Her: "What?"
Me: "You heard me." I said sipping on my juice... "and if I was you I wouldn't have said all that you said to me." I told her... "too embarrassing. And shows how shameless you are."
Her: "You bitch-."
Me: "I'm not finished." I cut her off... "I mean, it really wasn't necessary. What were you hoping to achieve, maybe?" I asked her... "for me to say 'oh sorry, since you promised your friend here is my man you can give him to her'?" I chuckled... "really? Wow! I'm going to tell you now that there's no way in hell that's ever happening. Kumkani is my man and if any of you women dare to try to come between me and what's mine, I'll really bust all of you. I might not be a pro like my man but he's taught me a quite a fews moves on how to kick ass." Most of them had their eyes bugged out like they were watching a horror movie while some were holding back secret smiles... "I guess you guys must've heard some things about me and thought I was going to be an easy target." I chuckled... "well let me tell you, I'm far from being an easy target. So if you think you'll use my past to taunt me then you have another thing coming. Before I met Kumkani, I was a real bitch and I have no qualms in going back to being that bitch, so you women better not try me please." I told them clasping my hands together on my lap keeping my eyes on them. I felt like I had to say all that I said, even though some of you might see it as unnecessary or a bit rude, I had to for my sake because people be pretty cruel out there. They had no connotations whatsoever about using people's weaknesses against them. So I didn't want these women thinking they can do that to me, that they could walk all over me. Even if they didn't know what had happened to me, they would know sooner or later because they were the king's family and word spread out pretty fast in a family. So I had to protect myself by putting up a strong front that said 'what happened to me in past didn't make me weak and didn't define who I was'. One of the women stood up from her chair and came all around from the other side to me and held out her hand for me to shake.
Her: "Hi I'm Palesa. I'm Uyiphendule's wife. Nice to finally meet you Khazimle." I stood up and shook her hand.
Me: "Nice to meet you too Palesa." She was a pretty short woman with a thick nice figure.
Palesa: "I have feeling that you and I are going to be great friends."
Me: "I feel the same way." We shared a smile.
Palesa: "I'll do the honors and introduce you to the other ladies so that you at least know their names and husbands."
Me: "I would really appreciate it."
Palesa: "That one..." She said indicating to the bitch with a friend that wants my man... "is Hlumelo. She's married to Langa. Langa is Uncle Xolile's eldest son." So her name was Hlumelo. I was going to make sure that I remembered it well. Hlumelo rolled her eyes and emptied her glass of wine. I could see she was pissed and annoyed. Good. I was going to have my fun with this one. My heart was actually beating in excitement anticipation... "the one next to her is Lizeka. She's Songezo's wife. Songezo is Uncle Lakhe's only son." Lizeka gave me a small shy wave. I nodded acknowledging her... "next to her is Bulelwa. She's Malwande's wife and he is Uncle Phakamani's son." I wasn't going to remember all this but I was grateful to what Palesa was doing. Bulelwa smiled big as she gave me a wave. I think I was going to like her... "next to her is Yolanda. She's-."
Yolanda: "I'm Khanyisa's wife darling." She said cutting Palesa off... "and his father is Uncle Sinethemba. Nice to meet you my darling Khazimle. I've heard a lot about you from my father in law." Oh Lord! Did he tell her about the bow? I'm sure he did. If I remember properly her father in law was the one that was a twin, right?
Me: "Nice to meet you too-."
Yolanda: "Can I be your best friend? I like you. You're tough as nails. I love women who give as good as they get. Who don't take any nonsense." I was taken a bit by her request but I nodded and her smile got even more bigger if that was even possible... "nice!" Palesa chuckled next to me.
Palesa: "Next to Yolanda is Jessica. She's married to Scott and he's Uncle Kevin's son." Jessica gave me a wink... "and next to her is Dinaledi. She's Bongani's wife and he's Uncle Temba's eldest son." She gave me a wave... "and lastly, that's Siphe. She's Johnathan's wife and he's Uncle Brian's son." Siphe just smiled at me... "now that's it. We're the only ones that are married out of all the women."
Me: "And how many women are there?" Palesa chuckled.
Palesa: "I think all together we're about 26 or so." Yerrr! 26?! ... "yeah we're a big group." So meaning the king had 26 or more cousins. Holy crap! This family. I could only imagine what happens when they all get together. Yeesh!
