The heavy door slams open. All in the court gasp and turn to whisper harshly to one another at the sight of a newcomer with chains wrapped around his wrists, trailing behind him, and guards on either side of him, dressed in their Dressrosa uniforms.
Prince Trafalgar sits on his throne, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement as they sharply, yet playfully, stare down the newcomer who has a straw hat tattoo on one his chained wrist.
"Prince Trafalgar! We have a man here who requests to see you before he hangs!" One of the guards announces loudly.
The prisoner's head remains staring down at the floor, black hair wet with sweat and perhaps water as he doesn't meet the prince's gaze.
Law stares down at the man, lips in a smirk while he glances briefly at the guard. The room falls silent once more as they anxiously await for the royals response.
"Oh? And why did you bring him without my permission?" the prince asks, legs crossed and fingers touching in front of him, with his smirk widening at the guard's reaction.
The guard stiffens. "My-my prince," he bows his head, "I.. he has a story tha-"
"It's not a wise thing to do, considering that he could be an assassin, or a spy. Do you wish to disrespect my position so carelessly, Guard-ya?" the guard stutters, sweat on the back of his neck.
Law sighs, smirk ever present, "I wonder what my father would think?" he sighs again, smirking even as he opens his eyes, "I don't wish to involve him." The guard holds back a sigh of relief which gets caught as the prince continues, "But my uncle does have a knack for figuring things out, and I wouldn't want you or your family to pay, would I?"
"No, my prince."
Law smirks as the whispering befalls again, "Good, now what story has my guards risking my life?" his eyes fall onto the prisoner who snorts, the other guard raises a hand in response.
"How dare you defy the royal family! You insufferable swine!" the guard prepares to back hand the man who doesn't even flinch. The sight causes Law's smirk to widen at the grin playing behind wet hair.
"Hold on." The prince holds up his hand, smirk growing impossibly wider at hearing the courts whispers of 'how dare he!?' and 'that uncultured swine dare mock the royal family!?'. Really, how people that talk worse about him try to lick his boots; it's the best kind of irony.
Law's hand falls, touching his fingertips as he gazes at his prisoner, lips tugging up at the situation and strange man.
"What's so funny, Prisoner?"
The sun hits the young man bound in chains from the large window panel, showing more detail on his face, down to the abs peeking from the ragged shirt.
The prisoner finally raises his head, his height now notable as his big eyes that are so brown they could pass for black stare back at the prince, a scar under one of his eyes as his hair hangs at the sides of his face. Something tugs on Law's hand and the prince feels his breath leave.
"Well," the prisoner's lips curl, dressed in rags with his own sandals, Law knows this because prisoners are to wear the shoes they have on, unless they wished to help the kingdom then they will bare the Dressrosa mark on their feet; it's how you tell a prisoner turned worker, the highest position a prisoner can get if they're accepted.
"I think you could break more than one bone in my body," his eyes meet Law's and the whispers roar, "but, ya know, I wouldn't just take a beating from you without a fight." Law's eyes widen and his lips curl further in amusement.
"Actually," the prisoner stands straighter, eyes fierce and grin wider as he stares down Dressrosa's Prince with the sun casting a large shadow across the stone flooring, "I think I could kick your ass even with these stupid chains on." From the nobles down to the floor washer, gasps tumbled from their mouths.
Law tilts his head down, wild smirk on his lips, eyes peeking from under his spotted hat, gleaming with his dark blue hair underneath it. "You have balls, Straw Hat. But you apparently have no brains, talking down to someone who currently has your life in their hands."
The prisoner meets his eyes again, never leaving them as his grin becomes wider at the prince's response. Power almost radiates off of the man in rags as the two speak to one another as equals in a place of stature and rank, "Considering you would be killing your soulmate," the prisoner's grin widens at the shock flashing in golden eyes, "it would be a pretty stupid mistake to make."
Another gasp echoes, this one being cut off by Law rising from his seat, radiating with cold anger as he holds his tattooed hand up.
"And what makes you think that I'm your soulmate, Straw-Hatter?" the demand echoes back in a deep voice to the prisoner whose grin widens into a smile, the laughter in his dark eyes mingling with curiosity.
