Moonlight Serenade

4 years ago.

The road on the Aisle was narrow and long. Tall and green sugarcanes stretched through the horizon that it's beyond one's sight. It was the scene that always fascinate her as well as the fresh air in the fields.

It was twelve noon and the sun was high in the sky when Jewel secretly sneaked out of the mansion. A wide smile was hanging on her lips as she made her way through the Aisle, her favorite place.

Dalya must have been busy thinking what excuse to utter in front of her Dad. Well, it didn't matter for she was now outside, enjoying the feel of sugarcanes in her skin and the sweet smell of the plantation hovering above the air. "Good day, Senyorita!"

A Sacada greeted her when she walked past the couple who was busy preparing for the coming harvest. She smiled and waved at them before she happily stride in the Aisle.

Humming a tone, she tried to look beyond the tall sugarcanes but she couldn't see it at all. She huffed and continued striding happily under the sun.

"Senyorita Laine! It's hot outside. You should rest in the hut and let the sun go down before visiting the Aisle!" A maid shouted while running after her.

Jewel's cheeks burned red out of embarrasssment when she noticed the gaze of the Sacadas on her. Her eyebrows met and she rolled her eyes. Turning around, she scoffed at the maid. "Who told you to follow me?"

"It was Dalya, Miss." The maid lowered her head as she panted. "It's dangerous to walk by the Aisle and she wants me to accompany you."

"Oh." She raised a brow. "That girl made an arrangement? Is she your employer now?"

The maid's face paled and she hastily lowered her gaze. "No, Miss! You are my mistress!"

The corner of her lips curled up and she folded her arms in front. "So what are you doing her? Go back!"

Without thinking twice, the maid turned around and hastily left. Jewel felt truimph as she watched the poor girl running back to the mansion. She knew that the maid was not Dalya's friend nor Dalya's lackey because that maid was from the former mayordoma, the head of the mansion's housekeepers.

That old woman was a nasty person she had ever met in her entire life. It was not a secret that the old woman was so fond of her father that she volunteered to be a housemaid. At first, her grandfather tried to bribe the old woman to flee her father's life yet she was not moved by money.

And to protect the family's reputation when the old woman declared to end her life if she could not enter the house, her grandfather didn't have a choice but to accept the old woman into the mansion, bringing her in as a maid. Over the years, her father and the old woman didn't have a good relationship. But when her mother came into her father's life, the old woman was often seen glaring at her mother. When she was born, it was the old woman who volunteered to take care of her, but when her mother knew that the old woman was trying to teach her bad manners, her mother decided to drag that old woman out of the mansion.

Now, that old woman was sitting as one of the respective ladies in the elite circle after inheriting an old man's wealth. It turned out that the old woman was a leech, sucking the wealth of a dying old man after being thrown away by her mother. It was only recently that her mother discovered that the old woman was bribing their housemaids as spies in the mansion. Her mother had cleaned the spies out but there were some who stayed hidden.

Jewel dialed a number. "Hello, fire this maid," she said and told the other line about the maid who followed her earlier, before she shook her head and continued walking towards the Aisle. "Senyorita, here!" A Sacada called, waving a hand at her.

Jewel didn't hesitate and walked towards the hut where a group of Sacadas were staying. It was really hot when the sun was up in the sky. She frowned as beads of sweat formed in her forehead. A trail of sweat trickled down her cheek. She could feel her back became wet, sweating a lot.

A table full of foods was there in the center of the hut. "It's good that you are here, Senyorita. We've prepared a lot of mango juice for you!" the man acting as the leader joked.

Jewel smirked. "At least you know," she said, accepting the glass of juice handed by a young man.

The man scratched his nape and laughed wryly. "We're sorry about the other day, Senyorita. Don Sebastian had warned us to take care of you when you're here in the Aisle."

Her lips crooked and she looked beyond the tall sugarcanes gently swaying in the afternoon breeze.

After the little refreshment, Jewel decided to explore the Aisle once again when the sun hid behind the clouds. She also warned the Sacadas not to follow her and they agreed. Why would they disagree when she almost lost her life the other day after a Sacada almost hit her with a bolo knife?

That incident was a secret between her and the Sacadas so most of them were obedient to her. And it was to Jewel's liking. Having their loyalty means she could spy on the old woman's people lurking inside the mansion.

A gentle afternoon breeze blew past her, making strands of her hair danced wildly. The sugarcanes beside the Aisle swayed in the rhythm.

Jewel spread her arms wide as she danced in the wind, turning her body, hair swaying after the breeze.

What a peaceful feeling to dance with the wind!

She closed her eyes as her lips curled into a smile, and she failed to notice that she was spinning forward until she hit a sturdy object. Jewel gasped as she felt her body fell backward only to be caught by two strong arms, pulling her back to her feet.

Jewel put her hand on her chest as she gasped in relief, looking up to the man who stood in her way. Her eyes squinted when the sun shone from behind the clouds, casting its strong rays straight to her face.

She couldn't picture out the man's face clearly due to sun's rays but she could see those dark orbs hiding under the big hat. Jewel was stunned. It was her first time to see a bottomless pit inside a man's eyes, threatening to drown her in it. "Are you hurt, Miss?" the man asked when he noticed her stunned expression and looked at her from head to toe, checking her body out.

It was also the moment that Jewel realized how his arms were wrapped in her waist to steady her in her feet. A blush appeared on her cheeks as she looked away and stepped back, looking away.

