Day 1: Freedom. Royal AU
Marco sat among the crowd of nobles in silent disgust, though he hid it well behind half lidded eyes making many believe he could care less about being there. All around him, people were finding their seat and chatting excitably about the auction.
Though that isn't much of a surprise, the blond prince thought with a huff as he crossed his legs. It was the annual auction that brought people from all over the world as it was the main event to the peace treaty sign hundreds of years ago. To celebrate that treaty, the following week after it's signing the cultures of all the kingdoms had been introduced to the people who had come to witness the greatest moment in history. An event was created to show the greatness of the participating kingdoms for each of those days, now years later they continued.
He hated it there.
Hated the building. Hated the people. Hated the purpose, the need for him is there.
But he was one of the sons of King Edward Newgate, the hire to the throne of the Moby kingdom and thus had to part take in the last day of the festival no matter how much he dispraised it. He was the only one out of his fifteen brothers that had to be present with his father, but he guesses that was a blessing in itself. He didn't want them here with him, not when it made him this sick to part take in.
His father, nicknamed Whitebread, did not allow his children to see what exactly was the auction. They, like the rest of the world, were in the dark about the "merchandise" that was sold as only the nobles from the kingdoms were allowed into the room to part take. The difference, however, was that even if they were royal Whitebeard refused to have their innocence stolen away about the peace treaty festival. He wanted them to remember it as the wonder-filled the week of happiness and magic as they thought it was.
Only Marco knew the true darkness this day held.
The lights dimmed suddenly snapping the prince from his thoughts and he watched with a faked bored expression as the curtain was lifted.
A terrified red haired girl chained to the center of the stage stared back at him. He felt his father stiffen next to him, a mumbled swear escaping his lips, and knew that his Pops would bet for the young maiden until he got her. He clutched his hand in order to not do the same.
"Hundred thousand!"
"Hundred fifty thousand!"
"two hundred thousand!"
The shouts started imminently as the girl whimpered at each rising number. It was to be expected, however, after all, today she would be a sold away for her crimes. What crime did she commit? Simple. She was born.
Marco gritted his teeth as he read the pamphlet he was handed before sitting. Her profile stated that she was born from a prostitute and henceforth worth nothing to the rest of the world but she had mange to inherited her mother's beauty that made her seem so exotic. The perfect choice for a sex slave, the merchandise that the auction sold each year and the ones the royals were excited to gain. The poor thing was only twelve years old.
"fifty hundred thousand." Whitebeard's voice boom above all other offers to make many drop their heads in silence not wanting to bet against the strongest man in the world. They could rise to a higher price but many wanted to make the large man into an ally for the future and were willing to let him have the little girl. Just like every year, they watched as the girl's neck was marked with the Whitebeard crest and taken backstage to wait for the King to pick up later. It would be the last time any of them would see the girl. She like many other slaves bought by the Moby Dick Kingdom would simply disappear after the whole event was done with.
The fact the strongest man in the world prefers children as sex slaves were a well-known fact. A lot of the royals thought it was amusing but many knew it was due to younger ones having a higher chance of being virgins. Or so they thought.
Marco inwardly smirked at the fools who all thought Whitebeard did anything other than set his slaves free. It was a tradition for his family to buy as many as they could then set them free once they boarded their boats. In order to avoid being hunted down once set free however the family acted as if though they had killed the ones bought that day and hide the ex-slaves as civilians in their kingdom. It meant many would never see their hometowns again but since Whitebeard claimed all of them as the family the moment they stepped into his lands, many of the unwanted never wanted to leave anyway.
They were sold in the first place because the world scorns their existence, and suddenly finding somewhere they weren't treated like outcasts? None wanted to leave Pops.
Next came a young man with wavy blond hair and ripping muscles glaring bloody murder at the crowd. He is the child of a thief and now was paying for his father's crimes. His profile claimed he was already showing the signs of following in his father's footsteps at five years old when he tried to take a blanket from the market "lying" about being cold at night. His pretty face made him very desirable.
