Dazzling sun rays that passed through the holes of the walls poked Vince's eyes. Wild birds' chirp echoed all over the place. It was the morning of the second day. The prince wasn't inside. Vince lied still, recalling his memories last night before he lost his consciousness. It was blurry yet the feeling was real.
After a few minutes of staring at dazzling light rays, Vince got up and went outside. He found the prince roasting fish and root crops. It was a cold morning, but the prince was already sweaty.
"You woke up early."
"Mmm, I gathered taro and fished at the nearby pond." The prince flipped the slightly charred fish.
"You didn't wake me up, I wasn't able to help."
"You don't need to, it's just an easy job, and besides the medicine you took is strong. It will affect your mind and body, so I didn't wake you early."
"Could it be that my experience last night was the medicine's side effect? Was it just a mere hallucination?" Vince thought, staring at the busy prince.
"For sure it was the medicine's side effect. It's just me and the prince here, who would kiss me? Could it be... No, I should not overthink uncertain things." Vince contradicted his silly thought. He squatted down, lending the prince a hand.
After breakfast, the prince spent his time gathering sturdy tree branches to make bows and arrows. They were only using a dagger, so their speed was slow, not to mention that only the prince did most of the job.
Days passed, they did almost the same course every day, cooking meals and making weapons in preparation for their journey. Every night, after drinking his medicine, Vince experienced the same thing as he did on his first night. Every time he feels like he's almost passing out, he then feels someone's gentle kiss, caress, and embrace. But, as days went by, he didn't overreact like he did the first time. He had gotten used to it and was even looking forward to this comfortable feeling every night!
Unknowingly, it was already the fifteenth day since Vince woke up in this ancient world. His wound was healing, so Prince Aiji told him that they will start their journey the next day.
"Dari, sleep early, tomorrow is a dangerous journey."
Vince laid down, closed his eyes for a long moment but he can't sleep. It was still early and he was also yearning for those hallucinations that he felt every night, so he sat up. "Can I drink medicine first?"
"You don't need to, your wound is fine now. Besides, the medicine is used up. There's none left." Prince Aiji was sitting near the fire, carving his golden calendar.
"Can't we make it now? It's just herbs, right? I can make it just tell me what kind of herbs it is." Vince can't help it, he's used to the medicine's addictive effect.
"No, Dari, that medicine was a combination of twelve rare herbs. I can't find it all here, maybe I can collect the others on our journey."
Vince sighed. "I think I can't sleep without it."
Prince Aiji stopped his carving and looked at him. "Why? Your wound is healing. Does it still hurt?"
"No. It doesn't hurt anymore. But, my body is dependent on it now. It's hard for me to sleep without it."
The prince continued his carving. "That medicine is too strong, our tribe healer said it should only be taken if one is severely injured. It may harm the body if taken longer than necessary."
"Mmm." Vince knew it won't do him good, but he was badly missing those comfortable feelings.
Vince, who couldn't sleep, remained seated for a moment. Later, he turned to the prince. "What are you carving?"
"It's my date list, I need to carve it every day to keep track of time."
"May I see?" Vince was curious about this golden calendar before but he didn't have time to examine it.
Prince Aiji handed the calendar to Vince and kept his carving tool back in his bamboo container.
"These metal sheets are... flattened gold!"
"Yes. Dari, why are you surprised? What's wrong with gold?"
"Ah...! I mean gold is precious, but you just used it like this." Vince replied, but then he realized that perhaps he overreacted, this man is a prince, so he is wealthy.
"You really forgot everything. Gold is everywhere in our place, I even dug a few pieces while building this hut." The prince said while taking out a few yellowish, unevenly shaped stones and handed them to Vince.
Vince was speechless again. He took the gold pieces and examined them closely.
"These are just small pieces, but we can use this if we will exchange goods to the traders."
Vince nodded.
"So, this is the ancient Philippines, gold is just a common thing!" He examined the figures written on the sheets but didn't understand a single character.
"Too bad I'm not interested in history before, I have no idea about ancient writings."
He handed back the calendar to the prince.
"Dari, go to sleep now, we will depart early tomorrow."
"Okay."
Vince walked back to his mat.
"Prince Aiji, where will you sleep?" Vince asked. The space inside the hut was small and the side opposite to him was filled with weapons.
"I will move to the wall." Vince suggested.
The prince looked at him but then turned his face away later.
"I will sleep here." Prince Aiji picked up the weapons and placed them outside the hut. He then laid a mat on the ground.
"But there is only one cotton sheet."
"Use it, Dari. I'll just cover myself with this mat."
"But, you are the prince here, you should use it." Vince insisted and was about to hand the cotton sheet to Prince Aiji.
"No, you use it." The prince firmly refused and scattered the firewoods to put the fire out.
Darkness slowly invades the hut.
Vince laid down, he can't help but think that this prince is too considerate.
"He is really like Caballero." He closed his eyes trying to sleep. Jester's meek face and innocent eyes flashed in his mind.
The next morning, Vince woke up before the sun rose. Prince Aiji wasn't inside as always. He found the prince outside igniting two rocks making a fire, with big fishes and purple yams at the side.
"You catch these early?"
"Yes. We need to cross the valley early and reach the other side of the river before night break. Traveling the wild horses' territory at night is dangerous."
"Then let me do the roasting". Vince offered.
After breakfast, they started their journey and descended the hill. The valley was covered with thick shrubs and bushes. They carefully crawled forward, avoiding any movements as much as possible.
Noon was approaching. Luckily, they didn't encounter even a single wild horse.
"It's safer here now, we are in the middle of the valley and the horses would be in the riverbank at this time." The prince took out two roasted yams and handed one to Vince.
Vince took the yam and peeled it. When he was about to take a bite, a loud hiss was heard.
"Dari, stay still!"
The prince ordered and slowly took his spear. His eyesight was fixed above Vince's head. "There's a snake behind you."
A few seconds later, Prince Aiji quickly thrust his spear with full might.
Vince rushed to the side to avoid blocking the prince's movement. What he saw was a large cobra pierced by the prince's spear at its expanded neck. The prince quickly took another spear and pierced the snake's coiled lower body. He then pinned the two spears down, locking the snake on the ground.
Vince sighed in relief and awe.
"Prince Aiji, you did great!" Vince praised the prince's quick and efficient moves.
"Not that great." Instead of feeling great, Prince Aiji was getting anxious.
"What do you mean?"
A few seconds later, Vince realized it wasn't really great! In the distance, they heard countless hooves galloping in their direction. The commotion they made caught the wild horses' attention!
"Dari, run after me!"