CHAPTER 45
Rassia
A tear fell from my eyes when I saw my father walking towards me. Behind him stood a knight with a luxurious crystal box, and inside it was a silver tiara with a maroon gem.
Akala ko ay hindi siya makakapunta.
Oh, father... you really know how to make me cry.
?Huminga ako nang malalim habang pinapanood ang bawat hakbang niya. Sa dami ng kaniyang iniisip at sa bigat ng kaniyang mga tungkulin, hindi ko inaasahan na bibigyan niya ng importansya ang araw na ito.
The silver tiara caught the light, and the maroon gem glowed with a deep, haunting brilliance. It was more than just jewelry, it was a silent promise of my place in this empire.
?"Goodness gracious! Is that the rare silver tiara? He's actually giving it to his daughter!"
?"I heard that tiara is only obtainable by defeating a high-ranking creature. To think he went that far..."
?"He is the Great Swordmaster, after all. It's no wonder he was able to claim such treasure."
?"They say when a man presents that to a woman, it means she is someone he deeply cherishes. How envious!"
?"Awe... what a magnificent sight!"
Ngumiti ako sa aking ama. He gave me a faint, knowing smile in return. Ngunit habang papalapit siya, hindi ko napigilang mapako ang tingin sa sugat sa kaniyang pisngi at noo.
Napadako ang tingin ko sa silver tiara. To the nobles, it was a trophy of his strength. It also symbolized admiration, respect, and status to someone who have it.
To me, it was a painful reminder of how much he was willing to sacrifice for a daughter like me.
Sa tabi ko, ngumiti lang si Lurtheron. He gave me a knowing look before giving us a polite nod, signaling that he would excuse himself to give me and my father some private time.
?"Enjoy your moment, Lady Rassia," Lurtheron whispered softly as he stepped back, disappearing into the crowd of nobles to let the two of us stand together in the spotlight.
Mabilis kong niyakap ang aking ama nang na sa harapan ko na ito.
"Forgive your father, Rassia. I am late."
"Father! So this is what 'important matters' meant, huh? I told you long ago... I don't want that silver tiara anymore..."
?Niyakap ako pabalik ng aking ama nang mahigpit. Sa gilid ng aking mga mata, napansin ko rin ang paglapit nina Russel at Grandfather Galsarius, ang kanilang mga mukha ay bakas ang halo-halong pag-aalala.
?"You are my daughter, Rassia. I should give you everything I have," mahina niyang saad,
"It was also part of your late mother's wishes to spoil you with shining jewels. And I already planned this all along, to give you that tiara at your debutante."
Muli akong napasubsob sa matigas na dibdib ng aking ama. Narinig ko ang kaniyang mahinang pagdaing. Bahagyang nanghina ang kaniyang tindig, isang senyales na ang mga sugat na kaniyang natamo ay hindi biro.
?Napalayo ako nang kaunti, ang aking mga kamay ay nanginginig habang nakahawak sa kaniyang braso.
?"Father, stop talking," bulong ko, "You're hurt... please, stop pushing yourself."
Ngumiti lang ang aking ama, tila binabalewala ang sakit na nararamdaman niya.
?"I can manage, Rassia. It has already been taken care of by our healer. Just one week and it will be fully healed," paninigurado niya.
?Pinagmasdan ko ang kabuuan ng aking ama. Sa kabila ng mga sugat niya, suot niya ang isang marangyang kasuotan na may ginto at pulang detalye, at isang kumikinang na golden brooch na sumisimbolo sa kaniyang mataas na ranggo.
?Hindi halata sa kaniyang tindig na malala ang kaniyang mga sugat sa katawan, tanging ang mga bandage sa kaniyang pisngi at noo ang nagpapatunay na galing siya sa isang madugong labanan.
His presence remained imposing and regal, a true Great Swordmaster who refused to show any sign of weakness in front of his people and most especially, in front of me.
?"But still..." I whispered, my eyes lingering on the white bandages. "You shouldn't have risked your life..."
