A/N: Finally a new chapter. I hope you enjoy it :D

10. Just a Job

Nervously and with a little fear within her, she plays with the fringes of the scarf that Hansel put around her neck that morning. It is a soft material, but unfortunately she feels very little of it, because she is still wearing this damn iron band on her skin, which is only covered by the delicate material in a beautiful, wine-red color.

Just like the long sleeves of the autumn dress hide the handcuffs - just as if she looked like a completely normal woman.

But she wouldn't call her current life 'normal' anymore - because that would be a lie. And even if she isn't used in the way she was supposed to - to sleep with the handsome blond prince, in all possible ways - her life is no less like that of a prostitute.

To stand ready for a man's favors.

To be in his grace ...

...to be touched even if she doesn't want to...

Yes ... She is lucky that she was bought by Sanji, because by now she knows, that what she would have experienced among the other three Vinsmoke princes would have been worse... Even worse than all of the things that she had to endure under the blond so far. She doesn't want to imagine it - but at least she now knows that there are still increases in Sanji's perversion and his desires - which are called Ichiji, Niji and Yonji.

She swallows just thinking back to the breakfast. About how they titled the young woman. Have come close to her... Longed for her and she could see in their faces how much they lusted for the mere touch of her body. It was just disgusting, and Nami still gets angry when she even thinks about it. Should she be blamed for the attempted escape?

No ... and that's what Sanji did. It didn't hold it against her - not even in the slightest. Because contrary to her assumptions, he did not punish her. Not giving her any abnormal orders to obey just to keep her alive. Of course - first he wanted to impose himself on her again and be close to her, but then his sister changed his mind. And since then ... he hadn't bothered her since then. Came into her room only after a while, revoked the order that they should meet for dinner together in his room and then left with a friendly smile.

Hansel and Gretchen then looked after her, sat with her when she ate, washed her and waited until she fell asleep, only to repeat the same procedure the next day. Because he didn't come, even if he had nothing to do when the ship dropped anchor. Sanji left her alone for a whole day… which somehow worried her more than it should.

And then – two days after the incident, Hansel and Gretchen came back – the young man, still masked, excited that the young woman had to go ashore with her prince.

Nami had just pretended to be totally surprised, but somehow she could have guessed it. She had heard that Sanji should do some ‚errands' on behalf of his father. That she should come with him was certainly his idea, in order to keep her close to him. Proximity … somehow the young man doesn't seem to think much of it any more – has barely exchanged a word with her and hadn't forced her against any walls, or he hadn't pushed her into his arms either. She doesn't miss it either, but she knows that she is just a decoration – the beautiful, young woman by his side – during all the meetings of the day. That is completely sufficient in their current situation …

She looks at the young, blond prince, who is not far from her and is talking excitedly to the helmsman of the ship – something about the current route, the islands that they have already visited and the one that they should still be visiting. About the fact that the goods in the hull of the ship are still 'hot' and that they even managed to be earlier than their schedule by half an hour.

Nami frowns and she swallows, because somehow she has the feeling that there is nothing good about these ‚goods' – the way the two men talk about it. Besides, Sanji's other errands weren't much better – visiting a huge armory, stocking up on soldiers on a small island in the east of the area, and getting some kind of "cheap workers" contract signed.

Yes … even if Sanji is a prince and all these things happen on behalf of his father, these can hardly be legal matters – at least Nami hardly believes that the world government with the mass of ordered weapons and the battalion of deployed soldiers is so easy keep your feet still. On the other hand, the Germa Kingdom does not seem to be the only empire in the world that is illegal … that she knows very well now and there will also be corruption in the ranks of the world government and the navy.

"You are so sillent …" Sanji mumbles as he suddenly turns away from the helmsman and walks over to her. She sees his hands twitch and he would have almost taken her in his arms – if she hadn't caught her breath so suddenly and frightened, shrinking back a few millimeters.

Nami blinks, is surprised that he even spoke to her because she didn't expect it. Shakes her head hastily and quickly wraps her own arms around her body.

"Is there anything that concerns you, Nami-dear? Can I do something for you? Do you want someone to bring you something to eat? To drink?" She shakes her head again and she sees the prince's eyebrows rise. "… tell me what concerns you!"

Beep. An order leaves his lips so quickly that she no longer expected it. Hears the beeping of her collar and see a light, red glow shimmer through the dark fabric of the sleeves. She hastily searches for words:

"…I-I … it is-"

"A long day?"

"Yes … yes, that's it …"

The noise dies down, because apparently her exhaustion must have been big enough for the collar to see her stuttering as the truth. He nods and for a brief moment she seems to be able to see a certain weariness in his eyes.

