Just a small amount like this is enough to make Munra hold the tightness in his chest. Yes, it's a small thing for those who are born from a high caste, but it will be a big thing for Munra and his family who are only from the Sudra caste.
"Can I eat a lot of rice, Mom?" Aryan asked with a look that was impossible for Marni to refuse, not even Munra. "Can I?"
"Yes, dear. Of course, you can," Marni kissed the top of the child's head again. Then led him to sit on the piece of wood that they made a seat. "Sit down first."
Marni then grabbed a plate. Not pottery plates instead of porcelain and glass, no. The plate is just a container made of coconut leaf sticks that are shaped like a regular plate.
Then, Marni also handed a plate of sticks to her husband. After that, she scooped the rice out of the small basket using a wooden spoon. Filled the plate, then served it in front of Aryan.
"Eat a lot, Aryan. There you go, boiled cassava leaves."
"Thank you, Mom. I will eat until I'm full."
Marni smiled, stroking her adopted son's head.
"Don't be in a hurry, Aryan," said Munra. "That is not good."
"I won't, Dad."
The three of them started eating. Even though it was only white rice and boiled cassava leaves, it was a luxury for Munra and his family. It is very rare for them to enjoy eating rice because the price of rice is quite expensive for them to get.
But that's enough. This has been able to bring happiness to them, especially for little Aryan who looks so happy to eat the food.
And when Munra, Marni, and Aryan were enjoying their food, they were suddenly startled by the sound of footsteps from outside. This made Marni and Aryan a little scared, moreover, they also heard screaming voices quite clearly.
Munra gave a hand signal to Marni to stay where she was, and to keep Aryan calmer too. After that, Munra stepped towards the front door of their hut.
"Mom," Aryan said as he hugged Marni.
Marni hugged her adopted son even tightly. "Don't be afraid, son. Mom is here."
Even though she said that to make Aryan calmer, Marni herself couldn't hide her fear from her face and gestures. Not at all.
Munra peered out from the gap at the window which was also made of bamboo.
Outside, a number of soldiers from the Maghabea Kingdom passed by the area where Munra lived. Riding their horses, the soldiers who wore clothes dominated by blue made the residents of Vashara around the area into confusion.
The soldiers rebuked anyone they thought was getting in the way of their horses. So the residents immediately got out of the way of the soldiers, or if not, the soldiers did not hesitate to draw their swords at the innocent people. Or the sharp edges of the spears that would pierce their chests.
At least, there were about two hundred soldiers from the Maghabea Kingdom who crossed the area to reach the forest on the east side and would then join the soldiers from the Angholi Kingdom.
Munra rushes to open the door, he was about to leave when his wife stopped him.
"O husband," said Marni with a face that depicted great fear. Shaking her head quickly. "Stay inside with us, please!"
"It's okay, my dear," said Munra. "Looks like what those guys said yesterday will become true, indeed."
"That's why I asked you to stay inside," Marni hugged Aryan tightly. "Do not get out! What if anything happens later, who will come to save us?"
"There's nothing to be afraid of, my dear. They're just passing through."
And after that, Munra came out of his hut. He chose to stand near the female buffalo on the left side of his hut. The buffalo seemed to be a little disturbed by the sound of the horse's hooves, which seemed to have no end.
Munra stroked the buffalo's neck.
"Hish... Stay calm you big girl," whispered the middle-aged man to the female buffalo. "Calm down. They were just passing through. Just calm. Good girl, good... girl."
The panic of the disturbed female buffalo was slowly overcome by Munra. The man was constantly rubbing the head, neck, and shoulders of the female buffalo.
The area around Munra's residence became dusty. The horses made the dust fly around. Moreover, the land is still in the middle of the dry season, of course, the condition of the road which is only a dirt road becomes hard and produces a lot of dust.
However, quite a lot of Munra's neighbors also came out of their huts to witness the soldiers of the Maghabea Kingdom passing through their area. Also, the conditions are still quite bright and the sky still looks orange with little white clouds that are covering the blue of the horizon.
And yes, when the soldiers had gone far, the rising dust did not go with them. Some people are coughing from inhaling the flying dust.
After making sure there are no more soldiers who would pass through the area, Munra went back into his hut.
"What happened?" Marni asked with a pale face.
"The Maghabean soldiers seem to be heading towards the forest in the east."
"Then what should we do now?" Not only did Marni look pale but also nervous and stuttering. "Th—they will go to war. Where else are we going to stay?"
"Enough, Marni!" said Munra a little loudly.
Marni was silent while hugging her son, the middle-aged woman's body shivered.
A moment later Munra regretted his slightly harsh words toward his wife.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you, O my wife. It's just...," Munra took a deep breath, he sat back down on the previous piece of a tree trunk. "Listen to me, my dear," Munra said in a softer voice to his wife. "Even if they do end up at war with the people of Purbha country, we can't do much but have to move, flee to a safer place."
"Are we going to move, Dad?" asked little Aryan. "Do we have another home somewhere else?"
TO BE CONTINUED ...