SINAKALU

“Too slow !!,” she shouted, knocking me to my feet with a swift counter, “Get up.” I scramble to my feet, gripping the oak training sword tightly with both hands as I take my stance.           

Aisha glares back at me, her stance more relaxed as she keeps one hand behind her back. The other held the wooden weapon low. We’ve been training since dawn and now the sun is high above our heads, sweat drips down my forehead as I pant heavily, exhausted, my sleeveless maroon dashiki and shorts covered in dirt while she looks as fresh as a daisy.

“Again.” She commands. I charge at her, jumping in the air before swinging my blade down at her and for the next few minutes the sound of clashing wood rings throughout the palace gardens causing the guards standing by to turn in shock, they were used to our sessions being more light and technical. She pushes me back with a heavy swing hoping to gain some distance.

         I don't let her rest, rushing in again for another attack this time thrusting the sword at her midsection but she parries and uses the momentum of my thrust to spin around and kick me in the stomach, knocking me to the ground again.

“You are not taking this seriously.”

“Maybe you’re the one taking this too seriously,” I snapped. She laughed before squatting down in front of me.

“If I ever tried to be serious in our training sessions, you would be ash.” With a smirk, she waved her right arm in front of me and the white symbols tattooed on them began to glow, a demonstration of what she was, an Awakened. In addition to being the vice-captain of the Onikoyi she also had been blessed with the power of an Orisha.

“Why don’t you take it seriously then, you scared you'll lose face?” I bit back.

“Scared?” She rolls her eyes and stands up, “Please, who would be scared of a person like you? Slave ”

“I’m no slave and you know that.” 

She shrugs, “Just because the captain has kept you under her care all these years doesn’t change what you are. Your people lost the war and have been conquered, it’s only right to call you a slave.” 

Heat surged through my veins as her insults echoed in my head. Picking up my sword, I chuck it at her, taking her by surprise. 

As she blocked it, I swept her legs from underneath her, taking her down and straddling her, placing one of my legs on her left arm forcing her to let go of her sword. I smirk at the shock on her face, she has continually boasted that her back has never touched the floor in any bout since she became vice-captain. “Guess the slave knows how to take training seriously huh.”

She growls like a raging lionan, fist clenched, the tattoos on her arm start to glow, her ashe flowing through her body fueling the magic forming in her hands. She wasn't supposed to use magic anytime she spars me much to her chagrin but I think I’ve pushed her past the breaking point.

“YOU BITCH… I’LL SHOW YOU…”

“That’s enough girls.” A calm voice interrupts her. The guards kneel and lay their bronze-tipped spears on the floor as they greet a woman walking into the gardens, dressed in a flowing bright orange sleeveless kaftan tied at her waist and decorated with patterns depicting battles of old, her locs were thick and reach down to her waist, with their ends a combination of white, orange and yellows as if they had just been set aflame, her lean muscular arms both adorned with the same tattoos that Aisha has but unlike hers, they travelled up to her shoulders, her face carried a surprising youthfulness that belied the battles she fought and her age.

“Greetings, O daughter of Sango, Ayobami!!” 

Aisha and I follow suit, kneeling and greeting the captain of the royal guard as she approaches us, the woman who saved me and brought me here a decade ago, one of the few people who don’t look at me with condescending eyes, the woman I call my mother.

“Aisha, I remember strictly telling you never to use your powers when training with Sina, correct?” Aisha nods furiously, sweat dripping from her face as her legs tremble from Mama’s stern voice, I smirk enjoying as she squirms, her usual arrogance now gone. “And you, Sina, shouldn’t disrespect your seniors, especially your sister.”

“But Mama,” I complain, pointing at Aisha. “She called me….”

With a wave of her hand, she dismisses me, directing her attention back to Aisha. “I believe it’s time for your afternoon patrol, Vice-Captain.”

“YES, MA!!” Aisha responds and in a flash, she jumps up and heads towards the barracks taking the guards with her and leaving the two of us in the east gardens. I rise slowly dusting off the dirt from my clothes before going to pick up the two training swords on the ground.

 “Leave them there,” She tells me, “Come, let’s get you washed up.” We walk through the hallways of the palace seeing the bustle of servants rushing to complete errands, nobles dressed in luxurious agbada and adorned with bright geles flanked by their Ilari. they give a courteous bow when Mama passes while casting disgusted looks my way. Normally when I wandered around by myself, they would hurl insults my way.

“Mama,” I call out to her as we walk upstairs to her quarters, “You came early today, did anything happen?” She pauses and turns, staring at me with a disappointed look before sighing and continuing, Great, no fried plantain for me today. 

“It’ll be your birthday soon, Sina.” I pause at her sudden statement. my birthday? gods. I had completely forgotten, that in a week I’ll be sixteen, without a husband and I have continuously avoided being married to any of the nobles for the past two years, against her wishes. I reasoned that if Mama didn’t need a husband then neither did I.

