Unintentional

Kabanata 2

"NO! No voy a aprobar esto, papá!" No! I wont approve of this, papa!

Mariin na sabi ni Maria habang kaharap ang kaniyang ama. Nakatayo siya sa harapan nito habang nakaupo naman ito sa swivel chair nito.

Napahawak ng noo ang kaniyang ama. Tila ba namomroblema sa kaniya.

"No puedo creerte, papá. Pensé que lo había dejado claro, no quiero casarme con ese estúpido Kalavaraj! Deja de meterte en mi vida!" I can't believe you, papa. I thought I made everything clear, I don't want to marry that stupid Kalavaraj! Fucking stop meddling with my life!

"Your mouth, Antonella!" Saway sa kaniya ng kaniyang ama. Galit na ang ekspresyon ng mukha nito at tila ba kaunting kalabit na lang ay sasabog na. Napahinga ito ng malalim bago napasandal sa backrest. "Sauron Kalavaraj will protect you if you marry him, my princess. I can't assure your safety if you are always with me, Maria. Mi identidad ya está expuesta. Galdreon me va a cazar. Me matarán." My identity is already exposed. Galdreon is going to hunt me down. They will kill me.

Kung makapagsalita ang kaniyang ama ay para bang tanggap na nito ang magiging kapalaran. Tila nangilid ang luha ni Maria sa sinabi ng kaniyang ama.

Napailing siya dito.

"No! Papá, that will never happen. You are not going to die." Naiiyak na sabi ni Maria ngunit pinanatili niyang kalmado ang sarili.

Napangisi ng walang buhay si Alejandro bago tumayo sa upuan nito. Lumapit ito sa kaniya at hinawakan ang kaniyang dalawang kamay.

"I already accepted it, princess. There is no way I would get a way with this. Galdreon is very dangerous, merciless and brutal. They will do everything for the sake of their organization. They flash themselves as a hero when in real life they are also criminals." Paliwanag sa kaniya ng ama. "Turning you into Kalavaraj will protect you and your sister, Maria."

Napakunot ang noo ni Maria.

"Papá, I don't want to be with someone whom I don't even love. Sauron is a criminal. His doings is far more illegal than yours. I don't want to be with someone like him." Mahinahon ang kaniyang pagkakasabi ngunit nanginginig ang kaniyang boses

Hinawakan ni Alejandro ang magkabilang balikat ni Maria.

"I know how he deeply cares for you, Maria. I know he will treat you better despite of his illegal doings." Pahayag ng kaniyang ama. "He is the only one who can protect you. Galdreon can't touch him because he has the power and wealth to take that organization down."

Napayuko si Maria.

"Is there no other way to escape this, papá? I don't want to be involved with Kalavaraj." Mariin niyang sabi.

Napahinga si Alejandro bago napabalik sa upuan.

"Well, there is another way to get you protected, princess," Salita ni Alejandro bago ibinalik ang tingin sa kaniya.

"What it is, papá? I would rather do that."

Napatigil saglit si Alejandro.

"Be a criminal."

Tila napahinto si Maria sa pagkilos.

Be a criminal? No. That is worst.

Napailing-iling si Maria.

"You only have two choices, Maria. Marrying Sauron Kalavaraj or continue my businesses. The Galdreon will never know your identity once you inherit my assets, princess. Surely, Sauron will protect you because we work in the same field. My only mistake is that I let my identity be exposed, now the Galdreon already know me, they will kill me. It's very very dangerous being in this field, Maria" Paliwanag ng kaniyang ama.

Napakunot ang noo ni Maria.

"For me the best option for you is to get you wed with Sauron. I don't recommend the latter because it is very dangerous, princess." Pahayag pa ng kaniyang ama.

Nanatiling nakatingin si Maria sa sahig. Parehas na hindi maganda ang dalawang option. Wala siyang gustong piliin. Hindi siya magpapakasal kay Sauron dahil kilala niya ang ugali nito, kilala niya rin kung gaano ito kalupit na pinuno kaya hindi malayo na masaktan lang din siya habang nasa piling nito.

"If Sauron can protect me, then why can't he protect you? You said you both work in the same field. His father is your bestfriend. Why can't he just protect you too?!" She frustratedly said.

"Because I told him not to." Sagot nito.

"What? Why would you say that to him?" Gulong tanong ni Maria.

"As I said, princess. I accepted already. Maybe this is the right time to pay for all of my sins." Kalmadong sabi nito habang may malungkot na ngiti.

Pumatak ang mga luha ni Antonella.

"Don't you want to live for us, papá?" Madamdaming tanong niya.

Malungkot na napangiti sa kaniya ang ama.

"Your father needs to pay for all of his sins."

She hates criminals. Magmula noong bata pa siya ay paulit-ulit na niyang pjnagsasabihan ang kaniyang ama na itigil na ang gawain ngunit ang tangi lamang nitong isinasagot sa kaniya ay para ito sa kanilang magkapatid.

Ayaw niyang gumagawa ng iligal ang kaniyang ama. Galit siya sa mga taong gumagawa nito kaya hindi rin maitatago ang galit niya sa kaniyang ama.

Being involved to illegal drugs and firearms is like being involved to sudden death. You don't know when you will get caught, when you will get killed.

Subalit ngayong nasa bingit ng kamatayan ang kaniyang ama at ang pangamba sa kanilang seguridad? Sa tingin niya ay makakalimutan niyang galit siya sa maling gawain.

Now she understand why his father can't let go of this illegal doings, this illegal works gives them everything they want, it gives them protection and power.

"I want to protect you, Antonia and myself, papá, even if it means to be a criminal." Naiiyak na sabi niya.

Napabuga ng hangin si Alejandro sa naging desisyon ng kaniyang anak. Gusto sana niyang tumutol ngunit alam niyang mahirap itong kalabanin lalo na pagdating sa pagdedesisyon nito.

"Then, you should start your training tomorrow. I'll call Sauron's butler to train you." Pahayag ni Alejandro.

"I THOUGHT we made clear that Maria is going to marry me?" Naiinis na tono ni Sauron habang kaharap si Maria at ang ama nitong si Alejandro.

Napabuga ng hangin si Alejandro.

"Your enemies will target me and my family if I chose to be your wife, Sauron." Matigas na sagot ni Maria sa lalaki.

Umiling si Sauron.

"No, Maria. I will never let that happen. I will protect you, your sister and your father just marry me." Pagpupumikit pa ni Sauron ngunit talagang sarado na ang isipan ni Maria na makipag usap pa dito tungkol sa kasal.

"I want to protect them without anyone's help, Sauron. I want prove to myself that I can do it without the help of others. I'm done being saved and protected by knight in shining armor. I want to be the knight itself." Matapang na sabi ni Maria sa harapan ni Sauron.

Napabuga ito ng hangin. Sumandal ito sa backrest ng sofa bago maamong tumingin sa kaniya.

"If that's your final decision then we will just support you." Pahayag nito. Naging pilyo ang mga mata ni Sauron "In one condition,"

Napataas ang kilay ni Maria.

"What condition?"

"I'll be the one who's going to train you." Nakangising malapad ang binata.

Hindi na siya magugulat sa naging sinabi nito. Hinding-hindi ito papayag ng walang nakukuhang kapalit.

_*_

If you have questions regarding to this story, just leave it in the comment box and I'll promise to answer it as soon as possible. Thank you.