her head. She couldn't erase the memory, couldn't forget a single word, and couldn't simply let it go with a sigh.

Since she was already sitting up, she pulled her blanket close, the discomfort creeping back-just like when she was still in the manor's basement. Dahan-dahan niya naman itong binitawan nang isang alaala na naman ang gumuhit sa isipan.

"Perhaps . . . everything was true all along," she murmured, her father's face searing into her mind. "You . . . killed Mum."

Her lips quivered, almost parting, as her knees caught her forehead. "But how could . . ." She gulped. ". . . how could you?"

Lifting her head again, she breathed in quick, shallow bursts. "How could you have killed your wife when you even sent your daughter to grieve in the basement just because . . . I didn't cry . . ."

Her voice faltered as realization struck. Slowly, she lowered her gaze. ". . . over Mum's dead body."

"I didn't cry over Mum's dead body," she said, pacing quickly. "But I did when I found out she cheated on Dad. I did when . . ." Lara's eyebrows furrowed deeply. ". . . I heard the Empress accuse him. I did when . . . I heard those comments against me at the ball. Seriously-" she shook her head and held it in her hands. The door creaked open, but she didn't seem to mind it. "-what's wrong with you, Lara?!"

"Nothing."

The young lady's lips remained parted. Hindi niya agad nilingon ang boses ni Celesto. Bagkus, dahan-dahan niyang ibinaba ang mga kamay mula sa ulo at napatitig na lamang sa sariling mga tuhod.

"No one's there. Your husband didn't keep his little promise." The young lord let out a soft laugh, which drew Lara's attention.

Lara sighed as she looked at him, realizing he probably hadn't heard anything. She nodded before eventually smiling. "Ano naman ngayon?"

Nang gumalaw ang lalaki, ibinaba ni Lara ang tingin. She bit her lower lip. So, His Highness left me?

"Gutom ka na ba?" ani Celesto habang lumalapit. "Uh, scratch that. Guess you want to know more about your condition. Hindi ka makakakain nang payapa hangga't hindi nasasagot ang tanong mo, tama?"

"Gutom na 'ko."

Sa oras na nagtama ang mga mata nila, nginitian niya ulit ang lalaki. "At wala na 'kong tanong pa."

Celesto stretched his lips into a smirk. "Good, then." He looked deeper into Lara's eyes. Saglit siyang nagtaka kung bakit hindi na umiwas sa pagtitig ang dalagita.

"Do-" He sniffed. "-you need anything else?"

"Of course." Lara shifted in her position, straightening her back. "I need your service. The service you promised."

He blinked, then put his hands on his waist. "Kid, what are-"

"You promised to cook for me!"

"Alright, alright. Chill." He let out an amused sigh. "Are you frustrated because Rohan left?"

Lara averted her gaze and murmured, "I'm frustrated with everything."

"Kid, what are you whispering?"

"Do not call me kid." Mataray niyang binalingan ng tingin ang kasama.

"What shall I call you then? Your Highness? I called you that earlier, but you're still not happy."

"You know what would make me happy?"

"What?" Celesto asked seriously, his hands still on his waist.

Lara sighed, exasperated. "You go your way, cook me anything I can eat, and leave me alone again." I like your face, but I don't like you here, she kept it in her mind as she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Nang mapansin niyang wala pa ring imik ang lalaki, tiningala niya ulit ito.

"Ano?" Bakas na ang inis sa boses ng dalagita.

"I didn't know a princess could be this rude," Celesto calmly commented. "Of course, I'm keeping my promise to cook for you, but that doesn't mean you should order me around. I'm not your lady-in-waiting." He seemed serious now.

Lara parted her lips, almost mocking. Tila hindi niya napansin ang seryosong boses ng lalaki. "Man-in-waiting, yes. You waited for me to wake up, right?"

At this rate, the young lord did everything to contain his frustration. He played with his mouth, which the young lady spent a moment to watch. He looked to the side, still not letting go of his hands on his waist. "I've always wondered why royalties feel so relevant." He looked at Lara again, sighing. "You're not even one yet." He squinted his eyes.

Catching it, Lara gulped, fear creeping over her. It felt like she jolted back into reality-this man was still a stranger.

Finally, Celesto subtly slid his hands off his hips, letting them hang by his sides. "What food do you want me to cook?" He resumed his normal tone.

Hindi na makaimik ang dalagita, nakatitig lamang ito sa kaniya, pinapanood ang paggalaw ng panga ng lalaki. When there was still no response, he took off his long coat and properly hung it on the bed's headboard, just beside Lara's face. Now, he was left wearing only his sleeveless black tank top.

"Don't be weirded out. I'm leaving that here so I don't forget I still have to come back," he said, his cold gaze fixed on Lara, who was only inches away. "Baka . . . kainin ko na lang ang luto ko," he added, maintaining his composure as he stood upright.

With that, he departed, leaving Lara stunned by the sight of his toned, slightly slender back and sculpted arms. Fortunately, the door slammed shut, snapping her out of her reverie.