Amile The Queen

Chapter Fifty-Two

***Zwelibanzi Zulu***

He feels hopeless. He had all the answers at his fingertips, and the last time they say each other, they had scheduled to meet so he could complete the final process of untying all knots at the Zulu kingdom. Things were going to reveal themselves and then just the next day, she was pronounced dead.
Other than his plans being totally messed up in the process, she was young, she had a bright future ahead of her. She was doing her doctorate in traditional medicine and was going to graduate soon. He can’t help but think that it’s his fault that everything happened the way it did. Like her blood is on is hands.
She was shot dead in her hut. Three bullets to the chest, killing her instantly. That couldn’t be a coincidence, it’s definitely a personal vendetta. Today is the funeral, and he is going. He even compensated the family to try and ease his guilty conscious. He has no reason to be guilty, but her last day was spent with him, he feels like he’s involved. He's just lucky that no one is going to point fingers at him because he is the king.
MaMzobe is still not talking to him so he’s spending all his nights with MaGumede, who is also not doing okay. She’s having constant dreams that she won’t disclose and they are slowly starting to stress him out. She’s stubborn. He proved that himself on the day of the funeral.
She’s in the shower while he makes the bed. He’s giving her all the princess treatment because she hasn’t fully healed properly. He has forbidden the bath too, what she tried that day was way to risky. He’s going to shower after her. He doesn’t want to be late for the funeral. She comes out naked and goes to take a towel in the wardrobe.
“Bayede are you going with MaMzobe to the funeral?” Her voice is as sweet ad honey.
She’s always soft spoken like this. He missed this side of her.
“No sthandwa sami. Ngihamba ngedwa.” She shook her head.
“You can’t go alone Bayede. You have to have someone next to you.”
“Mgabadeli will be there.” She walked up to him and placed her little hands on his chest.
“Mgabadeli isn’t your wife.” He sighed and looked at her eyes.
She still looks drained. The dark circles around her eyes are refusing to fade. But they glistened anyways.
“Ngiyabonga mama, but I can manage by myself.” She made him sit down on the bed and stood in front of him 
“That’s the problem Bayede, that you can’t always do it by yourself. Yes you can manage by yourself, but you don’t have to. I’m here, we can go together.”
“You haven’t healed MaGumede.”
“So have you.” He looked at her in admiration.
“Go take a shower, I’ll continue here.” She tapped his shoulder.
He got up and before he walked to the bathroom, he stopped to kiss her forehead. One thing he’s lucky about having is women who are strong willed and know how to take charge and pick themselves up when times are tough. All the qualities a queen should possess. He definitely knows how to pick them.
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This is their first appearance together as husband and wife. They were almost late, and that wasn’t going to look good for him, Malandela did die working for him. As per normal, they were placed at the front with the family. They sat through the whole ceremony with their hands intertwined. They were both lost in their thoughts, especially him. He was angry at himself for not knowing that maybe she could’ve been in the firing line.
All of this actually makes him suspect that there may be some people or someone who doesn’t want him to find out about his brothers tragic accident. It’s not so tragic anymore, he knows that the car was tampered with, and knows of the possibility of him being alive.
Now he’s going back to square one with Malandela dying. Now he has to find another seer that he trusts because being with Malandela has proven to him that Celemba is as useless as they come. In just a few days, she has solved half the mystery he failed to solve in three full years. He is last on the list, and when all the dust dies down, h; definitely has to be fired.
“Bayede.” Her soft voice brought him back to life.
“Its time to go to the grave site.” She looks pale.
He touched her face, and she only swallowed hard.
“No. You need to go home and rest.”
“I’m fine.” Both of them are whispering because there is a ceremony going on, but he’s getting worried.
“You aren’t fine, your skin is losing colour, I’m taking you home.”
When he tried to stand up, she held him down.
“Wait for the prayer to end.” He sat down.
She’s stubborn like that, now he regrets coming with her, she’s definitely not okay, especially to attend funerals.


