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hearteyes-for-killmonger · 3 years

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6. The Wakandan Rainforest

In the dark of night, the lonely and fearsome prince moved soundlessly through ancient and majestic trees, tall and dense. The song of insects was alive with the chirp of crickets. The starlit leaves of vines and bushes reflected the clear blue from the sky peaking through branches stretched like fingers. In a single leap, his heavy body rustled the leaves up high like wind. He was as a bird on the branch, the ghost floating above--haunting the land. His dark sated eyes gazed out at the glowing full moon, concise and set apart from the clouds--lonely and after all these years still beautiful.

After beating the afterlife out of both Julip and Deanna for letting the girl go, he stood still as a statue on his perch until he spotted with his sharp eyes, Dawn tripping over a low branch as she was tiredly trekking through mud and dark soil, trying her hardest to avoid being bitten, stung, mauled, or worse--recaptured. Pissed at the siblings, he'd followed her from the time she first 'escaped' from the castle, running until her energy ran out. The light from outside of the canopy dropped fast making it nearly impossible for her to see which was too dangerous for her. She couldn't be in the woods alone, she'd get lost. She could be hurt. As a human she was fragile. Anything could kill her with a wrong step. He kept his eyes on her, trailing and guessing her path from above until she finally stopped too tired to continue, settling down on the ground with her back slowly against a tree to rest. There was something about her that made it impossible for him to leave her alone. It was as though he'd known her intimately since the day he was born but couldn't figure out how, like she was already a big part of him somehow. It was the same odd feeling that drove him to follow her through the woods right before her friends were murdered, even though he'd never before seen her. He'd then followed the vehicle of men and rescued her, taking her to his castle with no clear plan or motive other than keeping her near to himself to understand the feelings flowing through him, yet he'd been too shy to come close. He'd kept his distance. If anyone knew that, they'd laugh and think it nonsense--the fearsome and wicked Prince N'Jadaka--shy. It was laughable. As the oldest and strongest vampire in his kingdom, he was seen as unshakable. Alas, in all his power he still couldn't bring himself to be near a flimsy human, and now that she was running away trying to find safety he wasn't sure he was willing to stop her.

His lime green parrots flew overhead, watching over her just as he was. It seemed they recognized her somehow as well. Night turned to day and without a need to sleep, he waited patiently for her to wake, only coming down to divert the venomous snakes and spiders that would slither her way. She woke with a start but he was already back in the trees above when she looked around in a panic. After another mile, he watched the joy in her face as she realized she'd finally reached the big tree, a marker for the pathway from the forest. She still had a long way to go on foot as slow as she was. It took her the day to get to the stream which she crossed so painstakingly, soaking the bottom of her dress and even taking a drink. He forgot she needed to eat and drink, she was probably famished. Still, she kept moving and by the time nightfall returned, she was at the meadow clearing. He was impressed. She nestled down in the open field to stay the night and he hung back in the trees, staying put to keep watch.

The flowers claimed her in peace and the music of the night came from a chorus of crickets and frogs until a foreign noise caught his attention. He looked out from his position high in the trees to see a few men with guns walking through his forest about a mile out but the girl's direction. They did not know she was there but there was a high chance they'd find her and he could not bear the thought. Every now and then he'd find humans wandering. Some were threats and some were not, but regardless--they were all blood reserves that could not be wasted. These guys were definite threats that he needed to eradicate.

"Hold on," he pleaded silently hoping the girl would not wake and leave before he could return. He had to be quick. At top speed, he jumped from tree to tree and swooped down knocking the men unconscious and carrying them back to his castle in under 20 minutes. They'd be washed and bled for the banquet. He was back in no time at all having missed nothing.

In the daylight when the girl woke again, she made her way a little more carefully toward the snake pit and he felt nervous watching her tiptoe across a dirt floor of rattlesnakes. He couldn't take it. When she screamed, he swooped down and pulled her out sitting her on safe ground. She seemed more terrified of him than the snakes, stumbling backward and falling in shock. She hadn't known he was following. He took a short walk away from her putting space between himself and her to put her at ease.

"You shouldn't be in these woods alone," he stated watching her step further away. "It's dangerous out here-- for someone like you. Defenseless." He could hear her heart and it was racing. He was still scaring her. He didn't know how not to. "You can't run from me," he told her hoping she would understand. It only seemed to add to her fear and then he noticed that as she backed up, she was walking into a giant web of a poisonous spider.

