Chapter 1
One moment, she had been in the heat of battle, then everything simply stopped, and her king was there, urging her on, "Come, Okoye, this is no way for a warrior -" and the next, she watched him turn to ash. There had been nothing she could do to help him, there had been no enemy she could take on, he was just gone. Once she had recovered from her shock and turned to return to the fight, she was no longer in Wakanda, but in the middle of a snowstorm in a rather dingy city street. She was absolutely furious, which could have been terrifying for anyone who happened to walk out of the door she was about to bang on, but it wasn't anyone, as it so happened, it was Captain John Watson, thank you very much.
"YOU!" Okoye fairly screamed as she lunged at him, spear in hand.
"Sorry, do I know you?"
Now understand. Despite the recent appearance of a Sorcerer and his valet, who threw his smallish household into an uproar, John had had his tea, with milk, and was wondering how one acquired a valet who could make such a brew, and was at that moment recalling the quite lovely lie-in, as Sorcerers made surprisingly good babysitters, so he was in quite a genial mood when he was nearly impaled by a very tall, very angry, African warrior.
"You are Everett K. Ross, are you not?" The warrior spoke fiercely, but calmly, and to be honest John was more afraid of the calm menace in her voice than he was of the spear, which if he had had time, would have made him reconsider what it was that Wong had put in the tea, but he didn't have the time.
"Nope. John H. Watson, formerly of Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers, at your service."
Okoye blinked. "British soldier - coloniser - no... you are not Ross, your voice is different - he was American... and a bit taller, I believe."
John snorted. "Most people are."
"Most people are - what?" Okoye eyed the shorter man with suspicion, but slowly lowered her spear.
"Taller than me. I think you better come in then, you must be freezing." He turned his back to her and went back inside. Okoye could hear him whisper, "It's okay, Rosie, just go get Papa, I think it's to do with Strange, we'll play in the snow later, I promise." He poked his head out of the door again a bit sheepishly. "My daughter, we were just headed out to play in the snow, please. Come in. I'm afraid you'll have to leave your spear with our landlady, we've had issues in the past, and Rosie might get curious -"
"Ohhh. You are lovely!" Rosie clapped her hands, as Okoye stepped over the threshold and Okoye was entranced. "Who are you, pretty lady? Are you a friend of Stephen's?"
She handed over the spear to the Ross look-alike, then knelt in front of the little blonde, blue-eyed girl. "I am General Okoye, of the Dora Milaje, bodyguard of the King of Wakan - former bodyguard of -"
Rosie laid a small hand on Okoye's shoulder and whispered, "come upstairs, maybe my da can help you -"
Okoye shook her head. "I don't know why I'm here, uhm, Rosie, is it?" Rosie nodded. "But, I don't think anyone can help me -"
"My da is very smart, and Stephen is a magician, and my papa, you just met him. He's a doctor. Lots of smart people live here, and Wong - he makes very good tea, I think you need a cup. Follow me, pwease." She took Okoye's hand, and led her up the seventeen steps.