Azalea The Queen

Azalea

True to her word, the queen sent a black SUV to my house, the same one that I have seen her use to travel to my house. Whispers went around my neighborhood, bypassers whispering to themselves, probably upon seeing the man in black who stood next to the door of my house.

"Sisi uyaphi?" Abongile looked up at me with curious eyes. I had a duffel bag sitting on the couch, my attire consisted of a light green dress I bought myself as a present on my birthday. It was a floral dress that reached down to my ankles, tight around my breasts, and thin strips over my shoulders. I wore a scarf around my shoulders to show respect for the ceremony as per the culture.

"She's going to the palace, stop asking too many questions," my mother appeared, throwing yet another scarf at me. What was I supposed to do with this one now!?
"Put that around your head, do you want those rich people to talk about me?"

The way she sneered the words 'rich people'.

Tying my braids in a high bun, I wore a white scarf over my head.

"Sisi, are you really going to the palace? Can I come too? Are you going to see the king and the prince and the queen? I heard they have horses, I wanna ride a horse!" My brother was over the moon, sadly I couldn't take him with.

"Calm down Abo, I don't know anything that goes on in the palace and horses." I sighed, bending over to grab my bag, I turned to my brother again. "I'm sorry but you can't come with me today, I'll ask about the horses for you," I patted his head.

He pouted but nodded nonetheless. I sighed, heading for the door. "Be a good boy alright, I'll see you later." My baby brother waved at me with a toothy smile. Gosh, I loved that kid.

Hopefully, I was really hopeful that I would see him later. I thought about this marriage the whole night. My fate wasn't totally doomed, I still had a chance. The selection process. I would fail the selection process and go back home, and be with my family again.

They were a handful most of the time but that didn't mean I wanted to get married to someone I didn't know or love. I didn't want to be royalty. I still had a lot to do with my life, quite a lot. With a smile, I greeted the robotic man and got inside the SUV.

___

The palace was huge. That's the first thing I noticed when I arrived there. There was a huge mansion, big enough to have about more than 50 rooms. I have always seen the palace in pictures but never too close or been inside. Made sense why it was one of the tourist attractions in our country.

The next I noticed was that it was packed. People were roaming around. Some looked like they worked here, judging by the identical uniform they adorned. While some, on the other hand, looked just like me, lost and in awe. This place was nerve-wracking, to be honest. I didn't even know what to do with myself as I stood in the middle of the enormous yard.

I saw that girls were heading in the same direction, so I followed as well.

"Ma, I think we are supposed to go that way," I told my mother who was quietly absorbing everything. She nodded absent-mindedly.

I saw another car, black and shiny just like the rest of the cars in this yard. Then I heard a squeal so loud I thought I was going deaf.
"Oh. My. God! It's the prince!" Some girls looked to be way too young to even attend this ceremony. Everyone turned their heads to look at him. Including myself.

"Zona, keep quiet! Don't embarrass me!" I'm guessing it was her mother that reprimanded her by the looks of it. The girl, Zona who had made a stir put her head down and shied away.

The man himself appeared to make a lot of women swear. The prince waved at the crowd of women he had to choose his life partner from. Some girls were fanning themselves while others tried to compose themselves and not seem desperate. I shook my head and continued to head to wherever we were supposed to be headed before that whole commotion.

My mother and I found the big venue decorated traditionally in Zulu and the royal emblems, it was so beautiful. Some families were already seated, spectators were dressed traditionally and some normally, just like I was.

"I'm gonna find the toilet, you can find a seat for us." I didn't wait to hear what her snarky reply would be, judging by her glare I knew she didn't want me to wander around in the royal palace.

As beautiful and elegant as the place was, I was feeling claustrophobic and just needed to get away and 'wander' around.

"Zona! I told you that we are here to stay. So you better get your act right and stop acting like a goddamn child!" I heard before I saw the mother and daughter pair. Zona looked to be close to tears. I felt bad for her, it was clear she didn't want to be here for whatever her mother's reasons were.

"I just want to meet the prince, not marry him. I'm still 17 Mother, how can I get married!" She tried to stand up for herself but the slap she received made her recoil back.

"Don't ever say that out loud, do you hear me?" She huffed. "You are 19 years old, and that's that!" She fixed the head wrap around Zona's head, before disappearing. I felt so bad, so I approached Zona.

"Hey, are you okay?" She looked startled to see me. She tried to wipe her eyes secretly but it was too late I heard and saw enough. "I saw what just happened. Zona, you don't have to do this." I put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"If I don't, my mother with kick me out and I don't have anyone besides her." She sniffled and looked up at me. God, she was just a child.

"Tell you what, by the end of today you'll be a free girl and won't have to marry anyone." I cupped her face in my hands and wiped her tears. "Now stop crying and enjoy the palace, Lord knows when we'll get a chance to come here again, am I right?" I tried to smooth the atmosphere.

Zona nodded, reluctantly. She smiled up at me at the mention of enjoying the palace.
"Thank you..."

"Azalea," I smiled back at her.