chapter xl.
( black panther )

though we're tethered to the story we must tell
when i saw you, well i knew we'd tell it well
with a whisper, we will tame the vicious seas
like a feather bringing kingdoms to their knees
turning page — sleeping at last

wakanda
october 2, 2016
( lisa's point of view )

present day

The sun was rising.

"Miss Stark..."

Booted feet slowly carried me to the front of the Royal Talon Fighter aircraft. My eyes squinted in the bright golden sunlight, and when the glare faded, my breath was taken away at what I saw.

Wakanda.

I suddenly understood why the capital was called Birnin Zana, or the Golden City. It was stunning in every possible way; tall glittering buildings surrounded by green-covered mountains and rivers with an ornate palace in the center of the city.

When I came to Wakanda as a little girl, it was only ever on the outskirts, beyond the invisible barrier that sheltered the advanced country. And then when I was in the capital city a few months ago, it was when I was half-drained of blood and nearly out of my mind.

The General of the Dora Milaje slowly turned to smile at me, "Welcome home."

When the aircraft reached the landing strip, the queen and princess of Wakanda stood across from me, straight-backed and faces stern. General Okoye had mysteriously disappeared. And T'Challa was nowhere in sight. And all the sudden I was met with the fear that this was definitely not where I should be.

Maybe I was wrong.

Maybe I shouldn't have come back.

Maybe all of this had been just one of those awkwardly forced invitations that people give out in the moment but they don't really want you to accept later on.

Maria whined impatiently in my arms, little hands tugging on the collar of my jean jacket.

"Alright, alright." I tried to make her leave me alone.

Stroking her curls, I let out a tight breath and my feet tripping down the bomb bay doors. My hands felt numb and my mouth went dry as I awkwardly shifted the baby on my hip and slowly stepped closer to the two members of the royal family.

Ramonda was looking me over, her dark eyes studying what I was wearing, if I looked injured. Shuri, on the other hand, wasn't looking at me at all; her eyes were glued to the baby in my arms.

I nervously rubbed my forehead, feeling sort of queasy as I stopped just a few feet from them.

I tried my absolute best to bow, but I'm pretty sure it ended up looking more like I was reaching for a dropped croissant than anything else.

"Your, um, Highnesses."

I wanted to die.

Maria whimpered and gripped tightly to my collar again as I slowly straightened back up, awkwardly blowing my now mostly brown hair from my eyes.

With her hands folded in front of her, the queen gave a polite but reserved smile, "Welcome to Wakanda, Miss Stark."

"Oh, call me Lisa, please," I smiled too quickly, praying to God she still liked me.

Ramonda had liked me decently well when I visited growing up and she still did even into when T and I were dating. Sure, she wasn't thrilled that I was not Wakandan and she didn't love that I was also the daughter of a playboy superhero, but she liked me as a person and that was all I could ask for. And Shuri, well, Shuri had always liked me, ever since she was little.

But a lot has happened since then.

"And this is...?"

Following the queen's stare, my eyes quickly darted down to the distracted baby in my arms, "Oh, this is Maria."

The baby turned at the sound of her name, and Ramonda's eyes softened at the sight of her happily smiling face. Her arms moved like she was about to reach out for her, but then she stopped herself. Her eyes looked almost glossy as she gave me a warm smile.

"She is a beautiful child." The queen whispered, "Truly."

I paused, studying the woman, trying to understand her, "Thank you."

Shuri quickly glanced between the two of us, looking like she knew something I didn't.

"Shuri. Please help Lisa and Maria find their way around the palace." The queen quickly moved on, straightening her shoulders and turning towards the castle, "Do not forget to get dressed, and do not forget to give Lisa her ceremonial outfit, because we will need to be ready by one o'clock-,"

"Mother." Shuri groaned, nearly bouncing like she was trying to get her to leave, "I remember, I remember."

"Shuri." Her mother scolded, "One o'clock."

"Yes Mother!"

Ramonda looked back at me one last time, giving a polite nod. I awkwardly waved back. And as she turned, her eyes fell on Maria almost sadly before she and a few members of the Dora walked away. Shuri slowly peeked over her shoulder, watching carefully as her mother turned around the corner.

"You've finally come home!" Shuri burst with excitement as soon as the queen was gone, throwing her skinny arms around me, "Thank Bast, there is finally someone here who understands a single word I am saying!"

"I missed you too, kid." I laughed as she pulled me close, "Getting into all kinds of trouble?"

