"You promised me Sebastian, Jacob. You were paid a good amount of money for that to happen. When I first told you my suspicion on that negro you told me he was just having fun. Nothing to worry about? What the hell!"
Katrina and betty glared at Jacob in his study.
"Be patient, Sebastian will be yours. The wedding is still on right?"
"Get rid of that stupid slave. She is getting in the way and I want her gone. Ever since sebastian came here he has been following her like a lost puppy. Get rid of that girl or I will."
"You really think killing zazi will make Sebastian marry you? You forget its your 'love for slaves' that made you bond. Your compassion on how they are treated and blah blah. That's the only thing you share in common. Well, that he thinks you have in common. If zazi dies right now it won't be long till he figures out who killed her. You have to play smart."
She still had to limp but since Sebastian wasn't around she walked normal out to her room. But someone in the shadows saw this
"My husband paid a lot of money for this union. You better come through" betty finally said ending this argument. Katrina decides that she should make Sebastian miss her and look for her. So she had her mother moved to the guest quarters. She wanted Sebastian to look for her at least once. To think he is losing her and come find her when he noticed her absence.
Sebastian however had been convinced by his sister and girlfriend to go swimming and actually swim with everyone. Anna asked Sebastian to bring ondi from work so he won't be punished for missing.
As the five walked, Sebastian kept stealing glances at zazi and zazi kept blushing. This happened so obviously that Binti noticed.
"Zazi, what is going on here?... Are you two....?"
Seeing the expression on her face she already knew the answer. But since the man was right there she couldn't scream and jump up and down. She had actually know zazi adored Sebastian from childhood. But then she remembered katrina.
"Zazi, I see some flowers help me pick them."
The rest kept walking as zazi and Binti looked at the bushes.
"What flowers?"
When it was safe to talk, Binti turned to zazi seriously.
"Katrina?"
"What... What about her?"
"She is engaged to Sebastian. And you two are together? How is this possible?"
"He told me to trust him. He'll break off the engagement."
"Zazi... Are you sure my love? That woman almost got you whipped last time, she has her eye on you. I don't want you to get hurt in any way. Either by katrina, or by Sebastian. What if he is just using you, are you even getting anything out of this?" She too was being used but it has helped bring more food on the table for her and her family. They haven't had to ration the food again just to have enough or slept hungry just so they could eat tomorrow.
"He is not using me Binti. I know for a fact."
"Zazi... What if at the end he still marries her and leaves with her?... You'll be left here...."
"Do you trust me?"
"Yes. "
"Then trust him. Not all white people are bad. Some can be good, and can love."
"Zazi... Are you in love with Sebastian?"
She just nodded and smiled. Binti then hugged her. She didn't want to discourage her even further. She herself is doing the same. Being with someone who is with another. But hers was worse since the man was already married with children her age, she was his dirty little secret she couldn't tell anyone.
But she, she wanted something more from this man. Zazi then asked her to keep a secret. At least till Katrina left
They finally caught up with the others.
They were already ready to swim. Zazi and binti knew Anna had a thing for ondi, so they told them to jump together holding each other.
Ondi only agreed because of the pressure, he secretly wanted that to be zazi. When Binti was undressing, zazi noticed some wounds on her back.
"Binti what happened? Were you punished?"
Binti panicked. She forgot she had those wounds. She said the first thing that came to her mind.
"Zazi, we're slaves, when are we ever without wounds?"
Zazi sighed and gave her a side hug.
The whole time Anna made sure to take her time with ondi. Binti was busy with Tito playing with him and Sebastian wasted no time in throwing his charms on zazi. He would show her affection, whisper how pretty she was and stare at her so hard the girl would die blushing.
"Ondi, how has been at the farm?"
"Its been like it always is. Hard." He answered Anna absent mindedly as he was so occupied with how affectionate Sebastian was treating zazi and how zazi was responding. He was, flirting with her. How? He's white..
Zazi can't be this stupid. White men have never wanted anything from black women other than to use them. They see them as easy toys to satisfy their needs. With no commitment, no responsibility.
Seeing him touch her chin, he found himself asking out loud.
"What is going on between zazi and Sebastian?" That's when anna who was so busy talking looked the direction ondi was looking and saw the two. She knew he was asking out of jealousy.
'He shouldn't want her, zazi loves someone else, he should want me!'
Without thinking, or thinking this will help ondi get out of the zazi fantasy, she found herself spilling the tea.
"They are together. They have been for a while now. Zazi really likes Sebastian and Sebastian likes zazi. They might actually end up being the first black and white couple. People will see that even white can black can love....."
