#Amenza

[fuckyeahcostumedramas]

Thuso Mbedu, Viola Davis, & Shelia Atim as Nawi, Nanisca & Amenza in ‘The Woman King’ (Film, 2022).

[gr00vyminibus]

Hair and makeup testing for the Woman King.

— from lashanalynchfandom on TikTok.

[blacksapphhicmaddonna]

half truths pt. 1

Izogie x Nanisca 

Izogie didn’t die before the end battle - at least not all the way. She has come back home to the palace, but Nanisca knows she isn’t all there. Nanisca knows everything - almost. There’s a lot of things both of them haven’t admitted, but one seems to be taking a step towards vulnerability while one seems to be fighting some internal conflicts. Izogie is still a badass, though. 

Mother/Daughter vibes underneath Commander/Lieutenant pairing. There’s a lot of respect, but there’s also a lot of love.

content warnings: mentions of wounds/scars, enslavement/enslavers, war/battle, weapons, body parts/physical training. (no fluff or smut stuff yet but it’s only part one lmaooo).

Fon to English Translations (these may not be perfect, if anybody has any feedback pls lmk!!!): 

Dŏwe - Lieutenant

Vǐ ce - My Child

Word Count: 1,935

I love Nanisca, she’s never in any fics so I wanted to start out with her and her relationship to Izogie being developed. There’s more to come with her and Amenza, and Nawi as well.

______________________________________________________________

Her eyes were dead set on the pair of strong legs in front of her as she pulled herself up off the ground, again and again - a look of total focus for something far beyond what was before her. Her hands made room for themselves in the hot, burnt orange soil. Her toes bent in, somehow equally as strong as the rest of her body, hinging with her every push.

The sun was just starting to go down, everyone else had finished training that day but the warrior and Nanisca had made a deal to do some extra work to get her back where she was before her injuries. She was lieutenant after all, and despite what happened - she was Agojie. They both were, and neither knew when something else might happen or when new trainees would come. She needed to be ready, they both agreed - despite Nanisca’s slight apprehension. 

“170…30 more.” Nanisca said, rolling the point of a dulled dagger on her finger tip, balancing the blade’s end between her other pointer. She knew it was practically nothing for the warrior to complete reps like this, she knew of the long nights and early mornings she spent training in what she thought was secret. Nanisca believed herself to know everything that went on in the palace and within the Agojie. But especially of what her successor was up too. She once did, maybe. But now, she wasn’t so sure. She only wish she knew more of what went on in the woman’s mind, the place where no one else could see. After so much turmoil, Nanisca felt the need to be more sure now than ever of what was taking place in her orbit.

“10 more. Alternate them.” Nanisca coached as she walked behind the woman to check her form from the back, noticing small cuts on her ankles and up her calves. She made note of this, filing it away with the rest of the knowledge she held about what was always going on around her, even if not in front of her. She looked at the woman’s arms and shoulders. Her form was perfect, as always. 

As the warrior swiftly - precisely - switched arms each rep, it was as if she was holding her breathe. Her core was tight and engaged, her legs never shook like any of the trainees and even some of the other Agojie (to which they tried to hide.). She was always precise, always on time, and always solid.

“You may stop now.” Nanisca said, bringing her mind back to focus. 

The warrior brought her knees forward and sat down, arms stretching behind her. She caught her breath, in quiet but big gulps.

“Tell me, Izogie, what have you been doing while I am not watching?”

The warrior hiccuped and choked on the air she was attempting to restore rhythm to for a split second, recovering quickly.

She didn’t answer, silence sat between them aside from the sounds of Izogie’s breath returning to center.

“You have nothing to say, Dŏwe?” Nanisca paused, waiting to see if the warrior would respond. She wanted the truth, as she had always gotten from Izogie without question. She felt a familiar pang of frustration quickly dispel into consideration and concern as she looked at the warriors hand shake as she tried to hide it behind her thigh. She had never seen her shake before. 

“Vǐ ce?” She asked again, softer. She had always felt softened about Izogie but Nanisca had buried her softness a long time ago. Until now. Until Nawi. She internally cursed herself for missing so much that she could’ve had. So much with Izogie, so much with the other Agojie, so much with Amenza - her truest friend, her truest something in so much nothingness she had endured. She often spent time yearning for who she once was, knowing she would have to grieve a girl that never got to exist. She didn’t want that for anybody else, Agojie or not. Responsibility or not. 

Izogie’s eyes traced her arms and the scars that lay on them as she looked for the words to say, the worry of her secret trainings being known to the Miganon sitting in the forefront of her mind. Something else, sitting behind it. She eased a bit as Nanisca called her that word - child. She had not been a child in so long. 

“I… I have been doing some extra trainings, alone. I apologize for keeping it a secret, Miganon. I have felt like I need to improve since the last battle with the Oyo and the slavers. I almost didn’t make it out. I was shot.. twice. And thought dead until Amenza… well you know. What’s worse is I nearly gave up before that.. I nearly let someone else decide my fate. If not for Nawi then…”

Her brow furrowed as she mindlessly brought her palm to one of her newer scars. If you can even call it a scar - it had not yet healed fully. A sometimes dull, sometimes sharp pain sat within the woman’s core and chest, every day.

In the absence of a response from Nanisca, Izogie continued, trying to pull herself together. She cannot slip, not here, not now.

“Then I would be dead. Or worse.”

“I do not want to fail Dahomey ever again. I do not want to fail you, ever again…” She said, meaning it wholly. “An- Anyway, I apologize Miganon. I accept any puni-”.

“I do not train sorry women. I do not welcome home failures.” Nanisca started. Izogie’s eyes darted to the other woman’s eyes, taken aback by the returning sternness, and shock at what she was hearing. 

“You did not die. And when you were taken, you still sought to follow my orders to slit your throat, even in the midst of your own life hanging in the balance. Yes?” She nodded at the warrior, asking more than telling. 

“You fought until the very end, and even further. You would have died anything but a failure. But…I am glad you did not slit your throat. I am glad you are home, here with us. With me…” Nanisca looked deep into her eyes, in a way only a mother could - even if she didn’t know she was a mother, really. Then she looked away.

“But I am not glad that since you have returned, you have not been the honest woman I know you to be. You think I do not know what happens in this palace? That I do not know you are more tired in the mornings than normal? That I do not see the repairs made to the training equipment, or see the blood left behind in the bath? I hear your pain at night when you do actually try to sleep, and I know you do not frequent the healers the way you should be. I hear you telling half truths, Izogie.” Nanisca set her dagger down and walked over to face the warrior fully. 

“I am asking about the cuts on your legs, the scent on your clothes when you greet me. The look in your eyes during the day. It is not just grief that you feel. Am I wrong?”

The warrior was speechless, a new feeling for her. Her head dropped low, examining the soil with her eyes as they welled with hot tears. One fell to the ground between her legs, making the orange soil turn muddy. She fought them with everything she had in her, which didn’t feel like much anymore.

Nanisca knelt next to her, grabbing her face with her fingers softly wiping away a tear or two, and lifting her chin. 

She was softer than Izogie remembered her being. She knew she had Nawi to thank, although she probably wouldn’t.

“Do not bow your head to me like I am nothing more than a commander. In battle, you would hand me the same sword that would keep you alive in less than a thought. You think I would not offer you even my ear?” She seared into Izogie’s eyes with a passion she had not felt with anyone but Nawi. She felt like she was looking at her child, as much as she was looking at her sister and her comrade. 

The warrior sat, silenced by her own mind. She knew what the Miganon was talking about. Her time spent outside the palace lately. Izogie has always been one to do her own thing, but she had never been out so frequently. She had never been secretive with Nanisca, even as a trainee. She always told the truth, loudly and openly for all to see and hear. She had always kept her sworn loyalty, without question and without force. Izogie loved being Agojie, and she respected all the rules that came along with being in the palace. She respected Nanisca, and she loved her. Quietly, underneath her reverence for the Woman King. But this was something she knew even the Miganon could not advocate for, or maybe even understand. She knew it had to be a secret.

She closed her eyes and opened her mouth trying to say something. Anything. But the sharpness had returned and she groaned instead.

Nanisca let her face go and squeezed her shoulders tightly as she stood. 

