The Princess Secret Affair

She briskly traversed the dark and dense woods, only a few miles away from their mansion. She arrived there in a desperate attempt to escape from her father's men, who had been chasing her since earlier. Wearing only her sleepwear dress and feathery house slippers, she hastily left his parents and siblings waiting for her that night inside their spacious living room. She was supposed to explain to them about her planned departure, but she didn't go straight there. After leaving her room, she immediately headed to the back door of their house and went straight out into their extensive backyard. The path she took was muddy due to the continuous rain. In truth, she still felt the drizzle hitting her head despite being under the shade of the trees. She was catching her breath as she continued running. Even though she wanted to stop, she couldn't. And even though she knew she was already far from those chasing her, she couldn't afford to be complacent because she was still within the vicinity of her father's vast land, and his men were familiar with every nook and cranny of that place. Despite the cold weather, sweat still trickles down her forehead. Her heart is pounding so fast that it's almost coming out of her chest. She doesn't want to escape, but she has no choice but to do so. "Father! I thought we had an agreement about that matter?" "That's in the laws of our lineage, my child. Our ancestors have been doing that for a long time. And it's not just you who will go through it. Don’t you remember witnessing your siblings experiencing the same when they got married?" "But, father, shouldn't I be exempted from that? You know my real status in this family!" "We haven't forgotten that, my child. Nevertheless, only our family knows about it. And let’s just keep it that way. You accepted the role of being a Princess of the tribe, so you need to fulfill what is expected." She pursed her lips, and her chest felt heavy as she turned away. In that reminiscence of their recent argument with her father, it was clear to her that there was only one outcome. Regardless of her standing in that family, her parents had already decided to arrange her marriage to a man chosen for her. She continued running, not paying attention to the sharp leaves of the plants she passed by, resembling small knives slicing at her legs. She had to endure everything because if her father's men caught her, they would confine her to her room and restrict her from doing many things. Things she was accustomed to. She was Amira Faizan, the only daughter of a Datu, a leader of a tribe. She was also the youngest among their four siblings. Because of this, she was referred to as the Princess of the Maguindanaoan, a large tribe located on the island of Mindanao, a province within the Philippines. As the princess of their tribe, she could interact with many people. She could utilize social media while keeping her identity concealed. Also, she could go to different places alone. Her parents didn't force her to wear an abaya and hijab all the time. She knew their rules, and she respected them. Yet, in the modern age, she believed that not wearing those kinds of clothes didn't mean she wasn't following their religion. Besides, she never wore revealing clothes. Some said she was a spoiled princess. While other princesses from different tribes were restricted, she was different. She could do whatever she wanted. But, despite fearing the loss of her freedom, above all, she was concerned about her future. At the age of seventeen, she was too young to get married, and this was not the setup she wanted to find a lifetime partner, which was what her parents wanted her to do, anyway. She thought she was exempt from those rules of their clan because since childhood, she tried to be a good daughter. She studied hard, allowing her to enter college early. At fifteen, she moved away from her family and lived independently, wanting to learn to be independent at an early age. She studied at a private women's school in Manila to pursue a Business Administration course because her parents wanted her to continue handling some of the family's businesses when her siblings couldn't handle them anymore. Despite being far from her parents at that time, she didn't forget to follow their instructions for her safety. Although she secretly did things that she was sure would anger them when they found out, such as trying alcohol and partying with friends, she still didn't allow herself to go astray. She knew right from wrong, and those were reflections she pondered on. As she continued to run, she began to feel numbness in her legs. Now, she felt extreme fatigue, estimating that she had been running non-stop for almost an hour. Shortly after, she abruptly stopped upon hearing what seemed like the sound of flowing water. Remembering that there was a river in that area, she realized that if she followed it, it would lead her to the main highway in their vicinity. There, she might find a vehicle to assist her in escaping. The sound of water gave her a sense of hope, a chance to get away. A few moments later, she glanced back. She noticed a few dim lights trailing behind her. Upon realizing that these lights were flashlights used by her father's men in their pursuit, she quickly turned to continue running away. Meanwhile, some of the pursuers heard the noise of her footsteps. "There!" exclaimed one, alerting the others. "Amira!" called a man. "Amira, go back to the mansion! It's dangerous alone in the forest!" She momentarily stopped upon hearing her older brother's voice. Apparently, he had joined the chase. It was he who first discovered her planned escape when he saw her packing her belongings after their argument with their father. Although her departure wasn't scheduled for today, she had to leave immediately after being exposed. She resumed running fast, not looking back. "Amira, let's talk about this. Mother might get sick worrying about you!" pleaded her older brother. At the mention of their mother, she paused again. She had turned to face the person calling her. Yes, her mother. Her mother whom she had been taking care of despite frequent illnesses, had still consented to her father's wishes. She thought she was on her side. She was her confidante for all the problems she faced in life. However, it seemed she opposed her decision. She closed her eyes, gritting her teeth. Turning away, she continued running. Her clothes were soaked, and even the house slippers she wore were heavy from being soaked in water. With her phone in her left hand, the only thing she carried during her impromptu escape, she repeatedly silenced it as her father, Datu Abdar, persistently called. For the fifth time, she switched it off. She had no intention of talking to him anymore. She was tired of his pleas and lectures. When her father decided to arrange her marriage, in the middle of the second semester, he called her to come home. Her birthday was just a few weeks away, and their plan was to hold her engagement ceremony on that day – a decision she couldn't accept, because in case it happened, every year on her birthday, she would remember the wrong decision of marrying someone she didn't love. Even when she was a child, her father taught her to stand up for what she believed was right. Therefore, she couldn't be blamed when she used that to fight for her own desires. She didn't really want to leave her family, but if there was no agreement between them, it was better for them to part ways. At that point, she heard what sounded like rapid footsteps approaching her location. She took a deep breath and decided to continue running. When she turned and took a step backward, she didn't realize there was a cliff right next to where she was standing. Without warning, she fell, rolling rapidly downward. She felt the thorns of plants resembling small daggers piercing her arms, legs, thighs, and even her body. Closing her eyes, she covered her face with her palms to prevent any injury and to shield her eyes. Due to this, she accidentally let go of the phone. She rolled down the ravine for several minutes until she suddenly felt the impact of her body hitting the water at the bottom of the ravine. Following that was the thud of her head hitting a large rock. That's when she lost consciousness. Meanwhile... She jolted as she felt a hand gripping her arm. Because of that, her recollection of the events that happened to her a few years ago was interrupted. She looked at the owner of that hand and saw the tall and robust figure of a man. That brought her back to the present state of her life. "Isn't that cooked yet? Utoy is hungry," said the man who took a seat in front of the table behind her. "Almost," she replied, continuing to stir the noodles in the not-so-large wok. Her husband Rudolfo sold a sack of sweet potatoes from their backyard crops, enabling him to buy ingredients for the noodles that had long been sitting on their small kitchen shelf. And because tomorrow is her twentieth birthday, she decided to cook it for their son, Utoy, who had been requesting it for a long time. She chose a simple life at present, far different from the life she enjoyed before, but she had not a trace of regret. In her current life, there are no restrictions on her, even though their movements are limited to the land where their makeshift houses stand. "Mom, you really cook deliciously," the child said, wearing a big smile on his face as he slurped the noodles, still steaming hot. "Really, my child?" She smiled back at him. "Yes. Nothing compares," the man on her left answered her question. "You're teasing me again, Rudolfo," she rolled her eyes as she said that. "When did I ever joke about your cooking?" he replied while continuing to eat. She glanced at the man with hair beyond his ears. His beard and mustache were also visible on his face. Looking at him, her memories traveled back again.