To Carve A Queen

Chapter 5:Practice

Beauty is power; a smile is its sword.
- John Ray

After making that decision I constantly reminded myself who I was doing this for. I was doing it for the people of Kambezi who have no rights, and my father. He would be uneasy from the way I'm going about it, but change is change.

I stayed awake that whole night, staring out of my open window. I stayed up thinking about how my life change. I will be a queen. And if Solomon's plan goes right I will be the Queen Mother.

Now I have to stay focused. I'm not working for myself anymore, I'm working for the people and I'm working toward two goals. To get a democracy and revenge.

It has been two days since the talk with Solomon in the kitchen that night. He had planned on getting to learn palace ettiquette so I wouldn't embarrass myself when it came time for me to meet the king.

He had invited his own mother over to teach me. My mother was confused as to what was going on but Solomon just covered it up by saying that I was only learning for the showcase.

I learned the proper titles while I got these lessons. Instead of referring to him as just the king, I am to say His Majesty the King when outside of his presence, and when speaking to him, refer to him as Your Majesty. On top of that I had to learn table ettiquette. All this was going on while I still had to work with Thadie on the showcase performance that I had to do. That would be the first way to catch his eye.

After his mother left, I walked to Thadie's house to practice on the piano like I had been for the past three days.

I was good at playing the piano. My father started teaching me when I was four and I continued to take lessons in Britain.

"This is definitely going to be a performance to remember at the showcase." Thadie remarked. 

"Yeah." I said. She started to sense my distance.

"What's wrong? You've been... different lately." She said concerned.

"I'm fine, I just have a lot to think about."

"I told you, from now on we are like sisters. Tell me everything."

"I'm fine, truly."

"Amahle." She pleaded.

I knew that our plan was to big to expose but I considered Thadie as my friend.

"Solomon is wanting me to become a wife of His Majesty." I admitted.

Thadie looked a little taken a back, almost shocked.

"Oh, I never thought you would be up to something like that."

"I wasn't, but I suppose it's what's best for me."

"That's crazy Amahle. You just got here now you could be a queen." She said a little disappointed. If only she knew I was screaming on the inside.

Thadie POV

Part of me felt sorry for Amahle and another part felt jealous.

All my life I have wanted to be a queen and she gets Solomon's backing? I'm his niece for cry out loud. I'm the the real Vilakati, not her.

My uncle is a man with many layers and I know he has a motive, I just have to figure out what it is. But in the meantime, I suppose I can help Amahle live out her last days, knowing my uncle he is probably already in His Majesty's ear about her.

There's a party at Noxolo's and I need a plus one, why not invite Amahle? She never been to a Kambezi party, at least a teenage one. She needs this.