Knights For Mundika
8

Mundika was pensive in silence on the back porch of his house which seemed dimly lit by the light of the lamp with the plants that grew there. His sight was empty but his mind wandered through space. Mansoor's request left him confused and completely wrong. His initial intention to postpone his marriage to Mansoor turned back into a boomerang accelerated.

"What is it that my beloved daughter is sitting alone here?" The voice of Artika behind Mundika made her turn.

"Mother..," Mundika noticed Artika walking over and placed a warm cup of tea with a lemon on top. If the mother has given the drink indicates that she knows the worries and concerns she is feeling at this time.

"Is there anything you want to share with Mom?" Artika sat next to Mundika and leaned her body as if to convey that she was ready to listen to the complaints of her daughter.

"...," Mundika was silent for a moment and then made up her resolve to express her feelings. "Mom, this afternoon Mansoor asked me to hasten our marriage this week because he wanted to accompany me to Indonesia. Do you understand why I want to go there so much?"

Artika was shocked in silence. His heart rumbled full as Mundika uttered the name 'Indonesia'. The country in which he was born and raised and he longed for and is embedded in his heart to this day.

"This week I treated a middle-aged woman named Ayu Prameswari in a car accident. From him I knew that he was my cousin and how happy and worried this heart was because of the thing that for twenty-six years I kept close to them to me and Zayed was finally revealed. What do you think I should do? Should I hasten my marriage with Mansoor so that I can go to Indonesia to meet with Mom's parents and extended family or stick with our wedding schedule for another two months and Mom tells me everything so that I can cancel my plans there to focus on filial piety for my husband and my little family?"

Artika's trembling body could no longer withstand the upheaval within her chest. What kind of fate is he facing right now? Ayu Prameswari's? Oh God, how could this incident that likely happened only a fraction of a percent experienced by his family? Why should Mundika meet Ayu? Why not him so he can prevent his son's meeting with Ayu?

"Why are you so curious about them Nduk? Does any of Baba's family still hurt you because of your Jew's blood?"

"It's not Mom, it's not." Mundika shook her head. "It's not that simple..."

"What is Nduk?" Lirih Artika's.

"Because the man I'm going to marry is the son of Emir of Dubai Bu" he said frustratedly. "With my current situation alone there has been a lot of skewed talk about my background, what if later I married Mansoor Bu? What would the UAE residents in Dubai say if the man married someone like me? Would I rather cancel this engagement, Mom before it's done? I can't bear to see his good name that has been awake to be tarnished just because of my wife Ma'am..."

"Snake!" The tone of Artika's voice was high and firm. He clasped Mundika's hands tightly. "Mother please don't say that!"

Mundika was surprised by the sound of her mother's voice. His whole life had never once seen his mother angry like this.

"Baba and I are so grateful that there is a man who dares to propose to you to make you his wife. Only the fate of the Almighty determines that the man is one of the children of the Emir of Dubai Nduk..., Baba and I agreed because they believed that the man could take care of you when Baba and Mom were not able to do it so you grew up independently storing wounds. So please don't think about breaking off your engagement relationship and let Baba and Mom swallow up all about our past, not yourself Nduk, because your future is still long. Baba and I just want to see you happy.” Artika tearfully while standing before Mundika as she conveys her heart. He was so emotional that he was unconscious crying. Not that he did not want to tell about his family who were in Indonesia because he was very proud of the Javanese blood that flowed rapidly they sukma. It's just that he and Dalmouk have incised wounds so it's inappropriate to burden the wounds on their children, especially Mundika.

Mundika was stunned to see her originally angry mother suddenly cry and look fragile. He felt guilty because he was selfish to think about himself so that his mother who was always calm changed not

***

"Good day Ayu."

"Artica...," Ayu was surprised by the arrival of his cousin who had disappeared like being swallowed by the earth twenty-six years ago so that he left a question by the entire extended family and Pakde and Bude who could only speak a thousand languages.

"How's the Deck doing?" Artika placed a basket of fruits on the table next to her bed and pulled a chair to sit next to her.

"My good news is Artika, how are you?" Ayu seemed so happy to see Artika alive and well.

"I'm fine Ayu," Artika touched Ayu's hand as if there was no distance between them. "How are you doing? I heard you were in a car accident..."

"Thank God it's been much better, I think I'll soon be able to heal. But how did you know I was treated here?"

"Mundika, Doctor Mundika bint Dalmouk told me about you Ayu."

"Yes, the doctor was very kind to me and his face and posture were somewhat similar to yours, lest he..."

"Yes, he's my son Ayu, but please just get here you know about him," Artika's hand to Ayu tightened a threatening but tucked deep plea. "I beg you not to let him know about my story and Dalmouk's so I have to leave my parents Ayu. Suffice the sin that we both bear, not him. The girl was already full enough with scolding because of it. And now it's time for her to be happy with her life. If you love her, let her be happy that she will soon be married to one of the city leaders' children. The only man willing to accept his half-Emirati condition. I beg Ayu, do not destroy his life.., if necessary I will commit myself to you to keep this secret forever..."

Ayu. He did not expect the Artika he knew was very tough and confident with his ability and high integrity changed weakened since he knew Dalmouk. Why is his family like this? Was there ever a bad deed that his ancestors did that made a child become unfilial and leave his parents just because of his love for a man?

"I really don't understand your way of thinking Artika," Ayu sighed given no other choice over the matter. "Pakde and Bude asked me to find information about your whereabouts that never gave any news whether you were alive or not. I can't believe that when I was desperate, the car accident that I experienced became my first gateway to meet my own nephew. If that's what you want, Ma'am, I'll do it to you, most importantly my niece is happy..."

"Thank you Ayu.., thank you...," Artika was relieved to hear a statement from Ayu. He smiled in tears and hugged Ayu, his cousin tightly. "I beg you to tell him both that I, Mundika, am, and Zayed was happy and proud that in us this was Indonesian and Javanese blood because I educated them like my parents educated me..."

Ayu hugged her beloved cousin no less tightly. How he missed the hook with Artika. He can feel something that was interrupted can be re-connected even though it does not last long. In his heart he wanted to know Mundika deeper, unique beautiful girl who turned out to be his own niece and Zayed of course. He only prayed that there would be a miracle that could make Dalmouk, Artika, Mundika, and Zayed connected again with his extended family in Indonesia.

***