Nusantara Throne - Senandung Kebangkitan
Nirmala

Where'sme?

            Nimala opened her eyes, her pupils glistening. He was shut down for quite a while, even longer than his deep sleep. The light around him was dim, coming from the light of a small torch hanging on the wall. He wasn't in the room, these walls were rough, like jagged rocks. The base is quite thin, made of knitted straw that twists up to two segments thick, quite warm. Sharp stalagmite stones sticking out of the ceiling like rows of fangs dripping with water of the same rhythm.

            “Princess Nirmala is conscious,” said a young man sitting between the cracks of stalactite.

            At first, in Nirmala's view the young man's face was vague, but after Nirmala rubbed her eyes and clashed, she recognized the young man. The boy is Wikrama. This time Wikrama wore silver bracelets, and a tiger-shaped necklace that glittered due to the reflection of the light of a flashing wall torch. Wikrama's hair in the booth to the waist, her black sheen receded by the dim light, only the incision wounds on her body were clearly exposed.

            “Where am I? What happened?”

            “I'm sure many questions that arise from the mind of the Princess at this time,” Wikrama approached Nirmala and presented a cup of clear water. Nirmala refused to accept, and Wikrama smiled and placed the cup next to Nirmala. “This cave is where I live, more precisely ascetic.”

            “I'm not in the palace?”

            “No Mr. Princess.”

            The answer sounded short, but Nirmala tried to look back. He recalled his last moments of being in the palace courtyard. As her body went limp and her stomach became nauseous, she began to lose consciousness and everything went dark. Slowly all the faint memories became increasingly clear. One did not take him back to the palace, but rather took him far enough away.

            “You kidnapped me.”

            “Hamba please calm down, Princess,” replied Wikrama, suspecting Nirmala's reaction.

            As soon as Nirmala's hair brushed, she moved backwards until her back hit the rough cave wall, her skin was sore.

“Where am I? Quickly bring me back, or my bodyguards will punish you!”

            “Unfortunately no one can punish anyone here. I can explain this Princess, as long as the Princess is calm, please drink.”

            Nirmala turned her head in alarm, she thought of running away right now. Is that impossible? Thought nervous.

            “No need to explain, I've heard all about you guys from Ihsya! You are the full moon army. You are rebels, traitors to my father and his glory. You kidnapped me for revenge? Truly it is the cowardly way of the enemy troops of my father.”

            Wikrama was stunned to hear the statement, but no anger arose, instead Wikrama looked at Nirmala with admiration.

            “At least that lie they taught you, Mr. Princess.”

            Nirmala was feeling uneasy, “What do you want from me?”

            Before answering the question, Wikrama stood up, she felt an incision scar on her body. The scar seemed to pulsate, bringing Wikrama to the memories of the past.

            “This wound has been healed for many years, but every night I always feel the incision, warm and wet as if it happened just yesterday, exactly like fifteen years ago.”

            Nirmala's attention was again drawn to Wikrama's wounds. Wikrama stands like a soldier in his palace, tough and dashing. Nirmala did not want to know the origin of the wound, but her body froze, she finally listened.

            “Your father, Mahardhika sent his horsemen after the victory in the battle of gods defeated King Dotulong. The cavalry were given orders to slaughter, kill and burn the villages as a warning of the start of the new dynasty. My father, Purnapana who was filled with guilt at that time was unable to protect me. He lamented the days that followed as an unforgivable failure, he felt he had failed to look after the Dotulong family. Unfortunately, I, as the remaining one of the Kingdom of Temaram, was found. I was at that time five years old forced to run away from the dark horse troops of your father.”

            Nirmala looked at the clenched palm of Wikrama, from a close enough distance Nirmala could feel the tension of the Wikrama story.

            “One last thing I remember, I stripped one soldier's keris as easily as picking a banana. But other Gods willed, they were adult warriors, with one sabetage of keris I could not fight anymore. I felt my chest feel hot and wet, maybe that day should be my last. Surprisingly, the gods have not wanted me dead, I heard my father coming, with his form of action, he ripped their stomachs like plowing rice mud.”

            “Casturbation? Burned villages?” Nirmala said in a raucous whisper, she tried not to trust Wikrama, the young man she had just met on the day of her naming. “My father is not a cruel person.”

