Dress Up 8
Summary: She's not his fiancee, but no one else needs to know...
Warnings: None
Masterlist || Chapter 7
“I still do not understand why the wedding had to be moved up to this week!” Kamyra fussed as T’Challa opened the door and helped her back into the car. “Kamyra, let us not do this right now okay. I have enough of a headache already,” the king groaned and ran a hand over his face. “Oh and that’s my fault too? That the tramp went around pretending to like babies, so this lady thinks she can just hand me one and I’m gonna fawn all over him?!”
“Watch your tongue,” the king growled. “Why because you love her?” The princess instigated. “No, because you are the one who put her in the position so you could run away and live some fantasy without having to tell your father that you just want to go to school!”
“You don’t know shit about how I grew up and the hell I endured,” angry tears flooded her eyes.
“Only because you won’t tell me. If you want to go to school, that is all you have to say. I will make it happen! I am not your father. When we first met I wanted to get to know you. In hopes that we could have had a friendship of some sorts. But you came here with all your walls up and blamed me for all of the evil in your life because you couldn’t blame your father.”
Kamyra sank back in her seat,her heart stuck on one thing the king had said. “You would allow me to go to school?”
“Yes,” T’Challa sighed, “Anywhere your heart desires. Gender roles are not as conservative here in Wakanda as they are in your home country. You would know this if you would stop pushing all of us away.”
“I apologize,” Kamyra broke the silence minutes later as the vehicle pulled up to the palace. “I do as well, I should not have raised my voice. However, we need to talk about the wedding this week.” The couple walked in silence through the palace into T’Challa’s office. The king gestured for Kamyra to take a seat before he moved to sit in his window. “Am I correct in assuming that you do not actually want to be married still?”
“That is correct.”
T’Challa nodded, “Then I may have a solution for you. We have a way to annul the contract our forefathers signed. If you are willing to go along with the plan, we will allow you to seek asylum and full Wakandan citizenship if you do not wish to return home.”
“Where will I live?”
“Here, you will stay in a royal estate as a dignitary or we will help you find housing anywhere in the world you choose to live.”
“I do not have to stay here?”
“No you are not a prisoner, depending on how you react to the plan of course,” the king frowned. Kamyra tensed, “What exactly is the plan?”
“We have concrete evidence that your younger brother made an attempt on my life while you were gone. Because you were gone, we assumed your innocence,”
“I am!” Kamyra assures, she stood out of her seat and sighed, “My father would have killed me if I had known about it, had not given you a son, and not made sure you were actually gone. My father is strict about image and traditionally consolidating power. Ephram however is pure ambition. We have another brother, Aton, who is slated to take the throne, so it makes sense that Ephram would grab at any chance to take power for himself.”
“What your brother did not understand is that power is not handed down based on birth right or gender. Even if he had succeeded, Shuri would have just battled for the throne and ruled.”
“Trust me when I say, we are both very glad he did not succeed.”
T’Challa offered a weary smile in response, “An assassination attempt will be enough in the council’s eyes to void the contract at gathering this weekend. Afterwards, we will plan for you to make a transition to life here as a citizen.”
“Is there anything you need me to do?”
“No, not at this time. My priority is keeping you safe. No need for your father or brothers to take their anger out on you.”The king stood from his seat on the windowsill.
“Thank you T’Challa, for being a friend even when I do not deserve it.” the princess offered a slight smile.
“That is what a good and decent person does.” He bowed his head in acknowledgement before starting for the door. “Wait,” Kamyra called, “Will you use this break to pursue a relationship with Sirobie?”
The king paused and turned to the princess, “I have not decided,” he answered cautiously. He may have seen a new side of the princess, but he was not entirely sure he could trust the royal. “Just be careful. My family is a pot of vengeful, fragile, toxic masculinity waiting to boil over. You starting a new relationship after embarrassing them, could be more than enough of a spark to send them after Sirobie. From what I learned about her while I was away, she is a gem. She must be protected.”
“I will keep that in mind,” T’Challa promised before leaving Kamyra with her new found freedom.
“T’Challa Udaku!” Kamyra’s father beamed as he walked into the throne room to great his daughter’s future husband. His two sons trailed in after him looking bored and intrigued all at the same time. “We heard you could not wait to marry my daughter so you moved the wedding up three months!” The king bellowed laughing and going to clap the king on his back. Ramonda squeezed her son’s hand softly before he went to great the king. “Yes sir, you could say that. I must say I am most taken with her aura and her family aspirations,” surprising himself the king glanced at Kamyra to see if he was convincing her father. The princess shrugged and he sighed. “Well that I am very glad to hear. We did our best to raise her to be the perfect wife in spite of her mother’s premature death. I do have a question though. As a father, I must make sure that you are the right man for my daughter.”
