You wrap your name tight around my ribs
And keep me warm. I was born for you.
— Benjamin Alire Sáenz, To the Desert
At least when she woke up — or at least opened her eyes, tossing and turning and watching that unlocked door — Nami saw Conis smiling from her door.
"M'lady! Congratulations!"
Nami sighed, but did not lash out. The maid was too sweet — she couldn't. "Good morning, Conis."
"Good morning! Mistress Camie is bringing a new gown for you. The seamsters worked all night on something for you to wear today!"
She nodded, fiddling with her chemise's hem.
Of course.
Nami glanced at the other door. The door that led to him. "Right."
Conis blushed when she saw where she looked, but her lips pressed together. For a moment, Nami recalled tales about maids gossiping, but she shoved the thought aside. There would be nothing for her to gossip about if she had anything to do with it.
"M'lady Nami!"
Camie jumped Nami out of her stupor, and she cleared a dry throat. "Come in!"
She glanced at the other door though. Could he hear her?
Getting out of bed, she tried to direct her attention to the new dress. In a dark leafy green, pearls beaded its full skirt, lining from top to bottom on the crest of the folds. Nami stared until Camie smiled, gesturing for her to stand before the three mirrors. "Come now, M'lady. We need to make sure it's sized right for the day ahead of you."
Nami stepped to the mirrors, staring at herself in the fine linen chemise. Her hair a mess, and that door lurking behind her. She repositioned herself.
"I'm surprised you're attending me still." She thought that was the right word. Attending. Nami swallowed nothing.
"I'm your head maid now! Robin and Gatherine will stay on too, but you will need more, of course."
Of course?
"You must have fast seamsters to get everything done so quickly." She already knew that, but she wanted nothing more than to not think about what Conis had just said. About this.
Besides, whenever they needed to make an adjustment, they had sent the piece out, and it came back in less than a half hour or hour depending on how many adjustments had been needed. They had hardly needed her help. She supposed putting her to work on the little gray roses was to help them work at their fastest while she worked on a little project that may or may not have been included on the final gown.
"They have those fancy new machines in the palace!"
Raising her head, Nami stared. "The what?"
Conis beamed. "They do all the stitching and everything! I haven't figured them out yet, but they're so marvelous and quick! Didn't they do the finishing touches on your gown yesterday? The panels were all stitched with the stitching machine. That's how they got it done in time."
Nami fidgeted, eyes going wide. A machine that did that kind of work?
"They had a stitching machine or two doing the work for all the ladies' gowns," Camie said. "We have oh, ten? It's a busy household. Would you like to learn, M'lady? Your roses were so lovely after all."
The door stared at her back.
"Perhaps some other time. I — I just …"
Nami took a deep breath, and Camie smiled while Conis glanced between them, confusion lighting her eyes. Camie said, "Of course, I understand. I know a thing or two about husbands in love."
Tensing, Nami's eyes trailed behind herself again before she ducked her head.
"Let's get you in the dress first though. Wouldn't want you to go hungry after all. Oh, no, not on the first day of your engagement."
Camie tsked and helped situate Nami into her corset over the chemise, securing everything before she gave her the corset cover. Wooden, Nami pulled it on before she slipped her stockings on. Conis tied on the garter ribbons before Camie brought her a pair of new boots so Nami could put them on. Such done, the modesty skirt was next before they all configured the hoop skirt up and over her head to tie it into place over her corset.
Then came the petticoats. She managed a smile for them, hands touching the frill on the top before she raised her arms for the new skirt.
As Camie made her adjustments, nodding here and there, Nami glanced at the two bodices they had brought in. One with long sleeves and delicate beading of pearls along a square collar. The other was encrusted with pearls, a bundle of them on the bosom where the wide V collar gathered before it all fell off at the shoulders.
Her face burned as she thought of the Lord Conqueror bowing his face into her neck, breath tickling across her bared skin as it had last night.
She shivered and rubbed her neck. "It's beautiful."
"Let's get the day bodice on to make sure," she said, and Nami pulled it on, realizing it buttoned high in the back, so Conis helped button her. Camie tugged here and there, pinching in spots before she nodded and pinned the loose area down. "Just a few adjustments here, M'lady. Let's try on the night bodice."
