Chapter 3: Bonds in the Stable

Me and Okoro Chukwudi begin blend well, I even escort am when he dey go Omu’s quarters.

He no wan go, we promise to see again. As we dey waka, we dey gist about small things—market gist, who get the best akamu for palace.

I happy, gree. My heart soft small; to get friend wey understand your wahala na blessing.

I ask the palace steward, "That Musa pikin don reach stable?"

He nod, I smile. "No give am dinner. Prepare late night food; I go deliver am myself tonight."

Night reach, I carry food flask go meet Musa Danladi.

Musa Danladi dey chew grass, dey bored. When he see me, he stand up sharp, but eye dey watchful. I notice say he dey try form strong face, but I see the hunger for him eye.

I just smile. "Young General Musa, you dey okay?"

He turn face. "Your Highness know the answer." E clear for him voice say pride dey fight hunger for inside.

Just then, him belle make noise. The sound loud like frog for rainy season.

I give am the food flask. "I get one thing wey I wan ask." My voice soft, I sit down for empty feed sack.

He turn, dey mock, "Even Your Highness dey ask for help?" His pride dey show, but e still dey hope say I go forgive.

I sigh. "That small bird, we return am for nest, but maybe e don smell human—e dey cry, no chop. The mama bird waka come look, but no gree come back."

I say, "Young General Musa, you get any idea?" I look am direct for eye, make am feel say I trust him sense.

He quiet. I shake head. "E voice don weak. I fear say e no go see morning." I bend head small, show say the matter touch me.

I push food flask give am. "No wahala, Young General Musa, chop. I go ask others for animal shed."

Steward whisper, "Your Highness, abeg chop before you go. You never chop since." Na so e dey for palace—if ruler never chop, everybody dey restless.

Musa Danladi ask, "Why you never chop?" His voice low, almost soft.

I smile. "I wan chop with you, but time don go. I go hungry with you." Na small way to show say I value am.

As he dey reason am, I smile again. "You dey invite me make we chop together?"

He give me the food, shy. "You chop first." His hand tremble small as he hand me the spoon.

I just sit down for haystack, cross leg, dey chop from same bowl with spoon. I dip am, taste the stew—hot but sweet, just the way palace cook dey do am.

He shock, but later join me, no form. He drop pride, pick spoon, chop like person wey find water for desert.

Food no plenty, but as we share am, e sweet. Musa Danladi dey look me, but I just dey chop, dey relaxed. The silent gist wey dey pass between us na the true friendship.

After food, he wipe mouth. "I go check the bird for you." His voice don calm, e respect me pass before.

I smile. "No rush. You don see my black horse?"

Musa Danladi eye shine. "Na your horse be that?"

I nod. "Talk of horse, your mama, Mama Musa, sabi horse well."

He laugh. "True, my mama like horse. Me, I sabi small, but I fit talk say Your Highness horse go grow fine." His laughter bright, e make night soft.

We gist small, Musa Danladi relax, see me as friend. For inside that stable, two future men just dey bond, no title, no wahala.

For morning dew, I ride with am for Palm Grove, him laugh wake birds. His laughter scatter the early breeze, make even steward smile for corner.

When we wan go, I give am my black horse rope. "Hold am for me. Man no suppose stay one place—carry am go see the border."

Musa Danladi shock as I waka leave, still dey look me. I catch him eye, smile, then go my way—make am know say trust dey.