"I heard the Suli eldest daughter is indeed excellent in running the household at the same time known for her excellence your majesty. Though her beauty is unknown, I believe she is not far from beauty your highness. It is firm that I will like to marry this maiden your majesty."
Behind his blank expressions, the emperor appalled of the prince's contest. He ordered the royal decree to tie down households of Suli and the kingdom of Hinon Dan as he tried to know if the noble lords or princes from the other household would like to duel the grand prince for the maiden he spoke. Knowing that no one is interested, the emperor sealed his decree with the Hinon Dan prince's sandugo immediately. He surely chose the finest princess himself, the emperor silently whispered as he looked how happy the prince was. He looked at the panubok the prince brought with him as he requested to left it in his care. Caressing the panubok secretly, he discovered a beautiful scenery hidden and overlapped by the scarlet thread. So you know as well, Isagani.
Every maiden who had more suitors and nobles must duel in honor of her and if the noble lords chooses more than one maiden, the maiden must contest in honor of him who choose one as his wife. So sure that no one would pick her panubok, Maylin sat confidently in the saliw- a comfortable chair in curved shaped made of bamboo trunks, trying to inhale her excitement of the news she must heard afterwards regarding her rejection in the selection itself. She even ordered Elanga to tidy her things in preparation of her departure. To celebrate her victor, she ordered Elanga to dress her prettiest dress they brought out of the finest silk, and make her look that no one could rival with as she will disrupt the lords and princes later in her departure. She should look at their faces torn as she will march away from them, losing a beauty with brains like her. Hearing footsteps drawing nearer in her chambers, she assumed she will hear the news she anticipated.
She presented herself well behind the silk as she calmly sneak behind, the intruders of her chamber. Hearing her parents voices, she smiled grievously knowing her sad fate. She heard a loud clearing of throat from her father; it was too stiff and she heard a trace of tremble in it.
" Maylin," he spoke with gentleness. "The panubok presentation is a festival of knowing ones character as portrayed in its beatiful scenery. I believed you must present yourself before the emperor."
As I carefully thought, she silently chuckled.
"It is customary to present yourself before the emperor and empress to hear the royal decree they were giving to our family. I heard your panubok is the most horrible sight among the lords and rumors spread no one ever dare to look at it. Tell me my dear, you are known as the finest embroider even the genius yourself, how come you displease the lords and princess of your cursed art. Are you perhaps rebelling against our province that you never wanted to be noticed by the lords among here?"
Hearing it as if she was already heard it long time ago, she made her feigning act heard as she cried fancily behind the silk.
"I never dared to rebel against you father. It is just I was caught by my terrible dream that I lost my mind and embroider something out of the scenery I imagined. I am pleased to know you acknowledge my skill at it but I somehow disappoint you for presenting a panubok which lords would never dare to look. I am grieving to know and I am disappointed to be your daughter father. I am too ashamed that I wanted to forfeit my title as your eldest daughter." crying with hidden celebration on her part. Her slave look at her with unease as it bowed before the great lord and even pleaded with her Bae's fake misfortune as well.
Hearing a loud and regretful sigh with a trace of annoyance, her mother deeply inhaled as she spoke after her father.
"It is written in Maylin's birth that she is a fortune but I doubt that she is fortunate in marriage. I believe after this disgrace my lord you perhaps let her live outside our manor and give her liberty as the Malaya could. We could not even let her participate the following year for this scandal as well."
"I think that is too much my wife."
"Too much? It is a shame that our eldest daughter could not even help us in tying honorable household. I believe she will be put to shame before the emperor as well."
"Ease your anger mother. I will plead his majesty to be benevolent to our province and not to be mocked."