Lioness | Erik Killmonger

Chapter three: Unwanted guests

' The art of no longer
Being friends is to,

Stay away '

Chapter three: Unwanted guests

"Will you not tell me of my wedding night?" Anila asked. "All we've spoken of is the wedding itself - but, not what happens afterwards."

"Do you really want me to tell you? In detail? Don't you want it to just happen?" Farah said.

Anila went silent. "No. I want to know- I have an idea-"

"- Like many traditions-" Farah said interrupting. She threw her shaw over her shoulder before taking the comb from the dresser to start at Anila's hair. "- you will be in your chambers after the wedding party has died down, and the guest retreat to wherever they came from. Your bedmaids will strip you down and the High Priest and his followers will bless you, and anoint you with sweet oils."

Anila's mouth became a frown. "Why?"

As much as Farah wanted to hide her obvious annoyance and frustration, but the dimness of the light couldn't shadow her face. Anila could see the hard glitter in her eyes from the reflection in the mirror and the quiver of her lips as though she was muttering something foul, low and under her breath.

Finally Anila looked away.

"It's for your husband," Farah said loudly. "For his pleasure."

Anila threaded her fingers through the end of her coiled and curled mane. "He'll smell your scented skin and he wouldn't be able to control himself- Mama Tito said that it makes him-" Farah began to laugh so much she fell back off the stool, clutching her stomach painfully. Anila swiftly turned to her with furrowed brows.

"What is so funny?" Anila asked, stiffening slightly. When Farah had just about gained composure, she hugged her sister from behind, staring at her eyes in their reflection - her hands over Anila's flat and empty stomach.

"Mama Tito said- she said... the oils will make him finish inside you quicker so that you'll become pregnant."

For a moment, Anila was speechless. But, then she broke out into fit of insults when Farah observed her expression and began laughing again.

"Unluckily for you little sister, your Erik Killmonger is a beast- he'd probably take one sniff of you and pounce!" Farah said between her laughter, she pulled Anila's thick hair into its usual golden band and fell back onto a quilted sofa and stretched out, cat-like. Anila turned to her, hugging her shoulders tightly.

"I pity you, sister, I really do." Farah taunted, she leant forward. "Only one of us will truly know what's it like the get absolutely destroyed during-"

"Be quiet Farah!" Anila screamed, covering her ears before sulking off.

*

"Thank you so much," Anila spoke up after the bedmaids finished preparing her for the night.

"You are very welcome, Queen Anila." Bolu said nodding his head slowly.

The others made no response.

The latch at the door slid up and a gush of wind blew into the solar, all heads but hers turned. He was here, Anila said to herself quietly. Though her back was turned to him, Anila saw Erik's movement from the corner of her eye. Long dark shadows cast across the floor. Erik turned his head, acknowledging Bolu aside her.