Warning: The M rating is just for precautions. I'm not sure how high the rating will go. Don't be surprise when characters die, and I believe everything in this story is not real in the series. It's all a fabrication of my imagination. (e.g. Devil's fruit power can be transferred from parent to child. Of course, that's not true. I made it up, unless it is true…)
Note: I've changed "Jacky" to "Jackie." Don't get confused. It seems that "Jackie" is more correct than "Jacky." (I'll change the pervious chapters later.)
Chapter 4 – Lady Lela
In the last ten years, Jacqueline grew from a small timid girl to a strong, soft hearted woman. The years as an apprentice to her grandmother taught her life lessons and skills, but not social matters. Jackie knew how to make salves and potions to cure diseases or to mend an ailment; anywhere from how to stitch a wound to fashion a splint to doctor croup or nettle rash. Because she studied most of the time, she never had a chance to have fun or leisure time.
However, times were about to change. While visiting a frequent patient and close friend, Gandmama decided to let Jackie be off on her own. As Grandmama treated Lady Lela, Lady Lela spoke of a gigantic party at the neighboring island.
Lady Lela was three years older than Jackie, but she looked younger. However, Lela was not always in good health and lately, her sickness has grown worst. She knew it herself, but she kept optimistic for her servants and friends. Her family, similar to Jackie, was gone due to the sickness she now has. The whole family contracted the disease during a vacation and was never able to complete recover.
"Lela," Jackie sighed, "I'm not going." She crossed her arm over her chest. Today, she dressed in her normal grab which consisted of a brown overall dress with a white shirt underneath. Her shoes were plain and her hair up. It has been up ever since the fire that took her village away.
"But you have to!" Lela pleaded. "You missed it last year and the year before that. You promised me that you'll attend one. What if I'm gone tomorrow? You'll have a heavy heart because you never completed your promise!" Lela, contrasted to Jackie, wore a light silk green dress with matching slippers. She also had jewelry on her arms and ears. Her long orange hair was down in large ringlets.
Jackie shook her head, "First of all, don't talk about your death. It's bad luck. Second of all, I don't dance."
"I'll teach you!" Lela interjected, "JACQUELINE! You're eighteen! You shouldn't be dressed like an old maid! At your age, with your beauty, you could have men drooling over you, but you refuse to enjoy life! Why should I listen to a hypocrite who doesn't even–" Lela suddenly stopped and started a coughing fit.
"Take it easy," Jackie knelt down beside her to be pushed away. Lela got up and left Jackie alone with her grandmother.
"Jacqueline," Gandmama looked disapprovingly at her, "You should never speak to a patient in that tone. Even if she's a friend, you can't speak that way. And, I though I taught you to see the signs."
Jackie averted her eyes from her grandmother's gaze, "I'm sorry." She thought about the check up that they gave Lela. Everything was fine except the beating of Lela's heart. It was not in rhythm with the body's system.
As Grandmama began packing, she left out a small pouch of medicine and herbs to hand to Jackie. "I have decided that you should stay until her time expires. You'll need to be there to suppress the pain so she can go without any complications." Then she added with a smile, "You'll have to go to that party and perhaps, meet a man."
Jackie rolled her eyes, "My job comes first before any pleasures."
"You never experienced pleasure, love." Grandmama replied sadly, "I've been too hard on you for the past ten years. You never had fun or enjoyed your childhood. Now you're a young woman and you look like me!" She laughed as Jackie became confused.
"Wait," Jackie thought for a moment, "You're insulting me! I'm not as old as you!"
"I don't want you to be an old maid. You should find a lover and have children. Live life to the fullest."
"But I want to be like you, Grandmama." Jackie replied, "In my ten years, you have saved so many people and changed so many lives. I want to help people; this is my dream."
Grandmama chuckled, "When you were younger, your dream was to see the world. That is still your dream. I see you watch the sea or gaze into the forest all the time. Your father was the same way. I taught him my skills and set him free into the world. He met your mother and had you. You're one of my treasures that I keep close to my heart. Both of your parents would want you to fulfill your dream."
