SET (3)

Hindi mawala ang ngiti sa mga labi ni Avery. She is glad that she's not going to get punish. 

*I guess he is a kind Prince.

But there is one thing that Avery wants to ask Darius. 

"Uhmm... Prince Darius?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"C-can I stay here for a little while?"

Napaisip naman si Darius dahil sa sinabi ng dalaga. Nanahimik naman si Avery habang hinihintay ang sagot ng prinsipe. 

"Wala namang problema kung mananatili ka muna rito, but with that dress?" Darius pointed her dress. "I think it will cause us a little problem."

Bahagya namang kumunot ang noo ni Avery at pinagmasdan ang kanyang suot. 

"Why? What's wrong with it?"

"You're in the medieval period, lady. Walang kababaihan ang nagsusuot ng ganyang kaikli na damit," Darius said with a smirk on his lips.

Napapahiya namang ngumiti at tumango-tango si Avery. "Oh, right... Then, what should I do?"

Magsasalita na sana si Prince Darius nang bigla silang nakarinig ng mga katok sa pinto. Darius and Avery started to panick. 

"Quick! Hide behind that mirror!" Darius ordered and pointed out the full-length mirror. Kaagad namang sumunod si Avery at mabilis na nagtago sa likod ng salamin. 

"Your Highness?" the person called out from outside the room. 

Inayos naman ni Darius ang kanyang sarili bago pinatuloy yung tao na nasa labas ng kwarto. 

"Come in," Prince Darius said. 

While on the other hand, medyo kinilabutan si Avery nang marinig ang sinabi ni Darius. Kinilabutan siya dahil ramdam niya ang awtoridad sa tono ng pananalita ng prinsipe. 

*Now I can definitely feel that he is the Prince, with full of authority.*

The door of Prince Darius's room slowly opened and revealed one of the most trusted maid in their castle. A woman in her mid-fifties entered the room. 

"Yes Lila, what is it?" Darius asked nang makapasok na ito sa loob. 

Bahagya namang yumuko ang babae bago sumagot. "I'm here to tidy up your room, Your Highness."

Nang marinig iyon ni Avery, her heart beats rapidly dala ng kaba. 

*Oh gosh! I'm doomed!* 

Lilipat na sana ng pwesto si Avery nang bigla namang sumulpot sa kung saan si Lila, Prince Darius's personal maid. Parehas na nanlaki ang kanilang mga mata dahil sa gulat.

"W-who are you? A-and what are y-you doing in the Prince's room?!" Natataranta at hindi makapaniwalang saad ng babae. 

Hindi na naman alam ni Avery kung ano ang isasagot niya. She is lost of words once again.

Nilapitan naman sila ni Darius na mukhang kalmado lang.

"She is Avery... From the future."

Avery smiled nervously and waved her hand a little. "H-Hi.."

The maid's eyes widened because of what the Prince said. "F-From the future?! Y-Your Highness, y-you must be joking right?"

Prince Darius slightly shakes his head. "I'm not."

Natahimik naman ang babae nang makita kung gaano kaseryoso si Darius.

"H-How did that happen? Paano ka napapunta dito?" Lila confusedly asked Avery. 

"Because of that mirror," she answered and looked at the full-length mirror that is on her side. 

Naguguluhan namang tinignan ni Lila ang salamin. It looks like that she doesn't believe her. Sino ba naman agad ang maniniwala kapag sinabi mong nagmula ka isang salamin? You might look crazy. 

"I don't want to be rude, madam but are you crazy?" 

Napasimangot nalang si Avery. She was expecting for Lila to say that. 

On the other hand, napabuntong-hininga nalang si Darius. She looked at Avery and said, "Go on. Prove it to her." 

Avery nods and faced the mirror. Pinagmasdan lang ni Lila ang bawat galaw ng dalaga. Avery reached out her hand at the mirror, and suddenly her hand pierced through the glass. 

Lila's eyes widened once again because of what she saw. Napaatras pa siya dahil sa labis na gulat at takot. 

"T-This can't be real." Iiling-iling na saad ng babae. 

Inalis na ni Avery ang kanyang kamay sa salamin. "Do you belive me now?"

"P-Paano nangyari 'yon? H-How can a mirror do that?"

Nagkibit lang ng balikat si Avery. "I also don't know. I just found out that there is a magic mirror inside my grandmother's house when I was checking all the rooms."

Napatango-tango nalang si Lila, mukhang kahit papano ay naniwala na siya at kalmado na. "But still, it is surprising. Sino ba naman ang hindi magugulat kung may ganyang klase na salamin sa loob ng silid mo."

"I know right," natatawang saad naman ni Prince Darius. 

He walked towards the door and locked it to make sure that no one can come in and hear their conversation.

"Lila, don't tell anyone about this. Especially about Avery," Darius said with full of authority. 

Bahagya namang ngumiti at yumuko ang babae sa harap ng Prinsipe. "Your secret is safe with me, Your Royal Highness."

Napangiti naman sina Prince Darius at Avery dahil sa sinabi ni Lila. She is definitely Prince Darius's most loyal maid in their castle. 

Lila turned and faced Avery as she still wears that genuine smile of hers. "Welcome to Luxuinia Kingom, Miss Avery."

Avery felt her heart flutter dahil sa kanyang sinabi. "Thank you."

Humanga talaga si Avery sa kanilang dalawa dahil kahit na ilang oras palang silang nagkakakilala and she is just a total stranger, she was still warmly welcomed by Lila and Prince Darius. 

She is really glad that she met this kind of people even though they are from different centuries. A past and from the future. 

"Lila, Avery is going to stay here for a while so I want you to dress her up nicely so no one can recognize her or suspect that she is not from here," Darius ordered. 

"Yes, Your Highness." 

Tumango lang ang binata at binalingan ng tingin si Avery. "I'll be back later, may aasikasuhin lang ako." 

Avery just smiled and nods. 

"Ikaw na ang bahala sa kaniya," Darius said once again to Lila before leaving his room. 

Nang makalabas na ng silid si Darius, Lila faced Avery again and looked at her from head to toe.

"Hmm... I think I know what to do," she said with a mischievous smile on her lips. Kumunot naman ang noo ni Avery dahil sa pagtataka. 

"Wait for me here, miss Avery." 

Instead of answering, Avery just nod at her. Lumabas naman ng silid si Lila. Habang naghihintay ang dalaga, naupo muna siya sa dulo ng malaking higaan. 

Iginala nalang niya ulit ang kanyang mga mata sa kabuuan ng silid. She still can't believe that the mirror let her here inside a Prince's bedroom. Kung sa ibang babae nangyari ito, for sure they will be screaming their lungs out. Especially when a handsome Prince is standing right infront of them. 

She can't deny the fact that she feel really, really lucky. 

*I'm a lucky girl indeed.*