THEE longest relationship I've ever had🐌 @otispantsuit - Tumblr Blog

Jul 11

Sneak Preview... "King Killmonger: The Golden Jaguar Chapter 16"

“Blunt loaded like a full clip Swag sauce on full drip Miss me with the bullshit Miss, miss me with the bullshit Looking like "Who this?" Talk about it but they never gon' do shit Miss me with the bullshit Miss, miss me with the bullshit”

Leikeli47 – “Miss Me”

N’Jadaka flexed his hands by his side and drew in a deep relaxed breath.

Behind the mammoth door that led to the pool room were thirty-three children and eager parents waiting to be greeted for his children’s pool party/sleepover. He promised to be the host without Yani being dragged in to run an overnight gathering of outsiders.

Sydette had asked that he not bring the kingsguard to do his protection in the presence of the other children and adults.

“Baba, they’re too scary. The whole point of this is to show our friends that you’re a very friendly king. We can’t help your reputation if the Onyx Squad is there. The Doras are enough, believe me,” she said hours before.

Sweet Pea was adamant that he not wear royal robes that were overly formal. He chose a respectable peach long-sleeve embroidered shirt that hinted at an early summer and matching agboda pants with stylish sandals. He’d even cut three inches off his locs to give his hair a crisp appearance while pulled back into a bun and covered with a thin pale orange hair covering.

“Are you ready kumkani?” Mpilo asked, carrying a comm tab that displayed the evening’s itinerary. It was five in the evening and the sun was starting the slow transition toward early evening.

Okoye and Ayo flanked him along with Aneka and two other fierce Dora Milaje. His PR team hovered nearby with a photographer to document the occasion.

“Let’s get through this,” N’Jadaka grumbled.

Okoye and Aneka smirked, but he pretended not to see it. Riki’s personal Dora, Quamba, opened the doors and all three of his children rushed him with shining delight in their eyes. Sydette hugged his waist from the side and Joba clung to him from the front. Riki grabbed his hand and dragged him forward.

“This is my Baba, King N’Jadaka Udaku…the golden jaguar!” Riki shouted.

N’Jadaka took a moment to look around at all the children first, their eyes wide with nervous wonder lined up in front of the parents who stared at the king with the same rapt attention.

“Hello everyone. Welcome to the palace. I am pleased you all could come and spend this time with us.”

His Wakandan was flawless and some of the children covered their mouths with their hands at the sight of his golden slugs on his top and bottom teeth. His size clearly intimidated everyone up close. Some of the women gasped, too. It was rare for citizens to be near him informally. He stepped forward and held out a hand toward one of the father’s on his right. It took the man five seconds to stop gaping at N’Jadaka’s face and shake his hand. He gently gripped the hand of his wife and then peered down at their daughter who was Joba’s age. In his periphery he caught his home Dora, Noxolo, moving around to stand post near the parents, watching them all closely.

“You must be Milowa,” he said, bending down to shake her small hand, “Joba tells me you love flowers and plants like she does. You’ll enjoy the royal garden later when we have dinner.”

Milowa’s eyes grew wider and the corners of her lips turned up into a big snaggle-toothed smile, so pleased he knew her name and what she liked. She literally jumped up and down after he released her hand and watched him go down the line of parents and children, giving everyone a personalized greeting. Even Croix and Morgan, CeCe’s young sons, acted dazzled to see him, even though he had meals and family time with them frequently. Next to them was Ayomide and M’Baku’s youngest child, a boy named Olusegun—Olu for short—who was best friends with Riki.

N’Jadaka spent all night memorizing names and facts about each child and they all buzzed with the pleasure of feeling special as he singled them out with their interests. Afterward he showed everyone the refreshment bar where cold water, fruit juices and refreshing mocktails for the grownups lined up against a wall next to sliced fruit, fat cakes, mini pizzas, grilled hot dogs, and sweet potato fries warming inside silver platters. Child-friendly fare until a barbecue dinner out in the royal garden commenced at seven.

