In honor of the 197th year of the Novales' reign, a grand ball was served among the higher aristocracies. It is no secret that the event was lavishly celebrated. Anastasiya sat in the distance as the lavish balls were not her thing
"May bumabagabag po ba sa isipan nyo, Donya Stasiya?" Consuela asked.
"Huwag mo akong alalahanin, Consuela. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit napakagara ng pagtitipong ito ngunit hindi ko naman nakikita ang mga pangkaraniwang tao." Anastasiya said as she pried her attention outside the big windows.
Then, multiple gunshots stopped the ball momentarily. The aristocracies whispered to one another.
" Sí, disparos perdidos. ¡Que comience la música! (Aye, stray gunshots. Let the music commence!)"
And everything was back to normal once again. The duchess turned to Consuela once more. Her face was painted with worry.
"Halika, kinakabahan ako sa mga narinig kong ingay kanina" Anastasiya stood up and he lady in waiting trailed after her. They did not notice her absence.
On the way to the main entrance, the pair were met by Lukas, who was in charge of the palace's security.
"Yung mga putok ng baril? Anong nangyari, Kapitan?" Anastasiya asked.
Lukas did not want to be the bearer of bad news in a joyous event held at the palace.
"Tiyak na hindi mo ito kailangang ala- Anastasiya! Bumalik ka dito!" Lukas cried as the duchess bypassed him and trudged towards the lush field in front of the palace. Then the sight made the duchess stop in her tracks.
Hundreds of men lay in the lush land, blood stained the rich grass. The cries of people echoed around the area, pleading to their king.
"Mahal na emperador, maayos na pagtatrabaho at tamang buwis ang tanging hiling namin! Sana mapakinggan nyo ang hiling namin!" One of the standing citizens cried before getting shot by the royal guards.
Tears rolled down the duchess's face upon seeing the people of the country she was plunged into. The guards bowed to her, but the scene of guards shooting the citizens plagued her mind and she stepped back.
She ran as fast as she could just to get away from the scene. Her head throbbed with the gunshots that rang into her vivid memory. She lifted her skirts. She stopped in the middle of the bridge.
A cloaked figure was at the distance.
Anastasiya edged back, and clutched her chest tightly. Adrenaline filled her system as she tried to keep calm. Shadows surrounded the young dutchess. She held onto the marble railing of the bridge, the figure walked closer.
"S-Sino ka? Huwag kang lalapit!" Anastasiya's lips quivered in fear.
The young duchess edged closer in fright. The unexpected happened as she tipped backwards over the railing. Anastasiya let out a shriek before plunging into the water.
The cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows. It was Carlos, he also heard the commotion and was alarmed when Anastasiya bolted running. He decided to follow her and not to frighten her.
He looked over the river, it showed no signs of distress. It remained peaceful. Guilt crept up the older prince's spine. Anastasiya falling into the river gave him a sense of déjà vu.
An event that sounded so familiar, which also happened at the very same spot. Two girls had fallen in the majestic river, which the latter will survive and the former unfortunately did not.
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The royal family crowded the Casa Ladrillo after the young dutchess was brought inside by the captain. Alejandro paced back and forth as the dutchess was checked by a nurse.
"Pano nyo nakita si Anastasiya?"Maria Contessina asks.
"Huli na nung dumating ako, nahulog na siya sa ilog." Carlos said.
Lying about his involvement would probably be much better. Anastasiya did not recognize him, it was safe to say that there were no witnesses that time.
No one would drag him into the situation.
"Nakita niya ang nangyari." Carlos said with weariness in his voice. "Nandun siya nung binaril ang mga tao, inutil din man iyang mga gwardiya sibil na iyan, namaril pa din kahit naandyan ang dukesa."
Maria Contessina scoffs.
"Nanisi ka pa, malalaman at malalaman niya din iyan. Ang ipinagtataka ko lang kung bakit sya nahulog sa tubig? Hindi naman yan basta basta tatalon, nasa tamang pag iisip naman siya." She counters.
"Kuya..." Ariella stood up from where she sat in silence. Squeezing the police general's shoulder, the princess stared at him.