Yolanda: "We as the women always get together twice in one month. You should join us." Um...nope. I don't think I was going to do that. But I just nodded to be polite... "we should exchange numbers." This woman was really planing on being my best friend. She stood up and came to where I was standing with Palesa and passed me her phone so I could enter my number. I did so and gave it back to her... "expect to be hounded by me darling." She said going back to her seat.
Palesa: "You're in trouble." She whispered to me.
Me: "I also think so." I whispered back. She chuckled.
Palesa: "And don't mind Hlumelo, she's harmless compared to some of the other women."
Me: "Really?"
Palesa: "Yes. The unmarried women are really the worst."
Me: "Unmarried women?" She chuckled a little.
Palesa: "Oh that's just the term we use. We call ourselves married women and the others unmarried women." Wow. It's hectic here... "but I'm not worried about you. As Yolanda has stated, you're tough as nails so you'll be able to hold your own against them." Didn't matter because I wasn't planning on meeting the unmarried women. No thanks. I can just imagine the drama that happened when they all got together. The drama! Yhu!
We were now all sitting around the biggest dining table I've ever seen. We were served a starter course and then a main course meal. That's what we were busy eating now. A lot of talk was going around and I was just focused on eating this delicious food in front of me. I had noticed a few of the king's cousins giving me curious glances. They were also big and tall but not as big and tall as the king and his two brothers. And they were not as handsome as them too. I'm sorry people, I was a bit bias. A bit? Okay a lot. Anyway I had asked the king where Isiqhamo was and he told me that she was away on a business trip with her husband. It's nice being other people. To tell the truth, I missed Isiqhamo and her energy. I had to get her number so I could call her sometime. My mother and Busi were laughing up a storm as they talked. I was glad to see her and my mother getting along as they were. Well, I was also not that surprised since Busi was a nice and easy going woman. My father was also having a chat with the king's father. I made sure not to stare too long at the king's father since the man still scared me to death.
Kumkani: "You okay little beauty?" I nodded... "then why are you quiet? Did something happen with the women?"
Me: "Nothing I can't handle."
Kumkani: "So something did happen." Eish! I should've said no... "who?"
Me: "King it's fine I handled it-."
Kumkani: "Who?" He asked again. Gosh! ... "tell me now little beauty."
Me: "Promise you won't do anything King."
Kumkani: "I won't promise shit."
Me: "King it really was nothing-."
Kumkani: "My moon my patience is running low." Lendoda!
Me: "I don't remember her name." I lied. Of course I remembered that bitch's name.
Kumkani: "Then point her out." Tshini bethuna.
Me: "You crazy? I can't do that."
Kumkani: "Why not?"
Me: "Because it's rude."
Kumkani: "Don't care. Tell me who messed with you little beauty before I ask them myself." Oh my God!
Me: "Okay fine. Her name is Hlumelo. She's Langa's wife." He looked to where Langa and the bitch were sitting. Fortunately they were sitting quite far from us.
Kumkani: "Is she the one with all the ugly drawing on all over her face and looks like she's melting?" I coughed chocking a little on my food. Hehehehe! He brushed my back and handed me my glass of water. I drank... "is it her?" He asked after he saw I was fine.
Me: "Yes, it's her." I said as I chuckled. Ugly drawing? Melting? Hebana!
Kumkani: "What did she say?" I told him. To say he was not happy was an understatement but before he could do anything, I told him my response and all that I had said to the wives, then he laughed loudly. Yes guys. Loudly. Everybody stopped what they were doing and looked at him in shock like they were seeing a stranger. As the king continued to laugh, his mother caught my attention. She mouthed "thank you" to me as tears ran down her face. I don't why she would thank me. I did nothing. But I just nodded to be polite. After the king's laugh died down everybody went back to what they were doing. Well...everyone but one person. The king's father. His eyes were on me, pinning me into place like the last time but only this time he did something that shocked me, he smiled at me and then he went back to talking with my father. What. The. Heck. Just. Happened. People? Oh my God! Did the king's father just smile at me? Yes. But why?
Me: "Did you see that?" I whispered to the king.
Kumkani: "See what my moon?"
Me: "He smiled at me."
