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Summer 2004Standing drenched in river water, Nakia clutched tighter to her ring blades, the traditional weapon of the Q'Noma Valley marsh tribe, passed from her grandfather to her father to her."Hand over the ring blades!" N'gozi, the present Dora Milaje general, commanded sharply. She stood next to her tall granddaughter and apprentice, Okoye, who was already eighteen and was about to cross over to the stature of a full warrior.After Nakia beat every single girl in her age group with her ring blades during the King's Demonstration, General N'gozi handpicked her to take Okoye's place as her next apprentice.This was the first King's Demonstration without an available prince. The king's teenage son and heir, T'Challa, was away taking his rites of passage. There had been a short discussion about delaying until he returned. But the ceremony was no longer about choosing a potential bride but ensuring future warriors to train and protect Wakanda's royalty.However, General N'gozi was starting to worry that maybe she made the wrong choice this time. By age fourteen, Nakia was as difficult as she was talented and beautiful. She refused to wear the apprentices' uniform, dressing in the marsh tribe's traditional dress every morning since she arrived. She refused to lay down her ring blades and take up the Dora Milaje vibranium spear. She refused to train with the other girls, stating when she chose to fight, she fought alone.After the third day of this, General N'gozi showed up at Nakia's tent right at sunrise and kicked her out of her bed. "You want to prove what an honorable marsh tribe warrior you are?!? Then you will beat Okoye in single hand combat. If and only if you beat my granddaughter, then I will allow you to continue to use your blades and dawn your tribe's traditional armor."Nakia sat up from the ground, wiped the dirt from her face, and set her mouth. "Fine."Fifteen minutes later, she found herself face down in the river.Both General N'gozi and Okoye looked down upon her smugly as she pulled herself back up to her feet in disgrace. "Looks like you might have some more to learn, huh girl?? Hand over the ring blades!"Nakia scowled and shoved her weapons at the general. N'gozi looked at Okoye and said, "Get her a nice dry apprentice's uniform to replace that wet marsh tribe rag."Okoye nodded and then motioned for Nakia to follow her. She whispered back to Nakia as they walked away. "You'll get use to it... living as a Dora Milaje apprentice is not so bad. I was born into the warrior's tribe, but even I had to get use to this life.""Tuh." Nakia tutted. "I have no interest in fighting. Or shaving my head and wearing warrior's armor. I'm no warrior. I'm a woman. Let the men do that."Okoye sighed. "It was not exactly my first choice either but we serve where we are needed.""Well apparently the message about where I was needed got crossed. Your grandmother might be a general. But my grandfather is an oracle." Nakia stated, haughtily. "He has already told me the direction of my life's path. And fighting useless wars or protecting invisible borders is not it!""Your grandfather still practices the old ways?" Okoye hissed suspiciously in a hushed voice.Nakia pinned her lips. She knew she was not supposed to speak about her grandfather's stubborn beliefs. But these women were really rubbing her the wrong way.The marsh tribe was one of the outer tribes, who lived partially isolated from the rest of the Wakandan tribes at the base of the Jabari mountain range in the secluded Q'Noma valley. Besides the Jabari tribe, who ruled the mountain range, there were a handful of valleys occupied by the outer tribes, some of them like Serpent Valley, completely inaccessible to the rest of the country. This allowed many of the elders, who refused to change their set ways, to continue some of the older and out of date practices that were outlawed within the main city. The more populated areas of the country which were fully modernized and relied solely on Wandakan technology.When Nakia did not respond, Okoye did not push and asked no further questions. Instead she warned, "The more you relent and cooperate with the general, the easier it will be for you.""This is a waste of time." Nakia replied, not a hint of doubt in her voice. "I will never wear a Dora Milaje uniform. I will get my ring blades back soon enough. So there is no point to any of this."Snorting a long puff of air out through her nostrils, Okoye shook her head, exasperated. Then a gleefully wicked look entered her dark brown eyes. She lost all of her usual stiff formalness. "You are the most bullheaded girl, I've ever met. I'd kick sense into your stupid little ass again for your insolence towards my grandmother, if I didn't respect and admire your stubbornness so much."Okoye handed Nakia the dry apprentice uniform with a twinkle in her eyes. "Just don't expect the general to feel the same way as me. What happened today... that was N'Gozi's way of being nice and understanding."Nakia humphed and crossed her arms over her chest instead of taking the offered clothes."We will both be trained by the same mistress... therefore we will always be bound as sister apprentices. Please don't make this too hard on yourself, little sister." Okoye stated kindly, pushing the uniform even closer.Relenting, Nakia finally took the clothes.After she finished dressing, Nakia came out to find Okoye and the general standing with three very large men. She walked up to Okoye's side and whispered, "Who are they?""They're from the Jabari tribe." Okoye responded.Nakia took in the traditional armor of the three men. The tallest of the three looked like an actual full grown man with sprinklings of gray in his thick beard and on his head. The other two were almost as tall as him, but their faces were young like teenagers. All of their armor was light weight and made only of wood, ivory, and older metals.. no vibranium. The