Chapter 6: Moonlight and Masks

For harmattan, dem finally bring Eldest Sister back. Before, she be the fine girl of Aba, now, na only bone remain. Her plain wrapper just hang for body, breeze fit carry am. She kneel for white tile floor, head touch ground, no even send the dust.

When I see her, my heart pain me. That fine skin now dey show bone. She no dey even look anybody for eye again. As she kneel, sand dey stain her wrapper, but she no care. Na humility wey dem force, not the one wey come from inside.

Papa sit for big chair, the hand wey dey always touch him beard now just dey circle cup. After she kneel eight times, Second Sister waka go help am. "Papa, na Scholar Auwalu cause everything; Eldest Sister don learn lesson. Abeg forgive am."

Second Sister sabi talk for big moment. Her voice soft, her steps gentle, she bow low—people dey call am peacemaker. She clean dust, cover her sister’s shame, but everybody know say na only papa fit settle the matter.

She clean dust from Eldest Sister forehead. "Eldest Sister too honest; if scar show, people go say we dey treat our daughter bad."

Her voice shake small, but her hand steady. For our place, no family like make shame go outside. If your daughter get scar, people go talk for meeting say Okoye family dey wicked.

As she talk, papa and mama face change. Eldest Sister use the chance hold Second Sister hand, tears for her eye. "From now, I go join my sisters serve papa and mama well."

The two sisters eye meet, and I see as old wound dey close, but still dey pain. For our house, service dey save head. Eldest Sister swallow pride, and e show for her voice.

After this, Eldest Sister return inside, but papa no send her again. The less she get favour, the more she try—morning, she dey write; midnight, she dey dance; afternoon, she dey do account. When she waka outside, all the fine boys for Aba dey throw groundnut for her keke, just to see her face. When mama go party, she go carry two beauties—Eldest Sister, fine and calm; Second Sister, smart and quick. One fit recite poem with just eye, the other fit settle wahala with just one word.

For compound, dem dey call Oluchi "queen of silence." Even as she dey fade, her fame dey grow. Aba boys dey always find excuse cross our front, dey try form brave. Mama carry her and Halima waka party, and all women dey whisper say Okoye daughters na real gold.

I begin notice say when both of them dey waka together, their sleeve dey touch, but silent competition dey between them.

If you look well, you go see small spark for their eye, as if dem dey measure each other. Na smile outside, but for inside, everybody dey mark score. Even small me dey learn say for Okoye house, competition dey flow like blood.

For twelfth month, palace do palm wine festival. Both sisters follow papa and mama go palace. As musicians play Rainbow Skirt Song, Egwu Amala dey join for background, drum dey loud. Eldest Sister dance, her sleeve spread like egret wey dey fly for River Niger, her leg waka like person dey step for moon. When she finish, everywhere quiet—even Governor forget to drink.

The festival na big thing. Eldest Sister dance, her movement gentle, the white lace for her hand dey fly. For that moment, na only her exist. The elders dey nod, children dey open mouth. Even Governor eye soft, as if he dey remember when him own daughter still small.

Governor touch the coral ring for him thumb, after long pause, talk, "Okoye, you train your daughters well—dem be like oil wey no dey dry. My own reach nothing beside them."

For big hall, na rare thing for Governor to praise person like that. Even musicians stop. Everybody dey look Okoye family, respect go increase ten times after that night.

Papa quick kneel, "Your servant dey fear. The princesses na moon, my daughter na small light—how she go compare?"

Papa sabi play humility well. He no go let pride kill am. As he kneel, all the other chiefs dey look, dey measure who humble pass. For inside that kneeling, e dey protect family name, dey buy Governor favour.

Governor happy, give them palm wine, ask Eldest Sister, "What be your name?"

His voice gentle, eye kind. For that moment, even the palace servants listen well. For Governor to ask name na sign of big honour.

"Your servant daughter name na Oluchi."

Her voice clear, she bow head, but her back straight. That small act make everybody nod—she sabi herself.

"‘Chi’ get too much power. After your dance, na ‘graceful and fluttering’ fit you pass. You like am?"

Governor dey play with names, dey try give her title. For palace, to rename person na sign say you dey welcome am inside power.

Three days after Governor give her new name, government order come, make Eldest Sister consort. She kneel collect decree, her voice sweet like bird song, her face shy.

When she collect decree, she kneel three times, then bow for Governor side. All elders clap. Palace messenger snap her photo, and na so Okoye family enter front page next day. From that moment, her face change—she now get weight pass ordinary daughter.

I stand for back, dey look as the messenger waka go, remember that year for back veranda, when Eldest Sister kneel, her back straight. But that time, her kneeling break her dream. This time, her kneeling open way to shine.

That memory sweet and bitter. For this house, the same kneeling fit mean punishment today, but tomorrow na road to greatness. Na so power dey change face for Okoye family.

Second Sister waka come, hold her hand, bow well. "Congrats, Sister, as you get Governor favour. Our Okoye family dey shine."

Her own bow long, voice strong. Everybody dey watch, dey wait for her next move. For our family, na big thing to show grace—even when your heart dey bleed.

Eldest Sister smile small, but her eye cold. "Second Sister, you dey too sharp these days—no let am pass your boundary."

The smile dey sweet, but warning dey hide inside. For palace talk, na only person wey sabi code fit decode. I see Halima eye blink, but she no talk.

Second Sister no vex, she just smile, arrange stray hair for Eldest Sister ear. "Sister dey joke. For future, I go need your help."

Her smile carry small pride, like say she don win. Out of the two main daughters of Okoye family wey don grow, one must enter palace. Wise person dey plan from beginning. Second Sister sure say papa dey balance court—one daughter for palace as consort, one marry Prince Umuola, so the family go stand no matter how wind blow.

Halima sabi say game dey change. She dey prepare, her eye dey sharp. For Okoye family, na only person wey get sense fit carry last.

The Governor, even though him still strong, don near forty; to enter palace now na just consort level. Wetin Second Sister want na Princess Umuola position.

For all the parties and meetings, she dey eye Prince Umuola side, dey drop coded smile. She dey wait make time ripe, dey hope say Okoye family fit still rise more.