Chapter 2 –

11 months earlier.

It had been a long day, Shuri thought to herself as she sat down at her new dressing table fresh from a hot shower. She secured her silk bathrobe around her and gently began letting her braids down. She couldn't help but think about the day already past . She looked down at her ring finger, moving it slightly to-and-fro, letting the diamond dazzle as it caught the light. She was now officially a married woman. She could hardly believe it.

The wedding had been beautiful. Presidents, Prime Ministers and delegates from the 55 member states of the African Union had attended, even a few Nollywood Movie stars too. Not to mention almost all of the Avengers. During the reception Bucky had twirled her around the dancefloor waxing poetic about " Missing his chance."

And nobody had known, that this was not in fact a love match but one born out of careful consideration for the Jabari people and the future of Wakanda. An arrangement born out of her need for adventure and escape from the constraints that being a princess and M'Baku's slow but timely realisation that there were many benefits that advanced technology could afford his people. It had been months in the making.

Shuri replayed the events of the day in her mind, trying to commit it all to memory, something to one day add to her memoir she told herself. "You may now kiss the bride." She had waited with baited breath unsure of what to do, but M'Baku had slipped an arm around her waist without missing a beat, and brought her in for a kiss as the congregation whooped, hollered and applauded. It had been little more than a peck on the lips, just for show really, but If Shuri closed her eyes, much like she was now, she could still feel the softness of his lips hat had taken her so utterly by surprise.

It was the sound of Yinka, busy at work, that knocked Shuri out of her reverie.

She opened her eyes and watched as Yinka, her newly assigned chambermaid carried towels and a jug of water. Shuri watched as Yinka carefully set down the jug on her bedside table next to a glass, then carried the towels over to the dresser and put them away neatly.

If it seemed bizarre to any of the Great Lodge's staff that she and her newly acquired husband were not in fact spending their wedding night together, and that M'Baku had not moved her into his quarters but instead the east wing of his great lodge, nobody appeared to question it, out loud anyway, although Shuri did not doubt that there would be whisperings and gossip in the oncoming months.

Yinka added more coal to the open range fireplace and poked them around with brass tongs as the fire continued to softly roar.

"Where is my husband this evening?". Shuri asked, the word husband sounded so foreign in her mouth and to her ears.

"In his study, Your Highness." Yinka got up and dusted her hands off on the apron she wore around her waist.

"Yinka, you can call me Shuri. In fact I insist on it."

Yinka smiled. " As you wish, Shuri." She proceeded to turn down Shuri's bedsheets, once finished she stepped aside. "Is there anything else I can get you before I retire for the evening?"

"No. I'm fine, thank you. For everything."

Yinka smiled, bowed slightly then left, gently closing the door behind her.

An hour later Shuri sat up in bed unable to sleep.

Shuri knocked on the huge wooden door, and waited. Through the thick wooded panels she could hear music playing.

" Come in." came M'Baku's voice from inside.

The room was big and dimly lit but she could make out M'Baku's broad silhouette against the light coming from the huge window he stood in front of. His back to her, he stood tall and strong, staring out of the window overlooking the snow covered peaks of his homeland. For some reason Shuri had assumed that he always wore his furs and leather wherever he was, ready for combat or ceremony, maybe even both. But here he stood relaxed in black slacks and a form fitting long sleeved black cotton t-shirt. In a Sentimental Mood by John Coltrane and Duke Ellington played from a record player in the far corner of the study.

When M'Baku turned around to face her, she could tell that she had taken him by surprise. He had not been expecting her. Nevertheless his eyes roamed the length of her, taking in her appearance. Shuri could feel herself begin to blush. She had forgotten that she wore only her pyjamas and that M'Baku had never seen her looking anything less than 'proper' before. The sudden flash in his eyes was almost imperceptible and disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

" I hope I am not bothering you." Shuri said quickly, suddenly feeling like she was doing exactly that.

" Not at all. How can I help you?" He said with an abrupt ease that Shuri hadn't been expecting.

"I can't sleep."

M'Baku made a move, as if to go and stop the record playing.

" No."Shuri said, a little louder than she had intended. " I love this song, let it play, please."

"You like Jazz?"M'Baku asked quizzically, a small smirk playing on his lips.

Shuri shrugged. "I don't hate it."

She let the music wash over her for a few seconds. "My Baba loved John Coltrane, and Duke Ellington and Miles Davis, all the American greats actually. This song reminds me of him." She added by way of explanation, swallowing the lump she could feel building in her throat. A stark reminder that he had not been there on one of the biggest days of her life. M'Baku nodded, but didn't say a word. He studied her and took a sip of the drink he held in his hand.

They stood in companionable silence appreciating the melodic rifts for a few moments.

M'Baku broke the silence first. " Would you like one?" He indicated towards the glass in his hand which appeared to be filled with some sort of amber coloured liquid and a few ice cubes.

Although not much of a drinker, Shuri nodded, it seemed the polite thing to do especially since M'Baku was being so hospitable. She watched as he walk over to the vintage serving cart in the corner of the room that hosted a small collection of liquors and glasses. He poured a glass and walked over to her. He held out his hand. Shuri took the glass, carefully doing her best to not brush his hand with hers.

She took a sip. The liquid burned her throat. She tried not to splutter, and swallowed it down in as refined a manner as she could muster.

M'Baku looked impressed. "You can hold your liquor."

"Does that surprise you?"

"Everything about you surprises me." M'Baku said slowly, studying her. And there was that look again, so hard to decipher, in his eyes, dancing across his face. In that moment Shuri wished she knew him better.

Shuri set the glass down on the nearest surface. She took stock of the room around them, it was elegantly decorated in earth tones, with huge book shelves traversing all of the walls.

Shuri gently finger a few of the titles. "Have you read all of these books?"

"Yes." M'Baku sat down in an armchair, crossing his long legs. His attention unwavering. "Does that surprise you?"

"Nothing about you surprises me." Shuri said sincerely.

M'Baku considered her response for a second. "I sincerely hope that you will be happy here, for as long as you are here, princess."

There was something in the way that he said the word princess that sent shivers up her spine. It felt like he was being sincere. "I hope so too." Shuri could feel her cheeks begin to burn. She looked away, suddenly too embarrassed to make eye contact. When the silence between them became so long it became awkward, she said "I should go back to bed, It's been a long day." She turned to leave.

"Shuri."

"Yes?" She turned back around to meet his warm eyes on her.

M'Baku's eyes turned thoughtful, as if there was something he wanted to say, but quickly settled for a simple, "Busuku benzolo."

Shuri smiled and nodded slightly, "Same to you". She gently closed the door to his study and made her way down the hallway towards her quarters, trying desperately to ignore the butterflies in her stomach currently doing somersaults.

Xhosa translation

Busuku benzolo – Sweet Dreams