Sharing Love: Puspita East & West

Training Children

“Abah? Why is Abah here?” call Hanif who is running to West Joglo. The boy rushed into his brother's lap. His face was bright like a pearl shining brightly. However, the moment he saw Anastasia, his face instantly turned sour. He threw away his face, refusing to see his stepmother. Anastasia could only smile bitterly at the attitude of the boy.

“Hanif, can't do that, darling,” rebuke Amir smooth. Instead of complying, Hanif even rose up with an annoyed face and invited Syarif to immediately enter the house. Shortly after, Maimunah came to bring some goods.

“Do kids really like to play here?” amir asked the old woman.

Maimunah. He also told the chronology of the twins' rivalry with Anastasia in recent days. As Amir turned to Anastasia, the girl nodded slowly. “Did they not bother you? You don't mean they play here, do you?”

“I'm fine, Sir,” Anastasia replied softly. Her pure smile puffed up faintly at the thought of how adorable the two boys were. After all, he was already determined to make peace with them. She also could not answer her husband's questions. This is the best answer, right?

“Alhamdulillah you can quickly familiar like this. Visit downstairs once. Ami did not mind to meet you,” Amir rose from his seat. He felt he had enough rest. His hand was extended to Asya, asking him to stand, “I became calmer to go deh.”

“Where to go?” ask Sharif who came just like that to surprise Amir. Unlike Hanif, the boy's face did not change upon seeing Asya. However, his face had indeed been cold from the start. He tends not to care about his stepmother than to push hard. Well, he had his own time to deny Asya's presence.

“Change to work outside. Syarif at the umma guard house with Bibi Asya, yes,” said Amir while patting Syarif's head slowly. The boy did not answer anything for a while. His mouth was slightly open as if there was something he wanted to convey.

“How to go again?” tanya Hanif replaces her brother who is frozen still. He did not want to see Asya. So, his own view was focused only on Amir. He inherited his mother's feelings of longing. The feeling of sadness often parted with his brother.

“Iya, there is a task from Ki Fadil. Doain abah, yes. Moga abah home safely,” Amir is now on his knees. It's too early to say anything, but it never hurts to say. He hugged his two lovely sons who were great and charming. In his arms, he prayed to Allah the Most Merciful so that his descendants would become godly, filial, and soothing children of all.

Anastasia looked at the familiarity in silence. As a foreigner who was captured by the war, he felt a very strong cultural shock. The culture of the people in Java is very different from the culture of feudal nobility in the Western Continent. Especially extreme regions like Lojie. It was like coming to a different world.

“What's up? How come there's a sword here?” Hanif again asked after Amir took off his embrace. The elder pointed at the wooden sword lying not far from him. He was interested and wanted to have such a sword. It looked strong and sturdy, unlike the twig woods he used to play with Sharif.

“Change finished training with Bibi Asya. Aunty Asya pinter playing sword,” replied Amir while praising his second wife sincerely. Although Anastasia said she was fine, she believed her relationship with Hanif and Sharif was not as good. The kids obviously don't accept it. Hopefully this way they can become more familiar.

“Masa?” Hanif looked at his stepmother in disbelief. His face looks really shitty. Asya's hands itched wanting to pinch her cheeks so that she knew herself. Now it still can't, but someday there will be a time.

“You want to try?” Amir smiled nosily. He recognized Anastasia's ability. It must have been interesting to see her children take lessons from the girl. Just now, he got an interesting idea.

“Tuan ...,” Anastasia was about to refuse, but Hanif and Sharif first answered her father's challenge and exclaimed, “Mau! Hiya! Let's go.”

“Good! Remember well the movements you learned so far, yes,” Amir clapped his hands once while smiling kindly as usual. He also told his two sons to take a pair of swords lying in the yard, wooden swords that he used to spear with Anastasia earlier.

“Tuan .. I think ... this is dangerous,” Anastasia tried to resist. The girl was not worried about her safety—toh she was agile to dodge and fend off attacks. He was only afraid of injuring the two boys unintentionally.

Anastasia thought fast. This is his last chance. The task is not difficult. Only, he had to be careful in controlling his strength. If Hanif or Syarif got injured, it could be his mission failed and he was also canceled to participate in the expedition.

“Alright, I received an order, Sir,” Asya lowered her head and tipped her skirt a little. Unknowingly, he saluted a noble girl from the West. Her husband just nodded slowly looking at that. He also took a short bamboo stored in the foundation of the joglo roof.

“Come quickly!” exclaim Hanif spirit. His evil looks were very similar to Amir when he smiled nosily. He's planning something with his twin brother. They can't wait to fight.

Asya did not return his call. He stood up straight and built defensive horses. Before the game actually started, he took a deep breath and sharpened his concentration.

“Start!” Amir gave aba-aba.

Hanif and Sharif immediately shot up quickly. They grasped his sword tightly and gathered strength to slash at the part they could reach. It looks like it will be exciting when they see their opponents cry bitterly later.

Anastasia observed the movements of her two opponents closely. He dodged Hanif's attack by moving a step to the right and fended off the path of Sharif's sword that had ambushed him. The position of the horses did not waver in the slightest. As Amir said, he could not underestimate the two boys.

Hanif and Sharif were shocked. Both of them immediately launched their next attack. The dominance of their attacks was concentrated on the art of slashing. Their slashes were extremely powerful for 6-year-olds.

Anastasia was even pushed a step back. But he was still untouched in the least. The girl nimbly dodged and dismissed the attacks that came at her. So agile, the movement he did until it looks like a sword dance.

“Ih …! Don't keep avoiding. Here forward!” sharif shouts. He also returned to attack by targeting the heart of Asya. Unfortunately, again the attack he did could be repelled easily by the girl.

Hanif and Sharif were exhausted from moving too much and exerting too much, while Anastasia was still stable with her strong horses. The girl also smiled with an angry smile. Hanif and Sharif were sorry to see it.

“Quite, Kids,” Anastasia hit the heads of the two boys slowly to end the match. Hanif and Sharif who had just failed to attack instantly held his head and glared in annoyance. Even though it was slow, it still hurt.

Honestly speaking, Asya actually really enjoyed practicing a match with the two talented boys. He had even forgotten his original purpose. However, he felt sorry for Hanif and Sharif who looked very exhausted. Both may be injured because of it later.

Amir smiled seeing Asya can fight both sons well. As he thought, it was very exciting to see the girl nagging them. These few days, the two boys had ignored him like Aminah. This is a suitable revenge for them.

Anastasia nagged quite long. He criticized Hanif and Sharif's technique in playing his sword without remembering that he had lost the sword technique against Amir earlier. He also improved the way the two boys shaped the horses. Unknowingly, he completed the task of Amir perfectly.

Hanif and Sharif were only hearing it. It was like when their own umma scolded the two. They seem to have no power to resist or interrupt. Therefore, they left gloomily and resentfully after Asya finished nagging at length times wide.

“You finished it well again,” Amir patted Asya on the shoulder. As promised, the girl will join the expedition later.