Chapter 23: Concern

Judge clutched the letter from Captain Arlong tightly, his lip curling into a snarl as he read.

My lieutenants Chew and Hatchan left Germa 66 with assurances that Nami's wedding with one of your sons would be taking place soon and that the Arlong Pirates would receive an invitation so that we would know when the marriage takes place. We have received no invitation.

Either you forgot to invite the Arlong Pirates, or you've forgotten that one of your sons is to marry Nami. I am writing, of course, out of the utmost concern for my navigator. From the beginning, it was imperative to me to make sure that my navigator was well taken care of, which is why I insisted that this alliance include marriage.

I have held up my end of the bargain, Judge. Where is your end?

Cursing, Judge threw the letter into the garbage. Where did that pirate captain get off calling Nami his navigator? She belonged to the Germa Kingdom now. Oh, Judge didn't doubt that Arlong had plans to one day retrieve Nami and use the knowledge she'd gained of North Blue to start infringing on Germa's territories, but that was why Judge had agreed to let a commoner marry one of his sons.

He'd thought that surely by welcoming her into the family and giving her such an important role, Germa would have her loyalty. So far, Nami's loyalty didn't seem to be an issue. He'd had the navigator under surveillance, and she hadn't tried even once to contact her former crew. He imagined she was happy to be rid of those fishmen. How could being a pirate possibly compare to now living in the Germa Kingdom and having entire fleets follow your directions as a navigator? Arlong could never offer Nami that kind of power.

However, he had been too busy to technically have Nami welcomed into the family as his daughter-in-law. The first wedding date got pushed out—but he believed that to be for the best. Niji made many excellent points about a marriage to Nami not being a throw away marriage. Arlong's letter helped reinforce that fact.

His people loved and respected Nami. She'd proved her worth to them again and again with her navigation skills and they stood in awe of her. And her prowess as a navigator was undeniable. As Judge had believed, having such a skilled navigator had increased Germa 66's rate of conquest. Nami would be a heroine of Germa 66 who would be spoken of for generations to come. Which meant that who she married was of great importance. Niji and Yonji were equal to each other in so many ways that it made it difficult for him to decide which one should marry Nami. Both seemed equally amenable to the idea.

His musing were interrupted by a knock on the door and then Ichiji entered the room.

"What is it?" Judge asked, a frown still on his face.

"I encountered some interesting conversations during the last ball with several leaders from North Blue and the surrounding kingdoms," Ichiji explained. "I haven't had time to discuss them with you yet because of the Quell war campaign."

Judge couldn't read the look on his oldest son's face. "What kind of interesting conversations? Are some of those weaklings hoping to join forces and stand against us again? Have they already forgotten how poorly that turned out for the last group who did that?"

Ichiji shook his head. "The fact that Germa's increased prowess is thanks to the navigator is becoming common knowledge and your rumor that Nami is a lost princess from East Blue seems to be spreading well too. I encountered no one who didn't believe her to be of royal blood. Of course, no one would believe that a member of the Vinsmoke family would marry someone outside of our class."

"So?" Judge grunted impatiently. "That's all good news, not interesting news. What else did you hear?"

"People are confused about why you would break off Nami's engagement to Sanji when clearly things are going so well for Germa 66 with the addition of her talents. The conclusion they have come to is that you intend for her to marry me. This is a rumor that appears to be spreading."

Judge nearly choked upon hearing those words. "But you corrected them, didn't you?
You told them that Nami would be marrying one of your brothers and that it was simply a mistake that she was announced as being engaged to Sanji?"

"I . . . didn't confirm their guess," Ichiji said carefully. He took a seat across from his father's desk. "But I am concerned about what the effect may be now if . . . if I'm not the one to marry Nami." Ichiji's heart was pounding and he wasn't sure if it was because he found the idea of marrying a commoner so disgusting, or because he so strongly desired for Nami to be his. He was beginning to suspect it was the latter, but was still fighting against it. The way things were going, this decision made sense. Personal feelings didn't matter.

Judge frowned and opened his mouth, but Ichiji rushed to speak first. "To outsiders, they see no difference between my three younger brothers. Only our family knows of Sanji's deficiencies. It doesn't make sense for Nami not to marry Sanji only to marry Yonji or Niji. But with all she has done for our people, it would make sense for you to decide that she should be queen instead of a princess."