“I will do my best to make her happy and treat her right.”
“I know, but I must ask, how do you know my daughter so well if she was missing for more than half of your engagement?”
“Sirobie-“ DaNiyah sat her cup down in disbelief. The college senior crumbled, “You think I’m lying don’t you?” Sirobie wiped the tears that gathered in her eyes. “No, Ro! I can’t believe you didn’t call me!”
DaNiyah joined Sirobie on the other side of the table and pulled her in for a hug. “Girl, let me see the ring!”
Sirobie laughed and pulled the necklace out again. “Girl, it’s like a block of clear ice! And he just bought it for you just because?”
“Yeah, it’s supposed to be a memory from our time together.” DaNiyah smiled, “Y’all are so cute!” Sirobie smiled and twirled the ring on its chain. “Yeah, but it’s over now.” The filmmaker tucked the chain back in her shirt. “For now,” DaNiyah corrected, “When you love something, you let it go. He loves you, you are clearly falling for him but you both have unfinished business to handle. He’s in a different stage of life. Ready to settle down and have kids. You need to graduate college and go out and live some more first. Work on film sets. Make movies. Win awards. Then who knows. Maybe in a few years you two can reconnect and see where life takes you.”
Sirobie nodded, “You’re right. Besides I know how he feels and no one can take that from me-“
“Sirobie! How do you feel about King T’Challa’s statement regarding your time in wakanda?”
“Sirobie, are you carrying the king's baby?”
“Sirobie! Picture please!”
“Over Here Sirobie!” Reporters poured into the university quad, banging on the windows of the student center jostling to get photos of Sirobie.
“What are they talking about?” DaNiyah helped Sirobie to pack up their things and hurry away from the front of the building. “I don’t know,” the artist fretted. “Ro! You’re back!” Angela Douglass hurried over to her friend. Pulling Sirobie then DaNiyah in for a hug. “I got back yesterday-“
“You’re all over the news!” Angie handed Sirobie and DaNiyah her phone. The foreign exchange student watched as her love walked into frame at what appeared to be a press conference Kamyra following right behind. Three men entered the frame along with Queen Ramonda. Sirobie’s heart sank. Those could only be Kamyra’s family, that meant this announcement was nothing good.
“My name is T’Challa Udaku, son of King T’Chaka, Sovereign ruler of Wakanda. I am joined today by the Habriedes, the ruling family of Zafa. We are here to make an announcement regarding a foreign exchange student from the United States.”
“Maybe he’s publicly professing his love. Maybe they aren’t getting married anymore?”
Dread filled Sirobie’s stomach, “He wouldn’t do that, without telling me first. It puts all of us in too much danger.”
“Wait so there was something going on between you?” Angie clarified as T’Challa broke Sirobie’s heart. “It has recently come to the attention of the Wakandan people that this student masqueraded as my fiancée, Miss Kamyra Habriedes, for three months. Miss Habriedes does not remember where she was during this period and is in a delicate mindset right now. As of today, the student in question has caused no harm to the people of Wakanda nor the nation of Zafa, therefore we are looking to press no charges. There will be no retribution or punishment brought against her. We simply wish to clear the air about the differences between the actions, mannerisms, and condition of my true fiancée. Myself and the people of Wakanda wish the young woman the best in her endeavors and I hope she finds the love she is searching the world for. Thank you.”
Sirobie’s hand flew to her ring as she stared at the phone in disbelief. It felt like ice was clawing its way through her veins. “Ro? Ro what happened?” Angie tried to catch her friend's attention. “Ro! Look at me,” Angie insisted. DaNiyah wrapped up her ranting just in time to notice the senior start shaking. “Hey, Ro, look at us, you know he’s lying. He proposed to you for god's sake. Just calm down.”
“No, if he gets to tell his side of the story I get to tell mine,” the director stormed off back towards the front of the building. “Ro, woah woah no!” DaNiyah was the first to catch up.
“What?”
“First off, don’t raise your voice at me sis. Sending, he didn’t explicitly accuse you of anything, it’s obvious that the reporters are grabbing threads to get a story. If you go out there you are confirming their suspicions.” DaNiyah argued.
