2 Kubili

As soon as I pushed the heavy wooden doors open and allowed the toasted air to smother the invading cold, I felt a sense of calmness wash over me. My favourite voice danced towards me.

"You're home! So, tell us… what special task did your ancestors give you?" I gazed softly into my girlfriend's lilac eyes and took the excitement sparkling across her irises. Instead of answering her immediately, I walked towards her and scooped her up in my arms. I brought her body towards mine and inhaled her scent deeply. She smiled against my cheek but pulled back when I didn't return her smile.

She cupped my face in her warm palms and brought our eyes together.

"What happen?" she asked carefully.

Samuel chose that moment to save me from having to speak. I turned to see him lug in Riley's heavy suitcase. She never was a concise packer. Guess some things don't change. Riley walked in slowly after her and look uncharacteristically timid standing in the doorway. Her gaze eventually made its way over to me and lightly narrowed at the sight of me holding the striking brunette to my body.

Immediately enraged by her unspoken accusation, I confirmed her suspicions.

Turning my attention to my curious beloved, I said: "The ancestors have asked me to protect Princess Riley Mpande of the Knysna kingdom." My lips were tight, and my throat was tight. Melissa kissed my cheek gently climbed out of my arms. She walked towards Riley and offered a welcoming hug to a statue Riley. My glare was warning enough for the braid-haired princess to accept my girlfriend's welcome with a polite smile. Fake but polite none the less.

"Your house is beautiful," she said the second sentence slightly under her breath. She looked past us towards the patio. The greens of the forest poured through the ceiling length windows and gently crashed against the earth tones surrounding of the interior. I figured she'd like it - she helped me design it after all. Melissa beamed at our guest's compliment.

My gracious girlfriend led the princess into the spare room. Sam and I followed them. I took one of the suitcases and he offered me a grateful smile.

"What's in this thing?" He asked exasperated. I chuckled lightly at his exhausted expression.

"A few rhino horns and the pelt of tiger," Riley quipped from in front of us. The siblings looked to me for confirmation. Samuel was gawking while Melissa looked mildly intrigued.

"Is that an ancestral thing too?" Sam dug his whole further.

"Nope, just the basic tool kit for any young African woman," she said with a wink. Seems she was cosying up to them faster than I expected. She looked at me and was carrying a small smile. I discarder her gaze immediately and looked silently pushed past her with both suitcases in-hand.

"This your room. You should get changed. We'll meet you in the kitchen," I said shortly and walked past her again.

"I'll show you how the showers work," I briefly heard Melissa explain before I was out of earshot.

I walked towards the kitchen and pulled out a beer from myself. I popped the top off with my hand and took a long sip. Ahh. The coolness and slightly tang washed down my throat wonderfully. I let the crisp taste to course my body and massage me from within.

"What? None for me?" I slid a bottle towards the annoying blonde without answering him. He took a seat at the island. I sat beside him. Only swigs and swallows were heard. Melissa stepped into the kitchen and walked towards the fridge as well. She took out her usual mint and sage lemonade.

"Nik? Is that the same Riley that you-?"

"Yes," I interrupted her. I looked at her and she imply closed her lips and walked around the island until she was standing beside me.

Placing her hand on top of mine, she asked: "Can't you get assigned to someone else?" I shook my head and emptied the autumn green liquid down my throat.

"We're going to get through this together," she promised before placing a soft kiss on my cheek.

Samuel opted to cook dinner for us that evening. A fish breyani was his 'specialty'. His Norse pallet compelled him to stock up on wild salmon wherever we went. My only condition was that he used twice the masala to compensate for his bland spicing methods.

I decided to light a fire in the family room and open up a bottle of Pinot gris. I wasn't the biggest fan of white wines, but my girlfriend insisted that we need to respect the meal with a worthy partner. It's all about balance for my beautiful sea maiden. We snuggled up on the couch and allowed the wine a chance to breathe before dinner.

Sam practically floating in on the sweet aroma of his pride whilst placing the ceramic bowls of breyani and rice on the table. I kissed the crown of Lissa's head and got up to set the table. I hoped the warmth of the fire would evaporate any lingering tension Riley trodden in.

"Is that breyani I smell?" the full voice of Riley entered the room.

"Aha! I added my own special touches to it," He added with a face eating smirk. I only rolled my eyes at the mahogany-haired girl.

