THE SHIELD THAT HURTS

CHAPTER.11.2

The court erupted into a flurry of activity as the news spread. Prince Zoe's head jerked up, hope flickering in his eyes. Lady Nahum's face lit up with a glimmer of hope. Naehi, still on her knees, looked up, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and hope.

Queen Ghoifaes' smile faltered, her eyes narrowing in annoyance. She had not expected Queen Khieyan to arrive at this moment, and she wondered what this could mean for her plans.

The court waited with bated breath as Queen Khieyan made her way to the throne room, her presence commanding attention. What would she say? Would she be able to save Naehi from her fate? The court held its collective breath, waiting to see what would happen next.

And then, Queen Khieyan walked in, majestically, accompanied by two maids, Phei and Faeh, who worked in her quarter. The entire court bowed down to her, excluding Queen Ghoifaes and the king, who remained seated, their faces stern.

Queen Khieyan bowed down, her head lowered, and began greetings to the king. "My king, I hope you're doing well." Her voice was calm and respectful.

The king answered in a dull voice, his eyes fixed on Queen Khieyan. "Queen Khieyan, what do you have to say about this?" His tone was neutral, but his eyes betrayed a hint of curiosity.

Queen Khieyan continued, her voice firm and confident. "My king, this Maid Naehi who was accused is totally innocent." She paused, surveying the court, her eyes locking onto Queen Ghoifaes, who was seething with anger.

Queen Ghoifaes' face turned red with rage, and she pointed a shaking finger at Queen Khieyan. "How dare you, Queen Khieyan! You dare to say that the mighty queen of this nation accused a maid wrongly? I provided evidence!" Her voice was shrill, and her eyes blazed with fury.

Without showing respect, Queen Khieyan faced Queen Ghoifaes, her eyes flashing with anger. "The so-called mighty queen, can you at least let me talk? And if I'm able to provide clear and clean evidence to counter your fake evidence, I will make sure I personally punish you for it." Her voice was firm, and her words were laced with warning.

Queen Khieyan then faced the king, her expression calm and respectful. "My king, did you agree to my order or not?" She bowed her head slightly, awaiting his response.

The king's expression was thoughtful, and he nodded slowly. "I grant you order according to your wish, but if truly this girl is responsible for the death, I will dethrone you as the queen." His voice was firm, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

Queen Khieyan smiled proudly, her eyes shining with confidence. She bowed according to your wishes, her head lowered in respect. The court became suspicious, anxious, and thrilled about what was about to happen.

Queen Khieyan continued, her voice filled with emotion. "As the royal queen of this nation, I cannot just watch while an innocent life is being killed. Everyone, I was with Prince Zemha in his quarter yesterday to play with him, as he had called for me. In my presence, this girl, Naehi, brought a soap for him. I asked what the soap was for, and Prince Zemha told me that the soap was made by Naehi and had been helping him relieve his pain."

Queen Khieyan's voice cracked with emotion as she continued, "Because of the fragrance of the soap, I developed a strong interest in it, and I begged Prince Zemha if he could please share the soap with me. Joyfully, he divided the soap into two, took one half, and told me he would use it to bathe, and that I could have the remaining half."

Queen Khieyan paused, collecting her thoughts before continuing, "And this morning, I used the soap that Prince Zemha gave me. Now, my king, how does it happen that the soap that killed him did not kill me? The soap Prince Zemha used to bathe was not poisoned." Her voice was laced with confusion and concern.

As Queen Khieyan paused, Naehi's heart rested, and Prince Zoe smiled, while Lady Nahum said to herself, "My Naehi, you're the luckiest person in the world. I hope you'll be free from this case soon." Her eyes shone with tears, and her face was etched with worry.

Queen Ghoifaes' face turned pale, and she said, shivering in anger, "No, that was a lie! Queen Khieyan lied that she used the soap also." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but her eyes blazed with fury.

Queen Khieyan said, "My maids were there, besides Anta, who was also there." Her voice was calm, and her eyes locked onto Minister Boa.

Minister Boa pointed at Anta and said, "Now, Anta, tell me, were you truly there yesterday?" His voice was firm, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

Anta said, "Yes, my lord, I was there when she came, but I didn't hear any of their discussion. But truly, the soap the prince used was small." Her voice was barely above a whisper, and her eyes were downcast.

Minister Boa said, "Queen Khieyan, you didn't provide the evidence of what you and Prince Zemha said." His voice was firm, and his eyes locked onto Queen Khieyan.

