Chapter 23 - The Coldness of Asphodel

If there was one thing that Gareth hated the most, it's talking to King. He hated his father's guts. He hated his arrogance. He hated his pride. He hated everything about the King.

But he needed to bow down to him now. Only the King could lift the restrictions that he made. Hanggang ngayon kasi ay hindi pa rin siya maaaring lumabas ng Camelot.

"Please tell the King that I request an audience," wika niya sa tagapaglingkod na nasa labas ng pintuan ng Hari.

He was now inside the Azure Manor, the manor of the King.

"Kamahalan! Ang mahal na Prinsipe Gareth ay narirto upang makausap kayo."

He waited for a little while. Papayagan kaya siya ng amang makausap ito? What if his father denied him? Bahala na. One way or the other, makakarating siya ng Asphodel.

"Papasukin na ang mahal na Prinsipe!" sigaw naman nasa kabilang pintuan.

The twin door suddenly flew open. It was his queue to enter.

Hindi na siya nagpatumpik-tumpik pa. Agad na siyang nagtungo sa trono ng kamahalan. Nagbigay pugay siya rito saka lumuhod sa harapan nito. Not once did he raised his head.

"It is highly unusual that you visit me here, Prince Gareth."

"Ipagpatawad po ninyo kung hindi ako gaanong nakakadalaw. Inaako ko po mahal na Hari ang pagkukulang kong ito."

He hated how he uttered those gibberish words just to appease the King. But he did not have a choice. He needed something from the King; therefore, kailangan niyang magpakabait sa harp nito.

"Anong pakay ng iyong pagbisita." Hindi na ito nagpatumpik-tumpik pa.

"Hindi naman lingid sa kaalaman ng kamahalan ang kasalukuyang krisis na lumulukod sa ating pamilya. Nais ko po sanang humingi ng permisong lumipad patungong Asphodel para tiyakin ang kaligtasan ng Imperial Consort Guinevere. Alam kong nararatay pa siya sa karamdaman, ngunit nais ko pong lubusang mapalagay. Nais kong malamang ligtas pa siya."

Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas bago nagsalita ang Hari.

"Sige! Pinagbibigyan ko ang nais mo. Maaari mo nang puntahan ang iyong ina sa Asphodel. Ngunit ang pagbisitang ito ay hindi dapat hihigit ng sampung araw. Maaari ka ring magdala ng mga tauhan natin para matulungan ka sa iyong pakay."

That came smoothly. He expected it to be a little bit difficult. Nais din siguron nitong nasa mabuting lagay ang kanyang ina.

"Maraming salamat pos a inyong kamahalan."

Doon na siya tumayo at lumabas sa teritoryo nito. Maghahanda pa siya sa kanyang pag-alis.

He was now looking forward to a twenty-hour flight from Camelot to Asphodel.

It has been two days since Gareth went to Asphodel. Mabuti na lamang ay nagpaalam ito sa kanya na mawawala ng ilang araw. Kahit papaano, makakapagisip-isip pa siya. Makakahanap pa siya ng tamang bwelo. At mkakapag-ipon pa siya ng lakas para sabihin dito ang kalagayan.

As for now, nasa ancestral home siya ng kanyang ama sa Sutheland. Inihyayahan kasi siya na magpalipas ng ilang araw roon. At dahil wala na naman siyang gagawin at tanging graduation na lamang niya ang kanyang hinihintay, pinaunlakan na niya ang imbitasyon nito. Isa pa, naisip na rin niyang maganda na ring makaalis siya sa siyudad. Her father's place was perfect for introspection and self reflection. Mas makakapag-isip siya ng matino rito.

She arrived last night with her Kuya Michael Angelo. Gabing-gabi na noon kaya dumiretso na lamang sila sa pagtulog.

The gentle breeze of the southern winds made her sleep comfortably. Ang tanging nagpagising lamang sa kanya ay ang kakaibang sakit ng kanyang sikmura. Mistulang hinahalukay ito kaya naman wala siyang choice kundi ilabas ang lahat ng kanyang kinain.

