The moon shone on the fallen snow as the quiet city of the Jabari people began to turn down for the night. but deep in the darkness…through the twisted paths and dark corners. a carriage drove towards the city. the driver guided the oxen through the darkness to ensure its passenger's safety, as it headed towards the palace.
Dark eyes looked out from his throne room onto his kingdom…his country. Now king and not just leader of the Jabari…many things had changed for the chief turned royal…the 4 tribal elders expected him to leave the mountains and move to the golden palace, but he had refused. After all, from his mountains to the palace was less than a ten minute trip using the royal talon . a mode of transportation he was still getting used to, plus…what was communication technology for? he countered…but there was another reason why he didn't want to leave his home…his people, this land…was a constant in a changing world and in the past year…there had been a lot of changes…at least here…he felt grounded, secure and while he was more accepting of the world below…he still loved this life.
the sudden opening of the doors as one of his many warriors came in and knelt in front of his throne.
“What is it, Ikenna?” M'baku asked as he turned to his warrior who lifted his head.
“ikumkani wam (my king)…she has…returned”
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The king walked through the halls with his guards behind him, dressed in a dark brown kaftan with his traditional furs over his shoulders and arms. his eyes focused as he made his way through the halls before the guard stopped in front of a door.
“She’s in here, ikumkani” the guard replied before the king turned to his men.
“Leave me” he simply commanded, waiting for them to leave him , before he put his hand on the door. but as he got ready to turn the handle…a memory came to him.
“It is…disgraceful! an omen! how can such an accursed woman remain in the palace!”
“not once…or twice, but three times!”
“Lord M'baku…you of all people must respect the traditions and laws of the Jabari”
“she must be banished!” The three elders cried as the young lord rubbed his temples in frustration.
“Enough!” he finally yelled as he banged his staff on the ground, commanding silence.
“you speak…as if she is diseased…cursed, she’s hurting…and you have the audacity…to tell me to send her away!?!”
“your ancestors did it…even your father considered it…so you must do the same” one of the elders calmly replied “ because either you do it…or we will” the elder warned as the three older men left the throne room…ignoring the pain-filled roars of their leader…tradition must be followed.
M'baku rose from his throne and began to pace as thoughts filled his head, he had been the leader of the Jabari since he barely turned 20… and during that time…when no one approached the fearsome leader…she did, she cared and stayed by his side…and now…this!
but the doors opened as a guard rushed in.
“my lord…the lady has been…” he managed to say before his leader stormed past him…and he didn't have to go far before he found attending ladies surrounding her, with her hand over her face as she cried in pain…her tears mixed with blood streamed through her fingers as he rushed over and picked her up as he roared in frustration as it would seem that the elders…beat him to it.
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The king sighed as he remembered that day, but he pushed on as he opened the door and stepped into the dark room. none of the lights were on…with only the moonlight and lights from the city illuminating the room. He walked into the room and his breath hitched as he looked ahead.
A silhouette sat by a large window looking up at the moon, upon closer inspection…the feminine figure was wearing a fur cloak which covered her completely, her hand rose and pulled down her hood as she rose and turned to him. her large brown eyes looked up at him before she knelt and bowed her head.
“nkosi…yam (my…lord)” she said or managed to say before she was swept into his strong arm as he held her close.
“Anyone can bow to me…but not you…never you” he said to her as he pulled back to look at his lost love and she looked at him.
She sadly smiled as she raised her hand and placed it on his cheek “ I left you with the most beautiful black hair…and now I see grey”
He placed his hand on her hair…her once dark brown hair, long, thick and full of coils, now sparkled with the long strands of silver that were intertwined into her loose twists that were pulled into a ponytail.
“I would say the same about you” he slowly replied as he moved from her hair to her face…she was still as beautiful as the day he saw her…her large brown eyes, once full of wonder and life…looked so tired, her beautiful brown skin was still flawless…except for the two dark line-shaped scars that rested on her cheeks…there were many women in his tribe and even kingdom. Still, none of them caught his heart…even when the elders told him to take a second wife…he threatened to throw them off the mountain if they dared to do anything behind his back again…because now, his heart was back in his arms.
