Princess Tears - A One Piece Fanfiction featuring Akagami no Shankusu

Homebound

Loud, thumping noises from the deck awakened me. It felt like it was that time when the Red-Haired Pirates came to the Calm Realm, except that it was different this time. I was in another place, another time, another kind of me. 

I backtracked in my head, flipping through each revelation. I was abducted by someone who duped Shanks into telling him that I was his daughter, but they wanted me because I was the Queen of Pearls, who I grew up believing to be a myth. Shanks was asking me last night if I could be his wife. 

Shanks. Shanks. And more Shanks in my tiny, dumb head.

How many days have passed? I lost track of time. I miss home terribly, but would I endure being away from him once he returned me to the island?

The ends of my flowy, long white dress was in a lump on the floor as I stood up, leaning against the door post. I figured I could go up to the deck now, right? I started the stairs and the smell of the sea breeze greeted me. 

Someone was also cooking as I noticed the delicious aroma of fish, maybe with some sauce dripping on charcoal. But was the noise about? A few seconds more and halfway through the stairs, I could hear people talking.

"I told you," Shanks calmly said, his tone relaxed and not angered, "it was all a misunderstanding. I was wrong, sorry."

"How dare you speak of this so lightly in front of the Admiral," an angry, elderly voice yelled back. I imagined he must be pointing his finger at him. "Return the Princess at home at once!"

Hearing this, I started the stairs towards the square-shaped opening at the deck. I could feel everyone's eyes now that I was appearing before them. Shanks stared back at me, but his face was emotionless.

"Your Highness, Princess Ava," the Marines greeted me in chorus. "We'll make sure to take you home safely today."

If this happened days ago, I would've jumped to the Marines' ship immediately and asked them to sail off right away. But today was different. I was not too sure if I was happy to be finally rescued and going home. I'd be away from Shanks, and we won't see each other again.

"Princess Ava," the Admiral said in his croaky voice. He was rubbing his beard as if to say, Wow you're alive. "I am surprised to see that you're not in chains or in a cage, knowing how much of a scumbag this crew is."

I slowly shook my head. "No, sir, they made sure to take care of me properly." It was so good I almost didn't want to be rescued. I took a quick glance at Shanks, but he looked away. My heart sank.

"Please tell us that we can now retrieve what you stole," the Admiral continued, facing the Red-Haired Pirates. They were surrounding their whole ship, ready to defend their captain. The Marines' ship was nose to nose near the Red Force, and despite the wind and the sound of the waves crashing against the sides of the ships, I could hear them well.

"You bet," Shanks said, finally walking away from the crowd, taking a bottle of liquor with him. He sat down, legs crossed and grinned at everyone. The Admiral stretched out his hand to me, signaling that it was time to go home.

Why was I feeling disappointed? Was I expecting him to fight the Marines, sacrifice the bounty on his head, just so he won't let me go home and keep me until I say yes to becoming his wife? Was last night's conversation a complete joke?

I reluctantly took the Admiral's hand. He gave it a light squeeze and the other officers made their way as they climbed out of Shanks' ship. 

I made little steps trying to prolong this as much as I could, hoping for the red-haired captain to take me back, but what a joke. Who was I kidding?

Finally, I was with the Marines. 

No time was wasted and we sailed off immediately. I asked for a room so I could cry, wondering how much stupidity I could still have after everything that had happened.