02

TEARS OF A ROYAL BLOOD

02

SINDISWA

Every morning she likes to drink her tea by the balcony and watch the beautiful land of Nqoboka. Qhawe is really a good King, he cares for his people. You will never hear them complaing that he does not do one and two. He spent his life ensuring that things run smoothly on his kingdom, sadly that meant he had to spend less time with his children and wives. Zizipho does not even remember spending time with her father. Maybe that’s why she is ratchet like this, or it could be something else?

She goes back inside and washes her cup. Zizipho was probably still sleeping, so she started cleaning the house and putting everything in order.

“Knock knock”, that could only be him. She could never miss his voice.

She lets him in.

Qhawe:Good morning.

He hugs her and plants a kiss on her cheek.

Sindiswa:Good morning baba.

Qhawe:I came to check up on you. Kholo told me what happened yesterday.

She sighs.

Qhawe:I don’t know you to be a rude person.

Sindiswa:She said I was rude?

Qhawe:She told me that you spoke badly to her.

Sindiswa:And you believed her? Do you even know the women you married?

She chuckled.

Sindiswa:But how would you know? You are never home anyway.

Qhawe:I am a King, I am not always going to be home. The kingdom needs me. And I have three wives.

Sindiswa:Don’t make that my problem. You are the one who decided to take more wives.

Qhawe looked at the sadness in her eyes and he felt bad. He knew that she didn’t like polygamy, but she made a compromise for him.

Qhawe:I’m sorry.

Sindiswa:Apologizing to me is pointless honestly. Your children are angry and that’s on you. Before you are King, you are a father to four children first. I wonder if you will also neglect Khethi’s children like this.

Qhawe:It wasn’t my intention to neglect anyone.

Sindiswa:You should go. The council is waiting for you.

Qhawe:I’m coming back later.

Sindiswa:It is not my day.

Qhawe:I promised yesterday that I would do better, and I meant it. I don’t want you to feel like I love the other wives more than you.

“But don’t you?”, they hear Zizipho asking standing by the door.

Sindiswa:Were you eavesdropping?

Zizipho:Yes.

Qhawe:My daughter….

She frowned at him and went near to them. She held her mother’s hand. Her father was not her favorite person, he knows that too. She doesn’t know how a father’s love feel like yet she lives with her father in the yard.

Qhawe:I have to go.

He walks out.

Sindiswa:Don’t eavesdrop again. You are still a child to us.

Zizipho:But I was just asking.

Sindiswa:Hay Zee, it’s not your business. Me and your father are your parents, not your friends.

Zizipho:I’m just worried about you mom. Everyday you’re crying yourself to sleep. You are not happy in this marriage. I don’t know why you are hurting yourself like this by staying where you are not loved.

Sindiswa:You would never understand Zee. And you don’t know what you are talking about.

Zizipho:I don’t like it when old people say we wouldn’t understand. I’m 23 years old, I may not be that old but I’m old enough to see what’s happening. I just wish you could choose yourself and leave this shit hole.

Sindiswa:Language.

Zizipho:No, your husband is a selfish dog! And now he has brought another wife without even considering you and how you feel about it.

Sindiswa:Zee you have to understand that being married to royalty has more disadvantages than advantages.

Zizipho:I don’t like this. And I hate my father even more.

She walked out to the main house.

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She found Khethi in the kitchen, she was making porridge.

Zizipho:I heard what happened yesterday, and Khethi I need to tell you that my mother is a no go area. I don’t even want to hear you vomiting her name. Fight your polygamy squabbles with Mam’Kholo, but do not involve my mother in your shit. She already has to deal with the fact that her husband has two wives beside her, so please don’t add on to her stress.

Qhawe entered the room holding his stick, he heard what Zizipho said.

Qhawe:THAT IS NO WAY TO SPEAK TO AN ELDERLY PERSON! SHE IS YOUR MOTHER!!!

He raised his voice at her, he was fuming. She couldn’t care less about how angry he was. He can explode if he wants.

Zizipho:She is not my mother!! My mother is Sindiswa, in case you have forgotten her name, just like you have forgotten that she exists.

Khethi stood in the room quietly, this just got heated. 

Qhawe:Watch your tone Zizipho! I can still whoop your ass. I’m your father, and I demand respect. 

Zizipho:Respect is earned Qhawe. 

Khethi gasped hearing her call her father by his name. 

Qhawe hit Zizipho with his stick across her face and she screamed. 

She held her face and looked at him with so much anger. She was so angry that she couldn’t even stop her tears. 

Zizipho:I wish you were not my father. I hate you so much. 

She ran out and bumped on (Kholo’s daughter) on the door. 

Thembeka:And then? 

She asked confused. 

Khethi looked at Qhawe who just walked out. 

Thembeka:Mamncane kwenzenjani? (What’s going on?) 

Khethi:Zizipho came here and told me to stay away from her mother and her father heard her, he tried to reprimand her but Yooo she disrespected him and even called him by his name. That’s when he hit her with his stick. She said she hates him and she wishes she wasn’t her father. I have never seen so much hate in a person’s eyes as I did to Zizipho. 

Thembeka clapped her hands. Her mother needed to hear this. 

She didn’t waste any time and went to her mother. 

Thembeka:You will not believe what happened. 

She called her out. 

Kholo:Iza nazo(Come out with it). 

She told her what Khethi said. 

Kholo:So the princess got a beating? Serves her right. Sindiswa and her children think they are better than all of us here. 

Thembeka:It served her right ngampela. Zizipho is so rude, she has no respect for adults. 

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In Khethi’s bedroom. 

She hurried to her room and locked herself inside. She took her phone and called her friend.. 

“Ntombazana(Girl)”

Khethi:The drama in this house oe, yeeey!! 

“What happened now? Fill me in!”

She told her friend the incident between Zizipho and her father. 

“Tjoh, sounds like it was tough! Zizipho is really disrespectful. Why does she hate her father this much kanti?”

Khethi:I don’t know, but that girl wants nothing to do with her father. Even the way she looks at him, shows that she could kill him if she had the guts. 

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At Sindiswa’s. 

She was nursing Zizipho’s wound, it was now swollen and bleeding. Qhawe’s royal stick is not made out of wood. 

Sindiswa:I always tell you to stop provoking your father. 

Zizipho:So it’s a good thing that he did this to me? 

Sindiswa:I’m not saying that, but baby you can’t always fight my battles. I know how to stand up for myself. 

Zizipho:You’re too soft ma, and they take advantage of that. 

She finished cleaning her up and put a bandage over it. 

Zizipho:Ngidinga utshwala khona ingqondo yami izosebenza kahle(I need alcohol so that my mind can function). 

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