"The chains bind my feet
But they cannot bind my soul
Which is free to live, to love and to choose
I will claim victory
Throughout suffering and woes
You will see what we give of us to you…"

Young Disciples – "Freedom Suite"

The hours before dawn were always quiet for Juvay.

As some rested in full slumber huddled under blankets cocooned with soft dreams, there were others who adorned themselves for merriment to greet the sun. Yani was one of those people.

With Disa by her side putting on make-up, a flurry of activity behind them grew, the anticipation swelling in her belly to dance and cut loose. Sips of rum were passed among the women and there was no need to hide it from righteous aunties or bible-thumping parents… no… not for them. They were in Yani's home, grown, and free to drink and smoke at three in the morning.

Yani was going to throw much ass in a circle. Wind up her waist dressed like a Wakandan and St. Thomas Princess. The carnival costume adorning her body was decadent but still full of cultivated elegance with royal purple and regal gold plumes that ran down her back, creating two giant wings. She dyed her hair platinum again and glued crystal jewels all over her face. Twyla and Anika dusted gold flakes all over her skin, too. Her middle sister Felice helped refasten her sequined purple top that revealed flashes of her breasts amid glass-beaded necklaces draped around her neck. She forewent a thong bottom, but the tiny, skin-tight gold silky mini shorts hid nothing of her blessed rump.

Disa stepped from the mirror to look at her.

"Wow. Stunning," Disa said.

Since it was her first carnival experience there, Disa chose a more modest means of dress, opting to sport an aquamarine fishnet catsuit with fringe. Cut-off shorts covered her backside, but she tied a pink gossamer scarf around her breasts to decorate the bikini top that kept everything held high. She scooped her hair into a high pigtail where she glued costume jewelry all across the front.

Twyla helped Marisol decorate her face with squiggly lines and other shapes. Yani had encouraged her to bring one of her Sao Paulo costumes to wear, but Marsol wanted to blend into the crowd and enjoy a carnival celebration where she didn't have to perform or be the center of attention. Cute booty shorts and a t-shirt were all she wanted to go in. Her legs and hips were already moving fast to the music they played to pump them up. Three more of Yani's cousins prepared with them, and they passed a joint around. Yani smoked a bit and turned around to look at her ass cheeks. She clapped them and the others nodded with approval. Cupping her breasts, she checked the final ensemble and was pleased.

"Queen tings!" Twyla shouted, slipping a blunt between her gold-painted lips.

They took pictures, posing seductively for cameras and kimoyo beads. Yani passed her joint to Disa, and she puffed and passed it on to Marisol, getting a good look at her own backside in a standing mirror.

"Sexy!" Yani said, slapping Disa's backside playfully.

"You get older and things droop a bit," Disa said, wiggling her waist. "I could never get my butt to do that. One booty cheek will twitch, but I can't get the syncopation down like you and Marisol."

Twyla adjusted her feathered crown, and Yani helped make sure her costume was secured in all the right places. Yellow and orange were her colors, and Twyla's regalia matched the pageantry of Yani's. They both wanted to go extra fancy knowing that there would probably be a long time before they could do Juvay again all together. Returning to Wakanda weighed heavily on all of their minds.

The children spoke to Erik the night before. He was still in silent mode, but their babies didn't care, chatting off his ear. Yani never watched him when they spoke to their father privately on their kimoyos. But she'd ask about how he looked.

"He looks like Baba," Riki would say every time, annoyed by the question.

Sydette was more thoughtful.

"It's Baba, but his face is different. He wears his hair up and he has a nose ring now," Sydette said.

"Nose ring?"

Sydette drew a picture of a hoop nose septum ring.

"His beard has beads in it and his eyes are strange."

"Strange how?" Yani pushed.

Sydette shrugged, becoming uncomfortable with Yan's prodding.

"Strange bad?" Yani said.

"No. I don't know how to say it, Mama. It's like… he's new?"

"What did he tell you?" Yani asked.

Erik typed responses to them so the children could know his thoughts.

"He said he is fine and can't wait to see us."