“I will not ask again today. I trust in you the way I trust in myself. I know my own mind so I know yours, too. Do you trust me, Izogie?”

The warrior stood, arm bent over her core.

“I do, Miganon. Without question.”

Nanisca nodded slowly, knowing the warrior meant what she said but also knowing that she was going to keep whatever was going on from her for now. She knew the woman well, and well enough to recognize the look in her eye was as genuine as it was privately holding a secret. She wiped her hands on her tunic to rid of the dust from the ground and prepared to leave, sheathing her dagger. She could forgive one secret, for now, off the respect that this woman died for her daughter and fought to defend for her own life many times before. 

“I do not approve of your trainings.” She said in a voice that suggested she was back to business.

“But I will never take your body from you the way the slavers tried to, the way the Oyo did to me. You will figure it out. I give you two orders, lieutenant. Let yourself heal.”

Izogie nodded her head as she stood at attention. 

“I will be listening when you are ready to tell me the truth.”

She turned to walk away as Izogie stood there, in pain and drained from her training and the workings of her own mind.

“Miganon!” She called after the woman.

“What is the second order?” She asked, eager to please her commander again, not knowing she never stopped.

The Miganon turned only her head for a moment, before turning it back forward as she continued to walk.

“Never bow your head again, not in this palace and not anywhere else.”

Izogie stood there, holding her breath again as Nanisca entered back into the palace walls and about the rest of her business. Once she was out of sight, she sighed deeply and relaxed her arms and shoulders. She wasn’t sure what to make of what just happened but she felt comforted and at the same time, all the more conflicted than before. 

She grabbed her weapons and headed to her chambers to change.

______________________________________________________________

hey y'all, this is my first fic in a long time. its gonna be a short series, so pls lmk what you’re thinking and any feedback you have! (literally I am begging pls) thank you so much for reading 🥹

[bluemoose86]

Thoughts on The Woman King

Spolier-free:

First of all, I loved this movie! And so did the other two people I went with; the three of us literally talked about how we all wanted to see it again after it was over

Great fight choreography, loved getting to see a bunch of women go absolutely feral in battle without them being sexualized or still having to “look pretty.” There’s a lot of close-ups during fights of the Agojie killing people and it’s not pretty, it’s brutal and it’s fucking awesome (the movie is PG-13 though so it’s not overtly gory, which I personally appreciated)

THE ACTING???? On point the ENTIRE movie. Give Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, and Lashana Lynch ALL the awards RIGHT NOW. Viola Davis embodied Nanisca perfectly and was equally impressive in the epic battle scenes and in the emotionally vulnerable scenes. I’ve seen several articles talk about how this was a career performance from her, and she herself called the film her magnum opus. Lashana Lynch stole every single scene she was in. Izogie my beloved. I also enjoyed John Boyega’s portrayal of King Ghezo and Sheila Atim as Amenza

Also I literally had to do a triple take when I found out Thuso Mbedu, who plays 19 year old Nawi, is THIRTY ONE?????? SHE’S ONLY THREE YEARS YOUNGER THAN LASHANA LYNCH???? SHE’S THE SAME AGE AS SHEILA ATIM???? In other pictures she looks older but I am actually 19 and I stg when I found that out, I felt old

And still speaking of the actors, really cool how the majority of, if not all the Black actors in this movie were dark skinned, particularly the women. I read that when the movie was first being pitched, some studios wanted to cast light-skinned and well-known actresses, but the producers refused

The beginning felt a little rough to me in terms of pacing, but the movie hits its stride around the mid-point or so. And trust me, when it starts working, it works.

The script was also a bit weak sometimes, but I thought the performances made up for it

I’ve seen some people online saying the movie glorifies the slave trade or glorifies Dahomey while brushing the kingdom’s involvement in the slave trade to the side, which really confuses me because...it doesn’t? The movie opens with a text-scrolling intro à la Star Wars that literally mentions the slave trade, and several characters in the movie talk about it as well. Nanisca and King Ghezo have a conversation about how Dahomey profits from the slave trade, and how Ghezo’s brother sold their people—including his and Ghezo’s own mother—as slaves for profit. And then it gets more overt when some Portuguese men land at the port city, one of them specifically to buy slaves, and when we go into the city and LITERALLY SEE slaves being chained up, kept in cages, and brought onto the block to be sold. The movie both shows and tells you how awful the slave trade is, and how the people in the movie are impacted by it. At one point, some of the women are captured and prepped to be judged and sold and the entire process is presented as brutal and degrading. I’m seriously convinced that the people who say the movie is “glorifying slavery” have never seen it

Wanted to end this section on a good note lol so I’ll once again say IZOGIE MY BELOVED!!!!! Favorite character without a doubt, also gave off fruity vibes but y’all let me know if you picked up on that too lol

Overall, I definitely recommend this movie and I will 100% rewatch it in the future. Also this movie BETTER win some fucking Oscars or else 😤😤

Spoiler thoughts below!!

Izogie’s death scene was very well done. I kind of guessed they would end up killing her off since they really built her up as a character, but that didn’t lessen its impact at all. Lashana Lynch and Thuso Mbedu acted their asses off (as they did the whole movie, but particularly here). The actual set-up was good too: having Nawi convince her to stay alive so they could all escape together, setting her broken arm and then having to pretend like it was never broken, having her be the only one who actually escaped but deciding that Nawi was right that the Agojie should help each other and trying to go back for her, only to get killed while Nawi is begging her to keep running. Heartbreaking, but that’s what made it so good

By contrast, Nawi’s friend’s death (the Mahi prisoner, I forgot her name I’m so sorry) was not really impactful at all, beyond her dying right after being accepted by the other Agojie who had a problem with her before. I wish they had spent a little more time on both Nawi’s friends as individual characters and their relationship with each other. We barely saw Nawi interact with either of them before they became best friends, and after the Mahi girl died, neither Nawi or her other friend mourned her on screen (I know Nawi had been kidnapped at this point, but the other girl survived and wasn’t kidnapped)

I loved how Nanisca and the other Agojie went to the city intending to just rescue their own but she found out that the slave traders killed Izogie and Nawi was missing and she said “burn it to the fucking ground.” Iconic as HELL and I wish more stories would let their MC react like that

Also loved that the prisoners that Malik freed drowned the slave trader he came with. Fuck you dude

A woman literally getting to kill her abuser? We love to see it

I wish they’d brought up Nawi being an orphan a bit earlier in the movie, since it seemed like it was introduced rather suddenly after she became an Agojie. They could have pretty easily tossed in a line from her parents admonishing her for acting so terribly after they “rescued” her from the orphanage. 

I also really enjoyed Nanisca and Amenza’s relationship! I got kind of gay vibes but the only thing that was explicitly confirmed was how close they are and how much they mean to each other, which I was also happy with. I’m so glad Amenza survived the movie lol

[not-active-blacksapphhicmaddonna]

half truths pt. 1

Izogie x Nanisca

Izogie didn't die before the end battle - at least not all the way. She has come back home to the palace, but Nanisca knows she isn't all there. Nanisca knows everything - almost. There's a lot of things both of them haven't admitted, but one seems to be taking a step towards vulnerability while one seems to be fighting some internal conflicts. Izogie is still a badass, though.

Mother/Daughter vibes underneath Commander/Lieutenant pairing. There's a lot of respect, but there's also a lot of love.

content warnings: mentions of wounds/scars, enslavement/enslavers, war/battle, weapons, body parts/physical training. (no fluff or smut stuff yet but it's only part one lmaooo).

Fon to English Translations (these may not be perfect, if anybody has any feedback pls lmk!!!):

Dŏwe - Lieutenant

Vǐ ce - My Child

Word Count: 1,935

I love Nanisca, she's never in any fics so I wanted to start out with her and her relationship to Izogie being developed. There's more to come with her and Amenza, and Nawi as well.

______________________________________________________________

Her eyes were dead set on the pair of strong legs in front of her as she pulled herself up off the ground, again and again - a look of total focus for something far beyond what was before her. Her hands made room for themselves in the hot, burnt orange soil. Her toes bent in, somehow equally as strong as the rest of her body, hinging with her every push.