?My father signaled the knight to step forward. As the crystal box was opened under the glow of the chandeliers, the silver tiara seemed to possess a life of its own. The maroon gem at its center shimmered like a smoldering ember.
Inabot niya ang tiyara at maingat itong ipinatong sa aking ulo. Ramdam ko ang lamig ng pilak sa aking buhok.
?"There," bulong niya, at pinagmasdan ako nang may halong pagmamalaki. "Now you look like the daughter of a Swordmaster. A true princess of our blood."
?I looked into his eyes once more. Despite the bandages on his face and the exhaustion in his posture, I saw a flicker of genuine joy.
I knew he had done this to show every noble in the hall that I was his most precious treasure, far more valuable than any title or jewel he had won in battle.
?"Thank you, Father. This is the happiest moment of my life."
My voice nearly cracked under the weight of my emotions. I no longer cared about the heavy silver on my head or the shocked expressions of the surrounding nobles.
"Can I have this dance, my daughter?"
He offered me his hand, standing tall despite the pain hidden beneath his wounds.
?"But father... your wounds," bulong ko.
?"A dance with my daughter is the best medicine," biro niya, at bahagyang ngumisi.
?Dahan-dahan kong ipinatong ang aking kamay sa kaniyang palad. Ang musika sa bulwagan ay nagsimulang tumugtog.
?We danced. With every step, it felt as if the world had stopped just for the two of us. Amidst the music, I no longer felt the eyes watching, all that mattered was my father's steady hand guiding me through the night.
"Happy birthday, Rassia. You are just as beautiful as your mother... This is also her death anniversary... I miss her so bad, Rassia..."
Sa gitna ng sayaw, nakita ko ang pangungulila sa kaniyang mga mata, isang sakit na kahit ang pinakamalakas na Swordmaster ay hindi kayang talunin.
"I know, father. I miss her too. But I know she's watching us right now with a smile on her face."
?"Yes... she is," mahina niyang sagot. "And she would be so proud of the woman you have become, Rassia."
"Father, despite how strong I look, deep in my veins, I am scared... for House Quentin, if the people watching us find out the truth about my power," mahina kong bulong...
"Don't worry, I managed to hide that demon in your mother. I will make sure I will also protect you."
Sumikip ang dibdib ko nang maalala kung paano namatay ang aking ina.
?"Father... do you know the person who poisoned my mother?"
?"Yes, he was a Marquess, an enemy of House Quentin. Don't worry, I already killed him."
?Napatitig ako sa kaniya, ang aking puso ay mabilis na tumitibok. Ang katarungang matagal ko nang gustong malaman ay matagal na palang naisakatuparan ng kaniyang sariling mga kamay.
Subalit sa kabila ng lahat, hindi ako mapanatag, tila may bumubulong sa aking mayroong hindi tama.
?"Any man wishing to court Lady Rassia would need courage worthy of legends," the Emperor joked, his gaze landing on us.
?A wave of laughter erupted from the nobles.
?Nginitian kong muli ang aking ama bago muling ibinaling ang paningin sa paligid. Nagsasayaw na ang iba, ngunit hinahanap ng aking mga mata ang presensya ni Vincenzo. Wala pa rin siya.
?"I see, you seem sad because of the absence of the Crown Prince," ani ng Duke sa mahinang tinig.
"Don't worry, he's already here."
Napatingin kaming lahat sa sampung Imperial knights na biglang humarap sa amin. Nabaling ang atensyon ng buong bulwagan sa kanilang presensya.
?"Lady Rassia Saint Quentin," pag-anunsyo ng isa sa kanila.
"His Highness, the Crown Prince, requests your presence outside of the Quentior Palace, along with the rest of the nobility gathered here."
My eyes widened and I looked at my father. He only gave me a simple nod and a smile. He placed my hand on his arm, escorting me toward Vincenzo.
?The nobles followed behind us. The Imperial Family walked by our side, and I noticed the Empress steal a quick glance at my father.
?Damn you, Empress. You're standing right beside the Emperor, yet you can't keep your eyes off my father. Stop looking at him!