"But, but…" Jackie started but she couldn't think of a rebuttal.
"Never fear, love," Grandmama hugged her, "Along your journey, your healing skills will be needed. Everyone needs a doctor and they will respect you for it. Never fear because someone is looking out for you. Your family will be with you in here and here." Grandmama pointed Jackie's temple and heart. "You know how find me if you ever need my help."
Lela entered the room with a servant. She pointed to Grandmama and the servant handed her a bag of gold. "Good bye, Granny. Good bye, Jackie."
Jackie smirked, "I'm not leaving, Lela. My grandmother doesn't want me any more."
Lela's eyes widen in shock, but then it hit her that Jackie decided to stay and go to the party. "I'm so happy!" She embraced Jackie in a hug. "We're going to have so much fun! I'm going to teach you to dance, to sing, and to play cards! Whatever comes to my mind! Ha ha!" She laughed with glee.
"Shall I bring your bags?" The servant asked.
"Come along," Grandmama directed the servant, "Let's leave the Lady while she's happy. My grandchild only has a small bag.
"Yes, ma'am," the servant followed her to the small boat that was docked in the port.
Lela grinned as she pulled Jackie into her room, "The party is in two weeks. We have much to do!"
Jackie groaned, "What have I gotten myself into…" Lela giggled when Jackie winked, showing she was only joking.
During the next week, Jackie wanted her life to be over. She could handle treatments, medical procedures, exposure to blood, and rashes and wounds, but not simple dance steps. It took three days just to learn the basic waltz. But Lela wouldn't give up on her friend. Soon after learning the waltz, Jackie was forced to learn more ballroom dances.
Other than dancing, Lela began exposing Jackie to fashion. First, Lela hid all of Jackie's normal clothes and gave her delicately designed dresses or nice shirts and pants. Jackie abhorred this more than dancing. However, always at the end of the day, she enjoyed herself and the short amount of time she had with Lela.
Lela's health slowly worsened day by day. She began to write her will with Jackie in mind. She knew for a fact that Jackie would not stay in one place for the rest of her life but she want her to always have a home to return to. In the will, Lela left her estate to Jackie and everything on it. When she told Jackie, Jackie fervently refused.
As the two quarreled over the will, the head servant overheard their conversation. He became furious that this stranger who came to visit every once in a while would get the whole estate whereas he and his family served Lady Lela's family for generations. He spoke to his fellow workers and they sympathized with his rage.
On the day of departure, the head servant Kulan and the others made their move.
"Jackie, you don't have to take anything with you. We'll come back the day after tomorrow." Lela said as she stood in the door way.
Jackie placed her medical supplies into a large sling bag. "Where are my clothes?" She looked in the walk in closet.
"What's the problem with my clothes?" Lela gave her the eye, "Are my clothes not good enough?"
"Ha ha," She laughed, "I love your clothes but I need something I feel comfortable in. Please."
"I'm not giving you your overalls back, but you can have these. I think they fit your simple style." Lela smiled, "At least you have some style now." She went to her room and came back with three sets of clothes. One set was a white embroidered peasant top and a brown ankle length skirt. The other one was a turquoise lace-detailed tank with a v-neckline and a tiered skirt with a ribbon and lace and sequin-embellished yoke. "And this one you can wear at the party." She held up a fuchsia silk beaded and sequined print dress with asymmetrical tiered overlay with a coordinating ruffled jacket.
"…Yeah… Simple… Makes me look like a farmer's daughter…" Jackie looked at them, "Thanks… I'm sure you also planned some shoes for me too…"
"Of course! Which color do you want?" She pulled out six leather sandals with a fabric ankle wrap.
"…You pick…" Jackie looked coldly at the six colors. "Which one would you wear without changing the clothes?"
"Hmm, it's so hard!" Lela stared down at the sandals.
