HESTIA - The Virgin Princess

CHAPTER 11- Hestia in Action

I

Two days passed, Nyora Danli received an important call from her friend from the Bureau of Investigation.

“Lac, according to my friend, our Hestia is not here in Palau. They cannot find any single trail about her,” she informed his husband with so much disappointment in her heart.

“Then it’s time for us to travel to either Indonesia or the Philippines. They are the nearest aside from New Guinea,” Nyor Lacati suggested.

“Our one guard is already in the Philippines without any success until now. None have been assigned to Indonesia and New Guinea. I suggest we go to Indonesia first,” the wife replied upon careful consideration of the situation.

The next day, the spouses and their men traveled to Indonesia.

Hestia is in her room contemplating. It’s six in the morning. She remembers what happened two days ago. She frowned but smiled thereafter. Alex followed her and left Juliana. She was surprised to see Alex beside him. She thought he and Juliana had already left to have “me time” with each other. She was there at the far side of the beach, near the small gate. She sat on the small bench nearby and sadly watched the flying bunch of birds. She remembered the freedom she dreamt of. She remembered what she did against her tribesmen at the Balwarte De Gapo Island because of that desire for freedom. She did not imagine before that having this freedom, having this opportunity to love and be loved, would bring her this kind of pain in her heart.

“Does loving mean opening oneself to pain?” Hestia murmured as she sadly looked at the vastness of the sky.

“Yes!” someone answered behind her back. It was Alex. She was stunned.

“If yes, I never thought it would be that way," Hestia replied without enthusiasm in her voice.

“There are no people who have loved and have never pained. Every individual is different. There are also some circumstances that are contributory to what will happen, to what two lovers would feel and eventually choose to decide because of that feeling.” Alex, with a sense of wisdom, stated.

Hestia looked at Alex with dim eyes, “We are very different, Alex. I might even be born on the other side of the world that you happen not to know yet,” she mysteriously muttered thereafter.

Alex was astonished as he profoundly looked at Hestia directly into her eyes and said sincerely, “Show me your world no matter how far it is “Hester”, I might be able to adapt easily and you might be surprised, I have the heart to love it too.”

“In time Alex, in time,” Hestia promised, and then asked Alex to walk back to the Villa.

Raullo, who was at the other resort, intensely observed Alex, his competitor and the woman who caught his attention three days ago. The two who seemed to talk seriously were unaware of their audience.

“How lucky this man could get, if he is romantically linked to the woman of my desires,” Raullo muttered with a hint of jealousy in his tone. He swore to himself that he would find out what Hest's connection with Alex was.

II

“Chieftain!, Chieftain!” a few fishermen are rushing while shouting, going to the Magnificent Kubol of the Chieftain, which is built like a palace.

The guards at the gate blocked the fishermen and inquired about the commotion. Thereafter, it can be seen that the gate head guard runs like a flash going to the Chieftain.

“Requesting for your presence, Chieftain,” said the guard with head vowed.

“You may tell me whatever your news is,” replied the Chieftain, who was then busy writing something on his big paper pad.

“Chieftain, some of our fishermen are out there with unfavorable news.”

“Speak out, Dunbo!” the Chieftain’s patience was impending to lose.

“Dead fishes are floating in our sea my Chieftain!” the guard’s voice was shaking.

Chieftain Forono suddenly froze upon hearing the news. He slowly sat down again and bowed his head, murmuring.

He then immediately walked outside his Kubol and marched to the seaside with the fishermen beside him. All of them are worried.

Fishes of different species are indeed floating on the sea. Some are even on the sand already. It is as if someone had put poison in the sea.

Some of the Elders ran to the seaside as well and, like the fishermen, they were so shocked and frightened upon seeing the floating and scattered dead fishes.

All of them kneeled and vowed their heads crying for mercy from the Queen Fairy.

At the CaraLex Bay Resort, Hestia all of a sudden felt a sudden heaviness in her heart. She even gasped for breath. In an instant, Hestia could sense that something dreadful might happen or be happening. Since childhood, she had this innate instinct or power. She can easily tell if something unfavorable is coming or is happening to her or to her loved ones and even to her village. Most probably, this is also the reason why she was the chosen one to be the first crowned Princess Hestia.

“I need to do something,” Hestia was talking to herself, thinking wisely about what to do.

She got up and, after changing her clothes and washing her face, she walked out of her room. She is in deep thought while walking without even noticing that she is somewhat outside of the CaraLex bay Resort already. She did not notice further that someone is speedily walking directly toward her. However, as the wind blew harder and speedier, Hestia automatically came back to her senses. As the man was about to intentionally bump her, Hestia’s feet and body speedily moved sideways, thus avoiding the man and making herself safe.

The man who was in a black shirt and maong pants got outbalanced and suddenly rolled down. He immediately got up and, without any word, hurriedly walked away.

Hestia stared at the back of the man, who did not even say sorry but walked hurriedly without looking back.

As Hestia checked her surroundings she was surprised to know that she was somewhat away from the resort. To her left and right side, she saw a path going to a mountainous range. Quite curious and missing Balwarte de Gapo Island, Hestia followed the path and easily walked, going up. She is used to this kind of place. She could even hike the whole place if she wanted to. She knows the technique in order not to be stripped or fall down if the path is already steep.

She continued walking and found out that in the middle part of the mountainous place was a forest with different narra trees, coconuts, wild guavas, star-fruits, and even tamarinds, with chirping birds of different species. Hestia was amazed. This place is beautiful.

She was about to continue walking when she heard a crackling sound. It is as if someone stepped on a file of dry leaves.

