CHAPTER 1 “VICTORIA’S WHISPERS BY THE SEA”

As the sun cast its golden hues upon the coastal town of Eldoria, Victoria stood on the shoreline, her face illuminated by a serene smile. Nestor, her beloved, prepared to embark on his daily fishing expedition, a routine that bound him to the vast expanse of the sea.

Nestor, with a weathered yet content expression, adjusted the brim of his hat and secured the net over his shoulder. Victoria, her eyes reflecting both love and a touch of sadness, walked alongside him, tracing the sandy path to the waiting boat.

"Take care, my love. May the sea bless you with abundance today,” she told him smiling with so much affection on her lovely face.

Nestor replied to her grinning. "You worry too much, Victoria. The sea has always been kind to me,” he told her planting a soft and warm kiss on her cherry lips.

As they reached the edge of the water, Nestor's boat gently rocked with the rhythm of the tide. He kissed Victoria's forehead, a gesture that spoke volumes of the unspoken bond they shared.

"I'll be back before sundown. You'll see,” Nestor told Victoria with assurance in his gentle voice.

Victoria nodded and waved at him. Not long until she started whispering an incantation. "May the sea guide your path, and may the waves embrace you with safety."

 

Victoria, with a grace that mirrored the ebb and flow of the waves, raised both hands in a silent prayer. Her lips moved in a rhythmic dance of words—a melody meant for the sea alone.

Nestor smiles as he stares at Victoria with love.

"Thank you, Victoria. I'll bring you the best catch today."

As Nestor set sail into the cerulean expanse, Victoria stood on the shore, her eyes following the boat until it became a mere speck on the horizon. The town, awakening to the gentle caress of the morning sun, seemed to join Victoria in her silent communion with the sea.

In the heart of Eldoria, where the murmur of the sea blended with the hum of daily life, Victoria returned to the routines that tethered her to the town. As the market square bustled with activity, she moved through the crowd, exchanging pleasantries and sharing smiles.

The townsfolk, accustomed to Victoria's enigmatic presence, observed her with a mix of curiosity and reverence. Whispers of her nightly rituals, a dance with the sea beneath the moon's watchful gaze, circulated like a secret melody among the tight-knit community.

Victoria's actions, steeped in a mystical rhythm, became an integral part of Eldoria's daily tapestry. And as the sun climbed higher in the sky, painting the town in a warm embrace, the echoes of her silent prayers lingered—an unspoken dialogue between a sorceress and the boundless depths that cradled Eldoria in their watery embrace.

*****

"If there's something we're all eagerly anticipating here, it's the day you and Nestor tie the knot, Victoria," declared Sinang, a slender and morena woman known for her straightforwardness and wit.

 

Victoria, her face bathed in the soft glow of the early morning sun, couldn't help but respond with a broad smile. "You always know how to make me blush, Sinang. You're well aware Nestor is still saving up for our wedding," she admitted, her head bowed in a shy gesture.

 

Sinang chuckled at Victoria's response. "Oh, Victoria, a grand wedding isn't necessary. What matters is sealing the bond that you two have nurtured for so long. Besides, isn't marriage the only thing missing for you two?" she teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

 

"That's true," chimed in Dolor, a stout and amiable woman who was busy arranging the freshly caught fish she intended to sell in the town. "And after that, a child is next in line," she added, her eyes sparkling with a knowing glint.

 

Victoria's expression shifted, and a heavy silence settled over the group. A melancholic sigh escaped her lips, and for a moment, she seemed lost in her thoughts. Afterward, she decided to divert the conversation, moving towards her humble nipa house, a structure standing not far from where the conversation took place.

As she approached her home, a barrage of questions flooded her mind. How would she tell her close-knit community that she couldn't bear children? How could she admit that someone like her, possessing dark powers inherited from her witch mother, lacked the courage to broach the topic of marriage with Nestor? In truth, jealousy was already consuming her heart, even though Nestor had no knowledge of her condition.

In that state of mind, Victoria was about to step inside her home when a series of vans caught her attention. Her gaze followed the procession, and she saw them stop in front of a large mansion that used to be an old resort in their town.

"Ah, they might be the ones others were talking about, the ones who bought that resort. They say they're wealthy and from Manila. The buyer is reportedly a widower with only one child, a beautiful daughter!" Dolor mentioned, directing Victoria's attention back to the vans.

 

"Well, for me, there's no one more beautiful than Victoria. That's why the most handsome fisherman in our town fell for her!" Sinang retorted with a playful wink.

Victoria merely smiled at the compliment and returned her attention to the three vans now parked in front of the gate of the old resort. Before long, she saw a mestiza woman alight from one of the vehicles. Dressed in a flowing yellow gown, with long, wavy hair the color of sunrise, the woman exuded grace and captivation.

In a brief moment, the townspeople, including Victoria, stood still. An unseen energy permeated the air, an anticipation that lingered like the scent of salt in the breeze.

As Victoria observed, the mestiza woman, an enigma in the evolving tapestry of Eldoria, seemed poised to leave an indelible mark on the canvas of their lives. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement that went beyond the ordinary as if the winds whispered tales of change and unforeseen encounters.