The Wakandan late morning sun shines brightly over the land, illuminating all things not hidden behind another’s shadow. It is a busy day at the Chrum kwik kwik, with the River Tribe going to and from in water vessels to catch and bring in fish and panning for gold. Fisher people call out the price of goods as commuters pass, eying the various wares for sale.
King T’Challa waits on the sandy riverbank as Aj K’uk’ulkan and his two nacom rise from out of the Chrum kwik kwik, water trailing from them as they make their way towards him and the designated Dora Milaje for the occasion. When the Talokanil delegation finally reaches him, they offer up Talokan’s open palm hand gesture in greeting, with King T’Challa and the Dora Milaje responding with the Wakandan salute. The two kings look at each other seriously for a second longer before breaking out into familiar smiles and offering warm hugs.
‘T’Challa. It is good to see you. It’s been many moons,’ Aj K’uk’ulkan sighs fondly as he looks around the grassy riverbank.
‘Nonsense! We saw each other a few weeks ago,’ T’Challa reminds him as he leads him up the grassy, broadleaf cattail laden path leading to the sleek vibranium airship that would take them back to Birnin Zana. ‘At Talokan’s Sac Ha’ Ceremony. You sent me back with so much maize. Our chefs are still finding creative ways to utilise all of it in our dishes. Our farmers and botanists are forever grateful. My dear Usisi is making clean fuel with some of it. She finds them quite fascinating. She made this airship. It’s the latest of her designs. The Talon Fighter. It’s magnificent, isn’t it?’
‘I know that you came to our Sac Ha’ Ceremony. But I have not set foot in beautiful Wakanda since three moon cycles. Longer than normal,’ Namor clarifies. He takes in the sight of the sleek vibranium airship as they move to enter it. His eyes light up in admiration and something else. ‘The Surface Dweller Colonisers have kept me quite busy. Hence this meeting. I am glad that the xi’im is of use to Wakanda. Your Talon Fighter is quite magnificent. A product of a brilliant mind. You know in our long acquaintance and friendship, I have not met your sister, Princess Shuri. I have met everyone else except for her.’
‘Well, you are just in luck because we will be meeting with her today,’ T’Challa reveals. He buckles up as the airship takes off over the lush savannah, heading towards the capital city. ‘She will be dining with us at lunch before we head down to her design labs. You will love it.’
‘I am certain that I will.’
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‘I am sorry that I am late! Greetings everyone! I got caught up in this new design of mine. Okoye is going to be my guinea pig for it.’
Princess Shuri enters the dining room with a rush, colliding right into Namor. Namor steadies her before she can stumble or fall, resting stable arms around her slim figure. He looks down at her and what he sees causes him to quietly gasp, thankfully unnoticed by the nearby T’Challa.
Princess Shuri is beautiful. Well obviously, Namor knew what she looked like due to photographs and videos, but they never did her justice.
Shuri looks up at him curiously, a pretty face with high cheekbones that is laden with deep, cacao brown eyes and a button nose. Matching braids pour over her shoulder, with gold beads at their ends. She was clad in a tight, sleeveless gold dress with matching gold small hoops in her ears. She resembles a sun goddess with the light gold shimmer that lines her skin. Their gazes remain locked for a few seconds longer before they are interrupted by Namora's subtle throat clearing. That is when they pull apart and form a respectable distance.
‘You must be the famous and brilliant Princess Shuri,’ Namor hums with a smile. ‘I have heard many tales about you from T’Challa.’
‘You are Aj K’uk’ulkan of Talokan,’ Shuri states with a mischievous smile lighting up her face. Namor’s heart flutters. ‘Sorry about crashing into you. My brother speaks fondly of you. I hope the tales were all good and he is not out here slandering me.’
‘Your brother sings you praises,’ Namor smiles with a twinkle in his eye. He quickly glances over at T’Challa, whose attention is occupied by Queen Mother Ramonda and his baby son, T’Challa Junior before his gaze moves back to Shuri. ‘I do not mind you crashing into me. I feel like I know you already. It is a shame we had not met sooner. I am a bit of a scientist myself. I am aware of your exploits and as part of Talokan’s science and design group, it is an honour and pleasure to make your acquaintance, Princess. Please, call me Ch’ah. Aj K’uk’ulkan is quite formal.’
‘Hmm. Ch’ah. I like it,’ Shuri hums with a sweet smile and an interested gaze. ‘I look forward to working with and getting to know you, Ch’ah. It’s my pleasure.’
Namor cautiously brings Shuri’s hand to his lips, their eyes locked as he kisses it.
‘Usisi! Forever late! I could eat an entire antelope!’
‘You are always hungry, dear Brother,’ Shuri calls over her shoulder and rolls her eyes before turning back to Namor. ‘You can sit beside me, Ch’ah.’
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‘These underwater shields will prevent the Colonisers from entering and detecting Talokan,’ Shuri states as she brings up a diagram of the shield on her display screen to show Namor. ‘They function by not only preventing entry, but they scatter their navigation signals and redirect their submarines elsewhere.’
