Chapitre 12: Chapter 11 - Good dog
16 days since birth - Nigth time
Bhekisisa sat at the edge of the kraal, singing softly to his two sons. The moonlight bathed the three of them, creating a serene yet somber atmosphere.
His boys, aged eight and five, had fallen into a restful sleep despite their dire circumstances. Bhekisisa, though weary, continued to sing. He knew he should get some rest, his morning shift started early. But the boys had begged him for a lullaby, and he couldn't refuse.
His voice carried the melancholy refrain of an old song:
"We are homeless... homeless...
Only the midnight stream hears our cries..."
Before he could finish, a voice interrupted.
"You have a beautiful voice."
Bhekisisa's instincts kicked in. He grabbed his assegai and stood, eyes scanning the darkness. "Who's there?" he demanded, pointing the weapon toward the sound.
"Wait, wait, wait," the voice replied, calm and unbothered. "No need for violence. You wouldn't want to wake your children, would you now?"
Startled, Bhekisisa glanced back at his sons, confirming they were still asleep. Then he immdiately mentally reprimanded himself—he'd fallen for a distraction. Snapping his head back toward the voice, he asked, more cautiously, "Who are you? What do you want?"
"How rude," the voice said, feigning offense. "Is that how you address your children's benefactor?"
The mention of his sons made Bhekisisa's heart sink. He immediately realized who this was. Stepping into the faint light was none other than Kanya.
"I thought I told you update me everytime something happens in the prince's huts," she said, her tone mocking yet laced with menace. "Have you forgotten, Bhekisisa?"
Bhekisisa hesitated, unsure how to respond. His grip on the assegai tightened, but Kanya wasn't fazed. Instead, she sneered, "Perhaps I'm the one who's forgetful... so forgetful, in fact, that I might just forget to remove the curse on your boys. Would you like that, Bhekisisa?"
The man's resolve crumbled. His eyes widened in panic, and he immediately dropped to his knees. "I apologize, Gogo. I did not think Bantu's action would be something you cared about. Please, don't mistake my inaction for disrespect."
Kanya stepped closer, seizing his chin with claw-like nails that dug into his flesh. Forcing him to meet her gaze, she hissed, "Don't ever forget again. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Gogo," Bhekisisa stammered.
Her eyes flicked to the sleeping boys. "Good," she said coldly. "Because next time, I might just forget about them too."
Bhekisisa shuddered as she released him. But Kanya wasn't done. "Tomorrow morning, when I call for you, you will come. No excuses."
"I can't," he blurted. "I have to protect the prince—"
Kanya's nails sank deeper into his skin, silencing him with a glare. "You will do as I say, or your boys will suffer the consequences. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes," he replied, defeated.
Satisfied, Kanya finally let him go, wiping her hands on her cowhide with exaggerated disgust. "I like what you've done with the place," she said mockingly. "Ever since your wife died, it feels... suitably gloomy. Though honestly, it smells like shit."
As she looked around the hut for a second time before she walked even closer to Bhekisisa and said, "But all dogs must be punished."
And undid her cowhide mini-skirt that gave Bhekisisa full view of her forest as she then held his head pulling it closer before commanding " Lick."
Bhekisisa to look at her and then turn his head towards his sons, however before he could say anything he was practicing yanked towards the forest once again as Kanya said, " Don't worry about them, you bigger problems to worry about. Now be a good dog and lick."
Bhekisisa look at her like tiger in a cage wanting to ripe her limb from limb but could not do anything. Except silently curse the fate that had brought her into his life.
And Kanya seeing this could not help but smirk as " Good dog, goo~"
This one-sided transactional relationship had been ongoing for weeks. Kanya would issue orders to Bhekisisa, whether it was gathering information or sabotaging the plans of political rivals. Slowly but surely, she was consolidating her power. By now, she had one of the prince's wives in her pocket, and she hoped to eventually manipulate the chief himself.
It had all started shortly after Bhekisisa's only wife passed away under mysterious circumstances. Some claimed she had been cursed, while others insisted she had succumbed to an illness. However, most agreed that whatever claimed her life seemed to have been passed down to her children. Fearing the same tragedy would strike them, Bhekisisa grew desperate.
He sought out every possible solution, consulting sangomas one after another. Yet, all of them declared that they could do nothing. Some even foretold that his sons were doomed no matter what he tried. This hopelessness drove Bhekisisa into desperation, pushing him to seek help far beyond the Zulu tribe.
He turned to the Qwabe tribe. A once-powerful clan that had severed ties with the Zulu after a historical feud. Relations between the tribes were tense, often hostile, but the Qwabe were said to harbor a renowned sangoma lineage.
Desperate, Bhekisisa ventured into their territory. Where he encountered a clan of sangomas, who after hearing of his sons conditions issued Kanya to aide him. As they claimed that she was one their best sangoma who could destroy the curse threatening his sons.
Clinging to their words, Bhekisisa brought Kanya back to the Zulu tribe, agreeing to perform several favors for her in exchange for her help.
And that is where the main problem began because despite knowing little about her and having no guarantee of her abilities, he placed his trust in her. His desperation rendered him blind to the consequences.
This imbalance of power allowed Kanya to manipulate Bhekisisa. She berated him, both verbally and physically, but he tolerated it all, convinced that her promise was his sons' only hope. His submission only deepened her hold over him, making him a pawn in her growing scheme for control.
---
Next day
Loss is a normal phenomenon. Normal because everything must change or die, but a phenomenon when it happens as it always is or more accurately feels unexpected.