"That is not a real question."

"Not really."

The teen hurriedly pulled back and we grinned at each other before she gasped at the baby in my arms. Maria pulled her damp fingers out of her mouth and thoughtfully pointed up at Shuri, furrowing her little brows and babbling nonsense at her.

And Shuri just looked completely enthralled; eyes wide, mouth slightly open, "That is interesting. You are a genius in the making, Little M. Please do continue your tale, your auntie Shuri is completely intrigued."

Maria giggled happily, leaning and reaching out for the other girl's nose.

I sighed.

Stark girls have a habit of breaking geniuses. I guess Maria was just carrying on the family tradition.

"Hey, um... Shuri?"

"Eh?" She gently poked the girl's chubby mocha cheek.

I tried hard to not sound too eager when I asked, "So, uh, where's, you know, T'Challa?"

Shuri practically groaned.

"No this again." Straightening up from my daughter, the girl just rolled her eyes, "This is all he has asked me this morning; 'Has she arrived yet? What time is she coming? Tell me when she has arrived.' Oh, for Bast's sake, he wanted to be here himself, but couldn't. It is a sensitive topic, but he's busy with W'Kabi, Nakia, and the others."

"Oh."

I stilled. My hold on Maria tightened just slightly.

"Nakia's here...?"

Shuri shot me a look.

"Mmm." The teenager beamed before quickly pouting her bottom lip, "But I am pretending to not enjoy the ensuing drama as much as I really am."

"Shuri." I scolded, sharply cutting my hand through the air, "There is going to be absolutely no drama!"

The sixteen year old laughed rather obnoxiously.

"I'm serious!" My voice got weirdly high, "T'Challa and I never explicitly agreed on anything when I left. He never said he was going to wait for me. All he said was that I had a safe place to return to, a home."

Shuri sighed.

"Besides, what about the Council?" As the memories resurfaced, a bitter taste filled my mouth, "They were the reason things ended in the first place-,"

"That is why you are in luck, then." Shuri started leading us towards the palace, "Everything is about to change, thank Bast, it's Challenge Day."

"Challenge Day?" I repeated slowly.

With a sneaky smirk, Shuri quickly looped her arm with mine, "Oh, my sister, you are in for quite a show, hmm."

I could feel everyone staring at us. Even through all of the ceremony and the songs, they were intrigued with the new outsiders. The woman and the baby that their prince insisted call Wakanda their home. Sometimes the looks were with mere curiosity, all harmless, like they wanted to approach but they didn't how. But then sometimes the looks weren't all that harmless. Filled with bitterness. Irritation. Even hatred.

Maria had it easier.

For a reason I had yet to be explained, the Wakandans didn't seem to resent Maria. They opened her with welcome arms, with smiles and kindly waves that I didn't understand. Even the palace's helpers had fawned over my little girl, cooing and awing as she soaked it all up like the attention-hog she is. Dressing her up, they played with her loose loopy curls and massaged vaseline into her soft baby skin.

As for me, well, they fawned, uh, a little less. It was like no one knew what to make of me. Which I still understood. I wasn't exactly what anyone wanted for their king-to-be.

Nearly all of Wakanda had come to celebrate on the dry cliffside of a waterfall, standing around the water's edge in beautiful ceremonial outfits that matched the rest of their own tribes. The sound of voices and drums chanting together created a backdrop from the traditional dancing that was going on all around us.

Then I caught sight of Nakia dancing across from me.

My connection with Nakia couldn't exactly be called a friendship. As a person, sure, I liked her a lot. She was funny, and friendly, and kind of perfect. Which was unfortunate. We were cordial with one another, for sure. We weren't petty or rude to each other; that just wasn't either of us. Still, there was always this uncomfortable sense of competition between us.

I had been there for him for the hard things, to hold him when the darkest moments of his life occurred. I had been there for that, but Nakia had been there for all the rest. She was closer to his age anyway, with more than just their country of origin in common, with years of their childhoods together. She was a constant when I only ever just stepped in once in a while.

I've never known what it's like to have a people. It was only based on just my dad and I, a family made up of a best friend, a forehead of security, and a CEO. But even they fell away along the way. But as I stand here, surrounded by Shuri and Ramonda, I finally understood why T'Challa wanted me here.

It was home.

As the drums and the singing continued to raise in the skies, a sleek Royal Talon Fighter slowly lowered beside the pool before us.

