CHAPTER 64
In Vlymir
4 months later...
After Rassia found out that she was three weeks pregnant, she passed out in Drakkon's arms.
Four months had passed since that day, and the small curve of her stomach had already begun to show.
But with every passing day, Rassia grew quieter. She barely spoke to anyone.
The Erenhals took turns caring for her, making sure she ate, rested, and had everything she needed. Yet Rassia remained in her room most of the time, sitting quietly by the window.
She would simply stare outside for hours, her expression completely blank.
Ngunit sa kabila ng lahat, labis pa rin ang pasasalamat ng mga Erenhal na kahit paano ay kumakain siya at pumapayag na tulungan nila sa pagbibihis at pagligo. Hindi man siya nagsasalita nang marami, kahit ang maliliit na bagay na iyon ay sapat nang senyales na unti-unti pa rin siyang kumakapit.
Nakaupo si Devi sa isang marangyang itim na sofa habang tahimik na pinagmamasdan ang apoy sa fireplace. Dahan-dahan niyang iniikot ang kanyang kopita, tila malalim ang iniisip.
Sa kabilang bahagi ng silid, tahimik namang humihigop ng kanilang alak sina Vladimir at Lapileon, kapwa halatang may mabibigat ding iniisip.
Naka-dekwatro naman ang pagkakaupo ni Lucius, nakasandal sa sofa habang tahimik na nakatingin sa apoy. Samantala, nakasandal si Thaddeus sa pader, nakakrus ang mga braso at seryosong nakikinig sa katahimikan ng silid.
Kasalukuyang wala roon sina Haring Drakkon, Cassandra, Morticia at Dimitrius dahil sakanilang personal na pinagkaka-abalahan.
"I am concerned about Rassia's condition," Lapileon finally said, his expression serious. "King Drakkon believes she is suffering from severe emotional distress, and she has begun withdrawing from everyone around her."
"She needs time, patience, and people who will continue to stay by her side. We cannot force her to recover before she is ready..." ani Devi.
The Erenhals fell silent. Alam nilang hindi maaaring magpatuloy nang matagal ang kondisyon ni Rassia nang ganoon. Habang lumilipas ang mga araw na nananatili siyang tahimik, walang gana, at tila malayo ang kanyang isip, mas lalo silang nag-aalala.
Alam nilang maaaring maapektuhan din nito ang bata.
Nagkatinginan ang mga Erenhal, ngunit walang sinuman ang agad nakapagsalita.
Hindi lamang si Rassia ang kailangan nilang protektahan ngayon. Kailangan din nilang tiyaking ligtas ang batang dinadala niya.
"The reason Rassia survived the sea..." Lapileon continued, "was because of little Vincarion in her womb..."
Natahimik ang lahat.
"I believe the baby inherited the water affinity from Vincarion's blood. The element of the Vacardi." tango ni Lucius.
"Even while Rassia was unconscious, the baby's mana may have instinctively protected her from the sea. That could explain how she survived despite everything." napabuntong-hininga si Vladimir.
"Perhaps... the child is the reason both of them survived that day..." Thaddeus mumbled.
Ilang sandali, napatingin si Thaddeus kay Lapileon, biglang nagkaroon ng kaunting ngisi sa kanyang labi.
"You feel that it is little Vincarion? I want their baby to be a girl."
Napataas ang kilay ni Lapileon. "Why?"
"Because I said so." Thaddeus shrugged. "Imagine it. A little girl with Rassia's attitude and Vincarion's face. She would be terrifying..."
Napailing si Vladimir. "You're already giving the child a personality."
"I'm simply preparing everyone."
Si Lucius, na kanina pa tahimik, ay napangisi.
"I want a boy."
Thaddeus immediately looked at him. "Why?"
"So he can inherit Vincarion's arrogance."
"And what if it's a girl?"
Lucius smirked. "Then she can inherit Rassia's stubbornness."
Napatingin silang lahat sa isa't isa.
"... that child is doomed." bulong ni Devi.
Pinagsiklop ni Lapileon ang kanyang mga kamay at bahagyang ngumiti. "If Vincarion is taking too long to return, I will be the father figure of their baby. I'll spoil her... or him, with everything they could possibly want."
Napatingin sa kanya si Thaddeus.
"You? a father figure?"
"Why not?"
"Because you'll probably teach the child how to read medical books before they can even walk."
Lapileon rolled his eyes. "At least the child will be intelligent."
Napangisi si Thaddeus. "Fine. Then I'll be the fun uncle. I'll teach them everything their parents will forbid."
"Absolutely not." agad na singit ni Vladimir. "You are exactly why the child needs supervision."
Habang nagtatalo ang mga Erenhal, unti-unting gumaan ang mabigat na atmosphere sa silid.
Sa kabila ng kanilang mga pangamba kay Rassia, may isang bagay silang pinagkakaisahan.
Kung sakaling matagalan man ang pagbabalik ni Vincenzo, hindi hahayaang maramdaman ng kanyang anak na nag-iisa ito.
They would all be there for the child.
"Their child carries high noble blood," ani Thaddeus.
Napatingin siya sa iba.
"This child is the offspring of the rightful heir to the throne of the Erenhal Sartorias Empire. So yes... this baby deserves to be spoiled."
Tumango si Lapileon. "Exactly."
