CHAPTER 64 #2
"You will guide her. Teach her everything she needs to know about the empire, its people, its politics, its enemies, and its allies."
Matalim niyang pinagmasdan ang bawat isa.
"As for the half-Erenhals, I want every one of them to become stronger and more skilled. Train them. Make sure they are prepared."
Tumigil si Drakkon sa pagsasalita nang ilang sandali.
"I want all of you to be at your strongest when the time comes. Prepare yourselves, the next time war comes to Vermeleyon, we will not be watching from the shadows again..."
"... after Little Red has summoned her spirit and after I have spoken with the demon inside her, I will leave for a distant place," Drakkon continued. "There are things I need to discover on my own."
He glanced at the others.
"But have faith. I will return when the time is right. I may be far away, but I will not abandon the Erenhals or the coming war."
He paused, his gaze briefly settling on Rassia.
"I believe that when the time comes, I will know exactly when to return."
Pinagmasdan ni Drakkon si Natalia na kasalukuyan nang ginagamot ng kanilang healer. Nanatiling seryoso ang kanyang mukha habang tahimik na pinagmamasdan ang kalagayan nito.
"I believe the coming war may be the key to ending all of this," malamig niyang sambit.
"Perhaps after it is over, we will finally have the peace we have been waiting for. A world where we no longer have to hide our identities, where our blood is no longer feared, and where we can finally stand beside our mates without having to fear the consequences."
Saglit siyang tumahimik.
"Maybe that is what this war is truly meant to bring us... the freedom to finally live without hiding."
Tahimik lamang na nakatingin sa kanya ang kanyang mga anak. Ilang sandali silang nagpalitan ng tingin bago tuluyang nagsalita si Devi.
"Where... are you going, Father?"
Hindi agad sumagot si Drakkon. Kumuha lamang siya ng isang kopita mula sa mesa at dahan-dahang uminom ng dugo na naroon.
Pagkababa niya ng kopita, tahimik niyang tiningnan ang kanyang mga anak.
"Where Vincarion is."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ng lahat nang marinig iyon.
"I have sensed that something is happening," ani Drakkon, seryoso ang kanyang tinig. "At nakasalalay roon ang kaligtasan ng lahat ng lahi. I shouldn't say this yet... but hundreds of years ago, when I first received a vision, do you know what I saw?"
Tahimik na nakatingin sa kanya ang kanyang mga anak. Drakkon's expression darkened.
"Those creatures... those beings who want to erase the world of Arcadeya."
Napatingin ang lahat sa isa't isa.
"They were not simply visions of destruction. I saw them coming from somewhere beyond our world, and wherever they passed, everything seemed to disappear."
Mahigpit niyang hinawakan ang kanyang kopita.
"I believe what I saw hundreds of years ago is finally beginning to happen. Tapos na rin ang paghihintay natin sa Orythea. She has come, and she has been born."
Matalim ang kanyang tingin habang isa-isa niyang tinitigan ang mga Erenhal.
"It is now time to act. For centuries, we have waited for her arrival. Ngayon na narito na siya, hindi na tayo maaaring manatiling nagtatago at naghihintay lamang."
Bahagya niyang ibinaba ang kanyang kopita.
"The time of preparation is over. From this moment forward, we move."
"If there is a greater threat coming, wouldn't it be better to focus on that instead of taking the Erenhal Sartorias Empire?" Cassandra asked.
Drakkon slowly turned his gaze toward her.
"Vermeleyon will be the battlefield."
The room immediately fell silent.
"It is the heart of the continent, and it sits at the center of what is coming. If those beings truly intend to erase Arcadeya, then Vermeleyon will eventually become one of the first places they reach."
He placed his cup down.
"That is why Rassia must take the Erenhal Sartorias Empire before they arrive. She cannot face what is coming while the empire remains weakened, and controlled by people who have no idea what is approaching."
Drakkon's voice became firmer.
"The empire has soldiers, resources, territory, and influence. Rassia will need all of them. More importantly, she needs more people to stand behind her. If she becomes its rightful ruler before the threat arrives, she will have an entire empire capable of defending Vermeleyon."
He looked toward Cassandra.
"This is not about choosing between the coming threat and the empire. Taking the empire is part of preparing for that threat."
A brief silence followed.
"Help her claim it. Guide her, strengthen her forces, and make sure she is ready before the enemy reaches Vermeleyon. Because when that day comes, there will be no time left to prepare."
Drakkon's expression hardened.
"Rassia must have the empire before the real war begins."
1 week later...
Isang linggo na ang lumipas at tuluyan nang gumaling si Natalia. Nang malaman niya ang nangyari kay Vincenzo at kay Rassia, agad niya itong pinuntahan, lalo na nang malaman niyang buntis ito.
Ngunit pagdating niya sa silid, ganoon pa rin ang nadatnan niya.
Tahimik na nakaupo si Rassia habang nakatulala sa bintana, tila wala roon ang kanyang isip.