"fifty hundred thousand yoi" The prince said raising a hand with a slightly bored expression. Many knew him for his male preference and once again allowed the Whitebeard household to win. The man was taken backstage struggling the whole way with a shout about "getting free one day and making the rotten nobles pay"
Marco like him.
The auction continued through the night and once more Whitebeard bought the most. Whatever he didn't manage to get his son, Prince Marco, bought and only allowed five get sold to others. It was a bitter pill to swallow but both knew they could not save everyone and with heavy hearts watch the unlucky ones get collared with anything else then their family symbol.
It was the very last one before the day was over and Marco sat up a little straighter. The main event was always left in mystery to make it that much more fun to buy and he wondered what they collected this year. Was it another fishmen child? A giant? A magic user?
The possibilities were endless but there was one fact that remain true.
Whoever was save best for last was going to be unbelievably gorgeous. It was the only one everyone forgot politics for and fought until only the richest won. The Whitebeards were no exception.
I wonder if it's male or female this year. Marco thought as he watched them roll in a cage hidden under a golden blanket onto the stage. He felt the whole room lean in with interest and fought back a scowl at the greedy looks that were sent to the whimpering coming from underneath it. Whatever it is, we will be winning.
Marco was prepared for a lot of things but when the auctioneer, a disgusting man named Teach, cleared his throat and spoke he felt his very insides freeze over in shock . "Ladies and gentlemen! I have the honor of presenting you the son of the fallen king Gol D. Roger, as our main event!"
The words had the desired effect. The whole room exploded in shouts of excitement and thick bloodlust. Many had hated Roger for years because the man had been known for conquering kingdoms throughout his life. He raided and stole land from many, it did not matter that he did so to be put an end to all the oppression those lands, suffered under their former rulers nor that he was one of the kindest kings ever to live. His actions started wars, his ideas ignored by higher ups and false rumors of the murderous monster he was were spread.
It was unknown was true and what wasn't anymore, because of this but none could hide his existence even after a civil war broke out in his kingdom lead by the fascist group called World Government had managed to overthrow and execute him twenty years ago.
Marco had only met him once but even though he was still just a small child, he knew how powerful the man had been. None could deny that he had truly earned the nickname "Pirate King" for nothing. Roger had held everything the world could offer in his hands and many despised him for it.
It seemed based on the expressions around him, many were ready to gain revenge on the man through his son.
"Marco. We better not lose" Whitebeard mumbled to him his hands turning white with how hard he gripped his betting number. The blond prince could understand his rage, after all, Roger had been one of his closest friends growing up.
Teach laughed before loudly proclaiming " I give you, Portgas D. Ace! The little bastard was hiding using his slut of a mother's name but thanks to one of our best hunters Akainu he was brought in tonight!"
The answering roar of approval was disgusting and the Phoenix- the title Marco had earned for his many won battles defending his country- felt his determination rise to higher levels.
"Of course yoi" The blond answered eyes intense as the blanket was slowly started lifted. "We can both bet as one-"
The man cut himself off as his breath was stolen right from his chest suddenly as he locked eyes with stormy gray eyes. They rested in a freckled face that was pulled in a hated sneer but it did nothing to hide how beautiful the young man was. In all his years of living Marco could never say his ever seen someone memorizing as the young man chained in the cage. He was shirtless with a beaded necklace and black shorts his only clothing- probably a spite to his royal blood being worthless now- and yet he still held a presence of someone better, someone who could be so much more than a boy in his father's shadow if given the chance.
But going by the look in his eye, Marco could bet his future crown that the kid probably never gotten that chance. He never been free of that burned since the day he was born.
"We have to win. We have to give him freedom Pops" the blond mumbled in a daze, eyes never leaving the grey ones on stage. He watched as the sneer soften into a surprise one, the freckled beauty moment
Huh. So the he could read lips? The bond thought as the raven studied him with suspicion, feeling oddly warm inside at the attention. The rest of the room fading away, both were ignoring the others in the room shouting numbers in a attempt of buying the cursed prince.
'It's okay now. I'll help you.' He mouth to the youth who imminently glared back. He chuckled at that but soon raise his voice to make his claim wager that left other in the dust.
"five hundred billion!"