The attack of the greatest Malaysian fortress did not exactly happen secretly. In just a few hours, the Malaysian president had issued a declaration of war against the Republic of the Philippines. Because the attack of their largest fleet of warplanes and ships had greatly diminished the firepower of their own army, the Malaysian government pleaded for help from fellow sympathetic ASEAN countries, mainly Vietnam and Thailand. It had been a rule of the ASEAN to not interfere with each other's struggles but with the sudden attack and increase of militarization activities by the Philippines, all of them were under threat of sudden attacks too. Three days after the attack, the Malaysian president formally signed a Triple defense Pact with Thailand and Vietnam. Said pact included that any nation that attacks any of the three would automatically be at war with the two others.
Action was yet to be taken by other ASEAN nations. Brunei had locked herself in her room ever since she had gotten back from the meeting and would not come out for about anything. Singapore, Cambodia and Myanmar were all too afraid to go against any of the larger nations and declared that they will be perpetually neutral. There were rumors of Laos possibly siding with Vietnam if hostilities begin. Indonesia, however, got them all hanging to every bit of news as to which side he'd choose. Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand were preparing for the worst case scenario – Indonesia siding with the Philippines- which wasn't exactly impossible since it was also not a secret that there were talks and emissaries going between the two countries about the possibilities of an alliance.
The next day after her attack on Malaysia, Philippines, still a bit groggy after the long flight to Russia and grumbling about how she would have to do it often after this meeting, stood in front of the huge oak doors which would lead her to a conference room where China and Russia were waiting for her. She turned to her president who was walking behind her and smiled at him. He smiled back warily at her. Philippines tried hard to hold back a laugh. 'He thinks I'd do something evil whenever I smile nowadays.' she thought.
"Let's get inside. Vietnam might attack me any second," she giggled at the mental image of Vietnam attacking her country to no avail in her absence. 'Yeah right! Like I'd leave them any weak openings. I've got more than enough ammo to hold any attack for decades!'. She threw open the doors, her eyes immediately spotting Ivan Braginski and Wang Yao talking with each other by the large window. She walked over to them after paying respects to their bosses and left her president with them.
She touched China's hand to her forehead as a sign of respect for her senior family and shook Ivan's hand as a greeting. "Ma'i, were you okay? Did you get hurt? I heard you attacked Malaysia yesterday-aru."
"I'm glad you made it back to my place, Philippines." Ivan smiled sinisterly, "I was hoping you'd want to stay longer this time?"
She giggled innocently as if she did not catch the underlying meaning in that statement, "Sorry, I can't. You know how things are at my place. I can't leave them unattended or I'll miss out on the fun!"
"How about I speed things up for you so you could get back here quickly, I like it when you're here." Ivan almost looked like he was pouting.
"I'm flattered, but we've talked about this already, Ivan. South East Asia is my job, the weapons are more than enough, I could handle everything else myself." She turned back to China, "Uncle Yao, about your question earlier, I'm okay. I did not even get a scratch. Malaysia did, though, it was quite many."
"Did you see him then –aru?"
"Yes, it was just my luck that he was there at the harbor. So I personally took him out and brought him with me when I left." She looked like a child who just caught a big fish by herself.
"Is he at your house-aru?"
"Yup. I've locked him up. You should have seen the look on his president's face when he demanded I release him back." She giggled.
"Are you holding him hostage? I could take care of him for you. I'm pretty good at disciplining prisoners, don't you think so too?" Ivan suggested happily.
Her smile dropped. "I can handle him just fine. I said no need to interfere. You'd soon get your hands full with the rest of the world, are you sure I do not have to go out of my continent? I mean, it's pretty easy down there once I take out Vietnam and Thailand."
"Well, if you really want to, you could take out New Zealand and Australia, and you could include East Timor and Papua New Guinea, too. Why don't you just take the whole Pacific? Save me some islands though, I've always wanted to have my own private tropical island." Russia suggested.
"I'd gladly give you some! I'll even make sure they're completely uninhabited! Call me if you want to have fun, god knows I could use some right now."
China rolled his eyes. If they weren't talking about war here, you'd think they're just playing a good old game of Risk. Russia and Philippines were just treating conquering other nations as child's play and lives as toys that could be spared. He shuddered at the thought and remembered precisely why he chose to side with them.
"How has talks been with Indonesia-aru?"
"I've just got him, Uncle Yao. Before I went back home yesterday I had a stop-over at his place. He's surely siding with me."
"How did you get him to agree?" Russia asked.
"You're not the only one with great convincing powers, Ivan." She smirked. "I have my ways. I'm his beloved sister, after all. There's nothing he can refuse me, given my predicament. All will end well, I will win this war." She said with such conviction in her voice that China was also assured that she will arise as victorious in the end. He just hoped she never overdid it. He was hoping she didn't have to hurt herself more than she already did.
China knew he was the only one Philippines trusted in the whole world as of now, and maybe Indonesia too. And for that, he'd willingly fight alongside her until the end. It will be their little secret, one that he's willing to keep for the rest of his long life.
He was snapped out of his thoughts by Philippines tugging on his sleeves. She was pouting cutely. "Uncle Yao! Uncle Yao! Hello~ I want to eat Chinese food, and Ivan wants some too. Could we get something to eat now, please?"
China smiled at her and patted her on the head, "Alright, Ma'i. Uncle Yao would cook you some delicious food aru." He held her hand and led her out of the room. She instantly latched on to Ivan and dragged him along with her into the corridors.
"Thanks! I'm famished." She said.
"You've been increasingly happy these past few days, mind sharing what's on your mind?" Russia asked. He loved seeing her happy, but he can't deny he loved that other look on her more…
"Just the idea of South East Asia groveling at my feet makes me so happy and excited I almost want to have them at my mercy right now."
For a split second, China can't believe what he was hearing, but he just shrugged it off as one of Philippines' newly acquired tastes, though he made a mental note to have a talk with Ivan after she leaves.
America tried to drown out the voices of the people in the room. He shouldn't be just sitting there, silent like the dead, trying real hard to wish himself out of the room. He should have been on his feet now, slamming his knuckles on the table, getting everyone's attention, formulating some super cool plan against whatever they were fighting now, but he wasn't doing any of that. His president even looked worried at the loss of his usual over-enthusiastic distraction.