That description, that feeling summed up the current the state of Princess Consort Mthaniya as she sat motionless in her royal hut.
Her personal maids, stationed nearby, kept her company in silence, knowing any attempt at conversation would be met with accusations or indifference.
They were no strangers to Mthaniya's suspicion, especially since Prince Senzangakhona's poisoning. Whispers of treachery had swept through the huts, and the maids/midwives bore the brunt of the blame, unjustly accused of conspiracy.
Fearful for their safety, many maids avoided returning home, dreading retaliation from the tribesmen. Instead, they sought refuge in the royal guest huts. A tense arrangement permitted by the grieving prince. But even this temporary sanctuary offered no relief from the weight of grief and suspicion that hung heavy in the air.
Days passed in silence until a rare disturbance broke the monotony. A commotion outside the hut drew the attention of the maids.
Causing one of the maids stepped out of the hut to see what was happening. She quickly rushed back inside, her face etched with confusion. The other maids immediately noticed and crowded around her, whispering anxiously.
"What happened? What's going on outside?" one of them asked.
The maid hesitated, still processing what she had just seen and overheard. Finally, she said, "The guards are restraining one of the maids I know."
The others exchanged surprised glances. "Who is it? Why are they restraining her?" another pressed.
"It's Sne. I met her before I was assigned to Princess Consort Mthaniya. Apparently, she tried to enter without proper permission from Prince Jama."
Some of the maids sighed in relief, but one frowned. "Then why did you look so confused when you came back inside?"
The maid hesitated before replying, her voice low. "She claims to have suspicions, and evidence, about who poisoned Prince Senzangakhona. But… she hasn't told Prince Jama yet."
A heavy silence settled over the room. The weight of the words seemed to choke the air.
While they took refuge near the princess consort, it was actually the prince who allowed it to happened. But under the condition they do not remind his wife of her son's condition. And that maid had just broken that one house rule.
Causing one of the maids to hiss, "Are you mad? You can't say that out loud!"
But it was too late. Princess Consort Mthaniya, who had been sitting in a quiet daze moments ago, now turned her sharp gaze on them. Her voice cut through the tension, calm yet commanding.
"What did you just say?"
The maid who had spoken stammered, "N-no, Princess! I said nothing. Just… just gossip. Maid gossip, you know?"
Mthaniya's unflinching stare pinned her in place. She spoke again, slowly this time. "What. Did. You. Say?"
The air thickened with dread. The maid's courage crumbled under the weight of the princess's gaze. Finally, she confessed, " There is a maid outside called Sne, that is being restrained by the gaurds for trying to enter your hut, my princess consort. She claims to know what happened to Prince Senzangakhona."
Without blinking, Mthaniya asked coldly, "And you are just standing here?"
Her voice rose in a sharp command. "Bring her in. Now!"
The maids scattered like startled birds, instinctively turning toward the door. The maid who had spoken bolted outside. Moments later, she returned. This time walking stiffly, leading another woman into the room.
She stepped aside and gestured. "Princess Consort Mthaniya, this is the maid, Sne."
Sne bowed her head low. "Praise, praise be to the Mother Chiefte—"
Mthaniya cut her off sharply. "Prince Jama's mother may be gone, but his father still lives. Are you implying I had an affair with my father-in-law?"
Sne's eyes went wide with horror. She dropped to her knees. "Forgive me, Princess! I misspoke."
Mthaniya's cold gaze lingered before she waved a dismissive hand. "Be careful with your words, Sne. That was your first and final warning. Now—why are you here?"
Sne took a deep breath, steadying herself. "I recently volunteered to help a sangoma prepare a remedy for Prince Senzangakhona."
Mthaniya's eyes narrowed. "Such an obvious plan to get my husband's attention. Even a child could see through it."
Mthaniya was not oblivious to the machinations of maids and the advisors of the royal huts, she was a princess in her own tribe before marrying Prince Jama. How could she not see through. She just decided not to act.
Sne flinched at bluntness of Mthaniya but pressed on. "While preparing the ingredients, I began to suspect that the sangoma might be actively trying to poison your son, Princess."
The words hit Mthaniya like a physical blow. Her lips parted slightly, and her voice trembled as she repeated, "Poison? Who would dare…?"
"Bantu," Sne interjected before Mthaniya could finish her question.
The name hung in the air, heavy and unfamiliar. Mthaniya muttered it under her breath, "Bantu…?"
She frowned, trying to recall anything about this sangoma. But she quickly realized that she knew almost nothing about this figure.
Turning sharply to Sne, she asked, "Wait. Are you saying this sangoma, Bantu. Who arrived just days after my son fell ill, might have had something to do with it? Do you take me for a fool, Sne?"
Sne raised her hands defensively. "No, no, Princess! I would never accuse someone without reason. But… the things I saw. Who uses bones of the dead to make a remedy? What kind of sangoma does that?"
Sne left out key details deliberately like what type of bones were they, letting the imagination of those in the room fill in the gaps.
Mthaniya's expression darkened as she muttered, "Bones… who in their right mind…"
Sne leaned forward, her voice dropping into an urgent whisper. "Think about it, Princess. Mbali couldn't have concocted such a deadly poison. She practically grew up in the royal household. She has the most to lose if anything happens to the prince. But Bantu? Bantu is a complete stranger. No one knows where he came from, what he wants, or who he serves."
She paused, letting her words settle in the princess's mind.
"The unknown, Princess, is always the most dangerous."
....
A/N:
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