Title: Patience
Author: kawaiichiisaikitsune (pirate-kiari)
Rating: K+
Pairings: LuffyxNami, NojikoxOC (may be more later on)
Summary: 'Balls weren't really what everyone said them to be. At least, to this young girl they weren't.' A story about a royal family, a farmer boy, a series of balls/dances, and everything between. AU, LuNa

Kiari-san just suddenly had a brain blast of something for her next chapter and now she's written it! Go her! Go her! It's her birthday! It's her birthday! -dancing- Anyways, now you're going to meet other characters from the show in this chapter. Two to three people,she thinks. And soon Kiari-san will be rolling along into the actual plot. Yesh! There is a plot! Bwa ha ha ha! Now read and enjoy.

Disclaimer- Kiari-san doesn't One Piece or its characters. However, she does own King Niwa and Kenji, the prince!

Extra- Revised Version!

Patience

-Chapter Four: The Maid Knows-

The next morning the carrot-topped princess awoke to find a maid rummaging her room. This was no ordinary maid, though. It was the princess's personal maid, Tashigi. She could be a bit clumsy at times, but she did her job relatively well.

"Tashigi?" the princess groggily questioned as she sat up in bed, "What's wrong?"

The surprised maid spun around so quickly she lost her balance and fell to her bottom, glasses falling off her face and onto the floor. She scrambled onto her hands and knees and started her blind search for her glasses. Upon finding them she put them on and shot to her feet. "I'm sorry if I've woken you up ma'am," she bowed.

"No, no. It's fine," the princess stated still half asleep, "What are you looking for?" she questioned rubbing sleep from her eyes.

Nami watched as the maid slowly straightened up and replied like it was obvious, "I'm getting a batch of dirty clothes to clean, ma'am." She quickly grabbed the green plastic box behind her to prove a point.

"But, why were you looking? You shouldn't have to search for that," the carrot-topped girl eyed her maid suspiciously.

Tashigi placed the hamper on the hard ground and began her explanation, "Well, you see, a young farmer boy came the other day." Nami's dark brown eyes widened in surprised. "He said you had his younger brother's shirt. Do you, ma'am?"

The princess opened and shut her mouth repeatedly. She was at a complete loss for words.

"Nami-hime, you do have the shirt, don't you? But why? Why would you take a farmer's shirt?" Tashigi asked, confusion evident in her glass covered eyes.

"I, well, you see..." she sputtered, "I went for a walk yesterday and I came across their farm. H-he splashed water on me, and, and I changed into his shirt."

The maid stared at her in disbelief and shock. "Why ever did you go out of castle grounds?" she questioned, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose with a slender index finger.

"I just, I," Nami stuttered, she couldn't tell her the real reason, "Just to get out into fresh air."

"Okay, ma'am," Tashigi responded, bowing and picking up the basket of clothes behind her. She walked out of the room without another word only to poke her head back in. "Where is the shirt?"

The princess pointed toward the closet and the maid walked there and opened the doors. She found the very large shirt and placed it on the top of the pile. Then she exited the room once again.

Nami sighed heavily once her maid was gone and pulled her knees to her chest, hugging them close. Her secret was still safe though she wouldn't doubt that Tashigi was now in the suspicion about her. She probably noticed the painting that wasn't there the day before and when she searched around the room she probably also found her painting utensils. But one person knowing couldn't be too bad, could it?

Shaking her head lightly she pushed away her thoughts and rose from her bed. She slowly stumbled her way into her personal bathroom and took a quick, warm shower. Fully awake, she then changed into a simple blouse and skirt and pulled her wet hair into a simple ponytail.

The carrot-topped princess traveled down the winding marble staircase and into the dining hall for breakfast. She wasn't the only one there. Prince Kenji was also sitting at the glass table, fork and butter knife at hand and a wide smile plastered on his face.

Just as Nami was situating herself at her spot a butler scurried out from the kitchen, a plate of eggs in one hand and a cup of milk in the other. After setting them down before the small prince he turned to the princess with a curt bow. "How may I serve you?"

