Amile The Queen

Chapter Fifty-Four

***Amile Gumede***

I’m trying to wake up, it’s not happening. Something is pressing me down. I open my eyes and I see Nambitha hovering over me. I’m still on the ground. Was I unconscious?
“What’s wrong with you? What happened.” She’s trying to help me up but I don’t want to get up.
I heard the husband’s voice coming closer. Nambitha moved out of the way and he came to me.
“MaGumede, what’s going on?” the woman isn’t next to me anymore. Where is she?
He picked me up, but I tried to fight my way out of his embrace.
“What is the problem?” I’m trying to turn my head to see where he was standing but I can’t see him.
“He was there, he’s back!” I scream.
He covers my mouth and carries me to the house. He passes the lounge full of council men and took me upstairs to MaMzobe’s room. Oh hell no.
“Amile, keep quiet, calm down and tell me what is wrong.” His eyes are bulging out.
I didn’t even realize that I was crying now. Am I delusional too, is it because I haven’t eaten in four hours, I don’t know, I feel borderline crazy. It’s the man in my fucking dreams.
It’s him. I know that face all too well.
“Langalethu. The prince Langalethu. He’s here, I saw him.” He rubbed his head in frustration and paced around the room.
“Khuluma into ezwakalayo, angikuzwa mina uthini.” Is it because I’m crying?
No, he’s crazy, I didn’t stutter, not even once.
“He was there, standing by the tent looking at me.” He walked to the window, opened the curtain and looked down at the yard.
“There is no one by the look of him. Are you not going crazy MaGumede, is it not the medication?” he’s jumpy, why is he acting like this?
I remember that woman. Before I passed out she was screaming ghost.
“That woman that was crying down there, she saw him too, I wasn’t the only one Bayede, she saw him.” He’s looking at me like I’m crazy.
Before he can answer me, there is a loud knock on the door.
“Zwelibanzi vula lomnyango.” Who other than my sister wife, the owner of the room.
Bayede signaled for me to keep quiet using his finger. I frowned.
“I know you and Amile are in there, open and tell me what the hell is going on outside.”
“Nontuthuzelo I’m talking to my wife.” He shouted back.
“In our bedroom? Is that a sign of respect to you?” she sounds angry.
As she should, it’s her right to be angry. He’s not respecting her space.
“Bayede, I’m telling you I saw what I saw. If you don’t believe me, we can go look, I’m not crazy. But Ma is right, we aren’t respecting her room.” I got on my feet.
“Not a word of this to the woman outside do you hear me?” I nodded.
My heart is thudding. There are a lot of things going on. But I’m going to respect him and listen to what he says. So much so for a worthwhile birthday together.
I follow behind him as he opens the door. I can’t see her face, but I can tell from the way she is breathing that we are good as dead.
“Do you want me to lose this baby? Do you want another burial in this place?” she better not!
If I did not respect her like I did, I would step aside and slap the shit out of her. She’s being insensitive, trying to blackmail him into giving in. That is very toxic of her to do, I’ve never met this side of her. I’m actually repulsed.
“Nontuthu, don’t you dare use my baby like that. God forbid something like that happens to our child. Please.” He walked out past her, and I followed like a lost puppy.
She tried to grab me using my apron, but I screamed. She quickly let go of me.
“Nontuthuzelo!” Bayede shouted at the top of his lungs.
She pointed a finger at me.
“You girl, you seem to forget your place. Respect me.” tears are burning my eyes.
“Come, lets go.” He pulls me by the hand and drags me down the stairs.
I don’t know if he’s angry or frustrated or both. There are a lot of things going on right now and I don’t know what to do with myself.
“Where did you see him?” we are standing outside where he took me.
The yard is still full, people are still colleting food parcels and plates. I can’t see the woman or any of the women she was with when I saw the prince.
“Over there.” I pointed by the tent.
Mgabadeli was behind us. I startled when his voice erupted behind us.
“Go look that side.” He rushed towards the direction I pointed.
“Are you sure of what you saw?” he asked again.
“I’m not crazy Bayede, stop assuming I am.”
“Okay, I’m sorry.”
He followed the direction Mgabadeli headed, and I looked around. No one was paying attention to us, so I followed them. They both looked stupid looking around for a human being like they are looking for a missing phone or handbag.
“Bayede there is no use doing this.”
“You said you saw him, are you changing your mind now?”
I hesitated to answer. I don’t want to anger him further. 
“Mgabadeli, ngilandele uCelemba azokhuluma into ezwakalayo.” He roared.
“Yes sir.” This day has officially ruined.
He stormed back in the direction of the house. I stood there dumbstruck without a clear indication of what to do next. He was standing here wearing a brown t-shirt. His head was bald as in the dreams and he had his hands tucked deep into the pockets of his black pants. I saw him, I even saw that tooth necklace around his neck, I saw it. It was him, I’m not crazy.
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My feet are aching, we have been standing the whole day, finally people are starting to lessen in the yard. The tent will only be taken out after Christmas, apparently the whole family is coming tomorrow for Christmas lunch. 
I’m so grateful to the ladies that were helping us out, MaMzobe left us a long time ago, understandably so, she’s pregnant. They helped us pack everything away. There was no food left, people were coming back for seconds and takeaways for their families at home who couldn’t come, or to just have something for later. This is a great initiative, Bayede takes care of his people, he’s a good king, so much better than what Mandlenkosi gave him credit for.
I’m in the house wiping the dishes. I’m alone, I think Jama and his little family left already because Nambitha is nowhere in sight. I made a mental note to call her before I sleep because I’m worried.
The sun is already starting to set but it just hit six o’clock. That is very abnormal.
“Why are you doing that yourself?” he asked behind me.
I didn’t want to turn around.
“You need to rest; remember you are still on medication. Did you eat today?” I sighed.
“I did eat Bayede and I’m still okay, thank you.”
“I’m sorry about earlier…” I turned around and stopped him.
“You didn’t find anything, that means I was being delusional.” He shook his head and walked closer to me.
“You aren’t delusional, he may be alive. I know this, Malandela told me.” his voice is hushed.
My heart starts beating abnormally.
“His “death” wasn’t and accident, someone deliberately tried to end his life and now that person killed Malandela because she knew the truth.” He’s whispering.
I wonder how long this has been bothering him. this is such a big secret to keep.
“Are you sure Bayede?” I’m looking at him dead in the eyes. I’m not so sure.
“I suspect Celemba.” I gasped.
“Why would he do such?”
“He wanted this position, yet he isn’t doing shit for this kingdom.” I’ve never seen this side of him.
Oh and this is what married gossip feels like? I love it!
“It makes sense Bayede, but what are you going to do? Where are we going to find Prince Langalethu?”
“He’s coming here, Celemba. Leave finding Langalethu to me.” I placed my hands on his shoulders and kissed his lips.
He heaved a sigh.
“Happy birthday Bayede.” He smiled.
“Thank you wakwami.”
I fixed his collar. Today definitely didn’t go as planned, but the night is still young. While we were still staring at each other in the eyes with my hands on his chest, someone cleared their throat. What a moment. 
“Celemba has arrived.” She announced before she turned on her heels and walked out.
“Come with me.” he said.
I’m scared. I’m not ready for what might be revealed in that meeting, but I have to stand by my husband’s side always. That’s what I’m here, to be his support system. I drew in a deep breath and followed behind him.


