"Do you still believe myths can save you? Foolish creature. Let me be clear: every version of the story ends with you being slaughtered."

— Tory Adkisson, Anecdote of the Pig

The sun filtered through the curtains as her eyes finally flickered open, and she stared at the long line of light poking her awake. She groaned and flopped over.

Another poke had her lift her head with a near growl of annoyance.

"No, I'll do it later."

Nami stared at the sight of Conis over her before she sat upright with a flush, blankets clutched to her breast.

"Good morning, M'lady Conqueror!" When Conis blushed, she burned darker.

"Ah, yeah, mornin'," she mumbled before she could clear her throat. "Could you bring my robe?"

Glancing at the veil that had been tossed to the corner of the giant bed, Nami squirmed while Conis made the necessary noises before she vanished in the other chamber. Nami moved to crawl to the edge of the bed, situating the blanket to her chest as she moved for some form of modesty. Until the bed grunted.

Nami froze and glanced back only for her eyes to bulge in alarm as the Lord Conqueror's arm poked out from under the blanket. She threw a pillow over it and grabbed the robe Conis offered when she returned.

"Le — le — let's go."

Safely ensconced, Nami fled to her chambers with Conis behind her. It was when the door shut that she processed the piles of boxes in the chamber. She rubbed sleep from her eyes, gaping as she looked at each stack. Designer seamsters from the city had marked the boxes with their logos or other seals to show who had done which. Probably so she could call on those she liked best.

Call on. Nami winced and popped the lid of one open to gape at a chocolate brown gown with silk pastel blue trim. The next box blinded her with a white gown that glittered in the morning sun. They had already filled her closet with gowns before the wedding, so she poked through the boxes in shock, stopping when she opened another only to find what seemed to be a mound of sparkling jewelry instead.

"What are—"

"A gift from your lord husband," Conis said, smiling.

Nami stroked a huge ruby. The size of an eye, it would have swallowed every tiny ruby from Sanji's necklace twice or thrice over. Four times? She drew her hand away with a shiver. "This is …"

"Aren't they beautiful? Would you like to wear any for the wedding reception today?"

Pulling out a long string of pearls, Nami held her breath. She certainly hadn't gotten the pearls he had promised before. Was he waiting? Or would she have to work double-time to get that? She shook her head and snapped the box shut.

"Ah, yes. I'll wear one. You — you can choose, Conis. I trust your judgment."

"They're all stunning!" Conis beamed, setting one box on the bed. "There's books in this one if you want to look, M'lady."

Nami paused, frowning before she went to open the box — it had the name of a bookseller from the capital — while Conis rifled. She turned them all in her hands. Thick volumes.

The Legendary Tale of Noland the Adventurer and an Excerpt About the Validity of Spandam's Comparison of Noland to Joyboy

The Reincarnation of the Human Soul: A Refuge for the Tired Soul in a Time of Tribulations

The Enduring Life of the Lord Conqueror: Father and God of Our Kingdom

Her eyes glazed over.

Why would he think she wanted any of these kinds of books? One book was so old, she wondered if she should even touch it, but someone must have to put it into this box. She frowned.

Primitive Beliefs, Legends and Myths of the Second Century as Described by the Apostles of the Three Brothers

Her head tilted when she saw the clean white paper poking out from within yellowed pages.

A note?

Nami glanced at Conis, but she had pulled out a golden gown with a bright, spring green thread embroidered in the sleeves. Distracted. But Nami pushed the note deeper into the book before she made a random stack on her nightstand.

"Oh, after last night, I suppose I should bathe." Conis blushed all over again while Nami adjusted her robe to smile at her. "Would you draw the water, Conis? I'll sit with some books while the boxes are sorted away."

"Yes, of course, M'lady Conqueror!" Conis darted out of the room, so Nami peeked into the Primitive Beliefs book in search of that note. Perhaps it was nothing.

But she needed to read it to find out.

'I'm a friend. I saw the knife did nothing, so I hope you find the answer here.'

Nami crumpled it into her hand as the door opened behind her to smile at her maid. Conis curtsied and said, "The tub is filling now if you'd like to sit and wait."

"I'll bathe myself, so don't worry about me." That still irked her — when the maids wanted to help her. She brought the little stack of books with her and headed for the bath. "Could you have breakfast sent to my foyer?"

