Asemahle Raider

Asemahle Raider (a.k.a. Sema)

323+

Sema is and always has been an adorable child, slipping out her mother with ease. Something her mother joked about for decades. A joke that used to bother her, but now she kind of leans into, looking after herself and using what money she could steal and get to do things that would keep endearing herself to others. She even grew a passion for health foods that best promoted the diet of her family.

She started cooking young, helping her big sister, who did everything in her power to keep things together.

Great pain sat her heart as her big sister struggled to keep things together. Being a child didn't last long in the Raider family.

Asemahle was no different, thinking about cleaning and helping young enough to become a Paige, a paid child servant. She earned money young, using it to help with studies. Schooling with her sister at night and working during the day.

She was small, but that meant nothing. She was beautiful and able to work.

Things got harder with the next child, but the family managed to control the situation. It was hard but became a soul crushing nightmare when suddenly her sister disappeared. She was alone and broken hearted, it changed a part of her, leaving her colder to her sister.

They moved to better living, which was a shock to the system. She got money instead of stealing or battling for it. She was given stuff. Her mother and aunt had babies, each bringing issues of their own. It was hard but so much easier that it had been as more family appeared helping around the house. It wasn’t just her big sister’s success, somehow, along with her father, it was the entire family’s success the Raider were working, they weren’t Flatlander hunters like their ancestors, they were moving up.

327+

The boy in the family was born and took to working quicker than even Lilo. He was actually talented whereas the rest were just willing to work.


He was a great Archers player, skill unmatched to literally any of the kids on their level. He was instantly brought into the player leagues.

She was dragged along when a tuition and The Ndlovu-Sana House appeared, offering the family real money for real care. They took it smiling and used the money for a bigger, more caring home.

Her efforts and beauty made her standout, but it wasn’t easy, she wasn’t a part of Nobility, a part of a guild or a clan member. To make it worse things went wrong when her brother was bullied every single day.

The whole family fought for what was theirs and were exhausted but a new girl fell for him and their battles were suddenly producing winners. They were exotic fruits to strange aristocrats. Lilo who was already leaving the institution for Grounds Keeper work wasn’t engaging, leaving her to protect her brother. She’d never felt so small.

The guilds were the problem, marching in and ambushing them after guidance.

They shot him with arrows, taunting and beating him. The closer to an Archers game, the more viscous they’d become.

It was like watching a family member dying slowly and it was different merchant guilds. All led by Dumisani Fletcher.

She’d never forgive them, the anger born of fear and desperation that she felt in that period was something that never fully left her.

And that was when Thato Ndlovu-Sana, who’d always appeared strange in her eyes entered the equation. At first simply befriending them both, it wasn’t a fleeting curiosity but an obsession that grew clear as both Khaya and Thato became inseparable.

But Dumisani wouldn’t be cheated of his prize.

A barrage of arrows from kids they didn’t even know. They broke his bones. At death’s door, she had to, alone drag her brother home. She knew nature’s way, that death was as natural a thing as the earth and the sky. But, muscles bruised. Soul aching, she fought her pain and limits to get her brother home. She hated everyone and everything. But just wanted her brother. Needed her brother. The house was brought to chaos, everyone coming home. When Thato appeared. Sema wasn’t thrilled about it.

What use was she? Where had she been when needed the most, the words were blade’s to Thato who was still a kid herself but Sema was furious. How could she be anything but?

But at no point during her rampage at the useless Thato did the target of her ire so much as fight back. Simply letting her be angry.

That simply brought doctors, some of the best offered and disappeared.

And that was when the retaliation happened.

Houses burned; a war had been declared in the name of a hidden flatlander the child of no one important at all.

Multiple merchant homes were firebombed, only to have those merchants land rights brought under review only to be put under direct challenge.

What followed was a war that scared her as she had a part of the Ndlovu-Sana Noble guard following her, escorting her everywhere, she struggled to stay with her commoner friends who were fearful. If Sema was a target, they could be too.

Their home was threatened, they were on the brink of going back to the flatlands. There was a call from the Ndlovu-Sana prime and her sister, Thato’s mother, Nomvula Ndlovu-Sana. Considered to be one of the most fearsome in all Sibini.

They were all locked in largest halls Sema had ever seen in what could only be described as a trail. To be surrounded by so many important people was madness!

But to her, most important of all was how they were served. She befriended a kindly old woman. She proved to be the head of sustenance and happiness. Something she did so professionally with such an ease it almost seemed a dream. Like the grand leader of an army, the kindly woman marching them to victory after victory.

She was in love with the idea of it all. Surrounded by people like her, a master of all things tasty.

Hell at that moment… she was a guest. Not to be ignored. Pressing the ‘social advantage’ she begged for a lesson from the Chef. To her surprise the chef not only said yes but insisted she join those she was already mentoring. People all her age, offering her a future she’d not so much as considered. She’d taken it in a heartbeat before remembering her brother. She couldn’t even consider leaving him, no matter the circumstance.


So she waited, with fear and trepidation for the result. The result was separation. They’d all leave their part of the world, with their family crossing to a land given to them in the upper classes, closer to the Ndlovu-Sana House.

Thato, it turned out, had declared her life to her brother, something that wasn’t a thing.
Khaya, like her, was a Flatlander, a low born. Nobles didn’t mix with them beyond playful fancies, they didn’t marry. It didn’t help interhouse growth, even marriages of love managed to keep the high born as Nobility tended to fall apart, the best a relationship could survive on were with retainers or merchants.

And yet, despite being too young to make such choices Thato was obsessed, it was terrifying, but how could there be anything that could go wrong? Thato loved Khaya.

It wasn’t ideal but she’d take it. She could watch over her brother and studying the ways of food. She was good at it! She could make people happy in ways she’d never so much as considered without her looks. She’d study other things as good functional Raider should to help the family, but there really wasn’t a need, she was a super star.

The Raider clan had evolved.

Thato never fell out of love, or changed her mind, as so many had expected. Perhaps it was then that she should have been concerned, even combative, determined to stop them.

They were beautiful together, stunning even. He made her look good, humble and small despite the fact that the hunger in her eyes screamed that she was a giant. He changed everyone around him, most especially Thato, it was enough to make her jealous, but proud.

Her brother was happy and because of it, she was happy.

Time passed happily, she was getting good at what she did, she could feed her whole family, going as far as preparing feasts for them that were so good they literally didn’t know what to do with them. It didn’t matter, they were happy. She was becoming something reliable. Reliable people were always valuable, earning the big money.

346+

And on Thato’s 16^th birthday she married Khaya dedicating her life to him.

Sema prepared everything, but also had to stand with Khaya and to do this she was given the entire core of Ndlovu-Sana retainers. They followed their command.

Her dream came true, she was feeding the largest names she could dream of meeting. It was her proudest moment, one that simply didn’t fade as her efforts proved her place.

Social

Family Ties

Current Location

North Sibini

Species

The Chui Yetsimbi

Ethnicity

Flatlanders

Year of Birth

323 UA 31 Years old

Birthplace

Sedibeng

Parents

Lungisa Raider

Current Residence

Sedibeng

Gender

Female

Other Affiliations

• The Ndlovu-Sana House