Ukukhathazeka kubhalwe ebusweni kuMaKhuzwayo njengoba ebuka indodana yakhe, uBhekani.
“Bhekani, ngicela ungilalele kahle, mfana wami. Awukwazi ukunqaba ukushada indodakazi yenkosi. Angeke ukwazi ukunqaba ukuthatha isandla senkosazane yesizwe Bhekani ngoba umshado wenu wahlelwa nibancane nizelwe. Lobu buhlobo obukhona phakathi kwemindeni yethu kukhona ngoba sasivumelene ukuthi sizoganiselana uma senikhululile,” kusho uMaKhuzwayo.
“Mama, mina angeke ngishade noThobile. Noma eyinkosazane yesizwe mina angimthandi futhi akalona neze uhlobo lomuntu wesifazane engiluthandayo,” kuphendula uBhekani enikina ikhanda.
“Bhekani, uthando luyakhiwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Uyabona nje mina ngenkathi ngishada noyihlo wayesaba ngisho ukungibuka emehlweni. Kodwa ekuhambeni kwesikhathi sajwayelana sagcina singamathe nolimi.”
“Mama, ngicela ubuke isikhathi esiphila kuso manje. Lezi zinto okhuluma ngazo zazenziwa kudala. Manje abantu sebeshada ngoba bethandana.”
“Kanti wabanjani, Bhekani? Yonke insizwa lapha esigodini sethu ifuna ukushada nenkosazane yasebukhosini, ikakhulukazi uThobile.”
“Bona phela, mama, hhayi mina,” ukhuluma nje uBhekani usemi ngezinyawo. Useshinsthile ebusweni kuyacaca ukuthi akayithandi lento abakhuluma ngayo.”
“Ingabe kukhona enye intombi osuyibonile yini?”
“Mama, ngisacela ukukushiya. Mhlawumbe ngizobuya usuyiyekile lensambatheka ongitshela yona,” kusho uBhekani ephuma eganklaza isicabha.
“Waze weyisa uBhekani!” Kusho uMaKhuzwayo ebhula ihlombe.
Ngisho esakhula uBhekani wayebezwa abadala bekhuluma bethi uyoshadelwa yindodakazi yenkosi, inkosazane uThobile. Zonke izinsizwa zendawo zazifuna ukumshada uThobile. Ngisho izihambi zokufika zazihamba amabanga amade zihambe zilala ezintabeni. Zazisuke zize enkosini yamaQadi. Zazifika nezipho ezinhlobonhlobo zizozibutuzela enkosini zifuna ukushada uThobile.
Inkosi yayivele igane unwabu ngokushesha. Yayivele ibatshele ukuthi uThobile uyoshadwa umuntu oyolwa nenkomo yakhe eyinkunzi enamandla aze ayibulale. Lokho kuyinkinga ukukwenza ngoba lenkunzi kahle kahle iyinkomo ehlanyayo. Inkosi yayisuke yenzela ukuthi izivakashi zidube, zihambe zingabe zisabuya.
Izintombi zendawo azifuni nokumbona uThobile lo. Into ecasula izintombi ngukuthi zona azisashelwa muntu. Zonke izinsizwa zendawo kanye nezokuhamba zikhala ngoThobile, zimufuna kumnyama kubomvu.
Inkosi yamaQadi iganwe ngabafazi abane. UThobile yena uzalwa ngundlunkulu, uMaNgema. Amanye amakhosikazi enkosi nawo awamuthandisisi kahle uThobile ngoba nguye owenza ukuthi izingane zabo zinganakwa. Phela zonke izivakashi zalapha esigodlweni zikhala ngaye uThobile. Ngisho inkosi isho ukuthi inawo amanye amadodakazi uvele ubone nje ukuthi izihambi lezi ziphelelwa uthando.
Konke lokhu okwenzekayo kuyamcindezela uThobile ngoba nakhu manje akasenayo noyedwa umngani. Usewaphenduka inkomo edla yodwa. Ngisho nodadewabo imbala, uThembelihle, ozalwa ngunkosikazi omncane wenkosi, uMaNdlela, usephenduke isitha sakhe esikhulu.
Amakhosikazi enkosi akhala ngokuthi uThobile nguyena othandwa kakhulu kunazo zonke ezinye izingane. Unina kaThobile, uMaNgema, uvele athi mlomo wami uyobe wonakele uma ekhononda amanye amakhosikazi. Inkosi imthandela lokho uMaNgema. Amakhosikazi ayo amanye anochuku kakhulu futhi athanda ukusenga ezimithiyo. Kanti inkosi iwubona wonke lomqondo abanawo. Yingakho izinqumo ezibalulekile eziphathelene nesigodlo kanye nesizwe izidingida noMaNgema kuphela.
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Sitshele Umbono Wakho: Ubona ukuthi inkosazane uThobile kufanele idatshukelwe noma kulungile ukuthi imonaselwe? Yini edala ukuthi uphendule ngendlela ophendule ngayo?