CHAPTER 3- NIGHT THIEF

E S T H E L I A N

Days later. I spring open the curtains and inhaled the fresh air that was blessed by our mother Gaivera. Above, cloud meandered across the expanses casting fleeting shadows upon the emerald field below. The wind whistled through the grass, causing it to sway in undulating waves, like an ocean of emerald waves rippling towards the horizon.

Butterflies, delicate and vibrant, fluttered from flower to flower, their wings a kaleidoscope of iridescent, collecting nature's sweet nectar to create a liquid gold.

But my curiosity killed those harmonic views. I keep pacing back in fort inside my room, still confused about the young boy I met back in the market place. It boggles my mind to think if his either a luna or just some commoner came to rescue... But my guts keeps telling me that his more than that.  And why did he even hid his identity with a cloak. Maybe its just a weather or he doesn't go well with crowds or just been afraid to be caught. Who is he?!

This must be settled in a mean time. The harvests festival is coming soon, but i still feel uneasy for this situation. Of what I just witnessed back on the town. It just made me feel irresponsible. How can I be a better Queen if I can't even help my people

"Your highness, your tea is getting cold"

"Oh sorry. It's just --"-i reach my hands to my tea that they handed about a minute ago and sip slowly while my thought is leaving me. My kingdom is dying how come mom and dad still didn't do anything about these crisis were facing a total disaster. Kasalanan ng mga luna to. Mga walang nagawa sa buhay puro magnakaw nalang! I can't stand this anymore. I can't let those thief get in a way again. I'm the heir to the throne and they'll be sorry.

"Busy?"

"Ah, yes i'm exhausted Inavie"-napabalik ako sa realidad ng may pumasok at inabot ko na sa maid ang cup at tumayo para kumuha ng librong basahin.

"Obviously somethings troubling you. What's that my queen?"

That just flattered me" Don't say that" I'm being bashful. I sighed deeply and massage my head. I'm making myself stress. That Luna is to blame! If something bad happens they might  conquer the town and put my poor people into slavery. They should be castigate for their crime. I punch my fist together.

Inavie keeps talking but I didn't hear him. Umupo siya sa harap ko na may dalang macarons he knows what's my favorite. Prince Inavie is my childhood friend. Our families had been an alliances since I was on my mother's womb. And  we became a childhood friend till today. He knows i'm a furtive person and I am also taciturn and I don't like prattle, its a waste of time for me.

Umupo nako sa harap niya at binuklat ang librong hawak ko at nagsasalita siya pero diko narinig dahil busy nga talaga ako. Its a journal about the past. Inavie sit beside me and pinch my nose "Di mo ako pinakinggan!"-inis na wika niya at binayaran ko naman siya ng halik sa pisnge then he was surprise not from the kiss; but the book in the shelves.

Kinuha niya ito umupo sa tabi ko. He looks excited. He open up the pages and he stop at page 10. Zendalia yan ang nakasulat na title sa pages. Which drives me to curiosity and I snatch it out of his hand I didn't want him to read it.

"I recommended something else"

"I want it"

"Not this one inavie this one is outdated.."

He just laughed at me and pat my head at muntikan pang mahulog ang korona ko "I said want it. This book tackles about the history of the two kingdoms apart. You know anything about this kingdom here?"

"No. Actually it looks boring to read even the covers look dull and tasteless Mukha ba akong nagbabasa nito? gusto ko nga maghanap ng iba e"-bilis kong sagot

He snorted and simply shook his head at me casting a pity look on me "Pity for a  person who calls herself a bibliophile princess yet  say such words, never ever judge a book by its cover my love. Remember even it looks old but the beauty inside of it was in tack. Well detailed, and historical, facts is more important than reading some lame fairytale story whose just fictions.. But let me asked you,  did you read a book  about fairies? these book is perfect, which you know.."

"Ugh stick to point already. Di ako mahilig sa pasikot sikot. I'm tired if i think it through!"

"Wag ka galit" He just chuckles para lang kaming magkaibigan kababata ko siya and nothing seems changes. He clear his throat and glide his finger to every word

𝘡𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦, 𝘩𝘰m𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥. 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮. 𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨.

𝘛𝘸𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘱. 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥.

𝘕𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦. 𝘜𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥; 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵'𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘫𝘢𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘴.

𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯'𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥...

