Queen of the Pirates

Royalty AU Filler Chapter 3

"Its only your mom," Luffy chuckles as I pace the outside my mother's room.

It has been a few days since we went into town with Chopper, and we've been figuring out how we are going to tell my mother about us. We had to get everything in order to ensure that we didn't leave anything out. After learning that she would have a few moment today to talk, we knew that this was our now or never. If we wanted to ensure that we would be able to go to the ball as a couple, then this is what we have to do. No matter how nervous it makes me.

"I know that it is my mom, but that doesn't mean I can't be nervous," I sigh, wrapping my arms around my middle. "I've been keeping a secret from her for a couple years, and I just don't want anything to go wrong. Because so much can go wrong right now."

Luffy grabs my arm as I walk past him, pulling me into a hug. "I don't think anything is going to go wrong, but if it does, we don't have to stay here. We can go join Sabo, or find your father, or just go live out in the country for the rest of our lives. That would be enough adventure for you, wouldn't it?"

I giggle, "Yeah, I think that would be."

He holds me out by my shoulders, "See, then no matter what happens, the two of us are going to be happy, okay? I'm not letting you go from my side. I don't want to be anywhere that isn't right by you. I'm your knight when I need to be, but I am your boyfriend all the time. That I can't help. I love you, Akari."

"I love you, Luffy," I whisper. "Thank you for that. I needed to hear that."

He presses a kiss to my forehead, "I'm always here for you, my princess."

I spin out of his hold when the door to my mother's room opens and her lady-in-waiting steps out into the hallway. "Ah, is my mother ready to see me?"

"Yes, my lady," she bows. "She's been looking forward to this meeting actually. She says she feels like she hasn't been able to see you much this week because of all the planning with the ball."

"She does have to make sure everything is perfect," I smooth my hands down my sides. "Come, my knight," I glance back at Luffy, flashing a wavering smile.

He widely smiles back, giving me a nod of encouragement.

The two of us then walk into my mother's where she is sitting in a chair in front of the fireplace. A small fire that is on the verge of going out not giving off enough heat to make it uncomfortable to sit near.

"Ah, Akari my dear," my mother lovingly smiles, reaching her hand out to me. "And you brought your knight, how lovely."

I take her hand, "I take him everywhere."

She presses her lips to my knuckles before releasing my hand and motioning to the chair right across from her. "Please, sit. I have the next couple of hours cleared to be able to talk just with you. I was happy that you wanted to talk with me so bad. I don't remember the last time we did something like this. You're always with Robin nowadays studying, or disappearing into the garden. Oh, I know how much you love that garden. It is one of the prettiest places in this castle. You would spend so much time out there with all your friends, and all of Ace's friends as well. That boy, he's always trying to be different than his father, but they are so similar I can't take it."

I nervously shift around in my seat, not wanting to stop my mother from doing the one thing she has taken so much pride in. Her ability to talk.

"I know that we all wish that he would come around more, but he has saltwater flowing through his veins. He needs to be out there sailing the seas. Exploring the world. Finding places that none of us every thought were out there. He loves us, I know he does, which makes the times that he is home even sweeter," she lets out a sigh, looking over at me for the first time since she started talking. Her eyes widen as she realizes that I came to talk to her, and I haven't been able to say anything since I made a comment about Luffy. "Oh geez, there I go running my mouth like I always do. You wanted to see me, and I haven't given you any room to speak. I am sorry dear. You clearly have something that you need to tell me. Okay, I will stop talking and you have my full and undivided attention," she softly smiles.