Queen Without Crown

Chapter 143 Dead end

The number of people who fought with the soldiers of King Gaurav was no less than 15. They attacked with full force as if they really wanted to finish them off.

King Gaurav came out of his tent and joined the battle. His sword swung agilely resisting the barrage from his right and left.

Some of his attackers were wounded by his sword but did not withdraw their spirits. The men in black continued to urge King Gaurav and his soldiers.

However, of course, there was a reason why King Gaurav chose the four warriors to accompany him. That was because they were the chosen soldiers. They are strong and they are the best soldiers.

Soon the battle was no longer one-sided. On the contrary, King Gaurav and his four soldiers now seemed to have the upper hand. Their attackers fell and fell.

"Who are y'all? " Task King Gaurav to one of his attackers whom he had conquered.

"I won't answer it. " Say the man with a hard heart.

"That's up to you. At least if you tell us, we can send word to your friends where your graves are. " King Gaurav said coldly.

"Sorry." One of them seemed to be feeling scared. "We are just trying to defend our village. "

King Gaurav was shocked to hear the man's words. "You villagers? "

"Yes, Sir. " Answer the man.

Now the fifteen people sit drooping in front of the ruler of the Kingdom Watu Ijo. While King Gaurav looked on them with pity when they finished hearing their words about the real reason they attacked.

"That's it, sir. We've been living in fear ever since the royal soldiers came to attack our village."

"Do you know why they attacked your village? "

"They're looking for someone named Darya."

"Works? Who her? "

"We really don't know, sir. "

"alright. I can't blame you if that's the way it is." King Gaurav nodded. Then he asked them not to be afraid and to come out of hiding.

After the men left, soon after the lamps were seen lighting up the houses of the villagers. They used to hide in barns where they kept crops.

Although things were safe, King Gaurav did not go back to sleep. The sleepiness had evaporated after fighting with the villagers earlier.

Early in the morning when the sun appeared behind the mountain slope, King Gaurav was already getting ready. The tents have been rolled up and the bonfire has been extinguished. They are ready to go back.

"Master! " Some villagers came, men and women. Some of them have elderly and small children. They carry bundles in the arms.

"We're sorry for last night's rudeness. We wanted to have breakfast together but we knew you wouldn't. " An old man spoke on behalf of them.

"Therefore we want to give a little food for the trip. " After the man finished speaking, the other villagers immediately piled up the bundles in front of King Gaurav.

"I appreciate your gift. Really, I'm very grateful. But I had to refuse it. "

"Why Sir? We don't put poison in that food. "

"That's not what I meant. The place we were heading to was not far away. These foods, you must need them more." Answer King Gaurav.

"Sir, we would be honored if our gift was acceptable. "

King Gaurav looked at the innocent faces of the villagers. Their eyes shone with sincerity.

"alright. Then we'll eat it together. " King Gaurav finally could not bear to refuse again.

They're all smiling. The villagers opened the food-filled bundles and arranged them on a spread-out mat. Everyone sat together and ate the food with joy.

"Why did you go to Matha Nima?"

"I visited my nephew who went to school there. "

"Schooled? Isn't that a monastery? " The man's forehead is wrinkled. "Again, some time ago the place was closed to the public. "

"Closed? "

"We sometimes send crops to the monastery, but some time ago they did not want to open the gate. A few times we tried to go there again but things stayed the same. "

King Gaurav's back stiffened. It was as if something had stung him. As fast as lightning the man dashed towards his horse and leaped onto the beast's back. Without waiting for long, he immediately absorbed his horse towards the mountain slope.

The four soldiers followed immediately. They tried to shorten the distance without asking the reason for their king's departure.

*****

The face of Puteri Pertiwi looks bright after staying one night at the house of Tabib Bagio. His smile continued to expand every time he passed Bagas.The young man was the same, since morning he continued to look for busyness in order to get close to the girl.

"Said Juwita there's an interesting place around here? " Task Princess Pertiwi as they were chatting on the back porch.

"really. There was a forest I used to go to in search of medicinal plants. It's so beautiful in there." Answer Bagas enthusiastically.

