Lioness | Erik Killmonger

Chapter six: The gifts of life

' It is easier to raise
Strong children

Than mend broke men '

Chapter six: The gifts of life

The morning had dawned in Wakanda bright and clear, with its usual wave of heat that hinted the coming into the summer season. Many times, so many that Anila couldn't count, she had brought the oldest of her three cubs, Mahir, to the falls to see her king husband display his overbearing strength at the seasonal festivities.

Wakandans would flood the platforms at the falls in their thousands, and Mahir would be placed next to his mother with nervous excitement. Despite being at the feeble age of seven, Erik deemed him old enough to go with them to the falls to potentially see a man die, to which Anila showed her upmost discomfort.

Men had been specially selected from their tribes and instructed to stand proudly in their garments at the edge of the shallow pool that they would consequentially need to fight in. Anila thought the festival to be unnecessary, as it occurred every year with the same traumatising result. She often questioned the importance of it being held, to which Erik would reply with his venomous glare and dissatisfying silence.

It made Mahir uncomfortable, Anila knew this though he would never say anything in fear of his father scolding him. It made his skin prickle, his heart race and breath shudder. She knew he didn't like it at all. His grip tightened in her hand once the festival began and the blades of their vibranium swords sang out a loud ringing noise, making the crowd erupt in cheers.

"You don't need to look," Anila whispered, pulling Mahir close to her side.

Muhir's face squeezed in obvious disgust and fear but he kept his eyes hesitantly forward, and did not look away as much as he thought he would've.

His father took his opponent's head off with one single stroke after a very competitive battle. Blood sprayed across the surface, as red as wine. The crowd reared so loud that they had to be restrained to keep calm.

Show off, Anila smiles when Erik encouraged more cheers and guffawed when the crowd was thrown with joy. Erik had circled around the pool, enjoying the ringing sound of voices.

Once he had come close enough to his wife, Anila urged Mahir forward. "Go and congratulate your father." She nodded, and Mahir returned her with a smile. It was what they had always done, when Erik had won a battle - he would pull Mahir into his arms and embrace him tightly. Yet, when Erik came near his shadow brushed past them and toward the stone pathway where he noticed W'kabi. Anila saw the smile on Mahir's face die.

"Are they here?" Erik asked between his several gasps for air and W'kabi nodded silently. Erik swallowed hard before reaching for the robe he offered, despite his family pleading for his attention he shrugged away.

"Make sure that the throne room is ready, have them there- I will come shortly."

"Did you not see us?" Anila said bravely as she walked toward Erik. An expression of annoyance and frustration written across her face. Her hand steadied over Mahir's shoulder, then moved to soothing the big curls in his hair, raising a brow at Erik.

"You did well. Tell your father he did well."

Erik shook his head in disagreement. "How could he have known? He was looking away time and time again- he is supposed to watch every move and position, how could he learn when he shudders at every second?"