After breakfast, Peter and Ned went back out into the market – once more with Shuri. This time, however, they had a specific goal in mind, and Shuri led them through the bustle to the outer edge on the west side of the plain. This was where the Jabari were placed, and while it was further away, there were many other tribesmen and women who were heading the same direction, drawn there by the superior craftsmanship of their artisans and woodworkers.

Peter and Ned were going there to see if Azoru was around – or even M'Baku. Both would be at the ceremony that evening, Shuri assured them, but that was going to be a formal setting and they were hoping to just hang out with Azoru and see how he'd been. People recognized Shuri as they walked, like they had the day before, and children would run up to say hello or offer her small tokens of their esteem. Usually flowers, or a piece of fruit. She took it all graciously, with a smile that made whatever child it was feel as if he or she was the most special person in the country, just then.

Peter and Ned watched with enjoyment, and were definitely impressed.

"She really is a princess," Ned said, softly, to his friend as they watched a little girl run up to Shuri and shyly hand over a small brightly colored rock.

"You doubted?"

"Well, she doesn't exactly act like one. It's easy to forget..."

Peter smiled.

"It's probably a relief not to have to, if you think about it."

He watched, though, smiling, while Shuri hugged the little girl before sending her back to her mother, who greeted her, politely. She was a princess, there was no doubt, and way too good for the likes of him. Peter knew he had a lot of skills, and with his association to Tony and the Avengers, he wasn't a bum off the street, like Ned had pointed out. But he wasn't a prince, either, now was he? He was probably out of his mind thinking that she'd be interested in being his girlfriend, not to mention the entire country would probably rise up in revolt if he actually asked and she said yes.

She-

"Peter!"

He was brought out of his misgivings by his name being called with a definite Wakandan accent. The boy turned just in time to see a pair of young children running up to him, and he recognized them as Jad's grandchildren. The two that he'd met in the lodge the night they'd stayed with the mountain Jabari tribe. Both children threw themselves at him, excitedly, and he swung them up into his arms, grinning at them.

How could anyone not be cheerful with such an enthusiastic greeting?

Before he could do more than look over at Ned to tell him who they were, the three found themselves surrounded by happy children and adolescents. Peter didn't remember everyone's names, but luckily he didn't need to. Alec supplied them as he introduced each of them to Ned, as well as to Shuri, and he pointed out to the youngsters that Ned was his best friend, but he didn't speak their language, so they had to try and help him as much as they could.

He bestowed noisy kisses to the two small children he was holding before he set them on the ground, and turned to greet their grandfather – who he then introduced to Ned, and Shuri – in case she didn't know him, which presumably she didn't.

"Jad's tribe are Jabari," Peter told Ned, smiling. "His son is the woodcarver who made the carvings I commissioned."

"The ones that cost you all the goats," Ned said with a smile, offering the man his hand for a Wakandan handshake.

"Yeah."

The Jabari leader turned to Shuri with a formal bow.

"Princess? May I offer you a place to sit out of the sun for a while? And some refreshments?"

"That would be pleasant," she agreed, politely – and smiling to see how cheerful Peter was. She understood how he could feel left out, since he was in a land where he knew very few people, aside from the nobles that he'd met before and had spent the last two days in the markets filled with strangers. Now he knew someone, and she didn't want to draw him away from them any sooner than necessary. Besides, walking in the heat was thirsty work. "The sun is very warm, today."

"Indeed, it is."

Jad beckoned for Peter and Ned to follow and he led all three teens to a tent that was very similar to the one back at his home village. Which wasn't that surprising. As they walked, he asked Peter about his parents and asked Shuri about her brother and her mother. Some of the children ran ahead, yelling happily, and by the time they arrived at the tent, the elders of the village were waiting.

They greeted Peter, cheerfully, and Shuri respectfully, and were all introduced to Ned, who quickly charmed them all with his good-nature – even though he didn't speak their language, and only a few of them spoke his. The three teens never got around to looking for Azoru, deciding instead to spend the rest of their morning and early afternoon with the mountain tribe and the friendly people who were more than happy to have such august guests to host.

OOOOOOOOO

"You're not worried about them?"

Tony shook his head.

"No. They're responsible, and mature, and they've proven they can be given a little bit longer leash."

Pepper smiled at Natasha and Stephen, who had joined them just after the teens had left for the morning's excursion to the Jabari controlled areas of the marketplace.

"Not to mention, they're being trailed by a couple of the royal guard," she added. "If anything happens, T'Challa will know, and then we'll know."

"Presuming that Peter didn't call and let us know, anyway," Tony pointed out.

"Where are they, now?" Strange asked, curiously, presuming that Stark was keeping track, somehow.

What was the use of having the best tech in the world, in a country surrounded by more of the best tech in the world, if you couldn't use it to spy on your teenager, after all?

"In the marketplace, looking for Azoru and M'Baku."

"What have you two been up to?" Pepper asked, noticing that Natasha was wearing a necklace made entirely of very tiny shells, alternating with semi precious stones. "Staying out of trouble?"

Stephen smirked, amused.

"Yes, mother."

Natasha smiled, as well.

"We've been doing a lot of shopping," she replied. "And I came this close to convincing him to ride a battle rhino, yesterday afternoon."

Tony looked at his friend.

"Did you?"

"I'm smarter than that, Tony. I thought you had that figured out, by now. I pointed out that if I fell off and landed on my head, the rest of you would be walking home."

"You make a fair point."

The magician nodded, looking pleased with himself.

"I thought so, as well."

"What's the plan for this evening?" Natasha asked, stealing a piece of fruit from Tony's plate rather than make her own.

"This ceremony for Peter starts at eight," Tony answered. "T'Challa gives a speech and all the gathered tribal leaders will pay tribute for what he did with token gifts – nothing too outrageous, from what T'Challa told me – and then there will a cocktail party, of sorts."

"Wakandan style," Pepper added. "The tribal leaders will be in their best, we are not expected to wear formal clothing."

"Too bad," Romanoff said, smiling. "I'd have had a reason to get a new dress."

"And the power stone?" Stephen asked.

"Tomorrow morning, Steve and Carol – and Natasha, if she wants – are going to take Ned home. T'Challa will then let us know what he's come up with for our final approval."

"I'll stick around," Natasha replied, not surprising any of them. "Anything else going on that we should know about?"

Pepper shook her head, her expression suddenly guarded.

"No. Nothing…"

The assassin narrowed her eyes, slightly, reading the lie, immediately.

"Oh?" She wasn't above doing a little digging. Even with her friends. "Nothing at all?"

"Nope. Just the usual stuff. We're going to go do some shopping, ourselves, today, aren't we Tony?"

Her husband hadn't missed the interchange, and he looked at Pepper, too.

"Yes…" he frowned. "What do you know that I don't…?"

"What?" she scoffed. "I know a lot of things that you don't. The list is endless." Pepper wiped her mouth, delicately, with her napkin – which, incidentally, allowed her to break eye contact with both of them. "I'm going to go get changed."

Without waiting for a reply, she got up and left the table, and Strange wasn't the only one to watch her go.

"What was that all about?"

Tony shrugged, looking at Natasha, who echoed the gesture with an amused grin.

"No clue."

"But you'll ask, later?"

"Of course."

"And tell me?"

"Yeah."