It was just that, these past few weeks, he wasn't able to sleep much. And no, he wasn't taking drugs, nor was he sick, heroes never get sick. Fine, it was about Clara. She wasn't speaking to him anymore, not until that time she practically shouted him out of her hospital room. The only reason he was dragged out of the room was when he stopped struggling when he saw the look on her eyes as she yelled profanities at him. There was too much animosity he could barely stand up straight under the weight of her gaze. There was only one word that echoed trough his mind at that time: Why?
He knew he had failed to be a hero to her. But god knows how desperately he tried to find her, even foregoing important assemblies and exhausting his own country's resources to find a single trace that could lead to her whereabouts. Everyone had seen how devastated he was when after he had tried everything, it only led to one conclusion: She had disappeared from the face of the earth, just like that.
But he never gave up. No one could disappear just like that and for Christ's sake, he's the fucking United States of America, he could spy on people halfway around the globe, surely something like finding another nation shouldn't even pose a problem. He's got the most efficient military resources, FBI, connections, money, everything, so why does everything turn up nothing?!?
Japan had helped. England had even pretended to reluctantly help. And how could he forget how half of Europe was needed to lock down Spain when he heard that his beloved only daughter was kidnapped on an American airport? Good thing Romano was nearby when they broke the news to Spain so nobody got killed but everyone there, namely Arthur, Francis, Alfred and Prussia, got pummeled, especially Alfred. He was hospitalized for two days before he could even force himself to get back to his search. The others took a week before they could even sit on their beds.
He was the first outside nation to know that she had been found after two months of turning up a blank. By then, he was he was at his wit's end. So when he learned that she was safe and recuperating in a hospital already, he let out a relieved sigh and then promptly slept for a whole 24 hours. He needed to look presentable when she sees him, not like some haggard office worker. He had arrived along with a fleet of ships and planes he was planning to give her so she'd have better protection now that she's back in her country and that whoever managed to hide her for two solid months won't get her back as easily. As much as his presence in the country was known to everyone, his visit to the hospital wasn't. He was still wary of Spain's wrath so he took to great lengths in avoiding Clara's father. It was just Alfred's luck that the man wasn't skulking outside his daughter's room with his trusty axe ready to strike any approaching American.
There were many people in the room, mainly her South East Asia family, and when he entered, they silently gave space for him. Vietnam even motioned for her neighbors to give them some time alone but Malaysia, Indonesia and especially Brunei…refused to budge from the room. So only the three of them were in the room, watching Alfred's every move that he almost felt a bit self-conscious.
"Who knows what that depraved idiot might do to my sister?" Malaysia had said but let Alfred near Philippines. Well, Malaysia acknowledges that Alfred really did his best in trying to find his sister. Malaysia pushed Alfred to, except with that thing with Sulu and Basilan, because Brunei was pushing and whining for Malaysia to do something. There's almost about zero things that he could refuse when she starts pouting and pleading with those cute damn lips of hers…Malaysia damned her for being such an airhead…
"I don't want to let her out of my sight yet. Those two months she's missing were like hell to me!" If it had been hell to her, she had made sure to make Malaysia's life then much worse than hers. But she really just wanted him to listen. She'd admit that he looked much better to her when he's irritated than when he puts on that 'suave' attitude when he's flirting with girls.
Alfred just flashed them a big thankful smile before leaning over Clara's bed and giving her a kiss on the forehead as she slept and squeezed her unusually cold hands. His smile dropped a bit when he remembered the only other time that her hands felt deathly cold. "I'm sorry I failed to find you." He whispered near her ear, though he's aware that she's asleep. But maybe, just maybe, he could start apologizing now. "I'd take care of the bad guys so sleep well, Clara."
Brunei tried so hard not to look at her best friend being cuddled by the handsome American. True, she had a slight crush on him once…but that's because he had looked so dashing back in the war and she's just hit puberty then! And she also couldn't deny that the American had always been looking at her best friend, Philippines, lovingly like he was doing now and back then as well. Like she's the most precious person in the world to him, like a lover would to his beloved. But Brunei had always been a fan of Clara's colorful love life so she snaked the camera out of her handbag silently and dared to take a snap shot of the bed where Clara was sleeping. Malaysia narrowed his eyes at her when she erupted into a burst of giggles which she tried hard to muffle by biting her finger. Malaysia and Indonesia were standing outside in the balcony while Brunei was spying at Alfred from the doorway to the balcony.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked as he snatched the digital camera from Brunei's hands.
"Taking some pictures to put in my scrapbook…as well as gossip material when she's awake. She's got a lot to pay back for worrying me insane." She smirked.
America was half-sitting on the bed near her head, one hand stroking her long black hair while the other held her cold hand. He looked over her sleeping form and winced at the numerous scrapes and bruises peeking at the hem of her clothes, the bandages that were visible through the thin cloth of the hospital gown she was wearing made his blood boil. There were just too much injuries. And what made him furious the most were the lines around her wrists and feet, it was as if she was bound too tightly. America couldn't begin to imagine the horror and pain they had put the sleeping girl beside him in. He'd personally make sure they pay for what they have done.
His grip on her hand must have tightened too much when she was stirred awake suddenly and for a moment she scanned the room until her yes fell on him…he smiled and she screamed.
The three ASEAN nations out on the balcony immediately rushed inside, the door out of the ward burst open to reveal England, who stopped for a second to take in the commotion before throwing aside the white rose bouquet he had brought for his visit and making his way to the bedside.
Clara was hysterical, she was shouting and lashing violently that America found it hard to restrain her from possibly hurting herself. He cursed at the unknown men who did this to her. She must have been having nightmares about her ordeal. He hated the awful lot of them. Whatever the reason may be, they had no right to touch Clara or even put a finger on her.
It took a few more minutes and angry yells from Philippines, Malaysia, England and Brunei before America registered the fact that she wasn't screaming at her captors, she was screaming at America, Alfred, Jones, Al, to get the hell away from her, that's he's disgusting, that he has no right to decide anything for her, and that he dies in a ditch.
"Clara! It's me, Alfred!" he said, trying hard to get close to her amidst the kicks and punches she threw at his advances.
"America, just get the bloody hell away, you're not calming her any!" England said, with his arms hooked under America's own arms, trying to extract the latter from the thrashing girl. Malaysia was in front of Alfred, pushing him away while Indonesia tried his best to calm Philippines down until Brunei had gone back from calling the nurses.
