Author's Note: I am so sorry for this late post. I've been in a serious rut with my husband still out of work after 3 months, going on 4. It's just been really hard, stressful and depressing. It makes it hard for me to want to write, and I keep getting blocked as well. So, I'm sorry in advanced if it takes me a while to post again. So, anyways, I forgot to mention last chapter that I found more inspiration songs! :D One is by Ane Brun, and it's called To Let Myself Go. It literally only has two verses which repeats 2 other times, but it has such a hauntingly eerie, yet pretty sound to it. xD I don't know, but somehow it's inspiring me. It's also done with an acoustic guitar and maybe like a xylophone… I don't know, but it's so pretty. xD The other song is a Massive Attack song called Antistar, and it's also haunting, yet sexy. I love it. xD You should check them out. :P Anyways, on to the next chapter! Enjoy! :D

Possession

Chapter 7

After bathing in the lukewarm water, Luffy stepped into the room and glanced to Nami sitting on the window seat and gazing out. Turning her head to look at him, she merely stared, saying nothing, which unnerved him.

"What?" he finally asked after a while. She said nothing still, and finally, she looked away from him. Becoming confused, he took a few more steps towards her and said, "What, are you giving me the silent treatment now?"

She huffed and looked over to him again, but then at the door when there was a knock. "Come in," she called to it.

A man and woman servant stepped in, the man carrying a nice suit, while the woman carried the dress and other garments. "Does my mistress require assistance in dressing?" the woman asked timidly in her fear.

"No, Luffy is all the assistance I need," Nami said and nodded to the door. "You are both dismissed."

"Of course, mistress," they both muttered before making a hasty retreat.

"Help me dress, Luffy," Nami said as she stood to assess what she was brought.

Luffy rolled his eyes, but followed after her to assist her, though he had no knowledge of how. With a few trial and errors, he finally managed to dress her. Giving a quiet chuckle, Nami moved to sit at the window seat again and said, "Your turn. Dress yourself."

With a heavy sigh, Luffy removed his clothes and dressed in the suit laid out for him, but frowned in consternation to the bow tie. Glancing over to him when he grunted, she quirked a brow and said, "Call for one of the servants to help you with it."

"Right," he mumbled and headed for the door to call for someone.

Once the man tied the tie for him, another came to announce dinner was ready. "Let's go," Nami said as she passed him and headed out to follow the manservant.

Luffy gave another grunt, but followed after her. The man took them to a large dining room, decorated in cream colors and a long dining table. He motioned for Luffy to sit at the foot and then lead Nami to the head, where he pulled the chair out for her.

Platters and platters of food were brought out and placed on the table. "Each of you take a small taste from each platter and take a sip of the wine," Nami said, looking to each one.

"Yes, mistress," they said all at once, and each took a small taste as well as a sip.

Nami watched and waited, but Luffy huffed and began serving himself. Nami immediately looked to him and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm eating. If it's poisoned, I guess I'll just die with them," Luffy said with a shrug and brought a forkful to his mouth.

"Don't!" Nami cried and stood up, knocking her chair back.

Luffy paused just before putting the forkful within his mouth and just gaped back at Nami. Everyone else was also just staring back at her. Her chest and shoulders heaving, Nami swallowed and glanced about before looking at Luffy again. She was slightly startled by her own reaction and so cleared her throat. "Don't be stupid," she finally said and sat back down after a servant lifted up for her chair for her.

Setting his fork down slowly, Luffy just kept his gaze on her, looking slightly confused, but did not question her. A girl cleared her throat and said, "We didn't poison the food, mistress. We don't want to die."

"There, you see?" Luffy said, now able to speak after setting his confusion aside. "It's not poisoned. Relax." He lifted his fork again and began to eat, but kept his gaze on his plate.

Nami said nothing as she watched him eat, but then looked up when a servant began to serve her a plate. Silence fell as both ate, but Nami ate more slowly.

After a while, Luffy said, "This food is good."

"We're glad you like it, my lord. We'll be sure to relay this to the cooks," one of the older male servants said.

"Ah, no, Luffy is fine. I'm no lord," Luffy said and chuckled as he smiled to the man.

The man offered his own small smile and bowed. "Luffy it is then."

"Thanks, and thanks for your service. We appreciate it," Luffy said and grinned.

"You are most welcome, Luffy," he said and all of the servants bowed to him.

Scoffing to this, Nami leaned back with a glass of wine in her hand and regarded the servants, who all lost their smiles, including Luffy. Luffy just sighed and finished his meal. When he was done, he looked up to see Nami staring out of the dining room window and twirling the wine within the glass before taking a sip.

Sliding his chair back, he then muttered, "If I'm not needed, I'd like to sleep."

"I need you to help me undress," Nami said as she also pushed her chair back and headed out after setting the empty glass down on the table. "I expect breakfast to be served in the morning," she said before she left.

