Bound By Purpose

With Peace Comes Violence

The sun is just now starting to set behind the trees. It had been another peaceful day of homemaking. There had been a cool breeze for the majority of the afternoon and the village children had kept me company. I look down as one hugs my leg as I stand ankle deep in the stream that runs just beyond our hut on the edge of the village. Bucky was to be woken any day now. We'd worked out a series Shuri, Wakandan scientists, and I; to help him recover and help to overcome everything in his head. 

I look down at the child and scoop him into my arms. He plays with my hair, they all did, my brunette locks were not all that familiar here, especially to the very young ones. I smile at him and scrunch my face together causing the toddler to giggle. He squirms and I put him down, allowing him to run back to his own mother who was in front of her hut. I had increasingly grown to love life here. Bucky was not by my side yet, but everything I've done this last month had been for him. I'd written out our entire story down in a journal so we could begin the healing between us, with Shuri's help I'd procured us a place here, away from distractions, and I'd made sure that I was with Shuri nearly everyday working on his case. As much as I worry daily for Steve and Tony I hadn't heard a word from them or about them so at least I know they're both still breathing.

I make it back to my little hut but before pulling back the flap I see a figure near the edge of the woods. She pulls her hooded cloth down off her head and to her shoulders. Shuri sits anxiously, instantly I can tell something is wrong. She waves me over. I look over my shoulder once and then I sprint the few yards to the foliage. She grabs me urgently, pulling me down to her side. She looks over her shoulder once and then again and then again. I put a hand on her shoulder to steady her. "Shuri?" I ask trying to stay calm. 

"T'CHalla is dead." All of my peace falls out of me in one swoop.

"What do you mean? Shuri what's happened?"

"A man. A man claiming to be one of us... He... He challenged my brother, and he won. He threw him off the mountain... My brother is dead." I see her tears and her fear. I pull her to me immediately. I can feel my own tears coming too but I know I have to stay strong for her.

"What are you doing here?" I ask quickly pulling away. She sniffs her tears away and refocuses.

"My mother, Nakia, Ross and I are fleeing..."

"Wait... Ross? Everett Ross?"

"It's a long story Evelyn... He doesn't know you're alive."

"That doesn't matter now." I pause. "What, where... why are you here and not getting yourself to safety?"

"I had to warn you. He'll kill you if you're found. You can come with us, but we weren't able to get Barnes." My heart sinks even though I figured that would be the case.

"He's still in the western laboratory?" I ask looking off towards the jungle.

"Yes, but Evelyn... I have no way to help you."

"My suit?" I ask turning back to her hoping she'd snagged it for me. She'd created something extraordinary for me, both of us had created something that was far superior to anything Tony ever gave me.

She looks down sadly. "In my lab." I sit back. Her royal lab was hidden inside the city. 

"We can fight..." Shuri shakes her head. "Surely the Guard... Okoye would..." I start looking for any chance. 

"The King's guard is sworn to the king. Killmonger is our king now. She and the majority of our people serve him now and no one else. He wants to wage a war." The name Killmonger weirdly rings within my head. "My home is lost." She says desperately.

When I look at her I don't see any bit of who she is. This brave, intelligent, and royal woman before me has turned into a grieving fearsome girl who has given up hope. "We will fix this." I say. "This is not the end." I say pulling her in for another hug. "Go. Get yourself safe. I'll get Bucky and then... well, we'll go from there."

She reaches for my wrist and ties a weaved bracelet around my wrist and steps back."Keep yourself safe as well." I nod as she steps away slowly heading back for the trees. Looking down at my wrist I see nothing more than a bracelet with the royal crest. My trust with her was a true bond, a sisterly bond. I place my other hand over it and throw a prayer up for her and mother before turning back towards the village.

I rush into my hut and throw my things together quickly. The new king would be focused on the city for now, but who knows when he would make his way to the outer reaches of the Wakandan empire. I tie my hair back and quickly change out of my Wakandan robes into clothes I'd been training in. Reaching under my mattress I grab a gun and then throwing my bag across my back I race into the night. The path up to the lab is all too familiar. Even in darkening night I feel comfortable sprinting the jungle road, I pass all the people that I'd grown to be friends with and can't help but think about who of them would become my enemies in the upcoming hours. I shake my head and focus on the task at hand. I leap over a clump of roots and continue up the hill.

I don't know the entire situation but I do know my task at hand, and for now that's enough for me. Once I have Bucky back with me I know everything will work out. Coming over the top of the hill I have a brilliant view over the countryside and the city. From here you can't tell anything is hampering the city. I take a moment to calm myself. I nod my head. I would call Steve if I had too, United Nations too. I had grown far too close to the royal family to not try and attempt to help. Surely there were some people that would not be willing to follow this new king. I straighten up and turn back to the path. One step at a time.