Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda.
Fleeting Thoughts
They took off from camp just as dawn began to creep over the horizon. As the sun's rays climbed the distant peaks and hills of the fjord and archipelago, the darkness of the night sky began to recede, replaced by vibrant orange and yellow, and the faintest pink as the thin clouds of the night's rain burned away. Kid was as surly and short tempered as he had been the previous morning, and Nami finally shoved him into the water after he wouldn't stop nagging her to mend the torn sail faster than she was. Whatever peace was to be had that morning was broken at the sound of Kid splashing and cursing in the channel.
She stayed at the prow of the ship for the whole morning, and they both refused to speak to each other until mid-day when Killer and Gunda grew tired of relaying their messages. After another line of storms began to brew, Nami was forced back to the stern to help navigate the ship until the weather cleared. By the time the storms were little more than a fading drizzle, they had completely forgotten their earlier irritation.
Nami had become taken with the coast as they sailed further north. Excitement fluttered in her stomach as she stared off at the deeply gouged fjords and the islands and islets sprinkled around the mouths of each. She wanted to sail into the fjords, follow the narrow straits and rivers until the ships could go no further, and map every hill and sharp cliff she saw. Kid seemed willing to let Nami sit and lean over the wale to watch the scenery pass by in peace until late in the afternoon when he finally bothered to call out to her.
"Up ahead," he yelled when she looked back at him.
She followed his hand as he pointed off to the north where she could spy another chain of islands. She stood, even more excited, and pushed onto her toes as he steered their ship into the strait leading east. The men took to the oars as they passed between large islands, their sharply rising slopes covered in rich green grass and brush. One island rose high to their north, and as they sailed on, she saw the hill gently give way to flat land on its southeast side where she spotted a small farm house surrounded by green pastures.
"Go up to the prow," Kid told her, gesturing toward the front of the ship. "We'll be coming upon it soon."
She didn't argue with him and quickly squeezed between the rowers to stand with Killer at the front of the ship. She smiled wide as he moved to let her hang over the serpentine figurehead, a hand on her back to steady her when the ship dipped forward with a small swell. Another island sat right in front of them with a peaking hill rising on its western edge. Kid steered the ship through the waters to the north, cutting between the last island they passed and the new one until she could see two smaller hills at the northern base of the peak.
She gasped when he turned back to the east and she saw the flat land of the island as it curled around, and finally she could see the whole chain hidden behind the towering hill. The taller island they passed was pressed up against a small flat island to its east, which butted up against yet another island with a short narrow hill rising up and following the length of the island. As she stood on her toes and leaned over the wale to take a closer look to the south, she saw that the first island with its sharp peak wrapped around to run parallel with the other islands, creating a large bay within the chain.
The edge of the first island that curved around the bay was filled with ships and she could see men hard at work building three new longships. She expected Kid to turn south again and follow the channel between the two islands to drop their cargo with the shipyard, but he continued to sail east while his two knarrs turned south with Wire's longship leading the way. She listened to their horns call out to signal the shipbuilders, the sound followed by more horns echoing over the bay in answer.
The second island they passed was covered with small plots of farmland that grew denser toward the east until houses packed around the very edge of the island where harbors were built along the water cutting between it and the next island, its coast just as packed with small houses, the wooden walkways lined with faerings and fishing boats. Kid turned into that slender channel. They rowed through the small path winding between islands, toward the southern bay where a larger harbor sat in front of a market teeming with residents.
A horn blast echoed from the shore as Kid and the crew steered the ship into the bay to set of docks not already occupied with longships and knarrs. While the men began to toss ropes out to the people who came to greet them, Nami continued to take in the sound stretching out around her. To the south, beyond the island that wrapped around the bay they were in, was another massive island, its jagged coast as rich and green from the spring rains as the other islands. To the east, further up the straight, Nami could see even more islands, tightly packed together as they rose in the fjord. And even further out, beyond the grey clouds swallowing the distant hills that threatened them with another rain shower, she could just make out the white caps of the mountains in the distance. She would probably get a better view of the sound from one of the tall hills, but even from the bay, it was breathtaking.
"Nami," Kid called to her from the port side where he had begun to climb onto the wale to jump to the docks. His smirk said he was amused as he waved her over. "You'll have plenty of time to see it all later. Now get over here."
She was too eager to see the new town to care about his impatient command, and gathered her skirts to pick her way between the men securing the ship and met Kid at the side. He held his hand out, waving for her to take it. She let him help her up onto the side of the ship, and jumped down onto the dock ahead of him. His hand went to her back once he landed on the dock behind her, and pushed her along toward the beach where she spied the curious crowd part to a small group heading their way.
