Legend of Foewtien

Two

She woke up in the cold morning, still her eyes were heavy. She sat down and wait for her servant like she usually do. In her kubo that was so big, she was all alone. Traditionally, the binukot were isolated by their parents in a kubo that is why she found comfort and ease when she met Bulan as if fate wants them to be with each other. He was her savior yet by fate again, she will lose him. Unable to do anything but to dance and sing like a caged a bird who is free to sing but not to fly. But she never mind the thought, for what inside her mind was her friend whom she loved for almost all her life. She spent her years loving him secretly and yet, she will lose him without doing anything.

Her servant finally came in and she was still in her deep thought. Banag said in the midst of silence, "Bai Haliya, your servant, Banag, has come to serve you."

Haliya did not answer nor even response with any kind of action yet as a servant, Banag quietly approach the idled Bai Haliya. Her servant started to comb her hair as soon as she entered her little cage.

All of sudden it started to rain. It was a cold yet very sad rain. Haliya remembered how Bulan made her laugh and how he made her cry. How they wonder about the stars, the skies, the moon, the trees, the river and everything that surrounds them. She remembered how he fall in the river, how they swam together, and how she almost drown and there he was saved her from her almost death. She remembered everything like it was yesterday. She remembered playing in the water under moonlight with no cage at all. For the first time in her life, she attained freedom.

She did not noticed that tears falling from her eyes. She did not notice the music of the rain. She did not notice the woman who combs her hair. All she did was reminiscing the moments she had with Bulan. The Bulan who is clumsier than she is. The Bulan who is a crybaby. The Bulan who will believe all the white lies. The Bulan who made her feel that she is a normal girl. The Bulan who can pat her head when she cry. The Bulan who will sing a song to make her heart at ease. The Bulan who gave her a night of freedom.

But now, tomorrow, and until the day he will vow in front of Bathala, she will mourn... she will be confused... she will be lost. When the time comes that she can never call Bulan as Bulan of Liadlaw tribe, she will regret everything... blaming Bathala for her fate... blaming her father for what she is now. She might hate her own family... her own blood... and herself. That one day... when fateful day comes and she decided to end her life. She knew that the day comes her body is now lifeless and her eyes that, once, was filled with brightness, shall succumb to darkness.

"I should have brought anahaw with me." the servant regretting said to herself as she continue to comb her master's beautiful long hair. "Bai Haliya, would you like to have your hair with flowers or pearls or these sparkling red gems?"

Haliya did not answered for she was lost in thought. Banag was curious and gently called her name again and again yet she never answered. The worried Banag snapped her fingers in front of her master's face without looking at her yet there are no response from the princess. She finally decided to look at her master's face and checked where she was looking at, and to her surprise, Haliya was looking from afar as if she was thinking something that is sad and as the tears of the Bai Haliya gushed through her cheeks.

The Malyari tribe believed that the tears of sadness of the binukot can make the clear sky cry and the tears of happiness of a binukot can turn into pearls. Banag might actually prove the belief correct but for her master's feelings, she can assure that the princess is longing for someone she can never have.

"Are you okay, Bai Haliya?" Haliya finally woke up from her idle.

"Banag, you are here. When did you enter the kubo?" she bitterly smiled and asked the servant.