"Hm, perhaps just an omelet today," she answered, giving the butler a charming smile as he scurried back into the kitchen.

"You're spoiled," the green-haired boy mumbled through a mouthful of chewed eggs and cheese, pointing his unused butter knife at her.

The carrot-topped princess leant an elbow on the covered table and placed her chin in her hand, smirking at the boy. "Look who's talking, pip-squeak."

"Hey!" cried the prince, "Don't call me a pip-squeak!"

Nami laughed a villainous laugh. "I can call you what I want, squirt," she replied, an evil glint in her dark eyes.

He glared flaming daggers at her, but didn't argue any farther. She was victorious once again.

Hours passed since breakfast as Princess Nami now sat in her latent room, newly painted picture hanging up on the cream colored wall. She eyed the new painting among the others hanging and nodded to herself approvingly. It looked well upon that very wall beside the open window. Better than the others hanging nearby it.

With a content sigh she settled herself on a mat she had placed before the low table and cleared off the paints and brushes sitting upon it. Then she picked herself off the ground and made her way around the cluster of various art supplies and to her oak desk. She picked a sketch pad from the stack and pulled a couple pencils from the cup along with the pencil shaver. Then she settled herself back at the low table and readied her drawing utensils.

First, though, the carrot-topped girl flipped through the pad, looking at previous drawings done in it. There were many of scenery and some of people from the village afar. Some were of still-life drawings of a vase of flowers or a bowl of ripened fruit. And rarely did she see a portrait of maids or servants unknowingly being used. Then she came upon the blank pages and stopped there.

What she wanted to draw this time was something only visible in her head, though. And so with the picture in her mind she picked up the suitable pencil and began her drawing.

About an hour or so passed and the princess was already finished with her sketch. What her drawing portrayed was a couple dancing. The man was slightly bowed over the woman, dawned in a full tuxedo and a rose clamped tightly in his grinning teeth. The woman had one hand wrapped around her partner's neck as his was wrapped around her small waist and both their other hands were tangled in each other's, holding another rose between them. The woman's back was arched, letting her short hair fall freely, and a well-shaped leg kicked itself on the outside of her partner. She was portrayed in a dress much like the one the artist was going to wear to-night.

Smiling at her new picture, Nami rose from the wooden floors and walked to the door. She stepped out slowly and inconspicuously and locked the door behind her. With an air of pride a princess must carry around, she made her way to her bedroom. That was where she had last seen her expensive set of colored pencils. Upon entering her room she saw her personal maid, Tashigi, tidying up. She smiled lightly.

"Good morning, Tashigi," she greeted warmly as the maid turned to face her.

"Good morning, ma'am," the maid answered, slightly bowing her head in respect; "I have washed and folded your clothing, and the farmer's shirt. I've just placed them in the closet minutes ago. Just now I was thinking of dusting a bit. You wouldn't mind, would you?"

"Not at all. Thank you," Nami answered, walking over to her bed stand and pulling open a drawer. In that drawer rested a leather bound journal, a fountain pen, and a long box where she kept her colored pencils. She pulled out the box and closed the drawer, locking it with the key that sat upon the stand.

The princess exited her bedroom only to return a minute are two later with her sketch pad in hand. She settled it and the box upon the desk that sat lonely in the corner of her room and sat herself down in the chair. Like she had expected, Tashigi wandered her way over to look at her new drawing, feigning dusting all the while.

After a few seconds she spoke up. "Wonderful drawing there, ma'am. You're quite a natural," she complimented.

The carrot-topped girl smiled to herself. Turning from her coloring, she glanced up at her maid. "How are you certain it was I who drew it?"

"Ah!" she cried, "Well, I, you see, ma'am, uh..." She fiddled with her feather duster as she tried to think of the way to put her proven suspicion discreetly. "Well, ma'am, this morning I saw a painting here-" She motioned towards the window. "-and it looked very good, ma'am. But I have been to the village market before and, well, they don't sell such items there. No, I haven't seen such things sold, yet you have one ma'am. Only you could've created it, Nami-hime."