"Magiging ayos din si Anastasiya. Naandyan naman ang mga nars na nangangalaga sa kanya." She attempted to calm her irate brother.
Alejandro looked around in fury.
"Asan na ba ang Kapitan? Kung binantayan niya lang sana ng maibi si Stasiya hindi ito mangyayari!"he spat in anger.
"Kuya Alejandro." Ariella speaks in a soft tone. "Huwag mo naman isisi kay Kapitan Ibarra ang nangyari," she adds.
The nurse stepped out of the room, Ariella heads over.
"Kamusta siya?" she questions.
"Nalapatan na po ng paunang lunas ang dukesa. Maari pa rin itong lagnatin dahil sa lamig at tagal nito sa tubig." The nurse explains as she turned to Alejandro. "Magdamag siyang oobserbahan ng tagapangalaga nito, mahal na prinsipe. Wala po kayong dapat ipag alala."
Alejandro breathed a sigh of relief as the nurse took her leave.
"Si Anastasiya?" Carlos asks as he heads over the two.
"Maayos ayos na siya. Kaya ko na dito Kuya Carlos, tiyak na naghihintay ang mga bata. Ikaw rin, Ariella. Umuwi ka na at malalim na ang gabi." Alejandro said.
"Sige, balitaan mo na lang kami bukas. Hindi na namin ito paabutin sa mahal na reyna, tiyak na magkakagulo pa." Maria Contessina said as she rode the kalesa.
"Salamat, Ate. Mas mabuti na nga siguro na huwag na munang ipaalalam para hindi masira ang okasyon." Alejandro said as the kalesa started moving. He went inside as the kalesa dissapeared into view.
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For two days, the duchess refused to see anyone. Only her lady in waiting was allowed inside her suite. Anastasiya stared at the food in front of her and refused it once more.
"Paano ko magagawang kainin itong pagkain sa harapan ko kung halos mamatay na ang mga tao upang bayaran lang ang kanilang mga buwis. Itabi mo na iyan, wala akong gana."Anastasiya muttered weakly.
"Sige na po, dalawang araw na kayong nagkakaganyan. Nag-aalala ang mahal na hari, nangangamba ang buong palasyo sa kalagayan nyo."Consuela pleaded.
"Mas isipin nya muna ang namatay sa madugong Lunes na iyon.Sabihin mong makinig siya sa hiling mga tao." Anastasiya said to her.
Consuela clamped the duchess' mouth shut and look around the area. Anastasiya looked at her lady in waiting who was quite alarmed.
"Ingatan mo ang iyong pananalita, binibini. Baka ikaw ay maakusahan bilang nangangahas na magtaksil." Consuela reminded the young dutchess. Anastasiya quieted down.
Lukas entered the room.
"Gaano kalala ang sitwasyon?" Anastasiya asked as she caught sight of the captain.
"Pinagbawalan ako ni General Novales na ibahagi sa inyo ang mga pangyayari, upang hindi maka-abala ito sa pagpapagaling ninyo. Paumanhin ngunit hindi ko maaring sabihin." Lukas said.
Consuela and Lukas left the duchess alone who never touched her food once more. Once outside, Consuela sighed deeply.
"Ilan ang namatay,kuya?" she asked.
"Dalawang daang katao, Consuela. Hindi ko masisi ang dukesa kung ganoon ang nararamdaman nya." The captain said as they walked out of the master suite of Casa Ladrillo. The general awaited them at the hallway.
"Kamusta ang dukesa?" He asked worriedly.
"Hindi maganda ang lagay niya, senyor." Lukas said. "Mas namumutla na siya dahil ayaw niya pa ring kumain." He added.
"Ano bang ginagawa mo sa sarili mo, Stasiya?" Alejandro mutters in worry. His gaze travels on the closed doors of the master suite. The two Ibarra's certainly saw worry in the general's demeanor.
"Hindi sa nangingialam ako, Ginoong Alejandro. Hindi biro ang pinagdaanan ng amo ko, mas mabuti po sigurong maaliw siya. Ngunit siguro mabuting padalawin ninyo ang ina ng dukesa?" Consuela mentioned.
