27
We met with many of the elders in a large room with glass right in the middle of it. There was water inside one half of the glass and none on the other. There was a long table on both sides with food. Of course, this way everyone could eat while being comfortable. Namor sat with me and the elders sat on the other side bowing to us both. Attuma and Namora sat on our side.
One of the elders spoke and Namor translated that he was happy that I was home safe. We were still able to hear each other which was good. Everyone else was mostly talking and laughing and I ate my fruit in silence. I was both tired and worried a bit. I had not been in Talokan that much since I was married off to Namor. Although a part of me was okay with this, another part of me was disappointed in myself. I am a queen now, and I need to show the Talokanil that I am worthy of being here. I needed to fully engulf myself in the culture if I was to really call this place my home. Another thing that worried me was all the unprotected sex I was having. I was becoming a slave to my lust that I didn't even think that at this very moment I could be pregnant. That was an entirely different subject now. Did the Talokan use protection to ensure the stop of pregnancies?
I knew I was not ready to be a parent. Namor looked my way before he leaned over to me.
"Are you alright? You've been very quiet." he noted. I looked at him and smiled.
"Just a bit tired." I replied. He smiled and took my hand.
"I understand. You have done quite a lot in the past few days." he said. I nodded.
"I plan to stay here in Talokan though. My place is here and I need to continue learning about my new home." I replied. I could see his eyes sparkling with happiness at my words. He brought my hands to his lips and kissed my knuckles. Once I was finished eating, I made my way back to our bedroom and just curled up in the blankets. Namor lied down on his stomach beside me.
"Rest as much as you need, my Eywa." He said. I grinned watching him for a moment.
"Can I ask you something without you getting upset?" I asked. He looked at me curiously.
"You want to visit the American allies again." he said. I shook my head and he looked relieved now. "Even if it was that, I wouldn't have gotten… too upset." We both chuckled and I shook my head.
"You said before that children don't have to come right away. You said we can enjoy being married to each other." I reminded. He nodded.
"And I meant it." he said. I nodded slowly.
"Do you all have measures that stop your women from getting pregnant during sex?" I asked. He tilted his head, eyes focusing more on me.
"I don't understand." he said. That was a no.
"Condoms." I replied. He continued to stare at me confused. "Birth control." Confusion.
"IUDs?" Confusion.
"Sponge?" Confusion.
"Pulling out!" Confusion. I shook my head.
"Eywa what are you saying to me?" he asked with a nervous laugh. I sighed. Of course, with all the advanced technology, they really had not researched and discovered methods to ensure pregnancies didn't happen.
"Up above, there are resources that can be used to ensure a woman does not get pregnant during sex." I replied. Namor frowned and sat up.
"Barbarians!" he said with disgust, and I shook my head sitting up now.
"No, it's to prevent women from getting pregnant if they don't want to be. Look a lot of people want to have sex for the sheer pleasure of it and not have to worry about having a baby. It is normalized in Wakanda as well. I enjoy having sex with you, but…"
"You don't want to be pregnant." he concluded and I sighed and shook my head.
"Not yet anyways. I still have so much to learn about Talokan, about you. I mean haven't you all talked about that sort of stuff?" I asked. He shook his head looking down perplexed.
"No. It is always seen as a great honor to be pregnant and Talokan." he said.
"And all the women in Talokan believe this?" I asked and he looked away with uncertainty.
"I do not know." he said. I nodded in thought before shrugging.
"That's okay. Things are different down here. Tomorrow I will go to Wakanda and talk to my doctor about resources." I replied. Now he looked confused.
"What resources?" he asked.
"Resources about a possible IUD." I replied nuzzling back into my pillow.
"What is an IUD?" he asked.
"A little device placed in my uterus to stop sperm from getting in and impregnating me." I explained carelessly.
"Why would you do that yourself?" he asked. I could sense the anger in his tone and I looked at him and sat up again.
"Why not? It's painless and when or if I am ready to have children I can remove it." I replied. I could tell my words were angering him further. He moved from the bed.
"If? There is not if, you will have my children. Those are your duties to me, to Talokan!" he snapped. My body filled with rage as I moved from the bed. Oh my Bast. He's prolife to my prochoice.
"Who do you think you are to command me what I decide with my body!" I snapped.
"I am your king! We discussed that you will give me children that we will be a family." he argued. I shook my head.
"We are a family. Children are not the only things to make a family exist!" I yelled. He pointed to the ground.
"Not here. Not in Talokan. I forbid you from altering your body in any way that could stop you from getting pregnant!" he stated. My body completely froze and I tensed at his words.
"How dare you." I said lowly. He squinted at me floating over the bed and now hovering over me with his upper half leaned over me and his feet in the air.
"How dare you make such a decision so carelessly without considering my feelings!" he said.
"Does your body grow children, does your emotions and hormones change immensely, is your life put at risk exponentially when you carry, I didn't think so!" I yelled.
"I have made my decision and you will not disobey me." he stated, eyes hard and focused on me. I just frowned at him heavily and without another word, he flew from the room and the doors closed. I could feel my entire body ready to explode and finally, my eyes watered and tears fell heavily as I collapsed on the floor crying uncontrollably.