Chapter 5

"Bai Zarra..."

"Peace be unto you, ya Datu of Kansuays." The frail old woman greeted as she approached the crowd. "And to you too, my Datu." She adds as she look in the eyes of his son.

Silence evaporated among the men in the presence of the eldest of the tribe. She slowly meet glances with the eyes of the soldiers who were all about to end each foes' breath. She then stop roaming her eyes as her sight fell upon the two brown marbles of a young man. The man stands proud beside Datu Kahar but lowered his gazed upon meeting hers. Yet, she cannot let go of how the young man's eyes look. Those eyes seem so serene anyone would want to look at them forever. Those eyes reminded her of the ones Zacary had, they seem to haunt her!

"Peace be unto to you too, Bai Zarra of the Dimacangas. It surely is an honor to be in your presence." humbled Datu Kahar who's now gazing down the ground.

"Perhaps the honor is mine ya Datu." Responded Zarra as she is now held by her grandson Khalil.

"Mother, you should have not came here. It is dangerous." Her son whispered to her courteously which she did not responded to and instead look up to the Kansuays again to meet the eyes of their King.

"Ya great Datu, indeed you know I am of a great sinner. It was I and your late uncle who started the flames of our clans. I am here in your front to beg your forgiveness for the mistake we made decades ago." The old woman cried as she look upon the Datu who sits on his horse. Khalil held his grandmother closely as she now retreated in his arms.

Everyones' eyes shoot up in from the scene that transpired. Datu Taliq could not speak a word about how his mother's speech.

"Forgiveness shall not be from I, ya Bai. Pardon me, mother of the Dimacangas. Blood have long been shedding since the time my uncle was slain. However, I know that the pain of deaths must have been much unbearable to you, ya Bai." Responded Datu Kahar in a voice too soft for a great leader.

"If that is how you see of me, ya Datu. Then I beg of you not to start a war again in our clan. I wish not to see another bloodbath before I die!"

"Pact of peace have been agreed upon by both our clans, Bai Zarra. However, we cannot guarantee that we would be able to keep it. My child have been long gone only find that she has been kept here!" The serenity in Datu Sula's voice was replaced with harsh yet full of pain.

"Our clan has not held her up, that is what I can assure you ya Datu! It might have been a mistake!" Spat Datu Taliq.

"My sister..." Rasheed now speaks again. Bai Zarra and the rest of the clan shift their gaze from their views to him.

"My sister is indeed resided in your tribe, ya Datu. Her shawl is a great of an evidence!"

"Ya Ameer, if indeed that is your sister's shawl then perhaps she might have landed her feet in our village. However, what we can ensure you is we never held her up. Your men can attest to this since they seem to have not seen her here." Replied Khalil.

"This talk shall not have any good result, mighty men." Zarra said. "What we have to do is to talk this through and work together to find your beloved. If all of you men have an inch of a pity for an old woman like me, then don't resolve this through war. For my sake and of for the sake of our people, resume thy peace!" Begged the old woman with firmness in her voice.

The wind started to blow as the sun peaks its way towards the end of the horizon. Maghrib prayer started to commence, hence the beautiful call to prayer started echoing.

"We shall conduct our prayer in your masjid, ya Datu Taliq. This would be our answer to your request, ya Bai." Announced Rasheed who now took off from his horse. Datu Kahar looked at his son intently, yet did not question his answer.

"After our payer, I am inviting you Datu Kahar and the rest of your men to be our honored guests in our humble home where we could discuss." said Datu Taliq to Datu Kahar who's about to leave to Masjid with his men.

"Expect our appearance in you home ya Datu." Respond the King of Kansuays.