Queen Without Crown

Chapter 152 Archery Match

The participants of the archery match gathered on the field. They were surprised to see the arrival of one additional participant.

"I'll introduce one more participant. He is Bagas. He's a healer." King Badre introduces Bagas."

"But he didn't follow the first game." Their protest.

"I'll assume he lost the first game." Said King Badre.

Although the five participants were upset, what would be said by King Badre himself had decided.

"good. In this game the participants must be able to aim at the bird wearing a ring with the engraving of my name." Said King Badre.

The match finally began. All the arrows have been marked. Dozens of birds were removed and participants began aiming at the arrows.

Bagas looked up at the birds. Everyone wears a ring, but which one wears a ring engraved with the king's name?

He turned to the three girls who were watching the match next to King Badre. Princess Pertiwi looked at him expectantly.

Bagas pointed his arrow up. Each participant was only given three arrows, so he only had three times the chance. One of the arrows has to hit the right target if it wants to go to the next stage.

With a firm heart he tried his luck. His finger that had been pulling the bow from earlier was now releasing it. An arrow shot into the sky towards a white-haired dove. Just as the arrow was about to hit the target, it suddenly swerved and shot in another direction.

Bagas stared in wonder. It should have hit the target, but why would it suddenly turn in the direction?

Bagas then observed the other participants. Surprisingly, not a single arrow hit the target. Bagas now tried once again, maybe just now his arrows were blown by the wind.

Ssiin....

And once again the arrow turned. Bagas became convinced that there was indeed something strange. The other four participants had already given up because their three arrows had been used. Now only Bagas who still has one arrow and Prince Awang who has not aimed at all.

Prince Awang looks calm to see the arrows belonging to his rival fall without success. He was so confident because Jadukari Daalal Nath kept his word.

Now the man began to stretch his bow until it curved and pointed it upwards, towards the birds that flew high to look like small dots. He concentrated on choosing which bird he was going to aim for.

Bagas was the same, he himself did not know which bird was wearing a ring with a carving of the name of the king. The young man turned his head back towards Puteri Pertiwi. When she saw the girl trying to convey something, her hand twitched code.

"What?" Ask Bagas without a sound.

Princess Pertiwi pointed towards her father while showing a sneak on her own finger. For a moment Bagas had not been able to interpret the girl's intentions. Then he turned his gaze to King Badre.

At that moment something happened, a dazzling red beam of light emanated from King Badre's finger as he clapped to see a dove fall to the ground with an arrow stuck in his body. Bagas now understood the thing from earlier wanted to be conveyed by Puteri Pertiwi.

Hurray...

Audiences cheering. Prince Awang managed to aim for the fall of a pigeon, but unfortunately the ring that encircles the legs of the animal does not have a carving of the name of the king.

Prince Awang's jaw tightens. He likes failure the most. Now that he was turning his bow back into the sky, the flying birds swirled up there as if mocking him.

The man thought for a moment. He was aiming for a dove that gave off a yellowish glow because the ring at his feet was exposed to sunlight. Why can it be wrong? His mind is now angry.

Then he saw it. A dazzling red light was emitted in the sky. Isn't King Badre wearing a ruby-eyed chicin? Ah, of course you are. Inner Prince Awang with joy. He immediately released his arrows into the air.

Ssssii..

Sssii..

Jem!

Jem!

Unexpectedly, along with the darting of Prince Awang, there was one more arrow shot.

Everyone cheered as soon as the two birds fell to the ground. The soldiers came to check. Then they came before King Badre to show the two birds.

Prince Awang, who was feeling awkward because his competitor was utilizing the empty air without interference from his shaman for aiming arrows at him, stared at Bagas furiously.

"Well, that's great. You guys hit the right target! " King Badre shouted happily.

Cheers welcomed the victory of both participants. While the other four participants listlessly left the field because they had been excluded from the competition.

Bagas stood in front of the entire audience in disbelief. One more step he can challenge his girl.

King Badre then held a banquet to celebrate today's match. The applicants who have been eliminated from the match get respect for having followed the match fairly.

