Sasi pulled Nalini by the hand to the row of huts at the end, not far from the kitchen. The room was spacious with no partitions. Several large cots made of wood and bamboo slats filled the room. Pandanus mats covered the surface. That's where the maids and servants slept.
"Here, girl. Take a cloth suitable for you and your mother," Sasi said as she opened a wooden chest. Inside was a pile of brown cloth, almost uniform in color.
Nalini approached and picked up two cloths lying at the top of the pile. The cloth still smelled of 'soga' (natural dye), a sign that it was new. The girl then smelled the distinctive scent of batik. She shyly glanced at the old cloth wrapped around her body that smelled musty.
"Why are you smiling to yourself, girl?" asked Sasi in surprise, looking at Nalini. "Do you rarely buy new cloth?"
Nalini nodded shyly. "Yes, ma'am Sasi. We come from a village. Cloth is very expensive for us. It's not necessarily once a year that we can buy it," Nalini explained honestly.
The maid Sasi nodded her head. "As long as we live in this palace, we maids and attendants will always be given new cloth."
"Thank you, I never expected to come to this place," Nalini said. Her beautiful eyes were still gazing at the pattern of the batik cloth in her hands. Although it was simple and the cloth was meant for the court ladies, Nalini found it very beautiful.
"Wear that cloth, girl. When facing the king or empress, we must be well-dressed. Keep your cloth in that place," Sasi pointed to another wooden box under the bed.
Nalini nodded and placed their things there. "Will my mother and I sleep here, ma'am?" asked Nalini.
"Yes, girl. You can sleep on this cot. The two servants who used to use this place just left," explained Emban Sasi. He then stepped over to another wooden box and opened it.
"Come here, girl. Choose a top that suits you. This cloth is to cover your upper body."
Nalini approached Sasi and was amazed to see a pile of thin, beautifully patterned fabrics, like woven brocade.
"Did we also receive this, Emban?" she asked as she covered her mouth, almost in disbelief. Ordinary batik cloth was already a luxury to her, now they were also given colorful shawls.
Sasi nodded. Iya then selected a pink shawl for Nalini. "You look good in this, girl. This color is appropriate for a beautiful girl like you," Sasi praised as she placed the cloth over Nalini's white skin.
"Look, how cute is that?" asked Sasi as she smiled at Nalini. The girl could only nod shyly.
"Hold on, there's more. You also have to wear a 'stagen' (a small long cloth to slim the stomach), so that the winding of the jarit cloth is neater."
Sasi rummaged through a pile of shawls for a stagen. "Here you go, there are new ones. One for you, one for your mother," she said.
Nalini accepted the roll of thick, stiff, long cloth. "How do I wear it, ma'am?" asked Nalini in confusion. She had never worn such a stagen before. It was very rare and limited to those who lived in the township.
"Put on your jarit cloth first, I'll help you put it on," Sasi said kindly.
Nalini obediently obeyed the kind servant's orders. She immediately went to the room that was only a cloth partition to change her cloth. Soon she came out with small steps because of the tightness of the cloth she was wearing.
Sasi then wrapped the stagen around her belly along her waist and under her chest until it was tight and tight. Nalini's curves were clearly visible.
"I'm sure if those princes saw you, they'd fight over you, girl," Sasi said as she smiled again at Nalini's beautiful body.
The girl's cheeks reddened, she was embarrassed to be constantly praised by Sasi. "No way, ma'am. I'm just a village girl, not beautiful and graceful like the girls in this township," Nalini denied modestly.
Sasi tapped Nalini on the shoulder. "But you're still original, girl. Try dressing up and polishing your face a little, and lose all the girls here."
"Never mind, never mind, ma'am. Don't keep praising me, I'll get a big head," Nalini cut in quickly. She felt bad and wanted to go back to the kitchen. The girl remembered her mother who was still busy preparing the herbal medicine.
"Yes, yes. This is the last one, you must also comb and curl your hair neatly. Use this," Sasi ordered as she handed over a comb made of horn.
Nalini took it and then untangled her long hair. She combed it slowly and then curled it neatly.
Sasi held out a pink shawl and smiled with satisfaction at Nalini's new look. "Use this shawl to cover your shoulders," she said.
Nalini put on the shawl and smoothed the position over her shoulders repeatedly. "Is it like this, ma'am? Does it fit?" he asked. Nalini once had a shawl but she mostly used it to carry her basket, unlike this ornamental shawl.
"Already. After lunch, deliver your mother's herbal medicine to the Queen!" Emban Sasi ordered as she left the place.
"Yes, Emban Sasi. Thank you," Nalini replied as she folded her palms together in front of her chest. She then followed the servant back to the kitchen.
Nyai Dhira, who was still pounding ginger and curcuma, was surprised to see Nalini's new look. Her eyes were unblinking as she looked at her daughter from head to toe. She could hardly believe that the beautiful figure was her daughter, the village girl.
"Nalini... is that you?" murmured Nyai Dhira to her daughter. She paused her work pounding the rhizome roots.
Nalini stepped slowly towards her mother. Her footsteps were a little slower because of the tight fabric she was wearing. "Yes... how is it? Doesn't it look strange, mom?"
"How weird? Beautiful, you know, girl. Here, here." Nyai Dhira asked Nalini to come closer to her. Once in front of her, she adjusted the shawl covering her daughter's shoulders.
"Don't be so open, girl. You're still a girl," Nyai Dhira whispered in Nalini's ear.
Nalini wanted to ask again but couldn't, she just nodded. "But, mom... this cloth feels too tight, so I'm not free to move."
Nyai Dhira chuckled at that. "That's how people in the palace dress, girl. We have to adjust too," the middle-aged woman said wisely.
"I can't walk fast let alone run, ma'am," Nalini complained as she pulled up her cloth but quickly dropped it again.
"That's it, no more drama. You'll be able to walk fast when you get used to it," Nyai Dhira coaxed. They were indeed used to wearing cloth, but only knee-length, not stretched all the way down like the style of women in the town.
Nalini then intended to help her mother grate turmeric, but was quickly prevented. "Already, let me grate it. You cook the water in that stove," Nyai Dhira pointed to a small pot on the hearth.
"But, mom? Ah, I know why you won't let me grate turmeric," Nalini frowned. She understood that her mother had always forbidden her from grating turmeric.
"Your fingers will turn yellow," Nyai Dhira replied.
"Then when will I be able to make my own jamu, mom?" Nalini protested again.
Nyai Dhira sighed. "Girl, are you sure you want to continue this difficult job?" asked Nyai Dhira suddenly.
Nalini nodded quickly. "Of course, mom. I love making medicine, boiling herbs, helping the sick. If no one wants to treat people, how will the sick get better?"
Winning, since the incident of being slandered and chased by the warda dusun, Nyai Dhira secretly wanted her daughter to live as an ordinary woman. However, Nalini had always loved medicine.
Nyai Dhira was still silent, she was busy finishing the herbal ingredients and putting them into a special medicine pot. Nalini watched her carefully. A job she had probably seen a thousand times.
"Why do you suddenly think I shouldn't be a healer?" Nalini demanded. She was a little surprised at the change in her mother's attitude.
"Have you forgotten what happened to us yesterday? I was slandered, our house was burnt down, we were chased and even killed.... " Nyai Dhira said with trembling lips.
"Yes, mom. I understand. The risks of our job are very heavy, we deal with people's lives," Nalini said. Even so, the determination in her heart did not waver.
"I will prove our innocence, ma'am." Nalini said with a serious look on her face.