That's morning sickness for you Steff. Lately, this had been her alarm clock. Ito ang palaging gumigising sa kanya mapa-umaga, madaling araw o hatinggabi.

But she already expected this. Doctor Flyheight had already given her a crash course on pregnancy. Nasa early stages pa lamang siya ng kanyang first trimester. The worst is still to come.

Inayos niya ang sarili sa salamin. Ayaw niyang mahalata ng ama at ng asawa nito ang pagbabago sa kanya. She wanted to hide this pregnancy to them.

Isang katok ang sa kanyang pinto ang tuluyang nagpagising sa kanya.

"Pinapupunta po kayo ng Duchess sa kanyang opisina," sigaw ng katiwala.

She suddenly felt confused. Ano kaya ang pakay sa kanya ng asawa ng ama?

Naligo muna siya bago tuluyang magtungo sa opisina nito.

She was immediately greeted by a look of disdain courtesy of the Duchess. Ito agad ang bumungad sa kanya pagkapasok at pagpasok pa lang niya sa silid.

"Maupo ka," she pointed out a chair in front of her.

Agad naman siyang sumunod dito. She made herself comfortable first.

"I believe I was summoned here by her Grace. Ano po ang maipaglilingkod ko sa inyo."

"And you dare to ask?" ibinato nito sa kanya ang isang babasahin.

Agad niyang kinuha ito. It was the same magazine that Sofia gave to her. Ito ang magazine na naglalaman ng article tungkol sa kanila ni Gareth.

"Ano ang pumasok sa kokote mo at sa prinsipe ka pa ng kaharian naglulumandi?!"

Nagulat siya sa naging reaksyon nito. For the first time, she saw the Duchess lose her composure.

She just looked down. Ayaw niya ng kahit na ano pang gulo.

"Tumingin ka sa akin 'pag kinakausap kita!" the Duchess shouted.

Pero hindi niya ito sinunod. Nakatingin lamang siya sa kanyang kandungan. She didn't want to oppose her. Ayaw rin niyang magpaliwanag dito.

Hinablot nito ang kanyang buhok pababa. Ramdam niya ang sakit na nanunoot sa kanyang anit. She could feel the brute force that she's exerting as pulled her hair more and more.

"Anong gagawin mo kapag nalaman ng Royal Family ang totoo mong pagkatao? Ano lang ang sasabihin nila tungkol sa iyong ama?! Hindi ka talaga nag-iisip. Sumagot ka!"

She pulled her hair harder. This time, her head hit the table. Parang nauga ang kanyang mundo. The pain in her head was increasing as she kept pounding her head on the table.

Bakit ba ganito ang nangyayari sa kanya? Every time she felt happy, palagi na lang may kaakibat na pait. Wala na ba siyang karapatang lumigaya? A tear was now threatening to fall down. How can her life be this dysfunctional?

"Malandi ka kasi kagaya ng Ina mo! Do you think that Prince loves you? Dream on! Isa ka lang parausan para sa kanya. Isa ka lang laruan sa kama!"

The words of the Duchess were imprinted in her mind, one daggering fact at a time. Suddenly she felt something snapped. Something in her mind just switched off.

Agad niyang dinakot ang kamay nitong sumasabunot sa kanya. She squeezed it tightly para mapabitaw ito. She was still younger than her, still stronger than her.

"Hindi malandi ang Ina ko," she said to the fear stricken woman.

"Aba't lumalaban ka na! You are nothing but a bastard whose mother was nothing more than a slut! At nagmana ka sa kanya!"

Tinitigan niya ng mariin ang nasa harap niya. This woman had been the subject of her nightmares since she was a child. She was always the monster in the closet. The boogy man. Naalala pa niya kung paano siya tingnan nito, like she was nothing more than a trash. Mabuti pa ang basahan, kahit papaano mas tinatrato pa nito ng tama. To the Duchess, she was just an excess baggage.

"It is not my fault that I am my parent's daughter. Haven't you ever wonder kung bakit ako pinanganak? You are such a lousy wife that His Grace wanted to have another one. Kung naging mabuti kang maybahay, I wouldn't be here in the first place!"

Lalo lamang nagningas ang galit sa mga mata nito.