"Alfred, give it up! Maybe some other time, just get out now!" Malaysia ordered, but the American wouldn't budge. The room fell silent suddenly. Clara had switched to looking at Alfred with such open hatred that got America so shaken that he eventually allowed himself to be led out of the room by a grumpy England.
And even as England proceeded to angrily scold him after they had gotten into his car for being a nuisance to a recuperating person and why he just couldn't listen to what he's being told, there was only one thought that crossed his mind and probably blocked out everything the older man has tried to practically shout in his ears: He was hated by Clara. His spirits immediately spiraled to hell.
That was a month ago, and he was forbidden to approach Philippines until they were sure she had completely pulled through her whole ordeal. He heard it took several shots of sedatives before the nurses could pacify the furious nation even after Alfred had left. Seeing him might trigger bad memories that were already etched onto her skin. Because of her sudden aversion to him, people began to suspect that he was the cause of her disappearance, like it was another underhanded trick from the Americans to cause more trouble in the world. But all of those were lies. Alfred had vowed to never ever repeat his mistakes back at the end of the 1800's. He would never hurt her again. No matter what…Even if they find themselves to be on opposites sides of the coin.
He was broken from his thoughts by none other than his president. It was only then that he noticed that everyone in the room had already gone and the two of them were the only ones left.
He apologized for trailing off the minutes of the meeting before gathering his things, shoving them haphazardly in his briefcase and making for the door when his boss called out to him. He paused and turned back.
"Is there something you'd like to tell me about? You've been silent through the whole meeting, that isn't like you. What's wrong, America?" his boss asked, standing near the window looking down on his daughters playing on the swing he had helped build just below on the garden. America walked closer so he could see the kids too.
"I'm sorry. I guess work is catching up on me, but no worries-," he was cut off.
"Forgive me for prying, but is this behavior of yours a result of your visit to the Philippines a month ago? I'm surprised you haven't said a word about her at all. It wasn't easy to get another word out of you when she was missing. How has the girl been faring, Alfred? Is she well already?"
Alfred frowned. Even his busy boss could see that he was unusually upset about something. "She's fine and safe now. I guess that's the end of it."
His boss gave him a worried look, "I know you've heard that the Philippines had attacked Malaysia without warning two days ago and that Malaysia had declared war in retaliation. We still have a standing mutual defense pact with Philippines, Alfred. At the event that anybody attacks her, we are sworn to come to her aid. So far, Philippines had supported you in every war you waged. I am the one who's supposed to make this decision, Alfred, but I want your opinion on this matter. Given all the details of Philippines' current actions, is America still willing to fight on her side?"
"What do you mean? Are you insinuating that I leave her now that I could make good on our agreement?" Alfred frowned.
"We have just gathered conclusive evidence that Russia is plotting to go to war with us within the year. Alfred, Philippines' name is on the list of his potential allies. What prompted the sudden change of heart?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Philippines may have a beef with other South-East Asian nations but that doesn't mean she's siding with that fucking commie."
"Language, Alfred." His boss reprimanded, "Philippines was able to attack Malaysia because Russia and China had supplied her with weapons and vehicles. Her military power had increased a hundred fold, and she immediately used it on people who lived close to her. Haven't you mentioned some time ago that Malaysia was her brother? Did she ever give a reason for her actions?"
"Yes, he is. I think. Whatever reason Clara had for attacking him, I trust her. Malaysia had been pressuring her for a long time, maybe she just snapped. Ah…sorry, I just don't know what's happening to her anymore." His head was starting to ache again.
"I see. I'm curious though, what did she do when she saw you?" he made it sound like it would be his last question before he let Alfred leave so Alfred was pressured to divulge.
Alfred hesitated for a moment, not really wanting other people, besides the one who actually witnessed it, to know what had happened. But heck, it's his boss, and the guy's married, maybe Alfred could get something good out of confessing, "I really have no idea why she screamed and lashed at me. She told me to never show my face ever again. She hates me so much. I was at a loss on how to pacify her anger. When she pushes me away…I just find myself not knowing what to do anymore." He said, failing at trying not to sound pitiful.
There was only a comforting hand on his shoulder. Fuck, even England could give him that.
And then his boss told him what he's going to do. It was one of the rare times that America invited England to get drunk.
"I'm starting to think that you don't like me very much." Russia said as they dined in a table on his front porch.
China had whipped up some wonderful meal and Philippines was already snoozing on the divan he had the servants set up for her next to the table, because the temperature were somewhat warmer outside than in the house so she insisted on sleeping outside. She was so full so she fell asleep as soon as she lied down. So Russia and China were left on the table, having tea.
And I have good reason to, aru." China said casually and sipped his tea. Well, one thing that China made a point to always keep is to be honest with Ivan. Because he's one of the people who usually don't get it unless you say it right to their face.
"Tell me, Yao. I don't like it when you care less for me than I care for you." Ivan said with an innocent smile.
China almost scalded his tongue on his tea. But of course, he somewhat hated it when Ivan could talk so casually about their relationship too. They weren't exactly best friends, and they certainly are not lovers. They somehow just got stuck in between.
"It's just that, you've changed her a lot aru. I'm almost afraid of what she's capable of nowadays. Could you tell me what is the meaning of this?" China managed to give Ivan a stern look which the latter just ignored as always.
"I merely got rid of a probable useful ally for America before she got useful to him. Just the thought of her being with me could Alfred through the roof. Besides, getting her on my side had some merits." Ivan answered. How he wished he could have seen Alfred's face when he learned that he'll be against her.
"Like what aru?" China knew that Philippines had no use for Russia. There just happens to be a reason why she landed herself on the Russian's good side.
"Like…she's my new toy. She's pretty hard to topple down when she gets serious. And the thing I like about her most is that she's tired of people underestimating her. We could expect much from her. This war would be splendid." Ivan said excitedly, taking a sip on his tea as he looked at Philippines' calm sleeping face.
China followed Russia's gaze. "Hm. As long as you don't cross the lines again. I won't forgive you as easily next time aru."
"Depends on whether she sticks to the plan. I'd hate it if her little Pacific theater is boring."
"Don't worry. It would be a good show. Once Vietnam finally gathers the guts to stick her sorry ass out and attack me, everything would work out just fine." Philippines said with her eyes still closed. She was still lying as if she was still asleep so her sudden talk surprised the two nations who were watching her sleep. "I have been thinking, America's boss had been lobbying for limitation of nuclear warheads for a long time now and I bet you've exceeded your production nevertheless because you're just cool like that or whatever, but where do you keep the excess missiles? You can't exactly destroy them since that would be a waste of good money."
