Loved by all, liked by few - Thandiwe was an average young woman in all aspects...as average as any princess can be.
Blessed with intuitive healing abilities she is chosen and betrothed to a young prince who has been ill for some time. Her fate now...
This morning's air is so cold, so cold that I can see the warm air I breathe out and I can feel the dew on the grass cake my feet in coarse grains of sand.
As I look up at the sky, can't help but think as I shiver, what a beautiful morning. The beauty of the sky at dawn reminded me of the flowers that bloom near the riverbank, as hues of orange, dark yellow and light red filled the sky.
At least that's what the sky looked like just before we entered the forest.
Once we entered the forest, it was like we were ants, surrounded by trees of different sizes, but all much taller than us, with branches and vines reaching for the sky. The bright colours of the sky were seemingly replaced by shades of dark green leaves, blackish brown bark and branches growing all around and above us.
We slowly moved through the forest, mostly me following his lead as I didn't know exactly where we were going, but knew I had to be vigilant.
I could hear the birds chirping, the monkeys screeching and maybe even the hissing of a snake, I frantically looked around and above me but see nothing, nothing but the leaves rustling in the wind ...
Now all I can hear is the roaring fire and his strangled chanting.
The fire is huge. It crackles at the air as it reaches for the sky and it grows bigger as the time passes, heating the air around us. Thick grey smoke rises from the fire, high high into the sky, it passed the branches and leaves blocking our view of the sky, I'm sure it can be seen from our village and beyond.
The soft breeze that manages to penetrate through the cluster of trees, scatters the small flecks of back and grey ashes everywhere.
Only the two of us are standing in the middle of the forest, to bare witness to the flames as they blaze hot and high, truthfully, I've never seen anything like it.
The fires we light in our village are usually small and the purpose is often to cook, to keep warm, to see in the dark and to protect our tribe from predators.
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But this fire is burning on a large pile of thick branches and on lying on top of the stacked branches are the remains of my former betrothed.
I scoff at the thought, as I look on at the burning flames consuming what remains of his flesh. I knew his death was coming but it caught me unprepared ... I thought I still had time to save him, to maybe to save myself. I shake off the feeling of regret that threatened to engulf me.
At least he died peacefully, he didn't convulse, cough or wheeze throughout the night. He simply fell asleep and did not wake up. He didn't see the sunrise of the third day after Baba spoke to me.
And my current betrothed and I stand, side by side as we watch the fire consume what's left of his brother's remains. My father truly has no shame!
He said he would but I really didn't think he would. I want to laugh, scream and cry at the same time ... my life has become a the latest gossip of the village.
