I. CHAPTER 12: AXEL AGUINALDO

***The city of Bacoor, a few kilometers south of Metro Manila, in the Duchy of Cavite…***

As one of the cities straddling at the border of the capital region and into the fiefs surrounding it, Bacoor served as the ‘gateway’ to the Imperial south. Because of this, checkpoints manned by police and military were a common sight on the roads of the city, particularly on Aguinaldo highway, a pre-war major thoroughfare that passed through nearly all the important cities of the Duchy of Cavite.

“…”

For the duration of the routine checkpoint search, Pauline held her breath. Marcel wanted to remind her to just ‘act naturally,’ but he couldn’t whisper unto her without arousing suspicion from the police checking their documents.

The police officer asked, “Where are you going again?”

“To Batangas, sir,” the guardsman replied, adding, “We plan to pass by Tagaytay on the way.”

“I see…”

“Yeah, my girlfriend wants to have some bulalo at Mahogany.”

The officer’s attention then focused on Pauline, making her even more nervous. She quickly averted her eyes from the man; Marcel couldn’t help but want to smack her in the head for being too obvious.

“Looks like your girl don’t like being looked at.”

“Ahahaha…sorry for that.”

“Any case,” the police gave him his license and motorcycle registration. “You’re good to go, Mr. Juanito.”

“Thanks!”

At once, they hit the road, zigzagging through the traffic and the occasional buses that would suddenly turn to pick up passengers. Marcel never minded those; he was talking to Pauline instead.

“Your Imperial Majesty, don’t be so obvious!” he rebuked her. “I thought we already talked about this.”

“Hey, it’s easy for you to say ‘don’t be nervous,’” she countered. “But it’s a really different experience when you’re already in the situation! Try to understand me more!”

The guardsman said nothing. But then, they were already outside of Bacoor and into the next town, Imus. At that point, Pauline broke the ice…

“I can’t believe I went away from Lemery sneaking out, and I’m returning there sneaking in again. Seems like I’m cursed to be sneaking around the place I was born.”

Marcel never wanted to pry on the private life of the people he served. For one, he already knew of the empress’ background, having conducted their own investigation to her, after she was mentioned by the late emperor. Second, he was a soldier, not a showbiz personality, so by default, her worries were not his concern. However, travelling from Manila to Batangas took time, and it sure was boring to just sit there, driving the motorcycle, so he obliged…

“What made you leave Lemery anyway? You’re the baroness; you have your life made out for you already. Your parents have connections to the Ducal House of Santos-Recto, and the Duke of Lubang Island wishes to be betrothed to you.”

“You are my guard, so I assume you conducted research on my background, right?”

“Well, you know how it goes, Your Imperial Highness. Just doing my job, is all.”

“Of course,” Pauline chuckled. “But I would also assume you only know of the facts, and not of the reasons behind the facts.”

“Again, Your Imperial Majesty, I’m just doing my job. Your reasons are your own.”

“Riiight…so you really won’t try to know why I left Lemery?”

“Up to your discretion, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“You’re so cold, Sir Lieutenant! I bet you still have no girlfriend because of that attitude of yours.”

“Not that I needed one,” the guardsman retorted. “I’m an imperial guard, and my duty is to serve the emperor.”

“Boring,” Pauline laughed. “Well, if you want to know why I left Lemery, it’s because I don’t want to be limited by my parents.”

“Aristocratic protocols?”

“That, and you know, I was raised by a commoner. Nanay Ading, as we call her, became my ‘mother’ when the real one was so preoccupied with things about government and the maintenance of our noble house. However, you know how it goes within the House of dela Ramos; we—my siblings and I—weren’t allowed to mingle with the commoners unless it is required, like how Nanay Ading would take care of us.”

Marcel was silent. Based on their intelligence reports, the House of dela Ramos had strict household rules that kept their scions away from ‘getting contaminated by the commoner culture.’ Even this Nanay Ading, or Adelaida Valenzuela, was tasked not to teach her charges with anything about her background, or other commoner stuff, on the pain of death.

“But yeah, one day, Nanay Ading was caught teaching me commoner stuff, and so she was banished. I was so angry back then, at these people who call themselves ‘my parents.’ Nanay Ading taught me more about the world more than anyone else. I wonder where she is now, though…”

The guardsman had no stomach to tell Her Imperial Majesty that Nanay Ading was already dead, executed for not following the orders of the Baron of Lemery.

“Well,” the empress kept talking. “I guess that, even though my so-called ‘parents’ disowned me before, they would be dying to make me their daughter again once they realized Arthur made me his successor.”

“You know how it goes in this country of ours, Your Imperial Majesty,” Marcel pointed out. “You are a nobody at your lowest, while you are ‘everyone’s friend’ once you make a name for yourself.”

“Haha! Yes, I agree with you!” Pauline tapped his shoulder. “No matter how pessimistic you made it sound like, it’s something I can agree with!”