Suddenly ondi got up looking mad and go out of the water. She went for his clothes as he walked away carrying them in his hands.
Zazi was too busy blushing she didn't even realized ondi leaving.
Binti saw him get out of the water but thought he went to get something so she didn't take a second glace.
A few minutes passed that's when zazi noticed Anna sitting alone on a stone looking sad.
"Anna what happened? Where did ondi go?"
Anna just burst out into tears and hugged zazi. She didn't say a word. She couldn't.
'The man I love so dearly love so dearly loves you stupid, and I can't even be mad at you cause this isn't your fault.'
Anna was down the whole time.
"I know what will cheer you up. We should take you to the harvest festival!" Zazi declared.
"What's a harvest festival?"
"Its a ceremony to our gods thanking them for the successful harvest in our fields."
The slaves had a little of the farm and that's where they got their food.
"But that's for your community, are you sure I'll fit in."
"Don't worry, Binti is excellent at disguises, you will both blend in."
Before Sebastian could say anything in that confusion he had, zazi just said. "Your coming."
They all dressed in traditional and zazi put her signature waist beads
Sebastian felt a little out of place at the harvest festival.
As a warm up, one of the men playing the nyatiti called Zazi.
"Zazi! The mirror of beauty, who inspired our recent song. Please step forward. "
Zazi got up excitedly.
The musicians took their instruments and started singing.they had a drummer, nyatiti, balafon and muturiru (flute).
"We will play the zazi song then join with the harvest first song before we start the ritual."
Zazi stepped inside the circle, next to the fire.
The song was traditional.
"Her name is zazi, a definition of beauty.
Her beauty is like no other
Her smile makes the heart grow fonder
Look at her, her eyes glow like the eye of the rising sun.
Her waist covered with beads
Her waist moves side to side like the waves of the lake when she moves......."
Zazi danced around the fire as others followed.
She then took over the song singing about herself while walking like an elegant Peacock. She wasn't cocky but she damn well knew she was pretty.
She then pulled up Sebastian who was in a corner. The drum beats got faster and faster as they changed the song to the harvest song.
Everyone join and zazi taught Sebastian the dance. Suddenly drums stopped, the medicine man walked inside the circle with a wooden bowl.
"We thank our gods for this years produce. We have had enough to eat. Despite the hardships you still looked out for us. And we still hope, hope and hope. One day, we will be free again. One day, we will no longer be chained and beaten and referred to as someone's property. One day our children won't be branded. We will have our freedom. Away from the white man. Africa will be free. The children of WERE will be free. With the eye of the rising sun, we will see a better dawn."
Sebastian, under his disguise felt tears burning in his eyes.
The medicine man then poured the blood from the bowl into the fire. The fire burnt the blood.
The drums started beating intensely now as the flute was played. The nyatiti and kayamba followed. They dance and dance and dance. Kong'o, the African beer was poured. They first poured libations to the gods then had the beer. Mostly the men drank the kong'o from a long straw. Red sand was painted on the children's faces. Zazi sang with the other singers the harvest song.
Sebastian and anna had made sure not to remove their disguise. She walked over to ondi who was sitting by himself the whole time. She pulled him up.
"No, I don't feel like it."
"Please!" She wasn't going to take no for an answer. She pulled him to the dance floor and danced around him.
Slowly the frown turned upside and he started having fun.
Soon they started heading home
"I didn't know you had such a lovely voice!"
"Its my greatest possession."
"And they made a song about you?"
"Its common for them to make songs about a beautiful maiden, they have made songs in the past about the beautiful Nyabera who's eyes were bewitching and could cast a spell on anyone. The graceful Naliaka who's beauty has never been witness before and probably won't be after. So its very common. Its like being serenaded."
"Mmmh, as song as they don't use that to wu you am good?"
"Wu? Master Sebastian do I sense jealousy?"
He turned and locked his eyes on her. "If I say I am jealous, will I get a kiss?"
His eyes kept on hers looking so intensely that zazi started blushing. She tried to look away but he put his hand on her chin and made her keep his gaze, she kept blushing and blushing and fidgeting but he didn't stop. She felt like she was dying and flying at the same time. But he just stared at her. She stomped her legs as she smiled and blushed so hard. She took steps back only for him to hold both sides of her waist.
"Stop!" She said giggling.
"Only if you'll kiss me." She got on her tippy toes and kissed his cheek.
He looked at her as if mad then raised an eyebrow with a questioning look.
She kissed him on the lips and he pulled her closer and held her tightly.
Ondi watched in the shadows as his heart hurt.