Kumkani: "Who?"
Me: "Your father!"
Kumkani: "Oh. So?"
Me: "So? Is this the part where he will come and kill me in my sleep?" The king shook his head like I was being ridiculous. Maybe I was but I had to be safe than sorry.
Kumkani: "Why would he kill you?"
Me: "I don't know! But can you explain the smile because I don't get it."
Kumkani: "He likes you and he's grateful to you."
Me: "Why?" He sighed and held my face.
Kumkani: "Because little beauty they've never heard me laugh that loud before."
Me: "Never?" He nodded... "oh." He snorted.
Kumkani: "Yeah. Oh." So that's why his mother had mouthed thank you to me..."eat." He ordered and I did just that.
It was the next evening. I was at the king's place. Time for him to take me home was nearing and I was dreading it. Really hated when we had to separate. After the dinner yesterday, I didn't go home with my parents, instead I came back with the king to his place. I was currently on his lap with my face against his neck as he held me whilst watching his sports. To me this was the best place to be. In his arms. I liked how warm he was and how small and protected I felt when he was holding me like this. And of course I liked breathing his scent. And I liked how his scent always stuck to my body and clothes that long after, I still smelled like him. I was a weirdo I know. But I had no problem with being a weirdo when it came to the king since he was also a weirdo. We were both weirdos. Okay I'm saying the word weirdo a lot. Eish there I go again. Sorry bethu. Anyway, I was in my man's arms. That's the important part.
Kumkani: "I'm leaving soon my moon." My body tensed. I hated this. I really did. I think I hated his work more for taking him away from me than hating it because it made him kill people. I don't know if that makes sense. But yeah.
Me: "Do you have to?" He said nothing but just held me more tighter to him... "when?"
Kumkani: "3 days."
Me: "For how long?"
Kumkani: "A month."
Me: "King I hate this."
Kumkani: "I know." I pulled back from him so I could look into his eyes.
Me: "Could you not go?"
Kumkani: "My moon-."
Me: "Please." He looked conflicted and then he looked sad. For some reason that broke my heart because I've never seen the king look sad before.
Kumkani: "I can't."
Me: "Why?" He said nothing... "tell me why please. I need to understand why you do this. Please." He held my face with both his hands.
Kumkani: "Because if I don't, I won't cope beautiful." Oh my God!
Me: "King-."
Kumkani: "I won't cope." He interrupted me... "I really won't. I tried stopping and it was bad. I almost hurt the people that I love." Oh my God! The way his face was told me how much he was in misery as he tried to battle with whatever this was... "and I don't want that happening again." He told me.. "I will admit that since you've been in my life, the need to kill has lessened but it hasn't gone away completely." He closed his eyes briefly... "I'm scared beautiful..." His voice cracked... "God, I'm scared that if I don't kill when this need arises in me that I'll do something bad to you. And for the life of me, I can't let that happen beautiful. I would rather kill myself than hurt you." He told me... "so please little beauty, just bear with me-." I didn't let him finish. I kissed him.
Me: "You don't need to say anymore my King." I said against his lips.. "whatever this is, we'll find a way to fight it together. So for now, do what you need to do." I told him... "even though I don't like how this work takes you away from me, I'll learn to deal. So-." I suddenly found myself lying on my back on the couch and with the king over me... "King-." He pressed his lips against mine hard.
Kumkani: "If you were ready I would be fucking you so good right about now my moon to show you how much I appreciate and love you." Oh my! He pressed his hard evidence between my thighs.
Me: "King I-I-."
Kumkani: "I know, you're not ready my moon and I will wait as long as you need me to but just know one thing..."
Me: "W-W-Which is?"
Kumkani: "I won't be holding back any longer."
Me: "W-W-What does t-that mean?"
Kumkani: "It means I'll drive you crazy with my touch so that you'll want me as much as I want you." God!
Me: "King-."
Kumkani: "I've been going with all this the wrong way. I've been handling you with kid gloves and I realized that by doing that it won't take us to where I want us to be."
Me: "W-Where?" He put his forehead against mine.
Kumkani: "Did you forget? I want us to have our own family beautiful."
Me: King-."
Kumkani: "Do you trust me?"
Me: "Yes."
Kumkani: "Then trust me to get us where I want us to be.".........