Summary:Mari definitely has questions after meeting Bast Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Bast had not transported them back anywhere, which is just as well because T'Challa would have had to send someone for his car. The drive back had been good enough. Quick. No traffic. When the pair had gotten to Mari's apartments it had been late. T'Challa had gone to open a bottle of wine and has just returned with two glasses.
"Something to relax you for the evening?" Because, you know, she might be a little stressed after meeting a goddess and receiving a quest…
Mari had elected not to hike with a comment something like "In these shoes?" after Bast had left.
She'd been quiet in the car and quiet when they'd entered her apartment. The shoes had been removed and placed in her room, the blazer to the suit hung neatly on the coat rack. Taking the wine, Mari curls on the couch - leaving plenty of room for T'Challa to join her.
"Do you think I need some relaxing, T'Challa?"
T'Challa sits down next to her. And he loops his arm around her shoulder and takes a sip of his own wine. "Oh I do not know. Perhaps you will be a bit tight around the shoulders after speaking to Bast. She can have that effect."
"Well. There was a lot in that short conversation. How are you feeling about it?" And does she want to talk about it?
Mari gives T'Challa a purely mischevious look as she curls against him. "If I needed relaxing, I'm sure you have … better … ways of achieving that." Chuckling as she sips her wine, she's thoughtful. "I am a little tense. I didn't want to embarrass you or let you down - it was important to me."
How does she feel about it. There was a lot in that conversation. Some things that had been assumed and Mari's not quite sure why. "I hope I did not do any damage by refusing her request. I don't believe I did - I think … that was part of the test, wasn't it?"
She's not touching on the other parts - yet. Maybe she'll get there.
"Possibly but wine cannot do any harm, can it?" T'Challa laughs. He gives the woman a squeeze about the shoulders.
"I think it was an effort to see if she could get away with it. If you had not been particularly… observant of the history of your pendent she might have succeeded as well. I do not think she was offended at being rebuffed. You did so politely."
How ARE they going to find all six? He has no idea and he's not even sure how to ask since he's not sure that she has any more idea than he.
"The wine doesn't hurt, no." Mari answers quietly, letting that squeeze draw her closer to T'Challa. "And if I hadn't known the history of my pendant? It's telling isn't it. I am glad though, that you think I was polite."
T'Challa could just ask Mari outright. If she doesn't know, she'll say.
"Is it such a big thing, T'Challa, that you took me to see her? She … assumed … the nature of the visit and … other things."
"She may have expected me to do it sooner or later. I presume that she knows, somehow, about you and I. She knows a great many things. But it is a big thing yes." It is a big thing in a way that they are serious enough for him to make the introductions.
"She did seem well disposed toward you, at the very least. She was none too subtle in her suggestions." No. She wasn't subtle at alllllllll.
"I get it's a big thing, T'Challa. I … just wasn't expecting the non-to-subtle suggestions. What did she mean 'no pretensions to being a Goddess'?" Yeah, she'd heard that and she'd been turning it over in her mind.
"Are you … under pressure … to find a wife?" He had to know that was coming eventually. Bast had almost, not quite, made that a direction.
Sighing, Mari shifts a little so she can see the mans face, watching it carefully as he answers.
"Ah there were some near Wakanda, some leaders and heroic types that did have such pretensions of varying degrees. No one I ever had any serious relationship with." T'Challa says as he sort of settles down and turns to look at Mari.
"Yes and no. My family would very much like me to marry, but as our throne is not hereditary, strictly speaking, there is no dynastic pressure. Also I have a sister and she might marry. Bast… well. I'm not aware that she has an interest in it beyond her general interest in Wakanda."
That she was making suggestions might indicate that she does, or she might have just been playing the feline troll. Either are possible, really.
"Well, I don't. Want to be a Goddess, that is. Well, only for very specific things." The vixen says. "I'm not sure I really want to know what she meant by consideration … I am pleased she didn't find me wanting."
Mari might think on this for a while but it seems she's not going to push anything at the moment, if ever. "I'm no Persephone though. Have you ever tried to steal a woman from a nature goddess?" She lets out a breath before taking another sip, glancing out at her deck and her hot tub.
"I am rather pleased at that myself." T'Challa says. He looks at Mari with a smile and shakes his head. "No, I cannot imagine that it would go particularly well. Nature goddesses are touchy about what is theirs and have a tendency to plunge lands into eternal winter."
He pauses and smirks a little. "Also, it would be rather poor if a royal of Wakanda had to STEAL a wife. Why should she not WANT to be there?"
"Eternal winter?" Mari laughs. "Why not drought? Or send a plague of locusts to eat the harvest." Of course Mari thinks Wakanda is just a farming nation. T'Challa hasn't shown her everything.
"Indeed, why wouldn't they. I'm surprised you don't have a … or do you? Have a line of eligible women, just waiting for the Prince to decide its time?"
Mari considers T'Challa for a moment before asking "Why did she look at you so … knowingly … when she said warned about going too deep into the Underworld?" There really wasn't a lot that Mari had missed.
"Ah well that is rather tricky. I did, in a way. By tradition the guard of the Wakandan kings is all female and comprised entirely of potential brides." T'Challa laughs a little bit. "Obviously I am not married to any of them. Nor is it particularly encouraged to… experiment with them. They did, after all, have to keep me safe. Ill feelings make that complicated."
Interesting tradition really.
"Because I have been into the underworld before. Quite deep. When I first became king of the dead, or rather during the incident that led to her making me such." He's told her a bit of that story before.
"Oh. You mentioned that, I believe. About the guardsman." Mari has to wonder about T'Challa and why he hadn't chosen. Maybe he'll tell her in time, or maybe he won't. "Did you freeze when you around them?" She's teasing a little.
An interesting tradition indeed. "Is that why you accepted Vixen's protection so easily? Not that she's part of your Guard or eligible - but because you're used to having women protect you? It's rather refreshing, I must say."
"I thought it might have been about … something like that. You'd mentioned meeting the older kings before. Is there much danger to you returning there, then, T'Challa? I admit, I am uneasy about the thought."
"I never freeze." T'Challa smirks. And then he kisses Mari's cheek. "Oh yes well, I feel more comfortable with a strong woman around." That's clearly a bit of tease but the answer is yes he's used to having warrior women about him and he is quite comfortable in that circumstances.
"There is some danger but less for me than for others because I know to an extent what is down there and I have authority that is recognized if not always obeyed. I am no more likely to be trapped there than anyone else."
Mari chuckles, offering her cheek for the kiss and giving T'Challa a smug look. "Well then it's good Vixen is a strong woman." He never freezes … hah.
"So I don't have to worry about you slipping away from me. That is good. When do you want to go, T'Challa?" Soon, she thinks. The sooner they know what's going on, the better.
"And in all of this, I'm to collect the six totems …" she sighs.
"No, I don't have any desire to slip away." The prince smiles. "We can go… tomorrow or the next day. The sooner the better. Once we have a look around we can think about how to find your totems."
And who knows? Maybe they can get some clues as to where the totems are in the underworld. That would be a bit odd but stranger things have happened.
Maybe there will be a clue in the Underworld. That would be strange indeed - so strange that Mari doesn't even consider the possibility.
"I … am … going to try and commune with Anansi, T'Challa, when we've done that. Seek their guidance as to how I might find the others, if I can." That could be very, very, dangerous.
"Now … are you staying tonight? And should we make use of my hot tub? I find I still need to relax a bit more."
"I would very much like to. And the hot tub sounds wonderful after being out and about today. Shall I bring the rest of the wine?"
It seems like a luxurious life and in many ways it is. However, they really do work their tails off to be able to enjoy it.