*Season's P.O.V.*
I woke up when I felt something wet being wiped on my back. And as I opened my eyes, I'm greeted by a soft looking mattress, apparently, whoever is treating me had laid me on my stomach so they can focus on my affected back. I moved a bit and whoever is applying those oils in my back stopped.
"Papa? Nasaan ang mahal na prinsipe? Gising na sya!" A feminine voice called out, confusing me. I tried to roll on my side to get a better look at who it was because she doesn't sound like anyone that I ever know here in the Philippines but she placed her palm flat on my back, stopping me. "Ah, ah, don't move yet." She said, speaking in English this time.
Before I could protest I heard some shuffling and within seconds I saw two men enter the room. One is a middle aged man whose facial features seems familiar while the other is the one and only, engkanto lover of mine, Kaloy. "It's good to see that you've gained consciousness." He said as he sat on a chair near the bed.
"I-I don't understand. What am I doing here?" I asked as the girl that sat behind me continued to apply pressure on my back. The man who came with Kaloy just gave me a smile as he passed another bottle of oil to the girl that's treating me and her 'thanks papa', statement made me assume that she's his daughter.
Kaloy sighed. "You passed out and it's a good thing that I was there before you launched yourself to death on that cliff. Did you really believe that dwarf wants you to live? Yes he reversed the curse but he fooled you and sent you to your death, twice." His tone was laced with ice and everything came rushing back to me. The awful sickness caused by the curse, the agreement with the dwarf, the precious stone, everything, even me abruptly learning tagalog, which I'm sure was not a dream. He's right, that nuno had all the intentions of killing me.
"But you told me before..." I trailed off and he just gave me a questioning look. "You told me that you can't follow me to Antique because it's not under the scope of Lumayan." I stated as a matter of fact. Lest, he was lying to me when he said that before.
"I can't follow you at Antique doesn't mean that I can't follow you inside that nuno's cavern. His home and mine are on the same realm. Yes, I trespassed in his territory because if I didn't, you'd be dead by now." He explained. There's still that hint of hardness in his tone making me wonder if he's mad at me or what. Why would he mad at me though? What have I done this time? Or, is he mad because he had to put up so much effort into saving me? Is he seeing me as a burden now? Does he not want to protect me anymore?
I don't understand but I felt a certain constriction in my chest just in time when the girl told me that I'm good now and asked Kaloy and her father to leave so that I could change. I know I'm not fully healed just yet, but the aching in my back did cease to the minimum. "Here, I took care of fixing your clothes so that you can still wear them." She said, plopping down my clothes which are already cleaned. Wow, how long was I out then? I nodded as she went out too, giving me time to change cause apparently she stripped me naked. Maybe that was the only way to treat my injuries so I didn't fret too much about it, she's of the same sex anyway.
When I finished, I made my way towards the sliding bars that they have for a door which opened by themselves when I approached. Whoa. My eyes landed on the living room where the girl and her father sat. "Hello." I greeted and they smiled at me, inviting me to sit. "Thank you for treating to my wounds." I said.
"It was nothing. Though I have to admit, you got yourself some serious injuries." The girl said. I got a better look at her this time and realized that she has some features that matches Kaloy's, as a matter fact, she could pass as a girl version of him if her black orbs were blue and her complexion was a little lighter.
"I guess." I agreed.
"Next time, pangalagaan mo ang sarili mo. Take extra care, mahal na reyna." Her father said with a bow. I felt puzzled because for some reason I can't decipher his entire sentence. I was sure that he had spoken tagalog but I seem to have lost the ability to understand it the way that I did when I was talking to the nuno. But I don't want to offend him by asking what he meant so I just smiled.
"Anyways, do you want some tea?" The girl offered.
"No thanks. May I know your name though?" I replied, referring to the both of them actually.
"Ahhh, sorry about that. I'm Kalista and that's my father, Teodoro." The sound of the latter's name shocked me as I now realize why he looked familiar. He looks kind of like the albularyo that helped us! A lot younger though, I mean no one looks that old in here. But is just a coincidence that they have the same names too? "As much as we'd like to entertain you, his highness is already waiting outside." I snapped out of my thoughts when Kalista said that and nodded as I saw the front door opened and Kaloy waiting outside.
"Yes, yes. Thank you again Kalista and Teodoro." I said with a wave as I hurried outside. Kaloy had already walked ahead and I noticed that we were in one of the cute houses in Lumayan and not in the palace. Maybe it was too far? Or that my condition needed immediate attention that's why he brought me directly to their shaman? "Wait up!" I called out and he abruptly stopped in his fast pacing. "What is your problem?" I asked when I was able to catch up. I mean come on! I just recently got treated, why is he being snappy?
"Nothing. We have to hurry so that I can return you to your family." He said as we entered the woods. I have a feeling we'd go to the cliff of the moving portal and I wasn't wrong. Kaloy took a deep breath as he momentarily paused, watching the clearing and the clashing waves bathed in the golden ray of the setting sun. Wow, it looks more magical at this time.
