To make a distinction between themselves and an ordinary Vangkekan, the five tribe datus wore a basket-work hat known as sukdalang. It was worn on the back of the head that was held in place by a cord attached at both sides and passing across the forehead. More prominently, the spearheads had tattoos on their upper left arms based on the heavenly body that first fascinated them: the bright sun for Datu Ilak, the twinkling star for Datu Saak, the half-moon for Datu Karok, the C-shaped moon for Datu Intal, and the full moon for Datu Uliman.
When it came to hair, male Vangkekans only possessed a hair cut just above their ears. It was indecent for them to have a long one. But for the females, long hair was necessary.
The five Vangkekan tribes co-existed peacefully until the Battle of Yandal was fought when the Kravena Tribe went to war. It was all started by the ambitious Banaak.
Banaak was the sagigilid of the Kravena Tribe and was responsible for the tribe’s protection against the wild animals and any other forms of peril in the forest. He was renowned for his remarkable skills in fighting. For many years, he won the tribe’s pasindol, which was the tribe’s annual tourney to spot the most excellent male Kravena in archery. Secretly, however, he began to covet the throne.
One sun-drenched afternoon, the Kravenas were engaged in a battle against human beings who were heading for the mountain sides in search of indigenous and exotic medicinal plants flourishing abundantly at the heart of the Yandal Mountains.
The Kravenas, ever protective of their territory, attacked them. The men had guns and explosives that injured many Kravenas yet none of these humans survived, for Banaak was exceptionally fearless and speedy, and so were his warriors. After the blood-spattered fight, Banaak then proudly proclaimed his victory to the tribe and offered himself to be the new chief, as he had fully shown his ability to safeguard the tribe against the new invaders, whom he claimed as death-defying ones.
The Kravenas, although alarmed by the raiders’ coming, remained loyal to Datu Ilak. Some Kravenas, however, were persuaded by Banaak and their loyalty shifted to him.
Banaak’s ceaseless desire to sit on the throne led him to plan the slaying of Datu Ilak but it was impossible for him to do so for he did not know how. However, by surreptitiously reading Datu Ilak’s writings, he learned of the one thing that scared every Vangkekan—the secreted hot spring. At the very moment of discovering it, he then turned his attention to knowing where it was found. Slowly, his mind succumbed to evil plans.
Datu Ilak who sensed some naughty plans in Banaak never gave up on him. He still entrusted Banaak’s position to him with all the optimism that Banaak would soon realize his mistakes.
But nothing stopped Banaak from putting his plans into action. On the sly, he began to plot. As he had not yet learned the whereabouts of the secreted hot spring and absolutely had no idea how to find it, he thought of an alternative plan—to destroy the trust of the Kravenas in Datu Ilak, and steal their allegiance.
Banaak wooed Kaya, who was then the datu’s closest female servant, or hakara. He gained her trust and loyalty and then enticed her to try to sleep with the datu. Kaya, unknowing of the other dark plans of Banaak, agreed, for Banaak promised to unite with her after he seized the throne.
One fine night, the Kravenas were celebrating their bountiful harvest of sinapoy, their staple food, a form of grain which was boiled along with various aromatic leaves, to enhance its flavor.
As the tribe’s head, Datu Ilak thanked the mang-aanis for their plentiful harvest and encouraged them to further hone their agricultural skills. Banaak was there, sitting near the table of the female servants.
At the celebration, a group of musicians known as bandoryon melodically blew plutas and drummed tambulings while the dance troupe called taga-sumalas gracefully danced—enchanting every Kravena’s eyes. All over, no feet ignored the dancing grounds; no lips shunned the stacks of perfectly fermented lapey (a liquor prepared from coconut); and no social status prevented them from freely mingling.
Worthwhile the night was, for the Kravenas to take pleasure in!
When the festivity finally came to an end, every Kravena went home to his kubot while Datu Ilak stayed in the palasyon with his servants. He was about to rest when Kaya came softly and offered herself in the most seductive way.
