"And after all that being said, Nami will join us this upcoming spring."
Namitha stood next to her husband before the men. Each one of them she deemed her friends and she needed their trust.
"Are you sure about that, Luffy?" said Sangard.
Only just married, he had thought Lufner would have put the voyage off for another year or two to settle down, enjoy his wife's beauty and youth and to start a family.
"It is her choice."
"Have you ever set foot on a ship?" Zollo regarded Namitha with disinterest. He had been looking forward to this trip for quite some time. A woman was never to be in the picture.
"I have not. But I am willing to work alongside all of you and will do my best not to keep you back. I will not be a burden. Only an asset."
"When you're in danger, don't expect me to-"
Lufner stopped Zollo in his tracks. "If any of us is in trouble, it is our responsibility to look out for one another."
Namitha looked between them.
"Luffy said that you are in need of a navigator. Someone who can read the stars, the waves and the wind."
Navigators were scarce in these lands. Not many ventured to sea so their best bet was to send for one and they were far from reasonable with their charges.
"And I take it you have experience?"
Zollo was trying his hardest to discourage her but his efforts were in vain.
"My mother travelled on these seas way before you and I and has learned her way around the waters. She taught me everything she knew about navigation and I intend to put that knowledge to good use."
"We have a sun compass."
"That instrument has its limits."
That was a fact. In the presence of clouds, fog and storms, the sun compass was a liability.
"And if you get us lost?"
"You will have to trust that I will not let that happen."
Zollo analyzed her gaze and tipped his drink before guzzling it down his throat. Lufner Modig was a reckless man. Anyone choosing to follow him was deemed just as reckless. His wife doing just that gave her credit.
"Are there any other objections? I'll gladly hear them out."
The others discussed quietly amongst themselves and Namitha fumbled with her hands. She looked to her husband and found his face full of determination, telling her that all will be okay. It gave her renewed confidence and she again straightened her shoulders.
Her and Usoff's eyes met and that was when he stood. Everyone was silent, ready to listen.
"My wife to everyone's knowledge is with child. And by the looks of it, he or she may come early. I think I've had you waiting long enough, Luffy. My decision. Whether I come with you on this anticipated journey or stay here and be a good husband and father to my wife and child."
Lufner folded his arms. His demeanour had not changed but Namitha knew otherwise.
"Kaya and I decided that if I'm there for the birth and the early days after, I'm free to do what I want."
"Which is?" Lufner was impatient. Whatever the decision, he needed to know right there and then without delay.
"I'm sorry to say, with all my heart, that you will never find a better archer." Usoff bowed his head low, eyes closed giving a brilliant show of sorrow only to spring back up again with a resounding grin. "Because I'll be joining you. To the ends of the earth if need be."
Lufner ran over and give his friend a tight squeeze. Everyone laughed and was thrown into high spirits. Namitha felt tears well in her eyes. This was joyous news indeed and she was as happy as the rest of them. Lufner on the other hand was bouncing off the walls.
"Nami," Usoff said, almost losing his footing as Lufner released him and tugged him close with a strong arm around his neck. "I know you will take us as far as we need to go and I trust that you will bring us back if it is the will of the gods. We'll be in your care."
Namitha nodded giving him her full assurance.
"It's great to have you, Usoff," Lufner snickered. His joy was overflowing like a full cup of ale.
Sangard and Franki had no objections and they raised their drinking horns to the prospects of the successful voyage to come.
Though adventure was the bulk of man's romance, the journey was not expected to be an easy one. It would take more than trust in one's comrades to survive the waters and the outside world. What was needed was the backing of the gods. And much more was needed in the confidence of one's skills and strength.
They all went down together to Franki's work station, off between the trees to behold the beauty of their ship and to offer assistance. It had yet to have a name and with its timely completion, that would be in order in due time.
The knarr was ideal for long voyages and fit for the size of the crew since Lufner did not have many men. Including him and his wife, his friends amounted to 6 people.
Lufner walked pass her standing before the vessel with a log on his shoulder.
"The ship is breath-taking," she said.
Lufner agreed. Seeing it never failed to get him motivated and excited for the days to come.
It was Namitha's first time seeing it. It was truly a sight to behold.
"Tell me, Luffy. How can you afford this?"
