Dragons Among Heroes

Devin was currently sitting in a chair in the living room area of the guest quarters that he was given. Across from him was the Princess of Wakanda, Shuri. She was sitting on the couch across the table from him. Standing behind the couch at attention is another one of the dora milaje. This one was different from all of the ones he had met though still had similar clothes and shaved head. Devin knew that not only would the princess not leave him alone after seeing the look in her eye, but this was a chance to give her some ideas to help influence the future.

"So your highness..." Devin started out only to be interrupted by the excited teen.

"Please, call me Shuri." Shuri asked as she tried to do her best to recover her regal prowess, but failing miserably due to her bouncing in her seat due to excitement.

"So, I am assuming that the reason you are here is so that you can either interrogate me on something or some obscure reason that I can't possibly fathom." Devin said with a smile to show that he wasn't serious. Shuri did smile a bit more at his joke while the dora milaje remained stone faced.

"I wanted to ask you some questions about the outside world. What's it like? What kinds of things do you have where you are from?" Shuri said before listing off over a half dozen questions before Devin could stop her.

"Your father and brother must shelter you well if you are this curious." Devin said with a chuckle and slight exasperation. Shuri for her part looked sheepish at how she had rattled off her curiosity.

"Father and brother both tell me that I am too young to have dealings with the outside and are worried that I might come to harm. That I should wait till I'm a little older first." Shuri said with some frustration. Devin could understand her feelings as could many others who had been in her place.

"They are right for being cautious about this. There are dangers everywhere, but at least here in Wakanda they still have options to help you if something happens." Devin reasoned out loud. This caused Shuri to look down in slight sadness. There was a flicker of something on the dora milaje's face that Devin caught in his peripherals, but was gone when he looked up.

"I guess you are right. My father is wise and my brother is slated to be the next king eventually. They wouldn't do something unless there was a reason for it." Shuri said with a note of despondency in her tone. Devin decided to change the subject to lift her spirits.

"Tell me Shuri, what would you like to hear about?" Devin asked with a grin. He knew that she would grill him severely, but this was also a chance for him to also maybe give a few ideas for her to work on for him.

***

A few hours later, Shuri finally left with a grin and a sleepy look on her face as she clutched the data pad that she had used to copy all the ideas that she had gleaned from Devin into. He had given her the ideas for the sonic wrist weapons that she wouldn't have created for another few years. He had also given her the idea for improving the kimoyo beads as well as various other facilities.

"Well that was an experience." Devin muttered as he started to walk away from his door. A knock on the door stopped Devin in his tracks. Turning and looking through the peep hole, Devin sighed before he opened the door once again. Standing in the doorway was T'Challa in a new set of robes.

'I'm not going back to bed am I?' Devin sighed mentally.

"Welcome Prince T'Challa. What can I help you with this evening?" Devin said as he stepped to the side and gestured for the man to enter with a wave of his hand. As T'Challa entered another familiar face appeared behind him. Apparently Okoye had decided to tag along as his bodyguard or something as she was one step behind him.

"Welcome." Devin muttered to her in slight annoyance and sarcasm.

"Mr. Price, I was wondering what your true goal is by stepping into this matter with Klaue?" T'Challa asked as he walked to the spot his sister had just recently departed from and sat down while Okoye stood in the exact spot that the other dora milaje had stood.

'Deja vu.' Devin mentally muttered before walking over and sitting down. He looked at the prince then at his bodyguard before answering.

"I told your father my reasoning and he restated it for you once you had joined the meeting." Devin replied as he gave them a look of bafflement at their rehashing of what was already said and known.

"I know what reasons that you gave, but at the same time I feel like there is more in this matter than you are telling us about." T'Challa said with a note of confidence in his voice.

'Hmm, he's more confrontational than his father.' Devin noticed.

"Tell me Prince T'Challa, do you consider yourself a smart man?" Devin asked simply.

"I would like to think so, yes." the prince replied.

"What about your father, do you think he is a smart man?" Devin asked next.

"Of course." T'Challa answered with confidence. Now Devin was ready.

"Then if you could think of the possibility of me maybe holding something back, then what makes you think your father wouldn't think of the same thing?" Devin asked with a smile. T'Challa opened his mouth to answer before the reality hit him. Why hadn't his father asked about this possibility?

"I know what you're thinking. Why didn't father think of this? Well the answer is quite simple, he did. He did think of this possibility, but he didn't ask about it for a reason and that reason is that he knew that everyone has reasons for what they do and sometimes no matter how much you ask or how. You might never find out those reasons. I have my reasons for helping out your people. Will I tell them to you? No, but I will say this once more. I am not here to harm you, your family, or your people. I have no reason to." Devin said. As he spoke he could see the gears in T'Challa's head spinning. The ever stoic Okoye was still as statue like as ever. Soon the prince recovered and nodded his head.

"I see. I hope that if you are willing in the future, that maybe one day you may share those reasons with me." T'Challa said as he stood up and reached a hand out to which Devin took and shook it.

"We shall see Prince T'Challa, we shall see." Devin said as he released the other man's hand.

"Please, call me T'Challa." The Prince said as he moved towards the door.

"As you wish. Oh and T'Challa?" Devin said just as the pair of Wakandans reached the door.

"Yes?" T'Challa responded with a half turned head.

"Just a piece of advice for the future. Make sure to keep an open mind and never jump to conclusions. Sometimes you need all the information before coming to a conclusion about someone, something, or even just a situation. It could mean the difference between life and death." Devin said to which T'Challa nodded and left.

'Hopefully that advice helps when the Winter Soldier makes his appearance.' Devin thought before heading back to bed for a few more minutes of sleep as it was now 3 in the morning and he had a long day ahead of him.

***

King T'Chaka had had a long day. The morning had started well, but news had come in that a group of rebels was reeking havoc on the borders to the southeast. Then word of a man with information came in from the ambassador. A man that seemed to be an enigma to him as well as the others that have met him. He seemed to come here out of selfishness, but at the same time there was this nagging feeling that told him that the reasons that were given were more excuses than the driving force behind his actions.

"My king." a messenger said as she entered the room where King T'Chaka was sitting.

"Yes?"

"The observer has come to report now that he has switched out." the messenger stated as another person entered the room.

"Good. Report!" T'Chaka commanded.

"Your Highness. I have observed the foreigner as you ordered. He stayed in his assigned room. He did have two visitors. Princess visited with her guard and stayed for roughly three hours. Prince T'Challa was the next though he only stayed for an hour. The foreigner has since retired for the night." the observer reported as T'Chaka frowned. Both of his children had visited the foreigner, hopefully this wasn't a negative influence for them. He wasn't too worried about his son but Shuri was at that age where she could be influenced easily.

"Very well. Continue to observe and report any suspicious activity to me immediately." T'Chaka ordered before the servants bowed in Wakandan salute and left. That same feeling that he had before about Mr. Price's reasoning was now telling him that this mission was gonna be anything but smooth.