Prologue

Prologue.

"Lady Marina?"

Hmmm…

A soft feminine voice echoed inside my ears. I was so lovely, ang boses nito ay parang isang lullaby. Instead of making me awake, it makes me more sleepy than ever.

Ano ba yun? Ang aga pa ah? Weekend naman ngayon diba? I don’t have class today, for pete’s sake! Kaya naman please, patulugin nyo po ako. Madaling araw na akong nakatulog dahil tinapos ko pa yung novel na binasa ko kagabi. All I need is one thing, it is called sleep. 

Instead of waking up, I just ignore the voice dahil it's too early.

"Lady Marina!?" someone from the other side of the room called out again. 

Ano ba yan!? Ang aga-aga may nang-iistorbo na naman. Hindi ba nila alam ang kasabihan na, “Gisingin mo na ang lasing, wag lang ang natutulog.”

Imbes na tumayo ay kinuha ko ang malambot na unan na nasa aking gilid at tinakpan ang aking tainga, habang ang isa ko namang kamay ay hinablot ang malambot na kumot at hinila ito hangang  mabalot nito ang buo kung katawan. 

"Lady Marina!? Buksan nyo po itong pinto!" Shouted by someone, at may kasama pang malakas na katok sa pinto na para bang gusto nya itong wasakin. 

Hay ano ba yan! Sabado ngayon at wala kaming pasok! For pete's sake naman oh! Gusto lang po ng tao matulog! Gusto ko lang pong matulog! At wag nyo pong sirain ang pinto, wala po akong pera pampa-ayos nyan at saka hindi pa po end of the world!

"Lady Marina, please open this door!" Sigaw ng babae sa labas ng pinto. 

I groaned, hearing the girl outside shouting for the nth time. I almost throw the pillow dahil pa-ulit-ulit na lang, parang isang sirang plaka. Leaving me with no choice, kahit ayaw ko pa talaga ay napilitan akong ma-upo sa malambot na kama.  I calmed myself down and erased my irritation.

My eyes are still sleepy and half-closed. I tried opening it pero wala talaga akong makita kundi, blurry pictures. I can’t even identify what’s in front of me. Whenever, I open my eyes, humahapdi ito. Kaya kapag minumulat ko ang mga ito ay hindi ma-iwasang maluha.

I yawned, stretching my arms and limbs. Grabe! na pakasarap sa pakiramdam. I really did have a good night sleep, dahil ito sa malambot na unan, kumot at kama. 

"Lady Marina!? Please answer me!"

I sighed, thinking who the hell is it. Tumayo ako mula sa pagkaka-upo at dahan-dahan na naglakad papunta sa pinto. I walked like a drunkard, swaying left and right. I can’t even see the room clearly because my eyes are swelling up. 

Ang tagal ko bang natulog kaya ganito kahapdi ang mata ko? 

I asked myself a stupid question. The proper question should be, “Kailan ba ako natulog ng maaga? Natulog pa ba ako?”

I silently laughed at myself. Maybe for the first time since forever, this is probably the best and longest sleep I had.

‘When did I have good sleep?’

I shrugged at that thought.

Nang makarating ako sa tapat ng pinto, I immediately pressed my hands on the surface, trying to find the doorknob. When my fingers touch the door, I felt the cold smooth wooden surface. Napakunot ang noo ko ng maramdaman ito. I was confuse dahil hindi naman makinis ang pinto ng kwarto ko ah?

I buried my confusion, and slid down my hands to locate the doorknob. Then, suddenly! My hands touch an odd metal shape line! 

It’s the doorknob!

I immediately wrap my fingers around it, and push it downward. A soft click echoed the whole room and I tried my best to open my eyes. When I open it, the first thing to greet me is the sunlight.

Sunlight?

I squinted my eyes to protect it from the blinding sunlight, and blink for a few times. When my vision was cleared, I saw a woman, probably around mid-twenties wearing a classic black and white victorian maid dress.

A maid? Kailan kami nagkaroon ng maid?

Instead of staring at her rudely, I gave her a polite smile at binati ito, "Hello, good morning. Ano pong kailangan nila?" 

When she heard me, her pupils started shaking, her lips trembled, and her face suddenly went pale. The woman in front of me looked shock, scared, and terrified. I almost forgot to control my face from giving a confused look. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba ito sa sinabi ko or dahil sa itsura ko?

Baka pareho. 

"L-Lady Marina, b-breakfast is r-ready," utal-utal na sagot nya. 

Napakunot naman ang noo ko ng marinig ko ang tinawag nito saakin. 

Who's Lady Marina? 

"Excuse me po, you might mistaken me for someone else," magalang kong sagot dito habang naka-ngiti. 

At nandiyan na naman ang pag-kagulat sa mukha nito. Her delicate eyes widen, when she heard me.

Her shaking hands stopped, as if she remembered something.

"L-Lady Marina? Are you sick?" from being shock ay biglang napalitan ng pag-aalala ang mukha nito. 

The crease around my forehead deepened.

Is she addressing me as Lady Marina!? 

Dahil sa sinabi nito. My brain, who is half awake, is now fully functioning. 

"I’m Lady Marina!?" I subconsciously asked in confusion, then pointed myself.

She looked at me like, I just asked the most ridiculous question in the world. 

I blinked at her, feeling surreal and confused.

She stared at my face for a few seconds before aborting her gaze on me, as if she did a terrible mistake. She then slowly nodded her head.