"How about white?" Without a comment from Lela, Jackie took the white sandal and wore it. "There. Now I'll wear the brown skirt and white top, okay?" The other two set of clothes went into Jacky sling bag. The finally item she placed in her bag was a picture frame.
"Is that your mother and father?" Lela leaned over her shoulder.
Jackie nodded with a solemn smile before lightly placing it between the sets of clothes.
"Lady Lela, Miss Jacqueline, the ship is ready for departure."
"Thank you, Kulan." Lela replied as she left the room to go to the carriage. When Kulan asked for Jackie's sling bag, she refused with a smile and told him she wouldn't want to burden him. Kulan forced a polite smile and thanked her. He led her to the carriage where Lela was waiting.
When the carriage stated to leave, Lela shouted, "Good bye, Kulan. Take care of the estate until I come back!"
"Yes, milady." He replied as he watched the carriage ride off. "I'll take care of is like if it was my very own." There was a dark grin on his face. He motioned to the carriage driver who nodded back in reply.
Once they reached the port, the carriage driver stopped carriage and motioned to a group of men on the nearest ship to come. They carried Lela's bags onto the ship but not Jackie's since she wouldn't let them. She told them she was a healer and her herbs and salves were not to be meddled with. After they hear that, they quickly backed away from her.
Nothing was out of the ordinary when they departed from the island. Lady Lela and Jackie greeted the captain and thanked him for the voyage.
The captain was a dark skinny man with a hunch in his back. His skin was pale and his hair was greasy and black. "You're welcome, misses." He replied in a haunting tone, "Enjoy your stay for the time being."
"We'll be at the party tonight and we'll stay with my friend. Don't worry," Lela reassured Jackie. However, Jackie wanted to believe but something told her she couldn't trust the captain. Her intuition was right.
Within an hour of the trip, Lela and Jackie were in their room when their door burst opened. They were dragged out onto the deck while Lela's luggage was ransacked. The captain walked out and looked at the two women.
"There is a change of plans. You will not be attending this so called party of yours, but you'll be locked up until we reach Diener where you will be auctioned off as sex slaves, or if your lucky, servants slaves." He laughed harshly. "Until then, you'll be lock underneath the deck. Enjoy your last moments of fresh air and if any of my crew is lonely, they have my permission to use the merchandise."
"Like Hell you will," Lela snapped back. "When my friends notice I'm not at the party, they will come looking for me!"
The captain laughed, "Kulan took care of that."
"W-what? You mean he knows?"
"From my knowledge, everyone at your estate knows. They hired me to come and play this game with you. I don't have a high tolerance with games or with anyone. Throw them in the dungeon. I don't want to see them until we reach Diener."
Jackie gave the crew deadly looks when they approached her bag. Somehow, they were afraid of her. Although she didn't know why, she accepted it as a positive sign. Lela and Jackie were led to the dungeon and ushered in by a middle-aged man.
"How far is Diener?" Jacky asked him through the iron bars. He backed away from her before he replied in a wary tone.
"Five days. Wha'cha gonna do, Witch?"
"Witch?" Jacky whispered to herself before turning to him, "My friend is sick. I only have supplies for three days. We need to stop some where so I can get medicine."
"Then ya betta save 'em 'cuz we ain't stoppin' 'til we reach Di'ner." He left them and retuned to his post, wherever it was.
Jacky turned away from the bars to Lela. She told her in a low whisper, "We have to escape. Somehow..."
"How could he do that…? Kulan… I thought we were friends…" Lela hugged her knees close to her chest. "Why did he betray me?"
"I don't know, Lela. I wish I could tell you, but we have other things to worry about, your medicine."
"I don't want to live!" She cried, "I'm going to die anyway. Save your herbs and crap. Don't waste it on me. I got us into this mess. If I didn't want to go to the stupid party, we wouldn't be locked in here! I wish I could die right now then you won't have to worry about me!" Suddenly, she began her coughing fit. Jackie, without hesitation, took out a flask and made Lela drink it.