She was wearing a flow length sun dress with embroidered bead work along its contours. I traced the pattern until I reached her sharp collar bones. I looked away quickly when she caught my eyes. Clearing my throat, I motioned for her to take a seat and took mine beside Melissa.

"So, If I may ask, princess, why do you need protection?" my love asked softly beside me. To be honest, I was quite curious too. When I left, Knysna was in its longest peace since the war. What changed?

"There are those that think my father is not suited to rule our people. I am the last of my family line and if he should be killed, I am the next to reign," she said in a matter-of-fact way. Well, it is a fact of life. Things are always vulnerable to change. Some more violent than others.

"Don't worry. Nikky over here won't let anyone get to you." Trust Sam to ease the tension by tossing expectation into the air. I turned to glare at him. He only smirked at me. Jackass.

The rest of the dinner went much the same. I busied myself with the placement of my food on the plate. Sam and Melissa got to know Riley. I tried to convince myself that this could actually work. Perhaps, I really could spend the next few years keeping Riley safe without ever having to really talk to her.

Of course, she had to take that moment to squash my dreams.

"How long have you too been together?" she asked in a voice that I knew all too well. I barely recognised my steaming breath until I felt Lissa's cool hand on top of my own. She gently unpeeled my fingers from my fork and laced her fingers through mine.

"We've been together for about five years now. This one was hellbent on playing hard-to-get," she almost giggled her words out. She looked at me and I saw our sweet memories play in her lilac orbs. I couldn't stop the small smile that broke out across my face. I wouldn't want to stop it. Melissa had been a consistent source of happiness for me in a time when my muscles could barely remember how to perform a smile.

"Yeah she does that," Riley replied while trying to avoid my hostile glare.

"I was a fool to try to resist you," I said before kissing Melissa deeply. I allowed to get lost in the slightly salty taste of her lips as she smiled against my lips and the warmth of her breath as she opens her mouth. A familiar growl tore me from the safety of Melissa's lips. I opened my eyes to a flushed portrait of my love. Her lips were swollen, and her check airbrushed with hints of scarlet and rose.

"Sorry, we got a bit carried away," I said with a smirk on my heated lips. My girlfriend was still in an adorable daze. Sam laugh from beside us.

"They do that a lot. It's annoying but you get used to it eventually," he chuckled out and continued to scoff down his food like a starved hound. I pushed his shoulder slightly and laughed at his playful glare and the food spilt from his fork onto his lap. Serves him right for being a twat. I watched Riley drain her glass of wine before getting up.

"Thank you, Samuel. The food was delicious. I'm exhausted from the day though so I think I will call it a night. It was wonderful to meet you, Melissa," my brunette beauty accepted her politeness with a smile.

"I'll walk to your room." The princess looked taken aback by my offer and almost reluctantly accepted with a stiff-lined smile. I kissed the crown of Melissa's head and promised Sam that I'd take care of the dishes. His sapphire eyes sparkled with a thank you. He was not a fan of dishes.

The sound of our feet against the tiled floor echoed softly throughout the passage uncontended.

I caught myself staring at the back of her neck. Her tribal markings spanned the length of her spine and the ink soared up towards her hairline at the peak of her neck. It was a masterpiece of meaning and history.

"I can literally feel your eyes on me, Nix," she said with an edge to her voice as she turned to face me. Her shoulders were drawn back the way an archer does their bow string. I knew my eyes were blazing red as I glared at her. She rolled her eyes looked past me.

"They seem to care about you… you all seem quite cosy," she said with all the grace of a viper. I remained silent.

"Nix … I." I took a slow and definite step towards her. We were barely a blade's length away from each other.

"They are my family. As for you, whatever you think you're supposed to say… don't," I looked behind me to see if they were still in the other room before continuing, "If you ever call me by that name again, you will wake up without your tongue."

She looked horrified at my coldness. Apparently, I was being too subtle about how different things were between us now.

I reached behind her and opened the door to her room. Our eyes briefly met as I "You should get some rest. We have training on the field outback at six am sharp so you're going to need all the help you can get… your majesty."

With that, I returned to Melissa with victorious smirk dancing on my lips. There was a rather large part of me looking forward to the opportunity to knock Riley on her arse in the morning.