The Royals: A Kings Heart

Chapter 22

NKOSI'S POV_

I haven't enjoyed myself like this since I was born and I'm not exaggerating. Even as a child I had this weight of responsibility on my shoulders. Being groomed to be a king. I didn't know comfort, empathy, and love. I didn't know what it felt like until I met this woman. The road ahead will be difficult still because my family will not have it. My father prefers me to be unfeeling and void of any emotion. I doubt he even loves my mothers. I'd have to be more discreet about how I feel about Thembisa until I marry her. Last night, we ate what I found to be the most interesting food. A quarter of a loaf of bread, with potato chips, cheese, polony, russian and sauces of all kinds. I wasn't too sure of it at first but I enjoyed it. Thoroughly. Then of course the Coke. Thembisa is convinced that the one in the glass bottle tastes better. I thought that's impossible, it has to be the same beverage and so we went to buy more Coke. One in a plastic bottle, can and a glass bottle. She was right, there was something in that glass bottle.

Nkosi: "I'm so in love with you." I whispered. She snuggled closer to my body, holding me tight. I checked the time. It was now 4:40am. I needed to get her to her dance preparations.

Nkosi: "My love." I kissed her lips.

Thembisa: "Hmm."

Nkosi: "It's time to wake up."

Thembisa: "Already?"

Nkosi: "Yes." I was a heart beat away from dropping it all and running away with her but I knew I couldn't. It would be hell for everyone else. She stretched, waking up.

Thembisa: "I had so much fun with you."

Nkosi: "Me too. Maybe we should do it more often?"

Thembisa: "Run away?"

Nkosi: "Yes. On our weekends off, instead of eNtabeni we could go to other towns. Just live life for a few days." She smiled.

Thembisa: "I'd love that." She kissed my lips getting up. "I've never attended a reed dance. I don't even know the songs or what's supposed to happen." She got dressed.

Nkosi: "Me neither. I don't think there's a formal program though. It's mostly a celebration and of course. My family's hidden agenda of finding me a wife."

Thembisa: "So you'll be introduced to maidens?"

Nkosi: "Sort of. My mind is made up though."

Thembisa: "What if you see someone else you like? More beautiful?"

Nkosi: "Who could possibly be more beautiful than the love of my life? Don't be silly." She smiled, crawling onto the bed again. "We're going to be late."

Thembisa: "Just wanted to give you this." She kissed my lips slowly sucking on them. The desire in me was sparkling once again as if I didn't spend almost an hour trying to calm it down. "Let's go." I got out of bed, putting on my pants.

Nkosi: "After the dance, are you coming home with me?"

Thembisa: "I can't. I'm spending the night with the other maidens and Amahle. I want to experience festivities of this celebration."

Nkosi: "Can I ask you a question?" I pulled on my t-shirt.

Thembisa: "Yes baby."

Nkosi: "Why did you stay a virgin for this long?"

Thembisa: "Apart from having strict parents. I was kind of scared. Our village doesn't have many options or perhaps I should say openness when it comes to contraceptives. There's no access to condoms unless you buy them in town. Also, the nurses are extremely mean when you go for family planning. The stigma about HIV is so horrid still. Sex is such an uncomfortable conversation for teenagers in my village so it's better to just abstain. Most of us do. Then when we're obviously in the bigger cities, we learn of more contraceptives and have quicker access to condoms, there's hospitals that offer free and safe abortions and on top of it all, you aren't treated like a less than human for contracting HIV. I wish one day that could change in the villages." I gave this alot of thought. There was a lot of land in her village. All of it belonging to my family obviously. In the place of the lake, I wanted to build a mini shopping center. This would create jobs. The people who'd be working there, would be living in the village, using their salaries to buy in their village. Also driving more traffic from tourists passing by. Once the roads are fixed, the center is built. I thought the end of building the new Res meant I'd be bored again but now I have this new project. Man I needed to thank Mthunzi for pushing me to this girl.