Prince Without Crown
Departure to the teak valley

A horseman soldier with a black banner fluttering behind him seemed to be pounding his horse as fast as possible.

As soon as the horsemen arrived near the gate of the defensive fort in the Duchy of Gedangan, some soldiers were seen opening the gate and now the horseman entered without reducing the speed of his horse.

Arriving at the front like a young man who was currently giving some instructions and orders to some of the older men from him, the black banner-carrying warrior immediately jumped off the back of his horse and kneeled on one leg.

"Report, Gusti! The army of soldiers from Paku Bumi had already left the outskirts of the forest heading to the former royal palace of Setra Kencana. However, there they did not rest because the palace was flattened to the ground. They are now continuing their journey back to the city of king Sri Kemuning," reported the soldier who turned out to be a sign of the code.

Hearing this report, the young man simply smiled. Moreover, he heard that the troops from Paku Bumi had canceled resting because the palace of the former kingdom of Setra Kencana had been flattened with the ground due to burning. And it was he who burned the royal palace of Setra the cataclysm a few days ago.

"Your report, I accept. Now, you can rest for a moment. After that, you will set out with the core warriors to the teak valley," said the young man.

"Sendiko dawuh Gusti Prince!" Said the soldier looking at the cipher as he jutted, then he walked back to his horse and led the horse to one of the camps that was not far from the place.

"It looks like the stratagem we gave was eaten by the enemy,"

"Yes, Uncle Senopati. It's time for us to take off five thousand soldiers first."

"Please call Commander Rangga and Tumenggung Paksi!" The Prince's orders.

Soon two burly men in the forty-five year old neighborhood arrived and prayed to the young man.

"Hamba facing, Gusti! Are there any orders that I have to carry out?"

"Uncle Panglima Rangga. Lead five thousand troops to immediately set off for the teak valley this morning. Meanwhile, for the other five thousand troops, will depart this afternoon led by Uncle Senopati Arya Prana,"

"Sendiko dawuh Gusti Prince!" Said Commander Rangga.

"In the meantime, Tumenggung Paksi, will lead a soldier of two thousand people with complete weapons to set out to follow the troops from Paku Bumi. Set the distance so that your presence is unknown. Then, hide in the village Waringin. You know what to do?!" Prince Indra Mahesa said with a smile.

"Hamba understands Gusti!"

"Go now. The sooner it arrives at the teak valley, the better,"

"Then, what are you going to do here Gusti?" Ask Raden Danu.

"Raden Danu, Grandfather Duke Rakai of the sky, Grandfather of the Duke of Panembahan of Ardiraja will lead ten thousand soldiers in this fortress to defend this duchy. However, the Duchy of Gedangan cannot be empty. Who knows that their departure is a tactic to provoke us to assume that everything is safe. With this fortress, it would take them at least a week to capture the Duchy of Gedangan,"

"Hamba received orders!" Said Raden Danu while yelling.

"All right! Everything is arranged in such a way. I myself will go to the king's city to monitor the situation there. We will meet soon in the teak valley" prince Indra Mahesa said as he dissolved the meeting.

In the city of the king of Galuh kingdom at this time, the news of the retreat of troops from Paku Bumi was greeted with joy by all the people and the entire palace.

They rejoiced to welcome news from the Duchy of Gedangan.

They had thought that twenty thousand soldiers led by Prince Indra Mahesa would be killed by an army of fifty thousand people from Paku Bumi. But, thanks to the existence of the fortress and the tactics applied by the higher-ups in the army, they managed to stem the cunning tactics of the enemy.

During the more than two weeks of departure the soldiers left the king's city, they always prayed that the wave of attacks from the Earth Nail army could be dammed. This is because, in terms of war equipment, the soldiers of Galuh kingdom are indeed all deficient. They must throw away the shame of receiving help from all the people to finance the departure of troops to the Duchy of Gedangan.

Inside the palace at this time, looks Gusti Prabu Rakai Galuh, Gusti Prabu Kerta Rajasa, Mahapatih Mahesa Galuh, Empress Galuh Cendana, Princess Melur, Princess Sekar Mayang, Sadewa and several other ministerial representatives with beaming faces discussed the expertise of Crown Prince Indra Mahesa in carrying out all strategies.

This makes Princess Melur and Princess Sekar Mayang not hesitate to admit that the young man is the best at this time.

"Dad. Can I join the battlefield to help the troops led by Indra Mahesa's leg?" Ask Putri Sekar Mayang to Mahapatih Mahesa Galuh.

"Yahanda. I also want to fight this war. I have a special skill in archery. At least, I want to help Kakang Indra Mahesa," said Putri Melur did not want to lose.

"You guys. Why so excited. Will the presence of the two of you later not burden the Crown Prince?" Mahapatih Mahesa Galuh asked with a smile. He actually knew that his daughter was putting her heart towards the dashing and handsome prince.

"Dad. Please ask Uwak Prabu to allow me to join forces led by Kakang Indra!" Pinta Sekar Mayang's.

"Although Gusti Prabu. What do you think of Kakang Prabu?" Mahapatih Mahesa Galuh.

"Uwak Prabu's. Let me join that team. At least I can help provide the equipment and needs of Indra's leg there," whine Sekar Mayang.

"Just be free, my daughter. On the side of Indra Mahesa's leg you already have Gayatri who takes care of his needs. The two of them are a pair of swordsmen who choose to compete" Gusti Prabu Rakai Galuh said with a smile.

"Also Grandpa Prabu. What's so great about Gayatri? Servants can defeat him in a fight if allowed!" Said Putri Melur who suddenly felt sultry when the name Gayatri mentioned by Gusti Prabu Rakai Galuh.

"Dragon's talking, Melur! How can you be more self-centered in these circumstances than their struggles? Change your attitude or will I take you back to Garingging kingdom?!" Gusti Prabu Kerta Rajasa against his eldest daughter.

Princess Melur just bowed to hear the reprimand. In his heart he regretted for some reason not just joining the army that was going to fight to prove that he was better than Gayatri.

"Yunda Galuh Sandalwood! Please ask Uwak Prabu to allow me to go to the battlefield to accompany Indra Mahesa's leg!" Sekar Mayang said he would not give up.

"Wait a minute! My hunch is that my son will soon be in this king's city. You can ask him yourself later," said Empress Galuh Cendana making a little hope in the heart of Sekar Mayang again grow.

Seriate...