After receiving no further response from King Baka, a sturdy man with a golden diadem and armbands, signifying his status, stepped into the arena.
Kneeling in front of the platform, the man gave his final report to King Baka, "Sunana pinaka nghulun matur ring Rahadyan sanghulun. Huwus inadwaken prajurit kabeh."
[Translation: Allow me to report to my Master. All the soldiers have been pitted against each other.].
King Baka responded with only a small nod full of authority. He did not need to say much; a glance at the spokesman who stood beside him was commandful. The spokesman immediately stepped forward, took a deep breath, and shouted the announcement in a thunderous voice throughout the field.
"Mahyun metu saka ayun sang hadyan Ratu dan sang hadyan Rajakumari!"
[Translation: The King and Crown Princess wish to leave the field!].
King Baka stepped down from the platform, followed by a man holding a cloth umbrella. Meanwhile, the subjects worked in unison with their assigned tasks. The maids behind Lestari and King Baka began packing the bronze jugs, ceramic bowls and cups, and food into the rattan baskets they each carried.
Without any command from her brain, Lestari stood up from the wooden chair and stepped down from the platform. A maid carrying an umbrella followed right behind her. Behind that maid, a line of six maids carrying tableware and rattan baskets completed.
Two wooden palanquins decorated with intricate kala and plant motifs were brought closer to the platform stairs. The first palanquin was large and magnificent, surely prepared for King Baka. Its four corners were lifted by two men, so that a total of eight men carried it. Meanwhile, the second palanquin was smaller with white cotton curtains hanging down. Its four corners were lifted by one man, so that a total of four men carried it. That was the transport that would carry Lestari.
Leaning back on the cotton padding inside the palanquin, from behind the swaying curtains, Lestari watched several muscular soldiers raise their spears, silently signaling the people to leave the field and clear the way. After the field was cleared of the crowd, she also caught a glimpse of the soldiers who had won the competition gathered and lined up on the field.
Not knowing how long it had been, suddenly the sensation beneath the palanquin changed. The violent shaking on the red earth changed to a gentle vibration on a flat, rocky road. Also, the road, which had been flat, became slightly sloping, like in the hills. Curious, Lestari pulled back the curtain.
Along both sides of the road, giant banyan trees lined up like sentinels. Their hanging roots dangled thickly, creating a dark and cool green corridor. Black and white checkered cloth covered their trunks.
Not far away, there was a ditch with water flowing calmly under a sturdy embankment made of river stones. In the middle of the embankment, there were black brick steps.
The moment the subjects stepped up, Lestari's sitting position became tilted. Her back hit the wall of the palanquin, which made her worry about a scenario where one of the palanquin bearers lost their balance and the palanquin rolled over, then her head hit the edge of the steps.
Fortunately, Lestari's worries proved to be baseless. The palanquin bearers had strong arms and good foot coordination.
The palanquin returned to a flat position. Lestari breathed a sigh of relief. She was now in a higher area and saw the same view again, giant banyan trees lined both sides of the road, their trunks wrapped in black and white checkered cloth.
Unlike the previous ones, a three-meter-high black brick wall with a grand gate in the middle stood there. The gate had three doors, with a large main door in the center flanked by two smaller side doors. The term "small" here is relative, as even the side doors were still much taller than the surrounding wall. As the palanquin approached, ten soldiers standing stiffly placed their spears beside their bodies and knelt low. Their heads bowed deeply.
Seeing the gate, Lestari felt familiar.
Even without tourist information boards and crowds of tourists with cameras, Lestari recognized the architecture of the building. She was a resident of Prambanan District and often spent time at historical sites due to her hobby of cosplaying as an ancient Javanese princess.
'The Gate of the Baka Palace.'
Previously, Lestari had only seen a pile of silent, dry stones under the scorching sun. Now, she saw it in its 'living' and magnificent form. The chirping of birds calling to each other in the tree branches created a symphony of nature. The damp smell and rich aroma of plants, like the smell of night in the countryside, calmed her nerves.
The palanquin bearers began to walk uphill again. The stone steps they took were longer and steeper. Lestari gripped the edge of the palanquin tighter.
If the previous gate had only three doors, the gate in front of Lestari now had five doors. The black brick wall surrounding it was no longer just a barrier, but a towering defensive fortress that was perhaps three times taller than the previous wall. The ditch was also wider and deeper.
There were no more soldiers with spears. At that higher elevation, the soldiers stood on guard with bows and prepared arrows, bowing their heads as soon as they saw the palanquin approaching.
The thick scent of incense pierced Lestari's nose, coming from the offerings neatly arranged on either side of the gate. The thin smoke danced in the humid air, as if purifying every step of the procession as it entered.
Now, Lestari was truly inside the Baka Palace.
In front of Lestari was a large square. Hundreds of muscular men wearing only coarse loincloths filled the square. Their brown skin glistened with sweat under the sun. The sound of metal clanging loudly could be heard on the right, where a group of soldiers were practicing with swords and bronze shields. On the left side, the sound of thuds and muffled shouts could be heard from those who were practicing their empty-handed skills.
Like a sudden calm wave, when they saw the king's palanquin, all combat activities stopped. The soldiers immediately knelt and bowed their heads.