It had been two days since she last saw Attuma after he had shown her around Talokan. She can understand why Shuri was so captivated and had fought tooth and nail to make this alliance happen. The ruler of Talokan is a very stubborn man who is used to getting everything his way, so unquestionably, it must have come as a surprise when faced with a particular predicament. That predicament was the princess herself, remembering the frustration she had seen on the man's face. Kimoyo's bead goes off for the fifth time in the morning; W'Kabi has been trying to contact her. Probably to apologize for what he had said to her before she left. Either way, she refused to answer and refused to listen to the voicemails he had left. Should she listen? He was a good husband, so she should listen to the voice messages that he left for her, but also, at the same time, does she have to? Fighting herself, she decided it wouldn't hurt to listen, and she could select from there.
She owed him that much, at least. She had divorced him with the queen's help, avoided speaking to him, and slowly deviated away from his family. Deciding to go ahead, she went through every voice message and somehow regretted it. How often can a man apologize, says he loves her and wants to make things right? She had made it clear that she no longer wanted a relationship with him, yet she found his devotion to her creepy. If T'Challa were still alive, he would probably talk her into giving W'Kabi a chance and observing him for her own eyes to see if he had truly changed. Slightly she felt relieved that he wasn't alive and guilty at the same time. It sometimes scared her how willingly she would follow him without a doubt. Since W'Kabi's imprisonment, so much she had done in her life wasn't because she had wanted it for herself. She became a Dora for herself, but in hopes, she would be a compatible partner for T'Challa. And she wasn't jealous that Nakia had his interests; she had moved on, but she felt jealous at times when Nakia quickly got away by being more defiant. She had slapped T'Challa in the face when he called her stiff compared to Nakia in front of W'Kabia and Nakia. She was the only one that dared retaliate and insult him. Nakia had tried to calm everyone down, and in her anger, Okoye told her to fuck herself. Her rebellious free nature didn't help any situation, and she refused anyone to compare them, for she already had enough of it in her own family home. W'Kabi was smart enough to keep his mouth shut during the exchange.
Okoye was undefeated on the training grounds that day, and she had avoided everyone for a good two weeks. When Okoye did not want to be bothered, she was outstanding, making it difficult to find. Nakia had tried many times to speak to her, and in some way, Okoye felt slightly bad for it, but she didn't give a single fuck. She had made herself very clear, and she needed to step away. The desire to separate herself was the only thing helping her try to make a name for herself. T'Challa had tried as well. She stayed to watch her train among the others, tried to block her paths several times, and even ordered for her. His desire to apologize to her was great, and even though he was an intelligent lad, he was still stupid like other men; T'Challa didn't think before he opened his mouth. She didn't share the things that her family had said to her. Her family loved her but didn't make her feel like she was enough for them to be proud of her.
When Okoye wanted to become a Dora, all she heard in her home was how Nakia wished to become a War Dog, how proud her family must be, and how pretty she was. She was eager to leave her home to train. Okoye avoided her family just to put herself at peace. W'Kabi is the only one she allows to talk to her. He had once tried to get everyone together but failed when Okoye smacked him on the back of his head and left. Nakia had wanted to stop her but ended up saying something unwise in anger that opened a whole other can of worms that even she stepped away in fear of regretting her words. T'Challa had placed himself between them to protect Nakia, but he always wanted to calm Okoye down.
A prince admitting to his best friend he missed her and regretted his words pulled at her strings. Ayo, at the time, stood beside Okoye in support when they had just developed their new friendship. After another month, she finally allowed herself to talk to her friends but shut them up by threatening them all. Okoye would commit treason without caring about the consequences if Okoye heard anyone comparing her to Nakia or anyone else. She pulled back even more from them, but the memory of T'Challa finally being fed up put a smile on her face. It was also cute at T'Challa's efforts to earn back her forgiveness, and he accepted that she would never apologize for slapping him in the face. He did thank her for it, and he ended up remembering to choose his words wisely.
Deleting her messages, she prayed to Bast T'Challa understands nothing W'Kabi does will make her want to be back with him. Sometimes she needs him to hug her and tell her he supports her in any decision she makes. They were the best hugs and support she had received when words couldn't help. Everyone had given their input, and not one person besides Shuri had just given her time to let her breathe. A knock on her door startled her from concentration. The thought of a good distraction from her unnecessary problems felt like a break. Jumping out of her bed, she opened the door to see Attuma standing patiently. "Avoiding me, Okoye."
"Would you look at that? You are smart, after all." Attuma rolled his eyes with a smile on his face. "What do you want, Attuma?" Attuma walked past her brushing his arm on hers. Just the touch of her is enough to put him at ease.
"I haven't seen you in two days. You seem just out of reach whenever I spot you." Okoye raised her eyebrow, somehow intrigued but yet annoyed.
"Shouldn't you be courting your future wife instead of trying to reach me? You have already done what was required of you to help me. You don't want to give your future wife the wrong impression." crossing her arms over her chest Attuma couldn't help but look at her breast spilling a little out of her tunic. Talokan's clothing looks good on her. He had purchased a few pieces of clothing for her, wanting to make sure she felt welcomed, but he didn't think he would see her in her night clothes so soon. Her strapless two-piece tunic is teasing. He wasn't sure what he was buying but was grateful he had gotten Namora to help him.