In her mind again, he smiled, lifting her hand to his lips before said lips kissed up her arm to her bare shoulders.
Nami closed her eyes, feeling the door behind her.
"Right."
She took off the day bodice, and the night bodice was on and off again just as quickly along with the skirt.
"It's only a few tucks. Won't be too long. We'll have the skirt and day bodice back in a little while. Conis, why don't you help M'lady with her hair?"
Watching her go, Nami realized that she would need a helping hand with this sort of thing for the rest of her life. Her stomach clenched, and Nami bit her lip.
Was there nothing she could do?
When Camie returned, Nami's hair was radiant in waves down her back under a feathered black net. She was back in her new skirt and bodice while Camie smiled proudly.
"There, a sight for sore eyes!"
Nami chewed her lip now while she swayed to let the skirt and petticoats swish around her.
"We'll do what we can so you're not stuck doing adjustments all day for your new dresses and gowns. No need to worry about being stuck in your bed chambers all day."
With a nod, Nami gazed a moment longer before she sighed. "Is today over? I want to crawl back into bed."
"Breakfast should be ready, M'lady," Conis said with that beaming smile.
Sighing, she turned to go with her before she jerked in shock. "Oh, Mistress Camie? Thank you."
"Of course, you're welcome."
Nami blushed before she hurried from the room.
Her face washed with more red when she glanced down the hall toward where the door to his chambers were. Outside, Usopp waited, as haggard and damp with sweat as ever.
"Right this way, Lady Nami." He gritted his teeth, and Nami sighed.
"It's fine," she said.
Usopp glanced back, pouting as a question showed on his face, but she hunched her shoulders. Nami searched the halls with her eyes instead and ignored the confusion, holding her breath at every turn and junction, but her trepidation never found release.
Where was he?
"I — I bet I have something you'll be happy to hear, Lady Nami."
She raised a brow at the back of his head, ready to scowl, but she forced it down. Nothing was his fault so far. Not exactly. "And what is that?"
"Your family is being sent for. I've already started the process. They should be able to live here if they choose." He had said it as if that was already decided. In a way, that made sense to Nami. Who wouldn't want to live in a palace?
Sighing, she peeked around the hall with her growing frown.
"He's in meetings right now."
Nami tensed before she sniffed. "I wasn't looking for him."
"Ah, right, yes."
As she followed though, Nami blushed when she no longer tried to search for him. He wouldn't be there for her to find.
She tried to picture Bellemere and Nojiko's faces when they heard the news. How shocked would they be? Would they need some official letter from the Lord Conqueror to believe it like Bellemere had needed before? Nami's lip quirked in half a smile. It would be like her.
Chewing her lip, she stepped into a small hall — and by small, it was only the size of her entire new chambers. When she was greeted by the sight of nobles, Nami shifted before she straightened. Her eyes widened when they took to their knee or curtsied so deep that it was the same thing. Goggling, she glanced over the group before she turned to Usopp with a glare.
He could have warned her!
Yet, he seemed just as surprised. He jumped over to her side, whispering, "Le — let them know they can rise."
Nami gaped, but when she checked again, they were still lowered. "Right, rise then."
They stood straight, and she shuddered. That kind of power felt wrong on so many levels.
"Lady Nami, I come on behalf of the House of—"
Usopp slipped in before Nami could find the closest thing to throw at them and run. "Lady Nami is not taking any petitions at this time."
"Yes, but—"
She stiffened, gaping before her eyelids lowered, but her chin rose. Nami stalked around them, going for the head of the table that they were gathered around. A few squinted eyes later, and she sat, ignoring them all. Usopp had to jump to follow, but when a noblewoman stepped closer with a smile, he lifted his hand.
"Lady Nami will see you all when she can."
Or feels like it.
As they shuffled out, Nami smiled. "So you are good for something, Usopp."
"Ah! I'm your manservant, of course, I—" He paused, pursing his lips at her before he snorted. "You're not going to make this easy, are you?"
"Whatever gave you that idea? Was it my dimples and sweet way with words?" Nami laughed when Usopp wilted.
"Oh, how easy, I thought. I'd get to teach a nice girl from a small village some dance moves and manners for a fun ball. But no, turns out she's scary as all hell. On top of that, she's going to be the Lord Conqueror's wife for some reason."