The man leading the group had dark blue hair shaved down to short bristles at the side and back with only a longer tuft of hair swept back neatly atop his head. A scruffy, thin beard covered his jaw and chin. He was dressed well, with dark brown slacks, an orange tunic, and red vest trimmed with brown and yellow embroidered knotwork along the collar and hem. He looked bored, tired as he scratched his beard and yawned, but he was obviously in charge judging by how everyone greeted him.
Nami had no idea what to think when she spotted a tiny white mouse poke its head out from his vest, even less when the man affectionately scratched the animal's head.
"Jarl Eustass," the man greeted once she and Kid had reached the end of the docks. "Hm, we weren't expecting you for another few days."
"I finished my new ship early," Kid explained, gesturing over his shoulder at their boat. He gave Nami a pat on the head right after, prompting her to glower up at his wide grin. "And this girl here navigated us through some storms so we made good time. Even after one of my ships was damaged."
"This girl did?" the man asked, brow cocked curiously as his gaze swept over her. He hummed after a moment and then shrugged indifferently. "Well, whatever. We're glad to have you. The lumber?"
"At the shipyard being unloaded. My damaged ship went with them. I need to make some repairs before we head off on our raids," Kid explained.
"Hm, that's fine," the man said. His gaze once more settled on her. "And so who is this new navigator you brought? She wasn't with you last year."
"This is Nami," Kid introduced, "she just came to my village a month ago."
"Pleased to meet you, Nami," he greeted with a nod of his head. "I'm Iceburg, Jarl of Álasund." He scratched his mouse's head again. "And this mouse I just found today. His name is…" He pursed his lips in thought. "Tyrannosaurus."
Nami had no idea how to respond and glanced up at Kid. He shrugged unhelpfully, so she turned back to smile politely. "It's good to meet you… Both of you?"
Iceburg hummed before turning to gesture to the people who followed him to the docks. He waved at the woman behind him first, wearing a deep orange dress, its long sleeves and wide collar decorated with yellow swirling stitches that ran down the center of her bust. At her waist sat a thick brown belt, the leather elaborately woven and decorated with milky white glass beads that hung from frayed tassels at her hip. The only accessory she carried on her was a short dagger tucked into her belt. Her long blonde hair was swept back into a simple bun, held in place by a thick brown strip of leather. Blue eyes caught hers, stern and serious, but undoubtedly beautiful.
"This is Kalifa, she manages my household," Iceburg introduced. "Please see to some accommodations for Nami," he ordered the woman.
Kalifa nodded. "The women may stay with me, Jarl Iceburg."
"Hm, that's a good idea," Iceburg praised.
Kalifa held her head high with pride. "Do not forget, Jarl Iceburg, you are supposed to be hearing a territorial dispute from Sula, you have to pass judgement on a thief in Humla, and you also need to inspect Jarl Eustass's cargo on Hessa."
"I don't want to," Iceburg huffed petulantly.
Nami glanced up at Kid again, once again confused, but he remained unhelpful with his own bored expression.
Iceburg turned to the other person with him, a tall man with a long, square-shaped nose and short ginger hair, lighter than her own, hidden beneath a blue knit cap. He wore blue woolen trousers, a simple white linen tunic and light blue coat, with two swords in his belt, and another short knife hanging at the opposite hip. He came across as serious, like the woman, but his lips curled in the faintest smile to show a friendlier demeanor.
"Kaku," Iceburg addressed him, "see to the lumber. The rest I'll do tomorrow." He frowned thoughtfully. "Perhaps," he added. An afterthought. Nami had a feeling he would put off his responsibilities another day if he could. "Since I have nothing better to do," he continued on, and Nami just caught herself from gaping at the remark – he had plenty of things to do according to Kalifa. "I'll give you a tour of our village, Nami."
"I need to see to the cargo and our other ship," Kid said, turning back to the docks as Kaku headed toward a faering. He pointed at her in warning. "Behave for Gunda and Killer."
She rolled her eyes and waved him off. Her guardians for the day took his place at her side when Kid jogged off to go with Kaku, and Nami turned to follow after Jarl Iceburg and Kalifa as they made their way east, away from the central part of the village and inner harbor.
"We'll start with my home," Iceburg called back, "and the lodgings you'll be staying in."
Nami hurried to keep up with the pair's longer strides, and fell in beside Kalifa while Killer hung back to walk behind the women.
"This is a rather large village," Nami commented idly. "And the shipyard looked bigger than any I've seen."