"Ingrata ka!"

She felt her hand flew on her cheek. Hinayaan niya lamang ito. Kung ito ang makakapagpasaya rito, then so be it.

"This will be the last time that you're going to lay hands on me."

"Is that a dare?"

Akmang sasampalin siya nito, ngunit napigilan niya ang kamay nito.

"Yes." Saka niya ibinalik sa asawa ng kanyang ama ang kamay nito.

"Malakas na ang loob mo, tingnan natin ngayon ang galing mo! I will sell your condo and your studio! Wala ka ng aabutan pa doon. And you will stay here up until your graduation. I'll make sure na hindi ka makakalabas!"

"Whether you like it or not, after your graduation, you will be sent to Asphodel, may it be hook or by crook!"

Gareth was now in the northern part of the kingdom, Asphodel. Ito ang nagsisilbing boarder line ng kaharian sa hilaga. This duchy was very different to Lyonesse and Camelot. All you can see here was vast mountain ranges and all of those were covered in thick snow.

Kakaiba rin ang klima sa lugar na ito. There was no sunshine in this part of the kingdom, tanging snow lamang.

He arrived here eight hours ago. And right now, he was just waiting for the vehicle that would bring him to Frosch, the place where his mother was.

He already sent a message to the physician assigned to his mother. Sinabi niyang bibisita siya sa kanyang ina. That's why he knew that they were expecting him. He also made all of the necessary arrangement

Habang nasa byahe ay hindi pa rin niya mapiglan ang sariling mag-isip. Talaga bang si Arthur ang may pakana ng lahat ng iyon? Diskumpiyado talaga siya sa mga nangyayari. He traced everything. He tried to think of any possible flaw. But everything was perfect. This case did not have any dead ends. All evidences were directly pointing at Arthur.

He later arrived at his mother's temporary shelter. Inaasahan niyang nakaratay pa rin ito dahil sa sakit nito. But he was dead wrong. He found her with a book, patiently waiting for his arrival.

Dapat ay masaya siyang makitang maayos na ito. But something was not right.

Niyakap agad siya nito.

"Maraming salamat at napadalaw ka sa akin dito, Gareth."

He just gave his mother a nod of reassurance.

"Gusto mo ba ng tsaa, mahal na prinsipe?"

"Nope. Maraming salamat sa pag-aalok."

Muli niyang tinitigan ang ina. She seemed pretty energetic, na animo'y hindi ito dinapuan man lang ng isang nakakahahawang sakit.

"Is there something the matter?" tanong nito.

"Wala naman po. May malalim lamang akong iniisip."

"Care to share your thoughts?"

He hesitated a little bit. "How come that you are like this?"

"Like what?"

"Like this!" turan nito sa inis.

Tumawa lamang ito. "You see here my son, we have something to talk about. Care to join me in my study?"

She led her inside a small room. It seemed more of an office than a study area. Sa gitnang bahagi noon ay may isang mesa. Umupo silang dalawa sa magkabilang dulo.

"I'd like to congratulate you, son," Imperial Consort Guinevere started.

"For what?" he asked back.

"For being the conduit of our plan."

Napakunot siya ng noo, "What plan?"

"Hindi ba sinabi sa iyo ng kapatid mo, ni Prinsipe Lancelot?"

He remained quiet. It seemed that there was something more to this plan.

"You see here, Gareth. Me and your big brother are tired of just being the second best..." he could see the glint in her eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" There was already an ugly conclusion forming in his mind but he just let it pass. He needed to confirm it first.

"Simula ng bata pa lamang kayo. Lancelot was always the second one. Second only to the eyes of the King and second only to the eyes of society. He will just be the second-in-line to throne. Ever since then, it had been always Arthur."

"Now, let us see what happens now. Now that the tides were suddenly switched, ang kapatid mo na ang magiging Crown Prince. Once that Arthur was out of the picture, ang kapatid mo na ang mamayagpag."

Noon pa man ay alam na niyang mataas ang ambisyon ng ina. But never had he imagined that she was this power hungry.

