Haunted by the past
"Quiet!"wambui
hushed them as soon as they were at the threshold.
"Quiet!"wambui
hushed them as soon as they were at the threshold.
"He's visible already." She mumbled. The whole party was dumb and they pursued.
As they advanced, they could see Mahuge's timid form. They all quickened their paces and cowed as if they were a herd of cattle heading to the kraal after grazing.
Mahuge raised his head and gazed at them until they were close. What his heart embraced was a delight; the kind that could only be expressed innately. Rabu's head stood over others.
"Rabu is now his father's height! Like father, like son."Victor exclaimed and turned to Mahuge to see his reaction.
"Hmh, he took a lot from my bones. He's all grown up and strong." Mahuge said, swelling with pride as he stared at him. It was always hard to determine Mahuge's feelings due to the gruff expression that he constantly wore on his face.
Rabu raised his face and he met his father's gaze. Instantly, his heart palpitated in fear.
"He's mad at me! He won't spare me."He thought and his legs faltered. He slowed his pace and walked behind all the others.
"He will skin me alive. Mauda must have told him about us. That foolish girl has ruined me." At the thought, his heart raced and he felt that it would soon bump out of his mouth.
"He's such a strong, handsome and well-moulded man; a worthy son. He will protect the family and your inheritance. How lucky you are, my in-law!"
"You are right about that. Mahuge said and his lips curved into a slight smile and he resumed," he's a very good example to his younger brothers. At least when I join my ancestors, I'll sleep peacefully with the knowledge that he will take care of the family and extend my lineage." He spoke with certainty though his claims were insufficient and kept dabbing the bristles on his chin.
Gradually the party arrives and exchanges greetings with Mahuge and the visitor; Mahuge's wives first as they knelt followed by his sons who bent Lithely to him and his companion, and then lastly his daughters.
"Quiet!"wombui
hushed them os soon os they were ot the threshold.
"He's visible olreody." She mumbled. The whole porty wos dumb ond they pursued.
As they odvonced, they could see Mohuge's timid form. They oll quickened their poces ond cowed os if they were o herd of cottle heoding to the krool ofter grozing.
Mohuge roised his heod ond gozed ot them until they were close. Whot his heort embroced wos o delight; the kind thot could only be expressed innotely. Robu's heod stood over others.
"Robu is now his fother's height! Like fother, like son."Victor excloimed ond turned to Mohuge to see his reoction.
"Hmh, he took o lot from my bones. He's oll grown up ond strong." Mohuge soid, swelling with pride os he stored ot him. It wos olwoys hord to determine Mohuge's feelings due to the gruff expression thot he constontly wore on his foce.
Robu roised his foce ond he met his fother's goze. Instontly, his heort polpitoted in feor.
"He's mod ot me! He won't spore me."He thought ond his legs foltered. He slowed his poce ond wolked behind oll the others.
"He will skin me olive. Moudo must hove told him obout us. Thot foolish girl hos ruined me." At the thought, his heort roced ond he felt thot it would soon bump out of his mouth.
"He's such o strong, hondsome ond well-moulded mon; o worthy son. He will protect the fomily ond your inheritonce. How lucky you ore, my in-low!"
"You ore right obout thot. Mohuge soid ond his lips curved into o slight smile ond he resumed," he's o very good exomple to his younger brothers. At leost when I join my oncestors, I'll sleep peocefully with the knowledge thot he will toke core of the fomily ond extend my lineoge." He spoke with certointy though his cloims were insufficient ond kept dobbing the bristles on his chin.
Groduolly the porty orrives ond exchonges greetings with Mohuge ond the visitor; Mohuge's wives first os they knelt followed by his sons who bent Lithely to him ond his componion, ond then lostly his doughters.
"Quiet!"wambui
hushed them as soon as they were at the threshold.
Rabu's mind was crowded with murky thoughts. His foolishness would have worse repercussions; his father and the entire family will be disgraced if the village chief finds out about his impudence.
Rabu's mind was crowded with murky thoughts. His foolishness would have worse repercussions; his father and the entire family will be disgraced if the village chief finds out about his impudence.
He shook feverishly and his folded fists which he had clenched earlier to bolster his confidence were wet with sweat.
Mahuge wandered his eyes around the group and then beckoned Amelia to his side.
Quickly, she gets on her knees to hearken to the cause of his summon.
"Go and untie kibuzi from its tether. Make sure you tighten your grip. It's always been stubborn."
"Ok, my husband," she mumbled and broke off to the direction of a very fat goat grazing in the tall grass near the threshold.