And from the belly of the fighter jet, the man of the hour, none other than T'Challa Udaku, emerged.

His hair was longer than when I last saw him, and a beard had grown in, and he was covered in warpaint, the silver white spots of a black panther painted upon his chest. His eyes travelled up the cliffside, taking in the sight of his countrymen and women singing for him. He kept his face firm and serious, smooth in every movement, looking in a king.

But when he saw me standing there, T'Challa froze.

His beautiful dark eyes landed on mine. He was stuck at the edge of the ramp, his mouth hanging open just slightly. My cheeks turned a deep pink at the attention. I eagerly grinned, my teeth pressing into my bottom lip and my hand slowly raising so I could give a quick awkward little wave.

T'Challa puffed out a near laugh and a small funny smirk twisted his full lips, like he had a secret that I didn't know.

And then his eyes fell to the little girl in my arms and his smirk turned to a shaky overjoyed smile, pure and innocent and real.

Then, all at once, the chanting and the drums stopped as a tall man dressed all in purple robes stepped into the clear blue pool. I quickly recognized him as Zuri, a close personal friend of the royal family and an advisor on Wakanda's council. Of all of the council members, he was kind of my favorite. Zuri was basically like the Obi-Wan Kenobi of Wakanda. Calm. Assured. A pretty solid dude, actually.

"I Zuri, son of Badu, give to you..." The shaman's voice echoed through the amphitheater, "Prince T'Challa, the Black Panther!"

T'Challa crossed his spear and his shield across his chest before kneeled into the water before the whole audience.

The voices of his people cheered, following his motion across their chests and then back again.

"The prince will now have the strength of the Black Panther... stripped away."

I cocked my head to the side as Zuri slowly poured a deep purple liquid into the prince's mouth. The drums started up again when deep dark veins appeared within T'Challa's face beneath the warpaint. He groaned quietly, sharply shaking his head to keep the pain at bay. His body convulsed in small spasms as he choked on the dark fluid. The veins in his neck expanded and his muscles clearly contracted as the poison continued to spread through his system.

My eyes were wide and a terrible melting fear clawed at my insides.

"Uh oh, sister, is this worry I see?" Shuri mumbled from beside me.

"What?" I sharply glanced over at the girl, "Oh, oh, no, I was just, uh,"

"Mmhm."

I scoffed and lightly shoved the girl, making her scrunch her nose and laugh at me. But my gaze never left T'Challa who slowly stood back up to his feet, swallowing hard and tightening his jaw against the pain.

"Damaku." Praise the ancestors.

"Damaku!" Everyone chants after him. Praise the ancestors!

"Victory in ritual combat... comes by yield or death. If any tribe wishes to put forth a warrior, I now offer a path to the throne."

"Hold up, he's going to fight someone?" My eyes stayed wide as I looked quickly at Shuri for confirmation.

"Shh!" She flicked my arm, "Pay attention."

Rude. I made a face at her, but I could feel my heartbeat in my temple and in my fingertips.

Those dressed in purple stepped forward, "The Merchant Tribe will not challenge today."

Then those in blue yelled and the tribeleader shook his head, "The Border Tribe will not challenge today."

The tribeleader in green agreed, "The River Tribe will not challenge today."

And those in red shouted before the tribeleader stepped forward, "The Mining Tribe will not challenge today."

"Is there any member of a royal blood..." Zuri paced through the pool, "Who wishes to challenge for the throne?"

Everyone went silent. And I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

And then slowly, from beside me, sixteen year old Shuri raised her right hand, eyes narrowed, face serious.

My jaw dropped and Ramonda gasped as she looked over at her youngest. The entire audience murmured in horror and shock, sitting on the edge of their metaphorical seats to hear what the princess could possibly say next.

"This corset is really uncomfortable..." The girl turned to look at everyone behind us and slow clapped, "So could we all just wrap it up and go home?"

Ramonda huffed and pinched her daughter's arm, making the teen shriek, "Eysh, Mother, ah!"

The Elders all groaned, and the little kids around us giggled and smacked their hands to their foreheads. Laughing, I bumped my side with the girl who hurriedly giggled and dropped her head on my shoulder. Shaking his head, T'Challa just tilted his head back and smirked.

But then the happy peaceful atmosphere was crushed when gruff chanting suddenly echoed through the caves behind us. Everyone slowly turned, and I recognized what could only be described as dread and even fear on the faces of those around us.

