Chapter 6

One by one we shot the warriors with arrows until none was left. Good thing we had decent cover. At least we didn't have to fight hand to hand and risk getting recognized.

We all hastily returned to our cave and decided on our next step.

"We have to leave", it was Yani.

"Where do we go?", I asked. "Surely General Dula is still looking for us". I still refused to call him rajah. He's an usurper after all. The true rajah is still alive and breathing opposite me. He might be young and inexperienced, but with proper guidance,I know he will be able to lead our tribe well.

"To the village", Senapati said.

I protested. "And have ourselves killed? We just barely managed to survive those soldiers." My fury intensified by the soreness of my right shoulder. "I couldn't afford another encounter". I couldn't afford to lose you. I almost said out loud. Enraged, I dropped my arms to the ground and reached for the dagger I have placed there previously.

"This is the only thing left of my father", I uttered slowly. My gaze directed at the young man. I turned the knife over in my left palm and cut a line along it. Letting the blood flow to the ground, I looked Senapati in the eye.

"I'm not dying without clearing my father's name and putting you back on the throne", I declared.

He didn't let go of my gaze. Taking his own sword, he cut across his palm and let his own blood fall to where mine did earlier.

"I won't die without being rajah and having you as my general".

At this, we packed up our meager belongings and started off to the village.

It was night time when we arrived and it was good to be camouflaged by the dark. At least nobody would recognize us. To the few people still outdoors, we were just ordinary mountain dwellers visiting for the night.

Yani lead the way to a humble abode and knocked on the door. An elderly lady welcomed us and gave us a warm meal of rice, chicken and some herbs. I haven't tasted this warm soup in a long time and it reminded me of my old home. I felt the now familiar ache in my chest and helped myself to another serving. I stuffed my face for distraction while listening to the conversation around me.

"I was so worried about you", the elderly lady addressed the lakan. Her name is Diwata, I was told. And she is an herbolario, a healer. She was one of the few remaining loyalists of the late rajah who haven't been assassinated by the new regime.

"Please pardon my meager offering", she said. "I will tell my servant to prepare your bath and bedroom so you can rest comfortably".

Senapati gently smiled at her, assuring her.

"You don't have to fuss", he answered. "I've lived in a cave and survived on roots and wild animals after all. Really, this is already a luxury for me".

I raised my eyebrow. So he could be sweet and gentle after all! But maybe because she was an elder and a woman too. She's a respected healer after all. I've heard of her before, when I was younger but I never had a chance to meet her. Even the richest datus would send their children to her to be cured. And she was a good one too. But maybe not that good for she was not able to save my mother when she gave birth to me.

Then I remembered. She knew me as a baby! Would she still recognize me after 13 years? Maybe not. I look nothing like a girl after all. And the fact that I haven't washed myself the whole day helped protect my identity.

Speaking of washing, I miss the waterfall where I used to swim as a child. I used to go there with my father a lot and he would tell me stories about how he proposed to my mother right in that place. He told me he first saw her there. When she was doing her laundry and slipped into the deeper end of the water. She was drowning when he saved her. He fell in love with her at first sight and was speechless upon hearing her speak. He even forgot to ask her name.

Father said he went home in high spirits that day but was torn apart all of a sudden when he was told his marriage had been arranged. He didn't even know the woman who would be his wife. And he couldn't be with her if his heart already belonged to the woman by the waterfall.

Funny how life happened for him though. Or maybe it was all Bathala's hand when he realized that his bethrothed was the same lady he has rescued some time ago.

"Right, Lawin?", Diwata addressed me.

"I'm sorry", I responded, confused. "I wasn't paying attention".

She laughed. It was nice to hear a woman's laugh after so long a time. There were times when I almost forgot I was a woman too.

"I was told you have an eye for herbs", she explained. "I was telling Lakan here that you ought to be my apprentice".

"I don't think...", I quickly rebutted.

"You should give it a try first, before you decide", she encouraged. "I badly need a hand. I'm getting old after all. I only live to see Lakan Sena here get married. Then I could gladly die in peace".

The young man spluttered a mouthful of rice. I held back from laughing out loud. Although I'm sure he caught the smile forming on my lips.

"I'm too young to get married", he protested. "I'd rather fight General Dula right now and die than get married".

I forcefully stood up.

"You can't say that!", I yelled at him, alarmed. "Before you can die, they have to kill me first!"

The aged healer just looked at me in amusement, her eyes crinkling with delight.

I suddenly turned red. Did she see through my disguise and decipher that I'm just a young woman enamoured with the lakan? But I was very careful to keep my character. I even kept my voice low and it sounded way too natural after speaking that way for several months.

"I mean, you're the only hope I have to regain my father's reputation", I explained. "I'm your general. Dula has to go through me first before he can harm the rajah".

This time all three of them were looking at me like I'm some newly discovered species of wildlife. It didn't help at all that I was feeling warm from finishing several glasses of coconut wine. I was already feeling a little bit dizzy too.

A smirk was forming around Senapati's lips and by the spirits, did he look more handsome. The moon was shining brightly through the open window and the breeze was warm. His face was a radiant yellowish tan and for once I realized that no matter how I act like a man all the time, I still have the heart of a woman. Sadly though, that heart seems to belong to the person in front of me. And there's nothing I could do to fix that.