mountain tribe rarely left the icy and barren mountain range. And when they did, it was always to go to war. Nakia grew up in the closest neighboring tribe and even she had never seen a member of the tribe before with her own eyes. "What are they doing here?""That is M'Bukah, the leader of the Jabari tribe and his two sons, M'Baku and Mandla." Okoye whispered back. "Besides, the Dora Milaje and our king, the Jabari tribe has the fiercest warriors within Wakandan borders. When it is necessary... we do work together."Nakia continued to stare at the three men. They looked as if they could break a normal man in half with their bare hands. It was no wonder they did not bother with stronger armor. But even with their size, all three of them were very handsome. The youngest of the three turned and looked at her. He was definitely the handsomest. And he seemed to be aware of it. He gave her an arrogant and wide white toothed smile as soon as he saw she was staring at him. Nakia turned her nose up at him, but her face began to burn slightly with embarrassment as he continued to leer back at her undeterred.Okoye snorted as she also noted Nakia and Mandla eyeing each other. The she teased. "I see the younger brother has taken a liking to you. Must be your feminine wiles, little sister.""I don't know what you're talking about." Nakia replied haughtily as she walked away. "I thought you and the general were so pressed about my training. About turning me into a prepubescent boy like the rest of you. So why are we wasting time talking about such nonsense?""If you say so, little sister." Okoye continued to laugh.They stood listening gravely as the leader spoke. It seemed the prince's small traveling party, who left Wakanda earlier that week, had come under attack. Scouting Jabari warriors found the only survivor at the base of the mountain range. He was shot in the leg and nearing death. His final words before he fell unconscious was that the prince had been abducted.
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Sixteen years later...Somewhere deep in the northern caves of Serpent valley, Nakia groaned as her consciousness surfaced back to world of the living. Pain. All she could feel was pain. Horrible pain shooting through each and ever nerve ending in her body like fire.It had been a week since Killmonger discovered Nakia, broken and tortured near to death, across the Wakandan border in the small neighboring country, Ghudaza. Apparently, he had already gained enough influence there to recover her body from the sadistic Ghudazian leader Reverend Achebe, who ruled the rebels with a bible in one hand and an automatic rifle in the other.The rebels had become bolder and bolder as news of Killmonger's temporary coup and reign over Wakanda reached beyond Wakandan borders. Everyone believed he was dead for over a year until whispers of a man who resembled him living in Serpent Valley finally reached the palace.Soon after taking his throne back, King T'Challa agreed to open the borders and greatly expanded their outreach programs. A month later, Nakia left Wakanda again.She was no longer a part of her order, having sided with T'Challa instead of Killmonger like the rest of her brethren during the Wakandan conflict. But having spent half of her life as a war dog spy, she could not go back to being a regular Wakandan citizen either.She knew T'Challa would never say so outloud, but she could tell he hoped she might lay down her ring blades, begin to nest, and become domesticated... like a domesticated cat. But she didn't want children nor to be anyone's wife. There was not even a part of her that found that life appealing. At least... not right now.T'challa still held out hope however. He had allowed her to push him towards this new Wakanda because he loved her, and he wanted her to leave the life of the Hatut zeraze and become his queen. But Nakia was driven by something else. She could not put her finger on it. But it had been there ever since her grandfather revealed her path in the marsh water so many years ago. It would not allow her to mindlessly follow a king into war nor sit on a throne without actively intervening in the consequences of that throne's decisions. So when she heard of the new turmoil in Ghudaza, she left again, leaving behind a single note,'My heart and soul always remain with you, but another path pulls my physical body away from Wakanda. I am sorry again, my king. Do not wait for me.'Nakia infiltrated the ranks of the resurgence of Ghudaza's guerrilla armies, which arose in response to the discovery of Wakanda's true identity and power. Most of them were young children, abducted from their homes by Achebe's men, to be turned into merciless killers who would protect their country's borders at all costs.She was successful in freeing many of the abducted children, but soon Nakia was recognized by Achebe as a Wakandan spy. He watched her. Eventually trapping her and stashing her in his monastery where he tortured and beat her for several days.That is where Killmonger discovered her. He took her from Achebe under the pretext of a goodwill exchange between Killmonger's growing death regiment and Achebe's guerrilla army. Then Erik gave her to his oracle, Sombre."Make sure she lives. Make sure she knows who saved her life. Use the altar if necessary." Killmonger instructed Sombre coldly. He had no interest in saving Nakia from Achebe other than to use her against his cousin. He needed her alive for that. "She has T'challa's eye. But she's also from a long line of oracles and she's a dog of war by nature. She'll be useful when we finally move against him again."Nakia did not know about Killmonger's plans when she woke. She remembered nothing beyond the torture that she endured in Achebe's monastery. Now she found herself lying on a soft bed, alone in a small dark cavern. It was cold there. She could hear running water beyond the rocky walls. She shivered against the sound of distant