"Me?" Lufner gave the vessel a once-over and rested the lumber at his feet. "Franki is the one who built and designed it. He is a master of his trade and a good friend. It is his dream to build a ship that could sail the world since the most he ever got to build were fishing boats or longships."
"And what about payment? This might end up costing an arm and a leg."
'Shishishi' "He asked for none. Only to man her on the waters and to repair her if she were to run into trouble."
Namitha smiled sweetly. Lufner's luck expanded to his friends and Namitha loved the security she felt when at his side, listening to him talk as if not having a trace of worry or fret. As if everything would be okay and if there came a time when things seemed bleak, there was this confidence that things will work out in the end.
"Did he?"
"He did. Franki swore to put his best skills to work and so far has done a fine job. Said that it could brave any storm and has the ability to break the strongest of waves. And the sails... Well, we have yet to get them from the women who volunteered to help. Makny is in charge of it. Can I ask you to pay her a visit to see the progress?"
"Of course."
"No slacking off!" shouted Franki and Lufner hurriedly replaced the timber.
"I'll meet you at home then?" he said.
"You surely will."
At first, Lufner was sheepish but Namitha reminded him once again that she was no fan of his hesitation and stepped forward and took the kiss herself.
On her way down the footpath of trees, she could hear the men teasing the life out of him. How red his face was; she was sorry she didn't stay back to tease him herself.
Namitha smiled all the way to Makny's with a skip in her steps and a merry hum on her lips.
The day was off to a good start.
Makny was one of the women assigned by Lufner's grandfather to raise him in the days of his youth. She was leaving her teen years when she met Lufner but did a fine job looking out for him and letting him know the few responsibilities of everyday life. Some would say Makny treated him as her own.
She still beheld her prettiness, now a mother herself to a beautiful child. Skin so fair and hair so dark, it appeared green.
Namitha only met her once when Lufner introduced her and though asked to come for a second visit, Namitha did accept the invitation but never got around to it, distracted by her new roles as a wife and the constant worries of her mother.
When she met the woman, Namitha saw to it that she offered her apologies but was only greeted by Makny's unwavering kindness. She was welcomed into her home without a second thought and at once she was accommodated.
Her little one was on a bed sleeping away and Namitha wore a gentle smile upon her face without knowing.
"It won't be long before you two have children of your own. Freyr will soon give you her blessing."
Namitha's smiles turned to grins and accepted a cup of mead handed to her. Makny ran a small alehouse with her husband so the alcohol was plenty and of fine quality. The taste alone made Namitha sorry she did not stop by sooner.
"I'm here to ask about-"
"Before that, follow me."
In the back, she was shown a barrel concealed amongst the stored ale and Namitha held her breath when Makny cracked the cover open.
It was stock full of silver coins. The glittering reflected in Namitha's eyes.
"What is all this?"
"This is Lufner's. However, he does not know it exists."
"All of it?"
"Yes."
Makny turned away after hearing her son begin to stir, saving her the sight of Namitha plunging her hands deep within the metal and scooping it up in big handfuls. As she raised her hands, the outpour of coins fell through the holes between her fingers, only to be scooped back up again.
It was all so much. Too much. Namitha was in a dream. Surely she was. This was all too good to be true.
She sealed it back and went to Makny seeking answers.
Money meant one thing and that was security and there was nothing Namitha loved more than security.
She fancied marrying into money but Lufner came along and vanquished all thought and reasoning. So to add meaning to her infatuation, she convinced herself of her dowry. Him harbouring an unknown fortune made Namitha wonder. Was it an inheritance? Surely he would have known about that. But what was that money and where did it all come from?
Makny addressed her confusion,
"Luffy is known to be someone who readily helps those in trouble."
Namitha knew that well. Those traits of his continued well into their marriage. Not that she minded. Lufner not once complained so neither did she.
"He never accepted payment. Not once. So over the years, the villagers knowing that I helped foster him, tended to bring their coins to me to secure for him. I tell him always to consider his future and to be more accepting of their appreciation but he kept refusing, saying that they needed the money more that he did.
"I too refused but thought about the day he would have a wife and a family to feed so I have been collecting and storing it here all these years. I didn't expect it to amount to so much but Lufner has always been someone everyone could count on. He has the villagers' respect."
