Peace of mind (Akainu x OC)

Part 4: What to do?

Sakazuki left soon after making sure the young woman had been settled into bed before leaving the room. His mind lost in the thoughts of what he could possibly do to save her.

In the brief time he realized she was a calm soul. She didn't get angry like he did. Knowing that he didn't have as much time as he would like, he went around the entire castle finding as many of the maids or servants he could possibly find.

Asking each of them in turn what he could of the oldest princess. Some of them said that she had a terrible temper and was prone to getting whatever it was she wanted. The questions he had asked about the youngest were far more favorable. He had heard that she was a kind, gentle young woman who never really got angry. A young woman who cared about her people.

He liked that in a way that someone was completely opposite of him. The fact she could keep calm when he was angry but to the fact she as well felt the need of the people around her. It made him deeply consider for just a moment of what a life with her would be like. She may have been born a concubines daughter from what he found out, but to him it made her no less perfect.

Kindness and a calm aura he could tell that much about her in their brief time together. He could use that in his home. Especially when he usually came home stressed, or even exhausted from a long day. Angry at most things he couldn't control in his life, but to come home and to have her gentle touch.

Breathing out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding, he went towards the rooms he had been given during his stay, rubbing his hand along the back of his neck, stiff as it ever could be when he was stressed. His mind trying to work out what he could to do, to save the woman who had begun to fill his mind. Feeling his lips turn down as he entered his rooms a frown etching itself along his face as his eyes glanced up to see the oldest princess sprawled naked in his bed.

Scowling he really wanted to be alone with his thoughts and he could tell from the naked figure of the other woman on his bed, that she was trying to be seductive but it only annoyed him greatly.

"I would appreciate it your highness if you would leave" Sakazuki growled out clenching a fist. He stared at her almost disgusted with the fact she was low enough to be doing it the way she was at this moment probably thinking he was an easy enough target. But she should be wrong men of his age didn't bother thinking the way some younger men did. He grew up believing justice is what mattered and woman were fleeting. Beside he could already tell that he wouldn't have been her first and it made his nose crinkle in further disgust.

If anything right now it annoyed him further. First Silvia had the nerve to pretty much order a death sentence to her younger sister, just because she had been born to a different mother. Second she had the nerve to be laying in his bed after already being with another, if the marks on her neck weren't enough proof. Silvia clearly had no manners befitting her rank compared to Cosette, he decided right than and there that he and Cosette would not stay on this island any longer than needed.

Turning upon his heel he decided to return to Cosette's rooms. It was far more preferable to be there than to be in the rooms that were supposed to be his during his stay.

In the morning he would go talk to the king saying he had made his choice. He refused to marry Silvia. Pushing open the doors he was glad to see the silver haired woman still deep asleep curled on her side, his steps fairly light as he reached out cupping her smooth cheek.

Yes, he would get Cosette out of here. Even if it meant a quick marriage. Sitting beside the sleeping woman he gently shifted to pull off his shoes and large marine coat, laying it aside without much care. His hands working at his jackets buttons working to pull it off  as well before setting it aside on top of his marine coat. Finally after a few moments  of working to calm the burning anger he was feeling his hand reached up to tug off his marine cap, setting it aside with the other temporarily discarded items before starting the process of tugging his gloves off.

Sliding his large frame under the covers with the young woman he wrapped a protective arm around the sleeping figure. Sakazuki laying his head over her  own as he felt her body shift closer to his body and to the heat he had to offer, his hands shaking as he held her close as he possibly could without squishing her much smaller, more fragile frame.

Sakazuki felt his eyes begin to close. He was utterly exhausted and it was a first for him. He was always on edge but feeling Cosette curl in his arms, her soft scent of roses filling his nose was causing him to relax before his eyes fell closed falling into deep asleep. His mind for once at ease.

It was hours later in the early morning when he felt movement in his arms, feeling his chest get nuzzled as he looked down upon the waking woman in his embrace, a small smile pulling at his face. It had been a goodnight sleep he realized, so he bent his head from his much taller height even when laying down, came down to press a kiss to the top of her head.

She was still far to gaunt for his liking but he would fix that soon enough. Holding her face he gave her a welcome smile.

"Everything will get better, we will be leaving soon enough" he murmured gently kissing her head again as he stood. Starting the process of pulling things back on, but stopping as he felt arms slide around him from behind feeling her hands shake.

"I'll return just stay here safe in your rooms, it won't be long till we leave" he said, conviction in his voice that he had decided after last nights sudden appearance of the older princess in his rooms. He blanched at the thoughts alone.

Feeling her nod she held him for just a moment longer before she pulled back giving him a gentle smile, making his move to stand he reached out ruffling some of her already messy silver hair as he held a strand. It was a fascinating color and the more he looked upon the silken strands the more he realized he was starting to adore this unknown woman.

Leaving the Princesses room he began to think it didn't matter if they were immediately in love. Love could always follow but his sense of justice was telling him that he needed to save her. Returning to his rooms to shower he was glad to see that Silvia was gone. Scoffing as he heard a maid whisper behind his back, turning he stared at her with eyes that seemed to glow with the magma that flowed through him.

"What pray tell are you whispering about if I might ask?" He said, causing the two maids assigned to him to jump back. "We...we're sorry sir, it's just that we heard from the maids attending the Queen that Lady Cosette's sacrifice is going to be held in three day's. They keep moving it up. I..it was supposed to have been a wedding gift to you to congratulate you and her highness Princess Silvia, but she's feeling jealous and threw a tantrum late last night when you did not return". One of the two said.

It caused his lips to turn down, Silvia was even more spoiled than he thought. Another thing that pricked at his ears was what they said. Three days that's all she had left if he didn't marry her. His hands had begun to shake, clenching and unclenching. It was a back and fourth movement that usually helped calm him but in one single day things seemed to have gone from bad to worse.

It made his eyes close, time was running out and he was becoming lost. His hand settled to his forehead trying to think as he went towards the bathroom needing to clean himself quickly. His head coming to rest on the side of the gilded shower sighing.

Holding Cosette had felt nice, even right in a way and the thought of holding Silvia the same way disgusted him. If he would be forced to marry Silvia he would hate her for the rest of his life. He would hate her for losing the Silver haired beauty that within a few short weeks till last night he realized she was the one and losing her would for some reason feel like he was missing a piece of himself, he didn't even realize he was missing.

After pulling off the shower wall he turned off the water, climbing out to get dressed and while exiting he saw the raven haired woman once again on the bed. His anger burning even brighter as he stared at her.

If life had been simple he wouldn't need to rush and figure things out of how to save the woman with the smile that began to warm his cold heart. But it was at this moment all he wanted to do was punch the woman with the cold smirk off her face.