Chapter 4

– 9 months earlier

Shuri couldn't put her finger on it but it seemed as if M'Baku had grown distant, pulling away slightly after the state dinner. They weren't the best of friends but they seemed to be establishing a good working relationship, or so it had seemed to her. It was almost as if he had been going out of his way to avoid her. There were no more invitations to join him for lunch and dinner, and their paths rarely crossed except for the occasional memo relayed by a member of the Lodge's staff to her. These days he always seemed to be locked in his study or away on official business somewhere.

Alone in her lab Shuri sighed, she put down the console she was working with. She stretched. She calculated that she had been working for at least 8 hours without a break, on a Saturday no less. Given the fact that it was the weekend, she was all alone. Four months in Jabari land had passed and she had barely ventured out, not even to the slopes. She'd been so consumed with the work that she was there to do that she had not taken advantage of an opportunity to partake in one of her favourite sports. She was a good skier, although she preferred snowboarding, which she had learned at Tiffindell Ski resort in neighbouring South Africa when she was a child. She could have learned here, but Golden tribe/ Jabari relations had not been so great back then.

Shuri got up. She figured if she left now she could get an hour or two in before it got dark. Shuri put away some of her paperwork and shut down her computer. She made her way to the elevator, then up through the lodge and then to her quarters.

She opened up her wardrobe, and selected one of her ski outfits. Just as she slipped on her thick socks, Yinka entered the room. The handmaid looked surprised. "Good afternoon, Shuri." In her arms was a basket full of Shuri's clean laundry. "You're not in your lab?"

"No." Shuri said, standing up . She slipped on her boots, and then jacket. "I'm going boarding."

"Alone?" Yinka asked, the faint sound of worry in her voice. She watched as Shuri rummaged in a trunk. "Yes." Shuri pulled out a helmet and some goggles, she placed them on her head.

Shuri stood up, and made her way towards the door, picking up her board on the way. It was a custom made Burton snowboard gifted to her by T'Challa a few years ago, " I'll be back in time for dinner." She smiled as she wove her way around Yinka.

"Perhaps I could call one of the houseboys to accompany you?" Yinka called behind her. Putting the basket in her arms down.

"That won't be necessary. I'll be back before you know it." Shuri said over her shoulder. She closed the door to her room and made her way towards the front entrance of the Lodge, whistling as she went.

Shuri took a deep breath of the crisp mountain air. For the life of her she couldn't recall why she had not done this sooner. She smiled to herself as she looked around at the vast snowy canvas and almost squealed with delight. It had been far too long since she had been out in the snow and it felt good. She had passed a few people on her way up but as she looked around now, she was alone, not that it bothered her. These days she found herself alone all the time. Shuri started off slow and easy with a few straight runs but after a while she could feel her confidence start to grow. She did a few heel side turns, then a couple of hip transfers with ease.

It was while attempting a Jib that Shuri hit a small rock, she tried to mitigate her fall but there was nothing but ice to grab on to and instead she was sent hurtling down the side of the mountain. She could feel herself picking up momentum. As she rolled, her foot slipped out of the Boards binding and got twisted in the force with which she was being propelled forward . Pain shot through Shuri's foot, she bit down on her lower lip in an effort to muffle the scream fighting to escape, she stopped the moment she tasted blood. Much to her relief she eventually hit a tree with a thud causing the snow deposited on its branches to avalanche on top of her. She wheezed, winded . Dazed, confused and covered in snow, Shuri attempted to sit up and get her bearings but suddenly it felt like she was being propelled into the air. She screamed.

"It's Ok, I've got you. You're fine."

Before Shuri could answer or put up much of a fight, M'Baku, as if appearing from nowhere, swept her up into his strong arms. Shuri removed her goggles as he gently deposited her onto the back of his snowmobile. No further words were said but M'Baku did look mildly irritated, or so Shuri thought. He got in front, started the ignition and made his way back towards the lodge.

Once there, he threw the keys at the valet who caught them in one svelte move, then got off the huge scooter. He wordlessly picked Shuri up in his arms once again and carried her through the entrance of the Great Lodge without a word in her direction. What a sight they must look, Shuri mused to herself as M'Baku carried her like a baby through the halls.

"Ice and bandages, please." he said to the first maid to pass him.

M'Baku strode towards her bedroom. He used his foot to push the door open . He gently put her down on the bed, without a word he knelt down and took off her ski boots and socks . Shuri couldn't help but notice that rather than discard them he neatly placed the boots together. He then sat down next to her.

" Can you wiggle your toes? " he asked as he gently took her foot into his hands and placed it on his lap. The feel of his hands on her foot took her by surprise, the way his hand managed to be so rough but unbelievably gentle as he ran a lazy finger over her foot as he inspected it .

Shuri wiggled her toes as best she could. "At least we know nothing is broken. No need for a fuss. See?"

