
A jet-black and stocky horse walked slowly closer to a small cottage under the roof of a rumbia in the middle of the Mayit Double Forest. At that time the sun had not yet shown its light, but the birds had been chirping boisterously greeted the crows of the jungle chicken. Soon the sun will appear, the fog still looks thick covering the entire forest.
The black horse stopped right in front of the hut. His front legs were scratching the ground with his head nodding. On his muscular stocky back, drooped someone wearing a tattered blue shirt in several places. His long black hair, draped over his face. Blood was still dripping from the wounds on his body.
Kreeek...
The door of the cottage was slowly opened. From inside appeared a hunchbacked old woman wearing a seedy outfit that had faded in color. The old woman looked surprised to see a horse in front of her cabin. Even more surprised when he saw someone drooping on the horse's back.
With a step dragged, the woman rushed over. The small, wrinkled hand, was easily able to take down the horseman. The body was wrapped in a blue shirt with many wounds, clamped on his armpits. Back he dragged his feet into the cottage.
Like lifting a sack of cotton like, and lightly he put the body in bamboo halls that are based on pandan mats.
"Ah, that's beautiful.... Why would it hurt...?" his mouth murmured to itself.
The slender body that rolled over the bamboo halls was indeed a beautiful young lady in pure white. From the weapon tucked in his stomach, and the sword draped in his back, it is certain that the woman is Pandan Wangi.
"Teach...!" the hunchback old woman called out to someone.
"Yes, Grandma...!" a small voice answered, followed by a boy about eleven years old.
"Mr Ringgih called me?"
"Yes! Come here quickly!"
"Lho! Who is it, Grandma?" I'm surprised to see people lying in the halls.
"Don't ask much, quickly prepare the outer wound potion!" nek Ringgih Sentak.
Kajar rushed back to the back. While Nek Ringgih took off all Pandan Wangi clothes. He took out a shabby cloth and covered the plain body. Nek Ringgih looked at the two weapons in his hand, then placed them on the head of Pandan Wangi. Two different weapons. One is an ordinary sword, the other is a fan of white steel. The fan weapon is what makes Pandan Wangi famous as the Death Fan.
Nek Ringgih examined the scarred body. Most of his injuries were just scratches. There are some pretty deep ones. The old woman's head was shaken a few times. His lips were wrinkled, clucking like a lizard.
"Already, Grandma," Dawn appeared again carrying a basin of water and some potions wrapped in white cloth.
"Put it there," said Nek Ringgih pointing to a small table near these bamboo halls.
Kajar notices Nek Ringgih treating the wounds on Pandan's body. Each type of herb and the state of the wound is carefully observed. His brain turned around remembering everything Nek Ringgih did.
"How, Grandma?" tanya Kajar after Nek Ringgih washed his hands in the basin. "Siang will also be aware," said Nek Ringgih as he stood up.
"Wait for him, I'll find the leaves first."
"Yes, Grandma."
"Oh..," Pandan Wangi whimpered softly.
Kajar looked at Pandan Wangi who was starting to wake up. He immediately approached and picked up a wet cloth, then placed it on the girl's forehead. Little by little Pandan Wangi opened his eyelids. He massaged his forehead which felt like it was going to break throbbing His vision was still blurred in a twinkle. His head was shackled by thousands of iron catties.
"Mr...! He's conscious!" yell out loud.
Nek Ringgih was struggling to come closer. His steps were dragged with a stooped body. But he did not use a cane to help walk.
"Ohhh...., where am I...?" rintih Pandan Wangi.
"Calm down, sweet boy," persuaded Nek Ringgih.
"Aah!" Pandan Wangi was surprised to find himself in a cabin awaited by an old woman and a small boy. Pandan Wangi tried to rise, but was prevented Nek Ringgih.
"Don't move first. You're still weak."
"Who are you?" ask Pandan Wangi. "Where am I?"
"You're in my hut, sweet boy. I'm Nek Ringgih, and this is my grandson, Kajar."
"Oh, my head..," again Pandan Wangi whimpered.
Without being ordered again, Kajar hurriedly massaged the head of Pandan Wangi. There was a smile on the girl's lips, but it was so thin that it was almost invisible.
"Thank you" said Pandan Wangi.
"Here you go, you rest first. Don't think of anything, you're still too weak" said Nek Ringgih.
"Hhh..," Pandan Fragrant let out a long sigh He closed his eyes again.
Long also Pandan Wangi did not open his eyes. The breathing motion on his chest seemed to be softly regular. A fresh red hue re-covered her deathly pale face. His cold body, now felt warm again.
"Did he faint again, Grandma?" ask Kajar.
"No, he was together" said Nek Ringgih.
"What is samadi?" ask Kajar.
"As I often do." "But why not in a special room?"
"Bersamadi can be done anywhere, especially for a swordsman...."
"He's a swordsman, Grandma?" slow down the voice of Kajar, as if afraid to sound Pandan Fragrant.
"Maybe, we'll know later. Never mind, don't ask too many questions!"
