One Chance For Redemption

Kabanata 34 - The Queen

Kabanata 34

The Queen

"You only want to clean your name. Pero ako? I am left alone to be the talk of your empire." Ani Oliva habang pinapaikot ang baso ng wine sa kanyang daliri.

Joseph didn't reply. Olivia took that liberty to speak again.

"How about you take responsibility? Hmm?"

Napakunot ang noo ni Joseph. Now quite sure kung ano ang ibig sabihin ni Princess Olivia sa huling kataga na binitawan.

"What's responsibility are we talking about? I told you Princess Olivia; I know that nothing happened to us last night." Madiin niyang sabi. He can't back down now.

Olivia smiles sweetly yet said her words in an intimidating voice, "I didn't know that the Crown Prince is this low-witted person. I should have known."

Nagkatitigan silang dalawa. Princess Olivia has now the upper hand of the situation, because of Joseph feeling lost dahil sa aura na binibigay ni Olivia.

"I am here talking to you and suggesting you a solution para na rin hindi magkaroon ng masamang epekto sakin ang balita, but here you are refusing to acknowledge what happened. And even trying to dodge the responsibility para sa nangyari sa nakaraang gabi." Ngumuso si Olivia pero halata pa rin ang pag-usbong na magkabilaang gilid ng labi dahil sa pinipigilang ngiti.

Wicked woman!

"What would the people say about their future emperor hmm? Our little emperor's reputation and dignity would go in mud."

So that's her point. Ang ipang-ba-black mail niya sakin ay ang reputasyon ko bilang isang crown prince at susunod na emperor. Really woman? You should have done your research before coming to me. Nakabawi si Joseph dahil sa sinabi ni Olivia. He then sips on his glass of wine tila ba nabawasan ang intensidad sa katawan. Sumandal siya sa kanyang inuupuan at ginawang komportable ang sarili. Marahan siyang tumawa ng makita ang pagbaba ng kilay ng Prinsesa at bahagyang pag-awang ng bibig. She didn't expect na ganito ang magiging reaksyon ko, huh?

The crown prince was never righteous. He had too many girls associated with his name kaya naman kung madadagdagan ng isa pa sa listahan niya ay hindi iyon magiging problema. He was labeled a womanizer noon pa man. And the crowd, the people of this empire never liked him as their Crown Prince kaya his name was already ruined.. his reputation was shredded a long time ago. Kaya ang banta ng Prinsesa sa kanya ay baliwala lamang. Ang tanging problema lang dito ay pagiging Prinsesa niya sa ibang kaharian. If it was a normal noble from this kingdom, madali lamang lusutan at ayusin. But this is different. One wrong move, ay maaring makapag-siklab ako ng isa na namang gyera. This time, laban naman sa West. Hindi pa nga namin naipapanalo ang laban sa East! I can't afford to give another problem to my mother anymore.

"My reputation was already ruined a long time ago, Princess Olivia. But if you think you can ruined me more, go ahead and do so."

Ilang segundo na natigilan ang prinsesa. Pero sumilay muli ang ngiti nito at tinaasan siya ng kilay.

"You are becoming defensive, Your Highness. I only said that you must take responsibility to me because it was you who took away a Princess virginity." She smiled again, "What would happen if my father, the King of the Western Kingdom know of this instances?"

Napaawang ang labi niya. He was speechless. That's the topic he couldn't touch dahil alam niyang gyera at gulo lang ang mangyayari kung malalaman ito ng Western Kingdom. Pero doon pa din pala ang direkta ng atake ng Prinsesa.

"Are you threatening me?" He asked darkly.

Princess Olivia laughed as she looked at him with sharp eyes.