Chapter 76
"Blue bracelet and a lily flower tattoo..."
Napakurap si Cherish sa narinig. She even tilted her head, nakakunot ang noo dahil sa sobrang pagtataka.
"With a snowflake design?"
"Yes. Do you have any information about that?" Nakatingin si Loki sa kaniya.
Cherish sighed, shaking her head. "I apologize, Your Imperial Highness, pero wala eh. It's too common. Mahirap gawin ang elimination process dahil too common siya."
"So, I'm stuck." Loki mumbled.
"Why don't you try asking Her Imperial Majesty? Baka mas marami siyang alam." Cherish suggested.
"I'll try."
"About the homecoming ball later..."
"I'll fetch you at your room later." Kaagad na sagot ni Loki.
Currently kasi ay may kwarto si Cherish sa main palace because she's helping Eunice to prepare for the ball na magaganap mamaya, at exactly six o'clock pm.
"I'll ask a maid to deliver what you'll wear."
Cherish tucked her hair behind her ears. "Thank you, Your Highness."
Nang makarating sila sa labas ng main palace, nandoon na si Sigyn with her only daughter. Nandoon na rin ang mga personal nannies nila, kasama ang mga maids and Imperial Knights na naiwan sa palace grounds.
"Loki!"
Hera cheered when she saw her brother pero kaagad na napasimangot nang makita si Cherish na kasama niya.
"Ba't magkasama na naman kayo?"
"Just because." Ngisi ni Cherish, nang-aasar.
"You little bit--!"
Mabilis na inilagay ni Loki ang palad sa likuran ng kaniyang ate, pushing her lightly para maglakad.
"Let's go, Ate. C'mon now."
"Stop hanging out with her." Hera gritted her teeth, hindi man lang hininaan ang boses kaya rinig ng lahat. Ang lakas pa naman ng boses niya.
"If you wanna hang out with a girl, then I volunteer! Kung ayaw mo naman sa 'kin, then find someone who's..."
She searched around the place nang dumapo ang tingin niya sa kanilang ina.
"Find someone who's like Mommy or Iris! They're your closest before me, after all."
"Young Lady Daivat is being called as the mini Empress, don't you know that?" Loki asked, mas inaasar ang kaniyang kapatid.
"What?!"
Ayun na ang galit na reaksyon ni Hera.
"Ang layo! Sinong nagsabi no'n?! Lalagutan ko lang ng hininga!"
"Stop shouting." Loki sighed.
"Then, find someone who's kind and has principles! Someone who can handle you! Someone who you like! I don't know anymore, just not her!"
"Shut up, ugly."
Both siblings stopped when they heard a manly and husky voice.
Napatingin sila sa may gate and saw the 18 years old Ares who's the first one to enter the palace grounds. Nakasakay siya sa itim niyang kabayo. Ang buhok ay naka-wax pa, pa-side, habang nakasuot ng puti at pulang prince suit.
"You're noisy. Rinig na rinig ko ang boses mo hanggang dito." Asar na wika nito sa babaeng kapatid.
"Ang lakas naman ng tainga mo?!"
"Malakas lang talaga bunganga mo!"
Mabilis na binatukan ni Duke Ezackart si Ares kaya napadaing ito.
"Nagrereklamo ka, pareho lang naman kayong maingay."
"What?!"
Pinanlakihan ng mata ng Commander ang prinsipe.
"Hindi ba totoo? Kayong dalawang gitna ang pinaka-prinoproblema ng emperyong ito. Masyado kayong sakit sa ulo."
"Hey!" Angal ni Hera.
"Welcome back!" Loki happily said para hindi na humaba ang kanilang bangayan.
Mabilis na bumaba ang mga Imperial Knights sa kani-kanilang kabayo at lumuhod bilang pagbibigay-galang sa Imperial Family.
"We safely arrived from war, Your Imperial Majesty." Anunsyo ni Duke Ezackart kay Sigyn. "Your Grace."
Tumango siya kay Eunice na nag-thumbs up sa kanila from the Empress' back.
