CARA

Anjani

"Poffertjes, Ni," said Arya while giving Anjani her favorite cake. The two were sitting on a wooden back-yard chair when night fell. Anjani ate the cake casually while staring at the view of her backyard. There are three buildings in the duchy. The front area is where the family sleeps, the back area is a small garden and where the courtroom sleeps which is next to the kitchen, then one more building as a warehouse.

When he saw a slight bruise on Anjani's face, Arya was of course angry - very angry, but he did not want his sister to remember the incident. Arya just wants to comfort her sister and try her best to make Anjani forget all her problems. Since then, no one dared to come to Anjani's room, not even Rara. When night fell, then Arya ventured to invite Anjani out, so that he could treat bruising his sister.

"Don't die first, Ni. You haven't paid poffertjes' debt to Kangmas. If you have paid, then you can die," muttered Arya while kneeling in front of Anjani, then treat bruising the corner of Anjani's lips.

Anjani directly hit her brother with her thunderous punch. Arya immediately grimaced, feeling pain. "Your disobedient sister, Ni," complained Arya who invited Anjani's light laughter.

"The sign of Anjani's love" Anjani joked as she fed her brother poffertjes. Seeing her sister's laughter was more than enough to make Arya feel better.

"Eat a lot, Ni. Look, you're like a walking bone" Arya muttered as she shook Anjani's hand, to prove how thin the girl was.

"Kangmas wants Anjani to give her another sign of love?" anjani.

Arya laughed again, then pulled her sister into her arms. Hugged Anjani, the only sibling he had, tightly.

"Sorry.." murmured Arya again. "Kangmas can't be a good brother to you."

Anjani felt her eyes start to water again. "Indeed," Anjani murmured, but her voice sounded like she was crying.

It made Arya laugh, but also could not hide her sadness. "Your cursed kangmas turned to stone, just knowing the taste," murmured Arya again, trying to lighten the atmosphere between them.

Anjani hugged Arya back very tightly while shedding her tears. Not far from there, a middle-aged man stood up with his tired face, hearing all of his son's conversations. The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace containing a photo of a woman of his heart - Padmi, the biological mother of Anjani and Arya.

...----------------...

"Raden, come here again?" the coachman asked in shock, as the raden told him to stop at the same spot for three days in a row.

"This is the last one, Mas, before going home," muttered Reksa with a calm smile. It was still very early in the morning, but Reksa decided to go to that place with black shoes in his hands. Muta waited on the mango tree for about ten minutes every day in Klaten, with shoes in his hands. Mutual just wanted to get those shoes back - at least that's what he thought.

Muta heard the rustling of trees from behind the tall white wall. He looked up and smiled when he saw a girl climb the wall, before landing safely on the ground. This time, the girl was not wearing any footwear at all - considering the last time she wore footwear, her side was instantly lost to Mutsa.

As the girl was cleaning her array, Reksa stepped quietly without making a sound. "I've been waiting for you since yesterday" said Reksa.

Anjani jumped in shock when she heard the quiet voice nearby. He reflexively stepped back with a clear attitude of anticipation. The eyes of the two met for a moment. Muta smiled, while Anjani looked at the man strangely.

"What else do you want?" anjani asked bluntly, pointing at her feet that were wearing nothing now. "I don't have any other shoes you can steal, Raden."

"I'm just returning your shoes" said Reksa calmly, dropping the black shoes in front of Anjani.

"Oh."

"Yes," Reksa replied with an equally calm smile.

Anjani would not deny the man in front of her giving off an unusual aura. The aura was so powerful and attracted the attention of anyone who was poking around with the man in front of him. Yes, this man is handsome with a physical that looks strong and sturdy, but there are other things beyond the physical appearance of the man that is able to attract the attention of anyone.

"Satur nuwun, Raden," said Anjani hastily while rushing away from there as soon as possible.

"Anjani," call Reksa quiet, making Anjani reflex stop. Anjani looked over with her impatient face. What else does this guy want?

"Your name is Anjani. Do you understand the meaning of Anjani in Hindu mythology?" ask Reksa again while stepping closer to Anjani. Anjani frowned suspiciously. Why does this guy want to talk to her?

Anjani answered only, so that this man was happy and left him. Anjani shook her head in response. Muta smiled wisely, making Anjani aware, her name seems to have a beautiful and beautiful philosophy. He became interested in listening to the philosophy of his own name.

"In Hindu mythology, Anjani is the mother of Hanuman, a monkey warrior who became a loyal friend of Rama," explained Reksa with her wise smile that did not fade.

"You...just said I'm a monkey?" tanya Anjani doesn't believe it.

"Not you" replied the man confidently. "... but your name."

Anjani put a face criticizing him clearly on the raden. Anjani no longer cares if the man in front of him is a regent of Sleman. However, again Anjani was afraid this man complained to his family. Indirectly the man in front of him is the holder of his life. Therefore, he chose to remain as polite as possible.

"Satur nuwun, Raden," said Anjani smiled briefly, before rushing back to leave.

"You want to marry me?" ask Reksa again, making Anjani again stop his steps.

Anjani turned her head in shock towards Reksa. "You... want to marry me?" tanya Anjani was shocked.

"Yes, to teach you manners and ethics" replied Reksa lightly with a faint smile.

"You want to marry me just for that?" asked Anjani again with her tone that rose an octave.

"Ah....the reason is less powerful?" tanya Reksa seemed to think. "If the reason is, I'm in love at second sight, do you believe it?"

"Are you happy to play with women, Raden?" asked Anjani again with her sharp tone. "Do women look like toys?"

"I'm not playing you, Anjani," replied Reksa seriously, then walked over to Anjani. "I'm serious."

Anjani frowned in disbelief. Long they looked, until Anjani's mind was revealed. Ah... This man was single for so long, because this man is a bastard who likes to play tricks on women. Did Anjani just suudzon? Ah. nope. Anjani was convinced that was the reason the man was single until now. The man in front of him could not play with one woman alone and it seemed that feeling was a pleasant object for the great Reksanegara.

"You do this to all women, don't you?" asked Anjani while patting the raden friendly shoulder with a smile full of meaning. Anjani dared to do it, because the place was still quiet and manners of course became a little loose.

Muta let out a long breath then nodded. "I only did this to one person and I was rejected" Muta replied with a bitter smile.

Anjani smiled amusedly, then pulled a paper from her small bag and gave it to the man in front of her. It was a picture of the man's face that Anjani drew a few days ago, to remember the face of the man who stole his beloved shoes. I never thought he would see that guy again.

"A true man is a man who can prove his words. Imagine if you said this to all the women you met, how many wives you might have - if you were a real man. You're a master seducer, Raden," joked Anjani, as if it wasn't a big thing. He walked away from Raden just like that afterwards. The man was still glued to the picture he got from Anjani.

"If my proposal reaches your duchy, I hope you are not surprised, Anjani," said Reksa half exclaimed.

"If I remember. I easily forget the problem," Anjani replied as she waved her hand without the need to turn her body to face the raden.

Muta smiled, then looked at the picture in his hand. The picture was made of a pen with an abstract stroke. The face of Muta in the picture is not entirely true, because according to the words of the girl herself - she easily forgets. However, Reksa liked the picture. He folds it well and puts it in his pocket. Muta walked towards the coachman with a smile that did not fade from his face.

"Home, Raden?" ask the coachman.

"Yes, we're back home" replied Mutual again.

...ΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩ...

The pen and ink Anjani used

Poffertjes