Chapter 1 - The Bargain
Princess Viola struggled fruitlessly against her captor as the hideous intruders continued their reign of terror. The house guards were no match for the combined strength of their Devil Fruit. Men ran up and were gunned down, pulled into the marble floor or crushed by the very walls themselves.
She could see it all even when she squeezed her eyes shut.
If you looked this with your clairvoyance, Princess Viola then you would have seen clearly what is happening to this country.
Why? Why didn't I! Now it was too late. She had never regretted not have an offensive ability so much.
"Please, stop! Please!"
"That's right, Princess." Monet whispered in her ear, laughing. "Tell them to stand down. We wouldn't want them to lay a hand upon your pretty face."
Viola tried to recoil as the former maid traced a finger against her cheek.
"The princess!" The officers shouted. "We can't risk hurting her!"
"Lay down your weapons!" Monet said.
"Oi, Monet, it will be no fun then-in" A giant man who reminded her of an large orangutan said.
How can she know such vile people? How could I not see her betrayal?
The solders reluctantly laid down their weapons then the gang proceeded to slaughter them.
"NOOOO!" Viola screamed as she saw the people she had grown up with cut down before her. Blood sprayed on the ornate furnishings and dripped down the walls. "Please, please I'll do anything!"
"Oh you will." Monet said as she dragged her past the mangled bodied in their once proud uniforms. "I'm sure you'll serve Joker well."
"Joker?" Viola said fearfully as she gulped down the vomit that threatened to emerge.
"Yes, you can call him Doflamingo-sama."
"Doflamingo-sama! Doflamingo-sama! Doflamingo-sama!" She could hear the shouts of joy from the tall windows that reflected the orange glow of flames outside.
"Doflamingo..." She whispered, horrified. That Doflamingo! The pirate!
Nails like claws sank into her arms and she bit back a scream. "Doflamingo-sama, Viola. We need to be polite now, don't we? I thought your father taught you better than that."
"Father!" Oh Gods, I hope he is ok!
"Yes." Monet said as she led Viola and her terrible procession through the familiar corridors and stairs. Everything was cast in the light of the fires from below. "If we are lucky we might be there just in time to see him."
"What are you going to do with him?!"
"Ooh she's a snippy one, isn't she Monet-san?" An ugly, grinning woman said.
"I'd give her a beating to put her in her place!" A teenage girl with black hair, armed with a lethal rifle and katana said.
"I intend to." Monet smiled as she pulled Viola's arms back, nearly unhinging them. "But the Princess has to look her best to see the Young Master."
"Aww he always gets the pretty girls-dasuyan!" A vast, round faced boy complained as Viola's blood ran cold. What did that mean? Were they going to…
I can't face it! I'd..I'd rather die! This just can't be happening!
The place rocked and more screams came from up ahead. Her vision came upon her unbidden and she saw a horrific face emerge from the walls up ahead and crush more loyal soldiers between its basalt teeth. Innards spilled across the floor and the screams ceased abruptly. The face sank back into the wall. Viola wanted to faint, anything to escape but her vision pressed her on through the walls and into the throne room. A group of people gathered within but she only had eyes for one figure - an extremely tall man dressed in a pink feather coat lounging on her father's throne. A large grin curled on his face as if all the violence and terror was a delicious entertainment for him. He wore a pair of red glasses, curving into devil-like spikes at the ends. They seemed to reflect his bloody gaze as he looked down as his latest victim, head bent to receive his judgement at sword point.
"FATHER!" She screamed as she recognised the defeated man. Heedless of Monet's hissed reproach, she pulled free and tried to run towards the throne room before her father could be killed.
"Arms-morphosis - Chain Whip!" Metal links snapped round her leg and smacked her against the floor as she was pulled back. "Well, looks like she's really keen to see the Young Master."
Monet pulled her up by her hair, wrenching her cruelly. "Viola, you need to learn to listen to orders. I'm the mistress now and you're the servant."
"I don't care about you, you bitch!" Viola spat, Dressrosan temper finally ignited. "I don't care about any of you! I have to save my father!"
"A bit more respect." An armoured man said and a bullet went flying past her face and buried itself in the wall just behind her. "I don't think she's ready to see the Young Master, Monet."
"Gladius, don't harm my prize. I guarantee the Young Master will like her and I will be the one to discipline her. Maybe he'll like to watch..."
"You can keep your twisted ideas to yourself, Monet." The man called Gladius said as he strode past her. "The Young Master is too busy bringing this country to heel."
"Hmm Gladius, just because everything of yours is made of metal doesn't mean everyone else's is." Monet smirked
"I don't have time for this!" Viola shouted. "He's going to kill him!"
Monet kept the smile but her eyes flashed with anger and she reached for the princess with the clear intention of harm when they heard shouts from the throne room.