He sighed as he held her off the ground, internally cringing at how…light she felt in his arms…she was much smaller at him as she stood at 5’5, but she had a beautiful full figure that he loved so much but…it would seem that her travels had lightened her. something he would remedy now that she was home, but for now… he couldn't help it as he rested his forehead on hers and she did the same as they closed their eyes and enjoyed the moment.
“Wamkelekile akhaya (welcome home) Wura”
“It's good to be home,” she softly replied, this moment was almost like a dream…she really was home.
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Having moved her to his room, the king sighed as he entered the room and saw her sitting by a table, now he could see her properly. her beautiful brown skin, her hands with her manicured nails…no longer stained red and were now a natural pink with white tips. as they poked out from under her cloak. She was as beautiful as the day he lost her to their foolish and outdated tradition…but no longer…not anymore
Feeling his gaze on her, caused her to look up at him…she was a breathtaking woman. her beautiful eyes, her nose that wrinkled when she giggled, her full dark lips that pulled into the sweetest smile that was made even better by her dimples…but a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts as he turned to the door.
“enter” he simply called, turning as he subconsciously stood in front of her.
The door opened as a palace guard came in.
“Pardon Ikumkani …but the Jabari council had asked to meet with you tomorrow morning”
“For what reason? the council isn't supposed to meet so soon?” he questioned, feeling quite…irritated by the idea of having to leave her so soon.
“Well…” the guard managed to say before he looked in her direction…well…that made his irritation turn into anger almost immediately.
“Leave…now!” he warned the guard, who quickly bowed before they scurried out of the room.
The king's anger grew until her voice came to his ears.
“...I'm already causing trouble, aren't I?”
Hearing her soft voice, full of defeat. killed his anger as he turned to her with soft eyes.
“You…are no trouble at all” he softly replied not wanting to scare her as he made his way over to her and gently picked her up again so that they were eye to eye.
“You…don't have to be gentle with me”
“Not to them…to them…I'm an omen…a stain, perhaps it was wrong of me to return here” she softly replied as she tried to escape his strong arms but failed miserably as he held her close.
“To them? What about me? it’s been…almost 8 years since I've last seen you…held you and you…feel wronged because of them?”
“Of course I do…because as much as I love you…as much as I missed you every single day…to be banished from your home…not being able to be with you and hold you…and having to wear the shame on my face…of course, I feel wronged….” she replied as she looked at him.
“Do you hate me?” he simply asked, causing her eyes to widen.
“Do you hate me Wuraola …do you hate me for not protecting you and letting them scar you…do you hate me for following our traditions instead of my heart…do you hate me…as the leader of the Jabari…for sending you away” he asked her. but then he confessed.
“Because I did…I hated that I couldn't protect you…I hated that my prayers seemed to be unanswered…I even hated you for talking me into letting you go as it only showed me…how weak I was…I was chief in name but the one thing I wanted to protect…I couldn't and I hated it” he sighed.
She looked at him for a moment before she replied.
“Ndibeke phantsi! (Put me down) M'baku…please” she softly replied.
He didn't want to, it still felt like a dream to him and letting her go…frightened him but… hearing her pleading, caused him to sigh as he placed her on her feet.
“Of course, I feel hatred…but not towards you…either as my leader or husband. we were victims of our tradition…and even though we grew up being taught that we must honour our ancestors by following tradition, no matter how cruel they were…you called out that tradition, and with the power you had…you fought for me…but you were still young and new, yet to earn respect in our tribe…you failed then but you didn't lose this fight…you are king now and the first thing you did was bring me back…you could have forgotten me, married another…yet you brought me home…the only thing I hate…is how much time we lost together”
By now, her tears flowed freely over her marked cheeks which brought tears to his eyes as he hugged his wife into his chest and held her close…as if he was afraid that she would leave again.