Nami paused, tapping a fork before she narrowed her eyes at him. "About that. Did you really not know?"
He shrugged weakly. "I mean, it kind of made sense after you said it. I can't say I didn't think about it since you put it that way."
"Right," she said, sighing as she shifted, still waiting on that food she had been promised.
"Why did he choose you?"
She flinched and looked out the window instead. Sun shining, warm on her face, she told herself the heat was just that. The sun. Not him.
"If I knew I wouldn't have done it."
Usopp's mouth opened and closed before he nodded. "I know."
Nami felt that sting again. When the door opened, she turned toward it only to freeze.
The Lord Conqueror strode inside, sunlight catching his grin as he approached. Nami dropped her gaze, gaping at the plate and cutlery hard instead of at him — hiding that she had stared. She swallowed nothing. Why am I staring!?
"Mornin'."
She held her breath as he lifted her chin.
Her lips parted, yet she burned while that warm smile grew. "You're not wearing it. Good. I have something new for you."
Nami blinked, trying to make sense of that before he pulled a long strand of pearls from his pocket. Her eyes bulged as he coiled it around her throat before it clicked closed. Hand darting up, Nami caught herself before she clutched the pearls instead of reaching for him. What was she going to do? Push him away? Pull—
"I didn't ask for any jewelry!"
"Since you had to ask before, I thought I'd give you some. There's more if you want."
Her eyes flickered to Usopp before she sniffed. "Isn't it a little early for favors?"
He chuckled. "Wicked, aren't you?"
"So you are begging for favors," she said.
Out of the corner of her eye, Usopp broke into a hot sweat, inching back into a corner of the room, and Nami pouted. He could protect her from petitioners, but of course, the Lord Conqueror was a bit much for the manservant. She supposed that Usopp may have been wanting a promotion like this when he came into his service, but hadn't expected it.
You got what you wanted. In fact, you can marry the Lord Conqueror. She couldn't remember if he had married men before.
As the Lord Conqueror leaned in, Nami realized she was holding her breath, so she huffed, but that meant inhaling his scent once more. That spice was back, though the sweat seemed to be gone. She flushed when he smiled.
Why wasn't he saying anything?
She cleared her throat. "So I don't want any jewelry from you!"
"The other one was too flashy," he said, right over her. "This is simple."
"I happen to like it." Her eyes narrowed, and he hummed until she prodded his chest with a finger. "I like it. You can't just decide what I do and don't wear." As soon as she said it, she wondered how true that was. The gowns were practically a gift from him. The flashiest thing that she had was that gown with the red petticoats. If he said the word, she could be served naked to him on a platter.
She shuddered.
And he smiled.
"Well, I guess I have to learn more. I do like the pearls though." The Lord Conqueror craned his neck to whisper in her ear, "Have you had pearls around your neck before?"
For a moment, she was going to say no until her eyes widened, and she drew back to gape at his proud grin. The weight of the pearls pressed down on her shoulders and chest. Nami reached for them, flushing while he chuckled. Her heart pounded.
"That's not something I want to share here," she whispered back.
His dark brow quirked. "Not here? So you wanna talk later?"
As he left, Nami sagged, bowing her head as a sheen of sweat formed on her back. Heart still carousing, she clung to the table and swallowed hard. She hadn't even noticed the other servants coming in with her food, waiting in the corner for their conversation to end. Nami stared at the dishes until they were gone.
Usopp cleared his throat. "He uh … likes you a lot, I guess."
She had to go.
Nami couldn't stay any longer.
If she did, that first night was going to end her.
She would meet with her family, she told herself. They would understand, she thought. Even Bellemere didn't want her to marry the Lord Conqueror.
"Would you blaspheme with me?"
Nami sweated as she shoved the old dress into her old satchel. She didn't care how it looked. The jewelry went into her secret pocket. Even the pearls. The only ones she would get from him. Forever.
There was no sense in taking the gowns now. Everyone would see those bags, so she would leave them behind. For now, she could keep the chemise she still wore.