***Amile Gumede***

I’m breaking into a sweat. It’s hot in here, I’m suddenly not feeling well all over again. That’s why Bayede took me home, he said my skin was loosing colour.
He’s dabbing my forehead with a cold towel and looking at me with concern on his face.
“I don’t like this.” He said shaking his head multiple times.
“I think it’s the side effects of the medication I’m on, I’ll get better I promise.” I reassured.
“I shouldn’t have gone out with you.” I held his hand.
I have never met a man as fragile as him. That’s what he is, he is very fragile. He hurts very easily, and when he loves something or someone, he loves hard. I’ve learnt a lot about him through his actions, things I didn’t see all the other times when I was with him. He loves being loved and he appreciates the little things. His love language is physical touch and words of affirmation. He’s a gentle person; even being king can’t alter his natural personality. That’s why he’s so hard on Nkosi, that’s why he’s so hard on himself because he tries to mask his gentleness. And it works well for him; it works until he shows you the love he has for you, and then you see it.
Am I in love with him? No, I don’t think I am. But I’ve gotten used to having him around, and I don’t think I don’t want to not have him here and have him as my husband. That’s love. I love him, I’m just not in love with him.
“You should go to MaMzobe tonight.” I said with a small smile on my face.
His cold towel is working.
“No, I can’t leave you here like this.” I chuckled and looked up at him.
“I’m fine. Don’t forget that you left your holiday with her for me.”
His eyes softened. He’s so in love with me; he can’t even hide it anymore.
“I did that because you needed me.”
I need to get over Mandlenkosi and realize that all I need is right here in front of me.
I put my hand on his cheek and leaned up to give him a peck on the lips. He smiled.
“Please get better, MaGumede.” I don’t even know what’s wrong with me.
“I will Bayede.” He kissed me again.
It feels good to feel his lips like this, it’s hard to imagine that there was ever a time where he couldn’t even lock eyes with me when we had sex. Now we make love and I’ve grown comfortable with him, just like he now knows how to open up and love me openly. This is the first step towards a healthy marriage. The dead baby bought Mfihlakalo brought us together.
A knock sounds at the door just as the heat becomes a heat that is needed within my body. He sits up and shouts for the person in the other side to come in. It’s sis’ Melo.
“I’m sorry to disrupt my King, my queen. My queen has a visitor.” She moved out of the way and Nambitha was standing there.
Bayede looked at me and I sat up.
“I’m going to give you some space.” He stood up.
There is no way I’m going to stand, I already feel dizzy. I hold both his hands and he leans down.
“Go to MaMzobe’s room please Bayede.” I whispered in his ear in a begging tone.
He didn’t fight me, he just nodded and laid a peck on my cheek.
“Take it easy please.” I nodded and let go of his hands. His scent is all over my body.
When he walks to the door, both sis’ Melo and Nambitha bow for him and he leaves. Nambitha continues to stand at the door after I’ve excused sis’ Melo.
“Come in chomie.” She looked around looking a little scared before she slowly made her way in.
“Close the door.” I would do this all myself but I did mention that I’m feeling very dizzy at the moment.
She came to stand at the foot of the bed and looked at me. She looks so off.
“Sit down chomie, are you okay?”
“This is your marital bedroom chomie, I can’t just fraternize with you like we used to.”
“Nonsense. Sit down.” She sits on the corner of the bed.
“I didn’t know you were still here, where were you staying?”
“I was with Nkululeko.” It’s literally Saturday today. She arrived her on Sunday.
“Jama?” she rolled her eyes.
“My boyfriend, yes.” She’s definitely not acting normally.
Her voice is low and her eyes are wandering around a lot.
“When are you going home?”
“I just got here and now your asking me when I’m leaving?” why is she so defensive. Normally I’d laugh off this response, but judging by the energy she is giving off, I can’t just laugh it off.
“No, I’m not kicking you out chomie, I’m just curious because you got here on Sunday, what did your parents say?”
“They don’t mind, I’m a woman now, I’m out of school, I can do whatever I like.” She flicks her braids. Now this I can laugh at, but I’m still not at ease.
“Enough about me, how are you doing, how have you been. We didn’t get to talk that day.” She holds my forearm.
