Pepper and Tony were with Peter at the livestock area when Azoru found them and called out to the boy. All three Americans stopped what they were doing (Peter was playing with some of the baby goats) and waited for the young Jabari noble to walk over. He had another boy with him; one Peter hadn't met, before, who was wearing Jabari clothing and looking a little excited. This one was maybe a year older than Azoru, so hardly a boy, really, but not old enough for Tony to think of him as a man.
The younger of the two bowed in formal greeting, but his eyes were cheerful.
"Good afternoon Tony, Pepper. You look well."
It was a formal salutation, but unnecessary, really.
"Azoru? Where's Natasha?" Tony asked, good-naturedly.
The youngster smiled.
"She is with my uncle. He has been planning to show off how well she will herd goats and sheep, and has taken her out to the field, I think he is considering the notion of breeding more herding dogs. The Jabari still work with livestock, and Natasha is a natural at herding. My people would benefit from the use of dogs, and if we become specialists in the care and nurturing of them, it would add to our prestige and wealth."
"I'm all for that," Pepper told him. She looked at the other boy. "Who's your friend, here?"
Azoru smiled, again.
"This is my cousin, Bartel." He looked at his cousin, and then gestured to the others, introducing them. "Pepper. Tony. Peter."
The young man bowed, just as formally as Azoru had – but he was a stranger so it was less of a formality and more a tradition. He did look excited, though, so it was obvious that he knew who Tony was, at least.
"It is my honor to meet you all," he told them. "I am pleased you were able to come to the gathering."
"It's a pleasure," Tony replied.
"Bartel and I are having a minor disagreement," Azoru told them – looking at Peter. "He has questioned my observations and wishes to make his own."
"Your observations about what?" Tony asked, even as Peter felt Alec snort in his mind.
"Well that didn't take long…" the ancient sorcerer mused – although he didn't tell Peter what he meant, and he didn't say anything else.
"I have seen Peter fight," Azoru said. "And when I told Bartel that he had been able to hold his own with Okoye, he told me that I must have been mistaken. So I wish to prove myself correct."
Tony didn't even frown. Clearly he'd been expecting something like this – although maybe not so soon, like Alec. Pepper didn't look too tense, either.
"Is Okoye around?" Tony asked.
Azoru's teeth flashed white when he grinned, realizing what the billionaire meant.
"I would not ask her. But M'Baku is Bartel's uncle, as well, and he has been training with him."
"My uncle has told me that you are very good, Peter," Bartel said. "But I would try you, myself."
It was clear that he thought M'Baku was only being polite and that Azoru was biased because of his friendship with Peter.
Peter looked at Tony, who understood the unspoken question. They'd talked about it, though, and Tony was ready to let Peter try his wings, somewhat. A good chance for his son to gain even more confidence in himself, and that could only be a good thing. He looked at Azoru.
"It's going to remain friendly, right?"
"Of course. There will be others there, observing, but I would not allow things to get out of control, and Bartel is my kinsman and understands the tradition of the gathering."
Meaning everything was for competition, but the gathering was a reminder that the Wakandans were one people, and anything out of line was met with instant policing and possible retribution – as well as the disgrace of being caught doing something so childish and staining someone's honor.
"Then by all means," Tony said, shrugging. "Show them what you can do, son."
Azoru smiled, but so did Peter, who did look a little surprised – even after their earlier conversations. He looked at the two Jabari.
"When?"
"Now? If you are available."
"Sure."
"Great! Come. There is a place set up."
Peter knew that, since he and the others had seen the competition area in their earlier wanderings. It was a cleared area that had plenty of room for combatants as well as those observing. It was also somewhat in the middle of things, since these kinds of tests were so important for the tribes. Especially since it was a way for the young men to show their prowess in all things battle, and maybe impress themselves a future wife.
"Are you coming?"
"Nope." Tony didn't want to be a distraction, and he didn't want to have his presence maybe inhibit Peter. And he knew that Pepper (and probably himself, as well) wouldn't help but be worried if they watched Peter squaring off in a serious competition. "We're going to go find something to spend our cows and goats on."
"Have fun," Pepper added, making sure Peter understood that she was fine with him sparring. "Don't be late for dinner."
He grinned.
"Alright."
Of course, they had communication watches and Pepper could call him for dinner when she wanted.
The three boys hurried off, and Pepper sighed, looking at Tony.
"Tell me he's not going to get flattened…"
"He's going to be fine." He took her hand, smiling. "Since I have you to myself, however, how about we go look at some artwork?"
The wooden carving Peter had commissioned looked amazing in Pepper's office and he wouldn't mind having one in his, as well. Maybe a few tasteful other additions. Which was why he needed her with him, to keep it from turning into something outlandish.
She smiled.
"Sounds fun."
OOOOOOOOO
Shuri was walking with Tony (her dog) and a small group of young noblewomen and girls from all the tribes when they noticed the commotion.
"What is going on?" she mused.
The girls ranged in age from eighteen to fourteen. All were highborn and all were people that she had known since the time she was old enough to go with her father and brother on various visits to each of the tribes, when he father was training T'Challa (and, in a lesser extent, herself) in the ways of being king of such a diverse people. These women and girls had sought her company that morning, and once the usual conversations about family had been fulfilled, the ones who were older and knew her best asked a couple of discreet questions about Peter.
It wasn't – technically – common knowledge that she and Peter were an item. At least, not among all of the people of her country. For one thing, it wasn't anyone's business, really, (although it was, to a point) and for another, Wakanda was large and who the princess was dating wasn't something that would spread through the tribes like word of the Light and the battle at the Avengers compound had. Shuri had mentioned that she had been to New York many times to visit Peter and the new tribe – because that was what princesses did when there was a new tribe, right? She didn't mention the long walks holding hands, or the many times that they'd sat out in the field in lounge chairs looking up at the stars and talking about mostly unimportant things.
One of the girls caught a young boy who was running by them, excitedly.
"What is happening?" she asked him, noting that the only ones who were moving were the younger people. Adults would look that direction, but then continue whatever they had been doing before.
"Peter of the Avengers tribe is going to spar," the boy said, hurriedly, trying to free himself so he could go find a good place to watch.
The girls started talking, excited. They all enjoyed watching the boys fighting, well aware that many times they were doing it to find favor with one – or more – of them. They, too, were fighters, many of them – and would prove it in their own competitions, later – but they were also looking for suitable husbands so they could start families and settle into their roles as the leaders of their respective tribes. A man didn't have to be good at fighting to be a good husband, but half naked bodies, sweaty and muscly and shining in the sun? Who wouldn't want to watch that?
That it was Peter was just an added bonus, really. Many had heard that he was very skilled; some had heard from Shuri, or from their own relatives who had seen him do very brief sparring with Okoye, once, and M'Baku, once. But few had actually seen it, and as a group without even discussing it, they all turned and headed that direction as well.
"This will be interesting," one of the young women said to her friend as the two walked beside Shuri.
"He's very pale, and somewhat scrawny, but my father would not say no to me if I asked him to seek him out as a suitor for me."
Shuri felt a flash of annoyance at that comment, but she was a princess and extremely good at making sure her expression didn't show it.
"His father is Ironman," the girl reminded her friend. "You would have many competitors for his affections."
The first shrugged.
"It is not his affections I want." She smiled, though. "But if he is good in bed, it would be a bonus."
The girls who were close enough to hear the comment giggled.
Shuri wasn't impressed, but she managed to hide that, too, as they walked toward the competition area.