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Good Day to you sir, We are approaching our next destination soon, and It seems to held some surprise there haha
anyway thanks for reading it thus far and have fun continuing to do so, btw for anyone who got confused what is Andung. It basically means grandmother or mother to some cases.
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“ Hoaam~”
With a yawn I began my day. I could see a hint of daylight from the slide in my windows. Lisa must had let me overslept today.
Sitting a min or two and letting my soul come back to my body, I tried to activate my mind. I began to form a plan on what to do today and where to begin with. Normally I should had prepared all of this before I sleep, but yesterday was a special occasion.
“ First thing first huh.”
I get up from my bed and began to stretch my body. Lisa taught me to be a tidy person in which I tried but when I am comparing myself to her, it’s like comparing a toddler works with that of an adult. I don’t felt ashamed by it though, since I did my best.
Thus began my morning routine, from tidying my bed, folding my blanket, and throwing out some bugs that managed to get inside my room and nestled near my bed. I had to do this every morning otherwise I risk getting bitten by them when I sleep and that could lead to a deadly disease sometimes, although that rarely happens.
Done with my bed and the surrounding, I went to the water basin in the back yard. There I washed my faces and brushed my teeth. I also spared some time to refill the water by drawing it from the well nearby. Our house located near a rich underground water source after all. We could use a lot of it to take a bath, which is a bliss since I don’t like my skin to be sticky from the seas water.
“ Should I take a bath first ?”
I questioned myself, yesterday after I just arrived, I was told by Lisa to take a bath since my body is tanned black with Calmar tint and she didn’t like it.
But then I decided against it and just went back to middle room. I hadn’t seen her when I walk towards backyard. She is either still sleeping, which is impossible since she is a very diligent person or She could be in the front yard, attending her herbs.
I walked by the dining table in which was filled with food the the brim yesterday all clean of the mess I caused and tidy. In it places though I could see some folded clothes and a set of clean robes. I could also saw some fresh vegetables,breads and few red slice of fish meats.
“ One should be okay Right ~”
I said playfully. If Lisa saw this she would smack me saying that I have no manner and I shouldn’t eat while walking. She often emphasize to eat while sitting down wherever I may be.
She had told me that once, a friend of his husband died because of choking. He had been running at that time while eating his food and he stumbled onto some rocks. He couldn’t throw out his choked food and died shortly after. I guess he couldn’t breath, which is scary indeed, but I am walking so it should be okay right ? And it’s only one.
Okay times to look for Lisa, any evident had been destroyed. I had cleaned my hands of any left over from the bread, all of it had been professionally crunched and gulped down. People wouldn’t guess that I am such a gluttony. Well they weren’t wrong although it only applied to Lisa’s foods. She is a wonderful cooks after all.
I had reached the front yard by now but I still couldn’t see Lisa. let’s just shout to I could find her easily.
“Lisaaaa.”
“Lisaaaaa.”
no reply. Hmm where is she ?
[ Tud ]
Ah there she is, leaning on the terrace wall. A water can was by her side and her head was supported by her shoulder. The tud sound from before must have been from when her head fall to her shoulder, but why is she sleeping here in the terrace. Might she still felt tired and fall asleep here or was it because she didn’t sleep at all yesterday ?
“ Lisa~ Lisa~ wake up.” I shake her body slowly.
She then opened her eyes, still not focused as she was still trying to grasp what is happening.
“ Oh Lupa, good morning~”
“ Morning, let’s go back inside.”
I said that while reaching my hand for hers. I helped her get up and walked her towards our dining table. After I make her sat down on the chairs I went to get a refreshment for her. A glass filled with some fresh water is all she needs to fit again.
“ Thanks Lupa.” she said as she finished her waters.
“ Anytime, so Lisa why were you sleeping in terrace ?”
“ Oh yes, I was watering the plants but I suddenly get tired and want to rest a bit, so I sit near the walls and just happen to fall asleep.”
“ It’s not good you know sleeping in place like that.”
“ Yes I know, but I have too.”
“ And why is it ?”
“ You will just leave the house without saying farewell otherwise.”
“ Okay right sorry, but you still avoided my question.”
“ Perhaps you means why I didn’t sleep ?”