Umupo si Natalia sa kanyang tabi at nagsimulang magkuwento tungkol sa nangyari sa kanya sa Nervales. Ikinuwento niya kung paano siya hinabol ng mga kaharian at kung paano niya nakaligtas sa kabila ng lahat.
However, Rassia heard every single word.
Naririnig niya ang boses ni Natalia. Nauunawaan niya ang bawat kuwentong sinasabi nito. Ngunit kahit anong pilit niyang makinig, hindi niya mapuno ang matinding kawalan sa loob niya.
Parang may isang bahagi ng kanyang sarili na patuloy na naghihintay sa isang taong hindi pa rin dumarating.
Hinawakan ni Natalia ang palad ni Rassia at marahang pinisil iyon. May namumuong luha sa kanyang mga mata habang pinagmamasdan ang kaibigan na tila wala pa ring reaksyon.
Why does she have to endure all of this?
She lost her family, she lost Vincarion, and now she's carrying his child while having no idea when or if he will ever return...
Napayuko si Natalia, pilit na pinipigilan ang sariling emosyon.
I know she's listening to me. I know she's still here...
Please, Rassia... don't give up on yourself...
Natalia looked at Rassia again. Sumikip ang kanyang dibdib nang mas mapagmasdan niya ang kaibigan. Mas maputla na ito kaysa dati, kapansin-pansin ang malalalim na eyebags at tuyong labi. Malaki rin ang ipinayat ni Rassia sa loob lamang ng isang linggo.
She's carrying Vincarion's child... a child who carries vampire blood...
Napahigpit ang hawak niya sa kamay ni Rassia.
The baby is growing inside her, drawing strength from her body. And with Rassia barely taking care of herself... how long can she keep going like this?
Mas lalo siyang nag-alala nang muling tumingin sa walang ekspresyong mukha ni Rassia.
She needs to take care of herself. Not only for the baby... but for herself, too...
Lumingon si Natalia at bahagyang ngumiti nang makita kung sino ang pumasok.
"Cayena... s-she's still the same," malungkot na sambit ni Natalia.
Tahimik lamang na tumango si Cayena bago niya inilapag at inayos ang mga vinyl records na dala niya. Ibinigay iyon sa kanya ni Lapileon, ngunit naisip niyang baka makatulong ang musika kay Rassia.
"Lapileon gave these to me," mahina niyang paliwanag. "But maybe music could help her."
Isa-isa niyang inayos ang mga vinyl sa maliit na mesa.
"Music has always been something that can reach people even when they don't feel like talking."
Napatingin si Natalia kay Rassia, na nanatiling tahimik habang nakatitig sa bintana.
"So... maybe this can reach her."
Natalia smiled at Cayena. Hindi niya maiwasang pagmasdan ito nang ilang sandali. Talagang kapansin-pansin kung gaano kalaki ang pagkakahawig ni Cayena kay Cassandra, lalo na sa mga mata at hugis ng mukha, ngunit mas malambot at banayad ang kanyang mga features.
Suot ni Cayena ang isang eleganteng itim na lace dress na lalong nagbigay-diin sa kanyang maputing balat at maamong mukha.
She really looks like Cassandra... but somehow, much softer.
Bahagyang napangiti si Natalia bago muling napatingin kay Rassia.
Why must women always be the ones who suffer to survive?
Napatingin si Natalia kay Rassia, at hindi niya maiwasang makaramdam ng kirot sa kanyang dibdib.
I know that look. I've worn it myself.
The fear, the exhaustion, the feeling of having everything taken away from you while everyone expects you to remain strong.
Napahigpit ang hawak niya sa kamay ni Rassia.
Rassia is carrying a child while carrying all this pain inside her. And yet, everyone keeps telling her to be strong, to control her power, to prepare for the future.
But who takes care of the woman who is always expected to endure?
Bahagya siyang napayuko.
Maybe that is why I understand her more than I thought I would.
She doesn't need another person telling her to be strong. She needs someone to remind her that she doesn't have to face everything alone...
Dahan-dahang pinatugtog ni Cayena ang isang kalmadong musika mula sa vinyl. Banayad na napuno ng himig ang silid habang tahimik pa ring nakaupo si Rassia sa tabi ng bintana.
"Cayena... how's your relationship with your mate?" biglang tanong ni Natalia.
Napatingin si Cayena sa kanya at bahagyang napabuntong-hininga.
"We're not together. We don't even have a connection. Even if we did... it's complicated."
Tumango si Natalia, malungkot na ngumiti. "I understand. With everything that happened to us... being an Erenhal makes everything complicated."
Bahagyang napatingin si Cayena kay Rassia. "Sometimes, it feels like being born as an Erenhal means you have to choose between the people you love and keeping them safe..."
Tahimik na sumang-ayon si Natalia. "And sometimes, staying away from your mate is the only way to protect them..."
Cayena stared at Natalia sadly.