The baby, who was rescued from the river by a grass-seeker, is now seven years old and given the name Aryan, which means wrapping leaf. That's how the baby was first discovered by the grass-seeker. Wrapped in batik blankets and leaves inside baskets made of woven pandan leaves.
The grass-seeker and his wife had no children, the presence of a baby boy amid their impoverished family could comfort both of them, as well as the hope in the baby.
Hope for the good that the baby might be able to give to both of them after the baby grows up.
Like most people from the Sudra caste—the lower caste—Aryan was raised in a large area called Vashara.
Vashara itself is a slum, the vast area was once part of the main area of Prayanagara. The ruins of the magnificent kingdom are now not visible at all, covered in garbage and shrubs. The gulf formed as a result of the almighty disaster thousands of years ago is now dirty, polluted.
Vashara is nothing more than a vast barren area with its dirty sea. But that's where the lower class of the Sudra caste go about their daily lives. Being a slave to other castes that sometimes without getting paid properly or not at all.
It was in this area that Aryan was raised. He grew up to be unique among the others. The color of his skin was much different, brighter as if the skin of the boy's body was made of polished, shiny, and beautiful pearls. Especially the boy's eyeballs that have two different colors. The right is emerald green while the left is yellowish-brown.
So because of the difference, Arya is often the subject of ridicule, not only by her playmates but also by adults. Moreover, by those from higher castes who happened to pass in the Vashara area or by those who deliberately came to the slum in search of one or two slaves.
In other words, Aryan has a lower status than the Sudra caste itself.
Because of this, the grass-seeker who is now a foster father to the boy often invites Aryan to accompany him to find grass for animal feed rather than the boy must be sad because of the taunts of those around where they live.
On one occasion, Aryan was taken by his adoptive father to find grass in a forest very far from their home. The forest was on the western side of the gulf and was an area under the rule of the Kingdom of Pastina—one of the kingdoms of eight new lands.
"Come down Aryan, we've arrived."
The grass-seeker jumped down from his cart, then helped the seven-year-old to get off.
"Where are we, Dad? Why did you take us so far?"
The man smiled as he rubbed Aryan's head, then looked at the wilderness before them.
"This is the territory of the Kingdom of Pastina. I haven't been looking for grass here for a long time. Don't play too far, will you?"
Little Aryan nodded. The father lifted then removed the wood that held the neck of the female buffalo.
"You hold this buffalo rope, tie it to the tree."
Aryan carried out his adoptive father's orders, he took the female buffalo near a tree on the edge of the forest, then tied one end of the rope to the tree.
Little Aryan smiled at how devouring the buffalo enjoyed the thick grass that looked fresh green.
Meanwhile, the foster father took out his equipment, a scythe, and a short stick of bamboo measuring less than a meter. After that, he began to cut through the grass on the edge of the forest.
Aryan sat leaning against the trunk of the tree while watching the adoptive father looking for grass. The grasses that have been cut and then stacked at some point before later will be put into the cart.
Tired of just sitting there watching the father mow the grass, little Aryan got up.
At first, the boy just stepped slowly around the female buffalo that was engrossed in grazing, occasionally he rubbed the body of the buffalo.
Over time, Aryan was interested enough to enter the wilderness before him. But when his gaze hit the figure of the adoptive father, he undoes his wish. And back to sitting under the tree.
The chirping of wild birds in the forest seemed to seduce Aryan's desire to enter the forest. The longer the boy held back, the greater his curiosity.
During this time, little Aryan had never seen a forest so dense and vast as this one. But it's only natural because indeed his adoptive father always invited Aryan to look for grass in the open fields before. And more often in areas not too far from their homes.
Therefore, Aryan's curiosity about something new seemed to be provoked, and he looked for a gap to be able to enter the forest without being caught by his adoptive father.
At one moment, as the father turned his back to him and was preoccupied with the thick green grass, little Aryan crawled quickly behind a large tree a few steps into the forest.
Aryan stood with her chest pounding but there was a smile on her lips. Then peered out from behind the big tree, watching over the father. Aryan smiled again and continued to go further into the forest.
The conditions in the slightly stuffy and humid forest did not scare the boy, not in the slightest. He even stretched his arms wide, then breathed the air that made him feel the cold inside his bare chest without clothes. Like his adoptive father, Aryan only wears knee-length pants.
Aryan smiled broadly as he saw a very beautiful colored bird that he had never seen flying low and perched on a tree branch.
"Were you the one who tweeted so sweetly earlier?"
Just a moment and the long-tailed bird flew again.
"Wait!" Aryan said while sticking out one hand.
The boy ran, chasing the bird. But halfway through he stopped, looking back. Only for a moment did the doubt appear within the boy before he finally continued his steps chasing after the beautifully feathered bird.
"Wait for me!"
Aryan chased again as if the long-tailed bird was deliberately playing tricks on him. The further Aryan ran, the deeper he entered the forest.
He seemed to forget his father's advice not to play far, let alone get into the forest. But the boy instead seemed excited, laughing after the beautiful bird that was flying low.
TO BE CONTINUED ...