Juma Mbogo, a young man of twenty summers from a neighboring village, stood as a pillar of tradition in the eyes of Kamau Mwangi. With a demeanor that exuded authority and a countenance weathered by the responsibilities of manhood, Juma represented stability and lineage—a match deemed suitable to secure the Mwangi family's future.
His presence cast a solemn shadow over Zuri's hopes and dreams, yet his eyes held a flicker of curiosity as he observed the young woman who would soon become his bride. In the intricate dance of arranged marriages, where alliances were forged through ancestral ties and bartered agreements, Juma's role was defined by duty rather than desire.
To Kamau, the union promised prosperity and the preservation of familial honor—an exchange of land and livestock that bound their destinies in a transaction as old as time itself.