Tebogo His Tswana Queen

Chapter 20

Tebogo's POV

" Come Tau, bring that girl with  you," Tau's father said . Tau put his hands in the bowl , I came closer, and Tau's mother started rubbing traditional medicine on my belly, and they asked me to put my hands in the bowl of water . I did just that the water turned to yellow  .

They all looked at each other surprised  , I mean  is this place weird, or am I just full of surprises  . I ask myself  not  even understanding everything that was happening  .

"This can't be happening. She's just a  commoner. Please, my great father, you have made a mistake." The look at the water is still yellow . I took out my hands and the water went back to its colourless colour which was weird . What sosary is this .

"Put your hands in the bowl," I put them again and my hands, the water  turned yellow again a dark one this time . The king walks away from us, angry at what is happening.  I did not  quite understand what was going  on.

"Tau, what's going  on here?" I asked, looking at him .

"You are officially my wife." I give him a weird look . Me someone's  wife ?that sounds so wrong, me Mrs Lerumo just like that , no I give up I don't know what to do or say anymore I thought to myself .

"What do you mean officially your wife?" I asked.

"In my culture on the day of the wedding  we all come to this sacred place to see if the gods approve of this wedding if the water turns  black they don't if the water turns blue they don't mind but if the water turns yellow you are already  the wife , so me and you in the eyes of the gods are married  and traditionally according to the laws you are my wife "  funny story to believe  so I'm married  without even  knowing  wow .

"What if I don't consent?" I asked a very valid question.

He looks at me slowly. Maybe I see guilt and pity in his eyes. This made me think I had no choice at all. He literally was not saying anything but looking at me.

"You don't have much of a choice now, and I'm sorry I dragged you into this. My father can be very evil." He says.

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When we got to the palace  , we came back by car. I was called to the throne room  I saw women sitting on the ground  and Tau's  mother called me to come sit on the ground . I went and sat next to her .

"Tebogo rise," the king said . He just saw me sit down. Why didn't he call me? I literally have like two seconds.

"You are now Lerumo's second wife , so after the baby is born we will go see your people  and do all the necessary things" out of everything he said I heard second wife , what Tau is married. A woman came about my age to stand next to me.

"Tebogo, this is your spear , we give it to all our daughters in law." I took the dull grey spear . As I held it in my hand, it turned gold, which  made me throw it on the ground. A guard quickly rushed to me and picked it up for me .

The women in the room gave me beads to wear, and I was dressed in animal skin and a huge crown like hat . I started hearing drums and people singing from outside it was all so confusing. I don't remember saying yes to getting married, but here I am being married traditionally  . I wanted to stop all this and go home, but to what home will I go back to .

Something in me kept me quiet  all the time,  I wanted to speak so bad, but it was like i had lost my voice. I was taken too, a room full of women singing and dancing . What got to me was how so many people came to this wedding on such short notice .

Tau's mom undressed  me till I was naked , she gave me a white lion's skin to put on to cover my breasts . I was given a black skirt . And I was led out by all those women singing  and dancing. i saw Tau sitting next to his father with no say in this , deep in thought .

"We introduce you to our new bride." Everyone around us made a joyful noise I was taken back inside .and given a blue dress with Tswana printing and a thick blanket to wear to complete me as a makoti of the Lerumo  kingdom.

We went out again, and people were singing and dancing, happy to see me . While I was confused as to what was happening, I felt  like I wasn't myself. This was not me . Rain started to fall with the sun clearly out, which meant the gods fully supported this celebration  .

As I was walking to my room, i saw Tau's wife. "What did you do to my husband  , you little  witch? You're not even royalty," she said

"Look, I'm very sorry  I did not know Tau was married. I would never do this to another woman," I say, trying to reason with her .

"Make sure me and you don't cross paths in this palace because the next time we do , I won't be held responsible for what might happen to you ." She says . She was being a bitch but I understand where she was coming from , I hated Tau even  more now .

I mean he practically cheated on his wife with me , which he failed to mention  he had. Now I'm out  here looking  like a homewrecker.
I went to my room to cry about all that has been happening  and what had happened in a day. I'm someone's  wife now, and there was nothing I could  do .

Tau's mother came to the room and gave me a tight . "We have to move your things into Tau's room , where you are going to stay until he chooses a room for you "

"Do you think I'm a bad person?" I ask, looking at her .

"Why do you think so, young lady?" she asks.

"Well I'm marrying someone's husband and to make matters worse I'm pregnant for someone's husband " I sob looking  at her begging for her to tell me I'm not cause i felt like those  women who breaks homes .

"Nope, you're not. Tau should have told you he had a wife , in his defense, he does not love Rethabile. His father forced him to marry her since she was from a powerful kingdom . " Even if  that was true but it didn't give me the right to make things worse for her .