After Maxhoba saw the lightning he became very unsettled and livid. Nosizwe begged him to go speak with Lumina but his pride didn’t allow him. He brought up a fight instead, he was blaming his wife for the death of Xhanti. Apparently, there was a guard that saw the queen giving Xhanti the poison that killed Mbini and told the king about it. But the king didn’t take him serious.
” The poison was meant for Mbini not Xhanti! Xhanti died because of you! You killed Manzi! ” she said pacing up and down.
” The same Manzi that killed half of the kingdom, we can’t even go fetch the corpses by the river because we don’t know what will happen! Xhanti was weak!” He said.
” You are very inconsiderate Maxhoba! You always make irrational decisions, look where were are now. We lost our son and Lumina is going to kill us if she finds out about what happened to her daughter. ” she put her hands on the head.
” What was I supposed to do? Didn’t you hear Khubalo’s prophecy? Khubalo has never misled us. ” he punched the wall.
” The problem is you trust mischievous people! ” she walked out angry.
” And where are you going? ” he ran after her.
” I’m going to fix this mess. ” she said.
The shocking entrance of a naked troubled man disturbed them. It was Chibi, he was crying and begging for forgiveness. An urgent meeting was called, everyone gathered at the ancestral hut, since it was raining cats and dogs outside. Chibi stood before the king and confessed his sins.
” So losing my sight and voice was an act of witchcraft? ” asked shocked Maxhoba.
” Yes, I’m so my king. I wanted to teach you a lesson and get the prince to marry my daughter. ” he murmured.
” I suggest that we hang him. ” Zulu pointed a rope.
” We have too much blood on our hands Zulu. ” said Ndiki.
” You should be hanged with him because you are his friend and I suspect that you knew about his evil plans. ” said Ndaba.
” Quit! Everybody quiet! ” ordered by king.
Everyone kept quiet, except for Nosizwe who was weeping uncontrollably, thinking about his only son and the calamity that was about to happen.
” As your reigning king , I am sending you to exile for 30 years and if you come back before that you will be drowned to death. Go take your rags and leave my kingdom. ” said the king.
Not everybody was happy with this decision but life had to go on. Queen Nosizwe went to seen Lumina, begged for forgiveness and promised to give her the remaining body parts of her daughter. The queen’s vowed not to bother each again and went separate ways. Till today the mermaids never swim during the day and the abaLobi villagers don’t go to the river during the night.