Dasamuka (Bab 9)

Award-winning author, Junaedi Setiyono, has taught in the English Language Education Department of his alma mater, the Muhammadiyah University in Purworejo, Central Java, since 1997.

Setiyono is drawn to historical fiction related to the Java War (1825-1830). His first novel, Glonggong (Serambi 2007), won the 2006 Jakarta Arts Council Novel Writing Competition and was one of the finalists of the 2008 Khatulistiwa Literary Award. His second novel, Arumdalu (Serambi, 2010), was nominated for the 2010 Khatulistiwa Literary Award. In 2010, the manuscript of his third novel, Dasamuka (Ombak 2017) won the Jakarta Arts Council Novel Writing Competition.

Through his writing, Setiyono hopes to share his belief that man should not be separated by ethnic, religious, racial, or intergroup relations. He also believes that literature can unite human beings around the world.

Aside from working on his next historical novel, which is set in a twelfth century Javanese kingdom, Setiyono is currently doing research on how English teaching can be a catalyst to promote Indonesian teaching in Indonesia.

Setiyono can be contacted via his email address: junaedi.setiyono@yahoo.co.id

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Bab 9

Rara Ireng sudah mulai terbiasa hidup sebagai buronan. Dia sudah memakai pakaian terbaiknya yang dilengkapi dengan gelang dan kalung pemberian Danar. Bagi Rara Ireng, perjalanan ke Salatiga punya makna istimewa: dia akan bertemu dengan keluarga suaminya untuk pertama kalinya. Kecantikannya yang menyala sungguh berkebalikan dengan keadaan di sekitarnya.

Berjalan di antara mayat-mayat berkubang darah di halaman depan rumah menjadikan batin Rara Ireng terguncang. Dengan tubuh menggigil dia menaiki tangga kereta yang dikusiri oleh Kang Bewok. Dengan cepat mereka meninggalkan tempat persembunyiannya.

Danar dan Den Wahyana duduk siaga menghadap ke belakang membuka mata waspada mengamati jalanan di belakangnya. Mereka masing-masing siap dengan dua senapan berpelor.

Siang itu mega putih menyeraki langit biru. Awan-awan itu bentuknya cukup aneh, panjang-panjang menyerupai tombak-tombak yang dijajarkan. Sudah lebih dari empat belas kilometer jarak ditempuh oleh kereta kuda itu. Mereka sudah bisa sedikit santai dan berani melihat ke arah lain, tidak selalu ke arah belakang. Sampai tiba-tiba mereka melihat dua titik di kejauhan.

Pegangan tangan Den Wahyana pada gagang senapan kembali mengencang.

Dua titik yang makin membesar yang akhirnya mewujud dua orang penunggang kuda yang dicongklang meninggalkan kepulan debu kekuningan di belakangnya. Segera setelah itu tampak penunggang kuda lainnya mengikuti dua penunggang kuda itu. Sekarang mereka menjelma menjadi sepasukan prajurit berkuda yang menderap mendekati kereta.

Den Wahyana menepuk bahu Dasamuka, “Kita mulai permainan kita hari ini. Mungkin permainan yang paling seru.”

“Ya, Den. Aku sudah siap,” kata Danar mantap sambil menoleh ke arah istrinya. “Diajeng, kau berlututlah di bawah. Gelar saja jarit-jaritmu di lantai kereta, agar guncangannya tidak menyakiti lututmu. Ada sedikit urusan yang perlu kami selesaikan secepatnya.”

Penunggang kuda yang ada di paling depan makin mendekati kereta kuda, namun Kang Bewok, atas perintah Den Wahyana, tidak menambah kecepatannya. Menurut bekas panglima perang itu tidak ada gunanya berpacu dengan kuda-kuda perang milik keraton.

“Jangan menembak kalau mereka tidak memulainya,” Den Wahyana memperingatkan.

“Kelihatannya mereka sudah siap menembaki kereta kita.”

“Begitu mereka memulai, langsung saja kau balas. Aku bagian yang kiri, kau yang kanan.”