Conis smiled. "It's coming to the Lord Conqueror's foyer this morning."

Her lips twitched, but she said, "I see."

Nami went into the bath chamber, trying to listen for the Lord Conqueror before she sighed and went to sit in the tub while it filled. She eyed the faucets, considering before she turned the knob that released the hot water. If he was going to join her, she could do with hotter water.

Thus done, she settled back with Primitive Beliefs before she glanced over the title again. What or who were the Apostles of the Three Brothers? The book was old, but it had a beautiful decorative print — not hand-written at all. Someone had worked hard to make the book gorgeous in its day.

She pursed her lips, wondering if she needed to know anything else before she read it, but someone had given the book to her. Did they think she knew everything she needed to know already? Nami flipped through the pages, frowning. Who had given it to her? For a while, she stared, trying to concentrate while the water lapped up to her knees before her thighs were covered as well.

'The farmhand informed us that garlic will hold these monsters back,' the book read, 'and if eaten in enough quantity might turn their nose from eating the flesh of a victim.'

Nami laughed, but flipped back in the page to find out what kind of monster this was. What silly thing would hate something as benign as garlic? Not that she was a big fan herself. Bellemere was always touting the health benefits — so learned from the holy writ after all. And Bellemere never went against that. She rolled her eyes from the thought, but continued reading.

'The people in Syrup City believe that these unnamed monsters supped from their veins in the dark of night. More say they eat children before their women give birth to children with the same faces, but changed.'

Her eyes bulged until a muffled creak jerked her head to the door to the Lord Conqueror's chamber. She closed the book, slipping it under The Reincarnation of the Human Soul. Soon, the door to the bath chamber opened as she turned the faucet off. The Lord Conqueror smiled as he stepped into the bath beside her.

"Enjoying your gift?"

She glanced at the books before she shifted just so to block the view of them. Nami had made sure to flip the binding away from the bath so none could read the title, but it was still clearly older. A boldness to keep his eyes off it, she slipped her hands over her breasts, pouting at him.

"You didn't knock."

"I don't have to." He only smiled as she slipped to straddle his lap. To distract him. Herself.

His skin, slick from water and heat, felt harder than she remembered. Her shaking hand lowered, uncovering herself while he shivered. She bit her lip when he pressed his face into her bosom where he moaned between either breast.

"You're quiet today."

Nami hesitated. "I just …"

Squirming, she wondered if he would bite her again before his tongue lapped at her teat. A shudder ran through her, and his lips wrapped around her, sucking as his hands grasped her hips. With a gasp, she ground against a growing desire as she floundered with the tongue, lips and teeth teasing her nipple. His hands slid to her ass to squeeze, a soft exhale from her turning into a moan. Nami melted, nails digging into his shoulder as she pressed to his mouth.

Her belly rubbed his cock, and a hot flash shot through her, yearning — she could distract him while she was having a ride, couldn't she? It wasn't like she wanted it.

But when she slipped up, he yanked her down, kissing her, crushing her against him. In mere moments, Nami fought with his hold, moaning when he pinched her. Nami, hot and humid in his grasp, scratched across his back until he growled, and she whimpered as he lifted her on his own. Her hips bucked when his cock grazed her entrance, but he held her still when she tried to thrust once more. Grunting, she grabbed his wrists with a whine.

"No, please!"

He smiled. "What do you want?"

For a moment, Nami's mind blanked. She knew exactly what she wanted, and it stood proud and hard against her. Yet she remembered, burning when his brow quirked.

"No, you're never that easy, are you?"

Nami blinked, leaning back, but he chased her, and she squealed to his lips as they splashed into the water. She kicked, surfacing to snort water, and he arose, laughing before he scooped her into his arms.

As she clung to him, coughing with a pout, she tried to eye along his shoulders. If she had left anything, she didn't see it. Was the book actually going to be her answer?

He settled her onto the edge of the bathtub, pressing between her thighs, and Nami jolted as his cock prodded for her. She sniffed, leaning back, but she knew that just offered her up for him at a better angle … yet her need for him to claim her like this seemed to quibble with her. To feel him again.

