Dreams were often concluded to be a fabrication of reality simply made from matter, of particles. Others swore it was gateways to an alternate universe. So, what exactly was the explanation for the dreams Nova had?
"All of this is to keep you safe. Do you think I want to see my only daughter killed by humans?"
Nova's body moved on her own. The water in her lungs didn't suffocate her to death. In fact, it soothed her, almost as if she was being reminded of her mere existence, a child of the great sea.
"I'm sixteen, I'm not a child!" A young teenage girl spouted, taking her stand in front of the throne unlike any other. A twelve feet tall Magalodon jaw with jade teeth had hieroglyph carved into the bones. What was Njari doing here?
"Don't you take that tone with me, Aquetzalli. I am the Feather Serpent God. You are forbidden from going outside of the water and on land. That is final!"
"Listen to me!" Njari pleaded, her luscious jet black curls flowed around, nearly getting in her face. "Mom?" The teenager looked to Nova.
Nova panicked. She didn't know what to do. It was as if her dream didn't allow her to interfere. She tried harder this time to swim toward the child, but she was too late. Njari was gone and off to the water city. Nova turned around to stare at the Namor, El Niño sin amor.
What was she doing here? Nova didn't belong in the water.
"You are very hard on her" the words came out without hesitation. She approached the God who was too ashamed to meet her gaze.
"I'm her father, I'm suppose to be."
"She looks up to you" Nova fought as hard as she could to get away from the God, but she lost control. The dream was slowly turning into a nightmare. "All she wants to do is prove to you she can be just as great as you."
His previous fury evaporated. Namor frowned, shaking his head. "I thought I lost her." He swam away from his throne, holding her. Nova's arm automatically wrapped around him. The spy grew uncomfortable.
"You didn't. Our girl is strong. Give her a chance. Maybe the surface dwellers have changed."
A gasp echoed. Nova abruptly sat up. Immediately she recognized she was no longer in her torn up dress. Instead she was in what looked similar to the dress Shuri was in. The fabric against her skin appeared gold with quetzal feathers and jewels wrapped around her neck as an accessory.
"Your awake" Namor stood up from the nearby wooden chair. He grabbed the clay cup from the small table and offered it to her. "Drink this."
Nova reached out to grab it, but she stopped. How could she be so sure that this wasn't poisoned? "I'm fine" her voice strained. It was hard to talk with her throat all dry along with the agonizing shrieks of sorrow she released within the past couple of hours.
"If you don't you will die" he responded as if he read her mind. Nova eyed him suspiciously. "My nurses say you are dehydrated. Your health will only worsen if you do not take care of myself."
If I took care of myself I wouldn't be here
—Nova's thoughts echoed.
Hesitantly, she grabbed the cup and took a whiff. It didn't smell like anything. The moment her dry lips touched the cup her mind raced. She was more parched than she realized. Namor refilled her cup watching her drink it all at once.
"Here, eat some of our fruit. It will give you energy" he grabbed the bowl, doubtful that she was going to decline the offer considering the weak state she was in.
Nova graciously ate the fruit, surprised by how sweet it was. She moaned, taking another bite causing the juice to slightly trail to her chin. It had to be a hybrid of a mango and pear combined judging by the similarities in taste.
Namor stepped back, placing himself back on the chair where he could observe her from a distance. His aura was cold, unable to stop his attention from shifting to her arms. Faint scars...he wondered what she had encountered over the years to earn those.
"That is a beautiful bracelet" Namor said, just as
Nova finished devouring the food.
Nova quickly placed her hand over T'Challa's kimoyo beads. She held her tongue observing her surroundings.
The hut they were in was small. It contained multiple mesoamerican artifacts with drawings containing hieroglyphic inscriptions on the plaster walls. They told stories that could not be deciphered without the help of the God.
Nova shifted her gaze back to the God who had been watching her the entire time, wondering what what was going on in her head.
Silence fell short between the pair.
"Why am I here?" Nova stood up from pile of blankets she was thrown in. "Clearly you have no intention of hurting me" she stated, taking a seat right across from him, adjusting the gown she was in.
"What makes you so certain?"
"Because if you wanted to you would've done it by now." Nova tilted her head, hardening her features.
His interest was peaked. No trace of innocence, soft or kindness was left in her. The surface dweller across from him was cold, calculating, yet brave. She certainly wasn't what he expected.
"What would you like to know?" He gave in.
Nova didn't know where to begin. The questions in her mind raced anxious to know every detail. Was it even possible for him to explain the dream she just had? Or, Nailah'a ability to illustrate him so perfectly? And why Njari was so connected to the water? Maybe it was better to start with something simple.