It hadn't been that long since she had dressed herself, but she had never tied anyone up before. Torn strips of bed sheets worked fine. Conis still struggled sometimes, red in embarrassment as she shivered in her own chemise, corset and drawers. Nami put her bright orange hair under the bonnet, shoving and hiding as much as possible before she turned to her old maid.
"I'm sorry."
Conis just gaped at her in confusion — the wad of ripped cloth helped.
Had she really believed Nami was living a fairy tale?
She shivered, remembering that room with the tiled fountain. No, they had said it was a bathtub. They had thought she would bathe with him!
How could she climb naked into a hot bath with the Lord Conqueror himself? And it would be that way. He would want her to come to him, she could sense. That wasn't a man that waited on anyone. Perhaps, doted, but never waited.
Turning from Conis, Nami left her chambers. She even passed Usopp talking to another servant. He never glanced at her.
She smiled, keeping her steps clipped and even.
Nami was just a maid now after all.
No one looked twice at maids.
It took her a moment, paying close attention to the other servants, and listening to what they said before she finally hurried. Each hall brought more confidence. She would get out at last. Nami only needed to reach the kitchens and go out through the stables. Maids went out into the city all the time, right?
All she needed after that was to find Bellemere and Nojiko. He wouldn't be happy when he noticed her gone. The Lord Conqueror would be busy until late, she was sure. So if he tried anything, he would only find poor Conis in a bundle on her bed.
She ducked through a tight servants' door, beaming at the onslaught of rich scents from a busy kitchen. The savory roast on the spit. A dozen huge loaves baked away in the oven. Her stomach rumbled, but she ignored it. The door on the other side of the kitchen was wide open. Weaving through cooks and assistants, Nami reached for the doorway and thudded into a chest.
"It's very handy having a kitchen near stables." She lurched away, but the Lord Conqueror grasped her shoulder. "You always come here."
Before she could make sense of that, Nami shoved at his hand, but it clamped to her, pressing her back against the door frame as the breath left her. When she peeked at him, flinching in preparation of any strike, he only tilted his head before he looked to the stunned kitchen staff.
"Out."
Food was left on the counter, sitting in the flames. The ovens deserted with their treats. She squirmed, suddenly realizing she had been abandoned along with the meals. A meal for him?
Nami squealed as his lips crashed into her throat, sucking, nibbling. She gasped as something sharp scraped her flesh. No longer breathing promises. No more lips slipping over her in a tease.
No sighs.
He growled, yanking at her bodice, and Nami clutched his shoulders as her knees wobbled and his mouth trailed down to a collar he tugged. She whimpered, turning away to pant. Nami attempted to choke something out of a clenching throat, but he caught her lips. Her eyes bulged, and she scratched at his shoulders. She realized she had pulled him closer as he sucked out her tongue, and she squealed before ripping buttons.
Damn it! He smiled, and she scowled, scratching down his chest. Why did her face flare brighter? As he undid the eye-hooks of her bodice, why did she stare at his tongue gliding over his lips before he bowed his head?
His tongue thrust between her breasts, lewd and wet as it laved into her cleavage. Nami squirmed, her hips pressing against his before she pricked her nails into his chest.
"Will I have to cover those claws every time?" Nami gaped when he pressed her hands over her head, his grin filling her vision.
Wilting, she shivered when he kissed her ear. Nami whispered, trying, "You really want to do this before the wedding?"
It seemed like a feeble final attempt to stop everything.
"I didn't think you could wait."
She flushed, staring until she yelped as he swung her into his arms. Her rear hit the counter, and she shuddered, arms splaying out when he pushed her back on top of flour meant for rolling pastries. As his hands smoothed up her stockings, Nami had a lurid thought of getting stuffed just as his face pushed between her thighs.
The Lord Conqueror swirled his tongue along her inner thigh beneath her drawers as his fingers splayed her wide open. Nami whimpered, going still until the hot thrum of his tongue laved through her folds. Her hips jumped, and he laughed under her skirts.
Scowling, she grasped his hair through the skirts and rolled her hips against his face, his tongue lapping like a starved man at her clit. When he thrust through her entrance, soaking her and himself, Nami released a squeal, body bursting in a flash of heat. Except, he delved deeper.
Nami bit her hand with a sob, and her hips jerked to the danger. She was coming apart for it already. A tight suction around her, and she gripped onto a god while he pressed her knees to the sides of the counter. Her only support. His tongue curled.
