FALLEN ─ marvel

I. Lord Of The Jabari

Chapter One
Khari

"Do you think we should be worried? M'Baku never calls us both into his throne room at once." Alex mumbles as we start making our way up the stairs towards the throne room, his worried face lit dimly by the small hallway lights leading us towards our destination.

"I'm sure everything is fine, my love."

Alex shakes his head, pretty adamant that something is amiss. "Do you think he's pissed about that last council meeting? Because it was more Shuri's fault than mine. How was I supposed to know that the spears she made could launch the tip? And who makes a button the same color as the spear? I couldn't even see it."

"That was certainly a disaster, but I doubt that's what we're being called in for. Just relax."

I nod to the guards standing outside the door to the throne room and they hit their spears against the ground, bowing their heads to me as they open up the doors. M'Baku is lounging on his throne, his expression and demeanor much more relaxed than usual. He seems to be in a good mood, which makes Alex let out a sigh of relief. He obviously isn't upset over the spear fiasco, though I couldn't blame him if he was. Alex and I walk up to the throne and get down onto our knees, bowing our heads to our leader.

M'Baku gestures for us to rise, and once we stand, he leans forward in his seat, directing his attention to me specifically. "I have called you both here because I have some news that will interest you. I have decided to retire, I am giving up my title as the lord of the Jabari tribe."

Alex and I glance at each and then back at him, completely stunned by what he's just said. Of all the things I thought he was going to say, it wasn't that.

"Why?" Alex asks, still reeling from this information.

"Because I am getting old," M'Baku explains. I see Alex raise his eyebrows out of the corner of my eye, and I find myself doing the same. M'Baku is only a few years older than Alex and me, and he looks just as healthy and fit as we do. But the next thing that M'Baku says makes me completely forget about the age comment. "This job is becoming exhausting and I feel it is the right time to step down and let someone else take my place. That someone is you."

I feel my body stiffen, my breath catch in my chest. Part of me thinks that I just imagined the last part of his sentence, so the next thing that comes out of my mouth is: "W-what?"

"I have chosen you, Khari, to be my successor as lord of the Jabari tribe."

I feel like my knees might buckle under me, and Alex seems to notice, because he wraps an arm around my waist to steady me. I can see that Alex is practically jumping up and down in excitement, but he's trying to hold it back until he sees my reaction to this news. The problem is that I don't know how to react. I don't know what to think.

"Why me? Why not one of your children? W-why me?" I don't even know what I'm saying, I'm just letting words come out of my mouth without really thinking about them.

M'Baku scoffs, his pleasant expression fading slightly as disappointment sinks in. "You've met my children, do you really think that I would leave Jabariland in one of their hands? You're the clear choice. From the moment you joined the Jabari army I knew that you had potential, but when Killmonger wreaked havoc on Wakanda and you stood your ground and fought for what you believed in, I knew you would make a great leader. That's why I made you general, and that's why I'm making you lord now."