Amor Eterno: A Historical Fantasy Romance, page 28
“They’re short, so they can be quicker. Speed will be our problem,” pointed out Usui as he leaned forward to the wooden railings of the hull. “We need to know what weapons they keep in secret. Maybe the priestess can spill out some information.”
“That will be a challenge, Usui. She’s smart. I don’t think we can easily trick her in revealing their plans. She’s pledged loyalty to their deity by being a priestess herself. That just means that she is obliged to protect them from us.”
“But with her in our hands, she won’t be able to do that.” A haughty smile formed at the edge of Usui’s face. “Imagine the displeasure she will cause their deity.”
“She’s a priestess. I’m sure she has secret ways.”
“Then, what are we going to do with her?”
“I don’t know. Let’s see tomorrow,” he replied.
***
For the night, he watched her sleep soundly on his bed. She looked so peaceful and defenseless from him. He rose from his chair and pulled out his sword. His mind was dictating him.
Kill her!
Kill her?
He pointed his sword toward her throat, just a few inches from her delicate skin. One movement and it would slay her to death.
Kill her!
The voice in his head was getting louder and louder.
Kill her!
If he killed her, he would eliminate his greatest hurdle. She was just there with death smiling at her, but his hand froze every time he thought of doing it.
He finally lost grip of his sword and fell back to his chair.
What is stopping me? He asked himself.
As he buried his face in his hands, questioning the astounding doubt that was arising, he caught a glimpse of the sky turning red. The phenomenon attracted him to walk towards his window to check it out.
The once midnight blue turned bloody red, auroras filled the spaces, and the moon surprisingly increased in size right in front of his very eyes.
Just watching the spectacle, he realized that it was a message from one of the gods, not his god, but could be hers.
“Hachiman, I found our real enemy,” he muttered as he glared at the burning moon.
***
The roosters in the tribe village simultaneously crowed and Sari climbed out of her bed when she recognized Cahaya’s apids storming into her room.
“What’s the matter?” she asked as she opened her window and let sunlight come in.
“Ayu, Cahaya is missing!” exclaimed a pale apid.
“What?”
“She’s not in her room. She was just in there last night, sleeping!”
Sari remembered that Cahaya left everyone in her household, unknowledgeable about her coming to her house last night. It was meant to be confidential between her, Cahaya, and Bulan. But where would the Princess go? She was confident she sent her home before midnight, and she knew her to be an obedient girl.
What went wrong? She wondered.
“What do you mean she’s not in her room?”
“We woke up this morning not finding her in her bed, and we looked for her everywhere, in the village and in the forest.”
Sari put on her shoal and slippers.
“All of the forest?”
“No. Not yet. A few of the girls are still searching for her. We’re too worried that we thought we might inform the tribe king.”
“No!” snapped Sari. “Don’t tell anyone yet.”
“But, Priestess!” The apids were truly worried about their princess as it was their duty to keep her safe and secluded, away from people’s eyes and hands. If Apo Umar found out about their negligence, they would surely face the scaffold or the sword. “What about Ayu Ayang?”
They knew that the nosy little Ayang could easily extract the truth from them.
“Hush, women!” Sari filled her basin with water, dipped her long index finger to it, and twirled circles three times. “Give me the candle.”
One apid handed over a candle.
Sari placed the candle on top of the basin and let the molten wax fall onto the water’s surface. She heaved a deep breath as a figure formed from the molten wax.
“Cahaya is safe. She’s doing us a great favor,” she told them as she surveyed the uncanny wax formation on the water.
“Where is she, Priestess?”
“I can’t tell you, but Bulan will not abandon her. As a matter of fact, she had already shown everyone her support to us. She already declared war last night.” Sari saw in her mind the reddening of the sky that occurred last night when everyone was sleeping. She saw the warrior peering from his cabin’s window, watching Bulan up above affirming her powers, and speaking to his god, Hachiman.
Sari added, “Do not tell anyone that she’s missing. Tell them she’s with me, preparing for the big day.”
“You mean the Seclusion Week?”
“Yes. No one will question that.” Sari thought it was about time for the Seclusion, the first phase of an apprentice’s turn over rite, to begin.
“In just a few days, we’ll hear from Adlaw.”
“Adlaw?” queried one of the apids.
“The Sun God. The warrior calls him Hachiman,” replied Sari as she put off the flame.
She recalled the story of Adlaw and Bulan from the mouths of her ancestors.
“Isn’t he Bulan’s greatest rival?”
“Yes, and he’s come here to prove his might.”
Chapter 35
Two Worlds, Two Gods
“Eat!” Kazuma entered the cabin with a plate of fruits.
Cahaya retreated to the corner and wrapped her arms around herself. She leaned her back against the wall and rested her head on the cabinet that stood beside her. Her clothes that were wet last night had dried already, and she thought she was going to be sick from feeling damp all night.
“If you don’t eat, you’ll not have the energy to call unto your Moon Goddess.”
Little did Kazuma know, Cahaya was already preparing for the turnover. Since she was away from Sari and the Seclusion was impossible at the moment, fasting for days before the big day would be her preparation.
