HESTIA - The Virgin Princess

CHAPTER 2- Hestia's Escape

I

"Tomorrow, my life will be different, either I am the crowned Princess Hestia or I am nowhere away from this island," Hestia whispers as she runs fast going to the forest. She finally reached the cave where she spent most of her time making her flying boat. This cave is nearby the biggest cave, where the Fairies are said to have their palace. No one dares to come here, more so get inside these two caves. Only Hestia, whose determination to escape from Balwarte De Gapo is too strong and unstoppable.

Hestia is determined to escape. At the age of sixteen, she already started planning her escape. She cannot escape through the sea as their small opening from the island to the vastness of the ocean is well guarded. She cannot use a boat then. She will be surely caught.

When she heard about the story of Montor, her great-great grandmother's suitor who escaped from the island, allegedly by flying through self-made wings out of big birds' feathers, she became bewildered. She studied, tried, and tested bird feathers, but it did not work. She needs a boat that flies to escape from the island. She needs to think and try again.

Hestia tried using aluminum as her boat's wings. It is big enough to lift her tiny boat. To have something to push and move the boat, she put a propeller at the boat's vow and connected a motor engine that she saw being used and done by their skilled men in making their motorized boats. Knowing that her boat will not run without its wheels, she made three wooden wheels from the most sturdy Narra wood. She put one wheel in front and two at the back. Lastly, to guide her in that direction, she put on a steering wheel, and a headlamp and kept a compass that she asked her Inah to buy for her. Two weeks before her eighteenth birthday, Hestia already successfully made her flying boat.

Long before, Hestia already inspected her way out from the cave, going up into the sky. She should be in a place where no one can see her but wide enough for her to maneuver her boat before flying. She wandered around the cave looking for other openings aside from its main mouth. To her surprise, at the back end of the cave is a big opening but alas, the opening will lead her not to the forest but to a cliff. Looking down at the cliff, Hestia saw the vastness of the ocean. She almost fainted because of euphoria. Hestia thought of this opening as her best way out. Two to three meters before the said opening, she can start her engine for her boat to maneuver and give a big push for it to be lifted and fly upon getting out of the cave.

Being trained both with the works of women and men, Hestia's strength and abilities are incomparable. She could easily beat a man of not enough skills. She can even pin down the head of their guards' team. Everybody in the tribe believes that Hestia is truly fitted to be crowned as their first Virgin Princess. She has all the qualities; beauty, intelligence, strength, wisdom, big dreams, love, and kindness in her heart.

II

It is midnight, a day before she turns eighteen, Hestia made a good escape. She tip-toed going out of their Big Kubol, hiding here and there not to be noticed by their guards. Until finally, she is already running in the woods.

Perfect, her flying boat did not fail her. She starts its engine and it works. She maneuvers her boat and its motor engine is like a big kick that pushed the boat so hard out of the cave's back opening. As the wind blows, the boat started to flip its wings, slowly it rises more and she’s up there flying, although not too high like how the birds fly.

She’s far already from the island; Hestia smiles with triumph. She sings loudly and laughs. She is free; she is free! She savors the fresh cold air in the sky, closed her eyes, and laughed out loud.

As the wind grows too strong, the boat’s wings started to break and piece by piece fall. Hestia's fear is getting bigger but her mind still thinks. She grabs her half-full big bamboo water jar, crossed its sling to her shoulder, and tightened it down to her waist. Hestia kneels and asks for Mercy and calls on their Queen Fairy for help and forgiveness. As the boat speedily falls down, Hestia's loud scream becomes like a whisper against the roaring winds.

Hestia's body heavily crashes into the cold seawater together with her bamboo water jar. She hangs her dear life to her bamboo jar and hugs it tightly. Hestia swims skillfully and she knows she will be saved as long as she has her bamboo jar that will make her float and hang on to rest. She does not want to think about sharks, it is not a time to frighten herself.

It's been more than an hour, Hestia guesses, that she's been keeping herself afloat, when she sees a light nearby, she tried to use all her remaining strength and swims fast heading in the light's direction. Her strength is already leaving her. Slowly, she still tries to swim until she sees the light coming nearer.

"Ugh." Hestia is being thrown to the sand by the waves. She is fainting. She sees little lights then darkness.

It was like a dream! Hestia opens her eyes. The first thing she sees is a set of deep-seated brown eyes, owned by a ruggedly handsome striking man, as tall as her father. Her father is the tallest in their tribe.

“You are awake at last!” the ruggedly handsome man burst out.

“I am Alexander and you are?”

Hestia became tense; no one should know where she came from and who she is.

“Hest… I’m Hester, Where am I?”

“You are in my Villa Hester.”

III

"Villa?, where am I? what island is this?" Hestia, aka Hester, becomes frantic.

"Relax, take a rest for a moment, we will talk later," the handsome man who introduced himself as Alexander smiled while touching the young lady's shoulder.