shrill shrieks from some fierce and large creature lurking down there with her in the dark.Where was she? She moved from beneath the sheets and turned to crawl to the edge of the platform bed. Then she noticed a beautiful almost perfect lavender flower sat on the pillow next to her head. She picked it up curiously. Lily of the nile. It was her favorite flower. Taken a bit off guard, she put it to her nose and took in the smell. Aww... that smell reminded her of her grandfather's house.Collecting herself, she sat up at the edge of the bed and look down at herself. She was wearing a flowing white gown, which matched the sheets on the bed. Placing the flower in her short soft brown curls, she looked around for her ring blades.She was not surprised to see that they were missing. She was actually shocked that she was alive. Or maybe this was the astral plane and that was why the lily waited on the pillow for her to wake.No. Her body ached too much. She moved again, attempting to stand up. But the dizziness caught up to her and she flopped right back down on her butt.In response to her movement, two large creatures stepped out of the shadows at the far side of the cavern near the only entranceway. Nakia rubbed her eyes. Was she hallucinating??There were two gigantic white gorillas standing like sentries at the cavern entrance. They were dressed in intricate vibranium armor. Chest plates, helmets and gauntlets. Both of them looked as if they stood at least six feet at their full height and neither looked very friendly.She sat staring at them and they stood staring at her. Nakia shook her head. This was very unusual. She had only been this close to a white gorilla once in her life and though that gorilla was no more than an adolescent, it was not nearly this passive and she barely got away with her life.These were two fully grown males, yet they waited patiently for her to get up and cross the room towards them.Once she got a few steps away from her guards, she stopped cautiously. The two gorillas moved as though to let her through the entrance. The largest one on the right motioned for her to keep walking. When she still did not move, he made a few signs at her.Nakia frowned. She understood this. It was human sign language. She signed back.Nakia had far more training than any other woman in Wakanda. For all intents and purposes she should have been banished to the outskirts or pushed into the Hatut zeraze long ago, but she found herself among the palace's inner circle instead. It was all because of T'challa's interest in her, propelled by her own rebellious ways. Since the day that she found him on the palace grounds, they had been close to inseparable. It was obvious to everyone that they loved each other, and T'Challa's family considered Nakia a good match. So marriage was expected eventually. But on both ends, there had always been something holding them back. Neither of them spoke about it, but both were fully aware of it. Nakia could tell something or someone held captive over a large part of T'challa's heart. It was something that happened to him while he was out in the desert. He would never talk about it, not even to her. And T'Challa could tell Nakia hated the idea of what life as his queen would mean. Her rebelliousness never waned, and instead just got stronger over the years.Unable to follow the strict heirarchy among the Dora Milaje warriors, her defiance continually disrupted the other apprentices' training to the point that General N'gozi eventually gave up and stripped her of her uniform and spear.But instead of banishment, she was placed under the tutelage of the palace linguist. She worked and trained under him until she was twenty. However, this was not enough for Nakia. Driven by that same intense feeling that pulled her to Ghudaza several months ago, she eventually joined the Hatut zeraze.Traditionally, Wakandan spies were always men. But an exception was made for Nakia by the behest of Prince T'challa. Nakia could fluently speak at least ten different languages and dialects and she understood far more. This included american and brittish sign languages. Under King T'Chaka, she was not stationed in other countries like most of the other war dogs, but she was sent on special missions, keeping her away from Wakanda for months at a time.The white gorilla was now signing to her that food waited for her outside of the room. He motioned for her to follow him. Then both gorillas turned and swayed out of the room and down a large dark corridor.Nakia followed, not sure what else to do, though she was hesitant about what awaited her at the end of this hall. Eventually they entered another much larger cavern. This one was brightly lit with several candles and at the center sat an enormous table filled with food and drink.The gorillas stopped at the entrance and then signed for her to sit at the table. She signed back "thank you" and then took a seat at the end. The only other seat was far away at the other end of the long table. But it was empty. She assumed her host would soon show up and fill that seat.So she waited. The distant shrieking sounds of the strange creatures, sounded closer here. She wondered what was making that sound. It did not sound like the call of a gorilla though there seemed to be several of them here. Another pair of gorilla guards stood at another entrance opposite the one that she just entered."Why don't you eat?" A man's voice echoed through the room. Nakia sat up straighter and looked around. But she could not find the source. "Is the meal not adequate? I can send for something else more to your liking?""No. This is more than fine." Nakia replied. "I was waiting for my host to appear. I would like to be polite. Where are you? Who are you?""That doesn't matter." The voice replied sternly. "This meal is for you. You should eat...""I think it is very rude for a host to not show up to greet his guest." Nakia scolded. "Are you sick?? Why can't you join