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If you told me he kissed me when he bit me, I'd probably believe it. I didn't feel much pain just a lot of pressure. It helped me feel a lot better when it came to my nausea and tiredness. It was like I got a shot of adrenaline to my veins in that moment. I didn't understand why he did it. All he said was...
" This is going to keep us connected no matter what. Whatever happens, you will feel me "
Those words echoed in my head as I stood at warrior falls in traditional Wakandan garments. My heart was racing out of my chest. T'Challa was stripped of his powers to make the fight fair.
" This is your last chance. Throw down your weapon and we can handle this another way ", T'Challa warned Erik. Erik stuck both of his knives into the ground and started to undress.
" I lived my entire life waiting for this moment. I tried, I lied, I killed just to get here. I killed in America and all along the Persian gulf. I took life from my own brothers and sisters right here on this very continent. And all this death ", he picked up his knives again after throwing his shirt in the water.
" Just so I could kill you ", he pointed his blade at T'challa.
Now T'Challa knew that if he lost, yielding wouldn't matter. I hoped to god he'd have a change of heart if things turned left. I noticed the scars on Erik's body. I did not want to think of the correlation between those he's killed and the thousands of marks that covered his body. I held Romanda's hand for support because something told me I was going to need it. T'Challa turned to Zuri nodding that it was time. Zuri turned to the crowd.
" Let the challenge, Begin ! ", Zuri hit his spear against the ground covered in water.
Erik came at him hard, using both his spear and a hand blade on T'Challa. Water splashed all around them as T'Challa pushed back, swinging his knife at him and blocking his attacks with his wooden shield. T'challa swung back again but Erik dodged it. The fight was very "tic for tac" but I noticed T'Challa start to gain on Erik . He got in a couple hits and for some time, I was almost certain he would win.
" You've got this ! ", I called out to him.
My fists clenched every time Erik hit T. When his fists met his skin, the bite mark (that was healed) on me would throb with heat. I was angry that I couldn't do anything. I found myself living through T'challa wanting to hurt Erik for trying to hurt T.
The fight went on and on forever. Both men had stamina but it got to a point where T was dodging instead of actually getting in hits. Erik was extremely quick on his feet and he wasn't tiring out like T'Challa hoped he would. T'challa started taking a few hits. I figured he would gain control seconds later but he didn't. He kept taking shots to his face and chest. Shuri screamed as Erik took a hard blow at T'challa's face causing him to fall into the water. Erik officially had the advantage now. T got up quickly, wiping his mouth of blood before Erik could get to him from behind.
T'Challa was losing.
Erik's knife suddenly slashed T'Challa's chest leaving a huge gash before he JUMPED and spun around to hit T's eye with the back of his sword to gain momentum and carry force. I gasped as T'Challa swayed on his feet. The impact on his head left him fuzzy before he realized where he was again. I choked out a cry watching him slowly fall apart.
T'challa's footing was not secure but he fought to hold on. He took another strong swing at Erik with his fist and ended up drawing blood. Erik smirked at him before he hit T once more, knocking T'Challa straight onto his back. My body ached as if I felt the hit too. Moments passed and I expected T'Challa to get up but he didn't. His chest was still moving up and down as he breathed heavily but his eyes were closed.
" T'Challa get up !! ", I screamed across the water, hoping my voice carried over the waterfall. Erik had his knife at the ready and as he was about to swing his blade into T, Zuri interrupted.
" You're problem is with me son. Not the boy. He did none of this ! ", he intervened with his hands out in surrender.
" I'll take you too uncle James ", Erik stabbed Zuri through his chest. My hands flew to my mouth as Zuri fell backwards into the water, his body sliding off Erik's blade.
" AHHHH!! ", T'Challa yelled with fury, getting up angrily and charging for Erik but he knocked him back again by kneeing him in his rib cage. T slipped on the water and hit his head.
" Is this ya KING ?! ", he yelled at the crowd furiously.
T got up again but his attempt failed and Erik punched him in the abdomen and kneed his head back into the water.
" The Black Panther who's suppose to lead you into the future ?! ", He roared.
" Is there nothing that can be done ? ", I heard Ayo call from behind me.
Erik turned back to T'Challa and picked him up over his shoulders.
" YIELD T'CHALLA ! ", I screamed.
I watched Erik carry T'Challa towards the edge of the rocks just over the water falls. I dropped down to my knees in utter weakness.