"She's not of royal blood," Judge said slowly, as though Ichiji had somehow forgotten that. "And will bring us no kingdoms. Would you have me give my grandchildren, who will one day inherit this kingdom, weak commoner blood?"

"No," Ichiji said, and mentally added, but I would give them fiery blood. "But I believe I will be giving them weak blood if I marry any princesses I've met so far. Father, how much attention have you paid to the women at the dignitary gatherings we attend? Not one of those women look me in the eye for more than a second. Nami has never hesitated to do so. She's far stronger than any woman I've ever met. Like you, I want my children to be strong, which I believe means marrying a strong woman. Furthermore, my wife will need to be strong in order to be the queen of Germa 66. What would I do with someone who faints at the sight of blood? Or runs at the first hint of a fight? Don't you feel that would bring shame upon the Vinsmoke name?"

Judge's frown stayed in place, but it was less severe than it had been. The truth was, he'd began to be a little troubled by how big a heroine he imagined Nami would become to their people. What woman could possibly compare to what Nami had done for them and would do for them? How could the Germa Kingdom ever look upon another woman with the same awe they held for Nami?

Nothing could compare with being the catalyst for allowing North Blue to be united. Which meant that also had the potential of making Nami outshine his sons. Unless she was always heavily associated with one of them. If her triumphs were also considered that son's triumphs. And, of course, whichever son that was would be considered the best of his sons. Which meant that it had to be Ichiji . . . except he'd been set on the idea of pairing Nami with the son who worked best with Nami. What if Nami and Ichiji didn't work as well together as Nami and Yonji had? No other pairing had made as great a win yet.

It was time to get serious about discovering who worked best with Nami, and whoever that was would become the new crown prince of Germa 66. The two of them would lead Germa 66 into a new era.

"You have some good points, Son. And it reminds me of concerns I've been beginning to develop. I agree with you."

Ichiji began to relax until Judge added, "And, I have some bad news for you."

"What?" Ichiji asked. Had Judge already decided who Nami would marry? Already sent out wedding invitations? He couldn't possibly change Nami's fiancé twice, it would make the Vinsmoke family look foolish.

"I think you are correct that Germa 66 needs a powerful queen and that by my own actions, people will decide that I've changed Nami's engagement because I desire for her to be queen because of how useful she's been. More than that, I believe that our people will demand that she be queen, may rebel against any other woman as queen since nothing another woman did could compare to uniting North Blue."

Now it was Ichiji's turn to frown. "Why is that bad news for me?"

"Because whoever will be most closely associated with Nami will share in the glory, whoever is most closely associated with Nami must be the one to marry her, and whoever is most closely associated with Nami . . . must be the one who works best with her. Reuniting North Blue is too important to leave anything up to chance. I do desire for you to become king in my stead one day, but whoever works best with Nami is who I will choose as crown prince."

Ichiji's throat went dry and his stomach dropped. This couldn't be happening. Not that he doubted his abilities to impress his father, but was Judge seriously considering giving the crown to one of his brothers? Ichiji was the oldest, the strongest, and the best politician. He was clearly the best choice.

"When do you plan to tell my brothers?"

"I don't for now."

"You don't?" Ichiji echoed, his eyes widening. This information would make Niji and Yonji work twice as hard. They already both desperately wanted Nami as their bride. If they learned that winning her also meant winning the crown, nothing would get in their way. Nothing other than Ichiji, anyway.

"They should already be focused on the glory of Germa 66 and on reuniting our kingdom," Judge explained. "If they need the added incentive of becoming crown prince in order to give their all for this nation, then they don't deserve to be king."

"Right," Ichiji agreed, standing up. At least no one but him would know that a contest for the throne as well as for the navigator was going on. He frowned. A contest for working best with the navigator, not a contest for the navigator. He was just trying to do what was best for his kingdom and its future, not win the hand of a woman for the sake of it. "I will not disappoint you, Father."

Judge waited until Ichiji had left the room before he pulled out a paper and pen, He would explain to Arlong that Nami had been so useful to him that he was now considering making her Germa 66's future queen, whcih meant reconsidering who she should marry. That ought to shut the pirate up for a while. Surely, having Nami be a queen instead of a princess was in her best interests.

A/N: I promise the next chapter will have some Sanji/Nami interaction!