"Are you interested in purchasing nuclear weapons, Philippines?" Ivan asked good-heartedly as if they were just talking about toys again.
Philippines opened her eyes and turned on her side so she could face Ivan "Maybe…I don't really have any use for them back in my place…but what the heck, tell me about it." she smirked.
China just went back to his tea. Really, the two of them could use some seriousness in their lives. They are talking so casually about these things again. He knew Ivan for the longest time, and China is glad that Russia had found a friend in Philippines and that his smiles somehow got meaning these days. He wondered if it was Russia who had influenced her or the other way around. Because their attitudes were certainly blending into one another. Yao dared a glance at Russia. It doesn't look like he had found a toy, more like he got a playmate. He then glanced at Philippines. He wondered if her wounds still hurt at night. China thought, I'd find out later.
Later that night, China had no idea what Philippines saw when she walked in front of the mirror and smashed it afterwards in hysterics.
April 29, 1897 – June 14, 1897
She did not try to run away so she was never bound. She did not say a word so she was never gagged. She did not trust a single soul so she never cared. All she ever thought about was the man in the hammock, Andres Bonifacio. She was worried for Bonifacio's health. The wounds that were inflicted on him when he was arrested was so grave, he was merely an inch from death. His captors won't let his wounds be treated properly. Clara wanted to reach out to him but they were kept separately. She wasn't exactly a prisoner so they can't put her in prison, she's just forced to be there, like a trophy of some sort or some symbol of authority for her captors. Clara knew all the men there were Aguinaldo's and therefore under his command. She refused to loathe him despite his hostile actions towards Andres. She can't yet, and she shouldn't play favorites. She knew it was unfair.
"Let me treat his wounds. He's already suffered enough. He might not last until the trial if this keeps up." She said to one of the generals who came to dine with her every night.
"He's already sleeping, maybe tomorrow." He said no more.
Clara turned away, her grip on her utensils tightening, 'That's what you said last night too. Why don't you just directly admit that you want him to die?'
The next day, the trial opened in Naik. Clara felt a bit relieved that they were fair enough to give Andres a trial, and that they let her attend. It's quite a momentous experience for her, it would be the first time she'd get to witness an all-Filipino trial, with her own people presiding, prosecuting and defending one another. Everyone knows that Spanish courts which had prosecuted Filipinos in the past only served injustice and lack of fairness. She, as well as her people, hated them. Clara expected a clean trial. A real trial at last.
But what she got was a complete farce. Personal prejudice was rampant and the very fact that the man on trial was the enemy of President Aguinaldo made a verdict of guilty a foregone conclusion. The mockery of her expectations was like a slap to her face.
Her jaw almost dropped when she saw the men who composed the Council of War who were to preside and act as jury for the duration of the whole trial. They were all Caviteños, Aguinaldo's men. She then knew that it would be hard to win the case. As much as they are prosecuting him for sedition, treason and plotting to kill Aguinaldo, from Clara's point of view, they were grilling him for not being from Cavite too.
Clara frowned when the last member of the Council entered the room. She narrowed her eyes, "Isn't that the man Bonifacio earlier arrested in connection with freeing Spanish prisoners? What is he doing in there?" she was sitting beside Baldomero Aguinaldo, Emilio's cousin, because the latter was busy.
"He's a general, of course he's there." was the only reply she got. She did not talk to him anymore afterwards.
Clara was more enraged by how Pio del Pilar, Mariano Noriel and Severino de las Alas, all signatories of the Naik Military Agreement with Bonifacio, were able to make up for having once supported Andres in the above mentioned agreement.
Del Pilar testified in the trial, "Bonifacio had been forcing officers to join him, I'm just glad Aguinaldo was able to stop such a desperate man from his illegal measures." Clara wanted to chuck the chair she was sitting in down his throat. What a lie!
As for Severino de las Alas, he also made false charges against Bonifacio, "The friars had paid him to establish the Katipunan and to egg us all into fighting a war for which we are poorly armed. He's planning to surrender his men to the Spaniards." Which was, much to Clara's disbelief, widely accepted, as well as more false charges like Bonifacio ordering his soldiers to forcibly take carabaos and other animals from the people and that he had ordered for the burning of the convent and church in of Indang.
Mariano Noriel presided over the whole trial.
As the days of the trial passed with false charges against Bonifacio and his brother piling one after another, Clara almost lost hope that she might be able to get Bonifacio alive out of this mess they were in. Until the last day of the trial, she kept up a tiny sliver of hope, which was also crushed, by the way, by her own people again.
The fact that the court gave credence to the story of Lt. Col. Pedro Giron, a Bonifacio partisan turned State witness, who said that he was given ten pesos in advance by Andres to kill Aguinaldo in case the latter did not submit to his authority, proved to be too much of a conspiracy to her.
Clara stood up and openly complained, "That's completely a lie! Andres even said to me that Aguinaldo is not his enemy! He knows that Emilio is an effective leader and is beneficial to the revolution, how could you even consider Giron's testimony? Where is he anyway?" she yelled before anyone in the court could stop her.
Andres smiled weakly at her from the front pew, glad that he had at least someone who believes in him in this court. Andres could not even trust his own lawyer.
He stood up and faced Noriel, speaking for the first time since the whole trial had started, "Could the court please present me Lt. Col. Giron so that I may question him about his testimony? If he's the state's witness for a crime I certainly did not commit, why is he not present in this room today?"
Noriel overruled him on the grounds that Giron…was already dead.
Clara wanted to strangle every single one on the court except Bonifacio. In her mind, there was a really big WHAT?!? blocking all her other more rational thoughts. She can't find a word to describe how she felt at that moment. Enraged, Furious, and even stupid was among them though. She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. 'What a load of bullcrap…I didn't know that they were this desperate to get rid of Bonifacio.' She dared a glance at Bonifacio's direction. He had sat back down again, Clara knew Bonifacio for a long time now. He was trying to keep the last ounce of dignity and self-esteem his enemies were forcibly taking out of him. Clara saw his hands curling into fists as it rested on his thighs. She smiled a little. The normally hot-headed Bonifacio was also keeping his temper in control.