Kajar was silent. His eyes looked at the face of Pandan Wangi who already looked refreshed. Slowly the girl's eyelids opened again. His lips immediately smiled. Nek Ringgih no longer prevents when Pandan Wangi inching to sit. The girl fixed the location of the cloth that wrapped around her body. He sat down cross-legged while adjusting his airway, and normalized his blood path again.
"Drink this," Nek Ringgih thrust a cup containing medicinal herbs.
"What's this?" ask Pandan Wangi while receiving the cup.
"Medicine."
Without any hesitation, Pandan Wangi gulped down the brownish-black liquid inside the cup. It doesn't taste good, but it's spent too. He took the empty cup from Pandan Wangi's hand and placed it on the table. He sat back on the edge of the bed. "How does it feel?" ask Nek Ringgih.
"Dimension, Grandma," said Pandan Wangi. "Thank you, you helped me."
"Ah, stop. Human friends should help each other. Oh yeah, what's your name?"
"Pandan Perfumed."
"May I call you Brother Pandan?" chirps Kajar.
"Of course."
Kajar beamed his face.
"It's so nice, I have friends now."
"Hush! It's kajar!" nek Ringgih Sentak.
"I always play alone, I don't have any friends either. At most my friend is just the Gembel!" rungkar.
"Who's that Gembel?" ask Pandan Wangi.
"That's.., a goat whose fur is ruffled."
"Oooh..," Pandan Wangi smiled at the dikulum.
"Here you go, don't talk too much first. You still need to rest" Nek Ringgih mediated.
"It's okay, Grandma. I'm happy really," said Pandan Wangi smiling sweetly.
"However, you still need to rest. After all Kajar still has a task that hasn't been completed." "Oh, yes! Huh, why be this forgetful?!" He's teaching himself to stick his head. "I'll stay, Brother Pandan. Let's talk some more, shall we?"
Pandan Wangi just smiled at the behavior of the boy. Kajar tiptoed towards the back of this hut.
"The boy was naughty not to play, but he was very smart and obedient. I love him so much. He was my only entertainer in this twilight time" Nek Ringgih said.
"Oh, yeah. Your clothes are heavily damaged, I'm forced to replace them with new ones. Hopefully it will be suitable for your body," Nek Ringgih switched the conversation.
"Ah, it's a hassle. Thank you, Grandma."
Nek Ringgih handed the parcel to Pandan Wangi's lap. The girl opened it. How excited he was to see such a nice and beautiful blue dress. The material is not from an expensive fabric, but the size is certainly very fitting for him. Pandan Wangi immediately hugged the old woman, and thanked her several times.
"I want to make a potion first. Change your clothes, then rest again," said Nek Ringgih as he let go of Pandan Wangi's embrace. Then he stood up.
"Thank you, Grandma," said Pandan Wangi.
Nek Ringgih just smiled, then stepped away to the back room of this cottage. Pandan Wangi looked at the new clothes given by Nek Ringgih. Then he wore it. It really fits with his size. The girl looked at the two sacred weapons that were lying on the head of this bamboo cot. He just stared at it without touching it. Then he laid his body back. Pandan Wangi does semadi again to restore energy and health.
Without feeling Pandan Wangi has been a week at Nek Ringgih's house. His body condition has also returned to normal. He even started doing light exercises to relax his muscles. But Pandan Wangi often solitary daydreaming. Often Nek Ringgih caught him at a time when he was alone daydreaming, and every time asked, always answered with a smile.
Pandan Wangi did not want to burden the kind woman with the problems she was facing. He always kept it in his heart. It is not easy to say all that is going through his heart at this time. A very personal question of its nature.
"Dream again...?" tegur Nek Ringgih that afternoon.
"Oh, Grandma...!" Pandan Wangi was shocked.
"Every day you are alone and daydreaming. Tell me what you're thinking, maybe I can help" Nek Ringgih urged. He often asked that.
Pandan Wangi just smiled. Nek Ringgih could feel the bitterness in that smile. Pandan Wangi's gaze was straight and empty forward.
"I can feel you're hiding something" urged Nek Ringgih.
"Ah, no..," exhorted Pandan Wangi trying to hide the feeling of his increasingly erratic heart.
"Alright if you don't want to say it. But I want to know, why did you get hurt?" Nek Ringgih gave up a little.
"I fight and lose" said Pandan Wangi lied.
"Tens of the year I became a medicine expert. I should have known the types of wounds..," murmured Nek Ringgih.
Pandan Wangi was silent. Nek Ringgih's murmur was a satire to him. Of course the old woman knew that the wound suffered by Pandan Wangi was not from the fight. Pandan Wangi did not want to lie to this kind old woman, but he did not know what else to say? He doesn't want anyone to know the question. He's ashamed, because it's about...
"Like to you very much. She has taken you as her own brother, and I also consider you as my own grandson. Maybe I was expecting too much! I don't need to know all your problems" Nek Ringgih said slowly.
"Miss...!" Pandan Wangi prevented Nek Ringgih who wanted to leave him.
"You don't want to tell me, do you?"
