Daendels Estella's
Landarchief
The journey to Landarchief is long enough, along the way is a road that will never be found in the future, many buildings are abandoned, and many buildings are abandoned, more precisely seedy and unpleasant smell pungent for almost 2 kilometers after entering Batavia. Stella sat comfortably next to Daendels, no conversation at all between the two. Until they arrive at the building, Stella doesn't know anything about the building but what she knows in the future, the building will become a state archive.
“This is the previous residence of the Governor General of the VOC, after returning to Europe, all documents of the Dutch East Indies are here. Including some important books that can not be found elsewhere, I think you will really like it.”
“Thanks for taking the time you brought me here.” Stella follows Daendels, who steps her foot in through the two guards at the door.
Because of the many important documents in it, Landarchief became one of the places heavily guarded by the guard of the Dutch army. Looks like some shelves are full of books and some of them are documents that Daendels said.
Upon entering, they met the main guard who was also a native Dutchman. Stella smiled at the man who greeted her very well, his name was Jonathan Van den Chijs. For a while he lived here while taking care of all the Dutch archival documents, this building is also not inaugurated as it should be, because even though there is a name, but this building is still a document warehouse, only, not more.
“I'll talk to Van den Chijs, you can do whatever you want but don't get out of here.” Daendels said to Stella who just nodded.
After Daendels leaves with Jonathan Van den Chijs, Stella walks into a room where she sees many books in it. Regarding the indigenous people and the Dutch people written in a notebook, it attracted more attention.
Stella picked up the book and sat down on one of the chairs with a round table, there were four chairs surrounding the table, as well as a vase of flowers in the middle. It was very convenient, like a library with the smell of books in it.
One sheet opened, Stella read it to detail. The Dutch people used their large ships to search for spices and medicinal ingredients due to diseases in their country. Indonesia, or the Dutch East Indies, is a tropical region that produces large natural resources.
They foreigners become jealous of what the natives have, although classified as poor, but the natives have all that is needed. Still a few sheets of Stella washed away in the writing she read, a hand touching her shoulder gently, Stella turned her head back and found Daendels smiling there walking and sitting in the chair next to Stella.
“What do you read?.”
“Note of the beginning of the arrival of the Netherlands.”
Daendels nodded, “There's something I want to show you, are you done?.”
Stella closes her book and returns to the original place “Already.” At least Daendels' speech made him more curious than the contents of the book.
A room with many windows on several sides became the main meeting room, but that was not the discussion this time but the figure sitting in the chair, she was the last person Stella mentioned was similar to her parents. The man was Dutch while the woman was indigenous.
Stella still vividly remembers when she asked the couple in the photo that looks friendly in her parents' second room. Mom and dady who was very young and in a relationship, exactly the same as the couple who are now in front of Stella. Stella was silent for a while, observing the two people, her eyes glazed over, she did not know what to say.
“Happy Afternoon Miss Stella, introduce me William Leander and this is my wife Sartika.”
“I Estella Wijaya.”
“We have heard a lot about you, but seeing you directly makes me personally very amazed, you are very beautiful.” Puji Sartika's.
“Thanks, you too.”
“William Leander is a distant relative of Van den Chijs, when I first saw him, I thought you should meet them too.” Daendels told Stella.
“We are fabric seller in Batavia, if you want-.”
“I'll visit.” Stella answered without thinking or listening to Sartika more. “If allowed, can I hug you for a moment?.” Stella sounds really stupid but Stella really can't help her longing, she misses both her parents, it feels like a long time to be here and she hopes to be back.
“Of course miss.” Sartika stood up and received a hug from Stella.
Stella's eyes closed, ‘Mom, Stella is getting married, it feels so strange that Stella got married at 18 years old, but Stella likes it, I don't know if Stella just needs it or really likes it. Stella hope can still go home, although not now, please take care of your health.’ After that Stella let go of his embrace.
“Thanks.” Said Stella while wiping her tears that had fallen.
“Are you okay?.”
“Ya, I'm fine.”
As Stella said, the woman along with Daendels came to the house of William and Sartika who did produce a very good cloth, it turns out that Sartika is not from the island of Java, he came from outside Java and met William and decided to marry because he loved each other, so Sartika went with William to Batavia.
“The color of this fabric perfectly matches your white skin.” Sartika shows a very beautiful cloth on Stella.
“Really? I'll buy this.”
“No need miss, this is a gift from us on your wedding and Mr. Daendels. A minute.” Sartika went inside while carrying the cloth and then returned while carrying a package that has been tidied well with a ribbon rope above it.
“Sorry I trouble you.”
“Not at all, this gift from us.”
“Thanks a lot Sartika.” Stella saw some fabric that was there, she touched the soft cloth using her hand “I will buy this some pieces, please yes.”
“Good miss, I will prepare.”
While waiting for the cloth to be wrapped, Stella waited outside with Daendels. Hand outstretched Daendels hugging waist Stella soft “Are you happy today?.”
“Did you come here not only to see the Archives, but also you want me to meet with Sartika and William.”
“True, if later I have children, I think my son will be very very happy if he sees both parents before marriage, so I hope you are also like that.”
“How about you? Aren't you going to meet your parents?.”
“I have no parents, I have never seen the face of my parents.”
“Sorry.”
“Not a big deal, so don't apologize. Having you is already very enough for me.”
Stella fell silent, she did not feel guilty for discussing both of Daendels' parents, that too, but Daendels' last sentence, how about Stella leave. What will happen to her when Stella never comes here, how Daendels lives. Although it does not demand the possibility of Daendels will still meet other women, but history never records Daendels meeting with women of his tribe.
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