In the Dead of the Night || Winter Soldier

Six: The Power of Victoria Compels You!

"Ana, give it back!"

"No!"

"Ana!"

"No!"

"Papa! She won't give my apple back!"

"Too bad Cha-Cha!"

The six year old Prince T'Challa of Wakanda curses. "Ikaka!" (Shit!)

Little Tori gasps, petite hands flying over her mouth in horror, dropping the controversial apple in the act. "Bad word! Bad word! I'm telling!"

T'Chaka and Olivia Murphy-Kingsley lightly chuckle over the brims of their coffee mugs at the antics of their children, the King of Wakanda frowning when the obscenity leaves his son's lips.

"T'Challa! Ziziphathe! Such language is unacceptable." (Behave!)

Olivia in return merely smiles in entertainment, attempting to hide her amusement at the little exchange.

T'Challa and Victoria Morana Kingsley pout childishly at each other, followed by Tori snatching the apple back off the grass and running into the recesses of the jungle-esque garden, the sounds of complaints and whines chasing her.

"Ana! Give it back! I'll be king one day, and you can't take apples away from a king!"

Tori blows a raspberry over her shoulder as she runs. "Watch me!"

"I was born first!"

"So you'll be old first!"

At that age, most conversations were quite similar to this. Five year old Tori found joy in pushing the Prince of Wakanda's proverbial buttons, something her mother often did to the king when the two of them were children.

Rushing through the vines that snake around the black marble columns, Tori begins to climb up the timber lattice work leading up the side of a gazebo, little feet finding their footing in diamond shaped holes in between the small wooden panels crossing over one another. This time she thought she could beat T'Challa to the top because she had a pretty good head start, but quite quickly does T'Challa catch up to her once she starts climbing.

Beating her to the top, T'Challa reserves the right to blow a raspberry at her this time, snatching the apple from her once she finishes climbing as a sign of victory. "Still not quick enough Ana," he teases, biting into the apple mockingly.

Tori is actually quite a quick climber, and she knows that. It's why her mother calls her monkey. In comparison to the heir of the Wakandan throne and title of Black Panther, however, she still has a long ways to go. "Not fair, your super power is climbing," she pouts, crossing her arms agitated.

T'Challa now mirrors her frown. "But you can talk to ghosts!"

"Talking to ghosts doesn't get me an apple."

Glancing down at the already bitten into apple, the Prince of Wakanda takes another bite before offering it to his best friend, the face of little Tori lighting up like the Fourth of July. Animatedly biting into it, she takes a few mouthfuls before handing it back to T'Challa, the two of them turning their attention to the sun growing tired and going to sleep on the other side of the jungle.

For some time, talking isn't essential. The two friends simply pass the apple back and forth as they eat and watch the sky change colours like a chameleon, making it look like it's on fire before turning into a pretty purple, blue and blackening bruise. Little words are passed back and forth from time to time, nothing much needing to be said to just enjoy one another's company.