me?"Nakia paused and waited for an answer. When she did not receive one, she asked, "I believe you are the one who left the flower for me on my pillow. Am I right?"The voice still did not answer."Well. The lily of the nile is my favorite." Nakia stated. "And this one is particularly beautiful. I wanted to thank you for it in person. But I guess..."Her voice drifted off. She had a strong sense that she was speaking to herself now. Sighing, she picked up the spoon and began to eat the soup set in front of her.This went on for another few days...In the mornings, Nakia woke to find another lily on her pillow. She was led by the enormous gorilla guards to the dining hall where a delicious piping hot meal waited for her. By the time she was returned to her bed chamber, the bed was neatly made, a warm bath sat ready for her to bath and shelves of books sat waiting for her to amuse herself. Later in the day, the gorilla guards led her the opposite way down the corridor, and out into a small secluded garden for sunlight. By the time they returned to the bedchamber, it was reset again for the night.While in the dining hall, the voice came when she called for him, but he still did not physically appear. She questioned whether she was a prisoner, but he never answered and the gorilla guards never let her out of their sight, even staying in the room while she bathed.After an entire three days of this routine, Nakia became extremely impatient. "I demand to see you! Right now!"When the voice did not answer, she began to rip the petals off that day's flower and yelled, "You are an evil, evil man! Why not just let me go?? Why pretend to be my friend when you are holding me prisoner just like Achebe??"This time a shape appeared in the far doorway. A tall man wearing a bulky and long robe which covered him from his neck to his feet. He was still in shadows so she could not see his face. But she knew she was finally meeting her host.She stood up and moved around the table. "You finally came."Moving across the room towards the doorway, so she could see the man better, she was halted by the gorilla guards who stood on either side of the entrance."I still can't see your face." Nakia stated. She squinted her eyes attempting to get a better look.The man took a step back. "It's better this way. I only came because I want you to know that even though you can't leave... I mean you no harm, ifuru. I want you to be comfortable here."Nakia paused at him calling her ifuru. She knew in the language of the Jabari tribe, a dialect of Igbo, it meant flower. She was a bit taken aback by the affectionate nickname."But you just said I can't leave." Nakia shot back finally gathering herself. "How can I be comfortable in a place I don't want to be??"The man stood silently and did not answer."If you're going to keep me here against my will. The least you can do is show your face!"The man remained silent within the shadows."You are a coward." Nakia spat with finality. "I don't want anything from you any more. No flowers. No food. No books. Nothing. And my name is Nakia!"She turned to go back towards the table but then the man took a step forward into the light. Stunned, Nakia stood where she was and did not move an inch further.The man's face was covered with a deformed wooden snake mask. It appeared to be seared onto his skin which was scarred and fleshy where it was visible around the mask and above the robe. The man's eyes glowed slightly from within the eyeholes of the mask, and there was a slightly pained look to them as he took in Nakia's horrified expression as she laid eyes on his face. "I told you it was better if you did not see me."Nakia swallowed hard and then forced a smile. "I was just surprised. I just..."She stepped forward hesitantly and reached out to his face to touch the mask. He jerked back slightly so she asked, "Does it hurt?""No." The man's voice sounded wary. "I don't want to hurt you.""What does that mean?" Nakia asked, curiously.The man ignored the question. "Now that you've seen my face. Maybe now you can sit and eat."Nakia turned and walked back to the table. "Only if you join me."The man seemed a bit shocked by the request. "You'd be ok with me sitting across the table from you while you eat?""Why not?" Nakia demanded. "It's about time you gained some manners and kept me company like a good host should!"The man moved towards the other chair and sat down on the other side of the table. But Nakia walked over and grabbed the chair first. "You're too far away. We cannot talk with you this far away."The man pulled the chair from Nakia's hands and said," Ok."He carried the chair down to the right side of Nakia and then moved to pull out her chair so she could sit. He sat down too. He was very tall -perhaps about six foot seven. His build was average for his height so he filled out the chair and crouched awkwardly at the table which looked like it was built for those closer to Nakia's five foot four frame.Nakia waited, taking note of how the man had covered every inch of his body, including his hands which were covered by gloves. "Ummm... it would be good to know your name."Despite his awkward positioning, the man folded his hands politely on the table. "They call me Sombre now."Nakia motioned to the plate in front of him. "Well Sombre, why don't you eat?"Sombre shook his masked head quickly. "I don't eat in front of others.""It's ok...""No." Sombre replied sharply. He repeated, "I do not eat in front of others.""Fine." Nakia picked up her spoon and started to eat. "Well then, tell me what they called you before.""What do you mean?" Sombre asked, confusion in his voice."You said they call you, Sombre, now. What were you called before?"The man hesitated again but under Nakia's intent gaze, he finally continued. "My name was Mandla once... a long time ago."He remembered the time before his humiliation and he winced at the memory of his once handsome face. He wished this beautiful woman could have seen him