Here's the next chapter! Had to wait until after exams were finished to write this.
It's amazing: I am now officially done high school! Now I'm so looking forward to a summer filled with partying and lots of free time which I'll try and use to write ;)
So I forgot to do this last time so if you read the first chapter or my other story "Marco Polo" just note that unfortunately:
I Do Not Own One Piece. (A girl can only dream, right?)
Bon Appetite!
The sound of groaning hit my ears, and I felt a pang of guilt. I never minded watching the guys beat the crap out of our enemies, but then again I had never been this up close and personal with the aftermath before. I was currently in a room filled with the wounded and depressed, whining about their concussions or sword cuts and the fact that even the cute fuzzy reindeer had turned out to be a monster.
No one minded me. I didn't blame them; I was sending off an aura that clearly said "Don't mess with me". I had pretended to be a captive and now I actually was a captive. Stupid Karma.
I sat on a bunker hugging my knees to my chest, tired of listening to their complaining and wanting nothing more than to be back on the Thousand Sunny where everything was normal, (or at least as normal as my crew got). My weapon had been confiscated, so the escape plans I was trying to think of were pretty sucky. Trying was the key word. Right then the words that the (so far nameless) Captain had said before shoving me down here were repeating themselves over inside my head.
"At 6 o'clock meet me in the Captain's courters for dinner. Do not be late."
I shuddered. I hoped dinner was the only reason he wanted me there.
I sighed, resting my head on my knees. That's when I noticed a small boy inching his way towards me. Skinny legs and arms were stuck through the holes of a ratty tee shirt and shorts. Long, orange bangs hid an invisible pair of eyes, which seemed to be trained on me. Below them a dusting of freckles covered a petite nose. The kid looked to be only about 10 years old. I guessed that he was probably a ship's boy.
As I watched he neared my bunk, and seeming to forget his shyness marched right up to me and came to an abrupt halt, clearing his throat loudly. Some of the men stopped their moaning to listen. I lowered my knees and said,
"What do you want?" The boy cringed visibly, but didn't back down.
"The Captain says to tell you that dinner will be ready in an hour ma'am." A vein popped in my forehead. "And… you're to wear this."
At this he pulled out a large brown package from behind his back. I snatched it from his hands. Even though I was being commanded to wear it I was still curious to open it. The brown paper crinkled loudly as I unfolded it to reveal a beautiful evening gown. It was black as midnight and soft as velvet. Here and there upon it were scattered gems of some sort, (diamonds was my professional guess), like stars in the milky way. I turned it around to observe that the back was laced up.
I was impressed, but I wasn't going to let them see that.
"Does he have a stash of dresses for female captives? Creep." Some of the men snickered in response, but the boy just kept standing there.
"Well then, move along. You've delivered your message haven't you? Or is there more?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow. He shuffled his feet.
"Well… I'm supposed to stay with you and make sure you follow orders." At this I started steaming. I was usually the one giving orders. To be following orders and obeying children was humiliating for me. I was about to conk him on the head and walk away, but then I realized he was only following his orders. I'd let this one slide, and that "ma'am" comment too.
"Okay then, lead me to my changing room young messenger boy," I said dramatically as I got up and put a hand on his shoulder. The men laughed out loud this time and the freckles disappeared momentarily as said "messenger boy" blushed furiously. I would obey the orders, but I sure as heck wasn't going to look obedient while I was doing it.
My changing room turned out to be fabulous, to say the least. I was expecting a broom closet or even the brig; I wasn't expecting this. It looked like a room in a fancy inn. There was a large white canopied bed on one side, complete with feathered pillows. Occupying the other side was a dark wooded vanity with a large oval mirror. Covering the floor were thick ornately designed rugs that looked like they cost as much as I had stolen yesterday.
'What the heck is all this doing here?' I wondered, running a hand over the down comforter. My hand left a black smudge on it and I quickly hid my hand behind my back.
"What's your name?" I asked the ship's boy, tired of calling him that in my mind.
"Tyson." Aww. How cute!
"So Tyson, what's a room like this doing on a pirate ship?" I asked him, voicing my earlier mental question. He lowered his head, covering even more of his face with his bangs, and mumbled something along the lines of,
"…can't say… forbidden." He was probably hoping I'd leave it alone, but I had heard enough that my interest was now peaked.
"So it's a secret then? Maybe I'll just have to ask the Captain about it during dinner." I glanced over at him and saw that I had gotten the desired results. His eyes were now roughly visible through the haze of hair because at this statement his head had jerked up and his eyes had widened to the size of sand dollars. Children were too easy.
"Don't do that! He'll get murderous!"
"Murderous eh? Touchy subject. Fine, I get it. I won't mention it." He sighed in visible relief.
"But…" I simpered as I strolled over to him, kneeling to study him at eye level, "if you told me I promise I wouldn't tell anothersoul." Cue big innocent eyes and hand on shoulder.
I could see him pondering it. 'Should I tell this strange girl? Would she rat on me?' I didn't have anyone to tell the secret to anyway and I would gain nothing by ratting on him. He seemed to come to this conclusion very fast, or maybe he just wanted to spill the beans. I don't know. He leaned in towards me conspiringly and whispered,
"It was his dead wife's room."
My eyes widened in shock. I leaned back, pondering this. That cold, ruthless man had had a wife? Some woman she must have been.
"Oh. Well why is that such a secret?" At this he seemed more hesitant to tell me, but then he said,
"Because she recently killed herself." After this he wouldn't utter another word, and I thanked him for telling me what he had. Questions floated in my head as I got dressed for dinner. Why did she kill herself? What did the Captain want with me? And when were my nakama coming to rescue me?
What is this villain's bloody history? O.o I know, but unfortunately you'll have to keep reading to find out. Next part is going to be in Robin's perspective. Please Review! (or don't, but it just really makes it all worthwhile J) Thanks!