May 5, 2016
Vienna
"Your Highness." Celestia spoke, a teasing grin on her face as she approached T'Challa from behind as he stared out the window.
He flinched and turned around quickly, only to scoff and turn back to the window.
"Why the use of formalities, Tia?" He asked, looking out the window again.
She grinned and joined him.
"It is only right, Prince T'Challa. Or did you prefer 'Your Highness'?" He scoffed once more and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, bringing her close to him.
"How is Adrienne?" He asked softly.
"She's good. She moved in with her girlfriend a few weeks ago." She hummed, her arm around his waist.
"Florence, yes?" He asked.
"Rory." She corrected, her head resting on his shoulder.
"Ah, yes." He nodded, his head resting on hers.
~~
It was a few months after Celestia had gained her powers and Fury had given them their apartment, and some money, so Celestia decided Adrienne deserved at least one good thing in her life, so she wanted her to see the world.
They had just left Cuba (where their parents were from) and were now in Southern Africa, trying to find anything, after miles of nothing. Celestia was still quite new to having powers, so when she saw a ghost start speaking to itself then float off, she immediately grabbed Adrienne from where they were staying and followed the ghost, which seemingly disappeared into thin air, leaving them to wander around.
It had been a few days, and they had little food and water (most of which was for Adrienne for she was still a growing child, and technically Celestia couldn't die).
Adrienne was whining, as little kids do, her tan cheeks red from the sun and her legs tired.
"My feet hurt." She whined to Celestia, so her older sister picked her up and piggy backed her as they walked.
"I'm hungry." She whined once more, so Celestia pulled some food out and gave it to her.
"I'm tired." One last whine made them stop so Celestia could find somewhere comfortable for her to sleep.
The next day it was practically the same thing again, except Adrienne's little cheeks were even more red, and her whining was slightly weaker.
Celestia sighed as they walked, holding Adrienne's small hand.
She was about to speak when she felt Adrienne's hand go limp, making her immediately turn to the girl and pick her up as she slumped in her arms.
She tried patting her cheeks and yelling her name, but she just stayed unconscious, her cheeks burning hot.
Tears built in Celestia's eyes as she thought of losing yet another person.
"Adi! Adi, honey." She whimpered out.
"Help!" She tried yelling, even though she knew no one would come to help.
Tears streamed out of her eyes as she collapsed to the ground, ignoring the burning sensation in her knees as she cradled the unconscious 10 year old girl in her arms.
Dark came quickly and so did Celestia's exhaustion. She hadn't slept, eaten, or drank in days and it took a toll on her. As well as the energy she exerted while crying.
Dark spots covered her eyes as she silently begged her body to not fall asleep as she kept the unconscious girl cradled in her arms.
She slowly collapsed to the ground, Adrienne laying on her body as the older girl also fell unconscious, their shallow and irregular breathing in sync.
When she woke up she was in a sleek black room, the beds more comfortable than anything she had felt in her life.
She groaned and sat up, her head pounding as she looked around until a thought came to mind.
"Adrienne?" She called out, getting out of bed and rushing to the door, opening it.
"Adi?" She yelled, jogging down the hallway until she crashed into a guy a few years older than her.
"Hey, relax." He said smoothly, holding her shoulders, his African accent strong, but extremely pleasing on her ears. "The small girl is Adrienne, yes? She is safe."
She just stared at him. "What?" She mumbled, her head pounding.
He laughed slightly. "Come." He nodded his head.
"I will get you some water and we will see your.. sister, yes?" He asked, looking back at her as they walked along the hallway.
"Yeah, she's my sister." She nodded as they approached a kitchen area. He filled up a glass of water for her and handed it over.
"You are lucky I went out for a walk. Your sister was very sick." He spoke, leaning on the counter.
She sipped the water.
"Thank you." She said quietly, relishing the soothing feeling of ice cold water down her throat after days of not drinking.
"You are also lucky I managed to convince my mother to let you in." He shrugged. "Speaking of, you must talk to my parents. After we see your sister of course." He had a small smile on his charming face, making her smile in return.
It was silent for a few moments as Celestia sipped her water.
"Uh, where exactly is here?" She asked, looking around.
"This is Wakanda. We do not let outsiders in. You are very lucky." He shrugged.
She nodded slowly before speaking again. "Why? Why don't you let outsiders in?"
