Kumkani: "You dare to come here and disturb my wife's peace!" Some of them looked to one another nervously.
Lindani: "You were not answering our calls. What did you expect us to do?"
Kumkani: "Get the fuck out before I forget all about our brotherhood and put you six feet under." Oh my gosh!
Buntu: "King we just want our women-."
Kumkani: "I told you, I don't have your women. Now leave. This is your last warning."
Sinoxolo: "We-." "What the hell is going on here?" A voice boomed by the door. It was the king's father.
Buntu: "U-Uncle Z-."
Zano: "All of you...Leave. Now." Yeesh! You guys should've seen how fast they all left the room with tails between their legs. It was comical really. But I didn't blame them. The king's father was one terrifying being... "you're awake." He stated as he looked down at me. All I could do was just to nod... "that's good." He smiled patting my arm ... "your parents and your mother in law will be glad." He told me... "we were worried." Something like sadness flashed in his eyes but then it was gone.
Kumkani: "She doesn't remember what happened Dad."
Zano: "She doesn't?" The king shook his head.
Kumkani: "She remembers the housewarming party and not anything else after that."
Me: "W-Who p-poisoned me?" The king and his father shared a look.
Zano: "We don't know yet but we're very close to finding out. Don't worry, whoever they are, they'll pay for sure."
Me: "H-How was I poisoned?"
Kumkani: "Wine my moon."
Me: "W-Wine?" He nodded. Something was nagging at me but I didn't know what... "but...but why?" Why would someone poison me? The fact that someone hated me to the point of poisoning me really frightened me and made my blood run cold. My mind went to the unmarried women and Hlumelo. Would they? They wouldn't right bethu? I mean, yes there was bad blood between me and them but we wouldn't go as far as wanting the other one dead. Well...I hoped. But if it wasn't them then who? The king's enemies? And why the heck couldn't I remember? On top of being confused and frightened I was also frustrated.
Kumkani: "When I find out all the details my moon, I promise I'll tell you. For now let's focus on getting you better." I exhaled as I rubbed my forehead. Where was this fucken nurse that the doctor said he would send?! This headache was getting worse and worse!
Me: "Your cousins say you took their women. Did you?"
Kumkani: "Let me go get the nurse."
Me: "King.-" He was already out the room. Mxm! Akadiki. I know he was just avoiding to answer me. Which could only mean, that the women were really taken by him. Could it be that they were really involved in poisoning me? Oh my God! My heart beat faster shaken by the thought.
Zano: "Whatever you're thinking about, don't."
Me: "It's them isn't it?"
Zano: "Them who?"
Me: "T-The women...t-they poisoned me. That's why King took them...right?" He looked at me and said nothing... "p-please tell me."
Zano: "Before I tell you anything, I'm going to ask you a few questions and you're going to answer them truthfully. Understood?" I nodded... "did any of the women bully you?"
Me: "No." His eyes narrowed on me.
Zano: "Are you sure?"
Me: "Y-Yes...I mean they tried but I'm not one to be bullied." At that he smiled like he was impressed by me. Um...wow...okay.
Zano: "I see...can you think of anyone of them who would want to hurt you?" Hlumelo. My mind screamed at me. I shook my head... "tell me." Should I? I mean, it might not be her... "now Khazimle." Gosh!
Me: "H-Hlumelo."
Zano: "Has she made any threats of doing you harm before or said anything that made you feel uneasy?" I shook my head... "are you sure? Think hard." I did and my head pounded even more painfully but I pushed on searching through my memories. When I suddenly remembered something, I gasped out loud shaking... "what is it? Tell me."
Me: "S-She s-she..." Oh my God... "it was at the housewarming party and I was pouring wine for me and my friends and she..." I swallowed... "she c-came in and made a comment about me loving wine and being careful that..that..."
Zano: "Yes?" He pushed.
Me: "That I don't get killed by something I love." Right after I said that, he walked out. Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Had it really been Hlumelo? I tried to remember about the king's birthday party but I wasn't getting anything. I groaned as I closed my eyes. The king entered with a nurse.
Kumkani: "Where's my father?"
Me: "He just left." He nodded. The nurse did her thing and left. The king sat down and took my hand in both of his kissing it.
Kumkani: "How do you feel now beautiful?"
Me: "The headache is still there."
Kumkani: "Give it time."
Me: "King?"
Kumkani: "Yes my moon."
Me: "I told your father about what I remember Hlumelo saying to me at the housewarming party. That's why he left." He went on alert.
Kumkani: "Tell me." My husband was so much like his father. I did. The room instantly changed. It grew tense as a murderous aura that was radiating from the king surrounded and filled it ... "she said that?" I nodded. His look in his eyes! It was like I was staring into the devil. He stood up... "I need to go my moon."
Me: "King-."
Kumkani: "I'll be back."
Me: "But-." He kissed me.
Kumkani: "I love you."
Me: "King-." He kissed me again but harder this time and then he left. After leaving me to my thoughts, I fell asleep.
When I woke up later on, my parents, Busi and Isiqhamo were there. And soon the room was filled with cries and sniffs. They were happy and relieved that I was finally awake. But even so I couldn't help but realize the sadness in their eyes. I asked them about it but they brushed me off saying it was nothing. But I couldn't help but feel like there was something else they weren't telling me. Even when the king was here earlier on, I had the same feeling. I didn't like it. For the duration of their visit Isiqhamo couldn't meet my eyes without tearing up. She even ran out the room crying. I racked my brain trying to think what else could there be that they were not telling me. I mean, whatever it was it couldn't be as bad as getting poisoned. Could it? I don't think so. My father didn't say much. He just kept on brushing my hair back so softly that it made me so emotional. After they left. The doctor came and took me to do an MRI scan and took me back to my room and he told me that he'll come back tomorrow after checking the results. After eating supper which tasted like crap by the way, I felt sleepy and fell asleep.