The prisoner laughs, something that harmonizes in all beings hearing it, making the tug on Law's finger pull fiercer toward the sound striking his heart and slightly knocking him off guard at the sound. The prisoner holds up his pinky, eyes opening while he smiles back at the prince.
"Because," he bends his pinky, smile growing wider at the startled eyes of Law who stares at his own hands before looking back at him.
"I've been following this string," the prisoner explains, eyes gleaming and causing Law's heart to stop for a second as he feels another, harsher tug while realization dawns on his mind, leaving him slack jawed.
No.
"And it led to you."
It was quiet, the prisoner's laugh fading as he steps closer towards the throne, no one making a move to stop him, too caught up at the sight of this stranger penetrating their prince's defense with just a few words.
"I've been trying to find you for awhile now. I had to travel a lot of places and I made a few nakama along the way, and they're probably worried about me- Zoro's already probably out of his cell by now though." The prisoner stops, looking thoughtful for a moment before his eyes settle back on Law's.
"Which, knowing Zoro, he's probably lost." He further explains to the prince, grinning and never leaving his eyes. "And your golds probably gone by now too, that's Nami." Law stares back, along with the whole court, dumbfounded at the strange prisoner rubbing the back of his neck.
"And I finally found you." The prisoner looks on the verge of pouting, what he does though, surprises the court yet again.
"But you didn't even feed me! I mean, Shanks' said that soulmates are suppose to take care of each other! You're doing it all wrong, you jerk!" the strange man points an accusing finger at the prince.
Law regains his composure, swallowing as he looks at his pouting prisoner with a strange story and even stranger friends, some friends he hasn't described yet by the sound of 'crew'.
"What's your name?" Law demands, calm and sharp, dressed in everything the prisoner's not. The tattooed prisoner stares for a moment, before his face breaks into a wide grin.
"Monkey D. Luffy!" at the name, everyone gasps, even Law feels like he was pushed back slightly by the name itself.
The prince grits his teeth and stares down, gold coin turned a burnt gold within moments of hearing the name.
"Why would you walk into enemy territory? Why would you follow a childish children story all the way here to your enemies feet?" it's tense, the prisoner -Luffy- stares at him in confusion.
"Huh? Don't be stupid!"
"You're not my enemy." Luffy stares at Law, like he's the wrong one in this situation, a frown on the shorter male's lips as he continues simply, "You're my soulmate."
"My Law."
The prince's breath hitches, audible in the court as Luffy hit his knees, inches in front of their prince on the steps, black and gold clashing as he takes the tattooed hand in his own.
Law's fingers tingle, the red more distinct in his vision as Luffy's eyes become half lidded, meeting his own.
"Aren't you?"
The court waits.
Their prince stares down at the enemy's son, who is willingly giving his life to him, wide eyed and barely breathing. They imagine their strong prince's heart hammering against his rib cage and beating in his ears, the thought seems nearly impossible.
Law looks down, swallowing the dryness in his throat as dark eyes gleam from the setting sun peaking in through the windows, as he weighs his options, the tug seeming to wait with him.
If he says no, the prisoner -his soulmate- (the red string too clear to deny now) will be either executed or released. But could he handle the other never showing back up into his life? Could this just be a trick by the enemy? Law reminds himself that the strings true, even if the man's intentions aren't.
Will he let the other walk away from his life? Is being alone worth the knowledge of no pain or loss? Isn't letting him leave a loss all on its own? Law swallows hard, heart hammering against his chest, dizzy and barely breathing.
"Yes." Luffy's smile is small and it steals Law's breath away, the court dare not utter a single gasp at this moment of fate that's been sealed in time forever.
The prisoner kisses the prince's fingers, on the tattooed label with a certainty of mankind and fate and everything in between.
"I'll always find my way back to you, Law."
Watching Luffy's eyes crinkle with a smile highlighting his face, tan skin glowing as he looks up at him. It was the right choice, even if pain will follow in the future.
Law gently squeezes the hand holding his own, the strings connect, forming a knot that can't be undone.
"Thank you for finding me..."
Luffy squeezes back, dark eyes crinkling at the edges, "Always."