‘Then make sure that he’s kept in check,’ the chief also warned her. The voice itself was authority.

Just as quick as he arrived, the chief began to leave.

‘Crazed baboon!’ Ngoni spat at Tawana. ‘Maintain that attitude and we’ll throw you into the army at your age!’ he added. ‘You’ll be dead in seconds and dead boys can’t disrespect chiefs the way you did.’

Smack!

He was slapped backhand by Bhonzo. The force knocked him face first into the ground.

His father rushed to his aid this time.

Tsitsi was on top of Tawana, acting like a shield between the two giants. ‘What more do you want from us?!’ she shouted at them, her eyes were quivering, trying to retain the tears in her eyes.

Farai now had both his arms above Tsitsi and Tawana, also acting as a barrier to protect his son. He had seen enough madness for that day.

Tawana was still on the ground. He turned his eyes upward at Ngoni and Bhonzo. Tears could be seen glistening in his eyes but anger did not permit him to cry. ‘I swear…’ he mumbled loud enough for them to hear, ‘…I swear on my life that I, Tawana Masimba, shall kill you even if it means losing my own life in the process.’

Both of the bodyguards, even the entire village burst into laughter at this threat coming from a scrawny fourteen year old boy. Still laughing, the two walked over to the chief’s throne and with the other two, placed it on their shoulders and they began to leave with the villagers shouting songs of celebration around them.

‘I’m going to kill him! I will surely kill him! As sure as Mwari (God) lives, I will kill Mbada for this!’ This could not be described as merely venting. This was the purest of anger. The three of them were now in the kitchen hut and Farai seemed to have been driven insane by rage. ‘I do not care that I have never fought in the frontline of the army or that he is much bigger than me…I’m going to kill him!! First my wife and now my son?! How much embarrassment does he want this family to go through?’

Tsitsi gently placed her hands at the sides of his face, ‘Father of Tawana…’ she tried to calm him down.

He looked into her eyes, a tear rolled down his face. A tear of rage.

‘Father of Tawana,’ she spoke again, ‘there is nothing we can do about it…it is done.’

‘I am not going to let that animal take you away from me. No! A real man fights for what is his even if it means losing his own life!’

‘No, father of Tawana. A real man follows the culture that raised him no matter what.’

‘But he doesn’t even know you. You’re my wife, mother of Tawana! I fell in love with you, I had a child with you and I have known you more than anyone else!’

Tsitsi’s tears could not be contained. They slowly strolled down her cheeks in brief, ceremonious stutters. ‘I know that but…’ a thick lump of sadness developed in her throat, ‘…this is what should happen, this is our culture. He has chosen me to be his wife. I mean, we both saw that when he approached me last year. That’s the extent of his power; he takes what he pleases and what pleases him.’

Tawana was watching this drama unfold from a distance. He now knew what was happening. The chief’s arrival the previous year revealed that he had selected his mother as his wife. But this very day, the kiss had sealed this selection. Yes, this was the chief’s power. Whatever brought sweetness to his eyes was his, no questions asked.

More anger began building up inside Tawana. But why his mother? He remembered the threat he had made to Ngoni and Bhonzo earlier. He began to regret having made a fool of himself in front of the entire village. He clenched his teeth and his fists.

‘Well, this time he chose wrong!’ Farai shouted grabbing his knobkerrie which had been leaning against the wall before he headed for the door. He had only used it for chasing the birds of prey away from the chickens but now he wanted to use it to serve a different purpose; to spill blood!

Tsitsi quickly jumped in front of him. ‘Please, father of Tawana. This will only make things worse.’

‘But this is the only way I am certain that that dog can’t have you.’

‘By turning me into a widow? Listen to yourself! This doesn’t sound like the man I married. A real man knows when he has been defeated…A real man knows when he has lost.’

He grabbed her hand. He traced his finger on the sun tattoo at the back of her hand. The same tattoo also at the back of Tawana’s hand. ‘Let’s…Let’s use this then,’ he said.

Tawana took a step closer. He thought that his moment to find out about the mark had arrived.

‘With this, we can silence the chief and anyone who sides with him,’ Farai said.

She quickly snatched her hand from his grasp, ‘How could you even say that?! Are you even listening to yourself, father of Tawana? I’m sure you remember clearly what happened the last time?’

They were now whispering, both taking quick and brief glances at Tawana trying to make sure that he couldn’t hear them.

But he could still hear everything. He had only turned his head aside, bobbing his head as if moving to a musical tune in his head to make them think that he was not listening.

‘Do you want the village to avoid me again? The dislike they showed me will return once again!’

Farai sighed heavily. He had now run out of options. He now began to realize there was nothing he could do. The power was beyond him. ‘I just…I just love you too much, mother of my son,' he said despondently. ‘We’ve been through so much and I don’t…’ he also developed a lump of sadness in his throat, ‘I just don’t think I can let you go that easily.’

‘I know, my love, I know. We just have to accept it,’ she stroked his head gently and laid his head in her chest and she began to weep softly as her hands gently wove through his hair.

‘I love you so much...I need you…Tawana needs you…’

‘I know. We will survive this…I know we will…’

Tawana looked on. The hatred inside his heart could not be measured or described. He looked at the tattoo at the back of his right hand. What was so special about this tattoo and why did his father suggest that his mother use it as an option to get her back?