Amile The Queen

Chapter Twenty-Three

***Mandlenkosi Zulu***


He’s up. His phone his ringing persistently next to his head and it is slowly getting on his nerves, so he’s waking up, and he’ll answer. His blood goes cold as soon as he sees who is calling him. He sits up right and answers.
“MaMchunu.”
“Where are you? How are you letting this happen, was thus your plan all along?” she’s crying, her voice is breaking. His heart races.
“What’s wrong ma, has something happened to MaGumede? Where is she?”
“I don’t know Mandlenkosi. I should be asking you, she ran away from marrying your brother and now we can’t find her anywhere.” He freezes.
“What do you mean?” his hands start to shake.
“Don’t act stupid, I don’t need that right now. I need you to find my daughter and stop all this madness. You promised to protect her.” He gets out of bed and scrambles around for his pants.
“I’ll do everything I can to find her.” He assures, but it sounds like he’s trying to convince himself more.
“As you should.” She hung up.
His head started spinning and his eyesight went blurry in an instant. His legs couldn’t support him so he temporarily lost balance and fell to the ground. His chest was closing in on him. He took a deep breath to try calm down but it didn’t work. Tears cascaded down his face and that seemed to anger him.
He hadn’t even started but he already felt hopeless. He can’t compete with Zwelibanzi Zulu, blood sibling or not. He got up from the floor when he heard a commotion inside the house, a woman screaming faintly and others ululating. He ran to open his door, only to be met by Jama, his eyes were bloodshot red and he looked ready to kill somebody.
“Get back inside.” He pushed him back. He fought him.
“Amile bafo, my girl. They want my girl.”
“Go inside you can’t come out like this.” He slapped both sides of his face and pushed him inside the bedroom. He closed and locked the door behind him.
Nkosi sits on the bed and cries like a little boy.
“Why are you crying? MaGumede is there in that room. Bamuthwalile and they are going to send cows to her home. You can stop all of that, tell them that she is yours.” Jama encourages his brother.
“I always lose things to him. He always get all the things I want. All the things I should have. He has power Nkululeko, I don’t.” Jama frowned.
“I won’t fucking sit here and listen to you tell me you are giving up. Didn’t you say you’d always protect and fight for Amile. This is how your prove yourself.” He holds his head in frustration and rocks himself back and forth.
“Okay, I go there and I tell them she’s mine. Banzi is king. He’s already taken her. I’ve already lost the fight. “
“How can you lose a fight you didn’t fight?” Jama is fuming and kicks his leg. He sits still. He doesn’t move.
“He always gets what he wants.” His voice is filled with sorrow. He breaks down and cries.
This sight is disgusting to Nkululeko so he pulls him up and drags him out the door.
“Nkululeko leave me alone!” he screams.
He’s on the ground and Jama is trying to pull him up but he’s dead weight. The door opens and MaMzobe comes in concerned.
“Nkululeko, Mandlenkosi! What are you doing, leave him alone!” she shouts at Jama who is holding up his hand, the other one is crying.
“Tell her the truth! Say it Mandlenkosi!” he pesters.
He let go of his hand and angrily stomps out the door. MaMzobe tries to help Nkosi up but he’s in a state.
“Please say something Mandlenkosi. Tell me what’s wrong.” She stoops down to caress him.
“Tell Banzi I said congratulations on his new wife.” He used a forced hard voice.
He was two minutes away from having a mental break, or maybe death from a headache and heartache. She has no idea what this is about so she’ll sit with him until he calms down.
He’s failed MaGumede. He’s failed MaMchunu. He’s failed as a man. He didn’t protect her and now she’s going to suffer. He knows very well that he can do something about it. But even the thought of Amile hurting is not motivation enough to try. He knows he won’t succeed, not against Banzi he won’t. Banzi gets all he wants. He got MaMzobe from his brother, what’s getting another wife from his brother.


