Chapter 5: First Meeting

"Are you serious?" Nami asked, her voice flat. "I have to wear that?"

"What's wrong with it?" Chew asked, looking at the flowy red material he was holding up. "Don't you want to make a good first impression when you meet your future in-laws? Arlong thought it would be tasteful, but still highlight your best features."

Nami couldn't believe that Chew, one of Alrong's top lieutenants, was giving her fashion advice. Or that Alrong had picked out a dress for her to wear upon meeting her future husband. Gross. Even creepier was the fact that the dress looked like it would look good on her. Should she be disturbed that Arlong had good taste in dresses? At least, when it came to picking out a dress for her?

But that wasn't her real issue with the outfit. Her real issue was that it was a dress. The last thing she wanted was to give this Germa Kingdom the impression that she was a soft, flowery girl they could walk all over. She'd already had a plan for what to wear, and it was something a lot more tough looking than a dress. Still flattering, of course, since she knew making a good impression was important but she didn't want to wear something that made her look like a damsel.

"Here," Chew said, thrusting the dress at her. "Go change. We'll be there soon."

She gulped, looking at the horizon. She already knew that. They could spot the massive ship coming toward them. The ship was a castle. Apparently, even though the Germa Kingdom was recognized by the World Government, they didn't actually have land of their own other than what they had conquered, so the capital of Germa moved around on ships that detached from one another. When all the ships were attached, they formed a massive castle. Hatchan had explained that to her along the way.

Chew shook the dress in front of her face, looking impatient. "Fine," she growled, snatching the dress and stalking away.

~.~

The five Vinsmoke siblings stood with their father at the entrance to the castle, waiting for Sanji's bride to board the ship. Clone soldiers standing at attention lined either side of the path. They had to make a grand showing for their allies, after all.

Two large fish-men stepped onto their ship. An octopus fish-man held his hand back toward the boat and a much smaller figure in red appeared.

Yonji and Niji gulped, wondering what their first view of the navigator would be like.

~.~

Nami kept her gaze down as she walked. She didn't dare meet the gaze of any of the royals right then. The fury in her gaze would be too apparent. That wasn't exactly the best way to start off her relationship with her in-laws. Glaring wasn't generally considered a nice thing.

Chew and Hatchan walked on either side of her. They would be staying long enough to ensure the marriage took place, then going back to East Blue. Ridiculously, Nami was glad they were there. At least they were familiar.

The train of her dress dragged on the ground behind her, though the front only hit her at mid-thigh, exposing the matching red heels she wore. So impractical. Who would wear something so fancy on a ship? Her, apparently, which would just add to the exact image she didn't want to portray. The rest of the dress was form fitting, flowing over her hips and cupping her chest, ending just low enough to be mysterious rather than trampy. Thin straps covered the tops of her shoulders, leaving her tattoo of Arlong's jolly roger visible. She was sure that was purposeful on his part.

She gritted her teeth as they got closer. She would have to look up eventually, but she wasn't sure she could control her face before that point. She needed more time. She spent so much of her time acting, you would think it'd be easy for her, but this was different. This was a whole different group of monsters she'd have to help. And, this time, she'd have to marry one of them.

~.~

Sanji was so distracted by the perfect body encased in red coming toward him that he forgot to look up at her face. When he did, disappointment blossomed. She was looking at the ground, showing deference to the great Vinsmoke family. His father would say it was appropriate, but it was exactly what Sanji didn't want to see. A meek girl all dressed up as though that would make him happy. He scoffed under his breath.

Then she looked up and Sanji lost his breath entirely. He'd been mistaken. Entirely mistaken. This woman didn't look meek at all. Her eyes blazed with a fire unlike any Sanji had ever seen. She didn't look like someone who would take orders from any man, not unless that man had earned her utmost respect.

Here was a force to be reckoned with. A beautiful, talented, perfect force. And she was his.