"We're the main port and largest village of the region," Kalifa explained. She gestured toward the jarl leading them along packed dirt roads between wood and turf homes, toward the southern side of the island's hill. "Jarl Iceburg has centralized much of the governance of the area. The farmers of the islands around us bring crops and wares here to sell and trade. They also come here should they have a dispute with a neighbor to see it peacefully resolved, and any who attempted to resolve it themselves are brought here for judgement." Nami nodded her understanding when the woman paused in her explanation, and looked up at the jarl who commanded enough respect from the people to be entrusted with so much responsibility. He was picking at his ear and appeared to have no cares in the world. "He is greatly loved," Kalifa whispered, "do not show him even the slightest disrespect, or you will have to answer to me."
Nami swallowed thickly at the underling threat in the woman's stern voice. She edged closer to Gunda who was stiff at her side, a hand on the hilt of her sword.
"Hm, Kalifa, don't be so harsh to our guests," Iceburg called back with a glance over his shoulder. "Though I would advise, young lady, that you do not anger her. She's quite strong, and usually I'm the one who ends up hurt."
Kalifa's jaw dropped before she bowed her head, a grimace of shame in her expression. Nami bit back a snicker, relaxing as the other woman brushed off the rebuke a moment later.
"It's not just governance I see to here. I'm a shipbuilder, just as your jarl is, but I brought more builders and craftsmen to the town, the best I could find in Noreg, and created a centralized shipyard for the islands," Iceburg explained. "Anyone who needs a boat, be it for fishing, raids, exploration, or just traveling between islands, they come to me so they might have the best ship they can buy. And those people bring back whatever they catch, or pillage, or create, and sell them in our market to people they might never have met in their smaller villages. We also encourage trade with other jarls to bring in the finest materials for our craftsmen, seeing that their wares are the best quality, and that, of course, brings even more people here to buy and trade."
"I'm surprised Kid hasn't attempted to do the same in Drafn," Nami remarked, glancing back at Killer. "The eastern coast certainly has the potential to be its own trading center."
"Kid has his own ambitions," was all Killer said in response, and Nami huffed when he pointedly dropped the subject there. She would have to remind herself to ask on those ambitions later. While Kid did not seem inclined to use her for his own goals the way Arlong did, there was no telling how that might change if he became driven enough to use anything at his disposal to achieve his dreams.
Jarl Iceburg's path brought them to a gentle incline with wood stairs built into the side of the hill, winding up through denser trees, away from the busy village center. The path ran along the southern side of the island's slope before coming to an end at a cleared section of forest with a grand hall, at least three times larger than Kid's, built right up against the side of the hill. An open square sat in front of the hall's porch, overlooking the sea and the large island across the strait.
"The main village of Álasund is primarily situated around this bay," Kalifa explained, "but Jarl Iceburg's governance extends to the south in parts of Sula." She pointed across the strait to the other island. "As well as to some villages on Oksenoya." She pointed straight east to a large island only divided from their own by a narrow channel. "The islands to the north and west are also under his control. Seven islands in total follow his command."
"That's a lot of influence. I'm surprised you're not trying to call yourself a king," Nami remarked.
"Hm, too much work," Iceburg said as he came to a halt in the square in front of his home. He gestured down the slope to rows of small wood and thatch homes built along the length of the coast. Thirty houses sat tightly packed and appeared empty save for a few puffs of smoke rising from the roof hatches of a handful of them. "My builders and craftsmen live down there. I have extra space there for your men to remain in while you rest and prepare for your raids." He turned east and waved them along to another home, larger than the ones the men would stay in, but still only about half the size of Kid's hall. "You ladies will be staying here."
The jarl paused outside the house to allow Kalifa to enter first, leading the women in to show them the modest quarters made up of only two partially separated rooms. The front room held a round stone fire pit at the center, with ornate silver lamps hanging from the ceiling to provide extra light. A loom sat to one corner, a small table beside it neatly organized with garments in the middle of being stitched or mended. Across the room was a raised wooden platform with a chest set in its corner that Kalifa immediately went to open, revealing furs and blankets for their bedding.
A curtain was pulled back between the front and back to show the second room with Kalifa's bed and a wooden tub.
"I do not like bathing where the men might think to spy on me," she explained, tossing a withering stare at her jarl who stood outside the front door with Killer, his back to them. "If you are equally uncomfortable using the bathhouse down the hill, you are welcome to use my tub if you need it. I recommend that you do. Bathing anywhere near the men will either get you leered at, or lectured for your immodesty, depending on which men come upon you."
Knowing Kid, she would likely have guards on her any time she went anywhere, so she doubted she would have to worry about Iceburg's men. But she wouldn't refuse an opportunity to bathe without the potential for an audience. Gunda would likely want her to take advantage of the offer, as well.