Pandan Wangi was silent. His heart is getting messed up. He can't do his best. The problem is trivial, but it concerns her pride as a female swordsman. It concerns his deepest and most difficult feelings. He himself does not know, whether....
"I.., I was confused, Grandma..," softened Pandan Wangi's voice.
"What makes you confused?" nek Ringgih asked as he sat at the root that poked out from the ground.
"Let's see, I don't know myself. I don't seem to know who I really am anymore. I think I'm dead.... Well... I should have been dead..," Pandan Wangi's voice grew quieter.
"Tell me, what really happened?" pinta Nek Ringgih's.
"I'm ashamed, Grandma. I'm...."
"Why should I be ashamed? Not everyone can solve their problems without the help of others. And not all problems can be buried long in the heart."
Again Pandan Wangi fell silent. It was still hard to tell the feeling of his heart to this old woman. Several times he let out a long sigh, trying to loosen his chest cavity that felt tight.
"Mr Ringgih will promise me?"
"What promise?"
"Not to say it to anyone else "
Nek Ringgih nodded.
"Thank you, Grandma."
"Well, tell me."
Pandan Wangi momentarily fell silent, gathering the right words to issue. Nek Ringgih waited patiently. His old and full heart eating the salt acid of the world life could feel the hardness of the girl's heart.
"I didn't lose the fight, Grandma. But I lost rather than the real fight. It feels better that I lose a fight than lose like this. It's too painful. I'm ashamed.., I'm so ashamed, Grandma," Pandan Wangi began.
"Forward," pinta Nek Ringgih,
"I failed to do it, Grandma. The ravine was too wide and, oh," Pandan Wangi closed his face.
Nek Ringgih just let Pandan Fragrance drain his tears. He still doesn't understand that story. But still be patient waiting until it is complete.
"I slid into the abyss. He tried to help me, but my body was too heavy, and it went down very quickly. I thought I was dead by then, Grandma. My body slammed hard in the abyss. Thankfully...."
"Why?"
"I fell right in the middle of a river that was rushing water. I was lost and unconscious. By the time I realized, I was already in a cage like an animal. Well.., I was taken captive by a horde of Goddess Sri Tungga Buana. At that time I could still be grateful for not dying, but...," again Pandan Wangi interrupted the story.
"What else is going on?" ask Nek Ringgih.
"They dragged me back up the cliff. I could see he was still on the other side. I tried to ask for help, but they threw me back into the abyss. I tried to exert the science of lightening my body and thrusting my body to the edge. But a tree is blocking my efforts. My body hit hard once again I was unconscious and stuck to the roots of the tree that came out of the ground."
"How did you get out of that ravine?" ask Nek Ringgih.
"How long have I been unconscious. After I realized, trying to creep up. But there's no one there anymore. I no longer care about the sharp twigs and thorns that tear my body."
"And that horse, who's it got?" tanya Nek Ringgih pointed at a black horse inside the stable beside the cottage.
"I don't know, I found it on the edge of the ravine grazing"
"Since you mentioned him. Who's she?" ask Nek Ringgih again.
Pandan Wangi did not answer.
"He told you to jump over the abyss?" chase Nek Ringgih again.
"Sir.." Pandan Wangi's eyes were like asking for the old woman's understanding.
"He's your lover?" guess Nek Ringgih didn't care
Pandan Wangi did not answer at all. It's still hard for him to say that. He himself did not understand, why it felt so hard to say his name. And his heart was also very embarrassed to remember him. Pandan Wangi did not understand, what feeling he was feeling now. But every time he remembered that shameful event, every time that handsome face was always tempting. There was a speck of longing in his heart, but Pandan Wangi was powerless to meet face to face again.
"Tens of the year I lived, Pandan. I can feel what you're feeling right now. Every human being will experience it. It is not a normal human name if you do not know love" said Nek Ringgih lovingly.
"Love...?!" Pandan Wangi jerked.
"There's no shame in admitting you're in love. I've also experienced it, but it's been a long time and now it's just a memory."
"But, Grandma...."
"There's no need to deny, Pandan. Your eyes cannot deceive. You're ashamed to see her again, because you can't show your power. You don't have to feel ashamed or inferior if you don't have any feelings for him. After all, love is not something that must be covered, from birth man has felt it, and will continue to feel it to the grave. If you feel yourself a noble being, you cannot deny the presence of that feeling in your heart. Even on the contrary, you should be proud that you still have the love behind your hard life full of challenges."
"Oh, Grandma...."
"Love is a nature to be enjoyed and grateful for. Love is not a bad thing, which must be covered and deeply harbored. Love is holy and beautiful when lived the sacred meaning because love is a gift of the highest value. But not a few humans who abuse the meaning of true love," at length Nek Ringgih explained the meaning of love to the girl.
"Mr..," Pandan Wangi was speechless.
Nek Ringgih just let Pandan Wangi cry on his lap. However, Pandan Wangi is a woman, even though she is a tough warrior and always blood-soaked and life-challenging in this vast jungle. No matter how hard one's heart is, one day it will surely break as well. And that is experienced by Pandan Wangi at this time.
********************