“I swear to you like I did that night when I vowed before the fire of our ancestors…I love you and only death will separate me from you…you are the only one I want to spend my life with…and I won't let anything separate us again” he promised her as he felt her hold on to him as tightly as he held her.
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Wuraola opened her eyes as the morning light flooded the room as she sat up on the massive fur-covered bed. She was alone but…the feeling was…warmingly familiar as she placed her hand on where he had slept…still warm, she thought with a small smile.
They had spent many hours of the night, lying in bed. talking about all that had happened in their time apart. Her husband was pleased to know that…even though they were physically apart…she had stayed close by in the neighbouring countries of Kenya and Uganda…she had also travelled to her mother’s home country of Nigeria and other countries. when he asked her…how she was able to cope…she had confessed that for some reason…she felt like she was going to see him again and how awful it would be for them to meet and she be..downcast or broken…so she kept on living because she had to…
He was even more surprised that she was current with Wakandan affairs which made him feel more guilty for their time apart…especially when she scolded him for challenging King t’challa on challenge day…he then told her about the dealings in the tribe since she was gone…how he had to grow without her by his side…even having the honour of being able to call the late king his brother which helped him to see that…there was more out there without loosing what he held dear. the night was long as they laid beside each other and held each other’s hands which she found amusing as she showed him the plain gold ring on her finger, she explained that in the western world…married women wore gold rings on the fingers to show their commitment to their husbands, his response was to take the ring off and respond that he would get her a better one.
She slowly stretched as she crawled out of the bed and headed to the bathroom which was both familiar and strange to her. she turned on the water and pulled a large towel off the shelf, as she bathed herself. she smiled as the warm water heated by the mountains flowed over her body and hair which she loosen from her twists. the water stretching her curls and coils as they fell to her waist. she reached for the familiar bar of black soap, internally sighing in happiness as she could never find anything as good outside Wakanda. its warm and musky scent washed over her as she washed her hair and body with the soap. She was enjoying her bath so much that a knock on the bathroom door startled her as she rinsed off her body.
“W…who is it?” she softly called out.
“My name is nneka, inenekazi lam (my lady), his majesty sent us to help you get ready” a soft feminine voice replied back.
“Would you permit us to come in and aid in your bath”
“N...no! thank you…I'm almost done so please wait” Wura replied as she turned off the hot water and stepped out of the bath. She wrapped her clean hair in a towel before she did the same with her body, then she opened the door where she was met by three young ladies who bowed their heads to her.
“Please let us help you my lady…the king is waiting for you” the one in the middle smiled, Wura simply nodded as she entered the room where they sat her down and began to work. one of them on her hair as they oiled her curls and gently combed through it with wooden combs. another, worked on her skin as they rubbed rich thick butter into her skin and the last looked through a pile of clothes that they had brought with them before deciding on a set.
Wura sat quietly as they worked…she was normally not a fan of being treated like this and she was going to let her husband know about it, but..for some reason, the action of being cared for…felt nice and she was willing to enjoy it this time.
“Now…let's get you dressed my lady” they smiled as they helped her to her feet and began to dress her.
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The king sat on his familiar throne, dressed in his regular furs and wooden armour because at that moment…he was not a king but the leader of the Jabari…a leader who had an announcement to make and orders to decree. The two guards beside him could almost feel the tense aura radiating off their king as he glared at the door. but said aura disappeared when the doors opened and a familiar figure entered the room.
Her hair was tied into a simple yet elegant bun adorned with cowrie shells and wooden beads, she was wearing a loose fitted blouse made of beautiful brown and white material with a fitted skirt that was wrapped and tied around her waist made of the same cloth. across her shoulders was a beautiful fur cape that stopped at her knees and was made of the finest and whitest fur he could find, after all…it was her wedding present from all those years ago. He rose from his throne and walked to meet her as she shyly turned away from his proud gaze but was guided back to it by his finger.