Dan, meletuslah bunyi tembakan pertama dari penunggang kuda paling depan. Tembakan itu berhasil membuat kuda-kuda kereta menjadi oleng dengan derap lari yang tidak lagi berirama. Namun, tembakan jitu Den Wahyana telah berhasil menjungkalkan penunggang kuda yang mungkin tidak mengira akan ada perlawanan yang begitu cepat terencana. Penunggang kuda satunya langsung mengendurkan laju kudanya, dia tidak ingin bernasib seperti temannya. Dia memberi perintah pada penunggang lainnya yang sudah menyusul untuk menyebar.

Danar mencoba menghitung kuda-kuda garang yang dicongklang untuk mengejar keretanya. Ada dua puluh pemburu. Sekarang lima di antaranya berusaha mendekat dari arah kiri, sedang lima lainnya dari arah kanan. Pengejar yang lain tampak menjaga jarak.

Den Wahyana dan Danar saling pandang, keduanya sepakat untuk menghabisi sebelum dihabisi. Mereka membidik para penunggang kuda yang melaju hendak menjajari kereta. Ada empat penunggang terpental dan terguling di jalanan. Satu penunggang kuda yang berhasil menggapai atap kereta langsung muntah darah setelah tulang iganya rontok disodok gagang senapan Danar. Sebelum pemburu itu terlontar ke jalanan, Danar sempat melihat kalung yang melingkari lehernya yang menunjukkan jati diri pasukan khusus keraton. Lima penunggang kuda lainnya memperlambat kudanya, mereka menjauh tapi masih pada sisi kanan dan kiri kereta.

Lima belas penunggang kuda yang ada dibelakang sudah mulai menghujani kereta dengan tembakan-tembakan. Jelas itu pertanda kekalapan. Peluru-peluru berdesingan di sekitar kereta. Agaknya mereka mengubah siasat. Bila tadi mereka ingin menangkap penumpang kereta hidup-hidup, sekarang mereka sudah tidak peduli lagi akan hidup-mati orang yang hendak dibekuknya.

Den Wahyana pun sudah tidak lagi segan-segan memuntahkan pelornya ke arah gerombolan yang mengejarnya. Lagi, tiga pemburu sudah terjengkang sebelum bergulingan di atas tanah berdebu. Masih ada dua belas pemburu yang mengejar dan menembaki kereta dengan gencar.

Den Wahyana dan Danar sudah hampir kehabisan peluru. Pada saat Danar mengisi pelor senapannya, didengarnya suara rintihan.

Rara Ireng yang duduk berlutut dengan kepala tertelungkup mengerang lirih.

Danar segera merambat mundur dan merangkul tubuh yang terguncang-guncang itu. Begitu tangannya basah oleh darah, sambari dengan hati-hati merebahkan istrinya di kursi kereta, dia berteriak ke Kang Bewok.

Tidak ada jawaban dan Danar melihat tubuh kusir itu oleng sebelum rubuh ke samping. Darah memancar keluar dari luka tembak pada bagian rusuknya. Satu tangannya masih memegang tali kendali.

Pada saat Den Wahyana sudah kembali menewaskan tiga orang pemburunya, tubuh Kang Bewok sudah terguling di lantai kereta.

Sekarang tinggal sembilan orang pemburunya yang masih dengan buas mengejarnya.

Begitu menyadari mesiu sudah habis, Den Wahyana mengeluarkan tombak-tombak kecilnya.

Seakan sudah mengerti apa yang tengah bergolak di benak Den Wahyana, Danar yang sudah menggantikan kusir, memperlambat keretanya. Dia meneriakkan kata-kata sandi pada Den Wahyana sebelum dia bawa kereta menepi ke kiri. Sawah yang membentang di kanan jalanan telah menguatkan keputusannya. Saat kesembilan pemburunya sudah berderet berada di kanan kereta, dengan tiba-tiba, kereta dibelokkannya dengan tajam ke arah sawah yang menguning di sebelah kanannya.

Benturan dahsyat tak dapat dihindarkan. Para penunggang kuda bertumbangan sebelum akhirnya bergulingan di jalanan. Ada dua pemburu yang terlindas roda kereta. Kereta yang berderak-derak masuk ke sawah yang sudah siap dipanen itu berhenti setelah salah satu rodanya lepas menggelinding.

