M’Baku strode into the royal chamber. He had not been summoned but he didn't care. He was supposed to be sitting on that throne, not some slip of a girl, not some stupid child who was squandering her power on a pathetic American boy. He had watched the replay of Fisk’s defeat, and he knew he could beat that insignificant man, he was nothing and M’Baku knew he had cheated somehow.

“I wish to approach the Queen,” M’Baku barked at the guards, who shook their heads.

“Queen Shuri has not summoned you. There will be no audience today.”

M’Baku clenched his fists, “As head of the White Gorilla Tribe, I demand to see the Queen.”

One of The Dora Milaje touched an earpiece, “She will see you.” and he grunted, and pushed past the two guards.

Sitting on her throne, Shuri stared at him, “Well?”

Ignoring the customary salute, “Your boy is in trouble. The Americans have declared war on their mutant-kind,” he said smugly as he grinned at her.

“And? Peter can take care of himself. He is more than a match for anything they can design,” but he snorted and sneered,

“They will take him and throw him in prison. If you wish to avoid a scandal you should cut ties and choose a new consort. One not as weak, or,” and M’Baku laughed, “pale.”

“Your lack of decorum is sickening. So, If you get on your hands and kiss the ground at my feet, I will forgive you. Tribal leader or not, you forget your place.” Shuri stood and walked down to the bottom of the throne, it was only a few steps but she slipped a foot forwards and rubbed it on the ground, “right there. Kiss it and I will consider your words. I may even allow you to keep your tongue.”

M’Baku scowled, “you dare?” but Shuri laughed,

“I have the key to the city. I have the key to every system, every historical record, every piece of technology locked behind an alien language. What do you have? Other than some pathetic power fantasy where my throne is yours.” As she stepped back, she pointed at the ground. “Now, do you kneel, or do I make you kneel?”

M’Baku snorted, “Your place is on your knees, while you-” but Shuri interrupted him, she stuck out, and a foot caught him on the side of the knee. He screamed and grabbed at it with both hands as it twisted unnaturally. As he staggered she brought a fist up and smashed it into the back of his head, driving him to the floor,

“Such vulgarity is only permitted by my Heart, and you will never own me or my throne.” Shuri picked up M’Baku by the neck and drove his face into the solid stone floor of the throne room.

“Hear now Citizens of Wakanda. For sedition and treason. M’Baku and the White Gorilla Tribe are banished back to their ancestral home for a century. Until they prove themselves worthy, they are forbidden entry to the city, forbidden their allocation of vibranium, and forbidden any aid from outsiders. Failure to follow their exile will result in the destruction of their tribe.”

Shuri lifted the broken and blood M’Baku up, pulling him close. “I am being generous, otherwise I would kill you where you stand. You disgust me,” and she dropped him, leaving him twisting in pain.

Moving she touched a panel on the throne and her two Dora Milaje guards entered, saluted and then waited, “Take him and throw him back to his tribe, gather their elders and show them the security footage. If any disagree, tell them they may challenge me to reverse the decision, but I doubt any will.”

The pair banged their spears on the floor before grabbing M’Baku and dragging him from the chamber.

Shuri sat back down and sighed. She had already heard the report of the president's announcement, the deployment of their robot Sentinels and was worried about Peter. She had been unable to contact him, and while she knew he was busy, it was still unlike him to keep her out of the loop. They had been speaking almost every day, and even Gwen and the others were joining in with the conversations.

The last topic had been the Purple Heart flower, and with Gwen breaking down its formula and upgrading both the Stacy formula and Peters Extremis symbiote formula Shuri had already cleaned herself and upgraded. Even with Jhalia, she was now the strongest person in Wakanda, but she knew that her connection to Bast was waning. Once T’Challa woke, she would seek his guidance in that matter, and if Bast disapproved, as much as it pained her, she would relinquish her title as High Priestess.

She also knew the Purple Heart flower was a crutch that a lot of Wakandans saw as a path to power. The serum was amazing but was inferior to even the Erskine formula. Peter had been right, and it was a slow poison, enhancing cells but at a price. Any Wakandan who used it aged prematurely, became dependent on it, and eventually, it killed them. One of her discussions with Gwen had been if it could be saved, re-engineered to be non-toxic but Gwen had shaken her head.

“The high concentrations of vibranium in the soil where it grows is poisonous.”

Gwen had used scans of Logan and the toxicity of adamantium as a basis of comparison, and the cellular damage was the same in him, and every sample she had received. Shuri agreed. She just knew that the council wouldn't. Her own analysis of the soil proved Gwen correct, and the blood samples she stared at proved their theory right. 

The Purple Heart flower was toxic, and nothing would change that. To remove the vibranium would remove its effectiveness, and it would return to a normal flower. Shuri weighed the options, and without informing the council had decided to stop using it. Even Okoye had agreed, and for now, at least, her own personal guards were weaned from the serum and were being prepared to receive the safer Stacy formula.

The decision weighed heavily on her. The Serum was one of the methods her family used to stay strong in the eyes of the Wakandan people, and by declaring it poison she would lose the respect of her people. 

