Faint Shadows at Night

It had been several days since Nalini and her mother had stayed in their hiding place. They spent most of their time sleeping and walking around the place without daring to venture out. Meanwhile, the wound on Nalini's leg had fully healed.

"Mom, when is Guru coming?" asked Nalini as her feet played in the water. She sat at the edge of the stream. A variety of flowering plants flourished around her. Nyai Dhira came over and sat with her.

"I don't know, Nduk. But it's true, if we stay here we will become cavemen," said Nyai Dhira as she chuckled.

"So fat cavemen. Just look, it's only been a few days here and our bodies are getting fatter," Nalini complained as she pinched her cheeks, which were starting to look full.

To overcome her boredom, Nalini moved on and began observing various plants. Just like the flowers, many of the plants were unfamiliar to her.

Nalini's nimble hands fingered a clump of small leaves that looked like hearts. The color was deep green and the flowers were shaped like grains of pepper.

"Mom, what is this plant? I never found it in the garden," said Nalini. The girl observed the plant carefully. Her curiosity was evident.

Nyai Dhira came closer and looked at the plant. She repeatedly wrinkled her forehead, trying to recall her plant knowledge.

"Hmm, if I'm not mistaken this is called Katumpangan (Pilea microphylla). It can be used as a medicinal plant," Nyai Dhira explained. The woman became absorbed in observing the plant. 

"Oh yeah? What can it be used for?" asked Nalini enthusiastically. Her eyes widened. Every time she got new knowledge she would remember it well.

"It has many benefits. It can be used for kidney, fever and skin diseases," explained Nyai Dhira. The former healer is now engrossed in observing the plants one by one. Occasionally she nodded to herself or frowned.

"Mbok, I think Eyang Guru planted these plants here on purpose. What I wonder is why?" asked Nalini as she shook her long loose hair.

"Shh, don't talk loudly about him, what if he suddenly comes?" Nyai Dhira warned her daughter. Her index finger was placed right in front of her mouth.

Nalini smiled and grimaced at her mother's behavior. She suspected that Eyang Guru was still a long time coming. Or even forgot they were there.

"What if Master forgot we were here?" said Nalini with a raised eyebrow. She found waiting very boring indeed. Especially waiting for something uncertain.

"A wise man never breaks a promise, girl." Nyai Dhira replied wisely. She now always had a good prejudice towards the Guru who had saved her life.

Nyai Dhira then took Nalini's hand and led her to a large room at the end of the place.

"Look. These are boxes of medicinal herbs. I looked through them yesterday. They are all rare and expensive medicines. Only important and rich people can afford to keep these." Nyai Dhira opened a box. There was a dried root that was slightly red and white in color.

"Do you know what this is called, Nduk?" Nyai Dhira asked Nalini.

The girl shook her head. This was the first time she had ever seen such a large root placed in such a special enclosed place. "I don't know. It looks like a dried root," said Nalini.

Nyai Dhira smiled meaningfully. She seemed to be preparing to say something very important. "I saw her once. Long ago, when I was a child. Your great-grandfather once had a root like this. It's called ginseng. This plant does not exist here, it comes from a distant land." Nyai Dhira explained passionately. Her eyes were dilated.

Nalini was amazed to hear it. Her family had been practicing medicine for generations, especially her great-grandfather who was said to have served in the king's palace.

But this was the first time she heard about the strangely named root, ginseng.

"From a distant land? Where is it from?" asked Nalini. She held the ginseng in her right hand and smelled it. "It stinks, Mbok!" said Nalini as she moved the root away from her nose.

"Yes, it's pungent, but it also has strong properties." Nyai Dhira replied as she put the herbs back into the box. "According to her great-grandfather, that kind of ginseng comes from China. It's far away."

Nalini nodded at her mother's explanation. She then idly opened another box. When she opened it, she also saw a dried root. Only the shape was slightly round and brownish in color.

"This is also ginseng? But the shape and color are different," Nalini said as she observed the object in the box.

Nyai Dhira picked it up, took a quick look and smiled.

"This one is called som jawa. A ginseng plant native to our place. It is equally effective," explained Nyai Dhira. 

"It's a pity I don't have such good medicines to help the sick, if only yesterday I could have saved those people's lives..." Nyai Dhira did not continue her sentence. Her heart still ached remembering what happened yesterday. Her eyes began to glaze over.

"Never mind, ma'am. Don't remember it anymore, let bygones be bygones. If we hadn't been kicked out of the village, we would never have reached this place," Nalini soothed her mother. 

"We also wouldn't have known there was a place as quiet and comfortable as this," she added with a smile.

Nyai Dhira wiped away the tears that were about to fall. The line of her lips slowly curved upwards. Her daughter was right, behind calamities there are lessons to be learned.

"Mom, I want to look at the weapons," Nalini said, pointing to a row of weapons neatly arranged on a shelf.

