HESTIA - The Virgin Princess

CHAPTER 7 - Love Blooms

I

Before sailing away, Leeno and his men once again glanced at the nearby resort. Said resort is truly a site to behold. Its biggest Villa is like a European Palace located on an elevated man-made mountain-like place, towering over all other neighboring villas and resorts. According to the Staff of Raullo, the said resort’s name is “Caralex Bay Resort,”, which is a combination of the names of the two well-loved children of the owners.

Alex and Hestia reached the resort’s cafeteria with the latter trying to ignore the man walking beside her.

The Cafeteria’s staff automatically greeted them with sweetness and great respect. Their Boss usually drinks his morning coffee in the cafeteria and his favorite breakfast, the best seller in their café, the “Cheesy Milky Tapsilog”; cheesy because the fried rice is being fried not with the usual oil but in a piece of melted cheese and the egg is being scrambled with a little evaporated milk mixed on it. This recipe was discovered by their lady boss, the youngest sister of Mr. Alex.

“Coffee and my usual breakfast please,” Alex softly requested from the café’s staff who was immediately beside them when they arrived.

“How about you Ma’am,” the waitress looks at Hestia with admiration in her eyes.

Hestia replied with a smile, “Coffee please, and the usual breakfast of Mr. Alex.”

Alex cannot control himself to chuckle, “Really, you will try my favorite breakfast here? I thought you would like to taste their cakes and pastries?"

“Why, would I not be allowed to order a dessert, Sir?" Hestia retorted jokingly. Her mood lightens up already.

The waitress smiled back at Hestia nodding her head, “You are so free to order your dessert Ma’am, it’s on Sir Alex.”

Alex jokingly coughs when the waitress winks at him.

“Hmm, Mr. Alex may I ask for a credit limit here?” Hestia asks smilingly.

“Well, you will have an unlimited credit limit with me,” Alex replied while looking at Hestia with a mischievous grin.

The waitress giggled upon hearing her Boss’ words while Hestia’s face became red like a cherry.

“Well, well, who’s here? My big brother with a beautiful young lady besides,” the Cafeteria’s door opens and a young tall, a white-skinned lady comes in and walks directly to Alex and Hestia’s table.

“Cara!” Alex was surprised.

“Yes, I am here dear brother. Just get back from the city.” Cara replied while taking her seat beside her brother.

“Hester, this is Cara, my youngest sister, Cara this is Hester, one of our guests.” Alexander’s introduction to the two ladies.

“Hi Hester, you are so pretty like me.” Cara with a full smile extended her right hand to Hestia for a handshake.

Hestia gladly took the offered handshake of Cara and smiled back, “Indeed Cara, you are so pretty like me.” Both of them laughed with their own jokes while Alex is shaking his head and jokingly coughing.

One look and Alex can determine that her sister likes “Hester”. Her sister Cara is not an easy woman to please. She is just eighteen, yet she thinks and acts maturely especially when it comes to business. She is taking a Business Administration course in one of the prestigious schools in the City.

The two young ladies got along with each other pretty well. Alex felt ecstatic.

II

“Mr. Alex, thank you for the meal and for introducing me to your sister.” Hestia’s sincerity can be seen in her eyes. They are now in front of the Master’s bedroom.

“No worries Hester, by the way, I need to really talk to you. Can we go first to the lanai area? No one is there, we can talk privately,” the man’s voice is somewhat serious.

Hester suddenly got nervous. By looking at the man in front of her, she can tell that they are going to discuss a very important matter. She is hoping that it is not about her true identity.

As they sit on a chair in the lanai, Alex looks at Hestia seriously.

“Hester, I don’t know how to say this, but you are considered as a foreigner here. Supposedly, I should have reported you to the Police Station when we found you. But I have this feeling that it might put you in danger, so I have not made a move like that?”

Hestia was shocked at the sudden statement of this handsome man who is slowly capturing her heart.