***Amile Gumede***


Seeing Jama’s face when they carried me inside the palace, seeing how angry he looked, it gave me hope. He’s going to get Nkosi, they are going to get me out of this shit and it will soon all be a little misunderstanding.
I’m in a dark room, on a massive bed. It’s lit up with candles and there is a cool breeze. I’m wondering how the candles are still lit up. They gave me toiletries, I don’t know who they belong to so I won’t use them. They also gave me clothes, food and blankets.
I ate the food because I was hungry, but I’m not going to use all the other things. I decided to stop crying a long time ago. As soon as I saw that they were taking me to the palace, it’s like they opened a tap of a fresh batch of tears because I started crying and screaming again. My voice was revived. I could scream again.
I saw the queen watching me. I don’t know how she feels about this, but that look, it made me think that maybe she’s against this. Maybe she hates me. And now that I’m here, and if the king marries me, which will not happen, I’ll be forever unhappy because of her. No way, not happening.
The door opened and the maid that had come to give all these things came to collect the plate. Apparently, she’s not allowed to talk to me.
“Sisi, please, can I just please ask a favour. I won’t run away or get you in trouble I promise. Can you please help me.” I begged. She ignored me and continued walking to the door.
I got up from the bed and ran to her as painful as my feet we and got on my knees and tugged on her uniform. She gave me remorseful eyes.
“Do you know Jama?” she nodded. Good, she co-operating.
“Please ask him to come see me. No one will no you asked him to come, please. I just need to talk to him, its important.” Her eyes showed that she was hesitating.
“Please, I beg you.” I have nothing to bribe her with, that often works.
She nodded in the end. My face us bribery enough.
“Thank you thank you, I’ll forever be grateful. Thank you.”  She walked out and I limped back to the bed.
I refuse to use anything they give me though, maybe that will show them that I don’t want to be here since screaming wasn’t enough for them. I only ate the food because I was starving and I probably would’ve died if I hadn’t eaten.
“Thank you.” His hoarse voice whispered before he closed the door.
I’ve never been so happy to see his face. It gives me hope!
“Jama, get me out of here please.” I got of the bed and tried to limp to him.
“Stop, sit down. You’ll hurt yourself further.” My feet are fucked up.
“Where is Nkosi. Did he tell them that we are together? When do I go home?” he rubbed his already red eyes. It looks like he hasn’t slept in days.
“Mandlenkosi is…uhhm, he’s not okay.” You can see that he’s pissed off.
“Why, what’s wrong with him? Has he spoken to his brother?”
“He’s refusing. I’m sorry Amile. I tried to talk to him, but he’s giving up and I hate him for that.” I shook my head.
“Nkosi wouldn’t do that.” Pity is written all over his face.
“Don’t look at me like that Jama and tell that man to set his ass here right now and tell me that to my face.” I got up.
“I can’t. He’s not allowed here, no one is.”
“You will bring him here Jama do you hear me! You will bring him here to me now!” my heart is racing.
“I’ll bring him MaGumede.” It’s called a bitch fit, that what I’ve just had.
He scrambled out the room and I was left alone to sit and dwell in my thoughts. I don’t understand what Jama means when he says Nkosi gave up. That can’t be the case. That loves me. He promised to fight for me. This is his chance.
How sure am I that Jama was behind all of this. He never liked me from the beginning. Maybe he was pretending me this whole time.
The door opened again and Jama pushed Nkosi inside violently. He stumbled and when he saw my face, he turned cold.
“Mandlenkosi, get me out of here.” I climbed off the bed.
“Amile sit down you’ll hurt yourself.” Jama spoke behind him.
He must shut up. I ignored him and stood up. I limped to Nkosi who was just staring at me like he was seeing me for the first time. I went closer and when I tried to put my hands on his chest, he moved back.
“Nkosi?” I called out stunned that he has the nerve to do that to me.
