The Truth Will Out
Weeks have passed since I arrived in this strange country. Thanks to Shuri I have learned enough English to hold a modicum of conversation, and by that I mean I am more fluent than what I have been told of most of America. Shuri’s technology makes it easy to learn. I have been learning Wakandan at the same time so as too “pull pranks” with Shuri. So far I have only been out of the lab for mealtimes and when Shuri wants to show me something. Sun and Power man still watch me with pain in their faces, afraid to speak with me. Shuri and I have kept my progress from them so as to make them feel more guilt until the perfect moment. It feels nice to have a friend like Shuri.
Through her, I have learned of the men the fates of Yggdrasil have chosen for me. It is funny to think that two American men are destined for me. I have trouble with the technology Shuri keeps introducing to me, though I must admit vines are funny, such a shame it died. Shuri, of course, has learned my language so proficiently so as to speak it with me at dinner so as not to betray our prank. It really is funny if you look at all we have done to ensure people never realize just how fluent I am in English. Shuri figured out how to wear the traditional clothes of my people and started wearing them with her Nike's. She told her brother it was because I was homesick, but she figured out they are pretty comfy. She introduced me to modern bras, rather than binder cloths. I was very happy after my first one. I have never looked back. She and I now have a running commentary about Star Wars during dinner in Ancient Norse about who at the table is which character and whether or not Jar Jar Binks is a Sith Lord or not. It was one of the first movies she showed me. I am now a “Stan”. She loves doing my hair, claiming it is easier to manage than hers, but I think she is just lonely for company and I am afraid that when I do speak to my “soulmates” that I will forget about her. As if men could keep me from my only friend.
I leave my hut and enter into the lab and smile at Shuri, “What do you think? Should we give them a nibble tonight at dinner?” I ask smirking.
“Ooh, I like the way you think, heavy on the accent to Romanov?” She replies grinning like a mad man
“Perfect, we’ll say you wanted me to speak to someone else to practice.”
Shuri adds, “We can bring her in on the plans too if she catches on.”
“This is why you’re the genius,” I reply knowing that our seemingly foolproof plan relies on someone else knowing and getting me talking more with the group.
“Plan set, what should we watch today?”
“What is the supernatural show you were speaking of yesterday?”
“Ooh, you’re in for a treat.”
We settle in for a lovely show about two brothers and an angel killing things. It’s perfect.
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Soon enough we are heading to dinner ready for plans to be put into action. On the DL Shuri messaged Romanov through the kimono beads and asked her if I would be allowed to speak with her during dinner to get some practice speaking to someone other than Shuri or the AI. Romanov agreed and said she was honored. So far has agreed to try to keep it within the women around. Plus Romanov was in my village for a while and I would have some previous knowledge of her. I think Shuri is trying to make the men think I am scared of men, not that I am upset with that, but rather that I am wishing she had included me in that part of the plan.
When we enter the dining hall we see Romanov in the middle of the table with two empty chairs opposite her and she is glaring at the two supposed soulmates trying to sit there. Looking over she sees us and waves us over inviting us in Wakandan to sit with her, Shuri, of course, translates into Norse. We readily accept.
Dinner is soon underway and Shuri and I are beginning to slip in some English into our debate, easy words: and, like, same, food, and yum. Eventually, I turn to Romanov, “Hello, Ms. Romanov, how was your day?” I ask in heavily accented English, purposefully mispronouncing a few words so as not to give up the ruse.
Speaking slowly she replies, “My day was busy, how was yours?”
“My day was filled with learning. May I ask what you were doing that kept you so busy?” I say looking at Shuri for filled and Learning, she mouthed them to me as we practiced.
“You may,” Romanov replies, “I was training with the rest of my team, then I advised T’Challa on some political matters he asked me about.”
I turn to Shuri, “Political, I do not know this word.”
She translates it into Norse, and a wave of understanding passed over my face, completely faked, but still.