He officially released the children who were already dressed in their swim suits to the pool and the parents stood around with cool drinks in their hands as the little ones leaped into the shallow end of the massive pool. Several adult lifeguards waded in the pool to oversee all the splashing and hollering, freeing the parents to chit-chat with him. He sighed in relief when Shuri arrived dressed in fancy pool loungewear, her enthusiasm at having citizen guests making her overly talkative, getting pressure off of him to make small talk.

Children squealed, parents admired the extravagant design of the indoor pool, and N’Jadaka gazed at his babies being happy that he was giving regular people a chance to see a nicer side of his larger-than-life persona. Most of the parents still acted cautious around him, but Shuri had a way of easing their skittishness with him. He remembered having to interact with a lot of people while he once interned and worked for Tony Stark, so he tapped into that old personality of convincing people to buy what he was selling…which was himself.

Once an hour had gone by and the parents had snacked on food and drinks, he escorted them on a tour through the East Palace to show them the family art room that housed a collection of paintings and sculptures the public had no access to. A reverent hush went across the group of adults as he pointed out his favorite pieces and gave them time to wander the lavish wing at their own pace. Shuri gave him enthusiastic thumbs up for his hosting abilities as she answered a question from a couple curious about a landscape oil painting depicting the palace as it was back in 1752.

His kimoyo lit up and he slipped away to an alcove where he could speak privately. Yani’s avatar floated above his wrist and he grinned. He tapped a bead and she grinned back at him.

“How’s it going?”

“I’m giving the art tour so the children can have some time without the adults hovering over them,” he said.

“Impressive. Your outfit looks nice,” she said, admiring him.

“Are you almost done with what you’re doing?”

“I’ll be home soon. Dropping Twyla off first. We’re definitely going to Emancipation Day back home, so clear your schedule of me doing anything that week in the palace. I’ve already confirmed with the Governer and his wife that I will be coming and they are coordinating with our security teams next week. Are you sure you can’t join me?”

“I can’t, baby. Gotta hammer out some resolutions with Niganda and Mohannda that week. I kept my word to them that I would make good on my promise not to fuck them up.”

She sighed and he studied her lovely face.

She’d worn a large afro wig to mingle among the people freely with Twyla and Aunt Leona. The three of them wanted to be away from CeCe, who spent the day locked up in her suite still upset about being sent back to St. Thomas. Her children had a ball in the pool room and the rest of the Galiber family thought it was better to stay away from her so everyone could have a peaceful time.

Yani touched a dangling earring to untangle it from a strand of wig hair.

“I’ll be glad when we have those people out of the way,” she said. “Every time we plan something that benefits the continent, they go snitching to the U.S. Just little yappy lap dogs. Them vex me.”

“I know. But you know what it is. Diplomacy. Being transparent. Hurry back.”

She blew him a kiss and winked out. He turned and stepped away from the alcove. Shuri sauntered over.

“Should we head back?” she asked.

“Yani’s on her way. Let’s have the kids enjoy the pool longer, offer the parents wine and take them down to the garden first before the children come down?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

He stepped back into the entrance of the art room and clapped his hands loudly.

“Everyone, the children are going to swim a little longer and I’m going to escort you all to the royal garden for some wine and hors d'oeuvres and some peaceful grown up time before the little ones join us.”

The parents couldn’t hide their pleasure and followed behind the doras who kept them at a respectable distance from him. Shuri kept to his side.

“You are so good at this, cousin. We should have you host more things in the future.”

“Hell no,” he said, keeping his voice lowered for her ears only.

They took a wide loading elevator down to the garden that could fit all of them inside of it, and loud gasps made him smile when they stepped outside of the east gates into the royal garden that was lit up with twinkling colored lights strewn across bushes and trees that created a wonderland for the parent’s eyes. Stepping across a low bridge that had a pond beneath it, he led them to a feast where large tables covered in side dishes, salads and heaping piles of brisket, pork riblets and grilled shrimp awaited them. The aroma gave his stomach time to rumble from hunger. Across from the food sat an ice cream sundae bar. Wait staff approached with trays of red and white wine, as well as finger foods.