as he once was years ago. He wished this beautiful woman could have seen him as he once was years ago———-Thirteen years prior...Mandla stood in front of his older brother, M'Baku, with a scowl on his face. It was actually more like a defiant snarl -in an attempt to stop the urge to roll over on his back and show his belly... or his throat to his furious gigantic brother. However, M'Baku looked unmoved. He angrily sat on his throne with an 'I could throttle you right now' look on his face.What was this? M'Baku never interfered with Mandla's business. Why was he interfering now?No one in the Jabari tribe ever questioned Mandla. Not since at age ten he showed a talent for controlling and communicating with the violent white gorillas that his tribe worshiped. Since then he had either been revered or feared. Taking whatever he wanted... women, wealth, and respect.Before this, as his father's second son, he was always ignored and was hidden by his older brother's very large shadow. M'Baku was two years older than him. He was taller and stronger and smarter. He was the better warrior and had already killed a grown man with his club by age ten. Some would even say M'Baku was better looking, though that would have been questionable since the two brothers were equally desired by the fairer sex.Their father, M'Bukah, taught both of his sons to be ruthlessly ambitious. He forced both of them to beat each other to a pulp in daily single combat from the time that Mandla could walk. Of course M'Baku always won and he never took it easier on his younger brother just because Mandla was two years younger. That is how M'baku rose up the ranks to become the youngest leader of the mountain tribe. That... and he was the only one who his younger brother listened to and even respectfully feared."I've been told that you are causing trouble for us on the other side of the mountain." M'Baku narrowed his eyes at arrogant little brother. "Among the witch priestesses who rule the tribes there.""I am just having a little fun," Mandla replied, annoyed. "These mountains grow boring. I've slept with all the single women -and even some the married ones, tasted all the food, humiliated all the men with my club. What is the purpose of speaking to gods and studying magick, if it is never used. I want to see how my power measures up to others like me."M'Baku laughed, a deep throaty laugh that started in his chest. "So you are telling me... that you have caused all of this trouble for our tribe because you are bored little brother??"Mandla stood silently. It was never good when M'Baku started to laugh like this.Grunting, M'Baku stopped his laughter abruptly and focused on Mandla like a heat seeking missileGrunting, M'Baku stopped his laughter abruptly and focused on Mandla like a heat seeking missile. "If you want excitement, I could toss you over the edge of this mountain. Plenty of excitement as you fall hundreds of feet to your death."M'Baku's hard face finally cracked a smile as Mandla's eyes grew wide like saucers. "Just kidding. I would never do that. You are my favorite little brother..."Mandla sucked in a long breath, feeling relieved. He mumbled, "I am your only little brother.""Semantics." M'Baku waved a hand at Mandla."This is why I told you long ago to take a wife like mine." M'Baku looked down at his hands bored. "Let her keep you entertained, your belly full, and your dick satisfied. Shouldn't be a problem finding one. You claim to be the better looking brother."M'baku scoffed at the thought."There is no woman here who could hold my attention"There is no woman here who could hold my attention. You already took the best one." Mandla grumbled, irritated. Then he smiled arrogantly. "I mean look at me. I can't entertain just any young lady.""Hunh!" M'Baku grunted, annoyed with his brother's pickiness"Hunh!" M'Baku grunted, annoyed with his brother's pickiness. "Regardless, you will go down the mountainside to the storm goddess's village. You will take tribute and you will apologize for your indiscretions. We don't need our village scorched by her lightning."M'Baku gave his brother a wry look. "No more tricks, Mandla... this is your final warning."———The next day, Mandla set off down the mountain with his two gorilla guards. The gorillas were dressed in the wood and bone armor of the Jabari tribe. They carried large gifts of long haired mountain goat fur and horns. It took most of the day to get down to the flat plains of the Serengeti. And the sun was setting by the time he was greeted by Aindet at the border of the village.The witch priestess looked Mandla over and then she looked at the gifts that the gorillas carried. "You have nerve showing your face here, Oracle.""Good morning to you too Priestess. I'm here by goodwill only." He smiled his most charming smile extending his hand.Aindet just looked at his hand suspiciously. She did not like this young man. He was far too handsome. Oracles with this much power should never be handsome."My older brother sent me to settle your fears." Mandla replied smugly. "There will be no further hostility from our side of the line.""Your arrogance is grating." Aindet sneered back. "But you've shown a significant amount of skill over magick. This is rare in a man and our tribe values your skill. I have a proposal that will solidify an alliance between our tribes and prevent any further issues between us.""And that would be?" Mandla crossed his arms over his chest."My sister's oldest daughter has shown significant promise. She would also make a good wife." Aindet stated. "Come to my home and meet her. If she is to your liking you can take her as your wife and our tribes will be sealed as one."Reluctantly, Mandla followed Aindet to her house. He had no desire to meet her niece but he also had no desire to get tossed off the side of the mountain by his older brother. Better to let the old witch down politely.Once inside the house, Aindet pointed him to a shy plain young woman who