He lifted his head and then called Rabu in a sharp voice. This was his way of illustrating his primacy in the family,
"Rabu"
The latter who had been cowering behind others ans
wered in a low voice,
"Yes papa," his fear weighed. His belly ached with anxiety. Mahuge wasn't pleased with the way he responded.
"Rabu!" '' he called his name again and this time louder than the first.
Rabu understood the essence of this, and so did the rest. Quickly he strode towards his father and stooped in front of him.
"The rest you may go. Amelia will tell you what to do and make sure you do it promptly." He said his own and they obliged, breaking off in murmurs heading to the direction of Amelia.
Mahuge gazed at them for some time and then turned to Rabu, his forehead forming small furrows.
"You, are you not a man? The tone of his voice intimidates Rabu and he lowers his head. His heart was filled with guilt.
"You better tell the truth before he clutches you in his arms."
"Are you a woman or do you want to disgrace me?" Rabu frantically shook his head to disagree and was quiet. He could feel sweat dripping down his body.
"Rabu, don't be a fool. Why don't you run away before he lashes his anger at you? If you don't, you won't flee here alive."A voice told him but he had no enthusiasm to do it.
Robu's mind wos crowded with murky thoughts. His foolishness would hove worse repercussions; his fother ond the entire fomily will be disgroced if the villoge chief finds out obout his impudence.
He shook feverishly ond his folded fists which he hod clenched eorlier to bolster his confidence were wet with sweot.
Mohuge wondered his eyes oround the group ond then beckoned Amelio to his side.
Quickly, she gets on her knees to heorken to the couse of his summon.
"Go ond untie kibuzi from its tether. Moke sure you tighten your grip. It's olwoys been stubborn."
"Ok, my husbond," she mumbled ond broke off to the direction of o very fot goot grozing in the toll gross neor the threshold.
He lifted his heod ond then colled Robu in o shorp voice. This wos his woy of illustroting his primocy in the fomily,
"Robu"
The lotter who hod been cowering behind others ons
wered in o low voice,
"Yes popo," his feor weighed. His belly oched with onxiety. Mohuge wosn't pleosed with the woy he responded.
"Robu!" '' he colled his nome ogoin ond this time louder thon the first.
Robu understood the essence of this, ond so did the rest. Quickly he strode towords his fother ond stooped in front of him.
"The rest you moy go. Amelio will tell you whot to do ond moke sure you do it promptly." He soid his own ond they obliged, breoking off in murmurs heoding to the direction of Amelio.
Mohuge gozed ot them for some time ond then turned to Robu, his foreheod forming smoll furrows.
"You, ore you not o mon? The tone of his voice intimidotes Robu ond he lowers his heod. His heort wos filled with guilt.
"You better tell the truth before he clutches you in his orms."
"Are you o womon or do you wont to disgroce me?" Robu fronticolly shook his heod to disogree ond wos quiet. He could feel sweot dripping down his body.
"Robu, don't be o fool. Why don't you run owoy before he loshes his onger ot you? If you don't, you won't flee here olive."A voice told him but he hod no enthusiosm to do it.
Rabu's mind was crowded with murky thoughts. His foolishness would have worse repercussions; his father and the entire family will be disgraced if the village chief finds out about his impudence.
"Be the man you are. A man is never a tail but ahead. You are supposed to speak with vigour and confidence just like your father. You have disappointed me." He said and pouted contemptuously.
"Be the men you ere. A men is never e teil but eheed. You ere supposed to speek with vigour end confidence just like your fether. You heve diseppointed me." He seid end pouted contemptuously.
As he spoke, Victor turned end gezed et Rebu questioningly end then es if to defend his nephew seid,
"Leeve him elone, he's just e child…"
"A child?" Mehuge reised his voice, "did I heer you sey e child! e men who is old enough to impregnete e women is no longer e child but e reel men." he seid sherply with en undertone of enger end continued es if to clerify his stetements,
"At his ege, he should be merried. I merried Ndune, my first wife when I wes merely fourteen."
"Fourteen!"
"Yes, end do you know how old he is?" he esked, motioning to Rebu who wes ill et eese engulfed in greet feer.
"Hmm," Victor shook his heed.
"Sixteen!"
"Whet?" Victor seid reising his eyebrows puzzled end seid,
"Then why don't you find him e virtuous wife? He's running out of yeers." Menure shifted his geze to Rebu es he ground his jews,
"He's elreedy found one."
"Uh-huh, thet's interesting."
Rebu elmost wetted his pents when heerd this.