“You’re killing yourself,” he added.
“You don’t know anything about what I am doing. You’re just a loyal servant,” she countered, her face marred with odium. Last night, she fell asleep waiting for his dagger to pierce into her heart, and in all honesty, she was utterly surprised to see herself breathing this morning.
“Yes, I may be clueless about your nonsense, but you can’t take away the concern I have for you. I don’t starve prisoners.”
“Why don’t you just end this for me since you’re only good at that?”
“Don’t pray for that,” he hissed as he put down the plate in front of her. “What will I get from a dead priestess?”
She was just trying him out. It seemed to her that Kazuma had no plan of ending her life so prematurely.
“My name’s Kazuma by the way.” He sat a few feet across from her. He picked a berry from the plate and tossed it into his mouth. “What’s your name?”
Cahaya found him so arrogant in the way he spoke. The cockiness of an established warrior who had conquered countless kingdoms slowly churned her patience.
“I know who you are,” said she. “I know everything about you.” Her voice sounded menacing, dark and serious, despite the confounding weakness she was feeling. It seemed that hunger was slowly overpowering her.
“I am starting to believe Sari. I must really have to fear you. You have this air that kills any mosquito that flies right in front of you.”
“You’re fortunate you are not a mosquito.”
He smirked, showing out a complete set of white sparkly teeth and dimples.
“Sari must have taught you to be sharp.”
“I was taught to never trust.”
Kazuma paused. He examined her from head to foot. He knew she was hungry, but he felt that no matter how he forced her to eat something, her pride would always matter. It was the first time he noticed the exceptional beauty her face possessed.
She wasn’t too pale nor was she too dark. Her cheeks complemented the color of her lips. She had long limbs as the high slit of her skirt showed them. Her bare shoulders exposed her prominent clavicle and let her long black silky hair be the major attraction of its bareness. Her figure, the curve of her hips and thighs, and the bulge of her breasts followed the cut of her dress accordingly.
She was lovely, mouthwateringly attractive.
He caught himself glaring at the rise and fall of her chest. A mortified blush spread through his cheeks as warmth dramatically rose inside his organs. He shook his head and took a deep breath to knock him off back to reality.
“Tell me about your goddess,” said he as he tried to repress the mounting magnetism. “You said you know me. This has to be a fair game between you and me, so do not leave me blind on one side.”
“Isn’t that why I am winning this war? You don’t have the resources that I do, Kazuma.”
A subdued laugh came out of him.
“You’ll make a great tactician in my team, you know. Too bad you’re fighting on the wrong side.”
“Why are you doing this, warrior?”
“Strategy. Know your enemies better and keep them close.”
“I won’t give you that advantage.”
“It’s okay. I am confident I could get that from you.”
She smirked. “If I were you, I’d sail back home.”
“That will come. After this.”
“Don’t be too confident.”
“I’m sorry to say, but confidence runs through my blood. I eat, drink, and even breathe that every single second of my life.” His eyes wouldn’t leave her. “I would like you to know that I never lose.”
“Someday, Kazuma, this confidence will eat you. Fear will be your greatest enemy.”
“Shall I be afraid now?” he mocked. “Is that going to be my future? Because as early as now, priestess, I’ll tell you are wrong.”
“Your future? I see you having children, lots of them. They will struggle not to do what you have done. They will struggle not to commit the same terrible mistake you did. Regret will be your eternal companion. You will tell your wife someday that you want your children to be always clever but never lose heart. You will tell your wife to teach them to love because it’s the way to conquer all adversity. You don’t know anything about selfless love, Kazuma. All you know is create terror and animosity. Greed and pride. But time will come, and you won’t be the same man as you are now.”
When she said this, she couldn’t believe her Sight would lie to her. She couldn’t believe that an old dying Kazuma could say such powerful words. More so, she chose not to tell him what other things she saw.
My Sight might be wrong, she thought. Kazuma is not the type of man to preach about love and peace.
“I’ll take note of that.” He just grinned.
“Fear will strike you in the most unpredicted fashion. You will learn humility by then.”
He smiled, amazed by her words. But he wasn’t moved. He knew she was wrong.
“You change my mind, priestess. I’m not going to kill you anymore. After I seize your land and establish my power here, I’ll take you to the north. You’ll make a fine guardian of my temple.”
“I will not worship any other god than mine.”
“You will have to because you will be mine!”
She gulped.
“You will surrender to me,” he added.
She had just left a desirable impression to him. Something he would want to keep forever.
He gathered his legs and rose up.
“Eat that! I don’t want a sickly member in my household,” he uttered coldly. He, then, pulled clothes out of a wooden chest. “And change into this. It’s disturbing to see you underdressed around men.” He coughed after to clear his throat of the prick of discomfort as he eyed her for the last time.
Then, the door closed into a slam.
Cahaya cared less about how she looked or what others would think about her. She must continue fasting and praying.