The sun was just starting to go down, everyone else had finished training that day but the warrior and Nanisca had made a deal to do some extra work to get her back where she was before her injuries. She was lieutenant after all, and despite what happened - she was Agojie. They both were, and neither knew when something else might happen or when new trainees would come. She needed to be ready, they both agreed - despite Nanisca's slight apprehension.

"170...30 more." Nanisca said, rolling the point of a dulled dagger on her finger tip, balancing the blade's end between her other pointer. She knew it was practically nothing for the warrior to complete reps like this, she knew of the long nights and early mornings she spent training in what she thought was secret. Nanisca believed herself to know everything that went on in the palace and within the Agojie. But especially of what her successor was up too. She once did, maybe. But now, she wasn't so sure. She only wish she knew more of what went on in the woman's mind, the place where no one else could see. After so much turmoil, Nanisca felt the need to be more sure now than ever of what was taking place in her orbit.

"10 more. Alternate them." Nanisca coached as she walked behind the woman to check her form from the back, noticing small cuts on her ankles and up her calves. She made note of this, filing it away with the rest of the knowledge she held about what was always going on around her, even if not in front of her. She looked at the woman's arms and shoulders. Her form was perfect, as always.

As the warrior swiftly - precisely - switched arms each rep, it was as if she was holding her breathe. Her core was tight and engaged, her legs never shook like any of the trainees and even some of the other Agojie (to which they tried to hide.). She was always precise, always on time, and always solid.

"You may stop now." Nanisca said, bringing her mind back to focus.

The warrior brought her knees forward and sat down, arms stretching behind her. She caught her breath, in quiet but big gulps.

"Tell me, Izogie, what have you been doing while I am not watching?"

The warrior hiccuped and choked on the air she was attempting to restore rhythm to for a split second, recovering quickly.

She didn't answer, silence sat between them aside from the sounds of Izogie's breath returning to center.

"You have nothing to say, Dŏwe?" Nanisca paused, waiting to see if the warrior would respond. She wanted the truth, as she had always gotten from Izogie without question. She felt a familiar pang of frustration quickly dispel into consideration and concern as she looked at the warriors hand shake as she tried to hide it behind her thigh. She had never seen her shake before.

"Vǐ ce?" She asked again, softer. She had always felt softened about Izogie but Nanisca had buried her softness a long time ago. Until now. Until Nawi. She internally cursed herself for missing so much that she could've had. So much with Izogie, so much with the other Agojie, so much with Amenza - her truest friend, her truest something in so much nothingness she had endured. She often spent time yearning for who she once was, knowing she would have to grieve a girl that never got to exist. She didn't want that for anybody else, Agojie or not. Responsibility or not.

Izogie's eyes traced her arms and the scars that lay on them as she looked for the words to say, the worry of her secret trainings being known to the Miganon sitting in the forefront of her mind. Something else, sitting behind it. She eased a bit as Nanisca called her that word - child. She had not been a child in so long.

"I... I have been doing some extra trainings, alone. I apologize for keeping it a secret, Miganon. I have felt like I need to improve since the last battle with the Oyo and the slavers. I almost didn't make it out. I was shot.. twice. And thought dead until Amenza... well you know. What's worse is I nearly gave up before that.. I nearly let someone else decide my fate. If not for Nawi then..."

Her brow furrowed as she mindlessly brought her palm to one of her newer scars. If you can even call it a scar - it had not yet healed fully. A sometimes dull, sometimes sharp pain sat within the woman's core and chest, every day.

In the absence of a response from Nanisca, Izogie continued, trying to pull herself together. She cannot slip, not here, not now.

"Then I would be dead. Or worse."

"I do not want to fail Dahomey ever again. I do not want to fail you, ever again..." She said, meaning it wholly. "An- Anyway, I apologize Miganon. I accept any puni-".

"I do not train sorry women. I do not welcome home failures." Nanisca started. Izogie's eyes darted to the other woman's eyes, taken aback by the returning sternness, and shock at what she was hearing.

"You did not die. And when you were taken, you still sought to follow my orders to slit your throat, even in the midst of your own life hanging in the balance. Yes?" She nodded at the warrior, asking more than telling.

"You fought until the very end, and even further. You would have died anything but a failure. But...I am glad you did not slit your throat. I am glad you are home, here with us. With me..." Nanisca looked deep into her eyes, in a way only a mother could - even if she didn't know she was a mother, really. Then she looked away.

"But I am not glad that since you have returned, you have not been the honest woman I know you to be. You think I do not know what happens in this palace? That I do not know you are more tired in the mornings than normal? That I do not see the repairs made to the training equipment, or see the blood left behind in the bath? I hear your pain at night when you do actually try to sleep, and I know you do not frequent the healers the way you should be. I hear you telling half truths, Izogie." Nanisca set her dagger down and walked over to face the warrior fully.

"I am asking about the cuts on your legs, the scent on your clothes when you greet me. The look in your eyes during the day. It is not just grief that you feel. Am I wrong?"

The warrior was speechless, a new feeling for her. Her head dropped low, examining the soil with her eyes as they welled with hot tears. One fell to the ground between her legs, making the orange soil turn muddy. She fought them with everything she had in her, which didn't feel like much anymore.

Nanisca knelt next to her, grabbing her face with her fingers softly wiping away a tear or two, and lifting her chin.

She was softer than Izogie remembered her being. She knew she had Nawi to thank, although she probably wouldn't.

"Do not bow your head to me like I am nothing more than a commander. In battle, you would hand me the same sword that would keep you alive in less than a thought. You think I would not offer you even my ear?" She seared into Izogie's eyes with a passion she had not felt with anyone but Nawi. She felt like she was looking at her child, as much as she was looking at her sister and her comrade.

The warrior sat, silenced by her own mind. She knew what the Miganon was talking about. Her time spent outside the palace lately. Izogie has always been one to do her own thing, but she had never been out so frequently. She had never been secretive with Nanisca, even as a trainee. She always told the truth, loudly and openly for all to see and hear. She had always kept her sworn loyalty, without question and without force. Izogie loved being Agojie, and she respected all the rules that came along with being in the palace. She respected Nanisca, and she loved her. Quietly, underneath her reverence for the Woman King. But this was something she knew even the Miganon could not advocate for, or maybe even understand. She knew it had to be a secret.

She closed her eyes and opened her mouth trying to say something. Anything. But the sharpness had returned and she groaned instead.

Nanisca let her face go and squeezed her shoulders tightly as she stood.

"I will not ask again today. I trust in you the way I trust in myself. I know my own mind so I know yours, too. Do you trust me, Izogie?"

The warrior stood, arm bent over her core.

"I do, Miganon. Without question."

Nanisca nodded slowly, knowing the warrior meant what she said but also knowing that she was going to keep whatever was going on from her for now. She knew the woman well, and well enough to recognize the look in her eye was as genuine as it was privately holding a secret. She wiped her hands on her tunic to rid of the dust from the ground and prepared to leave, sheathing her dagger. She could forgive one secret, for now, off the respect that this woman died for her daughter and fought to defend for her own life many times before.

"I do not approve of your trainings." She said in a voice that suggested she was back to business.

"But I will never take your body from you the way the slavers tried to, the way the Oyo did to me. You will figure it out. I give you two orders, lieutenant. Let yourself heal."

Izogie nodded her head as she stood at attention.

"I will be listening when you are ready to tell me the truth."

She turned to walk away as Izogie stood there, in pain and drained from her training and the workings of her own mind.

"Miganon!" She called after the woman.

"What is the second order?" She asked, eager to please her commander again, not knowing she never stopped.

The Miganon turned only her head for a moment, before turning it back forward as she continued to walk.

"Never bow your head again, not in this palace and not anywhere else."

Izogie stood there, holding her breath again as Nanisca entered back into the palace walls and about the rest of her business. Once she was out of sight, she sighed deeply and relaxed her arms and shoulders. She wasn't sure what to make of what just happened but she felt comforted and at the same time, all the more conflicted than before.

She grabbed her weapons and headed to her chambers to change.

______________________________________________________________

hey y'all, this is my first fic in a long time. its gonna be a short series, so pls lmk what you're thinking and any feedback you have! (literally I am begging pls) thank you so much for reading 🥹

[jbk405]

Their size makes them arrogant and slow.  Like their guns.  But you don’t need a gun to use gunpowder, you just need a spark.

