"Sumai, wake up! You're late," Shala exclaimed urgently.
"Huh? What's the commotion this early in the morning?" replied a groggy Sumai.
"Did you forget? It's your first day in your new post!" said Shala.
The realization hit Sumai, and he immediately jumped out of bed.
"You're right! How could I sleep in at a time like this? The king will surely have my head!" Sumai exclaimed, rushing to get dressed.
Living just a few minutes away from the King's palace, Sumai had grown up in a small village outside of Babylon. He was close friends with a man of high influence, who had helped him secure the position as a guard in the palace. Sumai's humble house and financial status reflected his modest background. He had a wife and two children who made the most out of their circumstances, but Sumai himself was driven by ambition. His lifelong dream was to serve a king, and today, he had the opportunity to fulfill that dream as a morning-to-afternoon guard.
With a muscular build and a clean-shaven face that lacked a beard, a rarity for a man his age, Sumai hurriedly opened the door of his house, one sandal still in hand and a piece of bread in his mouth.
"There's no way I'm going to be late. My ancestors are frowning at me from their graves," he muttered determinedly.
Although it wasn't necessarily late, Sumai was always an hour early for his shift, usually arriving at his post around 4 in the morning. He was known for his loyalty and strong work ethic. Sumai quickly fixed his sandal and started sprinting towards the palace, passing the bustling market district and surprising the shop owners who were setting up for the day.
When he finally reached the palace gates, he was gasping for breath. After composing himself, Sumai walked through the gates, straightening his posture.
"Head Guard! My apologies for being a few minutes late," he called out, standing tall and composed.
Anos, the head guard of the royal guard, let out a sigh.
"It's okay, Sumai. I've told you plenty of times that your starting time is at sunrise in the morning. There's no need to come this early. Besides, your new duty will probably start later in the morning, around the time the prince wakes up," Anos explained.
"Head Guard, my apologies, but I wasn't entirely aware of my new post. Could you please elaborate?" Sumai asked.
"You are to be the main guard for the young Prince Nebuchadnezzar. We are entrusting you with this important responsibility, Sumai. You are the most determined and strongest among the royal guards, and that's why the king himself requested your presence after we recommended you," Anos revealed.
Sumai's eyes sparkled with excitement. He was overjoyed to receive a promotion, and knowing that the king personally requested him added to his elation.
"Please, Head Guard, convey my overwhelming joy to serve under the king. Let him know that I am committed to fulfilling every need of the prince. I am faithful to him, and I will not fail him," Sumai said eagerly.
"You idiot! Do you think I have the privilege of speaking with the king?" Anos replied irritably. "Good luck on your new post, soldier. Don't disappoint the king, or he will have your head!" Anos added before dismissing Sumai.
Sumai remembered the bits of information shared by other guards during their lunch break several days ago, shortly after the accident involving the prince. They discussed various details, but one thing stood out to Sumai: none of the guards had questioned why the prince was allowed to leave the palace alone.
"Alright, alright, what's important is to find out which guard was on duty when the king left the palace alone! That guard ought to be hanged for not doing their job!" Sumai spat out in frustration.
Everyone knew Sumai as the older brother figure or someone to look up to, so they took his disapproval to heart and hung their heads in shame.
"Lift your heads! You all should be ashamed, but we need every one of you. If many of you are hanged, there won't be an immediate replacement, leaving the king's palace vulnerable. Instead, learn from your mistakes and never let that happen again," Sumai concluded, trying to instill a sense of responsibility in his fellow guards.
—
I found myself lying awake in bed, reflecting on the events that had transpired. Just yesterday, I had awakened from what I referred to as my week-long slumber. My father had informed me that I had been declared dead during that time. It was a strange experience, as I had never died before, and I couldn't recall the sensation of being dead. It made me question the inquiries of philosophers and curious children regarding what happens after death.
Glancing down at my stomach, I noticed three prominent scars running across it. The memory of being stabbed multiple times by a group of thugs resurfaced. I couldn't help but worry about the lady who had been involved. I hoped she had managed to escape unharmed.
Suddenly, a knock at the door interrupted my thoughts, prompting me to call out, "You may enter." As the person walked into the room, I quickly got up to see who it was.
"Pardon the intrusion, my king. I am your personal guard, Sumai, at your service. I'm here to assist you with anything you may need! Seriously, any task, big or small. Although if it's something beyond my capabilities, I may need to consult the king. That is to say..." Sumai's rambling words filled the air.
Was this guy for real? "Um, hello. My name is Nebuchadnezzar, but you can call me Nebu. Just stay out of my way and don't bother me," I exclaimed, trying to assert my independence.
Sumai gave me a serious stare, his mouth opening wide as he responded, "Yes, my prince!" His unwavering devotion was apparent.
This guy is quite peculiar, I thought to myself as I watched him leave the room and close the door behind him.
Deciding it was necessary to return to town despite recent events, I quickly dressed and prepared to head back. My original goal was to reach the place where kids my age played. That had been my intention on the day I was stabbed, but I had gotten sidetracked by the chaos of the market. In hindsight, I wasn't entirely sure why I had been so engrossed in the market or if I had even understood it in my previous life. It was a confusing thought, and I couldn't help but question my own sanity.
