I Became the Villain's Wife

Chapter 44 [Hidden Tribe Arc]: The Babaylan

While Manong cooked the supper in the dining room, Amara and Raha Sitan greeted the Babaylan at the door to the Sitan residence.

An elderly woman approached the Sitan couple in a regal manner while carrying a wooden staff and wearing a blue Babaylan's robe that almost resembled the beautiful heavens. A few gold accessories were worn around her arms and neck. Her gray hair is adorned with larimar and sapphire jewelry. And her brilliant eyes, which are similar to the hue of the ocean, were her most alluring attribute.

At her back are four servants who are dressed in plain blue shirts and trousers. They did nothing except lower their heads and did not give anyone a sidelong glance the entire time.

Amara is shocked to see that the Babaylan is considerate enough to bow to them. "I greet the matriarch and the patriarch of the Sitan tribe."

Raha Sitan gave the elderly woman a big smile. "Inang Sining, it's been three hundred years and you're still alive and kicking!"

He was disregarded by Inang Sining as she approached Amara and gently grabbed her arm. The elderly woman then struck Raha Sitan with her wooden staff by the arm. And you didn't change at all, Apo Raha Sitan; you're still a rascal through and through.

Raha Sitan teased her, "You shouldn't be so cranky with me, old woman, especially in front of my wife."

The Babaylan turned her attention to Amara, who now had a dismayed expression on her face. "I don't know what the gods were thinking, such a lovely and delicate woman, only to marry a man like you, Apo Raha Sitan!"

Amara chimed in, "But Raha Sitan is a wonderful and compassionate husband to me." She can't bear to hear her spouse being addressed in such a way. "Raha Sitan is a good husband despite having a bad reputation among the people. I was the one who persuaded him to take me away since I had always wanted to marry him, so please don't be upset with our relationship!"

Inang Sining grunted and glanced at Raha Sitan, who is smiling proudly at her. As if he's daring her to say more nasty words. He will not be afraid, because his wife will always be in his defense.

She only smiled at him, yet her words were sarcastic. "Apo Raha Sitan, you must have dutifully poured a Gayuma on your wife's drink every morning."

"A Gayuma? I wouldn't stoop that low!" Raha Sitan exclaimed in utter disbelief, as though he found the concept so ludicrous and repugnant. "I would never do that to my dear wife. But I might soon use an aphrodisiac--ow!"

The old woman hit him with the wooden staff again. "I don't need to hear about that!"

Amara apologized about what Raha Sitan said, and hurriedly guided her to the dining hall. "We prepared a meal for you, Inang Sining. After that, we will lead your to your room so you could rest."

"Your servants could do that for me, Apo Amara," Inang Sining responded with a gentle smile.

The lunch was full of conversations. Mostly about Inang Sining's shock when she found they had already swore an oath to the gods. She even told the two that they didn't need the wedding ceremony.

"But I promised my wife that I will give her an extravagant wedding," Raha Sitan insisted. "I want her to be happy. After all, a wedding ceremony is every woman's dream."

"If that's the case, then I shall conduct the ceremony for you," Inang Sining stated while sighing. She then signaled something to the servants, they left, and when they came back they placed a lot of items to the table. "It's a gift from our tribe, the patriarch prepared this himself. He apologized he could not attend the wedding. He says there's too many eyes watching."