"Do you want to take me there? " Princess Pertiwi asked timidly.

"Ah, of course. But that place is a little hard to get to. And lots of wild animals too. " Say Bagas though a bit hesitant to invite Puteri Pertiwi there.

"Just calm down, I can take care of myself. I've been with my father hunting." Princess Pertiwi said confidently.

"really? " Bagas noticed the girl's feminine appearance. He could not imagine the girl hunting.

"I'm pretty good at using guns. " Princess Pertiwi smiled with her chin half raised.

The young man walked up to Princess Pertiwi. For a moment he forgot the noble status of the shy-looking girl. Without hesitation Bagas stared right at the two wide eyes that were now also trying to look at him.

"I've asked my father's permission to go look for medicinal herbs today. Um. If you want, you can.. " Bagas was nervous to make his point.

"I want! " Answer the girl quickly.

"Then, I'll be waiting for you near the back pavilion. "

"Good." The girl nodded.

"I.. "

Their conversation came to a halt when Princess Juwita and Ningrum came over making the two girls feel like they had interrupted their conversation.

"What is our arrival disturbing? " Task Princess Juwita.

"No. We're not talking about anything serious. " Answer the Princess pretended.

Bagas left quietly leaving the three girls out of fear that Princess Juwita and Ningrum were teasing her.

*****

King Gaurav and his soldiers arrived in front of a monastery on the mountain. The building was closed, only a few windows were visible. A gate flanks two towers 15 meters high.

"This is the place. " Said King Gaurav when he stopped in front of the gate.

The place looked somber, very unsuitable for a place where children lived. King Gaurav told one of the soldiers to knock on the gate.

Dengs.deng..

The sound of the iron door echoed all the way to the valley behind the monastery.

Dengs.deng..

King Gaurav was a bit upset because after knocking a few times, the gate was not opened.

"We try to go back. " King Gaurav soon scuttled his horse around the stone walls of the monastery building in search of another door.

Right behind, the street disappeared. The back wall of the monastery is stuck right on the edge of the gorge.

"There is no other door. " Said one of the soldiers.

King Gaurav looked up at the wall while thinking hard. There's no other way but to break in. But how?

"We're going upstairs. " Said King Gaurav. "Prepare rope! "

The side walls of the monastery building are lower than the two towers in front. A soldier throws a rope that has been given a ballast.

Swing!

The rope went beyond the wall. The soldier tugged at the rope several times to ensure that the rope got stuck perfectly.

"I went up first! " King Gaurav immediately clung to the rope. Then the man jumped. His feet rest on the stone wall. Slowly King Gaurav stepped his feet up while holding on to the rope.

It didn't take long, King Gaurav had already gotten to the top. He was now standing on a cemented tile. With an agile movement the man walked past the sloping tile.

When he reached the end, without hesitation he jumped down.

Bruk!

King Gaurav landed perfectly. Now the man walked through the open courtyard with a fig tree growing in the middle.

That place is deserted. Could this place have been abandoned by its inhabitants?

As King Gaurav walked into a room that looked like a hall, someone was sitting there on his back.

"Hello? " Who is King Gaurav.

The person was still motionless as if no one heard his call. Out of curiosity King Gaurav walked over to him. The sound of the knocking of his shoes rang out loud in the room.

Grep.

King Gaurav's hand touched the man's shoulder.

Bruk!

Suddenly the man collapsed. King Gaurav was so shocked that for a moment he just stood looking at him. But as his consciousness recovered, King Gaurav immediately examined the person.

"Had died? " King Gaurav felt astonished as he checked the person's pulse.

Looking at his appearance, the corpse was once a monk. Why did no one know he was dead? Where are the other abbey residents?

King Gaurav then stood up. He immediately came out of the room. In the courtyard, the four soldiers had already entered.

"Check this place! " Word.

Then they spread. King Gaurav entered the empty rooms. The bedrooms and meditation rooms were all empty.

"Where are the inhabitants of this monastery? " She screamed with frustration.