seasons | killmonger

7 | C O N T R O L

The strongest person among men is not he who fights everyone but is he who controls is anger.
~ African Proverb

Mbali

"Work on your jabs, Mbali. You need to concentrate." M'Baku yelled and threw another punch at me, hitting me on my arm when I tried to block it.

"I'm trying, but you're obviously too big for me to keep up with!" I groaned and kismet a kick to his groin area on for him to grab my foot and twist me, sending me to the ground. "I really hate you." I mumbled and looked up at the ceiling.

"You hate me because I kicked your ass, it's okay." He chuckled and grabbed my hand, pulling me up. "Why are you so distracted today? Talk to me. I may not be Sanaa, but I can pretend to be."

"It's nothing." I lied and went to sit on a bench that was near us, but M'Baku being the person he is, he didn't give up one bit. He followed me with his arms crossed.

"You're one of the best fighters in Wakanda. You were trained by Okoye and Ayo themselves. You shouldn't have taken that ass beating the way you did; hell, I was expecting you to leave more than just a scratch and a busted lip on me. I know something is wrong, so tell me."

I looked him up and down before rolling my eyes. "This exact day a few years ago my parents went missing. It's just always a distracting day for me, I guess. I'll snap out of it."

"Hmmm." He nodded, I guess understanding why I wasn't fully in the mood to train today. I don't know exactly what happened to my parents or where they are, but it happened when I was eighteen. And with me being twenty-one now, I guess I always tried to push the memory away since I spent the past three years raising myself; with the help of W'Kabi and the royal family of course. "At some point, you're going to need to break down and get what you feel out, but I won't pressure you to do it with me; I'm not the best person for things like that. Where's your elder? N'jadaka?"

"Please don't flatter him by giving him the title of an Elder. He's already big headed. Last time I checked, he was with one of his concubines in the city." I rolled my eyes. This one was a new girl that I never seen before. She was probably younger than me since she was so giddy to be around him and what not. The day before yesterday, it was a different woman who looked like she may have been my age; but with Erik, Who knows.

"Concubines?"

"Concubines." I nodded my head.

"Wow," M'Baku laughed. "He really likes his share of women, huh? Sounds to me like you may be a little jealous." He sang.

"M'Baku, do not make me send you through the damn wall. Okay? I have nothing to be jealous over. I don't want him. If anything, his little flings seem to be pissed off at me when they walk into this place."

"Does he do anything to you around them to possibly make them envy you?" M'Baku put his hand on his chin and looked at me.

"He'll still try to touch me or make flirtatious remarks. I make nothing of it though." I shrugged. "They'll send me glared or mumble things under their breath that they won't say out loud."

"You intimidate them."

"Good." I smiled at M'Baku before standing up and walking to the exit, with him not too far behind me.