"Young Master!" Gladius shouted and ran down the hall. The others hurried after him with Viola this time as intent on keeping up as the rest.
Engaging her vision she saw through into the large room again and gasped when she recognised her brother in law leaping to kill Doflamingo with her father still at his feet.
Go Kyros-ni-sama! She thought, amazed at his fortitude when she saw he only had one leg and the other was a stump pouring with blood.
Her eyes opened wide when a small girl that looked a bit like Monet stretched out a hand towards the valiant gladiator and turned him into a toy soldier.
"How?" She gasped as they reached the room with its large doors open, piles of dismembered bodies on either side. But Viola looked beyond, eyes fixed on her father and the weird toy that had grabbed him. Like a scene from a dream the life sized model leapt out of the window with her father in tow as men scrambled after him.
"The toy's escaping with the king!" The large boy with her group cried.
"Find them!" The feather clad pirate shouted "Don't let King Riku escape!"
"Yes, Doflamingo-sama!"
"Father!" Viola exclaimed and all heads turned towards her. She stood like a mouse in the path of a snake as Doflamingo fixed her and the others with his attention.
"Ah Monet. So nice to see you again. You've done well."
"Thank-you Young Master." The woman bowed with far more respect than she had ever given anyone in the Riku Family.
"Is this the gift you mentioned?" Those red glasses burned into her. Viola felt naked before them.
"Yes, this is the former princess Viola." Monet pushed her forward. Former princess... "Be respectful, Viola, your life and that of your father depend on it." She whispered.
"Fufufu." The deep laugh rushed through Viola, making her knees buckle, but instinctively she knew that showing weakness here would make her dire situation worse. She locked her knees and faced the monster with her most regal expression which made him laugh harder. "Well, well so the girl has some backbone." Without relinquishing her gaze he spoke to his subordinates." All of you. I want the place and city secured by dawn and the rest of the country the next day. Now get out, a princess deserves a private audience."
His cohorts left, each stranger than the next but she couldn't take her eyes from the blond man in front of her. The fire from the burning city cast a reddish glow on his face making it look more demonic. He stood up, towering above her then sat down lazily on the dais edge, head leaning against his hand as he looked her up and down. His gaze was mesmerising. No matter how revolting he was or how petrified Viola felt, there was something that seemed to pull her towards him, a latent magnetism like unseen strings drawing her in. Viola almost jumped when Monet's voice interrupted her reverie.
"Princess Viola possesses the power of the Giro-Giro fruit as I told you. She can see into people's minds as well as over long distances."
"Hmm." Doflamingo said, still idly studying her. In that moment Viola wasn't sure which of them possess clairvoyance as he seemed to be able to read her every thought.
I never want to look into his mind.
Summoning all the courage of her Dressrosan blood, she spoke. "What will happen to my father?"
"Your father is a traitor. The citizens want him and you dead."
"He didn't do those things!"
"Fufufu, did you not watch via the Den Den Mushi? King Riku's hands are bathed in blood! And here I thought he was such a good man. Good thing I and my crew were here to save the day."
"You did this! I don't care how you did it but my father would never hurt his people!"
A slap blinded her and she fell to the floor. Blinking, her vision cleared but Doflamingo hadn't moved. His smile grew wider.
"I told you to speak to the Young Master with more respect, Viola." Monet said in a conversational tone. "I apologise, Young Master, she hasn't been fully broken in yet."
"Fufufu! Don't worry Monet, I rather like the stories I've heard of these Dressrosan women. Is it true they stab men to death?"
"Yes, my Lord. The ones that betray them."
"We'll just have to keep the knives away from Viola then."
"I will kill you!" Viola screamed, "I don't care what you do to me, I will have revenge for my family!"
"Ooh you're weren't joking, Monet! Look at her eyes! I think she's serious. What a fiery little girl."
"I'm nineteen!"
"Fufufu my apologies, Princess. Still, you'll need to learn a bit more decorum when speaking to your king."
"My father isn't here."
"I wasn't talking about him." Doflamingo leaned back looking supremely arrogant.
"You can take the throne by force but you will never truly be the king of this country."
Deep, manic laughter echoed off the walls as Doflamingo threw his head back. After he had finished he looked at his subordinate "She doesn't know who I am, Monet."
"I know Young Lord, do you want me to discipline her again?"
"No, I'll do it, if it needs doing. I'm sick of the sight of sweaty warriors and civilian corpses. A few royal tears will wash them down much better." He stepped down from the dais and Viola shrank back.
Before she could back away further her limbs somehow became rooted to the ground. She gasped trying to free herself but it was futile. He reached out and grasped her chin painfully in his large hand. Tears burned her eyes as he stared down at her.
