The night in northern Batavia knew no elegance. Here, the air smelled of rotting fish, wood decayed by brackish water, and smoke from cheap stalls lining the canals. Julian walked in a linen shirt he had intentionally dirtied to avoid standing out, yet his pale skin remained a beacon for predators in the dark.
He wanted freedom. He was sick of Friedrich's judging gaze and the protocols that demanded he be a porcelain statue.
His steps halted at a narrow intersection in Penjaringan. There, wooden buildings jutted out over the water, looking like fangs ready to pounce on anyone lost.
"Oi, Londo! Lu want to die or looking for fun?"
A woman emerged from behind a pile of fishing nets. She wore no silk. She wore a man's shirt with rolled-up sleeves and a worn Sarung tied tightly at her waist. A small blade was tucked there, glinting under the moonlight. That was Elena.
"I am just... taking a walk," Julian answered in stiff Malay.
Elena laughed, a raspy and sharp sound. "Taking a walk? There are no flower gardens here, Londo. Only mud and people wanting to rob that silk wallet of yours."
Elena stepped closer. Julian could smell the sea and tobacco on her clothes. Before Julian could reply, a group of KNIL soldiers passed at the end of the street with blazing torches. Without warning, Elena grabbed Julian's arm and dragged him into the shadows of a stinking old warehouse.
"Quiet," Elena hissed. Her breath felt warm against Julian's neck.
Julian froze. He could see a small tattoo on Elena's wrist—a strange pattern, like complex nautical lines. Once the soldiers passed, Elena released him roughly.
"I don't know what lu are looking for here, Sir Elias," Elena said, somehow knowing his alias from the harbor whispers. "But this city has a way of swallowing people like you. Go back to your palace before this canal turns into your grave."
Julian was stunned. He had never met a woman like this—crude, blunt, yet seemingly more "alive" than anyone in The Hague. He returned with a restless heart, unaware that by tomorrow morning, the name "Elias" would be dragged back into a bitter reality by Friedrich.
Culture & Language Notes:
Lu / Gue: Dialek Betawi/Jakarta informal (digunakan Elena untuk menunjukkan sifatnya yang kasar dan jalanan).
Penjaringan: Kawasan pelabuhan tua di Batavia.
Sarung: A large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist.
Candu / Opium: A major commodity (and vice) in 19th-century Batavia.
Londo: Istilah lokal untuk menyebut orang Belanda atau orang berkulit putih.
KNIL: Koninklijk Nederlandsch-Indische Leger (Tentara Kerajaan Hindia Belanda).