"Would you like to teach Aryan how to write and read, Juragan?"
"What?" Even the merchant's eyes widened. "What did you ask me for?"
"If you are willing to teach Aryan, Juragan, I will do whatever you command. Like, forever. Please?"
Marni had to suppress her feelings to get those words out of her mouth. Enduring the shame as well as the great anger. Anger ends with cursing her situation.
"Oh Marni, Marni, Marni..." The Juragan rubbed his chin. "What kind of request is this, Marni? Teaching your Candala kid to write and read?"
"I'm begging you, Juragan," Marni bowed to the merchant.
The merchant thought of one or two things which of course was for his benefit. He knew for sure, what Marni asked for was not easy to give. If he did that, he would only be the subject of ridicule and insults by other merchants, and course, by the higher castes.
After all, why should I bother teaching a Candala to write and read? thought the merchant. Maybe later they will displace my efforts here.
Pathetic!
"You know I can't possibly do that, right?"
Yeah, right! Marni thought. Who would accept the insult of having taught a child from the Sudra caste? Even worse, a Candala?
The merchant grinned subtly to find Marni's face so sad. Then he said, "But I might be able to help you, Marni."
"Are you being serious, Juragan?"
The man with the big belly nodded and smiled. "I might be able to ask a novice Pandita in town for help, later. That's all I can promise you, Marni."
A novice or not, Marni certainly felt very happy to hear that.
But sadly, Marni did not consider that the merchant was just taking advantage of her situation, for the pleasure of the man himself. A trap set by the merchant so that Marni would serve his lust.
"Aren't you tricking me, Juragan?" However, Marni must be able to get certainty from the merchant's words.
"Come on, Marni," the merchant chuckled, shaking his head. "Have I been cruel to you all this time? On your husband? On your Candala kid, hmm?"
That is true, Marni thought. Even though sometimes the merchant's words sounded painful to her ears, she had to admit, the merchant quite often helped her family. Even if it's just small and trivial things.
"Did you know, Marni?" said the merchant again with a broad smile. "I even added a coin to a bundle of grass your husband sold to me, yesterday."
"You're right, Juragan," Marni nodded. "My husband told me about this last night."
Without realizing it, Marni had fallen into the merchant's trap. And when the merchant again asked Marni to come closer with a hand gesture, Marni finally entered the front of the stall. Because the woman no longer had any suspicions about the man, she approached the merchant.
The merchant smiled broadly, he watched the situation outside. The merchant became calmer, he knew for sure at a time like this people were still busy looking for their sustenance. Of course, this makes the surroundings look deserted. After all, if anyone saw it, it was none of their business.
Not waiting any longer, the merchant lifted the bottom of his sarong. After that, he asked Marni to kneel before his crotch.
Although there are still doubts for Marni to do this, for Aryan's sake, she finally does what the merchant asked.
Marni's face ended up in the man's crotch, while the man looked up with a soft moan.
***
The grassland at the edge of the northern forest was not as fertile as those in the western forest. However, Munra still collects pinch after pinch of green grass with Aryan who is always by his side. Whenever Munra left behind a tuft of grass he had cut, Aryan would grab the grass and pile it near their pedati-cart.
Not only was the grassland on the north side a little dry, but it was also because Munra was not the only one looking for grass on there. At least, Munra saw two men who were also looking for grass on the field. One was on the east side of the field, the other was on the west side.
And yes, of course, there is not much fresh grass left.
That's why Munra rarely looked for grass in this northern grassland because it was too often and too many people were looking for grass there.
The reason is simple. The northern grassland is a little safer than other grasslands, such as those in the west. There were always bandits and robbers who made the dense forests their hideout. And this northern desert was quite close to the Uttara Kingdom.
The grassland was divided by a large road in the middle. From the south where the Vashara region is located, to penetrate the dense forest far to the north where the Uttara Kingdom is located.
It could be said that the road that was always billowing dust—especially during the dry season like now—was quite often traversed by the royal soldiers or other important people.
For these reasons, robbery is very rare around the northern forest. Perhaps, the bandits and the robbers did not dare to deal with the notorious Kingdom of Uttara.
Maybe it's safer there. However, for someone like Munra who only worked as a grass-seeker, this situation was truly unfavorable. The grass he gets is not as much as in other areas. Not as good as he usually gets.
But Munra had no other choice. For the safety of his adopted son, Munra did not want to take the risk of looking for grass in other areas. Except, when Aryan was not coming with him.
Munra finally ended his work after it was past high noon. There were only four bunches of fresh grass he could get. But Munra felt that was enough for now.
On their way home, Munra and Aryan both enjoyed a piece of boiled cassava as their lunch, each of which was less than five inches in size.
Even so, Munra and Aryan seemed to be quite enjoying their food on the pedati-cart pulled by the female buffalo.
***