This time, as I left the palace wearing regular clothes, I made my way directly toward the play area. Running through the bustling crowd, a sudden recollection of the knife piercing my stomach flashed through my mind. Reacting instinctively, I jumped back, not out of fear but rather a battle-ready stance. The onlookers puzzled over my actions, likely wondering what an odd child I was. Disregarding the unsettling feeling, I continued running toward the play area.
As I turned a corner at the market, passing by the vendors selling fake golden apples, the play area came into view. Approaching a boy who was playing in the sand, I attempted to introduce myself but was swiftly interrupted.
"Hey! You boy my year!" the young boy exclaimed.
What terrible grammar, I thought, momentarily forgetting that I was only five years old and children my age were still learning the basics of sentence structure.
"Yes! Me-you play?" I replied, adapting my speech to match the level of understanding of this particular child.The young boy grinned in response to my attempt at conversation, seemingly unaffected by the grammatical errors. He eagerly invited me to join in the play.
—
After hours of playing children's games and engaging in make-believe nonsense, I found myself mentally exhausted. It was already challenging enough to endure their language, but pretending along with them made it even worse. I couldn't help but think sarcastically, "There's nothing quite like feeling mentally aged while inhabiting a young body."
The boy I was playing with, Aguragas, had his own group of friends whom he enjoyed playing with. He introduced me to most of them, totaling 13 kids. Among them was Almelon, who claimed to be the child of a wealthy shop owner. Diimeritia, a husky-sized kid, seemed a few years older than the rest and initially came across as a bully. However, after outsmarting him and outrunning him, I earned his respect, though respect might be a foreign concept to children of their age. Kashshu, whom we called the crybaby, was a skinny boy who was constantly pushed around. Dee'qiteesu, the prodigy, possessed impressive athletic skills and could outrun anyone in the group. He was my personal favorite. Tassi, despite appearing weak and fearful, exhibited remarkable intelligence for his age. Alala was a cool guy who motivated the group and made sure everyone followed the rules. Igigi, on the other hand, was a bit of an oddball, the jester among them. Lastly, there was Tammuz, a guy who didn't seem to like anyone and played dirty—a true all-around asshole. Those were most of the kids, anyway.
"I've made up my mind. We're friends!" I declared with enthusiasm. The idea was well-received by every child except Tammuz, who couldn't care less, and Igigi, who didn't grasp the concept of decisions or friendship. It was important to me to be known and appreciated by people my own age. After all, what kind of future king would I be if I wasn't famous among my peers? Being the heir to the throne meant being more than just a title; it required forging genuine connections.
"Hey, look, it's those idiot kids," someone shouted from a distance. Approaching our group were older teenagers with faces resembling those of thugs. I found it rather absurd that these older boys would stoop so low as to bully young children. Letting out a sigh, I pondered why I seemed to attract such misfortune despite being next in line to the throne. "Trouble just seems to find me," I muttered under my breath.
One of the older boys approached, pointing at me. "Hey, you there," he sneered. "Did mommy leave you any change I could borrow? I'm really in need of some," he added with a wicked laugh.
"No," I responded firmly. Their gang gradually encircled me and the other kids. Kashshu managed to make a run for it, but his cries caught the attention of one of the bullies, and they chased him down, subjecting him to a brutal beating. The rest of the boys were stripped of any money they had, and those who had nothing were mercilessly attacked. I, however, carried no coins or valuable items.
"You're next, scrawny," the bully menacingly directed at me. "Strip off anything of value that we need."
"Have you no shame, you bunch of imbeciles?" a voice called out from a distance. I turned my gaze to find a tall, muscular man leaning against a wall. It was Sumai.
Sumai pushed himself off the wall and strode toward the boy who seemed to be the leader of the bullies. With a fierce expression in his eyes, he addressed them. "You know, you're all just young and foolish," Sumai said, his voice filled with authority. The boy he confronted appeared to be a young teenager, dwarfed by Sumai's towering figure and immense strength.
Without hesitation, Sumai seized the bully by the hair and lifted him off the ground effortlessly. The other bullies watched in shock as their leader dangled helplessly in Sumai's grasp. It was a clear display of power and dominance.
"My prince, wait up!" Sumai called out, running towards me. I had started walking away after witnessing Sumai's swift intervention. I felt a mix of emotions, but deep down, I was upset that Sumai had been there the entire time, watching over me like a guardian.
"What do you want?" I replied, turning my head to face him.
"My prince, are you upset that I intervened?" Sumai inquired, his voice laced with concern.
"Yes, I don't need a babysitter," I retorted, my annoyance evident.
"If you are to be the heir to the throne one day, it is my duty to ensure your safety and well-being. I cannot afford to lose my job, my prince," Sumai explained earnestly.
I hissed in frustration, but I couldn't deny the logic behind Sumai's words. Reluctantly, I resumed walking in the direction of the palace, with Sumai following close behind. It might not have been the ideal way to end the day, but I had managed to form a few genuine friendships amidst the chaos.
As we made our way back to the palace, I couldn't help but reflect on the events of the day. It was a stark reminder of the responsibilities that awaited me as the future ruler. The encounter with the bullies highlighted the challenges I would face and the importance of having loyal protectors like Sumai by my side.
Deep down, I knew that Sumai's unwavering dedication was driven not only by duty but also by genuine care for my well-being. Perhaps having a "babysitter" wasn't such a bad thing after all.