The Manggan people love a good celebration and so the caravan and reunion took place all night. Everyone had a good feast and the men of course drank as much wine as they could.

At the end, Xhemin was just left aghast at the amount of gifts they received from the Manggan people. They had expressed their love and joy for her comeback with it and she could not practically imagine how rich the Manggan people were. Good thing they had servants then and so although the gifts were many, she had no problems dealing with them as Lady Si and the handmaids made sure they were all taken off and well recorded.

​​

"Oh Lady Si, good thing you guys are here. I can't really have done this swift without you guys," Xhemin splattered on one of the beds in the east wing. She was in the handmaid's room, listening to the reports of their accounting. They were also listing off some things needed for the house on a monthly basis like food, household expenses and things that needed immediate repairs and attention.

"Healer, this is why we are sent here," Lady Si could only laugh at how exhausted she was. Truth was all these things can be done by her easily as she was used to doing these things back in the mainland, it was just that their days had always been full as it had just been two weeks since they came and so many royals and commoners who missed the caravan came and made them occupied.

"Don't worry healer, after a few weeks, we won't be as busy as we are now," One of the handmaids interjected. "You can finally have a good rest,"

"The visitors don't really bother me much," Xhemin replied. "It's just that for some reason I feel so lazy these days,"

"It's just the change of weather and ambiance probably healer," Lady Si took note. "I understand things are different here from the mainland. You are still adjusting, so are the children. As the days goes by, things will be easier then,"

"Or probably because your the hero always keeps you awake all night," One of them said and everyone giggled at the thought. Xhemin however blushed at it and glared at her handmaiden for once.

"Healer, the hero is so handsome you sure are so lucky,"

"And he is very hardworking too and very skillful," Their conversation then turned toward Darryl's advantage and Xhemin could only raise a brow at that. Ah surely, the Lagdameo heir had always been in every woman's conversation in the Manggan Island, she thought.

"His irrigation project did help us a lot, especially people from the valleys," The handmaid continued praising Darryl for his great contribution to the tribe. "They also said he was a good teacher. I wonder how it felt like to be his student,"

Hearing about the student-teacher conversation made Xhemin remember something.

"Speaking about a teacher, where is Aki Owens?" Xhemin kind of remembers the professor. She had been so occupied with many things lately that she kind of forgot about him. "I didn't see him at the reunion and it's rather odd he had not paid a visit till now. Is he okay?"

The girls fell silent at her question and they looked at each other wondering how to tell her. They were very aware of her very close relationship with the professor and they knew the news would make her sad.

"Healer, has no one told you yet?" Lady Si took the initiative.

"Tell me what?"

"That the Aki died already," Lady Si announced and her words felt like a hard sharp ice that impaled Xhemin's heart immediately. She was stunned helplessly for a moment as she took the news and her eyes threatened with tears.

"What are you talking about Lady Si? How could the Aki died so suddenly ? He was so healthy when I left,"

"He was. Even us here were not all prepared to receive the news of his death. It was too sudden." One of her handmaids explained. "He just left one day to go into the woods and he never came back. The guntas searched for him and only found his bloodied clothes. It was said he was attacked and eaten by the wild animals in the deep woods,"

"Oh God!" Xhemin was totally saddened by the news. She could not accept how Aki Owen's fate went that bad. "But….but… but the Aki knew his way in the woods. There's no way he could not have sense there was danger. He had been exploring the woods for many years already,"

"The gunta suspects he might have encountered an accident while in there and the wild animal attacked him while he was not on guard," Lady Si recalled what she had heard about it. "Besides, he was already old and Baruk Tsu said before he asked permission to leave, the Aki had already been in distress. He didn't want to give him permission but the old man insisted saying he found something in the woods that of significant use,"

Xhemin did not anymore say anything as her heart fell out. She clearly did not expect this. She was even hoping that somehow she could introduce her children to him and have him trained them.

"Healer, they had put a shrine for him in the east mountain," Lady Si told her. "If you want we can accompany you to make a visit and offer some prayers,"

"Yeah I surely want that," Xhemin expressed miserably. "Highest God, I hope Professor Owens is at peace now with my grandfather. Surely they would have been enjoying each other's company there with You,"

"Eternal rest and peace to him," The handmaid said in unison to agree to Xhemin's prayers. Right after, they all fell silent and offered some prayers to the old professor who had all been their teacher. Aki Owens' life had been greatly celebrated in the tribe and when he died, their respect for him remained.

"Lady Si, set a day for us to go to the east mountain," Xhemin instructed. "We will stay there for a night,"

Lady Si nodded and Xhemin, with a heavy heart, excused herself to retreat to her room. The Handmaiden's just let her and didn't mind following her because they all knew she needed some time to mourn for the old professor. Hopefully, she'll be okay by morning.