“ As I thought, I should have stayed with you…”
“ No no, It wasn’t anything like that Lupa.”
“ Then why is it ?”
“ I was busy finishing your robes, medicine and dried food.”
“ I have already prepared that a week before.”
“ Yes, but I want to add something.”
“ And ?”
“ I couldn’t finish it in time, I wanted to give it to you as your present yesterday.”
“ Thanks … Lisa you know, you don’t need to.”
“ There are no Andung who wouldn’t give her son gifts for his journey and birthday.”
“ I ..I…. I will accept it and treasure it.”
She just smiled after I answered her and we keep still like that before a noise disturb us
[ rumble, rumble ]
“ Seems, someone is hungry again “
I just blushed when she said it like that. Was the bread already completely disappeared from my stomach ? Impossible, if its like that I wouldn’t be able to travel since my ratio would just disappear. I then tried reassured myself that its only happened since Lisa food were so delicious that I unconsciously forced my stomach ready to be filled again.
“ Lupa, promise me this will the last time you do it here alright ?”
I just throw her a confused look at her marks.
“ Don’t think that an Andung will not know when her son does something mischievous okay.” She said with an eerie smile as she wipe my mouth and the left over from bread around mouths fall off. It was a trap after all, off all things she had to make the breads dry and hard today.
“ Y-yes, I promise.”
“ Good, as long as you promise me, a man didn’t break his promise was it ?”
“ Yes, I promise not to eat while walking in the house anymore.”
She then let a hearty smile decorate her faces, and from her expression I could tell that she was joking all around. I was just glad that I won’t get punished from it.
“ Lupa listen, I know you work hard and try to be careful all the time.”
“ But you need to know that troubles come when people aren’t prepared.”
“ Take those leftover breads from before, you tried to hide it right ?”
“ Yes.” I shamelessly admitted it.
“ Those are the fine example of your misdoings and it comes back, biting you when you think you were prepared for it.”
“.....” It hurts when she said it like that.
“ That kind of thing also invite troubles, be glad I noticed it.”
She paused a bit afterwards, letting me to have the time to and accept her words.
“ Lupa, try to be Honest with everything you do, lies rarely solve problem.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
“ You also needs to promise me with this.”
“ Okay.”
“ But you still need to know that lies are sometimes helpful.”
“ For example when friends or family fight because of something, you can lie to them and help them mend their relations.”
“ When you know that without lying, it could endanger someone , then lie is good thing to do.”
Moment after she finished her words, she suddenly became stern with her expression. I know that the next words she said would be important, so I reacted the same way she expected me to do.
“ With that said you must not lie to me, not even when it hurts me, you must not lie.”
I just stayed silent, I couldn’t promise her that part.
“ Whom do you think could accept every failure that children make if it’s not their Andung ?”
“.....”
“ Lupa look at my eyes, and promise me.”
She then placed her hand on my shoulder, forcing my head to rise. Her eyes locked onto mine. I could tell that she wants an immediate and true answer.
“ I can’t.”
I can’t lie to her, in which this case I tell her the truth.
“ Good.”
Huh ? why she said that as if she was satisfied with my answer.
“ You were being honest with me.”
“ Yes.”
“ I just hope when the times comes, you can do it again.”
I didn’t answer her since I really don’t know if I can do that when the time arrives.
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An hour pass by after Lisa told me to promise her that. Afterwards I went to prepare myself, things like taking a bath, putting what Lisa had prepared for me into the bags that she had also sewn for me, and other miscellaneous stuff.
I looked at the mirror in my rooms. It is an expensive stuff but we have it anyway. I could see my black hair was hidden with a hood that connected to my robe. I could still clearly saw my faces though as I didn’t really like to pull the hood all the way to the front side and covered my forehead with it.
In my back, I could see the top side of a long sheath just like what people use for weapons. In actuality though, what was sheathed on my back were just a long thin stick which was finely wrapped with cloth. A leather belt was connected to the sheath and I wore it across my right shoulders towards my left hip.
It appears that Lisa had prepared this for me since weeks ago. She had also meddled with my robe which I'm checking again right now.
“ Woahh, no matter how many times I see it, it’s still cool.”
