Ziphozethu

23

Buhle and I were awake early the next morning. She was full of energy but I was exhausted. I was up all night throwing up and I still felt nauseous. Buhle started squealing and hitting her aunt.

"Buhle." I whisper yelled to try and get her to stop. She just laughed. "I'm up already. It's fine. Morning babygirl." She laughed and her aunt took her. I tried getting some sleep but just as I was about to the door flew open and Fikile came in.

"Morning ladies. Get up we have an early meeting with the Gumede's to try and get all of this sorted out smoothly. Get up." She opened the curtains to let the light in. "Come on. Get ready. Please dress respectfully. You will be present in the meeting, Zethu." I just forced myself out of bed and went to take a shower and get dressed.

I had absolutely no energy. I just wanted to lay down. I went downstairs but I couldn't handle the smell of the food coming from the kitchen. I was bent over the toilet vomiting but there was nothing in my stomach. "Zethu?" I heard my name being called. The door eventually open. "Are you okay." I couldn't even answer. "Ma, come help me." Veronica called. Fikile and Veronica helped me up and I rinsed my mouth and brushed my teeth.

"Let me get you some avocado on toast and a vitamin water. It worked for Busi and Thandeka when they were pregnant. You have to eat something." I just sighed and laid down on the bed. "You want me to call Moses?" I just shook my head. "No, I'm fine." She just scoffed. "Have you seen yourself. You look dead." I felt dead too. "Okay. I'll look after Buhle. She's having her breakfast downstairs at the moment but I'll give her some of the milk you pumped yesterday."

Ma came back upstairs and forced me to eat the avocado toast. I did feel much better afterwards. "Come, Zethu. The Gumede's are here. They're in the royal hut with your father." Busi came to wake me. I made sure I looked decent and followed her outside. It was the first time I had been out there. There was a large hut with three smaller huts on either side. Beyond that was a field as far as the eye could see.

I followed her in and she showed me where to sit before she left. I kept my head bowed but I could still see Moses with his mother and uncle. "Here she is. Zethu, we have come to an agreement and we've realized that your marriage into the Gumede family will be beneficial to both families. We have decided that you will have an umemulo ceremony. After the ceremony Moses will publicly ask for you hand in marriage and we will start the negotiation for lobola. As soon as it's settled we will have exactly a month to plan a big royal wedding. We're pushing all of this to avoid any scandals. Moses will have to deal with the issue with his wife immediately. He has this weekend to go talk to her and sort it out. If not both of you can forget about this."

Was he really trying to control my life without even playing any part in it? I couldn't believe it. They just decided everything for me as if I was a child. We were dismissed and Fikile came to get me.

"Moses and his mother asked to see you. I'll be there the whole time so nothing happens. I was so confused. What was she expecting to happen? It's not like we'll do anything in front of his mother. Also, we've already done everything we could do. I was already pregnant.

I followed her out to the back yard again where Moses and his mom stood. MaRadebe ran to me and hugged me. "Oh, I'm so happy for you." We hugged and she spoke about pregnancy and motherhood an did could tell Moses was getting irritated. She eventually stood to one side with Fikile so Moses and I could talk.

"I've missed you." I could feel my cheeks heating up. "I missed you too." He took my hand in his and I heard someone clear their throat. My brother's walked out of the house dramatically each with a spear in their hand and just stood there. "Let go of her hand." Thabo said in a deep voice. I sighed and rolled my eyes. He did as they said. "They look constipated." Moses whispered and I couldn't help but laugh. I looked directly at them and laughed again.

Moses and I spoke about baby names and wedding plans. I could tell he was extremely excited. We were eventually cut off and had to say goodbye. My brother's wouldn't even let us hug.

I put Buhle down for a nap and decided to watch some TV. I switched it on and it was the news. I would usually ignore the news but I heard my name. "Crowds have been gathering outside the Zulu kings house for days now. It is believed that for the first time after Princes Ntwenhle Zulu, there is a new princess. Members of the Zulu nation have been demanding to see the princess for almost two days now."

"Ma!" I called out for Fikile. "Yes? Is something wrong?" I pointed to the tv. "Just in and announcement has been made by the Zulu family. The lost princess of the Zulu nation had been found. Ziphozethu Zulu, the 24 year old princess is the long lost daughter of chief Zwelethu Zulu." I looked at ma. "How do they know this?" She just shrugged. "Crowds have started singing and dancing calling on the princess to make an appearance." What was going on? I was so confused.

"I'm not even there." I said shocked. "I know but those people might be here in a few days so we need to prepare ourselves. My brother just called me. He's sending the crowds here." It was always something. I could never just be happy.

Crowds started gathering that day. The villagers wanted to see "the princess" too. The next morning I was woken up by singing. "Zethu, they're here." Was the first thing. The singing got louder and louder.

"Zethu can't go out there. She can not. Thandeka, get those people who did your wedding to come and make Zethu look perfect. This is my one chance to upstage the king." Was he serious? "What's wrong with how I look?" I asked and he was shocked. "No nothing. Nothing is wrong with how you look. We just need to elevate your look a little. When you go out there you must take the whole world by storm. We are not just a small village royal family. The world will take us seriously and you are going to make us relevant. I can feel it Zethu. You're back in our lives for a reason."