10 years later
T'Challa ran down the hallways of the palace making sure to avoid the servants as they were scrambling about getting to their morning posts. He gets to a large oak door and lightly knocks before opening it. Max was sitting on the couch with his laptop and tons of papers scattered around him.
"Good morning T'Challa. Mia is in her room.", Max said looking at the boy over his glasses.
T'Challa smiled and headed towards Mia's room door. He lightly knocked before opening it. Mia was at her desk that was in front of a large window.
"Artemesia?", T'Challa said with caution.
Mia looks back and gives T'Challa a forced smile.
"Hey Chal, I'm sorry but I can't come with you into town today. My dad said that I need to get caught up on this paperwork by the end of the day.", Mia said leaning her head on her hand staring down at her desk covered in chaos with disgust. T'Challa smiles, walks over to Mia's bed to pet Spirit on the head as he sat down on her bed.
"Oh don't be like that Mia. You are the smartest person in Wakanda and you need to study hard so you can get to be a doctor, right?", asks T'Challa as he leans and places his elbows on his knees. Over the years, T'Challa has grown to be Mia's brother and he was always in her corner. Mia took a deep breath looking out into the jungle outside. She graduated from high school only a few years ago and was now studying for her finals to receive her degree. Its safe to say that Mia was a genius.
"Yeah, I know. It's just stressing me out. Tomorrow I hop on an airplane to start medical school in New York City. I'm only 16, aren't I supposed to be thinking about boys and getting a tan at this age?"
T'Challa laughs and stands up facing Mia.
"Stand up, cub.", T'Challa says holding his hands out for her to grab. She smiles and stands up.
"This is what you are supposed to be. You are the smartest person in this family and everyone is so proud of you. Me most of all.", he states holding her shoulders making her look at him. Mia smiles gently and comes forward to lay her head on T'Challa's shoulder.
"What if I have one of my episodes at school and you're not there to stop me?", Mia asks moving away from T'Challa. She rubs her hands on her blue jeans in a nervous fashion.
"You haven't had an episode in weeks. Besides, that is why father has you an apartment to yourself so you won't have to worry about having a roommate. Spirit will be there with you and he can sense an attack before it happens. And it will give me a place to crash whenever I'm in New York for a visit.", Chal adds making Mia smile.
Mia looks around her room at all the boxes ready to be placed on the jet first thing in the morning. From as far back as Mia could remember, she wanted to be a doctor and her only choice for school was NYU School of Medicine. She had no idea what field of medicine she wanted to go into but that didn't matter to her.
Mia is a creature of habit and her nights always ends with a nice hot shower. It helps calm her anxious mind and body helping get at least a few hours of sleep. The nightmares started back a few months ago and sleep was a novelty to her. She stands in front of her steamed up mirror looking at her reflection. Her golden-hued hair slicked back still wet from her long shower. It hung down her back past her waist. The girls at school would tease Mia telling her to cut her hair off but Shuri, T'Challa's sister, would always intervene letting the bullies know Mia was off limits to them. Nakia, Mia's closest friend other than
T'Challa would love to spend hours playing with her hair telling her that angels in heaven strung her hair from the rays of the sun. These were the moments Mia would miss the most while studying abroad even the constant banter between her and Okoye. Which kept even the king in stitches. Okoye had given Mia the nickname, Skýlos which is the Greek word for dog and just to irritate Okoye, Mia would meow every time she wanted to irritate her. They were a testament to the phrase love-hate relationship.
Mia came out of the bathroom with her sweatpants and NYU tee-shirt on. She saw that the lamp in the living room was on and went to investigate. Her father was sitting on the couch looking at the family photo album. He looked up and smiled at his daughter patting the empty spot on the couch next to him. Mia smiled back in recognition and sat down resting her head on Max's shoulder.
"It's late Dad, why are you still awake?", Mia asked him as she gently rubbed his back.
"Oh, just thinking about things. Thinking about how proud your mother would be of you right now.", Max said almost in a whisper. Mia looked down at the picture in his hands. It was of the three of them right after Mia was born. Mia got her features from her mother but her stubbornness from her father. There was so much uncertainty in Mia's heart and he couldn't help but show it.
"Dad, what if I don't go to NYU and just stay here with you. I can work in the palace infirmary. I can make a difference in the world there and not be a threat to anyone around me. ", Mia said looking at the picture of the three. These words pained her father and he takes the picture from Mia's hands. He places his hands on either side of her face forcing her to look at him.
"Artemesia, you have no idea of the greatness that is within you because you are too busy concentrating on the darkness. Unfortunately, this is something that I cannot help you with. That darkness that is within you, I believe is going to save this world. But you must first come to peace with it. Don't let it control you, you control it.", Max says looking Mia in the eyes. A single tear rolls down her cheek as a smile comes across her face. Max pulls her into a hug.
"I love you, Dad.", Mia says into her father's shoulder.
The entire royal family stood out on the platform of the paddock. The pilot takes Mia's knapsack to place it inside of the jet. Ramonda and Shuri embrace Mia first to say goodbye. There are a few tears shed but they are happy tears because they know this is only the beginning of Mia's life. Nakia comes up next with tears rolling down her face. She hugs Mia as if she doesn't want to let go.
"Nakia, you act as if you are never going to see me again.", Mia says pulling Nakia back looking at her.
"I'm happy for you, I really am. But who's hair am I going to play with when the winter storms roll in?", Nakia answers back. Mia looks at her towards Okoye nodding towards her.
" You can play with Okoye's hair. Oh wait, she doesn't have any.", Mia says smirking at her rival/friend. Nakia laughs and steps away. Okoye steps forward offering Mia her hand.
"If I said I will miss you skýlos, that would be a lie.", Okoye says plainly.
" O, that was almost an emotion you experienced there. Are you okay? Do you need to take a cat nap?", Mia said as she reaches into her coat pocket pulling out a little bag full of catnip.
"Now don't get carried away with this stuff. On second thought, here Chall you might need to hang on to this for her.", Mia says throwing him the bag as he breaks out into laughter. Okoye walks away unamused as T'Challa and T'Chaka step forward to say their farewells.
"It's going to be very boring around here without you, Cub.", T'Challa says pulling Mia into a big hug. T'Chaka takes his turn next embracing his Goddaughter.
"Now go and let the world know what Wakandans can do.", he says looking proudly into Mia's eyes. She fights back the tears stinging her eyes. Looking back towards the plane, her father stands by with his hands in his pockets waiting for his daughter.
Mia walks up to him and places her hands in his.
"So, I'll call you when I land?", Mia says trying to figure out the right things to say at a time like this.
Max places his hands on either side of Mia's face and places their foreheads together in an embrace.
"Remember what I said. Don't let the darkness control you, you learn to control it. It will save your life and the lives of many others.", Max says lightly squeezing Mia head. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She soon feels a nudge on her side seeing Spirit next to her. Max knees down to look the wolf in the eyes.
"She's in your hands now, big guy. Take care of her for me?", Max asks Spirit and gets an affectionate lick on the face.
Mia heads towards the opening of the jet with Spirit in tow. She walks into the large ramp and turns around to watch her loved ones disappears as the gate to the jet closes. Mia takes a seat, fastens her seat belt as Spirit jumps up into the seat next to her. She pets his head and looks out of the window. The jungle below her soon begins to become smaller as the jet takes off into the heavens. Her thoughts are broken by Spirit placing his head in her lap. She strokes the fur between his ears closing her eyes. They both drift off into a sleep as the wind and the jet takes them towards the place that they will begin their journey, New York City.