Bulan, she started. Let Sari know of my condition. I will retain my strength during this entire fasting period for the turnover. I might do it alone, but please, assure me success. I need you now. Our enemy is starting to gather forces, and I need to become a priestess before they attack the village so that I could protect your people. I must stop the warrior. Be with me. Give me strength. Give me the drive to surpass the fasting.
***
Kazuma and three of his men went to the village and brought with them a barrel of wine to present to the kingdom. Apo Umar, who was clueless about his daughter, welcomed them. The elders, still suspicious, allowed hospitality to rule them this time just to inspect the foreigners of their genuineness. As elders, they had already developed the senses to critique a person’s personality through his words and actions. Though they did not possess the Sight a babaylan has, they could still say whether evil wrought a man.
While they were feasting at one long table—Kazuma, Apo Umar, the elders, and Sari—Kazuma thought he was starting to gain everyone’s heart. The elders, especially the tribe king, were very pleased with the wine that Kazuma promised to bring another barrel next time.
It was indeed easier for him to converse with the natives after he forced himself to learn as much as he could of their language. His men saw a native spying on them in the coastline, and they invited him on board and talked him into teaching them their language. All of these happened without Cahaya’s knowledge.
Apo Umar was very impressed with Kazuma’s quick adaptability.
“Is she your daughter, my king?” He faced the very young Ayang whose hair was braided and filled with jewels. She sat next to her father.
“Yes, she is my daughter. Her name is Ayang.”
Ayang timidly smiled and slightly bowed her head.
“She is very lovely.”
“She is very young though,” commented one elder. “And our princesses marry into this tribe.”
“I have a wife,” assured Kazuma as he realized that his simple compliment was misinterpreted. “I simply adore the unique beauty of your princess.”
Ayang flushed.
“I have a sister who’s prettier than me!” she spoke happily. “But she’s not allowed to go out of her room.”
“Why is that?” He turned his curious look to Apo Umar.
“Royal daughters are isolated from the public. It’s tradition. Ayang will have her time,” answered the king.
“I’ll be a binukot next year!”
“A binukot?”
“Yes. My sister is one, and she never goes out of her room without a veil on her face. Anyone who tries to look at her, especially men, will be punished with death,” answered Ayang.
Apo Umar continued to drink his wine and let intoxication bring him varied thoughts, even delusions of grandeur. He climbed up to the table and started shouting about how mighty a warrior he was in his glory days. The elders obviously could not tolerate the alcohol, and they quickly passed out. The royal guards carefully took them into their respective houses including the tribe king.
“So your sister is in her room alone now while you celebrate here?”
“That happens all the time. Although she can go out, she has to wear clothes that cover her, and she must stay inside a palanquin. Right now—”
Sari, who never touched Kazuma’s wine, interfered quickly, “The princess is with me.”
“Sari is—”
“I know who Sari is, Ayang,” muttered Kazuma. “We’ve met before.”
Sari left the table in the pursuit that Kazuma would follow her, and he didn’t disappoint her. He left Ayang in the table and followed the priestess into the woods.
“I am impressed, Sari, on how you could keep your people calm,” he started.
“What is there to be anxious about, warrior?” She turned to face him. The woods were so thick that even the tiniest light could not penetrate. “As far as I know, there’s nothing to worry about.”
He smirked. His tongue was raring to spill the truth about Cahaya, but prudence prevented him. He laughed at the thought about Sari pretending that everything was fine. He was very certain that the priestess knew about her apprentice’s fate and that she was just creating a façade.
“In this war, I have the ace,” he said.
“We both have,” countered Sari with an evocative but shrewd smile. “You better be careful.”
“You don’t know how careful I have become now!”
“I pity you, warrior,” uttered Sari as she walked in circles around him, eyeing every little action he did. “You’re as ill-fated as a blind man.”
He quite agreed on her about that. He was blind compared to her and his imprisoned priestess. He couldn’t foresee the future or couldn’t talk directly with the higher force. But he has something that they didn’t; overflowing confidence and assurance.
“By the way, Sari, if you have a way to communicate with your priestess, tell her to quit being melodramatic and eat something.”
“She’s fasting?”
“Do you want to know what I think about it? An act of rebellion. She is starving herself to death. Maybe she doesn’t want to be a priestess. Maybe she wants to die before I do it for her.”
Sari paused and looked up to the sky. The trees prevented the sunlight from even touching the forest floor, so she had to find an open space to see the sun. She quickly dashed out of the woods and left Kazuma alone and shocked.
The sun was scorching and blazing, which was a terrifying message for her.
Sari stormed inside her room and shut all the openings, the door, and the windows, and quickly lit a candle above a basin of water.
The light blazed all throughout the dimmed room.
She must get this message to Cahaya to stop her with her plan.
Fasting this early? She’d die even before the day of the turnover.
Fasting? Did she think it would be a good alternative to seclusion with the incumbent priestess? Fasting was only allowed when the future priestess was two days away from the night of the turnover after Bulan had sent her the sacred object of her choosing, and when she was ready for the most difficult phase of the rite. Apparently, Cahaya was not in any of those phases. She was kept inside their enemy’s den, unarmed or even clueless.