I don't know what got into me but I moved closer to him and wrapped my arms on one of his as I laid my head on his shoulder, comfortably. I felt his body tensed up when I did that but he didn't flinch, nor did he move an inch. "Is something the matter?" I asked softly. "I mean, are you mad at me?" I added, unwrapping my arms around him slowly, looking away.
I heard him sigh as I felt his arm sneak on my back, curling on to my other side as he brought me close to him again. "I'm not." He said, in a manner that is softer than his previous statements. He even brought his index finger under my chin, making me look at him. "I'm just really worried about you. I don't want you to endanger yourself like that." By this time, he traced his finger from my jaw to my cheek before cupping it with gentle strokes. The tenderness of his actions and the closeness of our proximity brought about a certain warmth in my chest that traitorously crept to my cheeks, making it bright red, matching the scenery in front of us. "When I warned you, I did that because I know that there's a monster in the area, a manananggal and I don't want you to be victimized by her for whatsoever reasons. But that's not all. I also knew that that manananggal has a relationship with a black dwarf, the deadliest kind of dwarf, and if by some means you were able to even scratch that manananggal, I know that duwende would get back at you for what you did. While I'm not worried so much about your fighting skills with your martial arts and all, you just have no escape with their curses."
I get his point, really. So I full on hug him this time, feeling the hardness of his almost bare chest, which just made my cheeks hotter but, I don't really care cause no one can see it. "You've given so much for me." I murmured and he tightened his hold on me.
"I wish you'd do the same for yourself. Don't just act rashly to save even those that you love." There was a hint of something I can't quite point out at the way he said that. So I gave him a pointed look when we let go of the hug but is still an arm's length away from each other.
"I'm not in love with Collin." I said firmly, remembering how he had implied that the night before.
"Really? Why not?" He challenged. But I felt the atmosphere lighting up between us and I'm glad. I don't want him being cold on me, yet I really don't know how to answer his question. I was about to open my mouth and make up a reason that doesn't make any sense when he stopped me. "Save it. It's getting dark, you need to be back in your realm."
"But you can't go to Antique."
"I can't but I can open the portal to there and you can cross."
"Okay." I agreed and he started concentrating, raising his palm to the direction of the setting sun when an all too familiar drapery of vines showed up and he motioned for me to go. "I'll see you at home."
"I'll be there." Was the last thing that he said before the great divide of our realms disappeared along with him when I reached the other side. I noticed that the surrounding area because darker and when I saw the lights from the Jacob's porch in my perepherals, I ran to it. I realized that I actually was on the right side of the property, opposite to where everyone was anxiously anticipating my return.
"Why is she not here yet? It's been two hours!" My brother exclaimed, clearly frustrated. For some reason, they still didn't notice me around so I just held back for a bit.
"If it exceeds three hours, let's just pray that she'd be able to make it." Teodoro's statement sent everyone in a higher level of panic by the way they all sighed.
"I almost didn't." I let out and they all turned their heads at me, shocked but pleased.
"Season!" They wrapped me up in a group hug and I felt so relieved.
"Ouch! Don't hug me too tight. I got injuries." I said when they squeezed me into them, making my feeling back sting. They mumbled some apologies and said that we should come inside for dinner. Apparently, tito and tita prepared us something to eat.
"I'm glad you managed to get through with it Season!"
"What happened? What did the duwende let you do?"
"How were you able to obtain the cure?"
They said almost at the same time when we all sat around the table for dinner. I held up a hand as I swallowed the chicken piece that I was chewing on. "Well, it wasn't an easy feat." I started off and they listened intently. "But I guess I was lucky I had a little discreet help. But, something strange really happened while I was there or while I was talking to the nuno. I was actually able to speak Tagalog."
"We heard a few. Actually, that last statement of yours before you disappeared quite impressed us." Teodoro said.
"Yeah. It impressed me too because nobody taught me that and I didn't really bother to practice tagalog whilst I am here so I don't know how that happened."
"Maybe that was adrenaline?" Collin suggested. I could seriously consider it adrenaline rush now because when everything calmed down or during those times that I was on Lumayan, that ability died down. But, surely adrenaline doesn't work that way right? My eyes landed on Teodoro who seems to be looking at me in scrutinizing way.
"Or something else. Either way, what's important is that you made it out." Sean said.
"Yes, yes. And you know what? His place is totally made out of gold!" I said, narrating my whole experience there, skipping out the last few parts when I was on Lumayan because technically, they still didn't know that I'm talking to an engkanto. And a part of me is not ready to hear what they have to say about it. So, after dinner, the Jacob's insisted that we'd stay the night and that's what we did. I was getting ready to sleep when I heard a knock on the door.
