Caged Bird [T'Challa]

Eight

Warning, the next few chapters will contain some spoilers from the Black Panther movie. I'll try to keep them minimal, but I suggest watching the movie first. Plus the movie is great.

                                                  

"Are you sure you don't want me to come on this mission with you?" This was the fourth time that Hunter had asked T'Challa. She followed him out to the quinjet that he would be taking, holding up the bottom of her brightly colored sundress.

He smiled at the blonde and shook his head. "Do not worry. It is a simple mission rescuing one of Wakanda's spies from a small situation." He tried to assure her.

Hunter pouted slightly. "I know you're capable of doing it on your own." She started, but bit her lip.

T'Challa's smile dropped and he gently cupped her cheek. "I understand your frustration, but don't worry. After I am sure that the U.S. government isn't looking for you, we will travel somewhere nice."

The blonde placed her hands over his, and nodded. "I know. I worry for you too."

The king's smile returned. "There is no need. Okoye and I will be back tomorrow before the ritual." Hunter nodded at this, her gaze shifting to the ground. T'Challa sighed softly, placing a kiss to her forehead. "Do not forget, I will be wearing a full body suit made of the strongest metal ever." He joked.

This caused Hunter to crack a slight smile. She peeked up at him through her lashes. "Plus, you will have Okoye with you. I know she'll keep you out of trouble."

The king rolled his eyes. "I worry about you and my sister staying out of trouble. You two don't cause my mother to have a heart attack. I would like to have her alive if we ever get married."

Hunter opened her mouth to say something in return, but Okoye interrupted her. "Come. It is time to go." She had a teasing smirk on her lips. "I will keep your future husband in tact." She joked as she stepped into the more advanced quinjet that the Wakandans created.

The blonde's cheeks burned slightly at the general's joke. "There is something I don't understand." She muttered finally snapping out of her frustration. "You're the eldest of your father's two children, therefore you're already technically the king. Why go through the ceremony?"

"It is tradition to give those of royal blood from other tribes a fair claim at the throne. This way it is not like a dictatorship. If we go by that logic, I am still a prince unless I win any challenges that may arise."

Hunter leaned up, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "We'll just have to wait and see if there are any. Now go, if you wanna get the mission completed on time."

With one last goodbye between the two, Hunter stepped back and watched as the quinjet disappeared from view. She had no doubt that both passengers would return.

"Come child. Dinner is ready soon." The blonde turned to find Queen Ramonda standing at the entrance to the building.

"Your Majesty, I apologize that you had to come find me." She walked closer and bowed in respect.

Ramonda smiled at her. "You don't have to bow to me, or address me so formally. Ramonda will do." She moved and placed her arm around the girl's shoulder guiding her inside.

"Are you certain?"

Ramonda gave her a knowing look. "I have a feeling that you will be around for a very long time, might as well be casual with one another."

Hunter smiled at this and followed the Queen to the dining room that was used only when it was just the family and Hunter. She smiled when she saw Shuri. "Look who crawled out of the lab." She teased.

Shuri rolled her eyes. "I'm a bit surprised to see you detached from my brother's face." She shot back playfully.

Ramonda and Hunter took their seats before they all began to eat. "So, about this Wakandan spy, they are trustful right?"

Shuri nodded as she drank some of her water. "Of course, my brother wouldn't have dated her if she wasn't." Her eyes widened when she realized what she said. She watched Hunter's expression for any signs of anger, hurt or even betrayal, but she was calm.

"So he knows her, at least that sort of guarantees his and Okoye's safety." Shuri looked at her as though she had sprouted another head. "What?"

The princess shook her head. "As I have said before, you are the craziest white girl I know. Normal girls would at least be jealous that their boyfriend was going off with his ex.'

Hunter smiled softly at this. "I'm not normal, I trust T'Challa. Besides, they're not running around. It's a recovery mission."

Ramonda smiled and looked between the girls. She said nothing as the girls kept jumping around when it came to conversation topics. As she watched the blonde interact so normally with her daughter, it made her feel warm inside. She felt as though she could accept this outsider with open arms.