Under the Moonlit Sky

I just couldn't bring myself to sleep.

I had been tossing and turning for hours now but it was as if my mind was currently experiencing a war of its own too. I'd been thinking about how I can save my daughter Lira, find my younger sister Alena, bring peace back to Encantadia by defeating our enemies which includes our older sister Pirena, the Hathors, and Adhara's women warriors. 

And finally, I'd been thinking about how I can manage my heart that has already fallen for a man I could never, ever, call mine.

As the weight of it all finally became too heavy, I decided to step out of my tent to get some fresh air. Indeed, the wind didn't disappoint to calm me down as I silently breathed in its chill. I then decided to let my feet take me elsewhere and soon, I found myself sitting at a rock by the sea, watching the night sky change its course with the moon and stars shining so brightly.

"Amihan."

I froze and slowly turned my head towards the owner of that voice. I couldn't help the uneasiness that I felt as I forced a small smile and said, "Nakabalik ka na pala, Prinsipe Ybrahim. Avisala eshma at walang masamang nangyari sa'yo. Tunay nga na mahabagin si Bathalang Emre."

He only nodded in response as he quietly sat beside me and stared up at the sky as well. We then sat there in silence and I couldn't help but think if he was as nervous as I was at that moment. I wonder if he was also too afraid to speak, too afraid to break this little moment we've surprisingly built for ourselves.

After a few more minutes, I finally heard him sigh as he turned his head to look at me with an intensity that almost took my breath away, "Mahal na Reyna, kung inyong mamarapatin, maaari bang hindi mo nalang ako iwasan?"

I shook my head and lowered my face, "Alam mo naman kung bakit hindi pwede ang iyong nais hindi ba? Mas makakabuti ito para sa ating dalawa, maniwala ka sa akin." I carefully stood up to excuse myself. "Ako'y mauuna nang bumalik sa ating kuta, Mahal na Prinsipe."

A second didn't even pass before I felt a hand grasp my own and I suddenly found myself in Ybrahim's warm embrace. I stilled, not knowing what to do. 

It then took another minute or two before I finally came back to my senses and tried to push him away from me. "A-Anong ginagawa mo, Y-Ybrahim? Pakawalan mo a-ako."

He only but tightened his arms around me as I felt his lips move against my hair, "Hindi na maaari, Mahal kong Reyna. Pakiusap, wag mo na akong ipagtabuyan." 

I soon felt tears drop on my shoulders as he pleaded, "Pakiusap, Amihan. Hindi ko na kinakaya ang nangyayari sa ating dalawa. Hindi na kinakaya ng aking puso ang pag-iwas mo. Para itong dinudurog nang paulit-ulit sa tuwing hindi ka man lang nakakapiling."

He then took a step back and held me at an arm's length. My heart truly broke upon seeing his tear-stained face, "Amihan, hindi ko kayang wala ka. Gabi-gabi na akong hindi halos makatulog sa takot na sa aking paggising ay huli na pala talaga ang lahat para sa atin. Hindi ko kakayanin iyon, e correi. Hindi ko kaya."

I couldn't help the tears that fell from my eyes and the sad smile that spread through my lips as he said those words with utmost sincerity. But as much as I only wanted to feel joy at the moment, that part of me that placed family first fought its way back in.

I abruptly pushed him away and wiped my tears as I admitted, "Gayundin ang aking nadarama, Ybrahim." I took another step away as I looked at him with sorrow because of the circumstance we were in, "Ngunit paano ang aking kapatid? Paano si Alena na siyang tunay na ikaw ay lubos na minamahal pa din? Minsan ko na siyang binigo nung ikaw ay pinakiusapan kong lumayo sa amin at simula noo'y masyado nang marami ang pinagdaanan ng aking kapatid. Kung kaya't hindi ko nais na siya'y bigyan pa ng ikasasama ng loob. Ayokong saktan pa si Alena, Ybrahim."

He moved closer and looked at me with determination in his eyes, "Sa tingin mo ba ay gusto ko din siyang saktan, Amihan? Hindi. Sapagkat tunay na minahal ko si Alena noon. Ngunit ano ang gusto mong gawin ko?" He then held both my hands and kissed each one, "Ang hindi ipaglaban ang pagmamahal ko para sa'yo? Ang magkunwari na siya pa din ang nilalaman nito?"

He then placed my hands on top of his chest, just above his heart. It was beating so strongly that the energy it gave excited my air jewel so much that a burst of air suddenly shot us up the sky and enclosed us in an electric blue space that kept us upright. 

I couldn't help the small laugh that escaped through me as I saw Ybrahim hold onto me after seeing that we were nowhere near the ground. But then as we stood there for a few more minutes, staring right into each other's eyes, I knew. We both knew.

"Amihan," he started, "Alam kong hindi magiging madali ito para sa atin pero handa akong ipaglaban ka, ang pagmamahalan natin, kahit ano pa ang mangyari. Nawa'y hayaan mo ako na gawin iyon sapagkat ako'y tunay na umiibig na sa'yo, Mahal kong Reyna. E correi diu, aking Amihan." He bent down to capture my lips with his and it was enough to confirm that indeed, the love we had was worth fighting for.

And so up here, with the moon and the stars as our witnesses, I finally found the strength to say the words my heart had been longing to tell him for so long now. I embraced him with all the strength that I had and then slowly caressed his cheek as I whispered, "E correi diu, Ybrahim. Mahal na mahal din kita."