She smiled her thanks, and they headed back to the square so Iceburg could show them his large hall. It had the same carved wood beams crossed above the entrance that Kid's hall had, but that was where any similarities ended. The front room was filled with tables and benches around a long stone firepit, but there was no formal chair or table to indicate Iceburg sat above the rest. The remainder of the hall was divided into other rooms more formally than Kid's. There was a room with a table covered with maps and small models of ships, chairs surrounding it that spoke of a more private meeting room for Iceburg and his inner circle. A large room was reserved for the jarl's private quarters, another for his bath, and he had his own privy separate from the others. There were two more separate bedrooms reserved for high standing guests, such as Kid, and then two more smaller rooms used by the servants to store their supplies for the housework, as well as use for their sleeping quarters.
"Tell me, Nami," Iceburg began as he led them back down the hill, "how did you come by Jarl Eustass's village?"
Nami hesitated a moment and glanced toward Killer. His frown told her to keep to Kid's lie.
"My father, Jarl Ingvar, sent me to live with Kid as a ward in exchange for an alliance," Nami answered.
"I have not heard of this Jarl," Iceburg mused aloud.
"His steading is very small. He only oversees a handful of farms," Nami lied. "He's quite poor."
Iceburg looked over his shoulder, a brow raised in thought. After a long look, he shrugged it off.
"Still, his lands must hold some value for Eustass to agree to such an alliance. Or perhaps you're the valuable part in the arrangement. He said you navigated through storms for him?"
"I did. Navigation has long been a skill of mine."
"Hm, and for a man with his ambitions, that is most certainly a valuable skill to get a hold of," Iceburg said, prompting Nami to look back at Killer again. She glared at him, firmly demanding he explain what those ambitions were with only the hard set of her gaze. Killer merely shook his head.
"Ask him later," he whispered and nudged her to keep following Iceburg back into the village.
With a quiet huff, she vowed to do just that. She didn't like the thought that she might have misjudged Kid's intentions in taking her in. Though, if she did, it was likely too late to change it. If her dreams were right, that he was meant to lose his life protecting hers, then she still had to find a way to stop that from happening, no matter how Kid might mean to use her in the future. He still meant to protect her, had still shown her more care than she expected him to. She would give him the benefit of the doubt until he proved her wrong.
They spent the remainder of the afternoon touring the marketplace and winding their way through homes, slowly heading west to the shipyard and docks where the rest of Kid's fleet had stopped. Nami took advantage of the teeming markets to distract herself from thoughts on Kid's ambitions, and browsed through the stands to see if there was anything she wanted to buy before they left. They would have extra room on the knarrs for anything she might wish to have, and after seeing a few carts with good furs, she decided she would grab some of the men another day to help her shop.
Bridges connected the three main islands Álasund was situated on, and as they began to cross the last bridge, with the shipyard straight ahead, Iceburg glanced back at her.
"There are two shipyards. One belongs to me, the other to my younger brother," he explained. "He would prefer to take damaged ships, dismantle them, and then re-engineer them for a new ship, and he regularly goes on raids without my approval to get gold and silver to buy more materials than what I allot him. He is likely bartering with your jarl for more of my timber. If not, he might be persuading him to let his men come along on your raids."
Iceburg paused at the end of the bridge and frowned at the docks to the left where men still unloaded the last bits of lumber from Kid's knarrs. Nami spotted Kid talking with a much taller man. He had light blue hair tied in a thick braid that fell just past his shoulders, with sideburns framing his jaw. He and Kid looked to be laughing and getting along, which only made Iceburg's frown deepen.
"If it's the latter, please take him with you, and do everything in your power to see that he stays there. It will save me a number of headaches in the future," Iceburg said.
Nami looked to Kalifa for an explanation.
"Franky is a scavenger in this city. He uses whatever he can get his hands on, and while he and Iceburg are brothers, they are just as much rivals in ship building. They respect each other, though they have never seen eye to eye on much of anything," Kalifa explained. A shout in the distance distracted them, and Nami looked up the long harbor to see a man fleeing from two others with swords brandished. Kalifa sighed. "There has also been a long and heated rivalry between the members of the two companies. A number of bets won and lost. And Franky is known to take in outcasts who are more than happy to collect on a debt accrued from a lost bet with blood when they don't get the gold promised."
"Paulie, get back here," the men shouted at the one they chased. "You owe us a whole purse!"
"And I said I would pay you when I got it," Paulie hollered back, racing between workers along the docks and harbor.
"That was a month ago!"
"Well, I haven't got it yet," he shouted back before ducking behind the framework of a new ship. They watched as he hid between braces, his face split with a grin as he snatched a length of rope stretched across the ground. Just as the men chasing him came in close, he tugged the rope, tripping the men and sending them crashing to the ground. With a sharp laugh, Paulie pushed out from his hiding place and began to run away again while the men struggled to untangle themselves on the ground.
