I don't own One Piece, that's Eiichiro Oda, but the way the words go together, that's all mine
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Chapter 5 – Alighting
The seneschal announced that dinner would be served and the guests were guided to their places by servants.
Vivi found her father in the crowd and walked with him towards the table.. "I was wondering about the place settings this evening…" She let the subtle accusation hang in the air.
"Do you mean the newest change?" Her father asked. "I hope you don't mind being moved down a space, but there is someone who just arrived and I would like to speak to him."
Vivi began to ask what he meant by the newest change, but stopped short when she saw Kohza. He was already standing behind his chair.
"Did you have a pleasant rest this afternoon?" Cobra asked.
"Yes," Kohza said shortly, reminded yet again that he had wasted the afternoon and was now wasting the evening as well. He glanced at Vivi and did not mention her dress.
Vivi reflected that the fullness of her skirt was keeping Kohza at arm's length. Perhaps it was a good place for him to be this evening - in all ways the phrase implied.
A guest walked swiftly towards the head of the table. He nodded at the king as he approached, but it was Vivi he addressed.
"Princess Vivi, it's been too long." The bronzed, weathered man took Vivi's hand to his lips. "I apologize for having yet to welcome you on your return to the kingdom."
"Ah, thank you," she said, still not quite sure who the gentleman was. The older man's speech held the trace of an accent, emphasizing his unusual appearance. His steel gray hair was long and braided with leather and his robes were decorated with intricate flowing patterns, much different from the simple, geometric designs favored in the south of the kingdom.
Her father saw her confusion and saved her from possible embarrassment. "Vivi, you remember Chief Urgano, don't you?"
A smile lit up Vivi's face, and she embraced the chief. "Silly! Why were you so formal?" she admonished, as she pulled away.
Urgano laughed heartily. "Because you are my princess! One does not treat royalty with too much familiarity. Isn't that so…I'm sorry, but I did not catch the name of the gentleman on your right…"
Vivi didn't disregard the polite reminder that she had not introduced Kohza and the chief, so she stepped back, allowing them to get a look at each other. "Chief Urgano, this is Kohza from Yuba. Chief Urgano is from the mountain tribes of the north."
"A pleasure," Urgano said, bowing slightly. The chief's words were polite, but the look in his eyes gave off the distinct impression that Kohza had done something to offend the man. That was odd; Vivi reflected impishly. Her childhood friend usually had to have at least five minutes with someone before they were offended.
"Perhaps we should …" Cobra gestured to their chairs. The other guests were waiting for the king to take his place before sitting down and servants were hovering on the edge of the room.
"I've heard many rumors of your adventures, princess," Urgano began, as the first course was placed in front of them "but I find them too fantastical to be believed. What is this about a hiking bears I hear?"
Dinner began and Vivi found herself spilling adventure after adventure to the man. Urgano made it very easy for her; his questions were mostly about setting and not characters. She easily worked around the sticky problem of incriminating herself and her friends by merely referring to them as her 'companions.'
Every once in awhile, she would glance at Kohza. He was not paying attention to anyone and a frown permanently creased his brow, like he was doing a particularly hard sum in his head. Vivi noticed the frown deepen as another dish was placed in front of him. He dipped his spoon into the soup and watched it drip, drip, drip back into the bowl. "How many more courses are there?" he muttered.
"A few," she said shortly. He looked up quickly, not realizing she had been listening. "If you don't like it, you can send it back."
Urgano laughed and drew her attention back to him. "What's this? Soup already? Princess Vivi, you have distracted me from this wonderful meal, but I cannot be angry with you. You're too entertaining. We will have to sit down some long lazy afternoon, Princess Vivi, and while I sip iced drinks, you can enchant me with more of your adventures."
"Chief Urgano, won't you tell a story?" a man across the table asked. "I heard your people are famous for them."
"The chief hasn't yet tasted his food," Vivi reminded the other guest politely.
Urgano waved Vivi's excuse away and said, "It is no bother. A short one will whet the appetite and make this wonderful dinner even more enjoyable. I will tell you why my people are famous for our stories."
The chief waited until everyone had been served the new course of soup, then began. It was hardly an unknown story. She had heard it from her childhood and on; once a king went mad when he found his queen with another man. He killed her but he wasn't satisfied with only her blood on his hands. Each morning he had his guards bring him a beautiful maiden, each afternoon he would wed her, and then each night, he would kill her in their bridal chambers.
Supposedly, the northern tribes, because of their remoteness had not heard of the king's insanity. One of the tribeswomen brought her goats to market and had the misfortune of being seen. She was taken to the palace, the marriage was performed and she was taken to the bridal chambers. But through her own cleverness, she managed to keep the king from killing her. Every night she told a story, leaving off at the climax when she reached midnight.
Her ruse continued until the king finally realized that he loved his new bride – not only for her beauty, but for her bravery and her cleverness.
"Now you will find no better story-tellers than in my tribe. The young women are taught to make spells with stories, to entertain guests with fables, myths, and legends, and to remember that words can save lives."
Urgano smiled and the story was over.
Vivi blinked. Her spoon hovered over her cold soup. Kohza and the other guests within earshot of the chief were now shaking their heads, as if waking from a dream. Only her father's eyes were clear; he hadn't succumbed to the power of the story.
"And perhaps the men learn a little of this magic as well," Cobra said with good humor. "Really, Chief Urgano, need you tell a story that paints the king as the villain?"
"It's the shortest one I know, sire." Urgano looked at Vivi. "You should ask your daughter to tell one. You studied with one of our people, yes?"
Cobra smiled and answered for his daughter. "That's right. I wanted her to know something of her mother's heritage."
"I was never very good at it," Vivi replied, blushing.
"Excellent yarn-spinner, horrible liar," Urgano pronounced. "I'm sure any man listening to your stories would be enthralled, just like a siren song's – isn't that right, young man?"
Kohza was surprised to be addressed by the chief and said what was on his mind, instead of what was gracious. "I'm not here to listen to stories, sir."
Urgano, who was not drinking wine, raised his coffee cup to his lips. "Can I give you a piece of advice – Kohza, was it?"
"Certainly, sir."
Urgano took a long sip, swallowed, and looked Kohza straight in the eyes. "Cultivate a sense of humor. Sooner rather than later."
A guest tittered behind her fan. Vivi saw the impolite retort forming on Kohza's lips and killed it with a sharp look.
"Ah, look, the next course," Urgano observed and the dinner continued.
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"It's hot."
"You've said that a dozen times since we've arrived."
"Have I said, 'It's scorching hot?' Or 'It's hella hot?'" He looked around the crowded streets. It was dark but the town was full of activity since the cool hours of evening were more pleasant to conduct business. "I don't know how they can stand it under all those robes."
"Get ready to find out. We should dress like the natives; we don't want to attract any undue attention to ourselves."
He stifled a smile; that was an impossibility considering his companion. "Do we have enough money after paying our fare?"
"We'll make due." She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. "And where should we go after that? Alubana?"
He shrugged. "Where else do you think?"
"I'll find the clothes; you find a ride."
While his companion strode off towards the market, he paused, uncertain of which direction to go.
He realized he was now uncertain of their goal as well. It had been an impossible dream in the beginning but here they were. The closer they came to reaching the end, the more trepidation he felt.
Still, what choice did they have?