"I've had so many knives stuck into me, when they hand me a flower I can't quite make out what it is. It takes time."

— Charles Bukowski

The next morning had another display of gifts from the Lord Conqueror, though it had decreased to one gown along with some new jewelry. She had searched her bed for him, but he hadn't hidden like the day before, and neither did he come to the bath.

She wore a gown other than the brand new one from him instead, ignoring the suggestion from Conis to wear it. They were all new anyway. And he had given all of them to her besides. What would be the point to wear the newest?

As she nibbled through her breakfast in the foyer, Nami hummed over her meal. After all the treats he had fed her last night, Nami wondered if he wanted to fatten her up. Lips twisting, she set her plate down and went to her office instead. She could pull out that book and hope to find more information instead.

Nami opened the drawer where she had hidden the old book, only to frown. It wasn't there.

Stiffening, she stood straight, glancing around the room. She had not misplaced it. After getting the note, she had hoped to keep it safe in her desk. Nami remembered specifically putting it into her desk when no one else was around. Had someone spied on her? Not that she had taken great strides to hide it. Who would have come into her room and not thought suspicious?

She could only think of a few people that could enter.

The top of that list was the Lord Conqueror himself, but would he stoop so low?

He guided my hand to stab him. What would he care?

Nami closed the drawer, fingers drumming on the desk as her eyes trailed over the bare shelves of her office. She would probably never know who had done it, but she thought she could find out whether he had. Except the idea of running into him again after last night set her stomach twisting.

She could still recall that expression on his face too, and something about it had tickled her mind, but she was not quite certain what part bothered her the most. That she couldn't stop thinking about bearing his child or that children were just something to break the tedium.

Nami peered out at the cart in her room full of food, but shook her head to it. She couldn't just avoid eating anyway. The silphium could have been in any vegetable or meat dish. They could have slipped some in strong enough tea.

So as he wished, the god would not have children.

It didn't feel like a reason to kill him, but she couldn't have any unless he died so she could marry someone else.

A change of pace, huh?

She flushed when she realized her hands were on her belly. He was right anyway. The idea of her own infant with fangs growing in their mouth made her shudder. Was that a point in his favor?

Nami realized she was arguing silently with herself when Usopp cleared his throat.

"Lady Conqueror?" Her scowl set him to sweating on the instant. "Ah! Sorry, you just stood there so long! You — you hadn't noticed me?"

"What is it?" She knew she should go easier on him. It was just his job, but he had turned into a sort of punching bag without the fisticuffs. Nothing is fair though.

"The Lord Conqueror has asked you to come to his office."

She stiffened with a flush. Was he calling her for some lap time shenanigans through her manservant!? "Excuse me? He can come here himself to ask."

He could beg for all she cared!

Usopp blinked before he said, "I believe he might be a bit busy to come himself. The dignitaries would be left alone otherwise."

Nami stared before she shook herself. "Oh. Right." Fighting the red creeping in from embarrassment, she went to a mirror to pretend to adjust her hair and gown. "Well, I suppose I should come?"

Dignitaries? For a moment, her mind floundered. What was expected of her as the Lady Conqueror anyway? She wouldn't carry heirs apparently. Besides being his personal lap toy, Nami could not fathom what else they might expect from her.

Does he expect me to lead too? Yet that sounded ludicrous even to Nami. What was she but a village girl?

She hesitated in the mirror, staring at the canary yellow silk with its trimmings in steel gray lace. Her fingers traced her neck before she said, "I'll just be a moment, Usopp."

Thus, Nami left with her new jewelry — a set of gold earrings set with turquoise gems and a matching choker. Not too much for a daytime event, but possibly enough to impress those that needed impressing. Usopp had seemed pleased in any case, so she was certain she hadn't gone over the top at least.

Guards parted at the entrance to his office, and Nami glanced about the room, studying the officials. Their garb seemed too warm for Ruskaina — furs or heavy quilted vests were the norm. They had to be the dignitaries from the other kingdom.