Sometimes, a termite can take down an elephant.

[givingup-hbu]

UHm Heyyyy How yall doin?

Hi, so guys I understand I haven't been able to post in forever but... I kinda like wanna put something out about a movie I watched called The Woman King and ya'll. A. Must. Watch. W/ some fine ahh characters including a woman named Izogie yeah hate me all you want im making something about her sooooooo.... Would you guys like to see that AS WELL AS Bakugou and sero im just catching up and re watching some of the episodes so I can do some fic ideas Ive had for a minute. Just wondering but anyway, that's all!!! Love you guys and have an awesome rest of your day.

[aistobascistod]

Costa Rica : United States of America :: George Constanza : George United States of Amenza

[informativoar]

Amenazaron de muerte a la Vicepresidenta y ordenaron reforzar su custodia

Amenazaron de muerte a la Vicepresidenta y ordenaron reforzar su custodia

Télam – La vicepresidenta Cristina Fernández de Kirchner fue amenazada de muerte y, ante ese hecho, la jueza federal María Eugenia Capuchetti, a cargo de la causa por el intento de magnicidio que sufriera el 1 de septiembre pasado, dispuso reforzar la custodia de la exmandataria, confirmaron hoy fuentes judiciales. Los informantes precisaron que la amenaza fue hecha ayer por la tarde a través de…

[latinotiktok]

Mi celular me mando esta notificación mas temprano, no se que es lo que se acerca si mi comida o el día del juicio final.

[carabanchelnet]

📌La vecindad de la UVA de Hortaleza sale a limpiar el barrio ante el abandono del Ayuntamiento de Madrid 📌FACUA Madrid exige al Ayuntamiento de la capital que remunicipalice la gestión de los centros deportivos 📌Miguel Ángel Rodríguez: el hombre de Aznar y Ayuso que pasará a la historia por sus amenazas a periodistas 📌El horror de las residencias de Madrid 📌… Y MÁS …. https://carabanchel.net

[delphis-oracle]

Cuando se enteren que si es por el Norte nos morimos todos de hambre!! uy ahí van a tener el modelo empobrecedor.

[gr00vyminibus]

Sheila Atim

[kohinoor4u]

Rec: The Woman King (2022)

If you love movies like Braveheart, The Gladiator, The 13th Warrior, Troy etc, you will LOVE The Woman King.  It’s got all that feel-good badassery you like from those movies:

Great swelling soundtrack/music designed to inspire and uplift

Historical fiction.  Is it accurate?  WHO CARES?! It’s EPIC AS HELL, JUST ENJOY THE DARN FILM and then you can internet history later

A lovable ensemble cast of characters you want to cheer for!  The cool happy drunk, the cool mystic, the cool young upstart, the cool imperious King, you got it all here dude

Can’t forget the stoic, broken leader character bound by duty and honour that’ll make you puff out your chest and tear up (but don’t actually cry) and be like ‘YES I want to be her when I grow up’

Montage and/or training scenes where the protag Learns Stuff™

Surprise twist, almost Dickensian so you know it’s joy when it happens

Mythological callbacks to legends and myths about gods, it’s really cool and makes it feel larger than life

Comedy bits, awww omg lol they have fun sometimes amidst the battles! That’s cute.

Fortune-telling.  It’s necessary and real in history ok.

BATTLES!! DID I MENTION BATTLES??  AMAZING BATTLES that leave you satisfied and cheering on the underdogs in the end

(no spoilers but) tragic, brave, strong conflict for a beloved character that makes you like nO? NO! NOOOO MY FEELINGS

The enemy is very evident, so there’s a lot of that yummy good vs bad schadenfreude that historical fiction movies require

White men die.  Literally all these movies I’ve listed, white men die ok, so that’s not political it’s just a fact :)

Gorgeous vistas and loving details of complex and sophisticated cultural stuff that makes you feel really cool and majestic watching it. like oh hell yes, I’m immersed af and this is REAL and I want to be there

But wait, there’s more!  

Maybe you’re like “but Gigi, I’ve seen enuf historical fiction movies about ‘exciting’ battles and ‘lovable’ underdogs, I want something new and different.  Maybe something that subverts that trope without compromising the cool-factor of kickassery.  Something to recapture my nostalgia for pseudo-historical cinematic sagas without pandering to me like I’m a basic child’.

Have I got news for you!  Here’s the kicker, the bonus, the cherry on top.   The main cast:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And in case you’re worried, this movie is as thematically violent as Braveheart or Gladiator, treated with that lens of heroic strength, rather than graphic victimhood.   The tragedies in the plotline spur the story forward rather than mire you in titillating abject, disturbed despair. If you’ve watched enough shows/films about black/African history, you’ll know what I mean. It all comes down to the perspective the story is told from and this story is about being REALLY COOL AND AWESOME EVEN IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY.

So if you’re into this genre but tired of the same-old, same-old ( if you know what I mean, then you know what I mean) this movie will breathe fresh, clean air into the genre!

I want more historical fiction movies like this! Bring back this era but make it better and updated and 2020s cool!

[chatitajens]

just watched The Woman King 🥹

i already wanna rewatch like i miss izogie and nawi and amenza and nanisca <\\\3

[gonesgone]

[🧷] / so close, yet so far, part one.

[🫀] \ bridging the gap, part two.

— synopsis: as you distance yourself from Izogie, she decides to take a different approach.

— pairing: Izogie x black!fem!reader.

— author’s note: decided to make this a three part series. this part is quite lengthy but it’s my way of saying thank you for all the support on the first one. happy reading, everyone.

almost two weeks.

that’s how long you had been avoiding Izogie.

ever since you overheard her expressing a lack of interest for love, you wanted to lose any romantic feelings you held towards her.

“she will be miganon one day,” you thought. “pining after her was a big mistake in the first place.”

that same night, you decided to take matters into your own hands and do what was best for you.

so, at the start of the week, you kept yourself out of Izogie’s line of sight. you also made sure not to draw the attention of others as well.

luckily for you, your initial plan started off smoothly.

a new group of trainees had arrived at the palace and most of the focus was on getting them settled in and trained. per usual, Izogie was the one chosen to show them the ropes and because of this, she was quite occupied. you didn’t mind though. it made sneaking around a lot easier.

on top of that, relief washed over you when you found out that you were now training with Amenza, Nanisca’s right hand woman. it would’ve been embarrassing to train with the newcomers, especially under Izogie’s guidance.

what you needed was for enough time to pass so that your love for her could fade. but as the days went by and you saw less and less of her, you wondered if that was what you really wanted.

at times, when you heard her voice in the distance, butterflies erupted in your stomach and you wished it was you she spoke to. when you walked into a room and got a whiff of her scent, you found your eyes searching, needing to catch a glimpse of her.

but what you wanted didn’t matter.

Izogie wasn’t looking for love and even if she was, you wouldn’t be her first choice.

the thought of that felt painful but you needed to come to terms with it. you had to lose feelings and for once, you planned on succeeding at something you put your mind to.

so, you focused on your trainings instead. when you had time, you engaged in fun activities with the few friends you had and carried out your daily duties. going forward, you swore to never feel this strongly for another person ever again.

love seemed to be a luxury you could not afford.

as the week drew to a close, all was still going well. until the arrival of the second week.

everything started one nightfall. the agojie, as well as the trainees, were fast asleep. the only people awake at the time being the guards who kept watch.

in your quarters, you found yourself restless and after a while, you decided to take a trip to the bathhouse. it was the perfect place for you to clear your head.

upon arriving though, you thought you heard a sound come from the inside but nevertheless, you proceeded to walk down the stone steps.

soon enough, you were greeted by the serene, deep blue color of the water. candles on the walls were lit, giving the space a dim, orange glow.

off to the side, you noticed some clothes were neatly folded. as you wondered whose they were, the owner came up from the water, wiping her face with both hands.

it was Izogie.

you stood frozen in place as her brown eyes locked on yours. in the water’s embrace, the complexion of her skin glistened even more and her gaze was low, almost as if to invite you in.

all you could do was stare, way too absorbed with how good she looked from afar. for what seemed like an eternity, neither of you said a word to each other. soon, her eyes left yours as they traveled down the rest of your body.

