11: Black Council 1

Emy's remaining vacation days were spent in practicing and reading.

Medyo disappointed nga sila Grace at Anika eh. Their Miss was only able to befriend one person during her vacation.

Pero di bale, they would not fail once class started, which was going to happen two days from now.

Today, napilitang lumabas si Emy para mag-enroll. Dahil nagmula siya sa ibang lugar, kinailangan niyang magpakita personally para itala ang kamyang pangalan para sa pasukan.

Okay lang naman dahil makakapaglakad lakad din siya sa loob ng Academy. She heard marami na ang nagbago sa academy every since the explosion happened.

She would definitely check them out today.

***

Grey Academy was a bit busy kapag ganitong araw na lang ang nalalabi before the start of classes.

May mga hahabol kasi sa enrollment lalo na yung mga transferee at mga freshman ng bawat level.

But today, it wasn't just the Academy staffs who were busy.

Black Council was also prepared for today. It was a secret organization mainly inside the campus, pero may iilan ding miyembro outside Grey Academy.

It had quite a long history. More than two decades na rin.

The reason kung bakit naestablish ang Black Council ay para ioppose ang mga nasa Academy board at Supreme group. At the beginning, anyone could say that the Black Council members were composed of activist students. But nowadays, the leadership of the council was using the organization for political means.

And what they intend to do today was to establish to the students and school staffs the power of the council for the beginning of the year. Kahit pa they worked in secret, they had to spread scare and influence in order to be dominant. And today was their perfect chance for that.

Kaya maaga pa lang, their members already gathered in their headquarters within the campus. Hinihintay na lang nila ang signal ng ladyship nila to wear their masks once again and attack the sheeps.

***

"They are gathered now, your highness. What are we supposed to do next?" Tanong ng isang subordinate ni Sebastian sa kanya.

He went in Grey Academy today because his people heard that the Black Council gathered their members today inside the campus.

Malamang they were planning something today. But Sebastian couldn't simply raid this council and catch their members.

Bukod sa sobrang tago ng headquarters nila, his brother, Second Prince Vio was also a member of that organization.

Vio was using the Black Council just like how Sebastian was using Purple Boutique. The difference between them? Mas sikat ang Black Council at napakarami ng record kaya maingat ang mga members nito na hindi makita ang mga mukha nila when in action. As for the Purple Boutique, he had fewer people but more efficient than the members of the Black Council.

"Did you get wind kung anong plano nila?" He asked.

Umiling lang ang tauhan niya sa kanya.

"Then we have to wait."

"P-pero..."

"If you can improve your investigating skills and provide me detailed report about this Black Council, e di sana we can formulate a concrete plan right now. But since that is not the case, we have to wait for them to attack before we can act."

Nanliit ang subordinate niya dahil sa sinabi niya. He didn't care. He didn't give much regards sa mga taong wala masyadong silbi para sa kanya.

But since these people were chosen by the academy board to work hand in hand with him under Supreme Student Group then wala siyang ibang choice.

Siya ang kasalukuyang President ng Supreme Student Group ng Grey Academy. Supposedly, siya ang pinakamakapangyarihang estudyante sa buong academy. But this cursed Black Council was preventing that to happen. Though hindi rin naman siya basta mauupo lang at panonoorin sila to trample him easily.

Not anymore. They had already given him a huge setback after the explosion last year. He wouldn't let that happen again.

"Deploy people around the campus. If the Black Council attacks, do everything you can to protect the people inside the campus."

Mabilis na kumilos ang mga tauhan niya habang nanatili siyang nakatingin sa may bintana ng office niya.

His eyes were caught by Emy. The lady entered the academy grounds kasunod ang kanyang dalawang maidservants. But they weren't those maidservants na inuutusan niya to do her secret stuffs.

Sebastian knew for a fact that she had other two maidservants and lately, they kept on going here and there under her command. These maids were quite skilled. His people couldn't intercept them. They could follow them but as for their orders, he had no means to know them.

Naalala naman niya ng magpunta ang babae sa Purple Boutique. Doon niya napatunayan that the lady was smart. She was able to sway Calix just by her words. But he wouldn't just let her get a hold of him. Calix' skills were essential for him and his plans.

"Where are you going, your highness?" Tanong sa kanya ng isa sa mga subordinates niya when he started walking towards the door.

"I don't think kailangan ko pang ipaalam sayo iyon."

Then he continued walking out the room.

***

Sebastian ended up following Emy. He was very curious about the lady. Others might get deceived by her front but he had a feeling that this girl was hiding a lot of secrets and schemes under her sleeves.

He watched as Emy handed her papers on the registration. After that ay naglakad lakad na ito sa loob ng academy. Her maidservants were still following her. Wala pa namang restriction ngayon dahil wala pang klase kaya nakakasunod pa sa kanya ang mga ito.

