The Encounter

The dark and quiet atmosphere presented by Lidia slowly changed to reveal the atmosphere of a busy courtyard filled with piles of goods and animals.

 Little Iswari walked slowly across the palace grounds. No one noticed Iswari's movements as piles of foodstuffs blocked her tiny body from view. Villagers back and forth in and out of the main gate carrying their crops. Everyone is busy with preparations for the ritual of the Sesaji Bumi, which will be led by the father tomorrow morning.

 At the main gate, she peeked outside through the open door. The streets were full of people passed by. With trembling heart, Iswari stepped out through the gate. For a while Iswari just stood silently at the side of the road, looked left and right, watched the buzz of citizens of the royal capital in the morning. Never before had Iswari set foot outside the palace. Although Iswari repeatedly insisted on seeing the world outside, her father, queen mother, and nannies always forb