Chapter Thirty Six

"No need for that, my King. I'm here already," Lacy said as she enters the hall.

Thr room filled with noises and a lot of people are murming around. Lacy look around and he saw a lot of nobles here, especially those advisers and who has a high-rank in the society.

Nakita niya rin ang ibang anak ng hari at ang kani-kanilang mga iba pang kamag-anak. Nakita niya si Izaak sa kabilang banda ngunit hindi ito masyadong pansin dahil bahagyang malayo ang pwesto nito sa kaniyang mga kapatid.

Nang igala niya ang kaniyang paningin ay nakita niya si Yasmine at katabi nito ang kaniyang nakatatandang kapatid na si Pickett, na siyang nakatingin lamang sa kaniya.

She saw her father kneeling in front of everyone. She raised her eyebrow and walked gracefully like a Queen at the center and go to where her father is.

"Father," tawag niya sa kaniyang ama. Hindi siya nito nilingon. Kaya naman hinawakan niya ang kaniyang braso at itinayo ito. Pero nagmatigas ito na siyang dahilan upang huminga siya nang malalim at napapikit.

"The one who needs to apologize is me, not you," she said. That's when her father look at her and he saw something in her eyes.

"So stop kneeling and let me do the work," she added as she looked at him. Her father stood up by his daughter's side.

Lacy look at his majesty and bowed down her head. "I shall greet you first, your majesty," she said, and smiled at him.

King Levi look at her for a second before nodding his head once. Lacy smiled sweetly at him.

"Greetings to the King of Faeroe. May the King of Gods bless you an eternal life," she politely greeted as she bowed down her head.

"We are here to hear the side of Lady Lacy Cunningham Marquez with her brawl with Princess Yasmine Faeroe yesterday."

"Since our beloved King Levi is known for his fair decisions. We granted the young lady of the Marquez's to explain and give her side."

"Care to tell what is your reason with your actions, young lady?" tanong ng lalaki sa kaniya.

Paniguradong assistant ito sa palasyo, base na rin sa pananamit nito at ang kaniyang pananalita.

"There's no reason for that," she plainly said, and shrugged her shoulder.

King Levi's eyebrows met and were furious with what she said. Ang pagbubulungan sa kaniyang paligid ay mas lalong lumala nang sabhin niya ang mga katagang iyon.

"Are you playing with us?" galit na saad nito at ang boses nito. Kaagad namang umiling si Lacy at ngumiti rito.

"Of course not, my King. I solemnly made a promise that I shall, hereby, tell the truth and, the truth only," inosenteng sambit nito at ngumiti nang matamis sa kanila.

Halata namang nang-iinsulto ito. Napailing naman si Pickett rito habang tinitignan ang ginagawa ng dalaga.

Maging siya ay walang kaalam-alam sa ginagawa nito at sa iba pa nitong susunod na gagawin.

"Then are you admitting your mistakes, young lady?" tanong nito sa kaniya. Mas mabilis pa sa alas-kwatro itong tumango sa kaniya.

Tahimik lamang si Lucian sa kaniyang tabi at hinahayaan niya ang kaniyang anak na kumilos at magsalita. Wala siya sa posisyon pero hindi niya rin hahayaang mapahamak ang kaniyang anak.

Nakasuporta lamang siya sa kung ano man ang magiging desisyon nito at kung ano pa ang kaniyang mga gagawin. May tiwala siya sa kaniyang anak at alam niya na sa ikabubuti niya rin iyon.

Natuto na siya matapos ng kanilang away. Mabuti na rin at naintindihan ng kaniyang anak kung ano ang kaniyang ibig sabihin sa paghingi ng tawad.

Hindi dahil sa mahina ka, kundi dahil matapang ka upang tanggapin ang iyong pagkakamali. Sa kanilang sitwasyon, sila na lamang ang nagpakumababa.

Iyon ang dating kay Lucian sa lahat ng ginagawa ni Lacy ngayon, pero hinid nito alam na may plano ang dalaga ngayon.

Matapos ang kanilang pag-uusap ni Yana, bahagyang nalinawan na siya sa mga kaya niyang gawin.

"Then, the King Levi should decide what punishment--" Lacy cuts him off.

"But I think it's unfair at my side not to hear what Princess Yasmine told you about our argument yesterday," she innocently said, and looked at them first before looking at Princess Yasmine who's become paled.