Den Wahyana, yang sudah memperkirakan apa yang hendak dilakukan Danar, segera melompat turun dan menghunjamkan tombak-tombak yang sudah dipersiapkannya di dada dan perut para pemburunya yang bergelimpangan di jalanan dan di persawahan. Dia juga melihat ada tiga penunggang kuda yang berhasil lepas dari terkaman bahaya yang diciptakan Danar. Mereka sudah memutuskan untuk lari secepatnya dan sejauhnya untuk menyelamatkan nyawanya masing-masing. Sementara itu dua lainnya sedang berusaha keluar dari kubangan lumpur sawah.

Danar melompat keluar dari kereta. Dia menghabiskan sisa peluru senapannya untuk menjungkalkan dua orang yang mencoba lari. Pada saat dia memburu yang lainnya, Danar mendengar bunyi tembakan di belakangnya. Dia tahu bahwa Den Wahyana menghabisi nyawa dua orang lainnya yang terperosok di kubangan lumpur sawah. Orang yang dikejarnya menggunakan tenaga yang masih tersisa padanya untuk lari secepat yang dia dapat. Dengan bersenjatakan tombak Danar terus memburunya. Tak lama kemudian orang itu kehabisan tenaga dan jatuh tersungkur dengan wajah menelungkup di tanah.

“Siapa yang menyuruhmu!” teriak Danar pada orang yang jatuh tengkurap di tanah persawahan. Danar tidak mendengar adanya jawaban. Dengan kakinya, tubuh orang itu digelimpangkan. Sekarang orang itu terbaring telentang.

“Paman Mangli? Kaukah itu, Paman?” mata Danar tak berkedip menatap wajah orang yang sudah hampir seluruhnya tersaput oleh hitamnya lumpur dan dan merahnya darah.

“Bunuh aku, Danar,” lenguh orang yang telentang dengan kedua tangan menjulur ke arah Danar.

“Siapa yang menyuruh Paman memburuku?” Danar tak mempedulikan erangan pamannya.

“Bunuh aku, Danar,” pinta orang itu sekali lagi. Suaranya tidak lebih keras dari keresek daun padi yang dihembus angin.

“Kalau kau merahasiakan siapa orang yang menyuruhmu, tentu aku tak segan-segan membunuhmu. Siapa orang yang mengupahmu? Jawab!”

“Bunuh … bunuh saja aku ….”

Tombak yang erat dipegang Danar menancap dalam, mengoyak jantung Den Mas Mangli. Semburat darah segar muncrat memerciki dahi Danar.

Sekarat yang sangat singkat. Hanya ada suara berkeruh-keruh di tenggorokan sebelum lepasnya nyawa.

“Danar! Kautolong istrimu!” teriakan Den Wahyana telah menyadarkannya dari gejolak perasaannya. Dia telah menghabisi nyawa kakak ibunya, pamannya sendiri, orang yang pernah begitu sering membawanya berkuda ketika dia masih kanak-kanak dulu.

Danar bergegas meninggalkan mayat pamannya dan tergopoh mendatangi istrinya di kereta yang terpuruk miring.

Rara Ireng masih berada di atas kursi kereta. Hanya saja sekarang tubuhnya sudah bersandar pada dinding kereta yang miring. Bercak darah yang ditinggalkan tubuhnya yang bergeser tampak memerahi kursi kereta dan jarit-jarit bikinan Nyi Canting di bawahnya. Jarit truntum yang dipakainyalah yang paling banyak terbercaki noda darah.

Danar tak bisa berkata apa-apa, tak mampu berbuat apa-apa. Danar hanya bisa mencium kening istrinya yang sudah pasi memucat. Hangat airmata suaminya menetes didahinya.

“Kakang Danar,” Rara Ireng merintih lirih.

Danar masih tak mampu berkata-kata.

“Kalau aku mati … Kakang akan menikah lagi?” suaranya nyaris tak terdengar. Bulu mata lentiknya bergerak-gerak.