"What were you doing out there alone?"

She didn't like the tone in his voice. "I'm an experienced skier." Shuri answered by way of explanation. She crossed her arms defiantly.

"That's not what I asked." M'Baku clenched his teeth. Shuri could tell that her answer had annoyed him." You may very well be experienced, but mother nature is unpredictable and you aren't yet familiar with the terrain. Case in point." Shuri could feel her cheeks begin to redden as their eyes met. She felt like she was a schoolchild being scolded.

Just then they were interrupted by one of the housekeepers, Hawa, who came in carrying a bowl of ice, towels and some bandages. She set the tray down and began to roll her sleeves up.

"I will do it." M'Baku kept his eyes trained on Shuri but spoke to Hawa. Seconds that felt like hours passed before M'Baku finally broke his gaze and looked down at Shuri's swollen foot. "Please call Dr. Mabusi and bring the Princess something warm to drink."

" Yes, General. Right away." Hawa stepped back and bowed slightly before exiting the room.

"I don't need a doctor. I just need to get down to my lab and I will be fine.." Shuri said exasperated.

" Humour me." M'Baku stated firmly.

Shuri sighed, but threw up her hands up in frustration. The sight of her conceding seemed to please M'Baku a little. He picked up a piece of ice "…Call me crazy, but I would like to deliver you back to the Royal palace in one piece." He began to absentmindedly rub the ice back and forth across her swollen foot causing Shuri to bite her lip and closed her eyes. It occurred to her that this had to be the definition of pain and pleasure, and as odd as it seemed, she liked it.

The ice had begun to melt in M'Baku's warm hands.

"How does that feel?" M'Baku asked softly, as he continued his ministrations.

A moan escaped Shuri's lips. M'Baku visible noticed and paused. He looked up at her wordlessly, his eyes now the colour of onyx . Shuri drew in breath, suddenly feeling exposed, she averted her eyes immediately. " my foot feels a lot better…", She could feel her cheeks burning. "I assure you I am a lot tougher than I look…" she added, her voice barely above a whisper. Shuri tried to reclaim her foot from M'Baku's grip.

M'Baku's wouldn't release her foot and his eyes remained glued to her face the entire time. Shuri shivered when she noticed his gaze darkened with intrigue and maybe something more beneath that. "You don't have to convince me, princess.." he murmured, almost to himself, as his gaze involuntarily travelled over her face, and down her body. "I am very aware." he said with an understated bemusement. Shuri could feel her heart rate rapidly raising, she was almost certain M'Baku could hear it too.

Abruptly, Hawa entered the room again, warm drink in hand. This time she was followed by a middle aged man carrying a medicine bag, lifting his hat off of his head and wiping his brow. M'Baku immediately stood up as if they had been caught doing something elicit.

Shuri's gaze shot to M'Baku, he met her eyes briefly before he averted them to the Doctor, whom he greeted with stilted ease. As Dr. Mabusi took over, M'Baku receded, staring out of the window, seemingly lost in thought. The spell had been broken.

Shuri tried to keep her attention on the doctor as he asked about her medical history, but her eyes couldn't help but keep gravitating towards M'Baku. His phone started to ring. He pulled it out of one of his pockets.

M'Baku looked down at his cell phone. MALAIKA CALLING.. M'Baku pressed reject. His whole demeanour had changed, his expression tight and tense. "I must go. I have business to attend to." He said to no one in particular.

Shuri nodded biting on the inside of her lip, as she watched him bid farewell to the doctor.

"Feel Better, Princess." M'Baku threw at Shuri, while texting on his phone. The way he said princess now was cold, almost clinical. So unlike the moments they had shared a brief moment ago.

Shuri watched him head towards the door. She could feel an internal panic settling in. She suddenly felt compelled to keep him close. "M'Baku!"

M'Baku stopped in his tracks, looked up from his phone as he turned towards her. His eyes questioning.

"Thank you…"

He looked confused, as if his mind were suddenly elsewhere.

"For today. For helping me." Shuri quickly qualified, indicating her foot which was now being examined by the doctor.

"No problem. I would have done the same for anyone."

Shuri had already been winded once today, but his words struck a blow as well, deep down in her chest. "Well, thank you anyway." She swallowed the lump in her throat.

M'Baku studied her one last time, he nodded slightly before departing. He closed the door softly behind him. The stirring in his gut had begun again. It wasn't anything new, but he hadn't had a name for it before. What he had thought was intrigue had become sharp and unwieldy, guttural even. Now impossible to deny. He was undeniably, unequivocally attracted to Shuri, and he had no idea what to do with it. What he did know was that it now made his life more difficult than it needed to be.

M'Baku's phone rang again, knocking him out of his reverie. He watched as Malaika's name flashed up on his phone's screen for the second time. He ran a hand over his beard, cleared his throat and accepted the call. "I'm on my way."

To be continued.