CHAPTER 41.4Pleasant SurpriseAFTER THEY’VE ALL rested properly, Merlin didn’t waste anymore time to prolong an announcement that Prince Lucas Sutcliffe of Vintress Kingdom was successfully rescued from his abductors. The previous Grand Magus of Izquierdo Kingdom, although he died after being unable to handle his own strength, was declared to díe in the hands of both Merlin and King Alexander. While Morfran’s whereabouts was kept as a secret. They only told the public that even he was unable to survive after going against her and abducting Prince Lucas.Only the knights they’ve brought to retrieve Prince Lucas knows where the previous King is and based on his own appearance and the changes in his behavior, they have decided to let Princess Selene’s decision to take him back to the dungeon for punishment. They believe that he would not be able to last long, anyway. Plus, the fact that Merlin had threatened the knights that he would ruin everything that they treasure was enough to keep
CHAPTER 41.5AudacityPAREHONG NAMAMANGHA sina Lucas at Selene habang pinagmamasdan ang dating prinsesa na si Luan Demelza. Kung siguro kaya lang ng mundo ay baka nakitaan na sila ng mga question mark sa ulo dahil gulung-gulo sila sa naging bati ng dalaga sa kanya.She thought that she’d tell her something else. Like, perhaps bargaining for her father’s body since they did announce his déath recently. Baka gusto nitong i-retrieve ang katawan lalo na’t kahit paano nila pagbalik-baliktarin ang mundo ay tatay nito si Morfran Demelza at hindi maitatangging mayroon pa rin itong amor para sa ama. This... Is something out of the picture?Ipinagkrus ni Selene ang mga braso. “Pumunta ka lang ba rito para sabihing inagaw ko sa ‘yo ang lahat?”Samantalang sa pagkakaalala ni Selene, siya itong nawalan at naagawan. Binawi lang naman niya iyong dapat ay kanya, a? Tinulungan lang din naman siya nina Lucas kahit na noong una, wala na talaga siyang balak na kunin ang lahat ng dapat daw ay para sa kany
CHAPTER 42.1To See You LaterIT’S BEEN A WHILE since the issue with Morfran Demelza escaping from his prison through the help of the Grand Magus went out. Ang daming nangyari noon bagamat hindi nagtagal ang isyu. They faced the fear of people for they think that Morfran would do anything just to get back to the throne. May ibang nagsabing incompetent siya bilang prinsesa dahil imbes na burahin na lamang si Morfran sa mundo ay mas pinili niyang itago ito, mayroon din namang nagsabing kung mayroong mangyayari kay Lucas, paniguradong masisira ang magandang relasyon sa pagitan ng kaharian ng Izquierdo at kaharian ng Vintress.Fortunately, the problem was resolved immediately. But some still criticized Selene and Merlin. Porket bakit pa raw kasi binawi ang trono mula kay Morfran Demelza samantalang alam naman daw nilang magkakagulo lalo. And from the way they phrased their criticisms and based on how they sound, they’re most likely to belong in Morfran’s side, from an old faction that he
CHAPTER 42.2PortraitsSEPARATING WITH SOMEONE you have been with for months was a difficult thing to do. Si Lucas ang kaakay ni Selene magmula noong araw na mawala ang ina-inahan niya. Ang binata rin ang siyang kasama niya noong nag-a-adjust siya sa buhay niya bilang si Selene Griego. Of course, there’s Jonas either but the fact that Lucas never left her side just hit different.Ngayong nagpaalam na sila sa isa’t isa at pinanonood niya ang sasakyan ng mga ito na lumayo nang lumayo mula sa mga mata niya, pakiramdam ni Selene ay naninikip ang dibdib niya. Suddenly, it felt like someone poured cold water on her head. Para siyang nanghina na ewan, nakaramdam na para bang mayroong kulang sa buhay niya at parang mayroong ‘void’ sa dibdib niya.Parang gusto niya ulit bumalik sina Lucas pero alam niyang hindi na pupwede dahil ligtas na ulit ang kaharian ng Izquierdo mula sa banta ni Morfran Demelza at ng Grand Magus. Hindi na ulit mako-corner ang binata at si Haring Alexander. Wala nang bant