Banaak, with the bunjaos and kansilos, forcibly entered the datu’s chamber and saw the two. Such an act of an unmarried couple was forbidden by the laws of Kravena, especially regarding the datu. Banaak then swayed the kansilos, saying it was great disrespect and shame to the tribe.
Pretending he did not know the hakara, Banaak ordered the bunjaos to get rid of her. The then-inebriated datu explained that he did not know what he was doing. Dividing, the kansilos went into a disagreement as to whether, to dethrone Datu Ilak for his misdeed or not.
The next morning, the Kravenas woke up to a disturbing news: that the datu’s reign was already in dispute. On account of this unsettling situation, Datu Ilak made a public act of contrition. He humbly and openly apologized to the tribe and proclaimed that he was going to join the hakara in matrimony. He begged for the tribe’s pardon and pleaded for his dominion, pointing out that he was to have, now, a family. Some kansilos, touched by Datu Ilak’s meek and sincere apology, agreed, but some objected to it. Banaak and his followers loudly protested but the kansilos finally decided to forgive the datu and let him continue his rule.
Datu Ilak ordered the taga-siklaw to find out the ones behind his disgrace. Moreover, he persuaded Kaya to reveal who ordered her to destroy him.
Kaya, sobbing and desperately ashamed of herself, confessed that it was all Banaak’s wicked plan. Upon hearing this, Datu Ilak ordered his bunjaos to capture and bring Banaak to him, alive. Expecting that such would happen, Banaak had already prepared his followers for the fight for their lives. For his support, he had the Sulabuns with him.
A few days before, Banaak went to the Tribe of Sulabun misleading Datu Karok about an alleged plan of Datu Ilak to expand his territory. Believing the wrong information, Datu Karok then prepared his defense forces against the Kravenas, making Banaak in-charge of the schemes.
When the bunjaos found Banaak at the Mountains of Yandal, they tried to capture him but Banaak’s faction and the Sulabuns—on impulse—defeated them. One of the bunjaos survived and fled fast to inform the tribe.
The news came like a crash of thunder to Datu Ilak but he kept his wits and went to alarm the tribe for the possible attack of the joined forces.
It was the worst for Datu Ilak, that Banaak might have finally known the secret passage to the hot spring. Only the five datus of the five tribes knew of the secret that would risk their lives. But the bond of the five tribes was, by now, broken.
The forces of Banaak and the Sulabuns did not push through, to attack Kravena. Instead, they went back to Sulabun, to boast of their killing of Datu Ilak’s bunjaos.
Datu Karok rewarded Banaak for his apparent fidelity by making him their tribe’s new sagigilid.
In the Tribe of Kravena, the inhabitants were distraught by such betrayal and the spread of the news that they now had an enemy tribe—after a long time of being at peace. Then Datu Ilak ordered his bunjaos to fortify their defense forces and to be ready for any kind of fight that might come their way.
Datu Karok of Sulabun likewise strengthened his army through the help of his right hand, Banaak. With Banaak’s stay and false loyalty in Sulabun, he was permitted to wed the only descendant of Datu Karok, Sesa Ebasa.
For months, the two tribes prepared and anticipated each other’s attack.
Later, Kaya gave birth to a male Kravena and they named him Abanir.
In the Tribe of Sulabun, Sesa Ebasa also gave birth to a son. She and Banaak named him, Kalib.
Not long after, Datu Karok passed away—mysteriously—and Banaak succeeded the throne.
Chapter 1
The Vabuerettis
Sophia Vabueretti opened her eyes to a stormy morning. It was giving her goose
bumps and she quickly fumbled around, reaching for her blanket. It might have fallen from her bed during her sleep. She wondered if she was already awake or still trapped in a dream as the broken oak tree branches at their backyard fell angrily onto the rooftop of their renovated Hispanic house.
In a blast, it raged on and on as if the sounds could break every corner, and it truly frightened her.
She peeped through her windows. Outside, the streets were empty of people, and not even the truck of Mr. Salvador that was often parked along the wide street in front of them was around. She sighed for a moment, absorbed by the singing wind and rushing splash of heavy rain upon the windows, when she heard the careful knock of her mother.
