Chapter 11: Wahala Training

Musa Danladi start again.

Today, wahala no go end. Sun high, dust thick. Musa call crowd gather for camp.

Today, no be horse stance, na fight for training ground.

He drag one big man from back. The man chest wide, arm like tree branch. I swallow spit.

He call one big man, three times my size.

The man smile, teeth brown, hand dey shake small.

For capital, girls just dey learn horse riding and arrow.

My own na pageantry, etiquette—how to greet, how to dance. Real fight na for boys.

Abi women here dey different, fit fight men?

I dey wonder if na border women dey born with iron inside bone.

I dey reason am.

My eye dey move from Musa to big man. If to say na wrestling, I for run.

"No fear, Grain Officer. For here, na just practice—nobody dey wound."

His voice calm, as if he dey explain chess to child. Some people dey whisper, side-eye me.

Musa Danladi think say I dey fear, so he explain.

His face dey playful, like say na game.

I no talk much, just tell am make we start.

My chest tight, but my eye steady. I no go disgrace palace name.

Musa Danladi warn last time, "No run last minute o."

He wink, voice high. Boys laugh.

I stand gidigba. Who go run, we go see.

I plant my feet, eye straight. Even if I fall, I go fall with pride.

Musa Danladi shout make fight start, then waka go one side watch.

He cross arm, lean for stick. Some girls dey giggle. The big man stand, face me, sweat dey his head.

From the back, one soldier slap fist to chest, shout, "Wetin dey, my General? Show dem!"

Another start playful chant: "Princess no dey fear! Princess no dey fear!"

After small time, he notice say him man never move.

Silence stretch. Some boys shift leg, one cough fake.

The man salute me, then tell Musa Danladi, voice dey shake:

His salute na half—hand no straight. Voice low: "Young Commander Musa, I no fit."

Musa Danladi face twist like person wey swallow fly.

His brow knot, mouth open. He blink, no believe.

He no believe say na him own man run.

From back, someone chuckle small. The shame reach Musa bone.

"Wetin you mean say you no fit? We all be human—two eyes, one mouth. Why you no fit fight?"

His voice rise, crowd hush. The big man look ground, shame dey inside.

"But she be Her Highness..."

The fear of royal wahala dey shake the man voice. For border, respect still dey carry weight.

"You—"

Musa want talk, but words die for mouth. He hiss, eye red.

I just stand dey watch the drama.

I cross hand, lips twist. For palace, na only drama dey pass this one.

Musa Danladi really think say everybody dey fear less like am.

His own courage na wahala. For him mind, na only death be fear.

These days, I notice say apart from him, everybody dey respect me well.

Boys dey greet me, women dey bring water. Musa alone dey carry wahala for chest.

"I go do am."

My voice cut silence. The big man bow, Musa look me. Time to show say palace dey carry weight too.

The man no gree fight me, so Musa Danladi vex, come up himself.

He drop stick, roll sleeve. Boys step back small.

He no like this princess from capital, woman wey no fit carry anything.

For his face, na competition. His jaw hard, eyes sharp.

He hate pass those people for capital—chop life, do nothing, soldiers dey die, food no dey reach.

His pride dey border anger, his eyes red. He talk say, "Capital people dey spoil ground."

"Wait."

My hand up, boys pause. Sun hot, sweat for my face.

I raise hand stop am.

He freeze, eyes narrow. My voice no dey shake.

This Musa Danladi go use all him power.

If I fight am now, na disgrace be that. His hand heavy, I no get plan.

I no dey craze—I no go just stand make he beat me.

Sense pass power. My mama talk am: war no be by muscle alone.

I get sense. "I no ready today. Make we do am tomorrow."

I shift back, voice sure. Crowd scatter, some boys hiss, others nod.

Tonight, sleep go run from my eyes. Tomorrow, I go face Musa Danladi—and this time, e no go be play.