“My brother has chosen you to be his wife.”
“Can you hear yourself? Sthandwa Sam this is me. Look, it’s not hard. We’ll go talk to your brother, and you’ll tell him that we are together, that we love each other. We love each other Nkosi, remember?” I never beg, but him, I’ll beg him because if I lose him, my life is meaningless.
“Amile…” he removed my hands from his chest. I feel rejected. This is what rejection feels like?
“So you are going to stand here and break the promise you made to me? Are you going to stand there and break my heart Nkosi, is that what you are doing. This is all your fault, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you, if you hadn’t refused to take my fucking virginity. Was it your plan? Have you been conspiring with your brother all along! I hate you!” I limped back to the bed, feeling an intense amount of pain inside my body.
It feels like my spirit is detaching from my body slowly and I can’t do anything about it. This is the same man I have laid with and looked in the eyes and said I love that is telling me to marry his brother. This is a cult.
“Get out.” I said softly, trying to push back tears.
I won’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry. He doesn’t deserve it.
“Jama take your friend and get out of my room.” My voice is strained.
I buried my head on the pillow and I heard Jama asking him to leave. The door slammed shut and I screamed out from the pain in my chest. I felt empty.
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“MaGumede, wake up sisi.” I don’t know the voice, I don’t know the smell. I’m not I’m my bed. Where am I?
“Vuka sisi uhlale ngezinqe.” I fluttered my eyelids and I was reminded of my horrible life. Why couldn’t it have been a nightmare.
“Your name is Amile?” she asked. I blankly stared at her.
“Your family is here to get you. Your dowry has been paid and next week you will be getting married.” She chocked down that word.
I’m glad she realizes that we will be sharing a husband from now on. Do I care about what she is telling me, no, I don’t. Does it hurt that I am technically someone’s fiancé without my consent, no, not anymore. The one I love doesn’t want me. He didn’t fight for me. Life is meaningless.
“I’ll get Mgabadeli to come carry you to the car.” Right, because I’m disabled.
She held and squeezed my hand before standing up and walking out. I sat up and stretched my limbs. I looked at the very spot Nkosi was standing in and I felt the hurt all over again and tears found themselves down my face.
I hate the fact even after this, I still love him. Why can’t I hate him, or be angry at him like any other woman that’s been left by her lover. Mgabadeli came in after knocking and asked to carry me out. I agreed. I need a bath and eternal sleep, a sleep where none of this will be real, it won’t matter.
He carried me out to Siviwe’s dad’s car. I didn’t know he was here too. He opened the door for me and Mgabadeli placed me in the backseat. The atmosphere is sombre. Mom is quiet, and occasionally she sniffs. Siviwe’s dad is talking to Mgabadeli about something and after what feels like forever, he comes back and starts the car.
“Amile baby girl. How are you feeling?” He looked at me briefly. I don’t even know how I should feel.
“I don’t know how I feel Tata.” That’s what Siviwe calls him, especially when he comes back from visiting his family in the Eastern Cape. So he is Tata.
“We tried all that we could to stop them from coming. I promise you we did.” That seemed to trigger my mom because she burst into a loud sob. My heart shattered into a million pieces.
“We have failed to protect you Mile and as a parent, I feel useless. I’m sorry mntanami.” My heart hurts for them. I can’t begin how it must feel to be them, mom is breaking my heart.
Everything is just too real right now. But things don’t just happen. They happen for a reason. Maybe meeting Nkosi was meant to be, maybe he was meant to be the bridge for me too get into the royal family. That’s why it was so easy for me to reject his proposal.  Maybe that’s why he didn’t take my virginity. I’m not meant for him, but his brother. That’s why I had a dream about their mother. Maybe it’s just fate and he’s the king I dream about.