The Lord Conqueror licked his lips as they quirked. "You're up to something. Tell me what you want. I might give it to you, Nami."

Her face burned, but she tried to not look at the books, so she allowed her eyes to glaze over as she stared at his chest. His cock poking at her clitoris now before it slipped down to her entrance.

He pressed inside, and Nami clutched his shoulders, tightening already. "Your cock!"

No, idiot!

The Lord Conqueror leaned in more, his hips starting a slow grind while her body warped around him, arching to him as he pierced her.

"You can always have that. Ask, and I'll give you everything you want, Nami. Tell me what your body needs."

Her brain slurred as he rocked inside. "Your … body!"

Nami squealed when he laughed, slamming hard enough that she thought he had struck her womb itself. Dully, echoing in her head, she wondered about an heir again. She tightened, and her face flushed as he laid over her, taking her lips while he slung her legs around him. Panting, scratching, Nami melted into the tiled floor.

When she bit his smug lips, he moaned, hips working raggedly. With one arch, Nami sobbed. The god above her pushed her hips down and ravished her.

Toes curled over him. She couldn't stop her cries, panting, raw. Each slap of his hips on hers sent her pitch higher.

His lips caught her nipple, and Nami's jaw dropped in a sharp cry. "Fuck me!"

He pulled her onto his lap, his cock pressing deeper as her knees found their way over his elbows. She wailed into his neck, prickles crawling into her from each naked point of impact before he flooded her form.

Nami gasped when cold tiles hit her back.

She squirmed until she shuddered as he pulled out. How could even that excite her? Nami pouted at him as he shifted onto his knees over her. He let her legs relax, and she tried not to look at him when they settled around his hips rather than lie flat.

Ashamed, she couldn't stop the shiver that ran across her flesh as he pressed against her. Just how was she supposed to keep her resolve when she turned into pudding in his arms? On his …

She ended that line of thought. If she couldn't concentrate, how would she ever kill him? Nami needed to discover something about him. As it was, he just seemed immortal and invulnerable to everything.

Setting her jaw, she pressed her hand to his chest, stroking it as he raised a brow. Her fingers traced that large X across his chest, wondering its origins.

Was that before or after his immortality?

That's it. I have to find out when he got this wound.

When his fingers touched her cheek, Nami startled, gaping at him with a flush. She hadn't been staring that long anyway.

"You keep looking at me like that and I'll start to think you like me." He leaned down, braced on his forearms above her with that smile while her insides twisted and ached.

She shook her head. "I just—"

"Wanted a cock?" Her heart pounded when he kissed her, his chest touching hers before a warm hand cupped her breast and squeezed. Her arms went around him thoughtlessly before she gasped and turned away, panting into his shoulder. When she peeked back, he — the Lord Conqueror — whispered to her neck, "You're a wicked woman."

She shivered while he pulled on her nipple, kisses falling on her throat. Nami licked her lips, biting her lip to keep herself lucid. "Me? What about you?"

His chuckle rippled through her body. "I've been waiting for you to run again, but you climbed onto my lap. Sorry, but I'm a little excited."

Glancing at him, she gasped when he turned her onto her stomach. When she pushed herself to her knees though, his cock, hard and heavy on the curve of her ass held her still in shock.

She squeaked when he pressed against her entrance. His cockhead slipped easily into her soaked folds, and Nami scratched at the tile with a shudder, her face imploding. "Bastard!"

"You think I'm a bastard?" As he slid deeper, she clung around the protrusion, gasping until he pulled out. Nami gaped, looking back with a scowl.

"Don't take it out!"

The Lord Conqueror laughed before he pierced her once more, a slap against her hips as she arched. His curve, stroking against her front wall, the way it pressed to reach for her womb — Nami preened and arched back against him, crying out as he rolled into her body. His arm around her waist, bracing her while she clung for support, her ache growing around him, the Lord Conqueror moaned to her ear.

"You're going to drive me wild. I can tell. You'll suck me dry."

Her fingers found his hair, tugging as she tried to find words for her tongue. Didn't he realize he would suck her blood dry in the end? Instead he kissed her, body pressing her into the tile to imprint her with the myriad shapes. He tilted her hips, and Nami whined to his tongue.

