Women Of Steel | ✔

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Picture above ^^^ describes the mode of dressing by the males in the Yoruba kingdom.

The air is tense with anticipation and disorder, mere moments after my screams have drawn the attention of everyone in the palace compounds. No single soul is bothered by the fact a woman sits on top of a man and holds a knife at his throat. The man is deathly still, he is wise I think, other men wouldn't see a woman as a threat. This guard is well aware that I will slit his throat without blinking if I have to.

It scares me rather, these men have been told and trained not to underestimate the enemy, unlike the warriors in this village, I reckon if this man was from this village, the threat of some random woman would not stop him from reaching for the knife — an action that would lead to his grave. Tadenikawo is the king of one of the most powerful villages in the eight villages that make up the Yoruba kingdom but there is no doubt that the forest people will not be an easy enemy to triumph over.

The other fake guards are being kicked into submission; but their faces remain emotionless and a calm wall - it is like they wanted to be caught. This puts me on alert instantly.

"Don't move." I grit my teeth, pushing the knife even closer to the guard's throat. I switch the language to the general language for communication among the three kingdoms; Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa. Many years ago after a shaky treaty was reached by the three kingdoms, they decided on a common language to speak to each other for easy communication and trade - Ede language.

In recent times, this language has become frequently spoken than our native languages, our culture and languages are being forgotten for the modern one. The times change and so do the new generation who fancy the new language. Yoruba is still spoken, but mostly by the older men and women.

"I will slit your throat and I will not blink," I threaten. My words are true, even though I have never taken a life I know I will soon. When it comes to that day, I will not hesitate.

Nobody dares pull me off the false guard, even as the others accomplices are apprehended by the palace guards, that is until the king arrives fully clad in rich clothing, the small crowd that has gathered parts way for Tadenikawo and even the guard beneath me cannot help but blanch at the livid look twinkling in his eyes. I cannot help but smile a little, how can I not? These people are the ones that rain terror on the village, looking for a wife for their pathetic king.

I should be afraid, that things of terror, violence and horror are the things that make me smile. I suppose I am too far gone in this shell of revenge to care that I am becoming something, someone that a younger me feared.

I rise to my feet as Tadenikawo and his court reach me. The king looks at the forest people like something filthy beneath his feet. His eyes meet mine briefly before averting them, he looks every inch the cruel king he is. His crown of cowries sits pretty on his head and his agbada is a deep red colour that reminds me of my mother's famous tomato soup.

"Take them to the prisons, lay no hands on them until I arrive," Tadenikawo's words shock everyone including me, I thought he would have began torture right here and I would have gladly watched, I catch a glimpse of Kosoko's shell shocked face. "If a finger is lifted upon this men, I will repay ten times over unto that one that dares disobey my orders."

"But Kabiyesi! Make an example out of these men." One of his Oloye, a chubby man with tribal marks like knife slashes protests. I think his name is Ogundeji - one of the cruelest chiefs in Tadenikawo's cabinet, the man seems to have an affinity for torture, vaguely I remember him always taking a front row seat every time Kosoko had me publicly beaten for insolence.