king of wakanda

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Fish man. Namor shot the man, M’Baku, a sharp look. Dark brows arched, his mouth in a tight line. Then he huffed out a sound of petulant amusement, his head cocked to the side. “Nothing here ever will be,” he answered. “You may be King because of Shuri but you live because of my clemency.”

A moment was taken to breathe before he spoke again. The surface air against his skin pushed and pulled at his temper.

“…Just as I live because of hers.”

He considered what M’Baku said and looked across the water again. The world beneath it, the one above it. Two halves of a whole, splintered along the seam. Years and years he had gone without parley, without yielding. The seas did no such thing but for now, the waves could part.

“Talokan extends its resources in the reconstruction and re-fortification of your city,” he said quickly. “Is this the change you wish to see, King M’Baku?”

“It is a start.” M’Baku’s expression lightened. He watched as the other man looked over the water and allowed himself to listen to the soft ebb and flow of the waves hitting the shore. It was peaceful. And yet, the King of Wakanda knew just how destructive and dangerous the ocean, and everything hiding beneath its surface, could be.

There was a laugh. It felt good to laugh once more, and it was something that was happening more frequently as time went on. “Are you trying to let all of Wakanda know?” His boisterous tone came with increased volume. She dropped her bag then, the Black Panther suit inside falling to the ground. “Eh, M’Baku. I stood toe to toe with K'uk'ulkan and got him to yield. You should fear the Black Panther.”

When his hand hit her shoulder, Shuri smiled. Her arms rose to form an X in front of her chest. Even if she was of royal blood, he was the King now and she wouldn’t disrespect the throne her family had worked so hard to protect and preserve. “I was not ready to see everyone yet. I’ll go there next.” As soon as she sent foot in the space, all would know she was home. It was only a matter of time before Okoye came for her. “More,” she admitted. The little T’Challa and Nakia remained at the forefront of her mind. “I’ll go back, but I cannot stay there. It is not home.” Where was home? Wakanda always would be, but it signified a lack now. “How is my kingdom?”

“The King speaks, and Wakanda listens!” His tone remained light and welcoming, albeit still aiming to tease her. Even with his newly acquired authority, M’Baku wasn’t looking to diminish what she had done for their people. To her second point he simply smiled, and then acknowledged the cross of her arms with a nod of his head.

“The Avengers send their regards. Or well, what’s left of us do.” It seemed as if the band had broken up, so to speak. After everything with Thanos, it seemed harder and harder to stay connected and live up to the former team name. Recently it felt like it was just Carol and Stephen still speaking. “Captain Marvel wanted me to come in person to check in with Wakanda.”

“No patience even for me?” Shuri tutted. She had only just arrived from Haiti and her bag was still slung over one slim shoulder. It seemed prudent to check in with the current ruler of her homeland at the palace. Even though she wasn’t Queen, it was still the only home she had in Wakanda. It was hard to be there; the halls were haunted with the echos of Ramonda, T’Challa and T’Chaka. They were part of why she had forsaken her crown in the first place. “Maybe I should have come to Warrior Falls.”

“Our Little Panther is back!” M’Baku announced her return, arms wide in greeting as he made his way over to her. “Even if you had come to the challenge, it would not have made a difference. I still would have won.” He gave her a teasing smile and a hefty pat to the shoulder once he was close enough.