A hot wash filled her in the next instant, but he grunted, ramming until she squealed. Was she that pig? His sacrifice? In a few long moments, she bucked, a squeak for each thrust onto his shaft until she deflated to the floor in a slump. Nami sobbed brokenly as he pulled out.

Even that still felt amazing.

She tried to shake herself out of it, moaning when she pushed the floor, but couldn't rise. Instead, he laid over her, kisses on her ear, in her hair and across her cheek. She shivered when he switched to suck her neck. His teeth scraped her flesh, and she tensed when he squished her hips.

"You get so tight when I do that. It was incredible last night."

Nami trembled in the cooler air. Her thighs pressed together, her face afire when she could feel his seed coat her inner thighs. How slick it felt when he thrust his fingers into her.

"Lord Conqueror …!"

When he pulled his fingers out to spank her, Nami's eyes bulged.

"You know my name, Nami." His fingers slammed inside again, and her jaw dropped.

"Luffy!" His tongue laved over her throat, her heart leaping as she tried to turn to him. On her stomach though, his fingers never stopping, Nami sobbed to open air.

"Call to me." He urged her on. She choked on a moan, tensing as his fingers quickened, knuckles grinding on her front wall. "Cum and call my name."

"Luffy!" Her arch took her over, the curse of his name on her tongue. She sobbed, spreading her legs wide as she collapsed forward.

As he pulled his fingers out, Nami panted, looking over her shoulder only to moan as he lapped his fingers of her juices. "Tonight … I want you waiting in my room. Eat well at the reception today."

Quivering, she searched his face, his eyes, as he slowly enfolded her into his arms. His lips took hers, and Nami curled her toes.

Resplendent in her gown, Nami gnawed through her garlic bread, already tiring of the flavor. It wasn't her favorite. She liked the fresh citrus flavors from her home's orchard, not the horrible after taste left on her tongue of strong onions.

Whenever she risked a glance at her new husband, she found herself needing to shy away. He gazed at her so intently, that smile formed into a content, relaxed spread on his face. Nami pouted after him. After this morning, she had seen little of him and had avoided talking much with her mother and sister, but that left her with her maid and Usopp.

She wilted in the Grand Hall, chewing her bread. As another waiter passed by, she plucked a crusty bread slice covered in pesto before she sighed and bit into it.

Who liked this stuff anyway?

"Just what are you eating that for? You don't like garlic." Nojiko peered in over her shoulder, glimmering in a white gown, and Nami huffed in irritation.

"Tastes can change," she said, eyes narrowing.

Nojiko smiled wider. "You know, I've heard that some women's tastebuds change when they're pregnant."

Nami froze, flushing to her roots as she dropped her hand. That was another thing she kept fearing to bring up to the fool man! "There's no way I could be!" She hoped.

When she fiddled with the toasted crust of bread, Nojiko raised a brow and said, "Uh-huh."

Eyes trailing up and down her sister, Nami finally sighed. "Are you just here to tell me to be a good girl too?"

"Oh, hardly. I was wondering why you looked like someone had died."

Nami twitched. "You ask that after everything I said last night?"

"I don't even understand what's been going on half the time. We're welcome to stay and live here after you were chosen by the Lord Conqueror himself! Now you're the Lady Conqueror," Nojiko said, lips pursing. "And after all those years of claiming you were abandoned by nobles and that someone would rescue you, you don't want to be here?"

"I grew up, thank you." Nami snatched up a passing wine glass, glaring at Nojiko when she made a jesting motion to take it away. "I'm the only one thinking reasonably here anyway. Everyone else is crazy."

Her sister giggled. "Is that so?"

"I'm the only one who seems to realize what he's really like."

Nojiko's eyes trailed to the Lord Conqueror before she shrugged. "He seems to like you a lot. You saw how he looked at you yesterday."

Red took over her face. "I remember a perverted old man ogling a young lady."

"I know he's a thousand years old, but really, it can't be that bad," Nojiko said. "Wouldn't that be an improvement on your past beaus?"

Nami glared over her glass at her before she downed it in two quick gulps. "You're telling me."

Smiling, Nojiko covered her mouth. "Oh? Gonna spill?"

"We're … married," Nami muttered before she kicked herself. How could she be jealous that her sister was looking? What did she care? She planned to kill him anyway.

