AN: This chapter in the life of Saint Adélaïde (Luffy's Celestial Dragon mother) takes place 25 years before the first two chapters, 35 years before the Start of One Piece.
Disclaimer: One Piece and all characters (unless they're OCs) are the property of Echiro Oda. Props to him for being a badass.
Dragons of the Void Century
Chapter 03: Filth of Humans, Blood of Gods
"Faster, slave! Or I'll have you whipped!" The ultramarine-haired eleven year old kicked the woman acting as his playtime horsie ride hard in the rib. She grunted, feeling the brunt of his pointed, diamond-encrusted sea king-hide loafer.
"Alfie! Stop it! Don't hurt Mama Basi!" A dark-haired six year old girl shrieked in horror.
Alfie turned his head to the little child seated behind him on the woman and scowled. "Adie! How many times have I told you? My name's not Alfie! My name is Alphonse! Daddy says I'm in charge when he's gone!"
"I don't care! You're hurting her!"
"She's a slave! Just because she's yours, doesn't mean I can't punish her!" The little boy continued to mercilessly kick Basi.
"Stop it!" In a tearful rage, Adie leapt off the woman and pushed Alfie, or rather, Alphonse, off of Basi's back. The eleven year old hit his rump on marble floor. Getting over his initial shock, he jolted back to his feet, poised to strike the little girl.
"ALPHONSE!" A stern, deep male voice ricocheted off the walls of the large playroom. Alfie froze, his eyes wide with fear. He turned to the door, head bowed. A bearded man with long, wavy, dark hair and fierce, commanding eyes glared at the boy.
"Father, we were just…" Alphonse whimpered.
"It looked like you were going to hit Adélaïde. You know better."
The eleven year old's eyes couldn't have stared any lower. His father continued. "My son, how many times must you vex me? You are my firstborn, my heir. You are a Celestial Dragon. I will not have the future of our family line befouled by a brat who insists on acting human." The man said that last word with a disgusted shudder, as if the very thought of what the swearword implied would stain the immaculately white robe he wore.
"Yes, Father." Alphonse said glumly. Then, he turned to Adélaïde, face wrenched with anger. "Why do you always have to be such a CRYBABY about everything?" Tears streamed down the little girl's cheeks as she took in the boy's stinging words. "You're NOTHING like me, Ansel, Céleste, or Héloïse! Maybe Uncle and Auntie died at sea so they wouldn't have to raise a crybaby slave-lover like YOU!"
"ALPHONSE!" His father shouted. But the boy had already run off to sulk in his room, leaving his cousin and foster sister, sitting on the floor, sobbing hysterically. Alphonse's father sighed. "That boy."His brow furrowed in exasperation. "He'll be the death of me, I say." The man looked at the weeping girl on the ground, his eyes softening with pity. "Basira." He said, turning to the slave woman as she ran over to scoop up the little girl.
"Yes, Saint Ambroise." She said, prostrating herself to the ground.
"Basi." Ambroise said, his voice down to a tender whisper. "How many times have I told you never to do that with me, especially when we're alone?" The violet-haired, tan woman looked up at him, her eyes wrought with pained restraint. She said nothing, though Ambroise noticed the blush rising in her cheeks. He grinned and reached down to lift her off the floor, the tearful little girl nestled snug and tight in her arm. "Basi, please. Will you sing to her? You're the only one who can calm her down."
Basira nodded. She rocked the little child in her arms and looked her in the eyes. "Adie, would you like that?" The little girl nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes. Basira took a breath and began singing, her voice filling the playroom with her native tongue, a cheery song about a forest where unicorns frolicked and little girls flew with the aid of fairy dust. By the time Basira had finished, the little girl was asleep in her arms.
Ambroise bent down and looked the slave woman in the eye. "You are incredible." He whispered, caressing her cheek.
Tan cheeks flushed with a shade of pink. "Ambie. What if someone sees us?"
"You are my concubine. Does it matter?"
"But m'lady Gisèle could…"
"My jealous wife? Don't worry about her." Ambroise wrapped his arm around Basira's waist, pulling back when he saw her wince in pain. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"
"No, Ambie. It's nothing."
"Let me see." He pulled up her shirt and scowled at the dark bruise that had formed where Alphonse's pointed loafer had kicked repeatedly. "Basi, what happened? I want the truth." He spoke with a commanding tone, the snarl of a Celestial Dragon accustomed to bending the world to his iron will.
"I was playing horsie with Alphonse," Ambroise's brow furrowed at the mention of his rambunctious son, "and he kicked me for not going faster."
"That insolent boy!" Ambroise spat. "Oops, I'm sorry." He whispered after catching a seething glare from Basira. "I forgot she was sleeping."
