The Chronicle Of Jawata (Compilation Trial Edition)
11. Verse Time
’Knight died. King dancing.
It's time for the Male Pig.'
The atmosphere of the night was silent, with no sound except for the echo of the gong being struck twice, accompanied by a poem of reverberation. Dark gripping, late night covered in fog more frightening anyone who is awake. That's what happened to Taja. The first night at Praja Palace, after weeks of being blasphemed. But he couldn't sleep well.
Taja pensive in bed. Faint light. A glaring look at the ceiling. Sometimes he looked at Lorr En.
“Twelve times a day, guards circled the palace, chanting verses along with the gong," said Taja alone.
"Twelve times did it at night. I really can't sleep. What about you, Lorr?“ tanya Taja looked at Lorr En's back.
Lorr En's body coiled around under the blanket from toe to head. There was no response from him other than a soft snoring. Not wrong anymore, apparently he has been asleep since.
“Weird poems ...,” Taja murmurs.
“Not his strange poem, but it's a sign of time ..” a voice from the other side of the bed. Surprised, some have not slept either. As it turned out, Purwa was awake on the next couch, leaning against a pillow.
“Not sleeping yet apparently?” ask Taja relieved, it turns out there are still people who could not sleep that night, "What makes you restless?" tanya Taja without getting out of bed. They were both leaning on their respective cots.
“There are no matter what my eyes are closed .. but my mind is not,“ Purwa replied simply.
“Hey, what do you mean ... it's a sign of time?“ ask Taja, remember Purwa's previous sentence.
“You haven't memorized about time. Tanapura has a time marking system. The guards are in charge of watching the time, beating the gong when the time comes, also reciting the verses of legend," Purwa explained.
“Make this," Purwa said, then stretched out ten fingers, starting to bend one by one as a count.
The roosters crowed, at 4 a.m
Chicken, 5 a.m
Biyan Padi, 6 am
Pair of pigeons, 7 am
Bakul Monkey, 8 am
Tiger Wulung, 9 am
White Lion, 10 in the morning
The lion nesting, at 11 p.m
Sea Dragon, 12 noon
Flying Dragon, 1pm
Naga Sakti, 2pm
Hill eagle, 3pm
Tarung Shark, 4pm
Snake Wani, 5 pm
Goose Ngapung, 6 pm
Eagle Klawu, 7 p.m
Preening Lizards, 8 p.m
Dragon Dream, 9 p.m
Male Pig, 10 p.m
Singing Rat, 11 p.m
Rats nest, 12 p.m
Wiru Wolves, 1 p.m
Moon Wolf, 2 p.m
Wolves Dancing, 3 p.m
"In a day and night, there are 24 time signs, understand?” purwa said ending his explanation with a small smile, let alone looking at Taja's confused facial expression.
"Well, did you memorize everything?"
”So many kinds of time signs, not to mention the variety of poems ...,” Taja scratching the head not because of itching. Overwhelmed also after hearing Purwa's explanation that very quickly memorized all of it.
“Why do his poems revolve around Knights and Kings?”
“Because now is Honggura month, the month of the history of the Knights.The full 30 days of this month will tell a poem about the Knights and Kings,“ Purwa explained. Taja mangosteen only.
“So, every month will be different poem?” Taja concluded and Purwa agreed while nodding lightly.
“Then, do those poems mean?”
“Many means, depending on the person each interprets it. Some consider the poems as tropes, musings, in addition there are also those who hear it just a story or entertainment,“ Purwa leaned.
“Amusement? I don't feel comforted by the Babi Man's punching poem" Taja said.
“You mean poetry at 10 last night?” Purwa.
Taja nodded small.
“Knight died. The king's dancing."
“Sacrifice. It means the sacrifice of a servant for the land and the king, willing to die for the sake of the prosperous country. Knights are dead, the King is in power" Purwa explained.
“You are very good at deciphering poetry. Can you tell me about the other poems?” taja Pinta.
