4
He's not your king! I'm your king and can't no one help you!
My eyes snapped opened and I sat up with a scream. I covered my mouth immediately, leaning away from those who might see me and cried silently. I took quick breaths to regain myself and my composure. I then began to look around at where I was at. The ceiling was covered in spiked rocks and blue danced around it. I was in a cave? I looked around some more.
"Agent Ross?" I called out lowly. I wanted to be heard by him, but not the Talokans. Why did id they do this? Why did they attack us? Had one of our allies done something to them to make them want revenge?
I slowly stood up and felt the cool rocks below. They were so cold! I looked around at this cave I was in. I could feel the water within the rocks. I held my hands out curled my fingers some as if wanting the water to come to me and they did. Water began to fall from the tips of the rocks above and move from the ground below into my feet and face. I closed my eyes and took in the cool droplets. Suddenly, a quick gasp made my eyes open and look forward to see a two blue women standing there with facial apparatuses on.
My arms dropped and now all the water hit the ground instead of moving into me. The women were dressed in clothes I had only ever seen in the history books of the Mayan people. They both carefully moved toward me. One held out what looked like a plate of food and the other held out what looked like robes. They quickly placed them on the ground and then hurried off. I watched them leave and then looked down at what was left. I moved over to them and picked up the first item. They were beaded clothing. I looked over the different blues and greens that were in the clay beads. I removed my wet clothes and quickly put this on not wanting to be naked for very long. I placed the neck piece around my neck and the dress seemed to come into place. However, it was tight in some areas.
I could feel my bust pressed into the fabric. Everything else seemed okay. Under the beads were a white transparent fabric. Now two more Talokans approached. I had seen them both before when they attacked Wakanda. The woman with a fish fabric heads dress and the man with the hammer head shark skull headdress. They were both very dangerous that much I knew. They spoke in their language that I was not familiar with and so I just stood there. The woman motioned her head for me to come and the two began to turn and walk on.
Guess I'd better do what they motion. I followed them down the relaxing cave hall wondering where it was, they were taking me. I got my answer when I saw a lit room. A painting was on the wall and someone was sitting before it adding to its rich color. The two warriors stepped aside so I could come in and then they left. I looked at the mutant I had seen once before flying over Wakanda with his warriors. Slowly he stood up. I could easily see his pointed ears and the feathers on his feet.
"Ah you are awake. I am glad those savages had not harmed you." he said with a low purr. He finally turned to face me, brown eyes as warm as the smile on his face. He slowly walked toward me. "Do you know who I am?"
I immediately stepped back, a distrustful frown on my face.
"All of Wakanda knows who you are, Namor." I replied and his smile was now a twinge prideful. I looked around. "There was an agent with me. Is he here?" His smile lightened a bit.
"No we got what we came for. To not further risk a war, we let the rest live and left them on their boat." he said. "But you know of me, but I do not know of you. What are you called?" I looked him over some making sure to carefully watch him.
"Eywa." I replied. He looked intrigued.
"Eywa. I have never heard of a name of such beauty." he said.
I looked down ignoring the compliment, but I was relieved that the agent was alive. Now I shook my head confused.
"I don't understand why you did this. Why attack the ship in the first place, you were supposed to be our allies." I replied. Now he looked confused and shook his head.
"Of course, Wakanda is our allies for now." he said looking me over before frowning and turning around. I looked at him with concern and took a step forward.
"For now? You betrayed us!" I asked and now he looked at me confused.
"Us?" he asked and now I was confused by this conversation.
"Yes?" I asked, confusion in our tone. He sighed gently now looking calm as he turned toward me again.
"Of course, you would be confused. A Talokan maidan raised in a world not of her own, this must all seem so strange to you." he said. Now my eyes widened, and I stepped back once more from him.
"You must be mistaken. I am not Talokan. I was born in the Mining Tribe of Wakanda." I replied. He shook his head.
"You have been told lies. You are Talokan. The many elders of Talokan have been watching you as word of your abilities spread to our world and they claim you are of us. I almost did not believe them until I saw you heal the soldier above." he said. I blinked rapidly shaking my head.
"No. I was given my ability by the goddess Bast herself so that I may help my people." I replied. Namor shook his head.
"I know this is hard to believe but it is true." he said. I stared at him for a moment now slowly intrigued.
"Your people can manipulate water then?" I asked. He sighed and shook his head.
"No." he said. I tilted my head.
"Then how do you know I am of you? I do not look like you or your people." I replied. He nodded, his face continuing to eye me as he once more began to step closer to me.
