Aqua Queen

Part 9

The fight is ongoing. Namor and his people are decimating my people. They mercilessly take lives from Wakanda's army and the civilians. No one is safe, no one is pardoned.

I catch the glimpse of a child's lifeless body hanging from the end of a raised spear. It's discarded like trash.

"You can stop this." It's my ma-ma. Her voice is a whisper on the water.

My heart is ripped apart, and my anger takes hold.

Focusing on the Talokans, I use powers to send them back into the water.

With great will and force, I keep them held there. They're unable to move as the Wakandan's send them to the afterlife.

It doesn't take long for Namor to detect my betrayal.

My back to him, I can sense him drawing nearer at an alarming rate.

I don't fight him. I can't.

His body connecting with mine sends us into the water.

He's on top of me as he takes me deeper into the watery depths.

His handsome face is a mask of rage. As the light starts to fade and I start to run out of air, I touch his face.

I place his hand on my stomach, and his face registers dread.

That's the last image that I have of my Namor.

It's dark. I'm floating in the water. The dark is illuminated by a bright light, and the figure of a woman appears in it.

As she draws closer, I recognize who she is.—My ma-ma.

"Oshun, my love."

I reach out to her, but she doesn't accept my hand.

"Ma-ma, I'm sorry."

"You didn't do anything wrong."

"I betrayed you, your memory."

"You have found love, Oshun. There is no shame in that."

"He destroys our people."

"And yet you still love him. Your allegiance is owed to your husband. I cannot hold you accountable for that. And neither should you."

"What do I do ma-ma? I need help, guidance."

The light starts to fade, and my ma-ma's silhouette starts to disappear with it.

"Follow your heart Oshun. I trust him to protect you."

I'm pulled from the spiritual plane back to the earthly plane, and it's a shock to my senses.

I can't see. I can barely make out the words, but I can hear and sense that the fight has gone quiet.

It's still.

I'm in someone's arms on the bank of the ocean. The water repeatedly slaps against my body.

It's what's keeping me alive. It's what brought me back to consciousness.

"Take her back to the water." I hear Amadi's voice. It's calm and soothing.

I can feel my body drifting in the water.

"Submerge her," He instructs.

With my body fully immersed in the water, I scream for them to let me up. But I don't think that they can hear me.

"You're drowning me!" I scream in my head.

"Keep her held down," Amadi says.

Choking on the water, I take my last breath.

It's a deep inhale of the salty ocean water. It fills my lungs and causes me to come awake.

My eyes open to Namor watching me from above the water.

Taking deep breaths, my heart rate slows to normal.

I'm confused at first, but Namor's small smile is reassuring and comforting.

I'm breathing underwater.

"My Aqua queen." He says quietly.

Pulling me to him, I take a breath of air from the surface, and it's like I'm taking my first breath ever.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I state, hugging him.

"No, I'm sorry. I let my anger get the best of me. I almost killed you and our child."

It's the beginning stages, but it's there. —A new life.

"So what does this mean?" I ask.

"I think that it means that I can take you to my kingdom. To officially introduce my people to their queen."

"I wouldn't fit in." I tease.

"My people would love you."

"Why is that?"

My chin's gently lifted, and his thumb lightly traces my lip.

"Because their king loves you."

"And I love their king," I say with a small smile.

His lips tenderly meet mine, and my heart melts at the connection.