Ascendancy

Chapter XII

Chapter 12

T'Kia
2041

"Umama, I don't care what I wear for the coronation." I say as I am put into the fifth dress in under thirty minutes. My Umama and Akhona have been forcing me into dresses to pick hair styles and accessories for the coronation ball after Warrior Falls.

"You do care. You just don't want to try on all of these dresses," Umama shushes me. "Don't worry, I will have you looking fabulous for Aviwe."

"Mama." I try to warn her. She will let anything come out of her mouth.

"What? I didn't say anything," Umama fusses with the dress I currently have on. "I'm just saying I would have liked to know that you are now courting a man and that you want to have sex with him."

"Baba told you?" I throw my arms up in frustration. "What is the point of private conversations if you two will tell each other what I have said to the other?" I take off the dress and slip on my clothes. "I shouldn't have told him in the first place."

"T'Kia," Umama grabs my arm gently as I turn to storm out. "It is okay to tell your Baba things. It is just he and I that know. And of course Akhona, Okoye, and Ndiliswa will never tell anyone. We won't either," I just let out a deep breath. "What made you know you're ready for that? When did you decide that you were courting him?"

I sit down with my arms crossed. I look at my mother who smiles at me. I smile back because I can't stay mad at her for long. We lean into each other as we prepare to talk. "Well, you saw how Mandla was acting. I had to make a point," I slam my right fist into my left palm. "I wanted to wait until after the coronation to officially court him but I'll wait until after to let the public know— outside of Wakanda I mean."

"Yes, all of Wakanda knows you are sweet on Aviwe." Umama waves that information away.

"And well, last night I just realized that I don't want any other man. I was worried that seeing Mandla again would cause trouble with my heart but it didn't. It made my heart and mind come into perfect sync: I love Aviwe and I want to have sex with. Eventually marry him." I say and my mother smiles at me.

"How precious," Umama touches my hair lightly. "We should change your hair style to signify your transition from princess to Queen."

And just like that, we have changed subject. The best thing about my Umama is her ability to take information and leave it. My Baba can't do that. He lets it worry him. Especially when it's information concerning me.

"Like what?" I ask. I love my braids. They are a part of me.

"Maybe we just let it hang free," Umama looks at Akhona. "What do you think?"

"I think it would be problematic. T'Kia will be Queen, yes, but she will also be the Black Panther. She will have to be ready for battle at a moment's notice," Akhona shakes her head. "What I can do, however, is have her hair down for special occasions and braided the other times. Until we find a perfect middle ground."

"Great," I jump up. "I will be going to do some training," I kiss my mother's cheek and salute Akhona before leaving with Ndiliswa. "Want to go spar a little with Khethiwe and the other women training to be Doras?"

"Always. I may be able to teach you a few things." Ndiliswa smirks as we walk toward the training room.

"More like I can teach you a few things." I smirk, thinking about the one thing she doesn't know.