----------

***The House of Dreams, Malacanang Palace grounds, the official residence of the regent of the Empire of the Pearl of the Orient…***

The House of Dreams, or in Tagalog, ‘Bahay Pangarap,’ had been part of the Philippine and Imperial histories. For one, Philippine presidents seeking to distance themselves from their ‘corrupt’ and ‘authoritarian’ predecessors would often choose that building as their ‘official working residence’ within the Malacanang Palace compound. The first female president of the fifth republic, Corazon Aquino, settled here after the first Marcos regime fell in 1986. Her son, Benigno Simeon Aquino III, followed his mother’s decision when he became president after Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2010. And during the early days of the Empire, Ferdinand Charles also made it his home while the main palace complex was being repaired.

Nowadays, the House of Dreams was assigned to the regents of the empire, considered the emperor’s ‘heir,’ while his successor was still not designated.

“…”

However, for the current regent, the Lord Axel Louis of the House of Aguinaldo from the Duchy of Cavite, there should be another ‘official residence’ for him. The House of Dreams was too small for his household; yet, the other ‘official residence’ available for him was the so-called ‘Coconut Palace’…a place he didn’t like since he was granted the ‘regent’ title.

“Milord,” his chamberlain whispered beside him; no one among his servants wanted to disturb the Duke of Cavite, though there was a message that should reach him at that moment.

The Duke never moved. He made sure everyone working in his study saw that he was busy reading the newspapers, the headlines of which screamed the news of the ‘mutiny’ of the Imperial Guard’s 3rd Company.

The chamberlain cleared his throat, and tried to get his attention once more. “Milord, I believe you should hear this.”

“Haa…” the Lord Axel never hid his irritation by slamming the newspapers on the table. “Make it worth my time, Ignacio.”

“Y-Yes, milord,” the man pulled a folded paper from his uniform’s breast pocket and read it aloud to the Duke. “Your servant in the Imperial Council parliament, the Lord of San Mateo, wishes to pass you the results of your request to get the council to assign you a newer, and better, workplace. The peers decided it is improper that you ask for these things at a time when the Empire is mourning, thus, they voted to delay your petition.”

“Those idiots…”

“Actually, the Lord of San Mateo proposed a delay, but the peers wanted to reject it.”

“I already expected that,” the Lord Axel sighed. “Those vipers in the parliament never cared for the people that worked for the good of this Empire. They also gave the late Arturo headaches by limiting the army budget in the midst of the war, citing civilian bureaucracy. Tell me, Ignacio, how can the Empire survive and serve its subjects when the Ilocanos are already pointing their guns at us?”

The chamberlain just shrugged.

“Those traitors should be treated like the treasonous scums that they are; they should be shot at the back, like Rizal in 1898!” the Duke stood up and threw the pen he was holding. “For how long will we mourn someone that is already dead? My household is suffering from the facilities given to me, yet I’m the one giving this wretched empire its victories over those stinking creeps!”

“Milord, please calm yourself,” the chamberlain pleaded. “Time will come when those nobles will realize your worth, but for now, please focus on your duties for our great people.”

Yet the Lord Axel seemed not to listen. “And those pseudo-Praetorians are also moving against me…” he muttered. “What do you think, Ignacio? Should we disband the Imperial Guard if given a chance?”

“That would be dangerous, Your Grace. But I do agree that those ‘Imperial Guards’ should be destroyed, or they’ll just undermine every emperor that goes against their whims.”

“Yes, true…let’s move subtly. Confronting the traitors of this empire at once would only unite them against us, the true patriots of this land.” There was a long pause, as the Duke of Cavite waited for his chamberlain to say something. Yet, in the end, he was the one to break the ice…

“Ah yes, Ignacio. Someone told me that the reckless fool, Lieutenant Spitz, was nowhere to be found in the wreckage of the Imperial car yesterday.”

“It seems so, milord. Hence, I already gave orders to the other military and police intelligence units to pursue him. I’m just afraid that the Duke of Batangas, the Lord Santos-Recto, is covering for that commoner. Have you seen the press conference earlier?”

“Of course, and the Lord Santos-Recto did that to ‘tie’ my hands, trying to keep me from intervening in the succession crisis of this country. It’s possible,” the Lord Axel nodded and smirked. “That’s why, we’re going to make the first move. Summon the Cardinal Jose later this afternoon; I wanted to talk to him.”

“Yes, Your Grace.” The chamberlain bowed, and walked towards the door, yet the duke stopped him again.

“Also, call the head of the Imperial Chamber of Commerce. We need unity in these trying times; the last thing that this country will need is an untested leader at its helm.”

Author's Notes:

House of Dreams - officially known as 'Bahay Pangarap,' is an actual building within the Malacanang Palace complex that presidents Cory Aquino and Benigno Simeon Aquino used as their official residences during their tenures.  This is to give the people the symbolic gesture of them 'separating' their administrations from their corrupt predecessors.  It is considerably smaller than the actual Malacanang palace.

Nanay - is an informal term of endearment for mothers.  The father equivalent is tatay.