“Sophia, honey, it’s past nine already. I know your classes are suspended but don’t sleep that long,” her mother pleaded in a soft voice.
Despite her languor precipitated by the cold weather, Sophia pushed herself to open the door. Rubbing her eyes, she was surprised when her mother handed her a sealed white envelope, a good sign that it wasn’t opened yet.
“I was supposed to give it to you last night but you were in a hurry to meet Giovanni,” Elizabeth shared, anticipating for her daughter’s response: excitement, perhaps. But it turned out wrong when Sophia’s head remained up in the clouds.
“Uh, aren’t you going to open it already?” Elizabeth resurrected the mood, giving the impression that she already knew what was inside.
At last, Sophia showed some movements. “Um… maybe later, Mom,” she smiled and quickly slid it behind her back, feeling much better if she’d open it in her mother’s absence.
“All right.” Elizabeth returned a wider smile. “Alex and Nadine are already downstairs. Don’t skip breakfast, okay?” she concluded and then left.
Closing the door, Sophia shifted her full attention to the elegant envelope and saw that it was from the National Art Institute. A couple of months ago, she wrote and sent them a sample of her artwork, hoping that she would qualify for the institution’s annual painting contest—a stepping stone for her, as she always thought of pursuing an art career. That painting contest was Orlando City’s most prestigious one and it filled her dreams, that someday, she would be recognized for her passion.
Bit by bit, she opened the envelope, excited to know if she was qualified, but at some point, fearful of rejection. Then, she unfolded the white linen paper and started to read, bursting with hope.
“Oh, I can’t believe it!” she nearly screamed. To leap for joy was an impulse. Then she hurried downstairs to tell everyone.
“Whoa! What’s with the excitement?” Alex, her older brother, asked when he happened to see her running down the wooden stairs.
“Hey, guess what?” Sophia approached him at the dining room.
“What, Sophie?” Nadine, their youngest, who was then seated beside Alex on the oval dining table piped in.
“Hey you guys, I’m qualified for the contest!”
“Really? Well, that’s good news!” commended Alex, with a pair of light brown eyes reflecting the twinkling chandelier overhead. “I’m glad something just brightened up my morning.”
“Yup, in spite of the dark shadows outside!” Nadine shot in dramatically, attempting some witticism for Sophia.
“Thanks!” Sophia grinned. “Oh! By the way, where are mom and dad? I thought they’re here by now.” She then glanced around.
Usually, the Vabuerettis would start breakfast all together except this morning. Elizabeth was busy doing their avalanche of laundry piled since the thunderstorm and Philippe was away somewhere, doing some other things while on-leave from work.
“Mom’s at the laundry room.” Alex scratched at his jaw and nudged Nadine who was vigorously slicing her blueberry pancake. “Hey, do you know where dad is?”
With an eyebrow lifted up, Nadine sent him a cynical look. “I think he’s at the front porch,” she replied mumbling.
To distract the thunder strikes emerging between her siblings, Sophia intruded, “Maybe they’ll join us later,” making sure she didn’t sound disappointed. Then she sat down opposite Nadine and met the childish eyes of her eleven-year-old sister, so much like the ocean-blue eyes of their mother’s. In fact, the two of them were the doppelgangers of Elizabeth, except for Sophia’s deep dimples on each side of her face and shallow cleft chin, all of that from her father’s genes.
Watching Sophia blankly spread strawberry jam on a pair of toasted bread, Nadine reminded her that there were too many carbs in it.
It made Sophia laugh modestly. “Well, thanks for reminding me but that does not really apply to me right now. I’m starving. I did not actually have my dinner last night.” Then she shifted the course of their talking by asking again of their father’s whereabouts.
“Maybe he went to work already.” Alex wrinkled his forehead.
“I told you, dad is at the front porch. He’s probably reading today’s newspaper there,” Nadine griped, now giving them a pointed look.
Their conversation went neither here nor there, when their father finally entered the room.
