The Songs of Strife

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"Wait, did I hear that right, Mallaca?" He turned to Humabara. "You want to be a christian?"

Humabara nodded.

Magalhaes looked at Mallaca and smiled. "Oh, great regent of Zubu, you honor me." He bowed in reverence to the rajah.

"Yes, I do. I would like the ceremony done, how about tomorrow?"

They all stood at the end of the river bank for a short moment, trying to see if the other party would take things further. Magalhaes could not believe his luck. Finding an ally in this remote region of the world was what he needed. And someone who wanted to be one with his god?

Magalhaes, suffice to say was glad. He was the first to break the silence. And fail to see the trap laid in front of him.

"Tomorrow?" he said. "Would it be good if you think this through great regent of Zubu?"

"Do you doubt me? Do you doubt the rajah? Are you questioning my decisions?"

"Apologies to you, but no." Magalhaes said after hearing Mallaca's translations. "How could I do so?"

Magalhaes waited for Mallaca to finish the translation to avoid any misunderstanding. Then, the Captain General continued, "What I'm saying great King is that being a christian is both a commitment and a responsibility."

"I will do what it takes Captain General," Rajah Humabara said, his chin raised high.

Magalhaes spoke to Mallaca to carefully translate his words to the rajah. "Don't become a Christian from fear of us, or to please us. You must do it willingly and for the love of God." He loosened the collar of his shirt. "If you want to be a good christian you must burn all the idols of your country and replace them with the cross."

Humabara's stoic face couldn't contain the absurdity of the pale man's words. Burning the icons of his devatas was not so simple. He might quell the anger of his tribe. He might distract them for a little while. But a sudden change of gods might not be welcomed by the other tribes.

"What?" he said. "That would be ridiculous." But before the translator could finish the wise rajah already knew what to do next.

"Exactly," Magalhaes said. "But it would be the right thing to do."

"I want to be a good christian but burning all the idols is another matter my Christian knight." Humabara stooped to pick a pebble in the ground. "Others will cling to their idols, others will fight and even kill for them."

He threw the pebble on the middle of the river. It just sank there, not even bothering to skip in the pristine surface of the water.

"Then, they will die wanting," Magalhaes said. "We will show not an ounce of mercy to those who will oppose Christianity."

"Then, you will help me, Christian knight? Help me fight them off?" Humabara said.

Framing the right words to form the right question was difficult. Good thing Zullah was there to help him come up with the right ones last night.

Magalhaes placed his hand on the Rajah's shoulder. "Yes, I will."

The rajah smiled. "Then, tomorrow I shall be a christian."

Joyous and contended, Magalhaes asked the rajah's permission to leave so he can prepare for tomorrow.

When the Captain General left, the rajah stayed near the lake water. He smiled looking at the other end of the waters. But he was not admiring the natural beauty in front of him. He smiled because his plans were going smoothly. And he smiled at how good he was at playing this little game. Tomorrow, he thought. Tomorrow we will see if Zullah can do his part.