Meeting the princess

BaKoena Kingdom

Mapula

Last week I was informed about my arranged marriage to prince Thabiso of BaTloung kingdom. Am okay with this, it’s something that I have been groomed for since the age of 9. I just didn’t think it will happen soon after I reach maturity. I hope he is a good man, yes I know that he wont love me the first day we meet but I hope we will be civilized with each other and make this marriage work.

Mother says the key to a happy marriage is honesty and communication, she says without communication there is no trust. I hope the same works for my marriage. It’s the week of the initiation celebrations, I always attend this event

since my brothers moved to the capital and I go to represent the royal family.

Am dressed in my royal attire and topped it with my royal Ba Sotho hat with my royal beads. I wore my hair loose and put on my tiara, I looked at myself on the mirror one last time before going down stairs. I am very excited about the event, anyone who has attended this event will know how much fun it is and even now I can hear the happy songs being sang there.

It is a joyous day indeed, when I got down stairs, I went straight for the door and the queen called me back. “Don’t you greet now my princess?” I didn’t see her there. “My apologies my queen I didn’t see you sitting there and I had thought you already left for your royal duties.” I really though she had left, she usually leaves very early each day.

“That is alright my princess, I have organised guards, maidens and a driver to take you there.” I am not taking any driver! The place is just two streets away from the royal palace why would I drive there? “My thanks mother but I would like to take horses instead.” In Le Sotho horses are our primary mode of transport unless we are going far like to the capital but when were are going close by horses are the way to go.

“Alright then my princess, I will inform the guards to prepare the horses on my way out.” Oh gods of BaKoena she’s going ask them to put everything on them in this heat! “Mother please don’t let them put the royal beads and blankets on the horses, the sun is quite hot today.” I crossed my fingers hoping she agrees.

“That wont be possible my princess, in such events other royals are always present and people must be able to identify you by your kingdom’s markings. How will they do that if you want no trace of your kingdom on the horses you ride on? You would be no different from a commoner and people might even mistake you for one since they don’t see you that much and others even forgot what you look like.” Gods! Was there a need for the speech she just gave me?

“Alright mother they can put on everything then.” If I keep arguing with her I will never leave and she too will end up not going to her royal duties. She kissed my forehead and left. I was so anxious as I waited for my personal maiden to come and get me so that we can get there already! After 20 minutes of waiting she came and got me.

Outside the horses were ready, maidens and guards that I was going with were also waiting. My maiden and I go onto our horses and we made our way to the event. Two guards were riding in front of me, two at the back and two on the sides. I was in the middle with the maidens that were accompanying me. I must say my horse looks beautiful!

When we got to the event people made way for us to pass, I spotted a lot of royals around mostly princes and maybe two princesses. It makes sense though if the boys from their kingdom went to initiation school with ours.

Thabiso

I woke up early this morning to make my way to the BaKoena kingdom, because its quite far from my kingdom and I have to be there before the boys come back from the initiation school. I am only here for two reasons, one to show support to the boys from our kingdom that went to initiation school. Here in Le Sotho we don’t have more than one host for the initiation.

When one kingdom sends their boys to initiation school to become men, other kingdoms too join in and send their boys that have come of age to go with for initiation. When they come back after a month all the kingdoms that have sent their boys will go to the hosts to celebrate the boys becoming men and welcome then to adult and manhood.

Well I made it before the boys arrived and now for my second reason, my soon to be queen which I don’t see by the way, royals stay together in these events but there is a lot of them so the only thing that will help me find her is searching for their royal markings. Oh I hope she comes or all this and my coming here would be for nothing.

After a while searching I give up as the ceremony begins, one boy from BaTlakwana kingdom gets up to sing his song and say his praises. All of a sudden there was silence all around, I looked around and found people with their heads bowed as per the way of BaKoena. At first I thought the king or the prince of the kingdom is coming and people are showing respect to the royal and host.

But when I looked back I saw horses with the markings of BaKoena, a lot of maidens and guards coming our way. A smile creeps into my face, I don’t know why either but I think am happy because that many maidens mean a princess is coming, my journey was not in vain after all. Judging by the way her people are going crazy with praises I can tell they love her.

She comes and takes her place not far from where am sitting and I let her settle in for a few minutes then I made my way towards her. I recognise her from the picture but it didn’t do her any justice, the princess is of true beauty indeed. I got to her and greeted. “Greetings my princess.” She smiles, gods her smile is beautiful! “Greetings my prince.” She answered still smiling.

“Can the princess introduce herself since we have not had the pleasure of meeting?” I asked her just to test the kind of person she is, I know am the one who should be introducing myself first but I want to see how arrogant she will react. “I Am Princess Mapula of BaKoena Kingdom and this is my father’s kingdom. May I know who the prince I have the pleasure of meeting this day is?” I smiled

I like how she said ‘my father’s kingdom’ it shows that she knows that the only kingdom she has a claim on is that of her king, that is her future husband. She’s not like others who claim their father’s kingdoms as theirs, forgetting that a princess has no claim in her father’s kingdom. “ I am Prince Thabiso of BaTloung Kingdom.” Her eyes widen, oh she was told about me, interesting.

“A pleasure it is to meet you my prince.” Show bows her head in sign of respect, damn! She ticks all the boxes, she shows respect to her husband and not demand it because I didn’t bow when I greeted her. “A pleasure is all mine, my future queen.” I said with a smile and she blushes looking aside.

She’s so innocent! Gods of BaTloung her smile is beautiful! And her eyes draw you in like a magnet. I need to step back here, I love Boitumelo and I shouldn’t be looking at her like this. “Please do make time for us to meet and get to know each other my princess.” That is not what I wanted to say, right now mouth is working against my brain.

“Unfortunately I am leaving next week my prince, going back to school.”  Why does she have to study so far! But it’s a good thing she won’t be around. “That is disappointing, if I could maybe come to South Africa, lets say for business would you meet with me for coffee maybe?” what the hell am I doing? I don’t even have business in South African.

“I see not problem in that my prince but how do you know I go to school in South Africa?” well I was told all there is to know about you my weird princess. “Father told me. May I have the princess’s contact number? I would like to contact you when am that side.” Am done! today it seems my brain is not working! just yesterday I was promising my darling Boitumelo that I won’t fall for her and today I am making plans to meet with her.

Technically there is nothing wrong with what am doing, this young maiden is my wife. “No a problem.” She gave me her number, I bid her goodbye and I went back to where I was sitting to enjoy the rest of the ceremony.

On the other side prince Tsietsi was watching the couple fuming with anger, he hated seeing prince Thabiso talking to her that long. He might have paid the dowry for her but he saw her first! And was promised to him first! But Thabiso didn’t intimidate him one bit! He saw him as a weak man and believes Mapula deserves a real man like himself not Thabiso.

But he told himself that prince Thabiso can enjoy his time with her now before he takes her away and make her his. He was determined that no one will stand in his way in getting his princess.