Yani fixated on the word new. Yes, things would be new for all of them. She could feel a shift of change all around the entire family. She and Disa had put the finishing touches on Yani's presentation and there was a working mock-up for the birthing centers planned. Disa worked on her speech pacing with all of her experience talking on panels and moderating important conversations. The only problem Yani had with speaking was that she would get so excited about the work that she'd revert to patois mid-sentence, making Disa laugh with all of her enthusiasm.

"You're painting a picture," Disa said. "Talk to them like you used to speak to people on your Eco-Tours. Your passion will guide you. You're so cute when you fangirl about your own shit! This is just another type of performance, like when you sing in front of people. Your personality comes alive and you captivate people. You will do the same thing when you face the consortium."

The children slept as the women slipped out of the compound in two SUVs driven by Doras. Their Wakanda security wore civilian clothing to blend in with the crowd and left their spears behind. Vibranium shields would protect them all. Yani wanted to leave them behind, but T'Challa insisted that the Doras be there with them. Her fear was that the Doras would be shocked at all the carrying-on she was going to take part in. All the Dora Milaje with them seemed to enjoy their duties on the island.

They found parking reserved for them by Twyla's old job in a strip mall, and they strolled with the Doras.

"Yani! Yani!"

Several people along the way recognized her, and the Doras grew nervous at how comfortable Yani was letting people touch her. Juvay sound machines on flatbed trucks and other vehicles cranked up the music, and Marisol started gyrating and swinging her hair around the moment the sounds struck her chest. CeCe passed around personalized Juvay cups and the liquor flowed. Anika wasted no time turning up with her hands in the air, throwing her ass back on a sexy reveler with a slender build and a taut six-pack. The nice thing about having large wings on her back was that it made people give Yani room, and she danced steps that her cousins followed in formation. Marisol easily blended in with them, shaking hips, jiggling backsides, and shimmying down the street.

A vast crowd surged near Yani as word zipped through the crowds that the Black Mermaid had returned with Kendall. Rumors had swirled for years about Yani marrying a rich man and living a quiet wealthy life in a foreign. No one knew it was Wakanda because she forbid the family to reveal her wealth and status.

The dark hills were shiny with twinkling lights, and Yani beckoned the Doras to relax and dance, too. But they walked along with the spectators. The first rays of light changed the color of the sky from black to purple to blue by the time Yani met up with Kendall on the elaborate flatbed truck that housed his DJ and entourage. Soca made the people bounce wildly, and some began throwing colored paint already. Disa's eyes became enormous when a glob of purple powder smacked her on the side of the head and burst into a cloud of beautiful color all over her outfit. Yani laughed and shook her hips. Kendall's vehicle pumped out the sounds people wanted to hear, and Yani took it upon herself to lead a proper procession. Like a queen, she shook her body to the sensual rhythms, and the others followed as if they had choreographed a whole routine. They were all in sync and stopped along the way to let others rock it out with them. Marisol cut up then, bringing Brazil to the island, and Yani wished her new cousin had dressed up like the pictures she saw in Dante's photo album so the crowd could see the queendom within her. A priestess danced among them and Yani wanted them to know that.

Disa danced with Twyla until she became out of breath and lingered alongside the group to watch and drink water. Anika stayed with her and Yani loved seeing the woman laugh and have a good time in her home.

The DJ cranked up Kendall's most recent tunes, and the revelers went wild having a hometown favorite return and celebrate with them. Her cousin rapped on a mic and pointed out people as Yani twirled and kicked up her feet.

"We got a new one for ya!" Kendall shouted. "Where is Disa… Disa! Come here!"

Disa waded through the crowd and Kendall helped her get onto the vehicle with Twyla and Marisol behind her.

"This here is my cousin, and she produced this track in one day! An incredible talent. This mi other cuz from Brazil and she did her thing too, with Twyla here, and Queen Yani down there. Yes! We see yuh Black Mermaid. Run that track, Capa Don!" Kendall shouted at the DJ.

Remixed, the song was brighter and bass heavy. Kendall rapped along to his own vocals as the women bounced next to him. Yani pranced and shook her wings, listening to her voice sing about her own physical gifts. She jiggled her heavy ass and several men tried to rub up on her with their groins, but the Dora Milaje blocked them along with her sisters and cousins, who created a physical dancing barrier around her. She followed alongside the truck bed, leading a boisterous band of dancers, taking in her culture through sight, sound, the surrounding odors, and the feel of the air kissing the warm brown skin revealed all over her costume. Standing still, she closed her eyes and let the island music transport her to a peaceful place inside her homecoming before bursting with more energy and bounding down the packed road again.

