Pandawa / Chapter 4(1) - The Prince -

Cakradhara. Or rather, Raden Harisdama “Cakradhara” Sanjaya—the prince of Pakuan, a kingdom from the western lands of Sunda. He was no older than twenty, fair-skinned, with a small dark mark near his left eye. His frame was broad and strong, as befitting a knight and the firstborn son of Pakuan’s royal family.
His passions were archery and horseback riding, disciplines forged through years of training under his master, Ranggalawarnasih, a renowned horseman and tactician.

The Kingdom of Pakuan was but a modest realm—its population scarcely one-tenth of Majapahit’s. It was neither a great kingdom nor a threat.
So why had they sent their crown prince here, to the heart of Majapahit?
Perhaps in pursuit of an alliance.
Though, the true reason . . . remained veiled.

I clenched the parchment in my hand—letters and symbols encoded in lines and dots—before setting it ablaze with a faint fös.

All of it came from Rajeng, a member of the Bhayangkara’s covert intelligence division—Majapahit’s hidden network of spies and shadows.
I had sent her to gather information about each contestant in the royal tournament.

Earlier this morning, while walking beside Gitarja, a ragged young man had approached me in the crowd.

Or so I thought.

In truth, it was Rajeng herself, disguised perfectly as a vagrant.
She slipped the folded paper into my hand without a word, her movements swift and precise.

Her disguise was flawless. She had concealed her true identity with admirable skill.

“Impressive,” I murmured to myself, closing my eyes as fragments of the day replayed in my mind.

A sigh escaped me. The sun had already passed its zenith—half the day was gone.
By now, I should have received reports from my other agents—those I had sent eastward on a far more delicate mission.

Could something have gone wrong?

I shook off the thought, rubbing my face as if to chase away unease.
Time would tell.

Straightening my posture, I made my way through one of the palace corridors toward the open courtyard.It was nearly time for the royal ceremony—the moment when King Jayanegara himself would bestow the prize upon Prince Cakradhara.