He stared at her for a few seconds before groaning slightly. "My mother and father are going to kill me." He grumbled before speaking. "We have naturally occurring Vibranium here."
Her eyes widened and her grip loosened on the glass, almost dropping it.
"Vibranium? As in the metal Cap-" the man cut her off.
"Yes. As in the metal Captain America's shield is made of." Her mouth opened in shock.
"Why don't you tell people? You'd become the most powerful country in the world." She said incredulously, leaning closer to him.
"We don't want it to fall into the wrong hands. Imagine other countries get access to Vibranium. Imagine the horrible things they could do with it." He spoke, looking into her eyes.
She breathed out and nodded. "Yeah, that makes sense." She sipped some more water.
He grinned at her and nodded, watching her face as she drank the water and mentally processed the information he had told her.
~~
Celestia looked behind them as she heard some lady ask Nat for her signature. T'Challa lifted his arm off of Celestia and walked over to Nat, the blonde following behind him.
"I suppose none of us are used to the spotlight." He spoke as he approached Natasha.
"Oh, well, it's not always so flattering." She looked up at T'Challa as she spoke, looking over to Celestia quickly.
"You seem to be doing alright so far. You not so much." He quickly teased Celestia, making her scoff, before looking back at Nat.
"Especially considering your last trip to Capitol Hill... I wouldn't think you'd be particularly comfortable in this company." T'Challa spoke to Nat.
"Well, I'm not." Nat smiled bitterly.
"And that alone makes me glad you are here, Ms. Romanoff." T'Challa spoke, looking at Celestia and nodding slightly, gripping her hand, silently showing his thankfulness too.
"Why? You don't approve of all this?" Nat asked, grinning.
T'Challa sighed and looked around. "The Accords, yes. The politics, not really. Two people in a room can get more done than a hundred."
"Unless you need to move a piano." King T'Chaka said as he walked up behind them, standing next to Celestia, shooting a small smile at her.
T'Challa greeted his father in their native language that Celestia always tried to learn (especially after T'Challa had learnt Spanish after only a few lessons) but could never.
"Ms. Romanoff." He greeted Nat.
"King T'Chaka." She greeted back. "Please, allow me to apologise for what happened in Nigeria."
"Thank you." He said, glancing at Celestia with a small smile on his face, remembering the long conversation they had after what happened, mostly filled with apologies from Celestia. "Thank you for agreeing to all of this. Both of you." He nodded at Nat and Celestia. "I'm sad to hear Captain Rogers will not be joining us today."
"Us too." Celestia said softly.
"If everyone could please be seated. This assembly is now in session." A man over the speaker spoke.
"That is the future calling." T'Challa said, a slight hint of annoyance in his tone.
"Such a pleasure." T'Challa said to Nat, quickly kissing Celestia's cheek as a farewell.
"Thank you." King T'Chaka also spoke to Nat first, following his son's lead and kissing Celestia's head as she followed Nat.
"When stolen Wakandan vibranium was used to make a terrible weapon.. we in Wakanda were forced to question our legacy. Those men and women killed in Nigeria were part of a goodwill mission from a country too long in the shadows. We will not, however, let misfortune drive us back. We will fight to improve the world we wish to join. I am grateful to the Avengers for supporting this initiative. Wakanda is proud to extend its hand in peace."
As soon as King T'Chaka started speaking on the podium, a ringing sound echoed in Celestia's head, whispers overlapping each other as they all spoke different things at the same time. She tried to focus on King T'Chaka's words, but the pain in her head grew and grew as he continued with his speech.
"Everybody get down!" T'Challa suddenly yelled. Natasha immediately grabbed Celestia and tugged her under the table as an enormous explosion went off, breaking the windows and destroying half of the large building.
After a few moments of ringing in her ears, it finally subsided and so did the whispers. She groaned and stood up from behind the table, spotting T'Challa cradling his father just as she had cradled Adrienne all those years ago.
Her eyes widened and she hopped over the table, rushing forward and collapsing next to T'Challa, glass digging into her knees and cutting them, but she didn't flinch. Instead she just grabbed T'Challa and pulled him towards her, hugging him. He kept his arms around his father as he sobbed into Celestia's shoulder, both his tears and blood staining her blazer, but she couldn't seem to care as she just held T'Challa close, whispering words of support to him, although she knew nothing would ease the pain he felt in his chest he now felt.
Yet another chapter and the introduction to T'Challa.