THE SHIELD THAT HURTS

CHAPTER.4

CHAPTER 4

As morning broke, a somber mood settled over Lady Nahum's residence. Naehi woke up, feeling as though she was trapped in a dream. The events of the previous night replayed in her mind, and she wished she could simply sleep forever.

"God, I wish I hadn't woken up," Naehi whispered to herself, feeling the weight of her impending fate. Her mind was consumed by thoughts of the selection process, a competition that would determine her future.

As she lay in bed, Naehi's thoughts drifted back to her childhood. She remembered the happy times, the laughter, and the love. But she also recalled the pain, the suffering, and the loss. Her family had been torn apart, and she had been left alone to face the cruel world.

Despite everything Lady Nahum had prepared to make Naehi happy, Naehi wasn't happy. Especially when Lady Nahum left for the palace, Naehi felt as if she was in hell, abandoned forever. She barely took a sip of the tea Lady Nahum had struggled to make for her.

As the hours ticked by, Naehi's sadness only deepened. She kept thinking about what would befall her in eight days. Would she be sent back to the slave camp, or would she be chosen to serve in the palace?

In the afternoon, Anne arrived with breakfast, but even the sight of her favorite porridge couldn't lift Naehi's spirits. Anne sensed Naehi's pain and tried to comfort her.

"My lady, I'm sure heaven is beside you. They're not willing to send you back to the slave camp after the selection," Anne said, her voice filled with compassion.

Naehi's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Anne hesitated before speaking. "I overheard some guards talking about the selection process. It's going to be a competition, my lady."

Naehi's face lit up with a glimmer of hope. "A competition? That means I have a chance to win!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with determination.

Anne smiled, relieved to see Naehi's spirits lift. "Yes, my lady. You must try to eat something. I brought your favorite porridge."

Naehi forced a smile, taking a spoonful of the porridge. As she ate, Anne held her hand, offering words of encouragement.

"My lady, you have to be strong. God will help you win the competition. Please, try to wave away your worries and focus on the positive."

Naehi nodded, feeling a sense of determination wash over her. As Anne left, Naehi burst into tears. "God, must I end up in the slave camp again?" she cried, her body shaking with sobs.

Naehi rested her head on the pillow, her mind racing with thoughts of the competition. What would it entail? Would she be able to win? Her thoughts swirled with anxiety, and she eventually drifted off to sleep.

When Naehi woke up, she realized it was already evening. She felt bored and rejected, and she decided to take a walk to clear her mind. She moved out of the house, closing the door behind her, and began to walk around the market square.

As she walked, Naehi found herself at a beautiful beach, surrounded by the sound of waves and the feeling of sand between her toes. She felt as though she was in heaven, and she began to walk along the beach, taking in the peaceful atmosphere.

Naehi sat down on a rocky outcropping, letting the waves wash over her feet. She felt the pleasant coolness of the sea, and it brought her a sense of happiness. But as she sat there, Naehi's thoughts turned to her past, and she began to remember the story of her life.

She remembered the day her brother had surprised her with a birthday party, and the day they had been enslaved by the Akua guards. She remembered the brutal treatment they had received, the endless labor, and the meager rations.

Naehi remembered the day she had met her mother in the palace, and the sad voice of her brother. "Mom, is this you?" Moab had asked, his voice trembling with emotion.

Naehi's mother had nodded, tears streaming down her face. "Yes, my dear son," she had said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Is this my dear Naehi you escaped with?"

Naehi remembered how it had been hard to meet her mother for the first time as an Akua slave. Remembering all these memories, Naehi burst into tears heavily. Naehi remembered the day she was eating uncooked yam, and a guard saw her. Heavily, the slave guard was about to beat Naehi, but unknowingly to her, her mother had taken the stroke instead. She remembered the sad voice of her mother, pleading with the guard.

"Please, Guard Thie, she's just a small girl suffering from hunger. You can see she's so hungry that she had to eat an uncooked yam. Please, I beg you."

Despite her mother's pleas, Guard Thie had beaten her severely in front of Naehi. Naehi remembered how her brother Moab had denied her in order to protect her from being beaten.

She remembered all that her mother and brother could do to always protect her, until she grew up and became nineteen. She remembered the day her mother died right in front of her, and there was nothing she could do. She remembered how her brother was nowhere to be found after getting to the city.

Naehi remembered when she heard her father was an unjustly killed man, accused of being a rebel. Naehi, with her leg still in the water, cried heavily.

