Tafadzwa stood rigidly, fists clenched, his pride wrestling with instinctive caution as Erik's icy-white lightning crackled ominously around him. For a tense moment, silence filled the courtyard, everyone holding their breath, eyes shifting nervously between the two powerful shapeshifters.
The Packlanders all changed into their animal forms and gripped their weapons tightly. Their fear rose. They knew they wouldn't stand a chance if actual fighting broke out, but feelings would just get them killed by their own leaders instead. Truly, they were stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Meanwhile, Tafadzwa's glare shifted subtly toward his trembling son. Even with his father's protection, Mbuya still trembled from Erik's pressure. The struggle in his eyes made it clear how hard he was trying to keep his mouth shut. Despite appearances, Mbuya possessed serviceable levels of intelligence.
Next, Tafadzwa glanced at Enkai, and a flash of calculation passed over the elder werepanther's eyes… His stance revealed just how much he wanted to take Erik down, but in the end, pragmatism prevailed. Although he didn't know his exact chances against Erik alone, he knew that adding Enkai and Ankhur into the mix would spell certain doom for him.
Inevitably, his posture slowly relaxed, even though he remained in his wild form, and the bitterness in his gaze never faded.
"My son spoke in haste," Tafadzwa growled through gritted teeth, not quite meeting Erik's unyielding stare. He reluctantly stepped back, roughly pulling Mbuya with him. "We merely came to meet the man who managed to win Princess Naeku's heart, where my son failed. We've done so now, so it's time for us to leave."
"W— What?!" Mbyua exclaimed, blinking angrily and shocked as his father dragged him along. "Y— You promised—!"
"Shut up!" Tafadzwa snapped under his breath, his eyes never leaving Erik's threatening form. "There's a time and a place for everything, and this is not ours…"
As the Packlanders withdrew, the tension eased slightly, and Erik allowed his aura to recede, the sparks dying down slowly as his body reverted to its human form. His eyes followed Tafadzwa carefully, ensuring the werepanther's pride didn't overcome his common sense.
To be honest, a part of him hoped Tafadzwa would actually choose to fight. Taking down one of the Packland's three third-rankers would have been a major blow, but it was not to be. Attacking now would not only endanger Enkarian lives but also leave the Khumalo matriarch with a poor first impression of him.
An impression that would hinder his and Elora's later plans…
Once they were safely away, Erik let out a quiet sigh, relaxing fully. He turned back to Naeku, who had been silently watching with satisfaction but first glanced at Enkai. "Please make sure they leave, old man. And tell the guards at the gate not to let them in again."
Enkai looked at him with a hint of reluctance. He still wasn't entirely on board with taking orders from Erik now, but after glancing at both Naeku and Matriarch Khumalo, he sighed wryly and nodded. Questioning him would just make Naeku angry while also displaying a facade of turmoil in front of the Azanians.
"As you wish," he simply nodded and quickly changed into his werelion form.
After Enkai disappeared, Naeku smirked at her fiance. "You didn't have to be so dramatic, you know," she teased gently.
"Hehe," Erik chuckled softly, shrugging off the seriousness as quickly as he'd adopted it. "That brat insulted my beloved! How could I let that go?!"
Naeku rolled her eyes fondly but turned abruptly serious as she noticed the remaining visitors hadn't moved. Kudzai looked distinctly uncomfortable, shifting from foot to foot, while the Khumalo matriarch eyed Naeku coldly, clearly undeterred by what she'd just witnessed.
"You haven't left yet," Naeku observed, irritation returning to her voice.
The matriarch inclined her head slightly, maintaining her composure despite the evident strain. "We have yet to settle our issue."
"We don't have an issue, Matriarch," Naeku snapped sharply. "You made your choice when you chose not to interfere in the war."
She moved next to Erik and grasped his hand. "And I've made my choice as well. Kudzai was a friend, but we never loved each other, and the Enkarian kingdom does not need an alliance with unreliable allies."
Kudzai winced a little at being referred to as Naeku's friend in the past tense, but he quickly recovered when he noticed a stubborn expression on his mother's face that he knew all too well.
Before she could respond, Kudzai stepped forward quickly, placing a calming hand on his mother's arm. "Mother, please. Enough. This isn't the time or place."
She frowned deeply, eyes narrowing with displeasure at her son's gentle rebuke, but she'd come to trust his judgement. So, she shifted her gaze back to Naeku, clearly unwilling to fully concede yet unable to deny reality.
"Very well," she said finally, voice chilly and clipped. She gave a curt bow. "When I saw the Ombwe, I lost my patience momentarily, and I must apologize. Next time, I will request an invite. We will speak again, Princess Naeku."
With that subtle threat lingering in the air, the Khumalos turned away, retreating from the palace steps. As they left, Kudzai glanced back once, eyes filled with regret. Naeku deliberately looked away, her fists tightening around her spear.
With the courtyard now finally emptied, Erik placed a gentle hand on Naeku's shoulder. "Are you alright?"
She sighed deeply, anger giving way to weary frustration. "I knew they'd eventually come crawling back, but seeing them again... Especially Kudzai and his mother…"
She looked up at him with a complicated expression. "I really felt like I could trust them, you know? Both of them…"Her voice trailed off, bitterness lingering heavily.
Erik gently rubbed her shoulder in silent reassurance, sensing her turmoil. "You're not alone anymore," he reminded softly, "and we'll deal with whatever comes next together."
Naeku managed a weak smile, nodding slowly. "I know," she admitted quietly. "But it's not over yet."
***
True to Naeku's prediction, the peace didn't last long. Only hours later, the Khumalo matriarch, Nobuntu Khumalo, and her son requested an audience once more…