Izogie licked her lips slowly as she watched you. instantly, your heart pounded furiously. when her eyes returned to yours, a glint resided in them and you held your breath, nervousness coursing through your veins.

then, she swam towards you.

immediately, all types of warning bells went off in your head. this wasn’t good at all, especially for your blood pressure. you needed to leave, you thought. but as she got progressively closer, you couldn’t find the strength to move.

before you knew it, Izogie was in front of you.

well, at your feet to be precise.

she still hadn’t gotten out of the water but something about looking down on her made your legs weak. she looked softer, tiredness having settled deep on her facial features.

in that moment, you wanted her head buried between your neck and shoulder as you caressed her back. you wanted to enclose your thighs around her waist as you whispered sweet nothings in her ears. you wanted to feel the weight of her body on yours as she slept.

but what you wanted didn’t matter.

before Izogie could step out of the water, you quickly turned on your heel and ran up the steps, exiting the bathhouse. you didn’t stop running until you reached your quarters, unable to sleep for the remainder of the night.

the next day during training, you were working on rope tying with Amenza when you felt an extra set of eyes on you from across the courtyard.

they were from none other than Izogie.

under the hot sun, her skin was oiled well, further highlighting her muscles. she had one hand rested at the hilt of her weapon as she walked around, monitoring her trainees’ progress.

but every so often, her gaze wandered over to you. soon, it began to stir up mixed emotions inside you.

for one, a part of you felt elated. in the past, Izogie rarely looked at you. and whenever she did make eye contact, it was usually when she was scolding you. but for today, even when you caught her staring, she never looked away.

it made you want to smile as your hands fiddled with your rope.

it felt nice.

it felt hopeful.

but then again, being seen by her was not a part of your plan. at the bathhouse, the feelings you had been working so hard to get rid of only amplified when you were in front of her. in the end, it was you who suffered the sleepless night.

you couldn’t keep putting yourself through that.

as you worked on your knots, Amenza noticed how tangled your rope (and mind) was. she smiled softly as she placed her hand on top of yours. you quickly snapped back to reality and apologized.

not long after, you, as well as Izogie’s group, were called to gather around.

the new trainees would be going on a tour today to learn about the different routes the agojie used. you already knew all about them but seeing as you didn’t graduate, you were still required to tag along.

Amenza and Izogie each formed a group and divided the trainees until you were the last one left. then, they allowed you to choose who you wanted to join.

you quickly ran to Amenza’s side. for your sanity, you needed to stick to your plan.

she gave you a small chuckle as she began to explain further rules. but while she spoke, you made the mistake of allowing your eyes to meet Izogie’s.

she was already looking at you but for the first time today, it was her who quickly averted her gaze upon meeting your eyes. as Amenza continued to address the group, you couldn’t help but feel that Izogie was refraining from looking in your direction.

this is for the better, you thought.

but as both groups began departing in different directions, you wondered if that was a lie you could really keep telling yourself.

as for the tour, the first half went quite well. Amenza explained the various routes in an understanding way and answered questions thoughtfully. once in a while, she even allowed you all to take a quick break.

this time, the group had stopped by a small stream to rest. some birds were chirping high in the trees as the sound of water flowing filled the air.

off to the side, you noticed some of the girls were stone skipping while others dipped their toes in playfully. you decided to take a seat at the bank of the stream in order to enjoy the scenery.

soon, your relaxation time was cut short when you spotted three trainees not too far from you.

they were huddled up, laughing obnoxiously as they pointed in your direction. you sighed as you did your best to ignore them. nowadays, they didn’t even hide the fact that they were talking about you.

as you tried to focus your attention on other things, you couldn’t help but overhear their conversation.

“i’m surprised they still let her stay here. i thought Dahomey needed warriors, not an extra mouth to feed.”

the other two girls snickered and you felt anger bubble inside you upon hearing her comment.

Nanare.

she was one of the trainees who arrived a week ago but for some reason you weren’t aware of, she had a strong dislike for you.

the funny thing was that you didn’t even know her prior to joining the king’s guard and till this day, you never once had a conversation with the girl.

from what you heard about her from Fumbe, she had willingly signed up to join the agojie and was beyond competitive. as of late, she was the only trainee at the top of all her classes.

you also found out that you were older than Nanare. but seeing how everyone knew of you failing to pass the final test, you figured that was why she felt emboldened to speak about you anyhow.

at times, you thought of reporting her to Amenza then later brushed it off. her behavior was childish and you only hoped she would grow out of it soon.

you still didn’t want to draw any attention to yourself and besides, the agojie did not tolerate any form of bullying against one another. if any of it was found out, it was Izogie who handed out punishments.

if anything, you were saving Nanare by keeping quiet.

but then, the younger had the audacity to utter a specific sentence and for the first time in your life, you felt provoked to hit a woman.

“maybe she’s sleeping with King Ghezo.”

you instantly got up and started walking in their direction, both of your fists balled at your side. you may not be the best fighter here but in that moment, something in you felt compelled to swing first, deal with the consequences later.

before you could act though, Amenza called out for all the trainees to gather around.

the other two girls smirked at you as Nanare eyed you up and down. she then bumped into your shoulders as she went to join the rest of the group. you simply stood there, watching in disbelief.

soon, Amenza waved you over and you had no choice but to join the rest.

for the duration of the tour, the younger’s insults lingered in your mind. although it’d been frustrating to hear, Nanare’s words couldn’t compare to the headache the next day would bring you.

per usual, the afternoon started off particularly hot. Izogie, along with the trainees, were heading out for training. before they left, she asked you to sharpen the agojie spears that had grown dull.

on your way to gather up the weapons, you noticed one of the palace workers, an elderly woman, struggling. she was trying to transport pots of indigo dye and you remembered that festival day was in a few days.

it was a celebration of Dahomey’s prosperity in the trades and towards the end, various goods were given up as offerings in hopes of the success continuing.

since last week, all the workers had been busy with making clothes, jewelry, palm oil and more. the busiest being the indigo dye makers.

upon spotting her, you offered to help move the dye to storage for safekeeping. she thanked you graciously and you got to work.

you didn’t mind the heavy lifting but soon, one trip turned into two, which turned into four and before you knew it, the sun was starting to fall. the trainees would be back any time soon and you still hadn’t sharpened a single spear.

you quickly parted ways with the elderly woman as she thanked you even more.

then, you scrambled to collect the spears and made your way to the sharpening station. when you arrived, you set everything on the floor and wiped the beads of sweat that trickled down your forehead.

not long after you sat down to work, Izogie entered the space. instantly, you felt your heart drop. her face and shoulders were covered in sweat. as she walked further into the room, you noticed some of her hair sticking out of place.

“why did she have to come straight here?” you thought.

as you set your tools down, she watched you with a blank expression. then, you slowly got up from your seat to address her. in that moment, everything in you wanted to run but you knew you couldn’t.

so, you stood straight, mentally preparing yourself.

“i gave you all afternoon to sharpen these. why have you not finished?”

in your chest, your heart was pounding as you looked up at her. Izogie was only a couple inches taller but it always felt like she towered over you. not just height wise, but in other aspects as well. one example being her voice.

it was always deep and firm, easily sending goosebumps through you. for a split second, you even found yourself wishing her lips were speaking directly into the shell of your ear.

she raised an eyebrow at you and you realized that you had just been staring. you quickly cleared your throat.

“i’m sorry. i was helping one of the older women move indigo dye and it took some time. i’ll stay up until i’ve finished these.”

Izogie looked at you for a while, not saying a word. soon, it was becoming hard for you to maintain eye contact and the air in the room felt very thick. then, she broke the silence.

“is the job i asked you to do that hard?”

you were taken aback by the question. the last thing you needed was for her to think you were dodging the tasks she gave. you tried to explain again.

“no, no. it’s just that the woman was elderly and—.”

you couldn’t even finish your sentence because she started walking towards you, a stern look appearing on her face.

“so now you can disobey my orders and do as you please?”

you furrowed your eyebrows at her. was she trying to pick a fight with you? because it felt like she was deliberately ignoring your explanation.

“none of that was my intention. i just couldn’t let that woman do all the work herself. she had no help.”

Izogie stopped in front of you.

“do you want me to applaud you for being a good samaritan?”

now, you were getting irritated.