***Nambitha Makhathini***

I’m angry at him. scratch angry, I’m fucking fuming, that’s why I’m quiet. She’s riding back with us to KwaDlamini, I’m guessing we are playing happy family and he’s happy he gets to eat both his cakes buttered on each side. I’m starting to feel like I’m not enough for Nkululeko, even after I have given him sex, he’s still chasing after his baby mama. Nothing makes sense to me.
He said he’s going to put Azande to bed, so I decided to take a shower and I finished before he came back. This was my chance. I set up a fort of pillows on the side of the bed he sleeps in, and I slipped under the covers to sleep. It’s hot, but I want to be dramatic and cover myself up with the duvet, so I have the air conditioning on high. Maybe I’ll let him freeze to death, that’s if he chooses to sleep here.
I felt the space where the pillows were going cold just as I was drifting off to a peaceful sleep. The devil’s advocate is here.
“Nana, are you sleeping?” I kept quiet.
He was shuffling around the room mumbling to himself. I don’t know what he’s saying though.
“Aren’t you feeling cold, it’s freezing in here?” I rolled my eyes.
I won’t dare move, especially because he hasn’t seen that I’m up. He got in next to me and his whole body was cold. He placed his filthy hands on me and I felt chills running down my spine.
“Cela ungifudumeza sthandwa sami?” I don’t know if he’s ignorant or just dumb in general, can’t he see that I’m sleeping.
“Nana?” his hand is lifting up my night dress.
I’m not letting him do this to me again. I used my hand to slap his and he removed it.
“MaXulu.”
“Leave me alone Nkululeko. Hlukanana nami phansi.” I said through gritted teeth.
“Are you still mad at me? I apologized nje sthandwa sami.”
“I didn’t forgive you.”
He’s touching me again, and now he’s trying to get on top of me.
“Let me apologize again.”
“Get off me.” I warned.
“Hawu mama?” he tried kissing me.
I slapped the shit out of him so hard that he got of me, sat on his ass and held his cheek.
“You want to rape me again?”
“Usithathapi isibindi sokungibeka isandla.”
“I got it exactly where you got the audacity to take my virginity without my permission. Is it not enough that I let it slide like nothing happened? Now you are embarrassing me bringing your baby mama to come sleep in the same house as me, ungibukanisa nabantu Nkululeko noma sengikunike uqobo lwami?”
His eyes are still bulging out like he’s just seen a ghost.
“MaXulu?”
“You said you loved me Nkululeko.”
“I did. I do sthandwa sami.” He breathed out and held his head.
“Why didn’t you say you didn’t want to?” is he testing me.
“Is no not enough, is shouting and crying for you to get off me not enough for you to see that I don’t want to? You violated my innocence and now you are treating me like shit.” He buried his head in his thighs.
Is he crying? He better not be crying because I will smack him upside the head.
“I’m sorry nana. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Maybe he isn’t okay.
“Well, you did.” He lifted his head.
His eyes were red, but he wasn’t crying. He held me tightly and kissed my neck. My frame in his body felt like a complete puzzle piece.
“I’ll do everything to make it better, I’m so sorry. Tell me what you want me to do, just don’t leave me.” Funny how that didn’t cross my mind.
“Kick her out. Tell her to go back to her place.” He breathed out loud in agony.
“I can’t.” I pushed his away from my body.
“Nkululeko?”
“She’s the mother of my daughter. She needs to take care of Azande.”
“Am I not here? Am I invisible?” I don’t understand Nkululeko.
“You and I both know that you can’t even speak to my children, the last time I left Azande in your care she cried till kingdom come.” I held my chest in pain.
“So you don’t trust me with your children?”
“Don’t put words in my mouth.”
“But I told you that I’m not ready to meet them. I told you to keep them away until I was ready to meet them, but you kept rubbing them in my face. It’s not my fault that I wasn’t ready. You failed to keep your end of the deal.”
“And I’m sorry about that, but I can’t risk the wellbeing of my children, I told you they always come first.” Tears streamed down my face.
“Give me a chance.” I begged in a low voice.
He looked like he was hesitating.
“You aren’t willing to give me a chance to show you that I can take care of your children then you don’t love me enough. You don’t love, nor do you care for me that’s why you violated me and mistreat me. This isn’t going to work Nkululeko.” he shook his head and held my hands.
“Ungakwenza konke sthandwa sami kodwa unangishiyi.”
“Then tell her to leave.”
I am changing. I’m not this person, I’m becoming this bitter person that I myself can’t recognize. He is changing me for the worst. But my love for him is overpowering any other thought that I may have in my mind.
I am changing.