            “Not cruel when she was on her throne, even on her date's slap. Your father is a power-hungry mad king, the blood of the gods has transformed him like night turned to day.”

            “But the story I got..”.

            “The story was full of lies, even for a ladyboy. They have lived in the luxury of a tight palace, just like you, Princess. They never knew the outside world. The king hid the truth from the whole palace to cover his great purposes, his ambition more terrible than even the darkest stealth.”

            “I don't believe it!” nirmala with courage.

            “What about the champion arena? You saw for yourself how your father enjoyed the fight as if it were a dance of lunch entertainment. Besides, I don't demand you to believe right now, Mr. Princess, we have other goals.”

            Right, about the arena champion I agreed to it, he thought even though Nirmala was reluctant to agree.

            “If you want to kill me quickly do! That's what you want of course.”

Wikrama shakes sadly.

            “Killing you is not the way we want to go, Princess. There are other things more valuable than having to kill you. That's the reason that made us choose to take you.”

            Nirmala moved uneasily.

            “You are the only descendant of Mahardhika who inherited the blood of your grandfather Lord Ganesha. Your beautiful bronze hair is proof that you are the heir to the legitimate power of the king. For King Mahardhika your existence must be protected in such a way because you are his own fear.”

            “Dad scared of me?”

            “True, scared in a certain literal.”

            “I really don't understand,” Nirmala suddenly wanted to cry.

            Wikrama then approached Nirmala slowly and raised Nirmala's palm. As Nirmala's cheeks blushed, she did not want to misunderstand. Wikrama pulled a kris from inside the glove hanging from his waist, in a slow motion slicing through Nirmala's palm. Nirmala jumped in shock until the cup next to her fell with a clattering sound that echoed. He put his palm away from Wikrama.

However, his shock dissipated as he scanned his palm. His arkin was still as smooth as before, there was no blood even streaks.

“Your flesh is as hard as jewels and your skin is as smooth as silk,” Wikrama then wade back its keris. “Nobody can hurt your body except two things, deep power magic and my love fangs.”

Nirmala could say nothing but watch as Wikrama walked back to her seat among the sharp stalactites.

“I'll answer some of your questions Princess. First you're at our base. The cave is located at the foot of Mount Majalaya, far in the North close to the King's Mustika Forest. These caves are the relics of my grandfather, they are formidable ascetics who contemplate his strength within this cave. The reason we kidnapped you is because you are our hope, you who know all about the contents of the Nusantara Palace, servants and tough soldiers and weaknesses. In addition, keeping you away from the king will make him fragile, Mahardhika will fear your strength in misused.”.

“Don't expect you guys to make me betray!” Nirmala insists.

“You will not betray, but I want the Princess to see the real events outside the palace. The Princess will learn it all and has the right to decide who is right in this war.”

Nirmala weighed in, for some reason in the depths of her heart, Nirmala did not feel Wikrama a dangerous threat. Wikrama's tone of voice is as gentle as palace songs.

From the dimly lit cave passageway, Wyat appeared. He uses a white headband in the color of the bracelet used by Wikrama. His bangs almost covered half his eyes, but Nirmala could feel the look of his watchful eyes. Wyat then bowed respectfully to Nirmala, “Honor the servant of Wyat, the stakeholder and the right hand of the young Lord Wikrama.”

“How?” Ask Wikrama without further ado to Wyat.

“Pigeon message has arrived Young master, there are three news that have arrived. The whereabouts of your father Purnapana is still unknown. The full moon warriors suspect Mr. Purnapana still has not arrived in Mayakarsa, they also found no signs of the existence of Toro the deputy commander of the army of the archipelago in the area of Takas Temple. I suspect Toro is lost or.”.

“Beaten my father,” cut Wikrama, he looks worried and rubbed his chin. “Toro has been ordered to hunt down my father for a year. However he was still a soldier as a baby, his titles and scarf were not as wise as he thought.”

“May the gods of luck bless Mr. Purnapana,” Wyat added.

“God still keeps that destiny a secret Young master.”

“If indeed the boy is still alive and growing up, he is the one who will shake this Emerald, he is the son of Dotulong, I will be by his side when his name reverberates on this continent.”

