Chapter 17: shaky alliances and misunderstanding

T'challa stood on the sand with the Dora and Eric by his side. To show good faith, he decided to come to greet Kukulkan himself. After much thought and seeking of the council, he realized, he truly wanted this alliance to work. He had his reservations and concerns but at the end of the day, they were both kings trying to protect their countries. They could come to a compromise. A happy medium so to speak.

Before he left, he asked Nakia and his mother to stay in the citadel thorne room while they waited for their guest.

A table had been added to the room so that a scribe could write the treaty agreement as they spoke. T'challa assumed treaty negotiations would take a few days maybe a week. He decided it would be an olive branch to ask Kukulkan to stay at the citadel with them while they negotiated. He could show the sea king, all that was Wakanda and hopefully placate his angry nature.

"Okoye. What time is it?"

"it is 8:55, my king. We have five minutes."

"very good we will-"

T'challa didn't get to finish because a royal guard appeared out of the trees.

"my king. They have sights of the sea king in the city. He was seen in the river tribe, then the border tribe and now he is in the city square. He dragged two children into the water!"

As the guard gave his report, four blue individuals appeared out of the water.

"my king it is an ambush!" Okoye warned.

Immediately both sides became defensive and readied their spears.

" ayo watch them. If they make any sudden move you attack. Okoye, Eric come with me!."

Before he left t'challah saw a few more soldiers emerge from the sea.

This was going to be bad.

…..

Shuri felt her heart soften as she watched her husband. A toddler was in her lap laughing.

By now many of the children in the area had pulled their parents over to see the fish man. At the moment he was giving them rides on the back of his orca, Ixchel. She had her feet in the water laughing as some of the fish came to nibble on her feet. She knew it was ch'ah doing. The fish seemed to linger near him. Ixchel seemed extra loving toward her.

"woo!" one of the children cheered as ch'ah guided Ixchel to go a tiny bit faster. After about two minutes, he gently helped the child off.

"im next! " a little boy cheered. " but..im afraid of water.." he admitted.

"hmm, maybe we can do something else. Do you trust me?" ch'ah asked seriously.

The child tilted his head as he looked at ch'ah.

"You not gonna eat me are you?"

Shuri couldn't help but laugh. her husband, however, kept a straight face.

"no child. I will not eat you."

The child looked over at Shuri for assurance. She gave him the biggest smile she could.

With that encouragement, the little boy smiled ready for whatever her husband had in mind.

It was then ch'ah picked up the boy and flew high into the sky.

"HE CAN FLY!" one of the kids exclaimed.

This of course gained everyone's attention, as ch'ah did a couple of flips in the air.

He then let the little boy down gently who began to proclaim how cool the flying man was.

Ch'ah bent down to pick up a little girl when they were suddenly surrounded. Okoye and a few Dora alongside her brother and cousin.

"put the child down," Okoye ordered.

Immediately, Shuri put down the toddler in her lap, guided him towards his mother, and stood in front of ch'ah.

He ignored Okoye and looked down at the little girl.

"I think you better go find your mother, young one."

"but I didn't get to fly." She cried.

"next time little one. I promise.." he said as he gently guided her away.

As soon as she was away from danger, he stood to his full height and looked at her brother menacingly.

"Is there a problem?" he questioned.

"you." her brother began. " you are in my city. Hassaling my people. What are you even doing here."

Shuri opened her mouth to speak but her brother silenced her.

"I am talking to him." He roared.

Ch'ah went around Shuri to come face to face with her brother.

"I think you are mistaken King T'challa. What reason could I possibly have to hurt your nation's children? Princess Shuri was simply showing me your nation and your kingdom's children came to me."

Before her brother could respond, Okoye made a noise of distress.

"my king! His people are attacking the guard on the beach!"

"you! This was an ambush!" her bother called. He then launched himself at her husband.

Before Shuri could do anything, two of the dora were stepping in front of her.

"Okoye! Get to the beach! Take them down!" Eric ordered.

At the moment, Eric and T'challa were circling namor. Somehow her husband had managed to get his hands on a spear.

"NO! BROTHER STOP THIS! IT WAS A MISUNDERSTNSDING!" she yelled.

"do not let her interfere!" her brother ordered the Dora. They blocked her way and refused to let her through.

She screamed as her brother and cousin launched themselves at her husband. He then was able to break Eric's arm, but not before Eric gave him a quick kick to the ribs. She heard something break.