His smile becomes a hard laugh when he hears, Hestia's rumbling stomach and hears her say, "I need food."

" You are hungry, hahaha." Alexander is somewhat amused by how this young lady asked for food without any hint of embarrassment.

"Yes, I am, that was why I asked for food. Do you have good food here?"

"Of course, we have a lot of good food here," the rugged man's amusement is growing.

"Then show me and let me savor them, thank you, Sir." Hestia's reply to Alexander.

Again, handsome Alexander burst out in laughter. This young lady is quite something different. She has an air of power yet innocence and sweetness can be clearly seen on her face, especially in her expressive eyes.

"Ey Sir, is being hungry funny here in your world?" Hestia's expression seems confused.

"Ahh, no no, I was just amused, that's why, please don't get me wrong. It is okay to be hungry and honest about it," Alexander replied with a smile.

Looking at this young Lady laying in his Master Bedroom Bed, Alexander could tell that she was not even in her twenties. But her regal bearing, the way she talks, looks around and her body as a whole seem like a full adult.

As Alexander is scanning Hestia's feature, so does, Hestia. She can tell that most probably, women here in this place would run to catch this man. No one in Balwarte De Gapo Island is as striking as he is. He is perfect. She likes his black hair, some beards and mustaches that make him more masculine looking. He is around 6 feet tall like her father, with good muscles in places which are noticeable in his worn gray polo shirt. His eyes, "Oh my God, his eyes", Hestia's eyes widened as she realized those eyes are also scanning her.

"Yes, did I pass your standards?" Alexander jokes at Hestia, leaving Hestia's eyes wider and cheeks growing like red cherry.

"Uhhmm, your old I guess, I mean older than me," Hestia, sheepishly replied.

Alexander laughs at her visitors mocking, "Not too old to be your father, at least," he retorted.

Hestia shakes her head and then said again, "I hope the food is here already," to which Alexander replies with another laugh before excusing himself to get the food she wants.

An old woman in a maid’s uniform enters the room with a tray of food in her hands.

“Here are your requested foods Ms. Hester. These are personally cooked by our Head Chef as requested by Sir Alex,” the old woman gently put the tray of food at the bedside table.

“Thank you Loyla (Lola), smells delicious,” Hestia exclaimed.

“You can call me Lola Lilia, I am the Mayordoma here,” the old woman smiles back.

“Aye, Lola Lilia, what do you call this one?” Asks Hestia while pointing her index finger to the tray of food, a combination of different vegetables and shrimp.

“That’s Chop suey Madam.” Lola Lilia replies with a thought wondering why this young lady who seems decent and regal does not know about this simple dish.

“Hmm, I love this,” Hestia exclaims while eating chop suey.

“I love this chop suey and the way this Chicken has been fried, thank you Lola Lilia for bringing these. Thank you to Chef Cook and to Sir Alex.” Hestia’s smile of appreciation is genuine.

“You are welcome, please call me if you need anything Madam,” Lola Lilia replied and excused herself. She likes the humbleness of this young lady.

As Lola Lilia is walking going to the kitchen, a chubby faired skin woman with blond hair of about five feet and three inches tall, approached her, “Lilia, who’s Alex's visitor? seemed so hungry, nothing is left in that plate,” her tone is insulting.

“Ahh, she’s Hester,” answered Lola Lilia flatly. At the onset that she met this woman, she already felt uncomfortable. She does not like her unfriendliness and conceitedness.

“Hester, who is she and where is she?” the woman’s tone and eyes are inquisitive.

“Ms. Juliana, it is better I guess if Sir Alex will reply to your question, please excuse me,” Lola Lilia made a graceful exit.

Juliana’s eyes sparked with a little anger upon hearing the old woman’s reply, “I was asking you simple questions, don’t you dare turn your back on me”, her teeth greeted with disgust.

“Juliana!” it is Alexander’s voice

Lola Lilia made a deep breath upon hearing Sir Alex’s voice. Looking at Alex, she courteously excuses herself again and walks away.

“Oh Alex, I was looking for you.” Juliana’s voice automatically becomes soft and sweet.

“Sorry Juliana, I am busy actually, what is it?"

“Alex, honey, can you do me a favor please?” she said while looking at Alex trying to tantalize her eyes.

Alex knew her actions; she is seducing him again, “Of what?”

“Can you introduce me to your visitor please?”

“She is resting now, some other time I guess, is there anything else?" Alex seems impatient already.

“I see, okay, can we have coffee at least?, I will discuss something.” Juliana’s persistence is obvious.

“About?”

“Raullo’s Company.” Juliana seems proud of what she will say.

"Follow me then, let's have coffee beside the pool."

"Brilliant!, Let's go then Hon," merrily Juliana interlocks Alex's right arm with hers, as she almost drags him going to the pool, while Alex's mind was indulged in thinking what could it be that Juliana found out about Raullo.