This AU idea has been bouncing around in my head for a fair while now, and I'm looking forward to finally putting it into words. I can't guarantee that I'll be able to update this very quickly though, as I'm going to be getting quite busy with exams and coursework very soon. But I thought it'd be cool to get the prologue out and see what you people think of it, and continue later once I have more time.
I hope you like it!
"It's a name that people have secretly been inheriting in many parts of the world. And in a certain place, they called the D. clan this – 'God's Natural Enemy'."
Prologue
"Thousands and thousands of years ago, there lived a great king who had a dream to unite all the seas in peace. His full name has been lost to the passage of time, and we know him simply by the name 'D'. King D travelled the seas, sailing from island to island, where he gained the people's trust and respect. He settled disputes with wisdom and fairness, soothing discontent and leaving good men, trusted vassals, to continue his legacy in his wake.
For months, years, he sailed through the seas – the Blues from East to South, then West to North, before returning to Grand Line where he had been born. There he formed the core of his kingdom at the heart of the sea; on an island close to the great mountain where all the seas joined as one at its peak. That island he named Raftel.
As a gentle and just ruler, King D was loved by his subjects, and so came to all the seas a great era of peace and prosperity. But time is not a gentle mistress. King D had not been a young man when he started his rule, and soon white hair began to overcome his black. Knowing that his time would eventually come to an end, he called upon his five sons to come before him.
His youngest son, Monkey, he told to set sail for East Blue, with its calm seas and gentle folk; his second youngest, Portgas, to South Blue with its warm climate and equally warm people; his middle child, Jaguar, to West Blue, the land of knowledge and scholars; his second oldest, Trafalgar, to North Blue with its icy lands and strong-willed people. And finally, his oldest son, Gol, remained to rule in Raftel and the Grand Line. They each kept the name 'D' to honor their father, and passed that name down to their descendants along with their own.
The peace brought by the Kingdoms of D lasted for thousands of years, but then came the uprising of the Twenty Kingdoms. These twenty vassals, each a descendant of those whom King D had made kings in their own lands, now resented having to bow before the Kingdoms of D. In their rebellion they brought never-before-seen weapons, a great evil that could shatter whole islands within seconds. Faced with this threat, the Kingdoms of D called upon their own guardians to come forth in combat.
From the sea came Poseidon, a mermaid princess with a voice that could reach the ears of the great Sea Kings. From the land came Pluton, a magnificent warship built by a hundred of the most talented shipwrights of Water 7. And from the sky came Uranus, a great creature of flight whose wings shone with eternal light and rained flame down upon their enemy. Together they subdued the Twenty Kingdoms' weapons, bringing the war to an end.
Their tasks done, Poseidon returned to the sea with her people; Pluton was hidden where no man could easily reach; and Uranus rose back to the skies to fly free. And thus the seas returned to peace, continuing for many centuries after that and it is to be hoped that this peace shall last for many more."
Queen Rouge finished her tale, amused when she looked over at the bed to find bright eyes still staring at her over the covers. She leaned over to press a kiss to her son's forehead. He squirmed and made the token protests every ten-year-old boy seemed to make, insisting that he was a big boy now, but couldn't fully hide his responding smile.
"Soon it will be your duty to keep the peace, so you must grow up well and become a good King like your father and grandfathers before you. But now it's time for sleep. The Reverie will be starting in a few days, and I remember that Luffy and Sabo are arriving tomorrow. You'll want to be awake for that, I believe."
At the reminder, Ace's face lit up even brighter than before, already imagining all the fun they would have over the next few days. Rouge chuckled warmly, tucking the covers against his chin. He leaned into her touch as she slid her hand up to gently brush away a stray lock of hair that had fallen into his face.
"Good night, Mum."
"Sweet dreams, my child."
Please review and let me know what you think of this first chapter and the AU in general!