It was the moment when Azania had been taking the veil off that it had come to her senses how she really had gotten married.
She was obviously waiting for her "husband" when she suddenly fell asleep. How could he be so cruel to keep her waiting like that? It had not even been a day yet, yet, she already missed home so much.
She had slept wondering why her mom would be so quick in finding her a husband.
The so called husband had walked in a few hours later, finding the bride's figure laying graciously on the bed.
The man had houvered over her, taking a closer look on her features. Finding her to seem so carefree as she carefully breathed in and out. She was beautiful, her cheekbones raised highly, her jawline so evident and straight, her dark skin so clean, not a single pimple in sight. That wasn't a surprise at the man's side however, you could hardly find any African with pimples. Their food intake was as healthy, and they never really got sick.
The man had brought a stool nearby, wanting to sit and watch the little girl as she slept. She started shivering from the lack of blankets. He took one and tried to tuck her in when he mistakely touched her lips. The little princess jolted awake running to the other end of the bed.
"You were shivering, so," the man explained, feeling embarrassment creep to his cheeks. What would she think of him now?
The princess could have shown a little gratitude, but, she was still offended for having to wait for him for so long.
She instead rolled her eyes getting off the bed when she realised she was still wearing jewellery. She went to the mirror to take the jewellery off, leaving her dreadlocks hanging carefree.
"I was not going to do anything to you," The crowned prince rolled his eyes thinking the kid was being dramatic and too cold towards him.
"I never said you were," she sighed getting up from her stool. She called her maidservant to help her get off the heavy dress. "You prepare some snacks for his highness, and me too. He must be hungry, I know I am." She shooed her off politely telling her to hurry.
Minutes later, the food walked in, whilst Azania washed her hands and face. "You can go away now," she calmly told her maidservant. Standing from her stool so elegantly and walking towards the crowned prince to come face to face to him.
"I might have the backing of my tribe Akuna, but I have no one here," she begged with her eyes hating to be so desperate and honest. But she really did not have a choice, because if she gave him a cold shoulder, he never would understand her griviences.
"You came late. It has not even been a full day since I have arrived yet you have managed to cause me into being a laughing stock." She went to take the snacks that were brought for her and brought them to the bed.
"You must be hungry," she thought as she prepared samples of food for him on a bowl.
Akuna found it so refreshing to meet someone as honest and straightforward as her. How could she break all her walls in front of him so easily? She did not even know him like that.
"I apologise," he found himself saying.
"You are forgiven," Azania smiled at him. Starting to take his features in. She could suddenly see the freckles on his high bridge of a nose. The light brown colour of his eyes that had a hint of dark brown on them. A tint of a small scar near his eye ends, resting there, as if he was always born that way. He was definitely a beauty, and maybe, just maybe she thought, life wouldn't be that bad on the Northern. Despite their cold weather. How much she would miss laying on the ground and staring amongst the green leaves as they swayed.
•
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•
It had been a day at most since Moti, Lwazi and the little cousin had been lost in the cave.
Moti had tried to attack Lwazi the moment they had been inside, yet Lwazi rolled his eyes and threw Moti's sword far away.
"Do you really think now is the time to try to kill me?" he questioned his intelligence and wondered if his actions were always so drastic.
"I understand it's not, but my hate for you overcomes my will to come out alive." he explained with venom.
"little brother," Lwazi mocked, "even if you're suicidal, little cousin here is not," he said, brushing the dreadlocks on the young boy's head.
Moti found himself getting caught in the slight interaction between Lwazi and his cousin. Instead of the boy getting away from him with fear, he smiled delightfully.
"We should try to find an exit," Lwazi said, causing an interruption in Moti's day dreaming.
"Zene, stay by my side," Moti reprimanded his cousin for getting too comfortable with his father's killer.
After hours of searching for an exit, they sat down tiredlessly, suddenly feeling cold. It must have already been night, they thought.
However, magically, there were a few planks gathered, and Lwazi had collected them to make a fire. A few minutes later, it was a bit warmer, and Zene had snuggled against Moti.
"Why are you so close with Lwazi after he kidnapped you?" Moti question the little boy, finding it quite strange.
"he let me sleep in his bed, and let me eat all my favourite foods whilst I was with him. He even let me ride at his back. And when I was having nightmares he hugged me and said everything would be alright," Zene explained delightfully, his mind taking him back to the events of staying at Lwazi's palace.
"You talk as if you've stayed with him for months," Moti snarled out of jealousy.
"It doesn't matter if it was only two days, I still like his character and honesty," Zene said mindlessly. Then Moti wondered if he should tell him that Lwazi killed his father. But he didn't wish to have Zene grow up with hate and regard his whole life as a piece for revenge.
Lwazi had been watching their interaction with envy, wishing he had had a brother or a sister growing up, yet whilst still stuck in his thoughts, he had suddenly realised there was a growing light at the far east of the cave.
"Moti," he called out to him, hoping he wasn't the only one seeing this.
Moti upsentmindedly turned his head when he also slowly risen, finding the bright colour growing fast and getting brighter. The three of them stood up, going to the light as if it was calling out to them.
All of them were shocked to find a fairly old men eating as if it was the most normal thing to do. Yet Moti somehow knew the man, he had seen his paintings. It was his dead maternal grandfather.
Shock cut one of his windpipes, making it hard for him to breathe. How could his grandfather be staying here so carefree as if he is not dead.
"come eat with me, you must be hungry," he told them without bashing an eyelash to look at them. The table the old man was eating at suddenly magically extended, so did the amount of food.
"Lwazi, I never thought there would come a day I'd see you with your brother in one place." he breathed out casually before telling them to sit. "Are you not hungry?" he asked casually again.