Rewrite the Star

Chapter 9 - Hesitation

Many people were clamoring at datu's hall that an army of locusts sent by Lalahon, the goddess of the harvest, were pestering their crops. Their offerings were even rejected. How can they grow their crops if this would continue? For a moment, Lisuga was deserted by her savoir-faire that she forgot what to convey to the natives.

"My people, I request you confer Lady Lisuga time for all these commotions. She will talk to Goddess Lalahon, and it will all soon be well. So please let us all keep calm." Paglinawan said. "Right, my lady?"

Ah, yes was all she could answer. Then Paglinawan escorted her back to her room.

"Are you alright?" He caught her in a daze, staring off into space. She fell to her knees and started crying. "What is wrong Lisuga?"

"What am I going to do?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Even I, Lisuga, the goddess of stars, is also ignored by Lalahon. What if I couldn't really do it? What if Dumagan was right all along that my grandfather had really forsaken us?"

"Lisuga, you are the daughter of his son – the star that would brighten up the whole world. Do you think that he would sacrifice you for nothing?"

His sanguinity encouraged her a bit, but she could not help herself not to fear.

"You know what? Once in a while, a god also needs to layoff. Come I will show you something interesting."

He took her in the middle of the woods and stumbled on a massive cave camouflaging the verdure. It was dark and gloomy inside. The flaming torches sparkled to light the tunnel ahead. Beneath them was a jagged rock with a dank dirt piercing to their feet. They could smell the animal dung as they went deeper. All of a sudden, bats were screeching and scratching like as if they were disturbed. They ran faster away from the noise until they reached to the end – to the end that was just the beginning of lush garden of spring. They could see the full scenery from the end of the cave. Mouse deer were playing alongside the river. Lovebirds were singing and flying from one branch to another. Lisuga shivered as she felt the wind blew passed them, and the flowers, too, dance along.

"Come." Paglinawan took her hand and assisted her to climb down from the knoll's hole.

"This is amazing!"

"Yes, I know, just like the person in front of me." He tucked her hair behind her ears. "This was where Dumagan and I used to hide whenever our father forced us to practice fencing, but all we wanted was to play."

Then suddenly Lisuga's head ached. She was flooded of memories and found herself in the past. "Dumagan..."

On the far end near the river, she saw herself sitting next to Dumagan. Dumagan pulled something from his pocket and showed it to Lisuga.

"I am glad you came to meet me. I made this for you." It was a hair pin bun made of gold with tiny pearls clustering like a constellation of stars.

"This is beautiful, but I cannot accept this." She regretfully declined.

"Please take it. Tomorrow is the day and I am not sure what my fate lies ahead once I fight against Jing Shen."

"It might ruin you if you keep fighting for me. I beg you. You can still withdraw. Your brother needs you and I -," she stuttered. "And I may not bear to see you gone."

Dumagan smiled. Finally for the first time, she did not deny her feelings towards him. "Then come run away with me."

"You don't know who you're up against with, Dumagan. They would do everything to break us apart, and I am afraid that your life would be at risk if we disobey the code."

"I had longed for you for so long, and my love, you are worth my life and all that I have left is yours. If destiny desired me to run forever like a criminal just to be with you...then I would happily run forever with you."

"I am sorry. I cannot accept your offer. I will not trade your life for me." Then Lisuga disappeared.

Lisuga cried. "Why am I seeing things? Why is Dumagan kept fussing in my head?" She patted her hair and learned that she'd been carrying the pearl hair pin bun on her head. She was in deep shock.

Paglinawan could not do anything but he just hugged her. "It's going to be alright. You'll soon understand and regain all your memory."