The beauty and majesty of the outskirts of Wakanda are unlike anything Zhara has ever seen. She grew up in the states and in the city of New Orleans. She's never been to her mother's homeland of Haiti, and has never been to her father's homeland of Wakanda.
But now, now she's finally there. Finally breathing in the air that feels so pure that it fills up her lungs in just one breath. A smile comes across her face as she waves her hands through the blades of tall grass while the sun falls down on her skin.
Her smile is broken once Erik shuts the door to the plane and begins to drag the tarp with the body inside.
" Come on, baby. Let's go," He orders as he walks ahead of her.
" Do you even know where you are going?" Zhara asks as she follows behind him, " You have no map, no compass, no GPS--"
" I got it," Erik insists, " Don't worry."
She takes a deep breath to soothe her nerves so as to not act on her growing anger. She never wants to let her anger take over, which is why she centers herself to remain calm and collected.
" Can we not just enjoy a moment?" Zhara questions, " Take a breath, sit, and regain some energy?"
" Nah, we ain't got time," Erik brushes off.
Her mind and heart are aching at this moment. Everything she's known over the years has changed over the course of a few days. The love of her life has changed right in front of her eyes. She barely recognizes him, but she's unable to stop him. She knows she can't. She knows that Erik won't stop till he gets what he wants.
And he wants the throne.
While Zhara is absolutely delighted to be in Wakanda, she's ashamed of the circumstances. She's ashamed that they've assaulted the King, and now wish to take the throne away from him. She's ashamed that they enter the country with a corpse as they near one of the tribes.
They wear dark blue robes, and Zhara recognizes them to be the border tribe, but they don't look nearly as excited as two strangers approach, especially as Erik drops the body by their feet.
" What is this?" One of the men asks.
" Just a little gift," Erik states, then bends down to move the tarp and reveal the face, prompting the men to draw their weapons.
But as the man named W'Kabi looks down to see the face of the dead body within the tarp, his curiosity is peaked, for these strangers have done the one thing that the royal family was never able to.
Kill Ulysses Klaue.
Given that they are still strangers, they are handcuffed and taken by the border tribe.
And what Zhara doesn't expect is the reveal of the Capitol city. Beyond the range of the border tribe is a fast and expansive city with a beautiful blend of modern and traditional architecture. She's absolutely blown away. Her eyes sparkle in awe as she gazes upon absolutely everything she can see from her limited viewpoint, which gives Erik a small smile on his face for the first time in a while. Seeing how happy she is makes it all worth it, even if he's just begun.
But the royal family is far from happy. They're concerned by the strangers who've ended up on their doorstep and end up listening to the words of the colonizer that they saved.
" Erik Stevens. Graduated from Annapolis at 19, MIT for grad school. Joined the SEALS and went straight to Afghanistan where he wrapped up confirmed kills like it was a videogame. Started calling him Killmonger. He joined a JSOC ghost unit. Now, those guys are serious. They will drop off the grid so they can commit assassinations and take down governments."
" Did he reveal anything about his identity?" T'Challa ponders.
" He has a War Dog tattoo, but we have no record of him," Shuri responds, " Same for the girl."
" Who is she?" The King asks.
" No idea," Everett Ross answers, " Could be a sister, a girlfriend, a partner in crime."
And even as the council convenes in the throne room, nobody seems to agree on anything. They go back and forth about the true origins of these strangers, but silence looms over them as the doors to the throne room open and the strangers are brought forth by W'Kabi and the Kingsguard. And still as a prisoner, Zhara is in complete awe of her surroundings, eyes still sparking as they dance across the room.
" Thetha," One of the elders says.
" Speak," W'Kabi translates, presuming that neither speaks the native tongue.
" I'm standing in ya house, serving justice to a man who stole your vibranium and murdered your people. Justice your king couldn't deliver," Erik speaks.
His words prompt the king to stand and approach, with the Dora Milaje staying close to protect the king by whatever means necessary. As the king stands before her, Zhara bows her head without a second thought, in order to show respect for the royal family, and the country she's intruded on.
" I don't care that you brought Klaue. Only reason I don't kill you where you stand is because I know who you are," T'Challa says in a hushed tone, " Now what do you want."
" I want the throne," Erik states.
Prompting laughter from the elders who think it's ridiculous that an outsider could even propose such a thing.
" Y'all sittin' up here comfortable. Must feel good," Erik continues, " It's about two billion people all over the world that looks like us. But their lives are a lot harder. Wakanda has the tools to liberate them all."
But now... now it all begins to make much more sense in Zhara's mind as she listens to his words. Erik wants the throne, not only because it's his birthright, but in order to save and liberate their own people all over the world, who suffer at the hands of people who have oppressed them for centuries.
" And what are these tools?" The king asks.
" Vibranium. Your weapons," Erik states.
" Our weapons will not be used to wage war on the world. It is not our way to be judge jury and executioner for people who are not our own."
" Not your own? But didn't life start right here on this very continent? So aren't all people your people?"
" I am not king of all people, I am king of Wakanda. And it is my responsibility to make sure our people are safe and that vibranium does not fall into the hands of a person like you."
" Son, we have entertained these charlatans for too long. Reject his request," The Queen-mother insists.
" Oh, I ain't requesting nothing," Erik corrects, " Ask who I am."
" You're Erik Stevens," Shuri responds, " An American black operative. A mercenary nicknamed Killmonger."
" That's not my name, Princess," He states cockily.
" Erik!" Zhara scolds, " Be respectful."
" Nah... they don't deserve it," Erik scoffs, " As me, king."
" No," T'Challa says, before he turns around and holds up his hands, " Take them away."
Until one of the elders finally caves.
" Ungubani?"
" NdinguN'Jadaka. Unyana weNkosana uN'Jobu!" Erik exclaims with all his might, " I found my daddy with panther claws in his chest. You ain't the son of a king, you the son of a murderer!"
" Kwanele, Erik! (That's enough!)" Zhara shouts as a guard holds her back.
" Lies!" Ramonda proclaims.
" I'm afraid not, Queen-mother," W'Kabi interjects, before holding up Erik's ring held on his chain.
" Hey, Auntie," Erik smirks, " I'm exercising my blood right to challenge for the mantels of king, and Black Panther."
But while the elders begin to argue amongst themselves yet again, Erik begins to chuckle.
" Y'all ain't ready for this," He scoffs, then turns his head over to his girl, " Tell em who you are, baby. Your real name."
Zhara looks up at Erik, then turns her head to face the elders, eyes going to each and every tribe member, before realizing that her tribe is not present for this meeting.
" NdinguZhara Ali, intombi ka-A'Beo (I am Zhara Ali, daughter of A'Beo)" She states, drawing a few gasps from the elders.
" A'Beo lives?"
" Both of them?"
" Yeah, that's right, both of us," Erik affirms, " Both of us are here, and we challenge you."
" We?!" Zhara exclaims.
" The challenge will take weeks to prepare," The river elder protests.
" Weeks? I don't need weeks. The whole country ain't gotta be there, I just need him," Erik interjects, " And somebody to get us outta these chains."
But as the king sits on his throne, staring down at his grandfather's ring that this stranger has had for Baast knows how long, he locks eyes with his cousin and utters a few words that shock nearly the entire room.
" I accept your challenge."
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[ honestly killmonger has a really good point and is completely justified in his actions and anger ]