Iceburg sighed just as another man with long black hair tied in a low tail stuck his leg out as Paulie ran by, aiming for the bridge they stood on, and tripped him in turn. He went skidding through the dirt and fell limp in front of them.
His head popped up, scruffy face covered in filth and fresh scratches, and bits of blond hair flying from the tail he wore it in. "Lucci! You're supposed to trip them, not me!" he hollered.
The man known as Lucci silently glowered.
"Franky, call your men off," Iceburg yelled to the man talking with Kid. The ones who had been chasing Paulie had gotten back on their feet and stormed at Paulie with large grins.
"If Paulie owes them, then let them collect," Franky said, waving him off.
"Hm, he always owes them something," Iceburg pointed out. The man in the dirt gaped up at him. "At least wait on collecting until our guests leave," he added, gesturing back at her. "I would rather not sully her impression of our village with senseless bloodshed."
"Tsh," Franky hissed, turning to his men. "Zambai. Kop. Leave him alone. He ain't going anywhere."
The two men groaned in disappointment, but sheathed their swords anyway. They made a few rude gestures as Paulie picked himself up off the ground, and then made a grudging retreat. With their backs turned, Paulie made an even ruder gesture back and looked ready to call out some insults but was silenced by Lucci's fist.
"You gamble too much," Lucci lectured stoically as Paulie nursed his bruising jaw.
"You're supposed to be on my side," Paulie huffed.
Lucci shrugged and headed back to work, leaving Paulie to glare at his back. With the chaos under control once again, Iceburg led them toward the docks where their knarrs were being unloaded, intending to formally introduce her to Franky and his builders. As they neared, Nami caught Kid's gaze and glared as she remembered Iceburg's earlier remarks on his ambitions. Kid's brow rose at the look.
"Why are you mad at me again? I haven't spoken to you in hours and you're glaring at me," Kid grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. She huffed and turned her chin up, deciding to ignore him for the moment, and he quickly turned to Killer. "What the fuck did I do now?"
Killer only spared a shrug for his jarl, and Kid threw up his arms in frustration with a string of curses before he stomped away to help unload the last pieces of lumber.
She would talk to him later. When they didn't have an audience present.
Kid had left her in a perfectly good mood, their earlier stand-off long behind them, so he was at a loss as to why Nami's reaction upon seeing him hours later was so chilly. She proceeded to ignore him in favor of meeting Franky and Iceburg's men, treating them all to a warm smile and honest laughter while he finished unloading his ships.
He assumed it was something minor, and let her have her tiff. Probably wasn't even related to him, he was just the poor sucker who would get the blame. At least she hadn't demanded more gold from him. He wouldn't humor her fines when he knew he hadn't done a single thing wrong all day. She could keep on giving him a cold shoulder, for all he cared. He was innocent of whatever charges she thought to trump up against him this time.
When night fell, they made their way back to Jarl Iceburg's hall. Nami walked back through the village with Iceburg, Paulie, Lucci, and Kalifa, while Kid joined Franky and his men on his boat. The older shipbuilder gave him a sympathetic slap on the back when he noticed him glaring off at the group as they crossed the bridge into the village.
"She probably heard some of the village girls whispering about you," Franky reasoned. "It's just a little jealousy. She'll forget all about it after you give her some attention."
Kid gave the man a flat stare. There were so many things wrong with that reason, he didn't know where to begin to refute it. His eyes narrowed when he slapped him on the back again, but he swallowed down a biting remark that the man mind his own damn business. He was at least right about one thing. She would forget her anger eventually. She always did. And once he found out what was bothering her, he'd see that she forgot it faster.
Kid's men had long since unloaded their chests from the ships. He found his chest in the room Iceburg arranged for him, and Killer mentioned that Nami was already settled in the women's quarters with Gunda and Kalifa, while the rest of his men were down the hill in the other houses. Kid frowned at the news of Nami's sleeping arrangements, but he reasoned that Gunda would be with her if she had any more nightmares haunt her. Not that he cared where she slept, especially if she was giving him the cold shoulder for no reason at all.
After cleaning up from the day's voyage and work, Kid made his way out to the square where Iceburg was holding a welcome feast beneath the early evening stars. His men had gathered wood for a large bonfire, and Kid arrived just as they began to pass around pitchers of ale. With the more festive atmosphere, Kid allowed himself to sink into revelry, and did his best to spend the evening drinking with everyone.
Eventually Nami stopped glaring at him, but she was too busy enjoying the feast with a few of Iceburg's men who had become taken with her upon first meeting her. Naturally, she turned that to her advantage, and just as she had done with his men, Nami made servants out of the craftsmen. Kid watched her laugh and drink on the other side of the fire, and did his best not to glower as he settled on a log to eat his dinner of roast pig and cabbage.
