VII. Offering

"Nasisiraan ka na ba ng ulo?!" Tayo ni lola sa harap ko.

Ang kaninang tuwa ay kumpleto nang hindi makita.

"La, iyon na lang ang tanging pag-asa natin para mabuhay pa nang matagal sa lugar na 'to." Paliwanag ko naman.

"Mabuhay? Kaya ilalagay mo sarili mo sa peligro?" She said like she can't understand the logic behind my reason.

"Hindi 'yon magiging peligro kung mag-iingat ako. Kaya ko naman, e. At isa pa, baka naroon din nila kinukulong si Niko."

Mas lalo siyang nagpanic sa narinig.

"At kung mali ka?"

"May nagsabi sa aking nandoon ang mga kasagutan sa tanong ko, nalaman niyang hinahanap ko si Niko at mukhang alam niya rin kung ano ako pero hindi naging mapanganib ang tingin niya!"

Maybe some people are still not blind by their prejudices and I want her to know that too.

"Sino ang nagsabi sa'yo non?" Imbis na matuwa sa balita kong may ibang tao na hindi mapanganib para sa amin, mas nagdilim lang ang ekspresyon niya. "Kilala mo ba?"

"Hindi pero-"

"Naniniwala ka sa sinasabi ng isang estranghero?!" Aniya na parang tama nga siya at nasisiraan na ako ng utak.

"Kaysa naman manatili ako rito at gutom na mismo ang papatay sa atin." Huling sinabi ko bago matapos ang komprontasyon namin.

After having our breakfast, iniwan ko muna ulit siyang mag-isa sa bahay para lumamig man lang ang ulo niya.

I started to wander around for a while, unaware that I'm zoning out when I bumped into a knight. I immediately bowed down and raise my head to say sorry.

He stared at me for a moment and suddenly gripped my hand.

"Wait, saan mo 'ko dadalhin?" He didn't answer. "I said sorry!" Sinubukan kong pumiglas.

"Huwag kang malikot." He renewed his hold on me so I used that chance to slip away but he managed to catch me again. This time he carries me on his shoulder, my face facing his back.

"No! Sabi ko sorry! Hindi na mauulit! Hindi ko naman sinasadya, hindi ka naman nasaktan, e!" Sinubukan kong hampasin ang likod niya at itadyak ang paa ko sa kanyang tiyan pero para lamang siyang bato, ako pa mas nasasaktan sa ginagawa ko.

His hold is too strong.

When hopelessness dawned on me, I cried.

"Lola ko." Hagulgol ko. "Hindi pa kami bati ng lola ko, iniwan ko pa siya mag-isa at walang pambili ng pagkain. Lola sorry 'wag mo na ko hintayin." Iyak ko.

I heard the knight carrying me click his tongue but I can't stop myself from crying knowing that this is how I'll be separated from my precious grandmother.

But my crying stopped when he suddenly put me down.

"Such a crybaby." He frowned at me.

"Surely the emperor doesn't like a childish maiden crying for her grandmother. You'll make him a babysitter and you'll be immediately executed for being useless."

The emperor?

Matapos sabihin iyon ay yumuko siya para maglebel ang mga mata namin at nilapit ang mukha niya sa mukha ko, staring deeply at my eyes looking for an answer there instead of my actual answer to his question. "Do you want to die?"

"Of course not."

"Your eyes are dead though."

"My grandmother's waiting for me, please let me go home. I'm sorry for the trouble I made, I promise we won't bump into each other again." Sabi ko na lang para maiwasan na siya't baka tangayin pa uli ako.

His eyes became different at the mention of my grandmother.

"Do you love her that much?"

"Very much," I answer with a nod.

"Does she feel the same way?"

My eyes furrowed at his question. "Of course."

"She may be fine here at the capital but you're not. As long as you're attractive, all the knights here, not only me, will bring you to the emperor immediately."

"I'm what?" Hindi ako makapaniwala sa narinig.

He frowned again. "Umuwi ka na kung ayaw mong mahatak ulit, today's the search for the offering. I wonder why you're wandering around bravely?"

"What offering?"

"Bago ka lang ba rito?"

I nodded.

"Hindi ka na dapat pumunta pa rito." He said. "What brings you here?"

"We were evacuated from the west."

"If so then, some knights already saw you. Alam din ba nila ang tirahan mo?"

I nodded.

"That asshole was never careful. Alam nang palapit na pag-aalay..." He murmured and stared at me problematically. "Kung kuhanin kita ngayon may magagawa pa ba siya?" He clicked his tongue.

"Who?" I asked him too.

Instead of answering, may kinuha siyang kung ano sa dala niyang bulsa niya at binuksan, dipping a finger from his right hand. Pagkatapos ay inilapit niya ang kanang kamay niya sa mukha ko. I flinched and step backward but his left hand held the back of my head.