Flevance citizens? One man with a short beard on his chin, decked in furs, raised a brow at her approach. Nami hesitated until the Lord Conqueror stood with a smile.

"Nami!"

She glided around them, feeling the hard stares on her quite suddenly as she went to the Lord Conqueror's side. His hand on her back, his other taking her hand to kiss her fingertips, Nami gaped before she turned aside her eyes with a sniff.

The fool just wants to flirt!

"I'm glad you're here," he murmured to her ear, and Nami pouted.

What did it matter?

Yet when she dared to glance at staring diplomats, their eyes glued to him instead. She frowned while the Lord Conqueror finally sat, but, while she watched, their eyes followed him. Perhaps, they hadn't seen him at the reception or the wedding? She remembered little foreign garb in the Grand Hall that night. Nami flushed as she realized she needed to pay attention to such things now.

Did I imagine them staring at me?

She glanced at the Lord Conqueror, but he still grinned.

"Now we'll sign the Ruskaina Northern Flevance Act. We will unify Flevance, Swallow, and Rubeck into the single dominion of Flevance. Other territories can negotiate their entry into the Union under Ruskaina's laws." Nami chewed her tongue while the Lord Conqueror picked up a pen to offer to the man with the chin goatee.

Somehow, under the Lord Conqueror's smile, he almost seemed to wilt though. The man glanced at Nami, and her eyes widened. Why look at her? But he took the proffered pen with a bowed head.

"Thank you, Lord Conqueror."

The men, each in turn, signed the vellum in front of the Lord Conqueror, and his hands relaxed on the desk. Finally, the pen returned to him, and he scrawled a long, wide stroke of what looked like a signature to Nami.

As he rose to his feet, hand gently on her back, Nami watched the men who had signed try to stand taller. They shook one another's hands only to freeze as the Lord Conqueror came around with her on his arm. The young man with the goatee studied her again before he seemed to firm himself to take the Lord Conqueror's hand when he offered it. Was this why he wanted her here?

Yet, she couldn't see how she cowed them. Was that even what was happening? They still eyed him more than her. Whatever was happening only confounded her. The Lord Conqueror kissed her fingertips, and several backs stiffened in what Nami could only call annoyance. It did not appear to be jealousy though.

Annoyance with whom? What?

Nami frowned, raising a brow before she brightened when a waiter entered with wine. She took a glass to mull over the entire affair.

Obviously something important had just happened, and when she had come inside, the room had both tensed and relaxed all at once. She wasn't the only woman, so it couldn't have been some illusory feminine touch. Her eyes narrowed. Though it had been only the men who seemed … offended?

Shamed?

"I wasn't expecting to see you," the Lord Conqueror said.

She eyed him. "No? You called though."

"But you never come when I call." His eyes sparkled in his teasing grin as she scowled at him.

"Don't say it like — like that." I won't ever come when you 'call' if that's how you'll act! Nami scowled and turned away, but he snickered, tugging her arm. When she spun, Nami poked at his nose which made his eyes bulge before his laughter burst out to shock the room. Did they stare at her now?

Nami pulled her finger back to glower anew at the Lord Conqueror. "I was just curious what this was about."

"Thank you, Nami."

Her mouth worked a while before she shook her head, feeling eyes all at once. "It's nothing. I'll … see you later." He squeezed her hand before his lips found her fingertips again. Nami pouted before she asked, "Do they not like you?"

He shrugged. "They fear me."

She guffawed, rolling her eyes. "You? Lord Conqueror! You're a lamb." She pursed her lips when he blinked, and she whispered, "With fangs, but you're not scary at all. Just a fool."

His smile softened, and Nami pulled away as she cleared her throat.

"I'll see you later anyway."

"Tonight at least," he said, grinning when her cheeks flared.