" wait PLEASE ! PLEASE NO - ", before I could finish, Erik threw my Husband into the waters of warrior falls.
" NOOOO!!!! ", Romanda screamed.
Thinking quickly I knew I had to do something. I ran for Erik in a blind fury, clawing at his back. He turned around and harshly pushed me into the water, knocking the wind out of me. I coughed harshly, drawing my hands in front of me, trying to formulate some kind of power. Nothing was coming out of my hands. My powers weren't working. My powers weren't fucking working. I stared frantically at him, crawling backwards in the water as he walked towards me clearly telling me to back up. I didn't back down. I scrambled back up to my feet ready to hit him again but before my punch could connect I immediately passed out.
" Harper ", I felt something damp on my face and a soft voice in my ear.
" Harper ...", it became louder. I was greeted with a bright light. I opened my eyes to see Nakia cooling me down with a cold rag. When my eyes adjusted to the bright lights of the lab I took a look around me. Shuri, Romanda and A Caucasian man all stood around me.
Then a replay of everything that happened popped up. My body seized up with tears as I started whimpering and then my whimpering turned to wailing. Nakia shushed me, holding my hand as I completely lost....Completely lost my mind. Nobody really had comforting words. Everyone was broken apart. What could they say ? That' everything was going to be okay ? That would be a lie. A complete lie.
" You have to be strong Harper. You have to be strong for the Prince in your belly ", Nakia sniffled beside me. I forgot all about my pregnancy.
" It doesn't even matter anymore ", I cried.
" Yes it does. That baby needs you Harper ", Romanda stood by my side. She looked like she'd been crying for quite awhile.
" I don't want this baby if he's not here ", I hiccup. Romanda looked away in disappointment. I turned over on my side and continued to cry softly as Nakia tried to comfort me.
" We can't let this happen. Erik can't be King. He will run Wakanda into the ground ", Shuri spoke up.
" There must be something we can do ", The Caucasian man spoke up.
" Who are you ? ", I sniffle.
" Agent Ross...your highness ", he looked at me awkwardly.
" Don't call me that ", I turn away wiping my own tears.
" I have a plan but we have to wait for the right opportunity. Keep a low profile and don't upset him. I will get us out of this somehow ", Nakia swore.
" Let's hope it's soon. I don't want Harper alone with him. We must keep Ross away from Erik. He will kill him on sight ", Romanda warned.
" First we should see if she has a concussion ", Said Shuri.
One of the female doctors/scientists came in. They shined lights in my eyes and asked me questions. I was too far gone to answer all of them. Looking past them I eyed agent Ross who stuck out like a sore thumb.
" You fell pretty hard but everything is fine. In fact you're in perfect health. All your hormonal levels are balanced, blood sugar, cholesterol ect. All thanks to the mark I see he finally left on you ", she points to my neck. I cover it instinctively with my hand.
" What about it ? ", I ask.
" He came in asking about his urge to mark you. I let him know that it wasn't unusual. Some generations back, his ancestor did the exact same thing to his Queen at the time. Think of it as like protection. For one it keeps your pregnancy symptoms to a minimum which is always good. It's like a super mega ultra multivitamin that keeps you healthy. Meaning no matter what you do, the baby in your belly will reach full term and you won't fall ill. No matter how much food you refuse or sleep you lose...you and this baby will be strong. The bite he gave you will sustain you. His contingency plan was likely to keep you alive at all costs and this bite pretty much does that. It also serves as a connection between you and him in some way. T'Challa's ancestor marked his Queen before a huge historic war broke out and it was said that they used the mark to communicate when they were separated. It made them stronger as a unit. We had a theory that Bast sensed something was about to happen and therefore pushed T'Challa to mark you. How the mark will serve you in that regard, only time will tell at this point ", the doctor explained.
" My powers didn't work at warrior falls ", I confessed.
" Your baby is using allll the electric energy in your body. You'll have little to no powers as your pregnancy progresses but as you near the end of your pregnancy they might come back even stronger than ever ", The doctor added.
" That doesn't make any sense? Why would my baby need to ...use my energy ? ", I ask.
" This baby is not just any baby. In fact THIS baby will more than likely have a mixture of you and T'Challa's abilities. Meaning that he or she is using your body as a source. Your body is sooo focused on preserving this baby to full term that it doesn't have the strength to continue to put out energy for you to throw away. It's not permanent, only temporary. Mutant women sometimes experience this. When they fall pregnant their powers reduce or stop completely until they give birth to their child ", Said the Doctor.