“Wakanda publicized all of us because we were the first foreign exchange students, and I’m the only one who happens to look exactly like his missing fiancee.” Sirobie fumed and paced back and forth.
“Okay, fair point, but Ro, you just got accused of infiltrating the world's most private country and pretending to be their future queen for three months. If you go out there, it’s your word against the king of a fucking country. So let’s just take a moment to think.” Angie talked her down off the edge.
“Let’s just figure out how to get back to the apartment without being followed okay.” DaNiyah ran a hand over her hair as Angie handed her friend a hoodie.
“Cover your hair and that diamond ring. We’ve got a lot to figure out. I don’t see us getting you out of here un-photographed and the last thing we need is to throw fuel on the fire.”
Sirobie nodded and quietly slipped the hoodie over her head as her tears finally made an appearance. “Sirobie,” DaNiyah pulled her roommate into her chest as she broke down in tears. “He told me he loved me,” the painter sobbed as Angie felt her own heart breaking. She’d never seen her friend this broken before. On what should be one of the most exciting weeks of her life, a man she obviously cared for, had potentially ruined any chances she had of a career and possibly her freedom to celebrate the week quietly.
“Okay, no. We’re getting out of here then figuring out how to hit that bastard where it hurts the most. I don’t know what happened, but he does not get to just ruin your life like this. He could’ve dealt with this shit privately. Or at least called you first. We’re graduating and I’ll be damned if he gets to ruin the time we have left together.”
“Agreed,” DaNiyah backed up the third member of their group. “I don’t know, I just want it to go away,” Sirobie sniffled. “It will. I’ll make sure of it.” Angie assured her.
“Okay,” Angie came out of Sirobie's room and leaned against the wall next to the TV. Sirobie groaned as DaNiyah paused Coming to America. After somewhat successfully escaping with the help of campus security, the girls made it to their apartment safely praying that they hadn’t been followed. No one had shown up banging at the door yet, so they seemed to be in the clear. For now at least.
“I called in some classmates and a professor I trust. I know you wanted to keep it small, but I needed some help Ro.”
Sirobie nodded from under her cover, “I know Angie. I just want it to go away and if this is what will help make it happen, I’m all for it.” Angie breathed a sigh of relief and smiled softly, “Okay. I called an emergency meeting with them. I’ll let you know when we have a plan of action.” Angie hugged both Sirobie and DaNiyah before rushing out of their apartment.
“You want a pizza girlie?” DaNiyah pressed play and headed back to the kitchen to grab something to drink. “Noo,” Sirobie sighed.
“Gyros?” DaNiyah plopped back on the couch and handed Sirobie a glass of juice and a bottle of water.
“Ehh…”
“Sirobie, you’ve gotta eat something babe. All you’ve done is cry and mope. Not that you don’t have a good reason to, but you’ve gotta eat and drink something.”
Sirobie took a sip out of her glass and turned back to the TV. “Fine,” DaNiyah stood. “I’m gonna walk to the gyro place and I’ll get your usual order.”
“Your majesty, technically, there is no loophole for attempted assisination, considering you cannot definitively prove that Kamyra’s father was in on the attempt. This contract is between your father and hers, meaning he would have to be the one to break the bounds of morality.” The merchant tribe elder clarified.
“So he is just supposed to marry into a family that attempted to have him murdered?” Ramonda fumed. T’Challa placed his hand over his mother’s to calm her. “We understand that this is not ideal, however there is only one solution.” The Border Tribe elder glanced at Zuri’s protege, Fatima. “You and Lady Kamyra can get married- in a private miniature ceremony, like a Western Elopement. Then we will nullify the marriage at the end of the ceremony. Thereby fulfilling all of the requirements of the contract, while also preventing either you or Lady Kamyra from being legally bound together.”
T’Challa glanced at his mother and nodded, “How soon can we achieve this?”
“As soon as you and lady Kamyra are ready. I can prepare the ceremony at any time.”
“Great, Let’s prepare for tomorrow night then?” T’Challa glanced around the room, “How will we explain this to Kamyra’s family?”
“How will we explain it to the Wakandan people?” Another elder voiced.
“Simple-” T’Challa stood, “We will tell them the truth.”
“You sure you don’t wanna come babe, you’ve been in this apartment for two days. You’ve got security, and no one will recognize you in a dark club.”
“No, I’m not in a party mood, but y’all have a good time. I’ll be here to take care of your drunk asses when you come in later tonight.” Sirobie smiled as DaNiyah sucked her teeth. “Whatever,” Sirobie’s roommate grabbed her purse and began double checking she had everything.
