“Ngeke! Ngithi ngeke!” Kwakubhoka uMadevu, ibamba-bukhosi emva kokuzwa ukuthi ubukhosi sekumele abudlulisele kwenye yamadodakazi eNkosi eyase yakhothama. “Ngithi ngobami lobu bukhosi. Lingawa licoshwe zinkukhu!” Amadoda ayesondelene naye uMadevu akhombisa ukuyenanela leyo nkulumo.

Ubhoka ngolaka kanjena nje uMadevu yingoba ucabanga ngale mali ekhokhelwa amaKhosi nguHulumeni ngenxa yeqhaza lawo ekubumbeni nasekuthuthukiseni isizwe. Ngeke yena aphucwe iqatha emlonyeni ngumuntu wesifazane.

Akaligwinyanga lelo. Kuwo lowo mnyama kwafika isigijimi sizobika ukuthi kusasa uMadevu uyadingeka enkundleni, kuzobe kwedluliswa ngokusemthethweni isikhundla, sinikwa umnikazi waso. Zayima emthumeni, wajuluka wamanzi te ezwa lokho. Kwacaca ukuthi yabe isiwuchithile njalo umuthi inkonyane. Wafikelwa yisinxi, kwaxega amadolo endodeni. Isigijimi leso kwakuthi akasidle luhlaza kodwa wabuye wakhumbula ukuthi isithunywa asinacala.

Kwasa okungaliyo, isizwe sonke sakwaButhelezi sakhandana enkundleni. Kwabe kukhona nabomthetho ababezoqapha isimo. Ufika nje uMadevu uphelezelwa yilabo ababesasho ngeqholo ukuthi ngeke bona babuswe ngumuntu wesifazane. Ababehambisana noMadevu abawagqizanga qakala amaphoyisa ayethe shaye lapho. Base bezitshelile ukuthi kuyoqhuma nhlamvana ezinye ziyofekela.

Kwabe ayiqhamukanga iiNdodakazi yeNkosi, sukanini madoda! Yayivunule iconsa, ishaya umcathu, Umhlaba iwunyathela sengathi iyawesaba. Bonke abantu ababesenkundleni bakhuza uBayede. Kwakungathi kundindizela izulu. UNogabisile, iNdodakazi yeNkosi, yathi ukuba ifike lapho kwakumi khona uMadevu, uyise omncane, yamxhawula imamatheka. Nakuba uMadevu wayemathintanyawo ukuxhawula kodwa wathi angabona intobeko eyayibhalwe kulobo buso, wazithola esexhawula. Waluzwa uvalo lumuthi thwansu qede kwabanda kwamancane.

“Baba, angizile ukuzokwephuca ubukhosi. Yebo, umthetho-sisekelo uyangivumela ukuthi ubukhosi bubuyele kimi, kodwa uma usazimisele ngokusigcina lesi sikhundla, anginankinga mina. Ngeke ngakuthokozela ukuthi kuchitheke igazi esizweni sikababa ngenxa yami. Ubaba wayeluthanda uxolo. Nami-ke ngizimisele ukuhamba ezinyathelweni zakhe. Ngiyethemba nawe baba ungefise ukube igazi lesizwe libuzwe ezandleni zakho. Thina boNgqengelele saziwa njengabantu abalwazisayo uxolo.”

Amthinta kakhulu emoyeni lawo mazwi uMadevu. Wazizwa zishisa emehlweni. Zehla zagobhoza okomfula izinyembezi uma ezwa lawo mazwi ayemumethe iqiniso elimsulwa. Wazibona eyisiwula ngokuphindiwe ukuthi ulwa kangaka nje ngaphakathi kuye, usukela imvu yeNkosi.

“Mntanami! ” Aphefumulele phezulu. “Ngingene lapha ngikhihlika amalangabi enzondo, ngifisa ngisho ukukubamba ngezandla. Awu! Ngaze ngayisiwula bakithi. Ukuzithoba kwakho kukhomba ngokusobala ukuthi uzoba yiNkosi ezosihola ngobuqotho isizwe sobabamkhulu. Cha, ngeke ngisakubangisa ubukhosi bakho mntanami. Ngizokweseka ngayo yonke indlela.” Wathi angasho njalo waziphosa ezingalweni zeNdodakazi yeNkosi.”

Khona manjalo kwezwakala kukikizwa. Yabe igcagcele esokeni. Nababesaba ukuthi kuzochitheka igazi baqala baswabuluka.