My robes was light grey colored and a few stripes of green lime line could be found on it. Some were sewn on my chest on the outside part while some were also sewn on my shoulder part, although the later were shorter and smaller. I could also fine the same stripes on my waist height both inside and outside of the robes.
It weren’t without purpose too. Lisa knew that I like to have many available pocked on my cloth, so she had make this especially for me. All of it were a special slot pocket for me to put my things like some herbs, or items. Since the size and weight of items may differs, Lisa had adjusted the robes to have the bigger pocket in lower side, where it won’t disturb much of my movement.
My cloth and my pants too were modified the same way with the robes but with more thickness. She knew that I would only put the significance items near my saves spot, which is my body, and the nearer it was the betters.
Now I look at my hand, I wore a gloves although nothing special could be felt from it. Just a hand made leather brown gloves which fit perfectly to my hand. I also wore a special sandals she made. It was from a compounded lion weeds.
Lion weeds are a grass that grew in the thickets near beach. I often found her walking home with some of those weeds, but I never knew she would use it as this. It was neatly bundled and sewn is crosswise patterns to make it stronger. It also covered my foots up to my ankles, although there are some blank spot here and there as it was handmade and I assumed she didn’t have enough time to make it as a boots, so a sandals was her choice.
The bottom side of this sandals were made from grey woods, the one that can be harder when it get in touch with waters. Although it wasn’t finely fitted as I doubt she know the way but she had chipped some part of it, thus making it less likely to slip when I use it as a foothold. It would surely become a reliable partner I thought
“ Okay all set, now let’s take my backpack and head out.”.
I look at my right side, where my bed was. I would surely miss this when I journeyed as I don’t even know how long it will takes. Hopefully a month would be enough.
As I wore my bag in my bag, the weight began to sink in my shoulders. I then began to image the inside of it and how it was placed to make things easier for me alter on.
Folded atop of each other were my 2 set of changes, both long sleeved clothes and long pants. on the right side of them were some small utensils for grinding herbs, and a small stone glass made to store it.
On the front of the cloth sets were some dried herbs and small box of dried salted fish. It should stay edible till next week. I also bring some small knives with me in my bag. I would use it later on as a tools craft or prepare foods, handy things.
A kind of quills could also be found near it with a small wooden tube for it’s ink. I don’t know how they were made since Lisa just bought it from the merchant that comes from Benua. She said it won’t spill and get dry easily though so I just bring it. If the chance ever permit it, I might write my journey on the yellowish paper that comes with it.
Lisa is a literate person, so why should I not ? she is the one who taught me everything after all.
All of this were done as I walked to my front terrace and again I found Lisa there sleeping. She must be extremely tired and since she waited for me and got nothing to do, sleepiness won over her.
I better say my farewell or she would follow me inside Eru sites.
“ Lisa~ Lisa~ wake up.”
She gave a slow respond to my calling and woke up while rubbing her eyes. I could see her wrinkles clearly up this close. My heart began to ache, should I really leave her here alone and so on. But I already stalled my will long time ago, and I can’t turn back now.
“ Lupa… you are ready ?”
“ Yes, I’m going now.”
she then stand up on her own refusing my hand.
“ Come here Lupa.” She waved her hand ,giving me signals to come closer and I did as I was told. She then hugged me, embracing me for a long time and I swear I could hear her Cry.
“ Lupa … Good luck and come back save kay.” She said full of love, her tone was like heavenly for me. It gave me the strength to move forwards which I honestly barely able to before. She then kissed my forehead before letting me go.
“ I promise… I will come back safe and sound… and I would stay with you.” I said full of determination as I turn my back while waving my hand towards her. I dare not to turn back again though since I could her weeping sound as I leave her behind.
“ Luuppaaa ….. visit Juan in the beach before you go to the central Market okay !!!!!”
By now I was already proceed downhill towards the paved path. I couldn’t see her face anymore but I still could hear her voice just fine. Seems she had calmed down as her tone was already normal, how fast could she change her moods I wonder …
“ Okayyy. “ I shouted back to reply and run fast towards the beach. If I went straight for the central it would taken me around 6 hours, but If I went to the beach first it would take me 8 hours, so I better make it fast or I would be late to the volunteer assembly in the evening.