"Yes, mistress," they all called before clearing the table.

Sighing again, Luffy just followed along after her, and when he entered the room, Nami had her back to him as she faced the window seat. "Unlace me," she said without turning to look at him.

Without saying a word, he unlaced her dress as well as the corset underneath and helped her out of the dress. "Going to find a room now to sleep. Good night, Nami," he said and turned to leave.

"No!" she cried and finally turned to him.

"No?" he asked and turned to look at her, slightly confused and unhappy she would deny him sleep.

Swallowing hard, she shook her head, for whatever reason, and said, "You can't go."

"What? Why not?" he asked, beginning to frown. "Do you want me to read a bedtime story for you too?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" she snapped and glared at him.

"Do you want me to dress you too, then?" he asked and looked about, spying a nightdress laid out. He went to grab it, went back to her to remove her chemise, which caused her to gasp, tossed it aside and then pulled the nightdress on over her head. "There, all better?" he asked in irritation.

"Stop it!" she exclaimed in agitation and moved away from him. She then turned back to look at him, and her anxiety was clear on her features. "I don't want you to go. Stay here."

"What?" he asked, looking even more confused as he looked about the room. "I had to sleep on the ground for the past few nights instead of a bed. I'm not sleeping on the ground here or even on a couch. I want a bed," he said, his eyes meeting hers once again.

"You'll sleep on a bed," she said, but did not specify.

Very confused now, Luffy just stared back at her for a while, but finally he said, "Nami, I'm not taking the bed and making you sleep on the floor or couch."

She huffed out in some amusement to what he said, and a part of her was a little flattered by his concern. "I won't be sleeping on the floor or the couch. I'll be sleeping on the bed," she said, but paused to take a deep breath. "Sleep with me tonight."

He stared at her again, but looked a little horrified. "What?"

"Don't go getting the wrong idea. When I say sleep, I just mean sleep," she said with another scoff.

"Why?" he asked, still very much confused.

"Because I want you to. You don't need any other reason than that," she said, giving her head a shake.

"And what if I don't want to?" he asked, and his frown began to return.

"You don't have a choice," she said and turned to sit on the bed. "Change, and then let's sleep."

He could only stare at her in silence for some time, but eventually, he forced himself to move so he could change. He then hesitantly moved about to blow out the candles and then went to sit on the bed.

"No good night this time?" she asked with a chuckle as she slipped underneath the thick comforter.

Luffy frowned as he also slipped beneath it, but was as far away from her as possible, and then he finally muttered, "Good night."

She chuckled again, much more softly, and said, "Good night, Luffy. I hope you sleep well."

Grunting to this and very displeased, Luffy frowned up at the underside of the canopy and then turned over away from her, causing her to laugh at him.

x x x x

"Do you really have to go?" Kaya whispered, as if the witch could hear her if she spoke any louder.

"Yes, it's the only way to be sure no one else is hurt," Usopp said as he sat down on his bed beside her. "Just get some rest. When you wake up, I should be back."

"But you've not slept at all," Kaya said, looking very concerned for him.

"I can make the ride. It's just a few hours to the city and back. I'll rest once this is done," he said and smiled to her. "Merry is here to look after you. Don't be afraid. I think that man, Luffy, will make sure the witch doesn't hurt you again."

Kaya nodded and sighed, knowing his mind could not be changed, and so she whispered, "Please be careful, Usopp."

"I will be," he said and nodded to the bed. "Get some rest. I know this whole ordeal has made you ill again. How about I tell you a story while you try and fall asleep?"

Smiling to this, Kaya nodded as she settled into the bed and whispered, "I would like that. Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, Kaya. I enjoy telling you stories," Usopp said with a chuckle, but then took in a breath and began to weave a story within his mind as he spoke. The moment he knew she was asleep, Usopp grabbed his pack and headed for the door. He then turned to Merry and whispered, "I won't be long."

"Please be careful, Master Usopp. She always does better after you've told her a story. I'm not sure she would have survived as long without you," Merry whispered, looking a bundle of nerves to the journey the man was about to take. He had never left the village before, and so was worried how it would make his mistress feel.

"Of course she could have. She doesn't need me. She's strong and so is her will to live," Usopp whispered and smiled to Merry. "I'm off." He then turned, placing a hat onto his head and climbing onto the horse prepared for him by another villager. "I'll be back with a witch hunter," he said to them and glanced behind him to Kaya's mansion with a frown. "He'll take care of this witch," he said before kicking into his horse and setting off in a brisk pace.

To Be Continued…

Author's Note: Dun Dun DUUUUN! Usopp is going off to find a witch hunter! D: Oh noes! D: Oh wells… I wonder who this witch hunter could be? Tee hee! Stay tuned for the next chapter… whenever I write it… oi… -_-