"I don't think she's actually mad at you," Killer said, breaking Kid away from the glare he had leveled on Paulie. The man had been spending much of the night with Nami, but wasn't one of the many turned into a servant for her. Instead, he had spent most of the night lecturing the woman for her inappropriate behavior, only to be ignored when she grabbed him by the hand and forced him to dance with her. Kid swore he had never seen a man turn so red, all from a woman's hand in his.
"Then why the fuck isn't she talking to me?" Kid huffed, dragging his gaze away from Nami as she spun around a fuming Paulie, her laughter ringing through the square. Two women from Franky's household, Mozu and Kiwi, joined in on the teasing, and soon Paulie found himself in the middle of three women as they danced around him. He didn't think Nami was drunk, not after seeing how much ale she could drink at the feast he threw for her, but she was certainly in a festive spirit.
"Iceburg made an idle remark about your ambitions," Killer explained. "And alluded to the possibility that she might help you achieve your own goals. If Jarl Arlong meant to claim her for his own purposes, she might be worried that you'll do the same if your dreams are lofty enough."
"Tsh, that's stupid," Kid grumbled. He had never once thought about how he might use her gifts to his own advantage, at least not outside of giving her a purpose in his village so no one questioned why she was there. And that didn't include his idle thoughts of turning her into a bed slave when they first found her, or possibly ransoming her to anyone who looked for her. That had been before he knew what she could do and why she was sent to him.
"I told her to talk to you about her concerns."
"Then why hasn't she?" he growled.
Killer shrugged, and Kid felt whatever patience he had leave him. He was fine with letting her attitude blow over before, but if she thought to doubt him all because of a vague remark about his goals, then he couldn't leave it alone. He thought she trusted him.
He tossed back the last of the ale in his horn, and snatched another pitcher from a passing servant. With an annoyed growl, he got up from his log and pushed his way through the groups dancing and playing around the fire. He saw Gunda jump up in surprise when he got closer to Nami's group, the shieldmaiden wary when she noticed his sights aimed on Nami. She backed down when he threw her a glare. He wasn't a danger to Nami, and she ought to know that.
"I'm cuttin' in," he called to the group tormenting Paulie just before snaking an arm around Nami's waist. She shrieked in surprise as he tossed her over his shoulder while the other men whistled and hollered. Paulie was the only one that didn't hoot at him. He ignored Paulie and Kalifa's accusations of impropriety and assault as he carted Nami away.
"Put me down, Kid," Nami ordered as he walked away from the boisterous group and headed off down the path to the village.
"Oh? Are you talking to me now?" Kid growled back.
She squirmed and growled in his hold. "Yes, I'll talk to you now," she snapped when she saw there was no escaping him.
When he felt they had enough privacy, he set her down just off the path. "Alright. Talk," he ordered impatiently, and took a seat on a moss covered rock among slender birch trees.
Nami huffed at him and crossed her arms over her chest. "I was going to talk to you tomorrow. This isn't a conversation to have with outsiders around."
"There ain't anyone around us now," Kid said, gesturing around them. "So tell me what's with the shitty attitude all of a sudden. Killer said it has somethin' to do with my ambitions."
He refilled his horn with the ale he grabbed, and waved for Nami to take it. The drink was a peace offering that would hopefully keep her calm, and thus keep his temper even. They couldn't be shouting at each other there.
Nami snatched the horn but didn't drink. "What are your ambitions, anyway?"
"What does it matter to you?" he asked. "They got nothing to do with you."
Her lips pursed stubbornly. He rolled his eyes in return.
"If you're worried about me using you like your usurper wanted to, then you're an idiot. I've taken you in, given you a home, and provided you with a small army to keep you safe. I haven't taken your family from you, haven't threatened you into using your family's gifts to better my lot in life. And from what I've seen, you've been pretty damn happy with all that I've provided. So why do you all of a sudden think I might be using you?" he asked with a low growl.
Nami's tense posture relaxed as she sighed. She took a drink of the ale, and handed it back to him.
"I was going to give you the benefit of the doubt," she said. "You hadn't given me any reason to mistrust your intentions before, but I didn't think you had any ambitions outside of maintaining your village and building your ships."
Kid scowled at her. "'Course I have ambitions," he grunted, taking a long drink from the horn. "Every man's got to have ambitions, a dream to work toward. I just don't need a seer to achieve mine. 'Specially not one who's only seen my death. Don't see what good that'll do me."
"Iceburg thought my navigational abilities would be useful to you," Nami explained.
Kid frowned thoughtfully. "That's a good point," he mused. "But if I meant to use those skills of yours, I don't see why you would have much of a problem with it. You said it yourself, you've wanted to see more of the world. Your former jarl meant to sail you down to Africa, and you said you wanted to see England. So what if I used your navigation skills when it would mean you get to achieve those dreams, too. In fact, your dreams line up pretty nicely with my ambitions."