"And of course, I will not just be a concubine. I will become the mother of the monarch. I will become a Queen Dowager once Lancelot becomes King."

His blood was now boiling in his every vein but he steeled himself. He was seething in anger now.

"What about those 'accidents'? Kayo rin ba ang may pakana ng lahat ng iyon!?" nagtatagis na ang kanyang bagang.

"Sacrifices are essential for the greater good. Always remember that. I have to pretend to be sick just to straighten every part of the plan. I am stuck here, doing my best for our own good!"

Napatayo na siya sa kinauupuan. He couldn't believe that this woman of her was his mother. He couldn't believe that her ambition to reach the top had gone through tumultuous heights. And he couldn't believe that she will hurt her own children just for this fucking dream!

"And what about Anya? She was you daughter. Don't you know how she endured such excruciating pain?"

Tiningnan lang siya nito. "But it's all for us. Para lang ito sa atinng lahat!"

"Para sa amin o para sa inyo? And what about me? Didn't you know that I almost died? I almost fucking died!"

He couldn't contain his anger anymore. He just suddenly burst. Hindi na niya kilala ang taong nasa harapan niya. She was nothing to him now like a complete stanger.

"Answer me!"

"That was one glitch in to the plan. You are one glitch. We never knew that you'll come back. Inakala lang naming nagpapakasaya ka sa lupain ng lolo mo. But still you did, gusto ka lang turuan ng leksyon ng kuya Lancelot mo."

"So you mean that Lancelot was in this charade also?"

"Yes! Mabuti pa siya't alam ang kanyang tadhana. While you and Anya? Ano ba ang meron kayo? Wala! You are a fourth born and Anya is a girl! This time, kahit papaano, at least may naipakinabang ako sa inyo."

He clenched his fist. This woman was a monster, a power driven monster. He suddenly saw red.

"So you think of us as a sacrificial lamb?"

"I did what I think is needed."

Napatungo na lamang siya. He already lost faith on this woman. She was beyond redemption.

Unting-unting nararamdaman niya ang pagdugo ng kanyang puso. How could his own mother do that to him? To them? To her own flesh and blood?

His fist came in contact to the hard table. He was fucking angry right now, he could kill.

"Don't ever come near us again. Starting today, me and Anya do not have a mother and brother anymore. Tell that to your crown prince! You shove the throne in your own behinds!"

He then decided to leave bago pa tuluyang magdilim ang kanyang paningin.

It had been two days since Gareth returned to Camelot. And in that two days, he was drowning himself with nothing but nicotine and alcohol.

Hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala sa nalaman. It was the connivance of the century. His brother and Mother contrived to oust the Crown Prince at their own expense.

He felt betrayed. Hindi niya inasahang ang mga sariling kadugo pa niya ang gagawa ng ganito sa kanila. He trusted them. He treated them as his family. And what did he got? A whole lot of treachery.

He took one more glass of whisky in his mouth. He needed someone to remove him from this misery. He wanted to be with Steffanie. But he cannot contact her in her phone. Wala rin ito sa condo nito.

He asked his men to look for her. But as of right now, wala pa ring maipakitang sagot ang mga ito.

His phone rang. Umaasa siyang si Steffi yon, but it was not. It was Clarence.

"Your highness, we already found Miss Steffanie."

Nabuhayan ang kanyang kalooban. Finally, magkikita na silang muli ni Steff. After what he had learned, Steff was his only anchor to reality. Without her, hindi na talaga niya alam ang gagawin. Everything in his world right now was in complete chaos. All he needed was her and only her.

"She's at the residence of Duke of Sutherland. Ilang araw na rin siyang naroroon."

He suddenly stiffened. He suddenly remembered the man that brought her home on the Crown Prince's wedding. He was the son of the Duke of Sutherland. What the fuck was she doing at his home? His mind was already drawing a nasty conclusion. But he kept himself composed. He needed to handle this properly.

"Clarence. Find everything that you could about the Duke and his son. Try also to dig deeper sa kung anong koneksyon meron sila. Find footage, people and even documents."

Doon na niya ibinaba ang telepono.

All it took was four solid hours to find out everything that linked Steff with the Duke of Sutherland.