The Guaranteed Treatment of Euphoria and the Uncommon Uses of Quartz in Colon Health

Not that one, Nami thought before plopping it onto the table beside the others. Another joined it: 825 Uses of the Miraculous Armored Stone Fish

Who kept this kind of library? Who had put that in the section meant for religions? Nami sighed, eyes trailing and glazing over books and their titles, but the side bindings only had names half the time, or even an abbreviation of the title. She saw A List of Persons, and that piqued her interest until she pulled it out and growled.

A List of Persons Involved in the Discovery of the Lord Conqueror's Divinity

She cringed before her lips pursed. Was looking up other religions perhaps the wrong way to go? Maybe some of these books had hints about him. Except, she didn't know if she believed that.

Her only hint was a few lines about the Many Who are One that would come to bring the people to peace at the end of his reign. But no one knew what that meant, and she doubted the Lord Conqueror — who had supposedly said it — would tell her. Just her luck, really. The library was all books and scrolls and all dust. Some books didn't even seem to belong. How would she discover anything in a library that was apparently manned by someone blind? She grimaced when she pulled out another book, expecting idiocy at this point.

Life on the Altar, and the Way to Enlightenment: The Dirge of Merry, The Sacrificial Lamb

Stiffening, she stared at the title before she sighed and put it beside the smaller pile that she meant to take back to her room. She didn't know what she would learn from that one, but maybe something in it would help her accept her fast approaching fate. When she wiped her brow, Nami scowled at the rest of the shelves accusingly.

Was it meant to be this confusing?

She glowered at a book titled: The Pillars of a God, His Thousand Havens

What did that even mean? When she flipped through for an excerpt, Nami stared until her scowl twitched to pursed lips and narrowing eyes. Her head tilted while she read, '… born on November 2nd, her reign with the Lord Conqueror lasted the longest so far until her death on September 8th of …'

"I was hoping you'd stay longer."

Nami jumped, spinning to the Lord Conqueror as he traced his fingers over the book covers to inspect them. She snapped the book in her hand shut without thought, heart hammering.

"I didn't really belong there," she said, turning to replace the book on the shelf. No need to show interest in his other wives.

"You're my wife."

She tensed, glancing at the book before recalling what he had said only a few moments ago. He just meant she belonged as his wife. Nami said, "So everyone keeps telling me."

The chair creaked behind her, and Nami raised a brow over her shoulder at him. "Don't mind me."

His head tilted, chin resting on his hand while his eyes …

Nami's face flared. Now he wanted to ogle her? Black eyes coated over her frame, stopping at her hips before he smiled higher to her chest. She shifted while her body warmed from the thought — it wasn't fair of him to look at her like that. Pulling out a book at random, she sighed at the title: Cutty Flam's Guide to Shipbuilding: Knowing Your Keel from Your Haul

"Someone needs to sort your library."

He shrugged when she placed the book by the larger pile. His eyes followed her hand back to her face as she brushed loose hair into her bun, and she sniffed. The Lord Conqueror's smile warmed.

When her eyes met his, he patted his lap. "Sit."'

She squirmed, pursing her lips before she turned away. "I'm not a dog."

"I'll fuck you like a bitch later. Right now, I need you on my lap."

Her jaw dropped. Of all the scandalous ideas he had! In the library!? Nami narrowed her eyes before she snorted. "Need all you want, it doesn't do a thing to me."

When she reached for her small stack of books though, he grasped her waist, dragging her onto his lap. As her back hit his chest, Nami clutched the arms of the chair, and his hands were on her, sliding to grasp her breasts. She gaped until his mouth latched onto her throat.

"Bastard!"

"This is in the way."

She bit her lip as he popped open the top button. The next had her shift against a bulge. Nami whimpered when he unlaced enough of her corset to tweak her nipples. Her hips jolted, and he chuckled in her ear.

"Would you look at that? A firm hand gets you needy enough."

"I — no, I don't like it!" Toes curled as he tugged away, twisting her nipples until her body writhed.

He nipped her ear, laughing. "You don't? So you're not wet, right?"

Unlacing her skirts, the Lord Conqueror slipped a hand in under her petticoats. Nami squeaked and pressed her thighs together, flushing when he chuckled. His tongue laved over her jawline while he stroked her thighs.