Huminga ako nang malalim at pilit na pinakalma ang aking sarili.
Marahan kong niluwagan ang pagkakahawak sa braso ng aking ama, ayokong mahalata niya ang tensyong namumuo sa aking mga daliri.
Nais kong maging masaya sa gabing ito, isang pagkakataon na puno ng pag-asa na hindi ko hahayaang madungisan ng empress na ito.
?Napanganga na lang ako sa aking nakita rito sa labas.
?Nakahilera ang mga Imperial Knights sa dalawang panig at sa kanilang tabi ay ang kani-kanilang makukulay na Animal Spirit na nakayuko sa aking pagdaan. Ang bawat lupang aking inaapakan ay tila naging carpet dahil sa mga pulang rosas na ikinalat sa sahig.
?Sa dulo ng hanay, nakita ko si Vincenzo.
Nakangiti siya sa akin habang may hawak na bouquet.
Kahit sa malayo, hindi maikakaila ang kanyang taglay na kakisigan.
Suot niya ang isang pilak na suit na lalong nagpaangat sa kanyang matikas na pangangatawan, ngunit ang tunay na agaw-eksena ay ang maroon na sash at kapa na nakasabit sa kanyang balikat.
Ang bawat gintong burda at mga palamuti sa kanyang dibdib ay kumikinang sa ilalim ng gabi, habang ang kanyang kapa ay marangyang humahaplos sa sahig.
He really looked like a prince... my prince.
Napatigil ako sa harap ng dalawang dambuhalang mahinang umuungol sa kanyang likuran, at hindi ko napigilang mapangiti.
?Maging sina Dragoroth at Razareth ay narito rin.
?Sa gitna ng gabi, bumabalot ang purple mana ni Dragoroth sa kanyang katawan, habang ang gintong mana naman ni Razareth ay tila sumasayaw sa kanyang paligid. Yumuko si Razareth sa aking harapan.
?"Happy born day, Mother. I hope you enjoy your day," I heard her voice echo in my mind.
?I smiled and gave a small nod. "Thank you, Razareth. I am glad you and Dragoroth are here."
?My father turned to me, his gaze shifting from the bowing dragons to my face.
?"Did you know," he whispered, "that only you and Vincenzo have ever tamed a dragon?"
?"Yes, Father," I replied softly.
?The moment I tamed Razareth, I felt a deep connection snap into place between us. It was as if our souls became intertwined, allowing us to understand each other's emotions on a level that words could never reach.
?Nang marating namin ang kinaroroonan ni Vincenzo, dahan-dahang kumalas ang aking ama sa akin.
Sandali siyang tumigil at nagpalitan sila ni Vincenzo ng isang malalim at makahulugang tingin, isang tahimik na pagkilala na tanging silang dalawa lamang ang nakakaunawa.
Matapos iyon, tinalikuran niya kami at tahimik na umalis, iniwan kaming dalawa sa gitna ng mga rosas at ng mga dambuhalang dragon.
Ang mga noble naman ay nakamasid lamang sa amin, at bakas sa kanilang mga mukha ang labis na pagkatuwa at pagkamangha.
Tila hindi nila maalis ang kanilang mga paningin sa mga Imperial Knights at sa mga dambuhalang Animal Spirit na nananatiling nakayuko sa aming harapan.
Ang presensya ng mga dragon ay nagbigay ng isang uri ng karangyaan at kapangyarihan na bihirang masaksihan ng sinuman sa isang banquet.
?A moment later, I turned to Vincenzo and found him smiling at me. He handed me a bouquet of red lilies.
?I felt a spark of curiosity. How did he know that red lilies were my favorite?
?He looked so handsome... my mate was truly breathtaking. As I looked at him, a heavy thought crossed my mind.
?Aurelius Quentin, if you are watching us, I am deeply sorry. I love him so much that I simply cannot stay away from him.
