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TEARS OF A ROYAL BLOOD

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At Nqoboka Kingdom. 

It is during the day when Qhawe gets inside Khethi’s room. He finds her by the closet taking off her clothes. He really chose well with this one, she is dark in complexion and chubby. She’s short though, and you know what they say about short people. Rude, and stubborn! 

She is a new wife, the third one to be precise. She was welcomed to the royal house about a month ago. She’s the youngest of the wives and is almost Mkhonto’s age. He is a King, and he needs as many children as possible. His wives can no longer bear him children as they wish, that’s why he needed to take a third wife, a young one. 

Khethi:Babe you are here already. 

He even gets to be called “babe” and “Sthandwa sami”. Something he hasn’t heard in years, him and his other wives are not into these western things. They call him “Baba”. 

Qhawe:Yes my love. How was your day? The council meeting took longer than I expected. 

Khethi:It was okay. 

She sighed. 

Khethi:I don’t think Kholo likes me that much. She’s always making side remarks about me, and doesn’t even want to eat food prepared by me. 

Qhawe:She still hasn’t accepted that there is a new wife. Don’t mind her. You are here because I love you and you love me too. 

Khethi:I know. 

Qhawe:Good, now come closer and let me kiss you. 

She blushed and went to him to kiss him. 

Qhawe:You have a beautiful body. 

Khethi:Thank you. 

He held her waist and continued kissing her. She was still naked and he could feel himself getting an erection. They were disturbed by a loud knock on the door, followed by Kholo’s voice. 

Kholo:There is a family meeting in the lounge! 

Qhawe sighs and fixes himself. Damn you Kholo! He was about to get some. 

Qhawe:Wear your clothes. We’ll go together. 

She nodded and wore her clothes. They walked out together and went to the lounge, where they found Kholo and Sindiswa. Qhawe sat in his seat and waited to hear what was this meeting that was called without informing him. 

Kholo:Baba, we apologize for calling you for a meeting without informing you first. 

Qhawe:It’s alright. What is this about? 

Kholo:Baba, me and Sindiswa have some complains. We feel that u Baba has been spending a lot of time with Khethi and neglecting us, ubaba is forgetting that we are also his wives. 

Khethi looked down and swallowed. They were right though. Qhawe was spending a lot of time with her, and she has raised this up with him but he just says it’s because she’s new, that’s why he’s spending most of his time with her. 

Qhawe:Is that how you also feel Mzilikazi? 

He asks Sindiswa. 

Sindiswa:Yebo(Yes). 

He knows she’s lying, Sindiswa is not a drama person. She keeps to herself, Kholo put her up to this.

Qhawe:Okay, I’m sorry. I will try to change my schedule. 

Kholo:Thank you. 

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MKHONTO 

It has been more than a month since he has been home, with his wife Lisa, they initially came for the wedding of his father and Khethi. But, it is nice to be home with the family. Even though there’s always a chance for drama that never ends. 

Lisa enters their room carrying a laundry basket. 

Lisa:Hey babe. 

Mkhonto:Hi. Where have you been? 

Lisa:Doing the laundry. Babe when are we leaving? 

Mkhonto:You don’t want to be here anymore? 

Lisa:It’s not that, but your mother is too much babe. Everyday she’s telling me about getting pregnant with a boy as if I’m in charge of that. I didn’t choose to have girls only. 

Mkhonto:She is always on my neck too. She even wants me to move back here in the royal house. 

Lisa:Please no. 

He laughs. 

Mkhonto:I don’t know what competition she is in, but she is competing with everyone. 

Lisa:Royalty wars babe. They have been here before we were even born. 

Mkhonto:And you are right. I need to check on her, she was breathing fire earlier. 

Lisa:Okay. 

He walked out to find his mother and found her at her bedroom. 

Kholo:Mkhonto. 

Mkhonto:I came to check on you. 

Kholo:Isn’t it your father, my son? 

Mkhonto:What has he done?

He doesn’t have that much great relationship with his father. They talk because they are family and father & son. He doesn’t hate him nor have any beef with him, it’s just how it’s always been. Growing up, Qhawe barely spent any time with his family. He was always attending to royal issues. So he guesses that’s where he got to not depend on him emotionally. 

Kholo:Ever since that Khethi came, he’s always with her. He doesn’t even come to this room anymore. 

Mkhonto:She’s a new wife, isn’t that what happened when you were welcomed to the royal house? 

Kholo:That’s beside the point. Qhawe knows he has three wives. He needs to make time for all of us equally. I don’t even know why he had to get a third wife because me and Sindiswa gave him children. He even has an heir, which is you but he just had to go and get us another woman. 

Mkhonto:He’s a King mom. He wants more children. 

Kholo:Aren’t the four of you enough? 

He shrugs his shoulders. He is so against polygamy, he just doesn’t understand how you can love more than one woman at the same time. No this is a scam. His father surely loves one of his wives more. He has only one heart, how can he love three women at once? 

