Nyai Dhira caught her breath, it was heavy. Her chest was tight. When she first learned that the person under her care was Ratu Padma, her world was shaken. As the granddaughter of a court physician in her time, she was often told by her grandfather about life in the palace.
But now, she and her own child had set foot on the palace grounds. Through a series of events that were so fast and unexpected.
Nyai Dhira knew that successfully taking care of an important palace figure would be a new chapter in her life, she could be appointed as an official. Conversely, failure to save them could bring her to the brink of hell.
She breathed again, and closed her eyes.
"How is it, mom?" Nalini asked softly.
Nyai Dhira opened her eyes and looked sadly at her daughter. "I will try, girl. You help me," said the healer. Her lips tried to smile.
Nalini repeatedly nodded her head. Her hand grasped her mother's hand tightly. "Yes, mom. I will help, as much as I can. I'll do whatever it takes to become a great healer." Nalini said it earnestly, like a promise to herself.
"Come on, girl. Let's go to the kitchen. The ingredients are all there," Nyai Dhira invited. They both went to a large room separated from the main building.
The place called the kitchen was a large open room, even larger than most people's homes. Several clay fireplaces were lined up.
Not far from the stove, there is a pile of dry wood, coconut fiber, and 'klari' (dried coconut leaves). Then in another corner there is a shelf made of bamboo sticks. Various cooking utensils are neatly arranged on it. Starting from baskets, baking pans and pottery of various sizes.
Seeing such a large and complete kitchen, Nalini was amazed. She remembered that in her house, she only had a few cooking utensils and cutlery that would be washed as soon as they were used.
"Are you the new healers?" A small waiter waved at Nyai Dhira and Nalini. She signaled them to come closer.
"Yes, ma'am. What should we do here? Please give us guidance." Nyai Dhira approached and greeted her senior politely.
The small waitress smiled happily. "You're new, but you already know your manners. Have you learned before?" she asked curiously. Her small but sharp eyes scrutinized the two new healers from toe to head.
"No, ma'am. We came from the village, knowing nothing. Please guide us." Nyai Dhira was again humble and said it sincerely.
The servant immediately pulled Nyai Dhira's arm and became intimate with her. "Alright. I will teach you. My name is Sasi. In this kitchen, I'm the equipment department. If you want to find any ingredients, just ask me," she said kindly.
Nyai Dhira welcomed Sasi's kindness with pleasure. As if she had found a long-lost friend, she curled her lips up perfectly. The heavy burden on her chest seemed to be lifted little by little.
"Thank you, Nyai Sasi. I will always look for you. Now, show us where the ginger, turmeric, temu lawak (curcuma) and their friends are." Nyai Dhira began to speak in a happy tone.
"Come over here. We keep the empon-empon in those containers," Sasi said, pointing to the rectangular bamboo containers that were neatly lined up.
Sure enough, inside the containers were a variety of 'empon-empon' (herbal plants). All had been cleaned or dried. Ready to be used at any time.
"Nyai Sasi, sorry, can I ask about Kanjeng Ratu?" asked Nyai Dhira softly. Although she knew what she was going to do, she wanted to make sure she was right.
"Yes, Nyai Tabib. What do you want to ask?" Emban Sasi asked as she adjusted the lurik kebaya she was wearing.
"What did the previous healers usually make to treat the Queen's illness?" asked Nyai Dhira. She was curious why the previous healer could not cure her.
Servant Sasi looked to the right and left. Then he pulled Nyai Dhira close and whispered in her ear. "The Queen has been hit by witchcraft, that's why she's been sick for years. There are palace relatives who dislike her and do evil to her," Sasi whispered with enlarged eyes.
Nyai Dhira was stunned to hear that. It was beyond her expectation. In her mind, the Queen was suffering from a severe cough and it had attacked her lungs. It was not witchcraft. But the healer just listened silently.
"Is that so? Then what kind of medicine should I make?" he asked the Sasi emban. She asked shakily. He was indeed a healer who could treat people, but when it came to black magic, what could he do?
The emban raised both hands. "It's up to Nyai. The previous healer only made bitter herbs every day."
"Why did they only make bitter herbs? The Queen needs medicine to cure her cough. She also needs the right medicine to increase her stamina," said Nyai Dhira in surprise.
Sasi's servant hurriedly pulled Nyai Dhira's hand back and whispered. "Just so you know, the previous healer was a messenger from an official who disliked the Queen. So I think, he just carelessly treated the Queen."
Nyai Dhira widened her eyes. The saliva she accidentally swallowed felt so tight in her throat. 'What is this? I'm now going to enter the political vortex?" Her inner voice asked.
"Shush, but I'm warning you. Just pretend you don't know. Just do your job well and make the Queen recover." Servant Sasi said that while looking straight into Nyai Dhira's eyes.
The one being gazed at returned the gaze. Then she nodded slowly. "Yes, Nyai. We will do our best," she said.
Nyai Dhira then pointed at Nalini. "She is my daughter, she will also help me."
Nalini nodded at the emban and smiled politely. She, who stood not far from her mother, heard the whispers and secret information conveyed by the Sasi maid.
"Your daughter is very beautiful, Nyai Tabib. How old is she?" asked Sasi while observing Nalini's face.
"Twenty years old this year." Nyai Dhira replied. To be honest, there was a bit of guilt in mentioning the age of her daughter who had yet to find a mate, even though most village girls her age had already found a life partner.
"Really? She's already twenty years old? I thought she was still a teenager. Her face is so innocent," Sasi chirped unbidden.
Nalini was embarrassed by Sasi's servant talk. She just smiled and shot a glance at the tan-skinned emban.
"She's also a village girl, Nyai. It's natural for her face to be plain." Nalini humbly followed her mother.
Sasi reached out and pulled her hand. "Sorry, girl, I was just joking. You are very beautiful. Be careful with such a pretty face, there are many land womanizer in the township."
"Huh? Is that true, Nyai?" asked Nalini, not understanding. Her eyebrows furrowed.
Nyai Dhira chuckled and looked at her daughter. "Yes, girl. It's called 'garangan' here. A man who likes to play with women."
"Oh that. It won't work on me, mom." Nalini said with a sardonic smile. She felt triumphant because the other day she had managed to ignore the advances of the village boys who were chasing her.
"Hey, make no mistake. The young men in the township are different. They are good at playing tactics. Never mind, let me show you to your room. There's a change of clothes and cloth there." Sasi's maid waved her hand, inviting them in.
"Come with me for a while. Let your mother make some 'jamu' (herbal medicine) to give to the Queen." Sasi took Nalini to the cottage where the servants lived.