Her Heart // Shuri Udaku

Chapter 4

"That's enough Grio!" Okoye shouted and the AI cut the footage. She watched as her princess shoulder shook and she approached her slowly. "Shuri. We will find her. And we will bring her back home."

"I left her. She didn't want me to go and I left her." Shuri mumbled and Okoye put her hand on her shoulder.

"You couldn't have known this was going to be the outcome. We were all blindsided by this." She tried to reason but Shuri couldn't hear her over her heart beating through her ears. Everything just went silent. The only sounds she could hear was the beeping from her lab computers and the sound of her own heart. Hey eyes couldn't stay focused on anything as she thought back to you fighting to protect yourself and the queen.

"It was a strategic play. To get the leaders away from their people." Ayo said and Namor entered the lab.

"Whoever they are, they also took my wife. They're both alive. But there's no way of telling for how long. Attuma is going to take Namora back to Talokan. I'm staying here to help bring them back." His voice was laced with a rage that Shuri knew all too well.

"We don't even know who they are! All I know is I saw myself on that security camera. Me! Another me! I don't know. It looked like me."

"A shape-shifter then?" Namor said and everyone looked at him. "Give it some thought. The Talokan warrior came to you with the threat of an attack. The Wakanda warrior came to us asking for Amera's presence here in the palace. What if it's the same person?" He questioned and everything started to make sense.

"Just like Y/N said it was a setup. We have to find them."

"Princess if I may?" Grio spoke out and Shuri nodded. "Y/N's kimoyo beads and earrings are still active. She also thought ahead and gave a bracelet to Queen Amera as a precaution." Shuri couldn't help the smile on her lips as she thanked Bast for your quick thinking.

"That's my girl. Grio see if you can pinpoint their location."

// Unknown Location //

Your eyes slowly fluttered open, everything was blurred as you tried to focus your vision. The annoying sound of water dripping was enough to cause your head to pound until a voice called out to you.

"Y/N. Y/N are you okay?" The voice was soft and full of concern as your vision finally cleared. You turned your head to see Queen Amera chained to the opposite wall. You moved to get to her but the chain around your wrist stopped you.

"Where the hell are we?" You questioned and she sighed.

"Some rig in the middle of the ocean. They didn't inject me with anything but I was blindfolded on the way here." She told you and you bit your lip to think of a plan. If you could get the Queen into the water, she can swim away and notify Namor and Shuri. You'd have to buy time. "Y/N." She called out to you again, stopping your mental thoughts. The door up the stairs opened and you heard footsteps descending down the steps.

"You're awake. Good." You looked up to meet Shuri's brown eyes. Her curls sat on top of her head just as they did this morning. But no it couldn't be your Shuri. This was someone else.

"Who the hell are you?" You questioned and she chuckled.

"That's no way to talk to the princess." She said and you tensed. Two of the guards with her walked over to Amera as she scrambled back to the wall. "Make her talk. We need to know Talokan's exact location."

"Shouldn't you already know? Your highness." You spat and her eyes flickered over to where you were chained. She held up her hand and the two guards paused their approach before she slowly walked over to me. You reached for my wrists as her eyes scanned over the kimoyo beads.

"Let's see if these work, yeah? Call her." She smirked as you snatched your arm away. "I won't ask again." You couldn't help the frown that appeared on your face as she let out an irritated sigh. "Fine. Cut the baby out then kill the queen."

Your body froze as they continued their advance to Amera would was trying her best to scramble away. "No please! Not my baby." They pinned her to the ground and you couldn't stay silent.

"No! No! Okay! Okay. Alright." You sighed and the two guards moved away from her. You raised your wrist before dialing Shuri and you kept your eyes on the fake.

"Y/N! Sthandwa are you okay?" The panicked princess questioned and before you could speak the fake Shuri cut you off.

"Princess! How nice to finally speak with you."

"Who are you? What do you want?" Shuri asked as Grio secretly traced the call. Okoye stood by the princess while Namor sat across the way.

"That isn't of importance right now. All you need to know is I need something from you. A couple of things actually." The fake said as you watched her every move. You couldn't show how scared you were. Not in front of her. "Starting with the files on the heart shaped herb. You actually recreated it after Stevens burned it to the ground. Fascinating."

"How do you know about that?" Shuri froze. Not knowing how someone would have access to that information.

"I have my ways. But can you do that for me?"

"You want me to help you? Have you lost your mind?" Shuri sneered and the fake kneeled down in front of you, pulling the other dagger out of your boot.

"Not lost. Simply reevaluated. Question for you Princess, do you know how fast Y/N can heal herself?" Before you could answer she stabbed you in the side causing you to scream out as you fell on your back. "Oh come on I barely pricked you."

"Ms. Y/N!" Amera's voice called out to you as you felt your blood seep from the wound.

Shuri's body trembled as she listened to your pained groan. "Stop." It came out barely above a whimper. Unless you were right next to her, her plea wouldn't have been heard.

"Look, she's already healed herself!" The fake cheered as she grabbed your chin. "Good girl." She let go of you before standing to her full height. One that mirrored the princess.

"Princess Shuri, you have five hours to make your decision. Until then, Y/N and I are going to have a bit of fun." Shuri fell to her knees before the fake continued her speech. "As for you, K'uk'ulkan. Your wife could pop any second now. A mutant child from an underwater kingdom will go for a pretty penny. She should survive the birth. Maybe. Maybe not but who's keeping track?"

Namor stood at the mention of his wife while Shuri sat trying to think of the best way to handle this. Her brother would know. She's never felt as useless as she does now. You told her not to go. And she didn't listen. Now you're in danger with some clone of her putting you through all this pain.

"I'll be hearing from you soon."