They continued walking hanggang sa tumigil si Emy sa may multi-purpose hall.

Bagong tayo lang itong building na to. Originally, it was huge field kung saan ginaganap ang pinakamahahalagang events ng academy. But because of the explosion months ago, the academy board decided to build a building there to cover up the scar that was left by it.

Emy, on the other hand, stood and looked at the building in front of her. Of course, she knew that it was the academy board who decided for this building to be built here. It was a perfect cover for the ugliness of this place.

Nanginig ang kalamnan niya when flashbacks of what had happened befor her death came back to her. It was so vivid. The building wasn't able to stop the images that appeared before her eyes.

She could see herself standing near the biggest tree, watching people gathered in front of that platform they had prepared for the royal family. Marco was sitting there together with the Emperor and the Empress. The other princes were also there.

She could also see as Shereen entered the academy grounds which caused her to be very surprised and nervous at the same time. Even then, hindi na niya maipaliwanag ang naramdaman niya when she saw her little sister there. She had no business there at all so bakit siya naroon?

Her little sister smiled at her. Papalapit pa lamang ito sa kanya when the first explosion started to happen. That very first one killed her sister immediately in front of her eyes.

She was rooted in places. Unable to process what had happened. Hanggang sa ilang pagsabog pa ang nangyari sa paligid niya.

Naramdaman na lang niya na may humawak sa kanya. It was Marco.

He stopped her from approaching the place where her sister was.

"We need to go."

"S-shereen..."

"I know. But we have to go."

She should have listened to him. But no, she still went towards Shereen. Marco followed her.

She agonized over her sister's death na hindi na niya napansin na napapaligiran na siya ng mga taong nakamaskara.

Hanggang sa bigla na lang natumba sa gilidan niya si Marco. He had an arrow pierced in his heart.

"Marco..."

"R-run now, Sammy..."

That's when she only realized what was happening. She looked up and saw the Black Council members.

"What are you doing? Why did you kill your own leader?" She asked them coldly. She didn't have to ask para lang malaman na sila ang may kagagawan ng mga ito. Even killing Shereen and Marco na kasalukuyan noong Leader ng Black Council.

"Leader?"

Kahit hindi magtanggal ng maskara yung nagsalita, kilala niya ito. It was Diana.

"How can we accept a leader who keeps on supporting a traitor like you? We didn't kill him, Samantha. It was you who killed him." Diana laughed viciously bago nag-umpisang maglakad palayo sa kanila.

But before she totally disappeared on Samantha's eyes, tumigil ulit ito at saka nagsmirked sa kanya.

"Goodbye, Samantha."

***

Nangunot ang noo ni Sebastian ng biglang mataranta ang mga maidservants ni Emy. He thought it was the Black Council. Kaya agad agad siyang lumapit sa mga ito.

"Miss..."

Naabutan niyang nakaalalay ang dalawang kasama ni Emy sa kanya while she was clutching her chest and her eyes were shut as if in great pain.

"What happen?" He asked them.

"Bigla na lang po siyang nagkaganyan."

"Give way."

The maids immediately gave him space. He carried Emy and made her sit on the nearest bench.

The lady still looked like as if in great pain. Her breath was even rushed.

Pinulsuhan niya ito at agad na nangunot ang noo niya.

It was panic attack. But why?

"Calm down."

But Emy seemed not to hear him. He decided to press and massage some of her acupoints to help her calm her nerves.

Maya maya lang din ay umaayos na ang paghinga niya. Then she opened her eyes.

Mukhang lutang pa siya nung una. After a moment, her eyes focused on him.

"Fifth Prince..."

Hindi inaasahan ni Sebastian na kilala siya ng dalaga.

"Miss, the Fifth Prince saved you."

Inayos ni Emy ang sarili niya. Saka muling hinarap si Sebastian.

"Thank you, your highness."

Gusto niya sanang itanong kung bakit nagpanic attack ito kanina but stopped himself from doing so.

"We will be going then."

Paalam ng dalaga.

"That's it? Thank you lang tapos aalisan mo agad ako?"

Again, Emy faced him.

"What can I possibly else do for Your Highness? I think you won't be needing rewards in exchange for what you have done. Besides, I don't have anything that can possibly be worthy for your highness' consideration."

Of course, that was not really the case. Pero dahil hindi naman alam ni Emy na alam niya ang mga pinaggagawa nito lately, he couldn't just ask her for her secrets like that.

"Walk with me."

"What?"

"Do I really have to repeat myself?"

Tinignan muna siya ng babae ng ilang segundo bago umiling.

Then he started walking at sumunod sa kanya si Emy.

***