CHAPTER 25

Whitebeard didn't expect Ace to loyal to the king of Raftel. He look at Ace expecting that this just a prank usually he pull out with Thatch. But the honest look in Ace eyes make him believe Ace determination. Whitebeard sighed.

"If I tell you the truth are you still want to fight them back? I cannot let my commander participate in the useless war of yours." Whitebeard said.

'I fight even if I fight them alone.' Ann answered.

"Very well then. Your king, Roger seem to know if Raftel will be invade one day he plan to cut the ties to other kingdom. The three kingdom against the plan but he bow down to us asking for us to cut the alliances if the invasion start. He seem to know that if we involve in it, the three kingdom people lived in Raftel will be in danger. He asking us to help them escaping back to their own homeland and close the border to it. He know the enemies will not come to persuade them because they already safe in their own territory. We cannot say no to Roger despise how he always helping our people. So, we agree with it. So, after Raftel being invade we didn't let any of them back. But if there rebel that still want to counter attack and bring Raftel back to Roger we won't get in the way. We just let them help Roger." Whitebeard explained. Ann totally surprised. Marco just realised. His father never stop him from helping the Raftelians that he fight for. Now he understand.

'If I asking for your alliances for one more time to bring back Raftel to its people, will you consider it?' Ann asking with hope.

"Sorry Ace, to participate in the war that will consume with revenge will end up pretty bad. I need to think about my people also. I advice you to think it through again. Don't make a decision that will cost your life. You still young. Roger will fight back that I am sure. Till Roger resurface again, train yourself to be stronger here. Roger will not please to hear his people fighting the endless war your plan to." Whitebeard said making Ann look down.

Ann know about it. That's why she want an answer from Whitebeard. But she didn't want to see their people suffering anymore. She is their princess after all. She need to gather more allies even if the Whitebeard himself didn't want to participate. Ann huffed. She bowed down let herself out from chamber. She suddenly stop in front of the door making Whitebeard wonder.

'King Whitebeard, there is one thing I want to ask you.' Ann signed. Whitebeard surprise when Ann called him that.

'Why you call the commander your son and daughter?' Ann asked. Whitebeard blinked. A smile plaster on his face.

"Because they all my family even we are not blood related." Whitebeard answered.

"That why we call him oyaji because he call us his son yoi." The blue bird turned himself into a human form. Ann shocked to see Marco transforming yet he hear all what they said in there.

"Ace yoi..." Marco said. Ann look at Marco angrily. She run out without even give Marco a chance to explained.

"Ace still in denial my son. Watch him for me will you. I'm afraid he do something dangerous from the way of our conversation before." Whitebeard said.

"I will yoi." Marco answered and walk out from the chamber heading toward Ace bedroom.

Ann lock herself in the bedroom and ignore Marco knocking in front of her door. The door suddenly unlock from outside making her turned toward the door. Thatch and Marco come inside.

"Ace yoi... We sorry but please don't be like this." Marco said.

'Out! Just get out!' Ann signed frantically.

"But Ace... We..." before Thatch finished his sentence Ace push them both out and slam the door in front of them. She block the door with the cabinet beside the door.

"Let him cool down first." Thatch said making Marco sighed. Both of them go back to their own room afterward.

Ann lock herself in the room and ignoring other try to persuade her getting out from the room. Most of the commanders know already after Marco told them about Ann and Whitebeard conversation. Thatch is the most worry person because Ann didn't come to the dinning room the eat breakfast and lunch. He prepare some food for Ann and put it in front of her room but Ann didn't touch any. He knock and plead for Ann to eat some.

Night come and dinner already serve. Thatch bring some food to Ann bedroom door and knock at her door to tell her the food is outside. He leave afterward and meet Marco on the way to the kitchen.

"Still didn't out from the room yoi?" Marco asked. Thatch just shake his head with defeat. Marco sighed.

"let him cool down yoi. If he didn't get out tomorrow, we barge in even if he like it or not." Marco said. Thatch just nod

Ann blinked when she found out she laying on the bathroom floor. Her narcolepsy attack again for the fifth time. She sighed. Her stomach grumble. She didn't get anything to eat for the whole day. The stress trigger her narcolepsy attack before she reach the front door. When she woke up she forget about it and doing other things until she feel hungry again.

Ann slowly standing up and go to the door. She open up and saw a tray of food laying on her front door. She pulled it inside and start to dig in. After filled her stomach she pack her backpack and her other belonging. She cannot stay there anymore. Whitebeard will stop her plan. She look at a pair of gloves with whitebeard symbol on both of it and a dagger on the table. Those are the things Whitebeard give to her as the second commander of the Whitebeard Kingdom. She rub fondly on the gloves. She put the glove on the table with care. She look at the dagger and decide to bring it with her. A picture of Whitebeard symbol she decide to tattoo on her back lay beside it. She smile fondly and put the picture into her pocket pant.

She creep out slowly from the room and walk in the shadow toward the tunnel she discovered. Luckily the dark night cover for her from the guards and other commanders that have the night watch. After arriving at the tunnel entrance, she walk in and stop for a while. She turned around and bow down with respect.

"I'm sorry everyone. You all such a great family I ever had. Till then, thank you for everything. If we succeed I come back to you, oyaji." Ann said and run into the tunnel.

Marco keep knocking on Ace door. The empty food tray outside the door make him smile. Clearly Ace eat all the food and that make him glad that he didn't get starve. Thatch come toward Marco holding another tray of food. When he saw the empty tray, he smile widely.

"Any luck?" Thatch asked putting the other tray of food on the floor. Marco shake his head.

"We need to barge in either he like it or not." Marco said. Thatch just nod.

Marco kick the door with force and the door slowly open up. Both of them walk in and call for Ace when they saw the bed is empty and tidy. Thatch look toward the bathroom and found out there's nobody inside. Both of them look at each other wonder where Ace gone to.

"There's a note over there." Thatch point toward the desk. Both of them go toward the desk and pick up the note. Marco read it out loud.

To whom that reading this note now,

If you discover this letter I already far away from this kingdom now. I have to fulfil my duty to my kingdom, Raftel. I need to bring it back to the people who also my families.

I'm sorry I cause you all trouble every time. I'm sorry I make you all worry especially Marco and Thatch. Both of you are the closes to me. I'm sorry I disobey King Whitebeard order. But to save my families I need to do it even if I fight alone.

If one day I come back again... Will you accept me as one of your again?

Will you... Can... I... Call you all my family again?

Will you accept me, oyaji...

I love you all...

I'm sorry Marco...

With love,

Ace

"His crying... His crying while writing this letter... Marco..." Thatch on the edge to shred a tear when he saw the tear mark on the letter. Marco just stay silent.

"Thatch, call all the commanders to the throne room now. I go get Oyaji. Like it or not we have a brother to save." Marco said. Thatch nod and run out from the room.

"What do you mean Ace? Why you apologise to me..." Marco still wonder about the last word written at the letter.

A draw of wolf head at the edge of the letter making him more puzzled. He know Ace clearly want to tell them something but the code he left making it hard for them to guess.

"What are you plan to do Ace?" Marco sighed. He then run toward Whitebeard whereabout to report to him before they discuss the matter.

~To be continue...

AN : Can they find Ann? Till next chapter... Shishishi...