"You could have avoided me earlier," she accused.

"I'm sorry," the man said, curling the corner of his lips up. "But you are also at fault, dancing wildly in the Aisle where you could dance in a more appropriate place."

"Excuse me? Are you blaming me?!" she asked, raising a brow.

The man shook his head and clicked a tongue before saying, "Next time, don't go around dancing on the Aisle. The road is still narrow and you might fall on the sugarcane field. My friend's office has not yet released the budget for widening the road."

Jewel squinted her eyes at him but she was curious to what he said. "Widening the passage?"

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The man smiled and she saw a glimpse of his evenly white teeth. "Yes."

"Are you drunk? This is a private field owned by the Mangubat. Who are you to decide what to do with the Aisle?!"

"Are you certain the Mangubat own this field?"

Jewel could feel her blood rushing to her cheeks as the heat of the afternoon sun penetrated her skin. But no, she wouldn't back down now that someone was insulting the field her clan had acquired since in the old days. "I know who own the Aisle and it's not you nor the local government!"

She was surprised when the man suddenly chuckled. "Why are you so angry? Are you related to the Mangubat?" he asked.

Jewel went silent. It's dangerous to let someone, a stranger, to know who she was specially when no one was around. She cleared her throat. "No. I am just a Sacada of this field!"

"Oh? I never met a Sacada as beautiful as you, Miss."

Her heart pounded hard as she heard his words. Pursing her lips into a thin line, she looked away and folded her arms in front. "At least you admit it!"

The man laughed and shook his head. "Where are you going to? I'll walk you there. It's too dangerous for a beauty to wander under these sugarcanes." "Going home," she lied.

"Hmm... Is that so? I'll walk you then."

Her brows met. "No thanks! I know my way."

"Are you sure? I heard a girl was raped under these tall sugarcanes last week. It's the reason why the local government decided to widen the passage and build lights to lessen the possibility of it happening again."

Jewel blinked. She didn't know if he was telling the truth but she once heard that a notorious criminal who often rape women at the next municipality was seen around Medellin last month. Her father often warned her not to wander in the Aisle because it's hard to know if someone with evil mind was hiding in the bushes, away from the naked eyes.

She also noticed that her father deployed a number of knights around the Aisle. Maybe it's to safeguard the area? But the news about that rape incident last week was not publicised in the local news.

And Jewel understood that it was to protect the Mangubat's interest. She frowned. She didn't believe him but she couldn't possibly let that criminal catch her if the stranger was telling the truth. So she agreed and they quietly walked forward. They were silent for few moments before the man spoke. "We have been talking a lot but I still haven't asked your name, Miss."

"Why? Is it mandatory to know my name?" she retorted, huffing.

The man chuckled. "Then, just call me Gideon."

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Until then, they walked quietly along the long and narrow passage of the Aisle. Side by side and both following in each other's footsteps. The wind blew and Gideon's hat flew away with it. His thick black hair and eyebrows showed up under the sun.

Jewel happened to see how his face unfold and it made her speechless for a moment. She never expected him to be this handsome. But to her dismay, the man seemed older than her and she was not interested in older men. She cleared a throat. "Your hat ---"

"Don't bother, Miss."

"Ah... Okay." She shrugged her shoulders and looked to the front, where the hut was. The Sacadas earlier had gone to work so no one was there. Alas, she came back to this place.

A sigh escaped from her lips and turned to Gideon. "Just walk me there in the intersection. Someone will pick me up later."

Gideon glanced at her for a second before turning his attention back in front. "Alright."

When they stopped in the hut, Gideon was still around. Jewel raised a brow. "So... don't you have anything to do?" she asked.

"Ah." He looked down on his wristwatch and flashed a smile at her when he raised his head. "I almost forgot. I should go to Municipal Hall to check UDM."

"UDM?" She looked at him. "Is UDM good?"

"That depends on you, Miss."

Depends on her? She contemplated for a second. She was planning to study in UDM when she reached Senior High as people always praise that said University when it comes to facilities and teaching. Knowing that the man was from UDM, she was quite interested.

Standing in the shade of the hut, she watched as the wind blew softly the strands of Gideon's hair. It also blew her long locks and she tucked her hair behind her ear. "Thanks for accompanying me. You can continue to where you intended to." "No need to mention." He looked around to survey the area. "Are you sure you're okay being alone in the middle of these tall sugarcanes?"

"Of course." Jewel blinked and pointed a finger on the side where the Sacadas where staying but because of the sugarcanes, the place was hidden in sight. "I have my co-workers there," she reasoned, not forgetting her 'identity' she mentioned earlier.

Gideon smiled. "Okay. Work hard and don't disappoint your employer," he said, clearly teasing her 'identity' as Sacada. It was clear that Gideon didn't buy her lie earlier.

Jewel pursed her lips and looked away, folding her arms again in front.

"Alright. I'll go first, Miss. Be careful."

Squinting her eyes, she watched as Gideon walked farther and farther away. She wondered if they will meet again in the future? If so, she'll remember his sarcastic remarks and make him pay for insulting her that morning.

And a few years later, as the sun was glaring hot in the sky and the green sugarcanes on either side of the Aisle danced freely in the gentle breeze, Gideon and Jewel crossed paths again.

But they no longer remember their first meeting and their silent promises at the exact place and exact time, of that exact day four years ago.