Makny outstretched her hand to touch Namitha's.
"Thank you for being a good wife to our Luffy. You're a good girl and I want you to have it for it is rightfully yours."
Namitha was stupefied by the prospect. How silly her husband had been. But then again he did say he had no intention of marrying. Preferring to be a man carried by the wind, cradling on the advantages of his incredulous luck. Despite it all, Namitha had to thank the gods that people like Makny existed.
"Thank you but I want you to have some for yourself."
Makny's home needed a few repairs and the woman deserved some form of payment for her goodwill. The time she spent raising Lufner, Namitha learned right from the horse's mouth was no easy feat. That also needed remittance. He got himself lost and hurt too many times to mention. Namitha could only pray their future children wouldn't be so reckless.
"I cannot."
"I insist. Luffy would have wanted you to have some."
Namitha was right and Makny saw no way out so she agreed.
"What business did you say you had with me?"
Namitha smiled upon remembering. Her thoughts were elsewhere and rightfully so. Security was bestowed and the future seemed a tad less unsure. Her husband was careless with his luck. It was up to her to show him how to properly put it to good use.
"The sails."
This would be Namitha's most eventful day yet but the events weren't over.
Leaving Makny's home, she came about a bushy-tailed black cat crossing her path, eyeing her carefully. Its very appearance fascinated her. She really liked cats. Had one as a little girl. So she followed it. Once she had it cornered, she picked it up in her arms and cooed at its big green eyes. It began to purr but stopped suddenly, hissed and dashed away as quickly as it could.
Something was amiss and Namitha swiftly turned around to see what it was but saw nothing. Her breathing quickened and her heart thumped about like a suspended boulder in her chest. Someone was there, her gut told her all she needed to know and Namitha blamed no one but herself for letting her guard down.
Her mind wandered back to the strange woman. How startled she was recalling her cold stare, her disdain, her disgust.
Namitha continued peering down the alley but no one came. As if her own mind made it up but she rarely doubted herself and today was not one of those days. This was real.
In an instant, she caught light of an open door she did not see at first. It appeared out of thin air. The sun was dipping in the sky. She had to get home but her feet advanced like a moth driven to an open flame.
Inside was dark but there was a fire burning bright enough for her to perceive shelves full of herbs and potions causing Namitha to inadvertently shudder. If she didn't know any better, she'd say that she had entered into the dome of a-
"Welcome."
Namitha gasped and held a hand to her chest. In the far right of the room sat a tall woman. In front of her laid a little stool.
"Sit."
"I am sorry to intrude but I somehow lost my way and must return home," said Namitha. She stepped slowly back.
She wanted out badly. The tattooed inscriptions on the woman's pale face, her dark cloak and hair and her gloomy aura told Namitha one thing and one thing only. She had entered the abode of the local seeress, Sharvi. Her father frequented her services. She was the comfort of insecure and desperate men. Sharvi was neither old nor young. Her voice was low and drawling. In her hand, she held a wooden staff. This was Namitha's first time meeting her. However, she had no interest in the dead nor the happenings of the future.
"Sit." Sharvi's menacing stare made Namitha obey. She did not want to risk being cursed.
"Don't be afraid, child. You said that you lost your way. How are you not certain the gods themselves made it be that you came to see me?"
"I am not. My husband will be home soon so I must go."
Namitha stood and the seeress' smile grew sinister.
"Ah yes. Lufner Modig, a man favoured by the gods, invincible in the presence of any enemy. He also so happens to be the man you love."
Namitha gulped and reclaimed her seat.
"What about my husband?"
"Who wants to know?"
"I do." Namitha grew desperate. If the gods had indeed brought her here to their spokesperson, perhaps her being there was no mistake.
The seeress smiled at the sudden concern. "Something tells me that you care not about things like these; meddling with the future."
"Knowing such things is frivolous. However, if this has something to do with my husband, I have every right to know."
Namitha was no longer afraid.
"You think you can protect him?" asked the seeress.
"I'll do whatever means necessary."
"Very well." Sharvi sat up straight in her chair with the help of her staff. "The gods have come to the conclusion that they have been far too generous with Modig's luck. So they want to test him."
"Test him? What do you mean?" Namitha crumpled a handful of skirt in her hands in an effort to pacify her shaking. It did not help.
