Chapter 16

1. All around them the huge pine splinter torches had been igni ted and they cast ared glow over the crowd; it was time to do the final ceremony and they rose just him and her family, and they formed a small procession to the side of the mountain where a hole had already been dug, They let bimshove hercofiawithin the they pushed aboulder at the entrance to the burial place and covered it with earth.

Waywaya's mother planted before it a few strands of ramos- they would grow, tall and purple. He was a Taga Daya he must show them that he could dam his feelings but as tears streamed down his cheekes, he shuddered violently and ened.

The chief laid an arm around Dayaw's shouider and took him back. The gongs were louder now and above thrir rhythm mse the squealing of pigs being butchered. They went up the hall, its floor of hewn wood, and frum the roof dangled lamps of iron, ablaze with light. 1 have asked my father." Dayaw said, that they do not cross the nver anymore, that if they do, they bear gits of life.

I pray that you do the same This is what Waywaya would have wanted... The old chief, squtting on his deerskin rug, did not reply; his gaze went beyond the bonfire outside the wide open door, leaping now, lighting the sombrous sky. In the yellow embroidery of flames, it seemed that his cyes were glazed and when he finally spoke, his words were slow and they bore great feeling "There something about an old tree, he said, it grows no more At the same time, it isdifficult to cut it down Its roots are deep although it candraw no more sustenance fromtheearth Maybe, it is right that the new trees should grow." Heate little when the food finally came. Partangon ate nothing for hehad falilenasleep. They brought Dayaw wine - sweet slightiy bitter and he wondered if it would be in the wine But it was not.

It was late and he must rest so they left him while the feasting and dancing contined outéde. He slept fitfully until dawn- that deep and tranquil quiet when just a tint of purple appeared in the est and stars still studded the sky like gems Now, thoughts crowded his mind like drunes and he was filled once more with regret that he had not heenkinder to her. He could see her now in this time of day, her hair glossy and black, her precious face the luminous eyes, the moist lips- the image of her alive and breathing and touching pottering in the kitchen, preparing his meal. And the baby yes, their son, how wouldit be when he firally b became a man? And Parbangon, would they enslave him order him return as be had hoped they would so that he could tell Taga Daya? And how wauld it end for him? He had beem trained not to fear death and though he had considered fighting, there was no sense to it as there was really no logic for his being here, just as the lo said. No logic. but since when did love have any? Marning and it was time to leave the ald chief was at the door and as he approached, Dayaw gianced at Parbngon who was stillasleep. "Don't wake him up" the chief said softly. "He needs rest: we will take him back to the river."A wave ofjoy engalfed him. They went down the broad steps, into a brilliant moming where some of the warriors had aiready gathered The old chief put an arm around his shoulder, murmuring "Hushand of my daughter- my son""Father of my wife- my father," he returned the farewel. Intheclear, everything stoodout now - the bamboo houses with their grass roofi, the corrals for the pigs, the chicken houses, the vegetable patches, the orange trees. He lnew almast everything around him just as Waywaya had desctbed it; why, he was almost home at home They walked him to the edge of the villagr. He must utter now the important word. "Waywaya," reverential prayer. "I loved her. The fruit of our union- a boy. Your blood is in he is across the river. Will you let him grow in peace ignorant of a time like this? "Will you" The chief did not answer and if he spoke. Dayaw did not hear. The ongs startedagain and then from the women in the distance came a sound of wailing Was it for him? In his heart, though he was afraid, he was glad. The forest awaited himas sunset, he lmew that he would not reach the never.

2. Obedience, to bumble her, but the pain in her face toached him and he untied the twine that abound her wrists. She qaickdy withdrew her hands from behind her.

He untied her legs next and free at last. She stood up and limped to the bushes down the galley. He did not go after hershe was going to urinate but when she did not return he fallowed her.

She was lying on her stomach on the grass and crying silently. Then she turned to him. Why don't you kill me and let me suffer no morer It was the first ime that shehad spoken and heunderstood everything but for the different intonation, she was speaking in her own tongue "You are in our own land now," be said coldiy "You are a captive, a stave and you will be killed, of course if you try to run away. You know that.

Youar life is in your hands" Then abruptly, as a warrior would speak: "Let us ga" She stood up and followed him quickly. Before noon, they reached the fringes of Duya the well-groomed fields that were being prepared for the seed. His first impulse was to do what humiliate her. The swelling of herjaw was subsided and its place was a dark hruise. Her wrists had bled when the twine was cut.