“Not all poems I can interpret, but .. I know good poems," replied Purwa.
"Wehu is sad, please,
Little swan woke up ....
One year smile, finally back
Step in the rug of thorns
Love made her go and come back Hundreds of steps, silver carpet
A pair of hands welcomed each other
Time, geese and doom ...”
The eyes of Purwa glare at the roofs of the rooms while reading the poem without stammering. It sounds very memorized and recalls every verse of the poem.
“What does that mean, Purwa?” tanya Taja wanted an explanation of the poem.
“Almost every night I think of that, I finally conclude .…”
“What?” taja's sudden curiosity appeared, pushing him to Purwa's place.
“The Princess is healing soon because there will be someone to help her,” replied Purwa. Hearing this, Taja remained silent for a while while thinking about the interpretation of Purwa's dream.
“You made it up,” said Taja, unsure of Purwa's talk.
Purwa so frown, “They also mop up whenever I interpret dreams and poems, then why do you want me to tell them? Go to your place, I want to sleep!” purwa hurriedly pulled out his thick blanket.
“Sst, don't be noisy. Sorry, I don't mean to underestimate, I'm just not sure if you're really dreaming like that. Is it true that the dream is related to the Princess?”
“So, you don't believe?” Purwa uncovers the blanket.
“Not so, I just feel .. related to the dream of the poem,” said Taja.
"It could be that you are the doer in the poem,“ Purwa said.
“People?” Taja.
“Yes, that is ...,” Purwa scratched his head, his frown gone.
“This is the meeting of geese and doom .. if the goose is the Princess of Alingga, is it possible that the child of doom is me?” Taja curious.
“I did not say so, but ... in the dream, I saw a young man like you. It's similar! I've even seen it with my own eyes. Once in a lifetime,“ said Purwa, reminiscing about the almost forgotten events of when they happened.
”At that time, because it was too late after taking a bath, I took a detour through the back garden of the palace, past the river of hot water."
"The figure is gushing from the bushes. Then, popped him up and stood looking at me.”
“Then?” Taja can't wait to hear the continuation.
“Who is he?” ask Taja again. But Purwa was silent, unwilling to say further.
“Say!” Taja shook the hand of Purwa, the petite king among the friends of the team.
Purwa. Reluctant to say.
“Why?” Taja.
“He is dead. I dare not mention his name, his death was terrible,” Purwa replied pulling the blanket back.
"Dead?!" Taja. Who is meant, Taja did not understand.
“Because he jumped into the lake?” Taja guessing.
Purwa shook his head again, “Not. He executed.”
Taja stunned, his eyes narrowed tensely, “Dead execution?”
“That's enough. Now go back to your place!” purwa's voice was depressed in the throat.
“You know his name! Tell me who is he?” Taja uncovers Purwa blanket.
“No. Sleep!” repel Purwa quickly pulled the blanket, his body coiled and turned his back to Taja.
Curious too, Taja forced Purwa to say it, “Come say, then I'll let you sleep .. or I'll tickle you until morning.“
Purwa wriggled amusedly as Taja's fingers crept from the soles of the feet to the calves, “Good ... well ..., I'll just write it."
He finally complied. Soon he grabbed a thrower and a charcoal pen at the table near the bed.
“Why are you so curious ..” Purwa chirped while writing something on the palm.
“Now, don't bother me anymore," Purwa said as he thrust a thrower, then curled back up on the soft mattress and pulled the blanket tight.
Return to where he lay. He was alone, still awake. Under the dim light of the chandelier as the only night illumination in the room, he saw the contents of the Purwa.
Taja did not blink, momentarily gasped while reading a piece of writing.
’Bocah Catastrophe.’
Taja pensive after reading it. But as the poem rang from the outside. Spread her mind.
’Knight killed, moon dead
The king laughed, tears of blood
Time for Rat Byanyi!’
Followed by gong bermawang.
...* * *...