“Alex, I am sorry, but can you promise me please not to do that? I don’t know how I can repay you, but I will. No one should know that I am here. The truth is I run away from our Island for a very serious reason. Don’t get me wrong, I did not commit any crime on our island. I just need to be away from there, otherwise, my freedom to live the life I wanted will be at a stake.” Hestia lengthily explained and seriously looked at Alex.

With assurance, Alex then speaks seriously, “Hester, you can trust me. If that is the case, it will be difficult for you to room around nor even visit places, especially in the city.”

Somehow Hestia is saddened by the fact that she cannot visit the beautiful places in this country.

“Alex, most of the people I saw here wear a mask. I can wear that too so that it will be easy for me to room around!” Suddenly Hestia bursts out.

Alex's eyes twinkled with the woman’s idea, “Yes Hester, good thing you noticed. Didn’t you know about the Pandemic that hit almost the whole world?"

“I do, but it never reached our island. So everyone is required to wear masks now?”

“Yes, you cannot walk outside of our resort without wearing a mask you will be caught by authorities. Even here inside the resort, I required everyone to wear a mask and as you noticed our staff at the Café even wears face shields aside from masks.”

“Then, I can roam around and visit some places here in your place”, there are sparks in Hestia’s eyes.

“Yes, but you still have to be careful, although I can say that if you wear masks no one would ever suspect that you are not a Filipina. You looked like a mestiza Filipina.” Alex said while checking on the features of Hestia. Hestia is as tall as her sister Cara. Cara is 5’6 feet tall. She also has fair skin, although not too fair like Cara. The most striking part of Hestia aside from her rounded breasts and hips and a small waist is her eyes. Her eyes have long lashes and speak volumes. She has a perfect eyebrow too. She has a cute nose and lips that are full of innocence. Alex could not help but admire the beauty in front of him. She looks more beautiful than some popular actresses in the country.

“Alex, I might be a burden already here, can I do something to help?" All of a sudden, Hestia said. She actually feels embarrassed that she has nothing to pay, although she is sure that she can pay him back, if she will return to her island or get her money in the bank in Palau.

Alex shook his head in response and stated, “Just relax and enjoy your stay here Hester, consider your stay here as a vacation, although I know that you have some problems to solve. Just let me know if you need my help.”

Hestia looks at Alex, who looks at her in return. Their eyes lock. Hestia could hear the pounding of her heart. She feels like her hands are cold and sweating when Alex slowly reaches for her.

"Hester, you are so beautiful," Alex whispered while holding Hestia's chin. Alex then slowly moves his head nearer to Hestia's.

Hestia's heartbeat skips, she forgot the self-defense she learned to protect her purity. But as she heard Alex call her Hester, instantly her mind came back to reality. She excused herself and immediately walked away, going to the master's bedroom.

Alex was left watching the lady's back as she hurriedly walked away. Sadness filled the man's expression.

III

At the Balwarte De Gapo Island, Chieftain Forono called a General Assembly. It is important for him to talk to his people at this time.

“On behalf of our whole clan, we are truly sorry for what our Hestia has done. We will look for her and do whatever is necessary in accordance with our traditions and rule. Meantime, I advise everyone to keep more food, water, and any of your basic needs. I am not quite sure of what I am seeing, but I just would like our whole tribe to be ready for whatever famine we may experience in the coming days,” the Chieftain’s voice is full of sadness.

Everyone kneels, bows their heads; clasps their hands, and seeks forgiveness from the fairies. No one dares to blame the Chieftain’s clan. The whole tribe knows how good Chieftain Forono’s clan is. If Hestia runs, it is her decision and fault and not the fault of the whole clan. They have full respect for their Chieftain. They like Hestia to be their crowned Princess but it seems that the latter wanted a different life. They will respect Hestia’s decision but they will still hope that one day she will reconsider her decision and return to their island voluntarily.

