I was confused, looking to Prince Sepo for answers, when the Oracle came and hit my forehead with her palm that left me unblinking and rooted to the floor. She started the incarnations, but these where not regular incarnations where you don't understand because it's the Oracle speaking to the gods incarnations. These where directed to me specifically.
"I have been patient with you, but you refuse to reciprocate the goodness I have shown you to my people. You will pay for your stubbornness. You used my gifts for your selfishness and gives an automatic yes to my calling.
She had finished speaking but I stayed there immobile. The twelve humans came in to the hall scaring the life out of the already old courtiers. The Oracle removed the cloth covering them and a file of sickly people came in to view. This then was what Nyambe meant. I am to heal all of them, but that was not a big deal. What hurt was that I was involuntary doing it in front of Prince Sepo.
I groggily went to everyone of them, one after the other, I wished to take away their pain. By the time I was done I had sores on my body. Imbued in their different sicknesses, All the twelve were cured, they joyfully praise the Oracle who had brought them here. Prince Sepo must have seen me about to fall and ran to my aid.
"What have you done?"he asked with burning anger.
"Nothing that she is not supposed to do". The Oracle answered him.
Prince Sepo was confused,.
"The gods said I did something wrong, why was she punished instead?"
The gods had used Prince Sepo to get to me, that was how cowardly they were.
"The rains will be given to us after she performs a rain making ritual."
" But isn't that an Oracle's job given by Nyambe?"
" Exactly"
" You married an Oracle, My Prince" He looked at me and then at the Oracle, that was not love, you where bewitched, the oracle continued.
" I was bewitched?"
"It wasn't love?"
" that's not possible, she is a P...."
"I have known her since she was ten"
He was about to tell them, I was a princess and can not be an Oracle but he couldn't bring him self to. All that information was getting erased from him slowly until he remembered nothing of Princess Zae.
"What princess?"
"I have never met her."
"She planned everything". Words only he could hear. "She is just an Oracle".
The disgust that he felt at that moment, the repulsiveness was non I could describe. He pushed my head off of his thigh making Obeisance to the King, he strode off.
I Knew that your stubbornness will get you in trouble one of these days." The Oracle ridiculed. I knew it was the jealousy talking but I hated her for Nyambe had used her to hurt me.
I looked at the great one and said nothing.
"Zae you can't fight with the gods" Kuku told me.
" I didn't choose this, why must I suffer for something I have no hand in." I cried.
Kuku looked at me, obviously regretting the decision she had made for me even years before I was born .
"Not everything can be explained"
" I just want to live a simple life, I don't care about being a royal, I lost that and I accept that. But why shouldn't I be with the one I want to be with... "
Prince Sepo can not be with me now, the King will not allow it, more so the Queen".
Kuku looked at the great one, as they both met eyes.
"Are you going to tell her or should I?"
Kuku was silent, I could see her love for me visibly on her face but today it wasn't helping.She finally said to me;
" Zae....I don't think things will be the same for you and Sepo"
" What do you mean?"
Kuku sighed and continued
" His memory of you two has been construed, because you refused to follow your vocation because of him. He won't be in your life until you do what you are supposed to, well he will be in your life just not how it was before this.
"I wasn't going to do it even if he wasn't with me. I hate it, I hate this life."
" He will not be as good as he was to you."
" But his my husband, Nyambe cherishes marriage, He wouldn't do that".
" He does...but he also punished, these who deserves it" the great one added.
Stupid old woman.
"No, anything but Prince Sepo." I cried but no one would come to my rescue, even Kuku looked hopeless at me. I was alone.
*********
It was three nights later when I woke up. The courtiers had been sending people to check if I was awake or not to perform the rain making ritual. I had refused to believe Prince Sepo turned his back on me.
" should I inform them of your condition"Namakau asked me.
" They will come to find me so that is not necessary"
" Where is Prince Sepo"I asked almost afraid to.
" I haven't seen the Prince for all the time you been sick.
My heart sunk, I had hoped for something different, I had given him my whole being, my every purpose, my life unknowingly, I blinked back hot tears.
I will go to the court my self prepare me water to bath.
I wore a purple Musinsi and a white baki and walked to the audience chamber with my handmaiden Namakau.
After I was announced I walked slowly into the chamber. My eyes looking only at the King and made obeisance to only him, avoiding the man who had once looked at me with love.
I sensed a feeling in him and knew without looking at him, that it was mine, feeling of hate and loathe.
The King went straight to the point.
" You are to perform a rain making ritual everything is prepared, we have no time to waste."
" We will have the ritual tomorrow morning"
"Why?"
" Because I want it to be tomorrow, the gods have given me an assignment, don't worry, if we are meant to have rain, we will have rain."
" Why are you the one dictating when things will happen?" Mbau kani interjected.
"Who do you think you are?"I looked at him, rolled my eyes and avoided his question like he was nothing, because he was nothing to me.
" That is all I had to say my King, I will take my leave."
I had underestimated the feelings I had for Prince Sepo because, he ignored me the whole time I was in the chamber and it so greatly broke my heart to a point we're I felt like I was going to breakdown Infront of everyone.