The Musafir
Love of a Swordsman
MANTINGAN ENJOYS HIS tea. He was not hungry enough to order food. While Bidadari Sungai Utara, of course, ordered many dishes in the form of meat and vegetables. Mantingan allowed the girl to order anything in this store.
Several times Mantingan let out a long breath. He did not know when the east monsoon wind was coming, but he saw more rain recently. Signs of the west monsoon wind are still milling through Dwipantara. The mantan does not know this is a sign of the end of the western monsoon or even the mid-western monsoon.
Mantingan wants the Angel of the North River to quickly return to his country in Champa. Not because I felt so strong about the girl. According to Mantingan, the sooner the young girl leaves the land of Javadvipa the better. The Mantingan did not dare to imagine what would happen next if the Northern River Angel was caught.
The North River's Angel breaks its daydream. “Man, are you really sure you don't want to tell your travel story?”
“I think I changed my mind, Sister.” Mantuan.
Mantingan again thought that telling a little about his journey to the North River Angel was actually no problem, even a little profitable. North River Angel can find out what has happened in Javadvipa, how to grow crops, as well as how to survive.
The mantel started to tell. Length width without interruption. With beautiful words, Mantingan managed to sweep the North River Angel into the story. The young girl looked so attentive to Mantingan telling a story, as if every word Mantingan spoke was the most important part of her entire story.
Of course Mantingan did not tell of his meeting with Kenanga, but he did tell a little about the meeting with Rara. Just a little, but gave an astonishing final sentence to the North River Angel. Mantingan said that he loved Rara, no matter if the girl was alive or dead.
Not to forget Mantingan told me about his meeting with Ki Dagar until the White Wind College. The taste and interest of the Northern River Angel has declined since Mantingan alluded to her love for Rara. But in order to maintain the feelings of Mantingan, the North River Angel still listened to the story until it ran out.
The incident at the market with Uncle Bala at that time, Mantingan felt no need to tell it. It will only make the girl worry about unnecessary things.
Everything about the search for Kembangmas by Mantingan is not much cared for by the North River Angel. At the end of the story, the girl did not ask the reason why Mantingan was willing to look for the fairytale flower.
“So you love the dead?” That was the only question, which was short but dense.
The mantel raised his eyebrows and smiled warmly. “You could say so. But I feel he is alive and will live. I feel as if she is sitting next to me right now.”
Mantingan glanced at the place next to him. Rara smiled sweetly at him. Still with a warm smile, Mantingan continued, “Kurasa, this is what is called love.”
The Northern River Angel smiled. He must accept this harsh reality. How does it feel to know that someone you like actually likes someone else? Undeniably, he hurt. Disillusioned. And jealous.
“But as a swordsman, I don't want to worry about love, Sister.” The mantel suddenly said. “Because the love I feel is not like the love that ordinary people feel in general. I dabbled into the martial world, the love I traveled with blood. As a swordsman, I was too brave to play around with love.”
The North River Angel. The words of the mantang felt very true. The love of a swordsman is different from the love of ordinary people in general. Swordsmen who experience love must be ready to receive the blood spill of his lover.
Like himself, whose blood was almost spilled in the land of Javadvipa. Her lover in Champa would definitely feel the same way Mantingan felt. As warriors, they had to prepare with it.
Indeed at that time Mantingan had not become a swordsman. But it can be calculated that he has dabbled in the martial world. If he had not fought the swordsman in the Earth Inn during Arkawidya's rescue, then Rara would not have been killed in Birawa's house.
Regret is pointless. The mantel could only sigh long.
The North River's Angel. At the moment he has no taste for doing anything. Not even willing to be still, not to move. Felt fucked.
Without directly, Mantingan commemorates the North River Angel. They cannot play with love.
***
AFTER PAYING for all the food that had been ordered, Mantingan and Bidadari Sungai Utara resumed their journey. Without anyone suspecting them, it was assumed that the two young men were just ordinary travelers.
Who wants to travel in the midst of such chaos?
As usual, the sky was filled with grey clouds. The mantan opened its caping, enjoying the caress of the wind that carried the cold air. The Northern River Angel walked not far behind him, not beside him anymore. It's okay, that girl does need time to accept reality.
They traversed a fairly wide meadow, seen a stretch of high hill-proof ranks to the east. The hills are in Agrabinta or Karang Sindulan, visible to Cape Kalapa away.
While the path they passed at this time was in the form of a lowland. Rarely found the hills. At most, the plains were undulating only.
Nan far to the north is a stretch of blue sea. However, it is still very far away. Approximately, it takes one to two more days to reach the shoreline.
People say, the crowd on the north coast of Tanjung Kalapa almost matches Sundapura. It is as if Tarumanagara was a thousand cities in Cape Kalapa. Kalapa Port became a trading place. People from all over the kingdom in the Sky Roof Country often stopped by. But it may not be as many as people tell, of course security in Taruma now makes cross-ocean traders think twice to stop by.
Mantingan and the North River Angel continued to step up. Slowly, they left the grassland. The path that was currently being stepped on led them into the dense forest.
The quiet and quiet atmosphere of the road brings Mantingan to relax. In the long journey, this is the part that the Mantingan likes the most. The forest can always bring him into true peace.
Fresh air. Wind swirling. Rersak. Forest animal forest. Mantingan has long missed this. It felt like going back to the camp first.
The roads continue to carry them increasingly into the forest, passing through parts of the forest that are considered harmless to road users.
