~Non-Business Related~
"You heard the king-...." She felt a lump form in her throat and repeated the order to the other shamans so they would finally take action, burning the whole garden while Killmonger observed the landscape to make sure all of them would be burned down.
"I'm sorry my kings." Ven whispered softly while watching all the beautiful flowers turn into ash.
~~~
Killmonger stared at the huge flames in front of him, his mind lost in deep thoughts while letting go of his anger. Ven on the other hand had her eyes closed.
She couldn't watch what she had done.
"Your highness?" Her voice came out as a whisper while her eyes remained shut.
"Hmm?" He kept his eyes focused on the massive fire, but hummed to her to show that he was indeed listening and she could proceed.
"We should go back to the palace." She turned around so she could walk to the exit, but he stopped her with a strong hand wrapped around her wrist.
"In a minute." Killmonger didn't sound so aggressive anymore, not even a little angry, and she nodded slowly.
It felt like he was struggling with something at the moment and she looked up at him.
"Something wrong, my king?"
"Nah, I'm good." He shook his head and let go of her. "I just want to stay here for a little longer."
"As you wish." Ven bowed with her head and joined him watching the temple burn up in flames.
~~~
The cold night breeze sent shivers down Venery's spine as they walked through the royal gardens back to the palace and she rubbed her upper arms, trying to keep herself warm until she suddenly felt the weight of a heavy robe being dropped on her bare shoulders.
"I~.... Thank you...." She stuttered and wrapped the black robe tighter around her.
"Don't think much of it." He smiled a little and helped her inside and into the elevator. "So.... we're supposed to trust each other right?" He stared at the elevator doors while he tried to start some small talk since it got awkwardly quiet in there.
"Yes, we are." She confirmed and looked up at him, his dark chocolate eyes meeting hers.
"In non-business related conversations like this one, just call me Erik then." Erik smiled in a friendly manner, revealing his attractive dimples and she smiled back weakly.
He didn't want to give her a hostile impression of himself because that would never ever make her join his side and so his plan was to try and gain her thrust in a friendly way.
"Okay then, Erik." His name felt weird on her tongue somehow and she bit her lip.
"What's the matter? Can't get personal with your king now?" He tilted his head and raised his brow in a cocky way, watching her through the elevator's mirrors. "Because if I remember it correctly, you were being extremely close to your former weak ass king so it wouldn't be such a problem to do that once again right?"
"No.... it's just.... I don't know you that well and it feels unprofessional." She stuttered a little and held onto the robe tightly, still not really liking how he was talking about T'Challa.
"Don't worry princess, I'm giving you permission." He noticed he made her feel intimidated and slowly let go of his attitude. "Besides, I said only in non-business related conversations so no one else will hear you calling me by my name except for me."
Ven nodded slowly and then walked out of the elevator once it's doors opened for them, happy she could get some fresh air and create a small distance between her and him. It wasn't that she was scared of Erik or didn't trust him, but that exactly was the thing that scared and concerned her. She wasn't afraid of him. She did trust him. And that all when he had killed her best friend and a man that was almost like a father to her, to almost everyone. It was sickening to her that she had forgiven the man so quickly after he had done all those things.
"Erik....?"
"Mhuh." He opened the door to his bedroom and signed for her to come in as well which she did without hesitating.
"May I ask you what you saw back in the Ancestral Plane?" She played with the sides of his black robe and nervously waited for an answer to follow.
Erik slowly sat down on his bed with a sigh, the same hurt glance filling his dark eyes when he lowered his head. It took him a moment to decide whether he was going to tell her about his past or not, but then understood his adviser was supposed to be there for him and help him and so he ran his hand through his wild dreads before looking back up.
"My father." He spoke with a softer tone and she understood right away it was a sensitive subject. "He had plans to share the weapons of Wakanda with the rest of the world so that the African Americans who had so little power could defend themselves, but he never got the chance to do so because of my uncle. That fucking man had killed my daddy while I was playin' some basketball outside. He could have taken me in but instead preferred to leave me to die on my own."
"I'm sorry." He stared at his folded hands again and suddenly felt the huge mattress sink beside him. "That was never allowed to happen to you." The woman appeared to be sitting next to him and she laid her colorless hand on his folded ones.
"It's fine." He unfolded his hands, slightly pushing away her hand because he didn't want her comfort right now, and hid his hurt self away behind his confident face. "I will succeed for my father and my people."
"And I will help you achieve that goal." She added quickly. "It is perhaps already my oath to do so, but I also truly believe it's a good motive and that it will perhaps even help Wakanda's defenses and economy as long as this is all about keeping peace of course."
"I'm not planning to start a dictatorship princess, don't worry." He smirked a little and let himself fall back onto the soft bed, his arms tucked behind his head. "So what about you? How did you end up as the king's adviser in Wakanda because I know you aren't truly Wakandan."
"It's a long story and pretty difficult to explain...."
"Well, try it anyway. We got time."
"I don't believe we have." She watched her Kimoyo Beads light up and she opened a long message that was sent to her. "It's our new schedule for tomorrow. I should already be preparing things."
"It's 2 AM right now." He narrowed his eyes, feeling like she wanted to get away from him as quickly as possible even though that wasn't actually the case.
"I start real early sometimes.... or end real late." She got to her feet and bowed with her head. "Get some rest, my king. I will see you in the morning."
"Ven." He pushed himself up with his elbows. "You owe me your past girl."
"I know and I will tell you it when we have time, you have my word." He nodded at her and laid back down, watching her walk away.
Ven gently closed the door behind her once she left his massive room and then started to check if everything was alright before going to bed herself too.
The next morning, the woman was already up before everyone else was and stepped out of the hot shower. She wore a long white satin dress with spaghetti straps and a long split on her left side and let her hair hang loose over her bare shoulders. For today she left her make up alone, not really feeling like doing her eyeliner or lipstick and she crossed the hallway, knocking on Erik's door to wake him.
Erik had just come fresh out of the shower and lazily wrapped his towel around his waist, not bothering to get dressed before opening the door. "Hey, princess."
"Um, hey...." Her golden eyes landed on his muscular chest, water droplets sticking to his swollen muscles in a hot way.
He had probably worked out before he took his shower as his muscles were perfectly visible.
"Have you received your clothing for today?" She was able to control her eyes again and looked at his face, his soaked dreads covering his eyes.
"Yeah. Let me get dressed and we can start our day." He winked at her when he noticed her glaring and took a step back, his towel unbeknownst to him sliding a bit down to reveal his v-muscles. "Give me a min, aye?"
"Yeah.... yeah I'll be waiting here." She awkwardly replied, catching herself admiring his body once again and he smirked a little before closing his door.
Ven exhaled the air she didn't know she was holding and closed her eyes, leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the hall while waiting for her king to get dressed. It didn't take long before he was done, wearing only the black sweats and the black coat she had handed him and keeping his dreads messy.
It seemed he didn't like wearing shirts or he was doing this to simply mess with his adviser.
"So what are we supposed to be doing, Ma?"
"You really like coming up with nicknames for me...."
"Mhuh." He gave her a single nod before raising his brow, still expecting an answer from her.
"Oh yeah, right-.... when we get downstairs there will be a guard waiting for you, ready to give a tour of the palace. Normally I would be doing that myself, but I have a bigger thing to take a part in."
"What kind of thing?" He stretched his neck a little, his dreads following his movements.
Ven opened her mouth but right before she could say anything someone called for her and she smiled, deciding to keep it a secret. "I have to go.... take the elevator to the second floor and you'll find the man, your highness."