The Princess diaries

People talked about her in whispers. They would refer to her as "the princess." Wags would rave about her beauty and grace. She was, they said, the favorite wife of the Prince.

Ayen is more than just a princess, I would discover later. She is a wonderful, talented young lady. She’s also a fighter with enormous strength that you wouldn’t associate with a frail-looking girl like her. She knows when to attack and when to retreat. She is the first princess in that kingdom to have divorced a prince. I asked her why – and she shot back, "Because I wanted to be happy."

Ayen has moved on after having made some of the most difficult choices in her life. Today, she has found her happiness and freedom. And most important of all, she has regained her voice and music – through a Christmas CD Single titled Ayen: Miss Kita Kung Christmas under Viva Records. The CD single includes the revival of the song Miss Kita Kung Christmas and her own version of Laging Mayroong Bukas with a new arrangement by Danny Tan. The CD single also includes the minus one version of the two songs.

The following are some parts of a conversation I had with her for a talk special I did for ABS-CBN.

Boy Abunda (BA): Ayen, did you always believe in destiny?

Ayen: Well, destiny is a matter of choice, not a matter of chance. And in my case, I have made the decisions in my life. You make your own destiny.

BA: Let’s go back to the day when you met the prince. Where was this? When was this?

What happened?

Ayen: The first time I met him, I was kinda scared. Sabi ko sa prinsipe, "Hello sir." Ganun pa yun pagbati ko kasi siyempre, I was working there as a singer.

BA: So it wasn’t like, you know, sparks flew. Was it love at first sight?

Ayen: With me, no, but he said for him, it was love at first sight. Actually, it entered my mind that during that time, he was looking for a new wife. He already had three wives and he was looking for a fourth one.

BA: That is allowed by his religion and by the law. You heard that he was looking for a fourth wife? Did that terrify you?

Ayen: Oh yes!

BA: Why, Ayen?

Ayen: I got scared that I’d be his flavor of the month. Ayoko naman ng ganun.

BA: What did he say?

Ayen: He said he loved me the most. Only me and no one else. That’s what he said.

BA: And you believed him?

Ayen: Well, yes. I believed him.

BA: During the courtship, did he shower you with gifts?

Ayen: Jewelry…I traveled with him everywhere. We went to London, Singapore, Japan, New York.

BA: Okay. Let’s talk about the proposal. How did the Prince propose?

Ayen: He proposed to me a year earlier because I could not marry him if I didn’t convert to Islam. It was like a business proposal. Two days lang ang preparation ko. And when it came to the ceremony, akala ko magkasama kami pero hiwalay yung ceremony niya sa akin. Traditionally, royal marriages are celebrated for three days, a week even. But in my case it was only a day because I was already his fourth wife. I wasn’t even announced.

BA: Did you wish it had been bigger celebration?

Ayen: Yes, of course.

BA: Who were present in the wedding? Was his family there? How about the king?

Ayen: No, the King wasn’t there. Just his friends and my own people but I didn’t also have my family there.

BA: During the marriage, how much time did he spend with you?

Ayen: In the beginning, he was spending around 8 hours a day.

BA: You didn’t have a problem with the other wives?

Ayen: I remember seeing them, dalawa sa kanila. Kilala ako nila. I just smiled at them.

BA: But you never had a relationship?

Ayen: I never had a conversation with them. No relationship at all.

BA: Hindi nila kaya or hindi mo kaya?

Ayen: Hindi ko kaya. At that time, I didn’t think I could handle that.

BA: Ayen, when you were with the Prince, would you be on allowance? How was it?

Ayen: Yes, of course. I think everybody was under allowance.

BA: But limited to certain.…

Ayen: You know what, I don’t know what he gave the others. I don’t think it was equal.

(To be continued)