The Musafir

Morning Surprise

Chitra Anggini lifted one end of the map paper and observed the bottom. “The ink does not penetrate to the back of the paper. You're right, the ink liquid dried immediately after it was painted. That means ...”

“Air is too cold when this map is made,” concluded Mantingan. “Loof Sky News ...”

“That means, this map is not official from the kingdom. In other words, this map was not stolen at all.”

“But who can map all the intricacies of the underground buildings of Koying Palace while there has never been an official map of the kingdom to be used as a reference?”

“That means, there are people in the palace who betrayed the outside.” Chitra Anggini stroking chin. Not too sure what he just said.

“If that is the case, this map we got is just a mere copy.”

“And if any other copy ...”

“Then we are not the only ones who are planning an intrusion into the palace.”

“And all plan to enter through the palace underground building.” Chitra Anggini touched the trunk of his nose. His eyebrows look wrinkled. “This is a mere coincidence? Or is there something in the palace that makes enemies simultaneously want to infiltrate?”

“Trust there.” The mantle folded his hands forward while closing his eyes. “Koying has forcibly seized many heirlooms to obtain the remaining Sky Stakeholder authority. It clearly brought in intruders from among those who were forcibly taken his remains, or from among those who simply wanted to steal the precious treasures.”

“That means, the fate of both of us is the same as the others?”

The mantle nodded slowly. His eyes are still closed. “The Fate of Miss Darkness is also like us.”

Now Chitra Anggini looked at Mantingan. His eyes were still flinched as usual, but his gaze was very deep. “Are we going to think of them as friends or even enemies?”

“The answer to your question is still dimly lit. They can be enemies, friends, or not even both.” The mantel smiled wryly.

...****************...

“If they infiltrate on the same road as the two of us, should we not look for another way?”

MANTINGAN nodded slowly even though it meant disagreeing altogether. He was able to understand what Chitra Anggini was thinking. Fighting in a secret, forbidden, dimly lit, and at the same time dangerous place is a thing that is not at all good. Everything can get out of control!

“We don't know which is best for now,” Mantingan said. “I still have not met with Mrs Darkness to ensure the authenticity of this map.”

Mantingan then explained how the map before them at this moment could have been a trap. Deliberately fishing swordsmen who intend to infiltrate to arrive, displaying as if the palace that shelters a city of this size has a weak defense so tempting to infiltrate.

“Everything is too strange,” reply Chitra Anggini who seems to have been as thought with Mantingan. “And I also feel that Miss Darkness gives you too much ease to infiltrate the palace. Did not the woman who covered her whole body with a black veil say that she was in the palace and swore that she would not come out of it before her book was recovered? Why didn't he take it himself? It will definitely be easier.”

“Kurasa, he has no power.” With his words, Mantingan indirectly revealed that he had enough strength to blue the Koying palace even if only for a while.

“The people in his society have certainly had high abilities in witchcraft, for Koying did not employ weak men to guard his court. I guess, that's more than enough to get their book back.”

“We still do not know exactly, because Mrs Darkness is still incomplete giving important information to me.”

Chitra Anggini nodded her head slowly. “Forwardly, we can only really devise an intrusion plan after coming out of this shelter center.”

“I'd rather call it a rescue plan.” A wide smiling mantle with tightly clenched palms.

***

MORNING approaches. The mantel opened its eyes with its consciousness. He felt a slender object embrace him, felt like a human hand! Mantingan's eyes immediately turned to the side. Beefy!

Mantingan actually wanted to jump out of the bed immediately, but how he realized that it would only make Chitra Anggini wake up in a state of shock. If it had been like that, he would have gone berserk!

Moreover, the peaceful face of Chitra Anggini is like a harsh ban on anyone who wants to wake her up. His skin that was a bright color seemed to shine, even though the lighting of the room was dim because there was only one torch that was still lit. His lips were clenched in a solemn smile. His eyes closed perfectly. Breathing regular.

After all, who would wake him up?

The thin smiling mantle. His left hand moved gently stroking Chitra Anggini's hair. Full warmth.

But no matter how much affection Mantingan showed the woman, Mantingan never considered Chitra Anggini more than a sister who must be protected with all body and soul. Not less either.

Will Chitra Anggini be disappointed by that reality? I don't know. Twice Mantingan has fallen in love with two different women. He will not be able to fall in love for the third time.

He does love Chitra Anggini, but with a different understanding. A brother's love for his sister.

Chitra Anggini opened his eyes with all his vigilance. Presumably the caress of hands Mantingan on his hair had disturbed the sleep of the woman who was however a swordsman. Is not the swordsman required to always put vigilance even in his sleep?

Realizing that Mantingan was stroking his hair, Chitra Anggini's facial features turned sour. “I told you that I don't like t-shirts, don't I?”

“Your hair is messy.” The stiff smiling mantle. Reasoned. “Again, look at the moment where your hand is.”

Chitra Anggini glanced at his own two hands, before looking back directly at Mantingan's face. There were no signs of shame on the woman. His face is not flushed. His eyes did not move. In fact, the embrace was getting tighter!

“Air in the city is too cold,” he said as he closed his eyes. “I'm still sleepy.”

“Sleep as much as you want, but let me go now.” The mantang said in a loud voice. Assertively. Not to be disputed.

“Contact goods for a moment. We still have three more days in this godforsaken place. Anyway, where are you going? There's nothing in this shelter, and the morning is still too cold. Stay here with Chitra, kneading in a blanket.”

Mantang raised both of his eyebrows with his mouth slightly open. It was hard to believe what the woman said.

“Chitra, as a woman, you have an overly lazy attitude.” The mantle shook slowly before trying to shift to the edge of the bed. However, Chitra Anggini pulled him back.

“Do not go.”

“Chitra, don't make me angry. This is not true.” Mantingan began to mean it, but presumably the attitude was incomprehensible to Chitra Anggini whose consciousness had not yet recovered all.

“Don't piss me off too, Mantingan. You're so ugly, always leaving a woman after making her fall in love. You treat Rara like that; Lien also suffered bad luck that is not much different from her. After this you will disappoint women again, O wicked Hero Man and not handsome at all? Who else would you like to make disappointed, who else ..”

The mantle breathed a long breath. How he knew that Chitra Anggini said all of that in a semi-conscious state. It's good not to put in feelings.

To be able to escape from the embrace of Chitra Anggini without making the woman disappointed, Mantingan felt that coercion would not be much useful. Take the path of tenderness, as Sasmita had done to him, by flowing prana energy on the body of Chitra Anggini until the woman was asleep with her hips.

“Mantingan, this ...”

Chitra Anggini could not finish his words. The woman lunglai. His strength slumped, no longer embracing the Mantingan too tightly. Use him. Fall asleep.

Mantingan still drain prana energy on Chitra Anggini until a while before finally breaking away from the embrace of the woman.

The coat fixes the blanket so that it perfectly covers the body to the limit of the girl's neck. Smiling while shaking his head, Mantingan stepped away from his room.