"I'm sorry that I took you with me ..." he says, but then lowers his voice, then grabs her hand and his eyes fix themselves on hers. She freezes, feels trapped in the deep blue of his eyes, while his voice hits her like the waves in a storm: "My brothers would have come to you if you had been left alone. With my bad luck they also know a trick to defraud the collar. Don't worry ... I won't let you alone with them ... Anyway - this is my last assignment now. And it's important that you stay close to me - where I can keep an eye on you. Where we're going now ... it's ... it's not a good place - especially not for a woman like you ... There are men who tick like my brothers and maybe even worse and for them you'd just be fresh meat . Women ... they ... are only objects there ... ".

Just as the words fall from his lips, an unpleasant, bitter thought comes to her head, which she utters right away - without thinking about it a second time:

"Are we going to a brothel?!"

"It belongs to Germa and the women are better off there than in most other whorehouses ..."

She snatches her hand from his, because a second - even more repulsive thought - bursts out from her immediately:

"And the 'hot goods' you just mentioned - these are girls, aren't they?! Are you here on the ship?!"

"Women ... they are all of legal age-"

"None of them do that voluntarily, do they they?!"

Sanji hastily grabs her shoulders, now pushing her against the nearest wall, while she breathes faster and faster and her heart threatens to jump out of her chest.

"Calm down!" He hisses, pleading, his thumbs wandering calmly over the fabric of her dress, where her shoulders are hidden.

"Bloody hell! The women there are used against their will! Enslaved, tortured and raped!"

"I did not say that! Nami! Calm down! It's just a job!"

"Those are the girls who didn't make it, right?! Or those who fled?! The 'scraps' left over by your brothers ?! And why should I stay near you?! Will I be sold then too?! To … to a suitor?! Or do the men just take the women there and you are afraid that you have no control over them?!"

Too many thoughts rush through her head. Loud and merciless. She can't calm down – doesn't want to. Didn't notice that I was beeping the collar louder and louder …

"Really?! Are you kidding me! I'm not stupid! How can someone be fine who is forced to have sex every day?!"

After all, in the rush, he gave her another command – to calm down. Sanji notices this, grabs her chin with one hand, holds it tight. Pushes with gentle force until she grabs his arm and whimpers softly.

"… Shhh …" he whispers. "… nothing will happen to you. I'll take care of that. And now quiet … Yes … we're going to a brothel. Yes … you come with me. Women work there – sex for money. Thousands are like this in this world … It's just a job. A job like any other …"

Something in Sanji's voice works like a charm on her. Maybe the grip on her chin and his mesmerizing gaze. The rhythm of her heart slows down. She is breathing normally, repeating his words in her head. The beeping and flashing will stop. Fortunately for her, she has calmed down.

"Your Highness – that is a really temperamental piece off ass. Do you sell her too?" Asks the helmsman from the other side of the small room. His voice alone is full of indecency and Nami realizes that he would buy her for sex right away.

Now it is the blond prince who starts to snort when he hears this. Lets go of Nami and glares over his shoulder with a scowl – over to the man who is a few heads taller than him. Clenches his hands into fists so much that his knuckles crack and turn white. The helmsman's eyes widen when he sees this, swallows in fear and lets go of the steering wheel. He falls to his knees and presses his nose against the steel floor, bows as if he wanted to become one with it.

The young man walks over to him – his steps are almost creeping and delicate, like those of a big cat on the hunt – and grabs the bowing man's hair, pulls it until he looks at him.

"I must have misheard …" says Sanji, breathing dangerously. "She is not for sale! She belongs to Me!"

"I didn't know that they were your-"

"Knowing is not part of your job either ~" Sanji continues to pull the man's hair – with ease and so much that his back is already bent at a very unhealthy angle. "And I should break your neck for these words. Or rip your throat out. Or I-" Sanji pauses, his eyes meet Namis again and only then does she notice how she called his name to make him stop. After all, she doesn't want another poor person to die because of her and through his hand. She just can't watch it again…

The young prince breathes tremblingly through his mouth. His whole body shakes, looks stiff and tense. His eyes are wide, his face contorted in an angry grimace.

Again she sees the beast in him that you are lurking for his prey.

…the monster…

And she feels a certain fear – of him – but holds his gaze.

He tears his eyes away from hers, back down to the man in his hand, snorts contemptuously and easily pulls him across the room and over to her – lets him kneel in front of her and finally let go.

"Apologize to her!" Barks Sanji, pressing his fingers into the man's neck so that he gasps in pain. "Come on!"

"I-I-"

"More quickly!"

"I a-apologize to you, girl …"

The young woman only presses her cold back more against the wall. Trembles. Stares at the heap of misery at her feet, hoping the prince will let go of him.

"O-okay …" she whispers breathlessly.

Sanji snorts and actually lets go of the helmsman. Steps away from him and looks down.

