Queen Anathi

I woke to an empty bed, the sheets cold where Mthokozisi should have been. His absence felt like a verdict; he must still be furious about what I had done. After washing up, I headed downstairs, my steps hesitant on the creaking wood. In the dining room, Nathi, Mthokozisi, and Ntsika were already eating breakfast, the clink of cutlery the only sound. "Sawubona," I said, my voice too quiet in the tense air. Their murmured "Yebo" did little to ease the stiffness as I took my seat.