"What about you, kangmas. Are you allowed to make out with a married woman?" Srikandi asked, lifting her face.
Arjuna gasped at her words.
"I'm not jealous of kangmbok Banuwati because she is your first love. But it's very unfair that you don't like...
13 years passed. The Pandawa have completed their banishment. Currently, they live in the kingdom of Wirata, where they disguised.
The Wirata Kingdom was ruled by King Matswapati. When he was young his name was Raden Durgandana. He was the older sister of Dewi Durgandini, the great-grandmother of the Pandawa and Kurawa. Therefore, King Matswapati was still related to the Pandawa. Even though he was aged, his children were the same age as the Pandawa. Even his youngest daughter, Dewi Utari, was the same age as the Pandawa's children. Therefore the Pandawa and King Matswapati agreed to marry Dewi Utari to Arjuna's son, Abimanyu.
Abimanyu's marriage was held together with the marriage of Pancawala with Endang Pergiwati (daughter of Arjuna) and Raden Samba (son of Prabu Kresna) with Dewi Lesmanawati (daughter of King Duryudana). Thus, Prabu Kresna actually coincided with King Duryudana.
After the wedding ceremony, the Pandawa allied kings and warriors gathered in Wirata to discuss a strategy to get Amarta back from the Kurawa.
At first, the Pandawa sent Prabu Drupada as an ambassador, but not only he failed to ask for Amarta, the Kurawa even look down on him.
The second ambassador was Dewi Kunti. She was chosen because Dewi Kunti was respected by the Kurawa. But she also failed. The Kurawa were too greedy to return Amarta to the Pandawa.
The last ambassador elected was Prabu Kresna. But not only King Duryudana refused to give back Amarta, he even dared to imprison Prabu Kresna. It made Kresna angry. He tiwikrama (turned into a giant). The Kurawa begged for forgiveness. King Kresna's heart melted. After he met his aunt, Dewi Kunti, and Karna, he returned to Wirata.
"My son, there is no other way to get Amarta back other than war," King Drupada said to King Puntadewa. "We all failed to get Amarta back because of the Kurawa's greediness. They were very arrogant. They think the Pandawa can not beat them because they have powerful people like sage Bhishma, sage Durna, and Karna."
"That's right, grandson. I also agreed to war. Without war, wrath will not be wiped from the face of the earth." King Matswapati said.
After being persuaded, finally, Prabu Puntadewa agreed to war to take back his rights.
The night came. Srikandi sat restlessly on her bed. Unable to calm her feelings, she sat and meditated. Suddenly a white shadow entered the room.
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"Srikandi, wake up, nini. It's me Dewi Amba coming to you." The soft voice of the spirit greeted her ears. She offered worship to the spirit.
"What is troubling you, nini?" she asked again.
"Dewi, soon the great Bharatayudha war will break out between the Pandawa and the Kurawa. I wish I could join the war to defend my husband and family. But who am I, I am just a woman."
"Nini, isn't your goal to be a warrior princess defending the truth? Isn't it what made you learn kanuragan (martial art)? What makes you hesitate?"