"Eww gross!"-napahinto siya sa pagbabasa and he just mocked me from grossing out. I thought fairies are good and they are enchanted but this is actually a total opposites of what I had in mind. Expectations versus reality hits different. Its sucks  "Marami na ba silang nakuhang tao? And why did they do this?"-tanong ko at tumango siya

"Like you"-napadilat lang ako. In shocked and pointed at myself mouth talking him like ME? "they love royal blood as their prey. Royal bloods are actually their taste for glory. Killing you will simply an achievements for them and it is also they avenge those fairies that was killed."

I quiver and tap his shoulder to stop him from teasing me "You're scaring me!"

𝘓𝘶𝘯𝘢'𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦. 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘭. 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥.. 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦

Mas nagalit ako ng husto sa mga narinig ko. Sila nga talaga ang mga pakay na bat nangyayari ito sa kaharian ko. Hindi ito pwedeng pabayaan. Minasahe ni Inavie ang noo kong nakakunot at pinitik niya naman.

"Tatanda ka niyan wag ka magalit"

"Well. Dapat akong magalit dahil sumusobra na ang mga luna at ang mga fairies! I declare war for these but I need to settle something first. "

"That's my future queen"

"Inavie i'm just a princess"

"Soon you'll be" he proudly said and he kiss my hand. Which makes me blush a bit pero nakakainis Siya masyadong sweet. Nakakalanggam na siya

⚜⚜⚜

I'm at the balcony with my ladies-in-wating. Watching Inavie rode his horse back. I melancholy watch my kingdom. Maraming sira na sakahan at malapit na ang harvest festival. I sat down writing some letters. Before I declare war  dapat may malaman muna ako sa mga luna upang hindi mapahamak ang aming mga tauhan. I cared for my soldier and my people I won't let them suffer no more blood to shred.

Pinaabot ko sa kanila ang aking cloak para lumabas ako ng palasyo mag isa. Limang maid ang trusted ko they wont tell anything unless I say so. Lumabas ako nagbabalat kayong isang maid din at may dalang basket na parang may bibilhin lang.May mga karwaheng nakahintay at sumakay lang ako bilis naman akong dumating at naglakad lakad lang. Its a cold night and the moon is covered by the clouds and thankfully makapal ang damit ko

I heard a clattering sound above my head at napatinghala ako as the clay tile roof almost fell onto me and thankfully I was to quick to dodge.

May nakita akong anino na lumulukso sa itaas ng mga atip. Its them again!

Tumakbo ako para sundan sila at ang bibilis nila. Nagkatinginan sakin ang mga tao na bat ako tumatakbo na nakatingin sa taas at di sa dinadaanan ko. Di pwede ma lose sight ako sa kanila. I hid para di nila ako mapansin

Nakita ko ang isang tao na nasa atip kung saan ako nakatago.

Di ako makaakyat dahil sa suot kong gown at naghanap nalang ako ng pwede kong maakyatan pero napaisip din ako sa bilis nila baka diko sila maabutan so I just keep on following them from the ground. Sa bilis ko naalis ang hood ko tumatakbo lang ako hanggang sa matalisod ako at wala akong magawa kundi punitin ang gown ko para makagalaw ako ng maayos.

Sa maliit na kubo malayo sa kaharian ako natunton sa hinabol kong tao at may nakita akong isang taong nakaitim at pumasok. Napatingin ako sa buong paligid at nakita ko ang isang kahoy at malaki ito para makuha ko siyang mapabagsak.

Pumasok ako at nakita ko ang tao nayun na nakatalikod at hinampas ko siya ng malakas na kinabagsak niya at bumungad sa harapan ko ang isang bag na may ginto. Natakot sakin ang apat na bata at dalawang mag asawa kaya nabitawan ko ang dala kong pamalo. At umagos ang pulang likido sa kanilang sahig

Yumuko sila bigla sa  harapan ko "wag po wag nyo po kaming saktan!"-they cried. Umiyak ang mga bata sa taong hinampasan ko at nagdugo ang ulo niya. Natakot ako sa ginawa ko dahil may napatay akong tao.

"Luna eva!!!"

Bigla akong napatabi ng may mga pumasok na kagaya niyang nakaitim at nag iyakan silang lahat. Tinuro ng mag anak and direksyon ko at  nagkatinginan silang lahat sakin na namumula sa galit. May biglang lumapit sakin at nakita ko ang matalim nitong kutsilyo na nilabas niya at sasaksakin na ako.

I dodge it and rush away, running for my life. I lost my track home but I deviate and hid on the bushes and saw them looking for me. But i manage to escape and go back to the castle. The blood was dripping on the pathway. I was so fast and lost on a void. Traumatized by my undoing. I remember how I ended someone's life. His blood stained on my hands and it's screaming for justice. I killed someone..

I killed someone!