The Dora Milaje and Jabari were called upon. The warriors started making their way towards the challenge, I stayed put beside the Queen and Princess, unsure of whether I should be included in the combat. Noticing my presence still beside her Romona turned to me and questioned why I was still there. She told me to go and so off I went.
The challenge began. It had started off good for T'Challa, edging in a good few blows, but as the Dora Milaje and Jabari closed in, decreasing the diameter of the ring, things started to go downhill for the Prince. He was receiving more blows that delivering them. I cringed slightly as M'Baku continued to hammer him down.
"No powers. No claws. No special suit, oh! Just a boy not fit to lead."
The anger inside me continued to build up inside of me and M'Baku was just prodding the fire. I looked over to T'Challa, who looked as if he was accepting defeat. He couldn't. His people needed him to guide them, not some ape who thought it was a good idea to challenge a worthy Prince. I had had enough.
"T'Challa! Get off your royal ass and show him who you are!"
He looked in my direction, a bit taken aback at my choice of words, but none the less he got himself up and was ready to fight once again.
"I am T'Challa, son of King T'Chaka."
Then M'Baku's anger had risen by this stage and was charging for T'Challa, who smoothly dodged his oncoming blow and delivered a slight shove to M'Baku's back, sending him flying. The crowd was going wild, all chanting T'Challa's name with pride. The next thing I know M'Baku is lying near the cliffs edge while T'Challa has his legs wrapped around M'Baku's neck securely.
"Yield! Don't make me kill you!"
"I much rather die!"
He had no way out and I could see in T'Challa's eye that he would much rather let the man go than have to slay him and he was adamant to get M'Baku to yield.
"You have fought with honour! Now yield! Your people need you."
With a few more minutes of persuasion M'Baku gave T'Challa three taps on the leg, signalling he had yielded. The crowd went ballistic. Of course M'Baku and the Jabari weren't as happy and simply walked away the same way they came. The Dora Milaje had lowered their weapons and stood orderly, diagonal to the Prince. Zuri then spoke:
"I now present to you, King T'Challa, the Black Panther."
The Dora Milaje started a tribal dance as I looked around me and admired everything I saw. Everyone was cheering, happiness flooding through them as they welcome their new King to the Throne. I couldn't hide the smile on my face as I looked back to T'Challa, who returned the gesture. I then moved my eyes towards the cheering crowd and then back to him, signalling him to make a move. He still smiled as he nodded and turned his attention to the people, his people. He crossed his arms across his chest and chanted:
"Wakanda Forever!"
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After T'Challa had been crowned King he had to be granted the power of the Black Panther once again. Meanwhile I had returned to my room, to give the royal family some space. Both to grieve the death of T'Chaka and to celebrate T'Challa's achievement.
I figured I wouldn't be going anywhere that evening so I decided I would take it as an opportunity to relaxe and somehow deal with the major jet-lag I was experiencing. I was still wearing my uniform as I decided it was still a bit too early to get changed into my pyjamas. That, and I couldn't remember where I had left them.
I was just about to sit down when there was a knock at my door.
"Come in."
The door opened slowly and T'Challa presented himself. I quickly stood up and crossed my arms across my chest. I smirked slightly at Wakanda's new King.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, my King?"
He simply shook his head at me and sighed.
"First Shuri takes every opportunity she has to tease me over it and now you aswell. I fear you and my sister are more alike than people seem to think."
"Why do you think we are friends."
T'Challa nodded his head in agreement before speaking.
"You are quite an encouraging person, has anyone ever told you that?"
I chuckled slightly.
"Are you perhaps referring to a certain statement that was made earlier?"
"I quote, Miss Cassidy,"
He made a pose and started waving his hands in all directions while speaking in a feminine tone:
" 'T'Challa! Get off your royal ass and show him who you are!'" T'Challa mimicked.
I laughed at his failed attempt of impersonating me. I pointed my finger at the King.
"For starters, I don't stand like that nor do I wave my hands in all directions. Secondly I don't sound like the damsel you just made me out to be."
I sat down on my bed, pleased with myself, T'Challa just laughed at my little rant. He then walked towards me and took a seat beside me on my bed. There was a moment of silence before he spoke.
"He was there."
I looked quizzically at T'Challa, the atmosphere taking a jurassic change, and also wondering to myself who 'he' was and where 'there' was.
"In the Ancestral Plane, I saw my father."
My eyes softened as he continued to speak.
"He told me to surround myself with people I trust."
T'Challa sighed before continuing.
"He also told me 'it's hard for a good man to be king' "
He turned to look at me, my gaze never falling from his face.
"What if I fail my people as King because I am too good at heart? Or because I did not have the courage to take down a threat and finish it off?"
I placed my hands on top of his, as some sort of reassurance.
"You won't fail your people, T'Challa."
He looked down at our intertwined hands.
"You won't fail because you're good at heart, or because you can't stand the thought of actually killing someone, alright. T'Challa, there will always be obstacles along the way and yes, you may not be able to overcome them the way you may have wished for, but that doesn't mean you're not a good King or that you failed your people. The only way you will ever fail your people is if you hold back from your duty as King, because you're afraid of failure."
I got up from my bed, separating our hands, and stood only a meter away from the King. He diverted his gaze at my sudden movement. I sighed slightly and turned to face T'Challa.
"Do you trust me?"
"Of course I trust you, I would put Wakanda in your hands before anyone else's."
I walked over to him and grabbed his hands, pulling him to the center of the room with me. He looked me in the eyes, as I did to him. We were close, very close. The close proximity between us almost made me nervous, almost. I searched his eyes for any sign that could tell me what he was thinking, anything. I decide to finish what I had started.
"Then trust me when I say that you, T'Challa, will be the greatest King that Wakanda has ever had."
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The next time I saw T'Challa was when we had gotten the information of a misidentified Wakandan artefact stolen from a British museum. Okoye sent a signal to T'Challa and W'Kabi's Kimoyo Beads, when they had answered she informed them that they were needed in the Throne room.
T'Challa and W'Kabi walked in soon after their presence was requested, I greeted them as they did so.
"My King. W'Kabi"
"Miss Cassidy."
W'Kabi just nodded in response. Instead of wasting any more time I took my seat beside Queen Mother and Okoye got straight into it.
"A misidentified Wakandan artefact was stolen yesterday from a British museum. We have learned Ulysses Klaue plans to sell the vibranium to an American buyer in South Korea tomorrow night."
She let them absorb the information. When he was ready, T'Challa spoke.
"Klaue has escaped our pursuits for almost thirty years. Not capturing him is ,perhaps, my father's greatest regret."
He paused for a second. My mind went back to our conversation from last night. He obviously didn't want to fail his people by not catching Klaue like his father.
"I wish to bring Klaue back here to stand trial."
We were in thought for a moment before one of the tribe leaders decided to speak up.
"Wakanda does not need a warrior right now, it needs a King."
T'Challa seemed to tense at her words. He was deep in thought for a moments before glancing over at me. I just nodded at him encouragingly, while Okoye voiced her opinion, breaking the silence.
"It is too great and opportunity to pass."
T'Challa nodded. W'Kabi then turned to his King.
"Take me with you. We'll take him down together, side by side."
T'Challa merely shook his head slightly, having already making up his mind.
"I need you here protecting the boarder."
"Then I ask you kill him where he stands or you bring him back to us."
"You have my word. I will bring him back."
T'Challa looked back to the Council before standing up.
"We will proceed with the mission."
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