Author's note:
Welcome to this raging trash vortex of a Law x OC origin story! When Law's past was revealed I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if he'd had found an unlikely ally back then - said ally turned out somewhat nasty and slightly insane but indulge we can and indulge we shall! I've been writing this decade-overreaching enemies-to-friends-to-lovers slow burn on and off for a while and am trying to update more frequently now (future me laughing hysterically here haha).
Anyway, I hope that despite the dark bits it's as much fun to read as it is to write. Enjoy! :-)
Following warnings apply: Story is rated M for language, graphic violence, and future sexual content, and contains references to physical and mental illness, suicide and torture.
Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece
Blue fog still rested upon the roofs of Flevance when the sun crept over the horizon and painted the city in cold morning light. The unrelenting wind of the North Blue rose in the silver streets, snaked in between white houses and sent flags billowing at the harbor. Beyond the crown of white oak trees, a lonely shutter banged open startling a girl out of the cocoon of a pleasant dream.
Stubborn, Savenna snuggled deeper under her blanket but a few more minutes was all she got.
"Time to wake up, Miss!" The footsteps of governess Magdalena, a short and painfully industrious woman who had worked for her family for longer than she could remember, entered the room. Savenna buried her head under her feather pillow until the blanket was pulled away from under her. "Don't provoke me, young lady! You're already late for school."
"I don't care about school!"
"Nobody asked me if I cared to work for a spoiled little girl like you but do you hear me complaining? Now get going or the water will get cold."
Savenna was about to protest but the governess had already started changing the covers. Once she got hold of the sheets, further arguments were useless. Grumbling the worst of her father's curses, Savenna headed for the bathroom.
Already at the age of eleven, her dark eyes gleamed with the spiteful temper of a middle-aged town square executioner, and couldn't be concealed even by the cold northern beauty she had inherited from her mother. She was satisfied with the pointy nose, secretly displeased with the round baby cheeks, and not so secretly basking in the jealousy her long, honey-colored hair provoked among her classmates.
In front of the mirror, Savenna's daily self-admiration was cut short when Magdalena buried a brush into her unkempt hair.
"That hurt! How dare you?"
"It wouldn't have if you'd done it yourself."
"I'll tell Mother!" Savenna threatened.
Unimpressed, the governess cocked her head to the side. "Be my guest. Maybe Madame can smack some sense into that snobbish head of yours." Savenna gritted her teeth but remained silent. While being urgently navigated into stockings and a fashionable dress, she put Magdalena onto the list of people whose lives she was going to make miserable the moment she'd have enough power to do so.
At the breakfast table, like part of the furniture, the girl's furious looks raised little commotion. The dining room basked in just as much extravagant décor as the rest of the house: smooth Alabastan tapestry covering high walls, wool rugs spread on marble floor and expensive furniture imported from all over the North Blue serving to remind every visitor of the inhabitants' exquisite taste.
Nobody was to forget that the merchant estate was home to one of the richest families in town; Savenna's father had made his fortune in the lucrative Amber Lead trade and had traveled to kingdoms most couldn't even place on a map. He sailed the world in one of Flevance's famous white ships and brought her a present every time he returned.
Savenna couldn't imagine being part of a better family. She loved both her parents more than anything and even though she wasn't often on good terms with Magdalena, she didn't hesitate to crawl into her bed every time a storm blew over the island.
When the family coach arrived at the main entrance, Savenna grabbed her white bag and marched outside, head held high. Too consumed by her most recent grievance, she didn't bother waving goodbye and pressed her disappointed face against the glass when she realized the governess wasn't watching her leave.
Savenna regarded school as a temporary unpleasantness she had to endure. Her mother insisted she needed to be the best student in class but geography was the only subject interesting enough for her to lift her head from her desk. Her father had spent his entire life traveling and so would she. He'd told her about every port he'd visited, the people he'd met and most importantly, about the pirates who had crossed his path.
Teachers kept quiet about the increasing number of pirates ravaging the coasts of the North Blue, deeming the subject too disturbing for children. But Savenna couldn't wait for school to be over, to finally grow up and travel the world under her own Jolly Roger.
With her habit of being late, the carriage driver was used to maneuvering them through morning traffic at a breakneck pace to drop her off at school the moment the bell went off. Inside the classroom was already teeming with students, chatting and bragging about their weekend adventures. Savenna sneaked in quietly and moved to the back. The moment she reached for her books a shadow emerged above her.
"Did someone forget to carry you down the stairs this morning, princess? Or why are you in such a bad mood?" Pablo hovered over her like a predator. He'd been picking on her since kindergarten and she had never ceased to find it amusing. "How cute. Keep talking and Teacher will hear all about how you tried to steal my lunch again," she replied with a dramatic sigh.
Pablo's eyes hardened. "Liar!"
