16

TEARS OF A ROYAL BLOOD

16

 

Phazama follows Mkhonto outside and he leads him to another hut.

 

Mkhonto:It has never been used before. You can use this one.

 

Phazama nods.

 

Mkhonto:Do you have everything you need?

 

Phazama:Everything I need is in here.

 

He says patting his bag that he had crossed over his arm.

 

Phazama:Can I talk to him?

 

Mkhonto:Who?

 

Phazama:Madida.

 

Mkhonto:Oh.

 

He closes his eyes, and his eyeballs get all black.

 

Phazama feels air blowing in the room and he knows it's him now.

 

Phazama:My king.

 

Madida:Phazama.

 

Phazama:Nice to have you back. My father would be so happy.

 

Madida:He is happy where he is.

 

Phazama:So what is our mission here?

 

Madida:This family is starting to ruin things. I didn't get this throne easily. I had to fight for it. I fought with everything I had, and now they just want to ruin everything. There are many of us who are with me, those that are against us will do nothing. Evil over good anytime.

 

Phazama:I see. Well I will do my part to make sure that Solwazi doesn't interrupt your plans.

 

Madida:Are sure about the king? Did this boy really kill him?

 

Phazama:He is no longer with us.

 

Madida:Perfect. Now let's get to work.

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Sindiswa and Zizipho had to come back home after they heard the news. Both of them were in disbelief. It has been two weeks and there is nothing being said about finding Qhawe's body. They even had a funeral but they buried an empty casket, Mkhonto's orders. Sindiswa still has hope that her husband is alive somewhere somehow. She hopes that someone saved them and is nurturing them. He wasn't a good husband she knows, but she loved him. And she would be heart broken if there would be a real confirmation that he is really dead. She has been crying everyday, this is not the same as crying for Sipho. This was her husband they are talking about.

She seems to be the only wife who is mourning, Khethi and Kholo don't look like they are sad over their husband's departure.

Kholo is forever on Mkhonto's side, preparing for the big day when they ordain him as the king of Nqoboka Kingdom. You can see it on her face that wanting her son to be king is everything she ever wanted.

It bothers her why her son wasn't chosen to be king, but she doesn't want to start arguments with anyone. Royal wars tend to get messy and someone is bound to die.

Her brother lost his life years ago, they were fighting over the same thing, the throne, and her younger brother killed the older brother to be king. It's all ridiculous to her. People will do anything for power.

 

She stands up from the bed and goes to check on Zizipho.

She was in her room..

 

Sindiswa:Zee.

 

She lifts up her eyes and they were red. She sat next to her.

 

Sindiswa:How are you feeling?

 

Zizipho:I don't know. I'm hurt mom. And I blame myself for all the times I spent being angry at him instead of appreciating him. Now he's gone and I'll never have a chance to fix things with him again. I blame myself.

 

Sindiswa took her to her arms and comforted her. She let her cry. It's good to let out your pain, and not keep it inside.

 

Sindiswa:I believe your father is alive somewhere. I won't give up on that hope until I see his body. He can't have left us like this Zee. This can't be the end of the forever he promised us. He has to come back. He will come back. I believe.

 

She cried with her daughter.

 

Zizipho:I just wish we had more time with him. Just more time.

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In Mkhonto's bedroom, Lisa was packing her things and getting ready to go back to Cape Town. She wasn't going to stand for this nonsense happening around here. Mkhonto is not the same person that she knows. He has changed so much and she doesn't like it, it scares her to say the least. The search for his father is still going on but he doesn't seem fazed by anything, he is just excited about the title of being King. She doesn't know when her husband turned into this person, who does not care about anyone but himself…

 

Mkhonto comes into the room and frowns seeing her packing.

 

Mkhonto:What's going on?

 

Lisa:I'm going back to Cape Town.

 

Mkhonto:With who?

 

Lisa:With my children. I am leaving you Mkhonto…

 

Mkhonto:Musa ukuzihlanyisa wena, awuyi lapho(Stop acting crazy, you are not going there).

 

She continued to pack. She was just shoving everything in the suitcases…

 

Lisa:I will not stand this. I didn't sign up for this. When you are back to the Mkhonto I know, you will call me.

 

Mkhonto:I said you are not going anywhere. Why are you defying me? Your king!

 

He says sternly…

 

Lisa:Aha that's right. King! That's the only thing that matters to you. You no longer care about anything or anyone else besides you and being king.

 

Mkhonto:It's what my father would want.

 

Lisa:Which father? The father you don't even show to care for? Solwazi hasn't been home for a week searching for his father. What about you? Uhlezi uneke amasende!

 

Within a second, he was next to her and he gave her an electrifying slap! Ugesi wempama!

 

She gasped and held her cheek. He has never slapped her before.

 

Lisa:You slapped me?

 

Mkhonto:And I will do more if you have lost your respect. I'm your husband, Lisa, not your friend. Now put those clothes back in the closet. You are not going anywhere.

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Solwazi returns home after a week of being away, he was still leading the search for his father. He had another unsuccessful journey. They couldn't find anything. He is so stressed that he is starting to lose weight. He barely sleeps. That dream he had bothers him, something keeps on whispering in his ear that his father is gone, but he won't believe such until he sees his body.. They had to bury an empty casket, all because of Mkhonto. And he didn't have the energy to fight him, he's the king after all.

He gets inside the yard and the first thing he does is to go to Phazama.

He takes off his shoes and sits on the mat.

 

Phazama:Nkosana(My prince).

 

Solwazi:We didn't find him. I am losing hope now. What are the ancestors saying? Can't they lead us into him?

 

Phazama:Solwazi I told you that your father is no longer in the land of the living.

 

Solwazi:We haven't found his body.

 

He doesn't know if he is in denial or what.

 

Solwazi:Thank you for your time.

 

He stands up and walks out.. He goes to his mother's house and goes straight to his room.

He takes off his clothes and lays on the bed..

He had no idea what to do from now on.

He's just holding on to nothing. They would have found his father's body by now if he was still alive. He is suspecting Mkhonto didn’t tell them everything about what happened. Something seems off, especially with him. He keeps on saying they made their way to the healer, but he still screams Madida's spirit.

 

Tears just fall on their own. He doesn't stop them. Maybe it's time he accepted what was really happening. 

Mkhonto will run this kingdom to ashes. He wishes there was something he could do, Mkhonto is not the right person for the throne. He's not pure of heart. He remembers that his father once told him to go see a woman who will tell him everything about the throne should something happen to him. 

He will go tomorrow. Maybe he will find something, because Qhawe kept on saying that there is a secret about the origin of the throne. He wonders what it is, but whatever it is he is sure it was started by Madida. 

You could see even on his pictures that he was evil. 

 

He is disturbed by his phone ringing. He answers. 

 

Solwazi:Hello. 

 

"Your highness, we have something" 

 

He stands on his feet. It was about his father. 

 

Solwazi:Did you find my father? 

 

"Yes, we found him" 

 

The relief inside him was big to fill a dam. He recited a short prayer. 

 

Solwazi:Thank you thank you. Where are you? I'm coming there now. 

 

He said putting the phone on loudspeaker and throwing it on the bed. He wore his clothes. 

 

"Your Highness, your father is not with us" 

 

Solwazi:Oh, you rushed him to the hospital? Tell me the name of the hospital, I will be there. 

 

"No, I mean that he is dead. The King is dead Your Highness". 

 

His heart stopped beating for a second. He stopped wearing his clothes and processed what he was saying. 

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