Finding Myself (One Piece Fanfic)

Chapter 112: Not Princess Material

I do not own One Piece.

Trigger Warning!
Family Abuse, Mental Abuse, Starvation, Physical Abuse
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Yesterday had been my last day in the dungeon. It has been hard to count the days, but I feel as if I ended up only spending five of the seven days down there. With the lashings we received, which I counted more than seven times, I found it even harder to keep track of time. Since then I have been given a room of my own. One that they lock me in when I'm unattended, and all communication with my brother has stopped. While having something to eat the last week has helped me regain some strength, I still felt far too drained with the sea prism cuff around me neck.

Currently, I'm being forced ti have tea with Ayami. Apparently my posture was terrible, so they've tied me to the chair to force me to sit straight. This had been a rather hard struggle, as I am trying to stop myself from being dragged back to the memories that I recently regained. I'm also not allowed to frown, or cuss. Those earn me a good slap or a pinch, which I've found mild in compassion to the other punishments.

Other than Ayami nitpicking at me, she has made some other alarming comments. This week is apparently her birthday celebration, but next week is to be my coming of age ceremony. Once I pass, apparently they said failure is not an option, I'll be announced as the next in line after Ayami.

"You must pass this test," Ayami stated, placing her cup down and folding her hands in her lap. "After you pass, I myself have one more test I must pass in order to earn my coronation. That can only come to pass once you've succeeded of course, we can't possibly have a barren Queen take the throne with no possibility of a future for the throne."

 It was starting to become hard to control my breathing as my head tried to drag me back to other memories concerning me restrained. the last thing they needed to see was me succumb to a panic attack. I needed a distraction.

"Sounds like a bitch." I answered, my head snapping to the side as a loud slap sounded through the air. Letting out a breath, I allowed myself to be brought back to the current situation with the stinging in my face.

I looked up and refrained from giving the woman a look as she turned to look away from me. She is Ayami's personal guard, Ahmya. I've understood that she is a member of the Kobayashi family, specifically Tatsu's child. Her looks are similar to the King's guard, though she looks younger.

Her short hair is not yet gray, and instead it remains a dark violet. No matter what she's doing, her hair always appear to stay in place perfectly. Her clothes were similar to the rest of the Kobayashi family, but completely different from the clothing Ayami wears and I'm forced to wear.

A silver breastplate covered her tourso, which matches the silver band around her arm. The band matches Ayami's crown, and bares a striking resemblance to something else i have seen before that I couldn't place my finger on. Tight black pants with sturdy leather boots covered her bottom half. A black sash covers her waist where two katakanas rest.

Comparably, Ayami definitely looks of elegance. Her white robes go over each shoulder and meet down to her cleavage. Another royal purple sash connects with her left shoulder, flowing to the bottom of her dress and wraps around her back onto her right arm. Silver bands are worn on each of her wrists, as well as a silver ring. Like always, Ayami's black hair is left down, only a silver hand placed around her head.

Her violet eyes looked up at me from the papers she had begun to shuffle through. Even with her face void of emotion, I could see a storm brewing in her eyes.

"Were you raised in a pig pen?" She asked me. I hated her perfect pronunciation of every syllable.

In the back of my head, I reminded myself that I needed to be on her good side. I needed to be able to strike a deal with her for Sato's safety. Unfortunately, it seemed the more wild side of myself still had more control.