Chapter 1: Fruit of Love

DZIANNA ZAPPHIRE MHRIZ

As our car entered the main city of Geordan, loud noises, the sound of breeze, people, chariots, stores, long gowns, classic houses, and a retro vibe welcomed us.

In the center of the mob, our car, which had a royal flag tied in front, came to a stop. The door was opened for me by my driver. To my amazement, they all bowed down. To prevent them from bowing, I made a hand gesture, and it worked!       

“Ano’ng dahilan at naparito ka sa aming siyudad, your highness?” A man from the crowd asked. A tunic with hose, leggings, and breeches are all that the bald man is sporting. I believe he was born into an aristocratic family, perhaps a viscount.

“Wala akong balak na abalahin kayo sa inyong ginagawa. Narito lang ako upang magliwaliw,” I answered and smiled at them. “Go on, enjoy the celebration. I just need to unwind myself and go somewhere else.”

People begin to drift away from me. I scanned my surroundings and noticed my bodyguards were following me. Paano ako makakatakas nito kung nakasunod sila sa akin?

I stopped walking when my phone rang.

Easthella is calling…

“Hello, East?”

“Where are you? We’ve been waiting for you for hours! Kailan ka ba makakapunta rito? Kailangan na nating matapos ang misyon na naka-assign sa atin before the deadline. Ayokong maparusahan ’no!” sermon niya sa akin.

“Ano’ng magagawa ko? They were following me because of Mamita. Sige nga, paano ako makakatakas dito?” taas-kilay kong tanong, at pinaikot ang aking mga mata sa ere.

I heard a grasped from the other line of the call.

“Ang usapan natin, one year ka lang d’yan, ’di ba? Bakit hanggang ngayon ay hindi ka pa rin pinapayagan ng Reyna na mamuhay nang normal? O ’di kaya ay magsabi ka na lang kay Tito para payagan ka na uli sumama sa amin,” she suggested.

I sighed. “Ayaw na rin ni Daddy na bumalik pa ako sa trabaho natin. I’m a Princess with royal duties and their only heiress to continue the legacy of my family. They can’t afford to lose me because of this stupid job who are killing and prosecuting criminals.”

“So we are left with no choice, then. We’ll kick you out from our group,” East said, causing my eyes to widen. I was about to ask when she precede. “We don’t need a leader who thinks that our job was stupid.” She ended the call after that.

Inis kong ibinaba ang cellphone ko at tumulala sa mga taong naglalakad. I never thought that my life would be going this hard.

When I was young, gustong-gusto kong maging kabilang sa Royalties para hindi na mahirapan si Mommy sa pag-iisip kung paano kami makakakain sa isang araw, but when I was already one of them, parang gusto ko na lang mag-back out. Too many duties and since hindi ako lumaki sa palasyo, I need to learn a lot of things on how to be a Royalty, a Princess and an almost perfect granddaughter of the Queen.

If I’m going to choose what life would I pick…? I would repeatedly choose my life with Mommy. Hindi man kami mayaman noon, but at least, there’s no pressure and I’m free to do whatever I want…

I badly want to go back in time when I lived a normal life with Mommy.

🗡️

10 YEARS AGO…

“Mommy I want ice cream!” sabi ko, habang nakaturo sa isang ice cream shop.

Mom sighed. She kneeled down in front of me and touch me on my shoulder.

“Anak, wala tayong perang pambili n’yan. Bibili na lang tayo ng tinapay mamaya para mas nakakabusog. Okay ba ’yon?”

I rolled my eyes at masama siyang tiningnan.

“No! I want it now, Mom! You made a promise na kapag pumunta tayo rito sa Viegan, you’ll buy me ice cream,” pangangatwiran ko, habang ipinapadyak ang mga paa ko. Napayuko si Mommy at hindi makatingin sa akin. “You lied.”

Inis kong inalis ang paghawak niya sa aking kamay at mabilis na kumaripas ng takbo.

I stopped running when I realized that I lost her from my sight. Hindi ko na makita si Mommy.

I tried to roam my eyes around, but I only found an abandoned street. Napaupo ako dahil sa pagod habang hinahabol pa rin ang aking hininga. Nang makabawi, I roamed my sight again.

A bling of light from afar caught my attention. Tumayo ako mula sa pagkakaupo sa lupa at pumasok sa loob ng eskinita. At first, maliwanag at sementado pa ang daan na tinatapakan ko, pero habang patagal nang patagal ay nagiging madamong daan na ’yon.

Sa ’di kalayuan, natatanaw ko mula rito ang isang malaking kubo. Because of curiosity, naglakad ako palapit doon at pumasok sa loob.

Sira-sira na ang mga upuan dahil na rin siguro sa tagal nang panahon. Ang pinakasahig nito ay nababalutan ng makapal na damo. Mukhang walang napapadpad sa lugar na ito kaya napabayaan na ang kubo.

Napatigil ako sa paglilibot ng paningin nang biglang kumirot ang paa ko. Sinubukan kong maghanap ng mauupuan at hindi naman ako nabigo. May isang parte ng upuan ang hindi pa masyadong sira at pwede pang upuan.

I was about to seat when something from the grass tripped me. Muntik na akong masubsob sa lupa, but I was able to balance my body kaya hindi ’yon natuloy.

Masama kong tiningnan ang bagay na ’yon ngunit wala akong nakita. Lumapit ako roon at kinapa ang damo.

My forehead furrowed when I touch a box-liked thing underneath. Hinawi ko ang damo at mas lalong kumunot ang aking noo nang makitang may numbers ito, but it was almost faded, maybe because it was abandoned for years.

I was about to press it, when I realized that it’s already getting dark. I decided to come back from where I came from, which is outside this weird street.

Sa ’di inaasahan, paglabas ng eskinitang ’yon ay nagkita rin kami ni Mommy. She comforted me when I cried on her shoulder. Nang matapos ako sa pag-iyak, niyaya niya ako pauwi since malapit na ring dumilim at hindi kami maaaring abutin ng gabi.

We were about to leave, when we suddenly stopped. Napatingala ako ng tingin kay Mommy ngunit nakatingin lang siya sa loob ng eskinita.

“Anim na taon… anim na taon kitang binaon sa limot. Hindi ko alam na ang anak ko pa ang magiging dahilan ng pagbabalik ko rito.”

🗡️

I smirked nang maalala ko muli ang nangyari noon. I was too young that time at marami pa akong hindi alam, pero hinding-hindi ko makakalimutan ang sinabi ni Mommy bago kami umalis.

At first, hindi ko maintindihan ’yon noon, but now, alam ko na kung ano’ng ibig niyang sabihin.

It was all about the… Assassin’s World.