“excuse me?” you asked, way too exhausted to be doing this. “what was i supposed to do? just walk by as she struggled?”

in the past, you had never spoken back to Izogie whenever she scolded you. that was because at the time, you believed the things she was saying made sense. and it did.

but at the moment, this specific conversation seemed quite nonsensical to you. it’s not like you completely abandoned your work. you came back and told her you would stay up until it was done.

why was she so upset?

you snapped out of your thoughts when she brought her face closer to yours, mere inches separating the both of you.

“it seems you have forgotten the first rule of training because i don’t talk to you as much.”

you could feel your entire body getting hotter by the second. if she wanted to take it there, two could play that game. you spoke up in a strict tone.

“Izogie, you’re not who I answer to anymore. when you asked me to sharpen the spears, I agreed to do so because it is part of my duty as a trainee. it was not because I needed to obey you.”

she smirked, the whites of her teeth showing.

“so now you can talk. you must be happy not having me as a teacher.”

the look on her face was genuinely pissing you off.

“i am happy. at least Amenza teaches me instead of criticizing everything i do and then avoiding me.”

her eyebrows raised slightly, smirk fading.

“do you want me to hold your hands like a child for every single thing you have to do?”

you instantly scoffed at her, tears beginning to pool in your eyes. deep down, you knew you always tried your best but for her to not see that, it stung.

“you would be a terrible miganon. you know that, right?”

instantly, she looked shocked by what you said. you tried to keep your composure but soon, a tear ran down your cheek.

“all you see me as is some sort of burden you don’t want to deal with. Izogie, if I was bleeding out on the battlefield, you would leave me there to die wouldn’t you?”

Izogie stood frozen in place, pain engulfing her eyes.

was that what you thought of her?

your words kept replaying in her head, cementing themselves in her mind. as your tears continued to flow, a pang of guilt spread throughout her body.

she instinctively brought a hand up to your cheek but you quickly swatted it away as you spoke.

“please. just go back to ignoring me.”

then, you stepped out of the room.

Izogie stood there alone, a dazed look on her face. she inhaled and exhaled shakily as her gaze landed on the spears. she stared at them for a while before her jaw clenched, tear drops falling from her eyes.

you on the other hand, felt like you couldn’t breathe.

it was as if Izogie knew how to stitch and unravel the fabric that was you and there was nothing you could do. it was your own heart and yet, she controlled its beating. none of it was fair.

you were still crying but you needed to collect your bearings. so, you tucked yourself away in a far corner of the palace and waited an hour or so. then, you headed back to the sharpening station. thankfully, she wasn’t there anymore and you got back to work.

as you sharpened the spears, you found yourself at an internal crossroad. a part of you felt that you had gone too far with what you said to her. but at the same time, another part felt proud of you for voicing your thoughts.

as night fell, you decided to stop thinking so much and focus on the task at hand. once you were finished, you leaned back in your chair, too tired to move. as you reminisced about the encounter, sleep soon took over your mind.

the next day, you woke up groggily and rubbed the pain from your shoulders. you could hear indistinct chatter in the background as events from the night before came flooding in. you tried to adjust to the bright light, only to realize you were in your quarters.

girls were busy getting ready for the day and some were even eating breakfast already. you turned to the side and saw Nawi who was rubbing oil on her skin. she smiled brightly as she looked at you.

“finally, you’re awake. Fumbe wanted to get breakfast with you but you just kept sleeping. she eventually left like half an hour ago.”

instantly, you were confused. did you end up coming back here? but you were sure you had slept on the hard, wooden chair. you decided to ask.

“Nawi, did you see me come in last night?”

she looked at you for a couple of seconds, a smile threatening to fall from her lips.

“Izogie brought you in.”

you looked at her like she had nine heads.

“what?”

Nawi laughed.

“I stayed up quite late talking to my mother and on my way back, I saw Izogie carrying you.”

now, you were even more confused. there was no way what Nawi was saying could be true. not after last night. but then again, Nawi had no reason to lie.

as you kept thinking, you heard a last call for breakfast and quickly bolted up. at the serving station, there was one bowl left, wrapped up with leaves on top.

it was a bit odd but you didn’t think much of it. as you reached down to grab it, a server stopped you.

“i’m sorry but this dish is reserved.”

this morning just keeps getting odder and odder, you thought. since when did anyone reserve breakfast? you were about to explain to the server that you hadn’t eaten yet when someone interrupted.

it was the elderly lady you had helped move indigo dye for. she had a smile on her face as she grabbed the bowl and handed it to you. she then turned to the server.

“don’t worry. Izogie was saving the food for this girl, not herself.”

you blinked twice, wondering if you had heard wrong.

“Izogie?”

she nods.

“she told me this morning to make sure that the girl who helped me yesterday ate. isn’t she kind?”

you stood there, unable to comprehend what was happening. quickly, you thanked the server and the elderly woman as you returned to your quarters.

little did you know, Nanare was off to the side and she overheard the entire conversation.

throughout the day, you tried many times to speak with Izogie but there was never an opportunity. this time though, it wasn’t because she was avoiding you. it just happened to be one of those hectic days.

you figured your best opportunity to see her would be at night so you waited. when the time came, you snuck out and headed to her quarters. it was located on the other side of the palace but you didn’t mind.

upon arriving, you saw her on the front steps. she was sneaking a flask under her shirt and you took in a deep breath before walking up.

“Izogie,” you called out.

she turned to look at you, her face tired from the day.

you fiddled with your hands, unsure of how to even begin the conversation.

“i just wanted to say thank you for bringing me back to my quarters and for the food.”

she stared at you with a low gaze, saying nothing. you mentally told yourself to keep going.

“i also wanted to say that i’m sorry for what i said to you last night. it was not right of me and i will accept any punishment you give.”

Izogie still said nothing as she watched you. soon, your mouth was moving faster than your mind.

“can you please say something? if you hate me and never want to speak to me again, just let me know.”

she kissed her teeth slightly as she averted her eyes briefly. soon, she motioned you over with her hand.

“walk with me.”

the night’s air felt cool against your skin as you walked alongside her. both of you were silent, watching few palace workers go by. occasionally, she drank from her flask, staring straight ahead.

then out of nowhere, she spoke.

“i want to apologize to you as well.”

“what?” you asked, staring at her side profile.

“i want to apologize to you. i should’ve done it first.”

you turned your head back to the front.

“tell me what you are apologizing for specifically.”

she scoffed and began counting on her fingers.

“for speaking harshly to you. for avoiding you. for not spending more time helping you as you struggled. for last night.”

she paused before continuing.

“i’ve never once saw you as a burden.”

you heart skipped a beat as she drank some more of what was in the flask.

“there are lots of things inside me that i struggle with. old wounds. i don’t know how to handle a lot of them but i promise, i won’t let it affect how i treat you anymore. i’ll be better to you.”

you quickly took a couple of steps forward, now standing in front of her. she looked down on you as you admired her face in the pale moonlight.

all you ever wanted was to be close to Izogie. everything about her made you curious and for the first time since you liked her, you felt that she would finally allow you to learn.

“thank you,” you said. “for saying those words.”

a small smile formed on her lips and you felt like you were floating. it was the first one she’d ever given you and it was beautiful.

as you both stood there, you eventually cleared your throat. you didn’t want to say goodnight just yet.

“what is it you’re drinking?” you asked.

she looked at the flask before handing it to you.

“like i told Nawi, it’s the only thing the white men bring worth having. they call it whiskey.”

you eyed the drink skeptically before tasting it.

as soon as the liquid hit your tongue, you spat it out immediately, face scrunching in disgust.

Izogie smirked as you quickly handed the flask back.

“how do you drink that nonsense?”

she shrugged.

“it’s an acquired taste.”

you were about to voice your displeasure for the drink even more when you felt her thumb come in contact with the side of your mouth.

you instantly went still, heart pounding.

apparently, a trace of whiskey was left on your lips and she was taking the liberty of wiping it off for you.

her finger maneuvered around the area, not wanting to scratch you with her nail. then, she retracted her thumb, only to put it back in her own mouth.

your lips parted slightly.

“why did you just do that?” you asked, butterflies erupting in your stomach.

Izogie smiled.