"God, is this where my fate is about to take me? To the fate that killed my mother, my father, and my dear brother? Does it have to kill me too?" Naehi asked, her voice shaking with sobs.

Naehi, with a talent for singing, began to sing a haunting melody. Her voice cracked with emotion as she sang.

"Could this be the world? Could this be the world where I have to live? Where I have to live... Eeeeeeee... I just want to be loved. I just want to be shown love and care, because I've lost all my happiness."

Naehi repeated the song, her voice growing louder and more desperate. She shed hot tears as she sang, her body shaking with sobs.

While Naehi was singing, the mighty Adzeba kingdom's second prince, Prince Zoe, was on a horse ride with his maids and guards. Prince Zoe enjoyed horse riding, which made him popular and well-known among the people.

On this fateful evening, while Naehi was singing on the beach, Prince Zoe overheard the sweet voice of Naehi and the sweet melody of her song. He was moved with affection and couldn't walk away from the amazing voice.

Prince Zoe got down from his horse and instructed his guard not to follow him. Then, Prince Zoe walked toward the beach and discovered it was Naehi singing. Prince Zoe was moved by her beauty as well as her voice, and he stood behind Naehi, watching her.

As soon as Naehi discovered the evening was already turning to night, and that Lady Nahum might have been worried about her, Naehi stopped singing and stood up. Unexpectedly, and with shock, she saw Prince Zoe standing behind her.

Her shock was so mighty that she was about to fall back into the ocean. Hurriedly, Prince Zoe grabbed her hand and her waist and hugged her for some moments. Prince Zoe and Naehi were still hugging while Naehi closed her eyes, scared she would fall into the river.

Naehi felt moved and affection arose from that hug, the first she had experienced since her brother's hug when she was a child. While Prince Zoe hugged her, he was pleased with it.

Suddenly, Naehi pushed Prince Zoe away and spoke rudely, "Hey, you! How dare you hug me that way?" Naehi was unaware of who she had spoken rudely to.

Prince Zoe looked at her with amazement. "I did that to save you. If I didn't, you would have fallen into the river and perished."

Prince Zoe hissed, pretending to walk away. Hurriedly, Naehi grabbed his hand. "I'm sorry, and thank you for saving me."

Prince Zoe smiled. "It's very kind of you, gentle girl. I was moved by your voice. I love your voice and the melody of the song."

Naehi felt happy. "Wow, you said you love it? Thank you so much. And besides, I also like your attire, robe. You must be a wealthy man. Please, who are you?"

Prince Zoe smiled. "That's great to hear that you want to know me. Alright, then, I'm the mighty Prince Zoe, the second prince of this kingdom."

Naehi was shocked. Prince Zoe stretched out his hand, requesting a handshake. "Nice to meet you, Naehi."

Naehi quickly bowed down. "My lord, please, I'm so sorry. I'm naive that you're a prince. Please forgive me, my lord." Prince Zoe lifted Naehi up. "Please, do not bother. What is your name?"

Naehi bowed. "I'm Naehi, my lord."

Prince Zoe said, "Please, Naehi, I would love to have some discussion with you now."

Naehi considered Lady Nahum's worries. "My lord, please, I have to go home now. I'm sorry, but someone awaits me at home. Please, my lord, let's meet some other time, probably tomorrow."

Prince Zoe smiled, happiness radiating from his face. "Yes, tomorrow will be lovely. I would love to listen to your amazing voice again. You can leave now, and let's meet here tomorrow."

Naehi smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude toward Prince Zoe. "My lord, thanks, my lord."

Naehi exited the scene, and Prince Zoe watched her leave with a smile. The prince mounted his horse, looked back at the ocean, and whispered, "Till tomorrow, Naehi."

And with that, he rode off toward the palace.

As Naehi walked back home, she couldn't help but think about Prince Zoe. She had never met anyone like him before. His kindness, his smile, and his charming personality had captivated her heart.

Naehi arrived home, and Lady Nahum was relieved to see her. "Naehi, where have you been? I was worried sick about you."

Naehi smiled, trying to hide her true feelings. "I'm sorry, Lady Nahum. I just went for a walk to clear my mind."

Lady Nahum looked at her with concern. "Naehi, you have to be careful. The selection process is near, and you don't want to do anything that might jeopardize your chances."

Naehi nodded, feeling a sense of determination. "I will, Lady Nahum. I promise."