MELAMINA THE QUEEN

CHAPTER 18

Being back in the Zulu palace, even if it's for a short while, brings some sense of calmness in me. But I can't ignore the lingering presence of Princess Zisanele Mhlongo. I can literally feel her aura in every common room I walk in. it feels like my space has been invaded, even though this is not my house. I don't like this feeling at all. This is how I know that I will never allow my husband to bring in another woman for as long as I am married to him. It would be a cold day in hell before I sit on a grass mat and say "yes, I am giving my husband permission to take a second wife." It could never be me.

The whole palace is preparing for KaMahlaba's death anniversary week and that has me missing her more than I can care to admit. Besides having lots of kids, her death is one of the reason why I am scared to fall pregnant again. What if the ancestors take another person very close to my heart? First they took Zamokuhle, my first driver, while I was pregnant with the twins. Then they took KaMahlaba in exchange for the quads. What if they take my mom or dad this time around? I can't survive that or anyone else's death on my conscious.

"Makoti, I hope you're planning of cooking something in there and not just standing and day dreaming." Aunt Sethembele mutters as she walks inside the kitchen. I drink the rest of the water in my glass and rinse it before turning to face her.
"I was just thinking of preparing lunch for everyone since I am home." I state, even though that was not my intention when I came to the kitchen.

She snorts. "Let's hope all your traveling hasn't made you forget your place in this family. You are a wife and a daughter in law. Just because we are royalty and have helpers doesn't mean you should relax and parade with men as you please. Respect the family name and the kingdom. If you were raised in royalty, you would know how to behave rather than going around and kissing foreign men." Wow. I don't even know how to respond to that.

I clear my throat and head to the fridge. Before opening it, I turn to face her. "I know my place in this family, aunty. Just like I know your place. I am wife to the crowned prince and mother to the heir of the throne. In a few years, I will be one of the most powerful women in this kingdom. So, choose sides wisely. You don't wanna be fighting for the losing side."

She laughs sarcastically. "Wake up and smell the tea, dear Melamina. Kuhle is going to get married soon to that beautiful Mhlongo princess. She will be the mother of the heir to the throne. And you will be just the king's concubine. You are not as high and mighty as you might think. You are crushable, so watch your tone with me." She starts to walk off and then turn her head to look at me. "I like my juice with 5% juice and 95% water, Your Royal Highness." She laughs before disappearing to the corridor. Did she always hate me or this is just a new thing?

Not wanting to seem childish, I prepare lunch for my in-laws. I cook various dishes including finger foods, kebabs, sticky wings and ribs, a few salads and I actually find time to bake a cake in the mist of all this. Don't ask me how. I can cook up a storm when I am angry. Three hours later, my husband walks into the kitchen and frowns when he sees me.

"I have literally searched the whole kingdom for you. How long have you been in here? What are you doing and why haven't you been answering your phone?" he asks, coming closer to me.
"I was doing my wife duties, dear husband. Nothing too dramatic."

"Wife duties, my left foot. We have servants for this. The whole purpose of the vacation was just so you could relax and distress and I did not intend on you coming back home just to be enslaved in the royal kitchen. You can do that in your house, but not here."

I chuckle. Yeah, I cooked because the evil aunt told me but it became therapeutic along the way. I enjoyed it. It helped me take my mind off a lot of things. I even turned away a lot of servants who wanted to help me. "Babe, relax. Just help me dish up and take the food to the main lounge. Is dad home?"

He sighs. "Yeah. He hasn't went out today. We were in his office discussing a few things." The oven beeps and I quickly head over and take out the pork chops. "How can I remain mad at you when everything smells so good in here?" he asks, tasting one of the sticky wings and I just giggle. "It tastes just as good as you pussy juices." My eyes pop out and my cheeks turn pink.

"On second thoughts, I will ask the helpers to assist me."
"No. the pastor said you will be my helper and I will be yours. That applies everywhere." That's corny but cute. He kisses my cheek before dishing up some of the dishes in the casseroles.
...

"This is very delicious, makoti. I missed your cooking." The king compliments and I blush. I always cook for them when they visit us.
"She cooks, she cleans, and she is fertile and rich. What more could people want from her?" MaMolefe mutters looking at aunt Samke and I laugh inwardly. The king's last wife can be unfiltered if she wants. She acts like a 2k and the king loves her brattish persona more.

"Her soul. People are vultures, ma. They just take and take. They are selfish and they rejoice in making other people miserable." Nqaba responds. Okay, these two are a terrible combo.
"Play nice, kids." MaDlomo reprimands and Kuhle laughs. "My grandson told me that you are buying him a drone this year." She directs that statement to me and I laugh.

"Ma, I had no problem with buying him a drone until I found out that it is a weapon that can kill people and we can't keep something like that in the house, especially if the said house houses a very curious Milisuthando."

Milisuthando makes a sound from his seat and everyone looks at him. "I am not curious. I am just open-minded." He shrugs. What the fuck? We all break into laughter. This child. What does he know about being open minded at age 4?
"My main man." Simingezwi extends his fist and Milisuthando bumps it. They always entertain his craziness.

"You should teach your kids respect, Melamina. They shouldn't just speak while adults are talking. That would teach them to be unruly and undisciplined, and that's not how a prince is raised." Aunt Samke comments and I frown. Hebana. You can come for me all you want but not my kids.
"Leave the child alone, Skwiza. This is not juvie." MaShezi comments and I am grateful for her because I would have responded in another manner.

We continue eating lunch over light conversations but the aunts keep throwing nasty remarks my way. These women never rest shame. If I knew better, I would say u Zisanele bribed them or something.