4. Commander Khandra

     Rengganis body shook violently, cold sweat on her temple. She curled up in fear watching the axis knotting the wooden floor cracked. Rengganis shut her mouth, wining, but still tried to be conscious. All of the sudden, there was a flash, someone quickly moved, jumped off the opened floor.

        A tall, strong men, stood in front of the cot, looking without expression at Rengganis who’s still in shock. The man was on his armor. His body was full of blood spatter even in his hair down to his face. Rengganis could smell it, but she didn’t care as if his scary and horrible look wasn’t scary at all. Rengganis breathed sigh of relief. She smiled. Unconsciously, tear dropped on her dirty and dusty cheek.

       “Commander, Commander Khandra,” she called. They’re staring at each other, that stout man put his finger on his mouth, asking her to keep silent.

       “Queen Rengganis, are you okay?” that stout man whispered, his muscular arm tried to wipe Rengganis tears, but he held it. It would be inappropriate for him to touch his queen. “I’ve heard a little about what has happened. There were rumour that the Queen mother...” he couldn’t continue his words.

        Rengganis nodded. “That bastard killed my queen mother brutally,” she aid. Khandra could feel a horrible pain in her eyes. “Hug me, Khandra. I need strength to stand!” she ordered.

        “I just came from the war. I smelled bad, and there were blood...,” his words cut. Queen Rengganis had put her head on his stomach. Khandra put his sword he had on the cot. He let Rengganis cried. Ah, his heart beat wildly like a drum. “Be strong, Queen Rengganis.” Feeling sorry, Khandra touched her hair. It felt smooth on his calluses hand.

        “Don’t call me queen anymore. That jerk had removed my royal title.” Her tone was stressfull.

        “How dare he! This kingdom belongs to Rengganis family, soon to be crowned queen. He took it from you arbitrarily,” he said, enraged.

         “In three days, if Madhavi is still unconscious, I’ll be hunged,” she said. Khandra’s eyes got widen, obviously shocked. He couldn’t believe that the man he believed could rule Baskara kingdom so well would act badly like this. Khandra lost his words for King Abra barbarous. “I believe Madhavi was behind all of it to obliterate me. They worked together,” she continued her speech.

          “It’s dangerous! We have to get out of here,” Khandra gave advice.

         “Commander, I don’t want you get involved.” Rengganis looked down, braking off her hug.

         “And you passively accept the punishment? Don’t be fool, Queen!” he raised his tone.

        Rengganis widen her eyes, never imagine that this man would higher his tone. Well, she deserved it. She was such a fool deluded princess without a fight. Seeing Rengganis’s hesitation, he took her smooth hand.

        “My Queen, don’t worry about me. They will think I’m at war. Receiving the queen mother letter, I understand the kingdom’s situation will be in chaos. I took a secret passage no one knows,” he explained.

        “You are so wise,” she said and smiled.

        “We leave now.” Khandra impatiently pulled Rengganis on his lap.

         Khandra carried Rengganis’s light body. It’s as light as feather. He moved so fast, jumped down. Rengganis was surprised not to hear the sound of his feet stomping on the floor. She, then, realised that the commander might use his inner strength. And suddenly, they’re up to the bottom of the tower.

         “My Queen, from here we’ll walk side by side because the path is so narrow.” Khandra said. His eyes looked around that slum building. Khandra touched the end of brick tiled up on wall. A room opened. There was a tunnel. Rengganis tremble in fear, worry to get into it. “Please, come, My Queen!” said Khandra.

          Rengganis eyes stared at the hole where he jumped down, it’s as human size in front of her. She, then, turned back, paying attention to the cold tower tunnel. She heard a foot step approached.

          “My Queen, we must leave before someone sees us,” he said firmly with his eyebrows furrowed, worried by the possibility someone sees his action helping the queen escaped from the cold palace. “Die on spot is not my intention for saving you,” he added.

          Hearing this, Rengganis looked at the man in front of her with sadly. “I’m afraid, Khandra,” she said.

          Khandra, the commander of Baskara kingdom, the former king’s most trusted man, said, “Reach my hand and believe me.” He sighed, cursing her doubt.

          Rengganis eyes stared at Khandra’s hand closely, thinking whether reaching his hand was the right choice or not. The last time she reached a man’s hand, she found the death of her mother and father. It also led to the fall of the kingdom she must protect.

          “My king husband,” Rengganis thought by herself, imagining her husband beautiful face who used to be so gentle to her.

