Chapter 26
Warnings: None
Copyright: I do not own any Marvel characters or locations. However, I do own a few OCs like Elizabeth, Katherine, Stacy, and Jessie. I do not condone any copying of this.
T'Challa introduced you to the people of Wakanda as his one and only beloved soulmate. You didn't have to speak, just standing by his side, holding his arm as he spoke. After the speech, he took you out of the city to see more of the countryside of Wakanda.
He brought you down to where the pastures were, where the farmers out here tamed White Rhinos for war. They also took care of goats.
T'Challa showed you the small hut by the water that Bucky had stayed in once. He had his own little fenced in area that still had two goats in it, the little kids that lived out here tending to his goat until he came back.
"What are their names?" You asked, petting one of the milk goats across her head. She let out a tiny bleat before wandering over to the water trough, lapping it up.
"This one is Samantha and the other one is Stella." T'Challa said, pointing to each individual goat, only able to tell apart the difference of their brown and white coats by the pink ribbon around Samantha's tail and the green one around Stella's.
You giggled. "So they're the goat versions of Sam and Steve?"
T'Challa laughed as well. "I suppose that's one way of looking at them."
The next week was fun as well. Wakanda was much larger than everyone had ever expected. You visited the forests and jungles. There were beautiful lakes that T'Challa took you too, the two of you skinny dipping as they were empty.
There were open plains and wide fields of flowers. The inner city was fun to explore as well. There were so many people there, the culture so vibrantly different from anything you had ever experienced.
You enjoyed checking out all of the stalls, even if you didn't always buy something. The young village kids seemed to absolutely adore you for some reason, always giving you flowers or small presents that were homemade.
T'Challa always just beamed from your side. You were sure that he was happy with how receptive the people were of you. Though you didn't always speak Wakandan (Xhosa), T'Challa would usually translate for you. Words of praise and your beauty or kindness were usually what they were. Or sometimes saying how they were glad that their King had found such a worthy soulmate.
Inside the palace was another story. Perhaps it was just simply because it was air-conditioned, but it just felt much colder there. Shuri, Queen Ramonda, and Okoye were all very nice, and a few of T'Challa's friends and the elders were just as nice, but the Dora Milaje seemed very cold towards you.
But you were probably making it up. Okoye always seemed colder whenever she was doing her royal duties as well. Shuri always liked to make jokes with it.
"When are the others getting here again?" You asked, holding T'Challa's hand as the two of you walked around the palace gardens. They had several exotic flowers that couldn't be found anywhere else in the world. They were very special here and you absolutely loved them.
"The morning of the wedding ceremony. They're chasing a HYDRA lead I think." T'Challa said with a sigh.
"HYDRA again?" You frowned. "They really do take after the mythical creature."
T'Challa chuckled. "From what we can tell though, they are much weaker than they were when they had Bucky. Without their winter soldiers, it is very hard for them to operate. Especially since Fury has been alerted to their presence."
You nodded, leaning your head on his shoulder before you pointed to one of the large red and green flowers that looked almost tie-dyed. "What is this one called?"
"Lintyatyambo Zevatala." T'Challa answered.
"I think they're my favorites." You said, looking up at him, "Besides, you know, the lovely purple flowers that give you your powers. Those are pretty too."
T'Challa smiled down at you, putting his arm over your shoulder. "Yes, I like these too. A personal favorite I think. Shuri likes those the most though." He pointed out a pair of strange looking flowers that were weaving together, moving slightly by themselves.
"What are they?" You asked, watching as the orange and blue blossoms on the plant opened and closed like they were regrowing.
"Linzwakazi Eziyingozi" T'Challa said. "They're poisonous, so don't get to close to them. They're kind've like. . . Venus fly traps? But more animal than plant, really. Shuri has found a way to take their poisonous properties and make it a temporary Cancer cure. However, it doesn't always work. It depends on blood type, height, weight, other minor health ailments, etc. Sometimes it can do more harm than good so she is reluctant to use it unless as a last resort. However, she is still trying to come up with a perfect cure."
"Wow, that's wonderful! I thought she only worked in technology." You said as T'Challa led you out of the gardens. The sun was starting to set. The two of you would probably eat and then head off to bed where you'd fool around for an hour or two and then fall asleep in each others embrace.
"Well, I think medicine is a type of technology, if you look at it the right way." T'Challa answered.
"It's not a vaccine?" You asked.
"Vaccines don't cure anything." T'Challa said with a shake of his head. "They are only temporary, often meaning that you have to get them over and over to get rid of an illness. They are more. . . preventive than an actual cure. And sometimes ineffective. Her cure would be forever-lasting and would stop the Cancer already growing. If she were to create a vaccine, it would be meant to stop cancer before it even gets to her. Not to mention, Cancer isn't spread through the air so a vaccine is illogical."