On and on she danced and her family moved with her, cheering her to keep moving. Glancing behind, she witnessed Disa caught up in the music's rapture, holding hands with Twyla and Marisol. Yani bumped hips with her and they linked arms strutting to soca and shouting to passersby, "Fete it up!"

"Oh girl, I think I have cramps in my feet from dancing so much!" Disa shouted.

"No excuse!" Marisol yelled, grabbing Disa's arm and swinging her back into action.

Yani caught her breath by the time they met up with all her aunties, Dante, and the children hours later to watch the full carnival parade. She jumped back into the street when Kendall rolled back around again with another musical performer to entertain the throngs of fans. Sydette, Riki, and Joba skipped around in little feathered costumes with crowns matching Yani's colors. Joba's eyes were so huge when she peered up at Yani in all of her flamboyance.

"See me, Sunshine?" Yani called to her before picking Joba up and dancing with her on her hip.

The spectacle of so many people parading past them soon wore on the little girl's capacity to take in any more stimuli from strangers, and Yani was ready for them all to return to the compound for a huge spread of brunch. There would be more parties later, including one in her house with family. Drenched in sweat and colorful paints, the Doras led them all to their SUVs, stopping for ice cone treats before riding on. Exhausted, Yani stared out of the front passenger window and wished for more good times like that in the future.

###

Disa rubbed her swollen belly and pushed away from the table to put away her plate of food. There was too much food, but Leona insisted they feed well to soak up all the liquor they consumed.

Joba and the other children ran around the compound freely and there was no need to check on them because so many relatives there watched over them on top of Noxolo staying glued to them. She wandered down to the pool where Yani and Anika were already swimming and talking. Disa plopped down on a lounge chair and her kimoyo lit up. Yani's lips curled into a grin.

"Is it him?" Yani asked.

Disa knew it was Adebiyi's avatar, but she didn't let Yani know that, even though it was obvious by the way she rolled her eyes at them in the pool. She stepped away from the patio and walked down some steps that led to a lower level filled with plants and lovely flowers. Jerome sunbathed out in the open, one eye spying on her. She glimpsed the sea in the distance and headed that way. An indentation in some bushes caught her attention, and she crept closer to them, discovering another path she hadn't seen before. She walked through the bushes and descended into an entirely new section of the property that led to a beautiful cove. Sunlight dappled across the clear water and Disa sat down to admire the tranquility. Her kimoyo lit up again, and she answered it.

"Adebiyi," she said.

He stared at her face, and she touched it, forgetting she was still made up for Juvay. She became self-conscious of her revealing top that he could see from the waist up.

"Should I call you later, Lady Abdullah?"

"Disa, you can call me Disa when we're not in the office," she said.

His need for formality all the time drove her nuts. His hair was tied up with a green headwrap tucked at the nape, and without seeing his salt and pepper hair, Adebiyi could pass for late thirties instead of fifty. They started talking every other day with him giving her updates about the underwater earthquake and the findings for the Phase Two project.

"Disa," he said, as if he were testing the way it rolled on his tongue.

"Anything new?"

"A pod of humpback whales washed ashore yesterday," he said.

"Oh, God."

"We cannot determine if they were thrown off track because of the tsunami that hit Kenya and they grounded themselves on our coast, or if there is something else going on."

"Something else?"

"We detected sonar activity ninety miles off of our coast. Manmade. We are searching for illegal international military exercises. Five of the whales died, but we were able to help the others back to sea."

His face grew tight.

"What else, Adebiyi?" she said.

"We detected another underwater earthquake an hour ago. Not as strong as the others. This one was further out to sea."

"Do you think it's related to the sonar?"

"Maybe."

He tapped his kimoyo and another 3D image floated next to his. Pictures of the whales stranded and the Wakandan military helping to remove them.

"King T'Challa has advised a soft evacuation of our island citizens for safety precautions in case there's more seismic activity," he said.

He sighed, and his eyes darted away.

"I suggested to the king that we halt the Phase Two project indefinitely until we know what is going on. I did not do this to disrespect your authority—"

"No Adebiyi, I understand. It's the smart thing to do," she said, staring at all the whales lying in a dog pile so helpless on the beach.