sat peeling potatoes and cutting up squash and listening to the radio. Across the table sat a striking girl, who looked slightly younger but had stunning white hair woven in braids down her back and clear blue eyes that starkly contrasted her dark brown skin."This is my niece, Iyeoka." Aindet grabbed the hand of the plain woman, pulling her from the table to stand in front of Mandla.From his extreme height, Mandla barely looked down on Iyeoka. And from his body language, it was clear he was not even considering the young woman as a prospect for a wife. His eye was caught by the beautiful girl still seated at the table. Rudely, he walked past Aindet and Iyeoka, heading towards the kitchen table. "What about her?"He indicated Ororo. "I want her, instead."Aindet narrowed her eyesAindet narrowed her eyes. "Iyeoka is eighteen. Ororo is only fifteen. Ororo is not old enough for marriage yet. Besides she is already destined to marry a great man. And he is definitely not you."Mandla snorted. "Fifteen is not so young. And why not me?? I'm a powerful oracle. You just said my skills are valuable. Why wouldn't you give me the most beautiful girl in your village? Not this plain child."He waved rudely at Aindet's niece."Who are you to act so rudely in my mother's house??" Impulsively, Ororo stood up from the table with a glare on her face."Wait, daughter." Aindet held up her hand. She moved her petite five foot frame in front of the enormous man like an unmovable roadblock. "Did you really think I would give any of my children to the likes of you?? I was only giving you a chance to truly redeem yourself before I cast my final judgement. But you have proven to me that you truly are as arrogant and as useless as I first thought."Aindet moved towards Mandla and flicked her hand at him. Some sort of liquid splashed over his face. He wiped his face and demanded, "What was that, old woman??"Mandla moved like he was about to strike Aindet, but Ororo lifted her hands and dangerous sparks of lightning snapped and snarled between her fingers. He backed away realizing the girl with the white hair was the actual storm goddess! Wooaah! What the Fuck!"I've made certain that from now on, your outside matches your inside. And your soul is not nearly as handsome as your current face." Aindet replied cryptically. She looked over at Ororo signaling for her to drop her hands. "You have thirteen years... a little more than a decade to find someone who will see past your ugliness and find your soul worthy of love. If this happens, the curse will break and you will revert back to your old self. If the end of the thirteen years comes first, this curse will be permanent and unbreakable."Mandla frowned as he felt at his face. It felt exactly the same. "What are you talking about old woman!? Nothing has happened.""Return to your brother and tell him things are settled between our tribes." Aindet smugly smiled at Mandla's confusion before pointing his way out of her house.———-The next day, Mandla woke up in his bed in the Jabari Mountains with a searing pain coursing through his body. His gorillas were making high-pitched fear filled calls as though spooked by something... or someone.He looked down on himself and noted that his body was terribly scarred. The skin was peeling and slothing off in thick patches with thick serous foul-smelling drainage pouring from his pores. The fear rising in his throat, he felt at his face. It was no longer there but instead was replaced with an wooden mask. He attempted to pull the mask off but it was seared to his once handsome face.Mandla stood up and stumbled out to the center of the village where the rest of his tribe stared at him with disgust and fear. He grabbed hold of the closest warrior, who was bold enough to come to his assistance. He knocked the young man out cold with just the touch of his hand. The rest of the villagers backed away so he could not touch them.Then M'Baku appeared from his own house with his family behind him. Exhausted, he leaned on his long club and looked down at his deformed younger brother. "Little brother... what have you done?"
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This dark dank place smelled of clean earth and untouched vibranium rich soil. It had to be at least a mile or two deep under Wakanda's cliffs. Nakia lay awake in her bed, counting the glow worms who slithered through the cracks on the ceiling of the cavern. There were several different types of larvae which gained bioluminescence through the ingestion of the raw vibranium in the rock. They were rarely seen in the main city due to the overaggressive mining of the vibranium there. But at her home in Q'noma valley, where they built their homes deep into warm underground clay, it was not uncommon for much of the structure to be lit brilliantly at night by the natural blues and greens.She remembered Mandla from their brief encounter years ago. He was the gorgeous and very arrogant younger son of M'bukah the Jabari Tribe Leader before M'Baku.She wondered what had happened to him after he discovered Aindet's curse was real. To end up in this place? This dark hole was certainly no place for a mountain man who ruled over giant white gorillas. What a pathetic end. And to have to carry that ugly face?A large part of her felt sorry for him. Nakia could find empathy for any pathetic soul. But her empathy only went so far. He was still her warden, no matter how he attempted to spin it. Her only focus now was to find a way out of this prison.So far her patience had paid off. Buying into her interest in him, he had told her his story, which was a more than promising sign that he was letting his guard down. And unknowingly he was supplying her with everything that she needed for her escape.The lily of the nile.The beautiful lillies he left on her pillow every morning was the key. Her grandfather would crush the flower petals to use as a dart tranquilizer in order to put down their animals. If