Queen Without Crown

Chapter 157 The Disappearance of the Princess

Princess Pertiwi flinched as she felt her shoulder being touched by someone. Spontaneously the girl turned her head and found a pair of eyes staring at her with a cold look.

"Th-you?" Princess Pertiwi was surprised not to play to see the figure of the man. He inched away, but the touch on his shoulder turned into a check that held him back.

"You can't run from me." The words of Prince Awang caused horror in the heart of Princess Pertiwi.

"Byhoo!"

Princess Pertiwi shouted with all her might for people to come to her aid. But everyone around him seemed as if no one was listening. He's dumbfounded. Between fear and wonder facing this strange situation.

"What's this?" The girl looked there.

His feelings were gripped with fear. Now he realized that the situation around him seemed to freeze. His grandmother sitting cross-legged in the corner in a meditative manner, his cousin sitting alone with Ningrum on one of the steps of the temple, as well as the soldiers standing guard, all froze. Even the fallen leaves were silent in the air.

"Is this a dream?" The girl muttered, but the pain on her shoulders made her realize that this was real.

"Follow me!" The order does not accept rejection.

Princess Pertiwi's hand was pulled and she was carried across the worship room through a door over which it arched towards the temple terrace. He could neither resist nor rebel. His body no longer obeyed its owner. His feet walked by themselves on one by one steps made of the stone even though his brain forbade.

"Juwita, please." He spoke silently as he passed his cousin.

Desperation whack Puteri Pertiwi because the voice of his call is not up. But just before he passed, at the end of his eyes he saw Princess Juwita staring at him.

Princess Pertiwi whose hands are still blocked by Prince Awang turned back to look back. On top of the steps, he saw Princess Juwita standing in slow motion as if she wanted to prevent him from leaving.

But Princess Pertiwi could no longer see her cousin because Prince Awang and the strange man who was with her had brought her through the thick of the forest very quickly.

They seemed to be drawn by a force that allowed them to pass through the cracks of trees, cross river currents and climb steep slopes without difficulty and in rapid motion.

And in an instant now they had arrived at the mouth of a cave. The cave hole that is less than 3 meters in diameter is gaping on the edge of a steep cliff. Inside the cave the air felt very cold. The sound of water droplets echoed along its walls.

They continued to walk through the belly of the mountain until they reached a spacious room. Up there are various shapes and sizes of stalactites protruding on the ceiling. The ends of the stalactites were dripping water that fell in a natural pool formed over thousands of years.

In the middle of the room was a creepy-faced god statue standing staring at them viciously. The eyes of the statue glistened because it was made of two rubies. The god statue was wearing a necklace of sacrificed human skulls.

Princess Pertiwi shuddered in horror. The tip of the two swords held by the statue to his left right still left a dried up bloodstain. And at his feet, human bones scattered.

"Prepare to bind the marriage before Murr." Jadukari Daalal Nath.

Things are back to normal. Both Prince Awang and Princess Pertiwi can move their bodies freely.

"I don't want to. Unhand me!" Shouted Princess Pertiwi.

"Haha..." The strange shaman laughed out loud as if he had just heard an extremely laughable joke.

"Please if you want to go. Just so you know, this place is surrounded by a steep ravine. Wild animals also roam. Not to mention the curious ghosts waiting for the humans who are lost in the forest." The voice of Jadukari Daalal Nath seemed to mock.

Pertiwi's daughter felt that the shaman was just playing tricks on her, so she immediately ran outside. But in that dark cave passage he could hear a subtle growl that made his blood seem to be being absorbed. He did not know it was a wild beast or a ghost that was deliberately waiting for him in the darkness.

The girl's steps stopped. His heart hesitated. There was something invisible up ahead, and behind him were two sadistic criminals. Where will he choose? Forward or backward?

In the sudden apprehension Princess Pertiwi heard footsteps approaching. The move seemed to be dragged so much that it gave rise to a terrible swiping sound. Because his heart was already gripped with fear, without a second thought he turned around and ran back in.

