The Black The white and the grey.

Prologue.

Kaboentle.

I look back at the road behind me as we drive past the North Western provincial boarder post as i officially leave the place that i used to call my home.

My mother wailed her lungs out as she saw me hop into the car with a white shawl wrapped around my shoulders and letoisi petitly exposing my goods for my inlaws to see. My fathers sister sat with me in the backseat while my uncles drive us to the families private air strip.

I am in agony and nobody seems to care about that. Nobody seems to care that I am about to be thrust into a life that I never asked for.

"Don't cry Nana, I know that leaving home is never a great feeling, but we're not abandoning you, you can still come home anytime."
She says as she soflty grabs My hand, wrapping it warmly between her palms and she gives it a gentle squeeze.

They've already made it clear to me that that place is no longer my home.

I look at her in hopes that she might see my cries, that she atleast might feel sorry for me and ask her brother to turn this car around but she only gives me a gentle smile after she's reached for my cheek to wipe away the stray tear that has just fallen down my cheeks and she comfortly pats my cheek.

"I don't want to do this."

She sighs as she turns her body to face me and her eyes turn soft. She gives me a look that says that she too hates seeing me in this position but it's clear that she has no say in this. There's nothing that she can do for me.

"Kabo, di kghomo di setse dile ko sakeng ngwanake, le monna wagago setse ago letile."
[Kabo,Their cows are already in our Kraal my baby and your husband is already waiting for you."]

Fuck this.

"I don't care about him."

"Kabo, I know that your scared, but I promise you that these will be the best years of your life, the memories that you will make with your new husband will be the ones that you will cherish for as long as you shall live and you'll see that this will be completely worth it."

"Is this what your aunt said to you when you they gave you away to people that you didn't even know ?"

Her brows furrow together almost as if she is remembering a painful memory before she goes back to gently rubbing my hands. She remains quiet for a few moments before she speaks again.

"My aunt told me to never come back home, while she shoved me in the back seat of her brother's car with my whole life in a keist at back of his van. I was only sixteen..."

She says as her features turn hard.

"Your father's hated what had been done to me and he tried to protect you for as long as he could. But this too had to be done... as a female heir to the throne, this is your responsibility."

There's no way I am getting out of this.

I pull my hand away from her and place them back on my thighs as I look out the window, a hot tear strides down my cheek and rest beneath my chin and I feel her reach for it too.

"We never asked for this mmamane, and nobody seems to care about how we feel."
[Antie]
I've never hated being of royal blood more than I do right now.

"I am scared. I am so scared mmamane."

I'm looking at her again now.

"Everything will be okay baby... you'll see."

She brushes my thighs before she looks away from me and back out of the window.

I watch as the last traces my home dissappear the more we drive away.
Thirty minutes later. I am loaded into the jet with my life's worth of luggage and my negotiation party in transit.