“You are beautiful,” he simply smiled, causing her to softly pout at his simple yet sweet words.
“Thank you“ she replied as he took her hand and guided her back to his throne before he sat down and turned to his guards “leave us” he simply commanded before they turned and left till it was only them. He turned back to her and gently held her hand as she stood in front of him.
“Allow me to enjoy the beauty before me…it’s been too long since I've seen such perfection in a woman and to think…she’s my wife”
“Stop you…you sweet talker” was all she managed to counter with, which made him laugh as he looked at her.
“Umhle kakhulu kodwa unentloni(So beautiful yet so shy)” he replied…she was always easy to fluster, from the moment he met her that day as she walked home from the market square those many years ago…it was almost comforting to know that despite all they had been through…she hadn't changed so much.
But then a knock on the door interrupted his gazing as the doors were opened and a guard came inside.
“The elders are waiting, my king”
M'baku sighed as he held her close to him before replying “let them in”
“They…are waiting in the meeting room sir” the guard replied, Wura felt his grip tighten on her as he frowned in anger.
“It would seem…that they have chosen to be foolish to the end” he coldly replied before he got up and with his strong arm around her shoulders, left the throne room and headed down the hallway to the meeting room.
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The 3 elders of the Jabari tribe, wise old men, once warriors. whose responsibility was to hold up the traditions of the tribe and also guide the leader of their tribe in those traditions. dressed in their beaded tunics and furs. The elders waited impatiently, ready to release their displeasure to their leader for breaking one of their most sacred traditions.
But they were not ready for the doors of the room to burst open with such force that one of the door’s hinges broke. The 3 men quickly rose to their feet as their fearsome leader stepped into the room. his cold eyes looking down at them as he walked into the room.
“Were you waiting long elders?” he asked as he crossed his arms over his broad chest, daring them to answer as they bowed their heads to him.
“No…not at all,” the first one meekly replied as M'baku walked past them and sat in his chair.
“Good…so…why are you here?”
The three older men looked at each other before the second one bowed to their leader.
“Lord M'baku…we have watched you grow from a boy to a young man before you took the throne of the Jabari from your father…you swore to protect our way and keep our traditions and yet…your recent actions have broken one of our most sacred traditions.”
“Your actions have caused unrest in the people as they fear that…you have forgotten our ways”
“So we have come to ask,” said the third one “ that you restore order…by sending that…umqondiso (omen) away”
The king's eyes grew dark as he looked at each of them.
“Are you done?” he coldly replied as he slowly rose from his seat “are you done complaining and whining like spoiled dogs!” he yelled as he stalked over to them.
“I say this…not as M'baku, King of Wakanda …but as leader of the Jabari… I have very few regrets in my life and this is my biggest one, I am a warrior…a fighter. Your children and grandchildren have sung my praises in battle…I have defeated both man and beast and seen things that would make one question their sanity and yet… you dare speak to me like a child! and even worse…you dared to call my wife…in my home…an umqondiso…have you forgotten that there used to be 4 of you?” M'baku asked as he looked at them and watched them cower in fear.
“The fourth fool took it upon himself to scar my wife’s priceless face…and I threw that isidenge (fool) off this mountain myself…I was ready to fight you all…my wife begged me not to dishonour our traditions for her and her family’s sake and foolishly… I sent my wife away and you had the audacity to say to me back then… that since I did not traditionally shame her before I sent her away…her banishment wasn't valid in YOUR EYES… I went without my wife for years, praying each and every day that she was safe and would remain safe until we meet again…and now that we have…you three have the audacity to challenge my decision to bring her back!”
“We have to!…have you forgotten her sin…she lost 3 heirs!?...” was all they managed to say before the king responded by hitting the wooden table so hard that its legs collapsed and broke in front of them.