"I haven't seen my future wife in two days. I feel she wanted to hide from me." Okoye laughed, closing the door and heading to her bed; she laid on her back. "You find this funny?" Shaking her head, she returned to deleting her messages but accidentally pressed play. Okoye froze as the hologram of her ex played again.
Okoye, I am sorry for what I said before you left Wakanda. I want to make things work between us. I know it will take a lot to fix things, we are meant to be together, and you still love me the way I love you. When you get this, please call me, so I know you are okay. I will live this life, making it up to you, my love.
That treacherous excuse for a man, Attuma, wanted to kill him with his bare hands. How dare he even convinced his wife to take him back? Attuma watched as Okoye deleted the message putting her kimoyo beads back on her dresser. "Do you plan on taking him back?" Even though this was none of his business, he needed to know his next step in showing her that he was a better fit to be her husband. She needed someone strong beside her, and he was it. Okoye belonged on the field where she shined the brightest. She is a warrior who needs to fight, and he wants to fight beside her as her equal. He would live a prosperous, fulfilled life supporting her in anything she wanted. When the time came, he would proudly raise their little ones if she didn't want to be a housewife—in his culture, raising their children while the woman still worked was a great honor. The surface world is such a pesky annoyance; his people could not understand why the men in the surface world find it an embarrassment and are against women succeeding in this world.
"Attuma, stop asking me stupid questions." Okoye turned to look at him. "I made up my mind a long time ago. I will never go back to him. I moved on." relief filled his chest at her words as he moved to sit on her bed beside her. Placing his hand on her bald head, he smiles gently at her. She closed her eyes slightly whenever he did this, turning more into his touch. "I feel like I can't breathe since he got pardoned."
"You are here now in Talokan, away from him. You know you are free to breathe." Okoye paused, looking at him, breaking into fits of laughter. Sitting Indian style facing him, she can't help but shake her head, holding onto his hand unbeknownst that their fingers are now intertwined. Being enemies, she finds it ironic how much comfort she feels when beside him. These moments are all new to her, but she can not deny that this is what she has needed since T'Challa died.
"Thank you, Attuma; you just know how to cheer me up." Attuma brings her fingers to his lips and kisses each knuckle. "You will make a fine husband one day. She would be lucky to know such a warrior as yourself has desired to court her. I pray she is not stupid." this makes Attuma chuckle. Her words fill him with glee.
"Trust me. The one I have chosen is a brilliant woman." A slight twinge of pain hits her chest at his words, and she nods.
"I'm not in the mood to spar today. Attuma may be another time." Pulling her hand away, Attuma eyes his empty hand. "being in my room doesn't look good, you know. People will talk."
"Let them talk. I do not care." Okoye, now annoyed, rolled her eyes at his foolish decision-making.
"You are courting your future wife, but you are in my room with me. That doesn't look good on both ends. Use your brain Attuma." Okoye, getting out of bed, pulls him to stand to kick him out of her room, but he doesn't budge this time.
"Okoye, I am right where I want to be." Okoye looks at him as if he has lost his head.
"You can not be serious. For a strong warrior, you are a fool."
"And for an amazing warrior, you are blind to see that I am courting you." Okoye's eyes widened in shock as Attuma took the chance to stand, placing his hands on her hips, pulling her close to his body, and looking down upon her. "I see my actions haven't been the best, and my words were unclear. I am courting you, Okoye. I desire to be your husband and am far better than a treacherous ex-husband." Okoye gulped at his words. "I didn't visit you in your home to spar with you, Okoye, to be your friend. I am a man Okoye. A man that desires such a woman as yourself as my equal, a warm body at night in my bed, a partner to start a family that I will gladly die for without hesitation. Why do you think the queen had sent you here, Okoye? You are not here to watch over your princess. You are here to be with me." With every word said, all Okoye can think is, why is this so hot?
"Well, maybe a girl likes to be surprised once in a while." Fuck is she wet? Why does she feel tingly down there all of a sudden?
"Says the woman who ranted she hates surprises." Okoye looked away, realizing her words had come back, and bit her in the ass. She was beginning to discover many things were coming back to bite her in the ass and that she had called herself a bitch. She was jealous of herself. Attuma wants her. Holy shit Attuma wants her. Internally she was jumping like a child, and mentally she had not returned from the high of the knowledge she had just learned. Did he say she requested her to be here so he could court her? Attuma took a few steps forward, forced to walk backward till her back touched the wall. "I desire you, Okoye, and I will convince you to have me."
"What if I refuse." Okoye is now mentally shouting at herself to shut up. Attuma tilts his head to the side, contemplating if she is asking him this question or if this is just her being stubborn. Either way, she was showing excellent signs and wasn't retaliating or trying to get out of his grasp. His smile widened as his left hand was placed under her chin, keeping her head up to keep her from looking away.
"You are wet, Okoye." her eyes widened, and she tightened her legs closer. "You won't refuse me. It's just a matter of when you will accept me." If this is manhandling, she does not want it to stop. "So I am where I need to be." Biting her bottom lip, feeling surprised and impressed about his confession.
"Wait, you can smell me?" All the times they spared, the moments she checked him out, he could smell it.
"That is the first thing you ask?"
Son of a bitch.