Chapter 2: Pepper and Power for Odu Hall

As I reach Odu Hall, na so I see Musa siddon for mat, dey chop chicken leg.

Big bowl of jollof rice dey for im front, oil for im mouth shine like person wey win lottery. Queen dey smile like good mama, dey tell am make e chop slow, but her eye dey shine for me like snake wey dey wait to swallow rat.

Musa, as usual, no even know wetin dey happen, just raise im round, fat face wey oil full everywhere.

"Mother Queen, I want more."

The way e talk, e nor even look like prince—just hungry pikin. This pikin—poetry, music, manners, archery, horse riding—nothing dey enter am.

I don carry am go herbalist, go prayer house, even try make im do juju for wisdom. Na only food dey sweet am for body.

Even if dem wan cut im neck, na food e go dey think.

Na because I blind by the oil for im mouth I think say e fit drag throne.

For my eye, na so comment dey waka waka for air—like WhatsApp status wey no gree disappear.

[Everybody see am, this your pikin fit be crown prince?]

[No matter wetin people talk, demon consort really love her pikin.]

[So funny—side babe, open your eye. This one look like king to you?]

One comment make my heart skip:

[This fat boy go die bad—male lead go lock am for years, e go thin like broom, die of fear.]

For inside me, I feel cold, like water from earthen pot touch my back. All my last hope just disappear. I carry all the documents and seals for Musa land, bring out. My hand dey tremble as I wipe sweat for im head—na so my heart dey do kpim kpim. My hands dey shake small, but I force smile, dey beg: "My pikin no get sense, e no sabi anything. E no fit rule those places well—better make we return am to eldest prince."

I try balance my words, dey look Queen eye for ground. "Lately, people dey spread fake gist say my son dey eye throne... na pure lie. Na palace maid born am, na person like me raise am. With this kind background, even city chairman position go hard for am."

Before Queen finish her own acting, I don already show my hand.

She shock, even look like she no too happy.

Her face change small, she use hand arrange beads for wrist. "Aunty Ronke, you gree? You no wan fight again? This one no be your style o."

I drop my pride, voice low. "Na those people before dey push me make I fight you, na im make I dey get useless hope, come dey far from you."

If I know say Queen family army don already block palace, why I go dey waste my time?

I use the same trick wey I use for old Oba, carry silk handkerchief cover face, start to cry dey sob.

My cry nor even reach inside, na just wetin dem wan see. "Na now my eye don clear, I just wan follow Your Majesty, abeg no vex for our mumu."

[Demon consort sabi bend, sabi stand—na example for all of us.]

[No shame, no problem—na this kind person dey survive.]

"Shameless woman!" one old palace maid for Queen side just shout.

But Queen lean forward, raise eyebrow, dey look me like say I be strange animal.

Her lips curl, but she nor smile. She still get her queen face, make me look more useless and pitiful.

Her voice soft but cold, na only real power dey inside. "You know why, even though you provoke me many times, I no ever touch you?"

I dey look ground, my heart dey beat. "Na because all of una dey fight for one old, wrinkled man. Just small sweet talk, una go dey fight like goat. I really enjoy the show."

As she talk finish, she wave hand.

"Carry your son commot."

No stress, no more words. Musa, still lost, jump down, run come my side, still collect one peppered chicken from palace maid hand before we waka go, happy like say nothing happen.

I drag am for hand, but for my mind, na so I dey thank God say today na just humiliation, not death.

[Abi na now Queen go show real colour?]