***Amile Gumede***

We are in the throne room. This is my first time in here and it feels so good to see the husband sitting on his chair. He looks so high and mighty looking down on us.
Both MaMzobe and I are sitting on either side of him and there is silence in the whole room, only our breathing is audible. Celemba walks in and stops at the door to bow. He continues to walk in and stops at the alter and bows again. He then kneels in front of him and praises him.
“My king has summoned me.”
“Tell me what your job description entails.” He cleared his throat.
“Being the passage and messenger for the ancestors to the Zulu’s.”
“And what have you been doing for the past three years?” he’s talking through gritted teeth.
I have the urge to go and tell him to calm down, but I can’t. I know that if I don’t, he might just blow a fuse and not be able to get the message across. 
“I have been the messenger to the Zulu’s.” I looked at MaMzobe, she looks pale.
“Tell me what happened to my brother?”
“He got into a car accident…” he shook his head.
“Something I don’t know Celemba! Tell me something I don’t know!” he roared.
“He wasn’t meant to die.” He folded.
That’s not enough, we all know that he wasn’t supposed to die.
“Then what happened? Why isn’t he here sitting in his throne?” MaMzobe cleared her throat.
“Because you are supposed to be the king sthandwa sami.”
“Thula wena, ngiyeza kwena.” I’m so confused.
“Tell me why he isn’t sitting here in his chair?” the seer was quiet.
He has confirmed to me that maybe he was behind Langalethu’s attempted murder. MaMzobe stood up and climbed down the stairs.
“That’s enough Mageba, you know that everyone in that car was drunk, they were bound to have an accident.”
“Ngithe mfazi hlala phansi ungafuni ukuzixabanisa nami.”
“Mageba?”
“Are you defending him? Did you work with him to kill my brother? Is that why you always vouch for him and defend him.”
“Mageba you are being irrational.” She spoke softly.
“Ngithe hlalaphansi, ngiyeza kwena.” She lowered herself on the chair feeling embarrassed.
“And what are the ancestors saying about the empty casket we buried?”
“They said nothing?” his light skinned face is turning red.
“Kanti yini umsebenzi wakho!?” I startled, so did everyone else in the room when he shouted like that.
He got up and got his spear from the holder next to the throne. MaMzobe stood up, so did I.
“Mageba calm down!” MaMzobe shouted.
Celemba was on his feet moving away backwards.
“Nontuthuzelo suka endleleni yami.” He almost pushed her down the stairs, but she held on to the chair next to her. Now I was afraid to intervene. MaMzobe is still screaming for him to stop, using every threat in the book.
Now I’m just standing here with my heart in my throat. He is enraged.
When Celemba is pressed against the door, they open, and he almost falls flat on his bum, but he hits someone else’s body. It’s the brown shirt. My eyes widened like saucers when my eyes met his face. He was staring at the husband.
“Ehlisa umoya Ndabezitha.” He sounds exactly like it did in my dreams. Authoritative and attention drawing.
“Sthuli sika Ndaba.” He raised his hands and bowed to the husband.
I saw Bayede moving back in shock and lowering the spear slowly. Celemba picked himself up from the ground and ran as fast as his feet could carry him.
A loud scream erupted behind me before I heard a loud thud. Oh no.