Chapter Three

Life without breath is death

Uluthando shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He has been sitting for two hours trying to destroy his brother's, half brother's, inheritance to the throne. Why wasn't it for him? Why should he suffer like this? Losing respect from the very people he grew up with was like a stab in his chest.

He stood up, deciding on another thing. He has to see his father and talk sense in to his head. The force with which he walked out from his hut made the people around going about their everyday life activities turned to look at him, but he gave them no attention as they bow their head in respect while others looked at him in disgust.

Uluthando walked through the land, passing hut after hut until he spotted the not so enormous palace. As he got closer, he saw the palace door closed and two guards standing on either side of the door. Then he realized that there was a meeting going on but he still approached the palace anyway.

" Nathi futhi Mondili, ngicabanga ukuthi isiboshwa sizama ukuphunyula, hamba uyomhlola".(Nathi and Mondili, I think the prisoner is trying to escape, go and check him out) Uluthando told the two king's guards rather commanding. They both looked at themselves and bow their head in submission before running off.

Uluthando smiled to himself. He looked around him, but when he confirmed no one was looking his way, he got closer to the door to listen.

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"kanjani Emhlabeni ucabanga ukuthi umfana omncane angaletha ukuthula phakathi kwamazwe ethu amabili?" (how on Earth do you think a small boy can bring forth peace between our two lands?) One of the elders, Dumisani said staring at the king who looked like he was trapped in his thoughts.

"Awucabangi ukuthi kungenzeka?" (Don't you think it's possible?) Another elder Kwanele disagreed, looking at Dumisani.

"Ngemuva kwayo yonke inkosi yaqala ukubusa kwayo ineminyaka eyishumi nesithupha,"(After all, the king began his reign at sixteen). Kwanele finished.

"Cha akunakwenzeka ukubeka ikusasa lamazwe ethu ezandleni zomfana omncane"(No, it's impossible to put the fate of our lands into the hands of a small boy). Dingani, one of the king's closest advisers, said, making the other two elders silent.

They all turned to look at the king who sat gracefully on his throne looking at each and everyone of them argue. He cleared his throat and began.

"Ake sizwe ukuthi umpristi uthini "(let's hear what the priest has to say). Duduzile, the priest of the Ndebele land, stood and hit the ground with his thin long stick.

"From your father and his father's time selected people who would have gone into the order unknown realm and search for the person who would come and unite our land refused." He paused and searched their faces but they all bow their heads in respect so he continued."because of this they stayed hidden in our lands for the fear of repercussions because those people would play for all the misfortunes of the families".

Duduzile started walking around the elders who still kept silent."if those selected people should have gone into the other relm. Do you think they would have come back to us?".

"They would have come back". Dumisani shot at the priest. With that, the priest froze in his truck and turned to look at him, but stayed calm.

"No, they would have been killed but you, your majesty, made an alliance with the other lands, but you decided against it for the happiness of your own son. Why didn't you give your bastard son to them? After all, he is not a child of this land. It would have been the greatest advantage yet you refused." The priest stood there and stared at nothing but the air.

"Now I suggest you release your prisoner for the courts have brought him to us. The festival starts in two days so I presume you should all start with the preparation". With that left the palace without the king's consent.

The elders looked at the king but he gaze at the door being shut and breath a heavy sigh.

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"Bless our gods, what are you doing here Uluthando? ". The priest jumped, startled to see the prince.

"I was actually going to see you." Uluthando lied.

"Is anything the matter?". The priest asked with a concern look on his face.

"Not really. I was thinking if we sell the prisoner to the Southen land, then the very peace we have been longing for will finally be able to achieve". Uluthando looked at the priest but his face remind expressionless.

"Do you realize what you are telling me is a mental conspiracy?" The priest calmly said,

"Yes, I know and that's why I spoke with you about it. You want wealth and the only place you can get it is from the Southen lands." A smile crept it was on Uluthando's face.

The priest stood there in deep thoughts. If he indeed sell the prisoner to the Southen lands, it would be the quickest way to unite the lands. But what if it doesn't work? He'd be charged with threat. He knows the penalty for that. When he was twenty years old, his father died in his arms and he became a priest. His mother and sisters had fled with the inheritance to the Western-north lands and he's now left with nothing but dependent on the royal family. Now was his time to change what he had endured for years. Now was the time to show his family what he could do.

"Are you going to keep swimming in your thoughts like forever?". Uluthando said, snapping the priest out of his thoughts.

"I will travel to the Southen lands and negotiate with them". He said, like it was a mare whisper, but Uluthando head it and giggled silently to himself. Satisfied with what he had done.

The priest walked past Uluthando and stopped. He turned and faced him and said. "The boy would be captured during the festival buy the Tsonga people, so stay safe and pray it works". He turned and vanished from sight.

Uluthando exited the palace fence wall. He began whistling to himself and shuffled his feet, kicking stones. He bumped into some, making that person stagger backwards.

"Next time watch where you are you going". Uluthando angrily mummerd and raised his head to look at the person. His eyes widened at who he saw.

"I think same applies to you too bastard". Shaka said and brushed his shoulder against Uluthando, walking away.

Uluthando didn't wait for him to pass by and he grabbed his arms and looked at him with his cold brown eyes."The next time we meet, we will see who the bastard is". He spat on the ground.

Shaka pulled his hand away from him and continued walking, leaving Uluthando to stare at him with grimaced face.

Uluthando turned in the opposite direction and smiled to himself. He called him a bastard? That good for nothing son who doesn't deserve the throne called him a bastard? Well, if his plan works perfectly which it has started, he crumples him into dust and when they meet in the afterlife, he would breathe a heavy sigh of relief with content.

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