"You don't say, peasant?" she chuckled. "Stop bothering me or I'll get you expelled," she suggested soberly. If there was a thing Savenna was sure about then that she could make pretty much anything happen if she really wanted to. She might not be able to fight pirates just yet but manipulating adults was child's play. Pablo was powerless and he knew it. "One day you'll get what you deserve," he muttered, head hanging low.
A self-satisfied smile bloomed on Savenna's face. "We'll see about that, peasant."
With Pablo gone, she spread out her books and prepared herself for a morning of
meaningless lectures. The door opened and Teacher, consistently refusing fashion advice, entered the room in the same brown skirt as last week. Only this time she wasn't alone but followed by the tall, bespectacled headmaster and a boy whose face was hidden underneath a large, furry hat.
How rude, Savenna thought and pretended not to be interested in the newcomer. The headmaster cleared his throat. "May I have your attention?" The classroom fell silent. "Good. I'm here to introduce you to your new classmate." He pointed to the boy with the rude hat. "This is Trafalgar Law. He will be joining your lessons from today on. Say hello to your new friends, Law."
The boy muttered something incomprehensible. Slightly embarrassed, the headmaster went on. "Law is from a very old family here in Flevance and I am sure he will fit in perfectly. I'll leave you to it then."
The teacher who nodded with an optimistic smile. "Welcome, Law. Why don't you take a seat… " she scanned the classroom for an empty chair, "next to Savenna over there? Don't be shy, she won't bite."
"Don't be so sure about that," someone heckled in the back.
Savenna's eyes narrowed. Looks like Pablo's wasn't just an empty threat...
She didn't value the boy with a glance when he sat down, awkwardly unpacking his bag. All the eyes were on them until Savenna's frown scared them off.
Math class started but she was too busy observing her neighbor from the corner of her eye to listen to anything Teacher was saying.
Even from this angle, like a giant mushroom, the hat cast long shadows over his face. As if caution was a matter of life and death, he took his time going through all his pencils and textbooks, before arranging them perfectly on his desk. Suddenly he interrupted what he was
doing and turned to her.
Savenna stiffened but was quickly master of herself again. "What are you looking at, Mushroom Head?"
The boy froze. "No-nothing…"
Savenna snorted scornfully. "Don't you think it's rude to wear that helmet of yours in class?"
She was about to repeat her question, when he lifted his gaze and a pair of gray, dark-circled eyes looked into hers. Savenna drew back, astonished by the sudden surge of courage. The boy shrugged. "I like my hat."
What a creep, she thought. Why did she of all people have to sit next to him? Doesn't matter, she told herself. She wouldn't be her father's daughter if she'd let some boy intimidate her. "How come I haven't seen you before? Aren't you supposed to live in town or something?"
"Bad luck, I guess… " he said quietly. His courage was gone, leaving her with a fleeting sense of victory.
She tried to ignore him as well as she could during class, but there was something strange about him that didn't cease to attract her attention. He wrote quicker than any student she'd ever met. At the same time, he made no sound at all. It was as if she was sitting next to a ghost. Every question was answered correctly and calmly, with words she'd never heard before. Looks like he has no trouble talking as long as it's about something boring…
She stuck her nose up high and tried to concentrate on her own assignments. But when the teacher called her name, she froze. She realized she hadn't listened to anything the woman had been saying for the last half hour. "Savenna?"
"Yes…?"
"You can't solve the problem by staring at it," Teacher pointed out. Savenna was used to being the smartest student in class, but now she was staring at the blackboard as if it was covered in poneglyphs.
"Why don't you ask Daddy, princess?" Pablo whispered through the rising giggles. Savenna felt her cheeks turn red.
"I see," Teacher concluded. "Anyone else? How about you, Law? Ready to give it a try?"
That little peasant! He wouldn't dare! But Law nodded and solved the problem as easily as if he'd set it up in the first place. "Good! I'm sure you won't have any trouble catching up in math. That's it for today. Class dismissed."
Savenna wasn't aware that she was staring at Law, eyes burning with rage, until he turned around. " I'm sorry. I didn't want to upset you… I am sure you would have worked it out with a little extra time." Law's voice hardly rose above the silence but it was enough for her to lose her temper.
"Extra time?" she snapped. "Who do you take me for? I'm an excellent student and judging by the looks of you, your parents are hardly able to pay your tuition, so shut up! And don't talk to me ever again!" With something between confusion and sadness, his eyes followed her as she stomped away. From that day on Savenna avoided the boy with the rude mushroom hat. She couldn't care less about his existence, and kept on pretending that he hadn't kicked a notch off her pride.
