The Illuminated Maiden

Chapter XVII

"What do we have here?" Siti muttered. She had climbed up a tree to get a better view of the sight before her. She squinted her eyes, seeing that around a once-lit campfire in an area with little trees, there were those who gathered. They built temporary shelters, tents made of dried leaves and twigs. They sat around the burnt wood, drinking arak washed down with toddy. It was a disgusting sight for anyone.

"Menangese," she mumbled. They were in their typical attire, with green garments covering their thighs and yellow cloth belts wrapped around their waists, where there were karambits attached. They also had kerises, similar to Siti's, placed against a log. There were three of them and they tied their hair into buns and had layers of beads around their necks. "What are these idiots doing here?" She restrained the urge to draw out her bow.

She instead climbed higher up the tree and jumped to the branch of another tree closer to the camp. She descended as near as she could. She crouched on a branch while holding on to another branch above her and started eavesdropping. They spoke in a foreign tongue, but Siti could understand. As someone at sea, she learned of the different tongues of Maradika—the Menangese tongue included.

"Aku ora sabar," spoke the skinniest of the group, who had his eyes half-open. He gulped down on his arak from a bamboo cup, followed by a sip of toddy. "It's been . . . what? More than two days?"

"They will be back with Sanat soon," said the burliest, pouring toddy into his own cup. "Three days journey heading there, another two days heading back. Probably need to stay in town to settle and make arrangements."

"I do hope they bring more liquor." The tallest of them took a sip of arak from his cup and gargled it around his mouth before swallowing. "We're starting to run out."

"I sure wish they brought us along." The skinny one hiccupped, almost spilling his drink as he tried to take a sip. He was turning red. "I'm starting to hate this place. It's filled with mosquitoes that are eager to devour us."

"I'm certain I was surrounded by a group of civets last night," said the tall one. "and I swear, I heard some cackling from afar, accompanied by the flapping of wings!"

"You cowards," the burly one snarled, holding up his cup of arak. "I'm more worried about the presence of brigands in this shithole. We could well be outnumbered."

"Indeed." The tall one spat on the charred wood. Smoke came out from it as it made a hissing sound. "Only ten of us here, excluding that Sanat. And then, they left us, just the three of us, and now, we might be stuck. I wish they just moved an entire jong up the river."

"Didn't they orient you that it's impossible?" said the skinny one.

"He's right," the burly Menangese agreed. "On another note, I still don't understand what Sanat is hatching."

"Something about meeting the Datu of Selurong in Kota Anawang." The skinny one lay down on the ground with his arms formed like wings, almost closing his eyes. "Telek, I'm drunk."

The tall one guffawed. "I told you it's strong. Yet you just kept chugging away!"

"As far as I'm concerned,"—the burly one took a sip—"he's been drunk since Sanat and the party left us here."

"Who the hell is this Sanat?" muttered Siti as she looked on. She continued listening in on the Menangese's conversation.

"Hey, Gajad!" the tall one yelled. "Get up! Otherwise, you'll vomit all over the place."