“The sun is starting to set,” said Rajaputra Indravarman as he looked at the far horizon intently.
“Yes, Indra,” said Maharatu Amretasari, “he should be here soon.”
Amretasari still remember the words of the old Senopati the day he took off from the village. Exactly one month from now, wait for me in the port, gather everybody and be prepared to sail. Now doubt started to overwhelm her. She and her people had waited for Narendra from dawn to dusk but there was still no sign of him.
The plan itself was that Narendra will put together his most loyal hulubalang, sneak to the port of Srivijaya’s war sambau, take Samudra Raksa, and sail it to pick up Amretasari in the Sungai Lumpur village. Then they will set sail for Singhasari to seek protection from Maharatu’s brother. Raden Wijaya, who was a captive in the palace of Kediri—with support from his Singhasarian rebels—had revolted again against Srivijaya. This time, with the poor condition of Srivijaya, they successfully took control of Kediri palace with only little resistance. Amretasari knew this information from Narendra, hence the plan.
It’s hard to imagine someone as noble as Narendra play some dirty trick on us, thought Amretasari, but still…
Some middle-aged women approached Amretasari, “Maharatu, it is getting dark. Has the ship arrived?”
“No, but we must be patient,” replied Amretasari with reassuring smile.
“We cannot wait here at night. Our babies need shelter from the cold. Also, they will start to cry if they are put in the dark,” said another woman.
The Maharatu turned to the black horizon. She noticed the clouds were covering the moonlight, so it was almost impossible to see anything toward the sea.
“All right then, we go back to the village. I will put some men to watch for the ship. But you must always be prepared because the ship will come anytime. Tell the others that,” said Amretasari.
“Thank you, my queen,” replied both women.
Where are you, Senopati Narendra?
Some of the refugees groaned when they were told to go back to their shelter, some even cried. Amretasari knew it was with a very heavy heart they leave the port. They had waited the moment they boarded Samudra Raksa that would free them from the nightmare of hiding with their life at stake.