Hestia stopped and sharpened all her senses. As she breathed the air, a manly smell filled her nose. She knew then that someone is nearby following her. Hestia took a deep breath and ran as fast as she could.

When Hestia felt a little far from the man hunting her, she suddenly faced whoever was tracking her down.

The man who was still running automatically stopped upon seeing that the woman was now facing and waiting for him. He grabbed a butterfly knife from his right pocket and looked at Hestia with a smirk on his face. He rapidly moves his hand with a knife in a left and right manner, trying to frighten his prey.

Hestia intensely looked at the man and his movements. With his actions and the way he holds the knife, Hestia can conclude that the man is not skilled enough at fighting. She assessed the features of the man. He is tall, around five feet and nine inches tall, with a well-built body and a tattoo on his left arm. He cannot see his face as he wears a black mask.

Slowly, the man walked coming near Hestia.

Hestia moved her hand, demonstrating to the man to come closer, and then said, “You think you frightened me? Come closer and you will see the devil today”. Hestia’s eyes are narrowed and her senses and reflexes are fully alive.

The man, in a way, was befuddled by the woman’s action. He cannot see any fear in her. Her one hand was extended in front of her with a second finger pointed at him; eyes narrowed like an angered lioness. The man somehow got nervous. His boss did not tell him anything about this woman except her first name and pointed her to him inside the CaraLex Resort days ago. What if this woman is a paid, well-trained assassin who could break his bones to death?

The man’s confidence is weakening and Hestia can see through that.

Hestia laughed and said in a loud voice, “Getting jelly feet boy?! I will c***k your bones. Come on!”

In the distance, there was a group of young hikers whose attentions were suddenly caught by Hestia’s loud voice. They looked at each other with fear but one teenager hurriedly readied his video cam, zoomed it, and focused it on the man and woman already fighting in the distance. His four companions find somewhere to hide. He then hid himself in a tree nearby but continued taking his video.

As the man attacked Hestia with his knife, the woman made a swift left-side movement, caught the man’s wrist with a knife; twisted his hand, and side-swept his right leg. Hestia was able to release the knife from her attacker's hand and the man got outbalanced shouting with pain. As the man tried to stand up, Hestia jumped and made a roundhouse kick thereby hitting the side bone of the man’s face near his left ear almost deafening the man.

The man suddenly holds his left ear. He felt like the left side of his face became numb.

The man was angered because of the pain. He rolled suddenly to get the knife nearby. Hestia saw it; she somersaulted swiftly and landed her knees hard at the back of the man. The man fainted.

Hestia kicked the knife and checked the breathing of the man. She knows that the man is still alive.

The hiker who was taking a video was so shocked by what he saw. He was in awe of the woman’s fighting skills. Who could she be? he thought to himself. Her face has a face mask, even if he tried focusing on her, he cannot totally determine her face’s features.

Hestia abruptly runs fast, going back to the villa, while the hikers come out from hiding and run fast too, but in another direction. They are afraid should the man suddenly wake up.

IV

As Hestia was about to reach the Master’s Bedroom, she saw Alex walking, going to his bedroom.

Hestia automatically stopped and was about to turn back, but Alex had already noticed her.

“Hester!” Alex called to her in a loud voice.

She faced Alex and tried her best to smile. The man walks towards her.

“Hester, where did you go? I’ve been looking for you,” Alex asked Hestia, and somewhat astounded when he noticed Hestia’s fully sweated face and body.

“Err, just made some jogging and I did not notice that I was already far from the resort,” Hestia explained with a little tremor in her voice.

“I see, don’t go too far, Hester, some parts of this island are not inhabited, especially the mountains and forest nearby,” Alex calmly replied.

Hestia nodded and smiled at Alex.

"If you want to room around, please let me know, and I will accompany you. Hester."

Again Hester nodded and excused herself.

"Hester, you can see me at the poolside, I will take a swim. You can swim too, if you like, or just watch me while sipping a hot brewed coffee and eating some waffles," Alex winked at Hestia.

Hestia awkwardly nodded again and headed to her room.

Inside the room, Hestia could not decide whether to swim or will just watch Alex. In the end, she decided to swim. She is not used to swimming in a swimming pool. She swims in the sea.

Hestia wears the one-piece purple bathing suit bought by Alex. It perfectly fits her curvaceous body. She topped the swimwear with a bathrobe, grabbed a big white towel, and headed to the pool area.

When she arrived at the pool area, Alex was already there swimming. On the nearby table, she saw a hot brewed coffee and waffles. She sat down first, sipped the coffee, and watched Alex skillfully swim.

Alex waved his right hand to Hestia, inviting her to dip in the water.

After drinking some coffee and eating one waffle, Hestia walked near the pool.

Alex laughs upon seeing her still wearing her bathrobe.

"Hester, remove your robe, hahaha."

Awkwardly, Hestia slowly removes her robe.

Alex was stunned upon seeing the woman in her one-piece purple swimwear. It perfectly fits her. Her curves are all in the right places. Alex gasped air.

"Hester, jump, do not just stand there," Alex shouted upon seeing that other men who were in the pool were looking at the standing woman who seemed so shy at that very minute. The resort has some special guests. They are Cara's classmates.

Alex came near the poolside and handed his hand to the innocent-looking but sexy “Hester”. The woman extended her hand and Alex suddenly pulled her to her complete surprise. Hestia shouted out loud when Alex pulled her while Alex was laughing, happily catching her and embracing her thereafter.

At that moment, Juliana called Alex. The woman was coming over in her two-piece swim suite, divulging some of her hidden fats.