DEPARTURE

It is early morning; the sun begins to rise over the horizon and the light creeps through the blinds of the window in my room.

I am slouched over my desk, surrounded by tomes that all detailed what was called, 'The Millennial Cataclysm'. I spent the night reading through them, and other historic texts sprawled across my room. I've been told I have an obsessed interest in world history.

"Khanya!", Ma 'Ntombi screams. Startled, I jerk awake and fall off my chair, onto the cold mahogany floors. The light from my window stings my eyes for a few moments before I am fully awake.

 "Listen boy, it is your first day of sailing and you are already late!" She yells. "It looks like you were awake the whole night. Why did you not sleep Khanya?"

"It shook the world, auntie." I answered dramatically.

I continued while pounding my fist onto my chest, "Our people lost centuries of history and culture. As a historian, it is my duty to help uncover and puzzle together all that we have lost."

Ma 'Ntombi scoffed and in a snarky tone began, "Do not speak of the histories like I do not know them. I taught you most of what you know anyway." Driving home that last point with sly smirk. While I rolled my eyes at her snide comments, her expression softened and she cupped my face in her hands to draw my attention.

"Look son', she says, "I know that you enjoy your studies, but remember what you promised me. Plus, you have another duty, a duty to the Nanisca merchant group."

That is when I am reminded of my job as an assistant to a mid-sized merchant company owned by one of her friends.

"Ugghh" I groaned, exhausted from the lack of sleep and the dread of having to work for Ma 'Ntombi's friend. Who is quite the slave driver.

I spent the past year at home doing nothing but indulging in my studies after graduating from school, rather than starting the apprenticeship. Ma' Ntombi got me the job because she wanted me to make something of myself and put my skills to use.

Ma 'Ntombi can be described as quite the beautiful woman. She has big round eyes; a slim face with high cheekbones; a round, flat nose; and big full lips. Those features are further accentuated by her fair dark skin. Many have asked for her hand, but she has rejected everyone that approached her. She is my caretaker and has helped my father raise me, she is like my mother. And that mother of mine, is angry. Her brows furrow on the scowl that now rests on her face. "I pulled a lot of strings getting you that job Khanya," she says, "you better make sure you are there early."

"What strings did you have to pull exactly? All you would have to do is flash Nanisca with a smile and she would do anything you want", I accuse, and she chuckles in response while picking up something from my desk.

With a mischievous smile, she said"Do not forget your notebook" and Ma' Ntombi threw the book in my direction. Too occupied with thinking about the events of the day, I was too slow to react, so the book hit me square in my nose.

Ma' Ntombi burst out laughing, so hard in fact she began to cry, and that only made my embarrassment worse. I take the book and place it with the others in my pack. She wipes the tears, brings me in close and hugs me tightly. Ma' Ntombi starts with, "I have always wanted what was best for you, all my fussing is to prepare you for the world."

"You are only fifteen Khanya, only a child; but you seem to grow more and more everyday" She continues. "So, stay safe and enjoy your travels sthandwa sami".

The city drums bang like thunder, the sound reverberates for all to hear. As it signalled the passing of the hour.

"Quick, get ready!" my aunt yells.

I quickly comply and shower, moisturise my skin with a body oil, which is infused with a mixture of melted animal fats, honey, and sweet-smelling herbs. I then put on my blue and brown ankle length skirt and fit it with a yellow waist band. I then take my satchel, pack some extra clothing, along with the manuscripts on my desk and throw it around my shoulder, now I am ready to leave.

My house sits on the top of a hill on the western most side of the mountain, near the Kulu forests which looks over the eastern coasts of the island kingdom.

The Kulu forests are large, so large that it covers two fifths of the province. It has always been an object of interest to me, because of the many strange stories I have heard about it. However, Ma' Ntombi will never allow me to satiate my curiosity.

I shrug the thought off.

I step out of my room, down the stairs and make my way into the kitchen. I scanned the house for my aunt, seems like she went outside.

I prepare my breakfast and survey the house.

 Ma' Ntombi is an interior designer, so she loved using the house as a templet for the designs she thought up.

The house had a circular structure and thatched roof. It was standard for most houses in the villages spread across the lands, the interior however, was not.

The living room where we entertained guests was made into a cubic indentation in the ground. The couches were made of reeds and the cushions were made soft using the cotton; the reed couches were fitted to three of the walled sides of the indentation. The fourth one had a fireplace.

To add to that layer of comfiness, was a carpeted floor. The colours of our walls were a blend of red, orange, and yellow.

My aunt loved using warm tones for the common areas since it was summer. I take a little tour of the house while I eat. So that I can take everything in before I leave.

She encouraged that a bedroom should always be customised. She helped paint my room blue and had a mural of the sun, moon and stars painted above my bed and filled empty spaces with plants.

My bed had a stone slab as the bedframe, and it was hollowed out to put in a mattress. I always thought it was showy, but I loved it.

The explosion of colours around the house was to honour the people of her clan, the ZAMANI.