“This section of the garden is my grandmother’s favorite, those African violets and other flowers have been cultivated by her for several decades.”

He sauntered over to beds of colorful pampered summer blooms, and the tinkling sound of the garden stream surrounded them. A few peacocks strolled by and Umama’s favorite shook open his plumage to show off.

“King N’Jadaka, this has been an extraordinary evening thus far, thank you so much for allowing us to take part in this experience.”

The woman who spoke, Amma Luhya of the Mining Tribe, was a noble of high standing with a powerful influence inside of Wakanda. She seemed entranced with the garden and the dinner preparations, and her husband Juma equally so. Other parents chimed in with polite words of thanks and head nods.

“Here, let me show you where the children will be sleeping tonight,” he said, moving toward a special clearing that had thirty-three prepared sleeping beds elevated from the ground in a large circle. Each bed had mosquito netting provided and behind the beds on the north side were discreet porta potties and sinks. Five large telescopes were placed several feet away. He pointed above them.

“Tonight there’s supposed to be a meteor shower that lasts a few hours. With no moonlight, the children will sleep under the stars. Our security teams will be here and I will be sleeping over there,” he pointed to an elaborate set-up that was full-scale glamping compared to the simple beds for the children.

“You’re going to sleep outside?” another noblewoman asked.

“Yes, I’m the night supervision.”

The parents tittered respectfully, amused that a royal would look after their progeny and not a bunch of nannies. He studied the group, taking in the mix of high nobles and a different class, the ones known as ngabantu abamnandi. The sweet people. Ten of the couples there fit this class, people who were not direct nobles, but were related to important ones in order to benefit from the VIP treatment and have access to exclusive settings with royals on occasion. The ten in front of him were privileged to have their offspring attend the same school as the royal heirs.

He answered more questions about the garden and headed back toward the food and wine. More side dishes and different delicacies were added to the food table and he encouraged the parents to eat buffet style, taking what they wanted and sitting at the adult tables scattered near the stream waters with a view of the fire pit that would be used for s’mores and storytelling later.

A barrage of pattering feet erupted and the children burst into the garden wearing comfortable lounge wear perfect to frolic in.

“Dinner time!” N’Jadaka shouted, pointing out the food.

The children lined up and servers handed them plates and helped them choose what they wanted to eat. They took their plates to smaller tables designed for children where pitchers of water and juice, along with silverware waited. There were three big tables and a designated server ready to cater to their whims. Many of the children eyed the ice cream bar while others stared at their surroundings in awe of the twinkling fairy lights and massive sky above them.

He and Shuri got in line behind the last guest and fixed their plates. There was a separate head table for them situated between the children and adults. Before he could sit down, two fierce doras marched into the garden entry.

“All rise, Queen Yani N’Isiqithi the First has arrived!”

Surprised, N’Jadaka stood as Yani entered the garden with her ladies in waiting, Zola and Ilana. She wore a long dress that nearly matched the color of his outfit and she stunted in her throne-room isicholo.

Yani walked in with deliberate slow steps and the parents all lowered their heads. Even his own children stayed put by their seats, not daring to rush their mother, transfixed by her intentional entry as a queen. The breath left his chest as he took in her beauty and grace.

“Damn, Yani,” he whispered under his breath.

“I see I made it in time to join you for the feast. I’m so happy!” she said.

She gave direct eye contact to all the adults and waved to the children. Riki bolted forward and grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the children’s tables. The little ones gushed over the queen and she touched the tops of their heads, stroked hair beads, and patted small shoulders as greetings. When it came to her own children she squeezed their hands affectionately and then waved for the adults to sit.

“Please, everyone…blessings to the food and the cooks who prepared it. Amen and let’s eat!” Yani said.

Everyone laughed and clapped, tucking into hot food.

Yani reached his side, and as her ladies in waiting went to gather their plates and Yani’s food, he clasped her hands in his.

“I couldn’t leave you out here by yourself all night,” she said.

He snuck a kiss to her left cheek, and she took her seat by his side.

###

End of preview. More soon come!

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