***Nontuthuzelo Zulu***


Her husband is lying on his back in the bedroom, still fully clothed and he looks stressed. She relates on hundred percent. It has been a very stressful day, its been a stressful week. She throws herself right next to him and heaves a sigh.
“I knew young girls were stubborn but not this hard.” He sighed.
“You should understand Mageba. She’s young indeed, and she probably had plans, now this is like a hindrance, a distraction, something that will draw her away from her plans. Her life was yet to start.”
“How old is she?” he doesn’t know all of this. He left it to his wife to find out.
“She’s 17.” He’s surprised.
“I knew she was young, but I didn’t think she was a minor young.” He said shamefully.
“That’s why her family fought so hard. But what’s done is done Mageba.”
“Yeah, you are right. I heard Mandlenkosi was throwing a tantrum.”
“I think he was just disappointed that you didn’t tell him you were taking a wife, that he had to find out from other people. And his girlfriend broke up with him.”
“Kanti kuqala ngaye yini ukulahlwa. Ayy uMandlenkosi uyatetema.”
“Come on baba, can you be less insensitive. He’s still your little brother at the end of the day.”
“That’s why he is the way he is, because you treat him like a baby. He forgets that he’s a man and one day he has to have a family of his own. At this moment he has a vasectomy, how will he start a family? He has no direction.”
“Baba I just told you that his girlfriend left him.” She defends him.
“I’m not surprised. The boy needs to grow up.”
She gives up. Fighting him when he’s like this is futile.
***Nambitha Makhathini***



She is exhausted, traveling by bus is no joke. The first thing she did when she got home was to sleep. Her mom didn’t pester her about waking up and cooking and whatever. She was happy she came back with that certificate that says she’s a virgin. She’s been sleeping for hours now, it’s dark outside and her mom walks in to wake her up.
“Wake up, you’ve been sleeping for too long. Go and wash your face so you can have supper.” She wakes up.
She was still having a dream about Nkululeko. He’s not an ideal person to dream about, but he occupies her mind a lot lately. That’s not healthy. She doesn’t want to want him.
Her phone rings just as she is about to go to the bathroom to rinse her face. It’s him. She doesn’t hesitate to answer.
“Nana wami?” He calls out. She has the tendency of answering the phone and keeping quiet. Sometimes he has to check if she really is on the line.
“Hello Nkululeko.” She yawns.
“Did I wake you from your beauty sleep?” he sounds just as exhausted as she is.
“No, mom did.”
“So I’m assuming you got home safely princess.”
“I did, thank you, wena usala kanjani, did you find your wife.” He gives a lazy chuckle.
“Yeah, I’m speaking to her.” She blushes but quickly straightens her face. It’s getting harder and harder to exercise self control around him.
“Yeah right. You sound tired.” He sighs.
“I’m glad you can tell nana. I am tired. Both emotionally and physically.” She’s afraid to ask him what the problem is.
“You need to rest.” She tells him.
“I will. I don’t have good news for you though.” She frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“Your friend, Amile. The king choose her to be his wife.” Her heart immediately stopped beating for a second.
“What?”
“It’s not looking good back here.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. Amile wasn’t at the Reed dance.”
“She was, and the king spotted her.” She’s in a state of shock.
“And the prince? What about him?” he sighed.
“He let her go. It’s the end of them. Nambitha I don’t know what I would do if that were to happen to you. You may not take my seriously but you have grown on me and although it’s not love just yet, it’s quite close to it, and I don’t want to lose you.” She shakes her head.
How easily can a man break a promise. Even the prince, a man who was so in love with Amile could just let her go just like that.
“Nkululeko, I…” he shushed her.
“I need to see you when I come back. I’ll try my best to come back before Wednesday okay?” she nodded, but he can’t see her.
“Uyezwa MaXulu.”
“Okay.”
“Ulale kahle yezwa.”
“Nawe ulale mahle mesulala.” She said in a low voice. That made him happy.
He ended the call. She sat there in disbelief. Amile must be feeling like shit wherever she is right now and she feels bad for not being there with her. It hurts that her happiness was short-lived like that. This makes it harder for her to want to pursue a relationship at all, especially with an older person. If such a perfect love story ended in tragedy like this, what is her relationship to be like?