CHAPTER 42.3RelationshipDAHIL KAY MERLIN, maraming nalaman si Selene tungkol sa mga magulang niya na hindi nakalagay sa mga libro at dyaryo noon. Nalaman niya kung anong ugali ng mga magulang niya at kung anu-anong kaugalian ba iyong namana niya mula rito.It turned out that Selene looks like her father but mostly behaves like his mother. But the way she deals with things is very much like her father. So, baga sa percentage, mas dominant ang naiwan sa kanya ng tatay niya kaysa sa nanay niya. Bukod kasi sa mata at ugali, mas malapit daw siya sa tatay niya. Parang resulta raw si Selene ng halos perpektong scan pero nagkaiba raw sa kasarian.“Anong relasyon mo kina Mama?” pagtatanong niya sa mahiko kalaunan at para linawin ang tinutukoy ay itinuro niya ang litrato ng bayolohikal niyang ina, si Reyna Erina.Natigilan si Merlin noong marinig ang tanong niya at tila ba naubusan ito bigla ng mga salitang dapat isasagot sa kanya. But she’s curious. Gusto niyang malaman kung ano ba ang relas
CHAPTER 42.4Not An Ordinary RelationshipFROM THE WINDOW, Selene could witness the sun set and of how the beautiful orange hue was slowly turning into a dark bluish nightsky. Hindi alam ni Selene kung anong oras nang natapos ang klase niya pero base sa kalangitan ay mukhang late na niyang na-settle lahat. It must be because she enjoyed her previous classes or maybe... She was scared to find out the truth about Merlin’s relationship with her parents.Hindi napansin ni Selene na matamang pinagmamasdan pala siya ni Merlin. Napangiti ito noong mapansing parang kabado siya bagamat wala pa naman itong sinasabing katotohanan. But then again, she can’t help it! Anong mararamdaman niya sa oras na marinig niyang niloloko pala ng mahiko ang isa sa mga bayolohikal niyang magulang?“Did you seriously think that I’d have the courage to hurt King Arthur or Queen Erina?” naaaliw nitong tanong. Even amusement danced on his purple eyes which made Selene flinch and pause.Selene pressed her lips togeth
CHAPTER 42.5FamilyAFTER DISCUSSING MERLIN’S relationship with her parents and understanding that they had such a complicated and rough time hiding their romantic feelings toward each other, Selene remembered that one thing that Count Valderas told her about her mother’s roots.“Merlin, nabanggit pala sa ‘kin ni Konde Valderas na tagakaharian ng Vintress pala si Mama?” pag-uusisa niya habang nasa kalagitnaan sila ng paghahapunan.Matapos nilang mag-usap ni Merlin, nagpahinga sandali si Selene para balikan ang mga dokumentong iniwanan niya. Nawala na sa isipan niya si Lucas at ang pag-alis nito pero sa tuwing mababakante ang isip niya, ito ang una niyang hinahanap kaya minabuti ni Selene na abalahin ang sarili. Mahirap na, baka hindi pa niya maituon ang atensyon sa mga dapat niyang inaasikaso.Susulat din naman si Lucas. Magkakaroon din sila ng contact sa isa’t isa.Anyway, pagkatapos ng isang oras ay tinawag si Selene ng isa sa mga personal maids niya para maghapunan. Naghihintay na
CHAPTER 43.1NOONG MALAMAN NI Selene na nakatanggap siya ng sulat mula sa kaharian ng Westmount, na siyang lugar na kinalakhan niya’t mayroon siyang koneksyon, hindi naiwasan ni Selene ang mapangiti. She remembered that she had just recently sent a letter to one of her friends – kaso hindi siya kaagad na nakatanggap ng sagot mula sa mga ito. The thought that she was waiting and a lot has already happened since then makes her feel relieved.Siguro matagal lang talagang dumating ang sulat dahil malayo ang ibiniyahe ng inutusan niyang magdala noon o mayroon ding naging conflict sa kaharian ng Westmount. That’s just her estimation, honestly. Ayaw mag-isip ni Selene nang kung anu-ano.After she thought of how long it took to receive a letter from her friends, Selene opened it. She was extra careful because the letter had a dried rose inside it, and she assumed that her friends sent her this to use as a bookmark, perhaps? And that’s what she’ll do if she ever starts reading another book.As