“Oh! Good morning there! So, you are all awake now, huh!” Philippe said distractedly as he passed by them and went straight to the kitchen sink to wash his hands.
“Coffee, Dad?” Sophia immediately offered when her father was already half-hidden by the lustrous antique divider.
“Yes, honey. That would be nice.”
Sophia went to join her father in the kitchen, and filled a vintage German porcelain demitasse cup with a freshly brewed Turkish coffee from the coffee maker.
“Dad, where have you been?” Nadine, all of a sudden, called from the table.
“I was at the front porch.” Philippe made sure his voice was heard.
“See! I told you.” Nadine elbowed Alex.
“Fine! You won, Nad.”
Nadine cracked an insulting laugh, savoring such big-deal victory over her brother.
Scowling, Alex watched her and battled his annoyance.
“You know what, Dad? Sophie has qualified for the contest!” Nadine yelled again.
“That’s good, honey!” Philippe praised and approached Sophia who was now putting the cup on a matching saucer. Observing his daughter, Philippe assumed it a chance, a chance to further strengthen his fatherly love for her. Although Sophia was with them for almost four years now, it always felt like a huge gap that separated him from her.
“When will that be?” Philippe wanted to ask.
“Tenth of May, Dad.”
“So, that’s four months from now.”
“Yes, Dad.”
“I’m so proud of you, you know that?”
Sophia flung a chirp, “Thanks, Dad.”
“Really, I do.”
Witnessing the veiled affection in her father’s eyes, Sophia thanked him again and shifted her stare on the side.
And then, there was a moment of silence.
“I think I have to return now to my breakfast,” Sophia spoke low and went back to the dining table.
Agreeing, Philippe followed her and sat down at the center. His appearance was suddenly troubled, then he showered his children with an adoring smile and began indulging himself with coffee.
“I think we should celebrate for Sophie. Am I right, Dad?” Nadine revived their talking.
“Yes, of course!” Their father suddenly blinked, just as he felt the hotness of coffee flooded in his mouth. “That is actually a good idea, sweetie. I’m glad you thought of that.” Philippe’s tone echoed massive willingness as he took another sip.
“Celebrate? I did not win, yet, or something for us to celebrate already,” Sophia countered with puckered brow.
“Though you’ve not yet won, we’re going to celebrate,” Elizabeth, coming from the laundry room, interfered. Her sudden appearance caught everyone’s attention as she sat across Philippe and breathed heavily the second she landed on her chair, fatigued by early household chores. It was, after all, her choice not to hire house maids in
spite of the family’s riches. It was also her choice to stop practicing law and instead become a full-time mom. Besides, money had never been a problem for they owned Christ the King Medical Center, the city’s largest, and Philippe was a well-known surgeon.
“Wow! What an overflowing confidence you have, Mom, to right away assume that Sophia will win the contest!” Alex cackled and so did Nadine.
Subdued by her timidity, Sophia at least managed to be grateful to her mom, providing a simple yet heartfelt smile.
Her bearing turned distant, as Elizabeth examined her children and arranged her speech in her mind. She had been practicing those words for days now and she already thought of the possible scenarios. Soon, an eye-to-eye with her husband drove her to finally utter the words to them.
“Oh, by the way, your father and I have something to tell you,” she announced in a guarded voice.
The three suddenly turned to look at their mother.
With those eyes upon her, Elizabeth held her breath and turned it into a whoosh of optimism. “This coming Friday, since it’s holiday, we will visit... Forest Green.” The manner of her talking obviously reflected cautiousness as the pounding of her heart began to envelop her. Holiday because it was Philipdomia’s one hundred sixteenth year of liberty.
The very instant Sophia heard it, she was tongue-tied. She didn’t know if she ought to feel glad about it. Forest Green was unsettling, a place of torment and sanctuary, ironically, but the former seemed to weigh much more heavily and that drove her to the edge of unhappiness.
“Forest Green! At last, we’re visiting Forest Green!” Nadine shouted with her excitement and jumped from her seat.
Intrigued by why they were going to visit Forest Green, Alex asked their parents.
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