Just to clarify, Phalaesia and T'Challa are not related! His father was very close to Phalaesia so I think was like they were family but there are no blood ties! Hope you are all enjoy this chapter, thanks for the favourites too!
Could this get any more embarrassing? He just has to do it didn't he? Agent Ross being a damn American hero, tossing himself in front of the girl and now lo and behold, here he is on his way back to Wakanda first class.
"He saved my life!" Nakia insists. She's a pretty girl. Beautiful really, with skin like cocoa beans and equally gentle eyes. It's true. She can't blame T'Challa for looking, that's for sure. Okeye sighs.
It feels like they've been on the ship forever.
"That was his choice," Okeye continues. "Let us consider it. He's an agent of his country. It is his duty to report back to his superiors and it is your duty . . ."
"I am well aware of my duty General," T'Challa intercedes. His words may be firm but his manner is always as calm as the shores. "There is no one aboard this ship who does not know their duty. But we cannot abandon a man who sacrificed himself for one of our own."
"She's right T'Challa," Phalaesia interrupts. Nakia starts to speak but Phalaesia continues. "Agent Ross is a good man. A brave man. But by bringing him into our country, we do not know what he will take back with him."
Nakia grits her teeth. It is not difficult to detect the hatred rollin off her bones.
"Our country?" She smiles sinisterly. "If I recall Wakanda has not been your country for decades."
Man she wants to slap the smile of this woman's face. But just at that moment, her phone vibrates.
"Excuse me," she says stepping to the side. "Hello?"
"Where the hell are you?!"
"Woah, easy on the volume there Zarmon, I've got company."
"You left me behind!" In his defence, he does sound exhausted. "I came up to look for you, and you were nowhere to be found, so you owe me an explanation, where are you?"
This has always been her issue. Zarmon is clever. More than once she has tried to lie to him, only to find out that he knew something all along. And he has been loyal. Always. Cocking her head to the side, she finds the face of the King stern and unreadable. But he does not look happy.
"Look, go home Zarmon," she pleads. "Alright? I'll handle it from here. You did your mission, I already arranged that the money be wired to you, so you don't need to worry about that . . ."
"Woman for gods sake! I couldn't care less about the money, it's you I'm worried about!"
"I'm going home Zarmon. That's all you need to know."
"Right . . ." He drawls Out the word the way he always does when she's talking foolishness. "Because your home has always been so hospitable to you. Tell me one thing at least - am I going to see you anytime soon?"
Sadness. That's the first thing to hit her. Because he will wait. And time will pass. And it will only wound him.
"Better say no. I wouldn't want to get your hopes up. Thank you for all you've done for me . . ."
"Phalaesia . . ."
She rings off before he can say anything else.
—-
"It is not about what they think of you."
"Huh?"
She rises to the surface of an ocean. When did she fall asleep? She doesn't remember closing her eyes. Yet here she is with the potent purple backdrop and the peace that comes from being merely spirit with no body. Ah . . . lavender. And incense. Mama was always burning it in the summer, to bring the ancestors blessings upon their home. There is no pain here. It is as if the moment when one is falling asleep is frozen forever in time.
There she walks from the water, up to the field. And to the tree. Where a little old woman sits, kneading dough into bread. Familiar. Somehow.
"Mama?"
"It does not matter what they think of you," she repeats. Her skin is wrinkled and dry as she lifts her eyes up to meet Phalaesia but when she reaches and touches her cheek, the first of many tears begins to fall.
"Mama . . . it's been forever . . ."
The old woman jabs a finger at her daughter. "And it would have been longer, if you had let me go."
"Let you go?" She sinks into the grass. "How can I let you go? You are as much a part of me as my own blood!"
"Phalaesia . . ." Her mother sets down the dough and breathes long, and slow. "Do not worship me as if I were some other woman. I was cruel, and evil, in my time. I did things that I would not care to dream of, and your obstinacy keeps me here. Child, it is time to let go of what happened to our family."
"No! Never, I'll never let go."
"You must!" She begs, grabbing her daughters cheeks and shaking her. "You must or you condemn yourself, and you condemn him as well!"
"What about Papa!" She snaps back. "What about Trussille, and Aaris?! It should have been me that died that day and you knew it. Everything you made me watch, watching you try again and again to slit your own throat and now you're like, just brush it off and have a nice life? No."
"Phalaesia . . ." Her mother reaches for her hand but it is slapped away.
"You May have forgotten our family," Phalaesia says. "But I intend that they will never be forgotten. I'll have Klaue's head in my hand before the day is out."
"Be careful, little girl. Love is stronger than hate. And there is enough hate in you to last you a lifetime. You must let go of our family, or you will never fulfil your destiny. Is this your final word?"
It's not that she doesn't understand consequences. But no one has ever given a damn about her. And she knows all too well, she does not have to be good to protect Wakanda.
"Then you are doomed."
"My lady . . ."
"Get away from me!" She felt the surge, never the effect. All she knows is one minute the innocent servant was trying to rouse her, the next there's a pulse and the servant stumbles back a few feet.
"Oh my!" She shrieks. "I am so sorry! It was an accident . . ."
"It's . . . it's alright?"
"And who might you be?" Phalaesia questions. "You can't be more than ten."
"Twelve!" The girl huffs. "I'm River. I serve in His Majesty's household. He sent me to rouse you as he wishes to speak with you privately. He said you would know where."
The spell is broken. She can't forget that the spell is broken. Her powers are no longer suppressed so the utmost caution is required. No more bodies.
"I understand. Please inform the King I will be there as soon as possible."