"Be careful. Just look at them and don't hold them, for fear of hurting them." Nyai Dhira warned her daughter. She herself shuddered at the thought of sharp weapons being used for fighting.

"No, I'm not. Don't worry," Nalini replied. Slowly the girl observed the weapons one by one. There were long spears, and rows of krises with beautifully carved handles and warangas. 

Nalini repeatedly chuckled in admiration. She wanted to hold them but remembered her mother's prohibition. Her hand held on to what she thought was an empty wall. She accidentally pressed the button of the secret door.

The wall shook. Nalini was shocked and backed away. She saw the secret door slowly widening.

"Girl, what are you doing?" Nyai Dhira was surprised and half angry to see her daughter doing something she shouldn't.

"I-I didn't mean to." Nalini bit her own lip, terrified that she had made a mistake.

The secret door was fully open, but no light could be seen from the hallway. It was nighttime.

"Mom, we haven't known day and night for a long time. It seems to be night out there, the hallway is so dark," Nalini said timidly.

She pressed the secret button repeatedly but the door remained open, unable to be closed.

"How is this? It's very dangerous if this gap remains open. Do you know how to close it?" asked Nyai Dhira anxiously. 

The night air began to blow in from outside, chilling the body. Nyai Dhira walked back and forth while occasionally looking into the dark hallway.

Nalini's mouth was locked tight, she was also panicked and scared. Bad thoughts started popping up in her head, what if a wild animal broke in?

The sound of galloping horses suddenly came from the darkness. Getting closer and closer, the whinnying sound broke the silence. The horse and rider were clearly heading in the direction of the secret cave.

The bodies of the two confused women trembled with fear. They quickly ran and hid behind a pillar.

Nalini felt her heart beating so fast, cold sweat pouring down her body. Even so, she still dared to see who was coming.

The big brown horse stopped right at the mouth of the secret pass. The rider, dressed in white and wearing a caping, jumped down with one swift movement. A figure that Nalini recognized very well.

The girl breathed a sigh of relief. It was Eyang Guru who had come, the person she had been waiting for for so long.

Eyang Guru was still standing in front of the opening, as if he was waiting for something. He repeatedly looked back while stroking his horse's neck.

After waiting for a long time, there was a clatter of horses' hooves in the distance. Nalini and Nyai Dhira kept watching from their hiding places.

A black horse was seen emerging from the end of the hallway. The rider was a man who looked much younger than Eyang Guru. He wore a black warrior outfit. His face was covered by a wide cap that he also wore.

"You've taken too long, Arya!" rebuked Eyang Guru. The old man then walked his horse and tied the rope to a branch of a shrub tree.

"Mercy, Master. I kind of forgot the secret way here. I was lost and circling around," replied the heavy-voiced young man. He paid his respects and bowed before Eyang Guru.

"Alright, let's act quickly. We don't have much time to deal with the deadly plague," said Eyang Guru. He then stepped into the cave followed by a young man named Arya.

"Come out, I'm coming," said Eyang Guru without looking at Nalini and her mother's hiding place, but knew they were hiding watching him.

Nyai Dhira took Nalini's arm and led her out. They walked sneakily toward Eyang Guru.

"A thousand pardons, Master. I accidentally pressed the door opener and couldn't close it again." Nalini said that timidly. She did not dare to look at Eyang Guru's face.

"Yes, Master. Forgive my daughter, she did it by accident," Nyai Dhira said. She did not want her daughter's carelessness to make Eyang Guru angry.

The old man took off his caping and used it as a fan. Beads of sweat were dripping down his face. He thought for a while, digesting the words of the two women in front of him. Then he smiled slightly and raised his left hand.

"No need to apologize. Surely you can't close that door again, right?" said Eyang Guru.

Nalini shook her head.

"That's because I also opened it from the outside, so I couldn't close it again," explained Eyang Guru. The man remembered the gaping door.

"Arya, close the door!" Eyang Guru ordered as he turned to the young man.

Arya deftly moved and pressed the button. The wall shook, the door slit closed again tightly.

Nyai Dhira and Nalini looked at each other. Eyes met eyes. Not yet answered the question of who Eyang Guru really was, now in front of them came another figure.

"I came with my student, Arya Dipa. We'll get you out of here, but with conditions." Eyang Guru's words seemed to answer Nyai Dhira and Nalini's questions.

"Mercy, Master. What conditions, I will fulfill," said Nyai Dhira as she put her palms together and worshiped, as a form of respect.

"Help me overcome this plague. Find a potion that can be used by the sick people. Weren't you a healer before?" ordered Eyang Guru to Nyai Dhira. 

Instantly the woman raised her face as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Nalini also raised her face. At the same time, Arya Dipa took off his cap. The girl was stunned to see his handsome face like a prince. Nalini's eyes did not blink. Half of her mouth involuntarily gaped. Nalini was mesmerized.