Men dressed in hard wooden masks slowly walked out fo the darkness, white painted smeared across their broad chests. Their leader followed after them, his deep voice the most intimidating of them all as he slowly made his way into the pool and towards T'Challa.

Maria let out a frightened shirke and stirred in my arms, her tiny fingers curling into my beaded cream dress. Hearing her cry, T'Challa's eyes quickly darted to meet mine and he gave me a slow nod, trying to reassure me.

I wasn't so convinced.

W'Kabi, an old friend of T'Challa's, stepped forward out of the corner of my eye, looking ready for a fight.

"Are they Jabari?" Shuri leaned close to her mother.

"Yes." Ramonda whispered back with alarm in her voice.

"Shuri..." I took her arm, "Who is that?"

"He's called M'Baku. He's a-a... what would you call him?" I tilted my head to the side as the princess squinted, "Oh! A jerkbag from Jabariland in the mountains, the fifth tribe of Wakanda."

Just then, the leader slowly pulled off the gorilla mask, his face just inches from T'Challa's.

"M'Baku." Zuri nearly groaned, "What are you doing here?"

"It's Challenge Day." He replied lowly, in a voice that sent a shiver up my spine, a bitter smile on his face.

My eyes quickly shot back to T'Challa's and he shook his head just slightly.

"We have watched... and listened from the mountains!" M'Baku's heavy voice yelled out at the crowd, "We have watched with disgust as your technological advancements have been overseen by a child!"

He sharply raised his club to the young princess, pointing at her with that disgust way too clear on his face.

Maria cried out and the Dora Milaje sharply lifted their own weapons, sheltering the princess from the large man across from us.

Even I moved so I was slightly further in front of Shuri, putting my body between the two of them. But by the look on the princess' face, I really couldn't tell who I was protecting from who.

"Who scoffs at tradition!" M'Baku finished with a vicious glare before his dark eyes slowly trailed over to me.

The sound drowned out from around me. I shifted uncomfortably under his piercing gaze, suddenly feeling like being the center of this man's attention was a very bad place to be.

T'Challa's movement behind him stole my gaze. He took quick silent steps forward through the water, still the picture of calm by all means but his eyes. I could always read his eyes. And there was anger. I saw so much anger. He stepped slowly closer to the other man, looking ready to step in when and if the time became necessary.

"And against tradition, they bring this woman and her halfbreed to our home..."

Maria whimpered and I gritted my teeth.

Ramonda hissed and turned her head away while Shuri careened forward like she was ready to fight him. But my discomfort left and all the sudden I was standing firm, my eyes levelling with this guy who really needed an attitude adjustment.

But M'Baku wasn't finished.

"And now you want to hand the nation over to this prince..." He slowly approached T'Challa, standing nose to nose with him. I suddenly realized how much bigger M'Baku was, not just in height but also in size. "Who could not keep his own father safe."

T'Challa stayed solid and unwavering, but I could see his jaw tighten and his eyes narrow just a little bit more.

"Mmm?" The man called M'Baku mocked, "We will not have it. I said, we will not have it, oh! I, M'Baku... leader of the Jabari, wish to-,"

"-I accept your challenge, M'Baku." T'Challa cut in, having had enough of this guy's bullcrap.

And the man slowly smirked, "Glory to Hanuman."

I barely stifled a groan, pushing my face into my hand, unable to watch this.

And then the drums started once more.

My heart leapt up to my throat and I watched Zuri slowly place a wooden panther mask over T'Challa's face.

He noticeably avoided making eye contact with me as he straightened his back and raised his shield and spear, preparing for the fight. The two men took position in the pool.

"Jabari!"

"Dora Milaje! Phambili!" Onward!

The two sets of warriors formed a semicircle around the two fighters, their own spears raised to keep them in place.

"Let the challenge begin!"

M'Baku was the first to strike a blow at T who ducked and dived, sliding through the water with ease.

But then M'Baku curled around when he wasn't fully ready and his club connected with T'Challa's shield, and then all the sudden he was being flipped over and smacked into the ground. The other man taunted T'Challa, laughing as he struggled to get back up.

"Ooh!" Shuri winced beside me.

"Oh my, God," I hissed, turning and looking away.

The warriors with spears crept closer as the fight continued.

And with one solid hit, M'Baku had once again flipped T'Challa over with his mask, his shield, and his spear all breaking and being thrown from his grip.