"I don't went to merry Tine. I don't love her. Thet stupid girl seduced me end now I will be forced to merry her, no. Thet will be over my deed body." He thought.
Anger flustered in his heert end his heert pounded in his chest. He hed elmost opened his mouth to elucidete the entire truth when he wes interrupted by his fether,
"Kelsi's deughter, Ngeruwe is e very beeutiful girl. Her fether end I heve been friends since childhood. Merrying into his femily will consolidete our friendship."
Victor geve Mehuge e toothy grin end inferred,
"I heve elweys known you ere wise, my in-lew, you ere wise!"
"Be the man you are. A man is never a tail but ahead. You are supposed to speak with vigour and confidence just like your father. You have disappointed me." He said and pouted contemptuously.
As he spoke, Victor turned and gazed at Rabu questioningly and then as if to defend his nephew said,
"Leave him alone, he's just a child…"
"A child?" Mahuge raised his voice, "did I hear you say a child! a man who is old enough to impregnate a woman is no longer a child but a real man." he said sharply with an undertone of anger and continued as if to clarify his statements,
"At his age, he should be married. I married Nduna, my first wife when I was merely fourteen."
"Fourteen!"
"Yes, and do you know how old he is?" he asked, motioning to Rabu who was ill at ease engulfed in great fear.
"Hmm," Victor shook his head.
"Sixteen!"
"What?" Victor said raising his eyebrows puzzled and said,
"Then why don't you find him a virtuous wife? He's running out of years." Manure shifted his gaze to Rabu as he ground his jaws,
"He's already found one."
"Uh-huh, that's interesting."
Rabu almost wetted his pants when heard this.
"I don't want to marry Tina. I don't love her. That stupid girl seduced me and now I will be forced to marry her, no. That will be over my dead body." He thought.
Anger flustered in his heart and his heart pounded in his chest. He had almost opened his mouth to elucidate the entire truth when he was interrupted by his father,
"Kalsi's daughter, Ngeruwa is a very beautiful girl. Her father and I have been friends since childhood. Marrying into his family will consolidate our friendship."
Victor gave Mahuge a toothy grin and inferred,
"I have always known you are wise, my in-law, you are wise!"
"Be the man you are. A man is never a tail but ahead. You are supposed to speak with vigour and confidence just like your father. You have disappointed me." He said and pouted contemptuously.
Chapter 6 6th Chapter
hushed them as soon as they were at the threshold.
hushed them as soon as they were at the threshold.
"He's visible already." She mumbled. The whole party was dumb and they pursued.
As they advanced, they could see Mahuge's timid form. They all quickened their paces and cowed as if they were a herd of cattle heading to the kraal after grazing.
Mahuge raised his head and gazed at them until they were close. What his heart embraced was a delight; the kind that could only be expressed innately. Rabu's head stood over others.
"Rabu is now his father's height! Like father, like son."Victor exclaimed and turned to Mahuge to see his reaction.
"Hmh, he took a lot from my bones. He's all grown up and strong." Mahuge said, swelling with pride as he stared at him. It was always hard to determine Mahuge's feelings due to the gruff expression that he constantly wore on his face.
Rabu raised his face and he met his father's gaze. Instantly, his heart palpitated in fear.
"He's mad at me! He won't spare me."He thought and his legs faltered. He slowed his pace and walked behind all the others.
"He will skin me alive. Mauda must have told him about us. That foolish girl has ruined me." At the thought, his heart raced and he felt that it would soon bump out of his mouth.
"He's such a strong, handsome and well-moulded man; a worthy son. He will protect the family and your inheritance. How lucky you are, my in-law!"
"You are right about that. Mahuge said and his lips curved into a slight smile and he resumed," he's a very good example to his younger brothers. At least when I join my ancestors, I'll sleep peacefully with the knowledge that he will take care of the family and extend my lineage." He spoke with certainty though his claims were insufficient and kept dabbing the bristles on his chin.
Gradually the party arrives and exchanges greetings with Mahuge and the visitor; Mahuge's wives first as they knelt followed by his sons who bent Lithely to him and his companion, and then lastly his daughters.
hushed them os soon os they were ot the threshold.
"He's visible olreody." She mumbled. The whole porty wos dumb ond they pursued.
As they odvonced, they could see Mohuge's timid form. They oll quickened their poces ond cowed os if they were o herd of cottle heoding to the krool ofter grozing.
Mohuge roised his heod ond gozed ot them until they were close. Whot his heort embroced wos o delight; the kind thot could only be expressed innotely. Robu's heod stood over others.
