Chapter 8

He brought her to his mansion, clothed her and fed her.

Yuhan was shocked when he saw them together in his quarter.

"Your–" Matthew motioned him to stop.

Umayos naman agad ng tayo si Yuhan at inayos ang sarili.

Julia smiled at him and bowed slightly. Nakaupo siya sa kama na pagkakaalam niya ay pagmamay-ari ng lalaki. Nakabihis na siya at nakakain.

Gabi na at alam niyang hinahanap na din siya ng mga tao sa kanila.

Lumapit si Matthew kay Yuhan.

"Your highness, her family is searching for her."

"I know they will search for her. But she came with me. What really happened after that incident? Did she really bumped her head?"

"That's what the people said... there were even news that she became like this after the Crown Prince didn't choose her and tried to kill herself many times."

Pagkatapos niyang nalaman na may inutusan ang kapatid niya para ipapatay si Lady Yanna ay hindi siya naniniwalang ilang ulit na gustong mag-suicide ng dalaga pagkatapos nitong malaman na hindi ito ang pinili ng kapatid niyang pakasalan at sa halip ay di-neny pa ang relasyon nila.

"We know that didn't happen."

Tumango-tango si Yuhan sa sinabi ni Matthew.

"I think the Crown Prince wanted to kill her because of the sacred nectar." but she was clever."

Napaisip siya sa sinabi ni Yuhan.

Yeah, she was very clever. She even fooled that demon that night to saved me. Ani Matthew sa sarili.

Ang dahilan ng ilang beses na muntik na pagkamatay ng dalaga ay dahil lamang sa sacred nectar.

Napatingala siya sa langit at napahilamos sa mukha.

Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa din niya alam ang dahilan kung bakit siya biglang napunta sa kwarto ng dalaga noong isang gabi. Dumagdag pa ang sacred nectar sa mga iniisip niya.

Lahat ng tao ay gustong maangkin ang sacred nectar.

No one has ever seen it. Maging ang Emperor na hindi pa nakita ang bagay na yon ay gusto ring mapasakanito.

The Demon tribe are also looking for it. Pinaniniwalaan kasi nila na magpapalakas ito sa isang tao at magbibigay ng walang katapusang buhay. In short, whoever drinks the sacred nectar could become an immortal and an immortal will become more stronger.

Pinagmasdan niya ang dalaga na nakaupo sa kama habang nakapatong ang mukha nito sa dalawang kamay na nakatukod sa mga hita nito.

She looks like she's new to this world and doesn't know anything.

"Do you think she drank it and pretends to act innocent? She already deceived you once, so I think she can–"

"I don't think so." putol niya sa sinabi ni Yuhan.

"Your highness, you should be careful. Now, she's in your hand. If she really drank the sacred nectar or hid it somewhere I'm sure the demons will keep their eyes at her."

Tumango-tango siya sa sinabi ni Yuhan.

"Prepare the horse. I'm going to visit the Emperor. I need to marry her tomorrow."

Yuhan was shocked.

"Your highness! I'm sorry but I think you need to decide carefully."

"I've already made up my mind. I think she holds the key to the questions I'm carrying in my head and this is the only way to protect her while we are looking for the sacred nectar. She is the only one who knows about the sacred nectar." he explained.

Yumuko na lang si Yuhan at sinunod ang utos ng Prinsipe na maghanda sa pag-alis nito.

"Will you marry me?"

Napaubo si Julia sa sinabi ng binata sa kanya na naging dahilan ng bahagyang pagkahulog ng mukha niyang nakapatong sa kanyang kamay.

"W-what?"

"I said will you marry me?" ulit ni Matthew.

Tumayo na si Julia.

"Did you just bring me here to ask me that? Wait. Wait! Oh my God!"

Nagpalakad-lakad siya. Parang mababaliw na siya sa kinasasangkutan ng buhay niya. Sunud-sunod ang mga hindi kapani-paniwalang pangyayari ang nangyayari ngayon sa buhay niya.

Hindi pa nga niya nakilala lahat ng pamilya niya at tanging ang tatay lamang niya ang nakita niya simula ng magising siya. Hindi din niya kilala ang lalaking sinasabi nilang ama ng dinadala niya.

Napatingin siya sa tiyan niya at wala sa sariling napahawak doon. Pero wala naman siyang napansing kakaiba. At isa pa hindi na din naman siya bata para hindi niya alam ang sintomas ng mga babaeng nagdadalaang-tao at sa tingin niya ay wala naman siyang narasanan na kahit na anong sintomas ng pagbubuntis.

Hindi niya kilala ang ama ng batang dinadala niya at mas lalong hindi niya kilala ang pakakasalan niya. Ayon sa naririnig niya ay kilala siyang baliw at wala sa katinuang pag-iisip ng mga tao.

Kaya ano ang dahilan na gusto siyang pakasalan ng lalaking to?

"First of all, do you know me? Why do you want to marry me?"

"I know you very well." Matthew answered truthfully.

Tumikhim si Julia.

Kilala siya nito pero mapagkakatiwalaan ba niya ito?

Kailangan niyang malaman muna at makilala ang mga tao sa paligid niya.

Napahawak siya sa kanan na ibabang bahagi ng tiyan kung saan ay naalala niyang may sugat siya doon pero paggising niya ay bigla na lang nawala.

