Chapter 2: Forbidden Love and Lost Blood

For this Naija, e be like say every man get one babe wey dem dey call white moonlight—love wey no fit belong to them. Musa and Tunde, dem own no different. Everybody sabi the gist for Okpoko Hills.

The senior wife, Musa mama, no only born Musa and Tunde. She get one small pikin, Kamsi, wey life treat like egg—frail, always sick. Dem say na because her mama nearly kpai during labour. Pikin dey hospital pass house.

Kamsi na their gold. Both brothers dey run after am, dey guard am like say na treasure. If Kamsi sneeze, compound go quiet.

Gist begin fly say the late chief get plan. He want bridge Okpoko and the northern people, so he choose Kamsi, the fragile princess, to marry one northern prince. Nobody gree with the decision, but who go challenge chief?

As Kamsi dey prepare for journey, her body dey shake. Even ordinary sun no dey favour am. Elders worry, but chief no hear. The compound carry heavy silence.

Na Princess Zainab, the one wey dey follow the brothers since childhood, waka beg the chief, tears for her eye: "Make I go instead. Kamsi no go survive." Her courage touch everybody.

No matter the arrangement, small Kamsi no survive the harmattan breeze for north. News reach Okpoko, mourning cloth full compound.

The two brothers carry guilt like bag of cement. All the pain wey dem feel for Kamsi death, dem transfer to Zainab head. She suffer, but no fit talk.

Now, as Zainab return, no be small celebration. Both Musa and Tunde, power for hand, gather themselves to shield her from every small talk, every side eye. The whole Okpoko dey watch.

Musa at first dey form strong. He dey remind himself say na me be him own, but eye dey betray am sometimes. I dey notice, even if people no dey look.

Na Tunde first break. The calm, collected youth leader, no fit hide im mind.

Dem organize party, compound full, Fuji music dey blast, suya smell full air, but nobody dey dance as Zainab enter. All na to welcome Princess Zainab.

For party, dem dey yarn say by northern custom, Princess Zainab suppose marry new king, but dem send am back. "Na abomination," some talk. Na so wound dey open.

As Zainab enter, she hear the talk, her face just break, tears roll. People dey look, but nobody fit comfort her. The pain dey raw for public.

Tunde face change, anger carry him mind. Gentle man wey he be before disappear. E be like film, as he move sharp.

For the first time since everybody sabi am, Tunde raise hand. He fight, his voice scatter, no care who dey watch. Boys rush hold am, but anger pass their own.

Tunde beat one of the talkative men. E no remain for hospital, but body show pepper. Party scatter small.

Normally, Tunde fit settle for corner, but this day, na public wahala be him medicine. Make everybody know say Princess Zainab matter na serious.

He do like small pikin wey dem collect biscuit from. All to show say Princess Zainab still be number one for his mind, no matter the story.

For the first time, Okpoko people see with their koro-koro eye—Tunde push him own wife, Halima, aside, just to stand in front of Princess Zainab. Gossipers no sleep that night.

Halima, my padi, na she suffer pass. Her belle jam table, blood come out, broken plate cut her hand, eyes dey lost. She look Tunde, confusion for her eye, as her dream just scatter for ground. Everybody pity, but nobody fit hold her.

Person shout, "Senior wife dey bleed!" but Tunde still dey rage, e no hear anybody. Even elders begin whisper, fear dey spread.

Princess Zainab matter blind his eye. Halima, wey dey always stand by am, na she dey bleed, but e no reach his heart.

He spread him chest for Zainab, shout for compound, "Anybody wey talk rubbish about Princess Zainab na enemy to my house!" E ring for everybody ear.

I no waste time. I call Aunty Ifeoma, my trusted hand, tell am, "Carry Halima, go call nurse Rahila, sharp-sharp!" My voice no even shake, because person need quick action. Another girl run fetch agbo, old woman bring palm oil, everybody dey shout up and down.

Before Tunde fit turn back, I don reach behind am. My mind dey boil.

I call him name soft, "Tunde." As he turn, I give am hot slap—one wey shake him head small. All the elders gasp, even small pikin run hide—nobody fit talk.