Danar masih juga tak mampu berkata-kata. Dia cuma bisa menggeleng-gelengkan kepalanya.

“Terima kasih, Kakang .…” Dan kemudian terkulailah tubuh Rara Ireng, tubuh yang sudah berhasil menjaga kesucian sebagai seorang istri.

Danar, lelaki yang biasa hidup bersama kerasnya kerikil jalanan dan kotornya lumpur selokan, tersedu-sedu pilu di sampingnya. Lalu, dengan tangan lunglai, dia ambil dan kumpulkan satu persatu jarit-jarit yang kusut tertindih tubuh. Kemudian, dengan kaki gontai, dia bawa dan gelarkan jarit-jarit yang basah ternoda darah. Rara Ireng, yang dengan lembut dibopong dan dibaringkan Danar di atas jarit-jarit kesayangannya, tampak begitu jelita, sejelita Nawangwulan sang bidadari yang tengah tidur nyenyak di peraduannya.

Sementara itu, Den Wahyana pelahan berjalan menjauhi kereta. Dia ingin memberikan kesempatan pada Danar untuk melampiaskan dukanya. Di bawah atap sebuah dangau di sawah dia berhenti. Dari sana dia lihat peristiwa yang menggetarkannya.

Danar melangkah keluar dari dalam kereta. Tampak dia membopong tubuh istrinya yang terbalut jarit-jarit kesayangannya. Dia berjalan tertatih-tatih membelah tanah persawahan menuju pohon kantil yang berada di tepi sawah.

Di bawah kerindangan dedaunan, Danar membaringkan tubuh Rara Ireng. Beberapa saat dia berlutut di sampingnya. Kemudian, dia pelahan bangkit dan mulai berjalan mengitari jasadnya.

Den Wahyana terhenyak saat Danar menengadahkan wajahnya, memekik parau, dan meninju udara kosong di atasnya dengan tangannya yang terkepal.

Untuk telinga Den Wahyana, pekikan liar Danar itu tiada beda dengan raungan murka binatang luka.

Awan yang berleret-leret seperti jajaran tombak pelahan menggembung dan mengubah dirinya menjadi gelembung-gelembung raksasa. Bulatan-bulatan yang kemudian berangsur menyatu itu pelahan menutupi birunya langit. Kelabu pun berkuasa. Mendung pun menggelayut, menemaramkan pepohonan dan persawahan.

Lalu hujan pun turun. Gerimis tipis. Kemudian makin lebat. Ada petir menyambar.

Den Wahyana berjalan mendekati pohon kantil berhujan-hujanan. Dia memberanikan diri untuk mendatangi sosok yang sekarang sedang berdiri mematung di bawah pohon kantil dengan tubuh istrinya yang terbujur beku di hadapannya. Pada saat jaraknya sekitar semeter dari Danar, dia dengan lembut mencoba mengajaknya bicara. Bekas panglima perang itu bergidig pada saat Danar menatapnya.

Kenyerian batin yang membayang di mata Danar tampak begitu liar mengerikan.

*****

Published with special permission from the author. The original version is temporarily unavailable.

Dasamuka (Chapter 9)

Maya Denisa Saputra has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from the UK-based University of Bradford in Singapore. While holding a position in the accounting department of a family business, she pursues her interests in writing, literary translation, and photography.

Maya’s writings and translation work have appeared in the Buddhist Fellowship Singapore’s newsletter, “Connection,” an online platform that gathers writings about physical and mental wellness, as well as in “B.Philosophy,” and “LitSync,” online communities of aspiring fiction writers, and “Intersastra,” a literary translation initiative.

She can be reached at: maya.saputra@gmail.com

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Chapter 9

Rara Ireng was becoming accustomed to her new life as a fugitive. She was already dressed in her best clothes and wearing the bracelet and necklace Danar had given her. For Rara Ireng, the journey to Salatiga meant she would meet her husband’s family for the first time. Her dazzling beauty was a stark contrast to the situation around her.

Passing the bloody scene in the front yard, Rara Ireng shivered. Shaking, she climbed into the carriage driven by Kang Bewok, and they quickly left their hideout.