"We already heard her side, it's unfortunate to hear her side once more. It's such a waste of time to do that," pagpapahayag ng opinyon ng isa nitong kapatid na si Yohan.

Ang iba namang tao na nandoon ay um-agree sa kaniyang sinabi at bahagyang nagtanguan pa. Ngumisi naman si Yasmine rito at tinignan ang kaniyang kapatid na lalaki.

"My daughter is right, your majesty. Since you are known to make a wise and fair decision. I think there's nothing wrong with what she wanted to do." King Levi squinted his eyes then points his finger on them.

"Are you saying that my own flesh is lying and deceiving us?" galit na sambit nito. Napailing naman si Lacy rito at bahagyang naatwa.

Pero kaagad niyang napigilan ang sarili at tumikhim.

"I am not saying that, your majesty. We are talking about my punishments after this, then I should do all and give my best to save myself here. If I failed to do so, then I will give my fair and share, by apologizing to Princess Yasmine and face my consequences for such action," magalang na sambit ni Lacy sa kanila at ngumiti.

Which gives Pickett a shiver in his spine just by looking at her smiling face. Alam niyang ngumingiti lamang ito pero hindi niya mapigilang kilabutan sa kaniya.

Alam niyang may plano ang dalaga, base sa mga ekspresyon an pinapakita nito. At hindi nga siya nagkamali ng akala. Although he doesn't know, he's sure that she have something up in her sleeves.

King Levi sighed and calmed himself down before calling his daughter.

"Yasmine."

Yasmine paled and trembles when her father called her. She widens her eyes and her lips starts to quiver. She knows once she open her mouth and say what she just told them yesterday night, the she's doom.

"Yasmine," madiin at puno ng awtoridad ulit nitong tawag sa kaniyang anak.

Alam niyang kapag nalaman ng kaniyang ama na nagsisinungaling siya, siya ang makakaharap ng kabagsikan nito.

Nanginginig niyang inabante ang kaniyang paa at muntik pa siyang matumba. Kung hindi lamang siya nahawakan ng kaniyang kuya na si Pickett.

"Are you okay?" nag-aalang tanong nito.

Napatingin naman siya sa kaniyang kuya at para bang nanghihingi ng tulong sa kaniya.

Nangunot naman ang noo ni Pickett rito at nagtatakang nakatingin sa kaniyang kapatid.

Pero ilang sandali lamang ay para bang nakuha na niya ang ibig sabihin nito. Napapikit siya ng kaniyang mata at napahawak sa kaniyang sentido.

Nagsisinungaling ang kaniyang kapatid! sabi nito sa kaniyang isip. He sighed and looked at Yasmine before turning his gaze to Lacy who's looking at them without any expression on her face.

Wala siyang magagawa rito dahil nasa actual na sila at alam niyang malalagot nang tuluyan ang kaniyang kapatid na babae sa kanilang ama.

"I don't know how to help you, Yasmine. Face what you did," he firmly said, and lets go of her arm.

"Please, Kuya... Stop our father, you know that I'm going to die if he ever finds out," nagmamakaawang bulong nito sa akniya at para bang naiiyak na ito.

"That... I can't do anything, Yasmine. I'm sorry."

"You did that to yourself, you set trap and in the end you're the one who fell and will now suffer," sabi ni Pickett rito. Kahit gusto man niyang tulungan, wala siyang magagawa dahil nasa mali ang kaniyang kapatid.

Hindi dahil sa kinakampihan niya si Lacy kung hindi dahil ito ang nasa tama. He sighed and shook his head.

Galit naman na tinawag si Yasmine ng kaniyang ama dahil sa hindi pa ito lumalapit.

Nanginginig naman si Yasmine na lumakad patungo sa harapan ng kaniyang ama. Habang nanunumpa itong hindi magsasabi ng kasinungalingan at purong katotohanan lamang ay bigla itong napaiyak.

Kaagad niya iyong pinunasan pero hindi iyon nakatakas sa paningin ni Lacy. Alam niya na may sinabi si Yasmine rito na hindi naman totoong nangyari kahapon.

Gumawa ito ng sarli nitong istorya, it's either, dinagdagan niya nang iba pa o nagbawas siya sa mga impormasyon na sinabi nito.