"Where is your god now?!"

M'Baku had brute strength and size, but T'Challa was more agile and he had more skill.

But now T'Challa was without a weapon.

The two men continued battling back and forth, T'Challa's skill beginning to triumph until M'Baku caught him with his club, cracking his back and locking him in place. With a loud terrible shout, the man harshly connected his head with T'Challa's and blood immediately dripped out of his nose.

"No powers!" He slammed his head forward again, "No claws!" And again, "No special suit, oh!" T'Challa's head fell back and his hazy eyes found mine in the crowd.

My breath caught.

I panickedly tried to step towards him, ready to intervene when Shuri quickly held me back.

"It is not our fight!" The girl shook her head, her eyes never leaving her brother.

M'Baku continued to scream, "Just a boy, not fit to lead!"

"Show him who you are!" Ramonda screamed beside me.

"Come on, T." I whispered harshly, "Come on, T'Challa!"

With a loud yell, T'Challa threw himself forward and connected his elbow with M'Baku's mask again and again until the mask broke and his grip fell loose. M'Baku stumbled back in shock, wiping a hand over his face and when he saw blood, he screamed in rage. The bigger man leapt forward and then stabbed a spear straight into T'Challa's shoulder.

I shrieked, throwing a hand over my mouth. Maria cried out in my arms, her face buried into my chest.

T'Challa's big dark eyes widened, and his mouth fell open in pain. But M'Baku just drove it in further, pushing him back, making sure he bled.

But then, with gritted teeth, T began to yell, "I am Prince T'Challa... son of King T'Chaka!"

Shuri quickly grabbed my hand, screaming for her brother, "You can do this, T'Challa!"

With a low grunt, T'Challa yanked the spear out and when M'Baku moved forward once more, he spun around, dodged the blade, broke it from his grasp, and kicked the large warrior to the ground.

"Whoa..." I whispered in awe.

T'Challa swiftly glided across the water and in one swift motion, he had wrapped his legs around his neck, flipped him over, and had him dangling over the edge of the waterfall.

"Yes!"

"Come on!"

"Yield!" T'Challa yelled down at the man, holding him over the drop that was hundreds of feet down, "Don't make me kill you!"

"I would rather die!" M'Baku choked in the rushing water.

And the people... they all chanted T'Challa's name. I looked all around me, a smile breaking its way onto my face as they cheered for him.

"You have fought with honor! Now yield! Your people need you." The prince yelled, "Yield, man!"

And finally, when I began to believe he never would, M'Baku squeezed his eyes shut and then tapped out.

Both men breathed a sigh of relief when T'Challa released him. Ramonda closed her eyes and let out a heavy breath while Shuri and I cheered.

T'Challa raised his fist high as he stood and walked towards the center of the pool.

I laughed as Shuri threw our conjoined hands up, shaking them as we both screamed at the tops of our lungs. Maria giggled in my arms and clapped her little hands together.

Holding up high a necklace full of panther teeth, a necklace fit for a king, Zuri yelled, "I now present to you: King T'Challa... the Black Panther!"

T'Challa hugged the man tightly, grinning in a way that was more free than I had seen in a long, long time. Zuri then took hold of the prince's hand, raising it high for all of the Wakanda to see. The Dora began chanting and dancing behind him as the crowd continued to cheer.

With another whoop, the princess gave me a shove towards the pool, "Go!"

I hesitated for just a second before she shoved at us again, leaving me no choice but to stumble into the water.

Through the chaos, T'Challa's eyes quickly found us and he grinned somehow wider. With a loud laugh, I jogged towards him and threw an arm around his neck. His arm encircled my back and I felt him pull me closer, pressing our bodies together until I could feel his rapid heartbeat. I buried my blushing face in his neck, to where I knew he could still feel my smile.

With an arm still around me, he looked up at his people and he yelled, "Wakanda forever!"

"Wakanda forever!"

whewwww okay so this took forever but it's here. it's also complete crap but again it's here. lisa and maria have finally arrived in wakanda and they are off to the races! also i'm aware that the ceremony would've taken place like right after the events of civil war but i really wanted to write this and have lisa experience the whole event. so what did you all think, huh? was it okay? i'm actually really super worried about this one.

also i'm on Christmas break so hopefully there will be a lot of updates coming! so yaaay for that!

so just let me know what do you want to see happen in this part of the story? any hopes? fears? theories? let me know — love you all!!