Inamoy ko ang mga bulaklak, ang bango nito ay tila humahaplos sa aking sistema. Pero kahit na kinikilig ako sa loob, pabiro ko siyang sinamaan ng tingin. Ang pilyong ngisi sa kanyang mga labi ay lalong nagpagwapo sa kanya, at nakakainis na alam niyang apektado ako.
?"Tss... I cannot forgive you for being so late, Vincenzo," sabi ko sabay irap.
?"Is that so?" he whispered, his eyes dancing with mischief.
Umirap akong muli para itago ang kilig, pero alam kong huli na ako. "But your eyes say... otherwise."
"Anong pakulo ito, Vincenzo?"
?Hindi ko akalain na may ganitong romantic side pala ang prinsipeng ito.
Sumenyas siya sa gilid, at sa isang kumpas ng kanyang kamay, biglang tumunog ang orchestra.
?Napatigil ang mundo ko nang marinig ang pamilyar na himig. Teka! Ang kantang iyon! sa mundo lang ng mga ordinaryong tao sikat iyon! Paano niya ito nalaman?
?The orchestra began to play a grand, orchestral version of Can't Help Falling in Love.
Napanganga ako habang nakatingin sa kanya.
?"I asked Leonardo," he said, his smirk turning into a gentle, knowing smile. "His mate is an ordinary human from Holmeia, and he said this song is a classic. I thought it suited us perfectly."
?"Take my hand, baby,"
Dahan-dahan kong ipinatong ang aking kamay sa kanyang palad.
Sa ilalim ng liwanag ng buwan at ng kumikinang na mana nina Dragoroth at Razareth, nagsimula kaming sumayaw. Ang mundo sa paligid namin, ang mga mapanghusgang mata ng mga nobles, ang masamang tingin ng Empress, maging ang ingay ng paligid ay unti-unting naglaho.
?"Wise men say... only fools rush in,"
Natawa ako sa linyang iyon.
We truly were fools who rushed into love.
In the sea of Luminara, I surrendered myself to him without even realizing when it happened. Everything happened so quickly.
His voice, and his smile slowly became my weakness. No matter how much I tried to stop it, I could not stop myself from falling in love with him.
I feel so... right about him.
It terrified me how easy it was.
In my previous life, I used to dream of a slow kind of love. Something calm and steady. A love that would grow little by little, like a candle slowly burning through the night.
But loving him felt nothing like that.
He came into my life like a wildfire, fast, dangerous, and impossible to control. He consumed every careful thought I had about love until all that remained was him.
And maybe that was why I loved him so much.
Because for the first time in my life, love did not feel distant or uncertain.
It felt inevitable.
Naramdaman ko ang kanyang magkabilang kamay sa aking baywang, iniangat niya ako nang bahagya para mas mapalapit sa kanya. "You look beautiful tonight, Rassia," bulong niya habang dahan-dahan kaming umiikot. "At sa gabing ito, wala akong pakialam kung anong isipin nila."
Sumandal ako sa kanyang dibdib, dinaramdam ang bawat tibok ng kanyang puso na sumasabay sa ritmo ng kanta. Sa gitna ng kaguluhan ng aming mga mundo, sa bisig lang niya ako nakakahanap ng kapayapaan.
?Sa mahinang tinig, sumabay ako sa agos ng kanta.
?"But I can't help falling in love with you,"
?Nanatili kaming ganoon ang posisyon, magkayakap sa gitna ng malamig na simoy ng gabi.
?"I love you, Rassia..."
?Napatigil ako. Tila tumigil ang pagtibok ng puso ko sa kanyang sinabi. This was the first time he had ever said those words to me.
Hindi ko napigilan ang paglandas ng mga luha sa aking pisngi, hindi dahil sa lungkot, kundi dahil sa halo-halong emosyon na hindi ko maipaliwanag.
?Tumingala ako sa kanya, ang aking paningin ay malabo dahil sa luha.
"Why do you love me, Vincenzo? Is it just because of our mate bond? Dahil ba nakatadhana tayo kaya ganito ang nararamdaman mo?"
Vincenzo stopped dancing. He cupped my face with both of his hands, his thumbs gently wiping away my tears. He looked at me with an intensity that made me feel like I was the only person in the entire universe.
