Earlier before Miguel and the Saman arrived...
"Your Ladyship, Dayang Haya, the Saman went to the Alipin's Ground barefooted!"
"Whaaat?!"
Inside of a majestic space, illuminated with torches, a beautiful woman in her silk woven dress furiously screamed.
"That brat did it again!" Dayang Haya tapped the table in front of her. She was fuming in anger as time and time the Saman broke their tradition.
In ancient Ophir before they were colonized, women especially the distinguished woman that held special positions are forbidden to publicly display themselves. Only when there was a special event or grand occasion would they be displayed under the watchful eyes of the masses.
That way the gracefulness of a woman is preserved. Tribe people believed that their leaders had been granted with special recognition from their Ancestor's spirits and Gods.
"Assemble a group of warriors! Prepare the Sankayan! Go escort the Saman in her return here!"
Dayang Haya, loudly ordered.
"Your Ladyship, Dayang Haya, I am worried about the Saman's action this time..."
Beneath the table, an old man with his head wrapped in a turban politely voiced his concerns.
[18] "Respected Atubang, pardon my daughter for disappointing you." Dayang Haya, replied worriedly.
She also had trouble keeping the Saman.
Since her childhood, the Saman had been known for her mischievous and out of place character in the tribe.
"This time the Saman gathered three Alipins and made them into her Sulgos. One of them is the son from the fallen tribe, Khalip Tribe—Datu Sadjar's Son: Ranoan Argus." The Atubang informed the Dayang.
Dayang Haya, sighed "I do not know what goes in that Talia's head..."
[19] "Wait until she returns here, I'll deal with her..." Dayang Haya uttered to herself as she looked at the entrance of Kanya—the residence of distinguished tribal leaders and their families.
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[Kanya: Gate Entrance]
"Open the Gates! Our dearest Saman is about to enter!" A warrior loudly proclaimed.
And the gate made out of wooden material was opened.
Miguel who had been silently observing from the back could not help but be awed by the infrastructures that he vaguely saw in the books.
Now those pictures came to life, right at his very eyes.
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I did not know that long before those Aghora bastards came to colonize Ophir, we already had traditions and culture that is not barbaric but actually adorned with finesse.
"We are no different from those native Merikans."
"If such land is barbaric, how can they be organized like this?"
I stared at the building in from of me. It was Kanya: the residence of tribal leaders and their families.
It was only mentioned in a book I have read once, I did not know it actually looked luxurious and beautiful.
I looked beside me. Toto's little sister is now at least looking at her surroundings, unlike from before where she aimlessly walked and her sight would wander off. Now she seemed better.
"Later, I'll go talk to her."
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At the entrance of the Kanya, Two figures slowly appeared with varying expressions on their face.
The woman's silhouette revealed a frown while an old man's silhouette revealed a worried face.
These two figures followed by four warriors beside them welcomed the group of the Saman.
A few paces before the Sankayan could hit Kanya's stairs, the warriors who are carrying the Sankayan suddenly stopped moving.
And a beautiful young lady alighted from the Sankayan.
[20] "ilo'y" The Saman politely called her mother as she raised her arms across her chest and made a slight bow.
Followed by her, the warriors performed their own greetings.
"Pagtimbaya!" A horde of burly men's shout echoed and sounds of beating came ranging in front of the Kanya.
All warriors raised their right fist, placed it in the left chest and beat it once.
The Dayang just slightly nodded in response. "Many thanks! Proud warriors."
And she gestured them to leave.
One by one as if an earthquake came, the warriors left the Kanya.
Leaving behind a furious Dayang and a worried Saman...
"Ilo'y, have you eaten?" The Saman smiled, hoping that her question could alleviate her mother's frustration and anger towards her.
Hearing her daughter ask this frivolous question, the Dayang rolled her eyes.
"You have the nerve..." The Dayang sternly scolded.
She opened and closed her mouth and contemplated a bit before continuing...
"Go to your room, we will talk tomorrow." Dayang Haya slowly said.