"Spread those legs for me. Don't you want to play a little?"

Nami trembled, holding a moan back while his fingers wriggled between her thighs, reaching. As he thrust his fingers into her, Nami's thighs jolted open with a sharp cry.

"You're soaked," he whispered, and Nami squealed as his fingers sloshed into her. Nami's legs arched, spreading wider, her voice scraping raw while she tried to keep her voice down, but he worked her nipple into a point. Her body throbbed. "Did you forget my name?"

"Lu — ffy …" Eyes bulging, Nami writhed as she realized that her reward was his tongue at her throat, his fingers pounding, and a hard twist to her teat. Her jaw dropped as her hips buckled. Had she not been in his lap, his fingers knuckle deep inside, she would have collapsed in a puddle at his feet. The sensation felt real however, so she dug her nails into his thighs, her feet on the edge of the table as she snapped. "Luffy!"

The curse echoed in the library, and he caught her lips, moaning when she thrust to his hand. One of her hands found his hair, pulling, clinging, and she sobbed.

Sweating, Nami bucked to his tune, his fingers drumming her until she had to slump. When he pressed hot, wet fingers to her lips, it took everything in her to wrap her lips around salty fingertips. He chuckled. "There, isn't that tasty?"

The Lord Conqueror kissed her neck, and her eyelashes fluttered.

How could she kill him when she just wanted to keep coming back for that? It was just a tempting tease for her. She gritted her teeth while he fixed her skirts and corset — her bodice. Too practiced. He knew how her gown worked. How she worked. And he enjoyed working her. Nami shuddered when he shifted her forward. He smiled over her shoulder when her head rolled back.

"Knees."

Nami's eyes widened before she flushed, sinking to the floor before she turned around. She fiddled with her skirts so they splayed out as she eyed his trousers. It was clear what he wanted.

Lips still wet with her own juices, it only seemed to stoke a hunger in her. Did he know that too?

She peeked at him as she opened his trousers, and the waft of sweat and that spice — his spice — touched her nose and tongue. Inhaling, Nami closed her eyes before she dove. His hiss brought her eyes back to him, reveling in the arch of his back as he groaned.

"That is good," he whispered. When black eyes opened again though, he stared, gasping before he slipped his fingers into her hair and bun. "And if you look at me like that, it's even better." Nami shuddered, slurping along his shaft while his tongue ran over his lips. "I have so much more I want to do to you."

As he shifted to the edge of the chair, thrusting against the back of her throat, Nami whimpered, already imagining another meal like this, his cock dripping onto her tongue. Do to her? He had done everything already. After this, it was just positions or the like. As much as she could lose her head on his lap, there had to be some limit even for him.

With a smile, he stroked her hair back. "I missed this."

She blinked, her eyes widening when he gripped tighter. Nami tried to swallow, trying to make sense of what he had said. It tickled something in the back of her head. He had said something similar before, hadn't he?

But as his cockhead pressed deeper, Nami's thoughts fled. "Suck me dry, brat."

Hot red, she tightened her suction, laving and rolling her tongue against a salty delight. She could think about it later. Actual thought was dangerous here. He could turn on her at any moment if he didn't like what she did. Yet, her face burned as she bobbed her head quicker, hot shame flooding her. The danger and control wanted to end her with only her mouth around him.

When she turned her head, attempting to suck him deeper inside, she gagged as he shoved her head down.

"Swallow."

Heat shot into her throat, and Nami's eyes bulged, choking before she could push back. She gasped for air, chest heaving as he groaned. Nami burned when his thumb smoothed over her lips to slip seed into her mouth again, so she wrapped her lips around it, sucking his thumb clean with a shudder.

When he slipped to his knees next to her, Nami blinked. The Lord Conqueror smiled as she fell back only for him to follow, face pressing into her throat. She heated even as she stiffened, trying to cover her neck from those fangs. Just because she hadn't seen them yet didn't mean they couldn't show again. Yet, could she deny it to him if he pressed?