You nodded your head, committing everything he said to memory.
"We don't even have vaccines here in Wakanda." T'Challa said with a shrug of his shoulders. "They are unnecessary, we very rarely get sick."
That made sense to you. Why have something if you never needed it? Plus the cure and the cancer also made sense to you.
"Anyways," T'Challa continued as you both headed to the dining hall to eat with the rest of the royal family, "I look forward to seeing Shuri complete the cure."
"Yes, as do I." You responded. It would be very exciting when a cure for cancer was finally made.
"You do what?" Shuri asked as the two of you entered the room. Dinner was already on the table in large pots and dishes, spoons and serving utensils sitting there, just waiting to be used. You could spot several African delicacies as well as a few of your favorite American dishes.
"Hope you finish your Cancer cure successfully." You answered as T'Challa pulled your chair out. You sat down, scooting yourself in while T'Challa sat next to you.
"You told her?!" Shuri complained to T'Challa.
"I think it's fascinating." You said quickly.
"Yeah, but it's not going well!" Shuri complained and then quickly said, "Did you know that up until this point, he still slept with a stuffed animal?"
"Oi!" T'Challa protested, "What was that for?"
You giggled as Shuri said, "You told her one of my secrets, so I told her one of yours."
"But why is mine so embarrassing?"
"You're whining like a brat."
"Children, children." Queen Ramonda said in a patronizing tone, though there was a small smile on her lips. "You're going to make Y/N think you're both eight years old."
"Well he is."
"Well she is."
You giggled again.
Queen Ramonda making a tsking sound. "Y/N, behold the King of Wakanda."
"Hey! You two are ganging up on me!" T'Challa protested, pointing fingers at the both of them with a mock frown on his face.
You smiled, "It's adorable. I love watching your family interact."
T'Challa's face softened and he kissed you on the cheek.
After dessert, T'Challa and you headed back up to your bedroom. You were both practically running by the time you were on the floor his bedroom resided on. T'Challa locked the doors behind the both of you, the two of you disappearing into the sheets.
***
Two days before the special wedding ceremony, you were sitting on his bed, making out with him. His back was to his door and you were sitting in his lap, your legs wrapped loosely around his waist. Your hands and his were delved into each others' hair. Your lips were meshed together in a passionate kiss.
You groaned as you broke away for air. He didn't seem to need his, his lips automatically attaching themselves to your throat.
"Brother!" T'Challa groaned, pulling away from me. Peering over his shoulder, I saw Shuri in the hologram, arms crossed over her chest.
"Yes, my annoying sister who interrupts me at the most inconvenient times?" T'Challa sighed.
"Sorry, but apparently the elders are waiting for you down in the council room." Shuri sighed. "There's been some update and they need you for your wise input. So hurry up." She blanked out, leaving the hologram table empty again.
You smiled at T'Challa, pulling away to start sliding under the covers. "It's fine T. I'm pretty tired anyways. I'll probably be asleep by the time you get back. Have fun. . . doing business?"
He chuckled, sliding out of the bed, fixing his robes, kissing the top of your head and finding his shoes to slip on. "I'll try. It'll be worse than being here with you though."
"Naturally." You teased, winking.
He chuckled as he left the room.
You dimmed the lights, wrapping the thin sheet around you. You had left the wide doors open, letting in the warm African breeze. It wasn't to warm, especially as it was night and got cooler, but it wasn't to cold either. Paired with the thin sheets, you were rather content where temperature was concerned.
You could hear several people moving around outside- and down in the city as it started to close up- listening to the sounds of the life around you.
You wrapped one arm around the pillow underneath your head. You couldn't wait. Two more days and all of your favorite people would be here, celebrating you and T'Challa being together as a royal couple. You wondered how long it would take before the news got ahold of the information.
You smirked a little, knowing how annoyed you would be. You hated being on the news.
And you loved being here with T'Challa. He was kind, brave, funny, charismatic, sincere, and affectionate. He could also be serious and extremely protective, though loving. Not to mention bloody handsome.
But you did miss your other mates. Missed Sam and Clint's teasing, missed Fury and Rhodeys' seriousness. Tony's joking manner. Stephen's always half-amused, half-annoyed state. You missed your soldiers and your gods. You wanted all of them around you and didn't really like being with just one of them for extended periods of time.
You smiled, imaging them coming off the quinjet, wondering whose arms you'd run to first.
Probably whoever came off the jet first. Probably Bucky as he loved this country. Maybe Loki or Thor. Maybe even Rhodey, he had been here before.
You heard something whooshing through the air, though it didn't sound very near. You rolled over in bed, just as you felt something scrape along your back.
Your eyes popped open at the pain.
Snake!
