Smokeless War - One Piece

(26)

The moment she started putting a floral perfume on me, I immediately protested. To which she only started messing with my hair.

"No! This isn't proper."

"It's sexy. You look awesome." She merely replied before continuing fixing my hair.

"Those are two conflicting words but somehow I like how you used them." I reluctantly murmured and she chuckled.

"You're adorable. Now come on, you're telling me you've never sensed it?" She lifted an eyebrow and at my expression her jaw almost dropped. "No way you're this dense. Oh my god, he has no idea what he's gotten into has he?"

Can't be sure if she said that last part but I didn't have a clue of what she was saying anyways so I went back to fiddling with my fingers then my bottom lip again. I'll never get to go to the library again if she keeps this up..

"You're taking a long time. You know the hairstyle will fall out when I sleep right?" I pursed my lips at her continuing her work without bothering to answer me.

"It's seriously been five minutes. You might have a mental problem, my lady." She finally tutted after a moment and I pinched her lightly earning a squeal. "What I meant was! I'm finished already. What do you think?"

Turning to look in the mirror finally I turned my head to the side, actually admiring her flawless handiwork. Intricate braids lined my head somehow, and she'd gotten them to wrap neatly around like a headband made out of my hair but the braids weren't too tight and she showed me easily how to undo them if I wanted, though her expression said she'd hope to see me at dinner with them.

"That is quite pretty. I think I'm missing the sexy part but I like this better. Thank you, you did make me look..awesome." I ran my fingers through now smooth locks and she tended to her own hair after practically glowing at my pleased assessment of her work.

I almost snuck off to the library, finding the door unexpectedly locked as she tutted again and I turned slowly with shame almost marring my face until I realized she had only gone through the clothes in here and there shouldn't be anything too indecent lying around.

"Oh come now, why did you think I'd still leave you in that dress? Look in the closet."

Opening the door warily I was instead pleasantly surprised. There was a quite pretty mid length top, the light forest green embroidered with colorful flowers at its off shoulder neckline paired with a thick, checkered skirt and a quite unusual sight for me.

"What's this?" I called out.

"Oh yes I'm a mind reader suddenly and I know exact-"

"Who's shoes are these?"

"Oh. He must dropped them off for you sometime. They're quite pretty, aren't they? Perfect for all that running around you do. Anyways, don't bother me I'm gonna use your bathroom again." She kindly warned me before shutting the door as I started dressing and finally came to those thick dark brown leather boots paired with creme colored socks that went a little past my ankle.

The feeling was so strange, a new good quality shoe. Not feeling the slightest pebble through the soles of my feet might be nice, though I'd definitely have blisters if I wore them a lot, which I will. I very much like them.

"I'm going to read for now, I better find my room clean when I get back!" I knocked on the bathroom door. "Remember what I taught you, please. Mopping is not that hard, I'm sure a big girl like you can do it."

"Sure mom. See you at dinner." She just barely answered me without a care before I left for the library again, the cool air of the castle skimming past my bare neck to caress newly forming goosebumps at not only the temperature but the anticipation. My mother loved books so very much, she left me for them.

It sounds cruel but really that's what happened. Her job as a scholar aboard a pirate ship eventually left me without a mother and living with my uncle until..

Uncomfortable memories found me with sweat beading on my forehead in an instant, my hands clasped together as to avoid fiddling with my fingers, clothes, or lips. I'd been punished for it before but of course, now I was not beaten for every little thing I did wrong.

Taking deep breaths, I found a sort of calmness again as I walked to the library, the gray weather outside the large set of windows I passed every day bringing that calm feeling more easily. Every now and then, there'd be a large lightning strike that'd startle me though and it'd embarrass me everytime.

I can't imagine if someone saw me flinch at it. I smiled meekly at the thought before I entered the solemn library, finding Mihawk not at his desk.

Something about that made my expression drop, but at the very least he'd taken the tea with him.

Going a little further into the book shelves, I found a large, luxurious leather couch with large velvet pillows that actually seemed dusted, though I hadn't known it existed up until now so it certainly wasn't me. I didn't want to even imagine the price of the gold furnishings, the giant dusty portraits of almost frowning aristocrats sending chills down my spine.

Except for a lot chandeliers above the library, the other lamps weren't lit at I found out why as two somewhat hidden glass doors led into a breathtaking flower garden.

With a decided nod, I quickly sought after a few books I could read as I explored the strangely tended to garden.

The covers of the books were very dusty, and blowing off said dust was almost hazardous to my health as I coughed up a storm at the first whiff of any. But finally, I settled on two books. One I guessed and took because it wasn't as thick as the others, and another because though hidden, it'd been less dusty albeit I still couldn't read the title.

I admit it, I had a second agenda. The flowers were so pretty though! Dainty lilacs completely took over this stone arch, and roses of all colors barely confined themselves. Intertwined in the lilacs were small white flowers, weeping willows stretched their limbs out to offer cover from the fog and small pattering of rain.

Don't even get me started with the vines.

I couldn't get enough, I must have twirled about ridiculously as I walked but it was so..tranquil. I'm not sure there's a word to describe such a place, it struck me as a mirage within the grey and foggy mist.

The path led somewhere else, but I couldn't make myself walk any further as the woods seemed quite daunting without Mihawk, and his warning of the humandrills still stayed in the back of my mind.

Opening a book, it seemed to be an auto biography of one of the royals who'd resided in the palace. Some of the printed letters were smeared even in the beginning, with something like water damage crinkling its ancient pages. The accounts written were not necessarily sad, but it was as if the woman writing it was forced. I barely got a few pages in when the accounts gradually became more honest and..sad.

"I've never been in the sunlight's presence on my own. Father says I am far too weak to be left by myself, and when I find I cannot bring myself out of bed some mornings I fear it's true. That is how I used to be. I now know surely I am..I am sure I live now. I met him in the darkest part of my life and I no longer wanted to be in the sunshine by myself, because I had my very own sun. Even now, as I sit unable to leave my chambers any longer I will never forget him."

I shut the book almost abruptly. It took no time at all for what I felt to be a painful story to form and my heart started to break for there seemed no way it ended well. Opening the other book to a random page I found a wildly different genre, an iron hot blush running up my neck to my ears and cheeks.

Standing up to pace those wild thoughts out of my mind before I got distracted by the flowers again, I turned back around to find Mihawk sitting at the bench, shame flooding through my cheeks.