Gambling

Gambling
The Concubine investigated the daily life of physician secretly. Besides treated the sick and gathering herbs, she found another hobby of physician that was very favorable for the Concubine. His hobby was cockfight with money to bet.
“Dayang (waiting maid), are you sure that the physician have a lot of debt to the usurer?” said the Concubine to her dayang who where assigned to investigate the daily life of physician.
“I’m sure, my lady,: said the Dayang confidently.
“If you were wrong even just a small thing, it would bad for me, also would be bad for you. Do you understand me?” said the Concubine sternly to her Dayang.
“I understand, my lady,” said the Dayang as she bowed.
“Alright, you find out how much his debt to the usurer and what will happen if he could not repay his debt,” said the Concubine slyly.
“Alright, my lady,” said the Dayang as she stepped out.
A few days later, the Dayang came with a good news. The physician had an enormous debt, even the physician’s salary from the kingdom would not be able to repay his debt to the usurer. If he was unable to payback, then his daughter would be sold.
‘Very good, Dayang,” said the Concubine slyly.
“Thank you, my lady,” said the Dayang happily.
“Take this,” said the Concubine as she threw a small pot of gold coins to the Dayang.
“Ah, thank you, my lady,” said the Dayang with her bright eyes to see the glint of the gold coins.
“You can go now and invite the physician to come here,” said the Concubine with a sly smile.
“I am asking your permission to leave,” my lady,” said the Dayang with her smile on her face and gripped her purse of gold coins strongly.
A few hours later, the Dayang came together with the royal physician who has a sly looking also. Behind his cunning face, the physician also wondered why the Concubine really doesn’t want to meet the physician.
‘I come to meet you, my lady,” said the physician as he bowed.
“Stand up, Physician,” said the Concubine with her fake kindness.
Then, the physician stood up.
“Close the door, Dayang, and you watch outside!” said the Concubine as she gave an order to the Dayang to stand outside.
“Alright, my lady,” said the Dayang as she shut the door.
“Alright, please sit doen on that couch, Physician,” ordered the Concubine.
The Physician was confused and became more confused as he had been ordered to sit down. There was no doubt that the Concubine asked him to come here not to treat her illness.
“What is the matter, my lady?” ask the Physician confusedly.
“I heard that you have a very large amount of debt to usurer. Is that right?” asked the Concubine as she pretended doesn’t know the fact.
“Err . . . from where that you heard that news, my lady?” said the Physician nervously.
“Just answer it, Physician. I don’t have time to argue,” said the Concubine impatiently.
The Concubine glowered at the Physician, and from her glared eyes, the Physician knew that the Princess must also have met the usurer. Suddenly the Physician became so scared and horrified if his career as a royal physician would be cut, since he had a lot of debts to usurer. What would it be if Raden Putra heard about the news? The Physician could not imagine the anger of Raden Putra and also the anger of his children and wife.
“What do you want from me, ny lady,” asked the Physician frankly.
“Wow you are terrific, Physician. You directly come to the point,” amazed the Concubine.
“Yes, you might want me to do something from you, my lady. Otherwise, why you have to bother to investigate my activities outside the palace?”, said the Physician with his glared eyes.
“Alright, you were right, Physician. I did wanted something, or frankly speaking, I want to cooperate with you,” said the Concubine as she sat beside the Physician and suddenly her kindness face mask disappeared and replaced with a face full of malicious cunning.
“What is that, my lady?” ask the Physician curiously.
“I want to dismiss the Queen, said the Concubine firmly.
“Oh, my lady, I am just a physician, not a hit man,” said the Physician as he surprised and objected without any long argument.
“Fool!” said the Concubine angrily. “I don’t ask you to kill her. A smart people have to use their brain,: said the Concubine as her face flushed with anger.
“I beg your apology, my lady’” said the Physician, as he felt relieved.
“Err . . . I have a plan,” whispered the Concubine to the Physician.
The Physician hesitated for a moment, whether the Concubine’s plan succeed considering Raden Putra loved his Queen very much.
“I doubt it, my lady, Raden Putra loves the Queen very much, doen’t he?” said the Physician as he shook his head.
“Yes, but he is also a wise Raden, he would not do nothing when someone do a crime, would he?” said the Concubine as she cackled.
“It is true, my lady, but . . .,” said the Physician in low voice.
“Don’t say but’” said the Concubine.
“If you want your debt paid off and your daughter not seized by usurer, then I suggest you to follow my orders,” said the Concubine with confidence.
“Alright, my lady. I will cooperate if you actually pay off my debt and not tell Raden Putra that I have a lot of debt outside the palace.”
“Take this,” said the Concubine as she threw a pot to the Physician.
The Physician’s eyes sparkled when he opened the pot. It contained some gold coins.
“Those are only an half of your reward. You can use it to payback the usurer first as a down payment. After this jog finished, I will give you more,” said the Concubine with full spirit.
“Alright, my lady,” said the Physician as he still looked at the gold coins in his hand. “I will cooperate with you, my lady,” said the Physician.
“If so, follow my order,” said the Concubine arrogantly.
“Alright, my lady, however, if this plan succeeded and you become the queen, what would be the reward?” asked the Physician slyly.
“I certainly will not forget what you’ve done for me,” said the Concubine as she smiled.
“Thank you, my lady. Then I ask your permission to leave,” said the Physician and the Concubine wave her hand to call her dayang.
“Dayang, keep your eyes on that Physiscian, because he seemed very cunning’” said the Concubine.
“Alright, my lady,“ said the Dayang.

