THORNS IN MARRIAGE
CHAPTER 53 - WHEN RETURNING HOME

Armed with the salary I took from the ATM a day ago for two million rupiahs, I left the Capital for the city of Banten.

Leaving behind all the burdens of my new mind, I realized I was a loser. I ran away from reality. Leaving his biological sister as well as two men who were currently in a state of no good.

But my intention was not to run away without doing anything.

I actually want to meet Wak-ku to ask for his advice and help because of the increasingly dire circumstances of my life.

.............

"Finally, I saw you return to your ancestral homeland, Liana!"

Heart's pounding. Surprised not to be upset to see Wak Hardi who was already standing upright with lips smiling widely.

A torrent of orange sun that fell slowly because the day was dusk, showing its beautiful shade on the earth Banten the land of my birth Papa.

What does Wak Hardi mean? Why does he seem to have known my arrival even as if waiting for me in front of the door of his beautiful room?

The sound of tonggeret, a rare insect that is never heard in the city of Jakarta and its surroundings as if playing classical music welcomed my arrival.

Five thirty minutes more. Approaching the Maghrib time was right I walked towards the rather secluded Wak Hardi house, away from the neighbors.

"Geezer! Assalamualaikum..."

"Wa'alaikumussalam warohmatullah wabarokatuh!"

I kissed the back of his hand which still looks stocky even though he was over eighty years old.

His smile showed off a row of teeth that still looked intact even though a little yellow and even blackish.

"Sir.." I said weakly.

"Come in! It's getting dark. Thank you for guiding my descendants right in front of the house. Go back to your place!"

My hair was goosebumps for a moment when I heard Wak Hardi's words as if someone was also between me and him.

Bluwerr...

The sound of the wind hissing further spewed out the fear in my heart. And a little jump quickly walked into the house approaching Wak Hardi's body.

"Sepi, Wak! On where?"

"Wak Wati was looking at the sick Bi Munah. The kids are back at the cottage. This is your Wak every day. It's lonely if no guests come!"

"Guests?"

"Hehehe... In the past, guests came to this hut almost every day. Especially every Friday night, until the full exit. Looks like you don't know who your Wak is!"

I just thought about what he said that sounded a bit awkward.

The sound of the tonggeret slowly disappeared and the calm atmosphere changed in silence instantly.

My brain thought about what he said just now.

Lots of guests every day? A guest? It seems... My wife is not just anyone!

I'm silent. Duck down and try to examine by looking for the end of the thread of his speech. So that I can understand.

"Liana! Do you want to hear the story of our ancestral lineage?"

I'm looking. Staring at the two glowing Wak Hardi eyeballs exuded an air so strong his aura. I nodded without saying a word. Waiting for the story to slide from his lips that slowly exhaled air.

"We are the last descendants of the Banten king Abah Kyai Abul Fath Abdul Fattah who is better known as Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa. After that, the status of the descendants became flat as the people of Banten in general. Our great-grandfather was Kyai Haji Tubagus Wetan. It was he who made the blood of his descendants like the holy blood in the land of Banten."

I'm dumbfounded. It turns out that my family lineage is not just anyone. It was only at Papa's funeral the other day that I felt an incredible mystical aura. Especially after Jonathan is possessed by several demons that inhabit his body at the behest of someone.

"Liana! I didn't expect that I was waiting long enough to get you back here after your Papa died. I thought, it'll only take me a week and you go back home and settle down here."

"What is Wak Hardi?" my question is not to understand.

"I didn't think far to pull you home and continue the baton that our ancestors held high!"

"Liana doesn't understand, Wak!"

"I have long observed the sons and daughters of Abah Haji's descendants, who numbered thirty men and women. You are the chosen grandson. And you, inevitably, dislike, accept the responsibility of continuing our abilities and maintaining the glory of our ancestors as successors."

"I mean Wak?..."

"You are the recipient of the title of the ultimate descendant or the last descendant who received the legacy of the sciences and practiced it to help a society in need!"

"Sir?..."

Of course my heart is beating fast. My veins stiffened and my mind flailed incoherently.

"You... Must accept this honor, Liana!"

"Sir...! My intention of coming here has another purpose. That is, ask for advice from you about the situation I am currently experiencing! Not for anything else I don't understand at all, Wak!"

"I already know your problem, Liana! Already know. For that, you don't have to worry. Everything's gonna be fine. You just have to undergo the honorary title acceptance ritual. And it's wednesday wage, tomorrow's Thursday kliwon. A very fitting time that Allah has laid out for your next life!"

I can only gape. Wak Hardi's words don't get any better.

"Liana! You have to be conscious and know yourself. You are the daughter of Tubagus Arya Wardana. Youngest son Mr. Kyai Haji Tubagus Acang. Your father should have given you the name of the Queen in front of him, but the deceased would not. Even the deceased seemed to deliberately remove the trace that he was the last of Kyai Tubagus Banten's descendants of Kyai Tubagus Wetan because he felt it was a burden."

I'm speechless. Inwardly agree to the opinion of the deceased Papa. Life is enough Allah Ta'ala alone to be the destination. The problem of seedlings, bebet, weights and the origin of where we come from, it is just a stamp of formality. Let people see what big names are behind us.

"Your birthday is Pahing Wednesday. The day is best considered among other days because it is shaded by the great ancestors khodam-khodam. Raden Kian Santang and Nyai Ratu Mustika Kencana!"

"Goddessa!"

"Yes. Wallahu a'lam! But you have a clear lineage as the successor to the ancestral sciences that must be passed down and do not break up here, Liana!"

I licked my lips that felt dry. The heart is getting faster. Feeling my semi-arid nape like someone is blowing slowly.

"You should know, because our ancestors are many, Liana! One of them is the two creatures that are on your left and right at the moment. Ki Jalu and Ki Maung. They, a large tall white tiger!"

A what???

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