I went to tell Lobe and Thabo about our new accommodation.
"We will stay with Prince Sepo until we get back on our feet."
"Prince Sepo?" Lobe asked supprised.
"Yes him, why do you look supprised"
"No, nothing" so that Prince in the audience hall today was Prince Sepo? he murmured.
Does he know who you are? have you talked to him?" Thabo asked.
My eyes widened.
" No! what for?"
" What do you mean, what for? isn't he you betrothed?"
" He was, his not anymore...He has a woman his mother want him to marry."
" That's because they think you are dead."
" Princess Zae is." My voice came out muffled.
Thabo exchanged glances with Lobe.
" It won't change anything, the Queen hated me..." I opened my mouth three times but nothing more came out.
I wanted to cry but I couldn't. My heart hurt but I had no source of comfort, I really missed my Mother. I missed my Father more, he had fulfilled his last duty as a Father to protect me until his death.
Why am I not crying for such a one, and really want to cry for someone who didn't recognize me?
I wanted to hate him but because I could feel his sadness, I just ended up hating myself and because of that, we went to stay with prince Sepo in his house.
He had allocated us chambers in the ladies' quarters. Thabo was to help with the cooking, Lobe would help in his farm while I was told to help fetch water every after two nights and help around the house.
I had learned to do things on my own and needed no attendant. Life as a maid servant wasn't easy considering I hadn't done any chores before, but Thabo had been a lot of help and I was coping well.
I barely saw Prince Sepo but I was starting to fall in love with him, everytime I spent with him, reminded me of what could have been.
He spent most of his time at the fields or with Lonki at the training grounds and hated it, I wanted him near me.
****
When the Queen found out I was staying in Prince Sepo's premises, She came to flip the ground and chased us out of the house while Prince Sepo and Lobe where at the fields.
I did not answer that woman and kept quiet the whole time for the people who had helped save my life. Overtime I had learnt to talk when necessary, Prince Sepo liked that. I had learned silence too is a lethal weapon. My keeping quiet the whole time seemed to infuriate the woman even more.
I had denounced the sceptre to be an oracle and didn't heal anyone or use any of the power bestowed on me. I had resolutely manage to not look people in the eyes. Your sickness, your body, your problem, death like the Queen said was inevitable.
Our things where merely a basket full, we didn't have much with us. We knew that Prince Sepo had built huts for his farm workers, so we went to seek shelter there. When prince Sepo found out, he was angry with the Queen.
"Why did you do that my queen?"his voice rang through the Queen's chamber.
"This is not something you should be coming to talk to the Queen of this kingdom about, what I see unfit, i uproot" her face inscrutable.
" what have they done to you?"
"That girl has demons, I have no good feeling about her?"
" I try to understand my Queen because she gave me life, but I must say that, my Queen is evil, you have made that family homeless, now what?"
The Queen slapped Prince Sepo but he didn't flinch.
"Dare call you mother evil because of a mere commoner?"
" Isn't what you have done evil?"
The Queen's jaw dropped, her eyebrows raised, a distortion from her usual beautiful features.
She managed to lock her jaw back with the effort it took her to keep quiet.
"I will take my leave". Prince Sepo told her, his face tightened.
He made a quick rushed obeisance and left.
"Get ready to marry Princess Mokomena in seven nights" she shouted.
When he found out where we where, he came to invite us back to his home but that wasn't an option for us anymore. As much as I wanted to stay near him, we decided to stay in two of the farm huts because the Queen was not going to give up.
*********
The procession of the Letuyako had come for the marriage that evening . They where to marry the following day.
" I don't want to marry Princess Mokomena" Prince Sepo told Lonki , as he chunked the beer from the cup in his hand.
"Aren't you doing it because of peace my Prince? Princess Zae is with the ancestors. What other royal remain if not princess Mokomena?"
"It's a forced marriage, the people of Letuyako are murderers, that's all I will see everytime I look at that woman."
" I don't think, it matters to them..."
"I know, but I can't love that woman and am supposed to."
They were still on the veranda when Lobe came to request an audience with Prince Sepo.
"You can say whatever you want in front of him, he is my most trusted friend".
"Am sorry my prince but it's something that only your ears should hear."
"Okay..." Lonki stood up from his stool.
Prince Sepo felt sorry for his friend but he always knew, it was so like Lobe to want to talk in private.
"Don't worry, I was about to go home anyway, I'll see you tomorrow, don't stay up late, you are going to need all the energy tomorrow"Lonki laughed and walked away.
"Ugh" Prince Sepo grimaced. " Don't remind me of that."
Lonki laughed and disappeared along the veranda leading towards the maidservants' chambers.
"Take a seat" Prince Sepo said, pointing at the stool Lonki had previously sat on.
"I know am a bit late, but am hoping am not too late, considering what am about to say may or may not affect tomorrow's ceremony".
"What are you trying to say?"
" I have a message from King Yanga."
Prince Sepo looked at Lobe like he was a crazy person.
"My Prince, before King Yanga was killed that night, I was given two orders"he said looking ashamed.
"One I did almost immediately, the other I don't know why I couldn't bring my self to do"
" Stop procrastinating and get to the point" the prince told Lobe irritated. He was on his feet now.
"The first one was to save his daughter, Princess Zae, who was sick and slept the whole time the attack was carried out"
"Princess Zae is alive?"
"Yes my prince"
"Wher... is...she?"he asked stuttering.
He didn't need Lobe to tell him that, he'd already know. He'd visibly avoided me sometimes, when I stayed in his premises.
He remembered that he hadn't asked for my name the whole time. And I trying to conceal my identity had removed the royal bangles.
Light had finally shone in his Stygian life.
"What was the second one" he asked with a beam painted on his face.
"The second one was to give you this"
he unfolded a dirty cloth that reviewed a silk cloth before two royal bangles with different curving that showed they belonged to him and the Queen and three lion teeth.
" He told me that when I showed you this, you will know because you are a clever child."
Prince Sepo didn't know what that meant but he was eager to talk to me than finding answers.
"Where is Princess Zae?