Continuation...
*
*
Cruising in a bright moonlight; the Rinamentaw Mapalaw better known as Rinayong skimmed the silvery crest of waves lapping against the hull. All the sea kingdoms along its path had allied themselves with the kingdom of Bembaran in a tireless hunt for princess Lawanen.
The dusk slowly but gradually faded into the dark of the night. The water calmed in the night and a gale free puff of wind is softly whining in the sea.
Close to exhaustion; the sailors of the Rinayong decided to anchor by an island lagoon for a night’s rest. They rolled own the sails and a canopy was unfurled from aft to bow and tied from railings to railings. Tired and weary, soon everyone was soundly asleep sedated by a tranquil sea, lucid water, soft blowing wind and still night beneath starry skies.
*
“If the dream is true,” continued the king’s melody,
I shall never forgive myself.
I shall make homage
To an unwinnable war
That will put an end
To my honoured name
To my guardians in heaven,
The twin spirit of Minalang,
The equal of D’romoyod, a close kin of the clan;
Hold back your sentiment.
If everything is well
With my precious Lawanen,
She will pray to the gods
To let go of my grief
For now, I reached my limit.
*
Securely anchored; the Rinayong floats peacefully alongside a mighty tree often referred to as the ‘shade of battle’ that similarly grow along the banks of Bembaran.
Pamanay Makalayon, the famous skipper of the East; the captain of Rinayong is about the only one awake. He was scanning the open seas that lie ghostly in the moonlight. Grief stricken, the captain had not even glimpsed at his bunker since his sister, the beauty beyond compare vanished.
*
Aboard the Kalipapa Daayaw; the sailors from ‘Gadongan’ and ‘Kadarangen sa Lena’were listening to their prince’s piteous song with empathy. They cheered him on with pretentious laughter knowing very well how lonesome is their prince.
*
Captain Lomayon on starboard could hear the echo of boisterous laughter from a crowd somewhere out in the sea. The howls and screams although enviously jolly irritate the mourning captain of Rinayong.
*
Rowing onward with renewed vigour; the young men of Gadongan shed their tears deeply touched by their prince’s sorrow.
If no vent is given
To my suppressed emotions,
(The prince’s song touched everyone’s heart intensifying their feeling of homesickness.)
This longing for my enchanting love
Will certainly bring an end
To my honoured name
In this moment in time,
I can no longer subdue
The intense yearning
For my princess Lawanen
Walking away from the cabin window, Mabaning brushed off the tears dangling at the fringes of his lids.
*
“What an impertinent sailors,” said Captain Lomayon with suppressed anger. He can barely hear the melody of a song, “...longing...my...love...,” followed by a thunderous clapping and laughter that sounded more ominous than real. How can these sailors be ignorant of the turmoil going on in this part of the sea?’’ mumbled the captain annoyingly. ‘’They sail the sea as if it is their own with disrespect for the allied sea kingdoms.’’ Lomayon glided across the deck and walked towards the bow. ‘’Sail this way,’’ chuckled the captain softly, ‘’and I promise, I will sink your ship and drown your bodies if you don’t shut your mouths.’’ He unfastened the chains that bound the pair of cannon at the railing. He winded the two cannon widely known as the thunderbolts of the deep towards the noise from the sea.
The Kalipapa Daayaw soon appeared in the line of fire of the captain of Rinayong. Breaking the silence of the night, their merriment was suddenly drowned in a cannon blast like a thunder muffling the prince’s melodious song. The pair of thunderbolts roared, the ear splitting explosion waling Daromimbang Daranda.
Caught by surprise, the lonesome prince snarled with rage commanding his men to prepare for battle.
‘’Who are these sailors lying in anchor dare to challenge Mabaning, the prince-king of Gadongan?’’ Mabaning screamed.
‘’My noble friend, my brother in-law,’’ shouted back Pamanay Makalayon. He instantly recognised the raging voice of the prince of Gadongan. ‘’I am Lomayon, the captain of Rinayong. I am terribly sorry for the mistake. ‘’Realizing the presence of Mabaning, sadness immediately returned to his voice. ‘’Please, don’t blame the men of Rinayong. Making fun along the seas of Bembraran has been forbidden since tragedy struck the kingdom of Bembaran.’’
Mabaning recognized the tone of Lomayon. He put is arm around his brother, Mapendara sa Delim and restrained him. The ten men who had winded their cannons ready to blast the enemy ship out of the water held their fire. Dimly lit by the moon, they recognized the Rinamentaw Mapalaw lying in anchor.
Mabaning run to the side and leaped over the railings. He landed starboard on the deck of Rinayong.
Face to face; Lomayon embraced the prince on both shoulders. None is able to utter a word fighting hard to suppress an anguish that suddenly pervaded both ships.
Somialalao Solog, vice-king of Bembaran fainted upon the sight of Mabaning. The princess was in his care when she disappeared. Other nobles aboard the Rinayong likewise fainted not wanting to wake up from the death spell.
“My noble friend,” said Lomayon. “The reason of our blunder if you have not been told,” lump chocked in his throat, “ a war exists in the regions of the east. Princess Lawanen, the pride of Bembaran you brag about on the other side of the oceans vanished without a trace.” Fainting with the last few words, Lomayon dropped on deck unconscious.
Mabaning, the dream in the back of his mind back stepped unsteadily. The shadow of the world seems to rotate pressing around him and then he too blacked out.
Chaos immediately ensued. The ghostly shadow of men dimly lit by the moon jostled frantically dousing the noblemen of Rinayong with water to arouse them from the allure of death.
The harder they tried to auppress the pain of loss and sorrow, the more it becomes irrepressibly unbearable.
“Respectable men from the kingdom of Bembaran,” declared the Wise chieftain of Lumbatan from Madaramba a Kalenan. Calm has finally ruled over the grieving men of Bembaran., “and especially to you, my brother in law, the prince of Gadongan. It is my humble view that we should compose ourselves. There is no use grieving, languishing in our sorrows. It is not the way to find our lost princess. I suggest that an accord be reached among the wise men of Bembaran and depart from this island. Let us sail directly across to the other side towar4ds Kadaraan. It is the only place I know we have not searched for the lovely princess. On the other hand, we have agreed before breaking up in Bembaran that we will meet the others who have trekked the mountains on foot at the Land of the Blooming Flowers; the dwelling of Minalang. It is close to Kadaraan and from there; we shall assemble the armies of the empire and wage war against Kadaraan sa Ndaw. There is no doubt; this is the fulfilment of a prophecy by the Wizard of walian. We must thoroughly search Kadaraan sa Ndaw. Surely, our princess is somewhere out there detained against her will.
to be continued...
