Previously on Hakuna, an intense and completely unexpected battle ensued that completely changed the kings' perspective on the power of women. Hakuna is currently unconscious, thanks to his girlfriend, and King Thlomamo vanished along with his entire clan. Could this be the immediate sign of a new, catastrophic Tribal War? Let's find out…
The Price of Humiliation
…Somewhere in the deserted lands of Botswana…
King Thlomamo lands in a cloud of dust, his body still aching from the severe beating delivered by the demon-possessed Hakuna. He collapses onto his knees, his face twisted in a snarl of profound fury. "Never have I ever been so humiliated in my life. Not by a demon, not by a king, but by a mere child!" he growls, the sound raw and thick with shattered pride.
Rorisang lands softly in front of him, her expression a mix of concern and lingering confusion. She kneels immediately. "Father, please take time to recover. Let us return home and discuss strategy later," she begins, her voice soothing.
"A child did this, Rorisang, A CHILD! He stood against me, defeated me, and then that Xhosa witch knocked him out right in front of my very eyes! The shame of this defeat will follow our clan forever!" The king roars, interrupting Rorisang, throwing dust into the air with a furious clench of his fist. His eyes held a desperate madness.
"Oh, Father, what can I do to restore your honor?" The princess asks, seeing the true depth of his despair.
King Thlomamo then speaks, his voice lowering to a venomous whisper, his gaze locking onto his daughter. "I can no longer face my clan in this state. They will see weakness. Daughter, restore my pride, be my vengeance, show them my wrath… and end Hakuna Ntlamele. Bring me his head, and only then will I be whole."
She hesitates, the command to kill the boy she was just infatuated with momentarily paralyzing her, but the loyalty to her clan and her father is absolute. "Yes, Father. I will avenge you and our clan. The boy dies," she says, the words a chilling, firm vow.
Fade in…
The Sisters' Inspection
…At the Letebele Palace, in Hakuna's lavish, private room…
Nolitha appears silently, the energy of her jump still crackling faintly around her. She rushes to the bed where Hakuna is now lying, looking pale but peaceful. "Oh, my Pappie, I never meant to hurt you at all. I'm so sorry I had to knock you out, but it was the only way to save you from that monster," she says, her voice thick with guilt, gently stroking his cheek.
Krestina, one of Hakuna's several powerful sisters, appears silently behind her. Nolitha, distracted by guilt, doesn't notice the new presence immediately.
"So, you're the girl making my brother's cheeks red and causing all the trouble at the Citadel," Krestina says, her tone neutral but sharp.
Immediately, Nolitha is on Hakuna's bed, covering his body with her own for protection, her eyes instantly scanning the newcomer. "Oh, you, look exactly like him… it's uncanny," she mutters, recognizing the strong facial similarity to Hakuna.
Krestina is slightly confused but maintains her composure. She then speaks, her voice laced with intellectual superiority. "Well, he is my brother. If I don't have some similarity, then we're not really related, are we? That's basic genetics."
Ooohhh, so that's where Hakuna's high and mighty "English" and fast-talking comes from. It's a family trait.
"That much is true, but it's almost as if you're his clone. You look just like him when he's being difficult," Nolitha says, still wary.
"Okay, first of all, if cloning was successfully possible, he would be my clone, not the other way around. I am older. And second of all, I'm always mistaken to be his mother, but don't put yourself through that. So, I am Hakuna's sister, Nkemeleng Krestina Ntlamele. My friends call me Nkemy, and I am the one who came before him. I don't care how tall he is compared to me, my status is final. Now, I have one question for you, Xhosa Princess…" Krestina voices, her stance shifting, seriousness replacing the banter.
She charges a small, precise blast in her hand, the energy sizzling. "How dare you interrupt the Citadel of Crowns and, more importantly, attack my brother?" she questions, her gaze unwavering.
"I was saving him, that's all. The demon that took over his body was going to kill King Thlomamo, and I needed to stop him," Nolitha explains, maintaining her protective shield.
Krestina asks, her charged hand held steady. "Is that so? Was it truly necessary to use a chokehold?"
Hakuna, roused by the sound of energy and the familiar tone of his sister's aggression, chimes in groggily. "Yes, Nkemeleng, please leave. I'm trying to sleep."
"I'm suddenly in a bad mood, so don't call me that, little brother," Krestina says, her voice tightening.
"That is your name after all, or isn't it? It's on your birth certificate," Hakuna argues, forcing himself into a sitting position.
Nolitha thinks to herself, "This has got to be the most intense brother-to-sister conversation I have ever witnessed. They are arguing about a name while one of them is holding a weapon!"