But nothing beats the closing remarks of Bonifacio's own defense lawyer, "If there is a punishment worse than death, Andres Bonifacio deserves it for plotting to kill our respected president. Good night."
Clara wanted to faint. The guy did not just say that. She closed her gaping mouth and had wanted to have a verbal run-off again but stopped when she saw Andres' reaction. He was just calm, as if he did not hear it.
Clara was sure then, that she'd never let him die because of this, even if she had to beg Aguinaldo for Bonifacio's life, she will.
On May 6, the court's decision was ready. Two days later, Baldomero, now auditor of war, recommended to hi cousin, the President, approval of the decision rendered by the court on the ground that it had proven that Bonifacio wanted to kill the President and overthrow the government.
Clara went to Aguinaldo immediately when rumors circulated that Bonifacio was sentenced to be executed. She found him at his temporary office in Naik. The man had looked worn out, probably because of all the retreating he had been doing the past few days. He was losing most of his confrontations with the Spaniards, which was not a good sign.
"I have a favor to ask of you, would you grant me this one wish of mine?" she asked. She hid her hands behind her so she won't appear nervous or afraid. Bonifacio's life depended on her now.
"What is it, Filipinas? If it is anything within my power, I would certainly grant it." Aguinaldo answered, looking up from the reports and letters on his table. Actually, he had been looking for a way to turn her over to his side and get into her good graces. He'd fully consolidate his authority if the motherland was on his side.
"The court had sentenced Bonifacio to die. I want you to overturn the sentence. Even deportation would do or exile from the Revolution. I don't want him to die, please."
"But, Señorita Clara, the man had been found guilty by the court of sedition and treason, as well as plotting to kill me. Surely such a man of his caliber-,"
Clara bit her lip and knelt on the ground before Aguinaldo. "I've been accompanying Bonifacio and his troops ever since the start of this revolution. I am the motherland. You're all born from this land. I understand the sacrifices you had to make to set me free. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, I really do. I had always thought that armed-conflict was not the right path to freedom, but it is inevitable, and even I had led troops myself in order to defeat the Spaniards after they killed Jose Rizal." She paused, trying to weigh his expression if there's a single chance that he'd capitulate.
The man looked as regal as ever, she continued, "I'm sorry if I had to bring my personal feelings into this matter, but Bonifacio had taken good care of me, he was like a father to me. He's special to me. It pains me to think that he'd be killed at the hands of the men he should have fought along with. I beg you, spare the man his life. He had already given up more than enough for my sake. Let him walk away from this with his life."
"It is easy to give the man his life, Señorita Clara. But as a Filipino, I have my pride as well. If I was in Bonifacio's place, I wouldn't want to walk away with just my life. Andres' life is with the revolution, if he can't fight for it, he is nothing but the empty shell of a man. He'd have no more purpose. He may have his life, but he won't be really living. He'd be like a walking corpse, his actions as insignificant as that of the dead. Which would you choose, Filipinas? Life or death?" he helped her up and looked hard at the young lady.
She closed her eyes, turned around and left silently. She did a double take when she reached the door, and turned back at Aguinaldo, looking solemn. "Life. I want him to live."
"Do as you wish, Filipinas." Aguinaldo said. She said a brief thanks before closing the door behind her.
Emilio Aguinaldo sighed and returned to sit at his desk, fishing for the papers his cousin had asked him to sign earlier about the finalization of Bonifacio's punishment. He stared at it for a few minutes before summoning his council to his office.
She followed her guide as he led her towards Bonifacio's cell. She lugged her medical supplies beside her, as well as the basket of food she intended to bring him.
"He's in there." The soldier held the flaps of the entrance open for her as she entered. The space inside was almost bare besides the single bed where Bonifacio lay prone and a single chair beside it where a guard sat. She beckoned the guard to get out.
Once they were alone, Clara woke Bonifacio up.
"Andres, Andres! Wake up! It's me, Clara! I brought you dinner. And I'm going to dress your wounds too." She shook him a bit until he stirred awake.
He sat up at the sight of her, and Clara helped him into a sitting position with the headboard supporting his back. "Clara?!? Why are you here? Did you sneak in here? Where are my guards?" he asked worryingly. She had a penchant for sneaking around this past few days…he might have a small idea where she got that habit from. That idiot would certainly pay.
"No, it's okay. I'm allowed to be here. I brought you food. After you eat, I'd clean your wounds." She gave him a reassuring smile.
"There's no need to clean my wounds. I'm going to die soon. I have known that I'm not going to get out of Cavite alive." He said, taking the food presented to him nonetheless.
She ignored what he just said, "I talked to Aguinaldo earlier, I asked him if he could spare your life." She sat on the chair beside his bed, cradling the medical kit in her lap.
Bonifacio put down his food and looked at her in the eye, "No, Clara. I refuse to owe the man my life. I am aware of what I have become to this revolution: a threat that had to be eliminated as soon as possible."
"How could you be a threat to the revolution when you support it with your whole life? Andres, you are important to this cause, you have been since the start. You started this. I want to see you finish it."
"I have resigned myself to my fate, Clara. If God has willed me to die in this way, I would gladly welcome it." Clara disliked the fact that he looked relieved.
"No, it is not. It was the will of those men. I need you to live. If I get you out of Cavite, surely they won't have any more reason to castigate you. Lead the revolution in Visayas and Mindanao. Far away from Aguinaldo so you won't have to clash with each other."
"You can't erase the fact that Aguinaldo's supporters are very much afraid of what I'm capable of, Clara. I stand in the way of the Cavite leadership's goal of gaining control of the revolution. If I die, Aguinaldo's authority over the revolution would be solidified."
She got to her feet, "But-! No! W-wait! That can't be right! They can't be that selfish…I-I mean-why won't you listen to me? You're both strong and competent! The more force we have, the better chance we'll win, correct? I thought you want do this for me…why won't you live when I ask you to?" she hugged her knees close to her and buried her face in her folded arms. She could feel Bonifacio patting her on the head like she's some sort of child who needs comfort. She sulked even more. "I do believe we're talking seriously here…stop placating me, it's never done me any good."
Bonifacio even had the gall to chuckle at her, "Somehow, it seems being friends with Jacinto rubbed off on me and I ended up spoiling you when I swore I won't. You've become more vocal of the things you want. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing yet."
"Yeah, right…are we going to pretend you're not going to die now? Andres, please take this a bit more seriously like I had expected you to. You're acting like Jacinto."
