WITCHDOM

CHAPTER 5.

WITCHDOM

5.

***PRINCE LUCAS STHANDWA***

There's smoke everywhere, reeking of flesh, blood, and dirt. I sit up, wearing a disgusted expression. And then I see her - the peculiar dreadlocked girl from the riverbank. Her eclectic rings, piercings, and neatly braided dreadlocks catch my attention.

"You're awake!" she exclaims, gesturing to the leaves covering my wounds.

They look dirty; everything about this place is filthy.

"Where am I?" I ask, glancing around. The surroundings resemble an ancient cave, reminiscent of those in movies. Moonlight pours in through an opening in the roof, illuminating the interior.

"I just discovered this hideout," she says, her voice filled with excitement, as if she's won a prize. It's a disgusting cave.

"I don't like it here," I protest. "Take me outside to people."

"No!" she responds, fear lacing her tone. "They'll kill you."

"Why?" I press.

"You're different," she explains. "You're not from the Netherlands." I've never heard of such a place.

My stomach growls, reminding me of another dire situation. I haven't eaten since my last meal - the food my stepbrothers had laced with a sleeping substance in an attempt to kill me. The thought still baffles me. Why did they want me dead?

"Here, eat!" she offers, handing me some mangoes. We both munch on the fruit, savoring its sweetness.

"This place stinks," I observe.

"I'll clean it up tomorrow," she assures me. "You'll like it." Her words imply a prolonged stay, but I must return home to the palace.

.

.

.

She gathers the scattered leaves, mango peels, and litter, tidying up the cave.

Girl: "I'll be back! Don't go outside. It's not safe for you."

As she disappears from view, I realize I've forgotten to ask her name.

"Wait!" I call out.

She returns, a hint of curiosity on her face.

"Your name," I ask. "I don't know it."

A shy smile spreads across her face, revealing perfect white teeth.

Girl: "Nomaqhabela." She enunciates slowly, then turns to leave.

" Noma," I whisper to myself. I'll call her that.

After endless hours of darkness, morning finally arrived. I stood up from the rocky bed, relieved to find my wounds almost healed. But my dry throat cried out for water. I spotted fresh mangoes in the corner, but water was my priority.

I followed the path Noma took earlier and found the cave's hidden entrance, concealed by vibrant flowers. Stepping into the sunlight, I gasped at the stunning view. The river shimmered, surrounded by a colorful fruit paradise: oranges, mangoes, apples, cherries, coconuts, and more.

My thirst led me to the river's edge, where I gulped refreshing water. Hunger soon followed, and the apple trees tempted me. I climbed one, reaching for a juicy apple, when a majestic bird swooped down, sending shivers down my spine.

A commanding woman with sharp nails and sleek, bald hair dismounted the bird. Her piercing gaze scanned the area, and I held my breath, fearful of detection. My heart pounded in my chest.

As she stepped into the river, a miraculous pathway appeared, the water parting to create a passage. I watched in awe, my unease growing.

Suddenly, she sensed my presence and spun around, her booming voice echoing through the landscape. "Show yourself! I can smell you hiding!"

My heart racing, I trembled with fear, knowing I'd been caught. My palms grew sweaty, and my breath caught in my throat. I felt trapped.

****NOMAQHIBELO****

Upon returning home, I climbed into bed, but sleep eluded me. Soon, I heard Mambo's voice calling out to me. It's breakfast time and duty calls.

Mambo: Kill the vulture and prepare breakfast."

Yesterday, she had brought home an old vulture from the village graveyard, a favorite meal in Netherlands. I reluctantly stabbed its gut with my knife and collected the blood in a separate bowl for cooking.

The task always haunted me with nightmares, but Mambo didn't care. She wanted me to be a "normal" witch, one who took pleasure in killing living creatures. But I wasn't like that.

After plucking the bird's feathers, I cut it into parts, washed it clean, and began cooking. Boiling the blood with veggies and seasonings, I added the meat and diced potatoes, covering the pot for steaming.

Once breakfast was ready, I secretly set aside a portion for the river man, planning to deliver it after Mambo left for work with the Amazons, an elite group of hunters fighting against Netherlands' enemy – the wild beasts that preyed on its people.

As the second-in-command, Mambo worked varying shifts, sometimes day, sometimes night. Today was a day shift. She would leave after breakfast and return for dinner.

Some days were terrifying, with Mambo returning injured and bleeding profusely. I nursed her back to health, fearing the worst. She was my mother, my only family, and I couldn't imagine living in Netherlands without her.

Already an outcast for being a different kind of witch, I relied solely on Mambo for companionship.

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.

.

No sooner had Mambo departed for work than I set out to deliver the food to the misery man at the cave. As I approached the cave, a fierce gust of wind nearly swept me off my feet. A majestic winged beast landed nearby, and Nogawini, the rider, dismounted. I knew I had to hide.

She was the coven leader of Netherlands, and if she discovered that I was harboring a misery being, I would be doomed. I concealed myself behind a cluster of flowers, employing my magic to camouflage myself. From my hiding spot, I watched as Nogawini walked to the river and uttered ancient words. To my astonishment, a pathway materialized on the river's surface.

Where did this pathway lead? I wondered. I had always been told that the river was forbidden, and that no one was allowed to approach it. As I scanned my surroundings, my familiar, a white dove, perched on a nearby tree. And there, lying at the top of the tree, was the misery man, scared. Why couldn't he follow simple instructions? I had warned him that he would be killed if caught in Netherlands, and yet he had ventured out of the cave.

"How difficult can it be to stay hidden?" I thought, exasperated. Just then, Nogawini's voice echoed through the air. "Show yourself! I can smell you hiding!" I didn't know who she had sensed, but I knew I had to act quickly to save the misery man from his own foolishness.