Umakoti (The bride)

The birth of a queen

Lindiwe knew her father was desperate to keeping his position as the northern region tribe leader but forming an alliance with these barbarians was beyond her understanding. As the first daughter of the tribesman she was to be wedded off to the Selukela tribe.

They were well known for violence and starting territory wars over the smallest of things. They were glorified gangsters and rumours said that they were hitmen for rent. They were the royal family and people feared them. Her father was the only fool taking lobola from these men for his only daughter. She had pleaded with him, since the beginning of this insanity but today the wedding rituals were done and she was officially married to Vusi. Vusi was the heir to the throne of gangsters. He was very tall, handsome with chocolate skin and educated. He had studied accounting and he handling the  finance for the royal family. Respected or feared he didn't care as long as his family was making money. Vusi the idiot kept on smiling at her from afar and she just wished she could go to the Owenie river and drown. She had wept for many night but her father was not budging.

"You will be fine my daughter." her mother said as she wiped her tears away for the last time. The convoy was waiting on her and she would be gone from her home for a year according to customs. She hugged her mother and let her tears flow freely.

The buffoon was waiting outside the car for her. He was wearing his traditional clothes. He opened the door for her and Lindiwe just got into the car and set there in silence. She was not going to speak to him. The drive was long so she decided to take a much needed nap. She had been so anxious about today that she hadn't slept in a while. She closed her eyes and dozed off dreaming of the good days back in university with her friends.

Lindiwe has never felt so relaxed in her life. The bedding was soft and smelt so good and the bed was... she fell as sleep in a car why was she feeling the softness of a bed. Lindiwe quickly woke up and got out the of the bed. She examined her clothes to see if she was still fully dress and to her relief she was. As she took a deep breath she felt a presence behind her. When she turned there he was the big idiot who was now husband. "I wasn't going to take what you were not able to give. I know you think I am an awful person but I would never hurt a woman." Vusi said as he approached the bed. He was in is pjs and was getting ready to sleep. "Where am I sleeping?" Lindiwe asked softly. "In here with your husband." Vusi said as if it was the most obvious thing. Lindiwe was about to protest when Vusi switched off the light and all the light in the room went off . Since she was young Lindiwe feared the darkness. She quickly ran to the bed and got under the covers. She got really close to Vusi. "I am not in the mood." He said with a sleepy voice. "It's totally not what you think." Lindiwe said breathlessly. Vusi turned and laid down on his back, he kept quiet for a while and could feel her shaking. "What is the matter?" He asked with what sounded like concern but barbarians don't feel anything Lindiwe reminded herself. " I am afraid of the dark." She might as well be honest if she is sleeping in this room from now on. Vusi was silent for a while and eventually he rolled off the bed and came back with a light. He switch on the battery operated light and put in on her side. "We use a generator for power and it gets switch off at 10:00PM this is the best I can do.

She thank him and turned on her side to sleep. She was still scared this was a new place and it was dark. Before she could overthink Vusi put his arm around her and pulled her close. "I am.." before she could finished Vusi cut off her sentence with "just sleep".