"I suppose that makes things a little different. You always told me about that Sanji though."

She rolled her eyes. "Sanji was a boy I played with."

"So what's the Lord Conqueror?"

Pouting at Nojiko, she tried to find or think of any words for her. What was there beyond surprising? Or amazing? She had nothing.

Nami took another drink passing by, depositing her empty glass only to startle when someone took her wrist. She knew before she turned, but she still shivered when the Lord Conqueror leaned in with that smile.

"May I have this dance?" As he said that, she finally heard the music changing to a waltz at last. The day's calming festivities would pick up into a flurry of skirts, bobs and swirls on the dance floor.

And he pulled her along. Nami chewed her tongue before she gave her glass to Nojiko who smiled at her as if Nami was just fooling herself. Like Nami wasn't old enough to understand even! But the Lord Conqueror led her off with a nod.

"I'll be borrowing my wife now."

Back straightening, Nami pouted out at him from the corner of her eye, but once on the dance floor, he swept her into the steps of the music. As light-footed as she was light-headed, the Lord Conqueror enchanted her through the music's swells. That he could be so easy to dance with should have charmed her more — had charmed her when she hadn't known. Now it felt like a stab in her heart. A bad memory.

Yet, she spun to his beat. Chest to chest. She bit her lip, and his tongue darted out over his. Dropping her eyes, Nami tried to clear her throat, waiting for a slower song.

Waiting for this one to stop.

"You've improved."

Nami jerked at that before she shook her head. "No, you just lead well."

"You didn't like it before. I remember you pulling away that night."

"I pulled away more than once," she said, sniffing. "You're not much of a real lord type, are you?"

"How so?"

"Wouldn't a proper lord treat a la—" Nami cut off before she glowered at him, and he chuckled. "You're a pervert."

He grinned and said, "So are you."

"I am not!" Nami gaped.

"All I had to do was place my hand on your throat, and your sweet pussy kept begging me to pour inside—"

Nami shook her head, already feeling her heart pound. Between her thighs, something pulsed in response. "And — and another thing!" She glanced around, but everyone gave them enough room to chat. It didn't appear as if anyone would eavesdrop in any case. Still, she dropped her volume. "You keep … pouring into me. You've never had any heirs before though, so what—"

For the first time, his gait tensed. "We won't have children."

She blinked. "Why's that?"

"Because I won't have any heirs."

"That's not an answer!"

His eye twitched. "It is. And it's my final answer."

Brow creasing, she stared at him, bewildered before she shook her head. It wasn't like she wanted his children anyway.

"We could adopt if you want any." Nami raised her head, scowling, and he tilted his head, asking, "Is there something wrong with that? I thought you were adopted."

"You live here in this enormous palace and you think I'd walk into an orphanage to select just one child and leave the rest behind?"

His lips twitched into a smile. "Oh? You want that many kids?"

She must have appeared like a fish for a moment — a red fish — because he burst out laughing. Nami smacked his chest. "You are a pervert. Well, since you don't want kids, there'll be no more pouring, I should think."

Nami did not fidget at the thought.

The Lord Conqueror shook his head. "You've been taking silphium since you've arrived."

Lips cracked open, but her eyes widened, almost missing her next step. He really didn't want children to that extent? Ducking her head, Nami chewed her lip as the hand on her hip guided her smoothly into the dance once again.

Silphium would stop her body from carrying. She had heard from some that it might even slow or stop any monthly bleeding. But for her to take it constantly? Where had they slipped the silphium into her food? She tried to remember. Sometimes, it was used as a spice, but how were they making her take it daily?

Her eyes stung hard, and she hissed as she stopped in the dance floor, gritting her teeth. Not for this. Not in front of him. When she raised her head, eyes burning, the Lord Conqueror cupped her cheeks. His gaze burned her as his forehead pressed to hers.

"I'm sorry."

Nami's mouth worked before it formed into a sneer, and she hissed, "I hate you."

"Do you still want to kill me?"

She jerked back from his hands, but he shifted close as the people danced around them. His fingers slid into her hair, cupped her head.

Luffy's lips touched hers. "The garlic won't work."

Nami burrowed into her bed, blankets and pillows yanked over her head. If she was tired, maybe he wouldn't come. After all, she wasn't going to his bed to wait on his pleasure.