"Before you look down on me with your haughty ways, you should know exactly who you are judging." Viola cried out in pain as his hand tightened, thumb digging into her cheek. "I am Donquixote Doflamingo, not just some common pirate. My lineage in far prouder than yours Riku Viola. You and your family are the dregs they had to bring in after my family was elevated to godhood."
"You're...ah...you're a...celestial dragon!" Viola choked in disbelief.
"Was, but that's another story." He released her face and finding she could move again she rubbed her bruised cheek. "So you see Viola, this is my country. You are the usurpers here." He smiled as he turned away. "Now. Will you serve me or not?"
Tears gathered in Viola's eyes but she stood up proudly. If this is to be the end so be it, I don't care who he is! "I will never serve you." Her voice rang out, clear and cold.
Stealing herself against Monet or an attack from him she jumped when that horrible laughter began again.
"Ah if I had a beri for every time some jumped up do-gooder said that to me I'd be even richer than I am now." He held out a hand against Monet as she stepped forward to punish Viola's temerity. "Viola...what do you think my soldiers will do when they find your father? Why don't you look now and see if they've caught up with him? Go on."
His voice was almost kindly as he gestured to her and she engaged her magical sight. The toy soldier was racing down an alley with her father still being carried in his wooden arms. How he could move so fast with only one leg Viola didn't know. There was something haunting familiar about that but she couldn't remember what it was. The ground rose behind them as that monstrous face she had observed before reared up, maul opening wide.
"Oh no!"
"Fufufu so your sight is real! I'd like a proper demonstration soon. But I think from your expression one of my executives has found them? Pica maybe? He ate the Ishi-Ishi fruit. If someone is on the stone that he is part of, he will find them, even if he has to become the island itself."
The mouth widened as street itself parted and houses tottered, full of screaming people. Viola could bare no more.
"Please! Please don't hurt him!"
"Fufufu, I'm willing to make a bargain with you, Princess, as Monet said I can't control your power like I can control your body. You must be willing."
Disgust and fear made a acidic combination in her stomach. What does he mean? Does it even matter? Oh Father!
Tears began to pour down her face. She squeezed her eyes shut, held on a knife edge but she couldn't stop watching. The stone golem was almost upon them. If there's anything I can save from this night I have to do it!
"Viola?"
"If you promise not to hurt my father." She burst out. "I will obey you!"
A hand caressed her bruised cheek and she opened tear-filled eyes to stare at the devil that had become her master. "There Viola, was it that bad?"
Pulling out a snail, he dialled a number. "Pica?" A rumbling came back that stopped and then a high pitched voice answered. "Doffy! I was just about to catch the king."
"There's been a change of plan, Pica." Doflamingo grinned. "Call off the rest of the soldiers."
"But Doffy! We can't let him escape."
"I hope you're not questioning my orders, my friend?"
The was a pause and the squeaky voice continued. "No. Of course not. It's just bothersome."
"Fufufu. Don't worry." Doflamingo glanced back at Viola. "I have a way to keep an eye on him. Come back after you're rounded up the others and put out the fires."
"Understood." The snail closed its eyes.
"See Viola. I can be a very accommodating man if given the right inducement."
"What-what will happen now?"
"Monet will take you to your room. You will stay there and not attempt to escape. You will be called when required and you will speak to me with the respect befitting my status. Understood?"
Viola bowed her head. "Understood...Doflamingo-sama."
"See, Monet?" He said, laughing again. "It's as easy as that."
Monet led her through the winding corridors to her bedchamber. The blood and corpses had been cleaned away but the air was heavy with the scent of smoke and disinfectant. Monet opened the door to her room and ushered her in mockingly. Before she closed the door, the green haired woman said "Don't expect to remain in these chambers. The top executives will require accommodation and you are just a servant of the family now. Sleep well, Princess."
The door closed and Viola heard the key turn. She stood there for a few moments as her head spun. Forcing herself to engage her powers she bit her lip as she searched the ruined city for her father and his wooden rescuer. There on the outskirts in a derelict house they were catching their breath.
Thank goodness! Scarlett! What about her and Rebecca! Pushing her vision further out into the countryside she found the house but it was dark. Where are they? Then she saw Rebecca waiting. A wave of exhaustion came over her and she sank to her knees with the sight receding.
Damn it! I can't push it anymore tonight.
Praying for Scarlett's and her father's safety she raised her head and looked at her former sanctuary. The room was one of the few that had been undisturbed, being on the top floor. There were all her familiar things - the bed with its gossamer hangings, the crystalline dressing table, the carved mahogany wardrobe. The smiling faces of her family looked out at her from pictures of another time. It was her fathers laughing face that untied the small knot of fortitude at her throat. Deep, racking sobs burst out of her and she threw herself down on the bed and cried herself into a fitful sleep.