The princess smirked. With a nod she thanked the maid on her compliment and turned back to her coloring. "Do you really think—"she paused, turning to look back at her maid who had actually started to dust. "-it's good. I'm not so sure of it myself."

Tashigi smiled through gentle peach lips. "You are a natural, ma'am."

Nami smiled back, though slightly unsure of herself, "Yes, I suppose. Thank you." Then she turned to a serious tone, "But, Tashigi-san, you mustn't tell a soul about all this. I prefer to keep it my little secret; our little secret."

The maid straightened and saluted like a soldier of the sea normally would. "I promise I won't tell a soul ma'am!" she exclaimed softly.

The carrot-topped princess nodded and returned to her coloring as her maid returned to her cleaning. Many upon many hours passed and the princess had finished her drawing, ate lunch, a light dinner, and was now helping her older sister and brother-in-law with preparing the night's ball.

She helped arrange the many trays of delectable snacks and such the butlers would be carrying around in nice patterns. She helped the band get ready upon the makeshift stage at the side. And also she helped put up what decorations the ballroom needed. By the end of all this, the princess was thoroughly exhausted.

"Thank you for the help," Nojiko smiled, clapping a soft hand against her sister's back, "Now we must go get into our evening wear before the first guests arrive."

Nami nodded and both young women went off to their rooms to get dressed into something worthy to be called royal.

The young princess returned to the ballroom dawned in a thin cotton dress that hugged the well-defined curves of her lean body and cut off just below her knees, small slits crawling up on both sides. From the thin straps that fitted over her shoulders long, see-through silken sleeves fell loosely around her arms. Around her neck she had clasped a rich pendant hanging on a small golden chain and hanging from her ears were tiny, exquisite diamonds on strands of silver. She had left her hair to brush against her shoulders with only a couple silver clips and her make-up was scarce.

When she had reached the ballroom there were already quite a couple of guests chatting amongst each other. And among them were the King, her sister, and the small green-haired prince.

Also, she saw another she knew. A princess with shimmering blue hair that was held back in a thick, ruby covered band. Her dress was of a pastel pink color that fell down her legs in waves of cotton and had no sleeves at all. She was alone, sipping at a drink one of the servants had offered her.

A wide smile grew upon Nami's face as she walked over to the familiar princess. "Why, ViVi-chan, what a pleasant surprise!" she claimed happily.

The princess now known as ViVi turned to the carrot-topped girl with a slight start. However, a grin appeared upon her face and she greeted in return, "Hello Nami-chan. What a pleasant surprise indeed."

Both the two laughed softly before exchanging hugs and conversation.

-TBC-

Kiari-san hopes you all liked that chapter. She's really sorry if it's short, but ideas come and go and she thought that was a pretty good spot to leave it off. She will continue when she can; review!

--Review Replies--

-Chapter Three-

star pana- Thank you. Hope you're happy with this update. :)

tori006otaku- Thank you. Hm, that didn't sound too lame to Kiari-san. You're welcome. :)

Deblas- Yeah. -laughes uncertainly- Kiari-san didn't mean for it to take so long. She'll try to update her next chapters faster, but it's hard to think up stuff sometimes. School has stolen Kiari-san's brain.

AssaianQueen- -looks uncertain- Well, if you say so. Why'd you change it anyways? Still haven't seen Ace? Hm, Kiari-san thinks he doesn't show up until you meet ViVi and find out she's a princess. Then once they go to Albastia(sp?) and stuff, Ace shows up around there. -thinking- Yeah, yeah, around there, but if you're watching the dubbed version you've got a long way to go, buck-o! Kiari-san recommends finding scanlations on the internet and reading it. Manga's always better, at least, she thinks so. She does have a pretty good site to find them if you'd like...

Big R- Thank you. Hope you like this update. :)

MeraNova- Really? Kiari-san's not sure about cuteness, but thanks:)

Kiari-san thanks all for reviews. They really make her day. -more happy tears- Now, flames are ignored, constructive criticism is highly appreciated, and praise is great for Kiari-san's ego.