chapter 15

He was beheaded his head stuck on a pole, his torso on the foot of the pole, no limbs, the gruesomeness of his death, his wife too, their sons, I counted three heads, three sons, five heads in total. Where is the other one and who is missing. I was going near to look closely, the sight numbing my insides when we saw two soldiers.

"We have to go princess Zae" Lobe shouted.

I saw the soldiers too and the fear that I will end up like my family griped me. I started running as fast as I could, back to the forest, through the trees, their branches whipping the royalty out of me.

The soldiers had long stopped chasing us, but I run. I ran from everyone, everything, my ghost, my father's ghosts, my mother's ghosts, my brothers' ghosts, every one of them. I was panting heavily as we entered the gloom of the forest and striding beneath it's canopy of green trees. I was sweating profusely. I paused to recover my breath and look at the surroundings, to know whether we were on the right track to Kele. We where not! We had missed a turn and gone east into the forest. We had no tools to fend off our animal attackers, we had to go back.

"We need to go back and find our way to Kele." Lobe told me.

I didn't have time to mourn the senseless deaths of my family. I had to survive, I didn't cry a tear for anyone of them. I was that unfilial child that didn't even bury her parents. I left them to dry up on poles, I didn't deserve to cry.

We later found the others and journeyed to Kele...

Hungry and thirsty, with just one clay pitcher of water, Lobe decided to hunt for game to eat. He had a bow and arrow, that lay on the foot of the cart floor, a spear and a panga.

"Where did you get this?" I asked, unfamiliar with the tone of my voice, I hadn't spoken a word since we regrouped...the voice didn't sound like mine.

" The king gave it to me, together with this cart, he had you on this cart near the stable, when he saw us, he gave an orders to take you to Kele and a message for someone in Kele"...

"What message"

"Am not really sure but I can't tell you either. Am sorry, my princess"

"Just call me Zae, the princess died in Seke, together with her family" I wanted to cry but my eyeballs had dried up.

The Lobe that liked to talk and find fault in everything I said was gone and I was glad he was. This one understood the mood and kept his opinions to himself.

Lobe went and came back when it was almost dark, with  two rabbits and a walking stick he had curved himself.

"I will take this" I said getting the bow and the six arrows.You can keep the rest.

"Do you know how to use that Zae?Lobe  asked me tenaciously.

"Wina taught me" I replied with a beam before the smile instantly faded to where it came from.

I wasn't used to not being with my family, but I was going to make the best of what was left in Kele. My father's sister Queen Maliwa was in Kele and Prince Sepo too was in Kele...the only family I had.

                          ***********

A journey that took five days, took us nine days. We reached Kele early in the morning. Lobe and I, had gone straight to seek an audience with king Chani. We knelt on the veranda at the entrance of the audience chamber.

"We are from Kele, we have brought news from Seke palace" Lobe told the king's aide. We stood awkwardly side by side "The king is in an important discussion with his courtiers. Come back again tomorrow." He said, sizing us up.

"We are already here, we will wait for the king" I said piteously but determined.

"You can't stay here, just come tomorrow".

" Let's go P.... Zae" Lobe requested.

"I stood up and went to the aide who was slightly terrified if not disgusted with the site of a girl wearing animal skin clothing inside out with a black hood, dusty legs and obviously smelled like roasted meat...and smoke.

A head shorter than him I was literally breathing on his neck.

"It is in your King's best interest to see to it that he sees us, run along and tell him tthat. I don't know what will happen to you because I think you are a threat to my life right now." He was alarmed but but it soon turned into apprehension when he looked at me again.

"Just wait here" he told us as he went into the chamber and come back and told us the King will see us.

I flipped my hood before making obeisance to the King and didn't look at the courtiers. My eyes fell on a man that looked​ even more majestic than the last time I saw him. My insides burning.

Maybe he thought I resembled someone because he looked intently at me.

I felt small and unworthy of him.  Dust covered hair, I still had the ivory ornaments from my coming of age ceremony, full of dust they looked cheap. I had nothing to save me from the shame I felt standing in front of this man. I pushed​ my royal bangles out of view as natural as I could and started;

"We bring you a message from Seke palace, My King."

"What can that be?" king Chani asked, and I got even more attention from Prince Sepo"

"Seke palace was attacked by the Letuyako worriors, I said almost choking.

"How is our sovereign King?" King Chani asked desperately.

"All but one royal member were killed" Lobe continued

" Who??" Prince Sepo asked imploringly.

"A prince, but we don't know who".

"We have to fight back my King, who dares to do such atrocious deeds?"

I admired Prince Sepo standing up for my parents. My eyes sought those of Prince Sepo, his eyes flickered to mine and away again.

"No one is fighting anyone."Queen Maliwa said entering the chamber, the courtiers stood and made obeisance to her.

"I felt like going to her, embracing her and crying in her arms, she was the only living relative I had , I didn't know who was still alive among my brothers if at all he was truly alive. My thoughts where straight up cut short.

"My brother has been a little to complaisant with the Rapo worriors that he forgot that this is a eat or be eaten kingdom, when you are weak, others come and feed on your weaknesses.

"My queen, King Yanga was a just man, that he be killed the day his daughter became a woman is inhumane, that's not war? it's murder. The Letuyako's way of doing things is so immoral and immutable they disgust me".

" Do you want to go to war because of Yanga or his daughter Zae?" an amused look crossed her beautiful face.

I was startled to hear my name, I looked  at prince Sepo who was near tears. I was glad it was him, I was going to be married too. I was going to tell him everything when I got cleaned up.

"If I say it's her, will you let me go to war?" he asked looking at the Queen squarely, tears running down his face.

"Don't you dare cry in front of all these people, that makes you seem weak. No son of mine will look this deplorable and there is not going to be any war, only a peace marriage with Princess Mokomena."