Shuri, Namor and T’Challa were down in Shuri’s Design lab to discuss and showcase the latest in useful technology for both nations. Namor and t’Challa sat on sleek white leather office chairs while Shuri presented her latest designs for the Wakanda-Talokan partnership.She had started off with Talokanil kimoyo beads made with Talokanil vibranium and was now presenting defensive underwater shields. One shield model lay in the palm of Namor’s hand, with him turning it over in barely concealed fascination.
‘This is magnificent, Princess. Talokan is quite big. Our nation covers the seven seas,’ Namor says. ‘We will provide you with our vibranium for this project and our group will work out a meeting schedule with yours.’
‘I am glad that you like it, Ch’ah!’ Shuri beams at him with pleasure, slightly bouncing on the spot. ‘I worked so hard on it so I am glad that it is to your liking.’
‘You did well as always, Shuri,’ T’Challa praises with a clap and a raised brow. ‘Since when do you call him Ch’ah? You two just met, no? You do not allow anyone to call you that and I know that very few people know that name.’
‘Since today!’ Shuri boasts with a triumphant smile as she shuts off her presentation. ‘People just naturally like me, brother. I am just better than you. Please excuse me, but I have to go and pee. My presentation is finished here. We will talk more. See you boys at dinner! A pleasure, Ch’ah!’
With that Shuri scampers off, leaving the two men alone in the Design lab.
‘Your sister is as brilliant as she is beautiful,’ Namor says, somewhat wistfully as his eyes follow Shuri’s departing form, drinking up her every move. This does not go unnoticed by T’Challa. ‘It’s a shame that we had not made our acquaintance sooner.’
‘There was no pressing need for you two to meet,’ T’Challa disagrees. A light warning lies in his gaze. ‘I do not see why you had to meet at all.’
‘Nonsense, King T’Challa,’ Namor disagrees. ‘You and I are friends, Wakanda and Talokan have an alliance. As we agreed earlier today. She is helping Talokan. It is only right that our nations and royal families become familiar with each other.’
‘You can also get familiar with my General, General Okoye of the Dora Milaje. She is like an aunt to my dear Shuri. Fiercely protective. She will be leading the combat display today.’
Namor sees T’Challa gesture towards the approaching bald-headed woman, dressed in orange and gold of the Dora Milaje and carrying a vibranium laced spear. She critically assesses Namor as she salutes them.
‘King T’Challa, Black Panther. Aj K’uk’ulkan, welcome back to Wakanda,’ Okoye greets. ‘I trust that your stay here is to your liking. Princess Shuri is always under my protection and close watch.’
Namor feels an almost hostile energy surrounding the two. Oh Cha'ac.
Six months later…
T’Challa enters Shuri’s Design Lab with a grin on his face, happy to annoy his dear younger sister. However, that smile is wiped from his face when he sees his precious baby sister in an amorous embrace with none other than Aj K’uk’ulkan of Talokan, their lips locked in a deep kiss. He gags as soon as he manages to get his jaw from off the floor.
‘Usisi, what are you doing?!?! With Namor?!?!?’
The pair break their kiss at the interruption. Shuri doesn’t move away fully from him; she tightly clings to Namor’s forearms.
‘What were we doing? We were kissing, brother,’ Shuri says with a roll of her eyes. ‘I presume that isn’t a foreign concept seeing as you have Nakia and precious little T’Challa. Sometimes I have to wonder.’
‘Get away from my sister, you serpent!’ T’Challa shrieks. ‘You will corrupt her no further.’
‘Brother, be quiet. I am not a damsel in distress, and I am grown,’ Shuri snarks. ‘Your reaction tells me that you are not.’
‘We have been intimate for quite a while, King T’Challa,’ Namor supplies as he laces his fingers with Shuri’s. ‘I have been courting her and we intend to wed.’
‘I wish not to hear that you have been intimate!’ T’Challa shrieks. ‘How dare you go behind my back and bewitch my sister!Intend to what?!?!’
‘Brother, enough. I am an adult that can make my own decisions.’
‘But Usisi-'
‘Griot, eject T’Challa from my lab.’
‘Excuse me? How dare-'
‘Will do Princess Shuri,’ Griot says.
That is how King T’Challa, the Mighty Black Panther of Wakanda found himself booted from Princess Shuri’s design lab, thrown out and locked out despite his vocal protests to be let back in.
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‘Umama, Nakia, you must stop this madness at once,’ T’Challa complains with a pout as he paces Ramonda’s chambers. ‘Namor has done something to my sister when I explicitly told him to stay away from her. I thought his little liking vanished.’
‘Only you were unaware of them becoming an item, my son,’ Queen Mother Ramonda laughs. ‘He’s Namor now? I thought that you were the best of friends. He will make a fine son in law. I will get more grandchildren. I was worried that Shuri would never find someone.’
‘Umama please-‘
‘Hush T’Challa,’ Nakia scolds. She walks up to him and rests her on his shoulders before a small smile light up her face. ‘They make a lovely couple, and our son needs cousins. Shuri is an adult. Only you were oblivious to their growing relationship. Did she tell you that she’s pregnant?’
‘SHE’S WHAT?!?!?!
With that, T’Challa eventually and grudgingly accepted Namor as his brother-in-law. After he recovered from fainting.