Somewhere Beyond The Shore

Disclaimer:  This is the edited version -- 12.18.21.

However, I noticed a few details in the story that I wanted to change as well as the need for rephrasing. Please bear with me. I will be sure to edit this once more. Thank you for your never-ending support! Love lots <33

#SBTS

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Circa 1512 The Kingdom of Buluran

It was the same cold lonely night for Bai Maraya, the princess of the kingdom of Buluran. Two of her uripons were gently washing her feet with water.

Maraya is a binukot. She is considered the most beautiful maiden in their kingdom and for that, they had to protect her beauty and purity at all costs. The binukots like her spend most of their childhood inside a special room where they were kept until they grow up and reach legal age. Strictly, no single sunlight shall be allowed to reach their skin, and even their feet must not touch the soil, for it was believed as a way of protecting the beauty of the princesses.

At first, Bai Maraya has no complaints about the kind of life she has been born in. Reciting epics and poems is desirable! She has plenty of servants that follow her every command. Surely, life must be easier for her than for the slaves.

But one night, Bai Maraya happened to overhear strangers outside her room talking about the admirable things outside. These are things she often hears but remains stranger to her.

"Oh, to watch the stars above with the only man you love!" A woman said cheerfully. Almost sounding as if it was dreaming wide awake.

Maraya's brows furrowed. Stars? How are they worth watching? She could not understand why such a thing makes a woman happy. But then sooner or later, she will.

"And with the man you love..." She whispers.

That night was the beginning of her curiosity. She began to question the happiness and contentment she was then feeling.

Bai Maraya grew tired of staying inside her room and of reciting epics day and night, she wanted to break the chains and be free from the precautions. And so she plotted a way to escape.

"You may now leave me, take a rest for tonight." Bai Maraya told the uripons. They bowed down before her and stepped out of the room, leaving her there alone.

As soon as the servants were outside, Maraya wore a black hood that coats her entire body aside from her delicate, fair, and glowing face. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest, for tonight, she will be risking her life for the sake of ending her curiosity. She understood that her father—Rajah Dumagay despises rebelliousness and that he could castigate her as soon as he finds out about her disobedience. However, the image of the moon on the water calls her and nothing could possibly change her mind now.

It was when the moon have its full phase that she decided to flee. She pulled the massive jewelry box away from the wooden fence, revealing the tiny secret door that she secretly created a few days ago.

Her every move was meticulously done to avoid catching the attention of the guards, not even a noise can be heard. The princess must be lucky that there was no one guarding their backyard! She could not describe the pleasure inside her when for the first time in her life, her feet touched the cold surface of the earth and from then she knew that her life will somewhat be different from then on.

She smiled at the thought of becoming free and enjoying the serenity of the night sky. Will it be her habit to flee at midnight? The cold breeze of the night told her that it was worth breaking out.