THE BROODER

27

THE BROODER

27.

**ASHLEY**

Saga:" she's dead, Ash. She didn't make it."

"Oh my God! That's a lie....no. no. No. No. No. No .I don't believe you! No. No. No. "

He hugs me as I cried...

I woke up later to some pains. I was lying on the bed covered. I don't even remember when he left. I only remember crying and saga consoling me..

I feel this great urge to pee. I try to hurry myself to the restroom but then, pain engulfs my whole waist and I feel hot pee leave me... except it wasn't pee. My water just broke! The panic mode sets in. It's 11pm and there's no nurse or doctor around...the pain intensifies and I scream..."somebody help! Help! I'm in labour! Help!"

Ashati:" oh my goodness! Ashley baby"

The guards helped me to the delivery room but there's no doctor or nurse.

Ruthie:" Did anyone call the doctor?"

She's has been asking this particular question for the past one hour and it's still the same " they're on the way"

I can hear them from the waiting room while I am all alone in the delivery room...I think it is the omen thing.

Ashati has helped me to change to the hospital gown but I still feel so uncomfortable.

"You can do it Ashley." I have been telling myself this words for a million time. I focus on each contractions breathing through the pain.

I feel another contraction and I pushed all by myself. Through sheer willpower and resilience, I manage to push and push until I popped the first baby. Seeing my baby girl first, made me feel strong enough to push till her brother gave out too. The moment I holds them in my arms with their voices crying out their lungs, a wave of overwhelming joy and relief washes over me.

I cut all the umbilical cord myself.I put them in the next hospital bed that I brought to my bed. The most stressful part was the afterbirth. I tried and tried but was very weak to push out. I know the importance of pushing it out after birth so I tried and tried until I can't anymore. My children were both crying and it angered me that there's no one to help me.

Saga:" oh my god!"

I didn't see him enter...he ran outside and came back with Ruthie and a guard...

I tried one more time and the placenta came out with a loud pop and I felt a bit of relief and fulfilment.I knew that despite the odds, I had managed to bring new life with my own strength and love.

I don't know where Ruthie took my children but I am sure she's cleaning them. Unlike my other child birth, I didn't feel sleepy at all. I was tired and worn-out but there's no sleep in my eyes.

I don't know how long I stayed like that in the room. I starred at the blank walls for long, thinking about my terrible life. Ruthie came back to the room and took me for cleaning too. She helped me clean myself and change to a new pair of the clinic gown.

I moved to another ward and my children were neatly covered in the hospital cradle.

"Thanks Ruthie" I know Ashati didn't want a catch of the omen thing but Ruthie didn't care.

Ruthie:" it's not just me. The guards all helped including saga."

I know but I'm just glad she's didn't ignore me because of the omen.

Ruthie:" This young man here is hungry..so let's feed him."

He's been crying so loud. His sister is the quiet one.

"Aster is his name. His sister is Astra." I didn't want her calling them baby girl and young man for long.

I place him gently in my cleaned boobs and he sucked for his dear life. While I breastfeed him, I search him for any defect like the nurses do and I found a mark on his chest. It's like the craws of an animal or something. Aster was at it for minutes before he sleeps and I focus on his sister, Astra. She didn't have any mark and she's quite the sleeper. She didn't feed for long like her brother and she slept off.

I look to see the time and it's almost 5:am. It is a long day to remember. I reach for the blade I hid and gave them our signature mark.

***RICHARD***

I think Jordans overdid it. We're only staying for the weekend and he's got a lot of men all over the palace with ammunition.

King Banzi:"I like how you put Sithle at his place. He's quite a handful. Growing up, he used to be the black sheep. Always messing things for us and he's very ambitious."

"Hmmm" we're taking a walk round the palace and he's been showing me round the palace telling me tales of who and which of every building and sculpture. The palace is very huge and I can't seem to figure out the necessity for all these.

King Banzi:" Son, you know you're the heir to this great kingdom and I don't know if it will be too much to ask, that you stay back here and learn everything you need to learn about leadership and the kingdom. What do you think?"

" I can't just end everything I have achieved so far and run here just because I am an heir. I do have a life before all these but I will ponder on it and see the best way to handle these things."

King Banzi:" Good. I have been looking for your mother recently " That's some good change of topic.

King Banzi:" I found out she's in some distant institute and she has been there for three and half decades now."

"That's all my life, Dad "

King Banzi:" I think she didn't take your fake death well. I found out from an old doctor in your birth hospital."

"Does her family still live here?"

King Banzi:" yes, I saw your grandmother months ago at the city hospital. Then, I didn't know of your existence."

"Something doesn't really add up Dad. Why would her family abandon her at a distant hospital for that long?"

King Banzi:"Oh son, They didn't know she's alive. They were told she died in a fire accident at the facility and they buried her ashes."

I think I know who work out this magic. She's not just a broom rider but a manipulative b***h.

King Banzi:" you'll have to visit your grandmother's and tell them the truth. They are the only ones who can visit your mom and bring her back "

"Why don't I go to the facility and ask for her release as her son?"

King Banzi:" she'll need a familiar face to agree to come home with you. Remember she believes you're dead."

"Then, we can go together to the facility. She'll recognize you."

King Banzi:" Your mother hates me a lot, especially after the fake death. She blames me for everything.. she'll never let me..."

" it's okay Dad. I'll visit my grandmother's stead then"

I see her...

"Ndlovukazi? (Queen)"