I'm really sorry if Paulita doesn't bow down to Prussia's awesomeness. I'll explain it a bit.
Paulita would definitely dislike (if not completely despise) Prussia. Of course, she is a very sensitive and bad-tempered girl, much like Lovino. She rebelled against Spain, but somehow, he kept forgiving her. She always fought back, though, even if she's sure to lose. I based this from history and an observation of the traits and habits of my countrymen. Of course, she'd readily turn down seeing his five meters, being taught by Spain to be a prude.
Disclaimer: You know the drill.
Chapter 2: Hospitality, the Filipino Way
"Maybe you should try going to Philippines' place! Look at you, Austria. You could use some color on your face. I know it's been rough with her…but come on! Prussia won't even set foot on my former little sister's territory. She'll just whack him…just like when she was younger…just like what she did to me in 1898. But I still love her anyway…"
I wonder why I even said yes to this. Austria sighed, looking at the sapphire waters at the end of the property. There was a lack of direct transportation from his house to Philippines', so he had to stop by China's and take a boat.
"Austria, it's nice to see you!" China said, his brown eyes bright, unlike the jaded purple ones of the other nation. China's adorable panda stayed beside him, eyeing the stranger curiously.
"Thank you, China. It's nice to see you, too." Austria said, giving a small smile. "By the way, why are you still wearing these clothes even if you're vacationing in the tropics? It's quite hot where Paulita lives, but she'll treat you very well. She's a nice person, and I've been exchanging things with her ever since she was a kid." China smiled, reassuring Austria.
"Well, if there's a banquet or something…I'd like to be ready. Yes, I've met Philippines before. Spain brought her to my house. She was a small but extremely spunky creature." Austria said, recalling that day.
"Banquet? Aiyaaaa! Philippines has many of those, aru! You must attend at least one feast in her house." China said, walking with the taller nation towards his dock. "By the way, you might not recognize her. She's changed a lot. She matured quickly after the War. You might see America there. He visits fairly often."
"Thank you for telling me those things." Austria replied, still very polite.
They walked all the way to the edge of China's property. Austria had never experienced walking on sand, so he took off one of his shoes and let his feet dig into the yellowish soil. China noticed him and smiled. "Wait until you get to Philippines' shore. The sand is white!"
Austria's looked up in disbelief as he put on his shoe. "Really now?" "You have to see it for yourself!" China said, as the aristocrat boarded the boat.
China rowed the boat, watching the other nation survey the crystal-clear waters. "What else do I have to know about Philippines?" Austria implored.
"She's taking care of three children: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Mindanao's a bit…hostile to strangers, but he'll warm up. Be careful, there are some beggars and muggers on the street, so don't go out without her. She also has a new boss, so wear yellow if she asks you to meet with him." China said, telling more about his friend.
"And why yellow?" Austria raised a brown eyebrow. "Ah, it's his signature color." China answered. Austria returned to watching the scenery. The sky was almost cloudless, and he could feel the humidity in the air. He couldn't help but remove the navy overcoat and fold his sleeves. He'd fix them again when he steps on the shore.
Austria wiped the sweat forming on his brow. It's much warmer than in my house. He looked at the view before him. There were three lush, verdant islands surrounded by mangroves and coconut trees. The sand was white, sparkling in the midday sun. They also had quaint dwellings made out of dried leaves and wood. In spite of their appearance, they could withstand the yearly storms. The three islands seemed to be connected by bridges made out of wood and bamboo, and all three islands were separately connected to a bigger island.
The biggest island contained a house which resembled Spain's. It had three floors. The bottom storey was made out of stone and wooden doors with metal knockers. The other ones was made of wood, and had huge wooden windows decorated with shells and screens.
"You think this is pretty? Wait for the sunset! A lot of people from all over the world watch that." China said. "They come here just to watch a sunset?" Austria asked, annoyed by the triviality. "Aiyaaa, no. Of course not! They come here for the food, the people, the festivals, the culture and other things!" China said.
"Very well, then."
"Austria, this is Philippines' house."
China jumped into the shallow water and pulled the boat to shore. Austria stared into the water, not seeing his reflection, but the seaweed and a few crabs underwater. The water was clearer than glass.
He then rolled down his sleeves, wore his coat and straightened his jabot in spite of the warm weather. He made sure his hair was fixed, except for that strand which didn't want to come down. Oh, Mariazell. He stepped out of the boat, carrying his suitcase. His feet were drowned by the white sand.
