7 : On the Other Side

In the dim shadows of the night, two figures sat silently in a stuffy room, lit only by the faint light seeping through the cracks in the wooden walls. Raden Mas Wiratma and his younger brother, Indra Wiratma, were being held at the Duke's judiciary quarters, waiting with patience forged by time. Outside, the steady footsteps of patrolling soldiers echoed, adding to the silence that enveloped the room.

Without a word, the two men exchanged glances. Indra clasped his hands tightly, trying to contain the turmoil within his chest, while Raden Mas Wiratma exhaled deeply, his eyes closing for a moment as if attempting to come to terms with the fate that had been handed to them. The night grew deeper, and their silence was finally broken when an imperial guard entered the room, his face devoid of emotion.

"By order of the kingdom, you are forbidden from leaving this place for two days. After that, you will be relocated to a forced labor site."

Indra clenched his fists tightly, his chest heaving, but he remained silent. Raden Mas Wiratma simply lowered his head, as if absorbing the weight of the judgment placed upon them. The night passed on, heavy with unspoken grief.

----

As dawn slowly broke in the eastern sky, sunlight began to seep through a small gap in the wall of the house. The chirping of birds signaled the beginning of a new day. Rara stirred slowly on the straw mat that served as her bed. Her body still ached with fatigue, but the dryness in her throat forced her to rise.

Her half-closed eyes scanned the room in search of a water jug but found none. Letting out a long sigh, she stood with sluggish movements. Her legs felt unsteady, but she forced herself to walk toward the semi-open structure on the left side, where the jugs were usually kept. Unfortunately, there were only dusty, empty jugs there.

A memory of the small river near their new home flashed through her mind. Without a second thought, she decided to go there. She ignored the chill of the morning air against her skin, though she wore only a thin cloth. Her steps followed the slightly sloping stone path, unaware that the morning dew had made the ground slippery. In an instant, her foot slipped.

"Aah—!"

A soft cry escaped her lips. Reflexively, she tried to brace herself with her right leg, but a sharp pain shot from her ankle to her knee. She gasped, biting her lip to suppress the pain. Sitting down for a moment, she gently rubbed her ankle, which was already beginning to swell.

Here is the English translation of your passage:

However, her determination was greater than the pain. Limping, she forced herself to walk toward the riverbank. When she finally arrived, she scooped water into her hands and sipped it slowly. Its freshness eased her thirst slightly, though the pain in her leg still lingered. Rara sat on a large rock by the river, letting the morning breeze caress her face.

A deep breath helped calm her. The scent of damp earth mixed with the aroma of distant tea leaves hung in the air. This place—so far from the life she once knew—was now part of her fate. She had to find a way to endure.

As she was about to fill her jug with water, her eyes unintentionally caught sight of something across the river. A tall figure stood motionless there, watching her. Her heartbeat quickened. Alert, she straightened her posture, trying not to draw more attention. Carefully, she picked up the jug and began to walk away, distancing herself from the gaze of the unknown figure.

But her steps halted when her foot caught on a tree root jutting from the ground. She stumbled forward, nearly dropping the jug. As she tried to get back up, her cloth snagged on the protruding root. She tugged at it, but her efforts were in vain.

Footsteps approached. Rara turned cautiously, her breath catching as the unknown figure now stood before her. Without saying a word, the man crouched down and gently freed her cloth with calm movements.

Still startled, Rara gave a small nod as a sign of thanks. She looked at the man more closely—his gaze was sharp yet gentle as it met hers. He appeared to be in his middle years, though his face still reflected strength. He wore simple reddish-brown clothing with no flashy accessories.

"Are you alright?" His voice was deep—not threatening, but full of calm.

Rara nodded slowly, even though her leg still ached. She adjusted the jug in her grip.

"Thank you… I didn't expect the ground here to be so slippery."

The man extended a hand and helped her stand upright. After making sure she wouldn't fall again, he stepped back slightly, giving her space.

"You're not from around here," he said—his tone more of a statement than a question.

Rara took a deep breath before replying,

"I arrived just last night with my family… We were exiled here."

There was a sorrow she tried to hide in her voice.

The man nodded slowly, as if he had already guessed.

"This land is often a place for those who have lost their homeland," he said softly.

"But that doesn't mean you have to surrender to fate."

Rara looked at the man with curiosity. There was conviction in his voice, as though he had endured something similar.

"Who are you?"

Here is the English translation of your passage:

The man gave a faint smile.

"Just someone who has lived a little longer in a place that might feel unfamiliar to you. My name is Arya."

Rara committed the name to memory. There was something different about this man, something that made her want to know more. But before she could ask further, the sound of footsteps approached from a distance.

"You should go back," Arya said, his voice softer now but still firm.

"Don't stay outside alone for too long."

Rara looked at him for a moment before nodding. With the water jug in her hands, she turned and walked back toward the residence, leaving the mysterious figure behind.

—

As Rara returned home, occasionally glancing back, she tried to remember the man—Arya. His face was plain, yet there was something in his gaze that made Rara feel he wasn't just an ordinary person.

As she stepped through the gate of the residence, an older man with graying hair was already waiting for her out front. It was Pak Tirta, the senior servant who had always stood by Nyai and her father. He looked at her with worried eyes.

"Miss, where have you been?" he asked, his tone halfway between concern and mild scolding.

Rara lowered her head slightly, trying to steady her still-labored breath.

"I went to fetch some water to wash my face and drink, but I slipped a little on the way," she answered honestly.

