Chapter 6

• SARAFINA
• Jojo shook her head sadly after I finished telling her my story.
• "I think your stepmother is possessed" she said. "I mean why will a woman be as wicked as that"
• I shrugged. "I don't blame her, I'm not her daughter anyway"
• "Nevertheless, no woman should treat a child the way she does to you, I'm surprised you haven't run away from home"
• I laughed. "Run to where?"
• She sighed as we kept on walking.
• It was already dark when we got to her house, she pushed the door open and entered motioning for me to come in.
• I entered and looked around
• There was a lighted candle on the table that illuminated the room.
• "Nana!, I'm back" Jojo yelled into the room. There was rustling of feet from the inner room.
• "Jolene" The voice sounded familiar. Her Nana came out and I gasped.
• "Nana?" She was the old lady I helped earlier in the morning.
• "My daughter" she said with a surprised tone.
• Jojo narrowed her eyes. "You know her somewhere?"
• Nana sat down in the cane chair beside her. "She is the girl that helped me hide from the amir"
• "Wow! What a coincidence!" Jojo exclaimed.
• "No" Nana said, shaking her head. "There is no such thing as coincidence my daughters. This is only the work of Kismata.. Fate"
• Jojo snorted. "Nana you've started with your wise talks, but we're very hungry now maybe you can talk later"
• Nana nodded and turned to me. "My daughter, why are you here?" She said and went outside.
• "I don't have a place to sleep Nana and Jojo offered me your house"
• Nana smiled. "You're welcome here anytime"
• "Thank you Nana"
• "So did you find a place to hide" Nana suddenly asked after a moment of silence.
• "I was caught and I'm being punished starting from tomorrow"
• "I won't ask you why you weren't killed, but just remember daughter that everything happens for a reason..... Kismata.. Fate"
• I smiled. "Okay Nana"
• .
• * *
• The next morning, I woke up before Nana and Jojo. I said my prayers, took my bath, and made my way outside. I saw the kitchen at the left side of the compound. I entered the kitchen and saw some foodstuffs stacked in a side. I decided to prepare breakfast.
• Aloo Gobi(traditional dish) will be the best and fastest to make.
• I gathered the ingredients and started working, dicing and slicing them starting from the aloo(potatoes) and the kaloniji.
• Few minutes later, I had already finished preparing the ingredients. I then set the fire place and place the food in the Tandoor(traditional oven) putting it over the fire to roast.
• I waited till it was ready and I served into two different warmer, I then took it inside and placed them on the table.
• And as silently as I could, careful not to wake Nana and Jojo, I made my way to the palace to serve my punishment.
• .
• * *
• JAMAL
• "What is a Sheba?" I asked mother as she sat down on my bed.
• She had just told me that Diviner had found a solution to my curse. I was curious, I wanted to know what it is like to be normal, to be able to feel things like others and not having to read their body language before understanding them.
• "A Sheba is not a what but a who, a Sheba is s maiden with a pure heart"
• "Can there ever be one? People are past having pure hearts" I told her.
• "Abu said she is close, very close but miles away"
• I narrowed my eyes. "What is that suppose to mean?"
• "I don't know Jamal, I don't know but I promise to find her wherever she is"
• .
• * *
• SARAFINA
• When I got to the palace gate, I met a guard who was waiting for me. I was taken to the head maid, she was to assign my work to me.
• "Good morning" I said bowing my head. She looked at me and shook her head. "You're the girl who saw the prince" I nodded. "Make sure you avoid the palace maids they don't like you, they think the king was partial with his judgment"
• "I don't know why he spared me too"
• "I believe everything happens for a reason.. Ever heard of Kismata?"
• I remembered Nana's words. "Fate" I muttered.
• She smiled. "You're wise, my name is Terai"
• "I am Sarafina"
• ..
• "This place is really wide, you have to clean it tactically" Terai said to me as she took me to my work area.
• It was a very large room with pictures of the royal family hung on the wall. It was also very dusty, it looked like it hasn't been cleaned for ages.
• "I can manage" I told her. She smiled and patted my back, leaving me to clean this extra large and extra dirty hall. But at least it is better than being killed.
• .
• .
• It was past noon already and I had already cleaned almost half of the room.
• I heard the door crack open and I assumed it was Terai because she had told me she would come to get me for lunch by noon.
• "What are you doing here" came the deep but Smooth voice.
• I could recognise the voice anywhere. Prince Jamal.
• I jumped in fright, my bucket falling from my hand, spilling water to the smooth floor. In my attempt to move back, I slipped but before I could land, strong hands gripped my waist.
• I gasped as he spun me around so that I was facing him.
• I took the risk to look at him. His eyes held different expression confusion, surprise?
• "We meet again" he said still holding me.
• And for some weird reason, Nana and Terai's words kept ringing in my ears.
• Everything happens for a reason.....
• Kismat....... Fate!