Krestina then speaks, her fury deflating into typical sibling annoyance. "You loudmouth. I just came to see if you're still breathing after getting knocked out by your little girlfriend."
"Yep, I am. Bet you're surprised, Nkemeleng," Hakuna says sarcastically, leaning back against the pillows.
"Good. Now get back to bed and recover. And stop calling me that!" Krestina concludes, the blast vanishing as quickly as it appeared. She leaves the room with a theatrical sigh.
Nolitha then voices, "Well, that was… terrifying."
"Normal. It's how me and her talk. Don't worry about it," Hakuna responds, stretching his neck.
"Pretty intense for 'normal,' Hakuna," the princess murmurs, relaxing her guard.
Hakuna then says, "I know. Listen, since you're already here and my energy is almost back… join me for dinner tonight?"
"I can't, Pappie. If my dad finds out that I'm in another country, let alone his rival's palace, he would lose it instantly," Nolitha replies, shaking her head.
Hakuna then voices, dismissively. "Nah, no way. Your dad would be fine. But your mom…"
The mention of the Queen's name hangs in the air, cold and deadly. A chill goes down both their spines, a powerful, shared terror of an entity far greater than any king. "I think I gotta go. Now," she says, her fun suddenly replaced by panicked urgency.
"Yeah, definitely. Before she uses her omniscient tracking powers," the prince agrees.
She vanishes in a flash of speed.
The Real Threats
"I know you're here too, Angelina. I'm fine, see? You can stop lurking behind the curtain," Hakuna says, standing up to stretch, fully recovered.
"I never came to check on you, you egotistical baby. I wanted to see your girlfriend. She's way cooler than you," says Angelina, another of Hakuna's sisters, stepping out of the shadows.
Hakuna palms his face. "Ugh… You're the worst."
"Carry on with whatever… loser," Angelina says, smiling wickedly. She leaves instantly.
"I HEARD THAT, ANGELINA!" Hakuna barks at the closed door.
Sheesh.
"I just got taken down by my girlfriend, threatened by a king, and now I'm being abused by my sisters. I go through a lot," he says to himself, rubbing his temples.
Sehloho appears next to Hakuna, his expression serious. "Are you gonna make fun of me for having a girlfriend, too, now that I'm fully dressed?" The prince questions defensively.
"Huh? I thought we already concluded that she's the only good thing in your life and that you're lucky to have her," Sehloho says, dismissing the petty sibling tension.
"Yeah… right… I forgot. Sorry," Hakuna mutters.
Sehloho then speaks, his voice grave. "Listen, do you know that the events of today will lead to a Tribal War? King Thlomamo vanishing is not a retreat; it's a calculated preparation. Many of the Sotho Clans will probably withdraw, not wanting to help us out of spite, and we'll probably end up fighting alone against the rest of the Tshwana clans if the support the Tshabadira. I just came to make sure you are prepared, because what's to come is far worse than what you have seen so far. This goes beyond demons."
"Yeah, I know for a fact that I am not prepared for a full-scale Tribal War, but I am willing to fight for all those I care about. Let the cowards run. We stand our ground," Hakuna responds, his voice firm, his eyes gaining their yellow glint of resolve.
Fade out…
The Queen's Sight
…At the Mehlomanelo Palace, back in the Xhosa lands…
Nolitha is seen tip-toeing through the long, echoing hallways toward her room, using every ounce of her superhuman speed and stealth. She makes it to her door, a sigh of relief almost escaping her, but then… a small, dried piece of wood falls from the ceiling and lands on her head, making a comical 'tap.'
Queen Mehlomanelo, her voice like the calm before a hurricane, voices from the end of the hallway. "So, you went out. And you've brought back wood shavings in your hair, apparently."
Nolitha freezes, every cell in her body locking up. "Uh, Mom, I uhh, I went out. A slight burst of emotion you might add, but I handled it," she tsays, trying to deflect.
Queen Mehlomanelo then voices, taking a slow, intimidating step forward. "You do know that I can see wherever you are, no matter what the altercation, right? The moment your energy flared to save your little Pappie, I was watching the whole ordeal from the throne room. Every second. Every punch. Every insolent remark."
Nolitha chuckles nervously, frantically brushing the wood chips off her head. "Riiight… I totally forgot about that, Mom. Ha ha."
Nolitha was severely punished that night, in ways we cannot disclose, involving rigorous training and political lectures that lasted until dawn. Apologies for the inconvenience of this sudden censorship, but trust me, you don't want to know what happens when a Xhosa Queen is upset.
End of Episode 27…