For Love and Blood (Monte Vega Chronicles #1)

Chapter 5

Lumuhod ako sa likod ng puno ng narra at nilagyan ng panibagong palaso ang pana. Kumilos ako ng dahan-dahan habang hindi iwinawala sa paningin ang baboy-ramo na kinakain ang malaking daga na target ko kanina.

I stretched the arrow and pulled back the bowstring and then let the both go. I watched as the silver arrow pierced right into the wild boar's head. Nangisay ito bago tuluyang bumulagta. Nasa bibig pa rin naiwan ang nginangatngat na daga.

Sinenyasan ko si Jace na agad na lumabas sa lungga nito sa kabilang puno at hinila ang baboy patungo sa sako nito.

"Waiting surely pays off. You got the biggest prize. Nice shot, wife."

Madilim ang mukha ko nang balingan si Jude na nasa likod ko at nakapamulsang pinagmamasdan ang mga huli ko sa limang sako na hila-hila ng iba ko pang mga guards. Iniabot naman sa akin ni Jace ang palaso.

"Bakit ka pa sumama dito sa gubat? Go home, Jude. Hintayin mo ang susunod na linggo para sa pamamanhikan."

Pinagpag ko ang dumikit na lupa at d**o sa t-shirt at tumayo. Pinahid ko ang dugo na nasa palaso bago ito ibinalik sa quiver.

"I wanted to see for myself how good my future wife is when it comes to hunting. Tama nga ang naririnig ko na mga biro nila tungkol sa iyo. Hindi ako magugutom kapag ikaw ang napangasawa ko."

I smirked and looked at the stain in my shirt. Will his blood be as red as this?

"Alam mo, since the announcement, I'm actually thinking. Bakit sa lahat ng mga anak ni Don Mercutio, bakit ikaw ang napili nilang ipadala rito para maging asawa ng isang Asturia? You weren't that handsome or remarkably smart either. Nakapasok ka lang naman sa ipinagmamalaki mong Ivy school dahil sa nepotismo."

Jude shrugged and grinned at me. "Hindi ko rin alam but at least, I didn't annoy you on our first dinner together. I acted cool and gentleman. That's how I got you. Hindi na importante kung bakit ako ang napili ni papa na pakasalan ka. My other siblings have far more important things to do other than to be wed to an uncivilized lady like you."

Nawala lahat ng emosyon ko. "I won't marry you, Jude," I said in a final voice.

He laughed and walked up to me with his hands on his pants. "I'll make sure you will and I can't wait to make you mine on that night, wife."

Nginitian niya ako bago ito tumalikod pabalik sa sasakyan na nasa gitna ng gubat ng Monte Vega.

Naningkit ang mga mata ko. Without thinking, I grabbed my bow and arrow again and aimed at Jude.

"Señorita," pigil sa akin ni Jace sa kamay.

"Step aside. Kasalanan mo pa kung maitarak ko sa bungo niya ang palaso ko."

Lumayo ako kay Jace at humigpit ang hawak sa pana. Killing Jude now is not part of my plan. I just want to teach him a lesson to never never insult an Asturian more so a woman who has been forced into marriage to him.

I released the arrow but before it reached Jude's arm, another arrow from nowhere intercepted it and broke it into two.

Napatingin kaming lahat sa direksiyon ng bagong dating na hawak ang kaparehong pana ko. Nakasakay si Langdon sa kabayo ko habang nakatingin sa aming dalawa ni Jude.

"Why are you acting like this? You could have killed me!" Jude went back to me, a little bit confused and fearful. "Hindi kami ang kalaban ninyo. You have someone dear to you? I also have one back in my town, Cahil. Don't think of this as the end of your life. You can have your own choice of men. We'll just be married for paper alone. If you don't want to have s*x then it's okay. I'm just joking earlier."

I stopped him from coming over to me using my bow that is pointed at his chest. "Wala kang buto. You can't handle someone like me, Jude. Better if you go run home and cancel the wedding yourself. Do yourself a favor and don't marry me. Papahirapan lang kita sa buong buhay mo."

"Why don't you do it, Cahil? Cry to your parents and beg them to cancel this wedding," hamon nito.

Hindi ako nakakibo. Ngumisi ito, nakabalandra ang panalo sa mukha.

"It's because you're also afraid of the judgement just like me so what makes you different from me? It's just your arrow and g*n, Cahil. Nothing else. Nothing more."

Binitawan ko ang pana at hinaklit ito sa kwelyo. Nawala ang ngisi sa mukha nito.

