HIS ROYAL BRIDE

CHAPTER 20

…

‘The doctor said you should stay in bed’ Xongi and Sarah speak at the same time when they see Fikani climbing down the stairs. He ignores both of them and goes straight to the fridge to get himself a bottle of water.
‘Let me open that for you’ Xongi offers – already on her feet. He moves the bottle away.
‘I just have an injured neck; I’m not an invalid’ he says, careful not to make any abrupt movements. He unexpectedly vomits all over the kitchen floor after his first sip, reviving the pain that was now laying low. He groans with his palm over the patch covering his wound. Tumi walks in and almost turns away at the sight of vomit. Cleaning it up in the morning was enough.
‘Where are you going?’ Xongi asks when she pretends not to see anything, taking fast steps in the direction of bathroom. ‘Can’t you see this mess?’ Sarah supports.
‘Can you please leave her alone? I’ll clean all of this up’ Fikani chides while opening the container of painkillers. 
‘Clean how when you’re in pain?’ Sarah questions with a frown on her face.
‘I’ll do it’ Tumi says, her voice carrying defeat. Fikani pops one pill into his mouth and takes his bottle back to the bedroom. Mhan Sarah knocks half an hour later, telling him that he has a visitor. He sighs of exhaustion.
‘I don’t want to see anybody’
‘Why are you so angry? You don’t even know who is here. You need some cheering up so I am gonna send him up’ she insists. He almost throws the pillow against the door when she closes it behind her. His best friend Reginald shortly walks in.
‘Fiks The Fixer’ Reggie greets in high spirits and Fikani smiles.
‘Ey man. When did you get here?’
They exchange a cautious shoulder bump.
‘I took the first flight out when your mother called. The gents have been trying to reach you but…’
‘I have no idea where I left my phone’ he replies in truth. Reggie pulls a chair and sits next to him on the bed.
‘This is your third stab. You sure you don’t need some cleansing of some sort?’ he jests and Fikani laughs.
‘Fvck off Regs. You need to get rid of these childish dreads of yours’
‘This is the ultimate look. What do you know? What happened man? Another hijacking?’ his voice conforms to a serious tone.
Fikani deeply sighs.
‘I fvcked up. I fvcked up big time and I can’t even defend myself because I honestly have no idea what came over me’
‘Let’s start from the beginning’ 
Fikani grabs his water bottle and takes thin sips.
‘The beginning? I recently found out that I have a twin brother. That’s the beginning’
Reggie pulls a frown and his head back.
‘That is… carry on. I’ll archive my questions for now’
‘Cool. I find out that I have a twin brother. We meet up and everything. I visit home and I just… I develop these strong feelings for Kulani’
‘Kulani?’
‘His wife’ he informs with his eyes locked in his friend’s. Reggie lips stretch into a straight smile and he blinks a dramatic number of times.
‘No, I have to ask. Out of all the things you could’ve done there, you decide to love your brother’s wife?’
‘Ayy man. I don’t know. I admit that she’s a beautiful person and all but right now, I am trying to wrap my head around me actually abducting her’
‘You did what??? That don’t sound like you my guy…’
‘A lot doesn’t make sense right now and it’s driving me insane. I have been in love man but what I felt towards that woman was absolutely insane’
‘I have to see this lady’ Reggie says with a tinge of flirtation in his voice. The smile on Fikani’s face instantly disappears.
‘This is no joke. I’ve just told you that this is my brother’s wife. Get your damn head outta there’
Reggie raises both his hands in surrender.
‘Ey whoa. Don’t get your bxlls in a knot now. I was just joking. Calm down’
Fikani looks away and sits back against the pillow.
‘We still haven’t gotten to the stab’
‘She’s responsible. The last thing I remember is her running out of that apartment’
‘Hectic! So what’s your brother saying about all this?’
‘We haven’t spoken yet but I know hell is going to break loose when we meet up again’
‘Let’s hope he’ll be understanding and the two of you can move past this?’
‘Highly doubt it. From how I’ve seen him behave around her, I doubt this is something we can move past’
‘Are the two of you identical?’
‘Yup’
Reggie laughs. ‘I’m sorry but this is insane. Who was stolen from the hospital? You?’
‘Nah. Our mother willingly gave me away. I wasn’t stolen’ Fikani coldly states.
‘At this point, I am not sure if I wanna ask any further questions’

