The Musafir

The Story of the Flower

The shop owner's MOTHER continued the story, with a soft, luscious voice that could make anyone become lulled into it. However, despite her age, the woman still exuded above average beauty.

“Tak how long later, came the best flower in this city. In accordance with the request of the strange man, I did deliberately bring the best flowers, even though it means the payment is very high. Somehow, the swordsman who looks mediocre from his appearance actually has enough money to order prostitutes who are usually ordered by nobles in a luxurious lifestyle.

“The room I prepared, of course as best I could. The other guests I was staying at immediately paid so they wouldn't be noisy. But apparently the man called the store did not want to go to his room, or in fact he had no intention of sleeping that night.

“He called the flower he had rented to sit face to face at a table with him. I was asked to make a small jug of warm tea with a mixture of jasmine flowers, which has become the hallmark of this shop to always serve tea with a mixture of jasmine flowers.

“Of course I obey, although I think strange because he did not drink the wine that was ordered, because however he is still classified as a special customer that I have to serve with special also. I was brewing water, while quietly listening to the conversation between the store and the rental flower.

“‘Tell me everything you know about women,’ so said Kedai calmly.

“‘Meanour?’ The flower asked back as I looked at the frown.

“‘Tell about yourself. Lengthy is okay, the origin is as clear as possible. Until the day after tomorrow there is no reason, I will pay you according to the provisions.’

“‘Master wants me to tell you a story? Won't you waste this cold night?’

“‘Not going to be in vain,’ said Kedai with a gentle smile, who was really able to make myself feel in a dim tranquility.

“Then that's how then the flower began to tell stories with all the literary expertise it has. As an upper caste prostitute, he has certainly had an excellent literary ability to use when his customers want to be wooed using pantuns. But he did not expect to use his literary ability to tell his own life story. Among all the customers he had served, was only the Shop that truly cared about him.

“The story is protracted. When the night has reached its middle, the entire literary ability of the flower seems to leave it. He told me so loosely, flowing like a very heavy river. No longer notice the beauty of the language. As he was talking to it was not a customer he had to serve with all humility, but a friend to whom he could show his true attitude.

“When the night was getting late, until there were no more sounds of footsteps of people or horses heard on the street outside, the flower wept. Me who still and always listen to the story also carried the atmosphere, until almost no tears in the corner of my eyes.

“What a moving life story. He must leave his beloved heart to be able to enter and work in the network of flowers. How his family has been wrapped in a debt that is very stifling, really must be repaid as soon as possible if you do not want lives lost. No one pitied him, not even relatives wanted to be involved further than just hoping for the best.

“By becoming a highway interest that he can pay off his entire family debt. But because what he entered was an underground network, it was very difficult for him to get out of there. There is no road at all. He must continue to live his work as a flower, then get a lot of money that is far beyond the word enough, but with a life that is not happy at all.

“The person named the Shop was more silent and heard. It is only in moments of wonder that he throws an opinion. That is how then the flower tells almost without any obstacles at all, until there is no sense of sunlight has entered the windows of this store that is always open.

“The shop held up one hand at that time, then said after the flower fell silent, ‘I only ordered you until morning. My time is up, and I think I've completed everything I need.’

“The flower said, ‘Don't you leave the light, Shop! Companion the peril here, or invite the peril of wandering with you. Anywhere possible, any danger can be, any dependents can be!’

“How sincere the request is, expressed with all his soul. But the man called Kedai really did not have a heart, rejecting the poor woman just like that!

“He said this, ‘Can't. You must remain here, living the destiny that you have ever completed.’

“‘What destiny?’ ask the flower in her cries that are still exploding.

“‘You already know it.’

“Then after saying so, flashed the Shop. Just disappear. Not until the heart saw the flower continues to cry, I immediately flashed chasing after him. At first I was sure I could get the man, but how fast his movements were, making me fall far behind him. Forced me to return to my shop empty-handed.”

Getting there, Mantingan exhaled a long breath. Come to think of it, it was very cruel what his teacher had done. Wouldn't the days of the flower only grow somber and sad?

“What is the essence of this story?” The man asked in the end.

“Hear first my story to the end.” The shop owner's mother shook her head slowly before returning to tell her story, “failing me in this store, I saw the woman still sitting on the floor crying sobbing. I approached him to give a mere encouragement, but he said something I didn't expect at all.

“‘That person has been very kind to me, Sister. No more chasing him, let him go. I got what I needed from him.

“Surely at that time I immediately asked, ‘What does Sister need and have obtained from her?’

“But the answer was unexpected, ‘I just needed a hint to walk on my own feet. That is also what Kedai desires of me, so if I will do it with a soulful sacrifice even though I do not want it at all.’

“The flower stepped out. I simply left my pensive self behind, but then I stopped pensively, for I realized very well that the flower had sacrificed all her life to fulfill the wishes of that strange man called the Shop.

“Somehow what he did next. I don't know very well even now. But it must be amazing. Let it be a secret between the store and the flower. Let only those who know.”

Now only Mantingan who pensive listening to the story of the mother of the owner of the store.