HESTIA - The Virgin Princess

CHAPTER 1 - Hestia is Turning 18

I.

"Hestia! Where are you again?" Nyora Danli was looking for her firstborn daughter.

One servant heard her master's voice and immediately walked fast towards her, " Nyora Danli, I saw Hestia run outside. She seems in a hurry."

"Where is she going? Tell her to see me once she's back, or can you ask a guard to look after her?" Hestia's mother seemed impatient already.

"Ayee Nyora," the servant bowed, and hurried out of the big Kubol of the Dadati's Clan.

"Why is she always running towards the forest?" the servant murmured.

At the forest, Hestia walks speedily. No one should see her coming here in the forest. More so that no one should know where she is going.

"Prinsesa Hestia!" a male voice suddenly surprised her. She almost jumps as she readily looks back to check who follows her.

"Sano!, what are you doing here? I command you to get back and never tell anyone that you have seen me!" Hestia's usually soft voice becomes agitated and loud. Sano is the second in command of their guards' team.

"Nay, Prinsesa, I am here because your Mother is looking for you. She said it is important and you need to be back urgently," Sano apologetically replied.

Hestia sighs as a sign of dismay, "Follow me then."

They walk fast going back home. Hestia knows her Mother. She is said to be the smartest woman in their tribe. The first woman, who was sent outside the Island to learn things about nearby countries or other islands. She has even stepped foot already in the cities of Palau, Malaysia, Indonesia, and her favorite, the Philippines. Her Mother would usually tell her about the big cities outside, the lights, buildings, and delicious foods that she never forgot to bring home and let their tribe's men and women taste them too.

"Hestia!" her Mother's voice was booming. It means something is indeed urgent.

"Ayee, Inah, I was just outside smelling the flowers and savoring the cold air." Hetia, tried to smile to pacify her mother.

Somehow, Hestia's smile lessened Nyora Danli's impatience, "Come, we need to talk."

Young Hestia follows her Inah as the latter walks towards the "Secret Room". She knows then that indeed something is important because, they will be using the "Secret Room".

"Hestia, you know, five days from now, you will be a full-blown Lady. We will be celebrating your eighteenth Compleano," Nyora Danli started, as she and her daughter sat face to face on the round wooden table inside the "Secret Room".

"Ayee Inah." Hestia's smile fades.

"Seems like you are not happy. Since five years old, you had been told of your fate. Are you not ready yet?" Nyora Danli's voice is comforting.

"Inah, I wanted to be like you, I want a free and normal life. I want to have a family of my own. I don't want to be crowned as Princess Hestia because I know what it means", sadness in Hestia's voice is evident.

Nyora Danli pacifies her daughter, "The palacio for you is finished already. The throne and the crown are just waiting for you. You will have all the servants and guards you like, you can have anything you want by just a ring of your bell."

"But I cannot have a family, I cannot even love a man," Hestia's lips quivered just at the mere thought of being alone her whole life.

"Because fairies are pure, as Princess Hestia, symbolize their purity." Inah Danli smiles at her daughter, hoping to win her understanding and acceptance of what she's about to be.

II.

She was named Hestia by the Chieftain of their tribe. Hestia means pure or virgin.

Hestia’s parents, Danli Dadati and Lacati Ganoto were both the eldest of the two (2) strongest and wealthiest clans in their tribe, the Dadati and the Ganoto. Dadati’s head of the family, Forono Dadati is the Chieftain of the Tribe and Ganoto’s Head of the family, Goldo Ganoto is the head of their tribe’s Army.

Being both the eldest of the two (2) strongest and richest clans, the privilege of having the firstborn daughter as the offering to the Fairies and becoming the first crowned Princess Hestia or Virgin Princess was bestowed on Hestia’s parents.

It was said that the Fairies are the protectors of their tribe and of their village. No pirates ever entered their village, which is a small island between the Republic of the Philippines and Palau. Their tribe’s island seems invisible to the eyes of any passing vessels; most probably because their island is surrounded by big rocks, hiding it from anyone. Thus, their ancestors called their Island as Balwarte De Gapo Island or the Fortress of Rocks Island.

The first group of people who founded Balwarte De Gapo were nomads from the East, who, while traveling between Palau and the Philippines, were suddenly hit by a strong typhoon, splitting their paddled bancas/boat into pieces. It was a tale in their village that the five (5) men and four (4) women, who survived the tragedy, were thrown by strong waves on the Balwarte De Gapo Island. As they opened their eyes, these men and women seemed like newborns, they knew nothing about themselves. It was said that the Fairies, guarding the island, made their memories fade, to let them stay on the island. No one found those survivors.

Out of these survivors, they formed the new tribe of the Balwarte De Gapo Island.

Amongst the four women, Natalde was the most beautiful. Montor and Gibral fought each other to win her. It was Gibral, who won the heart of Natalde. Gibral and Natalde are the ancestors of the Dadati Clan.

Out of anger and frustration, Montor escaped from the island, allegedly by flying. He made wings out of big birds' feathers. They never knew what happened then to Montor. Some said he died while others said he survived and had a family either in Palau or in the Philippines.

