Chapter 4: Princess Kamsi Scatter Ground

I dey watch as he dey come my side, step by step, distance dey reduce.

Him shoe no make noise for sand, but the way he hold him body, you go know say power dey there. My body dey warn me, but my feet no move.

Fear catch me.

I swallow spit. My hand dey tremble small, I wan turn run, but I just dey stuck.

Na that time one babe with yellow fine lace waka pass, use style jam my shoulder.

Her perfume strong, almost cover the smell of lake water. I see her face—well-made up, eyelashes like broom.

"Brother Ifedike!"

She voice loud, all the birds for palm tree fly. Her smile wide, eyes like person wey dey see jollof for party.

I know am—Princess Kamsi, the Oba’s niece.

She na the one wey dey always carry herself like say ground dey beg for her leg. Every event, you must see am with designer bag.

I just thank God. So that "Yanning" no be for me.

I sigh for relief, pretend say I dey look for stone for sand. E be like say na my own wahala I dey imagine.

She greet Ifedike with plenty excitement. "Your Highness, na me you come find? How you take know say I dey here? I miss you o! Three years we never see."

Her voice sharp, dey draw attention. She even kneel small, hand for chest, dey form respect. People dey look us now.

She dey talk, talk, but Ifedike just answer, "Mm."

Him reply dry like harmattan yam. He no gree look her face, just dey wave her off.

"If you don finish, go back. And no call me that again."

He voice get edge now. Even the princess mouth hang open. People dey whisper for background.

With that, Ifedike waka go, no even look her face.

His agbada sweep dust, he enter path wey lead go mango tree side. He bone, no time for play.

The princess vex well.

Her face red under her make-up, she bite her lip, eye dey burn me like pepper.

As I wan waka go, she block me.

She stretch hand, stand like police for checkpoint. I shift, but she move follow.

"You, wetin you dey listen to?"

She eye me up and down, voice sharp. Other girls dey stand for corner, dey watch our drama.

"Princess, no vex. I just dey pass."

I use calm voice, no wan trouble. My hand grip my wrapper tight.

She hiss. "Him Highness too soft, na why dem dey allow any stray cat or dog enter."

She roll eye, raise nose. People dey titter, but I bone.

"You dey try seduce His Highness, you this small witch. Commot for road!"

She push me small. I hold my temper. I remember say my papa warn me about fighting for public.

I hold myself. "My papa na city patrol officer, dey guard city with commander. If you dey call me animal, you dey call all patrol officer pikin for this Aba animal too. No try am."

I throw the words back, voice steady. Even some elders wey dey pass look up, nod small.

"You... Go joor!"

She stamp foot, her gold sandal shine for sun. She push me, body tense like cat wey wan fight.

She vex, push me, wan throw me for lake.

She rush me, but I dodge, hold my ground. People dey shout, some dey laugh. "Ewo! Chei! Kai!"

I dodge, but her nail scratch my neck, blood commot small.

Pain dey there, but I bone. The scratch hot, but I no wan give her satisfaction.

I no vex, I just shift.

I carry myself like say nothing happen. My face straight, even though my neck dey burn.

Next thing, na she scream.

Her voice loud pass generator. Birds fly again, people rush come.

"Ah—!"

She slip, balance lost, fall enter lake.

Her wrapper scatter, earrings fall. Water splash everywhere. People dey point, some dey laugh cover mouth.

One aunty scream, "Chineke! My pikin, water go enter her ear!"

Everywhere burst, people dey rush go help.

Some men jump inside water, one old woman dey shout, "Kamsi, hold am!"

Nobody see the small smile wey dey my mouth.

I look ground, but my eye dey shine small. For inside me, victory dey sweet pass sugarcane.