Untitled (M'Baku x Reader)

The Throne Room

'Speak, princess. It seems you must have much to say seeing as you've just barged into my throne room and demanded I dismiss your siblings and mother", M'Baku stated in a bored tone."

"A few days ago, the words that are to escape my lips would have burned my tongue; yet I was taught long ago to put aside youthful pride for things that carry weight well beyond the grave.

So here I am, M'Baku, leader of the Jabari tribe, asking you, not for my sake, but for the sake of the ones who stood before you, this favour. I've failed as a usisi omkhulu (big sister) seeing as I did not adequately prepare my siblings for my passing. The weight of my father's departure to the ancestral plane has already weighted so heavily on us all that my passing, I fear, would hurt my brother to such an extent that his rule over Wakanda would suffer.

As the rightful heir of the throne, I did not turn down the crown for it to be squandered by a boy who was not able to accept the death of his usisi. Wakanda, as a whole would suffer greatly, and so would you and your people. I have not come here to threaten your tribe with the possible thoughtless behaviours of my grief stricken brother but these are things to consider. I believe T'Challa has proposed to you a well-deserved seat at the counsel and I add to it the seeds to the ibari plant known for its healing ability of ehso, an illness that seems to grip your people ever so often. Before... all of this, I had discovered a way to sustain the plant in the harshest environment. If you wish for it to be, the plant is yours.

Taking a shaky breath, y/n waited for the answer of the one who sat on the throne. She could feel his eyes on her kneeling frame as she softly trembled due to the fever that seemed to have rocked her ailing body just then.

"Do you not know, girl, that what you are asking of me is to lead you to a path of recovery riddled with nothing but pain and battles? Are you really prepared to fight both your illness and yourself for a slim chance to such recovery?", M'Baku asked after a long pause.

"It is not for myself that I am prepared to fight, but for my siblings, my mother and Wakanda", y/n replied softly.

To this, M'Baku let out a thunderous laugh as he leaned forward to have a better gaze of the Wakandan princess that had never ceased to astound him since the moment she had walked in his throne room unannounced.

"Entertaining the possibility that I do heed to your request, know that when your family runs back to their beloved Wakanda and that the cold chill of the Jabari mountains seep into your chambers, there will be no one there to fight for: only you and your pain stricken self."

"I've been made aware, your highness" y/n said sharply, "and I am ready to face those hardships for I know that even though they are not with me in person, my family has me in their hearts as I have them in mine".

As he was about to reply, M'Baku noticed the shakiness of y/n's body as well as the faintness in her voice. Seized with a certain ounce of guilt, he stood and made his way towards her. The Jabari leader decided just then to stop being too harsh with the girl. He had already made up his mind to accept their offer. It was an offer too good to turn away. Only a prideful fool would refuse; there was no longer any reason for him to intimidate her.

"I guess you can drop the formalities with me y/n. We are both partially of the same standing and are to be closely acquainted throughout the next few grueling months that are ahead of us. You may stand... And go on to tell your fool of a brother and ever-so- loud sister the news. The scent of your carnivore selves is starting to reek".

M'Baku took a tentative step towards y/n's kneeling self as she only muttered a thanks and stayed immobile.

"You spoke of childish pride not long ago, is that what is prohibiting you to stand and face me in the midst of your illness?" M'Baku added amused. To this, y/n let out a mix between a choked sob and laugh, finally taking her eyes of the throne room's floor to meet the eyes of the Jabari tribe's leader.

"I fear my legs have forsaken me" she admitted. "It started a few days ago. My limbs seem to have spontaneous moments of weakness, moments that I have successfully hid from my worry-wart family. I would be ever so grateful if you could keep this between us... M'Baku".

As quick as lightening and to the surprise of the princess, M'Baku scooped y/n up in his arm as a mother would a child.

"It would seem the illness is progressing much faster than we thought" he muttered gravely. "Fear not," M'Baku stated a few beats later as they reached the door of the throne room. "I shall keep this to myself; I fear T'Challa already has enough frown lines for me to go ahead and add more".

For the first time in a long time, y/n found herself laughing wholeheartedly. As M'Baku was about to make a sign to the guards to open the doors, but he was stopped by y/n.

"Before we go meet the others... I just wanted you to promise me something".

M'Baku huffed at this: "a request yet again?" he exclaimed.

With a soft smile on her face, y/n replied, "If I were to get through this... and ended up on the other side no longer as myself... I want you to end it. End the process, send me to my grave. For I would hate going back to my family as a shell of who I once was" Y/N stated "there is only so much pain a person can take, and if I break there is no point in it all".

M'Baku peered into her eyes only to see not an ounce of doubt, but the fire of certainty. She was beautiful, he thought. Even with her eyes glazed with fever and her body covered in a cold sweat.

"You have so little faith in yourself" M'Baku replied, heart pounding. He knew how much T'Challa, Shuri and the Queen Mother cared for the woman; he, himself had even started to regard the girl with something other than annoyance; therefore, he knew not whether he would really adhere to this promise and opted on not answering at all.

Sending him a sleepy grin, y/n replied, "M'Baku, leader of the Jabari tribe, you are a good man and a great king. And a good man keeps his promises; especially when it comes to the dying wish of the most beautiful Wakandan princess who has ever lived, yes?"

Finally entering the main hallway with the girl in his arms, M'Baku's breath stuck in his throat as he nodded. It was the first time anyone had ever told him that he was a good man and a great king without a sense of obligation. As he made his way to the chamber where he had ordered his guards to place T'Challa and the rest of the Brady bunch, M'Baku knew in his heart that the next few months were going to be hard, yes; but overall interesting. Because if the dozing girl he held in his arms was involved, he was certain things were going to be nothing short of riveting.

If someone actually finds this interesting, I'll post a preface to explain, (more in depth), how y/n got this point.

Disclaimer: please be gentle. This is my first piece of fan fiction, but I had to put something out here because the lack of BP fics are killing me. This is a thicc daddy m'baku fic if y'all hadn't noticed lol.