Chapter 5

Daniel

The man's breath was ragged, sweat dripping down his forehead as if he had just climbed thousands of steps. His eyes locked onto Ayu with an emotion difficult to decipher—a mix of determination, hope, and something Ayu herself dared not define. 

"I had no choice but to see you," Daniel's voice was hoarse. "I know this isn't my place, I know this is your tradition, but I can't let you face this alone. I want to be with you, to walk this path beside you." 

Ayu froze. Her heart trembled at Daniel's confession. Luh Sri, who stood not far from them, offered a small smile, watching two souls struggling to unite their hearts. 

Ayu remained kneeling before the temple gates, her breath hitching as she saw Daniel standing there. The grand Pura Lempuyang bore silent witness to this impossible encounter. 

"Daniel ..." Ayu's voice was barely above a whisper, caught between shock and disbelief. 

The man took a step closer, still trying to steady his breath after the exhausting climb. Yet his gaze remained sharp, unwavering. 

"I know this is a sacred place, Ayu. I know I may not belong here. But I need to talk to you," he said softly, though his tone carried firm resolve. 

Luh Sri raised an eyebrow at Daniel, as if silently questioning how he had made it here. Yet she said nothing, simply allowing Ayu and Daniel space to speak. 

Ayu swallowed, her gaze shifting to the towering split gate behind her. The wind at the Lempuyang summit blew gently, lifting strands of her sweat-dampened hair. 

"Why did you come here?" she finally asked, her voice barely audible over the breeze. 

Daniel stepped even closer, then knelt before her. "Because I can't let you go through this alone. I can't just stand by while you're forced to marry someone you don't love." 

Ayu's eyes widened, her chest tightening. "Daniel, this isn't just about love. It's about family, about the village, about tradition. You wouldn't understand ..." 

Daniel shook his head. "I may not be part of your tradition, Ayu. But I want to learn, and I want to understand. If this is about your customs, let me honor them. If this is about your family, let me prove that I am worthy to stand beside you. Let us fight for our love together." 

Luh Sri, who had remained silent, now crossed her arms. "You know that what you're saying won't be easy, don't you?" 

Daniel turned to her. "I know, Kak. But I also know that if I do nothing now, I'll regret it for the rest of my life." 

Ayu felt her body weaken. Her heart wanted to believe, wanted to take Daniel's hand and run away from all of this. But reality said otherwise. 

"What do you want from me, Daniel?" Her voice was filled with despair. 

Daniel reached out his hand, palm open between them. "I want you to give me a chance to fight." 

Ayu stared at his hand for a long time. In the silence, she felt as if the entire universe was waiting for her decision. But before she could answer, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from below the temple—several men dressed in traditional attire emerged from the bend in the path, one of them being Uncle Made. 

"Ayu!" His voice rang out, thick with anger. 

Luh Sri quickly turned and grabbed Ayu's hand to pull her up. Daniel also stood, his body instantly tense. 

"We have to leave," Luh Sri whispered urgently. 

Ayu remained frozen, her mind struggling to process everything that had just happened. Her uncle and the village men were getting closer, their faces etched with fury. Their breaths were heavy from climbing the countless steps, their chests rising and falling rapidly. 

"Ayu, we need to go now," Luh Sri whispered again, her tone more pressing. 

Daniel instinctively grasped Ayu's hand, but she stiffened. "Daniel, no! If we run now, it'll only make things worse," she hissed, panicked. 

Before they could decide their next move, Uncle Made's voice cut through the air once more. 

"You think you can escape your fate, Ayu?" 

The once serene temple now felt tense. The men's sharp eyes bore into Daniel, demanding an explanation for why this foreigner stood in the sacred grounds with Ayu. 

Luh Sri took a step forward, positioning herself in front of her younger sister. "Uncle, Ayu is here only to seek guidance. We all know this is a difficult spiritual journey, so there is nothing wrong with that." 

"Alone? With a foreigner?" Uncle Made scoffed, his gaze filled with suspicion. "What are you doing here, boy? Do you think that just by coming to this temple, you can take Ayu away from her family?" 

Daniel lifted his chin, striving to maintain his composure. "I didn't come to take Ayu away, Uncle. I came to understand, to learn. If tradition says I must prove myself, then tell me how." 

The village men exchanged glances, seemingly taken aback by Daniel's boldness. But Uncle Made remained unmoved, his narrowed eyes still fixed on him. 

"You are not part of this village, not part of our customs. A man is honored for his roots and heritage, not just his words," he said coldly. 

Ayu clenched her fists. "Uncle, this isn't about lineage! This is about my life!" 

"This isn't just about you, Ayu!" her uncle shot back. "You are part of a family, part of the village, part of the balance that holds everything together. If you refuse this arranged marriage, you must be prepared for the consequences." 

Ayu's heart pounded at his ominous words. "What do you mean, Uncle?" 

One of the men who had arrived with him spoke up. "There have been signs of imbalance in the village. The dogs have been howling at night, the rice fields are drying faster than usual, and even the elders have had troubling dreams." 

Daniel tilted his head slightly, still struggling to grasp their meaning. "And what does that have to do with Ayu?" 

Uncle Made's piercing gaze met his. "Ayu's arranged marriage is not just a family matter. It is part of the village's balance. If this union is broken, that balance may be disturbed." 

Luh Sri exhaled, her voice low. "This isn't just old superstition. There have been times in the village's history when broken engagements led to real consequences... disasters, conflicts, or even spiritual disturbances that affected the entire community." 

Ayu felt trapped. She understood how deeply her village upheld the balance between humanity, nature, and spirituality—Tri Hita Karana. But was it really all because of her? 

Daniel let out a slow breath, then spoke calmly. "Then ... give me a chance." 

All eyes turned to him. 

"Give me a chance to prove that I can stand beside Ayu without disrupting the balance of this village." 

Uncle Made and the elders exchanged glances, while Luh Sri furrowed her brows in disbelief. Ayu could only look at Daniel, her mind swirling with questions. 

Was this man truly ready for what was about to come?