"You have a visitor, aru!" China called out as they stayed on the shore.
They could hear footsteps slowly coming towards them. It came from the trees surrounding the place. "Yes, I'm coming!" a voice echoed from the forest. It was firm and ready, but with a hint of tenderness. It sounded more like a woman meeting her lover than a servant running errands
A young woman who couldn't be older than twenty-five came out of the forest. She was dressed in a loose cotton blouse and a calf-length red floral skirt wrapped around her narrow waist. Her black hair bounced as she ran, kept in place by a bandana the same color as her skirt. She was wearing wooden slippers on her dainty feet. Tucked behind her ear was a blood-red hibiscus. She held a garland of tiny flowers in her hand, together with a fan.
Her hair was in a bun, with a few stray locks framing her face. She no longer had the babyish look of the olden times. She was almost regal, even in plain clothes, but with a tough air of a street rat.
She ran in the sand upon seeing China. "Kuya China!" her pouty lips almost squealed when she tightly embraced the Asian nation. "Well, hello, beloved panda." She added quickly.
"Philippines! It's nice to see you again. How are you?" China said, embracing her back. Austria watched curiously. That's Philippines? "I'm alright, but Spain said that I'd have another visitor. I was busy preparing his lodgings and all." Philippines looked a bit worried. She spotted Austria in the corner of her eye. "By the way, Kuya, who is that?" she whispered.
"That's your visitor, Philippines! It's Austria!" China said, almost laughing. Philippines shielded her face with a fan, almost dropping the garland. "Austria? Aahh…" she almost forgot about him. No one could blame her, though. She spent the last 300 years of her life warding off colonizers.
"Austria, I'm sure you remember Philippines." China turned to the visitor. "Why, yes. I almost didn't recognize you," Austria went up to her, took her lightly-tanned hand and kissed it with his soft lips, "You've grown into a gorgeous young lady." He added.
Philippines almost buried her face into the fan. He's Austria? Diyos ko, he's still so pretty. Even his words could make my underwear fall to the floor. "I'm glad that time has been quite kind to you, Mr. Austria. You haven't changed much. Forgive me; I almost forgot who you are. So much has happened in the past 400 years. Mabuhay, Mr. Austria!" She said, trying to match his formality.
Austria let go of his hand. "Please, just call me Austria…or Roderich." He said. "Call me Paulita, then." She replied.
"I must get going now. The panda's complaining because of the heat!" China said, frowning. The panda was pawing at him, anxious to return to cooler grounds. "Until we meet again, Kuya." Philippines said. "Thank you for bringing me here, China." Austria said. "You're welcome—aru!" China boarded his boat and started rowing towards the mainland.
Philippines took Austria's suitcase. "No, no…please. It is quite heavy. Go and show me the way. I'm very bad at directions, unfortunately." He said.
"Welcome to my home, then, Mr. Austria. I hope that you will have a pleasant stay." She said. She brought up the fragrant garland of sampaguita flowers. She hung them on his long, pale neck. "By the way, you might want to remove that coat and jabot." She said.
The Austrian hurriedly removed the said garments and tucked them into his luggage. The scent of the flowers made him feel like he was floating. The scent reminded him of Hungary. The flowers she loved were quite different from these little white blossoms. But still, she smelled so much like the garland hanging on his neck.
They were silent as they walked on the path leading to the Asian nation's house. Philippines broke the awkward silence.
"Is Miss Hungary doing well?" she asked. Austria's cheeks flushed. So much had happened in the past. "I guess she is, but it's a long story." He said. "Is Prussia still bothering you?" "I'm afraid so."
"Don't worry. I kept the frying pan well-oiled and hard. I also have one of China's woks. But I doubt that Prussia would come here to annoy you." Philippines said.
Hearing those words, Austria smiled. Indeed, she is still the Philippines I came to know.
Philippines opened the door to her house. The stone base kept the place cool. They were welcomed by the comfortable living room, with chairs made out of the best wood and lace-covered pillows. She showed him the dining room and the kitchen. However, she did not show him the room where clothes were laundered and ironed. He had no need of doing chores.
A flight of wooden stairs led them to the second floor. "Forgive me, my dwelling is simple." She said. "No, it's exactly what I need, Paulita. By the way, I saw a piano in the living room. Is it in good condition, if I may ask?" Austria asked.
