-Cries- I'm still at work! Sorry for the late updates. I won't make any announcements about my updates until my work season is over. I just generally don't know when I'll be able to post next but keep in mind, I'm not going to poof. Thank you all for the support and I hope you enjoy the story.
PS: A heads up that another A03 chapter will be coming soon.
As the two were led into the large throne room, the smaller brunette clenched her jaw. The military decor, such as the large bird with its wings spread behind the throne gave the dark sterile room a dreadful feel to the air. The three royals she was too meet sat around a circular table, sipping tea and carrying on with each other. Dark blue hues narrowed as they began to scan the scene. Carefully. The hairs on Katie's neck stood up. Something was bizarrely off.
"My dear this is my three sons.", Judge introduced. "Ichiji", the larger man reached out only to have the sixteen year-old stand to his feet with an indifferent expression. The redhead wore the same flamed dyed cape that matched his hair and sunglasses. It draped over his right shoulder and laid on top of his white silken shirt with frills down the front. His obsidian dyed trousers were nicely pressed and tucked into the top of his black leather boots. The still shorter brunette woman bowed at the waist to show her respect but remained quiet. The prince quirked a curled brow but stayed silent himself. He expected the woman to be swooning over them but her bland expression took him off guard. The teen found it exceptionally hard to contain his lust but managed.
"This is my second eldest, Niji." Once again the blonde king had smiled and reached out his large hand to present his son who had stood. In that very moment, Katie hated her sensitive sense of smell. The rich cologne rolling off the teen reached her nose and nearly brought tears to her blue visions. The prince had donned similar colors to his brother. A frilly white button-up tucked into his midnight black breeches. He wore a red and yellow headset with orange like antennas off each side, accompanied by gold and black triangular sunglasses. A blue cape draped over his right shoulder with gold chains fastening it together. His ocean blue hair wisped out in front with his long bangs coming up in a frontal cow-lick. Again the young woman bowed in respect. Blood nearly poured from his nose while she unintentionally and unknowingly revealed part of her soft milky bust in her display.
"And finally my youngest", the king announced. Before the vice-admiral's and fleet-admiral's granddaughter, stood a teen with slicked back green hair that came to a point behind his head; much like another cowlick. The prince donned a silken white button-up with his sleeves cut short at the biceps. He had it tucked in stylishly. Like his brothers, he wore black trousers and a cape over the right shoulder but green in color. He too wore a black and yellow headset that rested over his ears, dissimilar to his eldest brother. Unlike his other two siblings, hearts bellowed out with his eyes nearly bursting from his head. He didn't sport an apathetic expression instead displayed his lecherous feelings.
When Yonji moved forward with blinding speed, Katie sidestepped to the other side of Zypher from behind. The prince's eyes blinked. The brunette wasn't in the spot she was a half a second ago. Unbeknownst to him, his brothers watched with a bit of awe. Katie had begun to move as soon as their brother had shifted his weight onto his toes. She was fast, they both thought.
Niji assumed he'd be able to move in close with her back turned but he too found himself standing slightly next to the marine facing his brother. Behind tinted glasses, he was left blinking while a bit confused. Zypher let the game continue. She was quick on her feet and carried a sharp mind. He didn't think it necessary to move from his spot.
"Wow", she politely spoke. She had appeared on the right side of Judge. "Are all your sons this curious", Katie asked curiously. She chose her words carefully; the young woman didn't want to insult them despite the brats deserving it! Her inner thoughts growled while her expression remained bland. It was the best the brunette could do.
Judge shivered and physically jumped in shock. His mind raced as he tried to piece her movements together. He didn't even feel her so close to him and so quickly! His son Ichiji didn't disappoint though. The teen stood over her as swiftly that she had appeared herself.
"You can say you've caught our attention", Ichiji pleasantly informed. The teen was only a half a head taller than she but seemed to find some amusement lording over her physically. Katie's eyes snapped upward in shock which happened to bring a charming smirk to redhead's thin lips. Needless to say, she wasn't amused. He was calculating, the brunette thought. This potentially made him dangerous even if he was younger, she continued in her mind.
Before the young woman saw any evidence of ill-doing, Katie's nose had picked up something that horrified her. Immediately she retreated to the retired admiral's side and took up his arm like before; inadvertently making the man a security blanket. The familiar scent of warm iron filled her nostrils and it sickened her. The brunette's grip tightened around Zephyr's arm.
Suddenly Katie's heartbeat furiously drummed away in her own chest while she felt the suffocation of her grandfather Sengoku's words. The once-admiral could merely keep his hand over her own but that grip was actually becoming painful, he thought. Something had clearly bothered her as he watched the color drain from her cheeks.
After taking the next step, drawing her further inward towards the table, a terrifying sight unfolded before both guests. A redheaded woman dressed in a black and white maid's uniform was on the floor with broken teeth and a swollen face. Judge immediately felt the staring daggers of the officer's dark grey eyes while Katie kept her own expression hidden with the brim of her hat. Her composure was cracking; the brunette knew she had to leave soon. The pit of her stomach had sunk to her knees. Suddenly, the fleet-admiral's granddaughter felt weak.
She wasn't the only one upset at the scene. Judge had specifically instructed his sons NOT to discipline anyone but like always, they had ignored him. The blonde king was concerned. If this gave the wrong impression then the boys could have shot their chance with this woman. A connection to the world's strongest military force. Under that sort of influence, he could do as he pleased. For example, take territories with the alliance of the marines or continue with his experiments without scrutiny.