"Where's Hadencio?" Kaagad na tanong ni Sigyn nang hindi makita ang panganay.
"He'll be here any minute now." Ares said, hugging his mother, lightly placing his cheek on her mother's cheek. "I'm home, old woman."
"You didn't die?" Tumaas ang kilay ni Sigyn, nang-aasar, kahit hindi halata dahil sa blanko niyang hitsura.
"Unfortunately for you, I lived."
Ares rolled his eyes bago nilingon ang babaeng kapatid na nakanguso, nagtatampo sa hindi malamang dahilan.
"When did you arrive?"
"Yesterday." She pouted, looking away.
Ares gritted his teeth, binatukan ang kapatid na napasinghap sa gulat.
"Mukha kang tanga. Ay, hindi pala mukha kasi tanga ka talaga." Ngiwi nito.
"How mean!"
Hera inserted a magical energy in her bracelet with a pink rose design, transforming it as a magical staff which she got from her mother, immediately blasting it towards her brother na kakagaling lang sa laban at mahabang byahe.
Ares clicked his tongue, inserting magical energy to his necklace with cross design na naging espada, which he got from their mother too. He reflected the blast by swinging his sword in a way that he cut the said blast.
"What the fuck?! You grew stronger! Buti na lang at matibay 'to!"
"Of course, I grew stronger! How come you became so good with your damn sword?!"
"That's enough."
Sigyn blasted them both with magical energy kaya tumilapon sila, kasama ang mga weapons nila.
"He's here with someone..."
"Someone?" Loki asked, tilting his head.
"Hmm..." Sigyn nodded, inakbayan ang bunsong anak. "Someone with a little to none magical energy inside their body."
Halata sa kaniya ang pagka-curious kung sino ang kasama ng panganay na anak. Maging si Loki tuloy ay na-curious.
"Ravir, take the knights to the main dorm. The maids will serve you for a job well done. Liquors are available." Utos ni Sigyn.
Napahiyaw naman ang lahat dahil sa tuwa. Chancellor Eunice and Duke Ezackart lead the knights and maids toward the dorm kaya ang tanging naiwan na lamang ay sina Ares, Hera, Sigyn, Loki, at Cherish, along with the four personal nannies of the imperial siblings.
Sakto namang wala na ang lahat when 20 years old Hades entered the palace grounds with his elegant white horse.
May taong nakaupo sa harapan niya whose head is on his shoulder. Nakasuot ito ng kapa kaya hindi nila makita kung sino iyon. But Hades looks so protective over that person as his arm is firmly yet gently wrapped around that person's waist.
"I'm back." Bungad niya nang tumigil ang kaniyang kabayo sa harapan nila Loki.
"Kuya!" Hera shouted excitedly as she ran towards him ngunit natigilan siya nang mapansin ang taong hawak ni Hades.
"Who's that?" She asked, sinilip ito, gasping suddenly. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!"
"Who's that?" Loki asked.
"See for yourself." Ares smirked na pinapagpagan ang sarili.
"Heathrania, distance yourself. She's weak to magic." Utos ni Hades na ikinagulat ng kapatid pero kaagad namang sumunod, tumabi ito kay Cherish.
"Sorry, but your magic is stronger than all of us here. And it seems like you can't seal your magical aura yet."
"Tita Lilith didn't teach me how. She said kasi na it's better to keep it out to intimidate others." She pouted.
"I can teach you how." Cherish offered.
"Ayoko nga!"
"Edi 'wag."
"Who is that?"
Lumapit si Sigyn sa pwesto ni Hades na bumaba na sa kaniyang kabayo, binuhat ang kasama pababa.
Hindi sinagot ni Hades ang tanong but he pulled the hood down of that person's cape.
Bumagsak ang kulay rosas nitong buhok na medyo maalon, umaayon sa kulay perlas niyang balat. Mahaba ang pilikmata at kulay asul ang mga mata. Maliit at katamtaman ang tangos ng ilong, saka hindi gano'n kapula ang kaniyang labi. Maamo ang hitsura, maliit pa ang mukha.
