Into the Ring

Chapter Twenty-One~T'Chaka

"I was kind of in a coma." I correct and the words coax a fond smile out of him. It gives me more pleasure than I thought it would that I put it there. He still continues as if I didn't speak.

"but it is fact nonetheless." His chubby hand squeezes mine and I swallow at the vulnerability in my throat at seeing the warmth in his eyes. "You are my daughter. A princess of Wakanda, second in line to the throne." I put that thought in the absolute back of my mind and lock it up. Not right now. "But you are also so much more," T'Chaka tells me quietly, eyes now burning softly with the purple all around us. "You have royal blood in your veins," his rough finger taps my forearm, "just the fact that you can come here means you are special." My amusement fades at his sincere words and I look over at the line between this world and my home back at the facility.

"You said this place was me." I start, standing and walking towards the split once again. "Is that why it's made of two places?" He nods and follows me.

"It represents your mind." He tells me and clasps his fingers over his stomach. "You have yet to decide which you wish to belong to and this place shows that." I step back over the line and my lips lift at the sight of the facility, my room visible from here despite the tinted windows. Still, this isn't home without the people in it. I turn back to T'Chaka and step back into his world. "I will be honest. I wish for you to choose Wakanda." Shocker. "Our country is rich with my son and daughter at the helm, but you would revolutionize us and further T'Challa's dream of helping the world." He says this in a slightly resigned tone, but I don't have the time to ask questions. Still, when I don't answer, he continues, "Our family has accepted you, have they not?" My eyes roll slightly.

"My family has always been there for me and we don't share an ounce of blood," I tell him calmly and firmly. The corner of his lips turn up.

"Blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb." He murmurs. "I hope you decide to embrace your Wakandan heritage and the people that come with it. Perhaps bringing you all together will rectify my mistakes." T'Chaka says and lifts a hand, letting it just barely skim my face before letting it fall. "Ramonda won the battle over naming Shuri." He tells me in a sudden change of subject. There's a shining in his eyes though that makes me think this is still important. "I always wanted to name my daughter, Nandi. It means sweet." My nose crinkles and he laughs. I note that it's a little like mine. Eyes shining, he shakes his head. "No, it does not fit you, but should you wish for a Wakandan name I wanted to offer you one. I think Nkosazana could fit you better." My head tilts as I await the translation. He doesn't give it to me. Fond, yet apologetic eyes scan my form one more time. "Choose what path to follow in order to leave this place, my daughter. And choose wisely." My eyes go back to the split, but when I look back at T'Chaka he's gone. There's a sudden drop in my stomach at his loss, but I don't have time to cry.

"Great. Cryptic advice. Of course." I roll my shoulders and use sarcasm to get my head straight. I look back and forth between the worlds and huff. "Bullshit. Utter spirit world bullshit." Crossing my arms over my chest like Queen Ramonda showed me, I plant my ass on the ground with a cheek in each world. "This isn't just my mind!" I shout to the purple sky. "This is me! I'm both! Fucking fight me about it!" I growl before suddenly being blasted back into reality.

Gasping, I shoot out of the dirt and to my feet. "Steady! Breathe now, breathe." T'Challa tells me and grabs my forearms to keep me upright. "Did you see him?" He questions with fire and hope in his dark eyes. I nod as I begin to calm down and his grip on me tightens with excitement.

"Yes, I saw him," I confirm and T'Challa smiles before he allows Peter to take hold of me instead. "Anyone care to tell me what Nkosazana means?" My eyes survey the small group. Ramonda takes a sharp breath in before humming and shaking her head. "He said if I wanted a Wakandan name, that should be it."