"If I am Jacinto I'd already be at my feet wreaking havoc outside…I do wonder what that idiot is doing right now…do you have any news?" he chuckled a bit at remembering his best friend.
"Sorry. I didn't have time to check on him. But he must be doing fine on his own for now. I told him to wait for us." She could not stop the smile that appeared on her lips when she remembered the moments the three of them had. "I bet one way or another he's spouting some non-sense like his undying love for me somewhere."
Bonifacio nodded in agreement and they both shared a laugh at Jacinto's expense, when the laughter died down, he said, "Are you aware, Clara, of Jacinto's lineage? Of why he had attached himself to you immediately since you two met? It's the only reason I always reprimanded his useless flirting with you but never really tried to separate you two."
Clara shook her head 'no'. Her forehead creased in curiosity, "He has never mentioned anything about his parentage at all." she closed her eyes for a bit, "Hmmm…now that I think about it, he never once mentioned even having parents. I don't know anything about him at all! Except that he dropped out of college so he could join the revolution. Oh, that guy isn't really a lawyer!"
"Yes, he isn't. But he's intelligent when he wants to. Jacinto is from a poor family. So he'd have a chance of a better life, his mother sent him to her rich brother so Jacinto could be provided with better life but he dropped out of college when he joined the Katipunan. I remember he once told me that it was his mother who encouraged him to join. He said she had insisted that it was some sort of payback or atonement for her sins."
Clara hanged on to his every word, "Joining the Katipunan for atonement? What did she do? What could you possibly atone for by joining the Katipunan…-unless she had a sin against me?" She cocked her head to the side in confusion, "I don't remember anything like that…what's the name of his mother?"
"I think it's Josefa Dizon…I'm not very sure…ring a bell?"
"No…I don't recognize it from anywhere at all. But if she was that desperate to be forgiven that she'd even give up her son, I guess she's really sincere…it's not like Jacinto is acting like he's being forced into this."
"He wasn't. He's really happy to be with you. He said it was a dream come true." He let out a yawn. "Well, I'm tired. Go back to your tent now, Clara. It was nice talking to you."
Clara giggled. "Yeah, it was nice. Didn't know Jacinto would ever make an interesting topic. Goodnight, Andres. I'll be taking my leave now, goodbye." And she took her leave.
"Farewell, Clara." Bonifacio said after her. She waved behind her as she disappeared from the entrance.
She was already a few meters away from his tent when she realized something, she tried to turn back but the guards forbade her from entering again, "Andres! That was unfair! You tricked me! We're not finished talking yet! I'll be back tomorrow!"
Emilio Aguinaldo watched from the window of his office as Clara shouted at Bonifacio outside the man's tent. She seemed so full of life when she was with Bonifacio, but in his presence, she was cold and untouchable. He wondered deep in his heart if he was doing the right thing. The girl had admitted that she had looked upon Bonifacio like some sort of father figure. And it was his 'motherland' he was talking about. The decision to eliminate such a man like Bonifacio would certainly put a ravine between him and Clara. But what can he do?
He looked at the men currently present in his office. Generals Noriel and del Pilar, both of whom used to be from Bonifacio's flock, were the ones who were adamantly persuading him to finalize the decision to execute Bonifacio. He had been refusing since he had given his word to Clara. The court decision was still in his hands. As long as the document was still whole, the responsibility would be his.
"The revolution has no need for two leaders! There's only one seat for the president, which Señor Aguinaldo has won! A divided revolution would bring doom to us all! We must not repeat the same mistake as our ancestors. Bonifacio should be eliminated as soon as possible. He's a threat to our cause." Noriel insisted.
Ricarte glared at him, "Have you no shame, Mariano? The man has already been dragged through your phony court. He's been forced to stand in shame. What more could the people gain from following a man the government clearly despises? Once the man moves out of Cavite, I doubt he'd ever pose a problem to any of you. We do not have to kill each other over something like power. The revolution is our concern, not your dirty politics!" he reasoned out.
Aguinaldo could feel a headache coming. His carefully built position or Clara?
By the end of the meeting, Aguinaldo had allowed the decision to stand. On May 10, Major Lazaro Makapagal who had acted as secretary of the court martial will carry out Noriel's order of execution.
I'm sorry, Clara.
Clara was already suspicious the second night they refused her entry to Bonifacio's tent.
"Sorry, Señorita Clara, but General Aguinaldo had prohibited visitors tonight. Please go back to your quarters, it is late." said the guard to her when she tried to bring in food to Andres as well as force him to let her clean his wounds.
"But last night you said tonight will be okay. What's going on here?" she glared at the poor guard.
The guard seemed nervous, "Please take your complaints to General Aguinaldo. I'm just following orders."
Clara huffed impatiently before turning to find Aguinaldo. The man is probably still in his office catching up on his work. Clara was aware of the military reverses Aguinaldo had been doing for the past few days. He was losing more and more battles as the revolution intensifies. The Spanish were surprisingly gaining more ground. She had a sneaking suspicion that her father was on the front lines again. She needed to resolve this mess as soon as possible so she could go help in the front lines.
She was walking in the hallway when she heard people approaching in the opposite direction. It was Daniel Tirona and some random Katipunero. She instantly hid herself in a dark corner and tried to wait until Tirona was out of sight. Really, there was no need to hide from Tirona, but the past few days that she was forced to be in his presence weren't pleasant experiences. It seems he held a grudge when she didn't stop Bonifacio from threatening to shoot him for the second time. Well, it's not like she missed any amount of attention from him.
"It's a good thing that incompetent fool is getting what he's been asking for at last. Let's celebrate, my friend. Tonight, the pretentious 'bodegero' dies!" Tirona laughed as he and his companion disappeared around the corner.
Clara was frozen in her corner. There was only one man in the world that Tirona hates more than anyone. But didn't Aguinaldo allow Bonifacio to live? When he told her to 'do as you wish', that meant he's not going to execute Andres anymore, right? Then why is Tirona saying that Andres will die tonight? Are they trying to keep everything a secret from her, the reason why they won't let her see Bonifacio anymore? Clara felt anger and hatred well up inside her. She fisted her hands and hit it against the wall behind her continuously. Not able to calm herself down, she stalked out of her hiding place, ignoring the stares she got from people who were loitering the hallway leading to Aguinaldo's office. She ignored Ricarte calling out her name and marched right into Aguinaldo's office, slamming the door open, startling Aguinaldo from his paper work.
