Avisala, E correi

Burdens of a Hero's Child

As the first winter snow fell, the night is tarnished by the coldness of the wind. The sweet winter breeze can blow shivers down your spine. The light is dim as the night goes deeper but the silence of the night was disturbed by faint little sobs.

Ezekiel was in a corner of a wall, hidden from the sight of his parents. They thought he already left, but for some reasons,  he felt to stay behind for awhile. The back of his head leaned behind the wall. His fist formed in a tight grip. The sound of his mother crying breaks him to pieces and involuntarily his tears began to fell and he joined his mother silently in grief. All his life, he worked so hard to prove his worthy to be called their son and yet tonight, he has disgraced them greatly.

"Poltre Ada, poltre Ado." Ezekiel shouted inside his mind.

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It's snowing lightly outside Sapiro, even though the temperature has sunked more than usual, Amihan insisted on pushing through their planned village visit.

The Rama, Hara and Rehav of Sapiro are dressed in thick travelling clothes as they walk the street of Sapiro. The Royal family trusted their villagers so much that they are only surrounded by few guards. Since the Kingdom is very well provided, with all the people led to believe of Equal rights, no one approach them with any pleading eyes instead, people only bow at them in respect with a smile painted in every faces

. The Rama and Hara made sure that the people can very well connect to them by visiting the lower people from time to time.

Although smiles are in everyone's faces, Amihan can't stop but noticed the whispering that follows.

"Narinig mo na ba ang mga naganap sa Lireo?" Whispered some women.

"Hindi kaya hindi sya ang totoong anak ng Rama at Hara sapagkat napakabait ng kanyang mga magulang."

"Isa syang malaking kahihiyan sa Sapiro." 

Although how silent they whisper, Amihan can hear them clearly. For the wind hides nothing to her and she's pretty sure Ezekiel is not oblivious with the disdainful attention.

"Mahal ko, dito ka sa aking tabi." Amihan called her son while offering her left hand.

Ezekiel bowed in agreement as he took his mother's hand. Amihan clinged in her son in return.

"Huwag mo silang papansinin. Sapagkat hindi nila alam ang tunay na ganap. Tandaan mo anak. Kilala kita sa kahit na sino man. At batid ko ang puso mo. Kaya ako na ang magsasabi. Walang katuturan ang mga sinasabi at haka-haka nila. Naiintindihan mo ba ako." Whispered Amihan closely to her son.

Ezekiel flashed a bittersweet smile to his mother.

"Avisala eshma, inay. Tunay na napakabuti mo." Said Ezekiel.

"Nagsasabi lamang ako ng totoo. Halika na at tila napag-iiwanan na tayo ng iyong Ama." Whispered Amihan as they rushed to the Rama's side.

Just as they were walking around the village, Amihan was stopped suddenly by the familiar aura hovering around the air. The air is letting her feel something. Something alarming, like a warning. She stopped and look around her. Everyone seemed to be in their usual thing, vendors yelling, customers haggling, village people walking and bowing at the sight of them, children running around each other. Amihan looked more closely, and right across the street, a man in black, with barely his face showing, is standing across observing them intently. Amihan examined the figure, a well built man, a sword tuck inside his black cloak. She locked eyes with him and just by that connection, without seeing him completely, Amihan has recognized him.