Revamped!
[Technically, there are ten suitors when Iqadi first meets them, but I'm only introducing six. These boys are the most important and if you forget them and who they are, there is no problem with that. It took me a while to remember who's who].
Chapter Four: The Suitors
I step in front of my mirror and check my dress again. There will be more eyes on me in a short time, and I need to look like the self-assured princess they already know me to be, not to mention the person I already know myself to be. Finding no fault with myself, I begin heading downstairs.
I nod at advisors, guards, maids, and butlers along the way and in return, I either get a nod in return or a soft greeting. It's hard to picture my palace more crowded than it already is. My staff will also have to work harder to complete the many tasks that will be cast upon them.
I approach my father who waits and will be accompanying me on meeting my suitors, even though he already knows who they are. He briefly moves his eyes to acknowledge my arrival.
"Your mother will be joining us shortly," he tells me. Of course, the first thing he says to me is about my mother. "Are you ready?"
"I am," I reply confidently.
There was no other response he would've accepted. Even if I said I wasn't ready, it wouldn't change the events that were expected to happen whatsoever. Father is a man of firmness. I dare not reveal to him how nervous this all makes me. He can read the anxiety on my face as if it were a book placed in front of him.
"Be positive, my darling," Father whispers, tilting my chin up towards his eyes.
Father never liked it if I was scared for two reasons: he always wanted me to be safe with no worries and to avoid looking weak for the enemy. Today, his eyes are soft and empathetic towards me, unlike the usual boldness.
I smile as confidently as I can as my mother approaches us. Thank god for a distraction. As usual, my father lights up at the sight of his beautiful wife and embraces her. Mother kisses both his cheeks as if she hasn't seen him in forever when they actually saw each other less than an hour ago. Even after their many years of marriage, they always find the need to show affection to one another as if they just met.
"Are we all ready?" Mother asks.
"Indeed," Father replies, holding out an arm for her to take.
Like always, she accepts his gesture and I walk in their shadow.
-o-
Standing in the middle of the ballroom is a straight line of ten handsome men, all wearing dashikis in different colours and styles, bowing all at once for me and my parents. Some of them are better than others at hiding their nerves. I don't mind the slight fidgeting or looking at the ground but my parents might. This is a more of a life change for them than for me. Even if they don't become my husband, they will be well off in the public world because they were a suitor.
To meet them, my parents would stop at a suitor, introduce him, and share a snippet about them which I believe is the reason they're here in the first place. Why would they choose anyone boring? Then the suitor would bow to which I respond with a curtsy. After a few rounds of that, I take a sharp yet silent breath. This is all too much to absorb in one moment. Most of those previous names went over my head, even the bun.
"This is Sir Jaheem," Mother introduces. "He has been travelling around the world and has learned over seven languages."
Sir Jaheem bows and I nod respectively. My parents probably want me to learn more languages or be more knowledgeable about geography.
"This is Sir Zuberi," Father says about the next suitor. "He is currently the top of his class for our military forces."
Sir Zuberi bows and I nod respectively, again. Who better to rule Wakanda by my side than another trained fighter? The most notable about him is that he's more built than the other suitors.
"This is Sir Imanu," Mother says next. "He works in our vibranium mines and one could say he's a genius in the subject."
Sir Imanu is the first to blush when their synopsis is told aloud. When our eyes meet, his open in a quick alarm before he quickly bows. My parents didn't notice but I did. I didn't nod back, but when he looks back up at me, I'm grinning. I saw that, Imanu.
I hope he doesn't think this interaction puts him at a disadvantage because I respect people in science, especially him because vibranium is our number one resource, not to mention the most powerful in the whole world.
And he worked for us, right here in the palace. It must be new for him to be up at the surface.
With that in mind, the next few names went over my head. I'll learn them eventually…
"This is Sir Femi," Mother continues. "He is well-loved by our advisors and is a great aid towards them. He's an intern for our communications representative."
Femi bows and I nod respectively. Unlike the others, he reaches for my hands and gives it a small kiss. My parents don't react, but I open my mouth in a small shock. I'm not horrified or mad about it. In fact, I loved it.
My parents stop at the last two suitors, planning to introduce them both at once. I can't think of a reason for such.
"This is Sir Abioye of the Tiger tribe and Sir Chike of the Gorilla tribe," Father says to me. He seems prouder to introduce them.
Wakanda is made up of many tribes. Speaking on behalf of the Panther tribe, we have full control of the country and its vibranium. We get along with most of the other tribes. Some more than others. Not all of them are our allies (there are some who despise us and want the power we have), but we still overpower them.
And we have nothing to worry about.
Sirs Abioye and Chike bow in sync as I nod respectively, putting an arm across my chest to my shoulder. What better way to strengthen a relationship between two tribes than marrying off their offspring to the one in charge? No wonder Father is excited. They're definitely top contenders and the reason why they were introduced last out of the bunch.
When we're done, I turn around and stand in front of my parents to face all my suitors at once.
"It has been a pleasure meeting you all," I announce to them. "I hope to get to know you better soon."
I smile at them and they bow again. My cheeks ache from all the smiling but all I can think about is how much this all means. One of those ten suitors will be my husband, my prince.
A huge part of my life is beginning and I can't think of a proper way to rejoice.
[For any of you from The Selection fandom, Wakanda's tribes are basically Illéa's castes, just with more tension between them. For instance, Iqadi would be a One and Abioye and Chike would probably be a Two, and Femi and Zuberi maybe a Three, and Jaheem a bit lower down the scale, and Imanu is closer to the bottom for reasons TBA].
[2019: I know they don't bow or stuff in Wakanda, but leave me alone].