The people of Balwarte De Gapo called themselves the Balwarterian Tribe. The Balwalterian ancestors had lived a very basic life. They only have fruits, vegetables, meat of wild animals for food and natural water from their spring. Their clothing was made of either leaves or wild animal's skin. As time evolved, so were the Balwarterian.

The Balwarterians started discovering things to make their lives easy. At first, they discovered making balsas or floating boats out of bamboo for fishing, until they discovered how to make boats with anchors out of wood and bamboo. At the onset, they only fish within the island, never getting out of the Fortress Rocks as they were afraid of the outside world. Until, one day, the Chieftain, while with his men fishing, found a way out, a space in between two big rocks. But they have to wait for the high tide to get through since the space passable by a boat is a space more than halfway between the two big rocks. The roots or the lower part of these big rocks are almost touching; however, as their shapes are slowly shaped like cones from the middle, a space then opens up starting from the midst to their tips, unlike the other big rocks surrounding the island.

As they saw the beauty and vastness of the sea and floating big ships afar, lights at night, the chieftain decided to open this gate to his people. However, no Balwarterian can get through without the consent of the roving guards.

Only a few, and chosen ones were allowed to travel to another country or nearby islands to barter or trade their goods. Anyone who gets off of the island has one secret to keep. They are not allowed to divulge the name of their island and the place itself. The island is abounding with gold and copper. No one should know this from the outside of the island; otherwise, their island might be at risk from pirates and other greedy people. Those who are allowed to travel outside the island can only bring a few pieces of gold or copper to sell, to trade or barter.

Nyora Danli on one hand, being the eldest daughter of the Chieftain was sent to different islands and countries to study their cultures, their industries, new discoveries and languages. A private teacher has been hired in every country she went, to teach her. In return, Nyora Danli brought to the island everything that she learned. Thus, the Balwarterian in a way are not highly ignorant of the outside world. Most of them can speak the English language even a little.

As the eldest daughter of Nyora Danli, Hestia gained all the knowledge of her mother. From childhood, she was taught and raised to be smart, ,wise and thinking. Characteristics fit for a Princess. To defend her purity, her father taught her to fight and defend herself. Hestia at a young age, was molded to grow maturely. She was raised differently from the rest of the children in their tribe.

III

Two days more and Hestia is eighteen. All throughout, her parents could only see her at night. In the morning she was not always around. Nyora Danli and Nyor Lacati are somewhat worried about their daughter's behavior. They can tell that Hestia is still not ready. She cannot yet accept her fate. Her fate, which the other girls in the tribe envy.

"Lac, what can we do to help our daughter?", Nyora Danli's voice was full of sadness. As a mother, she wants the best for her child, but at the same time, she wants her to be happy.

Nyor Lacati, holding the hands of his wife and smiles, "Li, we can do nothing about it, you know that. We cannot fail the Chieftain, we cannot fail the tribe. Hestia will be crowned as the First Virgin Princess of the Balwarte De Gapo otherwise the fairies might curse us and the whole tribe".

"I know, I know, but even I cannot understand this tradition. In other countries, they have their Gods, while us, we have our Queen Fairy and fairies to praise and be afraid of." Nyora Danli is shaking her head.

"Li, do not say that, no one should hear you say that ... you know what the price will be... you will be cursed and thrown to the deep sea!" Nyor Lacati's voice is full of tremors.

Nyora Danli automatically embraced her husband and cry. She is crying for her daughter's fate.

"Li, everything will be alright, eventually, Hestia will enjoy her throne and her crown and she will thank us for being her parents, okay? Come, I guess dinner is ready." Nyor Lacati holds his wife's right hand and guides her to their big dining wood table. The said table is made of wood from Narra tree, carved by their most skilful men. Danli loves it including the marvelous chairs surrounding it.

Hestia is not in the dining area yet, they noticed. They look around but Hestia is nowhere.

"Gonda, is Hestia here already?" Nyora Danli asked the head of her servants.

"Ayee Nyora. She is in her room."

"Wait here Lac, I will get Hestia," immediately Nyora Danli turned away and headed to Hestia's room.

There she saw Hestia, looking at the extravagant pure white gown that she would wear during the offering and coronation. Her daughter's eyes had no glimmers of excitement. What she can see is pure sadness.

"My child, isn't that dress beautiful? It will fit you well and you will be the most beautiful lady on the island." Nyora Danli's attempts to cheer up her daughter were put in vain. Hestia remains quiet and her face's expression is unfathomable.

,

Nyora Danli embraced her daughter and caressed her back. How she wished she could change her fate. But Nyora Danli is bound by such tradition and rule in their tribe. As the eldest daughter of the Chieftain, she, of all people, should follow the rules and traditions of their island.

"Inah, whatever happens, please, please don't disown me," Hestia pleaded to her mother.

"Hestia, you know I love you and I can never disown you. You are my only daughter. I am with you in your sadness and happiness; failures and triumphs. I will love you up to infinity," her motherly love guided Nyora Danli in answering her daughter.

"I would never think of any mother as wonderful as you. I love you Inah." Hestia with tears, embraced her mother so hard, almost squeezing her. Nyora Danli, embraced her daughter back, not knowing that it might be her last embrace of her beloved daughter.