Con La Brisa

four

Toussaint snuggled up against his favorite aunt and grinned up at her brightly.

His dark eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement as Shuri played the Disney movie, Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

It had been one of her favorite movies growing up, she had always told her Mama that she wanted to be just like Queen Kida.

She was grateful to be able to share it with her nephew and see his adorable face light up at how beautiful Atlantis is.

And as they continued to watch the movie, Toussaint asked her a question that made her pause the movie and look at him with tender eyes.

"Is Talokan like Atlantis and K'uk'ulkan is like Kida?" The little prince had every right to be curious.

"That's right, personally I think Atlantis is based on K'uk'ulkan and Talokan, they've been around for a very long time," Shuri answered as she ran a hand through her nephew's hair.

He was the most precious child, the last biological piece of her brother.

Nakia was right to name him after his father but also to give him his own name, a weight off of his small shoulders.

Toussaint wanted to come with her and the God King, to see Talokan in all her glory, however Nakia was a bit hesitant.

Namor had been reassuring the Queen Mother that nothing and no one would dare harm her only child and her grandchild, within his oceans.

Shuri wondered if they would see the infamous Leviathan, hidden far beneath where mere mortals would never discover it.

As she pressed play and the movie continued, Toussaint was in awe of Atlantis and Kida.

He said she was a true warrior and that her heart was good.

It made the Crown Princess of Wakanda, stumble mentally, her nephew had always been a good judge of character and he had never been hesitant with Namor, during their encounters.

Shuri was a bit hesitant but only because she was finally healing from the anguish of her older brother's death.

As the movie finished, Toussaint had fallen asleep on his aunt's lap, his little head on her side.

The Black Panther wanted to move forward, to have the anguish of her brother's death hurt less.

Nakia knocked gently on her bedroom door, easing it open once she heard her son's soft breathing.

"Usisi, I made dinner, come eat, Toussaint will smell it soon enough and come running," Nakia laughed lightly as Shuri smiled softly.

"Just like T'Challa, he would keep playing until his nose led him to Mama's cooking and then he would tell me that his superpower was his sense of smell," Shuri shook her head as she grinned.

It didn't hurt when she remembered all of the good memories with her older brother.

Nakia and Shuri laughed at the memory of the elder T'Challa as a cheeky child.

Ramonda and Okoye met them in the dining room and they all sat down, saying a few prayers to their ancestors and loved ones, praying for their future to remain bright.

True to form, as they began to eat, Toussaint wandered into the dining room, stumbling into his seat between his Mama and aunt, across from his grandmother, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Auntie, I dreamt that I was in Atlantis with you and they named you Queen!" Toussaint yawned cutely as he began to eat the expertly grilled salmon.

Nakia snickered at the look of shock and adoration on her younger sister in law's face while Ramonda stiffened a bit and then relaxed.

She knew she had to let her daughter roam free, learn more of the world and everything it had to offer.

It frightened her, after losing her husband, losing her abandoned nephew and then losing her beloved son, it was no wonder, Queen Ramonda was frightened to let her daughter out of sight.

However, the God King of Talokan had become enamored with Princess Shuri of Wakanda, the famed Black Panther.

He had been there for her and with her, listening to her intently, memorizing what made her happy, calm and content.

He was still sending little gifts to her, one of them was a bracelet made of beautifully colored sea kelp, identical to the bracelet she had been given by one of the Talokani children.

Okoye and Nakia spoke about the Dora Milaje, about Ayo and Aneka with their twin daughters, they caught up on everything that had occurred.

Ramonda smiled fondly as she noticed Toussaint copying the way Shuri ate, she was the little prince's idol.

The family continued to eat their dinner that Nakia had made, it was grilled salmon, flounder and lobster, with yellow rice, cucumber salad and pitchers full of water and iced tea.

For dessert, they had Shuri's favorite which was ice cream cake with a bowl of cantaloupe on the side.

Toussaint giggled wildly as Shuri smeared a piece of frosting on his chubby cheek, after he had placed a bit of ice cream on her nose.

Nakia laughed as she cleaned both her son and her sister's faces, Okoye commented that they could be partners in crime, which made them share a mischievous smile.

"Atlantis has been Shuri's favorite movie since she was a child, she has always admired Kida," Ramonda spoke quietly, pride in her tone.

"Auntie is just like Queen Kida! She's smart, strong and pretty, she's a good leader too. When Soleil and Asteria wanted to mess around, she told them that they had to wait for their mamas. And when the Talokani children come to visit, Auntie Shuri is always there to welcome them," Toussaint rambled away but everyone listened to him intently.

He was usually a quiet and shy kid, but when he spoke, everyone shut up to hear him.

And he was very passionate about his family, especially his aunt Shuri.

His Baba had told him stories of his beloved baby sister, in fact Toussaint's first word was not Mama or Baba, it was Shuri, his Baba had recorded it as well.

And he knew how much his Baba meant to his Aunt Shuri, how much she was hurting from his death.

Although, he was hurting from his Baba's death, he understood that the bond between his Baba and Aunt Shuri, was immense.

He did his best to comfort her and when she awoke from nightmares, Toussaint was there, cuddled to her chest with Nakia pressed against her back, having a family cuddle.

Shuri sometimes awoke on her own and in those moments, she would lightly touch the beaded jade bracelet that K'uk'ulkan had given her, the one that belonged to his late mother, Fen.

She would fall asleep by the beach, a soft smile on her gorgeous face and peace in her soul.

Other times, she would find herself dozing off in the tub and would awake to find amethyst roses surrounding her.

Those were the times she knew the God King had visited her, when he had the free time from his duties.

Thankfully, her sleep schedule had gotten a lot better, thanks to her family helping her through her struggles with insomnia.

"Princess Shuri is Queen Kida, in real life, all the technology she has created and improved, is to better protect our people, our country, our home, she is our protector, our Black Panther, just as Kida is the Heart of Atlantis, Shuri is the Heart of Talokan," Okoye smiled brightly and her heart softened as Shuri wiped a tear away.

Toussaint grinned up at his aunt who he adored with his very being.

"If you are Kida, does that mean K'uk'ulkan is Milo?" He inquired adorably.

His words made the entire family begin to laugh and giggle.

Not knowing why they were laughing, but enjoying the vibe, Toussaint began to laugh as well.

If only he knew, they were trying to imagine K'uk'ulkan dressed up as Milo Thatch.