But the door opened.

She tried to breathe evenly. Her eyes were closed. She was sleeping, not pretending. Just sleeping.

He pulled a blanket down her body, and she shivered in her chemise — the heaviest one she could find. His hands smoothed up the back of her legs, going under her chemise skirt. When she twitched under his squeezing, groping hands, he chuckled.

"I told you to come to my bed."

Nami bit her tongue. She was sleeping. She couldn't hear him.

The Lord Conqueror spread her pussy lips with his thumbs, and she tensed as breath hit her entrance. "I'll just have you here."

A tender, slow tongue tapped over her labia before lapping away at her clitoris. The shock alone should have woken her. But Nami squeezed her eyes shut, shivering while he kissed and licked. His tongue wrapped and laved around her clit's hood, and his moan had her shift.

Sleeping people moved too. Burning, her thighs spread open before his tongue delved into her. For a long moment, he groaned to her pussy, his tongue thrusting inside while she hissed, hips squirming. When he clutched her asscheeks, nails scraping over her skin, Nami trembled as she bit her tongue.

Don't cum! I shouldn't cum for him!

"You're so tight, I always think I'll hurt you, but you love it, don't you? Getting … poured into."

She flushed when she constricted around his tongue as he thrust back inside. Her back arched before she could stop it. Yet it seemed nothing could stop her body from wanting it. He sucked and nibbled, and her legs tried to splay wider. Nami whimpered into her pillow, quivering as his tongue ran circles over her clitoris. She whined. He thrust. And Nami ground onto his face as he dragged her body squealing into her end.

The Lord Conqueror climbed over her, moaning as he thrust inside. She squinted back — she needed to sleep! — and moaned at the vision of his naked body over her. He licked his fangs as their eyes met, and his hand reached for her neck.

His fingers coiled around her throat, and Nami squealed as she tightened, her pussy pulsing faster. She gasped into her pillow and rocked back onto his cock.

"You get so tight when I do this. But you're tightest when I suck your sweet blood. Mm, yeah, like that."

Panting, scratching the sheets, Nami throbbed all over. He didn't even clench her throat. All he needed to do was hold it, and she was a wet mess on his abs and thighs. She sobbed when she realized he wasn't even thrusting. It was her.

All her.

The Lord Conqueror sank his fangs into her throat with a sigh. The hot prick of pain ended as soon as it began, and he melded into her while her hips slapped away. He touched her womb, and Nami wavered, moaning as he slowly drained her. She could feel it slip away even as her hips slowed, but when she did, Luffy picked it back up, a hand on her lower abdomen while the other stroked her gasping throat.

With a shudder, Nami arched back and squeaked as waves of heady pleasure overcame her meager resistance.

Sopping wet, she panted to the pillow as he poured into her mess. She peeked back again, trying to see his face in her neck. His fangs extracted, and her eyes widened at the sight of her blood coating his mouth as he moaned.

As he laved his tongue over the bite mark, Nami flushed as she tightened. And he chuckled. "Why do you fight when you love it this much?"

When he pulled out, Nami shivered as she tried to clutch around him. To keep him inside.

Her hips sagged into the bed though, and Nami closed her eyes, sighing while his hand stroked her back. "I'd give you a baby if I dared. I'd give you anything."

She shivered to his touch, eyes snapping open before she said, "You can't say why at least?"

He hummed, that finger tracing her spine before he said, "Would you want to give your baby these fangs?" Nami's eyes widened, and the Lord Conqueror rose to his feet, heading for the door. "I'll get your snack. You don't want to be weak when you wake up."

Biting her lip, Nami carefully felt her throat for the marks his fangs should have left, but still found nothing. As he brought a cart into her room, she wondered if he could heal her skin continuously like that.

An easy way to hide his crime, I guess. But she shivered, biting her lip as he brought a cold glass of juice and offered her a glazed doughnut. For a moment, her hand wavered over it before she raised her eyes. "Did you ever want children?"

Luffy's eyes flickered, his smile easing into melancholy, and she wished to take it back. "It'd be a nice change of pace. We could adopt if you want."

Nami pouted past him, mind turning and spinning.

His baby. A child with him.

She squirmed.