          Who would think the gentleman turned into hatred and dark ambitious man?

          For crown and lust, Abra, the second king of Bamantara kingdom, Rengganis husband, chose to betray his loving wife because of the slander of concubine Madhavi, beautiful woman with two personalities. Abra beared to kill Rengganis’s mother and threw her into the cold kingdom.

          Rengganis eyes turned to Khandra’s face, staring at that brown eyes full of strong determination to save this stupid princess whose her leader had died. That furrowed eyebrow showed anxiety, a reflection of loyalty was seen clearly.

           Between anxiety and frustration, Rengganis took Khandra’s hand. Her melancholic eyes turned to strong, she said confidently, “My life is in your hand, Khandra. Take me out of here.”

         Rengganis took a deep breath. She came, following Khandra. After few second, the room closed. It was all pitch-dark. Rengganis soon puffed.

        “Be calm, Queen.” Khandra’s hand felt Rengganis shoulder. she tried to be calm. “Please, walk. It won’t take long,” he added.

         “Don’t let my hand go, Khandra!” Rengganis said, reaching out Khandra’s hand on her shoulder and held it tight. Khandra jerked it forward, bumped Rengganis’s back.

          “I apologyze, My Queen,” he said.

          “It’s alright,” she answered, started to walk on her bare foot. Both of her hand gripped Khandra’s fingers. 

         Khandra used his other hand to grop the dark cave. Khandra’s position was right behind her back as if he hugged her. “I can’t imagine there is such a place,” she said.

         “Only King Arkha knew this and all of his trusted men,” Khandra answered.

          Rengganis smiled, seeing a faint light. Finally, after few moment in dark and mazed cave, she saw light. She didn’t notice what she had stepped on, she just felt safe with Khandra beside her. She released her grip on Khandra’s. The narrow cave became wider. Now, they walked together, stared at each other.

        “Come, My Queen,” Khandra said.

        Rengganis nodded happily, running crossed the dense. The sun reflection dozzled. Khandra saw Rengganis’s barefoot. His eyes widened. He just realized that his queen wear nnothing on her foot. Rengganis’s arm was bleeding. It might be that thorns of bushes. Khandra pulled Rengganis. He used his sheath to cross the hawthrone. He didn’t break the bush to cover his position.

            Rengganis smiled widely, seeing a huge river with clear water in front of her eyes. She truned back and realized she had taken a dark underground trip. And now she ended up here, outside the palace. Rengganis knew. She once escaped to this place when she ran from the guards.

           “This way, My Queen!” Khandra took her. “I apologized,” the man said, pulling her closer, grabed her.

           Khandra stepped lightly. Rengganis looked into his face, smiling. Khandra’s heart beating rapidly once again. His blood raced, strange feeling crept into him.

          ‘Am I sick?’ Khandra complained in his heart. ‘My body felt unwell, but I feel fine. Only happiness inside,’ he muttered.

          “Queen Rengganis.” The voice of Mbok Berek heard.

           Rengganis turned ahead, by the river, there was a plump lady seen on a bamboo skiff with two men in black suit. Khandra walked fastly. Using a lighten body spell, he jumped and landed on the skiff quietly. Khandra starred at Rengganis tired face. She looked so beautiful. He never thought they would be this close.

          “Commander Khandra, you can put me down!” she said.

          He woke from his day-dream, smiled, and put her down. He, then, scratched his not-itch head. “Please forgive me, My Queen,” he said, looking down.

          Rengganis didn’t bothered. She turned to Berek, the lady who took care of her since she was a child. Spilling all of her anxiety, Rengganis fell asleep. She took her head on that pump middle-aged lady’s lap.

          “How poor you are, My dear,” Berek said, gently wiping her hair.

*KarRa*

          In the dark, slowly turned to light, her eyes fell open. Rengganis shocked. She was in a wood. She ran without stopping, confused. She ran until her feet felt tired and thirsty. She called Khandra and Berek thousand times, but she found no answer. She kept walking until she heard a sound of waterfalls. She walked closer even she fell down on the grass. Her face lit up to see a clear waterfall. Rengganis ran into the clear water, washing her body and feeling the cold water down her throat.

          When she saw her back, her eyes and mouth got widened. From under the water, there was a lady with a long hair. Her arm was as white as cotton but scally. She stood back on Rengganis. Water around her rippled, making a vortex. Slowly, her scaly body came out of the water.

          Regganis screamed loudly. The lady’s hip were scaly, greenish- tailed. She was half snake.

To be continued....

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