Misozi's pov
King Dingani. Selfish, inconsiderate at it's core. He is not fit to rule. He is an incompetent fool . All he cares about is power. I loath him with every fiber in my being. These are the thoughts which roar through my head and chest as i stride furiously through the palace gardens in an attempt to cool my temper.
It is not helping.
What exactly was I hoping and expecting? I chide myself angrily. Did his good looks have me swoon and hope he was better than his rumoured reputation? Reputation and stereotypes exist for a reason!
"Misozi" Mother shouts, Interrupting my fuming thoughts. I turn to the source of her voice, to find her hurriedly rushing towards me. I sense worry from the tone of her voice and her panicking figure.
My anger dies quickly, as alarm quickly replaces it. Something is wrong.
Wondering what could have happened to put her in this flustered state, i ask her worriedly, "what is wrong, Mother?"
She grabs my arm and immediately begins to haul me,before she says, "It's Chiko, one the healers informed me that she's unconscious. Comatose."
Upon hearing that, i halt and stand still, gasping in shock, feeling weakness take full control of my body.
"Please do not tell me it's what i think it is."
"It is my dear but this time, it was worse," She replies.
Not caring we are in the middle of the garden within the palace, i pull my arm from Mothers hold, slowly fall on my knees with horrified defeat. I cover my face as i sob uncontrollably.
He has finally done it, I think bitterly. Is he happy now? What if she never wakes up?
Mother kneels besides me and pulls me into a comforting hug."I know baby girl, i know. She'll be okay."
"I always warned her. I told her to leave him," I whisper, still crying in despair. "I wish she listened to me, Mother,I wish the king listened to me. This is his fault," I spit with hateful venom as I uncover my face to regard her.
"The person to blame is her husband and not the king.He has nothing to do with this."
"You're wrong,Mother. He has everything to do with this. He doesn't care about his people. He doesn't care about the women. None of this would have happened if he protected women from such vile men, if he punished them for such acts. I know John will go scot-free, because the king doesn't not care if my best friend dies," I cry out with a broken heart. "I hate him mother, I hate how he treats us with so much disregard. like we are nothing. But we are human too. What did we ever do to him, to deserve this kind of life? Once Chiko completely recovers, we are leaving this kingdom."
Never had I felt so certain.
"Misozi calm down and lower your voice. Somebody might hear and report you to him. Stand up and come with me."
"I don't care mother,I don't care. Even if King Dingani himself hears me. I'm tired of this." I say, my voice exhausted with the anger and frustration of fighting a losing battle.
"This should be the last time that I'll ever hear you say that again. I'm not blind. I have seen everything you're saying too, probably more, but i choose to keep quiet. Time will come when his eyes shall open,but it is not now. All things come as fate determines. Now, come on, get up. your friend needs you. Plus, this is not the right place to have this type of conversation."
I nod in agreement, struggling to regain control over my heaving sobs as i get up from the ground. Mother is right, my best friend needs me.
Dingani's pov
With a heavy heart, I watch Misozi and her mother walk away from the garden. When i went to the kitchen with Thulani time see her – for a reason I still don't know – I did not find her. Undeniably, i felt a pang of disappointment.
But not wanting to make a fool of myself, i walked out and decided to head back to my office instead.
However, with a new profound relief I could never admit, I immediately jolted to the gardens after one of the servants informed me that is where she would be. I did not expect my inner excitement and my heart to be crushed due to the sight that was before me. By the Gods. What I observed is something I never want to see again in my lifetime.
Misozi, kneeling on the ground and sobbing in her mothers arms, blaming me for her friends critical condition.
I have been called names and blamed for many things but none of that ever hurt me as much as Misozi's words did.
I do not know why, but I hated seen her crying. It awakened a terrible ache within my chest, as if a freezing of the underworld gripped my heart in it's gnarled hand, squeezing it to the point i realized it was hard to breathe.
I wished I could have been the one in her mothers place, to hold her and wipe off her tears. Why did her words hurt so much? Why did I want to be on her good side and see her smile? What is this feeling?
vIs this guilt?
"What have I done?" I ask myself in whisper, after pulling out from my train of thoughts.
It seems my words are loud enough, as Thulani heard me and comments, "I'm very glad you saw that. I hope that was eye opening."
Something else bubbles up from within the ache in my chest. This one is not cold though. This one is hot, burning,seething.
"Send the guards to arrest John immediately," I hiss, my tone laced with rising fury.