Aguinaldo looked up from his work and right into the fuming girl slowly making her way towards him, with some of his generals following behind her. Ricarte was busily trying to get her to calm down but to no avail, Clara's attention was on Aguinaldo alone. He swallowed, "What can I do for you at this hour, Señorita Clara?" he remained seated, not really wanting to get within arms' reach of the girl.
"You lied to me! You said you're going to let him live! Where is he? Where did you take him?" she asked a bit shakily, she could feel restraining hands on her shoulders and arms but she just stood her ground. She knew it won't do her any good if she blows. Even in this situation, there are still some rules to upkeep.
No sound came from Aguinaldo. Clara sighed and looked up, the tears were coming again. "I really wanted to trust you, Aguinaldo. I really tried. But you're just not-," she trailed off when she saw the look on his face. He looks like he's also containing his anger too.
"What am I not, Clara? Go on, tell me." he said in a stern voice.
She could no longer stop her tears from falling. She bit her lip, looked anywhere but Aguinaldo's eyes and was reduced to sobbing briefly into her hands. She felt the hands on her arms and shoulders slowly fall. Finally, she looked back at Aguinaldo, red eyes meeting his cold ones, "You're not like him. You'll never be like him." She turned and fled the building.
The cold night air soothed her as she made her way to where the horses were fettered. She was no longer crying when she walked past the keeper of the horses and did not bother waking him up either from his slumber. She did not bother saddling the horse she picked. She just mounted on it and rode off. It was a wonder the keeper did not awoke when the horse whinnied. She was about to get out of the camp when Ricarte suddenly appeared in the way and she had to stop before she crushed him.
"Get away, Señor Ricarte. I wouldn't want to trample you." She said, trying to keep the calm in her voice. It was Ricarte after all. Even if he turned sides, he was still a man worth her respect.
"Am I to assume that you already know where to find him?" Ricarte answered plainly, his hands behind him, making him look like some kind of teacher.
Clara looked away, "No, but I'm certainly getting out of this hellhole." She let the horse move forward a few feet to get Ricarte to get out of her way.
Ricarte sighed and moved aside. "I tried to plead for his life but I failed. They took him to Mt. Buntis in Maragondon before sunset. I highly doubt you'd make it in time. It has been three hours already. Are you still going to find him at this hour?"
"It's been that long?!? I must get going. Goodbye, Señor Ricarte." She patted the horse.
"Wait, silly girl. At least take these with you. Are you planning to grope around in the dark?" He presented to her the knapsack he had been holding behind him the whole time. She reached out and took them. "There's a lamp, matches, and a gun and bolo inside. No need to return them to me afterwards. I highly doubt we'd see each other soon." He gave her a reassuring smile and salute. "Take care of yourself, Señorita Clara."
Even if she really needed to get going, she jumped down from the horse and gave the middle-aged man a hug which he returned, "Thank you. Take care of yourself too, lolo. Thank you for trying to save Andres. I'd take my leave now." She gave him a smile before mounting back on the horse and kicking the horse into a full run.
"May the good Lord watch over you, Filipinas!" he called after her and waited until she was swallowed by the night.
"Oh no, someone stole a horse!" panted the keeper of the horses when he reached Ricarte.
Ricarte gave him a pat on the shoulder, "My good man, say anything about this and you'd be fired."
It was so dark she was finding it hard to see where she was going when all she could see were silhouettes. It was a cloudy night and she could practically see nothing when the moon gets covered by some cloud, not like the little light she could get from the moon was enough. She wanted to light the lamp in her knapsack but it's hard to keep balance in a horse with no saddle. She should have at least fitted a saddle to the horse. Good thing her skirts were thick or she would have been hurting so much right now.
She had already accepted the fact that there was no chance that she'd ever find Bonifacio alive. She had been too late. So what's the purpose of trying to find him in the dark when he's probably buried in a grave right now? It seems some part of her still seem to want to see his corpse for herself. Maybe for proper closure? To say sorry for being a dead weight to him and Jacinto? What could she possibly do anymore when she sees his dead body? Tear her eyes and hair out? Scream in anguish like she did when Rizal died? Why can't she just accept the fact that there was nothing more she can do for him? She can't save him like she would have wanted.
Farewell, Clara.
Had he known that would be the last time she'd see him alive? She's crying again. No, it was just because of the wind blasting in her face as she sped up that made her eyes hurt. There's no more reason to cry. She can't keep showing weakness like this whenever someone dies. She's in the middle of a fucking war, everyone she cares about fights in the war, how could she not expect them to die sooner or later? She had prepared herself to make sacrifices when she entered the front lines, when she had her own troops to lead. She shouldn't cry for Bonifacio when she had never cried for the thousand nameless others who had died before he did. They should have all been equal in her eyes, because all they could give her was their life, nothing more, nothing less than what Rizal, Andres, and a thousand others had. She realized she shouldn't have said those words to Aguinaldo. She should stop trying to find Andres in him. As much as she was angry at him, she resolved to apologize to him the next time they meet. He's her boss, they're bound to meet sooner or later, whether she wins or loses this battle.
After two hours, she was sure she had reached Mt. Buntis. She slowed down a bit to let the horse rest a little. She knew looking for a newly mounted grave or a corpse wouldn't be as easy as she thought it would be when she set out. Mountains are always huge and vast. Not to add the fact that it's also night time.
She let the horse walk along the beaten path used by the farmers living in the mountains to go down to the town of Maragondon to sell their produce. Now that she was here, she actually had no idea where to start searching. And it's scary. Back in the days before the colonization, she used to believe in 'aswang' and 'engkanto', the so-called pagan creatures. But they were not make-belief, she had seen some of them, especially the elves and 'nuno'. They were the first creatures she ever saw when she was born a really long time ago. She had lived among them before she found the first settlers from Asia. Her people had regressed from believing in them since the spread of Christianity in the islands.
After another thirty minutes, she could see a light ahead of her. It was a farmer on his carabao. What he's still doing out at this hour, she had no idea. She decided to ask if he'd seen a small procession of men going into the mountain.
