Queen Without Crown

Chapter 145 Is Revealing

"Release Juwita! "

Eldrige's body was pulled backwards and a punch floated to his face. The man fell. Blood dripped down at the corner of his lips.

Princess Juwita screamed at the scene. The girl ran towards Eldrige with an anxious face. His lentic fingers trembled and tried to clear the blood on Eldrige's lips.

"You all right, Eldrige? " Task the girl.

"Juwita, watch your attitude! " Shouted Bagas.

Princess Juwita looked at Bagas with a pushy look. Her tears fell. His heart was very sick to see Eldrige hurt, but the one who hurt Eldrige was precisely the person he had considered his brother.

"Sir Bagas, please don't hit him again." Princess Juwita said when she saw Bagas coming in with a red face.

"Why are you defending him, Juwita? He dared to touch you! " Bagas tried to suppress his anger in front of the girl. All this time he knew Princess Juwita as a gentle and somewhat closed person. He never saw the girl trying to attract any male attention.

"I know him, Brother. I've known him since childhood." Said Princess Juwita. Unconsciously his body was seen trying to protect Eldrige's body.

"Oh? " People stupefied. He paused his intention to return to attack Eldrige.

"Master is okay? " Eshwar came to help Eldrige stand up. The young man then looked at Bagas fiercely.

"Why did you hit my master? What harm? He's just here to pick up his future wife! " Eshwar shouted furiously.

Bagas was surprised, as well as Princess Juwita. They all looked at Eldrige.

"Wife candidate? " Muttered Bagas.

"My master's future wife is a princess of the Elfian Kingdom. Of course you are, miss. " Eshwar is now looking at Princess Juwita with her two round eyes.

"Eldrie.. " Daughter Juwita looked at Eldrige with all sorts on her chest.

"Already, Eshwar. Let me explain it myself. " Said Eldrige while frowning in pain.

"Let's get him inside. " Daughter Juwita told Eshwar. His eyes still implied anxiety.

Eshwar took Eldrige into the house. Physician Bagio was surprised to see the arrival of Eldrige. He knew him as the Guardian of the Elfian Kingdom.

"Mr Eldrige? " The physician followed Eldrige who was brought to bed. He immediately came to check on his wound.

"I'm fine. " Remember Eldrige when the physician is about to treat him.

"But.. Sir's hurt. "

"I want Juwita. " Say Eldrige.

"Good.good, sir. I'll ask Princess Juwita to take care of Master." Physician Bagio hurried away, he drove away the crowd and asked Princess Juwita to come in and take care of Eldrige.

Princess Juwita came with a basin filled with water. The girl cleaned Eldrige's wound, then smeared it with an ointment made by Tabib Bagio.

Eldrige held Princess Juwita's hand. His face looks cloudy.

"Who's the young man, Juwita? " Tanya Eldrige.

"Who? " Daughter Juwita did not understand the meaning of Eldrige's question.

"The young man hit me." Eldrige was annoyed by the young man who had hit him earlier for acting as if he was already very close to Princess Juwita.

"He's Bagas, Ningrum's brother. " Answer Princess Juwita.

"What's your relationship with him? I hope that as long as we're apart, you're not in a relationship with another man. " Eldrige's usually soft face now looks hard. His jaw held in anger.

"Why do you think that? Don't you know me enough, Eldrige? " Daughter Juwita was offended.

"Or.he fell in love with you? " Eldrige felt an emotion she had never felt. His chest was as if ignited by embers.

"No. Oh my, Eldrige! " Princess Juwita's forehead shriveled in surprise at Eldrige's words. The man was not the Eldrige he used to know.

Eldrige was silent to ease his emotions. He himself did not understand why he could behave like that.

"Sorry, Juwita. " Eldrige's view is now softening.

Princess Juwita nodded then stood up while lifting her basin.

"Later I'll be here again. Rest up. " The girl came out leaving Eldrige.

Eldrige stared at Princess Juwita's departure until the girl disappeared behind the door.

"Well! " Eldrige sighed in frustration.

*****

King Gaurav took a short cut through the cliffs surrounding Mount Lashio. Although the road there is quite steep and flanked by steep ravines, but it is the only fastest route to the Kingdom of Watu Ijo.

When they were halfway through, they saw a large stone blocking the road ahead. The rock seemed to be a landslide from the top of the mountain.

"We try to get rid of it! " King Gaurav got off his horse and tried to remove the stone from the road.