Apat na makakapal na folder ang nakatambad sa kanyang harapan.

He flipped through the folders one by one. Ang una niyang nakita ay ang deed of ownership ng condo at studio ni Steff. Nakapangalan ito kay Michael Angelo Sutherland. Ito pala ang tunay na nagmamay-ari ng tirahan nito.

Nakakita rin siya ng iba't ibang larawang ni Steff at ng binatang Sutherland. They frequently meet in a hotel lobby. Pagkatapos noon, pumapasok ang mga ito sa isang private suite. May mga pagkakataong ang katagpuan naman nito ang Duke. They would also meet in the hotel and book a room together.

The ugly conclusion was now forming in his mind. The anguish feeling in his heart was starting grip his whole being.

Naninikip na ang kanyang dibdib sa mga sumunod niyang nakita. It was Steff's bank account. Ayon sa records na ibinigay sa kanya, all this years, it was the both Sutherlands who financed her living expenses. Ito ang mga nagpapasok ng pera sa kanyang bank account.

So Steff had found herself a sugar daddy and a financier?

He couldn't take it anymore. All the lies and betrayal. First from his own family, and now Steff. How could they do that to him? He trusted them. He loved her. Bakit siya nito niloko? Bakit siya nito pinapaikot?

Naalala niya ang isang pagkakataong nagsinungaling ito sa kanya. Ilang beses pa ba ito nagsinungaling sa kanya. How many of the things she said were true?

He was a fucking fool to believe her! She made him weak! He was disgusted of himself. To think that he even wanted to marry her. She was nothing but a lying whore.

And what about her virginity? Did she fucking faked that as well? His thoughts went to Steff's doctors. They were both good. Hindi imposibleng magawan ng mga ito ng paraan ang virginity nito.

He remembered their times together. Akala niya'y nakita na niya ang taong mamahalin at magmamahal sa kanya. But he was dead wrong! He was fucking wrong! Everything about her made him hate himself more.

He stood his ground. He needed to compose himself. He is Gareth Pendragon. Nobody should mess with him. They will pay for what they did to him. And he'll start with Steff.

It was a gloomy day. The rainy had just kicked in and everything around Gareth was all but bright. Ilang araw na rin ang lumipas ngunit hindi pa rin nagpapakita sa Steff.

She's probably enjoying herself in hands of her financier. Sabagay, ang inaasahan kasi nito'y sampung araw siyang mawawala. It was just the seventh day since he left.

Naupo siya sa isang café. The thought of Steffanie still left a bitter taste on his mouth. Today will mark the start of his revenge to this woman who crushed his heart into pieces.

He was supposed to meet two people today. The first one will be the Duchess of Sutherland.

And speaking of the devil, the woman just entered the café.

She bowed in front of him.

"You may now seat," he said.

"Thank you, your highness."

"Nasa sa iyo na ba ang napag-usapan natin?"

"Opo, naririto na sa akin." May kinuha itong folder mula sa bag. She immediately passed it to him.

Binuklat-buklat niya iyon just to check that everything he wanted was there. Kumpleto ang mga dokumentong naroroon. All of the deeds of sales of Steffanie's condo were there.

"Gaya nang napag-usapan, all the money will be transferred to your account."

"Thank you, your highness. Sa wakas ay madidispatsiya ko na rin ang babaeng iyon."

He just remained quiet for a moment.

"She had been a thwart to my marriage. And now, she is pregnant. Ni hindi naming alam kung sino ba ang totoong ama ng pinagdadala niya. It might have been my husband's or my son's. But either way, we'll have that baby remove."

That information was another kick on his gut. Para siyang tangang naiputan sa ulo ng babaeng iyon. Nangigigil na siya. She'll pay for what she did. Pag natapos siya. She wouldn't even know what hit her. Nagkamali ito ng niloko.

"Go! Now!"

Nagulat ang babae sa kanyang outburst. But he couldn't care less. Agad naman itong lumabas ng café.

Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas at dumating na ang susunod niyang guest.

A smiled formed from the lips of his visitor.

"Thank you for coming, Natalya."