Nami still did not understand what had made him choose her. What was it about her above the other women?

She pouted when his arm looped around her waist, pulling her against him while he kissed along her jawline. His hard form against her, feeling the heady lull of afterglow, Nami eyed the mop of black hair beneath her with a reddening face.

What was he doing? Prepping her for a bite?

But his lips met hers next.

Nami tried to huff — to ignore him — but his tongue pleaded so prettily. He moaned while it darted and teased hers, inviting her to part her lips in turn, and she melted under him beneath the table. Kisses turned to gasps when he continued to grope her through her gown. Shouldn't it be over? He should have stopped by now. But she threw caution out the window — for now at least, he wasn't biting. She could appreciate kisses even from a monster.

She had to be a monster for her mother and sister after all.

Nami had to kill a god.

As he hovered over her, stroking her cheeks, the Lord Conqueror smiled while his tongue laved circles on her lips. "You're a delight."

With a shiver, she squirmed under him, eyes darting to his mouth, but he still had not released his fangs. It was late enough in the day that he might be hungry after all. Or was it thirsty? Why did he wait?

"Do you want more?"

He grinned. "Are you offering?"

His hands glided up her legs, spreading them under her skirts while she turned her face away with a gasp. He pressed through her drawers to stroke wet lips.

As he mounted her, Nami fully clothed, and him with dirty trousers open, she tried to listen for others nearby. For the librarian far below at the desk where he sorted other books. She hissed, toes curling in her shoes while the Lord Conqueror tilted her hips just so before he yanked her onto his lap more, skirt, petticoats and hoop skirt flipping over her. The modesty skirt did nothing. No modesty for Nami as she wrapped her legs around a god's waist and tried to thrust with him.

Her body arched, straining with him before she squealed when he stroked her clitoris with a hum. Leaning over her, sweat on his brow, he smiled and closed his hand over her neck.

Nami bit her tongue, eyes rolling back. She couldn't stop. She constricted, she prayed, her heart hammering as she met her end on him as if on command.

He ground a sticky mess into her and purred to her lips, "Still so excited?"

Shivering, she quelled the dizzy pit of her stomach as much as she could. It had been over so quickly, her heart hammered. "You — you're a pervert. Isn't this a library?"

"I've fucked in here before." He smiled when she flushed.

"Is there anywhere you haven't?"

Luffy grinned wider. "Do you want to pick out a room for me to find out?"

Her face imploded before she chewed her lip, glancing over him. "Is there though?"

Chuckling, he licked his lips as he pulled out, and Nami shuddered from the sensation. "There's a few we haven't thought of before."

She mulled over that. He had to mean his past wives. Nami squirmed before she pushed her skirts all down again while he closed his trousers. Suddenly, she wondered about them. The other women. If he didn't like brats, then didn't that mean that his wives had all been obedient and demure ladies? Why then would he have chosen her?

That still made little sense to her.

Her?

Nami took his hand after he rose — she only frowned a bit — and pressed her thighs together to stop the spillage. He tugged her along after him, but Nami glanced back at her pile of books with a pout. How would she bring those books to her office so she could investigate them for clues? Her best source of information — the smiling fool holding her wrist — was not likely to offer her much in terms of hints.

He wouldn't want to die either. She blinked at that thought.

Turned it over.

With a frown, she shook her head as he glanced back. "Which room?"

"Can you still keep going?" Nami tried to think instead of how Conis would have to clean her drawers and modesty skirt. How much of a mess was there? She burned darker, but she eyed him. He was so old. Ancient.

Would he want to die?

"I always want you," he said, and Nami stared at him as they entered the hallway.

He stroked her cheek.

She whispered, "The conference room?"

The Lord Conqueror led her down the hall with his smile as she hid her reddened face against his shoulder. Every guard they passed made her darker. They could see. They would know exactly what they were up to.