"Where did Mr. Bagas come from, if we may know?" Ask Prince Ken.

"I'm actually from the Kingdom of Alsatia." Bagas' confession made Prince Awang's eyes glare.

"What is your title of nobility?" Ask Prince Ken again.

"I am not a noble person. My father was just a palace physician."

Klang's!

The spoon held by Prince Awang fell to the floor. Unresolved his shock at learning that Bagas was from Alsatia, he now heard for himself that the young man was the son of the fleeing Physician Bagio. Wasn't the physician's son dead? If it turns out that the young man is still alive, it means that a witness to the massacre at the Elixir School is still alive.

"Are you okay, Your Majesty?" Ask the Assistant Prince Awang who is coming closer.

"We'll talk later. Move first!" Prince Awang's right hand was shaking while his facial expression looked colder.

A waiter came and gave Prince Awang a new spoon, but the man had already lost his appetite. His enemies were gathered in this palace.

*****

The noble girls who had witnessed the archery match gathered in Princess Pertiwi's room to celebrate Bagas' victory. They are very happy because it means Bagas victory is one step away.

"I hope Eldrige can train Bagas well so that the next match Kak Bagas can be the winner." Said Princess Juwita who was now sitting on a Persian rug that was lying at the foot of the bed.

"Should! I don't want to marry that cruel Prince Awang." Princess Pertiwi shuddered while distancing the shadow of the face of Prince Awang who was looking at her sharply.

"Eldrige was injured after training Kak Bagas. But I don't dare ask why." Princess Juwita said somewhat pensively.

"Isn't Mr Eldrige very strong? My brother couldn't have hurt her." Ningrum looked at his confused friend.

"It seems that ever since Eldrige came into contact with me his physique has grown weaker. I can't help but feel guilty because I did cause it." Princess Juwita said with a sad look.

"Don't be like that, Juwita. At a time like this, you should support him. He did this for you without coercion. The only thing you have to do is to return his love sincerely." Princess Pertiwi went downstairs and embraced her cousin.

"Truely said Princess Pertiwi, you must not make all of Mr. Eldrige's sacrifices in vain by continuing to regret the situation." Ningrum hugged Princess Juwita.

"Hey, Ningrum. How many times have I told you to call me by my name?" The Pertiwi princess pouted because again Ningrum called out to her with a nobility.

"I'm sorry." Ningrum laughed as he cupped his hands together.

"What about the next game?" Ask Princess Juwita.

"My father really liked Malla. The art of fighting between two people held in the mud. So it's likely that my father will ask them to fight Malla." Answer Pertiwi.

"Then we have to tell my brother." Ningrum. " How was Malla's game?"

"Ah, it's hard to explain. Looks like we should see it firsthand." Said Puteri Pertiwi making the other two girls gawk.

"What do you mean by seeing it firsthand?" Ask Princess Juwita.

"Did you remember the day we met for the first time? " Task Princess Pertiwi as if hiding something.

"Yes, I remember. Why?" Princess Juwita still did not understand why the girl asked her.

"Actually at that time I just watched Malla's match near the market." Princess Pertiwi's reply made the two girls stare.

"You running around to watch the fight?" Ningrum.

"It's not an ordinary fight, it's a sport." Princess Pertiwi tried to defend herself.

"Is the match terrible?" Princess Juwita shuddered a bit.

"They slammed into each other, curling and squishing. It's just so exciting!" Pertiwi princess told me excitedly.

"Does anyone know you were watching that game there?" Ask Princess Juwita again.

"Only Lali knows. My nanny desperately covered my habit of going to see Malla's game."

"Don't you just say that Uncle also likes to watch Malla's games?" Princess Juwita looked at the girl in wonder.

"My father wouldn't let me watch it. He said the game was not for women. Dad's having a Malla game every month on a special field." Say the girl.

"So, how? You guys wanna watch that game tomorrow? " The two eyebrows of the girl were twitching up and down and her mouth was smiling widely.

"Then we must inform Bagas and Eldrige." Princess Juwita said after being silent for quite a while.

"Yey! " Only Princess Pertiwi cheered happily.