“i cannot let good whiskey go to waste.”

she patted your shoulder and continued walking straight ahead. you slapped your cheeks softly as a way to collect yourself before jogging to catch up with her.

at a distance, Nanare stood, watching you both.

eventually, you went back to your quarters but you couldn’t fall asleep. every time you thought about her, a smile found its way onto your face. now that she apologized, it felt like a huge fog had been lifted.

as you replayed all of her words, you prayed to the ancestors that all of it wasn’t a dream or worse, a lie.

the next day, you found out that your hand to hand combat lessons would be with Izogie, not Amenza.

it had been a while since you both trained together so it made you nervous. at the same time, there was also a newfound excitement for the future.

in the middle of the training ground, you both stood across from each other. the sun was beating down on your oiled bodies and soon, class began.

Izogie had her hands behind her back, a focused expression on her face.

“throw a punch,” she said. “i need to see what you’re doing wrong.”

you got into your stance, punching the air once.

“again.”

you steadied yourself and punched again.

she walked over and bent down to your knees, tapping them.

“first of all, your knees. they’re too stiff. loosen them.”

you quickly shook your legs out before getting back into your position.

she then stood in front of you and held both of your hands up to your face.

“always keep your elbows tucked in and your guard up. you need to protect your chin.”

you nodded as you made a mental note.

she grabbed your right arm.

“you swing your arm when you punch. don’t do that. keep it straight as you follow through with the jab.”

she quickly demonstrated and you copied, determined to execute it properly.

after a few practices, you were getting the hang of it. Izogie’s nods of approval also made you feel better.

the first hour went by and you felt accomplished. at this rate, you would get better in no time.

then, she wanted you to try hitting her once.

you thought she was joking at first until she said in a no nonsense manner,

“we will not leave here until you have succeeded.”

in your head, you had already deemed the task impossible but since you were in training, you couldn’t disobey.

for the rest of the afternoon, you threw punch after punch at her but none of them landed. to make matters worse, you had to bare witness to that smirk she always had on her face, as well as her taunting.

“you move just like Nawi. very sloth like.”

you rolled your eyes as you kept your guard up, ignoring the sweat that covered your face.

“you still talk too much, Izogie.”

you gave her a two piece combination but she dodged with ease. you screamed out in frustration and as she laughed, an idea entered your mind.

you quickly gave a convincing wince, holding your right shoulder. her face instantly turned serious as she eyed your arm and then you.

“what happened?”

you faked a look of pain.

“i think i pulled something in my arm.”

“let me see.”

she came over and held your right arm, examining it. you mentally smirked as you thought,

this was going to be too easy.

when she saw nothing wrong, she began to set your hand down and that was when your left hand went directly for her face.

Izogie instantly weaved back, causing you to miss. you quickly swung your right hand but she grabbed it. before you could fully grasp the situation, she drew you close to her and turned you around. your back was now against her chest.

adrenaline ran through you as you felt her hands travel down your waist, holding you in place. you felt her breath down your neck as you heard her smirk. the heat radiating from both of your bodies, as well as the sun, was driving you crazy.

then, she brought her lips to the shell of your ear.

“did you think i was born yesterday?”

your legs instantly felt weak at the sound of her voice. you shook your head no because your mouth couldn’t seem to form words.

she gave you a small laugh as she spun you around.

you were now facing her and you saw beads of sweat cascading down her forehead. her chest heaved up and down as she looked at you.

“why did you just do that?” you asked, voice low.

Izogie brought her face down to yours.

“you were having trouble hitting me so I came closer.”

your eyes flickered down to her lips and you felt the grip she had on your waist get tighter. you stuck your tongue out to wet your lips and as if on instinct, her head inched closer to yours.

in that moment, you uttered two words.

“thank you.”

then, your fist collided with her jaw. you quickly detached yourself from her grasp as she held her face. you kept your distance, face lighting up with joy.

finally, you thought.

you were done for today. as you headed out, her voice stopped you in your tracks.

“come here.”

you turned around.

“what?”

Izogie beckoned you over as she tried to hide a smile.

“i said come here. do not make me ask you again.”

you shook your head in a no way.

“you said if i hit you, training would be over. i just did that so i don’t have to obey you anymore.”

before you knew it, Izogie was chasing you around the training grounds. as you sprinted away, laughter bubbled from your chest.

unbeknownst to the both of you, Nanare had seen the whole ordeal.

the next day, you were on cleaning duty.

to be honest, you didn’t really mind. it gave you ample time to think about her, focus on something other than training.

per usual, all the trainees were assigned to a specific section of the palace and it usually took quite some time to clean. for today, you were working on one of the agojie quarters.

the space wasn’t too disorganized and that meant you would be done a lot faster. you set your supplies down and got to work.

not too long into cleaning, you spotted a bracelet sitting inside a small clay bowl.

it was gold and had colorful stones running through it. you gently picked it up and admired it. you never had jewelry this beautiful and you wondered who it belonged to.

as you held it, Izogie and Esi, another agojie soldier, walked into the room. the moment Esi saw you with the bracelet, she rushed over and took it from you.

“do not touch another warrior’s belongings.”

Izogie laughed as she looked at the bracelet.

“especially that one. Esi is sensitive about it.”

she pretended to hit Izogie who ducked away quickly.

you apologized.

“i’m sorry, Esi. i shouldn’t have touched it in the first place. i just thought it was beautiful.”

Esi sighed as she set her bracelet down.

“no. i’m sorry for snatching it from you and yelling. my mother made it for me and it’s the only thing from her i have here.”

you fidgeted a bit.

“did your mother pass?”

Esi laughed.

“no, no. she’s alive and well. she actually sells these in the marketplace but the townspeople can’t look upon the agojie so i haven’t seen her face in a while.”

you nodded in an understanding way as Izogie spoke.

“do you like it?”

you looked at the bracelet and nodded yes.

Esi smiled and patted your shoulder.

“don’t worry. when i go to the marketplace again, i’ll get one for you from my mother.”

you gave her a surprised look.

“really?”

she nodded. you thanked her well and went back to cleaning. soon, you could hear her and Izogie in the back arguing about who the better fighter was.

you smiled, a feeling of warmth spreading through you. these days, it really felt like things were starting to fall in place for the first time in a long time.

but little did you know, tragedy would soon be knocking at your door.

the next day, you started on your duties as you typically did. but, you felt that something in particular was off. all morning as you worked, you noticed the eyes of others constantly on you.

it was becoming quite burdensome because it wasn’t just from the trainees. most of the palace workers, as well as two of King Ghezo’s wives, were watching you as well.

whenever you entered a room, it immediately went silent, only for the whispers to pick back up the moment you left.

for the life of you, you couldn’t figure out what was going on. had you done something wrong? but if you had, wouldn’t someone have called you by now? you were mentally racking your brain when Fumbe came up to you.

she pulled you to the side and you both sat, her soft facial features displaying worry.

“Fumbe, are you alright?” you asked.

she looked at you for a while before speaking.

“is it true?”

you furrowed your eyebrows at her.

“is what true?”

she sighs.

“don’t tell me you don’t know what i’m talking about.”

you looked at her with an even more confused look and she realized that you really didn’t know.

“you haven’t heard what’s being said about you?”

your heart started racing and all of a sudden, you were hanging onto her every word.

“Nanare told most of the palace that you were sleeping with Izogie.”

in that moment, your ears couldn’t even comprehend what you were hearing.

“excuse me?”

Fumbe continued. “if you are, i’m not judging you. i’m just worried about what King Ghezo might do.”

instantly, you laughed hard.

it might’ve been the hardest you laughed in a while.

Nanare spreading a rumor like this was actually funny. you would give her that.

Fumbe looked at you sternly.

“this is not a laughing matter. are you really sleeping with her?”

you quickly shook your head no.

she let out a sigh of relief.