"Answer my first question..." Nova crossed her arms, musing. "Why am I here?"
"You remind me of someone" his stoic expression faltered, staring at the painting behind him. He bowed his hand, placing his hand against the wall. A woman stood tall beside the serpent God. She was drenched in layers of blue feathers lining against her gown that held hues of sage. The gleaming silver pearls wrapping around her neck line led her eyes to then wander to the golden head peace. It reminded Nova of the crown she once wore. Stars tatted it with symbols of the crescent moon and sun marking the center. There was no doubt, the woman was beautiful. One thing for sure—this woman must be of royalty or a Goddess. Either way, she was important to Namor.
"Who is she?" Nova raised her eyebrow, slowly standing up. Namor's body tensed at her question. He seemed to be deep in his thoughts. It took a moment for him to answer with his voice coming out thicker than before.
"Kuxtal, daughter of Ix Chel." The words sunk in. His eyebrows furrowed deeply with his words becoming more heavy. "She was my queen. My sun and moon."
Nova was hesitant to ask what happened to her. Marriage between the Gods wasn't one easy to dismantle. She was afraid that her instincts were right. Nova hoped she was wrong. "What happened to her?"
"She was...killed by surface dwellers. Kuxtal tried to protect our daughter" he cut himself off, as if he couldn't bare to utter another word about the tragedy. He closed his eyes for a moment. The God that infiltrated Wakanda was now soft and weak. He appeared broken just like her. With his walls slowly crumbling, Nova was slowly discovering more and more about the man.
"Your daughter, Aquetzalli?" the spy pieced things together, unable to forget how the girl was a spitting image of her daughter.
"How did you know her name?" Namor finally faced her, his features slowly hardening.
"I don't know " Nova admitted, feeling her forehead tense at his question, "I...I was sleeping and I dreamt about you and this little girl. She looked just like my daughter, but she wasn't" Nova explained, unable to get rid of the strange sensation twisting in her stomach. She never explained her dreams to anyone, except for T'Challa. Now, here she was explaining things to a stranger in exchange of some information, "You called her Aquetzalli. And the next I know she's sad that you wouldn't let her go back to the surface world."
Namor was surprised. Her words seemed to have sparked some kind of memory in him. He took a deep breath, nodding, "That was the last time I saw Aquetzalli. She had this strange fascination with the human world. I should've known she'd rebel against me. My wife went to go save her, but they abducted my family. They were told of a city underwater filled of gold and diamonds, the surface dwellers used them to try and find Talokan. My wife fought hard to make peace, but humans were greedy, always taking things that do not belong to them. They are like plaques who ravage lands!" The words spitting at her full of rage made Nova uncomfortable. It was horrid to imagine what his wife and child endured at the hands of others. "They killed them with no mercy. They took their lives like they were nothing"
A shuddery exhale escaped out of her lips. It was already difficult to be reminded of the losses she endured. It was a miracle some were still able to keep moving forward.
"I'm sorry." Those were the only words she could manage to get out. Nova shifted her eyes around the room, uncomfortable. "I understand your anger against us humans, but your directing that rage at the wrong person. The scientist is a good person. Maybe she's too smart for her own good, but that doesn't mean you should kill her."
"I cannot risk the chance of Talokan being discovered." pain was obvious in his eyes. "I will not let others suffer the same fate my family did. Talokan must show these people that they cannot colonize us. Fighting is the only way to win"
"Starting a war with Wakanda will not fix anything." Nova struggled to reason with him. "You've already killed our Queen, destroyed the city, and ripped families apart. How far are you willing to go down this path?"
"Until I burn the world" his voice lowered. A fire igniting in his eyes as they dilated with determination.
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that" Nova glared.
Namor's amused smile dropped. He appeared right in front of her, baring his teeth down. Nova stumbled back to the wall bracing herself to fall. "Oh, I would love to see you try" His hands tightened around her neck, closing her lungs up. Nova choked a cry. Her body threatened to collapse under his hold, but she didn't give in. There was no voice screaming at her to fight back. This time she finally had the will to live for her kids. Her hands slammed right onto his cheek, digging her nails to impair his vision. His skin burned beneath her palm. Namor screamed out in pain, releasing his hold on her.
Nova dropped to the ground. She coughed out, gasping. Her teary eyes lowered to the ground, trying focus on the sweet air now entering her bruised lungs. His native words went in one ear and out the other. All she could feel was a pair of hands, pulling her from the ground and away from the wounded God.