Chapter 1
"Mama! Mama! Help! Banolor is doing it again!"
The peace of the Banayad was once again disturbed by the shout of a mischievous little boy. Maguayen rubbed her head, again. Sometimes, she wanted to throw all of them back to the sea. One kid is enough (Kanlaon was already a kid of his own), but to have additional seven of them? It was too much.
But she cannot say no to them. Not in this lifetime.
She smiled as she remembered the latest shenanigan Bulan pulled just few days ago. How did he managed to destroy the whole cliff his eldest brother is using for sword practice from one small joke was still beyond her? She laughed in her heart when she remembered how Kanlaon placated Subang in vain, until he promised a whole new island beside the Pearl Pavilion. Bulan's affiliation with wind was manifesting stronger in the recent years. Subang was also growing independent, and soon.
Maguayen looked up from the scrolls she was reading. Idianale's letter sounds urgent. The Eleven will meet again soon. Meeting means an urgent matter to settle. It is never a good one when the Eleven intervened.
"Mama!"
That voice was closer now.
"Hey! You, little runt! How dare you run away like that? I will peel your skin off!"
"Mama! Banolor is threatening me again!"
"You --- Look what you did to my hair!"
"I said 'I am sorry' already! I even promised to kneel on the beans for an hour. Why did you cut my necklace?"
"It was an accident!"
"MAMA!"
With the last sound, a white bundle with glowing eyes, bronze complexion and white hair jumped to her arms without any warning. An almost identical bigger kid entered. She is taller than the little boy, but has softer features. She was half-supporting, half-trailing after the boy, but stopped in front of her mom.
Banalor explained what happened. "Ma, it is Libulan. He came to my room and asked for a toy. But he pulled my braids out. My braids!"
Libulan had an indignant expression.
"I said it was an accident. There was a loose thread, I was just trying to help."
Maguayen put down the little boy gently.
"Stop, the two of you." Maguayen's voice was soft, but the two children stopped talking and suddenly looked down. "Banalor, sit in front of me. Libulan, sit beside your sister."
They followed immediately. Banolor and Libulan looked down and waited for her.
"Libulan, did you entered your sister's room to annoy her? Tell us the truth."
Libulan was quiet for a while then he whispered, almost crying, "No..."
"Banalor, did you cut your brother's necklace?"
"It was an accident---" she immediately replied.
Maguayen sighed, then she turned a sharp eye towards them.
She turned to her youngest. "Libulan, if you want to ask something from your sister, ask her properly. And I always tell you that you have to ask permission before touching your sister's braids."
"Banolor, even as a joke, you should not hit your brother. As an older sister, be more self-controlled." Banalor looked down more.
"Libulan, go to your father and asked him to fix your necklace. Banolor, go ask Haliya to help you with your braid. I don't want to see the two of you fighting over this again."
"Yes, mama..." the two responded remorsefully.
"Go. Call your siblings to the Pearl Pavilion. The maids will serve snack there."
The two smiled, their face brightened immediately. They quietly left their mother's study. These two were easier to manage. She needs to take a break.
Tak. Tak.
She looked at the large window behind her. A tak-tak was perching by the window.
"Speak."
The tak-tak opened its mouth and a soft feminine voice could be heard.
"Bathala is calling you and Kanlaon to Himpapawid for an audience. In three days, you are expected to arrive in the palace." With that, the tak-tak flew away.
The time has come.