The woman seemed to take a few breaths. "Of course I was taught to be a healer by my husband. I was young and had a strong memory," Sarala said. There was a sad tone in her voice.
"Why are you sad?" asked Nalini. She came over and sat on her knees in front of Sarala. Listening to people's life experiences is the job of a healer, at least that's what Nalini understood from her mother. Although she knew that the person in front of her was a healer too.
"I came to work. I had no intention of destroying the happiness of the great healer's family, let alone killing his eldest wife. However, I was the scapegoat when she was unable to fight her illness," Sarala said a little stammeringly. Her chest was a little tight as she talked about her past.
Nalini was silent. She felt guilty for digging up old wounds. "I'm sorry, Mother. I didn't mean to make you sad. Never mind, don't remember it again."
Looking at Sarala's sad mother, Nalini thought of her own simbok. Why is it that healers who fail to heal are often considered the cause of calamity? Ah, it seemed unfair.
"It's okay-you should know so you can be careful. The steep path you choose, you have to be smart and choose your travelling companions." Sarala said that while holding Nalini's arm.
Nalini bit her lip. Why did everyone always tell her to be careful in this great healer's house?
"Yes, Mother. Thank you for the advice. I will always be careful," Nalini replied reassuringly. A smile was forced onto her tired face.
"Mother, may I ask a question. Sorry for being presumptuous. Why do you live here, with the emban and healers? Not in the big house?" she asked, unable to hide her curiosity. She should be entitled to live in the main house as she was the wife of the old grand physician.
Not immediately answering, Sarala sighed. "Didn't I tell you earlier. I was considered a murderer by my own stepdaughter. I didn't manage to help her biological mother, so I don't know where she got the whisper that she was so sweet and hated me."
Sarala's eyes travelled far into the future. "But being allowed here is good enough. I'm still lucky I wasn't put in jail or turned into crocodile food."
Nalini choked up at that. "How cruel is the punishment for a healer who fails to heal?" she asked fearfully.
Sarala did not answer immediately. She just smiled bitterly. "That's how it is, we try desperately to help people but when we fail, we die."
Nalini's heart almost stopped hearing it. So, is it the same whether you live in a village or a township? The fate of a healer was unlucky.
"Is that always the case, Mother? A healer's fate always ends badly?" Nalini tried to calm the growing turmoil of worry in her mind.
"It's not always bad. Those who are good at playing of course will not face difficult situations, instead they will be adored and sought after by many people."
Nalini took a while to digest Sarala's words. "Hmm, playful? Are you saying that a healer must be good at healing and have many friends?"
Sarala tapped Nalini on the shoulder. "It's true what Mila said, you are indeed intelligent and talented," she praised with a wide smile. As she smiled, the former healer still looked beautiful and radiated charm.
"You saw earlier, the healers and childbearing shamans gathered. Besides gaining knowledge, their real purpose is to gather support and strength. They need to build up their strength so that they can't be easily defeated."
Nalini now understood. It made sense what the township healers were doing. Had her mother done the same, perhaps the villagers would not have carelessly accused and blamed them.
"I understand now. Maybe I'll do something similar when I return to our village." Nalini muttered, as if saying to herself.
"Are you still interested in returning to the village?" Sarala asked curiously. It was everyone's dream to live in the local township but the girl in front of her was the opposite. She still wanted to go home.
"I'm going home anyway. I have important things to do there." Nalini said that sentence steadily. She considered it a promise to herself. Yes, Nalini wanted to clear her mother's good name.
They talked for a long time. It was as if Nalini had found a substitute for her mother when she was away from Ndalem Kaputren. If she had the chance, she promised to introduce her mother to Sarala. The woman laughed happily.
Nalini quickly adapted to the environment at the grand healer's house. Although not everyone was nice to her, the girl felt safe with Radmila and Sarala around. Plus, Arya actually fulfilled his promise to come to the place every day.
Like that afternoon. The sun had fallen in the western sky, twilight was approaching. Prince Arya was seen entering the regol of the Gentala healer's house.