"You didn't deserve her apology … I would have wished you dead if I were her …" The man nods humbly and stands up again, his knees still wobbly, and then stumbles over to the steering wheel. He reaches for it and even if his whole body is shaking now, he brings the ship to its destination and soon lets the anchor down into the cool water.

… bows down to the floor again as Sanji walks past him, over to Nami and he offers her his arm.

Her tired, dark eyes stay on them for a few seconds before she finally clings to him with a quiet sigh.

With her eyes on the ground, she follows him out, over the deck and down into the harbor, where they stop after a few steps. The young woman just feels too weak to enjoy the beautiful blue sky. The smell of the sea and the refreshing wind that tries to tousle her hair. She just can't go on anymore … wants to wake up from this nightmare and continue her original journey … but now the last bit of hope in her is slowly dying out.

She does not know whether it would not be better to gradually surrender to her miserable fate, or to throw herself into the floods to simply end her suffering. Her pale, dry lips would almost have sobbed if she hadn't suddenly noticed the steps that were coming towards her. Nami even notices how the young man at her side stands up a little more and she now directs her gaze upwards.

"Ah ~ my dear prince!" Greets him immediately a fat, greasy guy, whose toupee has slipped a little on his round head, while Nami immediately notices the terribly patterned shirt that is characterized by too many bright colors and was buttoned wrongly too. He's also wearing a really badly fitting suit over it, which only makes her first impression worse. But his appearance doesn't stop him from taking the prince's hand and shaking it vigorously and complimenting the young man in all sorts of ways.

"You own the brothel?", Sanji only asks and takes a tiny step back, apparently a little disgusted himself.

"Of course, of course! Just bring the girls in – they'll be taken care of! And this one is a particularly delightful piece and I-"

His fat fingers are already reaching in Nami's direction, certainly to greet her too, but Sanji immediately raises his hand when he notices this and presses it against the fat man's chest.

"Oh … oh I see …", the man whispers quickly, ducking a little submissively and apologetically and out of Sanji's reach. "Nice to meet you too, my beautiful …"

"The payment?", Asks Sanji quickly, certainly wants to do the job for his father without any digressions – just like the other business before. "Everything is there, everything is cash, my princ-"

Another interruption, but this time it doesn't seem to worry the fat one, because it's a woman's screaming that reaches her ears. Shrill and fearful. Shortly afterwards, a girl – certainly not much older than Nami herself – storms down the access bridge of the royal ship. Avoids the first guard. The second. But the third German soldier gets hold of her arm. Tugs her back and against him as she struggles and yells for help – eyes wide and pleading and full of tears.

The fat man nods impressed and whistles. "… a spirited charge, yes? Or is this the last, desperate rebellion?" He laughs maliciously at his words. "May I see?"

Sanji nods and with another movement of his head, the soldier pushes the young woman to the ground, lets her kneel in front of the fat pimp and holds his sword to her throat.

"Ah … pretty … cup size D … even double D. Mmm … narrow hips … we have to change something about the hair. And-"

She spits on the man's face in disgust.

He laughs so disgustingly again, before he grabs her hair with one sudden movement.

"I think I still have to teach you manners, you cun-"

Sanji clears his throat and the man looks over at him startled, lets go of the woman.

"Please do not damage the goods before I have signed the contract."

"Of course, of course … I … don't like being spit on. That goes without saying, my dear sir."

"… of course …", Sanji mumbles and turns away from the action with her to go over to the house that is already in front of them – red lights are shining in the windows and the sign saying "House of Red Lips "doesn't make her feel good.

"There are twenty-one women and I hope they are all to your liking … We'll go ahead – I've heard that your 'establishment' serves good wine …"

"Of course, of course – my dearest sir. I'll have the ladies brought in and the receptionist will take you up to my office …"

"Good … and you, my sweetest Nami-swan, please calm down again …"

Only then does she notice how she has been holding her breath the whole time and how she has cramped her arm around his and how her body is shaking with fear.

"This is just a job, understand? We go in quickly, sign the contract and leave. Nothing will happen to you…"

"Maybe not to me …" she hisses breathlessly and close to tears. "… but to them …"

She looks over her shoulder and sees how more and more women are being led down to the jetty – poor, trembling, and frightened beings like her. The fat man yells some orders so that the soldiers just hurry up with the 'hot goods' and moves his hands wildly.

"… look at me!"

Beep.

And she does it too.

"It may not seem like it, but they'll be fine here. Better… than among my brothers …"

"Stop lying to me …"

"That would never occur to me …" He stops and turns to the young woman, moves his hands to her cheeks. "We know it's not a lie … And I believe that it is better for you now to keep your eyes on the floor… It is certainly better for your mind. It's not an order, it's more of a wish …okay? And remember – for the women here it is-"

"… just a job …"

"…it really is…"

He smiles, then pulls both of her ice-cold hands up to his lips and kisses her before he puts his arm over her back and leads her into the brothel.