"Yes that I cannot explain which is why I had to bring you here. You are clearly of both land and sea… like me." he said. The mysterious and dark look he gave me made me nervous and I backed away quickly.
"I don't care what you think I am. You have no right to keep me here and Queen Ramonda will know what you have done." I said. Namor gave a casual nod.
"Yes she will in time. But until that time comes you will remain here until my elders come and look at you. If they see you and say you are not Talokan then I will let you go and will explain to the queen my mistake. But if you are of us, then Wakanda will have a lot of explaining to do." he said seriously before stepping back and moving to sit down. "Until the elders arrive, please eat."
He raised his hand to the round table in the middle of the room with a plate of what looked like seaweed and fish, and I looked at it completely freaked out. Silently I moved over to the table and silently picked at the fish. It tasted strange, but I said nothing for I just needed to find a way out of here.
"When did your elders even start watching me?" I asked. I know Wakanda's security can't detect them.
"When you were traveling from Wakanda to study medicine around the world. You're a healer. The best I heard." he said glancing at me. I just looked down and nodded.
"I cannot say the best, but I do what I can." I replied. He scoffed and smirked.
"It's okay you don't have to humble yourself. You can say you're the best if it's true." he said. I just looked away and now looked at the wall. I needed more water. I looked around more for some source. "Thirsty?"
"A little. Is this how you plan to keep me weak?" I asked. He looked almost offended as he stood up.
"I would never do such a thing to one of my own." he said before yelling something in his language toward the door.
"But I am not your own. Just because I control water doesn't immediately make me one of you." I said.
"When our elders get here we will know for sure." he said as another young woman approached with a large brown bowl. She bowed at Namor before approaching me and handing me the bowl. I lightly thanked her and sat the bowl on the table and just dipped my hands in it. I sighed gently feeling overwhelming relief flood over me. Namor approached with a soft stare.
"The water calls you doesn't it." he said and I looked up at him with a silent not. He nodded and looked at the bowl and then at me raising his hands some. "May I?"
I stiffened at his request not sure what it was he was getting at, but I slowly nodded. He gently placed his hands in the bowl as well. We all had to learn about the Talokans and their society in case they ever attacked again. I knew Namor needed to be by a source of water even if he can last longer outside of it then his people which was at least ten minutes. As his hands were engulfed in the water, I looked down watching as he gently let his fingers move about the water. I mirrored his fingers, and the water formed gentle waves.
Why were my fingers tingling as they moved.
"There is a great power in you." he noted, and I glanced up at him as he glanced down at me. I then feel the sensational warmth of flesh close to my fingers and I look down noticing his fingers were inching near mine. I was frozen almost, too afraid to move, as another man gets close to me that I was not strong enough to fight again. My heart was pounding hard with fear, until finally his fingertips graze against mine and I see something, we both see it. We looked at each other curious of what just happened and now we looked back at the water and yet again, Namor's finger push against mine. A glowing line of blue emits from both our fingertips moving into one another.
What was happening? I didn't feel pain from this interaction. I didn't feel fear either. Slowly Namor pushed further, slowly pushing his knuckles now into my palm to guide my fingers upward so that both our palms were together. The blue light spread against our hands. It reminded me of Tarzan when his hand touched Jane's. What was going on? I looked at Namor who looked just as mystified by this blue light as I was. The two servant women re entered the room, and I immediately withdrew my hand, holding it with my free hand and absorbing the water.
Namor just looked at me with a smile as if he knew something I didn't. He now turned to the older Talokan men who stood there. They bowed to Namor who nodded at them and looked at me.
"Stand before the elders. They will be quick." he said. I looked at the blue men unsure and distrustful. "You will not be harmed." I looked from him then to the men and slowly moved over to them, my face showing I didn't trust anyone in here. The men were in old head gear and wrapped in what looked like some warm fur. I stood before the men and they looked me over speaking in their ancient language and I just stood there. One of them raised their wrist revealing a metal bracelet.
"This can scan your DNA without having to take blood.," Namor said standing beside me now. I was aware their technology was just as advanced as Wakanda, so I knew they wouldn't lie. "It will tell us what we need to know." Good I wanted to get this over with so I could leave. The older man held his wrist up and a white light scanned over me. It was quick and I didn't feel anything. The light then disappeared before showing a holograph of what looked like information, symbols that I could not read, but everyone around me sure could by the stunned expressions on their faces.
"What does it say?" I asked.
"You are not Wakandan… or Talokan," he said looking at me now. "You are both."