The Princess Bride (Self-published)

18: Piaculum Mortem

Gabrielle blinked and the three monks were lying prone on the ground.

"Mikael..." She hurried over to her husband who wrapped a protective arm around her.

"Are you okay?" he asked transforming back into his human form. "You're not hurt?"

The monks were wildly swinging what looked like bamboo sticks around and Mikael nearly took pity on them.

"P...patay na ba sila? Hindi naman, 'di ba?"

Mikael shook his head. "Hindi. Nawalan lang sila ng malay."

"Bakit ka nagpalit ng anyo? 'Di ba ang sabi mo kapag may nangyari sa'yo habang nasa totoong kaanyuan ka, mamatay ka?" She sounded scared. And angry.

"Kaya ko sila—"

"Kung kaya mo sila ay dapat hindi ka na nagpalit!" she insisted. "Paano kung may nangyari sa'yo? Hindi ko alam kung kaya kitang gamutin kung sakali—"

"Gab..."

"Wala akong magagawa para sa'yo kung sakali...kasi tao lang ako—"

"Hey, that's not true," Mikael said pulling his wife to his chest.

He wiped her tears off her face with his hands. "Tama na, ayaw na ayaw kong nakikitang umiiyak ka. Walang mangyayari sa akin. Minsan kapag hindi ko na-ko-control ang galit ko, hindi ko maiwasang magpalit ng anyo. I'm so sorry if I made you worry."

"Ayokong magpalit ka ng anyo habang nasa laban!"

"Oo, hindi na mauulit—"

"Mangako ka!"

"I promise. Kung hindi kinakailangan ay hindi ako magpapalit ng anyo. Pero, walang nakakatakot d'un sa tatlong 'yun, Gab—hey, why are you crying?"

"Ikaw kasi..."

"Sorry...stop crying. Please..."

She nodded wiping her tears with her hands.

"I am so sorry if I made you upset..."

She nodded again.

"Do you feel better now?"

"Oo."

"We will talk more later. But, right now, we need to see your grandfather."

"This way..." She turned towards the door but then he wrapped an arm around her waist and a surprised yelp barely made it out of her lips before he whisked her towards her grandfather's quarters by following the old man's scent.

"It's faster this way—" Mikael abruptly stop. "Shh..." he whispered.

The monks had a certain smell to them and Mikael wondered if there were actually two groups attacking the temple because the air leading to his wife's grandfather's room smelled of filth, sweat, and blood.

Ako ang mauunang papasok. Stay behind me...

He saw his wife nod.

They moved stealthily although Mikael couldn't sense human presence in the area.

When they reached the old monk's room, he slowly pushed the door open and stared at Gabrielle's grandfather's bloodied form.

"Bakit, Mikael?" his wife asked but did not wait for his reply and hastily pushed inside the bedroom.

"Lolo!" she rushed to the old man's side. "Lolo! Lolo Solomon!" she called out in anguish as she put her ear against her grandfathers chest.

"Gab..."

"He's still breathing, Mikael!" She sounded relieved although tears were pouring from her eyes.

Mikael knew that the old man was alive but barely and there was nothing that he or his wife could do.