Amile The Queen

Chapter Twenty-One

***Nontuthuzelo Zulu***


The deal was that she would choose the girl, and she had seen several that she liked and thought looked decent enough to be Queen of Zululand alongside her. There was one specific lady that she liked the most. She was short, light skinned and very confident, she liked her for him. But it seems like she knows nothing about her husband.
“Baba?” she’s been trying to get his attention.
“Her.” That’s all he said.
She followed his eyes and her eyes landed on the group of girls that are singing, now which one is he looking at?
“The one in red, that’s my wife right there.” He looks hypnotized, she thinks to herself.
She’s beautiful, a caramel skinned girl, a young girl.
“She’s young Zulu. Look at her.” She’s concerned.
“Mgabadeli, ngilandele leya ntombi emhlophe.” He totally ignores his wife. She’s lost all hope. He’s taken.
“Zulu, are you sure?” she’s definitely not threatened, but concerned, that’s all she feels. Something about this doesn’t feel right.
“Yes, I’m sure wakwami.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek.
She can see her maid talking to the girl and her facial expressions show that she is terrified. The girls around her have stopped singing and are looking at her walk up to where they are sitting.
She’s prettier and more perfect up close. Her skin is radiant and she has the body of a goddess. She clears her throat and sits up as the girl goes on her knees in front of her husband’s feet.
“My king.” He stands and asks her to do the same.
He towers over her and she does not dare lift her eyes. She hates to admit it but they look perfect together already.
“What is your surname?” she cleared her throat before she spoke softly.
“Gumede.” She bent her knees.
“MaGumede, Qwabe, Mguni, Mguni kaYeye, Osidlabehlezi bakaKhondlo kaPhakathwayo. Where is home?”
“I live in Durban my king. Glenwood, but I’m visiting my grandmother kaMchunu.” She bows her knees again.
Okay, she’s heard enough. She signals her husband. He nods.
“Mgabadeli, bring me the letter.”
She stops Mgabadeli and she goes to fetch it herself. When she comes back, she goes to the girl, and hands her the letter.
“My queen.” She bows.
“This is for your elders, keep it safe until you get home.”
Her face changes, she looks scared.
“Thank you.”
“You may go.” The king declares.
She bows again and walks back to her group. Even the way she walks is poised, she’s such a lady.
“She’s beautiful.” She said back on her seat.
“Indeed she is. But there’s something about her.” The king says still looking in her direction. She holds his hand and he snaps out of it.
He also finds his seat beside her and he tightens his hold on her hand.
“I promise you wakwami, this won’t change our relationship. You are still the only woman I love.”
“I know Zulu. I know. “ maybe she is trying to convince herself more than him.