" So this has nothing to do with the bite ? ", I ask.
" Nope. If anything it would amplify your powers but you're simply just pregnant. You don't need to be fighting anyway. You need to be resting. I know it's easier said than done but you have to protect yourself. You may not be able to hurt yourself but others can hurt you. The bite he gave you helped tremendously, otherwise I'd be fearing a miscarriage in the next few days from the amount of stress that this palace has been put under. I'll prescribe you a natural sleep aid for a few weeks. I'll have it made for you in the herb and medicine wing ", she concluded. I nodded and thanked her as sincerely as I could. My voice couldn't go up any further than monotone.
After my assessment, Ross was ordered to stay in the lab. He knew exactly where to hide in case Erik came in. I went back to our bedroom. I opened it to see everything in place. If you told me that when I woke up that morning, it would be the last time I got to see him...I'd never believe you. All the nights I turned over to feel him next to me. All the nights I watched him sleep before I rested my own...relieved to see him resting. All those nights and sometimes mornings when he was ontop of me. It was all taken for granted. Everything happened so sudden I didn't even have a time to breathe. He was ripped from me entirely. My mind scrambled to find my last memory of him. Maybe his face when I told him I was pregnant ? The last time I kissed him in the lab ? The way he held me on the plane when we slept ?
I walked to the closet and the first thing I saw was my wedding dress. Our wedding day ...
I kneeled in front of it and broke down. I broke down the way I really wanted to. It was ugly and it was harsh. It seized my body and left me breathless. When I finally got that out minutes later, I smelled every stitch of clothing I possibly could of his. I smelled his cologne, his jackets...anything with his scent on it. Another round of tears came around as I broke down in a pile of his clothes. I slept there that night....
At 11:00pm I awoke out of my sleep hearing drums. They were coming from below me. I scrambled up from T'Challa clothes and stepped outside of my closet to hear more closely. The drums were coming from the downstairs hallways and the ballroom it seemed. I sat on my bed rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. A picture of T and I on our night stand came into view. It was the first picture we took together on our honeymoon. I was startled out of my thoughts by a knock. Afraid of who it was I got up from my bed and cracked my door open.
" Your highness...the King wants us to get you prepared for the celebration ", said my styling team. They stood outside more door, eyes wide with fear. Before I could protest they insisted I do it.
" Don't anger him, please your highness. You are with child ", My stylists rushed. I sighed and opened my door. I expecting something simple. Perhaps a nice gown and simple makeup. He wanted my presence there and he'd get what he requested. What I hadn't expected was the clothing he picked out for me. A gold bralette with jewels and shells attached to it with a matching jeweled skirt. My hair was brushed back so that it wouldn't get in the way of the headpiece that went with it.
" Is this some kind of sick joke ? ", I stared at myself in the mirror. I was dressed like a poor man's fantasy mixed with some river goddess. I was uncomfortable and also pregnant. Though I wasn't showing yet, I instinctively covered my stomach with my hand. I felt exposed and unprotected. Now that T'challa was no longer here I found myself vulnerable. Vulnerable to Erik....
" He requested you also be barefoot ", My clothing stylist added. I wrapped my arms around myself staring out of the bedroom door.
" Best not to keep him waiting ", Added one of my servants.
" Please be careful Your highness. He's waiting inside of the ballroom ", said my other stylist.
I slowly walked out of my bedroom. My eyes scanned either side of the hallway, terrified. The hallways were lit by candle light. In fact, the entire palace was lit by candle light. Erik's reign was like being sucked back into ancient Egypt. These palace walls didn't feel the same anymore. This wasn't my home. Nervous, I looked around anxiously thinking I'd seen a figure in the hallway..it was just my shadow. Why did I think he would jump from the darkness and snatch me up like some kind of monster ? At least that kind of monster was up front. Erik was more psychological. He knew what he was doing putting me in these clothes. He had every intention on a victory lap, with me as his lap dog.
End of chapter 37
Hi, yeah. Things got pretty bad. With this chapter I wanted things to be sped up ( Purposefully) T'Challa dies and then Harper has no time to process what's happening. She's immediately thrown into celebration as we will see in the next chapter. She will finally have to face the new king. The next chapter is a more in depth look how the dynamics of the palace would change if Killmonger was king. Be warned...it's very different.