You're the one I Dream of
Attuma drove through the countryside, not noticing the beauty of this province. He was leaving the love of his life, and his dream come true. His soulmate, the one who holds his heart in the palms of her hands; behind. As he speeds towards the Capitol, to speak with his dear friend, and brother. Yes, he heard everything she had warned, and yes; he knows her premonition has merits.
He isn’t sure; what Namor’s motives would be, withholding anything from him. But since he did, there’s something that needs to be explored, knowing he does nothing except he has a reason, psychotic or not. Namora, he is a little baffled; by the extent she went to conceal the truth, and the fact she lied to his face.
But his most pressing problem; is going to be the one called Maczil. She is borderline crazy. Why did he allow things to get so far? When she popped up, he his place of solitude, it should have given him a clue, and definitely when she came to his home uninvited. These three and their agenda. He is going to have to go back to his old ways, to get to the bottom of things. He will need to be focus and be precise; in his investigation, so he will have his freedom to come and go, as he please. Ground rules will need to be established.
Before he knew, he had entered the city, and going towards the palace. It wasn’t late, but M'Baku's duties of the day, would be concluded. If he knew his brother; M'Baku, he would be in his private areas, relaxing, reading a book and chowing down a carrot, or some crunchy vegetable. He parked the land rover in the designated spot, went inside, to get some much-needed advice.
“My King,” the guard opened the door, interrupting his reading, relaxing, and eating his snack for the night; a carrot. His eyes rose from his book, and gave him a long glare, as he exhaled hard. It would be nice, to have an evening of peace and quiet; without a knock at his door, or interruption, with a announcement starting with, ‘My King'.
“What is it, now?” He growled.
“The general is here to see you,” he replied. And before he could distinguish which one.
“King M'Baku,” Attuma blew pass the guard, and into the room. The atmosphere just got a little lighter. With that, the guard closed the door.
“Attuma,” he closed the book, laying down, and came from behind the desk. The two embraced, glad to see one another. “Sit, and tell me, how long have you been back?”
“It’s good to be back, but I will be leaving tonight,” he told him. M'Baku's face went solemn. “I came back here several hours ago. But I must return to Talokan to deal with some issues.”
“Would one of them have to do with a certain little blue sea nymph?” He asked.
“Namora? Yes, she would be one of them,” he answered. “She told me, you had spoke with her, and you wanted me to know, though she didn’t mention her by name. That Okoye had left Wakanda, if I ever returned, I wouldn’t be surprised.” M'Baku shook his head.
“The treachery of some people,” he says. “I never told her why I wanted to speak to you, and most certainly nothing in that manner. I did explain love to her, when she was trying to play this protector of your heart. I get her motive, she doesn’t want you hurt, so hers comes from an honest place of love. Don’t be so hard on her.” Attuma stared at him, as he seemed to be slightly defending her actions. And thinking of what Namora had shared with him, about how she could see herself with him.
“So, you’re okay; with her keeping the fact you came to tell me about Okoye’s surgery?” He wondered if Namora’s feelings for him, were reciprocated.
“No, I’m not alright with her manipulating the situation,” M'Baku said. “But her motive came from a place of love. You are her brother in arms, you were gone from her for, what; two years. Then, when you do return to her; your heart is broken, and you’re in a very bad place. You would probably feel the same.” Attuma thought about it. Yes, if he had not got to know the Wakandans; and still had this ideology about the surface world, and someone dear to him returned as he had. His disdain for them, would increase; and he would go into protective mode.
“You know, I must inform you; seem to have impress her,” he revealed. M'Baku perked up, his curiosity, piqued. He was also amused by her.
“Really?” He smiled. “Maybe once you sort things out, we can see, if there are any possibilities.”
“Yes, maybe,” he repeated, as his mind went to another. “What would be Namor’s motives? I know he has this thing for Shuri, that will never be cultivated, and he knows it. So, I get he would taunt her. But him not telling me, she wanted to speak with me. Not sure what that is about, but I will find out.”
“Wait a minute,” M'Baku voice was slightly rose. “Shuri spoke with Namor? After I forbid it.” Attuma was dazed; he was sure this was part of M'Baku's plan.
“I didn’t mean to spring that on you,” Attuma was apologetic. He walked over to a window, and stared up to the moon.