"Weakling. You're a weakling, Jude. Tinatanong mo kung ano ang kaibahan nating dalawa? Kaya kong magsalita para sa sarili ko kahit anong takot ang nararamdaman ko. I can say what I want. I'm trying to stand for what I wanted for my life. Ikaw, ginagawa mo ang gusto ng mga magulang mo para mapanatili mo ang maalwang buhay mo. You hated being poor again. There's nothing wrong with that but at least don't let yourself be a slave forever. It's a pity."

Itinulak ko siya palayo at pinulot ang pana at isinukbit sa balikat saka nagpupuyos pa rin sa galit na malalaki ang hakbang na umalis ngunit bago ako makaabot sa kotse ay hinarangan ako ng kapatid na akay-akay si Buck sa gilid nito.

Sinalubong ko ang malamig na mata nito.

"You shouldn't have done that."

"Don't worry, kuya. I didn't kill him. I just threatened him."

Inilagay niya sa kamay ko ang renda ni Buck at kumuha ng panyo sa bulsa nito para pahirin ang mantsa ng dugo sa palad ko.

"I'm sorry for not picking your calls and messages. Sinadya ko iyon para hindi ako makauwi agad. I need to finish the task there for you."

Mabilis kong kinuha ang kamay mula rito. "Don't lie to me. Alam nating dalawa na hindi ako ang dahilan kung bakit umalis ka. You did it for her, to forget her." Pinahid ko ang tumulong luha. "Nagbago ka na kuya. Kinalimutan mo kami, ako, dahil sa kaniya. You turned your back on me just for her, kuya. Iniwan mo ako ng ilang taon kahit alam mong darating ang araw na ganito ang kalalabasan ng lahat. I don't want to be married! I wanted to ask for your help but what can you do this time? Nothing! Simula ng minahal mo siya, naramdaman kong lumayo ka na sa akin. Bakit? At one point in your life, did you think about siding with them?"

Pain crossed his eyes as he reached for my hand again. This time, I didn't let go. Umiiyak na hinayaan ko lang siyang hawakan ang kamay ko.

"You will forever be the one and only princess in my life, Cahil. Nothing has changed. I will do everything for you. Hindi ko hahayaang makasal ka sa lalaking hindi mo gusto." Hinaplos niya ang pisngi ko. "You will marry the man you love, whoever he is. I won't let you experience what I've been through. There's no enemy or friend in love, my sister."

"You might be thinking that I'm selfish," I said in a small voice, looking down at my mud-dirtied shoes.

"No, no, of course not."

"Kung ganon..." I looked him in the eye. "Let me accompany you in Cerro Roca at least for a week. Hindi ako pupunta sa araw ng pamamanhikan. Help me get away from here, kuya."

Natigilan ito ng ilang sandali bago nakasagot. Sinulyapan muna nito si Jude na mainit ang ulong sumakay sa sasakyan.

"Cerro Roca is just hours away from Monte Vega. Mahahanap ka agad nila papa. I'll take you on a plane away from here."

"No, they will not suspect that I'll hide in there. Magtiwala ka sa akin. Let me be with you there. Please," pakiusap ko.

"No." Umiling ito at binitawan ang kamay ko. "Cerro Roca will be a battleground. Marami ang naghahabol sa akin kaya mapapahamak ka lang kung sasama ka sa akin."

Nasasaktan na lumayo ako rito. Hindi pa rin ito nagbabago. He's still won't open up to me.

"Kuha ko na. You are still not confident with me because of what happened. Hindi ka pa rin naniniwala sa akin. Hindi nga ako iyon, kuya. Hindi kita isinumbong kina mama at papa. You know how I also like Casindra for you."

Sumungaw ang pait at sakit sa mukha nito pagkabanggit ko sa namayapa nitong kasintahan.

"You know it's not about that. Naniniwala ako sa iyo. Para ito sa kaligtasan mo. Go home now, Cahil."

Tinapatan ko ang kalamigan ng mata nito. "I can go home without you telling me. Hindi na ako bata. I can perfectly handle myself now. I even picked up myself from pieces when my only brother left without telling me."

I stepped on the stirrup and mount myself on Buck. I gathered the reins on my hand and began pulling them. We were braving the harsh winds in the Monte Vega in the next minutes.

"Hiya!" Pinabilis ko pa ang takbo ni Buck nang nagsimulang umambon.

I'll be more courageous now. Ako na mismo ang didiskarte para makawala sa kasunduang ito. I've known to be a rogue princess, to be very unladylike in the family and in Monte Vega. There's no harm in adding them to my personality and maybe altering some of it along the way.

If I have to side with our enemy for me to be free, I'll do it. I've done it once. I can always do it again.