It wouldn't hurt anyone to move the wedding up by a week, would it? The seamstresses could work around the clock to finish the dress in time, because Sanji wasn't sure he could wait two weeks to be married to this perfection.

He tried to swallow and ended up coughing awkwardly, making Yonji smirk. He wanted to glare at his brother, but his cough had drawn Nami's attention, so he couldn't. He had to look stately to hopefully impress her, but from the look on her face, he was pretty sure she wasn't impressed by any of them.

For the first time since Sanji had heard about this arranged marriage, he was concerned. He'd been so focused on his anger over not having on opportunity to sow his wild oats, on his belief that he was marrying someone ugly, and his irritation over having to marry someone of common blood when all his brothers would probably marry royals that he hadn't stopped for one moment to consider the fact that he might not be good enough for her.

~.~

Red. Why was she wearing red? Ichiji had to fight the urge to pull at the collar of his cloak. It wasn't that hot and it would be uncouth to do that front of Alrong's crew. But she was wearing red.

Red was his color. The color of his raid suit. The color of his sun glasses. Everyone knew that red was his color, just like green was Yonji's, blue was Niji's, and black was Sanji's. Black was Sanji's, so why wasn't the woman wearing black? All dressed in red, she looked like…like she was there for him.

It meant nothing of course, so he tried to push the thought to the back of his mind. It wasn't as though the Arlong Pirates understood that each Vinsmoke family member had their own signature color. If they had, the navigator would be wearing a different color. Still, she did look very good in red.

~.~

"Welcome," Judge said, grinning as he greeted their guests. "You must be the famed navigator I've heard so much about. You're as lovely as your captain says."

Nami's eyes flashed darkly at Judge's words, catching Sanji's attention. Though it wasn't as though he'd looked away from her eyes for a moment since he first saw them. But what had that flash been? Was Nami not pleased with her captain forcing her into marriage to one of the Vinsmokes? Did she not want Sanji?

He gulped, not sure what to do with himself. How to stand, how to act, what to say. He had never felt so nervous and inadequate in his life, not even when his father condemned him for being weaker than his brothers and made him train harder than anyone else. How could this woman who he'd just barely met, hadn't even truly met yet, make him feel this way?

"There are my children," Judge continued. "Reiju, the oldest and my only daughter. Then my four sons beginning with Ichiji, Niji, Sanji, and Yonji is the youngest." He pointed to each son in turn as he said their name, then clapped his hand on Sanji's shoulder. "Sanji is the one you will marry in two weeks."

Nami stared at Sanji and he felt his palms began to sweat. Should he smile? Look dignified? He didn't know. She wasn't giving any sort of expression that clued him in on what sort of expression he should give in return.

Judge tightened his hand on Sanji's shoulder, indicating that he should do something. He hid his wince as he stepped forward, out from under his father's hand, to take Nami's hand, looking into her eyes as he kissed the back of it. That was an appropriate action under the circumstances, wasn't it? "It's good to finally meet you," he murmured. He still couldn't read her expression. Crap. Had that been too corny? Did she not want him to touch her? That would be a bit of problem since they were supposed to be married soon…

"It's good to meet you as well," she finally said. The sound of her voice made his heart flutter. Even her voice sounded strong. There was no hint of timidity to it at all.

"Yes, well, you must be tired from your long journey and there's much work to be done," Judge said.

Reluctantly, Sanji let go of her hand, though he felt he could have stayed like that all day. Preferably with everyone else leaving the two of them alone.

"Reiju, why don't you take Nami to begin being fitted for her wedding dress?" Judge said. Despite his wording, it was neither a suggestion nor a request. "We need to start now since the dress must be befitting of one marrying into the Vinsmoke family."

"Of course, Father," Reiju said, offering a smile to Nami. "Come with me, please." Nami obliged, trailing behind Reiju to follow her into the castle. The octopus fish-man waved as she left, wishing her luck.

Sanji couldn't take his eyes off Nami until she disappeared behind the castle doors.