Chapter 1: When Kingdom Fall

I be princess wey my land don scatter. Dem destroy my kingdom when I dey six years old—all because of my mama. That year, I still dey wear small bead for waist, no sabi anything about war.

The pain of that day still dey bite my heart like fire wey no wan quench. Sometimes, for night, I go dey dream say everywhere dey peaceful, say I still dey run around the old palace, dey chase my brothers for corridor. But as I wake, na only silence go answer me, heavy like raincloud for harmattan.

My mama, wey everybody sabi for her fine face, na dem send from Garba Kingdom come as bride. Her skin dey white like fresh pap, almost like oyinbo but with our own shine, her bone fine like carved ivory, beauty wey no get mate.

For market days, even old mama them go dey peep her from corner eye, dey whisper. You go hear women say, "Na which woman fair like this for this our land?" Even masquerade go bow, even when drum dey beat loud—her beauty dey humble spirit. Masquerade go bow, even when drum dey beat loud—her beauty dey humble spirit. She carry beauty like charm, but that beauty na wahala for my family.

Within small time, my papa—wey people dey call wise and strong chief—come fall for her charm sotey he forget all the work wey dey for him hand.

Papa na man wey pride full body. Before mama enter, e dey always dey reason for council, dey settle matter with calm voice. But since mama enter, na only her matter dey sweet am. All elders notice say our chief don dey carry eye go where e no suppose. People dey talk say, "Chief, abeg face work!" but e no hear.

Na so Garba Kingdom use the chance invade us. My mama carry all the Palm Grove’s defence map, give am to her people for north.

Dem say na night dem catch am, as she dey hide map for wrapper. She get mind, because na only person wey sabi the palace secret pass herself. She trust the wrong people, or maybe na us wey trust her wrongly.

Before our warriors fit even blink, northern soldiers enter everywhere, just dey march through like knife dey cut yam.

The town wey dey peaceful turn to chaos in one night. Soldiers from Garba just dey blow horn, dey enter from all corner. Fire and shout full everywhere. Even moon wey dey shine for sky that night, e hide for cloud.