"She is blessed by Bast, you will NOT take her from us." "She is also of my people, and you will not keep her from me." Eywa, a Wakanda healer and the daughter of the Mining Tribe, is believed to be touched by Bast as she controls water. However, Talokan elders believe her to be of the water which makes Namor curious of her and her abilities and to form a more permanent alliance with Wakanda, decides to marry her. When his people start growing sick, he calls upon Wakanda for their help. When outside forces threaten both nations, Namor will do anything he can to ensure the safety of his people and of his queen.
1
I remember when the water called to me. They were like whispers in my head that I could not shake. I was only ten when I started to sneak out of my home to go to any body of water I could find. My mother, Zawavari, was concerned about the things I told her, the dreams I had after falling asleep at the water's edge. My body always seemed to tremor, my stomach muscles tightening. As a small child I was always afraid, but every time I looked out to the water, I would see what resembled a cat surrounded by mist in the water.
I always believed it was Bast calling out to me to talk to me. Maybe she had a message for me, but I could never stay awake long enough to hear her. When I was fifteen, at the peak of puberty, I grew very sick. None of the medicine that the doctors gave me would heal me. Even with our technology, I only got worse and Bast called to me even more through the water. I remember in my weakened state I forced myself to the water even as my mother's and the elders begged me to stay in bed and rest. But I couldn't.
"Eywa, you are going to make yourself weaker child please!" my mother replied. But I shook my head as the fever grew and the chills over took me.
"The water will help me mother. Bast will help me." I said softly pushing past her and limping toward the closes body of water. I don't remember getting there, but I remember the sand beneath my toes, and the water crashing against each other. The water seemed angry. I panted and finally dropped to my knees. My mother, who followed me with the rest of the village, wanted to console me but the doctors held her back as all of my people watched me. I looked out at the water again seeing the black cat.
"Tell me what to do, Bast. I am your servant!" I replied wrapping my arms around my aching stomach. The cat with yellow eyes watched, remaining still and calm as most cats do. Suddenly my body began to shake violently. I was neither hot nor cold. It was as if my body could not regulate a normal temperature. Was Bast calling to me? Did she want me to die, so that I may live in the land of my ancestors? Is this my time. I had hunched over, eyes closed as I continued to shake. But the guttural noise above me made me lift my head up and see the water standing high above me in the form of a large panther. My eyes widened as the water shot down at me like lightning.
"EYWA!" My mother screams hard and now silence.
13 years later…
Twelve young children lied before me on a mat afraid and in pain. They were all stricken with fever and suffering from a terrible flu virus strain. It had mutated and many of the vaccines were not strong enough to fight it. Many children were getting sicker and death was at their door step. As they laid before me I was on my knees with only a bowl of water poured by a nurse. I gently placed my fingertips in the water. Many elders were watching from outside the room.
"Here on earth, are the stars so far away. Do they hear us crying? Can they feel us when we pray?" I sang lightly to the room to ensure the children felt mild comfort. These children were not of Wakanda but of Haiti who did not have the capability to fight this sickness. So to help, children would be brought to me by a few soldiers and when healed they'd be taken back to their parents.
I raised my arms out, fingers spread as well.
"Could it be it's all in our heads if we find the gift that's inside us," the water moved from the bowl and as I curled my fingers, the water divided in twelve little streams and moved over to each child and was absorbed into their skin. "do we create our destiny, dreamers like you, dreamers like me. We have the power in our hearts. Love is a bridge to the stars."
The children groaned, still in pain from the sickness. As each stream of water goes into a child, I had to find the bacteria in the area where it was strongest, mostly the lungs and worked on purifying the area, killing the virus and letting the water spread through the body healing other symptoms along the way. I kept singing so the children would focus on my voice rather than the water moving inside them. One by one it was easy to heal the children.
"We belong to this mystery called life. Flowing like a river, from a place that's deep inside. Can we trust to go where it takes us, do we choose, sometimes I wonder. Do we create our destiny! Dreamers like you, dreamers like me!" I began to pull the water from the children and using my fingers yet again to manipulate the water back into the bowl. Slowly they began to stir and open their eyes.
"We have the power in our hearts. Love is a bridge to the stars!" I harmonized. Once the water was back in the bowl, the doors immediately opened and Wakanda nurses and doctors came in to check on the children. As I stood up, two familiar faces walked in with pride. I smiled.
"Queen Ramonda, Princess Shuri." I replied with a bow before both women embraced me.
"We wanted to check in on you and see how you were." she replied. After that night at the beach, my sickness faded and was replaced with a gift from Bast herself. I could manipulate water. At first it felt like a dream, but immediately the royal family was alerted of what happened. The doctors said I was healthy, and the elders, based on what my mother had told them, believed I was touched by the goddess Bast herself. With the many witnesses from our village confirming my mother's words, King T'Chaka asked that I find a use for my new abilities and I did. What I felt as a young child was painful and I wouldn't wish this illness on anyone and so I decided I wanted to be a healer or at least use my gifts to heal.
With Wakanda finally being open to the rest of the world, I was allowed to study with the best doctors. Of course, what they knew, Wakanda was already head. But I still learned. With King T'Chaka and eventually King T'Challa's death, his mother retook the throne, and had much to worry with the outside word. I decided to help those in the neighboring tribes as well as past our borders who needed my help. The royal family was pleased that over time I grew close to the king when he was alive as well as his mother and sister.
"I am fine. This new strain of flu virus is very powerful and spreads quick. Wakandans can fight it but the rest of Africa may have a problem with how fast it spreads and attacks the lungs. Especially of young children." I announced. The three of us looked to a doctor who came over to us.
"We've scanned all the children. They are healed. Thank you Eywa." he said. The queen and princess sighed with relief and I just smiled and nodded. The three of us were now walking down the hall as the children were now being escorted home.
"More will be brought in. I cannot speak long." I replied with respect and the two nodded.
"Of course. We just wanted to inform you that our so-called allies in the United Nations have heard word of your abilities." Queen Ramonda said. Shuri scoffed.
"The colonizers want Wakanda to lend you to them to help, like a slave to heal their people, but only after they can make money off you first." she said. I tilted my head, my hands remaining behind my back.
"They have their medicines though." I replied. The queen nodded.
"Yes, but they are available only to those who can pay for it and you can do far more than their doctors ever could which you have proven here by healing those who need it for free." she said. I winced.
"What's the point of living if you have to pay to breathe?" I said softly. Both women nodded.
"I have told everyone that I will not just hand you over like you are someone to be used. I said I would speak to you and whatever you decide I will support." Ramond said strongly. I looked down in thought.
"If I go to them then I would be leaving everyone here exposed who may need me. I didn't learn and study all that I knew, to just heal a small percentage of people. Are any of our allies suffering from this new strain of flu virus?" I asked. Shuri shook her head.
"No. Word is there are also vaccines being made for when this virus does reach them." she said. I looked down in thought of her words. One thing my mother taught me when I embraced my new abilities is that I could not save everyone. I gently shook my head looking at the two women.
"My place is here." I replied. Both women nodded.
"I'll let them know. Two of the dora milaje will escort you back to the kingdom when you are finished here." she said. I nodded and bowed my head.
"Yes, queen mother." I replied. Even though most of our technology advanced in healing, I was also the royal doctor of the family always ready to help if needed. That meant having to stay within their home.