So chatty

Citra held her breath as the smoke almost reached her nose. The girl took two steps back. Her eyes widened. She thought she was hallucinating and talking to a smoke.

"Your name is Citra, right? You're not a seer, but how do you know so many things?" the smoke asked.

"What kind of creature are you? How dare you talk to me." Citra replied boldly. She let out a sharp word to hide her fear.

The smoke chuckled. "Let me give you some hints as to what I am. First, I'm different from you. Second, I like the night," it spoke.

"You're a nocturnal animal."

"Eh? What's nocturnal?" the smoke asked later.

"An animal that likes the night."

A small laugh sounded from the smoke. It hovered like a frisky sparrow. Its movements were random, occasionally approached Citra and occasionally moved away. "I have a special request," it said, "I want to see you roast that horse."

"You've eavesdropped on my words?"

"That's not important for now. How about we go to the stable now?"

Before Citra could respond, the smoke spread and covered the girl. In an instant, they were gone.

***

At the stables near the entrance, Citra appeared. Smoke moved beside her, then drove into the stable of a black horse.

"Let's roast it. I heard horse meat is very delicious," it chirped as it floated over to play with the horse.

Citra stepped closer. Her head turned right and left to make sure there was someone she could turn to if the horse messed with her again.

"Horse meat is tough," the girl said, "Who wants to eat a horse with rock-hard muscles anyway?"

The smoke stopped playing. It came closer to Citra's face. "Why are you retracting your words? That horse played a trick on you, you should take revenge," it suggested.

"Revenge? Should I chase and make it fall into the mud too?"

"What if you take revenge on the owner? Seeing him pay karma for what his horse did is fun to watch, right?"

Citra scratched her cheek. The more she talked, the more this smoke rambled on. The way it spoke was like a demon tempted her to do something despicable.

"You will do it, won't you?"

"So chatty."

Heard Citra's scorn, the smoke was surprised and laughed. How could any other human censure it other than its master?

"I talk boringly, huh? Then let's talk about something else," it proposed, "Tonight a thousand temples and two shrines will be built."

Citra watched quietly. Actually, her heart was alarmed by the smoke's words. It could displace her in no time. So, maybe it could know the future too.

"The soldiers are talking about that everywhere." The smoke spoke again which directly answered Citra's confusion.

Citra chuckled loudly. Her face turned to the side. Her ears were sick of hearing the construction that would eventually finish on its own.

"Instead of that, find me some soap or something that smells good," she asked.

"You want fragrance? For what? You smell good enough to attract attention."

The girl's teeth chattered. Smoke is as annoying as a black horse, she thought to herself.

Citra looked around, then picked up a bundle of hay. Used it she hit the smoke.

The smoke drifted higher as it laughed. It was laughing at Citra who raised her hand high to hit it.

Satisfied to see the girl struggling, it then disappeared.

"Even smoke is messing with me," Citra hissed.

***

The smoke appeared in the hallway. In front of it, maids were lined up with plates of food. It moved above the heads of the maids. The line led to the dining room.

Passed over the heads of the maids, the smoke snuck in, entered under the table, hid behind the curtains, and finally came quite close to the two people.

"I'm glad you honored my invitation."

The smoke peeked out from behind the curtain.

"I'm here to eat, not to talk."

The princess' guff voice replied. She made a sullen face. Even though Bandung Bondowoso asked her to talk, she glanced away.

"What took you so long to bring the food?!" she yelled.

The bluff startled the servants. A maid who was about to place the food became in a hurry to do her duty. She was also in a hurry to leave the dining room.

"Rude princess," the smoke commented, "But, the seer is ruder."

The smoke noticed the flat look on Bandung Bondowoso's face as if he was used to hearing her shout.

"He's blinded by love."

"Princess, what made you so emotional?" Bandung Bondowoso asked gently.

The princess replied, "My childhood is unfinished."

"We have a deal," he said firmly, "You are not a child anymore. You should know what is best for your people."

"Don't you dare hurt my people!"

Bandung Bondowoso chuckled. His right hand held Roro Jonggrang's chin so their eyes met. Smiled like a devil, he said, "Then obey me, my princess."