"What do you mean?" Nami came closer, and he shifted to the side to let her sit next to him. He filled his horn again and handed it over to her, then set the pitcher in the dirt.
"I told you about the jarl I usurped," Kid began, leaning back on the rock as he spoke. She nodded. "All those guys were always laughing at me behind my back, thought I was a fool. They were happy to use my ships and my strength to get what they wanted, but they mocked me when I wasn't there to do anything about it. I should have known they were. The jarl's sons were bastards to me when I was a child, too. I didn't shed a single tear when I found their corpses on the battlefield. Hell, I spat on those assholes and prayed that Odin would leave them to rot."
Nami shifted, uncomfortable or unsettled with the story, but he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye to see that she was listening as she drank.
"After I took that family down and righted all their wrongs against me and my friends, I vowed that I would be a better jarl, better man, prove that I wasn't someone they could laugh at. I would bring fame to my name and people out on the seas and battlefield. I'd bring them the greatest treasures, return with stories of magnificent battles in far off places. I'd give them a reason to sing tales of me, even long after I was gone." He chuckled. "I'll never bow or bend my knee to another man. And I'll make myself a king to achieve that if I have to."
Nami hummed. His story didn't seem to reassure her, so he sat straight and turned to glower at her.
"Those ambitions haven't changed since you came into my hall, and I'm serious when I say your gifts will do me no good. The only good they might bring me is the tale they'll tell of me when I slay your giant. But I've always meant to find my fame and riches with my own two hands, my own strength. I have no use for a woman's magic." He took the horn of ale from her and swallowed down the last of it before tossing the empty cup to the ground. "Iceburg's right. Your navigational skills would be to my benefit, but I'm reluctant to use them when it means I'll be dragging you off to my battles and putting you in danger. And that's somewhat counter to my purposes of keeping you alive." He growled to himself. "I was thinking to take you to England with us after you got us through those storms, Franky even offered to come with us so I can spare a few men to stay back at the camp to keep you safe. But if you think I'd be doing it solely for my own gain, then you can go back to Drafn and hide in my hall for the rest of your life, for all I care."
She stared thoughtfully for a moment, and then relaxed beside him with a smile. "I guess it was silly of me to worry."
Kid chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, his mood easily lifting now that she was no longer annoyed with him. "No, makes sense. You were told a story about all the women in your family being desired as tools for a man's ambitions, and you've been suffering beneath another man all these years. You have plenty of reasons to doubt any man you meet. We're all greedy bastards. Though, I am offended that you'd think to mistrust me for even a second at this point. I ought to take back some of that gold you've swindled from me over the last few weeks as recompense for it."
"You're never getting a single piece of gold back from me," Nami said with a teasing lilt. She nudged her shoulder into his side. "But, I'll make it up to you by letting you take me up there tomorrow." She pointed up to the very top of the island's hill. He followed her finger and frowned.
"Why? And how is that making it up to me?" he asked.
"I want a better vantage point of the strait and fjord," she explained. "Paulie and a few of the others offered to lead the way up."
He glowered at her. "Again, how's that making it up to me?"
"I assumed you would rather take me up yourself than leave me in the care of other men who aren't as determined to protect me as you are," she said.
He grunted. That was a good reason for him to go along. He definitely didn't like the idea of sending her off with strangers, least of all strangers who had spent most of the night undressing her with their eyes. He glared off at the distant glow of the bonfire and the laughter of the men around it. He didn't like that idea one bit.
Nami giggled and drew his attention back to her. "See?"
His eyes narrowed on her. As good as her reason was, it still wasn't even close to an apology for doubting him. "I think I'm the one who ought to be most worried about being taken advantage of, woman. I won't let you manipulate me like you do all of them."
The pout she wore was obviously fake, and he glared at her to say he knew it. She dropped the look with a laugh.
"You're still going to take me up there, though," she sang. "Just like you're still going to take me to England."
His brow rose. "And how do you suppose that?"
"You can't deny me anything when you know it'll make me happy," she said knowingly. "Because you like me."
"Is that so?" He chuckled.
She leaned into his side, angling her head back so he could see her teasing smile. "Mhm, and it's because I'm cute."
He broke into loud laughter that drowned out the faint sounds of the bonfire's revelry. "Just because you have a pretty face, doesn't mean I'll let you have your way all the time."
"Yes it does," she sang.
"I'm not one of the men willing to jump at your beck and call like the rest."
"You're just not as obvious about it," she said with a snort of laughter, and slipped from beneath his arm. He glowered up at her as she spun to face him, leaning down with her mischievous smile. "But you still like to make me happy."