The five of them tried by all means to shift the stone but the stone did not shift a single inch

As they were struggling to shift the stone, suddenly a rumbling sound came from above. Rocks of various sizes slide down the mountain slopes quickly.

Some small stones were thrown when they hit the protruding surface, while the large ones kept rolling like a thrown javelin.

Everyone ran away to avoid the stones.

A large stone hit the rock in the middle of the road. The stones rolled across and fell into the abyss. The smaller stones still rolled down, but soon all of that stopped.

"It was fortunate that the stone was able to move away. " The muttered King Gaurav as he went back up onto the horse's back.

Their horses continued to run as the sun began to slip onto the mountain's back. The sky was violet and several flocks of birds were seen crossing with various formations.

The sweet aroma approached their olfactory and attracted them to observe where it came from. A thin layer of smoke billowing into the sky, it seemed that someone was grilling something.

They came down from the horse and walked closer while leading the animals so as not to surprise anyone who was there.

The closer they started to hear the conversation of some people. At the other end, several people were sitting around the fire.

"Who are y'all? " A person suddenly jumped in front of King Gaurav's entourage. The people surrounding the fire finally stood up and looked at them warily.

"We're not bad people. " Said King Gaurav.

"If you don't mean to be evil then why did you come by sneaking around? " Tell the man standing intercepting.

"You must not be impolite! He is King Gaurav, the ruler of the Kingdom of Watu Ijo! " One of the soldiers of King Gaurav cried out.

"King Gaurav? " The person in who intercepted them muttered.

One of the people who was in front of the fire immediately came closer.

"Gaurav's? " He was a man dressed as a monk.

"Are you Teacher Shani?" Ask King Gaurav.

"Gauravin.. Gaurav, thankfully you're here. " Say that guy.

King Gaurav walked up to the man out of curiosity to hear him calling with just his name alone.

"I.. It has been a long time since we met! "

"Teacher Shani, do you know me? "

"of course. I know you very well. How are you doing now? And Gita.. How's things? "

"Wait.. You're..Prince Adya! " King Gaurav is stunned.

For years they had not met since the future crown prince of Watu Ijo Kingdom went to become a monk.

"Now my name is Shani." Teacher Shani smiled. His face was shady and wise.

They gathered in front of the fire. There the two children who had been sought by King Gaurav sat while roasting mushrooms.

King Gaurav approached the two. Carefully the man crouched down next to them.

"How are Lintang and Wulan? You remember me, right? I'm Uncle Gaurav. "

The two children looked at King Gaurav. They were like rabbits in the presence of wolves.

"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you. " The voice of King Gaurav sounded gentle and trustworthy.

"You remember me, right? " Task King Gaurav again and get the nod of the two children.

"You're their uncle? " Ask Master Shani.

"My wife is their father's sister." Answer King Gaurav.

"Good, it means my decision was right to bring them to you. " Guru Shani looked relieved.

"Actually, what happened? " Ask King Gaurav.

"Before the entourage of the Kingdom of Alsatia came to bring them, our monastery had come. His condition is bad and awful. That guy is there! " Guru Shani pointed at the person who had earlier intercepted them.

"His name is Darya. He used to work in the palace but is now a fugitive. " Guru Shani took a breath for a moment. " When the soldiers came to leave the two children, I refused. One of them is a girl. We who live there are all men. "

"They later said that the children were the sons of King Sagar. That's when I started to place my suspicions and ask Darya. "

King Gaurav turned towards Darya. After hearing his name, he remembered the words of the villagers down there.

"I've heard your name called the villagers who live at the foot of the mountain. What made you a fugitive? " King Gaurav now asked Darya.

"I am one of King Sagar's bodyguards. I was even next to him when he died. "

"Then why are you a fugitive now? " King Gaurav frowned in wonder.

"Because I know who killed King Sagar. He was not killed by Daemonies. He was killed by traitors! " Darya spoke furiously.

"Traitor? " The face of King Gaurav turned tense.

"The weapon that killed King Sagar was the arrow released by General Ito. "

"General Ito? Didn't he just get an award as a war hero?" The information was truly astounding to King Gaurav.

"I tried to hide and investigate General Ito. It turned out that he was one of the followers of Prince Awang. Even General Ito ordered some criminals to kill Queen Akemi. "

"Bad! " Shouted King Gaurav. He now knows the secret behind the deaths of King Sagar and Queen Akemi.

"I will protect you in my palace. One day, be a witness against the traitors. " Said King Gaurav in a firm voice.