Queen Without Crown

Chapter 169 The Ceremony on the Hill

Eldrige was stunned looking at the stretch of nature in front of him. The dark hill before him was the hill behind the palace of Dewanata.

"Did Juwita go back to the palace?" muttered.

"Let's find it there" said Miss Sekar.

They're heading to the palace. Upon entering the door with a curved top, they met Eshwar.

"Eshwar, did you see Juwita here?" ask Eldrige.

"No, Sir."

Hearing Eshwar's reply, Eldrige's forehead creased. "Squeaky. Should have Juwita come into this palace she would have passed through this door."

"Has Princess Juwita returned, sir?"

"Yes. He came before us."

"Where did you go, sir?" Eshwar could not at all digest the words of Eldrige because the only access to the palace area was from the front, while behind the palace there was only a river.

"Ah, I'll explain later. What matters now is that we need to find Juwita right away."

"Sir, there's actually something I want to say but maybe it's not important." Eshwar approached his master.

Eldrige turned to Eshwar, waiting for the young man's explanation. "Tell me."

"Actually earlier, I saw some of the maids of the king's mother's guesthouse quietly going towards the hill behind there. Then just now, about an hour ago, the king's mother followed him there with some priests."

"Are you sure you didn't see wrong?"

"I'm sure, sir. I reported this to you because I was surprised, today is not a religious holiday. Even if it is to perform a prayer ceremony, it is usually done in the palace temple."

"What do you think, Sekar?" ask Eldrige.

"We'd better let them. Their customs and culture are different from ours, lest we interfere with their activities" replied Miss Sekar.

"Is that so?" Eldrige feels less agree with Miss Sekar's opinion.

"But sir, if Princess Juwita had returned, she could have joined the king's mother. Were the two not so close?"

"I agree with you, Eshwar."

Eldrige rushed back towards the hill followed by Eshwar. Miss Sekar's face was a bit sour, but even so, she still followed Eldrige's steps without comment.

"Master, look!" Eshwar pointed to the hillside. There was a purple light there.

Without waiting any longer, Eldrige climbed the path that was increasingly uphill followed by Eshwar. Behind them, Miss Sekar walked while releasing a ball of light that flew low above them to light up the path.

"Eldrige, are you sure we're looking here? Shouldn't we just go to the palace?"

"So you saw the purple light yourself?" Eldrige.

"Yes, but maybe it's not Juwita. Where could he be here?"

"Pbuhh!" Eldrige gave the code to keep Miss Sekar quiet.

In front of it the purple light scattered the trees. Eldrige was convinced that Princess Juwita was there. Their shadows further elongated as the closer they were to the light source. Miss Sekar's ball of light seemed dim compared to that purple light.

Miss Sekar turned to the side and saw Eldrige's stiffened face. Highlight the eyes of the man in fiery red stared at the slender figure with silvery hair that was standing wrapped around the purple light emanating from his neck.

Princess Juwita stood up while closing her eyes. The muttering of incantations sounded like the hum of a bee coming from the mouths of kamit-comat priests. Princess Juwita's face looked calm as if she was sleeping, lulled by a spell. While opposite her, some women were sprinkling the petals of marigolds onto the body of an old woman.

"Is that the king's mother?" Eshwar exclaimed stifled.

Eldrige began to think about the reason why Grandma Divya performed this ceremony. However, not yet the answer he got, the next scene stunned him. The pearl necklace on Princess Juwita's neck slowly detached and flew through the air then drew closer towards Grandma Divya.

"That canyon?" he murmured as if he had just realized something.

If he didn't get it wrong, Grandma Divya would have wanted the necklace. Before her departure, Princess Juwita did not wear the necklace. That means the purpose of Princess Juwita's departure was to take the necklace. But the attitude of the girl became violent ever since wearing it. And now Grandma Divya is holding a ceremony to take the necklace? Don't-don't you?

"I must seize the necklace" said Eldrige as he stepped forward.

"Wait, Eldrige!" prevent Miss Sekar.

"You don't stop me anymore. I have to save Juwita immediately."

But before Eldrige carried out his words, suddenly the three of them were startled by a shadow that suddenly flashed snatching the necklace.

The chanting instantly came to a halt followed by the furious cry of an old woman.

"How dare you interrupt this ceremony!" Grandma Divya screamed furiously.

"old lady. Just stop your desire to master this Mangal Meaning. This heirloom thing is rejecting you." The handsome young man who had taken Mangal Arti said with a scornful tone.

"Bad! You don't know who I am, huh? My son is the ruler of this kingdom, so I am entitled to Mangal Arti."

"Ck ck, you don't think I know that in your blood there is no flow of the noble blood of Dewanata? You're not a descendant of Uma at all, so how could you possibly be entitled to this Mangal Meaning?" said the young man.

Grandma Divya's face gasped, as did all the maids and priests who were there. Divya's grandmother was surprised how the young man knew her secret. She did grow up with Widya, Princess Juwita's biological grandmother, but they were not siblings. Only he and his adoptive father, the late king, knew. Where did the young man know that?

"Sneaky witch doctor, you must be the one who complained this to that boy!" granny Divya shouted while pointing her index finger at the strange looking old man.

"Hehehe, I don't even know about it, Your Majesty. Ah, only now do I realize why the late King Bharata was also unable to obtain Mangal Arti." The rarity of the old man's mouth was none other than Jadukari Daalal Nath echoing in the air.

"Then how did he know?" granny Divya shouted furiously.

"Hehehe, because he is Mr. Mandala. Uma's husband, the original owner of Mangal Arti."

"You mean, her?" Grandma Divya's voice stammered hearing the shaman's explanation.

"really. He was Mr. Mandala who had been killed hundreds of years ago. And I, Jadukari Daalal Nath, have raised him," answered the shaman proudly.

"That's it. I'm tired of taking care of stupid people like them. Daalal Nath, kill them!" yelling Mandala with lazy tone.

"Well, Mr. Mandala."

Jadukari Daalal Nath immediately swung his staff which was now emitting a powerful surge of energy. But before the wave of energy shot towards its prey, suddenly a beam struck the stick until it bounced down and split in two.

Jadukari Daalal Nath exclaimed in shock at not expecting an unexpected attack. The beam that attacked him earlier now turned around and was caught by a man with silvery hair braided.

"You?" the shaman was shocked half to death.

In front of him was now Eldrige standing while grasping his fairy sword. Both of his red eyes glowed furiously.