New Story I was messing around with lately. I've written some other chapters, but dunno if i'll post them. Whatever feedback I get here will tell me If I should keep going or not. So, R&R please.
Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, But I do own the OCs.
" "- Dialogue
' '- Thoughts
Flashback (or depending on situation)
OoOo- Scene Change
Chapter 1
Once upon a time, there was a kingdom by the name of Raphtel. It was ruled by a kind royal family living in the castle in the center of the kingdom. In that castle, there lived King Sagishi, Queen Jibou, and their only daughter, Princess Kanashimi. When she was 2 years old, a prophet had said:
"When the day of crowning is upon us,
We'll all be filled with glee.
But one after one, she must send them away,
Crawling, crawling on their knees.
She simply cannot choose from any gent;
All her years will be for naught.
He who desires her most will take her hand,
The one she longs… just can't be sought."
"Be gone!" ordered King Sagishi before the prophet had said anymore. He showed himself out as the king comforted the shaken Queen. She looked up at him, and then at they're young child. Luckily, she had been asleep during the confrontation.
"Do not fret, my dear. This will not be her destiny," assured the king as he stroked the red and black hair of his child. "We must promise to never tell her." The queen nodded as the soft tears flowed down her face.
OoOoO15 years later…OoOoO
'It's such a nice day,' thought the young maiden out in the garden of the castle. She bent down and felt the smoothness of the leaves belonging to a white rose. The young mistress was now 17 and the time was near to take the throne. Just the thought of it saddened her. The soft song of the birds filled the air, for a short while that is.
"Milady! Are you out here?! Your parents call for you!" called a peculiar sounding voice. It was high pitched, but stern sounding. The maiden sighed and turned around, her dress flowing swiftly with the movement. Out appeared a skinny looking man, wearing simple clothes, but finer than those of a peasant's.
"What is it this time, Kiplin?" The young man bowed first before answering.
"The King and Queen request your presence for an important decision." She sighed once again, and followed him back to the castle. As she entered the doorway, the knights standing guard bowed respectively, followed by the hundreds of servants working in the castle. The young maiden's expression unchanged, she continued walking towards her parents.
"There she is!" called Queen Jibou. A young man, probably another prince, turned around to look at her. He was handsome and dashing, but the princess had no change of emotion. He bowed holding out his hand. She placed hers into his and he gave it a delicate kiss.
"My, My! What a gentleman he is," remarked King Sagishi. The princess simply rolled her eyes and pulled the prince up to look at her.
"I'm very sorry for this inconvenience, but I will not accept any proposal you have for me. Please leave this instant." He bowed respectively and was escorted by one of the knights. The queen, exasperated, stood up and faced her daughter.
"You didn't even give him a chance to say a word!" she said. The young woman gestured to one of the servants and they brought her a chair. She sat down and with her ankles crossed properly over each other.
"You know what I would've said the moment you asked that prince to come visit me. He probably knew too." The queen sighed, knowing she was right, and retired to her seat. A servant offered her some tea, but was waved away.
"Why won't you accept any of the princes we've chosen for you?" she asked, exhausted by yet another attempt to make the princess marry someone.
"How many times must I tell you? Love is not meant to be rushed," answered the young woman. The king sat forward and rested one hand on his knee. He heaved a sigh before beginning.
"You know that the kingdom won't last unless you are married and rightfully crowned," her father reminded. She sighed once again, and nodded.
"Why couldn't you have had a boy instead?" she questioned quietly to herself.
"Yes. Why couldn't have we…" he agreed under his breath. The queen shot him an annoyed glance, and turned back to her daughter.
"What is it that keeps you from choosing a husband?" she asked.
"A love is built from bond, and a bond takes time."
"Which we're running out of!" interrupted the queen. "In a year, you'll have to take the thrown, and without a husband, the kingdom will be left without a ruler!" The princess stood up and faced her mother.
"How can I rule knowing my love is a lie? Other princesses would gladly take someone they know nothing about just to save their kingdom. I'm not trying to sound selfish, but I'd rather rule happily alone than sadly with a lie. I want to love for happiness, not duty." The queen shook her head, and looked down, ashamed of what she constantly does. The princess hugged her mother, then her father and stood in front of them both. "Just be patient." They nodded and she left the throne room. They knew it was hard to do this, but they had no choice.
"You turned another one down, eh?" asked a knight that was a close friend to Princess Kanashimi. She nodded at the blonde haired knight, and the both of them went to her room. She walked with a straight back and looked ahead, her eyes slightly narrowed. The knight watched her worried; he also knew of what the prophet said. Why, he was standing outside the door listening!
"Don't worry, Sanji. I'll marry someone soon enough, just not now. This kingdom will live on," she said aloud, as if she read his thoughts. He smiled at her, blushing a little from worrying too much. He had known her since they were young children because his mentor, Zeff, is the royal chef. He planned on being a cook, but the king had made him a knight to protect Kanashimi. He didn't mind, though. He could've changed his mind anytime, but he never did.
They reached her room, and he opened the door for her. Her room was so vast, it took some time to try and look at everything in it. Her windows were tall, wide, and draped with curtains the color of red wine. Her bed was large enough to fit 20 full grown men onto it without any of them touching which always confused Kanashimi. The curtains on it were much thinner and looked transparent. He leaned on the edge of the window looking out of it.
"I really wonder why my parents continue to push this fact into my mind. I already know what I have to do," she remarked, disappearing into a changing room. He glanced back at the closed door, and frowned. He really wished he could tell her, but he had sworn to her parents he wouldn't, just as he had sworn to protect her. Turning to the window and opening it, he pulled out a thin cigar, lit it, and took a puff. The cloud of smoke flew out and vanished with the breeze.
The door opened and she came out in a peasant's attire. Her expression was brighter than before, even after the talk with her parents. Also, she wasn't under the constant constriction of her dress. She gestured to him, and the two left through a secret entrance that had a trail that snaked to the nearby town.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOo
"Good Morning, Oujosama!" cried a young girl holding a toy bunny. Kanashimi crouched down on one knee and patted her head, smiling.
"Please, call me Kana," she insisted. The young girl laughed and called her name out with a giggle. A woman hurried over and gently pulled her away, apologizing to Kana. Sanji helped her up, and she dusted off her clothes while saying, "It's no problem. I was just getting to know my new friend." She smiled again at the young girl. "Have a good day," she added with a wave.
"Have a good day, Kana-san!" the little girl cried, waving back. They continued deeper into town where the crowds were and they made room for her to get through. As they continued down a rock-paved road, a young man wearing a straw hat bumped into Kana, making her fall to the ground.
"Kana! You ok?" asked Sanji, who turned his attention away from the young maidens waving at him. "Hey, you-"
"No," she interrupted. She looked back, seeing him walk dazedly and with his hands in the pockets of his tunic. 'He didn't even look back,' she thought. She was helped up once again and the two continued on, Kana's thoughts still wandering.
Well... there is it. Nothing much to say, but I had this in my computer for a LONG while. I hoped you enjoyed it cause I certainly liked writing it.