She swiped the images away.

"I have other work that can take priority now," she said.

"I have an idea for the embassy I would like to share with you. If you are open to that."

Disa stared at him with an incredulous expression. Adebiyi offering her something freely? She became intrigued.

"There is a style of wood carving that hasn't been done in Wakanda for over a hundred years that we have used for meditation temples here. I thought maybe it is something you would like to see."

"Sure, send me holopics."

"I think you should see them in person. Holopics will not give you the full impact. There are three styles I think you will like."

"You want me to come up to the Jabari mountains?"

"When you have time in your schedule."

They were silent together for a few seconds, which soon stretched into an awkward, long silence.

"After the coronation would be best," she said.

"As you wish."

He looked away again as if he were fiddling with something offscreen to keep from staring at her again.

"Well, I hope no more marine animals wash ashore," she said.

She ran a hand over her hair nervously and forgot all the hair baubles she had glued there.

"Just got back from Juvay," she explained.

"Juvay?"

"It's a carnival celebration here. The name is really J'ouvert. It means "daybreak" in French. It's a big ass early morning party, and I danced with thousands of people and my feet hurt!"

He laughed. She watched his face, amazed at the transformation of the hard features becoming soft and quite handsome.

"After the morning breaks, there's a big carnival festival. People here party and drink… watch colorful parades. Throw paint at each other to feel free. It's a lot of fun, but I'm beat," she huffed.

She tapped her kimoyo and sent him a few images of their day with a short video. He watched it with her. The video stopped with Disa holding Joba in her arms.

"Your daughter looks like she had fun."

"Joba did, but it can get sketchy for her being around so many people at once. Her brother Riki helped her out a lot, so we stayed longer than I thought we could when they showed up."

"She dislikes people?" he asked.

"Um… she can be shy… but she is sensitive… gets overstimulated, and it becomes difficult for her."

He nodded in understanding.

"What about you? Do you have children?"

He grinned, and a photo popped up in place of the Juvay pictures.

"A son and a daughter. Din'o and Lali. Twenty and nineteen. My son is an apprentice under me and my daughter is studying to be an herbalist."

His face beamed as he admired his own progeny.

"Beautiful. They both look like you," she said.

"No, no… they get their looks from their mother."

"I would like to meet her when I come to see the structures up there."

He tugged on his red tunic shirt.

"We are not together. She is married to someone else now."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that… just out here assuming stuff—"

"It is fine. Our children flourish and that is all that matters to me."

Silence struck them again.

"You know, we have a celebration in the mountains that is like Juvay," he said.

"Really?"

"It celebrates the sun. Our people wear bright colors and parade around early in the morning, just as the sun rises. We make a delicious palm wine here that will make your hair shiny and thick while you dance!"

Disa touched her pigtail.

"My hair has been thinning a bit with work stress. Perhaps palm wine is what I need," she said.

She caught her words about stress and hoped Adebiyi didn't take it as a jab at his part in it. It was best to change the subject.

"Will you attend Challenge Day at Warrior Falls?" she asked.

"I will. It is rare for the Jabari people to be there. M'Baku was the first to stand there in a long time."

"I'm nervous about it."

"The father of your child will face the people and know how they feel about him."

"How so?"

"If no one faces him, the country is united. If someone does…"

"How do you feel about him?"

"I do not know him the way M'Baku does."

"I'm asking from an outsider's perspective."

Adebiyi hooked into her eyes with a solemn expression.

"I will know more when I see him up close."

"You're just scared to offend me. You think I'll run back to T'Challa and snitch."

Adebiyi tilted his head back, and his eyes narrowed.

"Prince N'Jadaka is bold and fearless. That can be a blessing or a curse. Since he has been accepted into the royal family and given the throne, then I believe King T'Challa and the Council of Elders must have good faith in him. Only time will tell. He may be different once the kingdom is his."

He leaned forward and his face became larger, floating in front of her.

"If he protects Wakanda first and foremost, I will accept his leadership."

She wagged a finger at him.

"That is a perfectly crafted answer to make me feel good," she teased.

