“Lady Rina, the Contejo prince had arrived,” informs a royal maid as she opens the door to the princess’ room.
Larina under a long elegant dress tinted with cardinal cherries only nodded in response before stretching out her legs and standing up modestly. Her long jet-black hair plunged down from her shoulders, revealing the snow-colored vines adorned on her head.
Her gaze again turned back and focused on the high mountains afore her opened window. Her hope didn’t fade, wishing for him to show up someday. Or maybe even this time before the sand runs out.
She was now betrothed as the crown princess of Pinansey-angan kingdom of the southern part of Claveria Haltera. Mainly to the only heir of the Contejos, Vander. The only cadet inside Laxon to have known she escaped death.
“Your beauty still matches the stars in the sky. Seems like you didn’t change that much, Lady Rina,” meets someone the second she reached the halls.
Before her sight was barrels and bags of precious gifts and things from the carriage. But what’s taking her full attention is the guy standing afore her with his hand stretched out. His blonde dashing hair and those chocolate eyes that had once captivated her now no longer bring the same old affection.
“So are you.” She forced out a smile and accepted his hand.
“You’re bothered by something, may I know what is it?” a question from the prince that caused her to look away from him.
“Just the same thing, Vander.”
And a soft gentle touch was what she felt, it was from this person in front of her. The only friend she had who knows what the real reason she was driven out of Laxon. “He’s here, right?”
“He’s the beta,” she simply replied. “I showed up… and met him.” She raised her head and struck his eyes. “But he denied me. He told me I was long dead.”
“Stupid,” Vander chuckled and carefully ran his fingers across the princess’ hair. “He refuses to admit the truth. Why don’t you slap him if you see him again?”
The sadness in her slowly vanishes that she couldn’t control but laughed at Vander’s joke. Her affection towards him might have changed but the friendship between them still settles. He’s still the Vander she once fell infatuated to, still the Vander with his good sense of humor.
“There’s a month left before our wedding,” he unanticipatedly brought out, making Larina stop and look at him with his lips slightly parted. Vander smiled naturally and slip out the words she never expected he’d say. “And I’m giving you all the remaining days to be with him. To be with your mate. But if he still refuses to accept you, I am sorry but I will take you with me back to Pinansey-angan. But if I see him cherish and love you as much as I do, then I’m letting you go.”
*****
“Still standing there, eh?”
“Shut up.”
“Oh, you know I won’t. Are you really sure you’re letting your rival be that close to her?”

“Then what should I supposed to do?” Diego grumped as he turned around to look at Marco who just shrugged at him.
“I don’t know, maybe jump and say ‘Hey! I’m your mate and I’m sorry I’m so foolish to kick you away cause I’m literally out of my mind that time—Blah-blah-blah,’” the Alpha answered with a geeky coquettish tone.
“Piss off.”
Diego frowned and returned his gaze towards the receiving halls of the palace where a familiar blonde-haired man was now wrapping his arms around the princess regent of Daghum. Behind them were boulders of shining and glittering betrothal gifts.
It was this recent that he had known Larina was already engaged to Vander. But even though, it’s still not too late for him to get her back, right?
“Oi! Oi! I’m only allowing you to cut off formalities with me and not with the way you treat me, I’m still your Alpha.”
“Then what am I supposed to reply to you? Dearest Alpha, may I respectively request you to get your ass off here?” Diego responded mockingly with a grin on his face.
Marco’s lips twitched irritatedly and pushed Diego down from the tree without any warning. “I disagree, you must do it first.”
“You fuc—”
“Gavin?” interrupted a voice before Diego could even curse at Marco.
As much as he wanted to turn around, his guts were commanding him not to. Even though he wasn’t able to see who that person mentioned his name, he already knew who it was. Even if it’s only her voice or even the tips of her hair, he’ll recognize it belongs to the girl who once begged him to read and translate.
But at this sudden moment, there were no words to spout out of him to at least respond to her. So, he’d better jump back and get away from here. Cursing Marco repeatedly on his head.
*****
“From who?” Larina asked, her forehead creasing in bother.
Afore her was a tiny plain box with a blue bow on top of it. The fifth thing she had received for this week. First was a blue flame quill pen. Followed by a crystal hair vine, a noting book with a lock, and a music box for the second, third and fourth time.
“A maid has also handed me that, Lady Rina.”
She wouldn’t know where it came from by just asking. Larina only nodded her head, letting the maid go and leave. Her steps headed back to the table where all the four other anonymous gifts were laid.
There she opened the small box in her hand and out popped a miniature rolled paper. Too small that even a simple word wouldn’t fit if written. But when she dared pull it out, a cluster of bitsy words are plastered.
Larina’s lips contorted at the sight of it. In able to read it, she has to narrow her eyes and activate her super sense.
‘Ed daya yan naanapak sin likod di liboo
San sungbat ya lawlawag panggep en data.’
Says the phrase is written which makes her face warp. Why would someone give her words she can’t even understand what it means?
Her face remained perplexed until a clue spring out. She again looked at the four objects laid on one side. The quill and the noting book have the closest relationship with a piece of paper with a letter.
Her hands started moving and she grabbed onto the feather pen colored sapphire and opened the lock attached to the leather noting book. She quickly glanced and copied the letterings of every word from the piece of rolled paper to the book’s blank first page.
‘Ed daya yan naanapak sin likod di liboo
San sungbat ya lawlawag panggep en data.’
She repeatedly uttered and a dash of blueberry-colored fumes burst out. From the smallest particles, there forms an image. Slowly and gradually that she can only narrow her eyes again to visualize what the whole picture looks like.
There’s an arch strangled with green vines and covered in moss. Through it was stairs pacing up and the side, there stands a miniature pagoda with six stories. And it was not the only structure in that place, there were green-covered ruined fireplaces and statues all scattered around.
“It’s the place where the remnant of the ancient Gariliea temple was located!” she said.
Escaping out of her room, she headed towards the window and easily sneaked out of the palace. Her foot led and it was not long enough that she found herself standing afore the arch. And it was also a little bit late for her to realize her mistake.
“You came.”
Wait… why did she even come to this place? What if it’s a trap set by an enemy? What if it’s to get her killed?
Her head gradually veered behind her where that voice emanated from with her eyes closed thinking it would be an arrow or even a blade that was waiting and pointed at her. “Don’t kill me, please. I promise I won’t talk.”
“I-I am—Eh?”
One of her eyes opened. “Diego?” she blurted when she saw that someone who was about to talk and now staring at her like he’s a creature out of sane. “Are you…” she hesitantly asked. “—the one who sent me those?”
“Y-Yes, I-I am,” the guy answered, his hand scratching the back of his neck and his eyes darting on the ground.
With that, silence hammered them both frozen and speechless. Not until a little hindering smile creep out of Larina’s lips. A feeling inside her she couldn’t tell what. Her beats thumping and racing, the creepy flapping butterflies inside her that barely wants to exit.
“M-May I a-ask you to translate thos—”
“Up the sky, I have found,” Diego quickly cut in, with his eyes slowly raising and finally settling to one focus. “Behind the clouds above.” Those ocean eyes of him struck hers, with stares so warm and gentle. “The answer and explanation I have long searching for.”