…

[KULANI]

I feel like a teenager all over again. I am waiting for my father to sleep so I can sneak out. My mom promised to handle the guards at the gate when I mentioned Kurhula’s name. She’s seriously about not wanting my marriage to fail and right now, it is working in my favour. She opens my door and signals with her head that I can now go out. I laugh and give her a thumbs up. I leave the yard and find him parked at my neighbours corner. It is so dark outside I almost didn’t see him standing against his van.
‘Hey bab—’
He shuts me up with a kiss that leaves me gasping for air. Okay? I smile and kiss him again. It’s my turn to make his respiratory system panic a bit. We break the kiss and he smiles as he wipes my lip with his thumb.
‘I’ve missed you terribly’ he says, starring into my eyes.
‘Before we go any further, did you—’
‘Food!’ he interjects and I laugh. ‘I don’t have a death wish. I wouldn’t dare forget’
He turns me around when I least expect it, raises a chunk of hair and kisses the back of neck.
‘But first, let me show just how much I’ve missed you’
I swallow my smile. I wouldn’t mind that. He separates my legs and leads his hand to my honeypot.
‘I see we have made a habit of not wearing any underwear dear wife?’
I laugh. I knew that comment was coming.
‘Panties were going to be an unnecessary distraction. Don’t you think, hubby?’
I feel and hear him breathing onto my neck and this is single-handedly moistening me up. He takes out his member from his sweatpants and I feel him sliding in.
‘Mmm…’ the moans escapes me.
‘Try to behave otherwise prepare for my funeral’ he whispers into my ear and I laugh. The fear he has for my father is hilarious. He starts moving and I hold on to the rails of the van. I am trying my best not to make a single sound. He closes my mouth with his hand when I lowly call out his name as he moves in and out of my slippery wet canal. His other hand is busy manipulating my clxtories. He empties himself into me shortly after sending me straight to cloud nine. I try to catch my breath as he wipes me with his t-shirt. He’s gonna wear it after this?
‘Kurhula…’ I can’t stop laughing.
‘Do you have a better suggestion?’ he continues cleaning me up. We get in the car and I dig into my pie. I am surprised he is not saying anything. I have been craving garage pie for two days now. He also brought wings, jelly babies and iced tea I had asked.
‘What’s that?’ he asks and I look at him while chewing.
‘What’s what?’
His finger reaches my nostrils and he studies the particle in his hand.
‘I knew I could smell... baby you’re now into snuff?’ he’s laughing his head off. I keep a straight face. I will wait for him to finish so he can tell me what he’s laughing at.
‘I’m sorry’ he holds his rib area. ‘I’m not laughing at you I swear’
I give him a deadly stare.
‘Kurhula…?’
‘It’s rough hey? You take drugs now?’ he’s still laughing. ‘Underground gang cocaine’
‘I’m gonna call my dad’ I threaten. He tries to stop laughing but fails. He opens the door and steps out.
‘Nwada mhade’
I am not doing this with him right now.
‘Your people don’t wanna see you happy. If they’re not making you gallivant in your sleep, they're putting you on drugs’
‘I’m gonna cry’
‘I’m sorry nana. I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it. Forget I said anything’ he keeps his composure and fixes his breathing. It takes one look at me for him to fall apart again.
‘Snuff at your young age? I can just imagine you pulling out that black container from your boobs while seated on the floor with your legs crossed, tapping it a couple of times before—’
I open the door to leave. He catches me by the waist.
‘I’m sorry! I’m just… I’m just kidding, okay? It’s all jokes rhandzu ra mina’