The whole tribe always believes in the advice of their Chieftain. So everyone gathers all their corn, rice, eggs, vegetables, and root crops, made many bamboo jars, and filled them all with clean water. They made sure that their poultry, pigs, carabaos, cows, goats, and other animals are being kept securely. They caught fish and dried them under the sun. In that way, they can keep them edible for long.

Every day the whole tribe would gather, kneel and seek forgiveness from the Queen Fairy.

When Leeno arrived, he was so surprised that his wife, maids, and guards gathered and kept almost everything that they need for more than one month.

“My Ranela, what’s happening?” he curiously asked his wife.

“Leeno, we are following what father had advised everyone. You know Father, whatever he says, usually it happens.” Ranela explained, which was replied to by her husband with a nod.

"Where is Vista by the way? I brought something for you and for her." Leeno looks around to check on her only daughter.

"Oh she said she will visit her grandfather again."

"I see, alright, I will just wait for her return then," Leeno excused himself from his wife and tried to rest in their room. He is tired and somehow feeling still a bit dizzy. The sea was rough during their sail.

While resting, Leeno calculated from his mind the total amount that he will still earn if he will continuously supply gold with Raullo. He will be the wealthiest man in their island. Leeno sleeps with triumph in his face.

IV

At the Villa, Hestia noticed that Alex was not around the whole day. She wanted to ask Aling Lilia, but she felt shy in doing so.

She made herself busy instead by offering to help the gardener to water the plants in the garden. She loves plants. She also has a garden full of flowering plants besides their big kubol. At first the gardener would not want to allow her to help, but due to Hestia’s persistence, he gave in and even thanked the young lady.

While Hestia was in the garden, unluckily, Juliana passed by and saw her watering the plants. Juliana almost laughed when she saw Hestia in the garden. She came near.

“Hester, you look good as a gardener," insult in Juliana’s voice was there again.

Hestia pretended not to notice the woman but Juliana will not allow her with that. The woman without any word got one of the water sprinklers and acted as if she accidentally poured water on Hestia’s back.

The gardener could not say a word. Suddenly, he grabbed the water sprinkler from Juliana’s hand and without a word returned it to where the woman got it.

“You son of a b***h!” Juliana was so mad at the gardener that she almost wanted to pour him too with water.

Hestia’s eyes narrowed upon hearing Juliana’s words against the poor gardener. She closed her fists tightly. She wanted to punch the sharp-tongued woman.

“Ms. Juliana, no one is bothering you here, I’m just wondering why you cannot just pass by peacefully.” Hestia’s teeth gritted as she said this.

“I will never be peaceful unless I see you leave this place!” Juliana shouted at Hestia forgetting all good bearings that she might probably have.

“I’m sorry, but you might still see me here for long. But if you don’t want to see me, well you are not obliged to come here,” Hestia calmly speaks.

"Who are you to tell me not to come here?!" Juliana's anger is growing.

Hestia did not reply, she just looked at the woman with a blank expression, which angered Juliana more.

The gardener smiled and admired the coolness of the young lady. Between the two women, Ms. Juliana is even the older one, but it seems that the younger woman acts more maturely. The gardener shakes his head in disbelief.

“Mang Rudy, we are done here anyway, we can go now. Excuse us Miss,” Hestia winked at the Gardener and motioned for him to follow her. The Gardener immediately gathered all his gardening equipment and without a word followed the young lady.

Juliana was so pissed-off. Next time she will make sure that such a woman will have the most embarrassing moment in her life. She knows a competitor with Alex when she sees one.

As Juliana was about to walk away, she heard someone call her name nearby. She almost froze when she saw Cara nearby with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Cara, oh, you are here," the woman tried to smile at the youngest sister of Alex.

"Juliana, I saw what happened." Cara looked at Juliana with a questioning look in her eyes before excusing herself to leave.

Juliana's mouth seemed to lock, she couldn't say a word. "Oh, goodness, would she be telling Alex about what she saw?" she frantically thought.