When I woke up this time, I was in the king's arms. I almost cried because it felt like I hadn't been in his arms for a very long time. I buried my face in his chest and breathed in his scent. I looked at him.
Me: "Hi."
Kumkani: "Hi." His voice was rough.
Me: "You don't know how glad I am to be in your arms my King. It feels like it been forever." He said nothing. The pain and sorrow that he had earlier on was back... "King what's wrong? Why do I feel like there's something you're not telling me." He said nothing and continued to look at me the same way... "King...please!" He closed his eyes briefly. They were glassy with tears now... "K-King-."
Kumkani: "I didn't want to tell you this now but I felt as though if I told you later, you'll be mad at me."
Me: "W-What is it? Is it about the women? Hlumelo? She's the one that really poisoned me, isn't she?" He said nothing... "King just spit it out!"
Kumkani: "When you were poisoned...o-our b-b-ba..." His jaw ticked and he swallowed.
Me: "Our what?" This was the first time to hear him stutter.
Kumkani: "Our b-baby had been already growing inside you my moon."
Me: "W-What... W-What d-d y-you...j-just say?"
Kumkani: "But because of the poison the baby didn't-." I shook my head.
Me: "N-No d-don't you dare finish what you're about to say to me Kumkani."
Kumkani: "My moon-."
Me: "What do you mean... o-our b-baby...h-had been growing inside me? Huh? Why is it past tense?"
Kumkani: "My moon, the poison...k-killed-."
Me: "No!!!" I screamed... "Don't say that! Don't!"
Kumkani: "Beautiful-."
Me: "No no no!!!"
Kumkani: "Our baby is...de-."
Me: "I said don't say that!!! Don't!!"
Kumkani: "My moon-."
Me: "No! Bring me my baby!!! Bring me my baby-."
Kumkani: "Beautiful please."
Me: "No!! My baby! I want my baby! Bring me my baby King!" I screamed and wailed.
Kumkani: "My moon...please." He held me tightly to him as I fought him as I continued to scream and wail.
Me: "My baby...my baby...bring me my baby...I want my baby...my poor baby..."
It has been 3 days and I haven't spoken since. I was heartbroken. I was devastated. I was in extreme agony. I wanted to die. The king and everyone that came to visit me, pleaded with me but I wasn't hearing any of them. I couldn't. If it weren't for the king or my parents forcing food down my throat I wouldn't have ate anything. If I wasn't string into nothing, I was sobbing. The whispers were back bethu. Yes. And for the first time they gave me comfort. The gates were opened wide and my mind became more and more suffused with them. They whispered all sorts of things. It's her it's her. Hlumelo. She's the one that killed your baby. Together with those women. Find them and kill them. They said. It's your fault it's your fault! You didn't protect your baby. They said. Die. Die. Die!!! They said. And I listened and listened and listened and listened until I couldn't hear anything but them. I was just waiting for an opportunity to avail itself and then I was going to die.
I was out of the hospital. If it was a week later or a month later. I didn't know. I headed straight for the bedroom as soon as we got home. I got in bed and covered myself with the blankets. The king soon joined me.
Kumkani: "My moon please...talk to me." He pleaded... "I know you're heartbroken and devastated. I also feel the same way. So don't shut me out...please." I closed my eyes. Ignore him. Ignore him. Don't listen to him. Don't listen to him. It's his fault. His family is the one that killed your baby. It's his fault. No. Yes! No. Yesss! He didn't protect you and the baby. His family. His family. His family. Ask him if he killed those women. Ask him!! .... "my moon-."
Me: "Did you kill them?"
Kumkani: "My wife-."
Me: "Did you kill them?!!!" I screamed.
Kumkani: "I will-."
Me: "You will? So it means you haven't. What are you waiting for? Or you can't because it's your family? Is that it?!"
Kumkani: "Little beauty...how can you..." His chest heaved... "how can you say that to me?"
Me: "They killed my baby!!!"
Kumkani: "It was my baby too!!!!" He roared... "don't you think I'm also suffering and in pain?! Don't you think I blame myself for what happened and feel like dying?! Don't you also think that I want all of them dead?!"
Me: "Then why don't you kill them?!!! Why are they still alive?!!" I got out of bed.
Kumkani: "Beautiful-."
Me: "They must die! All of them must die! Kill them Kill them!!!"
Kumkani: "I will!!! I promise you that. Everyone who was involved will die for what they did to our unborn!" Tears poured out of me as I looked at him.
Me: "My baby." I hit his chest with my fist hard.
Kumkani: "It was our baby."
Me: "My baby." I hit his chest hard again.
Kumkani: "Our baby." He said more strongly. I hit his chest weakly as I began to crack.
Me: "Our baby...oh yhini...oh yhini oh yhini oh yhini King...oh yhini our poor baby...our poor baby..."
Kumkani: "I know I know my moon...I'm so sorry...so so sorry.." He gathered me into his arms as we both fell to the floor and mourned our baby.
Farewell my precious one...farewell. Even though mommy and daddy didn't get to meet you, they loved you so dearly because you were made out of love. You will forever be in our hearts. Go well...and rest....