“Seriously, though. I’m probably just gonna finish up my final portfolio project and binge-watch something.”
“As long as you’re good love. I just want you to enjoy this time.”
“I won’t be able to though. Until this is all over. I have more fun here. I’ll wait up and y’all can tell me everything that went down.”
“Fine, call if you need anything, I'm the designated driver so I won’t be having as much fun anyway.”
“I will, and you’ll be fine. Besides, I’ve got my personal bodyguard outside anyway so we’ll be cool.”
“You ever figure out who sent him anyway?”
“He said he’s from the university,” Sirobie shrugged. “I find that hard to believe,” the pre-med student snorted. “I know, maybe they do care about more than our money,” Sirobie joked. DaNiyah’s phone chimed alerting her that her uber was there. “Okay, I’ll see you later. Remember to call if you need me.”
“I will,” Sirobie sighed once her door was shut and went into her room to grab her laptop.
“And it’s official, the shortest marriage I’ve ever officiated for,” Fatima joked as Kamyra finished signing her end of the nullifying contract. “I believe I speak for us both when I say that it was good, it was fast,” Kamyra smiled and placed the cap back on the pen.
“Very much so,” T’Challa nodded and joined his mother on the sidelines. “I am glad to see you this happy again,” Ramonda smiled. “Thank you, me too,” T’Challa grinned. “It was a good idea to use the assassination as leverage to keep Kamyra’s family from retaliating or coming back to Wakanda.” The king praised his mother. The queen smiled, “Your father married me for more than my looks,” she teased.
“I apologize for not asking for help with this whole situation at first. Shuri is your daughter and you should have had a hand in protecting her.”
“I am glad you have realized the error of your ways, but I am your mother as well. I want you protected and happy just as much as I want that for her. We could have saved everyone a lot of headache and heartbreak. Including the one person who you did not let in on this plan-“ Ramonda raised an eyebrow.
“You were the one who told me not to tell her!” The young king insisted. “T’Challa, do not raise your voice at me and do not play dumb. I told you not to tell her when the plan was just to leverage the assassination alone. Had I known you were going to give into Kamyra’s father and blast Sirobie’s character on international television, I would have insisted she be brought in on this. That she was protected and not just thrown to the wolves. She’s a college student for goodness sakes. I’m sure her university isn’t happy with her negative press either.” The mother scolded.
“I sent her a bodyguard once I realized how big everything had blown up.” He sighed. “I think you owe the woman you love more than that, don’t you?”
“Hello,” Sirobie yawned and sat up to look at the clock from the couch. The Nanny hummed in the background as the last voice she ever wanted to hear came through the line. “Sirobie-“
“Goodbye your majesty.” She ended the call and dropped her head into her hands. “Fuck man,” she hissed standing and pacing infront of her couch. Her phone began to vibrate again and she stared. “What your majesty,” she finally answered. “Sirobie please let me explain-“
“You have 30 seconds to explain why you decided to lie and blow up my life.”
“Sirobie-“
“25.” She interrupted. “Sirobie I don’t have enough words to explain how sorry I am, but believe me I am so sorry. I obviously didn’t think ahead in the plan but, I needed Kamyra’s family to have no reason to suspect you for what I was about to do.”
Sirobie’s heart stopped, “What did you do,” she whispered out. “We broke the contract and we knew that if they found out I was gonna use it to get to you-“
“I’m happy for you T’Challa. But this doesn’t change the magnitude of what you did.”
“I know and I’m gonna fix it-“
“How T’Challa. You can’t come back out to the world and say hey I was lying I’m actually in love with this girl can you? No matter what actually happened, you’ll never be able to clear the air. I’ll always be the home wrecker. Some crazy American who pretended to be a foreign princess. I’ll be the one who ruined a Union for the country’s good. It won’t matter that your family loves me. Or that it was your fiancée’s idea to switch places. All that will matter is what you said. And you lied T’Challa.” Sirobie ended the call as she felt tears flood her eyes. She grabbed the nearest pillow and tried to chuckle through her sniffles as Fran Fine continued her pursuit of Maxwell Sheffield.
“Hello,” it seemed like no one wanted to just let Sirobie grieve in peace tonight. “Ohh my baby,” Sirobie’s mother cooed through the phone and the student felt tears flooding her eyes. “Mama,” Sirobie let her tears fall. “Aww baby I know, I know.”