It has always fascinated me how Ma' Ntombi could create these new worlds and experiences. She explained to me that it was an art as well as a science. That she seeks to understand people and how to best create spaces that they would feel at home in.

Ma' Ntombi steps into the house, surprised that I am just standing in place. She walks over to me and says, "Hurry up, hurry up" as she rushes me out the house.

She gives me a kiss on the forehead, gives me one more hug and her usual warning.

"Do not even think of stepping into the Kulu forests, they are dangerous."

Ma' Ntombi does not seem to understand that I'm no longer a child, but I appreciate the worry. I hurriedly nod my head as I free myself of her embrace and begin my walk. My aunt screams her goodbyes as I make my way for the main road to the port city. On my way to the port, the winds blow through the forests leaves and make the shadows they cast over the side of the mountain look like restless monsters. I look up and say, "I should be getting used to this, but these trees are enormous, they could overshadow the grand castles of the capital."

No matter how many times I look at the forest, it never ceases to mesmerize me, especially because it always seems to breathe with life. However, I resist my incessant urges and continue my little journey towards the port. The village I come from is called iKhanda egundile or Ma'Khanda for short, which means shaved head, because the rolling hills that nests my village, were barren when our ancestors arrived and settled there 700 years ago.

I reach the main road and catch a ride on a pig cart that's headed for the mountain pass, I skim over the readings that I packed. These detailed the history of my family, or at least the clan I was a part of. I am a son of the Duma clan; we were advisors to the monarchs of the country for many generations and a powerful noble house. I am only a part of the branch families though, just commoners with an important last name. 

The Atlas Mountain pass is a provincial border stop, everyone who passes through has their luggage/ cargo checked. There have been issues with smuggling, so security has been quite strict in recent years.

We get to the gate, the pig farmer and I show our identification, and we are let through. Once the sea comes into view, I hop off the cart, give my thanks to the farmer and make my way to the port city of Ja'Van. It is a major trading hub because the borders of our four neighbouring nations; Alexandria, the republic of Yun, The Akhtar and Aakaash, all intersect at Ja'Van. They have been good trading partners with Elangeni for years, however there are still lingering tensions from the war that occurred there about 30 years ago.

The city is built right by the sea, and since all four territories share this one space, they each have a corresponding section of the city that they manage. The city bell rings again, signalling another hour has passed, which means I am going to be late. I am supposed to meet my boss on the harbour, so I make a beeline for the city's main road, once I get to the square, the sea of people bustling about takes me by surprise. The winter solstice is coming in a few days, so everybody is preparing for the changing of seasons festival.

I am never going to make it in time if I must fight through this mess, they will leave me behind.

I frantically try looking for a path that will take me to the other side of town, but there isn't one. At least…not on land. I change direction and head towards the beach. What I need is a boat, and it just so happens that a fisherman just pulled onto shore. He set his boat right by some of the large boulders that are sprawled all over the coastline.He picks up his oars and puts them inside the boat and throws the net with his catch over his shoulder. I make my way towards the boat and jump into it, the boat rocks violently and fisherman begin to wobble but he regains his balance very quickly. The fisherman shouts, "Hey boy, what do you think you are do-", before he can finish, I grab an oar and use it to push him off the boat into the water.

"Hey!" he yells.

"Sorry!" I shout apologetically, and I throw him his net, then begin rowing towards the harbour.

I weave my way through the mangrove forests that stretch into the sea that keep the waves from getting too strong, so rowing does not take too much effort. After a few minutes, I see the Nanisca merchant company's goods ship on the harbour. It looks the last of the cargo is being loaded. I jump onto the peer, and sneak onto the ship, making sure I am not noticed. I am convinced that I have succeeded, until a slender, but strong hand grabs me by my shoulder and a deep, soothing yet stern voice whispers, "Caught you".

The woman speaking is dark skinned and tall. She wears a yellow top that lays bare her shoulders and upper back, showcasing her rippling muscles. Her name is Nanisca, and she is the head of the merchant company I work for, as well as a long-term friend of my aunts.

"Sorry for being late" I yelped, as I could feel her grip tighten. My shoulder growing numb from the pain.

"I have explicitly told you that I needed everyone here early."

"I know that, but some things came up-ow, ow, ow, ow." I exclaimed, her grip sent stabbing pains through my body, and any attempt at escape was made fruitless when she twists my arm onto my back.

She brings her lips close to my ears, so close that I could faintly sense her perfume, she smelled like a blend of roses and something spicy. She placed her hand on my back, and I shuddered at how soft it felt. "No excuses child, get onto the ship".

Heading her orders, I board the ship while helping with the last of the cargo. The crew men unfurled the sails, lifted the anchor and secured the goods in the hull to the walls with ropes. My job was the assistant to the overseer, the person who kept record of all the responsibilities and dealt with delegating them. Not that I did anything like that, My job description only involved observing how the crew goes about their business on the ship, usually though I just get her as whatever she asked for.

We set sail, passing between the two watchtowers built on either ends of a ridge that mark the exit we have to pass through, to get to open sea.