With a calm tone Wyat continued, “Second news from our spies in Tarlingga, it seems difficult to take the heart of King Sanjaya, the kingdom is also being hit by political unrest due to a long drought. But there are things to be sure of from Tarlingga.”

“What is it?” Wikrama did not blink.

“The existence of the dark devil was Master, about..”.

“Do not mention his name here,” Wikrama raised his hand. “If indeed King Sanjaya still sided with the archipelago, we should immediately withdraw our spies from Tarlingga, I do not want them to linger there. The land of the East is cursed, I am very worried about them, Wyat.”

Wyat chuckled, his gaze now fixed on Nirmala who had been listening nervously, “the last news came from Djayamantara. It seems like the news of Princess Nirmala's disappearance began to spread, the king began to deploy half of the army to search for Nirmala.”

Wikrama smiled, “All goes according to plan. Who is the leader of the search soldiers?”

“Sri Sekar, second daughter Mahardhika.”

“Excellent, how our efforts and plans so far managed to make two descendants of Mahardhika out of the palace. I'm warning you, we still have to be careful. Sri Sekar is indeed a woman, but her martial power is equivalent to the commander of the Nusantara warriors. Don't be fooled by the level.”

“You guys are sneaky!” Nirmala interrupted. Wikrama can see Nirmala's bronze pupils glazed over.

“Trust Princess Nirmala, we will not kill Sri Sekar like Mahardhika killed almost the entire royal family of Temaram.”

“Lepros!”

The air of Wikrama's breath came out in a long gust, he stood up and approached Nirmala, “Ikut I, I will take you around our settlement. I do not consider you as a hostage, The Princess is my guest, our guest.”

Nirmala was silent for a moment, she seemed hesitant, then finally replied, “Sway me, leave me.”

“It is up to you Princess, if indeed you refuse, me and Wyat will leave you here, and of course do not think of escaping. The mouth of this cave is guarded by my best warriors, they will easily catch you. If you are caught later forced I will tie your hands for the next days, and if you manage to escape, the forest across there stretches a hundred times the size of the Nusantara Palace. The Princess will be lost in the magic of the King's Mustika Forest, you want to try?”

Nirmala's hair is vertical, Wikrama threats make her feel pained. This was the first time Nirmala had been outside the Palace, even she was at such a great distance that she was unfamiliar with. Nirmala wanted to go out of the palace, but not as a hostage. He wanted to be free, resting on the green-looking grass that stretched from the window in his room, he wanted to see a rushing river splashing cold water soaking his face. Of course being cooped up in a dark cave alone was not the choice he wanted right now.

“A-I don't want.”

Wikrama smiled again, “tough whatever you are, you are still a royal princess not a swordsman.”

They finally walked down the cave passage. As time ticked, the width of the cave grew gradually. After walking for nearly ten minutes, Nirmala could see the light from a cavernous room. His eyes were itchy as beams of light outside the cave slipped in through the outer fissure. He then blinked.

A feeling of awe and joy crawled over Nirmala's body, her breath turning into white steam in the cold morning air. The green hills stretched before him like ancient statues while golden light began to crawl the grassland below.

Nirmala descended the stone steps towards a settlement not far from the lip of the cave. Wikrama went down first, followed by Nirmala, while Wyat and two guards followed behind Nirmala. As he climbed down the stone steps, Nirmala could feel the surrounding forest smelling of moist soil.

In front of him now stands a gate made of teak wood as high as three cubits. At the end of the pole was carved the face of a roaring tiger. Fences beside the gate are arranged with the same distance, the fences are tied with a knot of rope made of coconut skin fibers. Young children appear to be wandering while chasing each other, they are not on foot and only use woven cloth gloves. Upon realizing the arrival of Wikrama and a bronze-haired Princess, they immediately hid behind tree trunks, observing suspiciously.

“Welcome to Desa Wangsa Tuan Putri, or you can call it the camp of the moon troops.”

“Why are they afraid of me?” nirmala asked as she walked through the trees where the children were hiding.

“Metra is afraid of the symbol you are carrying,” Wikrama points to the bronze sun symbol that is plastered on the scarf of Nirmala. They're orphans, their mother's father was killed during your father's expansion in the North. In their minds, the symbol became a terror for their lives.”

“Is that true?”

Wikrama simply replied to Nirmala's question with a smile.

