Darryl was welcomed warmly by the Somer people as if he was not a roux blood at all. When he stepped out the sh.o.r.e, children lined up to give him colorful flowers and the elders kissed his head out of grat.i.tude. The whole afternoon was filled with singing and dancing and it took a while before the chieftain, Enoch, Baruk Tam and Darryl to withdraw to an isolated chamber to talk. Baruk Tam served them organic beers as they were discussing.The Chieftain asked Darryl about the mainland"s politics as well as their leaders and Darryl willingly answered all his queries. He also narrated to him the struggle he had gone through in making the bridge because of how the government wanted to preserve the Manggan island. The Chieftain of course knew this as his previous wife had told him all these things, however, he wanted to hear the story again just like before.
"So you need a consent from me?" The Chieftain inquired again as he was finis.h.i.+ng his cup of beer. Truth was long before Darryl came he had already given the matter some serious thought.
"Yes Chieftain, my bridge cannot push through without it," Darryl politely answered. He had already told him the benefits the tribe will get in case the bridge will be finish. They cannot only get access to medicines, they can also learn science and technology.
"Aki Owens had already laid down to me all the benefits of getting connected with the main island, but I had been sick for a while so I had not taken it much consideration. Although I admit, my first wife had also told me these things but I still had my reservations back then," The Chieftain told Darryl.
"Why don"t you give it a try Chieftain," Darryl suggested to him, "You can allow it and see benefits the tribe can get, if you won"t like the result then you can cut ties with the civilization if you wish,"
"Would that be possible? I mean I had this notion that once I connect with them I cannot anymore disconnect," He looked at Darryl in a serious expression. As a leader, the Chieftain decides not only for himself but for his people. "If a bridge will connect us to the mainland, it would be hard to throw intruders away,"
"You can just destroy the bridge after. I have designed it in a way that it can easily be destroyed if needed to" Darryl revealed. While making the bridge he took into consideration the tribe"s safety and decided he was going to make it in a way that can be destroy easily if it becomes a threat.
"You don"t mind us destroying your bridge?" The Chieftain raised a brow at this.
"If you choose to destroy my bridge, the other half of it, the one that connects to the mainland to the par line will continue to stand. It will continually remind people that once there was a complete bridge but because a Chieftain"s love for his people, the other half was destroyed," Darryl answered thoughtfully. He doesn"t really mind if his legendary masterpiece will be destroyed eventually, all he wanted was for its story to be pa.s.sed on.
In their few hours of conversation, Darryl had amazed the Chieftain of his wit and the latter grew an ounce of respect for the boy and such was increasing as each moment that pa.s.sed. The Chieftain understood that Darryl was not after their island at all but would wished for them to get connected with the main island for their own benefit. Darryl had been very considerate about them.
Soon when their conversation hit the part where Enoch told his father about the Chieftana"s riddle and Darryl"s failed attempts to enter the island, the Chieftain felt embarra.s.sed and so he apologized to the boy.
"I really am sorry. You were the one who saved Enoch and yet we had not been good with you back then," The Chieftain extended his apologies. If there was one thing he was regretful about, it was their failed hospitality.
"It"s nothing Chieftain, besides it wasn"t you"re doing," Darryl a.s.sured him that he was okay with it. "Besides I"m here now and the Somer people had welcomed me warmly"
"I really am embarra.s.sed with the fact that my people had still doubted you despite your efforts to save Enoch" The Chieftain hollered with disappointment. As the ultimate leader, he represented everyone in the Manggan Island and therefore he felt so ashamed knowing that his son"s savior was treated harshly.
"They were merely protecting the island. They had been taught wrong about the roux blood and that wasn"t their fault" Darryl tried to comfort him and ease his embarra.s.sment.
"Please allow me to make it up to you my child" The Chieftain said to him, "I owe you two request. One for saving Enoch and the other for saving Baruk Tam. Therefore, you can ask two requests from me anytime and I shall gladly fulfill with the power I have as the Chieftain of Manggan Island"
"That is not anymore necessary Chieftain," Darryl tried to reject his offer as he thought they were too much.
"I insist, please, or the Manggan island will forever be ashamed of driving you away previously. I know with the kind of personality you have and your wealth, you can have everything you desire. If your money cannot buy it, then your determination will fulfill it" The Chieftain said. Enoch had already told the Chieftain prior to Darryl"s entrance everything about his new found brother, including the fact that he was a son a wealthy family. "Don"t you have anything that you want?"
Darryl got stuck with the Chieftain"s question and it took him a while to answer him with honesty. "To tell you truth Chieftain I do. There was something I want very badly,"
"Then tell me and I will gladly give what you desire," The old man insisted.
"I"m not certain if you can give me what I want" Darryl replied. The one he wanted desperately was something that no one can just give freely even by the Chieftain himself.
"If it"s not something I can give, then probably it"s something that I can help you with" As Darryl"s expression changed together with his words, the Chieftain was then curious as to what the thing was. Darryl amused him so much and he wanted to see what kind of thing a person like the Lagdameo heir would wish for because it seemed that he already have everything he could ever need.
"I wish to marry one of your daughters" Darryl said and the way his hazel eyes shone, the Chieftain understood why.