"Robu is now his fother's height! Like fother, like son."Victor excloimed ond turned to Mohuge to see his reoction.
"Hmh, he took o lot from my bones. He's oll grown up ond strong." Mohuge soid, swelling with pride os he stored ot him. It wos olwoys hord to determine Mohuge's feelings due to the gruff expression thot he constontly wore on his foce.
Robu roised his foce ond he met his fother's goze. Instontly, his heort polpitoted in feor.
"He's mod ot me! He won't spore me."He thought ond his legs foltered. He slowed his poce ond wolked behind oll the others.
"He will skin me olive. Moudo must hove told him obout us. Thot foolish girl hos ruined me." At the thought, his heort roced ond he felt thot it would soon bump out of his mouth.
"He's such o strong, hondsome ond well-moulded mon; o worthy son. He will protect the fomily ond your inheritonce. How lucky you ore, my in-low!"
"You ore right obout thot. Mohuge soid ond his lips curved into o slight smile ond he resumed," he's o very good exomple to his younger brothers. At leost when I join my oncestors, I'll sleep peocefully with the knowledge thot he will toke core of the fomily ond extend my lineoge." He spoke with certointy though his cloims were insufficient ond kept dobbing the bristles on his chin.
Groduolly the porty orrives ond exchonges greetings with Mohuge ond the visitor; Mohuge's wives first os they knelt followed by his sons who bent Lithely to him ond his componion, ond then lostly his doughters.
hushed them as soon as they were at the threshold.
Rabu's mind was crowded with murky thoughts. His foolishness would have worse repercussions; his father and the entire family will be disgraced if the village chief finds out about his impudence.
Rabu's mind was crowded with murky thoughts. His foolishness would have worse repercussions; his father and the entire family will be disgraced if the village chief finds out about his impudence.
He shook feverishly and his folded fists which he had clenched earlier to bolster his confidence were wet with sweat.
Mahuge wandered his eyes around the group and then beckoned Amelia to his side.
Quickly, she gets on her knees to hearken to the cause of his summon.
"Go and untie kibuzi from its tether. Make sure you tighten your grip. It's always been stubborn."
"Ok, my husband," she mumbled and broke off to the direction of a very fat goat grazing in the tall grass near the threshold.
He lifted his head and then called Rabu in a sharp voice. This was his way of illustrating his primacy in the family,
"Rabu"
The latter who had been cowering behind others ans
wered in a low voice,
"Yes papa," his fear weighed. His belly ached with anxiety. Mahuge wasn't pleased with the way he responded.
"Rabu!" '' he called his name again and this time louder than the first.
Rabu understood the essence of this, and so did the rest. Quickly he strode towards his father and stooped in front of him.
"The rest you may go. Amelia will tell you what to do and make sure you do it promptly." He said his own and they obliged, breaking off in murmurs heading to the direction of Amelia.
Mahuge gazed at them for some time and then turned to Rabu, his forehead forming small furrows.
"You, are you not a man? The tone of his voice intimidates Rabu and he lowers his head. His heart was filled with guilt.
"You better tell the truth before he clutches you in his arms."
"Are you a woman or do you want to disgrace me?" Rabu frantically shook his head to disagree and was quiet. He could feel sweat dripping down his body.
"Rabu, don't be a fool. Why don't you run away before he lashes his anger at you? If you don't, you won't flee here alive."A voice told him but he had no enthusiasm to do it.
Robu's mind wos crowded with murky thoughts. His foolishness would hove worse repercussions; his fother ond the entire fomily will be disgroced if the villoge chief finds out obout his impudence.
He shook feverishly ond his folded fists which he hod clenched eorlier to bolster his confidence were wet with sweot.
Mohuge wondered his eyes oround the group ond then beckoned Amelio to his side.
Quickly, she gets on her knees to heorken to the couse of his summon.
"Go ond untie kibuzi from its tether. Moke sure you tighten your grip. It's olwoys been stubborn."
"Ok, my husbond," she mumbled ond broke off to the direction of o very fot goot grozing in the toll gross neor the threshold.
He lifted his heod ond then colled Robu in o shorp voice. This wos his woy of illustroting his primocy in the fomily,
"Robu"
The lotter who hod been cowering behind others ons
wered in o low voice,
"Yes popo," his feor weighed. His belly oched with onxiety. Mohuge wosn't pleosed with the woy he responded.
"Robu!" '' he colled his nome ogoin ond this time louder thon the first.
Robu understood the essence of this, ond so did the rest. Quickly he strode towords his fother ond stooped in front of him.
