Wandile Genisa Ndlovu
She’s a warrior, a skill formed as a side effect of having a hyper-competitive sister.
Being the sister not destined to lead had been a point of frustration but freedom to as she did something that went against her family by becoming a wizard.
She chose to leave at age ten, travelling to interact with other members of the Ndlovu House, her mother making her avoid those in North Sibini for fear of being married off, instead going North under the Geniso name, her natural acumen growing when she met a new girl, her bloodline an offshoot of an offshoot. But still of the Noble houses. Just not the Ndlovu House but the industrious Pikoli house. Only the girl wasn’t industrious, she was a fighter. And upon facing each other Wandile Genisa Ndlovu had the taste knocked out her. But it was as a Geniso that she created a bond with and they started to learn from each other. And it was at that point that both girls decided to go to Vusi-Ntaba School of Magic.
This decision was made after her new best friend Babalwa faced a stunning defeat.
It broke Wandile's heart to see Babalwa defeated, not only because she lost, but because it was Thato whose shoulder she cried on. But she convinced Babalwa to leave; it was a relief when she said yes. They went together, flying their family banners high; but it was not a moment of pride for any of their families, each looking at them like wasted potential.
Life as a wizard was extremely difficult, her lack of competitiveness working against her at first, it was so bad, she had to stay at the school during the offseason in order to keep from quitting; because she knew, if she stopped; for even a moment; if she'd gone home; she'd never come back.
Babalwa did leave though. Alone, she took to the solitude and manged to find teachers with a history of craftsmanship helping her with her natural skill and she found happiness small as it was. She took to earth, nature and metal-based magic.
But Babalwa came back and they started working together. Wandile wasn’t book smart and strong, something she didn't just lack but had to grow and quickly. She was forced to sit still, use her hands in a manner that had nothing to do with carving wood. It was awkward, gross and weird, it left her anxious every time but still Babalwa was there, in her bed, holding her in place, book in hand making sure she read. It was bizarre but at the same time, hard not to appreciate, she was well... royalty. And over the course of two years, she was reading on her own, and wanting to read. Where her lessons and private reading would come together, but crafting was her life and she'd be damned if it didn't stay as a part of her life.
Babalwa didn't get it but appreciated her initiative and there’d been a great deal of it. It was on her fifteenth birthday, that she finally returned home. To say things were different would have been an understatement. Her sister was an accomplished archers player. Her mother still the proud leader but somehow her sister was shining, and it was then that her sister introduced her to Nothula, a kid, just like them, but smarter than anyone she'd ever met. Though to Wandile it wasn't special, she'd seen enough geniuses.
She saw through him, the kid's manipulations and retreated. It was there she met her future husband. A part of the Geniso Clan, a cousin and a smart ass. But a star when holding a smithing hammer.
The pair became best of friends, choosing to move out of South Sun Sibini, working together to build a life in a hot zone.
One-day Thato showed up and with a Cabu leader. The Ndlobu family had always understood the rules, you traded with the Cabu families, but, in the end her mother, who had been a part of the Cabucabu switch had reneged.
Marking a gap and tension between the Cabu and the Ndlovu House in South Sun Sibini. So, seeing such closeness was a shock. But despite the Cabu’s animosity ways, she presented her with a means to build, steel lined with Cabu silk.
To stay the work was plentiful would have been an understatement. but thanks to their family's work they were on the brink of a revolution.
The Ndlovu-Sana House and the Cabu had made a dent in the negative reputation and in the eye of the people there, most especially the Golden Eagles and Cabucabu, quickly becoming a friend to the Municipalities. Before Wandile knew it, she was a noble again, a wealthy one at that and one with land and buildings that she ran. Somehow, because of Thato, she was in charge with responsibilities beyond anything her own mother had imagined for but that was not exactly a good thing, she was stands out, people took notice. It didn’t matter, she had a family at her back
Wandile Genisa Ndlovu Timeline
337
Wandile, unhappy with her life to leave her wonderful home and move to. She first stayed a few months in the Ndlovu compound. She’s friends with Jwaleni, with them spending time together, but the pairing was just too different, with Jwaleni being too pious and Wandile being too competitive. It only made sense for her to move on, though Jwaleni never stopped writing her and does consider her a friend.
338
Across the Royale she’d also made friends with Thato and Babalwa, mainly Babalwa because, as far as she knew, there was no fight in Thato.
After Babalwa loses her status as the best fighter, she gives up her time as a warrior o run away to the school of magic and to Wandile’s sheer joy take her along too.
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