Umakoti (The bride)

Declared war

Mbu?" I am talking to you Lindiwe must have been hearing things because there is no way Mbuso just said that. Mbuso was looking everywhere but at Lindiwe. His phone rang at the nick of time "I need to get this, it's the palace." Mbuso said saved by his phone.

"Hello?" Mbuso listen for a while and he felt his ears were ringing from what he heard. It felt like the whole ground he was on was shaking. He was slightly faint and nauseous. "Are you sure?" Mbuso asked the guard on the phone. Vusi's car had been found in the nearby river. The body was badly damaged and the police needed someone to come identify it. The guard also informed him that the chiefs were try to take over and enthrone Sifiso by tomorrow afternoon. Ho could he have missed this? He was too focused on Lindiwe that the enemy was able to attack and kill his friend, no his brother. Deep sorrow filled Mbuso but he had to move. He would get Lindiwe to safety and come back to kill them all. They had found Vusi's bodyguards car and they were all dead.

"Lindiwe we need to go." Mbuso said he held her by the arm and hurried to the car. "Mbu I just asked you a question?" Lindiwe protested as they hurried to the car. Lindiwe was looking at Mbuso's face and there was something terribly wrong. When he hung up the phone it was like he saw a ghost. He kept on shaking his head as if disagreeing with his own thoughts.

"They had to get out of here now." Mbuso thought. "Mbu, what is wrong??" Lindiwe could tell something bad had happened. They got into the car and when they got to the main road Mbuso drove away from the palace. "Mbuso what is happening? Why aren't we going home?" Lindiwe was starting to panic now. A text message came into her phone "Vusi is dead." Thando stared at the message in disbelief. It can't be true. It came from an unknown number and the person was probably trying to scare her. Mbuso had to turn this car around so she could see for herself.

"Mbuso we need to go to the palace. Someone is spreading rumours that Vusi is dead." Lindiwe said pulling on Mbuso's shirt. He had to turn the car around. They had to go back now. "Give me your phone." Mbuso said calmly. Lindiwe handed over her phone and Mbuso took both their phones and threw them out the window. "Mbuso!" Lindiwe yelled at him hysterically. "They will track us." Mbuso said turning into another dirt road. He was on autopilot and no matter how badly she begged he kept on driving further from the palace. Further from her Vusi. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at the passing trees. "Oh, Vusi please be alive." She said out loud to whoever was listening up there.

He was driving like a mad man down the dirt roads. He had to get her to safety before they came looking for them. "We need to ditch the car." Mbuso said parking the car at the side of the road and helping her out. "Mbuso is it true?" Lindiwe asked yanking her hand away from him. She had stopped crying and had been asking Mbuso if he knew what was going on. He was silent the whole drive and only spoke to her now about leaving the car. She had to find out if this was true. Was she now a widow? Did she lose the love of her life?

"Lindiwe they are coming to kill you!! They said that your father put the hit on Vusi!" Mbuso yelled. He had no patience for her tantrum right now. She had to understand the magnitude of the situation. Anytime waisted could mean their deaths. He too wanted to drive to the palace and look for Vusi but he had to take her to safety. He grabbed her by the hand and started walking into the jungle. He knew this area better than anyone and with the sun setting he will have home ground advantage.

They walked in silence for a while. Lindiwe hadn't said a word since Mbuso had an outburst and told her what he knew. "Her father would never do that. Would he?" Lindiwe was conflicted, her thoughts were running wild. He said something odd at the hospital and it kept on bothering Lindiwe. He asked her to forgive him for forcing her to marry Vusi and that he would set her free. "Was this is freedom? Did he think killing Vusi would make her happy?" Lindiwe was dying inside with every step they took.