"I've been too busy to use it, and so have my children. I could call someone to tune it…but of course, you may play on it. It has been long since I heard you play." The last sentence was an understatement. "I can tune this. All I need are strings. Do not bother yourself any further. I see that you put great effort into welcoming me," he said, fingering the sampaguita garland on his neck.
"Thank you, Mr. Austria." She said.
On the second floor was a hallway leading to many bedrooms. They were much fewer than what he had at home, but they were quite cozy. All of them faced the sea, giving a bird's eye view of the endless sea.
The biggest room was for Philippines herself. Her door was carved with curlicues, ferns and mythological creatures. Her bed had four posts and was covered by drapes made of white lace and cotton. Several pillows, well-arranged and with intricate cases, were on the bed. It was also covered by a gauzy cloth. It was actually a mosquito net.
She had a vanity, with a mirror and many drawers which contained her shells, jewelry, and most importantly, pearls which were probably given by Mindanao when he found some in the sea. There were also a few cameo earrings and necklaces, probably from Spain. America always gave her trinkets and bangles.
The room also had a huge armoire; a little altar with a crucifix, candles, rosaries, a Bible and a statue of the Virgin Mary; and a locked chest for keeping memoirs. The windows were also wooden, but with rows of squares made out of thin capiz shells. These windows were framed by curtains which followed the white and brown color scheme of the room.
But something seemed out of place. There was a katana on top of her desk, held by wooden "platforms". Japan gave it to her, for sure. Why? He would never know.
Philippines also showed him Luzon's, Visayas' and Mindanao's rooms. Luzon's and Visayas' rooms were just like their mother's. Luzon's room, though, had bigger drawers. She also had many books in her room, and a few tribal objects from the Northern mountain ranges.
Her room evidenced her mother's refined tastes. Just like her mother, she had an extensive closet. Her windows had intricate wooden beads hanging from the sill. One of her walls displayed paintings of a renowned Filipino artist. She had flat gongs hanging around, as well as flutes and bamboo xylophones on the floor.
Visayas' room was more festive and colorful. She had masks on the walls, feathers, images of the child Jesus, and other things. Visayas liked dressing up more than her sister did, in spite of her closet being smaller. She also had strings of shells hanging on the windowsill.
Also, native objects took their place in her room. In one of the corners of her room, she kept her favorite instrument, a guitar. She had a native fiddle and a guitar-like instrument made out of coconut shell.
Mindanao's room was very different from his siblings. It was not only because of his gender. His room had saddles and stirrups, a small cannon, swords, pistols, bows and arrows, and a few explosives. His mother had tried to tell him to take those objects out of his room, but he refused.
His walls were draped with tie-dyed cloth and he had pearls all around the room. Instead of a Bible, he kept a Qur'an. Instead of a crucifix, he had a crescent and star on his ceiling. He also had a scale model of a mosque on his bureau.
"Your children have very nice rooms." Austria remarked. "I just gave them their space, and they designed it. They only stay here sometimes. Most often, they are in their own islands." Philippines said, with a touch of nostalgia.
"I'm sure you'd like to see your room." She perked up quickly.
She brought him to a room like the other ones. It had the same four-post bed, drapes and mosquito nets. The big room still had the closet, the vanity and the small altar. There was a carved mahogany table with a cushioned chair of the same material. The only difference was that there were carpets in this room. The windows were not as decorative as those in the other rooms. But the room exuded practical comfort.
"You may rest now. I'm sure you've had a long trip. If you want to take a bath, knowing how hot it is, the bathroom is at the end of the hallway. Please tell me if you need anything. Do you want something to eat or drink?" She asked.
"Do you have tea, Paulita?" he asked. "Yes, of course. I also borrowed some porcelain from China. Anything else?" she asked. "No, I'll be fine. Thank you very much. I would like to see your children some time, though." Austria said, smiling.
"They'll be here tonight." She said, before taking her leave.
Austria opened his suitcase and hung his clothes on the hangers in the armoire. He had brought a few suits, light shirts, shorts and pants, as well as sunglasses and slippers. Being his usual self, a few bottles of sunblock and toiletries were also in the luggage.
After arranging the said items, he changed into more comfortable clothing. He was also in slippers this time. He then lay on the bed, looking at the side table with a glass-topped oil lamp which was actually powered by electricity. The mattress was firm, but comfortable. The bedding was luxurious, and the pillows felt like heaven. He then fixed his gaze to the window, where he could see the endless blue sky.