***Amile Gumede***


“Open it.” Buhle is such a bad influence.
“No, I’m not doing that.” I’m shaking on the inside. I’m glad we are almost home.
Maybe this has something to do with Nkosi. Or I hope it does. The way Jama was staring at me, it make me nervous. I need to call Nkosi and find out what the hell is going on.
When we opened the gate, gogo abruptly opened the door and stood on the stoop with hands on either side of her waist, tapping her foot on the ground. Somebody looks unhappy.
“Buhle, go inside, wena, come here.” She pointed at me. Oh my what have I done now?
Buhle hurried inside and left me, so much for having my back. So giving her this letter is probably going to make things worse for me.
“Why was the prince here looking for you?” what?
“Angizwanga gogo?” I asked nervously.
“You heard me, what was the prince doing here?” I cleared my throat. Why was Mandlenkosi here?
“Which prince gogo?” im pissing her off, that’s what I’m doing.
“You know what I’m talking about Amile. The prince was here earlier and said he teaches you back in Durban. Is that true.” That man is crazier than I thought.
“Nkosi gives me extra lessons on Physics and Maths gogo.”  She clapped once is utter shock.
“Uze umbiza ngegama. WeAmile!” I looked down.
“Yebo gogo.”
“I may be old but I’m not a fool.” She warned
“I’m not making you a fool gogo, you can even call mom and ask her, he helped me with my trials too.” She sighed.
“So why is he looking for you here, why didn’t he give you the notes you needed back in Durban?”
“I don’t know gogo, I didn’t know he was going to come here.”
“Yini pho le esesandleni?” I looked at the letter before handing it over to her.
“The king called me and said I should give this to an elder at home.” She frowned.
“Why?” I shrugged my shoulders.
“I don’t know gogo, but he sent a maid to call me and him and the queen just asked for my surname and where home is.”
“Hhayi Amile.” She said opening the letter.
“Go inside.” She instructed before she started reading the letter.
I want to see her reaction because I’m also curious to know what the hell is in that letter. I’ve never been so scared in my life.
“What did you do?” Buhle asked pulling me into the bedroom.
“Its nothing important.” I certainly can’t tell her about Nkosi.
“And did you give her the letter?”
“She’s reading it now, she told me to go inside.”
“What do you think its about?”
“Yoh sis, I don’t know. I’d like to think the King doesn’t know me.”
“Maybe he does.”
I need to call Nkosi and find out what the hell his brother wants from me. Maybe he’s behind all of this. Maybe that’s why he was here.
“Gogo can I please have my phone.” I asked as I walked into the lounge. She’s glued to the letter and she looks shaken.
“Amile go back to the room now. I’ll call you. Tell Buhle to come here.” Okay, she’s scaring me! I’m scared now.
“But gogo…”
“Hamba Amile!” she shouted and stood up.
I rushed back to the room.
“Gogo is calling you.” I said hurriedly.
“What’s wrong.” I shrugged my shoulders.
“Yoh!” she wore her shoes and walked out the room.
I plopped my body on the bed and tried to put possible ideas that could make sense. Why was Nkosi here. He’s obviously lying about notes, what could it be. Did he tell his family about me, or the proposal. Does he want to marry me now? I’m scared.
Sitting idle like this is giving me anxiety so I stand up and change into something warm. I was told to stay in here so I looked through some of Buhle’s piles of books and I found a novel that looks interesting so I took it and sat on the bed and scanned through the pages. I don’t like reading, my low concentration span doesn’t allow me to read books, novels especially. That’s why English is my least favourite subject. I’m a practical kind of leaner, and I prefer working with numbers and diagrams instead of words. This story is interesting though, she’s being stalked by a taxi driver with big eyes.
“Where were you?” I asked when she barged in. She’s breathless.
“Gogo sent me to ask her best friend to come over, apparently there’s something urgent.” Okay, I’m worried.
“Do you think its about the letter.”
“I don’t know sis.” She sat on the bed and tried to collect her breaths.
“This book seems nice.” I said showing her the cover.
“It really is. Have you never heard of it?” she asked with a frown.
“No, what, is it famous.” She laughed.
“Everyone knows Hlomu Amile, come on.”
“Well, I don’t. And that’s fine.” She rolled her eyes. I closed the boom and put it aside. I can’t take my mind off this thing.
“Do you have network?” I asked her.
“Yeah, why?”
“Can I please make a call, its urgent.” She nodded and handed me her phone.
Okay, I have never learnt Nkosi’s number. It’s dumb of me. I only know a few of the digits, or I mix them up. I’m trying several combinations and I’m crossing my fingers that at least one of them work.
“Do you have Tru-Caller?” she shook her head no.
“Do you have data?” she nodded.
“I’ll top you up sis, this is important.”
“It’s okay Amile.”
“You are the best, thank you.”
I downloaded the app and I punched every single digit that I know on his number until Nkosi Zulu came up. Great! I called him and it went straight to voice-mail.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Voice-mail.” Does he not understand the importance of having his phone on. I need him right now and his phone is off!? I don’t understand.
“Try again, maybe it’s the network.” I tried again and it still wasn’t going through.
“This man is trying to kill me.” I whispered to myself and slammed my palm against my forehead.
“Your boyfriend?” I nodded.
Mandlenkosi Zulu answer the fucking phone!