?"I love you because you are you, Rassia," he began, he leaned down until our foreheads were touching.
?"Even if the bond disappeared tomorrow," he whispered, "I would still find my way back to you. I would still choose to fall in love with you in every lifetime. You are not just my mate, Rassia. You are my home."
"Should I stay?"
?"But... Vincenzo, our existence... that's what I'm worried about," bulong ko, ang boses ko ay bahagyang nanginginig. "Every day feels like a countdown. Pakiramdam ko, anumang oras ay malalaman nila ang katotohanan."
?"You carry the blood of Old Erenhal, isang dugong matagal nang gustong burahin ng mundong ito.
And I..." huminga ako nang malalim, pilit na pinapakalma ang dilim na nagkukubli sa aking kaibuturan.
"I have a demon inside of me, Vincenzo. We are two forbidden souls dancing in a world that wants us dead. "
"Would it be a sin?"
?"Let's keep it a secret, baby," he whispered,
"Let's bury it deep inside our souls. Let's live as if we don't carry that weight. I didn't choose this bloodline, and you didn't choose that darkness, but we choose each other. That is the only thing that is real."
?I wanted to believe him. I wanted to let his words be the shield that protected me from the world. But as I looked past his shoulder, I saw them.
"If I can't help falling in love with you?"
?"The people are watching, Vincenzo," I said, "They are also the ones who will be our judges. They aren't just guests at my banquet, they are the executioners waiting for us to stumble."
?
?"Then let them watch. Let them watch us play the roles they want to see.
We will give them the fairytale they crave while we hide our truth in the spaces between our heartbeats.
If we have to wear masks for the rest of our lives just to stay together, then I will be the best actor this empire has ever seen. "
?"We'll be living a lie," tugon ko.
"Can you live like that? kaya mo bang mabuhay sa isang mundong bawat ngiti natin ay may itinatagong lihim?"
Vincenzo didn't look away. Instead, he reached out and took my hand, pressing it against his chest where I could feel his heartbeat.
?"Rassia," he said, his voice dropping to a gravelly, intimate level.
"I have lived my entire life in a lie. I was born into a palace built on secrets and blood.
Living another lie with you isn't a burden, it's the only way I know how to survive.
If the cost of keeping you is wearing a mask for the rest of my days, then I will wear it gladly. "
?"I'd rather live a lie with you than live a truth without you," he vowed. "Ang mahalaga ay ang katotohanang narito tayo ngayon. Ang mahalaga ay ang nararamdaman natin sa likod ng mga maskarang suot natin. So tell me, my empress... are you brave enough to be a lie with me?"
?"Vincenzo... c-can we just run away?"
?Ang mga salitang iyon ay lumabas sa aking mga labi bilang isang pagsusumamo. Mahigpit kong hinawakan ang kanyang manggas, ang aking mga daliri ay nanginginig sa takot at pag-asa.
?"Rassia... I have people to rule, too. As much as I love you, I also love my people. I am the shield that stands between them and the chaos of the borders. If I leave, the Empress will turn this empire into a graveyard."
?"To run away would be to save ourselves but condemn thousands to a slow, agonizing death. Could we ever truly be happy, knowing our peace was bought with their blood?" he continued.
?I closed my eyes. The reality hit me harder than any physical blow.
He wasn't just my mate, he was their hope.
And as much as I wanted to be selfish, I knew that the very thing I loved about him, his nobility, his strength, his sense of duty was exactly what kept him tied to this throne.
?"So we stay," I whispered against his chest.
"We stay and we play this dangerous game until the very end."
?"We stay. But we don't just survive, Rassia. We win. Together."
Nginitian ko siya at hinawakan ang kaniyang dalawang pisngi.
?"Your silver tiara... it suits you so well," bulong niya, habang ang mga mata niya ay nakapako sa bawat detalye ng korona sa buhok ko. "It's perfectly made for you, baby. Gusto ko sanang ako ang magbigay niyan sa iyo, but Master is already fighting that creature..."
