"This alliance just keeps getting more and more complicated..."
Set briefly during 'Civil War' but mostly during 'Black Panther'. The nations of Sokovia and Wakanda have been allies for decades. Following the Sokovia Accords, Princess Kalyna of Sok...
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She was just packing up her belongings, ready to return home, still upset over her falling out with T'Challa, when there came a knock at her chamber door. It was Ayo.
"My Lady." The Dora bowed her head. "The king requests that you join him and the council in the Council Chamber."
"Hmm." This surprised her. "I've never sat in on a council before."
"He says that it concerns you."
"Kalyna." T'Challa nodded to her as she, Niyah, and Felix entered the chamber minutes later. "Thank you for joining us. Please, have a seat." He nodded to the extra empty chair that sat to his right, facing inwards towards the rest of the council.
"I am not a part of this council-"
"But you may be one day. Please, have a seat."
With that she obeyed, sitting down, Niyah and Felix standing on either side of her chair.
A few minutes later the doors opened again and his head held high, chest puffed out, chin in the air, and signature smirk on his face, Erik entered the room, led by W'Kabi. The Dora, as directed by Okoye, immediately stood at attention.
"Whoa, hey, relax. I'm not gonna hurt your king or anything," said Erik. "Naw, I'm saving that for the challenge." He turned and looked at T'Challa, hungrily eyeing the throne.
"He has not accepted your challenge yet," returned the general.
Erik only continued to smirk. He flicked his chin towards T'Challa in a brief nod. "Hey Couz. Hey Auntie, Cousin," he then said, turning to Ramonda and Shuri. Then he turned and addressed Kalyna, his smile growing. "'Sup Princess."
She only stared back, eyebrows raised. "'Sup'?" She looked to her guards who shook their heads. "I don't know..."
"Erik," T'Challa addressed him from the throne. "Or do you prefer N'Jadaka?"
"I'd prefer 'My King'."
"You will never sit upon that throne," snapped Ramonda.
"Never say never, Auntie. I'm gonna build an empire! And I'm puttin' us on top! Imma continue in my daddy's footsteps. Finish what he started before being murdered by your precious king!"
"Enough!" cried Ramonda, sounding close to tears. "Son, we have entertained this man for long enough. Turn him away."
But T'Challa had other plans. "I accept your challenge."
Alarmed gasps rose from the others at this.
"My son!"
"Brother, no!"
Kalyna was speechless.
"As the son of our father's brother, he has a right to the throne." T'Challa rose and approached his cousin. "We will fight in ritual combat. Should one of us yield to or be killed by the other, then he shall emerge as victor and king."
"I know how this works." Erik smirked. "And I guess once I kill you and claim the throne, I'll also get myself a queen too, huh. Ain't that right, Princess?" Now all eyes turned to her while she stared at him, wearing a look of 'excuse me?'. "Well that's the whole reason why you came here in the first place, yeah? To marry the future king of Wakanda, to unite the two nations, to strengthen the alliance."
Tension hovered in the room as everyone absorbed this.
"That arrangement was never readdressed," stepped in Ramonda. "It fell through and was not reconsidered."
"Perhaps. But it was also never officially given up on either, am I right?"
Kalyna's jaw tightened as the realization hit her. The look on her face was obvious: shit.
T'Challa remained cool and calm, however. "Perhaps. But you are not the only one thinking ahead, Cousin. Okoye, please."
The general stepped forward and passed him a sealed letter. He held it up for everyone to see. "This bears my signature and official seal. It states that in the event of my death during our challenge, our alliance with Sokovia will be immediately cut off."
Now there were more murmurs and gasps.
"What?!" cried Kalyna. "You did not consult me on this."
"I'm sorry, Kalyna. I had to act quickly."
"You cannot do this without consulting the leader of the country in question, and that's me!"
"It is done. I'm sorry-"
"No! I do not agree!"
"You must." His eyes pleaded with her.
She scoffed. "Just a couple of days ago you were urging me to stay with the alliance. And now you've completely turned on me." She couldn't believe this.
"The council has given me their word that in the event of my death they will uphold my last command." The other members nodded at this.
"If Wakanda withdraws now Sokovia is lost!"
"But it will not be. It will have you leading it."
She slammed her fist down on to the chair arm. "You have no right to put yourself in control of the affairs of my country!"
"But he is right-" Now he stepped closer to face her. "Our union through marriage arranged by our fathers was never concluded, so technically we are still engaged. If I die, he will take my place in that arrangement unless the alliance is broken, so I'm breaking it. I'm doing this for you-"
She was beyond enraged. "You are condemning my country!"
"And you would be condemning yourself."
She cast a glance from T'Challa to Erik, who was still smirking, and then around the room. With that, she rose from her seat. "So be it."
(GASP! Things are heating up (she is the Firebird after all ;)) haha, sorry, puns! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :) And, if you want more of Kalyna, T'Challa, and your other favourite 'Black Panther' characters, I started an 'Infinity War' story in which they all feature, so please check that out if you're interested (it doesn't spoil anything for this story!) Thanks!)
