The air in the village felt thick with unspoken tension, a palpable undercurrent that Daoyi couldn’t quite shake. As his engagement to Kenyai drew closer, whispers followed him wherever he went. Conversations fell silent when he entered a place, and he could feel the weight of the tribe’s expectations pressing down on him.
One afternoon, as Daoyi walked through the village, he overheard two women talking in hushed voices near the market, they didn't notice him.
“It’s not right,” one of them muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. “How can the High Chief’s line continue with someone like Daoyi? What if he can’t bear children? What if the bloodline ends with him?”
The other woman nodded, glancing around nervously as if she feared being overheard. “I know. I’ve heard others say the same. The Goddess may have blessed him as a Carrier, but that doesn’t mean he can fulfill his duties. What if it weakens the tribe?”
Daoyi’s heart sank, and he hurried past them, their words ringing in his ears. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard such doubts, but each time, it chipped away at his already fragile confidence. He wanted to believe in the Goddess’s blessing, but the tribe’s whispers only served to amplify his fears.
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That evening, Daoyi sat by the riverbank, his knees drawn up to his chest as he watched the water flow by. The sky was painted in shades of orange and pink as the sun began to set, but the beauty of it felt distant, unreachable.
He didn’t hear Kenyai approach until the man was beside him, sitting down with a quiet sigh. “I thought I might find you here.”
Daoyi glanced over, offering a small, strained smile. “You always seem to know where I am.”
Kenyai shrugged, his gaze fixed on the horizon. “It’s not hard to guess. This is your favorite spot, after all.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the only sound the gentle lapping of the water against the rocks. Daoyi could feel the tension between them, a mixture of affection and uncertainty that neither had yet put into words. It had always been this way—unspoken emotions, moments of closeness that never quite crossed the line into something deeper.
Kenyai broke the silence, his voice soft. “I’ve been hearing things. People talking about you… about us.”
Daoyi tensed, knowing exactly what Kenyai was referring to. “I hear it too,” he admitted quietly. “They don’t think I’m enough. They don’t think I can give you and the tribe what is needed.”
Kenyai’s brow furrowed, and he turned to face Daoyi fully. “That’s not true. You’re more than enough, Daoyi. The tribe—my father—they just don’t understand what it means to be a Carrier. But I do.”
Daoyi’s throat tightened. He wanted to believe Kenyai, but the doubts had taken root so deeply that they felt impossible to shake. “What if they’re right?” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “What if I can’t… what if I can’t give you children? What if I fail?”
Kenyai’s expression softened, and he reached out, hesitating for only a moment before placing a hand on Daoyi’s shoulder. “You won’t fail,” he said firmly. “The Goddess chose you for a reason. Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out together.”
Daoyi looked down at the ground, his chest aching with a mixture of relief and lingering fear. “I wish I could be as certain as you.”
“You don’t have to be certain, my pretty flower” Kenyai replied. “That’s why we have each other. We’re not in this alone.”
For a moment, Daoyi let himself lean into Kenyai’s touch, drawing comfort from the warmth of his hand. But even in this moment of closeness, the weight of the tribe’s expectations hung over him like a storm cloud. He wanted so badly to trust in the future they were meant to share, but the path ahead felt fraught with uncertainty.
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Later that night, Daoyi was entering the family hut, where his parents were deep in conversation. They hadn’t noticed him yet, and he hesitated at the threshold, unsure whether to interrupt. The tone of their voices was serious, laced with concern.
“I worry for him,” Amaela said, her voice low. “The tribe’s whispers are getting louder. Daoyi’s future as a Carrier is tied to the tribe’s future, and the more they doubt him, the harder it will be for him to lead.”
High Chief Kennan’s voice was thoughtful, though tinged with frustration. “It’s not fair to put so much pressure on him. Daoyi is still young, and already he carries more weight than most men in the tribe ever will. But you’re right—his role is crucial. The tribe is at a crossroads, and they look to him for guidance, even if they don’t know it yet.”
Amaela sighed, her fingers tracing patterns on the table. “Do you think he’ll be ready when the time comes? To lead, to carry on the bloodline?”
“He’ll have to be,” Kennan replied, though his voice lacked the certainty of his words. “There’s no one else. Daoyi was chosen by the Goddess for a reason. We have to trust in that, even if the tribe doesn’t see it yet.”
Amaela was quiet for a moment, her eyes flickering with worry. “But what if the tribe’s doubts grow too strong? What if they push him away before he has the chance to prove himself?”
High Chief Kennan’s jaw tightened, and his gaze turned hard. “Then we’ll remind them who Daoyi is. He is our son, the future of this tribe. And he is stronger than they realize.”
Daoyi stepped back, retreating silently into the shadows of the hut. He didn’t want them to know he’d overheard, but the weight of their conversation pressed down on him. Even his parents, who had always supported him, were worried about his ability to lead. The thought sent a chill through him.
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The following morning, as Daoyi prepared for the day’s tasks, Amaela approached him, her eyes soft with concern. “You seem quiet, Daoyi,” she said gently. “Is something troubling you?”
Daoyi hesitated, unsure how to put his feelings into words. “I’ve just been thinking… about the future. About what the tribe expects of me.”
Amaela placed a hand on his cheek, her touch warm and comforting. “I know it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. But you are not alone in this. Your father and I believe in you. Kenyai believes in you.”
“I’m scared I’ll let everyone down,” Daoyi confessed, his voice wavering. “I don’t know if I can live up to what the tribe expects.”
Amaela’s eyes softened, and she pulled him into a gentle embrace. “You are enough, Daoyi. More than enough. The Goddess chose you for a reason, and we will always stand by your side. Whatever challenges come, you will face them with strength and grace, just as you always have.”
Daoyi closed his eyes, leaning into his mother’s embrace, though the doubts still gnawed at the edges of his mind. He wanted to believe her words, but the future felt more uncertain than ever.
YOU ARE READING
Unique
RomanceIn a world in which he is one of kind, Daoyi must face all the challenges put before him to become what he was born to be.