“My wife and I lost 3 children…3 times…we prayed and hoped that she will carry to full term and she didn't and instead of support…you saw it as an omen, isiqalekiso (a curse) and called for her to be banished”
“The wife of the leader’s womb must be perfect…only a uqalekisiwe (cursed) womb will kill three heirs! “ the third elder shouted back, he had been an elder of the tribe since M'baku’s father and had grandchildren the same age as their leader…so how dare a child like him…challenge their wisdom!
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Wura was sitting outside the meeting room, he had asked her to wait with his guards as he spoke to the elders. And despite the slight unhinging of the closed door…the quietness both calmed and alarmed her as she knew her husband was not a quiet negotiator. but… people can change, she thought to herself…
But that thought was quickly broken as the injured door finally came off its hinges as the two of the elders came flying through the closed doors. she barely had time to register the scene before she heard him.
“Mamela kakuhle! (Listen well)!” was all she heard as she looked up to see her husband holding one of the elders in the air by his neck.
“From this moment on… the scarring and banishment of Jabari women who lose children…is no longer tradition or rule and anyone who opposes this…can leave this tribe” M'baku roared before throwing the last elder down to join his fellow elders who were groaning in pain.
“Make no mistake…Wuraola Nkasi…is my one and only wife, mother of this tribe and…Queen of Wakanda…anyone who disputes that…can challenge me for the right” he snarled before he scooped up his stunned wife into his arms and left his guards to deal with the elders.
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The day had gone so quickly after that moment, once he took her to his room. He set the guards at the door as he went to exercise his anger on the training grounds, the poor soldiers, she thought as she could almost feel his anger radiate off of him when he held her. Apart from the attending ladies and guards coming to serve her food and drink…she was left alone in his room till that evening when a knock on the door came.
“Come in,” she replied as the door opened and the familiar lady from before entered.
“Good evening, my lady…please follow me,” the young lady smiled as she picked up her fur cape and brought it over to her.
“Is everything alright?” Wura asked as the warm cape was placed on her shoulders.
“Yes, the king has sent for you” was the simple reply as she got up “ please come with me” Nneka smiled as she led her out of the room and through the palace till they reached a large set of doors.
Nneka knocked on the door before she opened it and Wura entered as the doors were closed behind her. and she entered the palace greenhouse…a familiar place where she spent so much time, planting…harvesting and..grieving. but then she looked up and saw her husband standing over a bush.
“M'baku?” she gently called out as she walked towards his towering yet silent figure. He could be scary when loud and angry but his silence could be downright terrifying. She got to his side and finally saw what he was looking at.
It was a flower bush, its leaves and branches expertly trimmed and tame to keep it small yet well-shaped. but looking closer, one would realise that this bush…was very special.
“You..kept this?” she softly asked him as she looked up at him.
“Of course I did…you went through so much time and effort to create this little beauty…in honour of our children” he replied, growing from the bush were pink, yellow and red flowers resembling carnations that grew all around the bush but what made the special was felt when she gently stretched her hand out and touched one of the petals and felt a soft warmth as a soft white glimmer followed the trail of her fingers.
Wura couldn't help as her tears began to fall again, but with a soft smile this time, she turned and looked up at him.
“Every day..whenever I missed you…I would come here and…talk to these flowers and feel that soft warmth…” he softly smiled as he placed his hand on her cheek and wiped her tears “I vowed I would bring you home and now that I have you…I swear to never lose you again.” she hugged him as best she could which he returned before picking her up and wiping her eyes.
“I was scared to come back…I thought your world would have moved on without me…I'm glad I didn't listen to my fears” she softly smiled.
“How could it…you are my world” he responded.
“and you are mine” she smiled, the weather outside might be storming as the snow fell on the mountains. but at that moment, for the king and his bride as they shared an overdue kiss… all was right with the world.
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Wuraola (the wealth of gold)
red carnation (my heart aches)
pink (I’ll never forget you)
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