To the west of the wooden-walled houses stand, the roof is made of dried coconut leaves, partly mixed with straw. In his yard there are small fields of corn, papaya and mustard. People bowed as Wikrama passed by, which Wikrama responded with a gentle greeting.

The settlement was not crowded but looked busy. Parents and children, big and small men barefoot. One led an ox to the reeds which had been cut. Most of them were on foot, only a few were riding carts filled with vegetable crops. The faces of the adults displayed a gloomy expression as Nirmala flashed. However, some were stunned, admiring the beauty of the face as well as the bronze sheen of her hair and eyes.

“Most of them are not warriors or fighters. They are only the ones left out of those who used to live as opponents of the king. Initially the full moon warriors only built tents for them, but the longer they lived independently, even erecting modest houses, raising domesticated livestock from the forest, and growing vegetables.”

Wikrama then returned a smile for a moment as it passed a group of farmers who were pinning wild reeds. He continued, “We are grateful what we did for them had a far greater impact than what I imagined.”

But suddenly an old woman with sunken eyes shouted at Nirmala from the side of the road. “Dirty princess! Son of a fucking slaughterer! The sheen of your hair means nothing here, you better mash it with mud!”

Nirmala turned away, she felt contemptuous, for a moment she wanted to cry, but she tried hard. Nirmala tried to understand, the curse could come from the revenge of her father's enemies.

Wikrama pity, he tries to comfort, “ his children died killed by your father's soldiers when he was twenty-seven years old on the last night before he was about to get married the next day. It was more sad when we also found out his future wife was raped by the soldiers of the archipelago and finally killed.”

Nirmala bit her lips, she really did not want to believe it all. Surprisingly he saw the sincerity behind their hatred towards him. If my father was that bad, why had I not known from the ladies, not even mother offended at all. Mpu Lodrok was smart to hide all that. What a reason it is is, until they have to lock me up in a magnificent palace. To hide the rottenness of my father's glory? He thought while grimacing.

“We arrive, that's where the Swordsmen train.” Wikrama pointed to a field on the north side of the village.

Nirmala saw a large enough field. The field was full of bare-chested Swordsmen. Some were shooting straw dolls on the West side, while in the East the warriors were marching at equal distances forming rows of regular patterns, they were shouting at each other in unison after making one martial move.

Wikrama clapped his hands hinting the warriors to pause from the busy practice. Nirmala again felt a sharp look on her. The hatred of the warriors was as heavy as an arrow that was about to strike his heart.

“From today Princess Nirmala is a guest, treat her as a guest, protect the Princess as you protect the Village of the House,”, Wikrama said as she looked at all the warriors before her.

The warriors bowed back, but Nirmala felt the pressure was not going away.

“What all full moon warriors can turn into my love?” tanya Nirmala tried to divert.

The warriors are wide-eyed. There are feelings of anxiety, suspicion, and worry. To overcome this, Wikrama immediately smiled and replied, “Unfortunately does not exist, my only last love is my father. Science cannot be put down in one night unless you have a high determination of justice. My father had no intention of passing that knowledge on to me, but I understood one thing,” Wikrama took a deep breath while clutching the necklace with her tiger pendant. “His heart is too deep, he wants to bear all the burden himself. No matter how my love is the fire of our group, I still respect my father's decision as I respect my ancestors.”

Nirmala was amazed, according to her all this time my love was just a murderous demon figure, even becoming the terror of the Emerald Continent and the shadow of the demons in the Northern region. The stories are like dark tales of the past told by humans who managed to survive.

“From here we will part for a moment, Princess, I will train the warriors. Wyat will deliver the Princess back to the cave, while it's only the safest place I can promise the Princess this time.”

“Why should I go back to the cave? You can lock me up in a barn or an uninhabited house, not in that dark cave anymore.”

“That's the best choice of young master,” Wyat now replied, his voice more firmly than Wikrama. Wyat did not consider Nirmala's request to be a shrewd one. Wyat looked at Nirmala Worrying, “some villagers hate you, even they could have slit your throat in a blind night. Although your neck will not break at all, it is not the way we treat you.”

“I understand.”

Hate.hate..I hate.why I am always confined, not in solid walls or in fragile walls. Who else can I trust? Unable to stand before demons or gods, now I am just a fragment of uncertain destiny.

***