Danar and Den Wahyana, seated in the back, carried loaded rifles and kept their eyes on the road behind them.

That afternoon, white, spear-shaped clouds floated across a blue sky. After the carriage had traveled about ten miles, Danar and Den Wahyana felt they could relax their vigilance for a moment. They shifted their sight to other directions, instead of constantly watching the road behind them, until two dots appeared in the distance.

Den Wahyana tightened the grip on his rifle.

As the two black dots drew closer, they turned into the figures of two horsemen, their galloping mounts creating a yellowish dust cloud. Soon, other horse riders followed the first two, and it looked like there was an entire battalion of cavalry soldiers approaching.

Den Wahyana tapped Danar on the shoulder. “We will soon begin today’s game. It could very well be the most exciting one.”

“Yes, Den. I’m ready.” Danar turned to his wife. “Diajeng, please kneel down. Spread the jarits on the carriage floor so the road bumps won’t hurt your knees. We have some business to take care of.”

The lead rider moved closer to the carriage, but Kang Bewok, under instruction of Den Wahyana, did not increase speed. Den Wahyana knew it would be useless to race the powerful horses of the Keraton Cavalry.

“Don’t shoot unless they start,” Den Wahyana warned.

“It looks like they’re ready to shoot us anytime.”

“Once they open fire, we’ll shoot back. I’ll take the ones coming from the left; the right ones are yours.”

Soon, the lead rider fired his first shot. The explosion made the carriage horses lose the rhythm of their gait. However, a well-aimed shot from Den Wahyana toppled the attacker, who had not expected his target to react that quickly. The second rider immediately slowed his horse, not wanting to share his friend’s fate, and ordered the approaching riders to disperse.

Danar tried counting the fierce horses facing them. There were twenty men — five of them approaching from his left and five others coming from his right. The rest maintained their distance.

Den Wahyana and Danar looked at each other. They had agreed to kill rather than be killed. They targeted the riders, who now closed in on the carriage. Four of them soon fell from their horses. One man grabbed on to the top of the carriage, and Danar beat him with the butt of his rifle until the man vomited blood. Before the man crashed to the ground, Danar saw the necklace he was wearing, which identified him as a member of the special forces of the Keraton. The other five riders slowed down their horses. Slowly retracting, they still flanked the carriage on the left and the right.

The remaining fifteen riders now took aim at the carriage, and bullets whistled around them. It seemed the attackers wanted to capture the fugitives, and it no longer mattered if they were alive or dead when they were taken.

Den Wahyana unloaded his rifle, firing a spray of bullets at his hunters. Three more riders fell from their horses, and their bodies rolled in the dust.

Twelve men continued to pursue the carriage and kept firing.

Den Wahyana and Danar began to run out of ammunition. When Danar reloaded his rifle, he heard a painful moan.

Rara Ireng, kneeling down in the carriage with her head lowered, let out a quiet groan.

Danar quickly climbed down to the floor of the carriage and embraced her shaking body. When he noticed blood on his hand, he carefully laid her on the carriage seats and yelled for Kang Bewok.

There was no answer from the coachman, and Danar watched as Kang Bewok’s body fell sideways, blood gushing from a shot wound in his ribcage, one of his hands still holding the reins.

By the time Den Wahyana managed to shoot down three more of their pursuers, Kang Bewok’s body had rolled down to the carriage floor.

Now, nine riders chased them like a pack of wild animals, and Danar climbed up to the coachman’s seat, trying to grab the horses’ reins.

With no time to reload his gun, Den Wahyana pulled out a set of small spears.

Danar, who was now driving the carriage, understood Den Wahyana’s strategy immediately. He slowed down and shouted a watchword to Den Wahyana before he pulled to the left side of the road. When all nine of his hunters were forced to the right side of his carriage, Danar made a sudden sharp turn and crossed over to the yellowing rice field on his right.

A violent crash between carriage and pursuers was unavoidable. The horsemen were thrown out of their saddles. The carriage ran over two of them and the wheels pushed the bodies into the soggy soil of the rice field. The creaking carriage came to a jolting halt when one of its wheels fell off.

