CONFINEMENT

CH 67 - DUSK IN THE SKY

The horse-drawn carriage carrying Muhibbin's entourage and his family along the streets of Negeri Pantai to the Banjar Manguntur residence of Jero Mekel Nengah Wirata Muhibbin's adoptive father.

Throughout the journey not a word was thrown from those people, their minds were each filled with disappointment over the treatment he received from the Sariwati extended family. The tears of Suratmi's mother and Light flowed in view of the incident, as well as Muhibbin who was downcast and silent a thousand languages, in between the corners of the young man's eyes was a clear line of tears that he was holding back.

While in the front of the horse carriage next to the coachman, the face of Mr. Nengah Wirata cold and flat resisted irritation, the old man did not expect Mr. Timoti who was known as a wise leader to embarrass himself in front of Muhibbin and his family. Although all of that is done by Mr. Bendowo, it should not be Mr. Timoti as the host silenced him and if it does not approve Muhibbin's proposal, he said, the governor should have told him well as the guardian of the young man instead of humiliating him like that incident.

"Pity you Gus, you shouldn't be going through this." murmured Mr. Nengah inwardly, the middle-aged man looked back at Muhibbin and his family who were silent moody, there was a sense of haru mixed with sadness watching the three of them.

No matter how long the horse carriage entered the Banjar Manguntur area, the reddened twilight sky covered with gray clouds with the wind that seemed to laze added to the air stuffy that afternoon, and the, the specks of rain water began to drip adding to the impression of the atmosphere, the horse carriage stopped in front of the residence Jero Mekel Nengah Wirata. Increasingly heavy rain began to pour into the land of Manguntur.

Drenched in sweat Muhibbin memapah his mother in help the brother down from the horse carriage, they stepped in followed by Mr. Nengah behind him, they stepped in, Sekar, who saw the arrival of Muhibbin's father and entourage, immediately approached and brought umbrellas for his father and mother Suratmi.

"Jik, how was the application, is it smooth?" the girl stepped next to her father. The father only smiled wryly at the question of his daughter without a word coming from the lips of the father.

While Suratmi's mother went straight to the Dauh hall and entered the room on the papah by the Light. There was a deep sadness from those newly arrived people, seeing the awkwardness Sekar asked back to his father, saying,

"She, what's going on?"

"Bli! what is this, why do you look so moody and just silent?" sekar's gaze was fixed on Mr. Nengah and Muhibbin who were sitting nearby.

Not long after Light was seen coming out of the Dauh hall of Mr. Nengah's house, the woman also stepped towards her sister and Mr. Nengah.

"Mbak yu! what the hell is going on?" ask Sekar back to the Light that approached him. Curiosity radiated from Sekar's face.

With a sigh the Light answered the question Sekar,

"Muhibbin was rejected, Gek." he said briefly. The light gaze was fixed on his brother who was bowed next to Mr. Nengah.

"How can you, Ma'am yu?"

"Don't Sariwati also love Ibbin's bli?"

"And ajik yesterday had told Sariwati's father about this proposal."

"Should if rejected, since yesterday ajik got this news because he was the guardian of the Ibbin bill before all were present at the governor's residence?"

"What's really going on?" Sekar asked the question both to Mr. Nengah, Cahaya and Muhibbin who were still bowed.

"It's not quite what we expected, Gek."

"It turns out Sariwati has been betrothed to other young men and our presence there is no more just as a listener of their decisions" said Light.

"So what do they mean to invite you to attend, if the results of the proposal bli Ibbin rejected?" Sekar is still amazed by the events experienced by Muhibbin.

"Here you go, maybe it's the rich man's custom,"

"And you're Gus, there's no need to be discouraged."

"Ajik is sure this is the best way the gods have shown you."

"You better be sick today than you will be sick forever when you become the girl's husband" exclaimed Mr. Nengah comforting his adopted son.

"Even if their treatment of you and your family goes beyond the limit, never take revenge for everything you have received from the Sariwati extended family."

"We leave it to the Creator, they will reap the rewards of all his deeds to you as his karma." the middle-aged man rubbed the back of Muhibbin sitting beside him.

Muhibbin only gave a small nod at the advice of his adoptive father. The light that saw his sister moody because she was shaken got the insults of the Sariwati family said earlier,

"Le, you don't overload yourself with all this."

"Mak Yu knows you're disappointed, we feel the way you feel."

"Anyway you're a man, you can find a replacement for Sariwati or something better than her."

"The world is vast, Bin! women aren't just him."

"Mbak Yu is not sincere and will not agree even if in the end you are united with the girl."

"His family's behavior to his mother has crossed the line."

"The late Abah penah told us."

"The wealth and what no man has is his honor and you should never pawn your honor for anything, let alone for a woman you don't deserve to fight for in your life."

The light shed tears looking at his youngest sister who had been very dear to him, he knew what he was going through was very heavy for the young man. Everyone in the Dangin Hall was silent but suddenly from the Sacred Dauh Kingdom hall shouted,

"Mom lik!"

