A/N: People are still reviewing this, which I really appreciate…so here's a new chapter J I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 16: Journey to Yashta
"Father, may I speak with you?" Yonji asked, entering his father's study late in the evening.
Judge looked up from what he was studying. "What is it?"
Yonji laid the invasion plan he'd created on the desk. "I have been thinking hard about Yashta ever since we returned. I believe I have a plan to take them down hard and fast with our navigator's help. Will you loan her to me upon her return?"
Judge was silent as he reviewed Yonji's plans, the seconds silently ticking by. Finally, he looked up to meet his youngest son's eyes. "Yes. You may have all the forces you've requested in this plan. I want you to enact this the moment she returns."
Yonji couldn't help his triumphant smile as he gave his father a small bow. He'd been half afraid that Judge would demand one of his brothers accompany him. "Of course. I'll have the soldiers start preparing my ship." He was more than happy to steal Nami away all to himself the moment she returned.
~.~
"The servants will carry all your new clothes to your room," Reiju told Nami as they arrived back at the main ship for Germa 66. "So, you can take the new maps straight to Father."
It felt odd for Reiju to put it that way, as though the term 'Father' for Judge applied to both of them. She supposed it would soon. Once she and Sanji married, Judge would be her father-in-law. The thought creeped her out. Far more than the idea of marrying a near stranger.
"It's okay for me to go to Judge's office?" Nami asked, double checking. It felt hard to believe she had the right to barge into the office of a king and hand him something. Even if that something was the reason he'd dragged her away from her home and was having her marry one of his sons.
"It's fine," Reiju waved off. "I'm not sure anything makes him happier right now then receiving more of your maps. He'll be pleased to see you."
Just like Arlong was every time Nami returned with more of East Blue charted. It was an unnerving comparison. At least she knew her way around the castle a little now. She waved goodbye to Reiju and went to the stairs.
She was a few halls away from Judge's office when she encountered Yonji lounging against the wall. He smiled and straightened when he saw her before taking the maps she held out of her hand and handing them to a passing servant. "Take these to my father," he ordered, then slipped an arm around Nami's waist and turned her back the way she'd come.
"Hey, I'm supposed to take those to Judge," she said, edging away from the green-haired prince. She quickly discovered his strength was more than something she could easily escape. If she wanted to remove his arm around her, she would have to turn this into a real scuffle, which she wasn't willing to do at the moment. "Where are we going?"
"There's been a change of plans," he said, grinning down at her. "You're to come with me to Yashta. Now."
"Yashta?" She repeated, dread settling in her stomach. "I'm going to navigate you through Storm Pass?"
"You're going to navigate a fleet through storm pass," Yonji corrected. "And then I will take them down. Don't worry, with your aid it should be a short war campaign. We won't be there for long." His smile grew. "In fact, I have a feeling this might end up being the shortest military campaign in Germa 66's history."
~.~
It was more difficult leading a fleet through an area of constant storms. Nami never could have done it if she hadn't been through the area before. The fleet setup a clever system to relay her orders from one ship to another.
She was stationed on Yonji's ship, of course. They'd constructed a covered shelter on top of the main cabin to give her a better view of the rest of the ships in the fleet. Yonji, for whatever reason, felt the need to be in there with her. Admittedly, he was helping to relay her orders to the other ships, so it wasn't as though he wasn't being useful. It just seemed like a menial task more suited to a common soldier.
He also helped steady her as the ship rocked wildly. The shelter was small, barely big enough for the two of them, and she would have gotten badly banged up without his help and none of the soldiers were strong enough to be as steady as him, but it still seemed like a menial task for a prince to be performing.
Another wave hit and Nami stumbled backward. Yonji caught her with an arm around her waist, pulling her back against his chest.
"I'm good now," she said when a few seconds passed and he didn't release his grip. "I do fine when I'm watching the waves and anticipate which way we'll rock. It's when I'm watching the map that I struggle."
"Mm, but you need to keep watching the map, don't you?" Yonji argued. "Even you need to reference the map in an area as dangerous as this where we keep getting blown off course, and it's annoying to have to catch you every few minutes. I'm much steadier than you are. If I keep ahold of you like this, we'll stop having a problem."
She gritted her teeth. He was right. He hadn't stumbled once and was having to steady her frequently. It did technically speaking make more sense for him to keep ahold of her, as annoying as it was. "Fine," she bit out, returning her focus to the map. She would probably forget he was there soon enough anyway. Navigating the entire fleet through this mess of tornados and massive waves was taking all her attention.
Yonji smiled once her attention went back to the map, meaning she'd surrendered to staying in his arms. He was pretty sure Sanji hadn't been this close to her yet. Too bad Sanji wasn't around to see the two of them now.