"But you know what would suit you even better? My surname."
?"Tss... don't joke around, Vincenzo..." namumula kong tugon, trying to look away. My heart was thumping so loud, feeling ko baka naririnig na niya iyon.
But suddenly, he let go of my waist. Umalis siya sa aming posisyon, and for a second, I felt cold without his touch.
Slowly, with the grace of a true king, yumukod siya at lumuhod sa harap ko. Out of nowhere, he produced a small, velvet red box.
The ring had a massive ruby gem in it. It was deep red.
?"I am not joking, Rassia," he said while looking up at me, he ignored the shocked whispers of the nobles and the Empress's furious gaze.
?He held the box higher, his gaze unwavering.
"I am asking you to be my wife, not just because you are my mate, but because I cannot imagine ruling this empire without you by my side. So, Lady Rassia Saint Quentin... will you take my hand and my name?"
"Some things are meant to be..."
The world stopped. Wala akong ibang naririnig kundi ang mahinang dagundong ni Dragoroth at ni Razareth.
?"Will you marry me, Rassia?"
"Take my hand..."
Naramdaman ko ang panunuyo ng lalamunan ko. I looked at the ruby, it looked like a drop of blood, a reminder of the The Blood of Old Erenhal legacy he carries and the demon that lives inside me.
Mapanganib kaming dalawa. We are a disaster waiting to happen.
?"Vincenzo..." I whispered, my voice trembling. "Alam mo kung ano ang itinatago ko. Alam mo kung gaano kagulo ang buhay na papasukin natin. If I say yes, there's no turning back. It's us against the whole world."
?"I know," he replied, a small, brave smile forming on his lips. "And I'd rather go to war with the whole world by my side than live in a peaceful empire without you. Handa akong maging kalaban ng lahat, as long as I get to go home to you every night."
"Take my whole life too..."
?
I looked at the Empress, she looked like she was about to explode in rage and then back to the man kneeling before me.
Dahan-dahan kong nararamdaman ang pag-agos ng luha sa mga pisngi ko, but for the first time, it wasn't because of fear.
?"Yes," I finally breathed out, the word feeling like the most powerful spell I've ever cast.
"Yes, Vincenzo. I will marry you."
"For I can't help falling inlove with you..."
?Dahan-dahan niyang isinuot ang ruby ring sa daliri ko. The cold metal felt heavy, a permanent mark of our pact. Then, Vincenzo stood up with pride and looked straight at my father. I followed his gaze, searching for any sign of support.
?Katabi ng aking ama ang kapatid ko, si Russel. My younger brother was frowning, his brow deeply furrowed as he looked back and forth between me and Vincenzo. He looked so confused, at pasimpleng sinesenyasan ang aking ama as if asking.
But father just looked away, his jaw tight, refusing to meet our eyes.
Sa tabi naman nila, my grandfather, Galsarius, stood like a statue.
He had a dead-serious expression, his sharp eyes judging the scene as if he were reading a prophecy he didn't like.
Silence was their only response, and it felt like a heavy weight in the air.
Vincenzo, however, didn't let the cold reception dampen his spirit. He shifted his attention back to me.
?"Then, your father gave me his permission... kahit hindi siya nagsasalita," he whispered, a smirk playing on his lips. "So... let me kiss you, baby."
Before I could even respond, he leaned in and captured my lips with his. And that moment, fireworks began to explode above the Quentior palace gardens.
Biglang nagsulputan ang mga alitaptap na may gintong liwanag, dahan-dahang sumasayaw sa paligid na tila mga bituing bumaba mula sa langit.
?The sky turned into a canvas of gold, red, and violet. Sumabay ang malakas na dagungdong nina Dragoroth and Razareth.
They fly to the dark sky, their glowing mana trailing behind them like ribbons of fire. They were dancing in the air, spinning and diving, as if even the dragons were celebrating the union of their masters.
?And that night, it became official. We were engaged, a union of House Vacardi and House Quentin.
I just hoped we made the right decision.