"I wonder." The seeress chuckled under her breath and it amplified when Namitha flashed her a look of anger.
"What will they do? What is going to happen to him?"
"Anything can happen. Trials, tribulations... Anything that defeats a man's spirit."
"And what reasons do they have to do wrong to a good man?"
"Perhaps he is losing faith."
Namitha's eyes widened.
"Maybe you put too much trust in them."
It all made sense.
"I was brought here for a reason, was I not? What is it that I have to do?"
"Have him listen to you no matter how farfetched the request. There will be signs that only you can decipher. They will be your guide.
"Worry not what happens to you for you too have caught the attention of the gods and your life will be preserved."
"And my husband's life will be preserved also."
Namitha cared not if the gods fancied her. They enjoyed watching her suffer all those months watching her poor mother on the brink of death and now they were threatening Lufner's life. If they meant well, they were doing it wrong and Namitha was not afraid to say so.
"Let the gods know- be it Loki, or Thor, or even Odin himself- that my husband, Lufner Modig, fears them not. I've seen how he goes about. Luffy does not wait for their so-called miracles, he goes out and seeks them for himself. He is not the most patient man in the world and if a man is not allowed to rely on his own abilities and his own conscience, there is flaw in the gods' reasoning. Have they envied the free will of men for so long, they purposely throw them into turmoil to make themselves feel better?"
The seeress' mouth dropped at Namitha's bold speech. The flames in the fireplace flashed and burned brighter.
"Do you oppose the gods?"
"I have much to owe to them but I will stand by my husband through his worst. If their aim is to break him, I'll be the mast that holds him up."
"You must help him acknowledge the gods again. That is their only wish."
Namitha had heard enough. This time she was leaving for good.
"My husband will do as he pleases."
To be continued...
Author's Note
Apologies to that one guest reviewer who pointed out my daft mistake referring to Odin as Oden. That was unintentional and I should have thanked them in the previous chapter update but I carelessly forgot.
The Norse gods in this fanfic are not based on One Piece characters. They are as you know them.I'll be honest. It took me two days to write this and two more to properly edit it. I am a procrastinator. However, these past months have given me much to think about where life is concerned. I'll therefore do better in all my endeavours, especially when it comes to writing this fanfic as well as the others I have planned in the future.Thanks always for reading. I'm home from work due to lockdown so expect at least one more chapter this month.Hope this chapter got you excited for what's to come. It sure made me.
Notable points for those that didn't figure it out:
-Makny is Makino
-Sharvi is Sharley/Shyarly (that fortune teller lady from Fishman Island. Some of you may remember her as Arlong's half-sister.)
I have looked at lists of Norse female and male names and try to make the One Piece characters' names sound as Nordic as possible. Franky's name for example was made to look like Loki's, hence the 'i'- Franki.
Luffy and Nami's names (Lufner and Namitha)/were made to fashion Ragnar and Lagertha's names from the 'Vikings' Netflix series.
Did anyone look up the translation of 'Modig'? It means 'monkey' in Norse. How cool is that?
Other notable points:I started to chicken out about this fanfic since I've never written an adventure fic before and being from the Caribbean, I have no first-hand knowledge about the Norse but I have been doing my research.
For example, Madam Sharley/Shyarly is a smoker but upon researching whether or not the Norse smoked, they did not since Native Americans from the New World were one of the first peoples who practised smoking. The Europeans observed that and follow-fashioned it. So the pipe smokers in old-time period films did so under the influence of the Native Americans and the discovery of the tobacco plant which was only at the time grown in the west.
I wrote about Sanji (Sangard) without knowing this so now I know, please bear with the strange fact that when reading about him, he will not be accompanied by his usual cancer stick. I had to write our precious seeress without her signature pipe. Like how cool would that be? But it sadly had to be left out due to historical inaccuracy.
I've read books based on Viking expeditions such as 'The Sea Road' by Margaret Elphinstone and 'The Long Ships' by Frans G. Bengtsson, translated by Micheal Meyer. I've also had a look at a couple of films based on the Vikings. Some were painful to sit through but I endured for the sole purpose of research.
This fanfic is not a parody of the Netflix series, "Vikings" nor is it of any of the above-mentioned books. It has only been inspired by them and I hope to make this fanfic a great and epic tale.