Her brother was then able to claw her husband's face, leaving a nasty scar.

Shuri saw red.

It had been a simple misunderstanding.

With no other option, Shuri kicked the back of the two Dora's legs, knocking them down. Shuri then made her way to the water. She had no clue how to do this, but if she focused all her concentration, maybe she could make something happen.

….

Namora didn't want to fight. She knew her king would not have wanted it. she and her warriors had simply stood on the edge of the beach, waiting for their king.

When the king of Wakanda appeared and accused them of an ambush, she was ready to break some necks. However, she kept her composure.

And then as soon as the king left, one of his guards moved too closely and now they were fighting.

The moves made against them were useless.

Someone was going to die if her king didn't get her soon.

…..

Shuri was in a panic. Her brother, cousin, and husband were going to kill each other if she didn't make a move.

She threw her hands in the water and tied to get the water to follow her.

It failed.

She tried again, this time forcing herself to concentrate. She just needed the wave to stop them from killing each other.

When she lifted her hands again, this time the wave followed. She pushed it in the direction of the fight and then dropped it.

It froze them right where they stood.

"wow." She said in surprise as she looked down at her hands.

When she looked up she saw the three men stuck in the position they were fighting in.

Now how was she going to break it?

She decided to use a simple laser blaster from her beads instead of pushing herself. A wave of nausea and dizziness was starting to overwhelm her.

With the ice broken, all three men collapsed to the ground, all of them struggling to breathe.

She stomped towards them.

"look at you all!" she yelled " acting like children! We are supposed to be allies! Not fighting against each other! Our people are on the beach fighting and we need to stop them! All of this was a simple misunderstanding! The children were not screaming out of pain they were screaming out of excitement! now let's go stop the others from killing each other and I will patch you all up in my lab!"

With that said, Shuri called one of the jets, and allowed Eric and T'challa to get in.

"we will meet you there," she told them.

Then she allowed her husband to pick her up and fly her towards the beach.

"how bad are your Injuries?" she asked as she touched his face. deep claw marks were on his cheek.

"Nothing my body won't recover from." He said sternly.

He was tense and angry.

Shuri felt her eyes well with tears. This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

When they landed the talokonians and the Dora were in an intense battle.

But one word from her husband had Talokan kneeling, their heads bowed.

"enough! stand down!" Shuri ordered the Dora who was still in battle mode.

A moment later, her brother and Eric jumped from the jet.

"stand down." Her btoehr ordered.

The Dora did as so and T'challa turned to face her husband.

"I am afraid we have not started off this alliance in a good manner. Please forgive my abruptness." Her brother said as he rubbed a sore arm.

Shuri looked at her husband with pleading eyes. this alliance had to work for their sakes.

He gave her a fleeting glance before nodding towards her brother.

"all is forgiven King T'challa. It was a simple misunderstanding."

"I believe we should start our meeting soon but it seems we need to heal first. Would you like to start tomorrow?" her brother asked.

"I think that is wise."

"as a sign of peace and trust. I would like to invite you to stay in the citadel with me and my family. As we through negotiations we can show you all that is Wakanda."

"I will take your offer." Ch'ah nodded.

He then turned and gave orders to his soldiers. Attuma and namora stayed with him.

"Now that we are done. can you all please come to my lab so I can fix you? You bleeding all over the sand!" she chastised.

She groaned, however, when her head began to hurt.

"princes! Your nose is bleeding!" Okoye informed her as she came to her side. She waved the women away as Shuri headed toward the jet.

"I will be fine. Let us go. It's too early for this."

"Shuri you need to sit down. You did something today that I couldn't believe with my own eyes." her brother said as he helped her into the jet.

Shuri groaned as she laid her head against the cold glass.

"just get me to my lab and I can take care of everything.."

"you need to take care of yourself first. We will get a doctor and you will rest." Her brother said sternly.

"he is right princess. Your health is your most important concern. Our injuries are superficial." Ch'ah stressed as he sat in the back row of the jet. Attuma and namora look at her in concern as well.

"Okoye, take us to the citadel. When we get there please have three rooms prepared for our guest." Her brother said as he put an arm around Shuri.

"that will not be necessary King T'challa my soldiers will be leaving tonight. One room is fine."

"very well. Once again i-"

Shuri didn't hear anything else her brother said, her body finally succumbing to the exhaustion.

She saw black.