The Princess Bride (Self-published)

12: Iksir

Mikael and Gabrielle were in bed; he was stroking her hair as she lay snuggled against him.

Hindi alam ni Mikael kung dapat ba s'yang mag-alala dahil may kakaiba silang koneksyon ng asawa. Nalilito s'ya kung dapat ba n'ya 'yung ipaalam sa kanyang pamilya.

Wala pa akong naririnig na ganitong abilidad. Is this because we did not do the ritual right since Gabrielle did not drink the wine with my blood during the ceremony—

"Mikael..."

"Yes?" He looked at her wife's face. "Ano 'yun?"

"I can hear your thoughts and I can sense that you are worried."

The young priestess sat up so she could face her husband. "Gusto mo bang itanong na natin ito kina Kuya Viktor? Tama ka, baka kasi epekto ito ng hindi ko pag-inom sa dugo mo n'ung seremonya. Kasalanan ko ang lahat ng 'to—"

Mikael nuzzled his wife's cheek. "You worry too much. Wala kang kasalanan dito. Besides, naitanong ko na ito kay Kuya at ang sabi n'ya ay imposible raw na nababasa natin ang isip ng isa't isa kaya sa tingin ko ay panandaliang epekto lang ito ng Meraesimi. Why, are you afraid that I'd invade your privacy—?"

"Privacy? Saan mo naman napulot 'yan? I stand in front of you naked and you think I'm worried about my privacy? Mas natatakot ako d'un sa nagawa ko. Natatakot ako sa magiging epekto n'un sa'yo. Natatakot ako na baka may mali doon sa ritwal."

"Walang mali d'un, we're just overthinking. Although minsan nakakagulat na naririnig ko ang iniisip mo and I admit that I still need to get used to it pero katulad mo, I don't mind that we can read each other's thoughts."

Dahil kaya pinainom ko s'ya ng dugo ko while I was in my real form?

"Dahil d'un?" Gabrielle asked.

"Hindi pa rin ako sanay na sinasagot mo ang mga iniisip ko," Mikael told his wife.

"Nararamdaman kong nag-aalala ka kahit sabihin mong wala namang dapat ipag-alala. Is this connection between us considered an anomaly?"

"Hindi naman, anomaly is too strong and negative a word. Kaya lang naman ako napapaisip dahil wala pa akong kilalang mag-asawang may ganitong klaseng abilidad. 'Yung abilidad kasing nakukuha ng human spouse ay naka-base sa existing ability ng asawa n'yang Sehrli. I am baffled how we are able to read each other's thoughts when I don't have that talent."

Gabrielle leaned forward to drape her arms around her husband's neck. "It doesn't matter what ability I get as long as you're safe..."

"I feel the same way. Basta't magkasama tayo at okay ka ay okay na rin ako."

"Pero, may tanong ako, Mikael..."

"Ano?"

"Bakit kita mahal?"

"Ha?"

"I mean, I think I'm in love with you..."

He smiled. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No. It's just that it makes me wonder kung bakit ang bilis kitang mahalin. I mean, ilang linggo pa lang ba? But for some reason, I am confident to say that I am so in love with you and I know that you feel the same way towards me, too. Paano naging posible 'yun samantalang..."

"Samantalang ano?"

"Is this normal?"

He chuckled.

"Mikael naman, eh..."

"I love you, Gab..." he said. "Sobra kitang mahal..."

Her eyes softened. "I love you, too...sobra din kitang mahal."