Strange.

Pero sa lahat ng taong nakilala niya ay ito lamang ang nag-iisang tao na tumulong sa kanya.

Can she trust him?

"I... I don't know you..." mahinang sabi niya sa binata na kinayuko nito.

"I understand... they said you are suffering from amnesia."

Iyon ang sabi sa kanya ni Ayeng nang magising siya dahil iyon daw ang sabi ng Doctor.

Tumango-tango siya.

"That night... w-what happened that night? I may not remember anything but I am not that stupid. I know they are lot of bad people who are after me. Why are they after me? Why do they want to kill me?"

Matagal bago sumagot si Matthew. Bumuntong-hininga siya.

"Your name is Ileanna Han. You are the first daughter of Imperial Doctor Han. You are known for creating medicines, you run your own clinic to help people and you are the only Doctor that is best known of creating antidotes for poisons. And also you are the only one who knows about the sacred nectar. Many people are searching for it, even the Emperor and the Demon tribe."

Napaupo ng maayos si Yanna.

Ah, so that explains about the different kinds of medicines inside the bottles in the clinic that Ayeng said she owned.

But...

"What is a sacred nectar? How does it look like? Maybe I could just give it to them."

"Thats the reason why they are after you. You are the only person who knows about the sacred nectar. Not many people knew that you... Know about it. Only the Crown Prince and the... Fourth Prince." hininaan ni Matthew ang boses niya sa huling mga salita.

Naguluhan si Julia sa sagot ng binata.

"Wait. What? How would I know it when I don't even remember my own name? And how do you know about this when you said there are not so many people who knew that I have the sacred nectar with me?"

"Because..."

"Because what?"

"You... you told me about it. You confessed it to me that you have it... you used it to deceived me."

"What?! really?! Ileanna did that?! Oh my God what a demonic woman!" she exclaimed angrily.

Huli na ng mapagtanto niyang siya pala yon.

Inilayo niya ang tingin nang mag-abot ang tingin nila ng binata.

Wait, kung niloko ko siya dapat siya yong may sugat at hindi ako. Teka. teka!

"Could you tell me all what happened that night?" she asked again.

Matagal bago nagsalita si Mathew pero sinabi niya lahat ang nangyari sa gabing yon. Kung paano sila napunta sa swimming pool. By using himself as the friend.

Nagpalakad-lakad ulit si Yanna.

Pinagdugtong-dugtong niya ang mga sinabi ng binata saka pinilit na intindihin ang mga nangyari.

"So... you are saying that we were close with the fourth Prince which is your friend?" pagkaklaro niya sa kwento nito.

Tumango ang binata bilang sagot.

"And that... I tried to kill the fourth Prince that night but when I found out that the man dress in black who was a demon deceived me... I changed my mind and helped that friend of yours and that's why me... and your friend got there in the pool... and then... I used all my strength and power to heal him... inshort... in exchanged for deceiving him... I paid it with my life? And then your friend revived me and left me because he thought I died and you saw me and then you saved me?"

Tumango-tango lang si Matthew.

Madali nitong naintindihan ang mga kinwento niya. Kinwento niya ang totoong nangyari dito maliban sa huling parte dahil hindi naman talaga nag-eexist ang friend niyang sinasabi which is siya lang naman yun. Hindi niya alam kung bakit hindi niya maamin dito na siya ang fourth Prince na yon. He bet it will shock her even more.

"But how did I live if I used my life and all my powera to heal your friend?"

"Oh that..." napakalot sa ulo si Matthew.

"I don't know... maybe because you drank the sacred nectar and then it gave you a new life? The nectar is said to be the longevity nectar. I think that answers your question."

"Jusko! Hindi ko alam na ganoon pala ka-sagrado at kapowerful ang nectar na sinasabi nyo. Samantalang nilalaro lang namin yan dati at ginawa pang kwintas, bracelet at kung anu-ano pa ang bulaklak ng santan. Sinisipsip ko pa nga yan."

"What?" kunot-noong tanong ni Matthew.

"N-nothing..."

"You really are a strange woman. You completely changed into a different person. Who are you?"

"What? I.. I am Il...Ileanna." nauutal na sagot ni Julia.

"Yeah I know... I was just testing you. So will you marry me?"

Matagal bago nakasagot ang dalaga sa tanong ng binata.

"I promise to protect you while you are in my home until you can remember where the sacred nectar is." seryosong sabi ni Matthew.

Tumaas ang kilay ni Julia sa mga huling sinabi ng binata.

"So... you are also after the sacred nectar? You are willing to do anything to get it by yourself?"

Ngumisi si Matthew. Naglakad siya palapit sa dalaga.

"All of us are after it. But as for me I know how to use it in the right way. And I will do everything just so it won't fall to other person's hand. Most especially the Demon tribe." sagot ni Matthew bago nagpaalam sa kanya na umalis.

Naiwan siya sa loob kasama ang binata na sa pagkakaalam niya ay Yuhan ang pangalan.

Inutusan kasi ito Matthew na bantayan siya hanggang sa bumalik ito.

Ipinilig niya ang ulo.

Naririnig pa lang niya ang pangalan na Demon tribe ay kinikilabutan na siya.