Chapter Seven: A Promise Under the Moon

As nightfall descended upon the village of Ndokula, Fantah and Diddi were helping their mother clean up after supper. It had been over two months since the stranger, and though he had promised to return, she hadn't heard from him. Worry had begun to creep into her mind, fearing he might have lost interest in her.

"Maybe he found someone else, someone prettier perhaps," she said to her sister.

"Kayya! That's not possible. Fantah, there is no one prettier than you," Diddi tried to reassure her.

"Then why hasn't he come? He didn't even send a message."

"He said he had something important to attend to, remember? Maybe it didn't go as planned. Perhaps he is trying to set things right before coming back," Diddi comforted.

Fantah sighed, hoping Diddi was right. She missed the stranger's company, his mysterious aura, and the way his eyes sparkled when he talked to her. Yet a part of her felt anxious that he might never return.

"Right. Maybe." Fantah paused for a few seconds. "Or maybe he has a wife, and she stopped him."

"Useni, Fantah. Stop worrying."

"I can't help it."

Just then, a small boy came in and told her that she had a visitor waiting in the fields. Immediately she knew who it was.

"Go on, Fantah. I will cover for you," Diddi told her.

"Thanks. I will be back soon."

Moonlight Scene

It was a brisk night, a mild, chilly breeze blowing across the village, quiet in the open except for the occasional chirping of crickets. The harmattan was still in full force, occasionally stirring dust in the air. She sat beside him under the tree, her head tilted down, too shy to look him in the eye. The moon was almost full, casting a bright light over them. He admired her from the depths of his weary soul.

"You look very beautiful," he said, and she covered her face with her hands. "I missed you. Did you miss me?" She did not reply. "I am sorry I took so long to come back. Things have been crazy back home, and I couldn't just leave."

He brought gifts: a pair of gold earrings for her, and sweet dates for Diddi. She accepted them gracefully and thanked him. They talked for a while before he told her about his wife and his six concubines. She was disappointed. She wasn't comfortable with polygamy. Her people were monogamous by nature, and polygamy was only practiced by royalty. Her family was not. She felt a tinge of jealousy. She never imagined having to share him with anybody, let alone a princess.

He further explained how he came to Maroua and the events that led to his marriage with the Lamdo's daughter. In the end, he convinced her. She realized the love she had for him was greater than any jealousy she felt for her rivals, and she smiled warily.

Finally, he persuaded her to accept his proposal for marriage, promising to see her father soon.

"I want you to be my wife, Fantah," Hayah said. She smiled and looked away.

"Come with me to Balda."

"Yes, I will," she said diffidently, then got up and ran back toward the house. Just as she approached, she met Sa'adu, who wasn't looking happy.

"Where are you coming from?" he asked.

"And how does that concern you?" she snapped.

"It is my business. You are my future wife. Our parents promised you to me when you were just a baby."

"That is just it, isn't it? They never asked me if I wanted to marry you. Well, I won't!"

"Why? Because of that stranger you met yesterday?" He grew angrier, his voice louder with each word. "You went to see him, alone in the dark. What is wrong with you, Fantah? That is not ladylike. A wala pulaku na?"

She was about to reply angrily when Diddi appeared at the front door and told him their mother was calling for Fantah. They both walked back into the house, leaving Sa'adu fuming.

As they were about to enter their mother's hut, she appeared suddenly, and they froze in fear. She had been sleeping when Diddi went out; she must have woken to relieve herself.

"Where are you coming from?"

"Sa'adu came to see Fantah. So, we went to the frontage together to talk with him," Diddi lied.

"At this time of the night?"

"Well, you know how wired he is." Both Diddi and Fantah laughed nervously.

"So, why didn't he come in?"

"He was coming from hirgal with his friends, so he stopped to talk about the Sharo. He seems really interested in going through with it for Fantah." Fantah was both impressed and shocked by how easily and how well her sister could lie.

"Ok then. You both go to bed now, now!"

"Ok, mother," they both replied.

[End of Chapter Seven]