The King: T'Challa.

Chapter 1: One Last Mission.

Hi, I'm Emily Cassidy. You're probably wondering who I am? Ye me too. Well, at least I was. I was a Hydra experiment. Orphaned at five, a dangerous weapon by fifteen. I use to be what you'd call a very valuable asset to Hydra, their personal killing machine, all they had to say was those three words; любовь, доверие, горе, (Love, Trust, Grief.), and they were guaranteed a successful mission. I remember them all. All the screams, the cries of mercy, the innocent faces of those who's lives I've took. Looking with fear and disgust in their eyes at one thing. Me. My name was infamously know by everyone. People feared me, just the way Hydra wanted it.

I was born with my abilities, which gave the upper hand when it came to training, I knew the insides and outs of my ability. I was trained with none other than James Buchanan Barnes, AKA The Winter Soldier. Most of the time I was defeated, until I learned his technique, figured out his patterns, learned his fighting style. Then I was more of a challenge for him, often a fight ending with him on the mat, not me.

Barnes and I had become friends while at Hydra, most missions we were paired together. Him the sword, I the shield. To put it simply we were unstoppable. The most feared duo across the planet. The Winter Soldier and the Cassanova. But, everything changed after our mission on the 16th of December 1991. After realising what I had done, who I had just murdered and why, I had to get out of Hydra. They were manipulating us, putting our brains in a blender, all so we could do their dirty work for them. But I couldn't leave, not before I did one last mission.

Wakanda. That was our mission. Go to Wakanda and bring back as much Vibranium as possible. Let's just say it didn't go as planned. I was seventeen. I may have been skilled in combat, I may have had Bucky watching my back, but nothing could have prepared us for the strength of the Black Panther. He was skilled, stealthy and fast, by God was he fast. He had taken us down within seconds. Seconds! Our first ever defeat on a mission. We had failed.

Two years. That's how long I was stuck in Wakanda, alongside Bucky. For a while. I remember it as if it were yesterday, standing in the Throne Room waiting to see if we were to be spared. One thing I learned was that it was against Wakandan customs to sentence a child to death, since I was still technically a child I would only have to challenge a Dora Milaje warrior. If I won, I would be freed. If not, I would be imprisoned until I was no longer a child, then I would be sentenced to death.

So, I fought. I won, but just about. If I hadn't have been trained by Hydra, let's just say the outcome would have been very different. After the challenge we were both pretty beaten, it had been a brutal one to say the least.

Although I had won my freedom, I wasn't ready to leave Wakanda. If I left, Hydra would have found me. They would have made me their personal weapon once again, and I wasn't going to let that happen. I couldn't.

I needed to find a way to stay in Wakanda for a while, but I planned on not being imprisoned in a cell. The only way to do that was to talk to the King, T'Chaka. I walked to the Throne Room once again, this time without the escort of a Dora Milaje. I remember it well. The guards trying to stop me, but I was determined to talk to the King. I may have started a minor....argument with them. The grand doors opened to reveal a room of both confused and disgusted faces. Immediately I straightened myself out, fiddling with my fingers nervously.

"You are dismissed." I heard the King say to his warriors.

One by one they left the room, each one giving me a knowing look, as I kept my head low.

"You may enter."

I cautiously entered the Throne Room, my head still hung low. I stopped about three meters from the King. His son, the Prince, stood at his side by the Throne.

"Agent Cassidy, why have you come before me?" T'Chaka asked, a stern but curious tone to his voice.

It took me a minute to answer. I knew not to push my luck, and I had to choose my words wisely.

"I have come to ask your permission to....to stay in Wakanda, just for a short period of time. Your Highness."

He paused for a minute, his head leaning on his hand. His eyes looking through me as he was deep in thought. Eventually he spoke.

"And why should I grant you permission to do so? You came here with the intention to steal from my country, why should I trust you now?"

His question had caught me off guard. Why should he trust me? I couldn't think of a valid reason. Maybe I had to gain his trust, somehow.

"I have no reason for you to trust me, your Highness. But maybe, with your approval, I could somehow gain your trust."

I knew asking this could be risky, and I was bracing myself for the worst.

"Ukumkani wam, ukuba uthetha oko akutshoyo, kwaye ufuna ukunyaniseka, ndincoma ukuba abe nguDora Milaje Warrior. Ngaloo ndlela uthembeke esihlalweni sobukhosi, kwaye ke uqinisekisa ukuba uthembekile.
(My King, if she means what she says, and wishes to truthfully gain your trust, I suggest she becomes a Dora Milaje Warrior. That way she is loyal to the Throne, and hence prove she is trustworthy.)" A warrior spoke in their native tongue, from the corner of the room.

She had startled me really, since I hadn't seen her standing there, even though I was trained to do so. King T'Chaka sat for a moment, considering the Dora's suggestion.
What felt like hours standing under the eyes of the warrior and Prince, the King had spoken.

"Okoye, u-Agent Cassidy kufuneka ahambe noqeqesho kunye noDora Milaje njalo ekuseni. Uyakugcina kwakhona ingxelo yengqubela yakhe, kunye nayiphi na ingxaki oyaziyo ukuba wenzeni.
(Okoye, Agent Cassidy must attend training with the Dora Milaje every morning. You will also keep a report of her progress, and any problems: you know what to do.)"

From where she stood the Dora, Okoye, nodded her head. Then the king turned to face me.

"Agent."

He paused. I stood straight and looked up to the King, curious as to what he was proposing.

"You will become a part of the Dora Milaje. This means you are loyal to the Throne, if you betray it there will be major consequences. Okoye will show you to your room. You are dismissed."

It took a minute for everything he said to sink in, but when it did I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

"Thank you, your Highness. For your kindness."

I bowed and turned to meet Okoye at the door, when a thought had crossed my mind. I turned again to face the King. A mixture of inquisition and dread written across my face. King T'Chaka had sensed this and immediately knew what I was going to ask.

"Agent Barnes has fled Wakanda. We do not have any lead on his current location. I know this may upset you Agent Cassidy, but we wish to keep peace, so please do not do anything.....erratic while you are staying here."

The King offered me a sad smile as I thought to myself. Bucky had left me? Alone? Did he not care? We were partners! I set my anger aside and thanked the King again, and started to leave.

"Agent Cassidy."

I faced the Throne once more.

"Do not make me regret my decision."

I smiled to myself as I said,

"I won't, your Highness."

And with that I left the room, Okoye beside me.
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