Huh? Something’s wrong. Why does the name sounded so familiar? Narinig ko nato dati, hindi lang isang beses pero paulit-ulit. 

My two eyebrows almost kissed each other, because of uncertainty. The name sounded so familiar but I can put a word on it. The word is in the tip of my toungie already!

Then suddenly a familiar scene and voices echoed inside my head.

"Putcha! Bakit ba kasi hindi na lang patayin ni author tong si Lady Marina! Para wala ng hadlang kina Gina and Lord Ethan!"

Wait! 

Lady Marina!? What the heck!?

You got to be kidding me.

My heart beat raced, na para bang hinahabol ako ng pitong demonyo. Sweats started forming in my forehead, my hands turned cold, and a silent chill invade my body.

Mabilis akong tumalikod at nag hanap ng salamin. Agad akong pumunta sa parang vanity table na walang salamin at agad na binuksan ang unang drawer nito.

It can’t be right? This must be dream. 

Take a deep breath Nina.

"Milady?” she gentle called me out. “Ano pong hinahanap nyo?" tanong nito saakin habang may bahid ng pag-aalala sa kanyang mukha. 

The woman– who's name I don't know. Didn’t enter the spacious luxury room. Ngayon ko lang tuluyang napansin ang buong silid ay kulay grey at may halong gold. From the looks of it ay madadama mo talaga kung gaano ka ka-slap soil. Everytime you look at a corner, everything goes bling-bling.

“Milady...” her voice trailed with extreme case of concern.

I didn't bother to answer her at patuloy na hinanap ang hinahanap.

My hand went busy clutching and pulling every drawer that my eyes laid on, trying to find a single mirror. Nang binuksan ko ang pinaka-dulo nito ay nakita ko na rin ang aking hinahanap.

‘Found it!’ I exclaimed silently.

Mabilis kong kinuha ang customize face mirror. The handle was made out of gold, the oval-shaped mirror itself was showered with glittering gems! I almost fainted ng muntik pa itong mahulog.

This mirror is bling-bling.

Agad kong tinapat ang salamain sa aking mukha upang tignan ito. My eyes widen when I finally saw the girl in the mirror. I was shock to say something, when a pure red-violet orbs stared right through me!

My pupils started shaking, my hands trembled, and my body went cold. This is truly impossible, this is impossible! This isn’t my face! Hindi ito ang mukha ko! I’m a short brown hair gal with black eyes, pale complexion, and a pair of pale lips!

And, in front of me, is someone I can consider as a goddess!

Long milky blonde hair with a pair red-violet eyes that can drown you into a bottomless pit, reddish lips, and a milky white complexion.

This is not me! Clearly, not Nina Facelo! 

And like a flashback. My whole life before I came here, started flowing. 

From school, going to a nearby book store to buy the most awaited book that my friends recommended to me. Me, trying to be a hero and ended up dying in a dark alley of the second street. 

Illuminating Darkness!

That’s the title! Yan dapat ang librong babasahin ko. I didn't sleep peacefully. I died young!  And to add salt in to the wounds. I am now in the body of the most wicked Dame in Kingdom! The suspected villainess of the famous fantasy novel!

I unconsciously placed my shaking hands in my tummy, the part where I was stabbed. My body trembled, and sweats started forming in my forehead, as if I was experiencing the same amount of pain I felt that day.

My breathing started getting heavy, as if the amount of oxygen I’m breathing is insufficient. A chill brush through my skin, I felt a pair of cold hands touching my neck, and started chocking me.

Pain, fear, and confusion.

That’s the emotion filling me up, my mind went hazy, as if I’m surrounded by a thich layer of fogs. Not knowing where I am, and where should I go.

"Lady Marina?" the woman gently asked in worry, it was evident in her voice. 

My mind cleared up after I heard her voice. I took a deep breath, and started to calm down. Panicking won’t get me nowhere, hindi pa confirm lahat. I can’t randomly jumped in such absorb conclusion, if I jumped randomly I might never get out.

I turned my attention the woman outside the room, she didn’t dare took a step inside. Worry was plastered on her beautiful face.

I smiled at her.

"Can you please leave?" I asked in a gently manner, para hindi ito ma-offend. I felt my head spinning, and my energy draining in a such speed. Even though I didn’t do anything vigorous. I just encountered death itself, I just died! What a VIP experience! Meet and greet with kamatayan.

How nice is that?

Bigla tuloy sumakit ang ulo ko. Half of me can’t believe I just died, and half of me can’t believe I’m still alive!

What a great experience!

Nakita ko sa mukha nito ang  pag-aalinlangan, she hesitated, and tried to open her mouth. Trying to tell me something. But in the end, she nodded her head. Kahit nag-aalinlangan ay unti-unti itong humakbang papaalis. She placed both of her hands on her abdomen and slightly bowed. She started walking away, but still giving me worried glanced. Nang tuluyan na itong nawala sa aking paningin ay doon lang ako kumalma.

I slowly closed the door, and took a deep breath. Trying to calm my tense nerve, to think deeply about my situation.

Sa lahat ng fantady-romance book na nabasa ko, lahat man sila ay magkaka-iba, but there is one thing that sets them the same. That is, villains always perish, and will always die in the end of the story.

Death of a villain means world peace. Death of a hero means war.

I breathe a heavy sigh.

Okay, Nina Facelo. We need to plan, we have to survive.

We need to survive! 

*********

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Love,

Sam.