Kholo:On the other note, have you thought about what I suggested? 

Mkhonto:No, I don’t want to move back here. I’m happy in Cape Town. 

Kholo:Your father is going to retire soon, you’ll need to be groomed and trained for when you hold up the mantle. 

Mkhonto:I don’t even want the throne. 

Kholo slaps him that he holds his cheek in disbelief.. 

Kholo:I don’t ever want to hear you saying that crazy talk again. No son of mine will deny the throne. You are the first born and the rightful heir for the throne. 

Mkhonto:Solwazi is from the first wife, why can’t he be King? 

Kholo:It is you. Your father chose you. And you will live up to it. 

That’s the thing about being born into a royal family. Your life is decided for you when you are not even born yet. And there’s no use trying to act rebellious because it will always catch up with you. Just like him, he was supposed to marry a woman from royalty but he didn’t do that. He chose Lisa, Lisa is not from royalty. 

Kholo:Do you hear me? 

Mkhonto:Yes mother. 

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SINDISWA 

After that short meeting, she went back to her house. It is in the yard and all of the wives have their own houses. She keeps to herself, she only goes to the main house when she needs something or there is a meeting held. 

She does talk with the wives but they are not that close. They do share a man so…..

She has two children, Solwazi and Zizipho. 

Solwazi is not home, he left a week ago because he had to go back to work. 

She is left with Zizipho to keep her company. Speaking of her, she hasn’t returned home since she left yesterday. She is a careless child and doesn’t mind going awol for days. 

She has already cooked, so if she comes back hungry wherever she is, she will serve herself. 

She goes to her bedroom and takes out a box from the closet. A picture falls off and she takes it in her hands. 

In the picture, was a man, a handsome man, probably at his early thirties. 

On the back of the picture, the name was written; Sipho Mceleli. 

A tear falls from the corner of her eye as she looks at this man. 

She quickly wipes it and puts everything back. 

She hears Zizipho speaking from the other room. She’s back! She goes out to her and she finds her by the kitchen opening every pot. 

Sindiswa:Zizipho!! You will break my things. 

Zizipho:Eyyy ngilambe ngiwuxamu mawami(I am hungry mom). 

She seemed drunk and she almost fell but her mother helped her sit down. 

Sindiswa:Sit, I will dish up for you. 

She dishes out for her. 

She gives her the food and she wastes no time and digs in. 

She finishes everything in her plate, and licks it. 

Sindiswa:Zee I need to talk to you about your behavior. Your father may not be noticing but I do. You need to stop going out at night. It’s not safe. You are royalty, and you don’t know what people could do when they find you drinking. 

She scratches her head and looks around. Her weave was all over the place and her lips were dry as hell. She needed something to drink for her dry throat. 

Zizipho:Ayikho noma i savanna ngehlise ukoma? (Isn’t there a savanna that I could drink for my thirst?) 

Sindiswa sits back on her chair defeated. 

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AT THE MAIN HOUSE. 

Qhawe asked that they eat dinner together today, so the wives are in the kitchen preparing food. 

Kholo:Don’t chop onions like that Khethi. Cut small chops. 

Khethi:I know how to cook Kholo.

One thing she will not allow, is for Kholo to play over her head like she’s a playground. She’s definitely going to defend herself. 

Kholo:*Gasping* Don’t you know that you wouldn’t even be here if we didn’t agree for Qhawe to take another wife? 

Khethi:I would be understanding if it was Mamkhulu saying that. Not you. 

Kholo:She is quiet, so I speak for her. 

Sindiswa ignored them and continued with the pap. She wasn’t going to entertain an argument that is not beneficial to her. 

Khethi:I see you think I will allow you to make me your doormat. That will not happen. You are also a second wife here, Mamkhulu should be the complaining about me, but she hasn’t said anything. But you are the loud one. 

Kholo:That’s because she’s stupid just like you. 

Sindiswa:Haibo! 

She found herself saying that out loud. How does she enter now? 

Kholo:I don’t even know what Qhawe saw in you two. You are not fit enough to be royal wives. 

Sindiswa decided that it was enough. Kholo tends to not mind her language sometimes. 

Sindiswa:Listen here Kholo, you also wouldn’t be here if I didn’t allow my husband to take a second wife. Don’t forget that I know your dirty laundry. Don’t make me tell everyone how you went to a with doctor and fed my husband some voodoo shit so that a first born would come from you. 

Khethi gasps. So miss here isn’t that perfect? “

Kholo:I never did that. 

Sindiswa:I will embarrass you so badly. I’m not your friend Kholo. Do your nonsense elsewhere, not with me! 

She clicked her tongue and continued with what she was doing. 

Khethi smiled proudly, this was the first time ever she arrived here, hearing Sindiswa speak up. 

Zizipho entered the room and went to hug her mother. 

Sindiswa:Zee my dear, I think I will take that savanna you wanted.