seasons | killmonger

3 | L E A D

When you follow in the path of your father,
you learn to walk like him.

~Ashanti Proverb
_______________________

"How has it been so far, Mbali?" Nakia asked me as we walked up and down the halls of the Royal Families home. A meeting was going to start soon, and the heads of every tribe would be present. Erik was already in the meeting hall with T'Challa discussing smaller matters.

I looked at Nakia and stopped walking. "Truthfully?" I asked and she nodded her head.

"It's been fucking horrible, Nakia." I groaned as she laughed. "Seriously! He has been a pest all week and continues to say and do things that makes it not fit for him to be a king."

"Thankfully he isn't though, right?" She smiled "What has he been doing?"

"He's been protecting the border perfectly fine; it's just when he talks to the men, he's telling them all of these thoughts and ideas of what we could use the vibranium for— for purposes that do not help Wakanda or other countries that we opened our doors to!" We continued walking.

"It's his mindset, Mbali. Erik is adjusted to war. Ways to go into it and ways to stop it. Then, he didn't have the best life growing up." She wrapped her arm in mine. "You know of his backstory, right?"

I shook my head 'no' as we turned down one of the opposite halls. I nodded at a few of the members of the Dora Milaje before focusing my attention back on Nakia.

"Well, you do know that his father is T'Challa's uncle; T'Chaka's brother." She nodded. "T'Chaka killed N'Jadaka's father. He betrayed Wakanda by helping Klaue get loads of vibranium. When T'Chaka told N'Jobu to return home and own up to his crimes; he tried to kill him. But the late king got to him first."

"Bast," I whispered. "That means he was only a boy when this happened." I spoke more to myself, earning a nod from Nakia.

"He was angry. N'Jadaka is smart. Fought in so many wars that he's numb to it all, and killed for fun at times. This is why he is how he is. It doesn't validate his ways, but it gives us understanding. Maybe you can even help him get to be a better person."

I stopped walking and rolled my eyes. "Nakia, let's be realistic here. I can't help someone who doesn't want to help themself, and is an asshole." She laughed as we turned back into the meeting hall, being greeted by all of the tribal leaders.

T'Challa sat in the middle of the room, while Erik was to his left, and M'Baku to his right. Nakia's father and river tribe leader was also present, along with the mining tribe, Queen Mother, Princess Shuri, and merchant tribe. Sanaa stood in between her grandmother and M'Baku. I smirked at her, noticing how she would often place her hand on his shoulder before removing it, hoping to not gain loads of attention from everyone present.

While Nakia took her place at T'Challa's side, I walked over and stood behind Erik as the Jabari tribes first in command stood behind M'Baku, and Okoye stood behind T'Challa as other Dora members guarded around the doors.

"I'm glad all of you could make it here today, and I pray that Bast be with you all as we depart." T'Challa started and nodded his head. "As we all know, we will begin to tighten our border patrol with the border tribe." He looked at every face in the room but focused on Erik's. "We need to make sure that we remain hidden from the rest of the world, but able to still offer helps to those in need. How do you suppose we do this?"