Romanov continues, “You are learning quickly.”
“Shuri helps me a lot with words. English is hard, but I hope to make her proud.” I reply smiling at Shuri.
“Kara is doing a lot better, and improves every day.”
We hear a scoff from down the table and look to see the blond…Rogers, recovering from hitting The other one…Barnes’ shoulder. I stand up and make my way over. The tension is palpable as the soulmates converge.
“Excuse me,” I say in perfect British, “do you have any idea how hard it is to act as if I am speaking in accented English so as to give myself a little more time before you two steal me from the only friend I have ever found in order for you to fulfill what I am sure are the countless unspeakable acts that you kidnapped me for, no? Then please don’t scoff at my near perfect acting, or I will borrow one of Ms. Romanov’s many blades and make sure to remove your precious jewels from your living bodies. I believe Shuri would help me as we both know that the longer I take to learn English the longer I am able to stay in Wakanda and not be put back into cuffs, taken halfway across the globe again, and expected to become your little wife so that you two can stop pretending not to be practicing unsafe sex on every surface in your guest rooms, but so you will no longer feel your Catholic guilt at having urges for another man, by placing a virgin woman between you both, not caring if she is willing or not, since the fates gave her to you. Thank you.”
Walking back to Shuri is say, “I am afraid I find myself without an appetite, please excuse me.”
With that, I leave the dining room, leaving many gaping faces behind me. Before I get too far ahead I hear Romanov say, “Wow, you two really are assholes. Find your own way out of this one.”
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Romanov and Shuri walk into the lab and over to my hut. Knocking they let themselves in.
“Dude, that was awesome, we could not have planned that better,” Shuri exclaims hugging and offering me a big smile.
Romanov continues, “That was excellent, and if needed, you may borrow one of my knives anytime, I’ll even help.”
“Thank you, Shuri and you Ms. Romanov,” I say unable to say anything else as I have no words.
“Please, call me Natasha, or Nat.”
“I will.” I reply, “Call me Kara.”
She nods in agreement before continuing, “You obviously have not been learning English for a while, what have you been doing here?”
“Watching tv shows and movies, listening to music, planning epic pranks, keeping up with memes, and planning my escape from dumb and dumber.”
“Escape?”
“What I said tonight is an actual fear. I was not given the choice to come willingly, and if offered, I probably would have. I am not going to let them do it again, or take something I am not ready to give to them, or anyone. Before I do anything with them Shuri and I have to have a way to get me out if the situation turns bad. We already implanted me with a nanite tracker and sub-dermal miniaturized kimono beads as well as training me in several forms of self-defense, but we still have no way to stop the situation from turning bad. They could still find a way in here and take me again without anyone knowing. I trust the technology, but I don’t trust them more. There is no telling what they would do. Aside from dinner, I do not leave the lab without Shuri and her armed guards, for the specific fear of them and their allies deciding that I have had enough time to learn and handing me to them without giving me any kind of say. Even in my village women are given the choice of who to marry, if they want to marry, and to divorce, soul-bonded or not. I am simply afraid of what they could do to me. I am considerably weaker than them and will never be as strong. I do not have a super serum running through my veins giving me strength. They could force sex upon me and I could not stop them if they decided to take it whether I wanted it or not. There is nothing Shuri and I can do to protect me from that. It is simply an impossibility.”
“While I do not think that as a possibility, we have given you no reason to think otherwise. You were stolen, bound and taken very far away without any knowledge as to who we are or what we wanted. Your fears are not unfounded, but you have an ally in me. They will do you no harm or I will harm them in equal measure. If they do rape you, I will take one of my many knives and rape them with it. Do not live in fear, if needed, Shuri and I will get you far away from them and never tell them where you are,”
“Thank you, Nat, I appreciate it. And thank you Shuri, you have been a rock through all of this.”
The AI interrupts, “Ma’am’s, the males are known as dumb and dumber are currently seeking access to the lab.”