Spring passed and the chilly North Blue air turned hot and stifling, ready to welcome back its Amber Lead merchants. Their cargo was the reason why the city of Flevance looked like a winter wonderland even in the hot summer sun. Deep beneath the city walls, Amber Lead, an incredibly rare metal, was mined all year long, sharing its astonishing color with the world above and its tremendous value with everyone who got their hands on it. It was behind every berry flowing through the country's economy and a sight for every tourist traveling north.
In spite of a life-long passion for herbs and tea, Savenna's father traded Amber Lead all over North Blue, and after many months of traveling he would finally be coming home.
With disheveled hair and a wide smile on her face, Savenna watched the ships come into port. At the sight of high, white masts the anger of the past days was forgotten. Beside her, Magdalena and her mother tried to conceal their impatience.
"I can see him! There he is!" the girl called out, pointing at the large vessel with the siren figurehead.
""Hush, Miss! Don't yell like that. He'll be here in time," Magdalena hissed. Meanwhile her mother remained silent, without taking her eyes off the long line of merchant vessels waiting to throw the anchor.
But Savenna wasn't one for waiting and without warning, she raced toward the inner harbor. Ignoring Magdalena's outcry, she headed directly for the ship. Fiercely she elbowed her way through the crowd.
"Dad!" she called up to the shiny railing, waving her hand as high as she could. Some of the sailors turned around but she ignored them too, until a familiar face finally appeared on deck.
"Did you run away again, little demon?" Her father, a tall, dark-haired man, shot her joyful grin before hurrying down the gangway. Strong arms closed around her when her father pulled her up and spun her around in the air. "Have you missed me?"
"Of course, you stupid old man!"
Her father's laugh was explosive and contagious. "Disobeying and disrespectful, you're more like me than I hoped."
"So? Pirates aren't known for being polite!"
"Still want to become a pirate, eh?"
"Who wouldn't? Do you even know how amazing Captain Roger was?" she beamed. "Teacher didn't want us to read his biography but I stole it from her desk when she wasn't looking, and hid it in Pablo's bag when I was done." When her father gave her a warning look, she shrugged. "He shouldn't have picked on me for being smarter than him."
"You'll grow up to be a fine pirate, I can see that now," he sighed, before leading her back to the docks.
The party planned for her father's return was supposed to be the event of the summer. At the family's arrival, the white town house was already filled with flowers and clanking sound came from the kitchen where the servants were fiercely polishing the crystal glasses. While his wife took care of the orchestra setting up in the dining room, the merchant went upstairs to get some rest.
Savenna would rest when she was dead. Going through her closet like a starving man looking for food, she grimaced at her governess. "I have nothing to wear! I need to be the prettiest girl in Flevance but these look like something Teacher would wear."
Magdalena shook her head. "They look fine to me. You didn't complain yesterday."
"That was yesterday! Today I want to look like a princess form the Grand Line
kingdoms." Only then did she see that Magdalena was carrying a package under her arm. "Oh is that for me?"
"I wish it wasn't… " The governess sighed as the girl snapped it out of her hands. "Your parents really shouldn't spoil you like that."
Savenna had already pulled off the lid and buried her little fingers in silver silk. "Why not? Dad always said that I should be proud of who I am, no matter what others think." When Savenna played with the dress in front of the mirror just like her mother used to do, the governess eyed her with resignation. "Have you ever thought about what would happen if your parents didn't stay rich forever?"
The girl observed herself in the mirror, while the woman tightened her new dress. "Why shouldn't they? This dress doesn't cost that much. And even if, I'll just become a pirate and steal all the money from the bad people who don't deserve it."
"Being a pirate isn't as easy as you think."
"How do you know?"
"My brother was a pirate and it didn't end well for him."
Savenna's eyes widened. Although Magdalena had been by her side since she was little, Savenna was rarely reminded of the fact that the woman could have had a life of her own. And an exciting one at that! For the first time Savenna didn't protest when the governess tugged at her dress, forced her to sit still or drove a comb through the port-breeze hair. She was so busy imagining a future full of looting and cannon fire, she didn't even notice the mournful expression on the woman's face.
Soft music filled the merchant's house when Savenna was ready to make her entrance. The first guests had already arrived, surrounded by an armada of servants filling glasses with champagne as if their life depended on it. A seasoned party guest herself, Savenna pulled her belly in, pointed her nose up, and took in the room with a calculating gaze. Her mother was greeting newcomers at the door, while her father stood in the corner discussing business with two fellow merchants.
She had it from a reliable source that both of their sales were down this quarter. Sucking up again, are we? she snickered under her breath as she made her way down the stairs. Her father left them mid-sentence to greet his daughter. "I see you like my present. The captain assured me it's real Alabastian silk," he remarked and introduced her to the conversation.
If the others were bothered by her presence they were smart enough to keep it to themselves. Last time someone had made a comment about children better staying upstairs said offsprings ended up being plagued by nightmares for weeks. Like father, like daughter, Flevance's merchants had long since learned both were used to getting what they wanted.