"Wait! Stop moving!" He reached out but she went faster running into it and freaking out, screaming as she tried to pull off the sticky web. "Stop moving, let me help you," he said steadily with his hands up. He was able to get near and gently remove the large spindly arachnid from her hair, placing it on a nearby tree. He stayed at a distance from her while she calmed and when she caught her breath, she seemed to be a little more stable, staring at him. His nervousness returned and he stood still.

"Thanks," she muttered, her eye contact even. He straightened, not sure how to respond. He gave a stone-faced nod.

"So," she paused to look him over. "How long have you been here? You were gonna let me go," she accused.

"No such thing, I'd have stopped you," he lied trying to be convincing. "I planned to kill you when you reached the border, you know the location of my castle." He regretted saying it when the fear resurfaced within her. What was wrong with him? Luckily her fear lasted only seconds.

"You've had ample time," she combated watching him closely. "I think you're full of shit."

"Oh? I'm KING in these woods, I can do what I want to who I want. You really dare to test me? Pet?" His approach was smooth as it had always been, her words lighting a fire within him. He walked right up to her until he stood inches away, but she didn't move nor did she flinch and he scoffed--shown up. "Don't test me," he smirked until she continued her path away from him. He knew it well and she was planning to walk directly into bear territory.

"Wait," he called effectively halting her steps. She came back but only to pull him by the neck of his tunic to follow her. Of course, she wasn't strong enough to move him. It only worked because he chose it. If his subjects could see him now being led through his forest by the delicate fingers of a human woman, he'd be embarrassed but where no one could see--he didn't mind. She felt like home and being near her felt right.

The walk was good. Peaceful. They didn't talk though he'd wanted to, he didn't know what to say. It took him twenty minutes to decide on the perfect question, ruling out three others. It was the question he wanted answered the most. He waited for what seemed like the perfect moment, she was getting a little tired and needed to stop walking for a bit.

"A week ago," he started watching her sit on the ground in her silk dress. He heard her stomach grumble aggressively and felt bad. "Hold on," he gestured pausing in his escape to look back at her. "Don't move."

He knew of a fruit grove full of plums and he was there and back in mere minutes, offering her the fruits which she held like gold. He waited until she got one in her system to pose his question.

"Why were you in the woods?"

The story of her travel from North America to Africa for the sake of dance intrigued him.

"Is that why your feet," he gestured with his eyes not wishing to insult her. She didn't seem to care.

"These are dancer feet, we suffer for beauty," she countered. Of course this came with a sadness stemming from her missing her performance, she was very upset and he understood why. He hadn't known about it until this moment. No one had said anything, too afraid he gathered.

"I've never seen a ballet," he shared, curiosity bubbling. "I probably never will considering I'm contained to this forest."

"Why is that," she frowned. It was a tough question to answer, not because he didn't know but because of how it affected him. It was part of the blood curse passed from his parents to him, something his father brought on voluntarily without weighing the consequences. He was stuck with said consequences and left on his own, a baby forced to grow himself. The first wanderers he found in the forest, he turned by biting them. He didn't know then what would happen but once they turned they were bound to his side and he was no longer quite so alone though he was still lonely. That was the beginning of his kingdom and his motivation for turning straggling travelers.

"That's why you killed Deanna and Julip, you wanted friends." Her face was full of sympathy and he straightened, not liking the idea of being pathetic in her eyes.

"They're not my friends, they're my subjects. I have no friends."

"Eh, you could," she poked at his arm and he walked away, disappearing from her sight not wanting to appear weak. "Where are you going," she called dryly.

"Away."

"I was just saying if you dropped the holier than thou attitude, you might be a little less bitchy."

"Get your ass back here," she commanded and he turned on his heel incredulous. No one in his life had ever spoke to him an ounce of the way she had. If they had, he'd have tortured them to send a clear message.

"Careful," he warned, but she didn't seem fearful. Any fear she had melted the second she first challenged him.

Bitchy? He scowled baring his teeth.

"I'll show you bitchy," he whispered lunging at her. She screamed tripping over herself to get away but he noticed that her heart was steady. As he chased her in slow motion compared to his possible speed, she wasn't afraid. She was having fun. She screamed again tossing a plum at him which he caught as she giggled running behind a tree. It was when he broke the branch she was hiding behind like a toothpick that she stopped giggling.

Passing him she made her easy back to their spot and though he'd gotten a little bit carried away, he couldn't deny that it was the most fun he'd ever had.

"Uhh. Maybe we should just talk some more, yeah?"

He shrugged.

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#original #erik killmonger #killmonger #erik stevens #black panther killmonger #erik x oc #sanctuary

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