Overlooked

A hurried knock on the door woke me up. I picked up my phone and saw that it was half past ten.

"What's wrong?" I asked half-awake.

A voice replied accompanied by several knocks. "His Majesty requests your presence."

"His Majesty?" I muttered, "Who is His Majesty?"

"You must hurry, Clairvoyant."

I realized it now. This is not my home. I stood up and put on my jacket. Afterward, I opened the door. A guard gave me a strange look.

"What?" I asked.

He shook his head and quickly turned around. I guess he felt unfamiliar with my jacket.

"Show me the way."

"Yes."

In the darkness, we walked in a line, me at the back and him at the front. The sound of night animals calling out to each other sowed enough fear in me. I was worried if at any time a monstrous figure would emerge from the darkness.

We walked through hallways, halls, and the flower garden until we came to a lake. I stood at the end of the bridge. From my place, I saw a pavilion in the center of the lake. The lights burning there revealed a figure I never wanted to see again.

"Should I go there?" I asked myself, "Or should I run away?"

I bit my lip. Running away is a good option for suicide. "Just go there, then talk as needed," I said, then took a wide step across the bridge.

I arrived at the pavilion. I took a breath, and let it out. For a few seconds, I waited. However, the owner of the big back didn't seem to be turning around. I chuckled softly. I'm not a patient person.

Suddenly, Bandung Bondowoso turned around. The fierce lines on his face made me think could he have heard me complaining? I quickly lowered my gaze.

"I'm here, Your Majesty," I announced. I smiled inwardly because this was the first time I had practiced the dialogue of a colossal movie.

"Your prophecy was wrong."

Spontaneously, I looked up. "What?" I asked in surprise.

"Because you lied, you deserve to die," Bandung Bondowoso told me.

My eyes widened to see Bandung Bondowoso pull out a long shiny iron blade. My blood rushed. Just looking at that blade, I already knew it was sharp enough to cut through anything.

"Why do you say I'm lying?" I asked with sweaty hands.

His eyes looked straight into mine. If I'm right, Bandung Bondowoso snarled at first glance. "Roro Jonggrang didn't ask for many buildings, just a thousand temples, and two wells. But she wants these all completed in one night," he explained.

Oh my. How could he say that? He was bigheaded. However, from the explanation, I discovered that his concern was to build everything in one night. It was difficult, but Bandung Bondowoso was the antagonist of this story. Antagonists can do anything.

"As a court astrologer, you know your duty, right?" Bandung Bondowoso asked coldly.

I gasped when he pointed the tip of the sword at me. "Of, of course, I know," I replied with a small smile.

A satisfied smile was present on Bandung Bondowoso's face. His hand threw the sword to the left side of the wooden chair. Meanwhile, he sat on the chair. His dark irises implied a hint of excitement.

"Do your duty now," he ordered.

"Yes?"

A look as sharp as a sword appeared in his eyes. He growled softly and tilted his head, then propped his chin with his right hand. If I read this scene in the story, I would be mesmerized. However, when face-to-face I don't know why my legs became as soft as jelly.

"Don't waste time!"

Before starting, I cleared my throat to prepare. "In two different countries, there lived a princess and a prince. One day, there was a-"

"Boring," Bandung Bondowoso cut in.

"Please forgive my lack of ability. I'm not good at telling stories. However, if I don't do this, I'm afraid Your Majesty will misunderstand," I said at length. In my heart, I hoped that he would be annoyed by my behavior and let me go.

A frivolous laugh escaped his mouth. "Right, you have no skills," he taunted, "You don't know how to dress properly either."

I dropped my jaw. Was he criticizing the combination of traditional clothes with a jacket? Well, your taste is questionable, Your Majesty. The designers of the modern era can do even more than this.

"What are you wearing on your shoulders? It's not pleasing to the eye at all. Take it off," he ordered in a displeased tone.

"It's a pity I can't do it. I get cold and sick easily. So, I need to wear this," I retorted.

I heard him cluck. Next, Bandung Bondowoso faced me. "You're wasting time. Tell me everything. If not, I think I know what to do," he said and played with the sword blade in his hand.

"Then I'll tell you things that will happen shortly like the construction of the temple will take a lot of time, and the well too," I lied.

"Seer, the princess asked for everything to be completed in one night. Do you know how to fulfill her request?"

"Yes, yes. I know it," I answered. If I say everything can be built with the help of genies, will he believe me? Even then, the construction wouldn't have been completed because Roro Jonggrang would act fraudulently to thwart Bandung Bondowoso's efforts.

"Everything can be completed, but that doesn't require humans," I said.

A lopsided smile played on his lips. Bandung Bondowoso's fingers ran through the hair from his forehead to his shoulders. "It doesn't require humans... so I just need genies, right?" he asked.

I nodded my head.

Bandung Bondowoso nodded as he closed his eyes. "How is the result?"

"The result depends on preparation and anticipation of things that might happen."

He folded his arms across his chest. His head tilted to the right. Bandung Bondowoso's eyes seemed to pierce me to the bone. He asked, "Like what? The princess will thwart my efforts?"

I nodded once more. "Let me tell you something, Your Majesty," I told.

He nodded.

"Desire based on looks is not a kind thing. It's an obsession," I said spontaneously.

Bandung Bondowoso sheathed his sword. His body rose. For a few moments, Bandung Bondowoso looked at me. Afterward, he passed my shoulder like that and walked away without leaving a word.

I froze in my place. I saw his back which was not covered by anything move further and further away until it disappeared from my sight. My mouth opened without me realizing it.

"What was that?"