They continued like that for some time. Eventually, Nami started leaning against him, sweat plastering her hair to her forehead. Unsure of what compelled him, Yonji used his free hand to brush the hair out of her face. She looked exhausted. He knew that normal people couldn't keep going for as long as he and his siblings, but they couldn't stop in the middle of a storm like this. Nami had to keep going until they reached the calm waters next to Yashta.
"How much longer?" He murmured, his gaze stuck on the sight of her leaning against him. Until just a few minutes ago, she'd been stiff in his arms, her whole focus on the map pinned to the small table in front of her. It felt nice to have her relax against him, even if it was because of exhaustion.
"We should reach Yashta before the end of the day," she said, pushing more hair out of her eyes. "It will be evening by the time we arrive." She glanced up at the black storm clouds above them. "Not that we can tell the time of day currently."
"You can rest once we arrive," he promised. Nami had no part in the plan once they reached Yashta. She would be staying on the ship with a few guards will Yonji enacted the rest of his plan.
~.~
By the time they could see a break in the storm clouds, Nami was swaying on her feet.
"Once we reach that break, we'll be in the calm waters and within sight of Yashta, right?" Yonji asked.
Nami nodded, mumbling something in the affirmative. It was adorable. And impressive. The soldiers manning the sails and following Nami's orders had had to be switched out partway through the journey in order to make sure they were fresh enough for the coming battle. Nami had been working the whole time, navigating for the entire fleet.
"Then we don't need you now," he said, sweeping his free arm under her legs so she was nestled in his arms.
"Hey!" She protested, her eyes snapping open. She looked more awake than she had in hours. "What are you doing?" She asked, pushing against his chest.
"Taking you to your room," he explained as he left the shelter. The storm had died down enough that only a light rain drizzled on them. "We can make the rest of the way to Yashta without you and you look like you might collapse if I sent you to your room on your own, so I'm taking you." He raised his eyebrows when she remained silent. "You're welcome."
She folded her arms and scowled, refusing to look at him. Part of Yonji was irritated she wasn't grateful for the help he, a prince, was giving her. Another part of him thought she looked adorable when she scowled like that.
~.~
Yonji's ship entered the port with him dressed in his finest clothing, his fleet behind him. Each soldier was dressed to the nines with not a single hair out of place. They had to be perfectly presentable for this act, after all.
A single ship confronted them soon enough. Yonji didn't miss the strip of gold running along the side of the ship. Even their vessels displayed the wealth of Yashta's kingdom.
"What are you doing here?" A man dressed in military clothing demanded. He narrowed his eyes. "Weren't you the one who was here recently? Prince Yonji of the Germa Kingdom."
"Yes, that's me," Yonji said, putting a hand to his heart. "I have returned so soon because I could not get Princess Clarisse out of my mind after our brief meeting. I've fallen so in love with her that I must have her as my wife." He gestured at the fleet behind him. "I've brought the most important courtiers and men from my kingdom so we could wed immediately if she would consent."
The man seemed too stunned to answer for a moment. "Well…I believe such news would please our princess…but you appear to be missing several important figures despite your claim that you've brought all the most important people from your kingdom for a wedding. Where are your brothers and your father? Are they aware of what you're doing?"
"Do you think the Germa Kingdom has so much free time that the entire royal family can simply pick up and leave?" Yonji asked, staring down his nose at the man. "I have a royal affidavit from my father stating that he approves of this marriage, though he was unable to come himself. I am, after all, only the youngest son." Though he didn't believe that fact would prevent him from becoming the heir apparent to the Germa Kingdom if he took over enough countries single-handedly with Nami's help.
"Still," the man said, suspicion clouding his eyes as he gazed over the fleet, "did you really need to bring so many people with you? And in war ships?"
"The Germa Kingdom has nothing but war ships," Yonji stated matter-of-factly. What on earth would they do with any other kind of ship? "And this is to prove my devotion to Princess Clarisse. If we were to be wed, the Yashta Kingdom would be under the protection of Germa 66. Though I may be a fourth son, I would not be bringing nothing to this marriage."
"And would receive becoming a king out of it," the man muttered, probably unaware of how good Yonji's hearing was. Little did the man know that Yonji would rather choke himself than be king to a woman like Princess Clarisse. Raising his voice, he said, "And, if the Yashta Kingdom were to refuse your offer…?"
Yonji was careful to keep the devoted look on his face. "I would rather discuss this with Princess Clarisse directly than some lackey who for all I know has no authority to make negotiations of any kind."
The man's face twitched. "I am sure the princess and the king would appreciate speaking to you directly. However, I am unwilling to allow so many foreign ships to dock at our port. This is simply Yashta's law, Prince Yonji, I assure you that no offense is meant by this. If you are truly sincere in your desire, then I don't believe you would mind boarding my ship and coming ashore alone."
"Of course not," Yonji agreed. If things turned sour or this was a trap, he was confident he could wipe out every last person on the ship in front of him if he needed to.