Pak Tirta widened his eyes, then shook his head slowly.

"Oh dear, Miss… Why didn't you ask me to fetch the water? I've been up for a while now, just on the west side of the house. Or at least you could've asked Yuyun to go."

Rara gave a faint smile, even though her body still ached.

"I just wanted to take a short walk and look around."

Pak Tirta let out a heavy sigh.

"This place isn't like our old house, Miss. The land is still wild, many of the paths are unpaved, and anyone can pass through here without us knowing where they came from."

His gaze shifted to the jug Rara was carrying.

"Did you meet someone out there?"

Rara was silent for a moment. The image of Arya came back to her mind, but she hesitated on whether or not to tell more. At last, she replied as calmly as she could:

"I just briefly saw someone across the river," she said.

"But nothing happened."

Pak Tirta looked at her for a long moment, as if trying to gauge the truth in her words, then finally gave a slow nod.

"Alright… but next time, don't go alone. If Nyai finds out, she'll surely worry."

Here is the English translation of your passage:

Rara nodded in agreement. Without saying much more, she stepped inside the house.

Inside, the atmosphere remained quiet. Only the soft footsteps of the servants beginning their morning tasks could be heard. In the main room, Nyai was already seated cross-legged on a mat, a cup of warm tea before her.

"You're up very early," Nyai said gently, though there was a hint of surprise in her voice.

Rara placed the jug on the small table beside Nyai, then knelt respectfully in front of her.

"Good morning, Nyai. I was thirsty, so I went to fetch water and wash my face."

Rara took a slow breath, hiding the restlessness still lingering in her mind. She didn't want to talk about her encounter with the man by the river—not yet, at least. She knew Nyai would respond cautiously, and Pak Tirta might further restrict her movements if he found out she had met a stranger.

At that moment, light footsteps could be heard coming from within the house. Her mother appeared from behind the room divider, followed by her two younger brothers, her aunt, her aunt's two young children, and her aunt's teenage sister. They all gathered in the main room, sitting in a circle on the woven mat the servants had prepared.

The mood still felt uneasy. Although they were family, the unfamiliarity of this place kept everyone on edge.

Nyai, seated at the head, set down her teacup and looked at each family member who now had to survive in this foreign place.

"We need to talk about how we're going to live here," Nyai said calmly, but with firmness.

"This house is enough to shelter us all, but we must begin thinking about how to survive, especially since we can no longer rely on what we once had at the palace."

Rara's mother, still looking weak, let out a long sigh.

"I... never imagined we would live like this," she said softly.

"But we can't just grieve over our situation. What matters now is how we can get news about the men in our family."

Rara lowered her head slightly, thinking of her father and uncles. To this day, they still didn't know what had become of them after the exile decree was handed down.

Her aunt, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke.

"I have a few acquaintances who once worked with my husband. Maybe we can send a message through them."

Nyai nodded in agreement.

"But we must be cautious. Not everyone can be trusted, especially in times like these."

Here is the English translation of your passage:

Nyai continued in a serious tone,

"Our current situation will surely cause some relatives to distance themselves from us. Not because they don't care, but because they're afraid of getting involved in something that could drag them down as well. Some might even choose to completely cut ties with us."

She looked at Rara's aunt for a moment, then went on,

"That's why the idea you proposed is just a suggestion. We must remain cautious before taking any action. Relying on old acquaintances can be a double-edged sword. If they are loyal, we may receive help. But if they've turned away, it could endanger all of us."

Rara's aunt gave a slow nod, understanding Nyai's point.

"I understand… Then what should we do now?"

Pak Tirta, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke.

"For now, we must adjust to this place first. If we want to seek news, it's better to do so quietly, without drawing any attention."

Nyai nodded in agreement.

"That's right. No one must act recklessly. We will only search for ways once we're sure there's someone we can trust."

The atmosphere in the room grew tense. Rara glanced at her mother, who sat quietly with her head slightly bowed, her eyes staring blankly. Her two younger brothers also looked uneasy, though they tried their best to remain calm.

"We must also begin assigning responsibilities here," Nyai continued, her voice softer now, but still firm.

"This house is not like our old one, and we don't have as many servants as we used to. Everyone must do their part."

Rara's aunt looked at Nyai with hesitation.

"But the children are still young, Nyai…"

Nyai gave a faint smile, though sadness lingered in her eyes.

"I know. We won't burden them. But they need to start learning to face reality. At the very least, they can help with small tasks."

She then turned to Rara.

"You'll help organize daily needs in the house along with Yuyun and the others."

"Yes, Nyai," Rara replied without hesitation.

Nyai then turned to Pak Tirta.

"You'll continue to monitor the outside. If there's any suspicious information or signs of danger, you must inform us immediately."

Pak Tirta gave a firm nod.

"Understood."

After that, Nyai assigned other tasks to the rest of the family members, ensuring everyone had a role so that their life in this new place could continue.

Once the discussion ended, one by one, they began to rise and carry out their duties. Rara assisted Yuyun and the other servants in tidying the kitchen, while Pak Tirta stepped outside to check the surroundings.

Yet, despite trying to focus on her work, a lingering sense of worry clung to Rara's heart—not just about how they would survive in this place, but also about her father and the other men in the family.

How were they now?

Were they still in custody, or had they already been moved elsewhere?

And... when would they be able to meet again?

One thing was certain—Rara would not remain idle.

They had to find a way to learn what was happening beyond these walls... before it was too late.