"You know, I'm generally not into older women but you are definitely an exception. Come sit with me", she heard the redhead say with a charming smile. All the brunette could think about was breaking in his nose and shattering his glasses with a single punch. Katie's stomach instantly twisted. She felt sick at the idea of hurting someone else but there was noway she was going to leave the young woman on the floor!
With lustful gazes and accompanied cat-calls, it was clear they had zero remorse for what they had done. Her grip could have broken a normal man's arm and it took Zephyr everything in his power not to react to his old bones feeling the pressure. She was pissed as well as he but this wasn't their place. The Calm Belt was somewhat of neutral territory for kingdoms like Germa. Their hands were tied. These were vile brats but still royal brats, none the less.
The young woman let go of the man with lavender hair. "Don't interrupt", she cautioned under her breath. Zephyr nodded as his dark grey eyes followed her frame over to the maid. His ears picked up on the confusion of the three boys who pondered to what she was doing. "Why did you do this", Katie asked while she hovered over the beaten female.
"My mood grew sour", Niji confessed with a grin. "Now that I'm feeling much better, why don't we have lunch?" The brunette's ear twitched at his cheerful suggestion.
Katie's eyes shifted to the teen with the blue hair before gazing back. "So you did this to entertain yourself?" Zephyr's expression grew darker. The young woman he knew was usually a happy genuine soul. Her tone lacked emotion this time. It was absent of its warmth and concern he expected to hear. Over the many years in the marines, he had seen when men grew quiet; he had seen when men grew emotionless. Every hair on the back of his muscular neck stood up. This was bad, he thought.
The vice-admiral's granddaughter, in the powder blue sundress, lowered herself and slipped off her hat. She placed it on the maid's chest to give the female a bit more modesty since her clothes had been stained in a crimson fluid. The brunette didn't expect an answer to her question and if she got one, Katie wasn't listening. The female slipped her arms under the broken body of the woman who managed to moan in agony. "Hush", the cafe owner softly spoke. With ease, the twenty-three year old lifted the servant in a bridal position.
Katie turned on her heels to face the open hallway in which they had just come from. Her long dark locks were pulled up into a ponytail and swayed to the motion. Teasing the three princes staring at her. "You know...? In the marines they have a saying; not even a rat is wasteful, only pirates and bandit scum. Whether it be food, booze, or men... They'll throw it away as soon as it doesn't serve them any longer", she growled. The brunette paused with the redhead maid still in her arms. "I've made my decision now. I won't choose a single one of your sons." Her voice fell silent as the minuscule woman began her treck forward. The Vinsmokes began to protest.
"But you just got here", Judge snapped feeling as if she had wasted their time. He couldn't understand the logic behind her decision.
Katie paused but didn't bother turning around. She had begun to remember what Sakazuki had told her. Her arms embraced the woman a little tighter, securing her for the worst-case scenario. A controlled breath was released from the brunette's chest cavity before she took in another slow inhale.
"Your majesty... I hate to inform you, this all had fallen apart due to the actions of your sons. The man I pick as a husband should keep in mind that he'd be seen as a leader. Even joining the marines himself and earning his way up the ranks. Every marine knows how valuable resources are. Whether it be the food you eat to those who cooked it." She just repeated what the admiral in red had advised her to say if she didn't like the company that was tasked with hosting her and Zypher; Katie left her reasoning to be analyzed by the four royals.
"If you have any more questions I'm sure it would be best for a marine to answer them", the young woman suggested as she disappeared down the grand hall they had just visited while making her way back to the ship. Blue hues didn't see the lavender-haired man stuff his hands into his pockets and lean back with a smirk. The once admiral had to admit, the woman was clever. She found a way out of this fiasco on logic, not even the damn royals could argue with.
As Judge demanded for a better explanation, Zephyr stepped in his path. The bigger marine narrowed his eyes downward. "She's done. Let her go", his deep tone resonated. The commanding aura the vice-admiral exuded caused Judge to take a defensive stance. The boys followed suit. "What? Thinking of getting by me", the officer dared as he questioned.
"I want to know why she came down if she didn't have any intention of marrying one of them", the blonde king spouted angerly.
"Oh, she had her curiosities and kept her mind open in extending her hand with the marines in mind. Then you failed", Zypher elucidated.
"She's probably too emotional", Yonji suggested.
"Ha! No... not that", the vice-admiral bluntly stated as he bought Katie time to get away safely. "Let me ask you something. How much did it cost to train that woman?"
Judge pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's what she meant about resources." It was clear his conclusion went over Yonji and Niji's head. His eldest though, Ichiji, grew slightly slacked jawed as the realization of what the beautiful woman had hinted on.
"I see... That's what she meant by waste", the teen's analytical mind began turning. "She wasn't put off too much by the sight as I had assumed but the time and money that went into the housekeeper."
Zephyr let the fiery-haired kid continue to assume such things. It was for the best. They wouldn't pursue her after this blunder, or at least he hoped. After all neither grandfather approved of them and furthermore, he knew there was a stewing admiral somewhere. Even though Aokiji didn't voice it, the marine saw his prior student tormented over the idea of this kind of meeting. The lavender-haired man wondered why his pupil didn't speak up and slowly began to ponder just how Katie felt about his silence. In the older man's mind, it seemed both were due for a long quiet chat amongst each other. He wasn't blind and neither were her grandfathers. The two had feelings for each other, that much was obvious but the officer knew Kuzan had quite a bit to think over and take into consideration. Secretly the vice-admiral hoped her feelings wouldn't get crushed in the end. He would love to see the two of them grow.