She hissed, tightening, heart hammering as she spun for him once again.
As she gasped and melted into a hot point at the tip of his tongue, Nami yanked at his hair, knowing she was pulling him closer.
With simple strength, he caught her wrists in one hand again. She wriggled as his free hand smoothed over a stocking, and he rose over her, the skirt and petticoat flipping over.
Nami's heart pounded, shaking as he kissed her chest. His lips were sticky with her lust, and she bit that delightful tongue when he came for her lips. His answer was that laugh — it was to flip her. She knew she wasn't done.
As he slipped against her open drawers, Nami blinked, shivering. "That — you're really not going to wait?"
"Why should we? You'll be my wife soon anyway. What's it matter but to us."
Her face burned. He pressed between her folds again as her eyes threatened to roll back. "Isn't … it your turn too?"
"If you want to suck my cock, you can suck it clean after you're filled up."
His cock pushed, slipping inside bit by bit, and she whimpered, already tasting heady bitterness.
A stroke later, and Nami arched, slamming her hips to his. And he was a starved man once more. The Lord Conqueror planted her into the counter, her knees wobbling hard enough she knew there would have been no standing. His mouth latched onto her throat, sucking and nibbling as her toes lost footing to curl instead.
Drowsy in her pleasure, her only motions were claw marks in flour, and inside, she squeezed, panting while he reshaped her, pinned her hips. Nami cried out when he nipped at her ear, part of her coming undone.
"And you wanted to leave."
She twitched with a weak croak as he rolled deeper.
Wasn't that the worst part? He would give her everything she wanted — the jewels, the gowns. Wouldn't he take care of her family?
This.
But she would be stuck under his thumb. It already reached around, flicking over her teat as it rose over her corset, loosened in their sweaty thrusts.
Her bodice slipped off as he kissed across her shoulders. One bite was rougher than the last, but his tongue laved over it the next instant, soothed as she moaned. She hissed when her corset came undone behind her so he could reach in for a fleshy breast and squeeze.
Nami arched, hips slapping his as thumbs and fingers pinched toward her nipples.
"Beautiful," he murmured, and Nami squeaked, toes finding purchase to thrust harder to him. "Yes …"
On fire, aching, she writhed back while his hand slid into her hair. He kissed over her temple as he matched her ragged, bucking hips. His hand pulled, and she jerked, constricting around him.
"Lo — Lord Conq—"
He tugged again, lips grazing on her throat. "You can scream my name."
Her face exploded, and Nami squealed it as his hips took over, imprinting her into the counter-top.
"Luffy!"
Nami darkened further. It felt like a curse on her tongue, sliding out while the Lord Conqueror filled her with a hot outpouring. He growled to her neck, teeth pricking her skin, and Nami blinked away the dark cloud over her eyes.
They were so sharp.
"Ah, not yet."
Her brow furrowed. Moaning, she turned her head as he licked his lips.
She reached for her neck where his teeth had been, and he sighed. "Don't touch."
When he grasped her wrist, his tongue laved over her throat, and she moaned, twitching around him still. Her eyes trailed up to her hand, and she jerked awake when she saw the smear of red.
"What—?" Nami tried to turn over, to look closer, but his lips closed around her fingertips too, and her eyes bulged as his tongue wrapped around her fingers.
Cleaning?
Shivering, she shoved again only to gasp as he slipped out. It took her another moment to brace herself as she found the floor again and turned around.
His lips were clean. Tongue darting over them. When he smiled, his teeth were not so sharp as to tear flesh, but she covered her throat, feeling where she thought she had felt the prick.
What had that been?
A quick glance around didn't show her anything red on the counter. Just her and the flour — a few kitchen utensils and tools. She looked at her hand, but there was no blood.
The Lord Conqueror sighed, pressing his face into her hair, and she shuddered, inhaling the sweat and spice of his skin. Her head spun with it, still dizzy with his seed sliding down her thighs. His hand on her hip, he pulled her against his hard body, her halfway out of her corset, and her skirts and bodice disarrayed and covered in flour. Anyone would know what had happened.
He kissed her ear, and Nami whimpered when he pressed her slowly back against the counter.
"We still have time."
