AmaZulu Thrones

"No!" Screamed Thabiso Xaba. "Not my children!"

"Why not?" replied King Joseph Sinizulu.

"Please," pleaded Thabiso, "kill me, but please don't harm my children and my wife."

King Sinizulu leaned down towards Thabiso and said, "The best way to get to a man is through his family."

Thabiso was confined in a shark cage. There were two dozen Zulu royal guards present in the open veld. Two of them stood to attention carrying a flag with yellow, dark green and red, the official flag of the Zulu Kingdom. King Sinizulu donned a leopard skin over his shirt and pants and donned the imperial Zulu crown made of pure leopard skin.

Thabiso cried and said, "Please inkosi yami." (My king)

"This is the price you pay for betraying me! You were a good member of my household! I took you into my palace, I gave you a job, I gave you a home and I showed you my utmost hospitality. For what? So that you could spy on me to my rebel brother Prince Sichaba naMpande?"

"Inkosi yami." (My King)

"No! I've had it with you rebels always contesting my claim to the throne! Its about time I showed you all a good lesson."

King Sinizulu looked over at his personal bodyguard, Tandi Dlamini, and beckoned for Thabisos son to be brought forward. Tandi strutted towards Thabisos wife, Yolanda, who was standing protectively in front of her childda. Asanda, who was around eight years old started crying and holding on his mothers skirt. Tandi kicked Yolanda out of her way with ease and grabbed Asanda by his shoulders.

Asanda tried in futility to resist Tandis grip. He screamed, "Mama! Mama ngisize." (Mother help me!)

Yolanda got up and tried to run towards her son. But two royal guards violently pushed her bag. "Please," she begged, "take me instead of my son!"

Thabiso held on to bars of the cage until his fingers went white. "No! Leave my son alone!"

King Sinizulu laughed. "You're feeling hurt because Im interfering with your child arent you?" He outstretched his arms and turned towards the green hills. "This is my Kingdom, and this Kingdom is like my child!" He turned towards Thabiso and pointed at him defiantly. He had a cold look in his eyes. "You mess with my Kingdom, you mess with me!" King Sinizulu took his gun out of its sheath on his belt and aimed the gun at Asanda.

Asanda looked into the barrel of the gun. He looked at his father and said, "Baba, ngisize kulo muntu owesabekayo!" (Father, help me against this evil man).

Thabiso kicked and pushed against the bars of his cage. "No! he screamed, Don't touch my son!"

Yolanda screamed on top of her lungs, "Ngiyacela nkosi yami!" (Please my King) "Have mercy!"

King Sinizulu looked at Thabiso who was still struggling against the confines of his cage. He said, "You know what Thabiso, its unfortunate that your son had to get involved in all of this. I don't want to give him too slow of a death, nor do I want to give him too quick of a death." King Sinizulu pondered for a moment whilst looking at young Asanda staring up at him with fear. King Sinizulus eyes turned orange as he scanned Asandas body from head to toe. "One healthy boy you've got here. What a shame he is going to die." He aimed the gun at Asandas abdomen and pressed the trigger. Asanda fell to the ground in a heap.

Yolanda screamed, "No!" and tried to run towards her son but one of the guards smashed her face with the butt of his spear.

King Sinizulu aimed at Asandas head and pulled the trigger. Yolanda let out a hysterical scream. Thabiso fell to his knees with his arms outstretched towards his dead son. King Sinizulu looked at Thabiso with an evil smile, "One down, one more to go."