seasons | killmonger

32 | UNHINGED

"The downfall of man begins with pride."

- African Proverb

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Omniscient

The sound of Okoye's boots clicked down the hall while her hands stayed behind her back, fingers entangled and shoulders squared. Everyone in the palace was either returning home or to their rooms; but every night, she took it upon herself to make sure every floor was cleared and not a single soul was left wandering the halls. But, when she turned down a specific one, he jaw clenched before she could take another step. Okoye sighed, sinking her teeth into her lip before continuing. It felt like her feet were turning into bricks of cement while her heart was running mad.

She kept her head straight, instantly regretting her descision when she saw who she was looking for. A tired Wakabi, with his back against the wall as he held direct eye contact with his wife; or soon to be ex-wife. He was unsure where their relationship stood and questioned it everyday. Okoye looked over his features. A beard was growing on his face, and his eyes that were once bright, was replaced with a off yellow hue, while the brown shade that she once loved, resembled the darkest coal.

Reguardless of how he looked, Wakabi smiled at Okoye, "Uzokundibona," You came to see me. His tone was hopeful. "sithandwa sam." My Love.

"I was doing my job and turned down your hall." She corrected him. "If you'd like to hear that I came to see you, you're free to think that." She kept her tone sharp, even though she really wanted to break. She wanted to scream at him, hit him, curse him, and do so much more... but she didn't and couldn't. 

She didn't want to seem weak. It wasn't in her nature.

"Your job is to protect T'Challa—" 

"The King." She corrected him again. "My job is to protect the king, the family, and this palace from any and all threats." Her eyes dropped to the bars in front of her because she could feel the tears starting to form again. "Even if it's from my husband."

"You can protect the palace from your husband— the man you love, yet you allow N'Jadaka... the man who really wanted the power in this situation, to walk up and down these halls freely?" Amusement was in his voice. 

"N'Jadaka is changing— he has changed—"

"Thanks to who, Okoye? M'Bali? The fact that you all welcomed him with open arms after his stunt? He tried to kill T'Challa and take what he thought was his. I never did, and you know that, and they know that! So why does he get to walk free and I don't—" His voice boomed.

But it didn't match up to the power of her own voice, "He was a broken boy!" Okoye snapped back, not caring to reel herself in. "N'Jadaka had his wrong doings, and yes they outnumber yours— but the difference is, he came here broken and looking for answers! He was looking for people to accept him in a world that taught him to be angry from his American side and in Wakanda." Her eyes widened. "He had the right to not have loyalty to a throne that was hidden from him all of his life; let alone a family that he knew nothing about— but, you?" The tone of her voice turned sinister.

Okoye never thought she would ever find herself in the position of taking N'Jadaka's side in any arguments. But, she understood what happens if a child wasn't embraced by their village. In N'Jadaka's case, he wasn't embraced by the villages that made up both aspects of his life.