LONG LIVE THE KING ▹ BLACK PANTHER ⁴ ✓

i. eleven

ᴇʟᴇᴠᴇɴ — ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀʏ ᴏғ ᴀ ᴛʜᴏᴜsᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴇɴ

♛ ♛ ♛

"SHURI!" ARETTA YELLED, rushing up to the Princfess and kneeling beside her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. How's Nakia?" Shuri panted, standing up. Aretta shrugged, waving her towards her. "I'm not sure, let's go!"

They saw her sitting, tending to her wound. They both shouted her name, sliding down the small hill. "Are you alright?"

Shuri raised her hand to touch the wound, but Nakia pushed her hand away. "I'm fine, and you two?" They both nodded at her.

Nakia breathed out. "Let's go."

The three stood and ran out into the field, quickly spotting Okoye and helping her in the fight. As they got close together, the Border Tribe put up their blankets, forming a shield around them. With Ayo joining Okoye, Nakia, Shuri and Aretta, everyone raised their weapons at the shield as the men slowly inched closer, drawing them closer together.

"Surrender now!" W'Kabi yelled over the commotion, on the back of a rhino. "You have three seconds to lay down your weapon. One! Two Th—"

W'Kabi was cut off by a distance chanting and barking. Everyone turned to the noise.

"Witness the might of the Jabari!" M'Baku called out, suddenly appearing on a large rock, holding up a man from the Border Tribe by their collar. "First hand!" The man yelled as M'Baku easily threw him to the side, his body crashing against the shield.

Okoye, Nakia and Aretta smiled at M'Baku.

From behind, the Jabari attacked, allowing the five women to counter attack on the Border Tribe.

W'Kabi watched as M'Baku easily made this way thorough the men, smacking each one with his staff. He clicked his heels on the sides of this animal, charging it at him.

Okoye rushed forward, standing in between him and the animal. The rhino quickly halted to a stop, licking Okoye's cheek. M'Baku blinked a few times, before running off to fight.

W'Kabi slowly dismounted the animal, taking slow steps towards her. Okoye kept a hard, icy glare. "Drop, your, weapon!"

He looked at her. "Would you kill me, my love?"

"For Wakanda?" Okoye teased the question before suddenly lifting and pointing her staff at him. "Without question."

W'Kabi took out his weapon, looking around the two as the battle unfolded.

Nakia was seen with her foot on a Border Tribe's chest, Shuri was pointing her repulsers at another man, who was surrendering, and Aretta cried out, lifting her foot to boot a man away from her before lifting and swiping her staff around, cutting a man across his chest.

W'Kabi looked down at the grass, pausing. Lifting his weapon, he dropped it before kneeling before Okoye.

A few of the Border Tribe caught sight of this, stopping their fighting and dropping their weapons. Aretta growled at a man, lifting her spear at them as Shuri and Nakia followed.

♛ ♛ ♛

THE NEXT DAY was bright.

T'Challa and Aretta stood on a set of curved steps, looking at the people of Wakanda make their way down the street. Some children ran by, chasing one another; parents tried to calm them, already having a destination in mind; and there were the lone, walking around for the enjoyment of it.

Aretta looked around at everyone, a small smile coming to her face as she people-watched. It brought happiness to her, knowing that they were happy as well.

T'Challa stared at her, his own smile on his lips. "Thank you." she looked at him. "You saved him."

Aretta's smile smirk grew in a warm one. "Of course."

T'Challa went up one step; the one she was on, now standing almost a head taller. "You saved my family. Our mission."

"It is my duty, my King;" Aretta paused, making T'Challa raise a brow. "to fight for what I love."

T'Challa's smile faded as he suddenly leaned down, softly connecting their lips. After a moment, T'Challa slowly pulled away, earning an almost shocked look from Aretta.

"You can't blame me. I almost died."

Aretta laughed, stepped forward on her toes to kiss him back harder. Her hand reached the back of his head, running over his short hair. T'Challa stepped closer to her, gripping her hips lightly.

When they both needed air, they pulled apart. T'Challa smiled down at her. "Stay, please."

Aretta smiled brightly, kissing him once more.

♛ ♛ ♛

A FEW WEEKS LATER;

UNITED NATIONS
VIENNA, AUSTRIA

"MY NAME IS King T'Challa. Son of King T'Chaka. I am the sovereign ruler of the nation of Wakanda. And for the first time in history, we will be sharing our knowledge and resources with the outside world.

"Wakanda will no longer watch from the shadows. We cannot. We must not. We will work to be an example of how we, as brothers and sisters on this Earth should treat each other.

"Now, more than ever, the illusion of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth. More connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis, the wise build bridges while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one, single tribe."

T'Challa stood in a conference room, in front of many people represent their countries from across the globe. The camera shuttered as Aretta, Ayo, and Okoye stood behind T'Challa.

"With all due respect, King T'Challa, what can a nation of farmers have to offer the rest of the world?" a reporter asked, leaning into his mic to speak.

T'Challa paused to answer, diverting his eyes to the back of the room, where Everett Ross stood with a knowing smile.