Rain and storm have passed, the moon began to show its light, even though it was faint. Softly the faint moonlight fell on the wet ground and leaves. The sound of frogs shouted, making a quiet night after the rain.
At the center of the Wilwatikta kingdom, the people had already gone to sleep. Most of them are probably already curled up under the covers or making love to their respective partners. However, it turned out that there was also a group of people who lit firewood under the fortification tower to warm themselves. They are the city border guards.
They sat around the firewood sipping coffee and waited for the corn they were grilling on the firewood to ripen. The sound of the flowing Brantas River is mixed with the sound of frogs. They were silent for a long time, before finally someone dared to break the silence, started a conversation.
"Hey, what will happen to Empress Ratna?" Asked a guard to his friends.
"Huss ... Fix your question and lower your voice! If someone hears you, you might lose your life! " Said a friend warned.
"Oh, I mean, what happened to the former Empress Ratna? I got news that she was being chased by an elite troop under Empress Arumwangke right after giving birth. "
"She must be fine, Gods must be protecting her. I am sure. There is no way a God will give such a bad luck to a woman who is graceful and of good character. " Said another soldier while drinking coffee.
"Yes, I hope he's fine."
"Hopefully ..." said the guards of the fortress tower almost simultaneously.
That night, the guards of the fortress tower sank into exile, feeling that the country they were defending was gradually changing, starting to show the arrogance and ruthlessness, even to its own people. They really are rendered helpless by circumstances.
Each of that tower guards was eager to oppose the decisions of King Agni and Empress Arumwangke, but they could not do it, because they were just ordinary soldiers. After all, even if they dared to oppose, their families would suffer the consequences.
The moonlight returned to normal. The rain and storm that had scared all living beings had completely subsided. The Wilwatikta city center displays lights in every house. The most glittering and dominating light came from the Wilwatikta Palace, which was right in the middle of the city.
The Wilwatikta Palace is so beautiful, located in the east of Java, and is flanked by two rivers. The building is very magnificent and the walls are red, becoming the brightest place in the city of Wilwatikta. There is nothing like the majesty of the Wilwatikta Palace in the town of Wilwatikta.
Unfortunately, however, the Wilwatikta Kingdom has changed since King Agni got the seat of power. His terrifying power managed to subdue all challengers and rebels. Even the Pencak Silat academy, Padepokan Cahyajiwa, which has been seen as neutral so far, inevitably has to submit to King Agni's feet.
Who is strong, he/she is the one who has the power. This principle became an unwritten law in the Wilwatikta Kingdom area. Whoever has power has the right to rule over the weak. That power can be in the form of bloodline, position, wealth, or ability.
Honor and self-respect slowly eroded. Indeed, there are people or groups of people who try to maintain their honor and dignity, but that effort is definitely in vain, because justice only looks at those who are considered capable of providing benefits.
In the Wilwatikta Kingdom, since King Agni came to power, power is truth. This means that people who have power are carriers of true truth, and have the right to freely determine what is right and what is wrong, including who is right and who is wrong. Power is an absolute law!
Meanwhile, a person who does not have the strength, during his life will not get anything that he thinks is right. Those people, those weak people, would be crawling under the gutter, scavenging and begging for the one who has the strength forever.
Even though it looks and sounds so rotten, it needs to be acknowledged that the Wilwatikta Kingdom under King Agni's rule became an absolute power in Java. All kingdoms throughout Java were reluctant to Wilwatikta.
The other kingdoms felt that they were not equal if they had to fight Wilwatikta. Therefore, in order not to be suddenly attacked by King Agni and his troops, these kingdoms sent luxurious and antique gifts to King Agni every three months.
If there was any territory that opposed King Agni's wishes, in an instant that territory would be attacked until it was destroyed. King Agni had absolutely no mercy on anyone who dared go against his will.
The feared person in the Wilwatikta Kingdom was not only King Agni, but also the new Empress, namely Empress Arumwangke, the empress who succeeded in getting rid of the previous empress.
The figure of Empress Arumwangke is known as a beautiful woman and has an incredibly attractive sexual aura. However, Empress Arumwangke is also known as a frightening and cunning woman.
The news of the dispute between Empress Arumwangke and Empress Ratna has become an old rumor circulating in downtown Wilwatikta, but absolutely no one has dared to mention the dispute. Because, anyone who dared to talk about the dispute would be immediately executed on the spot!
One day, there were several people who mentioned the dispute, but it turned out that one of them complained to a Wilwatikta soldier, the next day, those people died tragically, while the person who complained got a bag of gold. Anyone can become a traitor in order to enrich themselves, therefore the people in downtown Wilwatikta try to avoid discussing the dispute between Empress Arumwangke and Empress Ratna.
That night, in a secret room of Wilwatikta Palace, Empress Arumwangke was receiving reports from elite Wilwatikta soldiers who were ordered to kill Empress Ratna. Unfortunately, the report received by Empress Arumwangke was very disappointing.
"Forgive us empress ... Please give us our forgiveness ..." Five soldiers knelt and worshiped in front of Empress Arumwangke who was breastfeeding her child.
"Damn it! Cok! You guys are really stupid! You can't even kill a woman who just gave birth!" Said Empress Arumwangke responding to the incompetence of her envoy soldiers.
Empress Arumwangke sighed while stroking her breastfeeding child's hair. "Okay, I'll give you one more chance. Find and bring that bitch Ratna's head in front of me within one month. "
"Sendika... We will not waste the opportunity that the empress gave, we promise with our lives, that we will cut off Ratna's head and bring her before the empress."
"Now get out of here. Get out of my face. Don't show your faces to me in a month's time unless you've brought the head of the bitch! One more thing, if you fail, your heads will be cut off!"
The five soldiers left the secret meeting room. They are well aware that they only have one month. Time is really short. They did not want to waste their time in vain, that very night they immediately carried out the orders given by Empress Arumwangke, they scattered through the entire territory of the Wilwatikta Kingdom.
Empress Arumwangke's eyes glared sharply, it was clear that she was harboring anger, she really did not expect that her plan would fail because of the stupidity of the elite soldiers she trusted. Prior to the arrival of the wave of revenge, Empress Arumwangke was determined to kill Ratna and her supporters, so that in the future no problems would arise when her son was crowned king Wilwatikta to replace King Agni.
"Mother, calm down, if the stupid soldiers still fail to carry out their duties, I myself will kill the enemy of that mother and her descendants." Said the son of Permaisuri Arumwangke who is ten years old but still likes to breastfeed his mother.
"Hahaha ... You are indeed my son who I can rely on the most, Nalarah. I'm sure that someday you will be the great ruler of this land. " Said Empress Arumwangke full of affection for her son.
"Mother, by the way, is father will be fine? Father hasn't come home for a month. "
"Take it easy, my son. Your father, King Agni, was an absolute ruler of Wilwatikta, your father's power was capable of even shaking the heavens and frightening the gods. No one is brave and able to go against your father. Perhaps, by this time your father must have succeeded in conquering the land of Mataram. " Answer Empress Arumwangke
"Ah… That's how it should be, Mom. After all, it was the king of Mataram himself who refused to marry his daughter to me. If so, tonight allow your son to sleep with mother, your son wants to suckle until morning. " Nalarah said with a spoiled face.
"Okay, if that's what you want, no problem my son, suck up your mother's energy until it runs out, and quickly become a man."