Every strand of your hair belongs to me
Every breath you take is also mine
You are my forever slave
- KALANTIAW
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FIRST LIFE, in the year prior to the 15th century.
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The rising sun cast a rosy hue across the morning sky. The golden fingers of sunlight lit up the surroundings. Sun rays come as nature's easel, giving brilliant color to what was hidden even under the passing starlit night. The sky was a billion pure eyes of light and the grass green underfoot, it was as if night and day had become one beautiful moment. The dawn had come, so as this vile man.
"Bow your heads, peasants," says the guy while walking like he owned the place. The guy with a broad shoulder and slender legs set his foot on the islands of Panay. He stood up and gave everyone a fearsome gaze.
"I, Raja Bendahara Kalantiaw will be your new chief. I am the sole successor of Bangkaya," says Kalantiaw. He was with three ships loaded with armed men. They recently conquered an island called 'Igbato', it was situated near Panay.
The fisherman who was about to fish was held captive by his men. Everyone gasped and started to murmur things amongst themselves, whilst others were totally petrified to the point where they stood there like a statue. They are brave enough to fight for their small island, so they tried to start a war against this sturdy man only to fail.
Kalantiaw unleashed his kampilan, a type of single-edged sword, traditionally used by various ethnic groups in the Philippine archipelago, also known as talong. He stabbed one of the men who tried to harm him. His cold murderous eyes trespassed the soul of everyone, sending them a vibe of tyranny was never a hard thing for him. “Come at once, if you want to join this guy.” He even beheaded the guy in front of everyone.
A guy named Hiraya meddles in the chaos. This guy is living on top of the mountain. A middle-aged man sneaked behind the Raja with a knife in his hand. Little did he know the pathetic backstabbing wouldn't work in his presence. Kalantiaw is a man of experience in fighting, and his tattoos all over his body tell it all. Hiraya tried to stab Kalantiaw, but he also failed like his fellow men. They couldn't do anything but surrender in his powerful arms.
“You lowly peasants truly lack education. You still didn’t learn your lesson, shall I set another example?” He was about to pierce Hiraya’s heart by pointing the edge of the kampilan to the man’s chest, when a panting girl appeared.
"Father!" A girl with long black hair appeared to aid her father. She returned home today from another balanghai, but there's no one welcomed here at home. Someone rushed to her to spread the news that her father is in danger. She rushed her way to port without hearing more about the situation. The uninformed girl pushes the new Raja aside. She has no idea what's going on, although she finds it quite odd. Why are there many unknown men on the dock?
Everyone was shocked by the girl's atrocious behavior. Someone from the crowd grabbed the girl. Everyone feared that this young man would berserk.
“W-who are you? How dare you kill my fellow tribe?” She lost her balance and struggled to stand again after seeing the headless body.
"Go back to our Nipa hut. Women are not allowed to interfere in this matter!" Says Hiraya, scolding his daughter to stay away.
She greeted her teeth. She hated how her father treated a woman like her. It is not a question that women and men are equal, but her father is different. He treats her like a fragile woman and not capable of protecting herself.
"You are not going anywhere," says Kalantiaw. He snatched her hair then pulled her closer to him. He has this emperor's eye that anyone would not dare to confront. However, Amaya is different from the women out there. She's bold and fears no one. She stamped on his feet, making him curse in pain. He raised his left arm to captivate her jaw, "What an interesting woman we have here. You're coming with me." He smirked and lifted his lips, forming a devil smile.
She is exasperated and furious. She spits on Kalantiaw's tan face, "As if! get your nose back to where it belongs. You are not welcome here on our Island." She even slapped him on his left cheek.
He suppressed his anger as he wiped his face. He greeted his teeth and grinned, "Take this woman." Kalantiaw ordered his armed man.
She was held captive by this audacious man. He gave her a cold stare then grabbed her jaw once again. The crowd set's their eyes on Amaya and Kalantiaw. The crowd is waiting for his next move...then, suddenly, he savored her lips.
She wanted to slap this terrifying man but she couldn't. Her hands were trembling not because of the tight rope around her wrist but the anger enveloping her.
"Forget my previous order. I'll take care of this woman." He put her on top of his left shoulder and spank her butt. He looked at Hiraya, "Bring that old fart on my place," says Kalantiaw before turning his back.
"Put me down!" She kept on bugging him, but he never listened.
"Shut your mouth or, I'll kiss you again," says Kalantiaw with a straight face. He smiled when Amaya finally rested her mouth in peace.
She sighs in distaste. Staring at the dry land and grass as they pass by is the last thing she can do right now. She felt dizzy, maybe because of his merciless way of carrying her as if she's a sack of rice.
When they reached the town's royal hut, he tied her on his throne. She caressed her hair and sniffed it. She smelled like a flower that had entered his blood and was playing a sweet lullaby to his heart. Her fragrance swirled around his emotions as their willing cocoon, enabling them to rest until their new flight at dawn.
"Amaya..." Hiraya uttered in grief and great desperation. He wanted to get Amaya out of her miserable state, but he could not do anything against the new ruler.
"Kneel." He ordered the father of Amaya to pay his respect to him.
"Lend me your ears. I will only say this once. If you refuse---" he paused for a while, "You know what will happen."
"Y-yes, c-chief."
"I'm giving you the leeway to rule one of my kingdoms. In exchange for your daughter," Hiraya replied while his mind is still on the verge of confusion. This new Raja is powerful enough; why would he make such a condition with a retard man like him?
"No!" She shouted at the top of her lungs.
"Silence! Your voice has no power nor authority." He looked at her with a dead eye. His baritone voice filled the entire place.
"I-It's my honor to serve this balanghai," he replied in nervousness. He might use the given opportunity to take his daughter back. He will raise a skilled fighter to fight against Kalantiaw and his men.
She cried in disbelief. How could her father use her as a mere trade object? Is this how you should treat women? In some other parts of this country who would have thought that this is the only balanghai that treats women like this. Only women such as Babaylan receive respect.
"From this day onwards, you will live with me. You are my forever slave." He whispered to her ear. Her body froze as he heard his voice, it was like a devil's whisper. She felt an eerie air invading her ears, slowly destroying her whole being. This day she realized that her life is a mess, she's bound to be miserable.
A tear fell from her eyes as she watched her father walking out from the palace, leaving her tapped in the tiger’s den. She desperately wanted to run and reach his hand, the man who brought her into this world, the man who failed to save her daughter.