The Light in The Darkness (Namor x Shuri)

Chapter 8 - Apologies

"You are being very helpful to someone you claimed to hate just last night."

She broke contact first and looked towards the door.

"Someone will be here soon to do whatever you feel is best. I am sure your people need an update."

I stood. I couldn't let her gloss over my words.

"The only update I need is from you Shuri."

Slowly she turned so we were again facing faces. Her deep brown eyes pierced my own. This was the princess I knew.

"I want to make this right Namor."

Her hands clutched a vial at her neck and I zeroed in on it, the fragments from the bracelet were inside. She was carrying them with her still.

"You're a confusing woman, Shuri."

I said looking back at her. She nodded before taking a step back.

"I have things I need to go over with you. Get in contact with your people so they may know you're well. We can meet in the hall as soon as you return."

Shuri turned and left the room not looking back once. She had not been cold to me as I had come to expect. It was almost as if she cared about my well-being. Or maybe she was guilty, she had to have known there was some magic within the stones of the bracelet. That severing the pieces would break something within me. Did she think I would hate her if she destroyed it? To this, I smiled. I don't think I could ever hate that infuriating woman. To make matters even more of a blur she had apologized to me for doing so in the dress I had created especially for her. Dealing with absolutes was my strong suit. Never before had I misjudged a situation, I prayed to whoever would listen that this would not be the first sign I completely misread. Because in my mind Shuri, queen of Wakanda, had just tried to make peace with not my nation but with me.

A little while later I again walked the path that Nakia had shown me and made it to the beach. As soon as my feet entered the water I felt a rush of comfort and familiarity. I waved my hand over the water and a mirror was created revealing to me Namora sitting peacefully on the floor of my above-ground chambers.

"I see you always make yourself welcome."

I teased into the water. There has never been a time in our lives when I could startle Namora. She turned as if I were annoying her and smiled before her expression fell and she rushed closer.

"Cousin, you're not well?"

She asked but more like accused. There was no use in hiding anything from her so I told her all that had transpired. For a second she was silent and I could see the wheels in her head turning as she considered every possible thing she could do.

"Your connection to the source power was severed, I wonder if there is another way to restore that bond?"

"Maybe in the great library, it would take months to go through every record though."

"It would."

She agreed, her mind still racing. The plant that had saved our people was somehow infused with raw, untainted vibranium. Though our own vibranium was plentiful it did not come from the life-giving plant, without that specific source I wondered how we would ever restore my abilities.

"You need to get to France anyways Kukulkan."

Namora said more to herself than to me.

"Do that first, in two days I will try and find out all that I can."

I nodded. We didn't have any other option. I needed to both restore my full powers and honor my allyship with Wakanda. I went to wave my hand over the water before Namora raised her own hand stopping me.

"Do not get cocky just because she is not glaring daggers at you anymore Namor."

Namora was using the voice she reserved only for speaking sternly to me. I smiled.

"You know me."

I assured her.

"I would never let something like that go to my head."

She rolled her eyes and severed the mirror herself until I was once again looking at my reflection in the water. The sun bore down on me as if giving me a recharge and I turned back towards the palace. The sooner we got this mission completed the sooner I would be able to focus on the severed link. I had to admit I was optimistic. Even if all else failed at least she would not hate me still, that was more comfort than I had scarcely allowed myself to feel in months.

- A/N -

I love Namora, we didn't get much of her in the film so I have enjoyed bringing her character to life a little more. Thanks for reading and all of the comments, I appreciate you all so much. See you next chapter.