“I’m okay. I mean I will be okay. Mentally, I’m coping, I have the husband and we are going through it together. Physically, I don’t know, I’m still on the medication they gave me, I’m hoping the side effects wear off soon. I’m tired of being bed ridden.” She looks at me in pity.
“I’m so sorry my friend.” I shook my head.
“Its okay, I’m okay. Okwenzekile kufana nokudaliwe, it wasn’t going to happen if it wasn’t meant to happen. I wasn’t ready to have a child anyway.” She used her thumb to wipe my tears and she came and engulfed me in a tight hug.
I haven’t cried since that day of the funeral, maybe I am over it, maybe I have accepted the fate. Malandela’s words are still ringing in my ears.
“Don’t deprive yourself the time to heal your body and your mind properly.” She said rubbing my back.
“I definitely won’t, I know the importance of spiritual and physical health.” We both laughed through the tears.
A good friend cries with you, just saying.
“Okay, no more tears, I’m done crying. How are you and Jama, how’s the relationship going? Are you enjoying the love.” She chuckled and wiped her tears before she looked at me.
“I am chomie. I gave him my beads.” My eyes widened.
It can’t be. Not Nambitha, it never can happen.
“What!?” She looked away and covered her mouth.
She’s giggling!?
“I did. I gave it to him and that was the best decision I have ever made.”
I’m still in a state of shock. This is the same Nambitha that swore to keep it until she marries. What happened? It hasn’t even been five months into their relationship.
“So you really did it chomie?” she nodded. The excitement on her face doesn’t match the sadness in her eyes.
“I did and it was amazing. He treated me like a princess and he made it so special. He only flopped by not having the roses like I had imagined, but it was perfect. I wouldn’t have asked for a better person to give it to.” I’m concerned.
Okay not concerned but confused. Why the sudden change of heart, Nambitha, losing her virginity? It really doesn’t add up. But she looks happy. She’s giggling and blushing like a little girl.
“And how many orgasms did he give you?” if you can’t beat them, join them.
She giggled.
“Quite a few, my legs kept shaking, I couldn’t keep still. I even went on top.” She covered her face.
“Chomie!? Sabaweli your confidence. I’ve only gone on top once.” She closed her ears.
“No chomie, the sex you have and the one I have is different, don’t tell me about it, I still want to have respect for the king.” I cracked up.
“Oh but he can lay the pipe down. Don’t be fooled by the potbelly that man can move his waist.” She covered her ears.
“I’m not listening!” I’m dead with laughter.
“I’m just kidding. How long are you staying?” she uncovered her ears.
“I’m going back to Durban tomorrow.”
“Christmas Eve is the husband’s birthday and there is a charity event that he is hosting. I was going to ask you to come and help MaMzobe and I with the cooking, but with everything going on, I didn’t have the chance.”
“Oh yes, the Christmas Eve Community Project. He hosts and cooks for all poor families every year. Personally, that is why he is the best king Zululand has ever had.” That’s my husband ya’ll!
“Will you be able to come and assist me, chomie?”
“I’ll have to talk to Nkululeko.” I frowned.
“Nkululeko? not your mother or father?” she laughed.
“I’ll obviously talk to them too, but he’s going to be the one who brings me here, so I have to speak to him.” I shook my head.
“Weeh, ‘I’m a woman now.” I mocked.
She laughed and rolled her eyes.
“So you can spend the rest of the night with me because you are only leaving tomorrow?” I made my eyebrows dance and she laughed.
“Yeah, I guess I can.” I clapped.
I’m feeling a little bit better now. It’s true what they say about laughter, it’s the best medicine.
“Okay, I have the best night time routine we can do, I also found a bunch of old movies in a box, we can watch that and some ice-cream and popcorn!” I’m suddenly excited, when was the last time I had a sleepover.
“Not in here right?” she asked in a serious tone.
“Why not in here, this is my room.”
“Correction, marital bedroom. You have sex with your husband in this bed. I can’t sleep with you in it.” I shrugged.
“He doesn’t mind. There is nothing wrong.” She’s just being dramatic 
“Amile!”
“Nambitha, please.” I dragged her name and she rolled her eyes.
“I’ll sleep on the floor, it’s fine.”
I know she’s not going to do that. But I don’t care, I’m just excited to spend the night with my best friend. We’ll watch some Waiting to Exhale and maybe I’ll also exhale. I’ve been holding in a lot of things. It’s time to let it all go.