Cindelaras

THE LEGEND OF CINDELARAS
The Kindoms of Jenggala
Long long time ago there was story about a wise king in the Kingdom of Jenggala. The king’s name was Raden Putra. In the kingdom, Raden Putra lived with his kind queen. Raden Putra also had a very beautiful concubine, but this concubine was very deceitful and had a heart of evil. The concubine was also very greed and arrogant. For example, when the king distributed jewelries, the concubine always wanted the best and most expensive and she did not want to give away anything.
“My Husband, I would like that jewelry with 3 diamonds,: said the concubine when Raden Putra just returned from his travelling from outside the kingdom.
Raden Putra still wanted that the necklace be for the queen, because she was the main wife of Raden Putra. However, that evil-hearted and deceitful Concubine would not give up and give away. She immediately sulked.
“If I don’t get the necklace, I will always remember about that necklace and cannot sleep. I can get sick, kakanda,” sulked the Concubine as she frowned.
The kind Queen could not bear to see sad Concubine, and she said to her husband, “My Husband, just let sister Menik take the necklace, and let me take the smaller one. Besides that, it was only a necklace,” said the Queen wisely.
“Alright, if you asked for it, my Queen,: said the Raden as he held her fingers.
Saw the intimacy between Raden and the Queen made the Concubine’s face red. She became so jealous and envy with the attention of Raden to the Queen. The more Raden Putra love his Queen, the greater her hate to the Queen.
“Take it, Menik,’ said the Queen sincerely as she gave the beautiful diamond necklace to the Concubine.
“Ah, thank you, Queen,” said the Concubine with her fake sweet smile.
In her heart, she smiled slyly as she thought how to dismiss the Queen, so she could become the only wife of Raden Putra. Then Raden Putra and the Queen sat on the throne, meanwhile the Concubine sat on the edge pg the throne.
“It is me who should sit there and become the Queen,” thought the Concubine in her mind as she felt envy.
The Concubine glared to the Queen and suddenly bad intention came into her head. She could not get rid of the Queen by herself. She had to work with someone who has influence and trusted by Raden Putra.
The Concubine one by one looked at the royal officials who were gathered in there. She looked at the commander, who is very trusted by Raden Putra in the military. Certainly his words would be heard by Raden Putra. However, the Concubine forgot her idea to conspire with him;she knew that the commander is very loyal to Raden Putra.
Then she looked at the royal advisor. Concubine considered of him. She did not closely know the royal advisor, but from his face, he looked very cagey. However, the Concubine also heard that actually Raden Putra wanted to replace the royal advisor from his position because nothing of his advice was useful as he made a decision only by guessing not based on any knowledge. The Concubine shook her head when she looked at the royal advisor.
Then the Concubine looked at the Royal Patih (governor) and saw his bold and strict look. The Concubine knew that the Royal Patih is a good person and never involved in a crime. There is no way for the Concubine to influence such a person for conspiring to dismiss or kill the Queen.
The last royal official was sitting at the end of the room. He was the royal physician. He was the most trusted physician of Raden Putra. Any advices from the physician were always listened by Raden. Then the Concubine investigated the physician’s face. From his face, she knew that the physician is not a person with a good moral. His face implied a cunning face, especially his eyes, looked like thirst for fame and wealth.
“He might be the right choice,” thought the Concubine. “I just have to find the way, what should I have to give for the physician, so he want to cooperate with me,” thought the Concubine with her cunning and evil eyes.