Many hours ago, I am alone in my tower hoping that someday a kind person (and wishing a prince) will save this lonely lady from isolation. After another couple of hours, this young lady saved a dragon captured by a group of men then latter chased out because of it. Another couple of hours later, here I am now, flying in the sky at the back of a young male dragon with his dragon rider.Okay, so this is much unexpected.
Hindi ko inaasahan na mangyayari ito sa akin pagkalabas ko sa torre. A long time ago, the only thing that I know are the trees and the overflowing waterfalls around that isolated tower that is two hundred meters above the ground. Now, I might be a thousand meters higher that made me see the whole place. Who could have guessed that the world is larger than I expected.
"This is very beautiful," I said.
Narinig ko na umugong ang dragon bilang pagsang-ayon sa sinabi ko. Lumipad lipad siya ng pagilid at sa itaas ng mga puno na nagpalipad sa ibang mga ibon. I heard the guy behind me laughing. He was riding the dragon with his makeshift saddle. Mukhang napansin niya ang katuwaan ko sa paglipad. Sino ba ang hindi matutuwa rito? Not everyone is given a chance to ride a dragon.
Sinubukan ko siyang nakawan ng tingin mula sa harap. Nakaupo siya sa likod ng dragon habang hawak hawak ang isang tali na itinali sa kanyang beyw.a.n.g. Pero hindi mahigpit ang pagkakakapit niya na para bang wala siyang pakialam kung mahuhulog siya. He looks very carefree. The strong wind swayed his hair backwards showing his forehead full. He"s laughing and giggling by the fact of flying.Napansin niya yatang nakatingin ako dahil bigla siyang napatingin sa akin.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Ah... um..." Wala akong maisip na sabihin sa kanya. But I should give thanks to him. "Maraming salamat sa pagliligtas mo sa akin. Siguro... kung hindi ka dumating eh dinala na nila ako sa kung saan."
"No problem, besides I should be the one who have to say thanks to you. You just saved my dragon," he patted my back playfully.
"Ah... I guess we are just fair," I mumbled.
Hindi naman gaano kalayo ang torre sa kung saan kami ngayon. Pero hinayaan ko na lang na maglaro ang dragon sa paligid. Well, he"s male (according to this person behind me) and just trying to show off for me. Tinignan ko ang magandang balat nito na k.u.mikinang sa tuwing natatamaan ng sinag ng araw. I touched its scales and mumbled beautiful. He purred in satisfaction.
"Oh well, it"s been a hundred years already. I can"t believe that you are still in that tower, Aurora," the guy said.
I flinched. I turned around to look at him. He just gave me a blank expression.
"What?" He asked, unaware of his words.
"How did you know my name?" I asked. "I didn"t introduce myself yet. I am sure I haven"t told my name to you."
He remained with his blank expression, then, scratched his head. He heaved a sigh.
"Well, sino ba ang hindi nakakakilala sa isang prinsesa na anak ng reyna at hari? You are the most beautiful princess of the world and yet got cursed by that wicked witch," he said.
"Huh? We-wait. What do you mean by cursed? And are you telling me that I"m a princess?"
"Yes, you are. Princess Aurora, the most beautiful princess was given by the best qualities and gifts by fairies. But then, a wicked witch was not invited to your party so you got cursed. Kapag nasugatan ka ng isang karayom ay mamamatay ka. The last fairy gave her gift and that is to keep you from dying to sleeping for a hundred years. A prince will come to wake you up and that"s the end of the story," he explained.
I just gave him a p.i.s.sed off look.
"Hindi mo naman siguro ako binibiro, diba?" I asked.
"No, not all. I"m telling the truth," sabi niya.
"Then, explain to me why I am here in that tower? Siguro naman malinaw na hindi iyan isang kastilyo at gising na gising ako," I said.
"Well, this world is just a dream..." He said while shrugging his shoulder. I gave him another questionable stare. He replied with the same face, then, he hurriedly covered his mouth as if he blurted a very important information. "Yikes, I totally said it!"
Tinignan ko lang siya habang sinusubukan niyang parusahan ang sarili niya sa nasabi niya. Wait a minute; did he just say that this is just a dream? It"s impossible, right? I mean, this world is real. I know that I am real. My five senses are present. I can feel pain, see things, taste food and hear sounds. If this is a dream, something like those will never happen.
"Is it true that if you pinch yourself in your dream, you"ll wake up from pain?" I asked.
"I guess? I haven"t done that before," he answered playfully.
I just rolled my eyes. Unbelievable.
"This is not a dream. Dreams happen when you sleep," I said, looking in front.
"Then you are sleeping right now. Somewhere inside that tower surrounded by wild thorns," he said.
"I will not believe you. It sounds like a fairy tale to me."
"I guess it is okay to say everything to you. You will just forget everything anyway," he muttered.
"Forget what?"
The tower is already in front of us. Umikot-ikot ng lipad ang dragon sa itaas ng torre bago ito dahan dahang b.u.mababa sa lupa. Napansin kong lumapit ang lalaki sa akin. He leaned in front reaching for a strap from the neck of the dragon. I can feel his breath above my head. He managed to make the dragon land. With two more flaps, we are already on the ground with a thud.
Una siyang b.u.maba. Tumalon siya mula sa likod papunta sa lupa. He stretched his hips for a while, then his arms, before facing me. He reached his arms up helping me to jump down. Hinawakan ko ang kamay niya habang sinasabi niya na tapakan ko ang dulo ng saddle bago tumalon. I followed his instructions and am able to jump down safely.
"Okay, that"s it," he said.
Hinimas himas niya ang likod ng dragon habang inaayos ang saddle. The dragon closed its wings and took a sit down. It yawned for a while.
"His name is Aries," he said.
"What?"
"You want to know his name, right? He"s Aries."
"Oh..."
Kinusap niya ang dragon. Naghanap ako ng isang baton a pwedeng upuan. My leg still hurts from that chase and also because of the wounds I received on the way. Nang makaupo na ako, pinagmasdan ko siyang kinakausap ang dragon. Sumasagot naman ang dragon. Tumatawa siya na para bang naiintindihan niya ang sinasabi nito. After a while, he turned around and looked at me.
"I am really happy because you are safe, Aurora," he smiled.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero agad akong napatayo sa kinuupuan ko. I can feel my face gone red. His smiling face is too handsome for me to handle. He just looked at me, confused. I tried to mutter some words.
"Y-you..."
"Huh? Are you saying something, Aurora?"
I stomped my feet, pointed my finger to him.
"For the record, I do still not believe your words!" I exclaimed.
Wala siyang sinagot. Dahil sa sobrang kahihiyan tumalikod ako at hinanap ang pinto. I hurriedly went inside, looking back once to see him. He shrugged his shoulders then smiled at me as he waved his hand.
"Uh... okay, see you later...?"
"Hmph!"
I hurriedly ran up to stairs going to my room. If only I can shut the door close, well, I"ll be making a door later for my safety. I jumped going to the bed and cuddled the closest pillow. I heard some flapping sounds and looked up. May nakita akong anino na lumilipad paitaas sa hanggang makalis na ito. I sighed.
I don"t know but that smiling face just sent b.u.t.terflies to my stomach.