"Well, you're back soon, Princess." Prince Awang Sindir.

"Since the bride-to-be has returned, we should just carry out your wedding ceremony right now." Jadukari Daalal Nath chuckled in satisfaction.

He took a string of marygold flower necklaces from the pottery tray and immediately attached them to Prince Awang's neck. Then he took another one and draped it on Princess Pertiwi.

"Kneel before the most powerful god, Murr!" The shaman's voice boomed.

Suddenly both of Princess Pertiwi's legs bent and knelt beneath the statue. Next to him, Prince Awang did the same.

*****

Eldrige saw Bagas coming out of the palace door and immediately intercepted him.

"Where are you going?" Eldrige asked when he saw the young man in a hurry.

"I'm going to find Princess Pertiwi. Prince Awang and his shaman were heading to the hiding place of Princess Pertiwi with his grandmother. Juwita and Ningrum were also there."

"Do you know where it is?"

"Do you know where Tulsi's forest is?"

Bagas. " No."

"I'm coming. We also need a guide to find that place." Eldrige. The man immediately went to the Dewanata soldiers who were watching the captured soldiers of Prince Awang.

"Do you know the Tulsi forest?" Ask Eldrige.

"I know, Sir." Answer one of the soldiers.

"Our tug's going there." Eldrige Pinta.

"Where are you going?" King Gaurav suddenly came near to Eldrige.

"Puteri Juwita and the Dewanata Royal family are hiding in an old temple in the Tulsi forest. I will follow there because Prince Awang is also going there."

"I'm coming too." Said King Gaurav.

"Don't Your Majesty. One of us better have a man standing guard in this palace." Prevent Eldrige.

"You're right, Eldrige. I will help King Badre secure the palace and the capital."

"Alright, then I say goodbye." Eldrige passed soon.

Bagas was already getting ready with the soldier when Eldrige finished talking to King Gaurav.

"We're leaving now."

The soldier suggested to take a boat from the river located behind the hill behind the palace. They rushed there.

Arriving at the riverbank, they pulled one of the boats and lowered it into the water. The soldier led them to the forest of Tulsi.

The sun is rising above the head. The dazzling sparkling river water reflected the sunlight. The sky is bright blue with white clouds flowing.

"Still far?" Tanya Bagas was impatient.

"Not far away, stay past a few turns at the end of there." Show the soldier.

Their boats are now shaken along the swift and sloping river. The turbulent currents make the boat slide quickly between the rocks that are now seen protruding from the riverbed. Air bubbles fill the surface of the water so that the surface appears white.

The boat turned sharply, they tried to control the speed of the boat with oars. Water splashed in all directions as it smashed into the rocks. After several tens of meters in front of the river flow began to calm down.

"Front there!" The soldier pointed at the sandy shore of the river.

The boat stopped and they jumped down. The soldier tied the boat to a wooden milestone.

"Where are they headed?" Ask Bagas in surprise.

"They must have hidden it." Eldrige checked the bushes around there. Shortly thereafter, two boats were seen under a tree branch.

"That's their boat." Eldrige.

The three people started looking for the path to the old temple. After a while, they found the road. Although faint, they were still able to follow in the footsteps of the royal entourage.

Shortly after that the temple began to be seen. They speed up the pace to get there quickly. When they arrived, they met a soldier.

"Who are you?" Ask the soldier suspiciously.

"Didn't you recognize him? He was the winner yesterday. She's the future husband of Princess Pertiwi." Eldrige said as he pointed at Bagas.

"Puni me. I really don't know?" The soldier bowed respectfully. Then he looked at them nervously, like there was a problem he was worried about.

"What's wrong?" Ask Bagas.

"I'm sorry, but we're in trouble now. The two princesses suddenly disappeared without anyone knowing." Said the soldier.

"You mean Princess Pertiwi and Princess Juwita disappeared?" Bagas asked in panic.

"true."

Eldrige and Bagas looked at each other. They immediately ran to the temple.