She looks like a fairy, but at the same time, she looks so vulnerable na hindi tumerno sa aura ng mga taong kasama niya ngayon. Lalo na at hindi naman siya gano'n katangkad.
"H-hello po."
Kinakabahan siyang yumuko bilang pagbibigay-galang sa Empress ng lupaing ito. Medyo hinawi niya pa ang kaniyang bestida na hanggang sa ibaba ng kaniyang tuhod, pinaghalong puti, asul, at dilaw ang kulay nito.
Nagkatinginan sila Loki at Sigyn bago napataas ng kilay ang ina, ang bunsong kapatid naman ay ngumiti sa babaeng kasama ng kaniyang kuya.
"Is she your lover?" Diretsong tanong ni Sigyn.
"No." Simpleng sagot ni Hades. "She's the Yuri Kingdom's First Royal Princess. She's my hostage."
"Hostage?" Gulat na tanong ni Loki, napalingon pa sa mga nannies na nakakunot ang noo.
Lahat sila ay nagtataka kung paano naging hostage ang babaeng kasama ng Crown Prince gayong hindi naman siya trinatratong gano'n ni Hades mismo. They were so confused na mababasa mo ito sa mga mukha nila.
They even looked at Ares for explanation who just shrugged at them, hindi rin alam kung bakit.
"She'll be kept here as a hostage until Yuri Kingdom abides by what we've talked about before." Anunsyo ni Hades.
Ares whistled. "Let's ready the prison."
"She will not be kept in a prison." Masamang tumingin si Hades sa kapatid. "She may be a hostage but treat her like a guest. Ready a palace for her. A magic-free palace."
"Magic-free palace? This empire is literally full of magical energy! Saan ka makakahanap ng magic-free place, ha, Kuya?" Takang tanong ni Hera, hindi makapaniwala sa utos ng kapatid.
"There is one." Sabat ni Sigyn, nakatingin sa panganay na anak. "The magic-free palace which is the only pure place in this empire."
"Huh? It exists?" Nagulantang si Hera, napalingon pa kay Cherish na napatingin din sa kaniya, halatang gulat din na meron talagang gano'n.
Nanatili ang tingin ni Sigyn sa kaniyang panganay na anak, paniguradong alam na nito ang susunod niyang sasabihin.
"Your father's palace." She revealed. "That is, if you permit it to be used. It's already under your name, anyways. Ikaw ang may hawak sa palasyong iyon."
Natahimik si Hades, halatang nag-iisip, bago lumingon kay Callirhoe. He nodded his head to her na tumango rin pabalik sa kaniya.
Lumingon siya sa unang prinsesa ng Yuri Kingdom.
"She's Callirhoe. She'll be serving you until we receive a response from your father. You're safe with her since she's someone with a holy aura."
"How weak is she?" Tanong ni Sigyn.
"Magical exposure can kill her." Diretsong sagot ni Hades.
"Muntik na nga siyang mamatay kahapon eh." Tawa ni Ares kaya binatukan siya ni Mariam na kaagad na humingi ng tawad sa unang prinsesa on behalf of the Second Imperial Prince.
"It seems like you have to be close to Callirhoe all the time. You'll die if you don't."
Napalunok ito dahil sa sinabi ng Empress kahit na hindi niya gets kung ano ang mga pinagsasabi nila. Maging si Loki ay walang naintindihan dahil hindi naman siya maalam tungkol sa law ng mahika sa mundong ito.
"I apologize for the late introduction, by the way."
Sigyn bowed her head slightly.
"I am Aileth Morana di Silviandesia, the current ruler of this empire. It's a pleasure to have you here, Your Royal Highness."
"Oh..." Nataranta ito dahil nakalimutan niya nga ring magpakilala sa kanilang lahat.
She bowed, her both hands raising the tip of her dress a bit, left foot going to her other foot's back, gracefully.
"It's my pleasure to meet you, Your Imperial Majesty. I am the First Princess of the Yuri Kingdom, Edinariel Yuri."
She smiled enthusiastically.
"But please just call me Eden, hehe."