"Stop, this is also for your own good. Make sure you don't wet or touch this today so it won't be erased or else you'll end up being a mistress at such a young age."

Is that the offering he's talking about?

After putting something on my face, he still looks unsatisfied but he said that it's already fine. He gave me a black hooded cloak which reminds me of the cloak that the crown prince gave.

He even walks me to my home and on our way, tsaka ko lang napansin ang nagkakalat na mga kabalyero sa paligid na para bang may hinahanap.

"Huwag na huwag mong bubuksan ang pinto kung may pupunta man ditong kabalyero. Kung importante naman ang pagbisita, kaya naman sigurong kausapin ng lola mo 'yon." Paalala niya na para bang tunay na masama ang araw na ito para sa akin.

I nodded at his reminders and gave back his cloak before entering our house.

"You're not even safe here at the capital." His last murmur before I close the door.

I quickly shut the curtains after hearing that kind of thing that's happening today.

"Feronia, anong meron?" Tanong ni lola sa ginagawa ko.

"They are looking for someone to offer here at the capital. If someone looks for me, please tell them I'm not here." I hugged her using my shaking arms. "Please lola, please."

Agad kong naramdaman ang nag-aalalang hagod niya sa likod ko. "Shh, don't worry. I'll protect you no matter what."

Speaking of which, a loud and countless knocks came from our door. Sa bawat bigat nang pagkatok, mas humihigpit ang hawak ko kay lola.

"Feronia." My grandmother calls me with a calm and collected voice. "Magtago ka."

I nodded at her. Doon ko lang kinalas ang mahigpit na pagkahawak ko sakanya. Wala kaming masyadong gamit sa bahay at maliit lamang ito kaya wala akong mapagtataguan nang maayos kundi ang paliguan.

Matapos magtago, rinig ko na agad ang boses ng pamilyar na boses ng isang kabalyerong una kong nakausap sa kanluran.

"Nasaan ang kasama mo rito?"

"Ah, pasensya na wala rito ang apo ko ngayon." Iyon naman ang boses ng lola ko.

"Imposible namang gumagala siya ngayon at iniiwan ang lola niya mag-isa?" Rinig ko pa ang nakakakilabot na sarkastikong tawa niya.

"Naghahanap siya ng trabaho." Kalmadong sagot ng lola ko.

"Pakisabi hindi na niya kamo kailangan magtrabaho kung susunod lang siya sa gustong gawin sakanya ng Emperador. Tabi."

Kasunod non ang tunog na parang may kung anong nangyari.

"Sabing wala nga rito ang apo ko! Trespassing na ang ginagawa ninyo!" Ang kaninang kalmadong boses ni lola ay naging sigaw na kaya naman labis na ang kuryusidad at pag-aalala ko para sakanya at sa kung ano man ang nangyayari.

"Trespassing?" He clicked his tongue. "Hindi naman sainyo 'to." Ang boses niya ay palapit na nang palapit sa kung nasaan ako.

Doon ko napagtantong nakapasok na nga siya sa bahay namin at alam na kung saan ako nagtatago. Ang naka-lock na paliguan ay agad na nabuksan dahil sa lakas nang pagbukas niya rito.

I was sitting at the edge of the bathroom when his large body entered, smirking at the sight of me. But when he noticed something on my face, he scowled.

"Ano 'yang nasa mukha mo?"

Maybe it's the thing that the other knight put on my face.

"N-Nagka-sugat ako."

He mocked at me. "Akala mo maloloko mo 'ko?"

Kumuha siya ng tubig sa katabing timba gamit ang tabo at binuhos iyon sa akin.

"Feronia!" Sinubukan akong lapitan ni lola ngunit nakaharang sa pinto ang malaking katawan ng kabalyerong iyon.

The water was splashed all over me two times. After that, he grabbed my hand forcing me to stand up. Marahas niyang pinunasan ang kung anong nasa mukha ko gamit ang mabigat na kamay. It hurts so much that I even need to control my raging beast inside so she won't come out all of a sudden and tear him up to pieces.

After seeing what he wanted to see, satisfaction was drawn all over his face.

Sinubukan kong silipin ang lola ko kung ayos lang ba siya at nanlaki ang mata ko nang makitang unti-unti nang nagbabago ang kanyang balintataw. Her nails were starting to get longer as well as her fangs.

"Lola!" I shouted to bring her back to her senses.

It worked but her eyes were filled with fear and worry.

Hinablot ako ng kabalyero palabas na agad namang sinundan ni lola pero bago pa siya magtuloy-tuloy, nilingunan ko na siya at nginitian. Letting her know that I will be fine.

"The emperor will surely give me a higher position with this great offer." The knight smiled greedily as he pushed me inside the carriage that was heading to the palace.