Chapter 13: The Last Resolve

Palace boys rush collect my hairpin, remove anything sharp, block my mouth so I no fit bite tongue.

Dem hold me tight, no pity. I dey struggle, tears dey my face. My body weak, but my spirit dey fight.

Dem tie my hand and leg, carry me go secret room.

Room cold, dark, no window. Only candle dey burn for one corner. The air thick, e smell like fear.

He don show.

I hear heavy step for ground. My heart dey race.

Chief wey scatter the world, wey must get anything e want.

Na him shadow cover door. E voice deep, heavy. "Halima, today na your turn."

Palm Grove na him own.

Everything wey belong to my papa, my people, now dey his hand.

Halima too.

E look me like say I be trophy, not human being. E dey smile, cold, empty.

E remove the cloth for my mouth.

I dey pant, dey look am with hate.

I use chance bite him neck, try die with am, but e slap me till I faint.

Blood full my mouth, my head dey spin. Before I faint, I see him face—no mercy.

After that, na darkness full my life.

I dey float for black water. No day, no night. Only pain, only shame.

Chief of Garba lock me for gold cage underground.

Room dey shine, but na prison. No rooster crow here, no market noise. Only my own breath dey remind me say I still dey alive. Walls dey high, door dey strong. Nobody fit hear me.

For place wey nobody dey, e no need hide him wickedness.

E dey act any way e like. No guard, no maid, just him and me.

E torture me anyhow, try break me like pet.

Slap, flog, insult, hunger. E dey use words break my spirit. E say, "You no be anything. You na just shadow."

Just to look am dey make me wan vomit.

Even him touch dey make me wan die.

E dey touch me, my skin dey crawl. I dey beg, but my voice no dey work.

But e make sure say I no fit die or live well.

E dey give me small food, small water. I dey survive, but I dey wish for death.

“You better pass your mama. Now I understand why my son fit drop throne for you. If na me, I for do the same.”

E dey praise me, but na curse. I dey feel dirty, I dey wish say spirit fit commot body.

I no know how long I dey for him hand.

Time no dey move. Every day na same.

One month?

Maybe more. I no dey count again.

One year?

If na year, my spirit for don break. But hope still dey inside me.

Or more?

I no know. Only darkness dey my eye.

I hate am sotey I dey vomit for him body.

Anytime e near, my body dey reject am. I go throw up, even if na water I chop.

After that, anything wey dem force me chop, I go vomit am.

Dem try all food, but my body dey fight. E dey vex, but e no wan make I die.

Maybe e no wan make I die, chief of Garba call local health center doctor.

E call doctor, dey shout, "Save her. No let am die!"

Doctor say I get belle.

The old nurse look me, whisper, "You get pikin." My mind blank, my heart cold.

Chief of Garba shock.

E open mouth, dey stare. E no believe.

E no get many pikin, e value him blood.

For palace, na only few boys. E dey fear say e go die without heir.

How I take get belle now?

E dey count date, dey reason. E no sure how e take happen, but e no care—blood na blood.

Doctor say I don reach one month, make dem take care of me.

Doctor dey beg, "No let her suffer. This kind condition no good for pikin."

Chief of Garba carry me, dey laugh me.

E smile wide, teeth dey shine. E dey boast for council, "I go get new pikin!"

“Halima, you dey with me here for two months. This pikin na only me get am. After Crown Prince wedding, I go carry you come out.”

E dey plan. Once Fola marry, I go return, but my life go change forever.

I look am, shock.

I dey wonder which kind wickedness fit full one man body reach this level.

E smile, threaten, “Halima, if anything do this pikin, Crown Prince, Prince of Blessing, and your mama go follow am.”

E voice cold. E dey threaten everything I love. My heart dey freeze, but my face dey blank.

Na wa, e really value this pikin?

For Garba, blood na everything. Even if na pikin from hate, chief go still hold am tight.

But the way doctor look me, e be like e wan talk something.

Doctor dey signal me, e eyes dey tell me, "No fear."

I nod, then point the doctor, then my belle.

I dey ask, "Abeg, save my pikin."

“Halima still dey sick?”

Doctor dey act, dey play along. "Yes, chief."

I nod, then point the doctor again.

I dey beg, "Make doctor no leave me."

Chief understand. “You dey worry about pikin, want make doctor stay with you?”

E voice dey soft, but pride dey inside.

I nod.

Anything to buy time, to plan escape.

Chief happy, leave doctor with me, rush go handle work.

E dey trust doctor, no know say danger dey inside house.

As chief waka, doctor come talk.

E whisper low, "No fear, Princess. We dey plan."

“Princess, you don reach three months. Abeg take care.”

E dey beg me to endure, to stay alive. E eyes dey show pity.

Three months?

My mind dey shock. I dey survive for three months, I no even know.

This pikin strong, survive for my body three months.

I touch belle, tears dey eye. Maybe na hope, maybe na curse. Only God know.

As I no fit talk, doctor lower voice, “I dey work for Crown Prince.”

I dey surprise, but I no show am. I nod, small hope dey my chest.

I nod, show say I hear. Soon, I hear quick steps.

Sound dey loud, my heart dey race. Who dey come?

I think say chief don come. But na Fola.

Na him. Face don thin, eye red, but hope dey shine small.

E don thin, look tired.

E see me, e no smile. E dey ready for war.

I wave make e no come near, and e no gree move.

I use hand, beg, "No risk your life."

“Finish am.”

My eye no blink, my hand steady. Na only one way remain—make Fola do wetin chief fear most.