"Teodoro?" I said when I saw thse middle aged albularyo standing outside my door.
"Can we talk before you sleep?" He asked. Well, I could really use a conversation with him now. So I stepped out of the room and we sat by the stairs since it's empty anyways. "Let me check if you're really okay." He said and I let him. "You know what, those kinds of duwendes never really keep their end of the deal. But I'm surprised he actually healed you."
I chuckled. "He didn't really keep his end of the deal as he had deliberately threw me to my death twice." I countered.
"How did you escape?"
"Like I said earlier, the first one was a really close call while I was getting that red precious stone for him. That's where I got these bruises when the room collapsed. The second one was pure deception, he had wanted me to jump off a ravine, telling me that it's the way out of there, luckily somebody saved me." Now that second part is something that I don't tell everyone earlier.
"Is it, him?" He asked carefully and I nodded. There's no point in hiding this to him. "It bothers me how that engkanto has been following you. And that you are letting him. I have a haunch about that sudden tagalog speaking of yours, he had possessed you."
"W-what?" Can he do that? Apparently he can, cause why would Teodoro lie? But if he did that to help me, where's the issue in it? "Well, it did help me so, yeah.
"Favors come with prices and one from an engkanto is deliberately great." He stated.
"What does that mean?" I mean, it bothers me because Kaloy had given me a few favors even if I initially didn't want them. How can I pay him back?
"I mean, it might cost you your life." He answered directly. What? My life? Why? And how? All Kaloy has ever done was save me, right? Or is there a hidden agenda behind that, just like what I suspected?
"How come? I don't think he'd want to kill me. I mean why would he help me if he only wants me dead?"
"Maybe because he's not after your human body. Maybe he's after your soul. You see ija, engkantos, may they good or bad would want the same thing when they fall in love. They would want you, they'd want you to live with them, they'd want you by their side, in their world. And in order for you to be a resident in their realm, you have to die here so that your soul is free to live where they are. Their not mortals, I know you know that." The reality of his words dawned upon me but I refuse to believe that someone like Kaloy would literally ask me to die for love. I know in myself that I can never do that. I'm not willing to do such a thing. I can't leave everything behind for some stupid romance! Now I understand why that cab driver had said something just three days ago.
I feel a constriction in my chest, squeezing the muscle that's pumping up blood in my system. Why? Why does it have to be like this? Why when I've started to admit to myself that I really have some sort of feelings for him, would I have to know the price to pay for being with him? I initially thought that our difference wouldn't be a problem but what I just heard right now, proved me wrong. NO! I refuse to be wrong! "What if I don't agree to be with him in his world?" I inquired. Perhaps he'd rather be with me in my realm?
"Are you not agreeing because you don't feel the same way? Or, are you not agreeing because you hope that a part of him would understand and that he would compromise? Either way Season, they won't take no for an answer. If they like you, they like you. They'd wriggle like a worm in your system, taking a spot in your heart so that when the time comes that they'd be pleased to take you, they can do so without any difficulty. Making it look like it was all your choice." That sounds a lot heavier than the last one.
"I..." I don't know what to say. Cause perhaps, that's what Kaloy has been doing all along. You know, making me fall for him everytime he'd sweep me off my feet after rescuing me from a monster? Or, did he perhaps sent those monsters my way, to I don't know, make me feel like I need someone like him to protect me? Maybe that's too far. I shouldn't be overthinking like this. But he's given me something to overthink on! And I can clearly see that I really know little about him and how his world runs, is he taking that as an advantage too?
"You know, ayokong pangunahan ka. It's still your choice you know. I mean, if you ever feel the same way and you're willing to leave everything behind. There's no problem. He's a good engkanto." He cut through my train of thoughts.
"I don't want to leave everything behind." I firmly stated. Even if I don't have much. I don't want to leave whatever and whoever I have here. And I sure as hell am afraid of dying.
"I know someone just like you." I looked at him when he said that and I saw him pull out a picture in his pocket. When I looked at it, my heart rapidly pumped in my chest when I saw the man in the picture. Teodoro. Not this Teodoro, but the one that I met in Lumayan. The one who helped me with my wounds. "I was young when he was taken away from us. He's my father. While he was never perfect, I mean, he was a bit of a womanizer and yes he cheated on my mother, he didn't really want to be taken from us, especially when they had me. However, the engkantada, who was previously very nice to him had grown aggressively possessive to the point where she threatened our family if he didn't come with her. So, my father didn't have much of a choice. He agreed, not because he loves her, but I know in my heart that, he did that because he loves us."
Oh the things that one can do for love. I sighed. I don't really know if I'm so prepared for those sacrifices. I mean, it's not a secret that Kaloy had actually taken a place in my heart but, no. I now know that I can't be with him. Not because it's wrong or that it's supposedly creepy, but mainly because, I really am not ready for that. I'm selfish okay? I can't pay the heavy price of this thing called love.