Den Wahyana, who had anticipated Danar’s move, immediately jumped out of the carriage and stabbed the two men nearest to him with the small spears he had prepared. They dropped, groaning, to the ground, blood seeping from their abdomens. Three men managed to get up and attempted to run for their lives, while two others struggled to pull themselves out of the mud from the wet rice field.

Danar jumped out of the carriage. He emptied his gun on two of the men who tried running away. While he chased the other one, Danar heard shots behind him and knew Den Wahyana had taken care of the two men he had left struggling. The man he was chasing used his remaining strength to run as fast as he could. Armed with a spear, Danar kept after him. The man soon collapsed with his face to the ground.

“Who sent you here?” Danar shouted.

When there was no answer, Danar, using his foot, turned the body over.

“Uncle Mangli! Uncle! Is that you?” Danar stared at the man whose body was almost completely covered in mud and blood.

“Kill me, Danar,” Mangli groaned and extended his two hands toward Danar.

“Who sent you here to kill me, Uncle?” Danar ignored his uncle’s plea.

“Kill me, Danar,” Mangli’s voice was no louder than the rustle of rice stalks blowing in the wind.

“If you refuse to tell me who sent you, I will kill you for sure.

Who is paying you? Answer me!”

“Kill … kill me.”

The spear in Danar’s hand penetrated deep into Den Mas Mangli’s heart. Fresh blood splattered Danar’s forehead.

A short gurgle escaped from Mangli’s throat, and then he was dead.

“Danar! Come help your wife!” Den Wahyana’s voice pulled Danar out of his storm of emotions. He had just killed his mother’s brother, the uncle who had often taken him riding when he was young. Danar quickly left his uncle’s body and climbed back into the tilted carriage.

The jolt that brought one side of the carriage down when the wheel fell off had caused Rara Ireng to roll off the carriage seat where Danar had left her. Now, her limp body leaned against the sloping wall. The seat, and the fabric of the jarit truntum she wore, were soaked in her blood.

Danar was stunned.

All he could do was kiss his wife’s pale forehead. Tears, rolling down his cheeks, fell onto Rara Ireng’s face.

“Kakang Danar,” Rara Ireng whispered weakly.

Danar was unable to answer her.

“Are you going to remarry when I die?” Rara Ireng was barely
audible. Her eyelids fluttered.

Danar still could not utter a word; he could only shake his head.

“Thank you, kakang .…” Rara Ireng whispered as her body went limp and she, who had been able to defend her honor as a wife, let go of life.

Danar, a man used to the hard life in the streets and the dirty mud of gutters, burst into uncontrolled sobs. With trembling fingers, he pulled the jarits from under Rara Ireng’s limp body. He refolded the crumpled, bloodied cloths, one by one, and lay them on the carriage seat. He then gently picked up Rara Ireng’s body and laid her down on her beloved jarits. She looked as beautiful as the nymph Nawangwulan sleeping peacefully in her chamber.

Outside, Den Wahyana slowly walked away from the carriage. He wanted to give Danar privacy to express his grief. He walked toward a bird-watch shelter and watched the heartbreaking scene.

Danar stepped out of the carriage carrying Rara Ireng’s wrapped body in his arms. He staggered across the rice field and headed for a tall magnolia tree nearby.

In the shade of the tree’s lofty canopy, Danar lay down his wife’s body. For a moment, he remained kneeling next to it. Then, he slowly rose and started to walk around Rara Ireng’s body.

Den Wahyana startled when Danar lifted his face and, screaming, punched at the air above him with clenched fists.

Den Wahyana was unable to make words out of Danar’s screams, the wild howling sounded like the angry cry of a wounded animal.

Meanwhile, scattered, spear-shaped clouds slowly grew into massive, gray bulges.

Rain started to fall. The light drizzle soon turned into a heavy downpour. Thunder rolled, and lightning struck.

Den Wahyana braced himself to cross the rice field in the pouring rain and approach Danar, who now stood statue-like under the magnolia tree with the body of his wife at his feet.

Den Wahyana halted about three feet away from Danar and softly called out to him. The former war commander shivered when their eyes met.

The agony in Danar’s eyes was terrifying.

*****