My glasses told me that he was right. My eyes are not so good as his
or I would have known this before. Now I could see that the warriors
were drunk with triumph and were dancing to celebrate their victory.
As they drew closer I could distinguish Lochien and Makets at their
head.
I called to Queen Tzaneen to come out, and informed her that her army
was victorious and approaching. She climbed down from the wagon, and a
moment later we all went forward to meet the impis. We reached the
royal kraal shortly before Lochien and Makets, and we white men stood
back while she received them.
Seeing the queen awaiting them, the indunas halted the warriors and
they fell into formation. Lochien paused until all were in place and
then raised his arms in salute. The impis followed his lead and three
times the royal salute was given, with the shrill whistle at its
conclusion. Tzaneen acknowledged the salute, and then Lochien and
Makets stepped forward.
"Nkosikaas, Zombode is ours! Labotsibeni is dead and the war is won!"
Lochien cried. "Even now Sebuza is king in Zombode and throughout all
Swaziland. King Buno's son is king and our work is over!"
"Lochien, faithful induna and counsellor," Tzaneen replied, "Is my
son, the king, wounded or hurt in any way? And did he carry himself in
battle as should the son of Buno?"
Lochien's answer satisfied her and she beamed with pride and joy.
There were a few more leading questions and presently we went into the
kraal. It was only then that I noted Makets closely. He staggered as
he walked and I was startled to see that he was bleeding from several
wounds in the breast. I turned to help him, but he would have none of
it.
"Nkoos, I am a warrior! I am an induna and a leader of warriors!" he
boasted in a tired voice. "These wounds are nothing! To-day I have won
seven scars of honor. Seven of Labotsibeni's warriors, great fighting
men, fell before me!"
He seemed much pleased with himself and had not fully recovered from
his slaughter madness. I knew that he could take care of himself and
paid no more attention to him. There were important things to be
learned. I wanted to know how Labotsibeni came to be killed and what
had happened to Lomwazi.
Tzaneen was almost beside herself with curiosity and began questioning
Lochien as soon as we were seated.
"How was Labotsibeni killed?" was her first question.
"Nkosakaas, I cannot answer that," Lochien replied, and I could see
that he was telling the truth. "Strict orders were given that she be
spared, so that the government might not hold King Sebuza to account
for her death. Sebuza told the indunas that the man who harmed the old
queen would die! All our warriors understood this.
"When we came to her hut, however, she was dead. I think that some
enemy in her own kraal stabbed her when we broke in and they all fled.
Perhaps some woman she had offended did it. Labotsibeni was helpless
and could be easily killed."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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