Nami paused at one intersection to keep her head lowered when she saw a dignitary from earlier, but Luffy's finger tilted her chin so he could kiss her, and eyes bulged. When her head rose, the man was gone, and only Luffy's dark eyes peered back. She bit her lip, and he did too.

Several halls, guards, and giggling maids later, and Nami stared at him as he closed the door behind her.

She fiddled with her collar, going still when she touched the necklace at her throat before she took it off to toss it to the floor. His eyes bulged, bewildered, until she whispered, "I want those pearls."

He shoved her to her knees, a growl on his lips, and Nami went to work on his trousers to open them once more. Once out, she supped at his tip, moaning around the heady mix of his and her juices, still wet and salty. When her hair came loose, she gasped as his fingers curled into her hair as it fell over her back. And he pulled.

His cockhead pressed against the back of her throat. She gasped, swallowing nothing before she could seal her lips around him and moaned as he thrust away. Her eyes met his above, but she whimpered as he unbuttoned the top button. And the next. A broad, scarred chest revealed to her while she gaped, sucking, bobbing. Her face flushed, eyes hungry with her heart pounding when he took her hand to place it against his abs.

Nami dug her nails in, whimpering when he groaned with an arch against her throat. As he thrust, black eyes on hers, Nami wondered if she was drooling. Was she making a mess? Did he like it?

For a moment, she closed her eyes, shivering while his cock ran her in circles. What was she doing worrying about that?

But she sucked harder, her other hand tapping higher to his chest. When she opened watery eyes, he smiled, tongue rolling over his lips.

"Do you really want a necklace? You look hungry."

Nami squeezed his abs and pecs in answer and whimpered when he pulled out with a shudder. As he grasped himself, she leaned back only to gasp when the first spray hit her neck. Hot juices coated her chest before he pressed to her lips again. Her tongue lapped out, closing her eyes to the briny flavor.

"It'll get on your gown," he said, sinking to his knees before her.

Dipping a finger into it, Nami brought it to her mouth and sucked it clean while he smiled. Her lips took turns on their fingers, licking or sucking until she nipped at his fingertip, and his response was to kiss her and pull aside her skirts. She didn't know if she was clean yet. It didn't feel like it mattered when he stroked under her drawers. The Lord Conqueror thrust his fingers into her still wet pussy, and Nami squealed to the rough pads of his fingertips.

She blinked when he nibbled her lip. Nami parted with a gasp, but he chased her down, fingers digging hard enough that she cried sharper, bucking once again to him. But his teeth — not the fangs — scraping over her lips had her mind reeling.

He hadn't bitten her. Or broken her skin.

What was different today? Except, she could only hold on to those thoughts for a few scant moments. His thumb circled over her clitoris, dragging moans from her as tears pricked her eyes. She throbbed around the fingers that he added, his lips trailing over hers, to her jawline. When he gnawed on her earlobe, her squeal had the Lord Conqueror huff in laughter. Her shaking hands found his shoulders to scratch and pull.

As she moaned, he laid her on the floor, hand pumping as she hissed. She blinked away tears, throat cracking, and he pressed his face into her throat, but no fangs pierced her, and Nami gritted her teeth while heat washed over her body.

Nami arched to his hand as an odd strain came through her. Was it exhaustion? Over-stimulation? As much as she might wish otherwise, she had also never been subjected to a man's appetite for so long. Nami clung to his back and held her breath to search out that end once more on his fingers.

However, he pressed his lips to hers with a chuckle. "Did you like your pearls?"

Gaping, she tightened.

She squealed, hips jerking when his smile warmed in her eyes.

"Nami, you're always so wet for me. Are you sure you still hate me that much? Am I really the worst?"

"Yes!"

His eyes chased her, and her tears swelled. Nami cried out as she turned her head aside, but his lips found hers anyway, swallowing her sobs while her toes curled and strained with every twitch. He sucked on her tongue. And she lost again.

She puddled in his arms, on his pumping fingers, and Nami blearily blinked as his forehead pressed against hers as he hummed. When he noticed her eyes on him, he smiled so.

"I love you."