“It’s not important,” what’s done is done, he felt. “I have no idea, what would circulate in that man’s mind. And frankly, prefer not to. But tell me, you have seen Okoye, I can guess.”
“Yes, we accidentally ran into each other, at the place we met; the first night of her return,” he conveyed. “When I got back here, and after I went home, checking on things there. I decided to take a swim. So, I swam from my house to there. Then, I could somehow; detect she was near. I heard her heart beating, and her breathing. I swam to the tree, knowing she was hidden behind it. M'Baku, I felt as if my legs were growing weak; with anticipating that moment, I would come around it, and gaze into those beautiful brown eyes. When I finally did, I could have gone down on my knees, and take her into my arms, press my head to her chest; listening to the rhythm of her heart.”
“That’s a good thing, right?” M'Baku, was wondering, as why he didn’t say it with more enthusiasm.
“Oh yes, most definitely,” he says, “In fact, it has proven what I have felt all along. She is my match. The thing is, we are so in tune with each other, she’s having theses dreams and feelings. She thinks I’m not coming back, if I leave; because of the betrayals. She feels one of them is out to get me.”
“You think Namor, or Namora would go that far to keep you in Talokan; against your will?” He didn’t know the two that well, but to go to those extremes.
“I know Namora will go only so far, then relinquish it if it goes foul, when it comes to our people,” he shook his head. “Now, Namor, right motivation, yeah, you know from experience, how far he is willing to go.” Yes, he does. Queen Ramonda, and the attack on Wakanda.
“And now you leave her once again,” M'Baku's gut feeling was, Okoye was right, he should leave well enough alone. But a person has to do what is in their heart.
“Only for a little while,” he assured him. “Then I will return, for her next scheduled surgery.”
“Inhlanhla mzalwana wam, ukubuya okukhuselekileyo,” (Good luck my brother, safe return), M'Baku gave him a hug.
“Nib óolal suku'un, in suut; Lelo' jump'éel jóok' chi',” (Thank you brother, I will be back; that’s a promise), Attuma turned and walked out. M'Baku felt this dread wash over him.
Okoye woke from her quick nap, and went outside onto her porch; staring out in despair. She couldn’t shake this feeling, Attuma going to Talokan; wasn’t the best choice. She isn’t sure where the threat was coming, but there was a malevolent force present. At that time, Shuri came walking up.
“I see Attuma has left,” she acknowledged.
“Yes, he’s determined to confront Namor and Namora, which I can understand,” she began to ponder over something. “But this girl he was with when we met up again at the river. There is something about her essence seems familiar, not sure what though.”
“You’re really sensing things,” Shuri sat next to her. “Can you feel things with everyone? “
“No, it doesn’t work like that,” she explained. “We are connected, so I guess you can call us soulmates.”
“I see,” Shuri grew quiet.
“Alright, what’s the matter?” Okoye noticed she had something pressing on her mind.
“Your upcoming surgery,” she says. “I really need you to focus on eating right, getting lightweight exercise, nothing too strenuous. And rest, with relaxation. I need you ready, because after the surgery, it will be hard work with the recovery time.”
“Are you worried?” Okoye was wondering if Shuri was having doubts in herself.
“No, I know you will do alright, physically,” she turned to Okoye. “It’s your mental state that’s concerning me.”
“Because of Attuma,” she sighed. “He will be here, so my mental state will be fine.”
“And if he doesn’t make it back, then what?” Shuri asked. Okoye looked her in the eyes.
“Uya kwenza, wandithembisa,” (He will, he promised me), she told her. Shuri nodded her head.
“In three days,” she informed her. Then rose to her feet and went into the house. Okoye rubbed her hands together, her nerves taking over.
“Uthando lwam, yiloo nto endiyithumela nawe,” (My love, that’s what I send with you), she whispered to him. Attuma stood in front of his house looking over the river as it snaked it’s way out of Wakanda, leading out to the open sea. He looked back towards where he knew she would be.
In yaabilaj, in yaakunaj a p'atik, tak in suut,” (My darling, my love I leave you, until my return), he spoke these words to her, feeling her love coursing through him, surrounding his heart. Then dove into the water; taking the path to the ocean, and to Talokan.