Falling for a God

Ch 8: Miami

~Nala~

The Dora Milaje often makes difficult decisions, and one of my decision was to keep silent. Being in charge of caring for and protecting princess Adria wasn't a hard task, but keeping her heart and soul free from harm is often impossible. I saw the world crumble beneath her feet as she struggled to fit in and look perfect.

If you do this, if you do that; it has never been enough simply because she's an outsider. I had to bite my tongue multiple times and comfort her as best as I could. Give my shoulder so she could lean on, and offer my arms to cry on.

Lately, I had noticed how she smiled more often and sang old songs whenever she walked around the Citadel. I figured she had a crush on someone which of course I supported.

Early in the morning, before I could fill in my duty, I stood near one of the large windows to take in some sun. A shadow caught my attention from the corner of my eyes and when I turned my head I saw a flying man leaving the princess' balcony. It was no secret that king K'uk'ulkan from Talokan wasn't best friends with the royals, but if the rumors were true, then he was the one princess Shuri longed for.

I reported to Adria's room, but she refused to open the door. Only the melody of her melancholic songs was heard through the metallic door.

"Good morning sunshine. Time to open this danged door before I take it down!"

I said through a call. Her beads had probably been tossed somewhere and my face was probably popping up who knows where. My relationship with the princess wasn't that of a dull guard or servant and their master. We had been best friends pretty much ever since we got together. Some could say she was my older sister.

"Gurl. If you don't open this door, I'm telling Okoye. Because Bast knows she gonna take down this—"

She finally opened her door. Music sheets were scattered everywhere, and clothes were on the floor. It appeared to be she had tried to pack things up but desisted in the end.

"What happened?"

She stood in the middle of her room with her eyes fixated on the balcony, staring into the morning sun. I approached her and wrapped my arms around her shoulders; slowly she told me what happened. Princess Shuri and Adria used to be close, but both slowly started to part away.

"It's my fault."

She muttered, both of us laying on her bed as she talked about this and that.

"It's not."

"It is. I don't think I have been a good sister, you know? I think, by adopting me, mama thought I would support my sis, and make it all easier, but I'm just making it harder on her."

"One thing I know is that she didn't adopt you to help anyone else; plus you aren't making it hard on the princess."

"You really won't let me be sad in peace huh?"

"I can't let you do that."

Adria looked up at me and the corners of her lips raised in a smile, followed by a giggle. She really couldn't tell how much the queen loved her and anticipated the day the princess would come home. I was told, when princess Shuri was just a child, she would select toys for herself, pick the best for Adria and keep those hidden in a secret vault until she could come home.

The king's guards knocked on our door and announced that the king had summoned the princess to his office. Adria glanced back at me with fully rounded eyes, mortified. When she first arrived, the king summoned her to his office to scold her about something which I can't remember, and ever since then she's afraid of being there.