But he did not undress her, he merely tied her wrist again, this time loosely, and then marched her in town. Thinking about it later, he was to ealize why he did not want her naked He had seen her in her glory, he covered her and did not want others to see her as he had seem her then twas customary, to strip her, parade her through the town and Out of their houses, where they were cooking the noon day meal, came the women.

The children, and the menfolk who were not working in the fields or at the beach The children gathered around ber, fingering ber dress, touching her bangles and jeering at her. Her head erect she looked straightahead as she walked but her eyes were frightened and once or twice she stumbled. "Dayaw that is some trophyr "Can she cook "Can she weave?" "Can she gyrate her hips? "is she juicy tight? They shrieked and laaghed and Dayaw laughed with them acknowledging their greetings pleasad that they knew where he had been, proud that they could see his slave and aso the new the piece of cloth slung on his shoulder and the plowshare under his arm He let the day lengthen though courtesy demanded that she should have gone straight to the Ulo, his father, or tell him that be was back. He had not told anyone where he was going not even Parbagon who often came to his house to listen to his songs and his kutibeng. Liwliwa cane shortly after noon with a bowl of etRplants and bitter melons cooked with tomatoes, onions and dried fish, and a por of rice.

Her hair was glossy with coconut ail, and while he reclined after they had eaten she kneaded his muscles with oil and stimred him: and while the slave giri washed the pots outside, she dlosed the bamboo door and welcomed him in the way he had eipected it. When he woke up, Liwliwa had gone his slave was in the room, fanning with hima small palm leal He showed her where she should sleep, a corner of the kitchen, among the fish traps and cooking pats, and told her what her chores would be, from sunup to sundown, She listened intently.

Women passed and peeped, and children who had nor seem her earlier shouted obscenities to her. "Now, what should I call you he asked, as he made ready to visit the lla. "Waywaya" she said, bowing He could see that she was crying againand he hated the siyght of womenintears. At this time of day, the Ulo would be in the community house, acting out his duties, dispensing advice and help to those who needed it, allocating seed nce for the next planting season as well as new plots to be cleared and new duties. Dayaw loved his father and had not meant to appear disobedient, but through theyears, his interest has veeral; while the other youths would listento thetalk of the elders, he got boredand would go by hinself to the forest or to the beach He was no weakling, but while the other youths practiced the arts of war and exercised for the great leap that would transfonm them into men, he played with his kutibeng and took pleasure in composing new songs.

When the great feast came he was not even ancious. They had lighted the wide pit and the hay and the logs there were a aring flame They lined upthe youngmen whowould now be warriors, and one by one, they leaped across the chasm of fire. hey had practicad and he had not and when it was his turn, he.

3. As I went about my task I was uncomfortably aware of how wet and heavy my cothes had become from he tendrs of sweat that had pooled around my neck and down my back But no mater, the canopy would soon cool my heated fesh and uck seemed to have folowed me back inside the woods.

From somowhere up ahead I couls hear water trailing a path through he bees. and I rejoiced knowing l'd made Eto the rhver. Inwardly i gfowed at the thought of a bath and fsh for my supper.

My eyes grew accuntomed to the change of light and i spoted a few gnarled sicks. As I reached for the largest of the bunch a small sound natanty brought my senses alert A whisper as fairt as a breeze drited lowards me, beckoning me to isten.

A human sound I knew and I froze, every pore on my body straining to find the source "Over here. Tm over here heip", the macabre voice rose over the sound of my own heart beat, crashing ihe waves on shore inside my chest I arcled around. glimpsing a par of bocts mostly Ndden behind some pokeweed "Help me please", panted the voice, a le louder this time.

Taking my krite hom its sheath, I made my way over to the boots and followed them up over the blue uniform and into the dit streaked face of boy, no okter than myselt. He sat propped on the trunk of an oak.

He ed raising himselt but only slunged back down blowing the air out of his hungs "You dide't eat any of those beries did you?, I said poirting to the crimson clusters that hung from the pokeweed he adornments on a ladies hat "No l didnt, he repled, his words tralling cff, and iwatched as his eyes rolled back into their sockats. Ire sheathed my knfe and scrambled to sit beside him shaking hàm wake. His eyes opened, shockingly blue, sapphire, while the rest of him wasa gray an dusk we great effort he spoke. Ns words coning out slow, lapping together and I thought he might be drunk. Te been shet back in Manassangone clear through. He paused to raise cone lethangic hand to point at his.