"Mas mabuti nga. Susulat ako ng liham kay Ginang Andrada, kung hindi ako nagkakamali ay kaakuwi lang ng nakababatang kapatid nito galing Madrid. Tiyak na matutuwa si Anastasiya." Alejandro says before he went inside the master suite.
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The creaking of the door disturbed the peaceful slumber Anastasiya is in. She turned away once she saw it was Alejandro who went inside. He sat by the bed and squeezed her shoulder.
"Stasiya..." he whispered in her ear. "Kausapin mo naman ako. You kicked me out of the room already, tapos di mo pa ako kakausapin."
"Ano ba?"Anastasiya asks irritably as he embraces her further.
"Sorry, I'm sorry you have to go through that. I'm sorry I wasn't by your side that night. I'm sorry you've seen something horrible."
Anastasiya scoffs.
"So mas okay na itinago mo na lang yung nangyari? I don't know the exact number, Alejandro. But I knew madaming namatay sa insidenteng iyon.'' Anastasiya said, the fear in her eyes was replaced by a livid expression.
"It is not an easy decision,"he said seriously. "You have to make a decision that's not only good for them, but what the nobles will approve. They could turn the tables in a minute, it is the only way we stay in power." Alejandro explains.
"P-Pero..." Anastasiya was cut off by her husband.
"Makinig ka sa akin, Stasiya." He starts. "Countering them would do you no good. Kung ayaw mong mapahamak, mas mabuti pang manahimik ka na lang. I don't want to lose you." He said as he embraced her.
She reluctantly embraced him back.
I cannot trust anyone in this family, not even you: Alejandro, Anastasiya thought.
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Consuela could have sworn Dolores had tricks up her sleeve when she convinced Anastasiya to eat. The countess visited Anastasiya on the third day and managed to convince the duchess to eat.
She had gotten through Anastasiya's thickheaded attitude.
"Maraming salamat po, Condesa de la Cruz. Hindi talaga namin alam kung anong gagawin kay Maam Anastasiya." Consuela said as the countess gave the food she brought for the duchess.
"Ganyan talaga pag nagkakasakit, Consuela. Pagpasensyahan mo na lang ang dukesa at may dinaramdam yan." Dolores replied to Anastasiya's attendant. "Pagkatapos nyang kumain ay ilabas mo ang amo mo. Para maarawan naman siya."
The lady-in-waiting abided by the countess' words and Anastasiya took a stroll in the palace courtyard. Palace personnel greeted the duchess and wished her good health.
"Baka nagdadalantao na kayo, mahal na dukesa. Kaya siguro mababa ang resistenya nyo't nagkakasakit kayo."
"Ipinagdadasal ko na mapabuti na ang kalusugan nyo. Hayaan nyo, isasama kita sa pag nonobena ko."
They hid what happened on the river, of course. They managed to come up with an alibi that she fainted and was out of 3 days. Anastasiya just remained silent and went home. As she went up to the second floor, the dark hallway was illuminated.
"Iwan mo na ako." Anastasiya said to Consuela.
The lady-in-waiting was wary of her actions but left anyway. Anastasiya was left alone.
The gust of the wind lifted the tapestry a bit. Anastasiya saw something that resembled a doorknob. Turning it slowly, the wall creaked and gave way.
It was a passage of some sort. Anastasiya used the flashlight on her phone to illuminate the way. She came across a room that resembled a hospital. The bed was disheveled but untouched.
Old medicines lined the bedside table and a glass of water was there. The room had no windows, there was no ventilation.
Dust was evident in the poor excuse of a bedroom. The room seemed normal after all. Nothing seemed out of place.
Her flashlight illuminated towards the desk. Several journals were sprawled across the area. Some of which were open.
The journals looked identical. It was black leather lined with gold accents. Its pages were worn and tattered. Anastasiya turned the brittle and yellowish page, an inscription was written on it.
What it contained however made her step back in shock.
'Ako si Maria Contessina, ang taon ay 2005.'