She twitched as his lips wrapped around her throat again. Sucking.
Nami, clutching his back, leaned her head away, shaking as she gave him more room. His tongue slicked to her bosom though, teasing an areola. Tossing her head back, Nami writhed.
Something pricked her.
Gasping, she looked down, but his tongue laved over her flesh, catching her nipple in the swipe, and she shuddered.
Had there been red? Nami gripped his hair, hissing as his tongue glided to her neck again.
"Sorry, I'm a little excited."
"A little? You fucked me into a puddle."
"So I should drink you?" He laughed, his smile against her jawline, and she blinked, wondering as he pressed between her legs again. Eyes in hers, he lapped at her lips.
When she glanced down, her eyes widened, and she shoved his head back by his hair.
A fang retracted.
Her other hand was free, searching.
"You saw already?"
This was it — why she couldn't stay. Had she sensed the danger somehow? Was it something laced in how he danced? Touched her?
Her fingers touched the handle of a knife.
Blinking, Nami's hand closed around it, trembling before she lifted it to his face.
The Lord Conqueror smiled.
It wasn't over yet, she told herself. All she had to do — Nami just had to —
She steadied her hand with the other, bracing herself with the blade pointed for his throat now.
"I'm going home," she whispered.
Humming in what sounded like amusement, he tilted his head. "This is new."
Her brow furrowed, but he was trying to confuse her. "I don't want to, but I'll — I'll do it if you don't let me go."
"Do what? You can't even say it."
Jaw loosening, she shook her head a moment later. "I'll kill you!"
"Oh, well then."
The Lord Conqueror straightened, pulling open the shirt she had already torn, and her jaw fell the rest of the way. Beyond the perfect shape was a flaw so huge, she struggled to make sense of it.
He was immortal. A god. She should have realized that perhaps he would have other scars besides the one on his cheek.
Nami hadn't expected to discover a scar so large and deep to cross his chest though.
Had the World Eater wounded him long ago? She tried to remember any holy writs that spoke of this — anything that mentioned the Lord Conqueror's fangs — but she had a feeling only a select few knew of it now. The only holy writing that sprung to mind was that of his eventual end — how the Many Who are One would end his reign. But that didn't say he would die.
"Didn't you want to kill me? Here."
Her hands trembled again, gasping when he closed his hand over hers.
"Like this."
And yanked.
Nami jolted, the impact of the blade sliding into him traversing through her arms. She had cut into meat before where the blade had grated against bone. The knife sent vibrations running up her elbows as it ground his ribs. He moved though, and it was a thousand times worse.
She pulled her hands back, somehow raising her gaze to unconcerned eyes.
No.
Still twinkling. Amused. He pulled the knife out, and she winced, expecting a rush of blood like the novels said, but she stared at the place where the blade had slipped into his chest. As it closed without a drop escaping, Nami twitched, hand rising.
He pressed her hand beside it after he tossed the knife aside, and she flinched back, but his lips touched her forehead.
"You are home already."
Her eyes widened. Nami grasped one shoulder, but pressed at the other as he grabbed her hips, pulling her against him. Spread before him, he prodded between her drawers. Panting, she glanced at his chest again, wide, rippling, and as if the blade had never pierced him.
What could she do against a god?
As his hand closed around her wrist, Nami jerked, staring wide-eyed at him until he sighed.
"You're a mess."
Gaping, she blinked before she smacked his chest — he made an "oof" for her efforts, so she smacked him again. Anything to hurt him. "It's all your fault!"
"I didn't dress you in maid's clothes." He paused. Pursed his lips. "Though it's not bad."
She didn't think her eyes could get much wider. Nami scowled instead, fuming when he tugged at her corset.
"I should bathe you."
"You most certainly will not!"
He smiled, and she blinked, realizing what she had done again. She glanced at the scarred mark on his chest before she shoved him back, and he chuckled.
"Do you need help with your clothes?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Not if you think helping is taking them off."
"Isn't it?" But he reached behind her to tighten the laces.
Nami pouted at him, situating herself before tying it all off. She watched for the fangs, but his grin didn't show a hint of them.
As he tugged her for a kiss, her mind spun. Nami burned all over again.
She really had to get away now.
Could she find the actual way to kill her god?