The Princess and The Swordsman (ZoroxOC)

Chapter 126

We approched the island and Luffy and Usopp both gasped, "Whoa! Amazing!" They both shouted. On the island was what looked like a castle, "That's where he lives? It's a freakin' palace!" Luffy exclaimed, "I've never seen a house that big before. This Montblanc Cricket guy must be really loaded." Usopp said. Shae looked at Usopp, "Usopp, you've seen a bigger house. Kaya's." she reminded him. Zoro groaned, "Look closer." he insisted, "It's really unattractive." Sanji chimed in, "Guy's gotta have some serious guts to build a house that ugly." he said as Chopper looked closer.

Behind the tacky palace cut-out, was the actual house, or at least, half of the actual house, "The actual house is only half that size. What you see is a facade. A fake." Zoro explained to the crew, "This guy's even more vain than I thought." Sanji remarked. Nami looked at Robin, "Why exactly did Cricket decide to leave his home and come live here?" she asked, "I don't know all of the details. But I think it has something to do with his belief that a large amount of gold rests somewhere in the hills of Jaya." Robin explained, "Gold?" Usopp asked in surprise.

"Do you think he's here searching for some sort of buried treasure?" Nami exclaimed, "Well, I just don't know." Robin answered. Nami looked at Rosa, "Rosa, do you have any idea?" she asked and Rosa shook her head, "Not a clue. Like I told you guys back at the bar, I'm not from around here." Rosa reminded her as Nami immediately began making Chopper search for gold with his nose as we all disembarked on the island. Sanji walked away as I looked around, "I wonder where he is." I murmured as Luffy barged into the man's house, "Hey, you guys! Nobody's home." Luffy called out from the house. 

I noticed a book on a table and picked it up "What's this?" Nami asked as Rosa walked up to me, "A book. And it looks pretty old." Rosa remarked As shae looked at the book, "It's called, 'Noland, the Liar." Shae said, reading off the title. Usopp laughed, "Sounds like it could be good. I sure like the title." Usopp said. Sanji had approached us, "Noland, the Liar?" Sanji asked. Rosa looked at him, "Yeah, have you heard of it, Sanji?" she asked. Shae looked at the book, "It says here, it was originally published in the North Blue territory." she read off. Sanji grinned, "It was! I was born in the North Blue Territory. I'm certain I must've told you guys that." Sanji explained.

Rosa watched us all, "No, thats news to me." Usopp said and Shae nodded, "I always thought that you were born in the East." she added, "I grew up there." Sanji clarified as Nami yelled at Chopper. Sanji took the book from me, "Where I come from, this is a famous story. It's a fairytale supposedly based on the life of Noland, who lived in the North Blue a long time ago." he explained. Nami took the book from him and read it out loud to us as we silently listened. When she was done,  Rosa spoke, "A true story of Montblanc Noland? I wonder if Cricket is related to him." She said. 

Suddenly, we heard Luffy scream and we looked towards the sound, "Did he just fall into the water?" I asked as Shae ran towards him, "Luffy!" she cried but stopped dead when a huge man climbed out of the water, "Who the hell are you?" the man demanded as he landed in front of Shae, "Shae!" I shouted.