Revamped!

[This chapter changes everything and the chapter title gives everything away but enjoy!]

Chapter Eleven: The Traitor

The stitches Imanu did on my forehead were successful. At least, I think they are. I didn't look at them. But the other suitors didn't comment, not that I expected them to.

Thankfully, there is no form of electricity in the safe rooms because if you factor my blood being everywhere but my veins, exhaustion, dehydration, seizing pain all over my body, hidden bruises and damage everywhere in my body; I would be beyond miserable. Also, there are no windows in the safe rooms. I'm deeply claustrophobic and would usually be having a panic attack of some sorts right about now on any other day, but my whole body hurts so much that my claustrophobia is the least of my problems. In the case that I did have a panic attack, it would kill me.

The room is silent except for my suitors having a hushed conversation with each other to pass the time. Femi, Abioye, Jaheem, and Imanu continue asking Zuberi about the attack and as he responds with answers as detailed as they could be, that gets me reminiscing to what I remember seeing out there. I think back to how the attack started and the combat moves used against me. The intruders were mostly in groups and seemed to know the blueprint of the castle to use it to their advantage.

If I think back to my history classes and remember the different types of warfare, this classifies as a guerrilla attack.

And who better to perform a guerrilla attack than the Gorilla himself? It's right in their name. The uniforms and weapons were different, but their strategy remains unchanged.

My eyes immediately dart towards Chike, who continues to stand in the corner he never left. It suddenly makes sense as to why he was so calm and relaxed about the attack once we were in the safe room. He knew this would happen and that he would survive it. If he planned to have my parents killed along with the other suitors during the attack, that means I would inherit the throne and wound up marrying Chike by default. Then once our tribes were united and maybe I gave him an heir, there is no doubt that he would eliminate me, possibly by having these injuries or my grief kill me if he isn't going to pull the trigger himself.

With him on the throne, the Panther regime will be gone and Wakanda will be ruled under the Gorillas.

Zuberi sees my eyes as he further describes the attack and slows his speech down. He was in military classes so he knows what I'm trying to tell him. He catches on and immediately runs over to Chike. He picks him up by the collar of his shirt and throws him on the floor. Chike yells at him, not knowing (or pretending not to know) what is happening.

Your suitors aren't allowed to sabotage each other in any way…

That specific rule echoes in my mind on repeat because Chike did way more than just sabotage the other suitors. He threatened the lives of everyone else who matters the most to me: my parents, my castle staff, my people, and myself.

Zuberi is currently dealing with him but I know it has to me. After all, he's my responsibility.

Rage builds up in my system, numbing my pain. Strength builds up in my body and I use it to push myself up and off the table that I'm lying on. I throw my legs over the edge and stand firmly on the ground. I stumble a bit but that doesn't stop me from staring right into the eyes of that traitor.

I walk up to Chike and lower my head closer to his on the ground.

"You caused this attack and brought a burden to my kingdom," I tell him. "You could've caused the deaths of everyone I love but even if I was the only one to barely survive, I would have dared you to strike at me."

"Why so?" Chike asks menacingly. "Why bother risking your life after theirs ceases to exist?"

He doesn't confess, but he doesn't deny it either.

"Grief is the strongest motivator of all," I continue. "If you killed everyone I loved, I would still fight you and your regime till my last breath because I would have nothing left to lose. And that doesn't scare you?"

I tilt my head a little as Chike shakes his head, admirably, as if that doesn't pose a threat to him or his tribe. I can feel my strength finally returning although it's just for the brink of the moment.

"From this point forward," I continue, "you're banished from my kingdom. If you dare do one more act of treason, even the slightest, while exiting my land, I will personally return you to your tribe one limb at a time."

Chike scoffs. "Be warned, Panther, the Gorilla tribe will never stop taking the throne from you."

I make sure Chike is looking straight into my eyes. The Gorilla tribe has tried many times to take the throne of Wakanda and they have committed so much of their time and money improving their resources to do so. Although, I do give them credit for their outstanding efforts where it's due. I did mention a new military approach for Wakanda for Chike to hear and I gave him a basic tour of the castle.

My parents tried to give them a chance but letting them have a suitor, but they abused it.

But there is a very obvious reason why the Panthers have the throne and not the Gorillas. That is why I'm making sure Chike is looking right into my eyes: to show him that although I'm wounded and look as if I don't stand a chance against him, I'm still standing and have much more power in my stitches than he or his tribe will ever have.

Chike sits back, waiting for my response to his verbal threat and this time, I scoff with a small smile.

"Duly noted."

[I learned that "duly noted" is royalty for "fuck you" so there's another reason why Iqadi slays].

[Also, that whole guerrilla/Gorilla thing was a PURE coincidence. I wrote this first but when I learned about the types of warfare in history class, I had to write it in]. [2019: And because you didn't know your love for puns until now].