Flesh and Bone ◇ Bucky Barnes ◇

XLI: Queen of One

Just before she got a good grip on the dagger, the air in the room shifted. N'jadaka's hands were no longer on her body, but on her arm that was reaching for the dagger. The lust that was in his eyes was replaced with fury. 

"Who the hell are you?" He asked, throwing her away from the bed. Joana groaned as she hit the ground, but rolled and stood up, squaring off with the King. He tossed the pillow off the bed, revealing the dagger. He snatched it and turned to Joana, pointing it at her. 

"You're still loyal to your old king, aren't you?" he asked. "He's dead! I'm the king now! You have to do as I say." 

He charged at her, but Joana easily sidestepped and ducked underneath him. She spun away, searching for an advantage. 

Joana couldn't feel her fingers. Her pulse raced. Her heart pounded in her chest. Her vision began to blur at the edges as she avoided N'jadaka's attempts to kill her. He lunged at her and Joana swatted his hand away. The simple block was enough for Joana's years of training to kick in a takeover. If she couldn't find an advantage, she would create one. 

Joana raced to the large fireplace and grabbed one of the metal hot pokers. She squared off with the King once again, spinning the poker once. He charged at her with the dagger and she parried his advance, turning around him and smacking him in the back with her weapon. 

The two stalked around each other or a few more moments before Joana charged again. They fought, poker and dagger, until he got lucky and swiped her feet out from under her. He was on top of her before she could react and the fear that seemed to control her returned. The poker was useless in her hand. He had her pinned and she was helpless. 

"Who the hell are you?" He asked. 

"My name," she breathed. "Is Joana Kegley."

"You're not from Wakanda." 

"No. I am American, just like you." 

"Why do you want me dead?" 

Joana glared at him. She struggled underneath him, but he was strong. 

"That's my business," she said finally. She tried to hide how quickly her heart was beating, how hard it was to breathe. 

"Your business?" N'jadaka's laugh was cold. "I am the one you were going to kill, so how is that not my business." 

Joana groaned as she wriggled underneath him. 

"Get off of me," she ground out, her lungs constricting. 

"So you can try and kill me again? Not a chance." 

"I'm trying to protect my family," she snapped. "I need you dead so that I can protect my family. Now, get off me!" 

N'jadaka rolled off of her, still pointing his dagger at her. 

Joana turned her back to him, coughing and breathing as slowly as she could to stop the panic that brewed in her chest. 

"I know you," he said finally. Joana scoffed. "No, I know you. I know your face, but I don't see how that's possible." 

"You don't know me."