Hearing her mother postpone the scolding, Saman Talia, heaved a sigh of relief.
But it did not take long before her sigh of relief got revoked.
"We will talk tomorrow... with your father!" The Dayang exclaimed.
The Saman felt helpless as she nods her head in submission and thought about her father...
Well, in fact, she liked her father more than her mother.
Since her father sometimes spoils her rotten.
The only thing she hates was: Every time she meets her father, Her father would always bring talks about marriage.
Then the Saman looked at her Sulgos, especially to Miguel.
"Argus, we will also talk tomorrow."
And with that, the Saman went to her room.
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When the Saman left, the Dayang ordered the Atubang to arrange the rooms for the newly acquired Sulgos.
While they busily prepared their rooms, Miguel sneakily went to his fellow Sulgos.
Finally, Miguel had the chance to talk with Toto's Little Sister.
[21] "Mmm, Mapa'y Udto" Miguel greeted the two.
And the two replied with a smile "Mapa'y Udto"
"Since Toto won't be around, starting from now, I'll take care of you instead," Miguel said.
But instead of being thanked, Miguel received a frown instead.
"Whom do you call Toto?" with a frown, Toto's little sister innocently asked.
Miguel smiled, he remembered that Alipins had no names.
Thinking of this fact, he thought that he still needs time to adjust from this.
"Why won't they name themselves? I get that Alipins are not allowed to have names but how can they proceed with their daily lives without calling each other? Are they just gonna have to rudely point and gesture each other?" Miguel contemplated as he thought inwardly.
"You see, uhmm You cute little thing..." And with abashed red cheeks, cheekily blooming at his cheeks Miguel continued,
"Toto is the name I have given to your Elder Brother." Miguel said while scratching his head unable to come up of a way to call her.
Hearing Miguel calling her cute, the unprepared maiden suddenly felt shy.
The word cute rang continuously to her head that it outweighs Miguel's word of calling her Elder Sister—Elder Brother.
She did not notice him calling her sister a male.
And Silence emanated the place up to its ceiling.
Speaking of which, the room felt cozy.
The wind could freely enter and escape, it is highly ventilated due to the materials which the hut was made.
Mostly from palm trees and bamboo grass, so it's both sturdy and light.
...
Miguel decided to break the silence as he faked a cough, followed by a proposal
"You see, it is quite difficult for me to call you, so may I just name you like how I named your Elder Brother?"
And with that Miguel felt eased.
Another word that elevated her spirit and made her forget her father's death rang into Toto's little sister's ears. Again, failing to notice the word Elder Brother...
"Yes, you may do so... Or you could just call me by my mark's number: its !@#" Toto's little sister shyly said.
Miguel, cleaned his eardrums by poking it with his baby finger.
"What language was that?" He muttered while again recalling a memory of Argus...
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In his sight, a young Argus was carefully nestled by a middle-aged man that resembled him, if not for his wider nose.
[22] "Abba, What number does this figure represent?"
"That, my boy is 12" And that's also the number of age where you would have to acquire your rite of passage. And the middle-aged man patted the young Argus's ruffled hair.
It was a distant memory of Argus with his father when he is learning the numerical numbers.
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Miguel's eyes flashed as he returned to his senses...
"That was 12..." he uttered inwardly.
"So let me name you..." Holding his chin in ponder, Miguel came up of a name.
"Is Aryan alright with you?" Miguel gazed at the shy Toto's little sister with expectant eyes.
Then the young lady smiled "Yes."
It was a perfect crescent smile with her white-yellowish teeth protruding.
It was a sight to see as Miguel could not help but chuckle at the sight of this.
Miguel recalled his past world...
Aryan, it was the nickname of her crush back when he was a teenager.
She rarely gave him a smile and when she does, it was either fake or was forced.
Now, the named Aryan in front of him gave him a genuine smile.
"This moment must be cherished" Miguel happily thought inside.
It was the day he realized that he probably was called in this time period to name people,
As another young lady looked at their way in the heat of jealousy, as if to gesture that he should also give her a name.
Or Miguel thought so...