Chapter 25 The spark

At Mbaku's manor  

I woke up, hours before the cock crowed. I laid on my mat hoping and praying Feya would be innocent. I can't lose a friend who is more than a sister, I thought. Just when I rose from my mat the cock crowed and I decided to walk out of my hut. I heard Jabari's voice as I walked out of my hut. Why is Jabari up so early? What is he talking about and to whom? I thought. I walked out and realized Eyeki was ready to move from the palace to Ethiopia. She carried a few bags made from bamboo and twigs. She smiled at me when she saw me in front of my hut.

  "Did I wake you up?" Eyeki asked.

"No, you didn't" I answered wearing a smile on my face.

"Are you okay?" Eyeki asked.

"You don't look well"

"I didn't have a very good night sleep, however, I'm very fine"

"Ok, if you say so" Eyeki replied still smiling. "Are you leaving this early?"

"As you can see."

"Why not wait till the sun is up?"

"I left my children, nanny and parents in a scary tunnel"

"I understand" I replied.

"May you get to your destination unharmed." "Thank you, my dear sister"

"I have to do some house work. Have a safe journey then"   I walked to Eyeki and hugged her. After releasing her, I saw tears streaming down her face. I understood her. She was leaving people she loved and cared for to live with people she hardly know.

"Be strong, Eyeki" I said.

"I am already strong" Eyeki replied and we burst into laughter.

"Strong indeed! I have to perform some housework. I wish I could accompany you" "You don't have to. I am glad my friend has you as his wife. Do take good care of him for me. He can be very annoying but be patient with him. He's not bad like he looks. Believe it or not, he loves you a lot. He cares about you and takes care of you in ways you do not know"

"Eyeki, I will take very good care of him".   We were so immersed into our conversation that we failed to notice Mbaku's arrival. He stood still as he watched and listened to us. Jabari, walked to Mbaku after he signaled him to come closer. We became aware of Mbaku's presence when Jabari was walking to him.

"I have to leave now" I told Eyeki and walked towards the kitchen refusing to look at Mbaku. I had been refusing to look in his direction after he accused Feya. From the window in the kitchen, I could see Mbaku and Eyeki but could not hear them.  

****

"Eyeki, why do you want to leave so early?" Mbaku asked.

"Did Zui and you plan to ask the same question?" Eyeki replied.

"Do you love Diemo that much?"

"I do! You know how I truly feel about him"   Mbaku turned to look in the direction of the kitchen. He looked at Zui for a brief moment and turned to continue his conversation with Eyeki. Eyeki followed his gaze and understood him immediately.  

"Mbaku, it's just a matter of time. She'd love you more than any woman can" Eyeki said. Mbaku chuckled and said; "She doesn't even want to talk to me because she thinks I am trying to wrongly accuse Feya".

"Everything will soon be okay. I just hope she finds out for herself whom her friend is" Eyeki replied.

"You have to be on your way. Stay safe, Eyeki" "I will. Thank you for everything Mbaku. I don't how I am ever going to repay you"

"Then don't pay me" Mbaku replied with a smile.

"Smile when you're with Zui. She'll find you irresistible"

"Eyeki, at it again! You have to go now" Mbaku as a carriage stops in front of the manor. Eyeki hugged Mbaku tightly before leaving with Jabari in the carriage. Mbaku watched on as the carriage left the palace. He went back into his hut without looking anywhere else.  

****  

I lifted my head and saw both Mbaku and Eyeki looking in my direction. Why are they looking at me? I thought. What have I done wrong this time? I watched them talk and bid each other farewell. Yhuri entered the kitchen and helped me with the preparation of the breakfast. I was going to serve Mbaku and watch him eat. He must be sad. His only friend has left. I have to be his companion now even though he's wrongly accusing Feya. I thought. After preparing the breakfast, I asked Yhuri to prepare a table for me. She did exactly as I said. I served Mbaku and sat beside him, doing all I can to prevent our eyes from meeting. Just then I heard him say;

  "I'm not hungry. You can eat them or continue to sit beside them like you're doing right now"

"Mbaku!" I shouted furiously looking in his direction.

"Do you know the amount of time and energy I wasted on this food?"

"So?" Mbaku asked.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked with tears streaming down my face. He raised his head and our eyes meet and held for a brief moment. I looked away furiously and began to pack the foods. Won't you stop me, Mbaku? Are you that mean? You're a heartless beast Mbaku, i thought as I packed the foods.   "Maybe, you would have to prepare your own food from now onwards" I said and Mbaku pretended not to have heard me. I walked out his hut. I went to take my bath and wept bitterly when I was in the bathhouse. The food Mbaku refused to eat was my mother's favourite food. My father had told me when I was young. Mbaku was just so mean. He didn't even bother to open it. After bathing, I sat quietly on my mat thinking about what happened. Yhuri and Laya looked upset because I refused to talk to them and sat quietly in my hut. Mbaku refused any food that was made for him that day. I went into his hut when he refused to eat his supper too. I had already taken my evening bath and was making earrings from beads.