"Sir lik!"

"Please!"

Suddenly everyone in Dangin Hall got up and rushed to Dauh Hall where the Holy Kingdom was still shouting. Muhibin ran ahead of the others,

"What's up, Raya?" ask Muhibbin to panic

"That uti, Mr. lik!"

"That uti fainted!" the little girl replied with tears.

Hearing the words of the Holy Kingdom, Muhibbin entered the room, the old woman was lying on a bamboo bed, in the hands of the mother who felt cold. His palm was pointed at Suratmi's forehead which felt hot. Before long Light, Mr. Nengah and Sekar were already beside him. The light shone towards the mother.

"Bin, your mother's body is very hot but her legs and hands are cold!"

Highlight the girl's eyes look anxious to see her mother, Suratmi's breath feels heavy and up and down makes the people in the room more anxious.

"Gus, hurry up and call the healer Kanta over here!"

"And you Sekar please prepare cold water and cloth to lower the heat of Suratmi's body!" exclaiming Pak Nengah to Muhibbin and Sekar. Both of them immediately rushed to leave the room, Sekar towards the kitchen while Muhibbin ran to the night to take his train, and, in the strong presence of the wind train through the increasingly heavy rain towards the house of Jero Balian Kanta in Galuh banjar which directly borders the Manguntur banjar.

***

"Our plan enraged papi and rejected the poor young man's proposal was successful, Martin." said the beautiful woman with a triumphant cynical smile.

"But we remain vigilant against Uncle Timoti, that person we cannot underestimate."

"You are now ready to execute your next plan."

"However Rain Jade Box and Honey Sulaiman Stone that I must immediately get even by means of violence."

"Before the papi comes to his senses and knows my plan we must play beautiful."

"This is all for the revival of the Garuda Gold dynasty."

"Because during the hands of the papi dynasty the legacy of Harsuto's eye is not getting bigger even more receding."

"And all this because of the flabby papi attitude." exclaimed the beautiful woman to the fierce man called Martin.

"Do as much as possible and I don't want the failure Bejo did to the old woman in the Stone Snake Country to be repeated." concluded the woman who is none other than Habsari Bonawati the eldest brother of Sariwati and at the same time the manager of all assets of the Harsuto dynasty.

"Okay Ni Mas, all I will do as Ni Mas Habsari has directed."

"I will send my men to seize the Stone of Solomon Honey even by force."

martin told his jury.

"Good!"

"But you need to be careful with that poor young man, because according to the information I got from my spies, the young man was quite skilled in martial arts and he was supported by an old Balian from the Gelumpang banjar who had great influence in this Coast Country."

"Especially his adoptive father, Jero Perbekel Nengah Wirata, was also on his side."

"Now go, before Uncle Timoti's men suspect us."

"I also get information if our movements are always monitored by uncle Timoti."

"Because the uncle does not want riots and bloodshed throughout the Emerald kingdom if the power of the Harsuto dynasty rises again."

"For that we must always be careful because after all, Uncle Timoti is one of the stumbling blocks for all my plans." concluded the beautiful woman.

"Ni Mas is good!  leave everything to the Red Garuda troops that I lead, Ni Mas know be done." replied Martin to Habsari.

Habsari turned her back and stepped into the room, before the woman left she was seen throwing two bundles of Ru money at Martin and the man caught her swiftly with a sly smile.

***

The day before evening, the roar of the wind train penetrated the thick of the increasingly heavy rain. After crossing the border of Galuh banjar and Manguntur banjar, the train headed to a simple house that only in the dim light of the torch. On the knock of the door made of wood that has been weathered.

"Swastiastu! excuse me."

"Jero Balian, are you home?" the man knocked on the door and called the owner.

No matter how long an old man opened the door and his gaze gasped at the young man in front of him who was soaking wet.

"Good Boy Muhibbin!"

"Why is Nice to get wet? what brings you here through the torrent of rain?"

the old man was seen picking up a dry rag inside his house and sharing it with Muhibbin.

"We don't have time anymore, Mr. Jero Balian."

"I beg you to help Mr. Jero."

"My mother suddenly fainted and her body was hot and her breathing was wheezing."

"Hands and feet are cold, Mr. Jero."

"Please help me." said Muhibbin pleading.

Jero Balian Kanta looks mangosteen hearing Muhibbin's explanation.

"Please calm down, don't panic!"

"I'll take my medicine box first, you wait a minute."

The man went into the house to prepare his medical equipment, and soon the man came out again,

"Let's Nak Mas!" exclaim Jero Balian Kanta while handing over a Caping made of woven bamboo to Muhibbin and he also uses the same object.

Muhibbin pedaled his wind car strongly, splashing mud mixed with rain water he ignored. Both of them through the swift rain and the thick of the night to the Banjar Manguntur.

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*Caping: conical round hat made of woven bamboo