enough of it was ingested, it could be used as a potent sleeping agent even for a man as large as Sombre.One issue was isolating Sombre from his gorillas however. They always seemed to loom around him, like large white shadows. Even if she were to separate them from him, she would only have so long before they realized their master was in trouble. And without his control over them, who knows what kind of savagery that number of male white gorillas underground would cause.The other issue was she had no idea how to get out of this place. Everyday the gorilla's herded her to the places set up for her entertainment. But these places were all dead ends. There was only one tunnel which they never allowed her to walk down, but the harsh creature sounds coming from that tunnel were enough to make her stop in her tracks.There were stories about the creatures who lived under the cliffs in Serpent Valley. The prehistoric dinosaurs who gave the valley its name. Nakia figured Sombre and his white gorillas were the only reason the raptors did not venture into this particular area looking for new prey.Nakia finally convinced Sombre to eat with her by the fourth evening. Then she understood right away why he never ate in front of anyone. Even his gorillas gave nervous chatter as he voraciously shoveled the food into his large serpent like mouth until he sent them away.He looked at her embarrassed after he took a couple of slurping bites. But she only smiled back at him encouragingly before picking up her own utensil. Then she thought better of it and began to use her hands too. Together they ate comfortably until Nakia began to yawn and noted that she was tired.The next night, she convinced him to eat with her again. He sent his gorillas away and again they sat and ate comfortably for awhile before Nakia had the urge to speak what was on her mind."Why do you work for him?" Nakia asked between bites of food.Sombre looked down at his food and then back up at his dinner companion. "Who?"Nakia rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Stevens. Killmonger. The ruthless killer who hates Wakanda and its people."She pushed her plate away and looked intensely at Mandla. "You were once a Prince of the Jabari people. Despite their contention with the throne, the Jabari people are proud Wakandans and some of the most stanch traditionalist in the country.""My people also live as outsiders." Sombre stated. "Just like all of those who follow Killmonger.""But his methods... the hundreds of Wakandans who died after he became king. The people he is associated with now..." Nakia protested. "Reverend Achebe is a power hungry child killing vial deviant.""And the Wakandan royal family is better?" Sombre asked leaning back in his chair and patiently crossing his hands in his lap. " How are they better? King Tchaka, King Azzuri, and the kings before them... what do you think they've done to keep rule in this country? How many of their own men, women and children have they sacrificed? What about those like me -banished for our differences? Those like Killmonger, banished because his very existence got in the way? What would happen to us if there was no serpent valley to run to? Or those willing to fight for us? You should understand better than anyone, coming from the marsh valley tribe. How many of your own kin have ended up dead after being pushed out of this country? How many are among the banished and now loyal to Killmonger? You might not like his methods but you can't say his side is the wrong side."Nakia began to eat again, not having an answer. She loved Tchalla but she never agreed with the royal family nor the ideals he inherited. For a long time she even hated them. In particular, she hated being forced to fight for them. Eventually, she forged her own path, one that allowed her to love Tchalla and yet not support the ideals of his family. But still, somehow it had landed her here at this crossroad."You are a smart, thoughtful woman with a rare and beautiful heart." Sombre observed. His eyes softening into blurry pools within his mask and filling with intensely raw emotion. "The king loved you. He wanted to marry you. You couldve had an easy life. A pampered and respected life as his Queen. It's the path most would have gladly taken... including me. But you chose to take on a harder life. A life that might save another future leader or lessen another's burdens... even just a bit. From a man who ended up here in this place due to his own arrogance and selfishness, I truly admire you."A tear slid down Nakia's cheek. She looked away from his eyes, not able to handle how they pulled at her heart. She was not sure why she was crying. Why Sombre's words caused such strong emotions to churn inside of her. Maybe because he finally saw her. Like no one else had seen her -not since her grandfather. Her voice wavered as she softly said, "Thank you. You don't know how much that means to me."She looked up at him with the tears in her eyes. "And if it means anything coming from a stranger, I don't think you are that same man anymore."Sombre shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I have a purpose now. This place and this horrible face gave me a purpose. It may have started as a curse but its become a blessing. That's good enough. I'll be a villain and look like a monster, so others can have better." Nakia nodded accepting his words though she wasn't sure she believed Killmonger's intentions were quite so honorable. She had crossed paths with him enough to doubt any unintentional sacrifice on his part.Sombre dug his hands in the food and placed it in his mouth. "Come on let's eat."Nakia watched him eat with her mouth open suddenly feeling guilty, but the warning got stuck in her throat. After a few minutes of eating the laced food, Sombre began to nod. His eyes began to lull and soon he slipped off into a drugged sleep.