The Princess and The Swordsman (ZoroxOC)

Chapter 26

I edited this together myself

"Wait, you mean to tell me Evie is supposed to succeed your father?" Nami exclaimed. Vivi nodded, "Yes. It's because she's older so, naturally, she was chosen to be queen. She likes to say I will succeed our father because that is what she wants, but without his permission, she has to be queen." Vivi explained as she looked down, "No matter how she feels, its her duty to be queen one day." she added softly.

"If that's the case, then Kell is more then her friend, isn't he?" Shae suddenly asked. Vivi looked up and nodded, "Yes. Kell came to Alabasta from a far away kingdom, he's a prince. He was sent to Alabasta as a child, to marry Evie when she turns eighteen, and then one day become king, but Evie refuses. She cares about Kell but only as a friend and nothing more. This is why he devoted his life to protecting her, but since she told him she doesn't want to marry him, he decided to train and be a guard for Alabasta. Kell loved Alabasta and wanted to protect it, even if he never became king." she explained.

"With Kell dead, she should be off the hook, huh?" Usopp asked and Vivi shook her head, "No. Daddy would probably make her queen whether she was married or not, hers and Kell's marriage was just for political reasons." Vivi answered. Zoro gritted his teeth, "So he was going to force his daughter to marry someone she didn't love all because of politics?" he demanded, anger in his tone.

Shae sighed and shook her head, "I don't think I could ever understand royalty." she sighed. Nami nodded, "Seriously. It isn't fair to Evie. She shouldn't be forced to do something she doesn't want to do." Nami sighed. Sanji puffed on his cigarette, "Not much different from my family." he murmured in a low voice so no one heard him, but Shae glanced at him in confusion.

Sanji straightened up, "Breakfast is done if you are all hungry." he informed them and walked away towards the kitchen. Shae watched him go, her head tilted in confusion before she shrugged it off and smiled at Luffy, "Come on Luffy." she said and they hurried to the kitchen. Nami and Usopp followed, leaving Vivi alone with Zoro on the deck in silence.

Vivi spoke to Zoro while looking at the sky, "Ever since we were kids, she was always told she wouldn't marry Kell and be queen. She would argue and refuse, but all it did was land her trouble. It got the point where our father told her she didn't have a choice, that the choice was made for her; for the good of Alabasta. It made Evie feel like she had no freedom and no control over herself or her future, so she never allowed herself to notice other people. However, Mr. Bushido, you are the first person my sister noticed. Something about you has lit a fire in her eyes, made her, once again, determined to avoid her destiny." she said, her voice low. 

"I love my sister and I love my father, but I want Evie to find her own happiness, she deserves it. Everything she's ever done in her life has been for Alabasta or me, not herself. I hope this trip gives her the happiness she's longed for all these years." Vivi finished, her voice low. She turned to Zoro and smiled, "We better get some breakfast before Luffy eats it all." she giggled, before walking towards the kitchen to grab breakfast. Zoro laid there on the deck, thinking about everything Vivi had said before he too, stood up and went to the kitchen.