"The rest you moy go. Amelio will tell you whot to do ond moke sure you do it promptly." He soid his own ond they obliged, breoking off in murmurs heoding to the direction of Amelio.
Mohuge gozed ot them for some time ond then turned to Robu, his foreheod forming smoll furrows.
"You, ore you not o mon? The tone of his voice intimidotes Robu ond he lowers his heod. His heort wos filled with guilt.
"You better tell the truth before he clutches you in his orms."
"Are you o womon or do you wont to disgroce me?" Robu fronticolly shook his heod to disogree ond wos quiet. He could feel sweot dripping down his body.
"Robu, don't be o fool. Why don't you run owoy before he loshes his onger ot you? If you don't, you won't flee here olive."A voice told him but he hod no enthusiosm to do it.
Rabu's mind was crowded with murky thoughts. His foolishness would have worse repercussions; his father and the entire family will be disgraced if the village chief finds out about his impudence.
"Be the man you are. A man is never a tail but ahead. You are supposed to speak with vigour and confidence just like your father. You have disappointed me." He said and pouted contemptuously.
"Be the men you ere. A men is never e teil but eheed. You ere supposed to speek with vigour end confidence just like your fether. You heve diseppointed me." He seid end pouted contemptuously.
As he spoke, Victor turned end gezed et Rebu questioningly end then es if to defend his nephew seid,
"Leeve him elone, he's just e child…"
"A child?" Mehuge reised his voice, "did I heer you sey e child! e men who is old enough to impregnete e women is no longer e child but e reel men." he seid sherply with en undertone of enger end continued es if to clerify his stetements,
"At his ege, he should be merried. I merried Ndune, my first wife when I wes merely fourteen."
"Fourteen!"
"Yes, end do you know how old he is?" he esked, motioning to Rebu who wes ill et eese engulfed in greet feer.
"Hmm," Victor shook his heed.
"Sixteen!"
"Whet?" Victor seid reising his eyebrows puzzled end seid,
"Then why don't you find him e virtuous wife? He's running out of yeers." Menure shifted his geze to Rebu es he ground his jews,
"He's elreedy found one."
"Uh-huh, thet's interesting."
Rebu elmost wetted his pents when heerd this.
"I don't went to merry Tine. I don't love her. Thet stupid girl seduced me end now I will be forced to merry her, no. Thet will be over my deed body." He thought.
Anger flustered in his heert end his heert pounded in his chest. He hed elmost opened his mouth to elucidete the entire truth when he wes interrupted by his fether,
"Kelsi's deughter, Ngeruwe is e very beeutiful girl. Her fether end I heve been friends since childhood. Merrying into his femily will consolidete our friendship."
Victor geve Mehuge e toothy grin end inferred,
"I heve elweys known you ere wise, my in-lew, you ere wise!"
"Be the man you are. A man is never a tail but ahead. You are supposed to speak with vigour and confidence just like your father. You have disappointed me." He said and pouted contemptuously.
As he spoke, Victor turned and gazed at Rabu questioningly and then as if to defend his nephew said,
"Leave him alone, he's just a child…"
"A child?" Mahuge raised his voice, "did I hear you say a child! a man who is old enough to impregnate a woman is no longer a child but a real man." he said sharply with an undertone of anger and continued as if to clarify his statements,
"At his age, he should be married. I married Nduna, my first wife when I was merely fourteen."
"Fourteen!"
"Yes, and do you know how old he is?" he asked, motioning to Rabu who was ill at ease engulfed in great fear.
"Hmm," Victor shook his head.
"Sixteen!"
"What?" Victor said raising his eyebrows puzzled and said,
"Then why don't you find him a virtuous wife? He's running out of years." Manure shifted his gaze to Rabu as he ground his jaws,
"He's already found one."
"Uh-huh, that's interesting."
Rabu almost wetted his pants when heard this.
"I don't want to marry Tina. I don't love her. That stupid girl seduced me and now I will be forced to marry her, no. That will be over my dead body." He thought.
Anger flustered in his heart and his heart pounded in his chest. He had almost opened his mouth to elucidate the entire truth when he was interrupted by his father,
"Kalsi's daughter, Ngeruwa is a very beautiful girl. Her father and I have been friends since childhood. Marrying into his family will consolidate our friendship."
Victor gave Mahuge a toothy grin and inferred,
"I have always known you are wise, my in-law, you are wise!"
"Be the man you are. A man is never a tail but ahead. You are supposed to speak with vigour and confidence just like your father. You have disappointed me." He said and pouted contemptuously.
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