Napabuntong-hininga si Vladimir. "I already know this child is going to be impossible to discipline."
Tumayo si Lucius at dahan-dahang uminom mula sa kanyang kopita. Saglit siyang natahimik bago niya muling tiningnan ang lahat.
"The blood of Aurelius Archimedes Quentin and Veaumont Stavros Vacardi... has become one."
Bahagya niyang ibinaba ang kopita.
"How fascinating..."
Tila namamangha siya sa mismong ideya.
"Two honorable bloodlines, now united in a single child. The blood of the Old Erenhal, the Vacardi, and the Quentin... all within one lineage."
Napangiti nang bahagya si Thaddeus.
"That child is going to be ridiculously powerful."
Biglang namatay ang apoy sa fireplace. Napalingon ang lahat nang may liwanag na unti-unting nabuo sa kabilang bahagi ng silid. Isang mahiwagang lagusan ang dahan-dahang bumukas, dahilan upang sabay-sabay silang mapatingin dito.
Mula sa lagusan ay unang lumitaw sina Cassandra at Dimitrius. Ngunit bago pa man sila makapagsalita, natigilan ang lahat nang makita kung sino ang kasunod nilang lumabas.
"Natalia..." mahinang sambit ni Devi.
Walang malay si Natalia habang karga siya ni Drakkon. Maputla ang kanyang mukha at tila wala siyang malay sa anumang nangyayari sa paligid.
Agad na nagbago ang dating pilyong ekspresyon ni Thaddeus.
Nawala ang ngiti sa kanyang mukha, napalitan ng matinding galit nang makita ang kalagayan ng kanyang nakababatang kapatid.
May mga pasa at sugat sa kanyang katawan, habang makikita ang mga marka ng latigo sa kanyang balat.
Napahigpit ang pagkakahawak ni Thaddeus sa kanyang kopita hanggang sa manginig ang kanyang mga daliri at nabasag ito. Agad tumulo ang dugo sakanyang kamay dahil doon ngunit mabilis din iyong humilom.
"Who... did this to her?" Lapileon asked coldy
Samantala, maingat na ibinaba ni Drakkon si Natalia sa sofa.
"She's alive," malamig niyang saad. "But we need to treat her immediately."
"After her mate found out that she was a vampire, he himself ordered her execution on the same day as Rassia, Vincarion, and Cayena's execution," ani Cassandra, mabigat ang boses.
Tahimik ang lahat habang nagpapatuloy siya.
"Nagkagulo rin sa kontinente ng Nervales. And... she managed to escape, pero hindi siya tinigilan ng mga kaharian. Nagkaisa silang lahat para hanapin at patayin siya. Kahit gaano siya kalakas, wala siyang pa rin siyang kawala dahil pinagtulungan siya ng mga kaharian."
Napahawak si Lucius sa kanyang mukha, halatang hindi matanggap ang kanyang narinig.
"Fuck it! We should have intervened! We should have helped her!"
"Lucius..." mahinang sambit ni Vladimir.
"But if we had intervened and revealed ourselves, this entire world would be at stake!" singit ni Devi, seryoso ang kanyang ekspresyon. "The moment the other continents discovered that the Erenhals were involved, Vermeleyon would seek help from Nervales, Palazan, and Oseanus just to hunt us down!"
Napatingin siya kay Natalia.
"Hindi lamang si Natalia ang malalagay sa panganib. Lahat tayo! hindi na ang Erenhal Sartorias ang haharapin natin! it's us againts the world of Arcadeya!"
Huminga nang malalim si Devi.
"Alam na iyon ni Natalia. That is why she forbade us from intervening. She knew that if we showed ourselves, the situation would become much worse. She believed she could handle it herself..."
"But look at her now!" galit na sigaw ni Lucius.
Napatahimik si Devi.
"Look at what happened because we listened to her!"
Walang nakasagot.
"Kapag nakarating ang balitang nakaligtas si Natalia sa Vermeleyon, siguradong gagawin ng Holy Cathedral ang lahat upang hanapin siya. They will turn every kingdom against her. And this time, they won't stop until they find her."
Napatingin si Thaddeus kay Natalia, tahimik ngunit halatang kumukulo ang galit.
"Especially because she's a vampire!"
"Quiet."
Malamig ang boses ni Drakkon, dahilan upang tuluyang manahimik ang buong silid. Isa-isa niyang tiningnan ang kaniyang mga anak bago muling nagsalita.
"From now on, I forbid all of you from seeing your mates for the time being. I know this will not be easy, but the situation has changed. We can no longer act carelessly or allow our emotions to interfere with what is coming."
Bahagya siyang huminga.
"Even I have important matters to attend to. After Little Red gave birth, I will personally oversee her training. I will teach her how to control her Eternal Flame and how to summon a Sovereign Spirit."
Tumalim ang kanyang tingin.
"And I also need to speak with the demon inside her. I have questions about what happened hundreds of years ago. There are things I need to understand, things that only the highest beings of Gadesea could possibly answer."
Saglit na tumahimik si Drakkon bago muling tumingin sa kanyang mga anak.
"And all of you... I need you to become Rassia's knowledge and advisers when she takes the Erenhal Sartorias Empire."
Bahagyang nagbago ang ekspresyon ng lahat.