“Is it?” I stammer, “Is that why you came to call me?”

She sighs, “Sina, I understand your position. You don’t want to get married because you believe that your independence will be robbed from you,” she pauses turning to look at me “but you have to understand, I made a name for myself through battle, got this position through war, you can’t have that same path, especially as an Igbo girl. The privileges my positions granted you can only go so far.”

She draws closer cupping my cheek in her hand, her eyes filled with concern, “You think I don’t know what they call you, how they look at you, the sneers, the insults. It pains me so, omo mi.” My lips press together tightly, she always looks out for me and protects me while I’m being selfish. 

I put my hand on hers feeling the ridges of her tattoos feeling the scars they hide underneath. I got my position through war. She’s right there are no battles to fight, no wars to be won, and I’ll eventually hit a wall that can’t be passed by just being in the military.

“Okay mama, I’ll do it,” I smile, “For you.” Her face beams at my response, she pulls me into a deep embrace and I enjoy the sweet smell of her smoky lily perfume that she loves to wear.

“I hope we’re not interrupting something.”

We pull away slowly as the source of the voice approaches us, two dark-skinned men, one taller than the other, dressed in matching green sleeveless kaftans with gold patterned kaftans.

 The smaller man had a stocky build with broad shoulders and big arms while the taller one was leaner yet with well-defined muscles. They both had full beards and adorned on the small man’s head was a golden crown with glittering gemstones embedded into it.

“Kabiyesi!!” I quickly greeted, prostrating myself in front of him while Mama gave him a courteous bow. King Wale Adebayo, the ruler of the Oyo Empire, the largest kingdom in the west, led our soldiers to defeat the kingdom of Nri and their allies from the east, his second son Oreofe, standing beside him is the Aremo.

 That right would have usually gone to the first prince Tolu but Oreofe was a particular case, he was born an Awakened, a jagun-jagun of Ogun the god of war, Mama told me that after he was born during the war. The empire didn’t lose a single battle and because of that, the king saw it fit to name him his heir much to the chagrin of Tolu.

“Greetings to you Ayo,” He replied, “I’m glad that you’re here, I came to tell you that my son has agreed to your proposal. We would like to discuss the bride price and the details of the party.”

Proposal? Bride Price?!! I turned to Mama, my eyes pleading for an answer to what he was inferring. “Sina, you’re to become Oreofe’s fourth wife.” What??!! I almost fall back in shock but keep myself steady, meeting the green-tinted gaze of the prince, a lustful smirk showing between his beard.

“I’m honoured..” I whisper, “But I don’t think I would be a suitable wife for the prince.” Mama scoffs, “Nonsense, the prince's wives are from various kingdoms, you are more than suitable.” Suitable to be one more of his playthings, no way. There were rumours that Oreofe was abusive to his wives, especially the one from the north, a Fulani princess who was wedded to him to maintain peace between the two kingdoms. My maid used to tell me that she permanently wears a veil to hide the bruises she suffered from his hands. 

He steps closer to me, he is only a few inches taller than me but yet his presence is like that of a mountain, he uses a finger to lift my face to meet his eyes and it takes all my strength not to bite it off. 

      “Your mama is right, out of all my wives, I think I’ll enjoy you the most.” His voice was smooth like honey and deep but I could feel the toxic venom behind them.

“You’re most kind, Your Highness,” I reply through my teeth trying to hide my disgust for the man, but he smirks at my response as if sensing my thoughts.

“If you’ll excuse me, I would love to go and clean myself up.” I storm past them leaving Mama to discuss whatever they needed to discuss while hopefully a bath would calm my nerves and wash away my troubles. This can’t be happening.

“You’re getting married to THE PRINCE???!!!”

Toyin’s shock was justified, along with Mama she has been pestering me about getting married but I bet she didn’t expect the prince to be my chosen partner. 

         I slipped into the bath she prepared for me, the warm water and sweet scents washing away the dirt and grime from my training earlier causing me to sigh in relief. “I know right, it's incredible.” Her face furrows from my sarcasm. “Come on, you know I wouldn’t choose a man like that.”

Her eyes narrow even more before she relaxes and sighs, “So what now, surely you won’t go through with this. You know what he’s like.” She fidgets as she puts my dirty clothes in a wicker basket, “I know you can defend yourself but I’m still worried.”

          Her concern for me warmed my heart when Mama brought me to the palace. She was around my age when she was assigned as my maid and like the other servants she had her apprehensions towards me but after I protected her from being assaulted by some guards she began to see me as a friend.

Can I even defend myself? He would probably use his powers if I ever tried to resist him, Power I mused, sinking myself deeper into the bath until the water reached my chin. My mind wanders back to what Mama told me a long time ago.

Grow, become stronger Sina for in this place, power is the only thing that can give you the freedom you desire.