Basira sighed, "He probably would have bruised me a lot more if it wasn't for Adie."
"Oh?" Ambroise said. "What happened?"
"She pushed him off of me."
Ambroise chuckled. "That little child, it's like she knows." He quickly regretted what he said. The horror in Basira's face was like a knife through his heart. "I'm sorry, Basi. I-"
"That can never happen."
"I know, my dear."
"Promise me!"
"I promise." A tear formed in Basira's eye. Without missing a beat, the woman choked it back. A slave was not afforded the luxury of lacrimation. Tears and unchecked displays of emotions were reserved for Celestial Dragon brats who faced no consequences for their lack of composure. Ambroise stared at the woman. The past seven years she'd endured as a slave had been surprisingly kind to her. Despite all the pain she'd experienced, the ordeal had done nothing to mar her beauty. "Why do you do this to yourself?"
Basira looked directly into his eyes, continuing to rock the child in her arms. "Why do I do what?"
If Ambroise had been any other Celestial Dragon, he would have had Basira beaten senseless for the attitude she was giving him. But he was not another master and they were alone. And in these times, she was his mistress. She was his queen. "Why did you refuse to be declared my concubine like the agreement between Mariejois and Amira stated? Why do you keep lowering yourself, my love. You are not a filthy human. You are a goddess."
"My dear Saint Ambroise." Her mouth turned up into a sad smile. "How deceived you are." Ambroise chided. "I am no goddess. I am one of these 'filthy humans' you so vainly despise. I was a princess once, but that was ages ago, before my father, before Amira's greedy king, sold his first daughter off to Mariejois as tribute, a bargaining chip for the acceptance of his country into the World Government."
"But," Ambroise protested sweetly, "if your old and fat father, Minas, hadn't done that, I might've never laid eyes on you, my love."
Basira rolled her eyes and whispered, an air of seriousness overtaking her previously spunky demeanor. "Ambie, if I were to do that, if I were to live as your official concubine, how long do you think it'd be before the other Families, before even the Gorosei found out about Adie?"
"They won't. I can guarantee that. You know my brother's ship was blown to pieces by pirate vermin on route to visit Alabasta. Both him and his wife are dead. Six years ago, I told everyone that Adie was his daughter and adopted her as my own. We've been over this, there's no problem." Ambroise pleaded.
Basira wasn't convinced. "I can't take that risk. If anyone found about Adie, she'd lose her title as a Celestial Dragon. Her freedom would be in jeopardy. And not even you, who have the direct ear of the Gorosei and favor among the Eighteen Families, would be able to stop that."
Ambroise scowled. His logic clearly wasn't winning her over. He sighed. "Why are you so stubborn? You deserve to live as royalty. You were first in line to be Queen of Amira"
"And as a princess of Amira, how could I live with myself, knowing that in this same Mariejois, while I lived richly, many of my friends and countrymen were in chains?"
Ambroise snorted. "Not everyone was born with the blood of the gods. Some are destined to rule. Others are destined to be subjugated. The weak exist as food for the strong. That's the Law of Nature."
"And that, my love," the Amiran princess whispered, "Is why I do this for Adie. So she will never have to face the wrath of this den of beasts, this palace of dragons."
Ambroise eyes dimmed. He could never understand her sense of justice. How could she do this? How could she willingly endure slavery and abasement, when power was being offered, hers for the taking? Even though he thought her reasoning riddled with folly, he couldn't shake the deep sense of purity about her, something he had never known. He leaned in and kissed her, then turned to take his leave. "I'll send the doctor over to look at that wound. From henceforth, I'll forbid Alphonse from playing with you. My love, I'll make sure you never have to endure that again."
Basira smiled and nodded. But, my Ambie, she thought. Can you do that for the other slaves you own? Can you stop believing me to be different and extend your love to my people? What will it take to show you? What can I do to change your mind? She looked down at the six year old, sound asleep in her arms. "Adie. My Adie." She whispered, kissing the sleeping child on the forehead.
My sweet little girl, your mother will keep you safe.
I won't let these monsters touch you.
I won't let the dragons eat my child.
Wow. How about that intro the crazy world of Celestial Dragons.
To be honest, this chapter was not the easiest to write.
If you're keeping up with the One Piece manga, you know just how cruel and heartless Celestial Dragons. Being black and having to put myself in the mindset of a slaveowner was definitely challenging and unpleasant.
Next Thursday, I'll either switch to Dragon's perspective or write one more chapter from Adélaïde's. I haven't decided yet.
Anyway, did you guys enjoy this? Any thing you'd like to see me write about?
Don't be shy now! Pick up the Den-Den Mushi and give me a ring!
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