***Zwelibanzi Zulu***


He didn’t think that it would be this easy to find a girl he likes. Never in his wildest dreams did he believe that he would ever look at another woman and see a wife. He has his wife, he loves her. More than he has ever loved any woman. They all never mattered, that’s why they all came and left. They weren’t for him. Nontuthuzelo has always been the reigning woman in his heart.
But now there is MaGumede, he’s drawn to her pretty face a her poise. She young but she’s a lady, nothing like he has seen in a lady in a while. She is soft spoken, but she looks feisty and posses all the qualities of a queen. That’s what he sees when he looks at her.
He’s called a meeting with his council, it is urgent that he lay this matter to the table. He wants her in the palace as soon as next week, as his wife, the queen.
“Gentlemen, I’ve called you here because I have spotted a flower at the Reed dance and I want to bring her to the kingdom, to be my wife.” The men around the table all clapped their hands.
They all have been looking forward to this day, it is absurd that the ruler only has one wife. They have been advising him on taking a second for years, but only now does he consider it. They are happy.
“What is her surname My King.” One of the men asked.
“She said she is a Gumede, but her grandmother is Mchunu. Perhaps someone know where her home is?”
“My king, the only Mchunu I know around here is Falakhe Mchunu. He died almost 10 years ago and left his wife.”
“The one who was a chancellor of the area?”
“Yes my king.”
“I sent her home with a letter. We are expecting her back here tomorrow morning.”
“Inkosi ibingamuthwali ngani njengokwesiko?” another member asked.
“I didn’t want to. I don’t want the girl to hate me.”
The all laughed. He continued to brief them about tomorrow’s agenda before dismissing the meeting and retiring to his chamber. He found his wife already snuggled in bed. He went over to the bed and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She fluttered her eyes open and looked at him.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“I wasn’t sleeping. How was the meeting?” she sat up and stretched her limbs.
“It was okay. They were happy about the decision.” He said and loosened his tie.
“And are you happy?” she asked him and helped him remove the tie. She started unbuttoning his shirt for him.
“She seems like a lovely young lady, you and her are going to get along.” She shook her head.
“You didn’t answer my question Zulu.” He chuckled.
“Yes, I’m happy that I found someone MaMzobe.”
“I saw how you looked at her.” It’s not coming from a jealous place, but she’s mocking him.
“Come on, I wasn’t looking at her in anyway.” She rolled her eyes.
“It’s okay to like her Mageba, if you want her to be your wife, you have to like her, you have to learn to love her.” He shook his head and cupped her face.
“I told you MaMzobe, my heart is only reserved for you, no one else. It belongs to you.” He kissed her passionately and she responded with a low moan.
“I love you wakwami.” She nodded and kissed him again.



***Amile Gumede***

“Vuka sisi.” Gogo soft voice wakes me from a deep sleep, the lights are on and she hovering over me.
“Get dressed and come to the lounge. We need to talk to you.” We?
What time is it? Buhle is fast asleep on her bed and it’s so cold outside, the breeze coming in from the open window will give me flu. I close the window and put on my gown and drag my slippers down the passage.
Who died, its all sorrowful faces in the lounge. It’s all faces I don’t know. The last time things were this sour was when my uncle was reported dead and they had called a meeting like this in the early hours of the morning.
“Sit down mshana. We are sorry to wake you up so late.”
I slowly lowered myself on the couch and greeted them.
“I am your father’s brother, ubabomdala and this is your aunt and granny, your father’s mother.” I looked at gogo and frowned. I don’t know these people.
“Gogo?” she couldn’t hold eye contact with me.
“Amile, I was going to call your mother in the morning, but I had to let them know first because they will be in charge of everything, they are your family.”
“In charge of what gogo? What’s going on.” Did they seriously wake me up to speak I riddles?
“In charge of your lobola negotiations. The king has asked for your hand in marriage.” What? Excuse me?
“Aibo, and who said yes to that?” I laughed.
They all gave me blank stares. My so called grandmother spoke.
“When the king chooses you my child, he has chosen you. You can’t say no.”
“What is this, a cult. Gogo you too? I thought you were my grandmother. Why are these people here, I don’t know them. Are you selling me to them.”
“Amile that’s not how you speak to your elders.” She warned.
“No gogo. There is no such. Tell me you are joking.” My heart is beating fast. Maybe I’m dreaming.
“I wish I was mntanomntanami. You have to be escorted to the palace first thing in the morning. The king is ready to come pay lobola.” None of this is making sense.
“He doesn’t know me.”
“He doesn’t have to know you, but he saw you today, took a liking to you and wants to make you his wife.” I thought she was mute.
“No gogo.” I looked at her in the eyes. They were tearing up.
I shook my head. Someone wake me up. I’ve been asleep for too long. I want to wake up!