Alma3 Demon Queen
Akarmani 13: Meeting of the Queen, Prabu, Empress

*Fire in Jintamani Kingdom (Akarmani)*

Geck! Totoks! The tootok!

Prabu Marapata replies to beats from behind the board with the same pattern of beats.

“Gusti Prabu my son!” call the Queen of Color Mekararum from the basement of the floor.

Surprised Prabu Marapata and Empress Palilin hear a call from a voice they know as belonging to the Old Queen, the mother of Prabu Marapata.

“Who are you downstairs?” ask Prabu Marapata.

“I am your mother, Gusti Prabu,” replied the Old Queen.

“Old Queen my mother is dead,” said Prabu Marapata from her bedroom floor.

“Mother is not dead. Mother's death has been made a fake,” said Queen Colour Mekararum. “Open this door first, so Mother can go upstairs. Keep your voice, do not be heard by soldiers outside the room.”

“Ba-ba-well,” said Prabu Marapata stuttered.

Frankly, there was doubt in him that his mother was still alive. However, the pattern of female beats and voices in the lower chamber was proof that it was indeed the Old Queen.

So with a thumping feeling, Prabu Marapata opened the iron slot that locked the board door. After that, he pulled the door up, so that the door opened.

The light went straight down. Prabu Marapata and Empress Palilin could immediately see one old woman's face looking up. They were very familiar with the face that belonged to the Old Queen.

“Sukurlah you guys are okay, Gusti Prabu,” said Ratu Warna Mekararum slowly.

He then moved up and took his head out, for a moment he looked across the room. He saw no one, except his son and daughter-in-law.

“Mother, are you alive?” ask Prabu Marapata.

“Later I tell you, Gusti Prabu,” said the Old Queen slowly, in a whisper.

“I don't know if under my bed there is a secret passage,” said Prabu Marapata.

“This used to be your mother's and your late father's room. So only Mother knows,” said Ratu Colour Mekararum while coming out intact. “Do not until there are warriors who enter.”

“Not going. We also lock the door. What the hell is going on? Is this related to our ban out?” ask Prabu Marapata. “And who are the people dressed in red who are with Mother?

Prabu Marapata and his wife could see the presence of many people dressed in red in the basement because under the torch light.

“They are my troops,” replied the Old Queen in a whisper. “We have to talk away from door.”

So the three of them shifted further inward, further away from the position of the room door, even though the position of the bed was quite far from the door.

“What did Gending Suro do to you guys?” ask the Queen of Colour Mekararum while sitting on a wooden chair that surrounds a round carved wooden table and has four normal legs.

Prabu Marapata and Empress Palilin sat down on the chair.

“Gending Suro killed him?” ask the Queen of Colour Mekararum to cut.

“Dead it was like dying from illness, but he told me that the death of both of them was an example if opposed,” replied Prabu Marapata.

“Currently the Crown Prince is also in a state of severe pain, it has been almost a year. No royal physician could detect this type of disease. Prince Jakirwogo's body is getting thinner. The flesh is running out, but we suspect that our son has been poisoned by Senopati,” Empress Palilin said.

“In the meantime Gending Suro will reap the rewards of his crimes,” hiss the queen.

“Mother, what really happened?” ask the prabu.

“Do you not know what is going on outside?” ask the Queen of Colour Mekararum.

“No. Suddenly we were forbidden to leave this room. The King's Guardians are stationed in the Gifts Room, as if they were guarding the secret doors in the room,” said Prabu Marapata.

“I came with the Jintamani Free Squad. It was an alliance of six duchies and hundreds of Red Blade School disciples. You must have long suspected I was dead?”

“True. We all saw the body of the Queen Mother in a condition damaged by poison,” replied the son quickly.

“It wasn't me. I was imprisoned and exiled on a small island far away. For several years I was tortured with various venomous animal poisons by the Senopati Gendi Suro people. Those poisons could not kill me because inside my body was the Pearl of the Full Princess, so the poisons tormented me for many years. He tortured me to get an answer to where the royal treasure was kept. If the treasure had been known to Gending Suro, then he would have massacred the Royal Family and razed the Palace. He wants to build a new kingdom with him as his king,” explained Queen Colour Mekararum.

“What?!” prabu Marapata and Empress Palilin.

“Actually, your lives are just waiting for when Gending Suro found the treasure. However, only I know. When I sniffed out the treason attempt inside the Palace, I had already thrown away everyone who knew where the royal treasures were stored. The first step I want to take is to secure the lives of both of you as the legitimate ruler of Jintamani. You two I will remove from the Palace through the secret passage,” said the Queen of Color Mekararum.

“But, what about the Crown Prince, the concubine and the other sons, Mother?” empress Palilin asked worriedly.

“They are all my grandchildren, I will not let them die. Most importantly, don't let Gending Suro kill Gusti Prabu. If that happened, he could seize the throne completely even without royal treasures. If the king is still alive, Jintamani will remain even though this kingdom is charred by fire,” said Queen Colour Mekararum. 

“But how will Mother fight Senopati Gending Suro who controls the royal army?” prabu Marapata asked unsure.

“The mother had a great hero who helped me on the island of captivity and brought me here. Better I bet than slow but surely this kingdom is headed for destruction with the destruction of the Royal Family,” said Queen Colour Mekararum. “Is the King's Guard under the command of Gending Suro?”

“True. Commander Buto Sisik is more obedient to Senopati perinth. Senopati is now taking over Mahapatih's authority, so that his power is wider,” said Prabu Marapata.

“Now, pack such an important item. You two have to get out of the Palace through the secret passage!” the Queen of Colours Mekararum.

“Good,” said the prabu.

Prabu Marapata and Empress Palilin then immediately took out outer clothing to further cover her body. The ruling couple then wrapped some clothes and valuables, including a number of high-value jewelry and two personal heirlooms in the form of two bright red kujangs and a small black kris.

“Prabu's Command Seal is where?” ask the Queen of Colour Mekararum after her son and daughter-in-law are ready. Now Prabu Marapata and his wife are fully dressed.

“Lost,” Reply Prabu Marapata.

“Yes already, there is no time to think about that. Come down!” the Queen of Colours Mekararum.

So Prabu Marapata and Empress Palilin went down to the basement.

All the Red Knife School students went down on their knees in honor of the prabu and the empress. (BH)