He laughed, throwing back his head, and Disa warmed up to the sound of his voice. His eyes crinkled and then he held up his hands to her as a sign of respect.

"Until we speak again, Lady Abdullah… Disa."

His image blinked out and a warm ticklish feeling moved into her stomach. She touched her cheeks, and they were warm. Her lips upturned into a wide smile. Disa hugged her knees and watched the seawater come on shore. Charming. Adebiyi could be charming and pleasant, and she wished he was like that when they first met. Perhaps the invitation to go up the mountain was his way of extending an olive branch.

Noxolo broke her reverie by showing up at the cove.

"Sorry to disturb you, Lady Abdullah. The Royal Talon Fighter is here to take Prince N'Jadaka's grandfather and cousin back to Wakanda right away."

"Has something happened to Erik?"

Disa jumped to her feet and rushed over to Noxolo.

"King T'Challa sent the ship to escort them home. Priests at the temple requested their presence. Prince N'Jadaka is alright. They just need his people."

Disa rushed back up the path to the main house where Marisol and Dante's bags were hastily packed and carried to the Talon Fighter. Yani and Twyla greeted her as Marisol spoke to T'Challa on her kimoyo beads privately in a corner.

"Is he really okay?" Disa asked Yani.

"T'Challa said Erik is in the final stages of his preparation for return. They want Dante and Marisol to assist."

"Assist how?"

Yani shrugged. They waited for Marisol to finish speaking, but Dante pulled them aside. His face looked grim but hopeful.

"From my understanding, JaJa has to integrate aspects of his spiritual upbringing with whatever is happening to him on Mount Bashenga. My mother practiced Hoodoo, and he was raised with that and Candomble. T'Challa said that Bast has requested his roots be intertwined."

"Bast? Like the God? Their Panther God asked for this?" Disa said.

"Yes," Dante said.

"But he is okay? Right?" Yani asked.

"T'Challa said so. I believe him," Dante said.

Marisol ended the call. Her hair was already wrapped up, and she had changed into her white priestess dress. They surrounded her as she exhaled.

"He is well. At this final stage of his preparation, they want Granpop and me to help JaJa merge his belief systems into one body. It is more effective if we are there in person for them to do this. When this is done, he will go straight to Warrior Falls," Marisol said.

"We don't even get to see him before he faces the other tribes?" Yani said.

"It is what JaJa wants. There's more," Marisol said.

Disa squeezed her fingers together, and Yani put her hands on her hips.

"Two tribes have hinted at fighting him," Marisol said.

"Ohmigod," Yani wailed, covering her mouth.

"Which tribes?" Disa said.

"T'Challa wouldn't say. The Council of Elders informed him this morning of the possibility. There might be a third," Marisol said.

"Three on one?" Disa said.

"Not all at the same time. Back-to-back I'm assuming," Marisol said.

"They want to test him," Yani said.

Her voice was hard, and there was fire in her eyes.

"He will kill them all," Disa said.

Hugs were given and Disa watched Dante and Marisol escorted by two Doras onto the Royal Talon Fighter. Standing next to Yani, she held her breath as the ship shimmered with blue light and vanished before their eyes. Water from the ocean flattened as it streaked over it with invisible power. Disa turned to look at Yani.

"Let them all come for him," Yani said with grit in her voice. "He will break them, and then they'll know not to vex him no more!"

Yani stomped down the dock and left Disa standing with Twyla and Leona. The older woman slipped her arm gently around Disa's waist.

"The two of you will have to be strong. Be there for each other," Leona said.

"Yes, Ma'am," Disa said.

Twyla reached for Disa's hand and clasped it as the high tide brought water higher along the dock, making loud splashes as it smacked against the wood pillars.

"There will be trials and tribulations in the future. Yani will go hard for him and I know you will be there to back her up," Leona said.

Leona held her right hand out to sea, following the path the Royal Talon Fighter made across the water.

"Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me…" Leona prayed.

Disa rested in the wisdom of Dante and Marisol. They were on their way to give Erik the power of his ancestors and the assurances of Ogum. The tribes who dared go against Erik would need Leona's prayers more than he would.

After Leona ended her prayer, Disa headed back to the main house. It was time to mentally pack and prepare for Challenge Day.

Erik would finally be king. If blood needed to be spilled again, so be it. Insha'Allah.