Savenna was absorbed by the story of an elder Amber Lead salesman who swore he'd visited the groves of the Sabaody Archipelago when sailing with the marines over the Grand Line, when she felt her mother's hand on her shoulder.
"Darling, here are you." Her melodic voice blended perfectly with the fading orchestra. "Come with me. I want you to meet someone. Politeness personified, Savenna excused herself before following her mother's lead.
Two steps and she froze in her tracks. Oh, hell no!
Her mother was smiling in the direction of a three-headed family. "Let me introduce you to the Trafalgars. They are both doctors at the city hospital. And I'm sure you and Law already met at school, isn't that right?"
A pair of gray eyes met Savenna's. She fought the urge to turn around and run. Etiquette answered its call not one second too early. Curtly, Savenna gave a quick bow.
"How nice to finally meet some of Law's friends! For some time we weren't even sure he had any," the mother admitted with amusement, gently putting her hand on her son's shoulder.
"My pleasure…" Next to Law's borderline morbid aura the parents looked like saints. Savenna wondered if he'd been switched at birth but imaging Magdaglena's reprimanding gaze, refrained from asking. Above the ridiculously long tie that was as good as sweeping the floor, Law kept staring at his feet, mushroom hat casting shadows on his pale features. Creep. No wonder he doesn't have any friends.
"So what do you think of the school? Have you had the chance to meet any of the teachers?" Savenna's mother asked the pair.
"No, unfortunately we were too busy to attend the meetings but I'm sure everything will be fine. It's good for Law to meet people outside of medical school."
"Medical school?"
"Well, yes, Law has been studying medicine for several years now. He's very talented and my husband and I want to help him to become the best doctor in the country, isn't that right?"
The father nodded with a proud smile. Savenna found it disgusting. "He's working very hard. But some of our colleagues pointed out that it's healthy for a child to regularly spend time with other children. You know, to just be like everyone else once in a while."
Excuse me? Like everyone else? Savenna couldn't remember the last time someone had had the nerve to insult her in public. She snorted covertly in Law's direction. Doctor, my ass! He looks like he's gutting people in his free time.
While her mother's eyes were full of admiration, Savenna didn't move a muscle. Never would she give that brat the satisfaction of being impressed by anything he did, even if he managed to cut people into pieces and put them back together the other way around.
"That's great, Law! I am sure you will achieve your goal," Savenna's mother said. "I wished my daughter was interested in honest work. But every time I turn my back, she gets herself in trouble. She's a smart girl but the temper gets in the way of things. My husband shouldn't fill her head with all that pirate nonsense…"
Savenna felt the words like a pang in her stomach. Embarrassment rose to her head faster than she could conceal it. "Speaking of which, why don't you come meet my husband? You kids go upstairs and play. Maybe Law can have some good influence on you, Savenna." Knowing her mother, this wasn't a suggestion. Savenna's cheeks burned with indignation when the adults left her with Mushroom Head who in addition to all seemed to have grown mute. When she felt his glance on her, she turned around violently. "Again, what are you looking at?"
"Aren't we supposed to go play…?" he mumbled. The circles around his eyes seemed to grow larger by the minute.
"Do I look as if I want to spend time with you?"
"But your mother said…"
"I'm not deaf, Mushroom Head! I know perfectly well what she said."
"I'm sorry… Did I do something wrong?"
"Shut up! You can pull that smart-kid thing on someone else. Maybe my mother thinks it's a good idea, but I won't even pretend that I like you. So do us both a favor and leave me alone!"
For Savenna the party was over. After rushing upstairs, she slammed the door shut and threw herself on her bed. She wanted to cry but her rage didn't let her. She ripped the white flowers out of her hair and kicked her doll house across the room. Who did that brat think he was? Thinking she would stand his presence another minute after him embarrassing her again!
Exhausted from her outburst she sank to the floor. She had always known that her mother didn't approve of her. How could she? Her mother came from old money, a family whose standing and reputation predated even the Amber Lead era, and who valued honesty and respect above everything. She was the best mother Savenna could imagine, but that didn't change the fact that she had never forgiven her for being her father's daughter: proud, ambitious, and short-tempered.
Savenna cursed and peeled herself out of the new dress. Listlessly she crawled to the bookshelf, in the hopes that mutiny and bloodshed could dissipate the disappointment sitting in her chest.
When Magdalena found her she'd fallen asleep, drooling between the pages of Gol D. Roger's adventures. The governess failed to stifle a smile. These were rare moments when she could care for the girl without being yelled at. She'd never gotten over the fact of how Savenna, who carried the entirety of the world's rage in her sly, little heart, could look perfectly helpless once asleep.
Carefully, Magdalena pulled the book out of her hands and carried her to the bed. Only when she tucked her in did she see the white mark on her chest.