It was her daily check on T’Challa that broke her from her mood. His vitals had improved remarkably, and his recovery was being hastened by the application of Peters biogel, that she found with Jhalia she could produce herself. Most of the breaks and cuts on his body were already closed and healing, and they were just waiting for him to wake, which the instruments said should be any day now.

“You know, I have heard you pace back and forth next to my bed for the past two days now,” T'Challa said with cracked lips, “and it is tiresome, go play with your husband, and let me sleep. Even being in a coma I get no peace from you.” 

Shuri laughed but tears dripped from her eyes in relief. As wiped away tears as she patted his arm, “And here I am, wrestling the world while my lazy brother decides what breakfast to have in bed, after sleeping away his responsibilities.” T’Challa winced as he smiled,

“I am still sore, do not make me laugh too much.” 

Shuri nodded, “I will ask the Dora to remove all the mirrors then,” and as he winced and laughed more she knelt by his bed and placed her head on his arm. “I am glad you are back, brother” and she touched her earpiece, “let my mother know T’Challa is awake.”

As they waited for Romanda to arrive, Shuri sat by T’Challa’s bed, resting her head on the armrest. “It is much harder than I imagined,” she said with a sigh, “how did you cope?”

T’Challa lifted a hand and gently stroked the top of her head, “With a lack of sleep and a council to aid me, you are lucky though. I have a particular problem needing more attention than most.”

Shuri huffed, “I was not that bad.” 

T’Challa chuckled slightly, “Of course, how much of your interference over Peter was planned, and how much was a coincidence?” 

Shuri sighed, “M’Baku was becoming intolerable,” 

T’Challa shook his head, “And as King, I would have dealt with him. While I am many things Shuri, I am still your brother. You do not need to marry anyone you do not like. Peter might solve your problems, but he will bring so many more.”

Shuri sat up straight and tilted T'Challa's head towards her, “I love him, not as a way out of my problems, not as a way to drive off unwanted suitors. I. Love. Him. He is my Heart, and he always shall be. I might have intended to use him,” but she shook her head and smiled softly as she snorted, “but now, I would give all this up if he asked, or give it to him, as long as he is by my side, it does not matter.”

“A nice speech daughter, but many are worried it is not you talking.” Romanda said as she stepped into T’Challa’s room, “It is good to see you son.” T’Challa nodded and lay back down in the bed. “Did she tell you she is host to one of those creatures now?” 

He shook his head and winced as he lifted his arms to lay his fingers across his forehead. “No, but it does not matter. There is no law that says she cannot be.” he retorted,

“Not yet. I saw the footage, and they are coming to file a complaint. Assaulting him was unwise, daughter.” Romanda chastised her,

“I am supposed to allow him to speak to me that-” Shuri said, angry but trying to stay calm in front of her mother, but Romanda raised her hand,

“No, you did well by only breaking his nose, but they are using it as an excuse. Violent outbursts are unbecoming Queen Shuri, and many are wondering if it is in fact Queen Shuri or Queen Venom. We do not know enough about the symbiotes to fully trust them.” but she was shocked as Shuri laughed,

“Is that all?” she said while Romanda and T’Challa both gave her a confused look.

“Nakai? Come to T’Challa’s room,” she spoke into the earpiece. “You are right, we do not, and I will not allow Jhalia to be used as some kind of experiment, but it is simple.” 

Nakia entered, she saluted the royal family and stood with her spear in hand. “You called my Queen.”

“I need you to host my symbiote. It will give you a better understanding of the man you will serve, and may even make the choice easier.” Nakia frowned but nodded. Shuri held out her hand and motioned for Nakia to do the same, the pale brown symbiote flowed from one woman to the other and dropping her spear Nakia crouched and shuddered as Jhalia bonded to her.

“She will be unable to talk for a moment, the process is intense and can be quite overwhelming. Her training should be enough to combat the impulses.”

“Should?” Romanda asked and Shuri shrugged.

“I beat the hell out of Erik for hurting my brother, that calmed her down.” T’Challa raised an eyebrow and gave Shuri a shocked look while Romanda laughed, covering her mouth with her hand.

“You then took Peter in the hallway, that calmed her more, and we are not amused you used us this way.” Nakai said sternly as she stood and stretched, “We did not wish to know Peter that well, but we see why you like him so much.” Nakia tilted her head as she listened, “Jhalia is happy to be bonded to a warrior though, and she might just stay.”

Shuri laughed, “Traitorous swine. But we still mean what we said before. I love him, and he is my Heart. Nothing will change my mind, and M’Baku got what he deserved.”

Romanda rubbed a hand over her forehead, “That was not necessary. If we are to accept the gods of another world, and the aliens that follow them, we cannot demand proof of their intentions. And Nakia is right, Being Queen is giving you a big head, Shuri. You should have asked.”

T’Challa laughed, “Shuri has always had a big head, an alien creature only made it bigger.” Shuri snorted, crossed her arms and huffed, Nakia touched her shoulder, sending Jhalia back to her, and he continued, “but we trust your judgement. Let the White Gorilla tribe beat its chest. We shall not back down.”