Inside the palace of the Artapurana Kingdom which for the last ten years has been controlled by Pramudya Antaguna, a Crown Prince of the Linggatan Kingdom.
The 35-year-old man does look quite handsome and dashing. However, his good looks seemed to be covered by a vicious aura that made the look in his eyes so frightening.
He was sitting on his throne. In front of him, a young man in his 20s was kneeling, flanked by two royal soldiers.
On the left and right, on the available luxurious chairs, sat several people who had important tasks in the kingdom.
"Tell me," said Pramudya whose voice sounded hoarse and heavy. "Are you trying to trick me for a handful of gold?"
"Forgive me, Your Majesty," said the young man as he dropped his forehead to the floor. "I'm telling the truth."
"You know, don't you? If you try to trick me, then I will not hesitate to order the executioners to tear you to pieces!"
"I understand very well, Your Majesty."
"Good!" said Pramudya. "Now raise your face, tell me in more detail, lest you have anything to hide!"
"Your Majesty."
The young man lifted his face and straightened his back even though he was still kneeling.
"In the afternoon, two days ago," said the young man. "I was fishing near the coral reef, east side. I felt strange because the sea breeze blowing suddenly stopped, then far in the middle of the sea, I saw the appearance of a bluish light—I don't know, like a rapidly expanding ring. Then, something fell from within the ring, Your Majesty."
"And you are sure," said Pramudya with a twinkle in his eye, "that that something was a human?"
"I am very sure, Your Majesty," the young man bowed again slightly. "I swear by the Gods and Goddesses, what I saw was a man. He just appeared with the formation of the bluish ring in the middle of the sea, then plunged into the sea."
Pramudya Antaguna took a deep breath. He glanced at the two soldiers flanking the young man, moving his finger in a gesture to both of them.
The two royal soldiers nodded, then forced the young man to stand up.
"Very well," said Pramudya. "I believe in your evidence. For that, you deserve your reward."
Pramudya moved his head again, directing the two soldiers to take the young man out of the royal hall.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," said the young man with joy.
"Looks like the rebellion will start soon," said Pramudya after the two palace soldiers took the young man out.
He glanced at the ten people sitting in their respective chairs, five on the left and five on the right.
"But I still suspect the young man's evidence, Your Majesty," said a person sitting in the row on the left.
"I don't think that's possible," said a person sitting in the right row, he turned to Pramudya. "Your Majesty," he bowed. "I can confirm that the young man was telling the truth."
"Yeah," Pramudya took a deep breath. "I feel the same thing as well. After all, even if he lies to me, he won't be able to go far."
"Your Majesty," another man in the right row stood, bowing to the king. "What orders will you give us?"
Pramudya thought of one or two moves he would take. He rose from his throne and stepped to the end of the low stage covered in red velvet. He stopped right at the edge, his hands behind his back.
"Kencana Ireng has betrayed me," he said, and again a glint flashed from his eyes. "Even though he has received the punishment he deserves, however, what he has started now will be a hindrance to my power."
Pramudya descended the five steps of the stairs, stepping in the middle of the hall, in front of the ten other important people.
"I do have my powers," he clenched his right fist, staring at his fist with such a cold gaze. "However, I don't want any flaw in my power, no matter how small."
He then turned to the man who was still standing in the row to the right.
"Gather some of your subordinates," Pramudya ordered. "And go to the east coast as soon as possible. Investigate the man's appearance. Whoever the suspicious man is in the eastern region, catch them and drag them here!"
"Your Majesty," the man lowered his head.
*
Pramudya Antaguna stands quietly atop one of the four tallest towers in the Artapurana palace. He was facing east with his hands behind his back.
He looked up, stared at the moon which had reached its highest point, then closed his eyes as if to absorb the silence of the night.
The night wind was not blowing too hard, Pramudya could smell the salt scent carried by the gust of wind.
There were still a few more days before the full moon, he thought. And he almost can't wait for the full moon to carry out a ritual, a ritual that will strengthen his magic and supernatural powers.
"You're still alive, aren't you?" he muttered half inaudibly. "Lathi, my poor wife?"
He opened his eyes, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. A small smile, but at the same time scary.
"Looks like the Gods and Goddesses are on your side," Pramudya took a deep breath of air, then exhaled so along. "It's okay, Lathi, it's okay. Even if the Gods and Goddesses help you, I will still be able to achieve my wish. And if necessary, I will destroy the Gods and Goddesses at once, along with you."
After that, Pramudya Antaguna just jumped from the roof of the tower. There was no fear at all on his face as he jumped down from such a height. His long black cloak quickly transformed into a pair of wings, like the wings of a bat but of enormous size.
Then the figure of Pramudya Antaguna disappeared behind one of the palace walls.
*
At least twenty soldiers were moving towards the east of the Artapurana Kingdom's territory, on their respective horses.
The royal soldiers were led by a commander. And that commander was the same man who had previously received direct orders from Pramudya Antaguna, back in the royal hall earlier.
They kicked their horses so they could run even faster. After all, the order from Pramudya Antaguna who for the past ten years had become their new king was an order that could not be underestimated.
Pramudya Antaguna does not know the word failure. Failing means death, trying to lie to him also means death, trying to rebel then death will be imposed by Pramudya. In short, whatever was unpleasant for the new king, meant death.
That was also the reason why the soldiers rode their horses faster, forcing their horses to keep running without resting. Either way, they had to get to the east coast before daybreak.
***
At dawn, when the moon had reached its last third, at a point in the forest on the east coast, in a hut, Satya slept in the cold.
Time and again the man winced in his sleep because the temperature was getting colder. He felt something supple, soft, and a little able to provide warmth to his face.
And when he forced his eyes to open, he became flabbergasted and quickly slid away. But unfortunately, his moving made him fall from the bamboo divan. He groaned as he rubbed the back of his head, then tried to stand up.
The sound of Satya falling from the divan to the floor, as well as his grunts, disturbed Lathifa's sleep.
"Satya?" Lathifa said, blinking and rubbing her eyes.
Satya gulped, at that moment his pubic shaft reacted. Well, the thing that his face felt so soft, supple, and warm was none other than the girl's breasts. That means he sleeps in the girl's arms.
"W-What happened?"
Latifa frowned. "You should have told me, Satya. What happened to you? You had a bad dream?"
How could I have a bad dream? Satya screamed in his heart. With my face buried in your cleavage, what will come to me is a pleasant dream.
Oh the Great Goddess… what am I thinking?
"N—No," Satya tried to think of an excuse quickly. "Not that."
"Then what?"
"What I remember," he scratched his head. "We ate in the front room before, didn't we?"
Lathifa got up and sat on the edge of the couch, she fixed her long black hair, then nodded to Satya.
"Then what happened after that?" Satya gulped again because he was having a hard time concentrating. The cleavage of Lathifa's breasts, which are seen in half-upper, seems to always force him to look there. "I mean, why am I suddenly sleeping with you in the same bed?"
"Hey," Lathifa tried to smile. "Don't think weird things about me first."
"No, I…" Satya took a deep breath, trying to calm his mind and heart. Also, to soothe something in his crotch.
"When we had dinner last night," said Lathifa. "You suddenly fainted, Satya."
"Fainted?" Satya frowned.