Chapter 9: Test of Strength

Musa Danladi carry me go army camp.

We pass through wooden gate—men dey wash gun, some dey patch uniform, some dey carry water. Dust dey everywhere, breeze dey blow faint smell of beans from camp kitchen.

For Linguan Town, men dey fight, women dey wash and cook—everybody get work.

Small pikin dey hawk groundnut, old woman dey sweep. No idle hand for this side. Even chicken dey find food, no dey wait make am fall from sky.

"Since Grain Officer say she wan stay, you go do as we dey do here."

His voice high, make sure everybody hear. Some soldiers wink, others whistle. Small girls giggle, eyes full of mischief.

Army life hard: dust everywhere, sun dey burn, soldiers' clothes dirty with sweat.

My fine wrapper dey pick dust, my nose dey tickle. Sun dey roast neck, sweat run for back.

Musa Danladi get mind, tell me to do like locals.

For palace, na protocol. For border, na hustle.

But I think am, say maybe people for here no dey fear royal family like capital people.

Respect dey, but hard work dey pass title for here.

If I fit suffer with soldiers, maybe I go fit win their heart.

If you wan rule here, better make dem see your hand for work first.

With that, my mind calm small.

My pride adjust, small peace enter body.

I look around, no see women.

Even the ones I see, their hands dey busy. Nobody dey idle. I swallow question—no wan look weak.

I no go ask Musa Danladi, just seeing am dey vex me.

I bite tongue, eye ground. Some laughter drift from barrack corner.

As I keep quiet, Musa Danladi call him boys bring chair, then sit down.

Him cross leg, command steady. Boys run around, one even nearly drop stool for sand.

"This subordinate dey pity Grain Officer, so make we start with the simplest: horse stance."

He talk am with face straight, but I see small shine for eye. The wahala dey inside.

I give am bad eye.

If eye fit kill, by now Musa for don join ancestors.

"How you mean? Why I no dey do laundry and cook?"

My voice rise. Some boys hide smile.

After small silence, I hear snort, then laugh.

His laugh loud, echo for camp like drum. Some soldiers start to clap, others dey choke on water.

Musa Danladi laugh scatter, slap chair.

He lean back, tears dey his eye. No fear. For his mind, na play.

He no stop till I press sword for him neck.

My blade cold, his throat steady. Boys hush.

"Why you dey laugh?"

My voice sharp, mouth twist. This one dey mad.

I don see am—no be say Musa Danladi get wahala, na him brain get wahala.

This na true wahala—no cure for bush stubbornness.

Musa Danladi laugh till tears dey his eye.

He wipe tears, steady voice. Some boys dey look ground, no wan catch stray.

He lean back, no fear say sword fit cut am anytime.

Fear no dey his dictionary. For him eye, na only challenge.

"I overrate you, Grain Officer. If you wan dey do laundry and cook with women, abeg, go ahead..."

He stretch hand like say make I waka go. Some people snicker behind palm.

He dey mock me.

The pride inside his voice dey thick—na only goat head fit get am.

"No wahala."

I pull my sword, breathe in, calm myself.

My chest rise, mind cold. For palace, anger dey quick spoil face.

"Horse stance be the thing."

I talk am, voice strong. E no go kill me.

I go just take am as exercise.

My mind dey reason, "Na only small pain, body go adjust."