Without asking for permission to interfere, Phei said, "I was there, my lord, and I overheard all their discussion. I was the one who bathed the queen this morning with the soap." Her voice was clear, and her eyes shone with confidence.

Phei brought out a soap and placed it before everyone, saying, "Everyone, this was the remaining soap." The court gasped, and all eyes were fixed on the soap.

Queen Ghoifaes began to shake, her face covered in sweat. Her eyes were wide with fear, and her mouth was open in shock.

Queen Khieyan continued, "My king, I think with this, I've proven that Naehi is innocent. Now, it's up to me to declare my punishment to Queen Ghoifaes for accusing a wrong person in a sacred palace court." Her voice was firm, and her eyes locked onto Queen Ghoifaes.

Queen Khieyan's voice was firm as she announced, "I now announce in the open court that Queen Ghoifaes should be whipped heavily with 40 strokes of the Gangnam cane, a cane made of silk. After she's been whipped, she should kneel down and appeal to me in front of my quarter till night, during the hour of the Dog." The court gasped, and Queen Ghoifaes let out a scream.

Queen Khieyan faced the king and said, "My king, please be strong. We are very sorry for the loss of Prince Zemha." Tears rolled out from Queen Khieyan's eyes, and her voice cracked with emotion.

The king nodded, his face stern, but his eyes betrayed a hint of sadness. "I will, Queen Khieyan. Thank you for bringing the truth to light."

The court erupted into chaos as Queen Ghoifaes was dragged away, screaming and kicking. The king banged his staff, calling for order. "Enough! This matter is settled. Naehi is innocent, and Queen Ghoifaes will be punished."

The court slowly returned to order, with everyone bowing down to the king and Queen Khieyan. Naehi was released from her chains, and she bowed down to Queen Khieyan, tears of gratitude streaming down her face.

Prince Zoe smiled, relief written all over his face. Lady Nahum nodded, a small smile on her face. The court was filled with a sense of justice, and the atmosphere was tense but hopeful.

As the court dispersed, Queen Khieyan turned to Naehi and said, "You're free now, Naehi. But remember, you owe me one. Don't forget it." She smiled, and Naehi bowed down, tears still streaming down her face.

The scene ended with Queen Khieyan walking away, her head held high, surrounded by her maids and guards. The court was left to ponder the events that had just transpired, and the fate of Queen Ghoifaes.

After Prince Zemha's royal and befitting burial, Prince Zoe escorted Naehi, who had been crying heavily, to his quarters. He gently placed his hand on her neck, offering comfort. "Please, Naehi, do not cry again. Everything will be well."

Naehi looked up at Prince Zoe, her eyes brimming with tears. "Prince Zoe, did you just say it's well? I feel so sorry for Prince Zemha. I liked him so much, and he didn't deserve to die like that. I promised to take away his pain, but unfortunately, he left me, making it impossible for me to care for him."

Naehi burst into tears again, her body shaking with sobs. Prince Zoe wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "Naehi, please do not cry. I know it pains you, but you have to forget the past and move on with the present. Please, Naehi."

As Naehi cried, Prince Zoe's thoughts turned to comforting her. He suggested a deep kiss, hoping it would arouse feelings of love and comfort. He leaned in, his lips meeting Naehi's. Naehi didn't decline the offer, and their lips touched, developing into a passionate kiss.

In Queen Ghoifaes' quarters, Anne wept bitterly. Prince Zeofei tried to console her, begging her to stop crying. Anne looked at him angrily, her eyes flashing with hurt. "Killing Lady Naehi wasn't what we discussed, Prince Zeofei. What if Queen Khieyan hadn't been there to save her? That means I would have lost her, my dear friend Naehi. You're a liar, Prince Zeofei."

Anne's anger boiled over, and she slapped Prince Zeofei's chest four times. His eyes turned red with anger, and he stood up, turning to walk away. Anne grabbed his hand, holding him back. Prince Zeofei turned to face her, and Anne enveloped him in a deep, affectionate kiss.

After they had kissed to their satisfaction, Anne apologized, her voice filled with remorse. "My prince, please forgive me. I didn't mean any of that, and I don't want to hurt Lady Naehi."

Prince Zeofei sighed, his expression softening. "Anne, I know you love her, and I'm sure you love me more. Trust me, I'll protect her, not kill her. Trust me, Anne."

Anne nodded, relief washing over her face. Prince Zeofei continued, "Please, my dear Anne, go to sleep now. We'll talk more in the morning."

Prince Zeofei and Anne bid each other goodnight, and Anne retired to her quarters, feeling a sense of relief wash over her.

Story continues......