The trumpet of Majupati1 was heard almost from all corners of the Maespati palace, preaching signs of mourning throughout the country.
Kebo Anabrang, Mahapatih2 Maespati, bowed his head. He still didn't expect that king, who had enthroned for the past fifteen years, would have to die young at the age forty because of a strange disease for which there was no cure. Dozens of court physicians, shamans, and Begawan came from all over the country just to treat the king. But the disease that the king suffered instead of being cured got worse.
Gayatri, the consort of king Alam Braja Sukma, is seen bowing down with her belly getting bigger in a gagampang3 white outfit that shows mourning. Compassion stirred Kebo Anabrang's heart. It's all because the baby in Gayatri's belly was already living without his father before he was born.
"Mahapatih, we need to talk about the funeral of the late King and all the ceremonies," said Candrasengkala. "It's not good to make a Maharesi4 wait any longer than this."
Kebo Anabrang nodded. He summoned one of the court ladies of the palace. "Please take care of the empress."
Kebo Anabrang came out of the nursery with the body of the late king Alam Braja Sukma, followed by Candrasengkala, but before actually leaving, he took the time to ask for help from one of the female warriors in Kembang Kemara's5 army as well as a dozen Lestari6 troops to guard the empress Gayatri.
"Kembang Kemara and a group of Lestari?" Asked Candrasengkala with a frown of surprise, because it was unusual to see Kebo Anabrang behaving this way. "Gusti7 patih8, what exactly is Gusti worried about?"
"It's all Candrasengkala," Kebo Anabrang replied shortly. After making sure Gayatri was safe and guarded, Kebo Anabrang invited Candrasengkala to go to the palace hall.
****
The palace hall had been bustling with somber faces from all the courtiers, but they had been unsuccessful in the slightest in making Kebo Anabrang feel calm. Although prince Swarpakala, the crown prince, was ready to become king, as a Mahapatih, he had his concerns about the king's death. For him, all the worries he had in his heart were God's hints that something big and bad was about to happen.
Kebo Anabrang sat on his throne. A Manik Merta is a special throne for a patih. This throne is smaller than the king's throne and is called the Indralaya.
The throne of the king, or indralaya, is in the form of a large dragon that has two heads, and above the dragon, there is a statue of a large garuda9 bird with slightly curved wings as if the garuda is ready to hug to protect anyone who occupies the throne made of gold, while the two-headed dragon is a symbol of the guardian of the cardinal directions, because the king must be a force to ward off and give protection to his people from all bad things.
Kebo Anabrang was sitting in Manik Merta. A manik merta is a special throne for a patih. Kebo Anabrang's throne does not have dragon and bird carvings, but the head of a tiger and Tetaka, a large melancholy snake.
In addition to having different sizes and carvings, these two thrones have different meanings. The Manik Merta means that a Mahapatih will be someone most trusted by the king who must help him think of the people, protect the people, and submit obediently and protect the king and the king's family under any circumstances, including if he has to sacrifice his own life.
All the courtiers of the palace were seated in their respective places, which were small benches made of wood. The location and height of the benches were determined by each courtier's rank, which ranged from patih, dukes, royal advisors, and commanders to warriors and astute scholars who were free to speak out to advise the king. The two great court sages, however, were among the most honorable.
The two great Maharesi are Resi10 Agyasaki and Resi Jitendra. They were entitled to hold Drasta, the king's crown that could only be worn by a king. And according to legend, it was Drasta who chose the wearer; otherwise, anyone who is not entitled to wear Drastra will suffer an unlucky fate, either a tragic death or an unpleasant life.
Kebo Anabrang sat on his throne. Resi Agyasaki clears her throat before speaking.
"The death of the deceased King is certainly very worrying. Maespati has never had a problem like this. When the late King Wijaya Birendra Bhupendra left us all, the late King Alam Braja Sukma was already at the age of being worthy of being king, but now we do not have that figure."
"Resi, we still have the crown prince, the prince of Swarpakala. There is nothing to worry. As Mahapatih, I believe Prince Swarpakala is ready to take the lead. The palace masters have taught him a lot of things. Starting from the state system, war, science, and literature, he has all learned. The crown prince is a smart boy."
"He is still 15 years old, Kebo Anabrang! Our crown prince still needs to learn a lot of things. "He doesn't quite deserve to be a king yet."
"Is it true that we have someone else who deserves to be king besides him?" asked Kebo Anabrang, for the first time daring to challenge a maharesi."The child who is in the queen's womb, we don't even know yet whether he deserves to be a king or not."
"We still have another prince who deserves to be king, Gusti Patih."
" Utara Jingga?"
"Certainly not Prince Kripala."
Kebo Anabrang immediately laughed out loud, but his laughter immediately disappeared, replaced by a cynical and angry look on his face. "Wilayuda, Wilayuda, aren't there any ideas that are more appropriate to come out of your mouth?"
"Why is it inappropriate, Mahapati?"
"Wirasesa is talking?" asked Kebo Anabrang, his gaze narrowing at the figure of the royal courtier at the very end.
"Yes, Mahapatih, is it wrong for the uncle of a prince to talk about his nephew?" asked Wirasesa in a small, frightened voice. "Prince Kripala, although the son of a concubine, is more mature than prince Swarpakala and prince Utara Jingga. Prince Kripala was also a great thinker, a formidable warrior, and a strong and capable ruler.
"But the problem is that he is still the son of a concubine!"
"But he has the blood of a king."
"A king who is influenced by lust and makes mistakes to impregnate the common people!" Said Kebo Anabrang sarcastically. "Don't dream he can become king, Wirasesa. That nephew of yours he is lacking in every way."
1. Majupati : A trumpet that can only be sounded when there is death among the nobles
2. Mahapati : The highest office after the king in the kingdoms in Indonesia is that of a prime minister, and the most famous mahapatih in Indonesian history is Mahapatih Gajah Mada, who managed to unite most of Indonesia.
3. Gagampang is the name or name of everyday clothes for people from ancient kingdoms in Indonesia, such as the kingdoms of Majapahit, Kadiri, and Sriwijaya. The model of clothing is still seen in temples, statues, and ancient inscriptions in Indonesia.
4. Maharesi: Noble (holy) priest in Hinduism
5. Kembang Kemara : the main women warrior of the kingdom,
6. Lestari : women warior
7. Gusti : lord
8. Patih : Other Designations for Mahapatih
9. Garuda : vehicles or vehicles of Lord Vishnu in Hinduism.
10. Resi : Other Designations for Maharesi