  "I'm sorry for what happened earlier today" I said calmly.

"I understand you're upset with me and sad over Eyeki's departure, but should you be hard on yourself?"   He kept reading his book ignoring me. After realizing he was not going to reply me, I continued.

"I'm going to sleep here tonight" I burst out. I knew he was not going to reply. "I want to spend some time with you."  

I spread his mat and slept on it and waited for him to come to sleep too. I woke in the middle of the night and saw him still in the spot he was before I slept off, still reading! I stood up from the mat, walked to him and took the book from him. He looked up at me. "It's late" I said.

"Are you hungry?"

"Give the book back to me" Mbaku said looking at me. There was no trace of any emotion in his voice.

"Are you hungry?" I repeated the question.

"I'm not. Give it back to me." I hid the book behind me and smiled childishly at him. "Come and get it if you want it" I replied. Mbaku rose to his feet, walked to me, held my hands behind me and took the book away from me. He walked back to his seat. I snatched the book away again and looked sadly at him.  

"Mbaku, do you hate me that much?" I asked. He looked at me without answering or making any gesture.

"You didn't eat anything and won't stop reading too. At least can you be soft on me? I'm your wife. Pay attention to me for once" "What do you want?" Mbaku asked. "I want you to eat and rest for now"

"Why do you care?"

"Because, I'm your wife!"

"Did Lady Shui ask you to do this?"

"She doesn't know anything about this" I replied.

"Why didn't you eat anything today?"

"I didn't feel like eating anything today"

"You made me worry a lot. What would you like to eat? I will prepare it for you"

"I thought you said I will be preparing my own foods nowadays"

"I was angry, that's why I said that"   Mbaku rose to his feet, walked and stood close to me that his body almost touched mine. We looked into each others eyes for almost a minute before he began to talk.

"Are you not angry at me?" Mbaku asked.

"Are you punishing yourself because I am angry at you?"

"I am not. I have foods I like and those I detest"

"So you detested the breakfast?"

"I'm sorry if I hurt you. I know they're your mother's favourite, so they mean a lot to you" "I understand"   Mbaku moved closer to me that, I took steps backwards until my back touched the wall of his hut. I realized I couldn't move backwards anymore as the gab between us were closing up. I looked down to prevent his ecstatic gaze.  Finally he got close to me and lifted my chin so I would look at him.  

"Why are your eyes down?" Mbaku asked. "I….umm, I …." I began to stammer.

"A few minutes ago, you were so confident. What happened?" Mbaku said and tried to kiss me. I could feel his hot breathe as he moved his lips towards mine. Carefully, his lips landed on mine. They felt smoother and softer. He kissed me and I wrapped my hands around his neck. He kissed softly and gently.   "Are you okay?" Mbaku asked after he pulled his lips from mine. I pulled him for another kiss and this lasted longer. I felt his hand move behind me, to untie the knot on piece of clothe covering my breast. He moved his hands down to untie the knot on the clothe covering the latter part of my body. He slide his hand across my body.  

*****

I woke up when the cock crowed and saw him lying beside me. I felt very happy because that was the first time I had woken up at dawn to see him lying beside me. I tried to get up and dress up but his grip on my hand was too tight.

"Rest, they'll take care of everything" he said almost in a whisper. I rested my head on his bare hairy chest and went to sleep. I woke up in the morning and saw him seated behind his table reading a book.  

"Why didn't you wake me up?" I asked him. "You had a peaceful and happy look on your face"  

The smell of the fragrance in the room, made me know he had taken his bath.  

"Everyone must be awake" I snapped, suddenly sitting up

"Zui, we are married. What's wrong with coming out of your husband's room after a long night?" Mbaku asked raising his left eyebrows.

"They're all going to look at me like I've done something wrong" I replied.

"Have you?"

"I haven't done anything wrong"

"Then go and get ready. My mother would be here this afternoon"

"Can you turn around so, I can dress up?"

"My head is already bowed and that enough" "We both know very well, that you can see me even with your head bowed down"

"Continue lying down till Lady Shui arrives"

  I stood up, dressed hurriedly and looked at him. His eyes were glued to the book he was reading.  

"I'm stepping out" I said.

"Avoid their gazes and do whatever you have to do" Mbaku said.

"Have you eaten anything?" I asked.

"Not yet" he replied.

"Should we have breakfast together?" I asked. "As you wish!"

"Okay" I said as I walked out of his hut.   Almost all the maids and guards were staring at me but pretended they were busy with their various works. Yhuri and Laya met me at the entrance of my hut. Just when I was about to enter my hut, a messenger from the King arrived.