“thank the ancestors. i didn’t want to see you exiled. you need to clear your name though.”

oh you were going to clear your name alright.

you? sleeping with the soon to be miganon?

so this is what happens when you give people an inch, you thought. they decide to take a mile.

you weren’t worried though.

you would gladly drag Nanare down the mile she so desperately wanted to go.

right then and there, you wanted to confront the younger but you still had work to do.

so, lunchtime it was.

as noon drew closer, you prayed that Izogie hadn’t gotten wind of the nonsense circulating.

luckily for you, because festival day was in two days, some of the agojie soldiers were sent to retrieve large quantities of meat from the nearby butchers in the village. she was a part of that group.

it put your mind at ease to know she wouldn’t be here for the confrontation.

then, lunchtime arrived.

when you got to the serving station, some of the girls were already eating while others waited in line.

your eyes searched for Nanare and soon, you spotted her and the two girls she was always with. they were sitting in a circle on the floor, food in hand.

you walked over to them and kicked the younger’s bowl hard. the contents spilled everywhere and some trainees took notice.

the other girls scooted back in shock as Nanare looked up at your looming figure.

“stand up,” you said to her, tone commanding.

she scoffed as she rose to her feet. after dusting her uniform off, she locked eyes with you.

“well, well, well. if it isn’t Izogie’s whore.”

the palm of your right hand immediately met her cheek with a resounding slap.

now, the entire courtyard was watching. Nanare held her face as you spoke.

“you must think i won’t put hands on you because i allow your insults to pass, right?”

she smiled slyly.

“it seems being with Izogie has you feeling bold.”

you stepped closer to her.

“i’m going to make myself clear. i’m not with anyone at all, so keep my name far away from your mouth.”

she eyed you up and down.

“if you’re not with anyone, then why are you allowed to stay here? it’s not like you contribute anything.”

you felt your blood boiling.

“does my presence annoy you that much?”

she nodded her head yes.

“i really hate people like you.”

you furrowed your eyebrows.

“i don’t even know you. why do you feel you have the right to keep speaking to me like this?”

Nanare rolled her eyes.

“i don’t need to know you to know you’re weak. latching onto the strong to survive. do you think Izogie will always be there?”

now, you were just confused.

“where is all this coming from?”

she clenched her jaw.

“stay away from Izogie. stand on your own for once.”

a thought quickly ran through your mind.

“Nanare, do you have feelings for Izogie?”

the younger immediately laughed hard in your face. this went on for a couple of seconds and you found your patience wearing thin. soon, she spoke.

“love makes you weak. i don’t have a care in the world for it.”

she then leaned in and delivered what you deemed to be the final straw.

“just know that on the battlefield, Izogie won’t be running to save you; the girl who opened her legs to get there.”

you instantly punched her in the jaw.

Nanare stumbled back but you kept raining blows at her head.

all the trainees watched in awe but no one dared to step in.

soon, she fell to the ground and you got on top, pinning her underneath.

you sent punch after punch at her face but she managed to keep her guard up.

then, somebody grabbed you by your waist, lifting you off of her.

they threw you down.

it was one of her friends.

you quickly got up.

as the girl’s hand swung for your face, you ducked your head and wrapped around her torso, knocking the both of you over.

you got on top and began punching her as well.

the girl’s nose started leaking heavily so you stopped.

then, someone put you in a headlock from behind.

it was the second girl.

she raised you up but you could feel she was struggling to hold you.

you began elbowing her in the ribs in order to break free but immediately, Nanare ran up and punched you in your stomach repeatedly.

the girl released her grip on your neck and you doubled over in pain.

as you tried to crawl, someone kicked you hard in the face.

you fell on your side, tasting something metallic on your lips.

due to the sun, you squinted as you looked up to see Nanare. you spoke, voice hoarse.

“if you want to prove your strength, fight me alone. don’t involve your friends.”

anger flashed across her face as she kicked you in your stomach.

you winced in pain.

over the sound of your heartbeat pounding in your ears, you could hear some girls begging for the fight to stop.

you quickly tried to stand but someone kicked you in the back.

you fell down and another stomped on your rib.

you could feel your breath growing weak as the sun’s sweltering heat was becoming too much to bear.

then, the blows came frequently.

your head, your back, your ribs, your thighs and essentially your entire body was met with fists and feet.

instantly, your vision began to blur.

you entered a fetal position, weakly putting your guard up.

soon, all the noise started to fade.

your eyes rolled to the back of your head.

then, you blacked out.

the end.

[🫀] \ bridging the gap — extended scene.

in a grassy field just outside the palace, Nanisca and Amenza set up their lunch picnic style. as both women ate, they occasionally took in the view.

soon, the older of the two spoke.

“has Izogie confessed to that girl yet?”

Amenza immediately started choking on her food. she coughed a couple of times to clear her throat.

“you know about that?”

Nanisca gave a small laugh.

“even a blind man can see how she looks at her.”

they sat in silence for a while.

“you’re not upset with Izogie?” Amenza asked. “you remember what happened last tim—.”

Nanisca quickly interrupted her, voice firm.

“we promised not to speak of that situation again.”

the younger sighed. Nanisca continued, a look of sincerity on her face.

“besides, i cannot be angry with Izogie. that child carries so much pain but for the first time in a long time, my successor seems happy again.”

worry found its way onto Amenza’s features.

“but do you not fear the past repeating itself?”

Nanisca sighed.

“in this line of work, of course I do. but for Izogie’s sake, i pray the ancestors are not that cruel.”

Amenza nodded in agreement as she ate a fruit.

“so, do you want me to tell Izogie she has your blessing?”

Nanisca scoffed playfully.

“do not push it. i’m already having trouble getting her to focus in my class nowadays.”

Amenza chuckled lightly.

“she really does like that girl.”

as their conversation continued, they spotted Nawi from afar. she was with some agojie soldiers at the gate and they were carrying heavy boxes made out of straw.

Migan’s men greeted them and quickly took the containers inside. while looking around, Nawi then saw Nanisca and Amenza and went to join them.

“good afternoon, mother. good afternoon, Amenza,” she said as she sat down on the grass.

“how was your trip to get meat for festival day?” Nanisca asked.

Nawi rubbed both of her shoulders in pain.

“remind me to hide the next time they ask for volunteers.”

Amenza laughed as she spoke.

“where is Izogie by the way? we did not see her at the gate with the rest of you.”

Nawi grabbed a fruit from Nanisca’s plate.

“she said she was going to stop by the marketpla—.”

before the youngest could even finish her sentence, an ear piercing scream rang out in the distance.

all three women immediately bolted up and looked in the direction it came from.

on the pathway up, a trainee was running towards them at full speed. her hands waved frantically as she yelled, trying to get their attention.

the women looked at each other, concern spreading across their faces.

when she finally arrived, they noticed she was crying furiously and hyperventilating.

Amenza quickly rested her hands on the girl’s shoulders in order to calm her down.

“breathe, my child. what has happened?”

the trainee spoke between sobs, her body shaking.

“they were just fighting at first. a normal fight. that’s all. none of us thought it would go that far. we should’ve stopped it sooner.”

Nawi’s brow furrowed.

“a fight? between who? where?”

the trainee sniffled as she spoke rapidly.

“at the courtyard. it was between y/n, Nanare and her friends. y/n was confronting Nanare about something and then they started fighting. we all thought it would be over after a while but then, all three of them starting beating her even though she was on the ground and—.”

the girl stopped talking and started crying into her hands even more. Amenza squeezed her shoulders as Nanisca stepped in front of her, slowly loosing her patience.

“pull yourself together this instant. what happened?”

the girl removed her hands from her face as she looked up at Nanisca.

“miganon, y/n isn’t breathing.”

Nanisca immediately ran in the direction of the palace as Amenza’s eyes widened. Nawi covered her mouth in shock as she stumbled back.

Amenza quickly turned the trainee to face her and spoke urgently.

“go into town and find the palace physician. he should be buying herbs for festival day today. bring him back to the palace as fast as you can.”

the girl nodded and took off running.

Amenza turned to Nawi who had tears building up in her eyes. she held the younger’s shoulder tightly.

“Nawi, I need you to find Izogie and keep her far away from here for as long as you can. no matter what, do not tell her what is happening here.”

Nawi stood frozen and before Amenza could speak again, rustling was heard in the grass.

it was from Izogie.

she was standing not too far away and she eyed the both of them suspiciously.

as she walked closer, Amenza sighed, lowering her head in defeat. Nawi fell to the ground, a tear running down her cheek as her hand still covered her mouth.

Izogie raised an eyebrow as her gaze shifted between the two of them. on one of her fingers, a golden bracelet with colorful stones dangled. she slid it into her pocket as her facial expression turned serious.

“do not tell Izogie what?”