"Lela! Stop fighting and drink it!" Jackie commanded. "I worked to hard for you to quit now! We have to live through this. When we land on any island, we will escape and then we will go back home to Shyama and find out why Kulan did this. But you HAVE to live!"
With tears in her eyes, Lela drank her medicine. "Thank you…" Jackie hugged her friend.
"Don't give up. You have to have hope." Lela nodded against Jackie's shoulder. "I won't let you go until it's your time."
Lela whispered softly, "You have to live on even if I die. I forgive you for not going with me to the party. Don't burden yourself with my death."
Lela grew worst on the second day. Without fresh air, the medicine's full potential was not accessible. The dungeon was cramped and matters grew worst when they took Jackie out of the dungeon. Jacky hid the flask with Lela when they forced her out.
"Witch," The man who led her to the dungeon called her, "The cap'n wants to speak with ya." He forced her to go on deck where the captain was waiting.
The captain walked to Jackie and looked down at her, "The crew has been talking about you. They say you're a witch doctor of some sort."
"I'm a healer." Jackie replied impassively.
"Healer you say? They say your friend is sick." He received no reply, "What would you do if your friend dies? Speak Witch!" Jackie wouldn't give in to his demands. The captain continued to provoke her, but she would not falter. In the end, the captain's patience ran out. "Take her back under and leave her there with the bitch. In three days, we'll make a fortune with this witch doctor."
When Jackie returned to the cell, she found someone had been in the dungeon and spilled the flask over Lela soaking in herbal medicine. She was also bleeding and bruised. "I tried to stop them, but I wasn't strong enough. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It's going to be three more days. Just three more…." Jackie tired to comfort Lela with those words, but Lela knew and concluded that she would not live in these conditions for three days. She was just glad Jackie was there with her for the final moments of her life.
"Change your dress; you have to wear some dry clothes. The turquoise skirt and top would be better than the fuchsia dress," Jackie suggested. Without complaint, Lela did as she was told. Afterward, Jackie tended to her face and lightly applied salve on her bruises.
The day seemed long for the two women. Lela slept and Jackie took short naps. No one was in the mood to speak or chat. Night came and rolled into the next morning. Jackie and Lela were jerked awake by a large explosion early in the morning.
"What's happening?" Lela asked Jackie tried and drowsy.
"I'll ask. Just rest, Lela." She walked up to the bars to see the crew running back and forth gathering weapons and firearms. "Hey, what's going on?"
No one bothered to stop and tell her, but by the grim expression on their face, Jackie concluded it wasn't something to celebrate. Suddenly, she jumped when someone rolled over to her feet, dead. Looking up, she was a man holding a bloody saber. His face was clean shaven and his short hair was black. He was dressed in a black skin cladding shirt with a large over dark red coat and matching pants with black boots. It was his eyes that memorized her. They were a dark golden yellow, similar to a falcon's.
He stared at her as she gazed back. "You'll be safe in there." He said as he turned to leave.
"Wait!" Jackie called but he didn't stop.
Lela stood up slowly, "What's the matter?" Her eyes widen when she saw the dead man lying at Jackie's feet and she fell on her knees, coughing.
Jackie forgot the man and ran to her friend, "You mustn't exhort yourself. Something is happening up on deck, and I pray it's in our favor."
AN: I think I'll stop here. I have to plan my chapters out. I'm going to assume less than twenty but more than ten. So far, I planned up to chapter 7.
For this chapter, I just wanted to stop and ask: Who's the man with golden yellow eyes? (If he doesn't sound familiar with out his mustache and goatee, this takes place before Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates, when he is younger. I'll be very surprised if you don't figure it out.)
To Pendent: You never saw or heard of the pirates because I made them up. : ) I believe axes are not common in One Piece. The only one related to axes I remember is Axe-Hand Morgan. I'll introduce those pirates (the one that destroyed Jackie's village) in the next chapter.