It was just her luck when the farmer seemed to contemplate, it took some time but he answered, "No, but I did see about five men hacking someone in a hammock about a mile from here. I was passing by to go to my friend's funeral in his house up here when I saw them near the river from the road." He pointed to the river running down in the ravine on the other side of the road. "Just follow that. I didn't check where they put him. It wasn't such a pleasant sight to see. I was thinking not to go back tonight in case they ambush me but I promised my wife I'd get back tonight." The farmer explained quite happily, as if he never felt threatened at all.
Clara found it a bit odd but thanked him nonetheless. She tried giving him the gun Ricarte had given her in case the farmer is still wary of being ambushed. "Ah, no, no. The Guardia Civil always freeloads on our dinner table. If they find a gun at my house, they'd send me to jail. Be careful with that gun, señorita." He waved a dismissive hand and got moving, leaving her staring after him.
"Thank you, ginoo." She shouted after him before leading her horse down the slope on the side of the road to the river. If she follows the river, she might see where they killed Bonifacio.
She lit the lamp and used it to search for anything. Clothes, blood stains, anything that could tell her that humans have been there a bit earlier. She can't help but think back on what the farmer had said as she waded through the river; five men stabbing someone on a hammock. Someone too weak to even stand that he had to be carried on a hammock. Someone who had sustained wounds that were left untreated for days. And that someone is Bonifacio. She almost can't believe that the man she had spent the last six years of her life with had gone down like that.
When she was sure she had gone up a mile, she dismounted from the horse and started searching the ground. She used the lamp to illuminate the area, looking for mounds or anything. She didn't notice that she had gone a hundred more meters before she saw a rock stained with blotches of red. She raised her lamp and gasped in horror. There were two bodies a few feet in front of her, lying exactly at the place, where she supposed, they were killed. She went to the one closest to her. The corpse was lying on its stomach so she had to turn it over. It was cold like she had expected it to, and a little stiff. She looked at the face of the corpse. She recognized it as Bonifacio's brother, Procopio. She gently laid him back on the grass and called out in the dark in a shaky voice, "A-andres?!" she hurried over to the other body.
She stared at Bonifacio's mangled corpse, as if her brain and all her senses had stopped functioning. She had known she would just end up crying when she confirms his death, but she never expected that she'd be petrified that even the tears won't come. His clothes were crisp dry with blood. He was still in the hammock, not a limb out of it. He was lying perfectly, like he was just sleeping. She couldn't count the stabs that had killed him, she figured that even one would have done him in just the same. There was no need to stab him too much she could not even decipher spaces between the hacks. And his face, his normally creased eyebrows, were stretched out just fine. And his mouth, the one that used to scold her and Jacinto, were closed tight. Clara concluded, with just a little more effort, he would have died with a smile on his face. In death, the man looked as regal as he did when she first met him.
"What a face you have in death, Andres. If I had known earlier, I would have teased you about it." she looked at the cloudy sky while tapping her foot on the ground like she did when she was getting impatient, but right now, she just wanted to do that, Andres did it too when Jacinto was exceedingly clingy to her, "What the hell am I supposed to do again now? I guess I just don't have luck with men. It's either they're my father, lives somewhere far, or dies on me. Why can't anybody stay on my side as long as I want them to? I know I don't act like the average Filipina, but I do try sometimes, because I've been told to, mind you, but that can't be the reason, could it? I'm starting to speak nonsense again just to keep myself occupied with other things and then I'd proceed to deny the fact that you've died and I'm all alone. I don't even have any idea as to why I even tried finding you, but seeing that they didn't even have the decency to bury you, it's a good thing I did."
"How do you feel about my half-assed eulogy? This is the only funeral available at this moment, Andres. I'm sorry I'm the only one attending. I honestly don't know how I'll find Jacinto after this. Did I ever tell how much I'll miss you and the father figure I have built in you?" she looked repentantly at his corpse and fell to the ground on her bottom, hugging her knees close to her like she always did when she felt like hiding but had no other means to, and buried her face in the fold of her arms.
"I bet you've also felt that I was looking for my father in you, because you also started treating me like a daughter halfway there. You showed me the love you could have given to your own child. I'm not your real daughter, and we both know that I'd return to my own father once this war is over. That's the reason I loved you. You've enriched my life far more than anybody could have. You treated me as your own but never bound me. You gave me a taste of the freedom I yearned for. There were no restrictions, maybe a few rules that were always overlooked because of some idiot we both know, and lots and lots of different people, with different lives, different stories to tell, lives to lead, and different choices, too."
"This is the life I chose on my own, right? But why is everything still so wrong? I still keep making the same mistakes no matter how hard I try to avoid them." she looked at him, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "God, I'm so useless."
She stopped talking for a few minutes, listening to the crickets, the frogs, the night owls and flow of the river, breathing into the cup of her own hands.
"There were so many things I wish I had told you and many more that I wish you would be there so I could tell you as it happens so you'd know just how much I like it when you listen to me. I love you, Andres. As a friend, as a daughter and as your country. The country you had fought for and died for. I'd make this country the nation you had dreamed of." She stared at his face for a long time before she stood up and started collecting branches, leaves and twigs and piling them on top of the two corpses. She kept the two apart so she could put their ashes in separate plots.
By midnight, the corpses were on fire. She had used the gas inside the lamp to spread the fire faster, consuming the corpses as the cold mountain breezes fanned them higher. Clara sat on top of the horse which was standing on a shallower part of the river, watching the whole proceeding, not minding the scorching heat, the smoke and the cold winds. She kept her eyes on the corpses as the fire slowly ate at them. She felt her heart clenching as the fires fully consumed Andres.
Hey, Andres, do you think Rizal went to heaven?
I don't think so…you've listened to a friar have mass before, right? Only Spaniards could go to heaven. Indios have a stopover in purgatory before we go straight to hell.
Hahahahaha...what do you think heaven looks like?
A place…like my country.
"I wonder if a place like that can exist down here. That place humans call 'heaven'." she whispered.
As morning rolled on, the fires have gone down to embers, and the bodies were gone. Clara collected the remains and buried them in shallow graves because she only had the bolo and her bare hands to work with after all. She said a little prayer before putting the soil back in each grave and marking it with twigs and stones.
"Farewell, Andres."
She mounted her horse and started her search for Jacinto.
Historical facts: Argh…I won't be writing this anymore, it's tiring. I hope you know that not all things are accurate when Hetalia-fied. So when in doubt, consult a historical book. Cause we're all grown up here, I bet you could read a good historical book. I try hard to keep to the facts, though. So don't worry much.