PROLOGUE

The soldiers came late in the day, grim and unwavering. Everyone had expected them, but their appearances, led by a cold-eyed colonel who has been a terror in the community, was still shocking. The men of the house went out to meet them, while the daughters and their mother stayed back and watched with fear.

Samara glanced through the kitchen window with panic. Rafael her brother, lurked just outside the door. He caught her eye and made an urgent gesture, she must hide. She nodded to him, but didn’t budge. She wanted to see everything.

“To what do I owe this honor?” Her Father spoke, feigning a smile.

The colonel looked at him spitefully, “This is not a pleasant visit”.

Samara could see her Father tremble at the colonel’s voice. She felt bad.

She has brought this upon her family with her uncouth attitude towards the officers earlier in the day when she had gone to pick oranges.

Samara was on her way home when she had heard a sound come in on the wind, voices and a soft mewling. Unable to hear clearly and determined to discover just what was going on, she crept towards the sound, pausing only to drop her basket of oranges on the ground, as she drew near enough to not only hear, but to see what was happening.

It took all her willpower not to rush forward and confront the soldiers standing over a wounded young man whom they have beaten up. She managed to push aside the anger pounding in her head as she listened. They were at it again, bullying and terrorizing anyone they felt like. What could this young man have done that they beat him up? Since the deployment of soldiers in their community to curb the invasion of bandits. The soldiers rather have become more terrorizing than the bandits themselves. The wounded young man suddenly looked in Samara's direction, exposing her hiding.

“What are you doing hiding over there?” One of the soldiers shouted at her.

Samara tried to run, but was quickly captured by another one of the soldiers. “Why are you in such a hurry darling, I thought you were enjoying the view?” He scoffed.

“Let me go!” Samara tried to break free from his grasp but couldn’t.

“Not until we teach you to mind your business”. He drops her hard on the ground, but swiftly she reaches for a big stone she saw, and threw at the soldier who had dropped her, then ran like her life depended on it.

“Where is she?” The Colonel asked her father coldly, “She has hospitalized one of my officers”.

“I’m truly sorry to hear that”. Her father replied with a croaked voice. “Please Colonel sir, she’s only but a child. Show mercy”. Her Father pleads with his palms clasped together.

“Do you know the gravity of what she has committed?” The Colonel asked angrily.

Her brother immediately drops on his knees. “Take me instead. She’s a young lady and won’t be able to take whatever punishment you have in store for her”. He pleaded.

“But she sure knows how to throw stones”. One of the soldiers interjected.

“Where is she? Don’t let me ask again”. The Colonel says impatiently.

“I’m here”. Samara answered. She had stealthily stepped out of the house, without her mother or sisters knowledge.

“Samara, what are you doing?” her Father yelled at her.

The colonel stared at her, but not with anger or spite. All of that had long disappeared as soon as he set his eyes on her.