“I wish you were here,” Sirobie sniffled. “We’ll get up and open the door.” Sirobie felt her mother’s smile through her phone. “What,” she popped up slowly and slipped on her house shoes. “Well hurry up, you just gonna leave your mama out here with all these bags?”
For the first time in weeks the filmmaker felt a genuine smile grace her features. She yanked open her apartment door and pulled her mom in for a hug. “When did you get here?”
Sirobie grabbed her mother’s suitcase and led her into the apartment. “About an hour ago. Mother to Mother, the queen thought you might need some additional loving for the next few weeks.”
“What about work?” Sirobie led her mother to her bedroom with suitcases in tow. “Aht Aht, you let me worry about that. Just know that I’m here for you okay baby.” Naomi Johnson sat on her daughter's bed and opened her arms letting her daughter fall into her embrace. The mother hummed softly as the 21 year old sniffled. “I just feel so stupid for believing him.”
“Believing what?”
“That he loved me,” Sirobie sighed and unclasped the engagement necklace from around her neck. Her mother took the ring in shock, “Sirobie Naia Johnson please tell me you did not.”
The Howard student rolled over in her mother’s lap. “No, we didn’t get married. He just proposed and told me he loved me.”
“Even though he was engaged?” Mrs. Johnson raised an eyebrow. “It’s complicated mama.”
“Seems pretty simple to me.”
“Wakanda is a monarchy. It was a marriage of two countries. Not really two people. His fiancée is the one whose idea it was to trade places. She ran off and left me to pick up the pieces.”
“So you were pretending to be a foreign princess?”
“Yes,but the queen asked me to. As a cover up till they could figure out where the real princess had gone.”
“Okay,” Sirobie’s mother nodded, “Considering I was chauffeured to your side by the queen of said country, I believe you. However I don’t understand why the boy lied about you. I mean it was obvious in the first call we had with him how much he adored you.”
“He said it was to keep me safe from the real princess’s family. I can speak from personal experience, not the most friendly family in the world. “
“That sounds reasonable.”
Sirobie sighed, “I know, I just wished he would have come to me first. At Least let me know ahead of time.”
“Well maybe it was a part of the act. If these people are truly dangerous, you couldn’t know the plan. First off, you’re a horrible actor dear, they would’ve seen through you in half a second,” Naomi Johnson teased as her daughter scoffed. “I am a great actress,” Sirobie insisted, letting laughter escape her lips.
“Mhmm,” her mother hummed. “You’re right though, all of it was reasonable, but I just don’t ever see how we could have a relationship. He basically told the whole world I’m a snobby American who got the chance of a lifetime and wasted it pretending to be someone she wasn’t. If we get together I’ll be nothing but a home wrecker.” Sirobie sighed as her mother’s fingers massaged her scalp.
“I see what you mean. Unfortunately it is one of those times that only time will tell what the future holds. You’ve just gotta be patient babycakes. Focus on yourself and your future outside of this king T’Challa. He’s a great catch but you’ve wanted so much for your life and your career. You all are in two different stages in life and that’s okay. While he figures out his, you should figure out yours.”
“Come in,”T’Challa turned from his position at the window of his private office. Eshe held open the door as Lesedi and Kasigo carried in a wrapped package. The women saluted before Eshe shut the door and spoke, “Lady Sirobie asked us to make sure this made it to you once it was delivered from the framers.” Eshe explained the brown paper wrapped package now sitting against the king's wall. “Ah, thank you.” He bowed his head as the women curtsied before turning to leave. “Kumkani wam,” Lesedi turned back to the monarch before shutting the door. She pulled an envelope out of her pocket. “Please do not be upset, but Lady Sirobie, she sent us some graduation tickets. I won’t be able to make it, but you should go in my place.”
T’Challa stared at the envelope as Lesedi set it on his desk. “Thank you,” he nodded as the woman curtsied once more and disappeared. Once he heard the footsteps recede, the king took a deep breath and walked over to what he was sure was the portrait his love painted for him.
He began in wrapping the painting and felt his stomach drop at the image Sirobie had crafted in her mind of him. She’d remembered him as only she’d seen him. Wrapped up in her being, relaxed and at peace. The couple was laying on the couch in what was Sirobie’s room while she was in the palace. Though Sirobie’s face was hidden, her arms were wrapped around T’Challa, her face buried in his neck as the king stared down at her adoringly. The painting was stunning and T’Challa knew a phone call was not enough. He loved this woman and she deserved the world and more.
He needed to see Sirobie, and right his wrongs.
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