Redemption

Chapter 16

[Present Day] Birnin Zana, The Royal City, Wakanda

Zari blinked as the sun burned her eyes through her eyelids. She stretched tiredly, now remembering why Queen mother always told her to sleep on the west side of the palace. The large window views are breathtaking, but the sunrise blinded you in the morning if facing East. But east and west rooms were the last thing on her mind after last night. Zari sighed and snuggled into T'Challa's embrace. Wait. "Get off of me," Zari shouldered the king off of her before standing and turning to face him. "What happened to the bed you made on the floor?"

"It was uncomfortable," the king groaned and sat up. "Sounds like a personal problem," Zari raised an eyebrow, "I told you to go back to your own bed. When you decided to stay I expected you to respect my wishes and not touch me your majesty."

"Zar, you cannot seriously still be upset," the king sighed. Zari's eyes hardened. "I'm going to wake Aiden, when we come back I want you out of my room." She stormed out of the door and the young king sighed. "For Bast's sake!"

The silence was tangible as Zari angrily cut into her breakfast. Aiden's rambling was the only noise as his grandmother nodded along sneaking glances between the boy's parents. Shuri was silent as well, pushing her food around the plate. "Oops," Aiden's outburst pulled everyone's attention."I didn't mean to," he pouted, his lower lip trembling. A big sauce stain graced the front of his shirt and shorts. Zari sighed, "I know baby, let's go change your outfit."

"Okay mommy,"Aiden allowed his grandmother to help him down out of his seat before Ramonda stopped the mother son duo. "Actually Shuri," the teen looked up, "please take Aiden to change his clothes and wash up."

"I do not think-"

"I've got it."

The princess and Zari spoke at the same time. Ramonda raised an eyebrow, "I was not asking. Shuri, please take your nephew and help him change. I would like to talk to his parents alone. Is that alright my dear," the Queen turned to Zari who nodded and settled back into her seat. Shuri glanced at her brother and Zari once more before taking Aiden's hand and leading him out of the room.

"So who wants to speak first," Ramonda sat back in her chair after dismissing the staff behind Aiden and Shuri. Zari glanced at the king with her arms folded. "Last night Zari and I had an altercation. A small disagreement really."

"I disagree," Zari glared. "It is just a simple test," the king sighed, "You are reading more into this than you need to Zar."

"Do not try to gaslight me T'Challa. If you don't want Aiden to be yours just say that. Admit you made a mistake in coming to look for us and that you want your old life back!"

"Is that really what you think this is about?" The king shook his head.

"Wait," Queen mother turned to her son, "You have doubts that Aiden is your son?"

The king sighed, "No, I have no reason to doubt that Aiden is mine."

"Then what are you all talking about?"

"He asked me for a paternity test," Zari hissed. "If you know Aiden is yours, then why on earth do you need a test T'Challa?" Ramonda raised up in her seat, "I assumed that I would not need to tell my son, who has four degrees, what a paternity test was for."

"I know what they are for I just...I couldn't believe my own father would do this to me, let alone a girl he treated as his own daughter. I let others get into my head and cloud my thoughts."

"Shuri?" The mother inferred, reflecting on how her daughter had been acting since her grandson and hopeful daughter in law arrived. "Yes, she was trying to come up with a reason for why Baba would hide all of this from us. Take my son from me. It's not easy accepting that he did this for image and tradition only."