———Nakia felt her way in the darkness through the underground tunnels. After bypassing her room and the small outside garden for the tunnel that she thought was most likely her way out, she became very lost. This area was not lit with torches like Mandla's home, and without the sorcerer's Gorillas to lead her, she had no idea which way to go. The network of caverns was a lot more extensive than she hoped. There were several other forks to choose between and she felt like maybe she was doubling back because all of the tunnels looked exactly the same.And then there was that noise. It sent chills down her spine and her heart racing in fear. The harsh sounds were the shrieks of some sort of creature which were constantly present in the distance. Nakia did not know much about wild animals but she did know the shrill sounds sounded very much like a pack of hungry predators hunting her. They were calling to each other, organizing themselves, pushing her into a desirable trap. And it did not help that the sounds appeared to be getting closer instead of further away. -------Hours later Nakia lay naked in the warm jasmine water of one of the golden palace bathtubs. She felt like she was crashing the party when she stumbled upon T'challa with the white haired woman in the butterfly gardens earlier that evening. The look of admiration and adoration in his eyes as he watched Ororo had once been the way he looked at her. But there was something else there too. It was a fiery passionate longing to know the strange woman like no other man had known her. Nakia never saw that side of T'challa. She actually didn't think he was capable of such uncontrolled emotion. He always seemed so cool and repressed with Nakia. That was the one thing that had always bothered her about their love. How controlled it seemed. Then she remembered the look in Mandla's eyes at the dinner table. And then as he saved her only to be abandoned by her to fend off the raptors alone. She had faltered before she fled but the burning fire behind his eyes commanded her to leave him and to save herself.She still wasn't sure how she found her way out of the maze of caverns after becoming so lost before. But maybe Sombre had something to do with that too.She sat up in the tub. He had sacrificed himself for her. And in just the little time they were together, he had looked at her in ways that she longed from T'challa for years. She sighed. She now felt herself drawn away from this place she thought she wanted to escape back to. She could not help but feel what Mandla said about the royal family and Killmonger. She hated Erik and she definitely hated his methods, but she understood his goal. They paralleled her own.What was she coming back to anyway? It was obvious T'challa was in love with someone else. There was no place for her in Birnin zana anymore. She stood up out of the fragrant water and slipped on an expensive silk robe. Then she headed into the bedroom and took up the traveling clothes that had been confiscated by the maids to wash. She did not know what she was going to find in the caves. Was Mandla dead now? Probably. But she had to find him and see for herself.As soon as she was dressed, she left another note for T'challa. He was still her friend and she was about to betray him.Dear TThough we've cared for each other for so long, we've never truly understood each other the way we should. It's odd how in such a small country like Wakanda the two of us could grow up so completely different. I want you to know my choice to go back to Serpent Valley has nothing to do with you. And everything to do with who I am. You've always had your path and I've always had mine. And perhaps those paths were only meant to intersect for a moment. But I think you know that. I see it in the way you look at your new friend, Ororo Munroe. I only wish happiness for you, my king.Warmly,NakiaTaking her few things with her, she took the back way out of the palace. The secret way she learned while guarding it as a Dora Milaje. Then she made her way through the Golden city back towards Serpent Valley. As she hesitantly approached the Great Wall of mist, she wondered if it would let her back inside. Some crossed through without even knowing they were crossing while others were turned right back around after getting lost. This would be the finally test. If this was truly the path she was supposed to take. As soon as Nakia stepped into the mist, she found herself back within the beautiful vibrant valley on the other side. She had past the test. She ran at full speed through the starlit valley and back through the lavender and blue waterfall where she came out of Mandla's caves. She followed what she remembered of her path towards the cavern where the raptors attacked her. It was quiet now. The creatures must have abandoned the area or were now dead.Finally she came to the large cavern. There was just a slip of white light where the cliff opened up and let in the moon light. The raptor's nests of eggs were left undisturbed but the creatures themselves were nowhere to be found. Instead, she came across five large white gorillas bent over a crumpled object, their heads fell forward as though in mourning.Not hesitating she moved to stand among their circle. It was not an object between them. They were taking vigil over a body. A man.He lay peacefully as though asleep under a large tattered cloak. She recognized the pattern as the robe that Sombre wore. His deformed mask was cracked and separate from his face. Now tossed to the side. Instead of welts and pustules, his body was covered with smooth dark brown skin which stretched over taut well sculpted muscles and then she lay eyes on the handsome bone structure of his old face.Nakia's heart skipped. He was even more gorgeous than she remembered. But was he dead? She leaned closer until she hovered just above him. She whispered, "Hey you?"At the sound of her voice, he opened his eyes and looked up into her eyes. His handsome face broke into a smile. "Am I dreaming? You came back, my love."