"Where is Nalini, servant?" asked Arya as she dismounted. An emban hurriedly approached her.
"Oh, the Princess is waiting for the Prince inside," he replied quickly.
Arya Dhipa shook her head repeatedly. "Not the princess, I asked, where is Nalini the healer." He did not want the servant to mistake Nalini for Bintari.
"Sorry, Prince. I don't know about that. I was only told by Ndoro Princess Bintari to wait for Prince Arya." The servant replied, confusion in his voice. Why was the Prince looking for a lowly servant instead of his daughter Ndoro?
"Yes, already. I'll find her myself." Arya said as she walked away leaving the gawking servant behind.
Arya Dhipa continued walking towards the row of buildings where the courtiers lived. He remembered the last time he left Nalini at the far end of the building.
He saw that the building looked deserted. Some people came in and out but he did not see Nalini among them. Her head swivelled to look inside the building.
Arya was about to shout out a call when a soft voice greeted her from behind.
"Who are you looking for, Prince?" asked Nalini. She too raised her head and turned her head to the right and left. Mimicking Arya's movements.
The prince quickly turned his head. He was happy to see Nalini who looked cheerful and fine. "Who else am I looking for if not the strangest young healer in this township."
Nalini pointed at her own nose with her index finger. "I'm weird? Aren't there many weirder than me?" she said, not wanting to accept being called weird by Arya Dhipa.
The young man scowled. "Never mind, let me teach you to read. You can't even read yet, let alone when you're smart." Arya Dipa pretended to complain.
Nalini chuckled at that. "That is indeed my goal, Prince. Ndoro Mila is right, the smarter a woman is, the more frightening she will be to men."
"Ah. You have started to be influenced by that woman." Arya Dhipa girded his loins, as if ready to fight Radmila.
Nalini burst into laughter again. It felt so good to make this Prince Arya upset. However, the girl then hurriedly changed her attitude and behaved respectfully. She remembered that she was in the house of the great physician. Many eyes and ears were watching. It would be wrong for her to be bullied again by Bintari's men.
"Sorry, Prince. I was just joking. I'm ready to learn," Nalini said. She put her hands together in front of her chest and bowed slightly.
Arya Dhipa smiled and grimaced at her. To be honest, he preferred Nalini's rambunctious attitude to her obedient style like the other courtiers.
"Let's go to the study room on the right side of the house. Bintari and I, and her younger siblings used to study there."
Arya Dhipa stepped to the east side followed by Nalini. They both tried to ignore the suspicious glances of the other courtiers.
"Bring this," Arya Dhipa ordered as he held out the bundle of cloth containing the equipment he was carrying. Nalini caught a glimpse of the prince's face, which turned flat as if he did not want to treat her specially.
Nalini understood. They had to play the drama in front of many people to avoid suspicion.
"Yes, sir." Nalini accepted the object as she bowed and behaved very politely in front of him.
A small smile played at the corners of Arya Dhipa's lips. A small wink was quickly sent to Nalini.
Nalini hid her smile. A strange feeling returned to her heart. Without any words, they could understand each other.
The room used by Nalini and Arya Dhipa was designed for the study of the children of the great healers. Several small tables were neatly lined up in it. A wooden blackboard was hung on one of the poles. Several pieces of limestone were stacked in a small container.
"Sit down. I will start writing. Pay attention and memorise the characters. Once you have memorised them you can string them together into words and sentences."
Arya Dhipa taught Nalini in a quick and straightforward manner. He spoke in a way that was easy to understand.
The girl listened seriously. Sometimes her head unconsciously followed the movement of Arya Dhipa's writing hand. From afar, the characters looked like intricate carvings.
Finished writing all the characters, Arya Dhipa turned to Nalini. The girl did not blink at the wooden board.
'Can you memorise them all?' Arya asked. His smile seemed to mock the stunned Nalini.
Nalini did not immediately answer Arya's question. She pulled her own hair and bit her lip hard.