Obsession 29

                                    

                                          
Cassiopeia 
                          
Puwersahan kong hinatak si Gresha dahil tila nanigas siya sa kanyang kinatatayuan. Ramdam ko ang paghihimagsik niya, ngunit wala siyang nagawa kundi sumunod sa akin.
                          
The place is full of vampires of all types. Purebloods, halfbloods, normies, turned. Few creatures are also present to witness a grand ceremony. This can be the post-celebration of Blood Red Moon.
                          
The selection of a new queen has already started. All citezens had casted their votes already. Next will be the Council and the Elders. Lastly, the king himself.
                          
Tumigil kami sa lugar kung saan malayang nakikita ang entablado sa gitna. Hanggang ngayon ay naninigas pa rin si Gresha. 
                          
Lumingon ako sa kanya at tinignan niya ako ng may pagtataka nang bigyan ko siya ng makahulugang ngisi.
                          
"Cassiopeia, ano pa ba ang ginagawa natin dito? Delikado ako rito. Umalis na tayo," kinakabahan niyang pahayag na sinuklian ko ng iling.
                          
"Gresha, the party is just about to begin. I need you to witness it." Hinalikan ko siya sa pisngi at nginitian.
                          
I like her so much.
                          
"Stay right here if you don't want to become a dinner." Magpoprotesta pa sana siya pero iniwan ko na siya agad.
                          
Ilang segundo lang ay narating ko na ang entablado kaya nagkaroon ng ingay mula sa manonood. Napatayo na rin ang iilang Councilor at Elder dahil sa biglaan kong pagsulpot.
                          
Hanggang ngayon ay nakasuot pa rin ako ng balabal kaya hindi pa nila nakikilala kung sino ang kanilang kaharap.
                          
"Who the hell are you? How dare you interrupt a sacred ceremony? You're not even one of the candidates." 
                          
Napatingin ako sa babaeng agad sumugod sa harapan ko.
                          
Stacey Black.
                          
She's quite famous around here. I do know her.
                          
Hindi ko na pinatagal pa at tinanggal ko na ang aking balabal. Kasabay ng pagbagsak nito sa sahig ay ang pagsinghap ng lahat na nasundan ng iilang ingay at bulong-bulungan.
                          
"I am not here to fight for the title of a queen, I am here to claim it." 
                          
Napangisi ako nang napaatras si Stacey dahil sa pagkabigla.
                          
"N-no way."
                          
I walked passed her to the center of the stage. But she grabbed my wrist and stopped me.
                          
"You can't do this. You're not an official candidate, and in fact, the ceremony started already. We don't even know that you're still alive. We thought you died together with your parents."
                          
How dare her? Anger triggers my whole system upon hearing her statement.
                          
Napasigaw siya ng sampalin ko siya nang malakas sa kanyang kanang pisngi. Magsasalita pa sana siya nang sampalin ko ulit ito sa kanyang kaliwang pisngi.
                          
Ang lahat ay hindi makapaniwala sa kanilang nasaksihan.
                          
Agad naman siyang dinaluhan ng kanyang ina na si Melissa Black. Lumapit na rin sa aming kinaroroonan ang lahat ng Elder at Council. Maging ang dalawa pang kandidata ay lumapit din.
                          
"You have no idea what a royal pureblood can do. Know your place, halfblood." I give hard emphasis on the last word which made her silent.
                          
"I, Cassiopeia Dark, daughter of the late King Darius Dark and Queen Cassandra Dark, sister of your current king, Caldrix Darius Dark, do hereby claim my birthright as a queen. Dear Elders, Councilors, and King, do you object?"
                          
Napatikhim si Lord Lucios kaya napunta sa kanya ang atensiyon.
                          
"According to our ancestral laws, with the absence of King's wife and mother, his sister has the full right to the title. Therefore, I do not object. As the Prime Elder, this is my judgement."
                          
He bowed his head as sign of respect, but I remained stoic.
                          
"Considering the bylaws and royal regulations as well, you deserve the crown, Princess Cassiopeia. Therefore, as the Head Councilor, I do not object. This is my resolution. I pass the final decision to our King," pahayag ni Councilor Axel Night.
                          
Bagot na napatayo si Caldrix. Sa kanilang lahat ay tanging siya lang ang hindi nabigla. Of course, he's my brother. The moment I stepped inside his castle, he already recognized my presence.
                          
"In any case, I will vote for you anyway. So, I do not object. That's the king's verdict."
                          
"With the agreement of the three highest bodies, this ceremony is declared as void. And now, I present to you, the righful queen of Vampyria, Queen Cassiopeia Dark!" pag-iimporma ni Councilor Alexus sa lahat.
                          
Kahit nabigla at naguguluhan, nagpalakpakan pa rin ang lahat. Yumuko rin sila bilang pagbibigay pugay at galang sa kanilang baging reyna, sa akin.
                          
Sa aking tabi ay narinig ko ang pagtutol ni Stacey at Melissa ngunit isang masamang titig lang mula kay Lord Lucios ay tumikom na sila at agad na umalis sa seremonya.
                          
"As your new queen, I will choose my right hand at this very moment. She is a mortal being." Maraming bulong-bulongan at komento ang lahat. Marahil hindi nila ito inaasahan.
                          
Pero bilang reyna, may karapatan akong piliin kung sino man ang gusto kong maging kanang kamay. Maging ang aking ina ay nagkaroon ng isang mortal na kanang kamay kaya kahit tutol ang karamihan, wala silang magawa.
                          
"She is also the other half of our King." Ang kaninang maingay na paligid ay mas umingay pa dahil sa aking rebelasyon.
                          
They can no longer take more revelations for tonight.
                          
"Gresha Iris," pagpapakilala ko sa kanya. 
                          
Ngunit ng mapatingin ako sa kanyang kinaroroonan kanina ay wala ng bakas niya. Agad akong napalingon kay Caldrix ngunit maging anino niya ay lumisan na rin sa seremonya.
                          
What an impulsive king he is.
                          
"That's all for tonight," maikli kong pahayag at tumalikod na sa kanila.
                          
Sinalubong ako ng iilang Elder at Councilor kasabay ng kanilang pagtangkilik sa akin bilang kanilang bagong reyna.
                          
But there is more than what meets the eye. I know what and who they are beneath. This is the reason why I'm out of commission for the whole fifteen years.
                          
To know who my allies and enemies are.
                          
I remained composed and dignified while I passed by all of them leaving their congratulatory remarks behind.
                          
They were shocked of the cild treatment they received from me.
                          
Well, I am not as kind as my mother when she was the queen back then. And the thing is, they need to get used to it, to me.
                          
A sudden chill travels through my system as I entered the castle that was once my home.
                          
I can feel that something big is about to happen. Very soon.
                          
And now that I am already back, I am ready as everything turns upside down.
                          
This is the start of my new conquest, as a queen of Vampyria. And as a bringer of justice to my parents' deaths.