Women Of Steel | ✔

XVI

"I have come for my daughter."

The woman's voice rings out clear, piercing through the murmurs arising, the sheikh's men exchange glances with each other but none of them dare to step closer to where she stands. As if she notices this, a cold smile spreads on her face. I continue to glance openly at her, all attempts at hiding abandoned, there is something quite unnatural about her, with a jolt I realize that she isn't supposed to look like she is only a few years older than I am. Remilekun is supposed to be as white-haired as Mariam, she is not supposed to stand straight with youth but she does.

Zahir steps forward, his uncle rests a hand on his shoulder and shakes his head. I watch the prince shiver with anger but somehow his uncle remains calm, when he steps forward to greet Remilekun, there is a jovial smile on his face, even if it is a little forced.

"I am Sheikh Shehu Al Kabir, a pleasure to meet you." For once the rambling man seems out of words, his smile thins until it fades under Remilekun's cold stare.

"I have come for my daughter." She repeats, a smile of her own fixed on her lips. "I have heard stories about you, Sheikh and I hear congratulations are in order and I offer mine on behalf of your youngest daughter's engagement. I know you will be certainly empathetic about my lost daughter."

The sheikh blanches, wiping a hand on his bulging forehead. I share a glance with Zahir, the sheikh never spoke of his daughter's engagement, only of a tabby cat that followed him throughout the night. Why did he keep it a secret?

"Of course," The sheikh says, his forced smile back. "I am not sure who your daughter is, you see, we have several beautiful girls here in this camp."

I look for the daughter in question and find her limping through the small crowd, chin raised in defiance. Zahir attempts to reach for her arm but she brushes him aside, pushing past the sheikh to stand in front her father.

My heart sinks, Arewa meets my eyes and looks away a moment later.

Her mother reaches for her shoulders and pull her into the briefest hug. Then Remilekun smiles wider, patting Arewa softly. 

"Go and get everything you own," she tells Arewa, there is the oddest paranoia in her next words. "leave nothing behind."

Arewa nods and soon enough, the crowd begins to disperse, finding the reunion between mother and daughter not worth their attention, only Zahir remains standing where he is and when I look, I realize my father is no where in sight.

I stand, torn between going after Arewa or staying to challenge Remilekun, I saw the look in Arewa's face just as her mother pulled in for that hug, there was a joy shinning in those eyes that I had never seen before, an acceptance that put me to shame. She is happy, I realize.

But I saw the look in Remilekun's face, there was nothing but cold victory. Her army is almost complete.

Without thinking, I march for Remilekun, then halt to a foolish stop in front of her, speechless.

"I see that woman in you." She tells me, flicking her gaze over me. Her smile is gone, in place of it there is something like grief. "I knew your mother, before she even thought of marrying Gbadamosi."

I flinch at the mention of my mother, the woman who was miserable in the marriage she had stolen from several women.

"I am nothing like my mother." I snap.

Remilekun smiles a secret smile. "I see that now, nothing of Gbadamosi in you too." because she knows the truth of my heritage.

"What kind of woman abandons her children and only returns for them when it benefits her?" I ask bitterly, angry on Arewa's behalf, hating that her heart will be broken all over again.

"She will not remember that, instead my daughters will remember the mother who rescued them when they needed her the most. To them, I am a goddess among mothers."

"Your little anger means nothing, save it for what lies ahead." She says, her eyes cloud over and fear stabs through my heart.

"Like my death." I say, I want her to know that I am on to her, I want her to know that I know the truth but there is no fear in her eyes, only peaceful calm and she reaches out a hand to stroke the mane of her tall stallion.

"Yes, brace for the end. Make no mistake, I will kill you."

Arewa returns at that moment, a twinkling in her eyes and in her arms the clothes I found her in. Her smile fades when she sees me.

Remilekun is not deterred, she reaches for her daughter's hand, smiling. To me, she says, "We will see each other soon again, Omolara."

***

"There is a storm coming."

I raise my head from scrubbing the big pot between my lips to huff a laugh at Mariam's omen. When I glance at her, she is stirring the soup over the fire and sniffing the air for something I cannot smell.

"There is not a single cloud in this afternoon sky." I tell her, almost bitterly. Two nights ago, Remilekun spoke so casually of my death and now the sky is not raining down evil, the ground is not split beneath our feet. The only feeling of evil is in the hurried thump of my chest.

The camp no longer feels hidden in this desert, it is as open as the village square back home.

"You wait and see," Mariam grumbles, her white mop of hair sticks to her face because of the heat and every time she reaches to swipe stray hair from her forehead, I catch glimpse of a thin scar at her temple.

"I don't doubt the storms to come." Esu calls from behind me, when I look up, his face is grim and unsmiling. This morning we had clashed, he had wanted to send me back to Ile Wura for my protection, I had wanted to stay, even if I did not know why yet. Why wasn't I running? Why did I want to be someone I wasn't so bad?

"Spoken like the ancient —" I catch myself before the word slips from my tongue, I still don't know how much the camp knows about my father but I don't think he wants them to know, even though I know they have their own musings in mind. Mariam shoots me a baffled look and I complete my words awkwardly. "Like the ancient man you are."

A flicker of a smile passes on my father's face.

"Nonsense, your uncle is a handsome man." Mariam scoffs, bending to kick a stray piece of flaming wood back to the gathered pile.

"The prince spoke of your obsession with the night bazaar." Esu mentions. "The council's meeting happens tonight, get ready."

"I can come?" I ask hesitantly, a small smile spreads slow on my face.

Esu makes a noise of disapproval but he nods.

"I suppose you have a right in the matter, concerning Remilekun is gathering her support from the bazaar. Rumours say that she is winning the alliance of the most powerful men and women in the three kingdoms."

Realization hits me harder than the sudden gust of sand that rises up after my father's words. Remilekun is not the typical witch in moonlight tales, this woman is the queen of political games and she has been biding her time for many years.

"She doesn't only want to be a god, she wants to be queen too."

Esu nods curtly.

"Yes, and you know what they say about women scorned."