Haaaaay, I wish he could have been my big brother. I could just stare into those eyes forever. When she caught sight of a frying pan, she remembered meeting Prussia for the first time. He sent her running to Spain with fright. With the snow-white hair, ghostly skin and red eyes, she thought he was a ghost.
There were a lot of stories in the islands about red-eyed ghosts. But of course, he was just like Kuya Spain and me after all…although a very annoying nation. I miss Kuya Antonio, Kuya Alfred and Kuya Kiku so much.
She carried some fine porcelain, as well as a spoon and a platter of crème caramel, more commonly known as leche flan in her nation. This was one of the recipes Antonio taught her.
"Well, Austria has a bit of a sweet tooth. He loves cakes, pies and chocolate. I'm sure you can please him. You learned from me." She could remember Spain saying such things over the phone.
When she stood at the open doorway, she could see Austria lying sideways on the bed, his figure slightly blurred by the mosquito net. His ear rested on his left palm. She noticed that he was wearing shorts. She couldn't help but admire his long, flawless legs which were stretched along the length of the bed. Paulita almost wanted to go into a swoon.
As if sensing her presence, he sat up and got out of bed.
"Ah, Paulita. Thank you. Please, do rest. You seem quite flushed. Are you ill?" Austria said, as she nervously set the tray on the table.
"Mr. Aus—Roderich," she began, almost savoring the syllables of his name, "Thank you for the concern, but I am not ill. Please, enjoy the tea and the custard." She excused herself and scurried towards the door but she stopped when she felt a gentle tug on her arm.
"Stay here awhile, Paulita. I prefer your company to seeing you being too busy. It's just that…I'm embarrassed by your hospitality. If you want, you can get a cup and a spoon." He said, with that soft voice which became him.
"Alright…I'll be back." She said, running off to the kitchen. He's actually inviting me to eat with him! Her heart thumped wildly in her chest but then, she stopped midway. A singular thought entered her head, and it wracked her heart with guilt. From then on, her steps grew slower and slower.
Austria sat on the mahogany chair, closing his eyes. Had her hair been brown…had her eyes been green…had her skin been fairer… He held his forehead in frustration. He sighed and took the tray from the small table near his bed.
He poured the warm tea into the fragile cup. The tea was painfully good, considering that Philippines herself did not drink much tea. It was this kind of warmth that welcomed him after a long day of work. It was this kind of cheerfulness which faced his seriousness.
He looked at the rings of sampaguita flowers, now hanging on the "oil lamp" on the table. They were tiny buds, but how fragrant they were. The flower was just like the lady who hung the garland on his neck. They're so much alike…yet so different.
He had almost forgotten about the leche flan on the table, but he refused to take any of it until Paulita had entered the room. Looking at the caramel color on the top part of the custard, he knew that it would be sweet.
Painfully sweet.
Useful Notes:
Even before the Spaniards arrived, China and the Philippines have been strong trading partners. In fact, many aspects of Filipino culture are influenced by the Chinese. Actually, Filipino culture is a hodgepodge of Spanish, Chinese, Malay and American traditions.
Sampaguita. It is a variety of jasmine flowers. Small, yet pure-looking and fragrant, sampaguita is the national flower of the Philippines. It is quite pleasing to the nose, and is often woven into garlands placed on the hands of statues of saints in church. Also, some Filipinos tend to hang garlands of these flowers on the necks of tourists and/or foreign dignitaries.
Yellow. It is the signature color of Benigno Aquino III, the newly-elected president. He was sworn in last June 30, 2010.
Diyos ko. It means "My God." Commonly used as an expression.
Leche flan. Caramel custard. Has a lot of egg yolks and caramel on top. Yum. :D
Barong Tagalog. It is only worn for formal occasions in Philippine society. It is also the national costume for Filipino males. They are grouped according to the material (the most expensive ones are made of pineapple fibers), collar design (traditional or Chinese collar). They are usually white/off-white, but these days, there are newer interpretations of the said garment. Here are a few samples. Try imagining Austria in one.
http : / images. mylot. com / userImages / images / postphotos / 2397761 . jpg
http: / www . tesoros . ph / images_0408 / classic_barong_med2 . jpg
Thank you for reading, guys. :D Prussia, America and Japan might make appearances in the next chapters.