"Yasmine, could you tell what you just told us about what happened yesterday?" pagtatanong ng kaniyang ama sa kaniya, huminga naman ito nang malalim at tinignan si Lacy, pero wala itong expression sa kaniyang mukha.

Tumingin siya sa kaniyang ama at tinango ang ulo.

"We had an a-argument because I was there to welcome her, since s-she's been far away for too long..."

Kinuwento nito na tumakbo siya upang yakapin ang kaniyang 'inaakalang' kaibigan at nabigla raw ito nang bigla siyang itulak nito papalayo sa kaniya.

Napataas naman ang kilay ni Lacy nang marinig iyon. Pero hindi siya umimik at pinakinggan pa ang mga susunod nitong sasabihin.

"T-Then after that, she scolded me and told me that I s-should not come close t-to her again..." Napaiyak naman ito nang tuluyan, kaya naman ang mga tao sa paligid nila ay nagsibulungan at kung ano-ano na ang mga kumento ang sinasabi.

"My maids helped me and told lady Lacy to stop w-what she's doing..."

"But you said the maids never helped you, when you are having an argument with her," sabi ni King Levi rito at pinasingkit ang mga mata rito.

"A-Ahh... Yes... Father. I-I was bullied by her. I-I didn't know what was happening t-that time..."

"Then I was d-dragged by their knights to get out of their m-manor." Napahinga naman nang mabigat si king Levi at tinignan nang masama ang kaniyang anak.

"You said, it was the young lady who dragged you our of their manor," king Levi impatiently said as he clenched his teeth.

Lacy, on the other hand is just looking at them and didn't say any words. Yasmine fell into her own trap that she set for Lacy. A mouse got caught and a pinocchio was found lying once again.

King Levi look at the Marquez's and sighed.

"I apologize for what my daughter did to the both of you nad made a ruckus between our fmailies. I hope this doens't affect the relation what we have for generations," king Levi said and glared at Yasmine. Whose anytime now, is about to pass out.

Duke Lucian bowed down his head and nods his head.

"Of course, your majesty. I hope this will the last time that we are being blamed for something that my daughter or any of my family didn't do," Lucian demanded.

Of course, alam niyang wala siyang pakielam sa pagkapahiya niya kanina, inaalala niya ang kaniyang anak. Dahil panigurado ay mamaya lamang ay kakalat na agad ang balita sa nangyari.

Wala siyang pakielam sa kung ano ang sasabihin ng tao sa kaniya, kung pwede nga lang ay siya na lang umako ng kahihiyan pero alam niyang may iilan pa ring huhusga sa kaniyang anak.

"If by any chance, we were blamed once again and it'll turns out that it's not our fault. Then I don't have a choice but to move place," he said with a serious expression on his face.

He needed to demand that, for them not to experience it again. He needed to, for his daughter.

King Levi sigh and nods his head. "Of course, Duke Lucian. I am not going to lose my greatest knight and my in-laws with this," sambit nito. Napatingin naman ito kay Lacy na wala pa ring ekspresyon sa kaniyang mukha.

Pinaalis niya muna ang ibang tao, dahil tapos naman na ang mga nangyari. Hindi naman talaga sila kailangan, mga nakiusosyo lamang at gustong makahagip ng pagkukwentuhan tungkol sa kanila.

"Lady Lacy, my daughter should apologize to you," saad ng hari pero kaagad itong ngumiti sa kaniya.

"No need, your majesty." Tumingin siya kay Yasmine na bahagyang sinisilip siya sa pagitan ng kaniyang buhok.

"She should know who she should be apologizing to," she said and smiled.

"Well, if you say so. Don't worry, I'll make sure to give her a lesson for what she caused you." Nakangiting humarap si Lacy rito at bahagyang tumawa.

"No need for that also, I understands why Princess Yasmine did that. So please, just spare her, she's just a kid with no knowledge with everything that she does. She's kind of impulsive, but I guess, that's she is," she politely said and smiled.

"Then is there something you wanted the most, I am sure I can give anything to you as my compensation of what had happened."

Lacy smiled and gasped before looking around and she saw Pickett who is staring at her. She suddenly flashed a weird smile and while looking at his majesty.

She said something that makes Pickett run towards her to stop her.

"There is, your majesty. I am sure that you are the only one can do that," she said and smiled at him.