Chapter Two: Meeting the Bride

Tiffany Swartz © 2006

Disclaimer: I only own Calypso and "Karma" Lonni

B Berries

After having made arrangements with Mihawk, they decided that they were going to meet in Port Lodiya. After all, it was notoriously friendly to pirates. The daughter would be there as well, so he would be able to meet the bride. Normally, pirate weddings were a three day event. However, this particular wedding was going to be cut down to today and tomorrow. Nothing fancy, just a short ceremony, and that was it. These were the thoughts going through Shanks' mind as he walked down the streets of Lodiya. Finally, he found the building he was looking for: The Sakura Inn.

"Guess this is the place," he muttered, and walked inside. Just as he walked through the door, he saw Mihawk beckoning him by waving a hand over to the table. With him sat a young woman, covered head to tow in a black dress and veil, along with gloves. The only things that weren't covered up were her eyes. As was tradition, the daughter could not be seen before the wedding. Almost no skin could show, save a small area of her face. But he had to admire those beautiful eyes: bright ocean blue. He could lose himself in those eyes.

"So," he greeted the young woman, "You're Calypso." He smiled at her.

"Yes," she said quietly, but with a certain friendliness to her tone.

'Hmm,' he thought, 'She seems to like me. Guess we'd better get acquainted.' He turned to his friend, "Mihawk, I would like to spend some time alone with the girl, if that's alright with you. I want to get to know her better before we jump into anything."

"Thirty minutes," said Mihawk firmly, "Otherwise, I'll suspect something's up."

"That's fine," he said, "Come on, Calypso," he looked toward the girl, "We've got a lot to talk about."

He could see the smile in her eyes as she nodded. Together, the two of them walked out of the bar.

Shanks turned them onto a sunny street. "So," began Shanks, "what do you think about all this?"

There was a silence, then Calypso said shyly, "I don't mind it. My father told me that, once I was married to you, that I would have more freedom."

"How so?" Shanks asked, puzzled.

"Well, he told me that I was a woman now," she replied, "and that, once I was married to you, there would be no more restrictions on me as a daughter, because you would probably be more lenient with me."

"You know, he's probably right," laughed Shanks, "Mihawk can be a very serious man." Shanks smiled, and the two enjoyed a comfortable silence before he inquired, "So, do you know how to use a gun?"

"Yes," she answered, "but it's not really my forte. I'm better at knives and swords. I mean, I can aim and fire, but I'm not as good as most."

"That's alright," he said, "so long as you know how to use a weapon." She laughed. "What?" he asked in a playful, mock-angry manner.

"I like you," she said with a grin.

He turned to her, taking his one arm and pushing her up against a wall. She gave a gasp of surprise, and her eyes grew wide with some unknowing anticipation as to what would happen next. Those eyes. He could not escape those eyes. So blue. Almost perfect.

"You have very beautiful eyes," he muttered, musing at their flawless color, "Very beautiful."

"You think so?" she asked him, eyes wide, much like those of a curious child. She knew that they were crossing a fine line, but at the moment, she didn't seem to care.

He leaned in to kiss her over the veil that she wore, and she closed her eyes. "No," he said in a soft, firm, demanding tone, "Keep them open. Don't close your eyes. I want to see them." Leaning in, staring at those ocean blues, he kissed her over the veil that held the forbidden fruit of her mouth. It was soft at first, and time seemed to have stopped. However, as the time of the kiss lengthened, he pressed his lips harder against hers, finding her bottom lip underneath the veil, he gently worried at it, nibbling the soft, delicate flesh that lay underneath. She moaned and he pulled away, smiling. "I think we're going to get along just fine," he said.

"You really think so?" she asked, breathless.

"Yes," he said, then returned, seductively, "and I can't wait to take off that veil." She felt a heat accumulate in her stomach and giggled light-headed-ly at what had just happened. "Come on," said Shanks, smiling gently, "We need to get you back to your father. We're not married just yet, and I want to do things properly."

"How properly?" she asked, a twinkle of lust in her eyes.

"Properly properly," he said, "After the wedding, we can do whatever you want, but, for now, you have to follow your father's instruction. Now let's get you back there so that your father doesn't suspect." She gave a small laugh, and followed him back to The Sakura Inn.

Once back inside, Mihawk and Shanks discussed the arrangements of the wedding. They decided that they would hold it on Shanks' ship instead of in a church (Mihawk adamantly refused to step foot inside one) and that the dowry would be 2000 B ("and not one gold piece more," said Mihawk sternly, not usually so argumentative). Following tradition, it was at this point that Calypso could not talk to Shanks. While he could speak to her, she could not speak to him until the wedding. This symbolized the passing of the daughter from the father to the suitor, as well as the responsibility and limited control that came along with her. Still, Calypso didn't mind, and communicated with facial expressions when Shanks asked her any questions concerning the comfort of her situation.

"One more thing," said Shanks, "She'll be sleeping on my ship tonight."

Mihawk was silent for a moment, then said, "If I hear of that veil or any other clothing besides the gloves being removed, I'm calling the whole thing off."

"Mihawk, you know I wouldn't do that," said Shanks reassuringly, "Besides that, you sound against the wedding. You're the one who helped set it up in the first place. What's wrong?"

"I'm definitely not against the wedding," replied Mihawk, "I just want to follow tradition. Do whatever you want, I don't care, but no touching any of the skin covered, or below the waist. If the pirate's guild finds out about the breaking of tradition, they'll be sure to brand her a whore."

"Believe me, I know," said Shanks, "I just want to get to know her a little better, and I would be much more comfortable knowing that she's on my ship where I can see her." Mihawk looked at Shanks, and Shanks returned the stare. Silently, the two came to an agreement, and the meeting was over. It was Shanks who walked Calypso out of the bar that day.