Skip to main content

Knighted Again – Ch.16 | KT OLLA

KING Maqwela’s story started when the man was just a boy and the crown was only the future.

Maqwela was 8 years when his father gave him his biggest shock as a kid.

The man was the reigning king of the Cape Islands then. His title was the Chaka-Hulu.

He was the third Chaka-Hulu to rule the kingdom. So he wanted his house to hold the king line.

Chaka-Hulu called his heir Maqwela, so he ran to answer him.

But while he was nearing the king’s court, he met another boy on the way who looked so much like him.

Only he looked a few years older, and taller.

Now the boy crossed the running prince on his path, as he dashed to the same place from elsewhere.

‘Hey, you!’ he cried after him. ‘You’ve got speed!’

Maqwela glanced back yet kept running.

His lookalike doubled up.

‘You know I’ll have to catch up wi’ you an’ outrun you.

‘But if you’re this fast, I’ll just forget about the race and cheer you on!’

Maqwela stopped, surprised at the boy’s gut.

It was upsetting enough that he saw a boy looking Chaka-Hulu, and then that boy had the confidence to play.

No, Maqwela wouldn’t take it.

But then he shrugged a shoulder and walked up to the court. And still the lad followed.

So the younger one turned when he got to the entrance.

‘Who are you? Why is it you’re following me?’

It was then that kids noticed that the king was coming out to them. He’d been watching them from the windows all along.

So now Chaka-Hulu came out talking at them.

‘Have you two met? You are brothers... children of the same father.

‘So from now on, you two will grow and study together.’

The younger kid glared at the new one.

‘Hey Maqwela!’ snapped Chaka-Hulu.

‘Your brother has a name, but right now I’m giving him another – one befitting of a prince!’

He looked at the older boy for seconds then he spoke the words.

‘Come, your name will be Zadeque! ZA–DE–QUE... is that taken?’

The young kids mastered the name, muttering.

The ruler called in the two boys and had a talk with them. It was between the three men alone.

He addressed the new one there, a son he’d just brought into the family...

One whom his young crown prince, Maqwela, wouldn’t know.

He set him standing beside his brother, and then addressed him as the heir.

‘Listen to me, Zadeque. You’ve been living as commoner before now that I took you from your mother.

‘But now you’re a son of the lineage of the great Chaka. So you must fight for the name!

‘You’re just three years older than your brother...

‘And your brother Maqwela is a great man – he is the heir to the Chaka-Hulu title.

‘He is my crown prince, because is worthy of the proud name.

‘I bet you have a lot to learn from him, because no son of mine is a loser!’

He shook him by the shoulders.

‘So prove yourself from here – if you’re worthy of the name as he!’

He stood up to leave. ‘I heard you joke about dropping out of the race.

‘Don’t even think about dropping out. If you do, you are dead!’

Now it was this day when a father set two children at war, it was this day the tragedy started.

Yet Maqwela didn’t tell Sand and Muse this, as it was only a piece of his long story.

No, Maqwela didn’t share the part with the duo. He told them something more.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MUSTARD I – Ch. 7 | KT OLLA

NOW it had rained all morning this day. And the sun was finally tearing through clouds to take the day’s glory. It was a brief break for the villages of Ede’s farmlands. As they rested from taking turns in harvesting yams. The town’s harvest season of yam and cassava tubers were in the rains... So they worked double to get them stored in barns and sold in markets – to avoid early rot in the wet weather. Yes, the crops were sources of flours and flakes for main foods. And several kinds of yam – like the ewùrà, ebòlò and the white yam, were also prepared as meals. So, everyone was out going about their own business those rest days... The farmers would go for a routine check on their farm every morning. And return earlier than the time to gather for talks by evening. Every evening, the men would sit under the shade of trees, and play board games amid talk and drinks. They’d talk about everything. From the ruler to their people. And to their wives and children. The young Moro chose to go a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sons of the Flaming Throne 2 – Ch. 9 | KT OLLA

ABISHUM wasn’t done speaking. So she picked up on the matter as things were bound to change. She spoke: ‘See, it was a bedroom cry for Aleph. But not until the day things were shoved in her face… ‘And that day she gave up on hoping! ‘Well, what Aleph thought was the reason why Beth couldn’t marry, was different from what it was with people. ‘She used to think it was because there was no man in her house to ask the daughter from. As is our customary practice in Israel.  ‘But when a drunken man shoved it in her face one night, it hurt her too much what people say. ‘“No one will marry your daughter, woman! Why will anyone do? When death hides in her bosom like it hid in yours. Or why did your husband die? ‘“Look, if you don’t know it – your family is cursed! You only have one child in a nation of plenty. ‘“God has prospered Israel with many children like the sea sand. But what do your family bear? Only one! ‘“So, who will want your cursed daughter for his son to love? You really don’t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Knighted Again – Ch.13 | KT OLLA

MAQWELA caught the smile on Nile’s face as he turned back to him. He knew why the boy smiled, yet he liked him more. Those were some things of innocence that he missed. The king liked people who wouldn’t cower when he used power. Unlike how he’d tremble as a boy when his late father abused the right. Yes, he liked folks who still retained their peace as they grew. Like those cute youngsters listening to him. So the monarch resumed, but he preferred to go the earnest way. ‘Now like I said earlier, that nobody enters here except Maqwela passes them – you must also know that nobody hears the things I’ll be speaking now unless we tell them! ‘Now I know you’re smart enough to know what I said – and what I left unsaid!’ The duo braced up and gestured with a nod. They knew the weight of that sentence and were ready to keep the monarch’s secret. They knew they were about to hear a blast. And so they braced up for it. Right then the middle-aged heaved a deep breath, crossed his arms over his ch...
Post a Comment
Read more