Chapter 7: Palace Punishment and Defiance

Third day wey Musa go work, Queen Mother punish am, make am kneel for palace gate. When I hear, fear catch me, but I no fit commot house—if I show, wahala go reach am.

My leg dey shake as I hear the news. For my mind, I dey see Musa for hot sun, palace guard dey look am like thief. But if I show, na me dem go drag. I just waka up and down for house, dey pray, dey beg God make nothing happen to am.

Night reach, Musa limp come house. Tears wey I dey hold since just fall. Musa quick wipe am.

The way e force smile, I fit see say sun dey beat am, sweat dey run for face, but he no gree kneel like slave. He no wan make I worry. I run go meet am, he just dey use sleeve clean my tears.

“Temi, no cry. See? I come back fine! Look, I bring coconut cake!”

He dey pet me, even though na him suffer.

He try joke, “This coconut cake sweet pass palace wahala!” E force laugh. I hold am, just dey cry small small for chest.

“Why Queen Mother punish you?”

My voice low, but for my mind, I dey fear. Queen Mother no dey punish anyhow. For palace, if dem wan remove person, na silent style dem dey use. My worry deep like well.

For my mind, Queen Mother no be person wey dey vex anyhow. She dey like make person disappear quietly.

I dey remember say for palace, if Queen Mother frown, thunder fit strike soon. Na only whisper dey warn you—no be shout.

When I ask, Musa keep quiet. He hug me, talk say, “Temi, I no go fail you. I no go fail you!”

E just repeat am, like prayer, voice strong but soft. I hold am tight, dey hope say God dey hear.

Next day, I hear wetin cause am. Aisha beg King Farouk make he marry Musa, but Musa no gree.

Na for palace corridor the gist start, dey fly from cook to guard. Even before Musa talk am reach house, rumour full everywhere. Aisha, real princess, want Musa for husband. As he talk, everywhere freeze. Some people dey jealous, some dey fear.

“I don already get person, and we love each other well. I understand Princess feeling, but I no fit reach that level. Abeg, Your Majesty, forgive me. I ready work for outside capital forever, just to make Princess no vex.”

For palace council, Musa voice no shake. He talk am clear, even when old men dey side-eye am. Some dey whisper, "Who this small boy be?" But Musa stand like iroko, no fear, no bend.

Na big scandal be this. Everybody know say Princess don dey replaced for years, and after dem bring her back, she almost be Queen Mother pikin, anything she want, she get.

The gossip dey spread: "Princess no dey chop, she dey call Musa for midnight, but the boy dey stubborn." For palace, love and power na two different road.

Queen Mother vex, wan kill Musa that moment, but Aisha stop am. One wan kill, one wan save. Last last, for peace, King Farouk talk say dem go demote wife to concubine—Aisha go be main wife, me go be concubine.

Dem dey debate, elders dey shout, but at the end, na King Farouk word stand. Aisha too stubborn; she insist say if Musa no gree, she no go marry another. Queen Mother just dey boil, but law na law.

Aisha really like Musa, so even though royal son-in-law no dey take concubine, she gree.

Aisha get sharp mind. Everybody dey pity her, but she still dey smile for Musa, dey greet him mama, dey send gift. For palace, this kind matter no dey end without wahala.

For outside, e look like all dey okay, but Musa vex. The new scholar resign after just three days. All royal son-in-law dey hold post; this one show say Musa no happy.

Rumour full town: "This Musa, na stubborn goat! Palace go tire for am." But I sabi Musa—once him mind don strong, no juju fit bend am.

“I no gree make Temi be concubine! I ready resign, go house. Abeg, Your Majesty, approve!”

For king front, Musa voice loud, face straight. Some elders dey shake head, but Farouk just dey look am deep.

I no know which word touch the cold king, but after long silence, he talk, “Your wife name na Temi?”

King voice soft, but heavy. My name never sound for palace again since that fire. I dey hide, dey wish make ground swallow me.

“Yes.”

Farouk quiet long, then finally say, “I no wan scatter couple wey destiny join. Since you no wan, I no go force you. This matter don end.”

The whole palace dey quiet, like when thunder just finish. Some dey happy, some dey plan new gossip. But for me, I fit breathe again.

So, big matter settle like that.

For outside, people dey talk say king soft, but na only me know say na God run am. I dey thank God for inside, dey promise say I go give better thanksgiving if wahala finish.

When Musa tell me, he sigh. “I think say, if His Majesty force me marry Princess and I no resign, na wahala go full palace. Anyhow, I no fit betray you. Lucky say His Majesty wise—he save my life and protect you. I must pay am back one day.”

Musa talk am with pride, but I see pain for him eye. For palace, every kindness get price. I dey pray say make Musa never need pay price wey pass him strength.

But as I hear Farouk ask my name, my heart just squeeze. As Musa dey talk about blood for palace, I no fit think of anything again.

Memory rush me—palace, poison, promise, betrayal. I dey nod, but my body dey shake small.

“You still wan cause wahala for palace? If you do am, I go follow you, even for next world I go still hold you, dey scold you!”

Musa hold my hand, smile as I dey vex.

I try form angry face, but e just dey sweet me say person dey care. For this world, na only love fit turn vex to laugh.

“Temi, no vex. Na my fault. But Temi, government work get wahala. Maybe I go leave before you. I no believe say person suppose suffer alone for life—no die for my sake. If you see person wey you like, marry again. Life too long. I no wan make you dey lonely.”

Musa dey talk like elder, but I know say him dey fear for me. I look am, see the worry for him brow, but na me go console am.

For lamp light, Musa eyes clear and true. I swallow my tears, talk, “Mumu, where I go see another mumu like you for this world?”

Na that time, laughter and tears mix for me. I hold Musa hand, dey pray say no storm go scatter us.