"That's 'cause you're less of a headache when you're happy," he reasoned.
She hummed. "And because you think I'm pretty."
He rolled his eyes. "I never said I thought you were pretty. I just said you got a pretty face by objective standards." He waved off toward the bonfire. "I might not think you're pretty or cute, but those guys obviously do." She pouted at him; once more the look was feigned. He leaned forward with a grin. "Anyway, unlike those guys, I know you snore. Hard to find a woman pretty after you've heard her snoring."
She gasped and stood straight, hands planted on her hips. "I do not snore. That's you, Kid."
He snorted. "You also drool in your sleep."
Nami gaped at him. "Again, that's you! I'm still drying out my furs after you slobbered all over them last night. You're no better than a mutt, you drool so much."
He couldn't help but laugh at her half-hearted fuming. Her cheeks were puffed, and he could admit to himself it was a cute look. He wouldn't tell her that, of course. She didn't need to think any higher of herself.
"Alright, but you do kick. A lot. Surprised I don't wake up with more bruises when I share a bed with you," he teased.
Her irritation melted away with a quiet laugh. "I only kick because I have an unwelcome guest in my bed. Especially one who tries to hog the bed and smother me in my sleep."
"I don't smother you," he said, waving off the complaint with a grin.
"You were holding me so tight, you nearly crushed me," she snapped.
"It was only one time," he said. She rolled her eyes, but when he laughed again, he saw her try to bury a smile. He certainly preferred it when she wasn't angry with him, no matter how much he loved that spark in her eyes when she was furious. He reached out to grasp her hand and pull her closer, startling her with the move. He ignored her surprise. "While we're on the subject, though… You going to be okay staying with Kalifa?"
She knew why he asked, and smiled sweetly. "I'll be fine. I can't have you sharing a bed with me here to chase those visions away. And anyway, if you sent me back to Drafn, I would be alone to deal with them while you were in England. I can't rely on you being there every night. I'll have to face my nightmares on my own eventually."
He understood her point, but after the odd dream she had the previous night, and the change to her scar afterward, he couldn't help but feel uneasy about leaving her alone. It was another reason he thought to take her to England. He could stay close by in case the Norns thought to take more from her flesh. He didn't know how he could fight them, or her dreams, but he wouldn't leave her alone when they came.
He nodded and then gave her hand a squeeze before releasing it.
"If you change your mind, you know where to find me," he said as he grabbed his horn off the ground and began to pour the last of the ale from the pitcher. He needed to forget his concerns and trust that she would be fine. She would have Gunda there, and the shieldmaiden would protect her as she slept. Maybe her presence will be enough to chase off the dreams.
He was surprised by the feeling of her hand in his hair and jerked his head up to stare wide eyed at the woman. He could see sympathy in her smile for a split second before it was replaced with mischief.
"You know, you're kind of cute when you worry," she quipped. His jaw dropped in further shock as her fingers danced over his cheek. She leaned down, a teasing glimmer in her eyes as she tapped his chin. "Then again, I think you're just trying to take advantage of my dreams to invite yourself into a pretty girl's bed."
His surprise washed away as he growled at her, and Nami stood straight with a snickering laugh. She spun away to climb back up the path to Iceburg's hall.
"I told you I don't think you're pretty," he called after her.
She laughed again, and hollered back "Of course you don't, Kid," with a mocking air. "It's not as though you're blushing right now, or anything."
He growled at her retreating back. His eyes cast down to the sway of her hips as she sauntered off.
He looked away with a hiss.
She wasn't pretty at all.
A/N: The best part of this fic is I get to make it somewhat slow burn and let Kid have his denial phase of attraction. Because that man is in full on contradictory denial stage right now and it's only going to get worse (or better, depending on your perspective).
And so yes, look, I found a way to include Franky. Once I realized I could use Galley-La quite nicely here, I knew I had to include Franky. I might include one other Straw Hat, but very briefly, and not until toward the very end. As for including the CP-9 members who were apart of Galley-La, I'm using them because 1 - Kalifa got the fucking shaft by Oda during Enies Lobby, so I'm fixing that, 2 - Lucci's blood-thirst is too good to pass up, and 3 - because I like them. Kalifa will be getting the most attention out of all of them, though, and she will be more in line with how she was during Water 7 arc (especially the way she fought at the end, before Oda turned her into a weak airhead only good for fanservice).
As for Iceburg's mouse - I don't give a shit if this is Viking age Norway, he needs his mouse, and also to be a very lazy adult. Lucci will also get Hattori, but he won't be pulling the ventriloquist act with him.
This is probably the most light-hearted chapter of this fic, so don't expect much more comedic relief after this point.