"My queen, how can you say such a thing" prince Sepo asked,his voice breaking.
"Yes, you can mourn Princess Zae and get ready to marry Princess Mokomena"
"Isn't it your brother, the King who was murdered? you don't seem fazed at all"
"People die and people are born, I can't be fazed by something that is inevitable."
My bile raced up to my throat, the bitterness circulated my mouth. The eerie contortions of my family's death playing at the back of my head.
"You evil woman" I yelled.
Every one's attention was drawn to me, Lobe's mouth wide open, he knew we were dead.
"You will die a horrible death from all your atrocities". I screamed.
"How dare you insult the Queen of this palace, guards get this insolent child and teach her a lesson on manners".The Queen looked chagrined at my fearless attitude.
Two guards who stood at the audience chamber entrance came forward.
"If you don't want to die for a useless cause, you will stay where you are" I said with a smirk.
The whole court was gasped in bewilderment. Prince Sepo looked at my audacious face and came to me.
"You don't have to do this? this is the palace, such audacity doesn't go unpunished."
"No, she should be killed" Queen Maliwa cried.
"Guards"The king called, "take this child and behead her."
"My king, she is just a child who knows no better" Prince Sepo begged. I felt respect and a vague love for him in his decision to speak on my behalf even though he was visibly hurt by news of the death of his betrothed.
"Even so, I will not leave this chamber until the King orders the death of this child."
"Queen Maliwa if those guards touch me even just a little, you will be the first to die, unless your hands are clean, you will not leave here alive, you can risk it and see, your choice". I told her defiantly.
The Queen was about to erupt, but to my amazement she managed to hold back because she knew, her hands where not clean.
Everyone's eyes where now on Queen Maliwa, wanting to know her decision, more so her reaction to my dare.
"As you have said my Prince, she knows no better, I'll forgive her", her eyes piercing my soul. The devilish cunning thoughts of hers masked with a fake acceptance of my childishness.
"No Queen Maliwa, you got it all wrong, am the one who is forgiving you. If we are done here, my king I'll take my leave". I made obeisance to both of them and left.
Everyone looked at me dumbfounded.
The moment I left the chamber, my knees went cold. I was hit by the knowledge that I had no one, not even the Queen's mortification could give me pleasure.
"I thought of her as family, that woman will die a death like no other". I told Lobe.
"But, you shouldn't have done that, if it wasn't for the Prince, you would be dead...and me too"
"Don't exaggerate"
"Am not, my Princess, this is not Seke, we are practically foreigners in this place, I have siblings to take care of. Your selfish acts would put all our lives in jeopardy. I would appreciate your consideration towards all of us You can't talk like you used too back in Seke. Grow up!" Lobe said walking away .
Lobe didn't mince his words and for the first time, my situation lay vividly in front of my eyes.
" This is not Seke...Yes this is not my palace".
"Aren't you going to thank me for saving your life?"
I heard a voice come from behind me. His face a facade.
Looking at him I replied.
"You saved your mother, not me".
"You are very rude, don't you know how to respect your elders, you are a woman, you should know better".
I looked at him and walked away.
"Hey" he called, running after me, I just want to help you and your friend. Where are you staying?".
" I know for a fact that messengers are supposed to be treated like royalty but I don't see that happening here. We will seek shelter in the neighbouring village.
"You can stay in my premises, if you don't mind." he said.
"What do you want in return?"
"Nothing, why? you don't think a person can be this good hearted?"
"No, with a mother like that, no, I don't think so and certainly not you, saying something and doing a complete different thing"
" Mother is your elder more so a Queen, she has to be respected no matter the flaws, and am not at all what you think, I swear."he bemoaned.
"Thirteen you said" I murmured.
" You look awfully ok for someone who just found out their betrothed was killed."
Shame and anger rose from the pit of his stomach and suffused his face.
" What do you get from being a nuisance?"
" The truth."
" What truth?"
" That you didn't love the Seke Princess, like you made us think."
Prince Sepo trembled before the sudden stab of vulnerability. It had come to his realisation then that even the people in Seke knew he had fallen in love with the little Princess. Only three days where left on the day he was supposed to marry the Seke Princess.
"You can live in my premises and pay for it working in my farms".
I had hurt him, I could see it on his face but he had trained himself to a calmness and patience that needed determination to work through.
"I don't work" I said without thinking and regretted it almost as soon as the words came out of my mouth.
" Are you a sick person?"
"No"
"Then you can work"
"Yes, I'll work for my stay here".I didn't say I won't.
" It bothers me to think this is what I can do for her, My betrothe. When am king, I will avenge her death and those of your families."
I looked at his sad face and a string of what had happened in Seke stubbed my heart with force, he was heartbroken.
********
Prince Sepo's premises was a house within the palace. After walking through the garden gate, a house built with an imposing structure loomed before us. It had a large veranda running around it. The reception room was built in the front. The ladies' quarters lay along the veranda, on the west side of the house and the men's quarters lay on the east side. Prince Sepo's chamber lay at the far end of the corridor, you would have to go through the study room before you saw the inner chamber. The kitchen would be on the rear end of the house, in the premises stood two independent huts that looked like the servants' quarters.
"I don't have a lot of people living here, apart from a few maidservants, a couple of body guards and about three men servants. I have no concubines, neither do I have a wife." he cleared his throat.
" Or children, so this place is rather quiet most of the time." You should be fine here.
The fact that he didn't have any concubines was news to me, I was told Kele tradition allowed royal members any number of concubines. I looked at him with new found respect and said nothing in response.
Yes, it was respect, what else can it be?
" Why are you helping us."
" Because I am in a position to help, that's why."
" There must be a reason."
" Maybe, but then again, maybe there is non."